Chapter 499: Your Highness, Please Accept
surrender?
When Zhao Duan's words fell into the ears of the generals, they were all stunned.
Immediately, the square-faced Yuan Feng came to his senses: "Sir, do you want us to feign surrender?"
Zhao Duan smiled, his eyes calm:
"You couldn't have anticipated the Shenji Battalion's early arrival, and the rebels, with even more limited intelligence, should have been similarly delayed. So, let's just go with the flow."
"Excellent!" a military officer clapped his hands in approval.
"The Shenji Battalion has arrived at a rapid pace, and it is difficult for them to effectively fight against the rebels in a short period of time. We are playing it safe, which can buy time and postpone the next battle, while also allowing the enemy to relax their vigilance.
"When they relax, our second battalion will march out and catch the rebels off guard! Lord Zhao's wisdom is unparalleled, and I admire him!"
Good to lick... The others looked resentful and cursed the military thieves in their hearts.
You lick me so hard right from the start, how can I deal with it?
If I can't lick as well as you, won't Zhao Yanwang make a note of me?
"Unparalleled in wisdom and strategy"? A feigned surrender to buy time, not a surprising strategy at all? He's just bragging as if no one could have guessed it...
The generals were complaining wildly in their hearts, and were busy praising each other, throwing out compliments like they were free.
Yuan Feng's expression was awkward. As a commander, seeing his subordinates being so flattering made him blush and feel ashamed. However, he fully approved of Zhao Duan's strategy.
Although not surprising, it is still stable.
Fortunately, it seems that this young guard is not as domineering and impulsive as the rumors say, and he knows when to be tolerant and retreat.
What Yuan Feng feared most was that the court would send out someone who didn't know how to fight but was able to give orders just because he had read a few military books.
Shi Meng, Chen Gui, Tang Ping and other officials of the Shenjiying remained silent and just smiled.
They understood that the people in the Fifth Army Camp had probably misunderstood, thinking that their own commander-in-chief proposed a false surrender because he was afraid of a powerful enemy and wanted to buy time.
But in fact, based on the Shenjiying's understanding of Zhao Duan, the commander-in-chief who was holding new firearms did not choose to directly attack the Qingzhou army camp. It was not because of fear, but to avoid "harming friendly forces."
"It's settled. Commander Yuan, send the letter and say..."
Zhao Duan smiled and whispered in her ear.
…
Soon, inside the Qingzhou army tent.
"Haha, congratulations, Your Highness! The plan worked, and the Fifth Army Battalion couldn't hold on any longer!" A counselor, his face filled with joy, complimented loudly:
"We fought three battles in a row, not to kill the enemy, but to suppress their morale. When morale hit rock bottom, we set a deadline. This way, the enemy would lose their composure, their morale would waver, and they would surrender to the prince, which would be a natural outcome!"
Inside the tent, the pampered King Heng sat in the main seat, accepting the flattery of his subordinates with a smile on his face.
The Crown Prince, who was over thirty years old and had lips and teeth as white as a young man, clutched his folding fan and said with a smile:
"I thought, with Yuan Feng's style, he would hold out for a while longer, fighting like a trapped beast, or withdraw his troops and resist using the terrain as an advantage. I didn't expect that I overestimated him. He keeps saying he's loyal to the court, but he's just kneeling down."
Just now, the Fifth Army Camp sent a letter, subtly expressing its willingness to "negotiate."
A counselor laughed and said:
"Yuan Feng might be a tough guy, but he's only one man after all. His subordinates are not united and have different ideas. Even if he still wants to fight, he has to think twice before deciding whether his own generals will chop off his head and send it to him as a token of his loyalty."
King Heng was in a good mood and thought that swallowing up the five military camps at a relatively low cost would be the most ideal outcome.
Next, we just need to recruit them and attack the capital. It is right before our eyes. He looked around at everyone and said:
"Although Yuan Feng is afraid of fighting and is willing to surrender, he has asked us to send someone to negotiate. Who among you is willing to go?"
As soon as these words were spoken, all the generals and counselors in the tent became restless and ready to take action.
"Your Highness, I am willing to take the risk!" Some generals rushed to take the lead.
"Haha, Your Highness, this 'peace talks' is nothing more than Yuan Feng trying to sell himself for a good price. Although Your Highness wants to spend a fortune on horse bones and accept this man as an example, you can't let him ask for too much. It would be more appropriate for me to go in for this negotiation." A civil servant spoke up.
The others also spoke up one after another, vying for the task.
Although there is a certain danger in going to the enemy camp, everyone weighed the situation and determined that Yuan Feng would not dare to do anything.
What's more, now that six rebel kings are vying for the throne, since they are all under King Heng, they all want to do their best to make military achievements so as to win greater rewards in the future.
Few people are willing to miss such an opportunity with low risk but huge rewards.
"Why doesn't Emperor Xianzong say anything?" King Heng looked at Wei Xianzong, the commander of the Qingzhou rebels, in surprise.
Wei Xianzong was wearing armor, his eyes habitually falling on the ground, wrinkles appeared on his brows. At this moment, he raised his eyes, his gaze deep:
"Your Highness, I think this is inappropriate. I know a thing or two about Yuan Feng. He's not someone who would be easily coerced by his subordinates. Although the morale of the Fifth Battalion has collapsed, they still have the strength to fight. It seems a bit strange that they would surrender at this moment.
In my opinion, it would be safer to strike with all our might, not give the other side any chance, start the battle immediately, and destroy them in one fell swoop."
When these words were spoken, Prince Heng frowned, and the others also looked dissatisfied.
"General Wei, you are wrong. We have few soldiers in Qingzhou. If we attack forcefully, we will force the Five Army Camps into a desperate situation. A cornered beast will fight back. How many of our elite Qingzhou troops will be lost by then?"
"That's right, General Wei, you're being too cautious. Besides, you commanded the first three battles, achieving complete victory. Now... you should at least give others a chance. You can't let all the credit go to you, General Wei."
A counselor spoke in a deep voice, and his words were quite hurtful.
Wei Xianzong responded coldly: "Do you think I'm attacking so I can take all the credit?"
The counselor remained silent, as if forced by the momentum. This scene fell into the eyes of everyone, and everyone's eyes changed.
"Well, it's good that Xianzong is cautious," Prince Heng said unhappily, "but given the current situation, Yuan Feng won't be able to make any waves."
As a master, balancing the interests of your subordinates is no easier than fighting a war.
Emperor Xianzong opened his mouth and was about to speak when he saw his son Xu Zudi step out and bowed, saying:
"Father, I am willing to go and negotiate. I am a member of the royal family. Even if something unexpected happens, Yuan Feng will not dare to do anything to me."
King Heng hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded happily:
"Since you have such ambition, you should go and accept the surrender. Also let all the soldiers know that the prince of the palace will lead the troops."
Oh, what do you mean by leading by example? It's clearly giving the prince a chance to make merit... Everyone complained in their hearts, not daring to speak out, and praised loudly.
Wei Xianzong wanted to say something but stopped himself. Suddenly, he felt Xu Zudi's hostile gaze. He shook his head, sighed, and sat down in silence.
…
"Xu Zudi is coming in person?"
Inside the Fifth Army Camp's tent, Zhao Duan sat carelessly in the main seat, playing with the tiger talisman in his right hand. Upon hearing this, he raised his eyebrows with a strange expression:
"This guy is as arrogant and stupid as ever."
He originally thought that he could only hook an ordinary civil official or general from the Qingzhou faction, but he didn't expect that his cousin Zhenbao was so bold.
Shi Meng, the commander of the Shenji Camp, said with a smile:
"Sir, it seems the other side thinks they have us."
Young Master Tang Ping, due to his special status, was also in the tent. He was peeling a roasted sweet potato by the stove and scoffed at what he heard:
"He must have felt that since His Majesty is away, no one would dare to harm him, a member of the royal family, so he felt safe and secure."
Zhao Duan threw down the tiger talisman, rubbed his chin and said with a smile:
"Then please invite His Royal Highness in. Shi Meng, you two should hide out first. Commander Yuan, you come and talk to him. Ha, let's try to find out the truth first. We're not in a hurry. The Shenji Battalion will need some time to prepare for battle, right? Oh, and give me another set of armor."
As soon as he finished speaking, he wiped his face with his right hand, and the disguise mask squirmed. His facial features changed rapidly, and his face, which was as handsome as that of a Qidian reader, quickly became mediocre. He patted his butt and stood up:
"I'll just watch the fun from the side."
Ah, this... Yuan Feng has a serious personality and can't keep up with Zhao Duan's pace. Seeing the generals of the Shenji Camp leaving, Zhao Duan changed into the clothes of a deputy general, stood straight in the tent, and acted as a guard.
He had no choice but to bite the bullet and give orders to the other military officers:
"Bring someone here."
The furnishings in the big tent were simple, consisting of a long table, a grill in the corner, and a weapon rack on the side.
Zhao Duan waited calmly for a moment, then he heard footsteps outside the tent. Then, a hand suddenly reached into the tent and lifted it up with all its strength!
Wow——
The door of the tent was open, and the bleak sunlight shone in from outside. An old man wearing a gray robe and with extremely long arms almost reaching his knees had a stern face and swept his sharp eyes over the generals of the five military camps in the tent.
Then he stepped back, revealing a team of four behind him. The one in the lead was dressed in gorgeous clothes, holding a folding fan, with red lips and white teeth, a powdered face and a crown.
With his chin slightly raised, he looked at people with a condescending manner. His pair of cloud-patterned boots were hardly stained with dust on this battlefield.
"Oh, Commander Yuan is so majestic! This prince has arrived, yet the generals of your five camps are waiting here leisurely. You are indeed a capable disciple of General Xue. Even surrendering is done with a stiff back, tsk tsk."
Prince Heng had a smile on his face, but his words revealed his undisguised displeasure and anger.
Zhenbao's cousin, the prince of a vassal state, Xu Zudi!
On a whim, Zhao Duan, who played the deputy general, moved his eyes slightly. After more than half a year, he met this guy again. The impression Xu Zudi gave him was no different from before.
The same arrogance, superiority, arrogance, and looking at people with squinted eyes.
Last time, Xu Zudi stood up for Li Lang, detained Zhao Duan's men, asked him to redeem them, and humiliated him with a game of throwing knives and shooting apples.
Unfortunately, due to his status as the crown prince, Zhao Duan was unable to teach him a lesson and allowed him to swagger back to Qingzhou.
But this time, everything is different.
"Greetings, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Yuan Feng, who was sitting in the main seat, stood up with his head held high, trying his best to control himself and not look at Zhao Yanwang who was standing aside.
He clasped his hands together, his expression calm.
"Prince Heng left his fiefdom without permission and led his troops into the capital to 'support the king'. This is against the rules. We are not surrendering today, but are negotiating to avoid further casualties..."
"Oh!"
Xu Zudi sneered and glanced at someone behind him, who brought an empty chair from the tent over.
Placed under the noble buttocks of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Xu Zudi sat down with a swagger, swung his folding fan open, and said disdainfully:
"You're just being stubborn. Well, this prince is magnanimous. If you want to negotiate, then so be it. However, I haven't come here in person to waste my breath with you. So, stop with the formalities and get straight to the point."
He raised his chin and said arrogantly:
"If you want to negotiate, fine. I still have the same request. Commander Yuan orders the entire battalion to immediately abandon resistance and surrender to our Prince Heng's Royal Guards!"
As long as you do this, I, the prince, can promise on behalf of my father, not to pursue the crimes of your subordinates for rebellion. Not only that, as long as you work hard for the Heng Palace and eliminate the treacherous ministers in the city who are harming the country, when my father ascends the throne, you will all be meritorious officials..."
Zhao Duan looked at him strangely and shook his head, thinking that it seemed that King Heng was also a person with a hole in his brain.
At this time, since they have come to surrender, they should show a "friendly" side. Wouldn't this arrogant and threatening attitude make it more difficult to surrender?
But then he thought about it and recalled that he had read some gossip stories about World War II in his previous life, so he was not surprised.
If you look back at history, you will find that outrageous operations are everywhere... Simple arrogance is extremely common.
As expected, after Xu Zudi's words were spoken, all the generals in the tent looked angry.
It’s so bullying!
When other people negotiate, they quote a price, but Xu Zudi just talks and gives an exoneration and a blank check, nothing substantial.
Yuan Feng took a deep breath and suppressed his anger:
"Your Highness, we serve the court. What crime have we committed? Could it be that the prince still wants to hold us accountable for some other crime? All the officers and soldiers of the Fifth Army Battalion..."
Xu Zudi suddenly narrowed his eyes, snapped his folding fan shut, and interrupted rudely in a sarcastic tone:
"What? Commander Yuan, you don't want to talk anymore? I'd like to tell you that right now, my Qingzhou army is ready to go outside. With just one order, we can crush this place! Don't forget, you've been defeated three times. If it weren't for my father's mercy and unwillingness to kill too many people, you would still be alive."
He suddenly stood up, stared at Yuan Feng, and ignored the rest of the people in the account:
"You have to understand clearly that talking about peace is just giving you face. It's you who is begging for mercy! Not me, the prince! I've pardoned your crimes, spared you from imprisonment, and retained your official positions, giving you important positions. Are you still not satisfied with these conditions? You must know that greed is insatiable! Commander Yuan, don't be so shameless!"
While speaking, Xu Zudi grinned grimly and without any warning, threw the folding fan in his hand towards Yuan Feng!
This attack did not have much killing power, it was just an ordinary throw.
However, the expressions of all the generals in the five military camps changed!
Because this action is an undisguised provocation, threat, and slap in the face!
It is like a master who is angry and picks up objects to hit his slave. If the slave dares to resist, the punishment will be even more cruel.
Xu Zudi’s main goal is to be strong and to make achievements. As the crown prince, he came to accept the surrender in the hope of a great victory.
Therefore, he took the initiative and deliberately increased his momentum in order to break the backbone of Yuan Feng and others in one fell swoop!
Yuan Feng tried his best to be patient and remained motionless, but his eyes couldn't help but look at someone in the tent, not daring to act on his own.
However, at this moment, the folding fan that was thrown and flying in the air was suddenly grabbed by a hand that reached out from the side casually!
“Pah.”
The well-proportioned palm gripped the folding fan, making a crisp sound.
Immediately, Zhao Duan said calmly:
"Your Highness still likes to throw things at people."
As he spoke, he turned his wrist, and the folding fan was covered with a layer of energy. It suddenly flew towards Xu Zudi's face like a hidden weapon, a dart, or an arrow on a crossbow string, like a flash of lightning!
"It's rude not to reciprocate, Prince, please accept the challenge!"
(End of this chapter)
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