Ning Chi, watching from the city wall, saw Zhou Gu and his band of men in black storm into the Jibei Army’s camp, with some rushing towards the drum used to signal the siege, first slaughtering the Jibei soldiers who were playing the drums. Zhou Gu himself set off directly for the person under the Star Banner.
Someone yelled out, "Quick, protect the general!"
Still others shouted, "Protect the Third Young Master!"
Perplexity suddenly dominated the Jibei Army’s camp.
Without the sound of the besieging drum to foster courage, the movement of the Jibei Army’s soldiers slowed down, especially when they heard of the chaos behind, which caused widespread panic.
Ning Chi seized the opportunity and gave the command instantaneously, "Open the city gate. All you generals and soldiers, follow me out to fight the enemy."
Even though Nanping Army consisted of wounded soldiers and stragglers, at this moment they were fired up. Upon Ning Chi’s order, the city gate swung open and the soldiers who were defending the city rushed out, weapons in hand.
Jiang Zhu also led his brothers from the Eighteen Villages in the attack.
Ning Ze did not go with them, instead, he held Zhang Mao back, repeatedly verifying from him, "You won’t have any regrets, right?"
Zhang Mao, pale as a sheet, leaned on him and replied, "No."
He had already attacked the Jibei Army. There was no more possibility of turning back.
Considering the circumstances, Ning Ze agreed and let him go, "Neither one more nor one less is going to make a difference."
He had no wish to march straight to his death. He was genuinely drained. During these two days, his elder brother and Jiang Zhu were the main forces, but they had had some rest. Only he had not had the slightest break amidst the fray. He was taken up with the management of the city gate battlefield, tending to the injured, and organising city gate defenses, when his elder brother and Jiang Zhu were resting. He now found it hard to stay upright.
As for Zhang Mao, he had been seriously injured with a slash and could barely stand up, so it was natural for him to hold off.
After a rest, Ning Ze, hearing the tower-trembling shouts under the city, laboriously climbed up the city wall to have a look. It took him a while to see it in surprise, "It seems like Zhang Cheng has been killed by Zhou Gu."
Zhang Mao was taken aback, "Really?"
"It appears so." Ning Ze turned back, drawing on his strength from somewhere, pulled Zhang Mao up from the ground, and made him come and look down from the crevice in the wall along with him, "Look, the Jibei Army is in complete disarray. The Star Banner has fallen, and these fifty thousand soldiers have broken ranks and scattered like birds and beasts. It seems like they have completely lost their will to fight. A flaw in the commanding officer would, in all probability, have resulted in this."
Zhang Mao watched for a while and then sarcastically remarked, "This is genuinely absurd."
"Ah?" Ning Ze inquired, "What are you saying?"
"I was referring to my father. It’s truly absurd! He has been scheming for years, filled with ambitions and seeking the throne. I, his son, was the first to waver and betray him. Then my uncle attacks Nanping City with two hundred thousand soldiers. But, in the end, the thirty thousand soldiers of Nanping City won, while the Jibei Army mysteriously lost in the absence of any reinforcements."
"It is not over yet." Ning Ze interjected.
"It will be soon. There is no doubt about that." Zhang Mao was uncertain whether he should celebrate the fact that he did not want to die or wished to seek refuge with Su Rong to establish a new life for himself. Or if he should be sarcastic, ridiculing how the two hundred thousand soldiers had lost so haplessly.
He thought, even in death, his uncle would probably find it a bit stifling.
Who could have guessed? Zhou Gu, leading a group of men, would successfully infiltrate the camp of tens of thousands of soldiers attacking the city and behead the commanding officer.
"They have retreated? They have really retreated?" Ning Ze suddenly widened his eyes, "The remaining fighters of the Jibei Army have withdrawn?"
He wanted to call out to someone behind him to bring him a telescope. Yet he discovered, apart from Zhang Mao, there was no one left on the city wall. Even the secret guard assigned by his mother had gone out to face the enemies. He fell silent for a moment then, turning around, picked up the telescope Ning Chi had previously tossed aside before he descended from the city wall. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
He picked up the telescope and looked down once more. Everything was indeed clearer. The Jibei Army had truly withdrawn.
The Nanping Army was raising a thunderous cheer as they defeated the Jibei Army. Having lost their commander, the ranks of the Jibei Army collapsed into chaos, with no more will to fight, they could only allow the Nanping Army to kill at will. Therefore, someone from the Jibei Army issued an order to withdraw, and the able-bodied soldiers followed suit.
Tens of thousands of soldiers were beating a fast retreat, even as they were involved in combat.
Those who had been affected by the muscle-relaxing powder and were not able to rise and run, and the body of the commander Zhang Cheng were abandoned where they lay.
Ning Ze’s eyes gleamed as adrenaline surged within him. He turned to Zhang Mao and asked, "How does it feel now?"
What could Zhang Mao feel? He had predicted this outcome earlier. He said, "It just proves that the Zhang Family doesn’t have what it takes."
Ning Ze patted him on the shoulder and asked, "Who are you?"
"In any case, I am not Zhang Mao."
Ning Ze roared with laughter, "Right, you should pick a new name for yourself. Starting from today, Zhang Mao is dead."
"Let Lady Su Qi name me. After all, if she takes me on, she will be my new master." Zhang Mao responded.
Ning Ze nodded in approval, "That makes sense."
Beneath the city, the Jibei Army was retreating and the Nanping Army naturally didn’t have the energy to pursue them. Meanwhile, Zhou Gu sheathed his sword, his gaze cold and detached while looking at the retreating Jibei Army, "This Zhang Yun is quite something, he actually managed to escape."
On this occasion, perhaps Zhang Cheng was careless or too eager to capture Nanping City, and so, though there were people surrounding Zhang Cheng, their protection was not solid. Zhou Gu, with Fen Ling, had stormed in suddenly and therefore, Zhang Cheng was killed on the spot by Zhou Gu. It was not too difficult, after all, Zhang Cheng had already been wounded by Fen Ling’s sword on that night, and was still recovering.
Whereas for Zhang Yun, perhaps because of the muscle-relaxing powder rendering him unable to protect himself, along with his severe wound, his protection today was watertight and unbreachable.
Despite not being able to kill him, and having dispensed all of Fen Ling’s poison, he had managed to cover his mouth and nose in time, and thus was safe.
Within the Jibei Army, his commands still held weight. Therefore, upon seeing Zhang Cheng dead and the soldiers in disorder, with the demoralised and ragtag Nanping Army charging out of the city gates, he knew instantly that the tide had turned and immediately issued a withdrawal order.
Thus, he left the scene protected by the Jibei Army.
"This son of a b*tch, he managed to escape." Fen Ling stomped her feet in frustration.
"The outcome today, in any case, is good." Zhou Gu furrowed his brows, pulled out the Crown Prince’s token and declared, "All Jibei soldiers, listen to my orders. To those who surrender, kneel and accept the Crown Prince’s orders. Those who don’t, will be considered as traitors and rebels, and will be executed on the spot."
His voice, filled with internal energy, pierced through the entire camp, ensuring that everyone heard him loud and clear.
The Jibei soldiers received the order clearly. Who wouldn’t want to live? Especially when their commanding officer was dead, the Third Young Master had left with his entourage, and they, the ones affected by the muscle-relaxing powder and thus unable to walk, had been abandoned. If they didn’t surrender, they had only death to look forward to.
So, as soon as Zhou Gu’s voice fell, many of the limp and powerless Jibei soldiers, lying or crawling around, began to struggle and kneel where they were.
Not one of them resisted.
Zhou Gu was satisfied. He said to Fen Ling, "Take your people and take custody of these soldiers. Handle it with Master Ning. I’m going to pick up your sister."
Fen Ling nodded, "Alright, brother-in-law. Hurry."
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