Chaos of the Three Kingdoms Summons

Chapter 2703 Execution of Enemy Generals, Release of Prisoners in the Central Plains

Hou Junji's sudden betrayal was like the last straw that broke the camel's back!
"General!"

"Hou Junji! You traitor!"

"He killed General Li!"

The city wall erupted in chaos. Li Xiaogong's personal guards were furious and drew their swords to pounce on Hou Junji, while Hou Junji's confidants immediately drew their swords as well!

Those selected for the personal guard were not just anyone; they were all people whose loyalty was guaranteed. Most generals chose their fellow townsmen when selecting their personal guards.

Therefore, when Li Xiaogong died, their first reaction was to avenge him.

Soldiers loyal to Li Xiaogong, Hou Junji's cronies, and ordinary garrison troops completely stunned by these successive changes instantly descended into chaotic infighting!

The already crumbling command system completely collapsed!
"Li Xiaogong is dead! Hou Junji has rebelled! The city has fallen!"

In the midst of the utter chaos, someone uttered this deadly phrase, which spread like wildfire throughout the entire city!

"The city is broken!"

"Run!"

"General Hou has rebelled! General Li has been killed!"

Panic swept through the entire garrison like a tsunami. Having lost their leader and witnessed the high command killing each other, their last shred of will to resist vanished completely!

Countless soldiers dropped their weapons, cried out, and turned to run away, wanting nothing more than to get away from this hellish city!

"Heaven is on our side!" Jiang Song and Shi Huang, with more and more soldiers behind them, were about to launch a counterattack against the defenders on the city wall when this happened.

They roared with laughter that echoed across the land: "Li Xiaogong has been executed! Hou Junji has surrendered the city! Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who resist—will be slaughtered!"

The roar was like thunder, completely shattering the last psychological defense of the defenders!

"Those who surrender will not be killed!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed!" Jiang Song, Shi Huang, and the elite Jin army that surged onto the city wall roared in unison, their voices booming across the sky!
The army was defeated like a mountain!
The Tang army, which had been putting up sporadic resistance, completely lost its fighting spirit and collapsed like an avalanche.

Some knelt down and begged for mercy, some wandered aimlessly around the city walls like headless flies, and some even jumped off the walls in an attempt to escape.

Hou Junji and his son, accompanied by several trusted men, waved white cloths and shouted at the top of their lungs, "We are willing to surrender! We are willing to surrender! Open the city gates immediately! Welcome General Xue!"

From then on, Xi'an Ping, the first gateway from Liaodong to the mainland of the peninsula, officially fell into the hands of the Jin army.

A large number of Jin troops poured into the city. Xue Rengui ordered Li Cunxiao and Jiang Song to continue to eliminate the remaining enemy forces and capture all the remaining Tang troops who had poured into the city in the chaos.

He himself personally met with the heroes of this battle.

When Hou Junji was brought before Xue Rengui, he wisely revealed a fawning smile, showing none of the courage and integrity expected of a great general.

"This humble general, Hou Junji, is a man of great integrity and has abandoned darkness for light! I have long admired the illustrious name of Grand Commander Xue! Now, I have executed the stubborn and unyielding Li Xiaogong and offered this formidable pass as a token of my loyalty! I am willing to serve the Grand Commander faithfully and at his beck and call!"

"Hou Junji," Xue Rengui's voice rang out.

"Your subordinate is here!" Hou Junji's heart tightened, and he quickly responded.

"You betrayed your comrade in the face of battle, killed your commander, and surrendered the city, which is meritorious."

"I will never forget this merit, nor will my Great Jin!"

"When we return to the capital in triumph, I will personally recommend you for credit!"

Although, deep down, Xue Rengui looked down on people like Hou Junji.

However, he had long since passed the age of acting impulsively. He understood even more clearly that the more people like Hou Junji the Li Tang had, the better, as it would be more advantageous for them.

People like this should absolutely not be killed.

Once they're killed, no one will surrender anymore.

"Thank you, General!" Hou Junji was overjoyed and quickly clasped his hands in thanks.

He knew that even if his lower body couldn't compare to the wealth and status Li Tang was enjoying at this time, at least his head was safe.

"And you?"

"Are you willing to surrender?" Xue Rengui's gaze then turned to the other Li Tang generals who had been bound in various ways.

"Bah! You surnamed Xue, what do you take me for? I'm not some coward like Hou Junji!"

"You surnamed Xue, I am a direct descendant of the Li Tang imperial family. Today, my military strength is not in the hands of Heaven. I only wish to die!" Qi Hu, Shen Tao, Li Shenfu and other generals glared angrily.

"Fine, I will grant your wish!"

Xue Rengui's eyes held no pity, only the resolute determination of a steely soldier. He slowly raised his right hand and made a downward slashing gesture towards his brother Zhou Qing beside him.

A fierce glint flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes. Without hesitation, he took a step forward, and the waist knife in his hand was drawn!

puff!

A burst of blood shot into the sky, and three blood-stained heads rolled to the ground. The headless corpse convulsed and fell, and the blood quickly stained the ground beside Hou Junji.

Xue Rengui's actions were merely intended to intimidate Hou Junji using these heads.

Those who can betray their original owner without hesitation may also betray them without hesitation in the future.

"General, the statistics are all complete!"

"We captured a total of seven thousand prisoners this time, but nearly a thousand of them are seriously injured and it will be difficult to save them!" Just then, Li Cunxiao, who had cleared out the remaining soldiers in the city, came in to report.

"Those who are seriously wounded will be thrown into the wounded soldiers' camp. Whether they survive or not depends on their luck!"

"Send the remaining six thousand men to the Central Plains; aren't they short-handed there?"

"Tell them that they will be released after five years of labor! Those who continue to labor after five years will receive the same treatment as the citizens of our Great Jin!" Xue Rengui made these arrangements directly for them.

They certainly wouldn't bother with those who were already seriously injured; it wouldn't be worth the effort.

However, the remaining six thousand people were mostly strong and healthy men.

Now that they are in the Great Jin Dynasty, they have no shortage of places to accommodate these people!

The Grand Canal is still being dug in the Central Plains, and sending more people there wouldn't be enough. This batch is the best labor force!

Taking them over is far more cost-effective than conscripting civilians. Giving these prisoners a chance to live is enough for them to be grateful for.

Even if I have any ideas, that's for the future.

Moreover, Xue Rengui had already left them room for maneuver, promising that they would only need to perform free labor for five years, after which they would be given the opportunity to return home.

If they continue to perform labor, they can receive the same compensation as other citizens of the Great Jin Dynasty.

Along the canal, the people of the Great Jin Dynasty also performed labor for a certain period of time. After that period, they were no longer free laborers, but could receive compensation.

These past five years have given them hope. As long as people have hope, they can endure some things that seem unbearable.

(End of this chapter)