The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

Zhao Kuo's fall from his horse became the final straw that broke the camel's back.

The commander-in-chief fell into a coma, the enemy attacked from both sides, and their supplies were cut off.

At this moment, the morale of the 500,000 Youzhou soldiers completely collapsed.

"The commander-in-chief has fallen from his horse!"

"We're surrounded!"

"Run! Run faster!"

Panic, like a plague, swept across the battlefield faster than the Northern army's charge.

The so-called 500,000-strong army instantly turned into a swarm of headless flies.

They threw down their weapons, took off their armor, and fled in all directions, crying and roaring.

However, on this snow-covered plain, how could two-legged infantrymen possibly outrun four-legged cavalrymen?

The northern army led by Cang Jia and the grassland allied army led by Wu Lu and Hu Yanzhuo were like two packs of experienced sheepdogs driving a flock of panicked sheep.

Instead of rushing into a massacre, they continuously used cavalry charges to divide, encircle, and shred the massive enemy army into smaller pieces, then slowly devoured them.

This was a chase, a massacre, and even more so, a complete psychological destruction.

Xiao Jingchen stood on the high ground, coldly observing everything through his telescope.

The scene on the battlefield was extremely tragic.

But his heart remained completely unmoved.

He knew that this was war.

Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself.

If Xiao Jingchen were to be defeated today, his fate and that of his Northern Army would be far worse than those of these people.

"Your Highness."

A guard brought a general, who was bound hand and foot and covered in blood, to Xiao Jingchen.

"We captured Zhao Kuo amidst the chaos of battle. He was just too shocked to speak and had fainted, but he was still alive."

Xiao Jingchen put down his binoculars and his gaze fell on the "veteran" who was limp as mud.

This is the veteran general of the Great Yan Dynasty, the commander whom the Empress relied on?

It seems like nothing special.

"Wake him up," Xiao Jingchen said calmly.

A soldier scooped up a handful of snow from the snow beside him and threw it hard at Zhao Kuo's face.

The cold stimulus jolted Zhao Kuo awake.

He opened his eyes and saw a young yet familiar face.

That face had appeared in his nightmares countless times.

"Xiao... Xiao Jingchen..."

Zhao Kuo's voice was dry and filled with fear.

He struggled to stand up, but found himself powerless, his hands and feet tightly bound.

"General Zhao Kuo, we meet again." Xiao Jingchen looked down at him, his tone so calm that it revealed no emotion.

"You...you've won..." A bitter smile appeared on Zhao Kuo's face. "The victor is king, the loser is villain. Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you."

At this point, he calmed down.

He knew that he had no chance of turning the tide.

"Kill you?" Xiao Jingchen shook his head and chuckled. "No, killing you would be too easy for you. You are of greater use to me."

"Use?" Zhao Kuo was taken aback.

"That's right." Xiao Jingchen squatted down, met his gaze, and said, word by word, "I want you to write a letter of surrender. Order all your soldiers who are still resisting to lay down their weapons and surrender."

"Don't even think about it!" Zhao Kuo refused without hesitation. "Although I, Zhao Kuo, am a defeated general, I would never be a shameless traitor who betrays his master for personal gain! Forget about it!"

"Is that so?" Xiao Jingchen wasn't angry. He stood up and pointed to the vast battlefield below the mountain.

"Look at them."

Zhao Kuo looked in the direction he was pointing.

On the battlefield, his soldiers were being driven and slaughtered like livestock by the Northern Army and the Steppe Allied Forces.

Countless people knelt on the ground, crying and pleading, but all they received in return was the cold edge of a blade.

Blood stained the pristine white snow.

The corpses were piled up like mountains.

"They are all sons of the Great Yan Dynasty. Many of them have never even been on the battlefield; they were just farmers who were forcibly conscripted into the army."

Xiao Jingchen's voice, like the whisper of a devil, rang in Zhao Kuo's ears.

"They didn't have to die. They could have lived if you had just said the word."

"Is your so-called loyalty and integrity bought with the lives of hundreds of thousands of people?"

"How can you face them?"

"How can you face their parents, wives, and children?"

Zhao Kuo's body began to tremble violently.

As he watched the soldiers die in despair, at their young and terrified faces, his psychological defenses began to crumble inch by inch.

Yes, they didn't have to die.

All of this was due to his incompetence and his misjudgments in command.

Now, the only thing he can do for them is to keep them alive.

Even if it means bearing eternal infamy.

"I...I'll write..."

Zhao Kuo closed his eyes, and two streams of turbid tears slid down his cheeks.

He knew that from the moment he uttered those two words, his reputation as Zhao Kuo was completely ruined.

But he had no other choice.

Soon, a letter of surrender written by Zhao Kuo himself was sent to every corner of the battlefield.

When the Youzhou troops who were still putting up a stubborn resistance or fleeing in all directions saw their commander's letter of surrender, they completely gave up their resistance.

"Clang..."

The first weapon was thrown to the ground.

Then came the second round, the third round...

The clanging sound filled the air.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers knelt down, filling the entire snowfield.

They laid down their weapons, bowed their heads, and chose to surrender.

The Battle of Youzhou, which lasted less than a day, came to an end in a way that exceeded everyone's expectations.

With fewer than 10,000 casualties, Xiao Jingchen annihilated and captured Zhao Kuo's 500,000-strong army.

This was a glorious and unbelievable victory that will go down in history!

Cang Jia, Wu Lu, Hu Yanzhuo, and the others looked at Xiao Jingchen with eyes filled with godlike worship as they gazed at the magnificent scene before them.

Strategic planning leads to victory from afar.

In the midst of laughter and conversation, the enemy's ships and towers were reduced to ashes.

Their king announced his arrival to the entire world with a perfect surprise attack.

Ignoring the gazes of the crowd, Xiao Jingchen walked to the map, his eyes sweeping over Youzhou and landing on his next target.

Jizhou.

And then, after Jizhou, there's the city that represents the highest power of the Great Yan Dynasty—Shendu.

"Pass on my orders."

His voice rang out again.

"By order, Zhang Qinian shall immediately take control of all prisoners, disperse and reorganize them, establish labor camps, repair roads, and transport supplies."

"Order Cang Jia to lead the northern border army, and Wulu and Huyan Zhuo to lead the grassland allied forces, to rest for one day. After one day, they will split into three routes and march straight for Ji Province!"

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Tell Wu Mingkong.

"Next stop, see you in the capital."