Chapter 1264 - 1259: Fearless Backing
Cui Shanzhong was unwilling!
Tears filled his eyes!
The defeat was as overwhelming as a landslide, and Cui Shanzhong’s sense of powerlessness... no one could understand.
"The old General cannot hold on any longer! The situation is hopeless! We must quickly retreat to the Imperial Palace! Perhaps we can hold out for a while longer! I will send someone to call for reinforcements immediately!" The lieutenant of General Cui urged loudly as Cui Shanzhong remained still, "The old General must not hesitate! If we withdraw most of our forces back to the palace now, we might hold out until reinforcements arrive!"
It couldn’t hold any longer...
Cui Shanzhong knew!
Even retreating to the Imperial Palace now would just be a futile struggle.
When Cui Zhongshan took command, he sent directives to each city, calling for troops to come!
Those willing to come had arrived, and those unwilling remained silent.
Moreover, with the Zhou and Yan Kingdom coalition having breached Yunjing, it was likely that the garrison commanders in other cities, upon hearing the news, would be contemplating whether to surrender to Zhou or to Yan Kingdom!
Who would still be willing to fight against impossible odds, bringing forces insufficient even to serve as a toothpick for the Zhou and Yan Army, to save the imperial court!
"Report! Yan Kingdom is attacking the east gate!"
"Report! The Zhou and Yan Kingdom coalition is assaulting the west gate!"
"Report! Zhou is attacking the south gate!"
War reports were continuously delivered to General Cui Shanzhong and Li Tianjiao at the Imperial Palace, and upon hearing the besiegement of all city gates, the soldiers of Xiliang felt a sense of defeatism.
Whether they were soldiers from Xiliang or other countries, in truth, what does one fight with in war? It’s morale! What brings morale... is hope!
It could come from their undefeated commanding generals!
Or from the belief that by fighting to the death, they could win a slim chance of survival for the people behind them!
Or from the hope of victory being near!
But what did Xiliang have?
Their renowned General Cui Shanzhong had not led troops in many years, was over eighty... and frequently showed signs of physical inadequacy on the battlefield.
Defend the people of Xiliang? Yet Zhou, after conquering a city, never massacred but rather distributed food to the people, divided lands and houses, implemented new policies, and treated the people as their own, which induced many people of Xiliang, aware of Zhou’s benevolence, to seek shelter in Zhou. Only a few who feared persecution fled further south into Xiliang.
Hope for victory? Now that Yunjing of Xiliang was surrounded on all sides, and the city gates were even breached, where was there any hope for victory? Retreating to the Imperial Palace was nothing more than a final stand in resistance!
"Order the soldiers to retreat to the Imperial Palace and preserve our strength!" After issuing this order, Cui Shanzhong turned his horse and galloped towards the palace, preparing to reorganize and make a last stand there.
Now, Cui Shanzhong could only hope that Emperor Bai Qingyan of Zhou... would arrive before their food supply within the palace ran out, then Xiliang would send Bai Qingyu back to Zhou as a gesture of submission and pledge allegiance to Zhou!
·
Within the palace, the sounds of battle outside could still be heard.
The eunuchs and palace maids kneeling within the halls trembled with fear, not daring to look up. Occasionally, the sounds of screaming pierced the air, causing shivers, afraid that the Zhou and Yan Army had already reached the gates of the Xiliang Imperial Palace.
Li Tianjiao knelt at the top of the hall, glancing down at Bai Qingyu, who was already awake but still visibly weak. He sat rather casually on the litter that carried him, hand covering his chest, showing no realization of being a captive. The juxtaposition of his gentle, handsome face and the monstrous burn scar evoked little expression but gave Li Tianjiao an unexplained discomfort, even a sense of condescension.
"It seems... General Bai’s feigned surrender to enter Yunjing City was with a resolve to die heroically." She leaned on the edge of the desk, smiling, "Or perhaps with nothing to fear?"
Bai Qingyu slowly lifted his eyelids to look at Li Tianjiao, his hoarse and chilling voice sounded steadily: "Emperor of Xiliang, what are you talking about? Xiliang colluded with Yan Kingdom, betrayed Zhou. I was captured by General Cui Shanzhong, gravely injured and nearly lost my life, how could I be fearless?"
Li Tianjiao’s smile turned cold: "Listen to the sounds of battle outside; isn’t it... Zhou attacking the city? In the face of Zhou’s offensive, you remain Xiliang’s last ace in the hole, you know I won’t let you die!"
"Esteemed Emperor of Xiliang, I am flattered." Bai Qingyu replied calmly.
"I won’t beat around the bush with General Bai. Xiliang’s grand situation is dire; we only seek to survive and are willing to tribute to Zhou," said Li Tianjiao, rising and striding from her high place toward Bai Qingyu, "I hope... General Bai will consider that, regardless, Xiliang saved your life. When you return, convey to Emperor Bai of Zhou that both Yan Kingdom and Zhou are vying to secure Yunjing first. As long as Zhou agrees not to garrison troops within Xiliang’s borders and exempts us from tribute for ten years, we will bow to Zhou!"
Bai Qingyu kept his eyes downcast, concealing the coldness within them, as he rubbed his fingers and spoke slowly: "With Yunjing now surrounded and the nation on the brink of destruction, does Your Majesty believe... Xiliang still has room to negotiate with Zhou?"
Li Tianjiao had already descended from the high steps, gazing steadily at Bai Qingyu with a smile: "It’s said that a drop of water shall be returned with a spring of gratitude, it’s only a matter of a few words from General Bai. Surely, General Bai will not refuse?"
"Even if Your Majesty places a crown on my head, I’m afraid Bai Qingyu is powerless..." Bai Qingyu replied with a slight smile in his voice.
Li Tianjiao laughed softly, walking around Bai Qingyu with her hands behind her back. She suddenly bent down, speaking from above Bai Qingyu’s head: "General Bai is the brother of Emperor Bai of Zhou, possessing a significance so esteemed that when Emperor Bai learned of General Bai’s capture, it shocked him into early labor. He just gave birth to a pair of children, and disregarding his newborns and physical state, he embarked for Xiliang on the very same day. Judging from this, the importance of General Bai to Emperor Bai of Zhou is clear..."
Bai Qingyu’s palm clenched abruptly, his elder sister had gone into early labor?!
Was it because she learned of his capture or... did she truly believe Yan Kingdom had betrayed Zhou? And what about Xiao Rongyan? Did he fail to deliver the message to his elder sister?
Noticing Bai Qingyu’s slightly stiff demeanor, Li Tianjiao’s smile deepened: "If General Bai agrees, I... can release General Bai from the palace now."
Contrary to General Cui Shanzhong’s thoughts, Li Tianjiao knew that since the coalition of Zhou and Yan Kingdom was attacking and the eastern and northern gates were breached, there was no longer any point in holding Bai Qingyu, waiting for Bai Qingyan.
Better to send Bai Qingyu out and first declare a ceasefire with Zhou, announcing allegiance to Zhou. In such a scenario... for Yan Kingdom to continue attacking Xiliang would mean invading Zhou’s territory.
This... was Xiliang’s slim chance!
Otherwise, relying solely on the scant supplies within the Xiliang Imperial Palace, it wouldn’t last long.
Since now the course of events was unavoidable, Li Tianjiao didn’t want Xiliang’s soldiers to sacrifice themselves needlessly anymore. After all, securing the ten-year tribute exemption and lack of Zhou garrisoning meant, using these forces, she could slowly rebuild!