Chapter 2722 Progress
The emperor first walked around the city wall, then comforted the soldiers who participated in the battle, and finally went to visit the prisoners.
The prisoners were driven into an alley. Regardless of whether they were injured or not, they were either sitting or lying on the ground. When they saw so many important people coming to the entrance of the alley, they couldn't help but get up and kneel in fear.
The emperor saw that many of them were still bleeding, looking miserable and panicked. He sighed and said, "Move the prisoners outside the city and select the wounded. Mr. Zhou, take care of them with your medical staff."
Manbao glanced at them and then lowered his eyes and agreed.
So the soldiers escorted the captives out of the city and cleared out a piece of open land at a certain distance from the tent to accommodate them.
Manbao continued to follow the emperor in his inspection of Anshi City. In fact, there was only one main street and four alleys. The shops on both sides were closed and there was no sound at all. Occasionally, the low cries of children could be heard from the houses, but when one listened carefully, the sound disappeared.
The emperor stood at the street corner, watching. He no longer mentioned the matter of entering the city to accommodate the wounded. Instead, he said to his accompanying courtiers, "Issue an imperial decree to appease the people. Tell them to close their doors and gates for the next few days and not go out."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The emperor instructed Bai Shan and Lord Fang, "Write the imperial edict as you see fit. The key is to appease the people."
Bai Shan and Lord Fang bowed in response.
The emperor walked around and then left the city, lowering his eyes and thinking about how to take Anshi City, or even the entire Goguryeo.
After leaving the city, Manbao said goodbye to everyone and turned around to deal with her wounded. At this time, no one was busier than her.
No one minded. After watching her leave, they gathered in groups of three or four to talk.
An official looked at the bandage on Bai Shan's hand and asked with a smile, "How did you get hurt, Master Bai?"
Bai Shan smiled slightly and said, "I'm not strong enough, so I just broke my skin. It's not a big deal."
Duke Zhao took a quick glance and said, "Master Bai's hands are used to draft imperial edicts, so they must be carefully protected."
Bai Shan bowed and replied "Yes".
The emperor's attitude immediately calmed the hearts of the captives, and the imperial edict was quickly issued. Although no one would come out to see it, Bai Shan called the soldiers and asked them to recite the imperial edict and then carry gongs to publicize it along the alleys. He also called officials from the Honglu Temple who were familiar with Goguryeo to accompany them, and they spoke the two languages alternately.
The already quiet Anshi City became even quieter. The people all closed their doors and decided to wait until the winner was decided before leaving.
It doesn't matter who is in power to them.
The Goguryeo royal court was not good enough to deserve their lifelong sacrifice, and the Jin Dynasty was not evil enough to require their lifelong sacrifice.
The emperor only wanted this attitude and did not expect that they would turn around and help the Jin Dynasty fight the Goguryeo army.
The rest is up to them.
Duke Zhao took over from General Ashina and began to organize the soldiers to advance in an orderly manner.
Manbao divided the students into two groups, letting one group rest first, and she took the rest to see the surrendered soldiers in the prisoner camp.
The situation here is different from the previous one, so the emperor will not let them go.
Releasing prisoners at this time is equivalent to sending soldiers to the other side, so all prisoners are guarded in prisoner camps.
They didn't run away either, mainly because if they ran now they would still be caught by the enemy and brought to the battlefield, or they might be sent to the front line to shield themselves from arrows. It would be better to stay in the Jin army as prisoners. Although they would have less to eat, they would not starve to death.
I'm happy that there's a military doctor to see me and medicine to take.
Manbao's eyes were red from staying up all night, and she didn't return to the medical tent until the evening. Xibing, who came with the army, saw how tired she was and immediately went downstairs to prepare hot water. When she came back with a basin of hot water, Manbao was already asleep in the chair with her head tilted.
Xibing could only put down the wooden basin and wring out the cloth to wipe her face and hands.
Just when I was hesitating about what to do, Bai Shan came back.
He glanced at Manbao and said to Xibing, "Go find her a set of clean clothes."
Xibing knelt down and turned to rummage through the boxes.
Bai Shan took off her coat, then carried her to the bed and asked Xibing to change her clothes.
Xibing couldn't help but look at Bai Shan's wrist.
Bai Shan didn't care and stood up and said, "Change her clothes, then go to the kitchen and get a piece of meat, chop it up and make porridge for her."
Xibing said, "Meat... is not easy to take."
Bai Shan said, "Just say that Master Zhou from the medical account wants it, and they dare not refuse. She already has an allowance, but she just hasn't used it."
Only then did Xibing agree.
Bai Shan just sat there for a while, and someone came outside to call out, "Mr. Bai, His Majesty has summoned you."
Bai Shan could only get up and leave.
Anshi City was about to be captured, and he was also busy.
Duke Zhao held his breath and advanced fiercely with his men. In just half an hour, they captured half of the city and directly cut off the enemy's way to the north gate.
Of course, this was also due to Yuan Yi’s hasty retreat and poor defense.
The army led by the Duke of Zhao was composed entirely of elite imperial guards, affiliated with Yin Li.
Yin Li had always been strict in military discipline and did not allow soldiers to harass civilians. In addition, the emperor was also here, so no one dared to attack the civilians in the city. They quietly cleared the streets one by one to make sure that there were no Goguryeo soldiers hiding in the alleys.
Then Yin Li led his troops from inside the city to surround the defenders at the north gate, cutting off their retreat.
Qibi Heli outside the city received the news and ordered his soldiers to make a commotion, and the imperial guards inside the city also responded with a roar that resounded through the sky.
General Gao was attacked from both sides, and his morale was severely damaged. Finally, he could not withstand the pressure and had to open the city gate and surrender.
Qibi Heli led his troops into the city, and after joining forces with Yin Li, they took over the north gate.
When Manbao woke up, most of Anshi City had fallen into the hands of the Jin army.
Xibing brought in a wooden basin and wrung out a cloth for her to wipe her face.
Manbao asked, "How's the situation on the front line?"
Xibing said, "The fighting is still going on. I heard that it's happening in the streets and alleys. Master Wen has split the medical tent in two. He has taken his men into the city so that the wounded can be treated without having to be sent out of the city."
Manbao nodded, obviously satisfied with the decision.
Xibing brought out the meat porridge that had been cooked this morning and said, "My lord, this is what I asked you to prepare for you."
Manbao took it and asked while eating, "Have his wounds been treated?"
Xibing shook his head, "The master didn't come back last night."
Manbao knew they were busy, so he stopped asking and went to the doctor's office after breakfast.
She looked up at the city wall and saw the emperor, General Ashina and others standing there, so she went upstairs as well.
The guards guarding the city wall saw that it was her, stopped her for a moment, and then went to report to the emperor. Only after getting his approval did he let her go up.
The emperor turned and smiled at her, "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Zhou."
Man Bao bowed and said, "This is my duty, it shouldn't be called hard work."
She also looked up at the inner city and asked curiously, "They haven't surrendered yet?"
The emperor didn't answer. General Ashina said, "They won't surrender. If Anshi City is lost, the Jin army will be able to advance straight down. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, they won't give up."
See you at 6pm
(End of this chapter)
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