“Alright, everyone shut up and let me think!”
Li Jikui roared, slightly closing his eyes.
His fists clenched and unclenched, unclenched and clenched again, clearly struggling fiercely within.
If he surrendered, he would be forever nailed to the pillar of shame in Dangxiang history.
But if he didn’t surrender, the Southern Expedition Army would likely all die here today.
Looking at the Dangxiang soldiers behind him, then at the hedgehog-like phalanx in front, and the rows of catapults behind the phalanx, Li Jikui finally gritted his teeth and threw down his war blade.
The advisor was right, as long as the green hills remain, there’s no worry about lacking firewood.
If you die, you have nothing.
“Li Jikui, you will regret this decision!”
Zhuo Ban, with a ferocious expression, spat at Li Jikui, then drew his blade across his neck, taking his own life.
His dozens of loyal followers also drew their blades one after another, following Zhuo Ban.
But those who took their own lives were a minority. The vast majority of Dangxiang soldiers had long lost hope, and now that their commander had surrendered, they immediately threw down their war blades.
The battlefield echoed with the dense clanging of metal.
“Take them away!”
At Qing Huai’s command, dozens of men rushed forward, escorting Li Jikui and the main Dangxiang leaders away.
Then came the acceptance of the ordinary Dangxiang soldiers’ surrender.
“Haha, it’s finally over!”
On the peak of Qingshui Mountain, Old Zhao stroked his beard and laughed heartily, “Sir, let’s go down the mountain to meet General Fan and the Marquis.”
“Let’s go.”
Jin Feng also let out a long breath and followed Old Zhao down the mountain.
As soon as Old Zhao entered the camp, he was pulled away by colleagues for some matter, so Jin Feng had to take his guards to find Qing Huai alone.
Qing Huai was busy directing the Iron Forest Army to settle the captives. Seeing Jin Feng approach, he quickly took a few steps forward to greet him.
“Sir, thank you!”
Qing Huai bowed deeply, giving Jin Feng a grand salute.
“Marquis, you’re being too formal, I can’t accept this.”
Jin Feng hurriedly supported Qing Huai, “If the Ministry of Rites saw this, neither of us could explain it.”
“Sir, don’t worry, you’ll soon be a noble too.”
Qing Huai said with a smile.
“Really?”
Jin Feng’s eyes lit up slightly.
Why had he come all the way from Jinchuan to Weizhou?
Wasn’t it for merit and a noble title?
“After so many years of fighting between Dakang and Dangxiang, this is the first complete victory, a monumental achievement that will go down in history. His Majesty will surely grant a title.”
Qing Huai said confidently, “Sir, rest assured.”
Jin Feng nodded, feeling a sense of certainty.
“Sir, come, let’s go meet General Fan. He’s been praising you these past few days.”
Qing Huai pulled Jin Feng into General Fan’s tent.
Upon entering, they found Li Jikui sitting casually in the guest seat.
Though his hands and feet were bound with ropes, he showed no sign of nervousness, looking more like a visitor than a captive.
“General Fan, why is he here?”
Qing Huai frowned slightly.
“Li Jikui is Dangxiang royalty, the proper courtesies must still be observed.”
General Fan said, “That’s the rule.”
In this era of imperial power, the dignity of royalty cannot be violated, a tacit rule among all royal families.
“Mr. Jin, we meet again.”
Seeing Jin Feng, General Fan immediately clasped his hands and said, “Last time we met, I was blind to your talent, underestimating you. I apologise here, sir!”
“General Fan, you jest. I’m just a humble scholar, what talent do I have?”
Jin Feng smiled and waved his hand.
“With a slight strategy, you trapped tens of thousands of Dangxiang troops in Qingshui Valley, unable to move, and with just a few hundred men, you sealed off Qingshui Valley, cutting off their retreat. If such tactics aren’t considered great talent, who in the world would dare claim to be talented?”
General Fan’s eyes were full of admiration.
“What did you say? Only a few hundred men on Qingshui Mountain?”
Li Jikui stood up abruptly, his face full of disbelief.
These past days, thousands of Dangxiang elites had died on the paths of Qingshui Mountain and in Qingshui Valley. He had always thought the main Iron Forest Army was on Qingshui Mountain.
Yet now General Fan said there were only a few hundred men on Qingshui Mountain, how could he not be shocked?
If this young man was truly so capable, why couldn’t he hold Qingshui Valley back then and was forced to retreat to Qingshui Mountain?
At this thought, Li Jikui suddenly realised something, his eyes widening in shock, “You deliberately gave the Han slaves a chance, letting them release Zhuo Ban, then lured us into Qingshui Valley, didn’t you?”
“Li Jikui, so you’re not completely hopeless after all?”
After being suppressed by the Dangxiang for so many years, finally achieving a moment of triumph, General Fan laughed proudly, “To tell you the truth, the barbed wire, horse traps, phalanx, and catapults were all created by Mr. Jin.”
Hearing this, Jin Feng’s brow furrowed slightly.
He came to the battlefield only to live more freely in the future and secure a noble title, not to show off, let alone be hated by the Dangxiang.
If it were ordinary Dangxiang people, it wouldn’t matter, he could just kill them.
But Li Jikui was Dangxiang royalty, clearly destined to be exchanged and returned.
Having suffered such a great loss at Jin Feng’s hands, once he returned to Dangxiang, he might very well seek revenge.
Wasn’t this just asking for trouble?
“General Fan, I have some matters to attend to, I’ll take my leave.”
Jin Feng, somewhat displeased, gave a scholar’s salute and turned to leave.
“I’ll see you out, sir.”
Qing Huai gave General Fan a deep look and followed him out of the tent.
But with his injuries, by the time he chased after him, Jin Feng had already disappeared.
Qing Huai returned to the tent and glanced at Li Jikui, “Liu Qiong, take him away!”
“Yes!”
Liu Qiong didn’t care about royal dignity, grabbing Li Jikui by the collar and dragging him out.
“It seems Marquis Qing has something to say to me.”
General Fan smiled slightly, waving for the guards and advisors to leave.
“General, why did you tell Li Jikui those things? Isn’t that clearly making him resent sir?”
Qing Huai asked bluntly.
“Don’t you want him to stay with the Iron Forest Army?”
General Fan smiled and countered, “If he stays with the Iron Forest Army, what does it matter if Li Jikui resents him? Mr. Jin defeated him once, he can defeat him again.”
At this, Qing Huai immediately understood General Fan’s intention.
During their time waiting at Grey Wolf Mountain, he and General Fan had talked most about Jin Feng.
General Fan had once asked if Jin Feng would stay with Qing Huai after this battle, to which Qing Huai replied that Jin Feng would likely return to Jinchuan.
So General Fan deliberately exposed Jin Feng’s role in front of Li Jikui, hoping to tie Jin Feng to the Iron Forest Army.
“General, why go to such lengths?”
Qing Huai said with a bitter smile, “Mr. Jin is a capable man, but also extremely proud. If I discussed it with him properly, he might have stayed, but forcing him like this might backfire.”
