Chapter 114 Dispute
When Xiao Zhuo and Shen Yuexi arrived at the Xiliang Army camp, the camp was in a state of chaos with people shouting and horses neighing.
Shen Yuexi looked at everything in front of her, and a word flashed through her mind.
Move camp and set up camp.
Mei Pu obviously also knew the news that King Mei Cheng of Xiliang was besieged in an isolated city by the Western Rong army.
Cavalrymen moved in and out of the tents. Some poured water on the fire, sending up a sizzling cloud of smoke. Others saddled their horses, others unloaded weapons from the racks. The entire camp was filled with the tense atmosphere of a battle.
"It's almost dusk now," she looked at Xiao Zhuo, "Are they going to rescue the King of Xiliang overnight?"
Xiao Zhuo nodded and said, "That's right. The King of Xiliang is currently besieged by the Western Rong. If we go too late, the city may be destroyed and everyone will die. But Mei Pu's move is too hasty..."
Shen Yuexi was confused. Xiao Zhuo said that Mei Pu was too hasty. Did he mean that he shouldn't have rushed to rescue him?
She didn't understand the intricacies of war, so she simply stopped thinking about it.
The two men walked through the crowd and headed towards the central army commander's tent.
Meipu's stand-in general was patrolling the area, waving to the soldiers. Seeing Xiao Zhuo approach, he made a gesture of invitation as before, then quickly led the way.
After entering the commander's tent, Shen Yuexi saw at a glance the table with half a corner chopped off. Meipu was standing with his back to them, holding a sword and his head bowed.
The substitute warrior walked up to him and whispered.
"Xiao Zhuo, you've arrived just in time," Mei Pu turned around and waved his hand to order the substitute general to retreat. "My father is in imminent danger. Will you help him or not?"
He seemed to be in a bad mood, without any politeness, and even his tone was much stiffer.
Shen Yuexi was a little confused at first, but she understood after thinking about it carefully.
The King of Xiliang had originally forbidden Meipu from sending his troops to Langya Pass. Meipu had secretly led 10,000 cavalrymen to the Pass out of friendship, putting the King of Xiliang at a disadvantage. The Western Rong army was no fool and would surely seize the opportunity to attack. The King of Xiliang lacked Xiao Zhuo's commanding ability to defeat a larger force with a smaller force. His disastrous defeat was partly due to Meipu's disobedience.
No wonder Mep was so upset. Maybe he was regretting his actions.
Xiao Zhuo said, "First, tell me what the current situation is like with the King of Xiliang."
Mei Pu threw his sword to the ground, making a clanging sound. "Over ten thousand people were killed in that battle. Father had planned to lead his army back to Yongwei Commandery, but the Western Rong cut off their retreat. They were forced to retreat to Leshan Commandery, where they then surrounded the city."
"Leshan County?" Xiao Zhuo closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then opened them again and said, "If it were Yongwei County, it would be fine. But the walls of Leshan are old, low, and have fallen into disrepair. If the Western Rong attack for a long time, I'm afraid it won't be able to hold."
"This is exactly why I'm anxious!" Meipu walked over quickly and grabbed Xiao Zhuo's sleeve. "Xiao Zhuo, I have helped you drive the enemy back here. If my father were defeated and killed, I would never be able to rest in peace even in the grave."
Xiao Zhuo glanced at Shen Yuexi and said slowly to Mei Pu, "If you listen to my instructions, I will help you."
After hearing this, Mei Pu returned to the desk without a word, grabbed the seal, turned around and walked back, saying, "That's what I meant to do. Just give me your orders."
Xiao Zhuo took the seal and said to Mei Pu, "Mei Pu, you stay here. Yue Xi will treat your illness."
"What?" Shen Yuexi and Meipu shouted at the same time.
Shen Yuexi wanted to go with Xiao Zhuo, but she didn't expect Xiao Zhuo to stop her and asked her to stay here.
Seeing Xiao Zhuo's attitude, she didn't ask for anything. Instead, Mei Pu raised her voice and said, "The trapped person is my father. How can I not go?"
"You're incapable of fighting in this state," Xiao Zhuo refused bluntly. "I'll go. Your illness is already very dangerous. Only Yue Xi can save your life."
Mei Pu was about to explain, but Xiao Zhuo interrupted him with a wave of his hand, saying, "If you don't agree, you can lead your troops back on your own."
Shen Yuexi felt that Xiao Zhuo was quite greedy, wanting to have it both ways. He wanted to save the King of Xiliang and also save Mei Pu's life. The Xirong army was a hundred thousand strong, and she wondered if these ten thousand cavalrymen would be able to break the siege.
If it were anyone else, she would definitely not believe it, but if it was Xiao Zhuo leading the army, she would be full of confidence. The only thing she didn't understand was why Xiao Zhuo insisted on keeping Mei Pu?
Mei Pu hesitated for a while, then looked up at Xiao Zhuo and said, "Okay."
"In an hour, your substitute general and I will lead the army to set out. You and Yuexi will return to Xiaogang Village to receive treatment. I will leave Qiu Liming behind to lead 500 soldiers to protect you."
"We don't need so many," Mep said anxiously, "My father needs the troops more. I..."
"Although the Xirong have just retreated, they may come back to harass us. Leaving five hundred of them here to defend is a safe strategy," Xiao Zhuo interrupted him without allowing any room for argument. "Don't worry, I will do my best to rescue the King of Xiliang."
Meipu had nothing to say and could only nod in agreement. He walked to the tent entrance and looked toward the east side of the camp. There was a dense mass of people, some squatting and some sitting, guarded by hundreds of Xiliang cavalrymen holding weapons.
"One more question, what should we do with these 5,000 Xirong prisoners?"
After Mei Pu reminded her, Shen Yuexi remembered that the Xirong army still had 5,000 prisoners in the camp. What should they do?
Xiao Zhuo said coldly: "Kill him."
Shen Yuexi was shocked. Without time to think, she rushed forward and said, "What are you talking about! These are five thousand people, and they have already surrendered. Why kill them?"
She didn't expect Xiao Zhuo to suddenly say such cruel words.
In the history she had studied, she had seen cases of soldiers being buried alive to kill those who surrendered. She had always thought it was too cruel, but she had never imagined that she would have to witness it herself.
Xiao Zhuo said expressionlessly, "Yuexi, don't forget. There is no food or fodder left in the camp to supply these five thousand captives."
"Don't the Xiliang cavalry have food and fodder?" Shen Yuexi grabbed Xiao Zhuo's arm to prevent him from giving orders, and turned to Mei Pu, "Give them some."
Mei Pu seemed afraid to look at Shen Yuexi, and lowered his head and said, "We came to rescue them this time, traveling light and fast. Everyone only brought five days' worth of food. Now there are only three days left. If we share it with the prisoners, we will have nothing to eat."
"We can't kill them either," Shen Yuexi thought of a solution in a hurry, "Why not let them go and let them return to Xirong."
"It will take at least ten days to walk back to Xirong from here," Xiao Zhuo reminded her. "We don't have any extra horses to give them. Five thousand enemy soldiers can't march without food. What if they rush into Xiaogang Village while we're gone?"
Shen Yuexi was speechless for a moment.
Xiao Zhuo was right. If they continued to hold them captive, there would be no more food or fodder left in the camp. Once the Xiliang cavalry left, these five thousand would rise up in rebellion, and Qiu Liming's mere few hundred soldiers would be unable to resist.
If they were released prematurely, these five thousand captives would have nothing to eat and would be unable to walk back to the Western Rong. To survive, they would have no choice but to plunder nearby villages. This would be like releasing a band of five thousand roving bandits. Then, the entire population would suffer.
It’s not okay to let it go, and it’s not okay not to let it go.
"But you can't kill them either," Shen Yuexi looked at Xiao Zhuo pleadingly, "Let me find a way."
She had no idea what to do. But she instinctively felt that since they had surrendered, these five thousand lives shouldn't have been lost. No matter how logically it made sense, emotionally she couldn't accept it.
"No, I can't take the risk," Xiao Zhuo ignored her insistence. "If we let them go, not only will Xiaogang Village be devastated, but the surrounding villages like Dongji Town will suffer as well. Even you... I'm afraid you won't be spared either."
Mei Pu advised: "Miss Shen, this is a helpless measure. Besides, the Xirong people are jackals that plunder everywhere, so there is no harm in killing them."
"Order the soldiers to dig a deep pit outside the camp." Xiao Zhuo said to Mei Pu, "We must set off as soon as possible."
Shen Yuexi rushed to the door of the tent, turned around, opened her arms and stopped the two men, and shouted to Xiao Zhuo: "If you kill them, I will never talk to you again."
Xiao Zhuo was stunned for a moment, then turned his lightning-fast gaze to Shen Yuexi: "Are you threatening me?"
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