Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 707: Captives
Under Li Tong's fierce attack, the Xianbei soldiers surrendered one after another. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Kobe had to flee in a panic with a few trusted men.

The second army was led by Zang Ba, who was responsible for pursuing the Wuhuan. Zang Ba was a burly man with a full beard. He held a broadsword and rode a black horse, like a god of war from hell. His army was like a black torrent, rapidly approaching the Wuhuan. When Tadun learned that there were pursuers behind him, he hurriedly turned back to fight. However, his army had been exhausted after many days of hard fighting, and was unable to resist Zang Ba's elite troops.

Zang Ba brandished his sword and charged into the enemy's formation, unstoppable. His soldiers worked closely together to split the Wuhuan army into several sections. The Wuhuan soldiers were terrified and fled in all directions. Tadun fought hard, but was eventually wounded by Zang Ba's sword and fell off his horse. Seeing their leader captured, the Wuhuan soldiers laid down their weapons and surrendered. Zang Ba successfully captured a large number of Wuhuan soldiers and escorted them back to the camp.

The third army was led by Cao Xing to intercept the Qiang people. Cao Xing had sharp eyes and excellent archery skills. He led his soldiers to quietly go around the front of the Qiang army and set up an ambush. When Agui led the Qiang army into the ambush circle, Cao Xing gave an order and the soldiers fired arrows at once. The Qiang soldiers were caught off guard and fell off their horses one after another. Agui was horrified and quickly organized his soldiers to fight back, but he was already surrounded by Cao Xing.

Cao Xing held a bow and arrow and continued to shoot at the Qiang soldiers. His archery was accurate and every arrow hit the target. Under his leadership, the soldiers fought bravely. Under the attack from both sides, the Qiang soldiers gradually could not resist and knelt down to surrender. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Agui sighed and put down his weapon.

In this pursuit battle, Jia Changsheng's three armies won a great victory. They successfully captured a total of 100,000 soldiers from the three tribes, greatly weakening the strength of the three tribes. Jia Changsheng was very pleased when he heard the news of the victory. He personally went out of the city to welcome the triumphant soldiers and gave them high praise and generous rewards for their heroic performance.

After the 100,000 captives were brought back to Bingzhou, Jia Changsheng did not abuse them cruelly. He knew that these captives were ordinary people who were just caught up in the war. He ordered the captives to be properly settled, allowing them to engage in some production labor in Bingzhou and learn the culture and technology of the Central Plains. At the same time, he also selected some capable captives and incorporated them into his own army for his own use.

After this battle, Bingzhou became famous, and all forces looked at Jia Changsheng and his army with new eyes. With his wisdom and strategy, Jia Changsheng successfully defended Bingzhou and won precious time and space for the development of Bingzhou. And these 100,000 captives also became a new force for the development of Bingzhou and started a new life on this land.

The three tribes were defeated, and nearly 200,000 captives were escorted to Bingzhou. For a time, Bingzhou was overcrowded, and the placement of these captives became a difficult problem for Jia Changsheng. However, Jia Changsheng had already made plans in his mind. He knew that although these captives came from the enemy tribe, they were also a force that could not be ignored. If they could be used properly, they would definitely bring great help to the development of Bingzhou.

Jia Changsheng summoned his advisers and generals to discuss the disposal of the captives. In the hall, everyone expressed their opinions and the atmosphere was heated. Some people advocated killing all the captives to eliminate future troubles; others suggested selling them as slaves in exchange for money. Jia Changsheng listened quietly to everyone's speeches, and after everyone finished speaking, he slowly said: "What you said makes sense. But I think these captives are not mortal enemies. Most of them are ordinary people who were caught up in the war. If we kill them or sell them as slaves, we will not only lose the hearts of the people, but also waste this labor force. I decided to let them go to mine and build roads to contribute to the construction of Bingzhou."

After hearing what Jia Changsheng said, everyone nodded in agreement. So Jia Changsheng quickly issued an order to divide the prisoners into several teams, each of which was guarded by an experienced soldier. At the same time, he also selected some craftsmen from the army who knew mining and road construction technology to guide the prisoners in their work.

After arranging the personnel, Jia Changsheng personally went to the prisoner camp and announced his decision to them. The prisoners originally thought that death or endless suffering was waiting for them, but after hearing Jia Changsheng's words, they were filled with surprise and gratitude. They all expressed their willingness to follow Jia Changsheng's arrangements, work hard, and strive to gain freedom as soon as possible.

The next morning, the first group of prisoners, led by soldiers, went to the mine to start mining. The mine is located in the mountainous area outside Bingzhou, with rugged terrain and harsh environment. The prisoners carried tools and walked along the winding mountain road. After arriving at the mine, the craftsmen began to teach them the skills and precautions of mining. The prisoners studied hard. Although most of them had never been involved in mining work, they gritted their teeth and persisted in order to get out of the predicament as soon as possible.

The captives faced many difficulties during the mining process. The mine was dark and damp, the air was thin, and there was often a risk of landslides. But they did not back down. With the encouragement of the soldiers and craftsmen, they worked together to overcome one difficulty after another. They used simple tools to dig the ore one pick at a time. Their clothes were soaked with sweat and their hands were covered with blisters, but they still did not stop.

At the same time, another group of prisoners began road construction around the city. Their task was to widen and reinforce the main roads in Bingzhou to facilitate the transportation of supplies and the mobilization of troops. The road construction work was equally arduous, as they needed to carry heavy stones and soil, and use tools to level and compact the road surface.

The general in charge of the road construction was strict with the prisoners, and he constantly urged them to speed up the progress. Although the prisoners were dissatisfied, they did not dare to disobey orders. They got up before dawn every day and worked until dark, with only a short break in between. Under the scorching sun, their skin was tanned and their bodies were getting more and more tired.

However, as time went on, the captives gradually adapted to this kind of life. They began to understand that as long as they worked hard, they would have the hope of gaining freedom. As a result, their work attitude changed from being forced to work to actively engaging in work.

In the mining team, some prisoners showed extraordinary talents. They discovered new ore veins and increased the output of ore. After Jia Changsheng learned about it, he commended and rewarded these prisoners, which inspired other prisoners to work harder.

In the road construction team, the captives also came up with some ways to improve work efficiency. They used local materials and made some simple tools, which greatly accelerated the progress of road construction. Seeing their efforts and progress, the generals gradually became more moderate in their attitude towards them.

As time went on, more and more ore was dug out of the mines, which were transported to the smelters in Bingzhou, providing important raw materials for Bingzhou's weapon manufacturing and economic development. The roads around the city also became wider and flatter, and transportation became more convenient due to the efforts of the captives.

Jia Changsheng often visited mines and road construction sites. He was very satisfied with the hard work and achievements of the prisoners. He also ordered to improve the living conditions of the prisoners, provide them with sufficient food and clothing, and let them feel a little warmth in their hard work. After several months of hard work, the prisoners' work achieved remarkable results. The output of the mines increased significantly, and Bingzhou's weapons manufacturing and economic development received strong support; the construction of roads also made Bingzhou's transportation network more complete, promoting the circulation of materials and economic prosperity.

After these hard labors, these captives also underwent tremendous changes. They not only learned the skills of mining and road construction, but also developed a deep affection for the land of Bingzhou. After being freed, many captives chose to stay in Bingzhou, became a member of Bingzhou, and contributed their own strength to the development of Bingzhou.

As the war raged in Bingzhou and Jia Changsheng's generals fought fiercely with the Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Qiang tribes, the atmosphere in the court of the Sui Empire far to the north was solemn and full of tense expectations. The emperor sat high on the dragon throne, his eyes swept over the ministers, holding the battle report from Bingzhou tightly in his hand. Every word on it seemed to remind him that this was a great opportunity to change the situation in the north.

"My dear ministers, the war in Bingzhou is now at a stalemate. The main force of the Xianbei is deeply involved in it and has no time to take care of the rear. I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to lead my troops north and attack the Xianbei royal court directly. What do you think?" The emperor's voice echoed in the hall, steady and powerful.

Prime Minister Yuwen Tai was the first to step out, saluted with his hands, and his eyes were firm: "Your Majesty is wise! This is a heaven-sent opportunity. The Xianbei have been acting recklessly on the grassland for many years and have repeatedly invaded the border of our Great Sui Dynasty. Now their main force is stuck in Bingzhou, and the royal court is empty. If our army attacks at this time, we will definitely be able to win the battle. Opportunity cannot be missed, it will never come again!"

All the ministers nodded, and for a moment, voices of approval rose and fell in the hall. Seeing this, the emperor had made up his mind. He waved his hand and ordered: "Pass on my order, order Yang Su, the Supreme Pillar State, to lead an army of 200,000 elite soldiers to attack the Xianbei immediately! You must capture the Xianbei royal court in the shortest possible time and incorporate it into the territory of our Great Sui Dynasty!"

The military order was as strong as a mountain, and the Sui army acted quickly. Yang Su, the famous general, immediately began to prepare for the expedition after receiving the order. He carefully selected the most elite soldiers in the army, equipped them with the most sophisticated weapons and equipment, and arranged experienced counselors and generals to form a powerful military command team.

Before the expedition, Yang Su stood on the podium, looked at the soldiers lined up neatly below, and said with a firm gaze: "Soldiers! In this expedition, we shoulder the glory and mission of the Sui Dynasty. The Xianbei people have been a scourge for a long time, and today is the moment for us to wipe them out in one fell swoop! You must fight bravely and expand the territory for the Sui Dynasty!" The soldiers shouted in unison, their morale was high, and their voices shook the four directions.

The Sui army marched northwards towards the Xianbei grasslands at lightning speed. They followed the winding rivers, passed through dense forests, crossed the rolling mountains, and approached the Xianbei royal court step by step. Along the way, Yang Su continuously sent out scouts to find out the movements of the Xianbei people. When he learned that the main force of the Xianbei was indeed trapped in the Bingzhou battlefield and the royal court was short of troops, he was overjoyed and ordered to speed up the march.

Meanwhile, in the Xianbei royal court, Ke Bineng's wife, a woman named Ayiguli, was extremely worried. Although she was a woman, she was as wise and courageous as a man. After Ke Bineng went to war, she had been paying close attention to the development of the war. When she learned that the Sui army was coming, she realized that the situation was critical and immediately summoned the elders and generals of the Xianbei tribe to discuss countermeasures.

"The Sui army is coming with great force. How should we respond?" Aiguli asked anxiously.

An elder frowned and said, "Now our main forces are in Bingzhou. The royal court is weak and cannot confront the Sui army head-on. I think we should send someone to ask Ke Bineng for help and ask him to return to rescue as soon as possible."

Ayiguli shook her head: "It's too late. By the time Kobe can return, the royal court will have been breached. We must find a way to delay time and organize forces to resist."

Just when everyone was at a loss, Ayiguli suddenly came up with an idea. She knew that there were many natural strategic locations on the Xianbei grasslands. If she could use these terrains to set up defense lines, she might be able to stop the attack of the Sui army. So she ordered the deployment of fortifications at the strategic mountain passes and river valleys around the royal court, and assembled all the soldiers who could fight to prepare to meet the Sui army.

However, the speed of the Sui army's attack was far beyond their imagination. Yang Su led the army and pounced on the Xianbei royal court like a tiger descending from the mountain. When they arrived at the Xianbei grassland, they found the defense line set up by the Xianbei tribe. Yang Su smiled slightly and said to the general beside him: "How can these little tricks stop my Sui cavalry? Pass on my order, the vanguard troops will feint to attack from the front to attract the enemy's attention; the main force will take a detour and break through the enemy's defense line from the flank!"

The battle started, and the vanguard launched a fierce attack from the front. They shouted and rushed towards the Xianbei defense line. For a while, the shouts of killing shook the sky. The Xianbei soldiers fought hard, using bows and long swords to stubbornly block the attack of the Sui army. However, they did not know that the main force of the Sui army had taken a detour and quietly approached from the flank.

When the main force of the Sui army appeared on the flank of the Xianbei tribe, the Xianbei soldiers were immediately thrown into disarray. They were unable to organize an effective resistance because they were distracted by the situation. Seeing this, Yang Su ordered the entire army to attack. The Sui army poured into the Xianbei's defense line like a tide and completely defeated it.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Ayiguli was extremely sad. She led the remaining Xianbei soldiers and retreated to the royal court, preparing for a final resistance. However, the Sui army soon surrounded the royal court. Yang Su sent people to persuade her to surrender. Ayiguli knew that resistance was meaningless, but she was still unwilling to give up.

(End of this chapter)