The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

The continuous attrition and suppression were like a dull knife cutting flesh, slowly eroding the last foundation in Song Yu's hands.

The tens of thousands of troops who originally followed him in raising an army have suffered heavy losses in several tough battles, run out of food and supplies, and lost all their strongholds. Now, only less than three thousand remnants remain.

Inside and outside the camp, there was an atmosphere of decay everywhere.

Song Yu stood atop the dilapidated stockade wall, gazing at the chaos in the camp. Dark clouds filled his eyes, and his heart was so heavy with worries that it almost crushed his spirit.

The battle situation these days is too bizarre.

The imperial army was pressing in, its military might at its peak. It should have been able to crush the enemy across the board and gradually erode their strength, but the enemy's attack was highly targeted.

Wherever Lu Lin's main force and elite troops were stationed, the government troops would only launch a shallow attack and then withdraw, never willing to fight to the death.

Song Yu's defense zone, however, was under constant and fierce attack. Cavalry raids, infantry assaults, and catapult bombardments were launched in turn, giving him no chance to catch his breath.

What's even stranger is that the daily duels between Qin An and Lu Lin, which seemed to be private duels between military generals, actually kept the rebel army's attention completely occupied.

The entire army, all eyes, all troops, and all defenses were focused on the two men's fight. No one paid attention to the flanks or guarded against any hidden attacks.

And with each duel, a piece of his power would be silently eroded away.

At first, Song Yu thought it was just bad luck or the general trend of the battlefield.

But day after day, this deliberate and extreme targeting made his usually patient and suspicious heart fully alert.

He rose from a lowly bandit to become a local leader, and his greatest strength lay in his ability to assess situations, understand people's hearts, and find a way out of desperate circumstances.

As he meticulously reviewed every detail of the battle, a chilling sensation slowly crept up his spine.

It wasn't a coincidence; it was a calculated move.

The imperial army was in no hurry to settle the score in one battle; they were deliberately exacerbating the internal conflicts within the rebel army!

Having realized something was wrong, Song Yu clenched her fists tightly, her eyes surging with overwhelming ferocity and resentment.

"Someone, summon Wu Zhi to the tent."

He tried his best to suppress all his emotions, his voice was low and hoarse, revealing no emotion.

Before long, a figure in a green robe strode into the ruined central military tent.

Wu Zhi, Song Yu's trusted advisor and the most relied-upon strategist since he raised his army, is meticulous, wise, and adept at making decisive decisions in desperate situations.

He is usually low-key and reserved, and rarely appears in the public eye.

"My lord summoned me, has the situation changed?" Wu Zhi bowed and glanced at Song Yu's gloomy face, guessing what was going on.

The wind howled outside the tent, while the candlelight flickered inside, casting shifting shadows of the two figures, creating a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.

Song Yu gestured for him to sit down, and without any attempt to conceal anything, laid out all her deductions.

After Wu Zhi finished speaking, he frowned deeply and remained silent for a long time.

He had been observing the battle from the sidelines these past few days and had already noticed something was amiss, but he had remained silent and patient.

Hearing Song Yu's full analysis, the last glimmer of hope in his heart was completely shattered.

After a moment, he slowly nodded, his expression solemn: "What my lord predicted must be absolutely correct; this is an unsolvable open scheme."

Wu Zhi first presented his conclusion, and then slowly began his analysis.

"The government troops saw things very clearly. Our Qishan rebels were just a motley crew, pieced together from various mountain strongholds. Their foundation was weak, and the factional divisions were already deeply rooted."

"With Wang Bo as the leader and Lu Lin as the wielder, you, my lord, are a collateral branch who joined us halfway through our journey, and you are already subject to suspicion and control at every turn."

"The government troops' targeted suppression is probably just as you suspected, my lord!"

Song Yu, who had initially hoped that she was just overthinking things, had her last glimmer of hope shattered after hearing Wu Zhi's words.

Realizing he was facing a desperate situation, he did not give up, nor did he lose his temper. Instead, he said in a deep voice, "Please teach me, sir!"

Wu Zhi knew that he and Song Yu were already in the same boat, and his mind raced.

After a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke: "The only way to break this deadlock is for our lord to set aside his grudges, take the initiative to submit to Wang Bo, completely relinquish military power, and willingly become a vassal!"

After he finished speaking, the tent fell into dead silence.

Song Yu frowned.

That is indeed a solution.

If I were to use all my remaining troops and obey orders, I might be able to dispel Wang Bo's suspicions.

If the internal forces are united and the entire army works together to resist the government troops, they can indeed break the court's scheme to sow discord.

But the thought of having to submit to Wang Bo and willingly become his vassal made his face turn ashen.

Song Yu, who ruled over a region, possessed a proud spirit, and his ambition had been growing ever since he raised his army.

This allegiance to Wang Bo was merely a stopgap measure driven by the prevailing trend.

Now, he is asked to bow down, relinquish his military power, and become a complete vassal of others, at their mercy. How could he be willing to do so?

He had fought his way to power, only to have to hand over his life's work to someone else, and suffer humiliation and be manipulated by others. This was more painful for him than death.

"Is there no other way?" Song Yu's voice was icy cold, carrying a final struggle.

Wu Zhi raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as torches, his tone ruthless: "There is no other way. Either surrender and eke out a living, leaving Wang Bo to slaughter you in the future; or watch your troops collapse, be defeated and die, and become withered bones in this chaotic world."

He paused, then abruptly changed the subject, a resolute glint in his eyes. Lowering his voice, he offered the most dangerous yet most feasible way out.

"But if my lord is unwilling to submit to others and live under their roof, I, Wu, still have a way out, a great path to save my life and even make a future. That is to abandon the darkness and embrace the light, submit to the court, and accept the amnesty."

"To be granted amnesty?"

Song Yu's pupils suddenly contracted, and she abruptly looked up at Wu Zhi, her eyes filled with shock and hesitation.

This thought had crossed his mind, but he kept it buried deep inside, not daring to think about it deeply.

In chaotic times, everyone pursues profit; the victor becomes king and the loser becomes villain—this is the way of the world.

However, as the leader of the rebel army, his hands were stained with the blood of government soldiers, he had slaughtered court officials, and he had plundered large areas of prefectures and counties. His crimes were heinous and too numerous to count.

"My sins are heinous, my hands are stained with countless dropes of blood; how can the imperial court tolerate me?"

Song Yu questioned in a deep voice, her eyes full of concern.

"Being granted amnesty may seem like a way out, but in reality, it's most likely a slow and gradual process, like boiling a frog in water."

"Today the court is feigning acceptance, but once the rebellion is quelled and the situation is settled, they will surely settle scores with me in the future. I will ultimately not escape death, and may even implicate my clan and ruin my reputation."

This was the step he feared most and dared not take.

Those who surrendered to the emperor during chaotic times rarely met a good end. They were merely pawns in the court's expedient plan, used and discarded once discarded, and their fates were extremely tragic.

Seeing Song Yu's hesitation and inner conflict, Wu Zhi had already seen through all his thoughts, and a cold and ruthless smile appeared on his lips.

"My lord's concerns are well-founded. A simple offer of amnesty would indeed be like drinking poison to quench thirst. But if we present a sufficiently substantial pledge of allegiance, enough to atone for all our sins, then we will have no need to worry about retribution later!"

Song Yu was startled: "What is this 'solemn pledge of allegiance'?"

Wu Zhi leaned forward, his voice lowered to a whisper, each word ruthless and penetrating: "They colluded from within and without, betraying the entire rebel army of Qishan!"