Chapter 82 Apricot Sour
Guan Zhiwei alone caused the morale of the Yuan army to plummet.
Under the cover of darkness, fear rose among most people, and crows cawed from time to time, as if urging the more rotting corpses there were.
The general leading the army tried to rally his soldiers and push them forward.
They were immediately within Guan Zhiwei's shooting range. Her eyes could see clearly even in the dark, giving her the advantage.
She even abandoned her horse, leaping into the air and using the side stone wall as a springboard. She took three steps at a time, almost flying, like a god descending from the sky, her knee landing squarely on the other person's face.
He was bleeding from a broken head and fell from his horse to the ground.
She stole the enemy's horse, cut down their flag, and penetrated deep into their camp, continuing her rampage.
Of the three generals sent by Yuan Qiuhe, one has already been killed.
Yuan Chi, having learned from his elder brother's mistake, refused to charge forward. His chariot remained at the rear, with messengers constantly returning to report on the situation at the front. Upon learning of the general's death, he immediately promised He Xin and Qi Tianle, "If you two can win this battle, I will personally petition my father to bestow upon you titles and a reward of a thousand taels of gold!"
"yes!"
Although He Xin and Qi Tianle led their troops into battle, they refused to leave the army, fearing that if they charged too far ahead, they would run into Guan Zhiwei.
The two armies clashed, with the infantry in front. As the fighting continued, they entered the valley.
Once most of the army had entered, Zhi Fang, who had been lying in ambush, immediately led his troops to charge from both sides.
The situation immediately changed dramatically.
For the Yuan army, the sounds of battle cries from all directions threw them into disarray. Once the soldiers were in chaos, they could only rely on the banners of their commanders to keep them in place. However, neither of the two commanders dared to charge forward, and instead stayed at the rear, causing the soldiers to rush back.
Amidst such chaos, the situation became one-sided.
Zhi Junyuan grabbed the reins and shouted, "My lord, will they retreat? Should I try to flank them from behind?"
Guan Zhiwei shook her head: "He won't back down. If he had started from scratch, it wouldn't matter if he lost everything in the war. He could just eat chaff and wild vegetables and make a comeback. But he's just his father's son. He grew up in luxury, was disciplined by strict teachers and parents, and has had a smooth life. If he can't win, he'll go to extremes."
"We can't retreat! If we retreat, half the soldiers will be lost inside! How am I supposed to attack Yong'an City? How am I supposed to go back to see my father!" Yuan Chizheng exclaimed in terror. He was like a gambler, desperately hoping to bet his last savings and break even.
"If we continue fighting, we may be wiped out!" He Xin was a cautious man, and seeing that they had already fallen into a trap, he was eager to persuade his young master to retreat.
Yuan Chi was at a loss for words, so he turned his head and looked to Qi Xie for help.
Qi Xie said in a deep voice, "At this point, Third Young Master, there is only one way left."
"What?" he asked, as if he were drowning.
Qi Xie's expression was as shrouded in mystery, revealing neither joy nor anger. He said, "Withdraw the troops, but we will not attack Yong'an City. We will take a detour to attack Shangjing. Shangjing is undefended. Once we take Shangjing, Guan Zhiwei will be hesitant to act rashly. Then we can join forces with the lord to attack from both sides and cut off her escape route. In this way, the Third Prince can also give the lord an explanation."
Yuan Chi was somewhat dazed: "That's right. Father is determined to become emperor. If we conquer Shangjing and force the emperor to abdicate, we will have achieved something. Father will be happy and won't mind my little mistake."
Qi Tianle felt something was amiss and was about to speak when He Xin shook his head at him.
The Third Prince always listens to Qi Xie. If they were to jump out and contradict him at this time, and Qi Xie were to whisper in their ear so that the Third Prince would shift all the blame onto them, then they would face the wrath of their lord.
A biological son is always a biological son; how can outsiders compare?
"Grand Tutor, they've retreated!"
"Hey!"
Guan Zhiwei scratched her head. "I guessed wrong. I really didn't expect that the so-called third young master of the Yuan family would have such a strong will to make tough decisions. I shouldn't have underestimated these second-generation rebels."
Knowing that Junyuan's face was covered in blood, he looked at her with a resolute gaze, waiting for her next command.
"Chase!"
Guan Zhiwei was furious and embarrassed: "He thought it was a dinner party, that he could come and go as he pleased."
Zhi Fang warned, "Even a cornered beast will fight back; you must be careful."
"Yes, Father!"
Zhi Junyuan led his troops in pursuit, but he was also very cautious. The enemy was determined to retreat, so he boldly went up to harass them, killing nearly three hundred people and capturing about one hundred.
This war was a great victory.
The soldiers all needed to be rewarded. Gao Huan smiled and went to sit with the families that Yuan had been corresponding with. They readily donated money and goods, and generously rewarded the soldiers in the camp. That day, several cows were slaughtered and vats of wine were filled for the soldiers to eat and drink.
With money in hand, the soldiers began to spend it all over the city, eating and drinking, and the small vendors and hawkers were all in high spirits. The city was bustling with activity, and even those who wrote letters for others were doing quite well.
Living a good life seems to be a human instinct; it doesn't need any guidance. People sprout up like mushrooms after the rain.
"If Madam Feng were here, she would play the pipa in every tavern and make a fortune." Guan Zhiwei tossed a dried apricot into her mouth and chewed it with gusto. It was a bit hard, but very moist and soft, with more sourness than sweetness.
Gao Huan smiled gently: "I know you're worried about them, so I've already sent someone back to pick them up."
"Here's a treat for you." Guan Zhiwei gave him a dried apricot.
He chewed it, and his brows furrowed from the sourness.
"Lord!"
Zhi Jun, who had been watching from afar through the crowd, immediately pushed his way through and ran over. He bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, my lord. You're out for a stroll too?"
Gao Huan smiled and said, "It's to inspect people's livelihood."
Guan Zhiwei asked, "What are you doing out here? Have your injuries healed?"
Zhi Junyuan's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter. "Thank you for your concern, my lord. I am fine. These minor injuries are nothing to worry about. I would gladly go through fire and water for you."
Gao Huan thought this person was a suck-up; in the words of his lord, he was a simp.
"You should rest and recover. Tetanus Blade is pretty scary these days," Guan Zhiwei muttered.
"I'll be back in a bit. I came out to buy some gold ingots to burn for my fallen brothers. The Ghost Festival is coming soon, and I hope they have some money to spare in the afterlife."
These gold ingots are the best-selling items in the city right now. Skilled women keep kneading them, and they can make tens of thousands every day.
Burning paper money and ingots brought a sense of peace, as I hoped that when I died, someone would burn some paper money for me.
"I just made do while I was alive, so I'll enjoy a better life after I'm dead." Zhi Junyuan was still smiling, but the smile faded slightly, and there was a hint of bitterness in his eyes.
It looks like a puppy that's been soaked by the rain; it doesn't even wag its tail much anymore.
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