Chapter 254: Isolated and Imperiled

Beside the rebel camp at Hexi, along the riverbank stretched a vast expanse of wormwood and brambles, extending endlessly without bound, their depths unknowable. Combined with the water surging against scorched rocks, the scene was exceedingly treacherous. A cold autumn wind swept through, stirring a rustling sound. White egrets perched in the wilds, while badgers and rats foraged among the brush.

At the hour of dawn, a strange commotion suddenly arose from the enemy camp by the shore—faint sounds of blades clashing and men fighting—but they quickly dissipated into the wind and the water.

By the time the sky was fully bright, the chill of the autumn night had gradually eased. Under the shroud of morning mist, two thousand imperial troops had advanced to the front of the camp, while several thousand more stood in reserve behind to guard against contingencies. As for the enemy camp, its gates stood wide open, the palisades had been laid flat, and white banners of surrender rose everywhere, fluttering helplessly in the wind.

Inside the camp, the Pu Army troops had formed ranks to receive them, and in accordance with the agreement, none bore weapons. Seeing this scene, Yao Yuanfu, who had led the troops here, relaxed his expression somewhat—though his vigilance remained.

Before the camp, the leader was Zhou Guangxun, the former deputy commander of Pucheng. Beside him, a minor officer carried a severed head in his hands—that of Zhang Yansi, whom Li Shouzhen had appointed as the chief general of the Hexi camp.

Seeing that the rebels' situation was dire, and compounded by the accumulated grievances between them and Li Shouzhen, once contact was made, they had agreed to "rise in righteousness." Their actions were swift indeed, carrying the sense of "surrender early, escape early."

Although Li Shouzhen had appointed Zhang Yansi as the chief general of the Hexi camp, leaving Zhou Guangxun on the western bank was his greatest blunder. Zhou Guangxun had gathered only a few trusted soldiers, launched a surprise attack on the command tent, and beheaded Zhang Yansi. Then, relying on his influence in the army, he took the lead in surrendering. The process met with almost no resistance and went very smoothly.

"The guilty general Zhou Guangxun, deceived by the rebel Li, joined the insurrection to oppose the imperial army, and is overwhelmed with shame and regret. Now I lead the righteous men of the army, slay the rebels and return to righteousness, to submit to the court. I beg the Governor to forgive and accept me!" As an act of surrender, Zhou Guangxun performed it thoroughly—his posture was low, his waist bent even lower, and the officers behind him followed suit. As for the surrounding Pu Army soldiers, they appeared indifferent.

"General Zhou, no need for such formalities!" Yao Yuanfu appeared magnanimous, without any arrogance. He clasped his hands toward the eastern bank and said: "The Son of Heaven has decreed—one who loses his way and returns is not too late. All officers and men of the Pu Army who have risen in righteousness and surrendered shall have their crimes pardoned!"

At these words, the Pu Army officers and men who heard them all breathed a sigh of relief, and much of the doubt on their faces dissipated. Zhou Guangxun, in particular, wore an expression of tearful gratitude, bowing deeply toward the east and saying earnestly: "I thank Your Majesty! Your Majesty is merciful!"

Yao Yuanfu then glanced at the severed head in the minor officer's hand: "So this is that Zhang Yansi?"

"Indeed it is!" Zhou Guangxun volunteered.

Yao Yuanfu stepped forward, casually took it, glanced at the ferocious, ghastly head, and with an unchanged expression, said flatly: "A nobody!"

"Send this head to the imperial camp!" Yao Yuanfu ordered.

"Yes!"

The entire surrender process went very smoothly, without any mishap. Yao Yuanfu and Song Yanwo quickly occupied the military camp, moved the more than two thousand surrendered Pu Army troops to the nearby riverbank, confiscated all their weapons, and dispatched troops to keep watch from the flanks. In the heat of battle, one could not leave hidden dangers for the sake of showing trust and sincerity.

Once everything was settled, the rebel banner of Hexi was cut down, and the black banner of the Great Han was raised anew. Messengers were sent east across the river to report the surrender to the main camp, while Yao Yuanfu and Song Yanwo climbed the watchtower together and gazed eastward.

"Who would have thought these rebels so useless, surrendering this easily." Yao Yuanfu let out a heavy sigh, and on his rugged face, there was more than a hint of someone who had gotten a bargain and was now gloating.

Song Yanwo understood Yao Yuanfu's mindset well. Standing beside him, without diminishing his courteous demeanor, he said with a smile: "The Hexi rebels have suffered repeated defeats, their fortifications have fallen into disrepair, and unlike Pucheng, they have no solid walls to rely on. With the great river separating them, they are but an isolated camp with a broken army. Their numbers are few, their hearts are not united, and their officers are at odds. Moreover, with General Yao's valor being unstoppable, and Army Supervisor Hu sending men to subtly sow discord among them, their coming to surrender is only natural."

"Of course, even if they had chosen to resist stubbornly, with General Yao leading the attack, taking the camp would have been a matter of two or three days." Having said this, Song Yanwo added a small compliment to Yao Yuanfu: "But to subdue the enemy without fighting, reducing casualties among our soldiers—that is the supreme way."

Hearing this, Yao Yuanfu smiled freely: "The Imperial Son-in-law's words put this old man's heart at ease."

Gazing into the distance at the city of Hedong across the river—with the western camp fallen, it had become a completely isolated city—Yao Yuanfu's smile faded. After watching for a moment, he said: "Next, it's up to the central army. The merit of breaching the city will probably not fall to us..."

Song Yanwo, however, retorted cheerfully: "Since the suppression of the rebellion began, General Yao has already displayed brilliant military achievements and spread his fame far and wide. Surely you don't intend to grasp all the merit of pacifying the rebellion in your own hands?"

These words made Yao Yuanfu laugh. He turned his head to look at this elegant, dashing Imperial Son-in-law, and goodwill welled up within him. He had seen many imperial relatives who were gold on the outside and straw within, but only Song Yanwo, through their time working together, had left him with a good impression.

At the imperial camp, upon receiving the report from the western bank and the delivered head of Zhang Yansi, Liu Chengyou immediately ordered it announced to the entire army. Men were sent to erect a tall pole beneath the city walls, and the head was hung upon it, continuing to batter the morale of the rebels within the city.

At the same time, drums were beaten to assemble the generals to discuss the matter of attacking the city. The central idea was clear: with the western camp taken and the iron encirclement complete, it was time to attack. Orders were issued for all armies to return to camp, prepare their equipment, and rouse the soldiers for the coming assault.

The eastern wall was under the command of Bai Wenke, assisted by officers such as Zhao Hui, Liu Ci, and Yang Ye; the southern wall was under the command of Li Hongjian, with Sun Li, Wu Qianyu, Ma Quanyi, Li Chongju, and others commanding troops under his direction.

No distinction was made between primary and secondary—both sides would attack simultaneously. But Liu Chengyou was supervising the battle in the south, and the southern wall was primarily manned by the imperial army.

Below the city walls, the imperial officers and soldiers had just about finished their rest and training. If they delayed any longer, they risked breeding weariness in battle. Behind the earthen ramparts, more than three hundred trebuchets had been set in formation, and over ten thousand polished stone projectiles, along with those devastating fire-oil bombs, had been distributed.

Each army participating in the battle received its tasks, each performing its own duties, and the combat objectives were made clear to every unit. For many of the soldiers, this was the first time that combat missions, objectives, and even timing had been so clearly calculated before a battle. In the end, it was still about building solid camps and fighting a patient war—only now, with thorough preparation, they intended to smash the rebels in one thunderous stroke.

Liu Chengyou also issued another decree to all the troops: fight your way into the city by the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the entire army will be rewarded!

Within the city of Hedong, the anomalies at the Hexi camp had long been detected by the watchmen and reported to Li Shouzhen. He didn't even need to investigate—the Han banners flying over the western camp, the head hung high outside the city walls, and those annoying "propagandists" quickly let Li Shouzhen know what had happened.

"Zhou Guangxun, that traitor who betrayed his master! I knew all along he harbored evil intentions. I should never have been soft-hearted that day—I should have executed him early!" In the hall of the Military Governor's residence, Li Shouzhen was beside himself with rage, venting his fury almost hysterically: "And Zhang Yansi was a waste as well. I trusted him so heavily, and he loses his life and his camp this easily!"

In the month since he had raised the rebellion, Li Shouzhen's days had grown worse by the day. Especially after the siege began, each day became more agonizing. He had visibly aged considerably, and his temperament had unknowingly turned cruel and savage.

In the hall, only Li Shouzhen and his son, along with the monk Zonglun and two subordinate officials, Sun Yuan and Liu Rui, were present.

"Great King, with the western camp lost, Hedong has completely become an isolated city. The situation is extremely dire!" Sun Yuan said with a worried expression.

"Do I need you to tell me that!" Li Shouzhen glared at Sun Yuan with murderous intent, frightening him into silence.

"Father..." Li Chongxun called out cautiously, his face panicked.

Li Shouzhen was clearly long-suppressed. He took a few deep breaths, then looked at Master Zonglun. His attitude toward the monk no longer carried its former trust: "Great Master, I raised my troops barely a month ago, yet every sortie has met with defeat. The allies I contacted have all broken their oaths and reneged on their promises, and the various states around have offered no response. Now I sit in an isolated city, alone in strength and perilous in arms. My great enterprise is hard to continue. What am I to do?"

The monk Zonglun still wore a composed expression, but his heart was pounding fiercely. He watched Li Shouzhen carefully—the man now radiated an aura of danger.

He mulled it over inwardly, not daring to spout nonsense casually. After thinking for a moment, he finally offered consolation: "Since ancient times, those who would accomplish great things must endure trials. This calamity is a test from heaven. Though the city is isolated, its walls are strong and sharp. In years past, the Last Emperor of Tang, trapped in Fengxiang and besieged by a great army, faced a situation more isolated and perilous than Your Great King's present plight. Yet when the moment came, he seized the realm and ascended the throne. Your Great King possesses heaven's mandate by nature. Even if only one man and one horse remain, you will rise again another day—there is no need for worry!"