Chapter 884 The Setting Sun Like Blood

The soldiers and civilians garrisoning the walls of the Liang Kingdom's capital discovered something terrifying the next morning.

The Yan army no longer retreated north with a contingent of troops each day, as they had been doing. Instead, they spread out in a scattered formation.

Yan army encampments appeared not only outside the northern city wall of the Liang Kingdom's capital, but also on the west, east, and south sides.

Then, Yan soldiers, along with civilians from Liang and Zhao, who had been specially captured, and laborers previously seized from the Qian Kingdom, began to fell trees on a large scale and manufacture siege equipment.

The Yan army made no attempt to hide their actions. They openly and clearly displayed their intentions to the people inside the city.

This was not a feint, nor was it a superficial effort to intimidate. Such large-scale operations and deployments could not be faked. Indeed, the cost of faking it would be almost as high as doing it for real, so there was no need to distinguish between what was genuine and what was not.

Everyone knew that the Yan army was preparing to attack the city!

However, one thing seemed strange. Common siege tactics usually involved surrounding the city on three sides while leaving one side open, whether or not there were ambushes set up there. At the very least, it would appear to be a way out, in order to weaken the resolve of the defending soldiers and civilians.

Yet this time, the Yan army had surrounded the city walls on all four sides.

What exactly did this mean?

As this scene unfolded, the Yan army continued to do what they were supposed to do. With the Wang's order given, no one in the Yan army dared to disobey.

Even though the military supplies sent from Nanmen Pass were barely enough to fill a gap between their teeth, even though the soldiers who went out to plunder ventured farther and farther away each day, the supplies they brought back dwindled.

Even though half the army had begun to reduce their meals, and the soldiers were already going hungry.

But the Wang's flag stood there.

Beside the Wang's flag hung a suit of armor, the armor of the Tiger Might Earl.

The whole army already knew what had happened to the Tiger Might Earl's remains. The Wang had issued a direct order:

We must have revenge!

When the person issuing the order had enough prestige and status to be absolutely convincing;

When the cause of the war could ignite the soldiers' shared hatred;

When the war aims were direct and promising;

Under the combined influence of all these factors, the soldiers, to some extent, were overcoming the panic and discontent that should have come from the lack of food, and instead channeling these negative emotions into each day's preparations.

Hunger,

Anger,

Sadness,

Violence,

Had not disappeared, but had been temporarily suppressed and postponed.

The more peaceful it seemed now, the more terrifying the outburst would be when the city fell.

And then, even the Wang would not be able to stop these soldiers from using inhuman means to command their own bodies and blades.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

The dull thudding sound continued to emanate.

During the campaign against Chu years ago, under the leadership of Jingnan Wang, the Yan army had engaged in a long period of siege warfare. Although they were not particularly skilled at it now, they had at least followed pigs running before, so they weren't completely ignorant.

Moreover, Xue San was here to provide technical guidance. Sophisticated and large-scale siege equipment could not be built in a short period of time. You needed a whole set of workshops and foundries like those of the Jindong Prince of Pacification's mansion to provide the army with sufficient ordnance parts during wartime.

But they were not facing any formidable passes, nor were the defenders elite Chu troops skilled in defensive warfare.

It was adequate enough for the moment.

"Put more effort in! Build it!"

San Ye stood on Fan Li's shoulders, directing the laborers in their operations. Around them, Yan soldiers with whips and long sabers were providing "encouragement."

Anyone who dared to slack off would be whipped. Anyone who said they couldn't work anymore would be dragged out and killed as a warning to the others.

The cold and inhuman side of war was on full display here.

There were no generals clad in golden armor after hundreds of battles, no heroic sentiments beneath the bloodshed.

The essence of war was still the piling up of bones.

Moreover, given the Yan army's own shortage of provisions, it was impossible to provide these captured laborers from various regions with a good diet. The heavy physical labor in such a short period of time would leave their bodies drained, even if they didn't die or become crippled.

It was true that humans were more resilient than warhorses, but both humans and warhorses could be exhausted and ruined in the end.

During the reign of the late Emperor of Yan, the Great Yan's wars of expansion had always maintained a certain restraint.

Although Jingnan Wang had slaughtered Qingluan soldiers by the Wangjiang River, the large-scale killing of civilians had never really occurred. Occasional war casualties were unavoidable, but they didn't count.

It could only be said that the late Emperor, Jingnan Wang, and the Prince of the North had a kind of simple All-Under-Heaven sentiment.

They wouldn't naively believe that "All Under Heaven is one family," but in their minds, all of All Under Heaven would eventually belong to them. If you killed, destroyed, or ruined things too much, wouldn't they have to clean it up themselves later?

But after the Prince of Pacification ascended to the throne, warfare began to exhibit a kind of "ruthlessness" and "unrestrainedness."

Scenes and methods of warfare that cut off future generations began to appear constantly, and they no longer cared about grudges with local factions or what the common people heard.

A small part of the reason was that Great Yan's pace of annexing the world had slowed down. The purpose of the war was no longer to annex large territories like it had been with Jin, but had instead become a matter of confrontation and attrition.

The main reason was that the Prince of Pacification himself rarely cared about the big picture in his bones. He understood long-term interests, but he still decisively chose the momentary pleasure in front of him.

In fact, the Prince of Pacification himself was a very "womanly benevolent" person.

However, he was good at pretending to be blind.

"Put more effort in, over there, over there, with force!"

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

…

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

Liu Dahu was chopping ribs; a long saber wasn't suitable for cutting vegetables, so the sound was a bit loud.

The Wang, who was sitting there drinking tea, frowned slightly and said, "Use your father's Longyuan to cut them."

Liu Dahu got up and walked to his father.

Without even asking his father if he was willing, he picked up Longyuan and walked back to the ribs.

"…" Longyuan.

In Liu Dahu's mind, the family had used Longyuan for a lot of work over the years; he was used to it.

The Sword Saint didn't stop him, but still said in annoyance as he drank his tea, "Why don't you use your Black Cliff?"

The Prince of Pacification gave a good explanation. "It's too heavy."

After putting down the teacup, the Wang picked up the sword he wore and began to examine it in his hand.

This was Baili Jian's sword. This sword should have a name, but its name had long been one with its master.

Baili Jian's real name was Baili Feng; this sword was actually called Baili Jian.

"What can you see?" The Sword Saint said with a smile.

His smile made no attempt to conceal his opinion: "You're just a crude martial artist."

The Wang didn't care.

He was used to the arrogance and affectation of swordsmen.

"I'm just seeing if it's worth anything."

"What, you want to sell it?" the Sword Saint asked.

"Ask the official of the Qian Kingdom if he's willing to redeem this sword."

"The Baili family is also very wealthy," the Sword Saint reminded him. "A rich family from Jiangnan."

"Right." Zheng Fan nodded and handed the sword back to the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint shook his head and said, "Just leave it with you."

"Hmm?"

"When you find a suitable successor, give this sword to him."

"What about Jian Bi?"

"That's my disciple."

"Alright."

At this moment, the Blind Man walked in.

After coming in, he didn't say anything and just stood there.

Zheng Fan looked at the Blind Man and said helplessly, "Are you here to try and talk me out of it again?"

The Blind Man shook his head and said, "No."

"Then?"

"This subordinate just has a little bit of dissatisfaction."

"Alright, speak."

"Could the Wang please consult with this subordinate before making decisions next time, to give this subordinate time to prepare? If I had known that we were going to attack the city, this subordinate would have terminated the previous withdrawal of troops north and wouldn't have sent a letter to Nanmen Pass telling them to slow down the logistics supply."

"My mistake." Zheng Fan admitted his mistake very directly and honestly.

The biggest reason he could pat his butt and run off to play lone wolf, engaging in strategic gambles, was that there was someone at home who could clean up and stabilize the situation.

The Blind Man shrugged and said, "The capital has sent another envoy. The Guo Zhu is willing to bind himself and leave the city to surrender."

"What about that General Pu?"

"He wasn't mentioned," the Blind Man replied.

"That Guo Zhu is just a puppet. After the Qian-Chu allied forces left, the real decision-maker in the Liang Kingdom was that guy surnamed Pu."

"Yes."

"Tell the envoy that I want both of them to come out of the city to surrender."

"This subordinate understands."

The Blind Man walked out of the command tent.

The Sword Saint said, "You still want to accept the surrender?"

Zheng Fan shook his head and said, "I just hope they can open the city gates themselves."

"In terms of morality, it may be a loss," the Sword Saint reminded him.

"I don't care, and I've never cared. This feeling is like what those people in the martial world like to say to you: 'I never thought that the dignified Sword Saint…' and so on."

"Understood, but there will be trouble later. Some cities could have been pacified with a simple announcement, but because of this incident…"

"Lao Yu, my child is about to be born."

The Sword Saint blinked.

"So, I have to hurry back and be there when my child's mother gives birth. I don't want to waste any time here, hehe."

"That's a good reason."

"You think so too, right? Dahu, marinate the ribs and braise them in soy sauce."

…

Inside the military camp, the soldiers' daily rations had long been halved.

But inside the command tent, the aroma of meat wafted out.

Without concealment, without reservation, the Wang had to eat not only his fill, but also well.

And outside the command tent, even Chen Yang and the others didn't have this treatment. They had to share the joys and hardships with the soldiers, and everyone got barely half-full.

However, no one felt it was unfair. After returning from the campaign against Qian, the Prince of Pacification was equivalent to the Jingnan Wang of yesteryear.

Liu Dahu's cooking skills could only be called so-so.

In the end, it was the Sword Saint who cooked.

The Sword Saint, who had once roamed the world with his sword, had probably spent more time wielding a spatula in these years than he had wielding a sword.

Zheng Fan sat next to him, watching the Sword Saint cook.

Without any filters or mental embellishments, the Sword Saint's movements when cooking were truly elegant.

Every bit of seasoning, every spoonful of broth, was kneaded to the extreme by the Sword Saint. Zheng Fan even sensed the Sword Saint's sword energy flowing faintly while cooking.

Using sword energy to tenderize the meat, using sword energy to reduce the sauce.

An ordinary plate of ribs was demonstrating true luxury.

As it was served, the Wang couldn't even bother with the rules of the table, directly picking up a piece with his hand and putting it in his mouth. Hiss, the texture, the taste.

"Lao Yu, you're not being fair, showing off this skill now."

"Can't even shut your mouth when you're eating."

The Sword Saint stir-fried a plate of vegetables, without washing the wok, added an egg, and made an egg drop soup.

One meat dish, one vegetable dish, and one soup, on the table.

The Wang and the Sword Saint sat on either side, holding their bowls and beginning to eat.

Below, Chen Xianba, Zheng Man, and Liu Dahu each had a little more than half a bun, nibbling on it in small bites.

Their treatment was equivalent to that of ordinary soldiers, with a fixed ration, so even Zheng Man, who was usually the most careless, didn't dare to wolf it down at this time, but had to let this bite of bun linger in his mouth for a while before reluctantly swallowing it.

And the two sitting above eating didn't have the slightest intention of calling them over to join them, not even willing to throw down a single piece of fragrant ribs.

At this time, a messenger ran over from outside the camp,

"Report! The Liang Kingdom has surrendered! The Guo Zhu and General Pu will leave the city to surrender!"

"Oh, it's a bit bland."

The Sword Saint looked at the few remaining ribs and originally wanted to reply, "You're going too far."

After hesitating, he was a little more tolerant,

Said:

"Always make it for the children, children can't eat strong flavors."

"Add more ingredients next time," the Wang demanded.

The Sword Saint took a breath and still endured it,

Nodded,

"Alright."

The Liang people's surrender was quick.

When they decided to let the Guo Zhu leave the city to surrender, they had already knelt on one knee.

When the Yan people didn't accept it and demanded that General Pu surrender with him, it was simply bending the other leg as well.

Under this situation, the forces inside the Liang Kingdom's capital were no longer under the control of the so-called puppet Guo Zhu and General Pu.

When the Qian-Chu allied forces had gone far away,

When the Yan people set up their formation to prepare for the siege,

The people, soldiers, and nobles of the Liang Kingdom's capital, with internal worries and no external reinforcements, all understood that it was impossible to defend.

So, General Pu's subordinates rebelled.

He was restrained, forcibly stripped of his armor, put in hemp clothes, tied with ropes, and thrown onto a donkey cart.

The Guo Zhu was better off, wearing a white robe, his hair down, leading a sheep, able to walk out on his own.

General Pu, bound on the donkey cart, cursed:

"The Yan people's food supplies have been cut off, and they have no follow-up support. As long as we hold firm and don't come out, the Yan people will retreat within half a month, they will retreat!"

"Who told you to send out the remains of that Yan person, the Tiger Might Earl? Who told you to send them out, you fools, you fools!"

"The Yan people are already exhausted and still pretending to besiege the city. Do you really think the Yan people are just doing this for a surrender?!"

"It doesn't matter if there's one more of me or one less of me, what are the Yan people calculating? The Yan people's purpose is not to surrender, you pigs, you useless fools!

The Yan people want to slaughter the city, they want to slaughter the city, they want to slaughter the city!!!!!!"

"Uuuuuuuuu…"

One of General Pu's former subordinates embedded a rope into General Pu's mouth and tied a knot in the back so that he couldn't speak anymore.

The city gates,

Opened.

The Guo Zhu led the sheep, walking in front, General Pu, tied up, convulsing constantly on the donkey cart, falling behind.

The nobles and officials in the city, people with some standing, all began to leave the city and surrender to the Yan people.

The Yan people's reaction was also very quick. Earl Chen Yang, Earl Luo Ling, and Earl Ren Juan each led a route of troops and rushed forward.

In the Liang people's eyes, these Yan army generals were arguing over who would accept the surrender. After all, no one wanted to give up this great achievement.

"I'll charge the gate."

"Lao Ren, you control the city walls."

"Lao Luo, you charge in."

Chen Yang arranged the steps and said, "I have enough merit, I'll leave these to you."

"Damn it, if it wasn't the wrong time, I'd want to beat you up again!"

"It's really infuriating, infuriating!"

Chen Yang laughed loudly,

Said:

"The men are all very hungry, let's get to work!"

"Kill!!!!"

"Kill!!!!"

…

The Wang and the Sword Saint both reached out with their chopsticks, wanting to grab the last piece of ribs.

But unfortunately, with the Sword Saint not allowing it, this piece of ribs naturally couldn't end up in the Wang's bowl.

There was no way,

The Wang simply poured the remaining half bowl of rice into the plate, scraped up the sauce, and continued to eat.

The Sword Saint said while enjoying the last piece of ribs:

"There's something I don't know if I should say."

"Speak."

"To use a statue to provide a person's body, is a kind of respect."

"I know."

To use good wood to fill in the broken body, is a kind of respect for the dead.

It is said that Cao Cao did this to Guan Yu.

So, in the eyes of those nobles in the Liang Kingdom's capital, this was actually a very low and low attitude of admitting their mistake, not deliberately provoking. In fact, they didn't expect that during a street parade, the excited people would do such a thing to the Tiger Might Earl's remains.

The Wang said while eating rice:

"I probably won't be fighting for the next few years, I have to properly finish this war. Although the Liang Kingdom betrayed Yan and surrendered to Qian-Chu because the Guo Zhu was replaced.

But in essence, it's still because the nobles of this country are willing to do this.

This time, I'm just giving a reminder to these people throughout All Under Heaven, don't think that by pushing a scapegoat up, you can get away with everything.

When I was in Fancheng before, I swore with General Nian that anyone who dares to offend the heavenly might of Great Yan, even if they are far away, will be punished.

If the words are shouted loudly, it's just for show, you have to do something real.

There are many people in this world who talk about morality, but few who really believe in it.

Morality never depends on who has the loudest voice, but on whose knife is sharper.

The nobles of Chu, the generals of Qian, and those Shan Yue, natives, Northern Qiang, and those small countries, all these bits and pieces.

When after a few years, the Yan Kingdom has recuperated, when the great war of unification really begins, this blood will make them think twice when making choices.

Xiao Liu Zi once said to me, the barbarians fear power and do not cherish virtue; in fact, people are all cheapskates.

If benevolence, righteousness, and morality were really that useful, the Qian Kingdom would have unified All Under Heaven long ago."

The Wang picked up the plate and sent the last bit of rice covered with sauce into his mouth.

"Pa!"

Putting down the plate,

The Wang patted his stomach very ungracefully,

Said:

"This Wang is full, but I don't know if my men can eat their fill?"

Saying this,

The Wang got off the table, walked to the entrance of the command tent, and lifted the curtain.

In the distance, in the setting sun, the setting sun like blood!

————

There will be no more tonight. I need to spend some time thinking about the next plot in advance. Hold on tight to everyone! Then, ask for a monthly ticket again.