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

Having come this far, Wu Zhiqian decided to go all out and reveal all his thoughts.

"Since the other side cannot save us, don't blame us for being unjust. We might as well secretly contact Zhang Xu, surrender voluntarily, and promise to become an inside agent for the court."

"When the government troops launch a major offensive and the two armies are locked in a decisive battle, our troops will seize the opportunity to defect, helping the court to defeat Wang Bo, kill Lu Lin, and completely annihilate the 100,000-strong rebel army of Qishan!"

"Such a tremendous achievement is enough to offset all of our lord's past sins. At that time, our lord will not be a defeated traitor who surrenders, but a meritorious official who quells the rebellion and brings peace to the region!"

"With such outstanding achievements, the court will not only refrain from punishing them, but will also reward them with promotions and titles. Who would dare to seek revenge later?"

These words struck Song Yu like a thunderclap.

These few words completely awakened Song Yu, who was struggling and hesitating.

Yes, rather than waiting to die, either from Wang Bo's suspicion or from the government troops' blades, it is better to take the initiative to change course and seek survival in dire straits.

In chaotic times, loyalty and righteousness are cheapest things; only life and future are the most real.

Wang Bo and Lu Lin treated him as a pawn and a discarded piece, showing no regard for their alliance. So why should he cling to so-called morality and be buried with these selfish and cold-hearted people?

As his thoughts raced, all the resentment, entanglement, and hesitation in his heart were replaced by the desire to survive and the greed for a better future.

His eyes shifted several times, from hesitation and struggle to ruthlessness, before finally settling into a cold, resolute expression.

"A good plan." Song Yu spoke slowly, her voice calm yet resolute. "We will follow your suggestion and take the path of surrender and reunification."

"You shall set off secretly tonight, conceal your tracks, disguise yourself, and travel to the main camp of the imperial army to meet Zhang Xu."

"Remember, act with secrecy. Do not leak a single word. No one should know, including your own soldiers. Only speak of your sincere surrender and promise to cooperate from within and without. Seek only to protect yourself and gain fame."

"Yes, sir!" Wu Zhi solemnly cupped his hands, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

He knew that from this night onward, the world's situation and the battle at Qishan had been completely rewritten.

……

The night was as dark as ink, the stars and moon were hidden, the mountains and forests were pitch black, and the night wind howled through the forest, rustling and concealing all traces of movement.

Wu Zhi changed into ordinary clothes, removed all armor and accessories, and took off all rebel insignia. Alone, under the cover of darkness, he avoided all the sentry posts and spies of both armies, taking only deserted paths and moving quickly and silently infiltrating the main camp of the imperial army.

Thanks to the standoff between the two armies in recent days, with neither side launching a night attack, and his stealthy movements, he was able to travel unimpeded and successfully reach the camp.

"Halt! Who dares to trespass into the military camp at night? Anyone who dares to approach will be killed on sight!"

The sentries guarding the camp gate instantly drew their swords, their spears standing tall, their cold light reflecting in the night, all fixed on Wu Zhi, who had come alone, with a heavy guard.

Wu Zhi remained calm and composed, bowing respectfully and speaking in a steady voice: "I am Wu Zhi, a staff member under General Song Yu of the Qishan rebels. I have a top-secret military matter to discuss with General Zhang Xu. It concerns the overall situation of suppressing the rebellion, so please inform him."

Upon hearing this, the sentry's expression changed. A request for an audience with a rebel advisor late at night must be a matter of utmost importance, and he dared not delay. He immediately sent one of his men inside to report the matter.

A moment later, the sentry returned and respectfully led the way: "The general invites you to come into the tent with me."

Inside the central command tent, the candlelight was so bright it was as bright as day.

Zhang Xu had not yet rested and was sitting alone at his desk, staring at the Qishan terrain map on the table, pondering the subsequent battle situation.

His strategy of sowing discord over the past few days has yielded significant results, and the rifts within the rebel army are deepening. The time for a decisive battle is fast approaching, and he has already made preparations for a general offensive.

Upon hearing the report from his personal guard that Song Yu's advisor Wu Zhi had requested an audience late at night, Zhang Xu's eyes flashed with a knowing glint, showing no surprise whatsoever.

Qin An's schemes to sow discord relentlessly, pushing Song Yu to the brink of despair. Her surrender was an inevitable outcome that had been anticipated all along.

"Bring him in," Zhang Xu ordered in a deep voice, his expression calm and composed.

The tent flap was lifted, and Wu Zhi bowed as he entered, his eyes lowered, his posture respectful yet neither humble nor arrogant. He walked to the center of the tent and bowed deeply: "This humble subject, Wu Zhi, pays his respects to General Zhang."

"You've broken into our camp in the dead of night, risking everything. General Song, what do you have to say? Please speak freely."

Zhang Xu sat upright at the head of the table, his tone calm, his gaze sharp as an eagle, quietly scrutinizing the person before him.

Wu Zhi straightened up, without any preamble or politeness, and got straight to the point, each word clear and distinct.

"General, my lord, Song Yu, is well aware of the inevitable trend of the times and the mandate of heaven. He no longer wishes to aid the wicked and wreak havoc on the land. Now he has come to his senses and is determined to abandon darkness and embrace the light, surrendering to the imperial court."

"I have come here today on behalf of my lord to offer my surrender. My lord is willing to lead his remaining troops to submit to the royal army and to act as an inside agent for the court, working together to help the army completely annihilate the rebel army of Qishan Wang Bo."

"I only beg the General to forgive my past transgressions, spare my lord's life, and reward him according to his merits in the future."

After he finished speaking, the tent fell silent.

Zhang Xu's eyes gleamed, and his face instantly lit up with joy. He laughed loudly, "Excellent! A wise man submits to circumstances! General Song's ability to see the error of his ways and surrender to the court is a blessing for the people and for the greater good!"

"Rest assured, as long as General Song sincerely surrenders and redeems himself through meritorious service, I will certainly petition the court to pardon his past crimes and reward him according to his merits, without any mistreatment!"

He appeared to believe it completely and was overjoyed, but he remained clear-headed and vigilant throughout, without being gullible in the slightest.

In chaotic times, people's hearts are unpredictable, and it is difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake surrenders in the face of battle. No one can be certain that this is not a ruse by the rebels to lure the enemy.

After reassuring and promising Wu Zhi, and after agreeing on the contact codes and operational details for subsequent cooperation, Zhang Xu immediately issued an order to convene an emergency military meeting overnight with all senior generals of the army.

Urgent orders pierced the night in the military camp, and generals from all sides rushed to the central command tent in full armor.

Luo Kai, Cheng Zhiyuan, Han Anjiao and others were all present. Looking at the commander-in-chief's solemn expression, everyone was curious, wondering what the urgent meeting was about in the middle of the night.

Once everyone was seated, Zhang Xu stopped hiding anything and went straight to the point, announcing in public that Song Yu had sent Wu Zhi to surrender late at night and offer to act as an inside agent to cooperate with the outside forces.

These words caused an uproar in the tent, and the faces of the generals instantly filled with ecstatic joy.

"Really? Song Yu wants to surrender to our army and become an inside agent?" Luo Kai suddenly stood up, unable to hide his excitement. "That's great! The rebel army is indeed in chaos! After days of suppression, he finally has no choice but to surrender!"

Cheng Zhiyuan nodded repeatedly, his face beaming with joy: "General, this must be true! Song Yu is now a desperate, isolated city with few remaining troops, no food supplies, no external reinforcements, and no one to rely on. Lu Lin is indifferent and refuses to help, and Wang Bo is secretly suspicious. They have no other way out but to surrender! It is absolutely not a feigned surrender!"

Han Anjiao stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Song Yu may have the heart of a hero, but he lacks the power to defy fate. Now that the tide has turned, surrendering in desperation is only natural. With him as an inside man, our army can avoid countless casualties and easily break through the rebel defenses. Victory in this battle is assured!"

The generals under his command echoed his sentiments, all looking excited. They believed that Song Yu's surrender was genuine, a brilliant result of their days of sowing discord and suppression, and the biggest turning point in quelling the Qishan rebellion.

The crowd discussed the matter and proposed to accept the surrender immediately, set a date, and have Song Yu defect at that time so that they could attack from both inside and outside and defeat the main force of the rebel army in one fell swoop.

As the crowd finished speaking, they all turned to look at the person in the main seat, awaiting Zhang Xu's decision.

When Zhang Xu saw that they all thought so, his suspicions were instantly dispelled.

However, he did not rush to make a decision. His gaze slowly swept across the entire room and finally settled on Qin An.