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The seventh day after the Battle of Tongshan.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed Wagangzhai a desolate ochre red.

The stockade wall collapsed in many places, and the once high-hanging "Wei" character flag was tattered and torn into strips by arrows, hanging limply on the flagpole, occasionally swaying in the wind and making a dull thumping sound.

In the open space within the village, makeshift medical tents were crammed with wounded soldiers. The stench of blood mingled with the smell of herbs, creating a nauseatingly sweet and pungent odor that lingered, attracting swarms of greenbottle flies that buzzed incessantly. Several military doctors, their faces greasy with sweat, their clothes soaked with blood and perspiration, moved back and forth among the wounded, their movements sluggish and numb from days of exhaustion. Occasionally, painful groans and the occasional piercing scream would break the twilight, only to fall silent again, merging into the heavy lamentation.

Li Mi stood alone on the command platform, his black armor still gleaming, crisscrossed with sword and arrow wounds. A deep gash on his left shoulder had even torn open the armor plate, revealing dark brown blood beneath. He gripped the worn wooden railing of the platform with both hands, his knuckles white from the effort. This once mighty Duke of Wei, who had dominated the Central Plains, now appeared somewhat hunched over. Days of arduous battle had etched indelible marks on his face—his eyes were sunken, his cheekbones prominent, and his beard tangled and disordered. Only his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's, yet they were filled with an indescribable weariness.

His gaze swept across the horrific scene within the village, finally settling on a pile of corpses that had just been set ablaze not far away. Those were the fallen soldiers brought back from the battlefield that day; unable to be buried individually, they had to be cremated together.

Flames flickered and billowed, black smoke rising and slicing the setting sun into fragmented spots of light. The air was thick with the horrible smell of burning flesh. Several soldiers added firewood to the fire with expressionless faces, their movements mechanical and numb. Their faces, illuminated by the firelight, were neither bright nor dim, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

A muffled cough came from behind. Li Mi didn't turn around, knowing it was Xu Shiji.

"Duke Wei!"

Xu Shiji's voice was hoarse, his left arm was slinged across his chest, and there was a scabbed scar on his face: "Today we counted another 731 dead soldiers and more than 1,000 seriously wounded. There are less than 30,000 who can fight."

Li Mi remained silent for a long time until a gust of wind blew, carrying the black smoke from the pile of corpses towards them. Only then did he slowly speak, his voice dry: "How is the situation at Liyang Warehouse?"

"Yuwen Zhiji's remaining troops have fled north, and Wang Bodang is currently cleaning up the mess. But food supplies are running low."

Xu Shiji paused, then said in a hoarse voice, "To support the Battle of Tongshan, most of the grain stored in the granary has been used up."

"Tap...tap..."

Li Mi's fingers tapped unconsciously on the wooden railing, making a thumping sound.

In this battle, he gambled with all of Wagang's elite troops. Although he repelled Yuwen Zhiji, he almost exhausted his entire fortune. Now, his army is decimated, supplies are scarce, and in Luoyang to the west, that damned Wang Shichong is probably already eyeing him covetously, sharpening his claws.

"Pass down the order..."

Li Mi finally turned around, his gaze falling on Xu Shiji's bound arm: "How is the injury?"

"It's alright, the arrowhead has been removed, he'll recover in a few days."

Xu Shiji forced a smile, but the smile quickly disappeared from his lips: "It's just that General Qin's injuries are serious and his high fever won't go down. The military doctor said tonight is crucial."

Li Mi's eyes darkened. Qin Qiong had been wounded by several arrows while saving him in the Battle of Tongshan; if it weren't for Li Mi's desperate protection, he would have already perished. Now, Wagang had suffered heavy losses, and even his most trusted general was missing and his fate unknown.

"Use the best medicine to save Shubao."

Li Mi's voice trembled slightly: "Summon all generals. Meet in the council hall in one hour."

"Does that include General Shan?" Xu Shiji asked cautiously.

Li Mi's gaze suddenly turned cold. Shan Xiongxin had conserved his strength during the Battle of Tongshan, delaying his arrival; otherwise, Wagang would not have suffered such heavy losses. But now was a time when manpower was needed, and internal strife could not be allowed to fester.

“Including him.” Li Mi finally nodded, his tone devoid of emotion.

Xu Shiji nodded in acceptance and turned to leave. Li Mi looked again at the firelight of the burning corpses. The setting sun had mostly sunk behind the distant mountains, and darkness was spreading from the east, swallowing the last light.

...............

As night fell completely, a few torches were lit in Wagang Village, but they could not dispel the heavy darkness and oppressive atmosphere.

Between the tents, the groans of wounded soldiers rose and fell, mingling with the heavy footsteps of patrolling soldiers. Several soldiers sat around a campfire, silently sharing a thin porridge, the water almost devoid of rice grains, mostly consisting of unknown wild vegetables and tree bark.

"I heard that there isn't much grain left in Liyang Granary."

A young soldier said in a low voice, his face still showing traces of childishness, but his eyes already looked as weathered as an old man's.

A bearded old soldier standing nearby sneered, "After all that fighting, they can't even afford to eat in the end. If we had known this would happen, we would have been better off staying home and farming."

"Farming? With the world in chaos, where is there any land left to farm?" another tall, thin soldier interjected. "I thought that following Lord Wei would bring about a peaceful and prosperous era, but now it seems..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood the unspoken meaning. Although the Wagang Army nominally won the Battle of Tongshan, they paid a terrible price. Almost every battalion had comrades they knew who remained forever on that hillside; their bodies piled up like mountains, their blood staining every inch of Tongshan's land.

"I heard Wang Shichong is recruiting soldiers in Luoyang and has plenty of provisions," the young soldier said in a low voice. "If we can't stay in Wagang any longer..."

"Shut up!"

The veteran shouted sternly, glancing warily around, "How dare you say such things? Aren't you afraid of being beheaded?"

The young soldier shrank back, not daring to speak again, but the seed had already been planted and was quietly sprouting in his heart.

Behind another tent, three soldiers secretly shared a small jug of murky wine. The wine could numb their pain, allowing them to temporarily forget the sorrow of losing their brother and the uncertainty of the future.

"Brother Zhang Er hasn't come back."

A short, stocky soldier took a big gulp of liquor, wiped his mouth, and said, "We agreed to go back to our hometowns together after this battle."

"Li Mazi isn't back either, and neither is Brother Zhao."

Another person chimed in, their voice choked with emotion: "They all stayed in Tongshan."

The third man silently took the wine jug, took a big gulp, and suddenly slammed the jug to the ground: "What kind of war is this! We've driven the Yuwen clan away, but our Wagang is almost finished too! I heard that bastard Wang Shichong is in Luoyang laughing at us!"

"Keep your voice down! Do you want to die?"

"Death? I've already died once in Tongshan! What's there to be afraid of?"

Even so, his voice lowered.

An invisible panic and despair permeated the entire Wagang Village. The soldiers no longer talked and laughed loudly as before; even when they did speak, they lowered their voices, their eyes darting around, filled with suspicion. Many secretly packed their belongings, hiding any dry rations and valuables they could carry on their person, preparing to leave at any moment.

The officers tried to maintain order, but even they were losing confidence. Punishments were no longer as severe as before, and some were even turning a blind eye. Military discipline was quietly loosening, like a wall slowly collapsing.

The soldiers on night watch leaned listlessly against the watchtower, their gazes occasionally drifting to the dark fields in the distance, as if expecting something, or perhaps fearing something. A heavy weight pressed on each of their hearts; they felt the great ship of Wagangzhai slowly sinking, and they were powerless to stop it, forced to watch helplessly as the water gradually rose onto the deck.

A silent consensus spread through the army: Wagang was no longer a place to stay. But where to go next, no one knew. All their hopes and fears rested on the meeting currently being held in the council hall, and on the once wise and powerful, but now weary, Wei Gong Li Mi.

...............

Inside the council hall of Wagangzhai, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating. It was a spacious wooden and stone hall, normally capable of accommodating over a hundred generals for meetings. Now, however, it felt empty and oppressive. The torches crackled on the walls, their flickering light casting long and short, distorted shadows that swirled like uneasy ghosts.

Around the long table in the center of the hall sat only a dozen or so people, all core generals of the Wagang Army. Each of them wore an expression of exhaustion and worry, their armor still on, stained with dried blood and dust.

Li Mi sat upright in the main seat, his face calm and composed. His gaze slowly swept over everyone present: to his left were the loyal but wounded Wang Bodang, Xu Shiji, and Cheng Yaojin; to his right was the gloomy-faced Shan Xiongxin; and below them were Pei Renji, Bing Yuanzhen, and other civil and military officials.

"You are all aware of the current situation."

Li Mi spoke, his voice hoarse yet still authoritative: "In the Battle of Tongshan, our army, though victorious, suffered a crushing defeat. More than half of our elite troops were lost, and our provisions are only enough to last half a month. Meanwhile, Wang Shichong of Luoyang has broken the peace treaty and is eyeing us covetously. He will surely send troops to attack soon."

A heavy silence enveloped the hall, with only the crackling sound of the burning torches being particularly clear.

Wang Bodang broke the silence first, slamming his hand on the table and standing up abruptly: "Lord Wei! Let's fight that scoundrel Wang Shichong! The men of Wagang are not cowards!"

The movement aggravated his wound, causing him to wince, but he still managed to stand up.

Xu Shiji gently pulled him down to sit and calmly analyzed, "Brother Bodang's courage is commendable, but our army is exhausted and Wang Shichong is waiting in comfort. A head-on confrontation is definitely not the best strategy."

Then, he turned to Li Mi and said respectfully, "Lord Wei, I believe the most urgent task is to replenish troops and provisions as soon as possible. We can send people to Liyang to collect the remaining grain; at the same time, we should recruit new soldiers and regroup."

Shan Xiongxin suddenly sneered: "Regroup? Easier said than done! The grain in Liyang Granary isn't even enough to fill a tooth gap! Recruit new soldiers? Where will we find able-bodied men? Where will we find the time? Do you think Wang Shichong will just stand by and watch us recover?"

His words were sharp and direct, piercing the reality that everyone knew but was unwilling to admit.

Li Mi turned his gaze to Shan Xiongxin and asked calmly, "General Shan, what are your thoughts?"

Shan Xiongxin stood up, looked around, and finally fixed his gaze on Li Mi: "Lord Wei, forgive my bluntness, but Wagang's fate is sealed. In the Battle of Tongshan, we have shed all our blood! Now there are only two paths: either surrender or leave."

"drop?"

Wang Bodang suddenly stood up again, glaring at Shan Xiongxin: "You want us to surrender to that traitor Wang Shichong? I'd rather die fighting!"

"I didn't say that Wang Shichong was surrendering!"

Shan Xiongxin glared back without backing down: "The Emperor Tai of Luoyang is still alive. We can surrender to him. He is the legitimate ruler, so it's not shameful."

Pei Renji shook his head and interjected, "General Shan is thinking too simply. Real power in Luoyang has long since fallen into the hands of Wang Shichong, and Emperor Tai is nothing more than a puppet. What difference is there between surrendering to him and surrendering to Wang Shichong?"

"Then what do you think we should do?"

Shan Xiongxin retorted, his tone laced with provocation.

Bing Yuanzhen, who had been silent all along, slowly spoke: "Perhaps... we can consider Li Yuan."

The name silenced the hall. Li Yuan, who started his rebellion in Taiyuan, had now captured Chang'an, installed Yang You, the Prince of Dai, as emperor, and declared himself Grand Chancellor and King of Tang. His power and influence were growing daily.

"Li Yuan?"

Wang Bodang frowned: "That fake Tang King? When has our Wagang ever had to bow down to anyone!"

Bing Yuanzhen said, "Li Yuan enjoys considerable popularity in Guanzhong, possesses a strong military, and like us, rose to power by rebelling against the Sui Dynasty. Perhaps if we were to submit to him..."

Shan Xiongxin laughed loudly, his laughter full of sarcasm: "General Xu, have you forgotten? Li Yuan once wrote to us to express his goodwill and wish to form an alliance with us to achieve great things together. How did Wei Gong reply then? 'In my opinion, among all the heroes in the world, only you and Mi are worthy of the title'! Now you want us to go and submit to him? Where is your face?!"

Li Mi's face paled slightly. That was his reply to Li Yuan when he was full of pride and ambition; now, it felt like a lifetime ago. At that time, he held a large army, controlled the granaries of the Central Plains, and regarded all the heroes of the world as nothing. Who would have thought that in such a short time, he would be reduced to the point of having to consider surrendering to another.

Pei Renji sighed, "Times have changed. Back then, Wagang was at its zenith, so naturally we didn't take Li Yuan seriously. Now, the situation is beyond our control."

"I disagree!"

Wang Bodang firmly opposed this, saying, "Li Yuan seized Guanzhong, ostensibly to support the Sui emperor, but in reality, he plotted to usurp the throne. Now he has declared himself emperor. What difference is there between us joining him and surrendering to Wang Shichong? What were our original intentions when the Wagang Uprising began?"

Bing Yuanzhen calmly retorted: "Brother Bodang, forgive my bluntness, but now is not the time to talk about our original intentions. The lives of tens of thousands of soldiers are in our hands, and we cannot make any more pointless sacrifices."

The meeting reached a stalemate, with the three factions—those advocating war, surrender, and retreat—each holding their own views and arguing vehemently. The torchlight flickered on everyone's faces, reflecting a mix of emotions: anxiety, anger, and helplessness.

Li Mi listened silently to the arguments from all sides, his heart churning with turmoil. How could he not want to fight Wang Shichong to the death and preserve the prestige of Wagang? But reality was staring him in the face: Wagang's food supplies were exhausted, its troops were scarce, and morale was low. How could he possibly fight against the well-rested and prepared Wang Shichong?
"To pledge allegiance to Emperor Tai?" In reality, it was to surrender to Wang Shichong. Given Wang Shichong's character, how could he allow Li Mi to live?

Surrender to Li Yuan? Perhaps it's a way out. Li Yuan is known for his magnanimity, and they share a noble lineage, so they might have something in common. But as Shan Xiongxin said, what about saving face? He once regarded Li Yuan as mediocre, but now he has to live under his roof.
Just then, a bodyguard rushed into the council hall, knelt down and reported: "Lord Wei, General Qin has woken up!"

Li Mi suddenly stood up: "Shubao is awake?"

This may be the only good news in recent days.

"Yes, General Qin just woke up and said he wanted to see Duke Wei because he had something important to tell him."

Li Mi said without hesitation, "The meeting is adjourned. I'm going to visit Shubao."

He strode out, then suddenly stopped and turned around, his gaze sweeping over the generals like lightning: "No one is allowed to leave the council hall until I return. A decision must be made today."

The generals stood solemnly, watching Li Mi depart. Silence returned to the hall as each person weighed the pros and cons of their various choices.

Cheng Yaojin looked up at Xu Shiji, who shook his head slightly. Cheng Yaojin remained silent.

Li Mi hurried through the narrow paths of the stockade, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Qin Qiong's awakening at this crucial moment might be a divine revelation. This loyal and valiant general had repeatedly saved him from danger; perhaps his opinion could help him make this difficult decision.

Arriving at the medical tent, Li Mi took a deep breath and lifted the curtain to enter. The tent reeked of medicine. Qin Qiong lay pale on the simple bed. When he saw Li Mi enter, he struggled to sit up.

"Uncle Bao, do not move."

Li Mi hurriedly stepped forward and pressed him down, then sat down beside the couch: "How are you feeling?"

Qin Qiong smiled weakly: "Lord Wei, you won't die. The military situation is urgent, so I'll be frank. Although our army won the Battle of Tongshan, we were actually defeated. Wang Shichong will definitely attack, and we cannot fight him head-on."

Li Mi nodded heavily: "We were just discussing this matter in the council hall, and there were many conflicting opinions, with no consensus."

Qin Qiong paused to catch his breath, then continued, "I have something to say, and I hope Lord Wei will consider it carefully. Given the current situation, the only hope for survival is to head west to Guanzhong and seek refuge with Li Yuan."

Even Qin Qiong advocated surrendering to the Tang Dynasty?

Li Mi was startled: "Shubao also thinks we should take this path?" (End of Chapter)