Chapter 1089: What Do You Know About Loyalty to the Emperor? (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"Look on the bright side, at least you've survived." Snakes are cunning and treacherous by nature, and even Gongxi Chou, who believed in overcoming all obstacles with sheer force, was no exception. He may seem straightforward, but he knew better than anyone how to add fuel to the fire and rub salt into wounds.
Wu Xian's mouth muscles twitched uncontrollably.
He held his breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.
Gongxi Chou sneered, "You scions of noble families all like to preach the idea that 'a scholar can be killed but not humiliated.' If you feel you can't go on living and insist on dying, I suppose Mama wouldn't have any objections. Your being alive is more of a headache for her than your death, isn't it?"
Wu Xian nearly choked on a mouthful of blood.
He swallowed his surging emotions with difficulty.
In the end, he did not choose to end his own life.
It wasn't that Wu Xian lacked the courage, but rather that Gongxi Chou wouldn't allow it. This cunning barbarian, while provoking Wu Xian, was using him as a guinea pig, placing a spell on him that forbade suicide. His reasoning was equally self-righteous: "Mama may not care whether you live or die, but it's different for me. Capturing you alive and bringing your head back, are military matters the same?"
Gong Xichou is now a man who has to support his family.
As his uncle, he was to raise Alai's daughter.
Mama also said that children are money-devouring beasts.
Since they are money-devouring beasts, how can they be without the nourishment of money and power?
Only military achievements that could convince the masses could transform his title of Honorary General into real power. Even Gongxi Chou, who had never cared about fame or fortune, was unusually serious about it. What did Wu Xian, the embodiment of military merit, think? His thoughts on spoils of war were ignored.
Gong Xi Chou timed his attack on Wu Xian perfectly, just as the skeleton soldiers were being executed and Chu Yao and his troops were launching a surprise attack on the main force of the Gao Kingdom. Wu Xian's personal guards, realizing their king's predicament, came to his rescue, but Gong Xi Chou had already escaped.
The bad news is that Wu Xian is too big, and we can't run fast with him.
Good news, the pursuers' speed increase is not as good as Gongxi Chou's.
The two sides remained separated by a distance. Gongxi Chou cunningly used Wu Xian as a human shield, and his personal guards, fearing for their lives, dared not attack with bows and arrows. They had no choice but to delay until Chu Yao's troops arrived, completely extinguishing the personal guards' hopes of rescuing Wu Xian.
Wu Xian closed his eyes in despair.
Because Wu Xian was captured alive, the main force of the Gao Kingdom was caught in a dilemma: retreat or not. The two armies had barely clashed when the morale of the Gao Kingdom's troops began to crumble, and they were routed. In addition, the inversion of civil and military affairs caused by the military command system led to a further decline in their combat effectiveness.
Anyone with common sense could see that Gao Guo was powerless to turn the tide in this battle.
Seeing the army approaching, Gongxi Chou entrusted Wu Xian to his own men and went back to find his elder brother, Ji Moqiu, fearing that his inexperienced brother would suffer a great loss at the hands of the Grand Preceptor. Wu Xian was bound hand and foot and imprisoned, remaining silent throughout the entire process.
Until the sounds of battle gradually faded into the distance.
Adhering to the principle of "pursuing the enemy to the bitter end," Ning Yan led the left wing in pursuit of the remaining Gao troops for over a hundred miles before stopping. Further ahead lay Gao territory, and Ning Yan intended to finish them off in one fell swoop. However, halfway there, the surging martial energy within her dantian returned to its most familiar state—the inversion of civil and martial arts was over!
Ning Yan said with regret, "The time was too short."
She glanced at the state of her own troops and had no choice but to give up the temptation to risk expanding her gains, and ordered a retreat.
Seeing Ning Yan's troops withdraw, the remnants of the Gao Kingdom, who had been nearly driven to their deaths, breathed a sigh of relief, but were also filled with resentment. They had already contacted the garrison in the nearest county, and if Ning Yan dared to continue pursuing them, they could cut off her retreat from within and without.
Once their supply lines and escape routes are cut off, they can be trapped like turtles in a jar.
Even though Ning Yan's army wasn't large, successfully swallowing it up would at least salvage the situation somewhat, save face, and allow them to exchange prisoners for their own troops with Shen Tang, minimizing losses. Unfortunately, the commander was too vigilant.
Gao Guo is consolidating the remaining forces.
A rough estimate shows that the loss of soldiers and horses is enough to make one's eyes sting.
The group of civil and military officials, covered in dust and dirt, looked at each other in bewilderment.
No one dared to be the first to ask about the whereabouts of their lord, Wu Xian.
It is quite normal for two armies to spread rumors about the opposing general/commander in order to undermine the morale of the enemy.
Unless you personally witness someone being arrested or having their head hung up, all these reports can be treated as "rumors."
Unfortunately, too many people witnessed Wu Xian's personal guards chasing Gong Xichou.
Gao Guo could not ignore this.
In order to stabilize morale, they insisted that Wu Xian had not been captured alive, and that the person captured was just a double who looked very much like Wu Xian.
This excuse could only deceive for a while, not forever. Without the king stepping forward to clean up the mess and appease the army, the remaining troops would inevitably be filled with anxiety. Just when the atmosphere became so heavy it was suffocating, someone finally spoke first, breaking the deadlock.
"Gentlemen, what should we do now?"
"Whether it's good or bad, let's at least provide a plan."
As he spoke, he scanned the faces of the crowd, each colleague displaying a different expression.
Some sighed, some sobbed, and some stared blankly with numb expressions—the losses in this battle were far too great!
It was so big that even the colleagues present couldn't accept it.
You should know that some of them had brought out all the able-bodied men from their tribes. They thought that even if they lost this battle, they would still make a profit. If they could win, they would annex Kang State and take a piece of flesh. If they couldn't win, they would retreat and keep the overall losses within an acceptable range.
Who would have thought this would be the outcome?
They risked everything, and ended up losing even their trousers.
Alas, I wonder how many of them managed to escape alive.
Other colleagues didn't go this far, but some brought along clansmen they favored, hoping to gain prestige and experience to become political capital for future promotions. In the end, they failed.
For a family, promising young and middle-aged members are always invaluable treasures, the foundation for the continuation and development of the family.
Their deaths mean the family has no future.
Seeing that his colleagues remained silent, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue his suggestion: "How about... we must gather our troops and welcome our lord back?"
As soon as he finished speaking, several murderous gazes were cast upon him.
Everyone was still seething with anger.
Aside from Wu Xian's confidants and high-ranking officials from the Wu clan, most civil and military officials opposed the proposal. They opposed it in their hearts, but couldn't voice it, much less be the first to speak out. These old foxes knew perfectly well that whoever spoke first would become the target of everyone's criticism, and might even become a tool for the new ruler to win over the people and establish his authority. If you don't mention it, I won't mention it either.
For a moment, the atmosphere fell into a stalemate.
This is no challenge for anyone else.
Immediately, some people covered their faces and wept, their voices hoarse, sincerely lamenting Wu Xian's plight and the fact that no one was willing to help him.
Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts skipped a beat.
Some of them cursed inwardly.
[Damn it, if you want to go rescue the emperor, go ahead, but don't drag me down with you. This isn't a question of having the courage to start a war! This isn't a question of how to fight! Even at their peak, they were in this mess, and now they've only managed to gather 30% of their remaining forces. How are they supposed to fight?]
When he saw who was crying, he fell silent.
The people wailing were neither Wu Xian's confidants nor members of the Wu clan; rather, they were members of the Tianhai family, whose conflicts with Wu Xian had escalated from covert to overt in recent years. This group's conflict with Wu Xian was irreconcilable, almost to the point of being irreconcilable! If one were to name the civil and military officials who least wanted Wu Xian to return as ruler, the Tianhai family would undoubtedly be among them!
Are they crying for Wu Xian?
Isn't this like a mouse crying over a cat?
The general who was about to swear silently swallowed his curse words.
Even military generals could see it, so how could other vixens not? They all twitched their lips, unable to interrupt.
They couldn't interrupt, not even Wu Xian's confidants.
So far, they haven't said anything detrimental to Wu Xian.
The person who started wailing didn't intend to speak ill of Wu Xian; he simply stated the facts: "...Although rumors circulate that Shen Youli and the King have a deep bond, who among you doesn't know that this is merely a smokescreen by Shen Youli? It's nothing more than a lie to lull the King into a false sense of security! We have followed the King for over two or three decades, and we know best that the King is proud and arrogant, preferring defeat to humiliation, and would never willingly hand over his life's work. The King is probably..."
The resolute Wu Xian would never choose to live a life of dishonor.
As veteran officials, if they are grateful for the emperor's promotion and important appointment, they should do their utmost to safeguard the emperor's legacy.
An old minister of the Wu family mocked, "What should Your Majesty do?"
Is Wu Xian trapped and planning to take matters into his own hands?
With the current strength of the Tianhai family, it's probably not enough.
The man ignored the sarcastic remark and said directly, "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Why not establish a new ruler? The emperor's children all have the qualities of their father and should be able to protect the family business."
This proposal is undeniably tempting.
Let them take Wu Xian back?
They simply don't have the manpower right now. Not long ago, they were being chased by the Kang Kingdom's army, almost to the point of death. They don't even dare to recall such a humiliating experience, and they don't have the courage to reorganize their remaining troops and fight again in the short term. Even if they managed to fight, the outcome would be predictable.
But no one wants to admit that they are a coward.
He's still a coward who's afraid of death and abandons his master at the crucial moment.
The suggestion in front of us is quite comprehensive.
This gave them an excuse to retreat and avoid war, while also ensuring they were morally blameless—it wasn't that they didn't want to save their lord, but rather that they understood him; in his heart, the kingdom's foundation was more important than his own life, and as long as the green hills remained, there would always be firewood to burn.
Supporting a new ruler is a way of doing justice to Wu Xian.
Wu Xian himself would agree if he knew.
The person most dissatisfied with this proposal was Wu Xian's confidant.
One of them jumped to his feet, his cheeks flushed red with anger, turning a dark red: "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"We absolutely disagree with abandoning our Lord and embracing a new one!"
"If you don't dare to fight this battle, plenty of others will!"
After a long while, the number of people who came forward to show their support was less than two hands.
This scene successfully turned their faces ashen.
He glared angrily at the silent Wu family officials among them.
The person receiving the eye greeting remained unmoved.
From the Wu clan's perspective, regardless of whether the ruler is Wu Xian or his son, isn't the Wu clan still a member of the royal family? Would they suffer any loss of benefits? If Wu Xian's son ascends the throne, his foundation is insufficient, and he might even need to rely on the power of the royal family, thus benefiting the clan itself.
If that's the case, then of course there's no reason to object.
Even if they manage to recapture Wu Xian, how long will it take for the severely weakened Gao Kingdom to recover? It would be better to stop there and send someone to negotiate peace with Shen Youli, exchanging concessions for survival. If they truly wipe out Gao Kingdom's elite forces, what chance do they have of peace talks? Even if Shen Youli agrees, the other small countries bordering Gao Kingdom won't. In that case, they might truly face annihilation.
This is already the optimal solution after weighing the pros and cons.
Wu's officials chose to remain silent.
The old foxes were not surprised at all.
This action infuriated the commoner generals promoted by Wu Xian. Some wept on the spot, while others contemplated killing, creating a chaotic scene. Amidst the chaos, some were disheveled, and others had bruises on their faces. The farce ultimately ended without any fatalities.
Who among these people doesn't have a wife, children, and elderly parents at home?
If someone dies, it's the family members who will suffer.
The proposal to establish a new ruler has been largely passed.
The reason they didn't discuss it further was because they wanted to wait a while longer for news of Wu Xian's final fate from Shen Tang. Wu Xian was, after all, the ruler of Gao Kingdom, and before the official announcement of his death, wouldn't it be a laughingstock to rush into supporting a new ruler? If they were to actually begin the process, they would have to wait until Kang Kingdom explicitly refused to return Wu Xian, or made exorbitant demands... The envoys from both countries haggled and the negotiations completely broke down, leaving Gao Kingdom "forced" to reluctantly support a new ruler and stabilize the court for the sake of the bigger picture.
This matter requires a passive approach, not an active one.
Perhaps knowing he couldn't turn the tide, Wu Xian didn't cause any trouble.
He patiently waited for Shen Tang until she finally arrived. Roughly speaking, it had been six years since the two last met face to face.
The Kangguo troops began clearing the battlefield.
Wu Xian was also taken to see Shen Tang.
With the help of a renowned physician, Wu Xian's external injuries had mostly healed. Apart from looking tired and haggard, he didn't look like a prisoner. When he arrived, the tent was still buzzing with excitement as everyone discussed the battle's outcome.
When Wu Xian arrived, the entire room fell silent.
Shen Tang, who was sitting in the main seat, also raised her head.
When she saw Wu Xian being brought over bound hand and foot, she quickly got up and went to greet him, saying, "Who told you to tie up Brother Zhaode like this? Quickly, come and untie Brother Zhaode."
Wu Xian was too exhausted to even respond to Shen Tang's forced performance. He simply kept a straight face as Shen Tang drew his sword and broke the binding spell. He said, "The victor is king, the loser is a bandit. Do you still need to feign affection with me now? I, Wu Zhaode, am not someone who can't accept defeat. What are your conditions? Do you want money, wealth, cities, land, or my life?"
Shen Tang's smile deepened.
There was no embarrassment at all from choking.
She said, "Brother Zhaode is also a straightforward person."
Wu Xian is stubborn, easily influenced, and suffers from severe indecisiveness. The only thing Shen Tang admires about him is that once he's truly desperate, he's capable of going all out and tearing off all pretenses. Even as a prisoner, he's displayed the resolve of a ruler.
It leaves one speechless.
but--
“...Regardless of whether it’s true or false, the people have been saying for so many years about our deep bond. If I were to ask Brother Zhaode for money, wealth, cities, land, or even your life right away, wouldn’t outsiders criticize me for being heartless? Naturally, Brother Zhaode should be the one to speak first.” Wu Xian was straightforward, and Shen Youli was even more straightforward. “Brother Zhaode, you know that I come from humble beginnings, and what I lack most in this life is money, while Brother Zhaode comes from a prestigious family and has no shortage of money…”
_(:3」∠)_
I woke up this morning unable to speak and coughing up blood.
It's definitely another case.
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