Chapter 479 Internal and External Cooperation
Lin Changning charged ahead, his sword moving so fast it was almost invisible. Many soldiers were killed before they could even react.
More and more people followed Lin Changning and Qi Rong towards the city gate.
While the soldiers below the city gate were desperately resisting, one of them quickly ran up to the city gate tower.
"Commander Wu! The people below are rioting, and our men are almost unable to hold them off."
The magistrate, who was watching the two armies play chess below from the city wall, had already learned of the situation when the people rushed towards the city gate. He leaned weakly against the city wall and shook his head gently.
With a large army pressing in from the outside, the troops sent by the imperial court were slowly losing ground. The troops led by the King of Chu were known for their toughness in Da Xuan, and in just two hours, the reinforcements sent by the imperial court were completely surrounded and controlled.
The people in the city were once again in riots because of the grain requisition. There was no solution to this problem. If they were to take action against the people below the city, it would only incite their anger even more. Wu Tongzhi rubbed his cheeks and looked at the Chu King's banner as he followed the Chu King straight toward the city gate.
After squinting, he saw the thousand heavy cavalrymen beside the King of Chu and sighed softly.
Knowing that Shunde City might not be able to be defended, the general took most of his troops and supplies to the Zhang River, preparing to ambush them there. Apart from himself, a minor official, and a few thousand garrison soldiers, Shunde City offered no further assistance.
I knew Shunde would be abandoned, but I was still somewhat unwilling to accept it.
Which general in the military doesn't want to make a name for himself?
But now, with the army pressing in and the people in the city rioting, Shunde is doomed.
After sighing, Wu Tongzhi led the commander beside him down the city gate.
When Wu Tongzhi saw Lin Changning leading the charge and holding off several soldiers, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He thought to himself that Lin Changning was a good candidate for a soldier.
When they saw Qi Rong and Commander Qian fighting alongside Lin Changning not far behind him, they were stunned for a moment, then their brows furrowed.
No wonder the people in the city rioted.
It turns out it was the Prince of Qi who was behind this. What a clever King of Chu! He's besieging the city from the outside while instigating the people to open the city gates from the inside. What a brilliant scheme of working together from within and without!
Hearing the approaching hoofbeats of the cavalry outside the gate, Wu Tongzhi said to the man beside him, "Have all our men lay down their weapons and surrender the city!"
The commander beside him stared wide-eyed in disbelief, seemingly not expecting his subordinate to surrender so readily. He hesitated, then said, "Subordinate! If we surrender, His Majesty will not let us off!"
Wu Tongzhi sneered: "Do you think the King of Chu will let us go if we don't surrender? Besides, the general has taken the provisions and others to the mouth of the Zhang River. Shunde has long been abandoned. If we open the city gates and surrender now, at least we can save some lives."
As for who will sit on the throne in the future, it makes no difference to him. He is only loyal to the Great Xuan, not to the emperor. When the Prince of Chu enters the city, he can distribute some food to the people, and the casualties of the soldiers will be less.
Wu Tongzhi sighed, his rough face filled with melancholy: "Let the men below open the city gates."
After saying this, he took off his helmet and walked straight down the city wall. Looking at the still indignant people, he signaled the soldiers to stop. After being hit several times by the angry people's sticks, he cupped his hands and said, "It is my Wuchuan who has let down my fellow villagers. Please stop hitting me. I will open the city gate now to welcome the prince into the city!"
After speaking, he bowed deeply to the people. The people looked at each other, bewildered, as their high-ranking official bowed to them. They didn't know what to say for a moment, and stopped bowing, staring at the general who had removed his armor.
Lin Changning was too embarrassed to make another move. After sheathing his sword, he watched as the general who had removed his armor actually walked to the city gate and ordered the soldiers to open it.
Then he led the soldiers from inside the city to the outside, raised his helmet high and said loudly: "This humble general, Wu Chuan, welcomes Your Highness into the city. Please do not harm a single civilian and distribute food to the people!"
"This humble general, Wu Chuan, welcomes Your Highness into the city. Please do not harm a single civilian and distribute grain among them!"
"This humble general, Wu Chuan, welcomes Your Highness into the city. Please do not harm a single civilian and distribute grain among them!"
Wu Chuan's words quickly reached the ears of the King of Chu. The King of Chu, riding his horse, waved to signal the cavalry to stop. He looked at the man kneeling in front of him, holding a helmet, and frowned without saying a word.
After seeing Wu Chuan, who was leading the way, throw away his sword first, the soldiers behind him followed suit, throwing their weapons on the ground and kneeling down before leading the group slowly toward the city gate.
Lin Changning led the people out of the city, and when he saw the King of Chu leading the troops, he lifted his robe and knelt on the ground.
"This humble general, Lin Changning, welcomes my father into the city!"
Seeing Lin Changning kneel down first with his men, Old Qian hurriedly knelt down on the ground as well.
"This humble general, Qian Ming, respectfully welcomes Your Highness into the city!"
Qi Rong took a few steps forward and knelt down next to Lin Changning: "This humble general, Qi Rong, respectfully welcomes Uncle into the city!"
The people behind them looked at the three people kneeling in front of them with a hint of confusion in their eyes.
No? Weren't those three woodcutters and hunters from the mountains? How did they suddenly become generals?
Is that right?
Several dazed civilians stood blankly at the city gate, only snapping out of their daze when they saw the heavily armored cavalry behind the King of Chu raising dust as they approached the city gate.
Good heavens!
The people behind them knelt down like dumplings being dropped into a pot, raising their hands high and kowtowing on the ground.
While kowtowing, they imitated Lin Changning and the others, loudly proclaiming, "The people of Shunde respectfully welcome Your Highness into the city!"
"Welcome, Your Highness!"
However, most of the common people had never seen anything like this before. When they saw the cavalrymen beside the King of Chu, they were so nervous that they could hardly speak. For a moment, the noise was as loud as a vegetable market.
The King of Chu frowned, and when he got close, he dismounted and helped Wu Chuan, who was bowing his head, to his feet.
"Wu Tongzhi, please stand up and speak!"
Wu Chuan looked up at the majestic face of the King of Chu and sighed, "Your Highness, what about the people and the grain?"
The King of Chu sighed softly, "Naturally, not a single commoner will be harmed, and food will be distributed. If you are willing to bring people to surrender, there will naturally be military provisions available."
A hint of joy flashed across Wu Chuan's face as he kowtowed several times to the King of Chu, saying, "This humble general, Wu Chuan, is willing to die for Your Highness!"
The soldiers behind him exchanged bewildered glances for a moment. The two commanders at the head of the group were the first to react. Seeing their comrade surrender, they quickly kowtowed and said, "We are willing to die for Your Highness!"
As soldiers gradually came to understand the current situation, led by several commanders, they kowtowed and shouted to the King of Chu.
"I am willing to die for Your Highness!"
A slow smile appeared on the King of Chu's lips. After helping Wu Chuan up, he helped up several other commanders. Hearing the loud shouts of the crowd, he turned his head to look at Lin Changning and Qi Rong, who were standing up and shouting not far behind him.
He nodded slightly to the three men and then prepared to lead them into the city.
Li Mingde was still besieging the imperial army, and the soldiers on the other side were starting to waver when they saw the situation.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
