Chapter 757
Chapter 757
As mentioned before, martial arts masters, even at their peak, had limited use on a battlefield. However, if they decided to flee, it was nearly impossible to stop them. Zhong Yao, Zhong E, and other peak martial artists, along with over a hundred key members of the Zhong Clan, managed to escape Zhenxi City. After the Nirvana Army breached the city, Zhong Yao realized the tide had turned. He immediately gathered the direct members of his clan, mounted the finest steeds, and galloped out of Zhenxi City, fleeing far away.
Where should they flee now? East? No. That was the direction of Tianyue City. North? That was toward Yanzhou, so they couldn't go there either. West? That was the direction of the State of Chu, their mortal enemy, making it an even worse option. Then what about south? That was toward Baiye Pass, where the Zhong Clan had a garrison of several thousand soldiers stationed. So, they had to reach Baiye Pass as quickly as possible, lead all the troops out from the southern part of Tianxi Province, enter Tiannan Province, and continue south until they reached the Nanzhou Archipelago, the territory of the Xue Clan. It would be like living under someone else's roof, but at least their safety would be guaranteed. Having set their destination, they continued their frantic ride.
***
Baiye Pass was a full three hundred li from Zhenxi City. Zhong Yao and his men rode relentlessly, constantly changing horses, and reached Baiye Pass in just two days and nights. The pass was formidable. Two walls blocked a narrow path through a mountain valley, with a dozen watchtowers of various shapes in between, capable of garrisoning over ten thousand troops. In fact, Zheng Tuo had once stationed a twenty-thousand-strong army here.
"Where is Zhong Ming, the commander of Baiye Pass? The lord has arrived! Open the gates at once!"
Zhong E stepped forward and shouted for the gates to be opened. But there was no sign of movement from within the pass. Exchanging glances, Zhong E and Zhong Yao felt a chill run down their spines.
*'No, this can't be happening. It can't be bad news.'*
"Where is Zhong Ming, the commander of Baiye Pass? The lord has arrived! Open the gates at once!"
The main gate of Baiye Pass slowly creaked open, but Zhong Yao found he lacked the courage to enter. The atmosphere was too strange. Just then, a shout came from the top of the pass's wall.
"Uncle, go! Quickly, go...!"
Zhong Yao felt as if he might faint.
*'So the worst has come to pass.'*
*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*
The sound of war drums echoed as flags were raised one after another over Baiye Pass. The character embroidered on the flags was 'Zhang'! Soon, Zhang Chong, the Governor of Tianxi Province, appeared on the wall.
"Marquis Zhong Yao, I, Zhang Chong, have been waiting for you for a long time."
Behind Zhang Chong, countless warriors appeared, densely packed. They were all lean and dark-skinned. Although they wore the uniforms of Yue soldiers, Zhong Yao could tell at a glance that they were warriors from the Shaman tribes. Only they could scale walls with such monkey-like agility. But when had Baiye Pass fallen? Yesterday? Or the day before? Just three days ago, Baiye Pass had clearly been in the Zhong Clan's hands. As the war situation grew dire, Zhong Yao had continuously withdrawn soldiers from Baiye Pass, reducing its garrison from over ten thousand to just a few thousand. But even with fewer troops, how difficult was it to conquer a pass in such treacherous terrain? And to think the Shaman tribes had lent their forces.
*'Has King Qun gone mad? What is your relationship with Shen Lang? Weren't you enemies of the State of Yue?'*
"Let's go!"
Zhong Yao shouted, leading his hundred cavalrymen in a mad dash to the east. However, they were forced to a halt after riding for just over ten li. The ground trembled as a black line appeared on the eastern horizon. It was the cavalry of the Qiang Kingdom. A full ten thousand Qiang cavalrymen surged toward them like a tidal wave.
*'Shen Lang, you truly are a monster. A despicable man without limits. When I fought the Nirvana Army before, neither the Qiang cavalry nor Zhang Chong's army made a move. It was as if you left the entire battlefield to Jin Mulan's four thousand Nirvana soldiers. So what is this now? Why are you revealing armies lying in ambush in every direction only now?'*
No matter how desperate Zhong Yao was, he couldn't charge his hundred cavalrymen into ten thousand Qiang riders.
"Go!"
Zhong Yao ordered again, fleeing frantically to the west. But after fleeing for just over ten li, another black line appeared on the horizon ahead. It was Big Dummy, leading the First Nirvana Army in pursuit. Zhong Yao gritted his teeth and said.
"Go!"
He then led his hundred cavalrymen north, galloping madly. At this moment, the Zhong Clan was like a cornered beast. They no longer had the luxury of thinking about which direction to go or avoid; anywhere was fine as long as they could escape this hellish place. Moreover, it had been several hours since their last change of horses. No matter how powerful their warhorses were, they were all exhausted. So, the hundred or so direct members of the Zhong Clan quickly rode another few dozen li to the north before their horses collapsed from exhaustion.
But then, another black line appeared on the northern horizon, and the flags they carried bore the character 'Bian'. It was Bian Xiao's cavalry, with his younger brother, Bian Yun, at the very front. Zhong Yao felt like he was about to explode.
*'Damn it, damn it all! Where were you all before? You were nowhere to be seen during the battle of Gaonan City, and the same goes for the battle of Zhenxi City. When I was fighting with my hundred-thousand-strong army, you didn't show a shadow of yourselves. But now that the Zhong Clan's army is all but wiped out, with only a hundred of us left, you mobilize some thirty thousand troops to surround, pursue, and show off your ambushes as if this is your grand opportunity? How utterly base and despicable. Just like that damnably vile Shen Lang.'*
No words could describe the despair the Zhong Clan felt at that moment. Blocked in all four directions, they had nowhere to go. The northern part of Tianxi Province was a great plain, perfect for cavalry charges, but conversely, it offered no hiding places for these hundred riders.
"My lord, let's dismount and scatter!"
"That's right, my lord. We can flee in all directions. The enemy's encirclement is wide; surely some of us can escape."
Their words made sense. A hundred riders together made for a clear target, but if they scattered, the enemy would have too many targets to chase. Some fish were bound to slip through the net.
"My lord, take the heir, dismount, and disguise yourselves. Leave in secret. We will cover for you!"
"My lord, take the heir and go."
The direct warriors of the Zhong Clan shouted in unison. This was the strength of a powerful clan with over a century of history. When Su Nan faced death, many from the Su Clan were willing to die for him. Today, so many from the Zhong Clan were offering their lives for Zhong Yao. The loyalty cultivated over generations was indeed difficult to shake.
Zhong Yao's head throbbed with pain.
*'How did it come to this? I had a hundred-thousand-strong army. Why did I suffer such a swift and devastating defeat?'*
Of course, he knew the reason. He had been blinded by greed, focused only on immediate gain. The Empire's offer to him had been far more tempting than he had ever imagined. Who wouldn't be moved by the offer to establish their own kingdom simply by eliminating the Nirvana Army? Besides, the Nirvana Army had only four thousand soldiers, while he had a hundred thousand. It seemed like an easy victory no matter how he looked at it.
But contrary to his expectations, Shen Lang had predicted he would ask Mount Fudao for aid and had viciously turned it against him. If the Berserker Army hadn't turned on their own, there was no way he would have lost this battle. Only twenty thousand of his soldiers had died at the hands of the Nirvana Army; the vast majority were slaughtered by the Berserker Army or killed when over a hundred thousand catties of fish oil exploded.
*'Su Nan was also blinded by ambition and suffered a crushing defeat. Is it my turn today? Will the world laugh at me for my foolishness?'*
Was he foolish? Of course not. Both Su Nan and Zhong Yao were outstanding figures of their era. Of course, from the perspective of a god, they might both seem foolish, but who could truly resist such a temptation?
*'What should I do now? Su Nan chose to sacrifice his entire clan to escape alone, seeking refuge with King Qun of the Shaman tribes to plot a comeback. Moreover, he completely resolved his grudge with Shen Lang, and they even became something like allies. So what should I do? Seek refuge with Xue Che? No, that won't work! Xue Che is not King Qun; he is not so magnanimous. If I sacrifice my entire clan, disguise myself, and flee far away, where could I go? Yanjing? Having lost Tianxi Province and a hundred thousand troops, I am worthless to the Great Yan Empire. What to do? What should I do?'*
Zhong E shouted loudly.
"Brother, you must make a decision! We are completely surrounded by the enemy!"
"My lord!"
"My lord, why don't we fight to the death? We would rather die on our feet than live on our knees."
"That's right. If we fight for our lives, killing one breaks even, and killing two is a profit!"
The Zhong Clan had always been full of fighting spirit. As a clan that had fought the State of Chu for a hundred years, their bravery was etched into their very bones. After a long moment, Zhong Yao threw down the weapon in his hand.
"We surrender! The Zhong Clan formally surrenders to the King!"
Hearing this, everyone was stunned.
"My lord, why surrender? Do you think Shen Lang will spare us if we do?"
Zhong Yao asked.
"Are we mortal enemies with Shen Lang?"
No, they really weren't. Shen Lang's mortal enemies were the Xue Clan, not the Zhong Clan. In fact, Shen Lang had never said he would kill every member of the Zhong Clan; his only grudge was with Zhong Shishi. But between the two, wasn't Zhong Shishi the one who had been utterly humiliated? Moreover, Zhong Fei had a very good relationship with Shen Lang. After Shen Lang saved Ning Yuanxian when he suffered a stroke while staying with Zhong Fei, she no longer treated Shen Lang as an enemy. She had even sent gifts when Shen Lang's son and daughter were born. When Xue Che led his masters to assassinate Ning Zheng last time, the Zhong Clan had not sent a single person.
Zhong Yao said.
"If Shen Lang could laugh and bury the hatchet with Su Nan, what reason would he have to kill every one of us in the Zhong Clan? We surrender!"
***
A moment later, Zhong Yao led his hundred clan members, dismounted, threw down all their weapons, removed their armor, and walked toward Big Dummy's Nirvana Army. He did not want to surrender to the Bian Clan or the Queen of Qiang, and he certainly didn't want to surrender to Zhang Chong. Half a shichen later, Big Dummy arrived with the First Nirvana Army. Seeing Zhong Yao and his hundred clan members, Big Dummy raised his Dark Iron Staff, ready for a fight. But then, Zhong Yao stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said.
"Great General, where is Young Master Shen Lang? The Zhong Clan formally surrenders!"
Big Dummy froze, his Dark Iron Staff held high. Unsure what to do in this situation, he glanced behind him for a moment.
*'What... what should I do now?'*
Big Dummy said.
"Shen Lang isn't here. You're not going to fight?"
"The Zhong Clan formally requests to surrender."
Big Dummy stared at Zhong Yao for a long time before speaking.
"Then wait. I'll go get my sister-in-law."
He immediately galloped off toward Zhenxi City but quickly returned and said.
"No, I can't go. If you don't keep your word about surrendering, my brothers will be in danger while I'm gone. Zhang Da, you go tell my sister-in-law."
"Yes!"
A warrior from the Nirvana Army galloped quickly toward Zhenxi City. Two shichen later, Jin Mulan, commander of the Yue Kingdom's Nirvana Army, formally accepted Zhong Yao's surrender. The next day, Zhang Chong, the Governor of Tianxi Province, led ten thousand troops into Zhenxi City, taking control of the greatest city in the northwest. Jin Mulan, leading the Nirvana Army, took nearly a thousand members of the Zhong Clan as prisoners and escorted them to the capital, Tianyue City. As a sign of sincerity, Zhong Yao wore iron shackles and manacles on his hands and feet inside a prisoner cart.
And with that, the rebellion in Tianxi Province was completely quelled.