The Prodigal Son

The soldiers at Yuwang Pass sang loudly in unison, their voices ringing out in the quiet night.

Even from three miles away, the allied forces of the two countries could hear it very clearly.

The melody was very light and gentle, like a lullaby to lull a child to sleep.

Huang Dengxing, who was recuperating and healing, was disturbed by the singing and couldn't help but curse Qin Yu in his heart again.

Liang Jingzhe, who was also awakened by the singing, changed his expression drastically when he heard the first syllable!

"Oh no!"

Liang Jingzhe suddenly sprang up and rushed out of the tent.

The singing continued.

Amidst the singing, a suppressed sob could be faintly heard.

Liang Jingzhe followed the sound and walked over, lifting the curtain on the soldiers' tent.

Inside the tent, a dozen or so Chu soldiers knelt on the ground, their faces covered in tears, and some even sang softly along.

Upon seeing Liang Jingzhe standing at the tent entrance, the Chu soldiers inside hurriedly scrambled to their feet, wiping away tears from their faces like children who had done something wrong.

Liang Jingzhe opened his mouth slightly, intending to reprimand the soldiers, but his throat seemed to be blocked, and he was unable to make a sound.

A moment later, Liang Jingzhe turned his head and slowly lowered the tent curtain.

Soon, the suppressed sobs turned into loud wailing.

The crying seemed to be contagious.

One tells ten, ten tell a hundred...

"Waaah..."

"Mother!"

"My son is unfilial..."

Soon, the cries of the Chu army filled the entire camp, even drowning out the songs of the Ning army.

Zhu Baishi and Song Ling hurriedly found Liang Jingzhe sitting blankly outside the tent.

Song Ling knelt on the ground with a thud, his face filled with sorrow as he pleaded, "My lord, let's surrender! Don't let these twenty thousand men perish here..."

"My lord, surrender!"

Zhu Baishi also knelt down.

There's nothing we can do!

When the cries of anguish rang out in the camp, they had already been utterly defeated.

If we still want to attack Yuwang Pass now, we are sending 20,000 soldiers to their deaths!

If we're not careful, a mutiny could even break out!

Liang Jingzhe opened his mouth slightly, about to speak, when Huang Dengxing hurriedly came over.

Upon seeing Huang Dengxing, Zhu Baishi and Song Ling hurriedly wiped away their tears and changed from kneeling to sitting.

"What's going on? Why are all your people crying?"

Huang Dengxing's pale old face was filled with unease.

Although he didn't know what was going on, the sight of so many Chu soldiers wailing in the camp at this moment was definitely not a good thing!

Morale!

This crying will likely destroy what little morale they have left.

"It's all that damn singing's fault!"

Liang Jingzhe clenched his fists, but his face was filled with dejection.

"singing?"

Huang Dengxing frowned. "What's wrong with this singing?"

"That's a nursery rhyme from my Chu state."

Liang Jingzhe lowered his eyes, "Almost every person from Chu can sing this..."

Nursery rhymes!

Huang Dengxing's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly turned his head to look in the direction of Yuwang Pass.

Qin Yu!

I'll fuck your grandma!

This is no nursery rhyme!

This is clearly a knife that cuts to the heart!

Liang Jingzhe glanced at Huang Dengxing, then slowly rose and walked to Huang Dengxing's side. "General, our army's morale is low. What should we do next?"

"I……"

Huang Dengxing had barely uttered a word when Liang Jingzhe suddenly pulled out a short knife from his sleeve and stabbed Huang Dengxing in the lower back without warning.

Huang Dengxing was already seriously injured, and he was completely unprepared.

By the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late.

The short knife plunged deep into Huang Dengxing's lower back, all the way to the hilt.

Huang Dengxing flew into a rage, enduring the pain in his waist, and suddenly unleashed a palm strike.

Bang!

Faced with Huang Dengxing's furious attack, Liang Jingzhe was sent flying backward, coughing up mouthfuls of blood before he even hit the ground.

"Lord Liang!"

Zhu Baishi and Song Ling roared and drew their swords from their waists, charging towards Huang Dengxing without regard for anything else.

"court death!"

Huang Dengxing roared, and with a wave of his hand, a burst of violent true energy blasted the two of them away.

However, this blow aggravated his injuries, causing his body to sway involuntarily.

"Cough cough..."

Zhu Baishi collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood. He turned to the still-dazed Chu soldiers and roared, "What are you all standing there for? Attack! Kill Huang Dengxing!"

Hearing Zhu Baishi's roar, the surrounding Chu soldiers finally reacted.

"kill!"

"Kill them!"

The Chu soldiers roared and brandished their weapons as they charged toward Huang Dengxing.

"You just wait! I, Huang Dengxing, swear I will not rest until I avenge this!"

Huang Dengxing glanced at Liang Jingzhe and the others with a ferocious expression, then clutched his bleeding wound and rushed out quickly.

He is now even more injured and cannot afford to get entangled with these Chu soldiers.

The Chu army was clearly about to surrender to Qin Yu!

Soon, these Chu troops will launch an attack on them!

He must take advantage of the fact that he still has the strength to fight and escape this place with his beloved woman!

Despite his severe injuries, Huang Dengxing pushed himself to the limit and rushed towards Empress Wu's tent without regard for anything else.

"My lord!"

Seeing Huang Dengxing flee, Zhu Baishi and Song Ling hurriedly stumbled and rushed towards Liang Jingzhe.

Liang Jingzhe withstood Huang Dengxing's full-force attack, coughing up blood, but grabbed Zhu Baishi's hand, shouting, "Quickly, take men... capture Yu Wu alive! Ugh..."

Liang Jingzhe had barely uttered a few words when he spat out another mouthful of blood.

Zhu Baishi's heart trembled, and he cried out, "My lord, please don't speak, I'll take you away right away..."

"Hurry! Hurry..."

Liang Jingzhe's eyes bulged outwards, and he growled rapidly.

He risked his life to severely injure Huang Dengxing, which not only reduced the Chu army's losses but also greatly increased their chances of capturing Yu Wu alive.

Capturing Yu Wu would at least reduce some of the losses suffered by the State of Chu.

Seeing Liang Jingzhe's appearance, Zhu Baishi hardened his heart and roared at Song Ling, "I'm taking men to capture Yu Wu! You take good care of the Marquis!"

"Come with me!"

Zhu Baishi called out to the soldiers around him, then roared, "Chu army, listen to my command! Capture Yu Wu alive, and the reward will be a thousand gold pieces! Chu army, listen to my command..."

As Zhu Baishi led his men toward the Min army's camp, he roared loudly.

Upon hearing Zhu Baishi's order, the Chu soldiers who had been hiding in their tents and wailing all rushed out.

"Cough cough..."

Lying on the ground, Liang Jingzhe struggled to stop Song Ling from helping him up. Trembling, he grabbed Song Ling's hand and said, "I... I can't go on! You must... do everything you can to bring these soldiers back to Chu alive. You must bring them... cough cough..."

Liang Jingzhe's injuries were severe; he could only say a few words before he started coughing up blood again.

Song Ling hastily wiped the blood from Liang Jingzhe's mouth, then cried out in grief, "My lord, don't talk nonsense! You'll be alright!"

As Song Ling spoke, he desperately poured his inner energy into Liang Jingzhe's body, trying to help him stabilize the situation.

"it's useless……"

Liang Jingzhe shook his head with difficulty, opened his blood-stained mouth again, and said intermittently, "Don't waste your energy! I have no face to return to Chu. Death... is a relief! If... His Majesty questions me after I return, you... can put all the blame on me..."

Defeat after defeat!

They lost nearly 50,000 troops but still failed to achieve a victory!

This was an immense humiliation for him!

How could he possibly have the face to return to the State of Chu?

Taking all the blame for them was the only thing he could do for Song Ling and the others...