vstars Chapter 2067 The final madness
Chapter 2067 The final madness
Feng Mulan, standing to the side, also showed a happy expression, but when she looked at the Tang army in the distance, which was in disarray but not in complete collapse, and especially when she saw Wang Zhongsi's banner still steadily directing his troops, she couldn't help but feel a sense of regret for such a famous general.
She rode closer to Chu Ning and said softly, "Your Majesty, Wang Zhongsi is a renowned general of our time, known for his steady and methodical military tactics, and enjoys extremely high prestige within the Tang army."
"He is now in dire straits. If he is willing to surrender, it will reduce casualties for my soldiers and Your Majesty will gain a pillar of strength, which will also deal a heavy blow to the morale of the Tang Dynasty."
"How about... we try to persuade them to surrender?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Ning's excitement subsided slightly, and he fell into a deep thought.
He looked at the distant banner representing Wang Zhongsi, then at the horrific battlefield before him.
Feng Mulan's words make sense. If we can subdue such people, the significance will far outweigh killing them in battle.
He certainly hated the Tang army's invasion, but as the ruler of a country, he needed to consider the long term.
After a moment, Chu Ning nodded, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Mulan is right. If such a fine general could be used by our Great Chu, it would be a great benefit."
"Then we will do as you say and try to persuade him to surrender! If he remains obstinate, we will crush him with overwhelming force!"
As Chu Ning gave the order, a Chu army knight with a booming voice, escorted by several shield bearers, charged to the front of the formation. Gathering his strength, he shouted towards the Tang army's position, his voice drowning out the sounds of battle: "By order of His Majesty the Emperor of Great Chu! General Wang Zhongsi, listen up!"
"You are already surrounded and have no reinforcements. Li Jing has been defeated and fled, and General Zhao Yu's iron cavalry has arrived! His Majesty cherishes your talent and cannot bear to see a good general perish!"
"If you are willing to abandon darkness and embrace the light, and submit to my Great Chu, His Majesty will surely give you an important position and guarantee you wealth, honor, and a lifetime of glory!"
"If you remain obstinate and resist stubbornly, the only outcome will be mutual destruction, death, and the extermination of your clan! General Wang, decide quickly!"
This call to surrender was like a boulder thrown into an already turbulent lake, stirring up huge ripples in the hearts of the exhausted and desperate Tang soldiers.
Countless gazes, some open and some hidden, were cast upon the banner beneath the commander, awaiting their leader's decision.
Wang Zhongsi, faced with this sudden offer of surrender and the ever-approaching hoofbeats from his flank, like a prelude to death, was caught off guard.
His face was ashen, and he did not wave the command flag in his hand for a long time.
Is it to bravely face death in the name of loyalty and righteousness?
Or should they endure humiliation and hardship to find a way out for their men?
This incredibly heavy decision weighed on his shoulders.
The voice urging surrender was like a magical hook, piercing through the deafening sounds of battle and clearly reaching Wang Zhongsi's ears, as well as the hearts of every Tang soldier still fighting.
For a moment, even the air seemed to freeze. Countless gazes, filled with a sliver of hope amidst despair or a final frenzy in desperation, focused on the fluttering banner of the commander.
Wang Zhongsi sat upright on his warhorse, his figure as straight as a pine tree, as if the surrounding bloodshed and carnage could not shake him in the slightest.
Only the closest guards could see his hand gripping the reins, his knuckles bluish-white from excessive force, and the veins on the back of his hand bulging.
His weathered face, etched with resolute lines, twitched slightly, and his deep eyes were engaged in a fierce internal struggle.
surrender?
The terms offered by Chu Ning were undeniably generous.
As a defeated general, if he could survive and preserve his life and future glory, it would be the best option for him in this desperate situation.
Moreover, continuing to resist seems to have no meaning other than sending more of his loyal followers to their deaths in vain.
Li Jing has been defeated and fled; their isolated army has indeed been completely abandoned.
Reason told him that surrendering seemed to be the "wisest" choice for the sake of the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers who still had a chance of survival.
but……
His gaze swept over the faces before him, faces bruised and battered, weary yet still gazing at him with trust.
The oath he made before His Majesty when he left Chang'an flashed through his mind.
The pride and loyalty of the Wang family, a family of generals for generations, flowed in his blood: they would rather die standing than live kneeling!
"A loyal minister never serves two masters!"
A deep, hoarse voice seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his soul.
If Wang Zhongsi surrenders to Chu today, what face will he have to meet his ancestors in the afterlife? What face will he have to call himself a subject of the Tang Dynasty?
Moreover, who knows if Chu Ning's attempt to persuade them to surrender was just a delaying tactic?
Was it to more easily break the Tang army's last fighting spirit, so that they could be more easily encircled and annihilated?
Even if Chu Ning's intentions are sincere, if Wang Zhongsi surrenders, his family and relatives in the Tang Dynasty will surely face annihilation!
We cannot lower the price!
We must not surrender!
The flames of struggle in his eyes gradually died out, replaced by a desolate resolve and an all-knowing clarity.
He suddenly raised his head, and all the hesitation and pain on his face were instantly replaced by determination.
He took a deep breath, the air thick with the smell of blood, which completely calmed his chaotic mind.
He beckoned to his most trusted personal guard captain and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, quickly and clearly gave the order:
"Pass on my secret order: tell the brothers in the Shuofang and Tiebi battalions that they need not wait for the signal any longer, and should immediately break out to the north according to the original plan!"
"Don't turn back, don't linger in battle, retreat as many as you can! This is a military order!"
The captain was shocked and looked at Wang Zhongsi in disbelief, instantly understanding the true intention of the commander-in-chief in gathering elite troops.
It wasn't for a counterattack, but to preserve the last fighting bloodline for the Tang Dynasty in a desperate situation!
And the Lord himself...
"General! You..." The captain's eyes instantly reddened.
"Execute the order!" Wang Zhongsi interrupted sharply, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
The captain clasped his hands tightly, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears, and suddenly turned his horse around, charging towards the elite troops that were gathering in the north.
Having arranged this final step, Wang Zhongsi felt as if a tremendous burden had been lifted from his shoulders, or as if he had gathered the last of his strength.
He suddenly drew his sword from his waist, pointing the blade directly in the direction of Chu Ninglong's banner, and with all his might, let out a roar that shook the entire battlefield.
That voice drowned out the Chu army's attempts to persuade them to surrender, and it also drowned out all the fighting:
"In the Tang Dynasty, there were only generals who lost their heads, not commanders who surrendered!"
"I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness! But a loyal minister does not serve two masters; he is willing to die for you!"
"Soldiers!"
His voice was hoarse, yet it carried a tragic and inspiring power, as if he were sacrificing himself for his cause: "Follow me—to kill the enemy!"
This resolute response, like the final drumbeat of war, shattered the last glimmer of hope in the hearts of the Tang soldiers.
Despair transformed into a frenzy of mutual destruction!
They're going to go all out!