I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 669 Welcoming the Royal Army! Breaking Through Hulao Pass!

With Gongye Jin's death, the last remaining will to resist of the entire remnant army fighting against Han completely collapsed.

As the Zhenliao infantry, arrayed at the front, slowly advanced, the formation, which had been tightly packed together and interdependent, began to gradually disintegrate.

Apart from the Imperial Guards, the remaining families were almost immediately forced to flee for their lives.

Everywhere you look, there is chaos.

But just then, the pursuing army that had been closely following them arrived at just the right time.

With the north and south completely blocked, the remaining hundreds of thousands of troops were instantly trapped like turtles in a jar.

Defeat... No!

To be precise, the complete annihilation of the army was already inevitable.

……

"Kings……"

On the Tian Shu Treasure Ship, Han Shao glanced at Cao Wu and waved his hand to interrupt him.

He then turned his gaze to the severed head that had been presented to him, and sighed softly.

"It's a pity."

To be honest, Gongye Jin's abilities were actually quite good.

Unfortunately, there's a saying, oh right, it's all about timing and fate; I was born at the wrong time.

I won't go into details about encountering myself as an anomaly.

The same was true when they faced Huang Tiandao back then.

After all, that was the time when Huang Tiandao was most closely connected with the powerful clans and even that old thief Shangguan Ding. Even if Gongye Jin was made of iron, how many nails could he hammer?

So, losing is normal.

If we don't lose, wouldn't we just be another Han?

"With the overall situation in decline, how can one person possibly stand up for it?"

Han Shao sighed with some emotion, then looked away and gave a brief instruction.

"Find the best craftsmen, so that he may not die without a complete body."

"After all, he was a good minister; let him be given a proper burial."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Cao Wu.

"This matter is now in your hands."

Upon hearing this, Cao Wu's heart trembled, and he quickly kowtowed in response.

"Your Majesty, I thank you on behalf of my teacher!"

Although the two armies are fighting for their respective masters, Han Shao's arrangement was certainly partly out of consideration for him as a subject.

Cao Wu had no choice but to accept this favor.

After respectfully kowtowing to Han Shao, Cao Wu presented the beacon of the Celestial Realm left by Gongye Jin to Han Shao almost without hesitation.

Upon seeing this, Han Shao couldn't help but smile.

"You've already taken Gongye Jin as your master, so this item was passed down from master to disciple. What are you to me?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Wu quickly replied.

“Your Majesty, although General Gongye is my teacher, he is also an enemy general.”

"This item was obtained by my subordinate on the battlefield. According to military regulations, it should belong to the spoils of war. I dare not keep it!"

That's the truth.

Upon hearing this, Han Shao nodded slightly, then looked at Cao Wu and smiled mockingly.

"This is the foundation for achieving enlightenment, are you really willing to part with it?"

Cao Wu respectfully kowtowed.

"I am fortunate to have the trust and confidence of Your Majesty, which is why I am where I am today."

"The path I seek in this life is the path of being a subject."

"Therefore, the foundation for my enlightenment does not lie in this mere celestial realm, but in the grace of Your Majesty's blessings!"

Check it out!

Look at that flattery!
Han Shao couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What a fine example of the way of a subject! What a generous act of kindness!"

If you call him heartless and ungrateful, then why did he dare to accept the enemy commander as his teacher on the battlefield?

While some might call him loyal and devoted, he used his mentor's dying words to flatter his superiors and utter sycophantic remarks.

Such a thick-skinned and ruthless person does indeed have some resemblance to Cao Mengde (Cao Cao).

Han Shao took the secret realm beacon from Cao Wu's hand, and then looked Cao Wu up and down with amusement.

To be honest, if Cao Wu had known him since he was a nobody, he would probably have already met his demise long ago.

But now...

Aside from finding it somewhat amusing, Han Shao had no other thoughts whatsoever.

After a wisp of divine thought wandered through that secret realm, Han Shao casually tossed it back to Cao Wu.

Seeing Cao Wu's astonished expression, Han Shao smiled.

"Now, since I have given this to you, it does not count as going against the way you follow."

Having said that, he waved his hand without giving Cao Wu a chance to speak.

"Keep it, don't overthink it."

"Since Gongye Jin values ​​you, you should not betray his kindness."

Upon hearing this, Cao Wu's lowered eyes flickered for a moment before he respectfully kowtowed.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your generous gift!"

"I will never fail Your Majesty's expectations in this lifetime!"

The relationship between ruler and subject is sometimes one of correspondence.

If the emperor were to become Emperor Xian of Han, Cao Cao could become the powerful prime minister of the Han Dynasty.

But if Han Shao were in power, Cao Wu would at most be a general who conquers the west in his life.

He could never become like Cao Cao.

"Kings……"

After Cao Wu stood up, he immediately continued.

"The outcome of this battle is now decided. May I ask Your Majesty how you intend to deal with the remaining soldiers?"

Han Shao smiled and asked in return.

"What are Cao Qing's plans to do?"

This rather affectionate address of "Cao Qing" further fueled Cao Wu's already turbulent emotions.

So he stopped hesitating and immediately spoke.

"I believe... perhaps they can be separated and placed separately."

Han Shao smiled.

How to separate them?

Cao Wudao.

"This time, the capital is attacking our Zhenliao with the Imperial Guard as the main force and the private armies of aristocratic families as the wings."

"I believe Your Majesty should exterminate all the private soldiers of those aristocratic families!"

"Firstly, it can clear away obstacles for Your Majesty to enter the capital in the future."

"Secondly, it can also alienate the hearts of the emperor and his ministers in the capital!"

Han Shao gave a noncommittal, amused smile.

"What about the remaining Imperial Guards?"

Cao Wu bowed deeply.

"I shall go and persuade them to surrender in the name of my revered teacher."

……

Han Shao accepted Cao Wu's suggestion.

Let's not even talk about the private soldiers of those aristocratic families.

The Zhenliao Army, those fierce and ruthless forces, were responsible for annihilating and devouring them in batches.

On the other hand, the Imperial Guards, despite being in such dire straits, managed to persuade the enemy to surrender relatively smoothly.

Apart from a small number of stubborn individuals who were defiant and upheld the honor of the Imperial Guard and chose to fight to the death, the rest surrendered under Cao Wu's persuasion.

This may have been Gongye Jin's last act of kindness towards the Imperial Guards before his death.

Give Cao Wu a formal master-disciple relationship.

Cao Wu had every reason to give them a chance to live.

As for the infamy that will follow, Gongye Jin will bear it.

Anyway, after this battle, Gongye Jin was destined to be 'famous' throughout the world, so this little bit wouldn't make a difference.

Moreover, once a person dies, their debts are wiped away; no matter how much infamy he suffers, he won't hear it in the netherworld.

The only worry was that Han Shao, the former butcher, would turn on them after their surrender and ruthlessly massacre all of them.

Fortunately, their worries were ultimately unnecessary.

Immediately after the Imperial Guards surrendered, medical officers entered their ranks to treat the wounded.

Even more remarkably, the fierce and ruthless Zhen Liao, dressed in simple clothes, assisted these remaining soldiers in collecting the remains of their dead.

This scene immediately put the minds of the Imperial Guards soldiers, who had been somewhat apprehensive and fearful, at ease.

But a military order that soon came from the treasure ship on the river left them all stunned.

"The king has given an order!"

"Order all units of the Imperial Guard to advance westward to the Eastern Capital and punish the rebellious ministers!"

What surprised them even more was that, apart from the 10,000-strong Zhenliao Iron Cavalry, the Zhenliao Army did not send any more troops to accompany them.

"They really...trust us that much?"

The remaining imperial guards generals embarked on the expedition again, somewhat bewildered, but still filled with doubt and uncertainty.

It should be noted that Luoyang, the eastern capital, was one of the two capitals of the empire, with high walls, strong defenses, and a large array protecting the city.

Once these tens of thousands of people have entered, they will choose to turn against them.

Not only would the 10,000 accompanying cavalry suffer heavy losses, but it would also delay the westward advance of the entire Zhenliao Army.

Therefore, in their view, Han Shao's hasty decision-making was simply irrational and extremely foolish.

But just then, someone suddenly sighed.

"You should put away all those messy ideas."

"The Yan bandits are tigers and wolves."

"Since the beginning of his life, he has fought in countless battles, never suffering a single defeat." "Do you think he would do something foolish?"

Upon hearing this, some of the remaining officers of the Imperial Guard immediately expressed their dissatisfaction and indignation.

Everyone makes mistakes!

"Perhaps he's become complacent after his great victory! This might be our chance!"

If it were possible, which of these glorious, godly guards would be willing to join the rebels?
You should know that their roots, and even their relatives and clansmen, are still in the capital!

Once news of their rebellion reaches them, the fate of their relatives and clansmen will likely be dire.

But before those who wanted to "turn the tables" could be happy for long, the person who had sighed earlier poured cold water on their hopes without any mercy.

"If you want to die, you may go ahead and die."

Don't drag others down with you!

Before they could object, the remnant general of the Imperial Guard, his face etched with sorrow, continued.

What did you see along the way?

What did you see?
The battlefield was littered with corpses and rivers of blood!
Those barbarian dogs from Youzhou were so ruthless that they slaughtered all the troops fighting against Han except for their own imperial guards!

They didn't even spare those who knelt down and begged for surrender in despair.

What a glorious family! They've all turned into pigs and dogs!

What awaited them was nothing but merciless bloodshed!
Seeing these tragic and cruel scenes, even those who had recently had disagreements and personal grudges with the Imperial Guards and various private armies couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow.

But amid the sadness, many people were also filled with dread.

After all, they almost ended up in the same situation.

"Are they trying to make an example of us and intimidate us?"

Upon hearing someone's terrified words, the remnant general of the Imperial Guard shook his head and smiled bitterly.

"They are cutting off our escape route."

"You tell me, in this battle everyone else perished except for our Imperial Guard, what will others think?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Then a chill ran through my body.

Not bad!

In order to completely annihilate the Zhenliao army, those aristocratic families not only dispatched a large number of private soldiers and spent countless resources, but also had many core disciples and powerful figures participate in this battle.

But everyone saw the result.

All were wiped out in one battle!
The anger of those aristocratic families in the face of such an outcome is unimaginable.

In this situation, wouldn't these surviving remnants of the Imperial Guard become the perfect targets for their venting of anger?
Once the Imperial Guards realized this, their faces all changed, turning ashen.

There are only a minority of truly hopelessly stupid people in this world.

At this point, how could they not understand?

Even if they betrayed the army at the last minute in Luoyang, the eastern capital, and successfully tricked the Zhenliao Army.

They even managed to keep the Zhenliao Army outside Luoyang, the eastern capital.

Afterwards, their fate wasn't much better.

"Damn it! Does this mean we're doomed to follow that Yan traitor down this dark path?"

He cursed like this, but unexpectedly, the remnant general of the Imperial Guard, who had just looked distressed, shook his head again.

"That's not necessarily the case."

not necessarily?

Faced with the questioning gazes around him, the crippled general gave a helpless smile.

"It's not necessarily a dead end."

"We actually have another way to go."

Upon hearing this, the remaining soldiers and generals of the Imperial Guard were roused and hurriedly asked with hope.

"What way?"

Upon hearing this, the disabled general lowered his voice and said.

"Strike into the capital!"

"As long as the Prince of Yan successfully captures the capital, not only will we survive, but if it's quick, our relatives and clansmen will also live!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

A moment later, someone's eyes lit up, gradually becoming dazzling.

Yup!

As long as they can follow the Yan bandits into the capital, they will not be rebels, but rather followers of the emperor!

Correct!
Rebellion!
Failure is the mark of a traitor!

If it succeeds, then it will be a true dragon!
At that time, these traitors who defected to the enemy will not only be blameless, but will also have made great contributions!
With a bit of luck, you might even rise to prominence due to your achievements!
After all, everyone knows that although the Yan bandit is ruthless and vicious to his enemies, he never mistreats those who have made contributions to his subordinates!
"Then...then what are we waiting for!"

"Quick! Send someone to urge those Yan thieves on... Bah! Look how flustered I am! We're all comrades, how can you call us thieves!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Go and urge those comrades to march on the Eastern Capital as soon as possible, lest those corrupt and greedy officials in the Eastern Capital be prepared!"

Almost overnight, these previously sluggish and dejected remnants of the Imperial Guards were suddenly filled with renewed vigor.

That surging desire for battle was even stronger than that of the Zhenliao Army, the main force.

Upon receiving the plea for permission to fight, the accompanying commander of Zhenliao couldn't help but smile wryly.

"As expected of someone from the capital, his combat prowess is average, but his mind is sharp, and he figured it out so quickly."

He had originally planned to set a trap and give them some pointers, but now it seems he has saved himself a lot of trouble.

Just as he was about to comply with the plea for battle and quickly advance westward, some of the surrendered generals suddenly spoke up with a hint of anticipation.

"General, I have an old friend who is currently at the formidable Hulao Pass. If I could persuade him to become an inside agent and help Your Majesty break through Hulao Pass, I wonder if Your Majesty would grant me this merit?"

Insider?

Upon hearing this unexpected joy, the commander of Zhenliao's eyes lit up, but he pretended to be dissatisfied.

"His Majesty never mistreats his meritorious officials!"

"If you can help the king break through the pass, how could you not be credited with your merits?"

Upon hearing this, the surrendered general of the Imperial Guard was overjoyed.

"Very well! This humble general will now write a letter of divorce to my old friend, urging him to abandon darkness and embrace the light!"

"To prevent him from suffering the tragic fate of resisting the royal army and having his entire clan wiped out!"

……

In fact, after the Zhenliao Army wiped out the million-strong army outside the pass, they turned their attention back to Hulao Pass, and the entire Hulao Pass was shrouded in gloom.

Among the aristocratic families and high-ranking officials who had entered Hulao Pass ahead of time, some were grieving, some were angry, and the majority were filled with fear and anxiety.

The grief stems from the fact that among the million-strong army beyond the Great Wall are members of their own families and elders.

Those who were angry did so because during the great battle that day, when they sensed something was wrong and tried to leave their seclusion, they were blocked by those cowardly rats.

They thus missed a golden opportunity to launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside the Great Wall with a million-strong army from outside.

How could they not be angry or annoyed?
As a result, the two sides have had more than one heated argument, and even fought each other.

Foolish?
Logically speaking, with a formidable enemy at hand, it could indeed be described as foolish.

In reality, the more critical the situation, the more intense the internal strife becomes.

Because everyone firmly believes they are right.

Such are the absurd and laughable scenes that occurred in the late Ming Dynasty next door.

The situation inside Hulao Pass today is roughly the same.

Before a powerful figure emerges, even if everyone knows that continuing in this way will only drag everyone down into an abyss, they can only watch helplessly as the situation deteriorates step by step until it completely collapses.

How can one truly feel this helplessness and despair without experiencing it firsthand?
"The building is about to collapse! The building is about to collapse!"

Guan Yin of Hulao Pass covered his face and sighed, his words filled with sorrow and despair.

Before this battle, he thought that with the strength of Hulao Pass and its strategic location, he could successfully block the Zhenliao Army's eastward advance.

But in recent days, the terrifying mountain-shaking cannons of the Zhenliao Army have completely sobered him up.

Hulao Pass alone could not stop the wolves and tigers of the Zhenliao Army.

But what can we do if we can't stop it?
That fool Gongye Jin, whom His Majesty trusted so much, lost a million-strong army in a single battle.

No reinforcements!
There's no way any more reinforcements will come!
boom--

A deafening roar, far more terrifying than before, resounded across the sky.

It seemed that the entire Hulao Pass trembled as well.

"Guan Yin! Something terrible has happened! The great formation is about to break!"

The former garrison commanders of Hulao Pass suddenly stood up, their expressions filled with fear.

Soon, someone descended from the void, their face grim.

"It's the cannon from the Zhenliao Army's treasure ships!"

The treasure ships were enormous and had no burden of transportation.

The cannons were built as big as possible.

The power of this shot was truly earth-shattering, city-shaking, and indestructible!

Guan Yin of Hulao Pass slumped down, muttering in shock and disbelief.

"The river is at least twenty miles from here, how could you fire the cannon from that far?"

Why it can shoot so far is no longer important.

The key question is how they should respond next.

Amidst this gloomy atmosphere, a military officer suddenly lowered his voice and said...

"How about... we surrender?"

降？
Someone flew into a rage.

"You dare to defy me?"

Upon hearing this, the general retorted.

"How can this be considered going against the grain!"

"I have a close friend who is the commander of the Imperial Guards! He has now surrendered to the army that is quelling the rebellion!"

"Even the emperor's personal guards surrendered, so why can't we?"

At this point, he gritted his teeth and decided to go all out.

"If you wish to live, protect your families!"

"Why don't we open the gates together and welcome the king's army!"

"When the great undertaking is accomplished, we will both have made great contributions, what do you say?"

……

(End of this chapter)