Chapter 418: This Chen Yan's military ability is beyond reproach, but he is still too green at the political level

Evening.

The setting sun dyed the sky outside the South City Gate into a piece of molten gold, but it couldn't dispel the murderous coldness in the army formation outside the city.

The rammed earth city wall outlined a gloomy silhouette in the twilight.

The tightly closed city gate was like the tightly closed teeth of a giant beast, the Tuyuhun flags on the gate tower drooping, swaying weakly in the evening wind.

The Great Zhou's army formation stretched for several miles, armored soldiers holding long halberds and carrying bows and crossbows, densely standing like a forest.

The cold light on their armor was plated with a warm edge by the setting sun, but it still revealed a pressing sharpness.

The black war flags snapped in the wind in front of the formation, the "Zhou" character banner and Chen Yan's commander flag standing side by side, the tips of the flags pointing straight at the darkening sky.

Yuwen Ze reined in the reins of the jujube-red horse beneath him, the horse's mane lifting lightly in the wind, looking at Chen Yan on the side, asking: "A Xiong, do you think Xiahou Shun will really come out to surrender as agreed?"

Although Xiahou Shun had long since sent the document of surrender, Yuwen Ze held a skeptical attitude toward this...

Stripping to the waist and binding hands—this kind of unprecedented humiliation, could a Crown Prince really swallow it?

What Yuwen Ze was most worried about was that if he played tricks and launched a surprise attack in front of the formation under the pretext of surrendering...

"He will."

Chen Yan smiled indifferently, his fingertips tapping lightly on the gilded ornaments of the saddle, his voice calm and waveless: "If he had any thought of dying for his country, he wouldn't have sent an envoy to negotiate peace..."

As he spoke, he glanced at the crossbowmen waiting in full battle array behind the formation.

Three hundred paces away, the crossbowmen had already nocked arrows and pulled strings, the arrowheads aimed at the city gate direction; as long as there was anything unusual, thousands of arrows would be released at once.

Confidence is confidence, but one still has to be on guard.

On the side, Yu Xuan's brows frowned slightly, saying in a deep voice: "But once we accept the Tuyuhun surrender, we cannot kill them all..."

Unlike the point Yuwen Ze was worried about, what Yu Xuan was most concerned about was not being able to cut off the roots of future trouble...

After all, the impact of killing those who surrender is very bad.

The most direct thing is that if you do this, no one will surrender again, which will cause great obstacles to future campaigns and also harm your reputation.

There is also the point that killing those who surrender is inauspicious...

Just at this moment, a high-pitched shout suddenly sounded from the formation behind them, breaking the silence of the army formation: "Grand General, look quickly!"

"The South City Gate is open!"

"The Tuyuhun crowd is coming out!"

Everyone followed the sound and looked, only to see Gu Yuci, riding on a brown-red horse, leaning forward, his right hand gripping the reins tightly, his left hand pointing at that gloomy city gate.

Following his shout, a slight disturbance arose in the originally silent Zhou army formation, and the armored soldiers raised their eyes one after another to look toward the city gate direction.

They indeed saw that heavy wooden door, which had been tightly closed for a long time, being slowly pulled inward by the manpower inside.

The friction sound of "creak—! creak—!" was like a dull saw cutting wood, dragging on exceptionally long in the twilight.

The gap in the door opened wider and wider, first leaking out a few swaying torchlights, then vaguely seeing moving figures behind the door.

"Order the whole army to be on guard!"

Chen Yan's gaze condensed, falling on that increasingly wide city gate gap, his originally calm eyes instantly adding a hint of sharpness, raising his right hand, ordering in a deep voice: "To prevent Xiahou Shun from faking surrender and launching a surprise attack!"

Before the words had faded, the generals around him immediately responded in unison, the shout of "Subordinate obeys the order!" exploding like thunder in front of the formation, shaking the air slightly.

The instruction was passed down layer by layer through the army formation, and the Zhou army, which had originally stirred slightly, instantly settled down, replaced by a solemnity like a mountain.

The armored soldiers gripped their long halberds tightly, the crossbowmen tightened their bowstrings again, the cold light on the arrowheads becoming even sharper, locked tightly onto the city gate direction.

The cavalry tightened their reins, the warhorses beneath them raised their heads and neighed, their front hooves pawing at the ground, ready to charge at any time.

The "creak" sound of the city gate gradually stopped, and a figure stripped to the waist walked out from behind the door first; it was none other than the Tuyuhun Crown Prince Xiahou Shun.

He wore no armor, only a rough sheepskin draped over his shoulders, ropes crossing to bind his arms, leaving deep red marks.

A piece of warm jade was held in his mouth, the corners of his mouth pursed into a straight line due to humiliation, and his originally straight spine had slumped a bit.

The twilight of the setting sun fell on his skin, reflecting his full sorry state.

Behind him, Suhe Gui, Niluozhou, and other Tuyuhun generals filed out, all dressed in the same attire.

Stripped to the waist, bound, draped in sheepskin, holding jade in their mouths, one by one hanging their heads, silent like stone carvings.

Suhe Gui's arms were bound, his fists clenched tightly, his fingernails almost embedding into his palms, hanging his eyes, but his gaze was like a knife quenched in poison, staring fixedly at the land beneath his feet, low curses squeezing out of his throat: "Damn Zhou army!"

"Damn Chen Yan!"

His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

But his eyes were surging with monstrous shame and killing intent.

"Endure it first!"

Niluozhou beside him heard this, gritted his teeth, and snorted coldly in a low voice: "As long as the green hills remain, there will always be a chance to take revenge... heh!"

Xiahou Shun walked forward with his head hanging, his footsteps staggering, his peripheral vision inadvertently sweeping over the soldiers behind him.

Although they were all stripped to the waist and bound, they all held their necks high, the shame and anger in their eyes almost overflowing, even their breathing carrying suppressed heaviness.

His heart moved slightly, secretly thinking: "Military morale can be used..."

Then, the rough sheepskin on his shoulders brushed against his skin, bringing a burst of itchy discomfort.

He glanced at this "sacrificial offering" symbolizing humiliation, then looked at the commander flag fluttering high in front of the Zhou army formation, his teeth biting down hard, the jade in his mouth grinding his gums until they hurt.

A hint of ruthlessness quietly climbed into his eyes, his heart roaring silently: "Chen Yan, today's shame, I will definitely make you pay it back a hundredfold, a thousandfold in the future!"

"General Wang, General Helian!" Chen Yan rode on his white horse, watching the front, calling out softly.

"Subordinate is here!"

Wang Xiong and Helian Shi immediately spurred their horses forward and replied.

"You two lead people to disarm and bind those six thousand-plus cavalry!" Chen Yan raised his hand, pointed to the front, and ordered.

Although these guys had already surrendered, to be on the safe side, one still had to be cautious...

"Obey the order!"

The two said in unison.

"Be careful..." Chen Yan blinked and exhorted, "To prevent any tricks!"

"Subordinate understands!"

Wang Xiong and Helian Shi looked at each other and nodded heavily, knowing the potential risks involved.

After the words fell, they led two teams of armored soldiers rushing out in front of the formation like arrows leaving the string, holding ropes and short blades, quickly surrounding those Tuyuhun cavalry.

Xiahou Shun was bound by ropes, moving step by step to the front of Chen Yan's horse.

The rough ground ground his knees until they hurt, but he seemed to have no feeling, stopping three paces in front of the warhorse, taking a deep breath, then his knees smashed heavily onto the ground, raising fine dust.

The jade in his mouth made his tongue numb, he hung his head, his voice trembling due to humiliation, but still bracing himself to speak clearly: "Defeated general Xiahou Shun, leads his subordinates to surrender to Grand General Chen!"

Chen Yan rode on the white horse, his figure straight like a pine, the shadow of his helmet just falling on his brow bone, covering the emotions in his eyes.

He looked down at Xiahou Shun kneeling on the ground.

His gaze slowly swept over the rough sheepskin on the other side, the ropes leaving red marks, and the edge of the jade revealed between his tightly pursed lips, and he was silent for a moment.

The evening wind lifted his black cloak, snapping in the wind.

Finally, Chen Yan smiled indifferently, opened his mouth softly, and sighed: "Crown Prince Xiahou, having fought for so long, we two can finally meet..."

This Chen Yan is really young, I'm afraid he is really only eighteen years old... While Chen Yan was looking at Xiahou Shun, Xiahou Shun was also looking at him, muttering in his heart, and said in a deep voice: "Grand General Chen, we have seen each other from afar many times before!"

"The last time, it should have been no more than a few zhang away..."

Xiahou Shun remembered very clearly that this Zhou army main general had previously been chased like a dead dog in a sorry state.

"Hahahaha!"

Chen Yan, Yuwen Ze, Dou Luling, He Ba Le, and others heard this, looked at each other, and burst into laughter.

As if they had heard some interesting story.

"You... what are you laughing at?" Xiahou Shun was confused and asked.

"Crown Prince Xiahou, actually we haven't met before..." Chen Yan restrained his laughter and shook his head.

After a pause, he added meaningfully: "Because those who chased you some days ago were not me!"

Xiahou Shun's heart tightened violently, as if gripped by an invisible hand, the numbness of humiliation instantly pierced by sharp unease.

He suddenly raised his head, the messy hair in front of his forehead sliding down, his turbid eyeballs filled with shock and suspicion, his voice trembling due to urgency: "Wh... what do you mean?"

Dou Luling spurred his horse forward, leaning over and pressing on the saddle, the corner of his mouth curling into an arc of mockery, his eyes filled with playfulness, "It means that the Grand General you saw before was all impersonated by us!"

He Ba Le also spurred his horse forward, standing side by side with Dou Luling, pointing at Chen Yan on horseback, and smiled: "The real Grand General has been waiting for you in Fouhan all along!"

"What?!"

Xiahou Shun suddenly widened his eyes, his pupils shrinking violently due to shock, his body kneeling on the ground shaking uncontrollably, his voice filled with incredulous roaring: "How is this possible?!"

He stared fixedly at the two generals Dou and He, heavy breathing coming from his throat, as if he wanted to vomit out the blood and energy in his chest: "That armor was clearly exactly the same...?"

The Tuyuhun generals behind him also exploded instantly, the heads that had originally hung low raised in unison, their faces filled with shock and confusion.

Who could have thought that the pursuit was a meticulously designed trap?

"Crown Prince Xiahou, take a look, is it this suit of armor?"

Seeing this, Dou Luling's smile deepened, he raised his chin nonchalantly, beckoned to the personal soldiers behind him, and simultaneously snapped his fingers in his palm.

Two personal soldiers walked up quickly, lifting a suit of silver armor together; the style and patterns of the armor were exactly the same as the one Chen Yan was wearing.

Only this suit of armor was covered in scratches in many places, a piece was missing from the edge of the shoulder armor, and there were several dents of varying depths on the chest armor.

Clearly, it had experienced many battles, far more worn out than the brand-new suit Chen Yan was wearing.

Niluozhou gasped, his voice filled with astonishment and realization: "You have actually been passing off fish eyes as pearls all along?!"

Truly insidious and cunning to the extreme!... Xiahou Shun stared fixedly at that suit of armor, his teeth grinding until they creaked, and blood stains from his gums spread in his mouth. "It seems we didn't lose unjustly!"

Chen Yan exhaled a breath of turbid air and ordered: "That's enough, General Gu, you go and take the Tuyuhun surrendered soldiers to the prepared place of settlement..."

"Obey the order!"

Gu Yuci responded loudly, then turned his horse's head, shouted at the Zhou army soldiers waiting behind him: "Brothers, follow me! Escort the surrendered soldiers to the settlement point!"

After saying this, he spurred his horse and ran toward a direction, and the Great Zhou provincial soldiers behind him immediately followed, starting to gather the Tuyuhun surrendered crowd in an orderly manner.

"Crown Prince Xiahou, please this way!"

"I have prepared some wine and food to entertain you all!"

Chen Yan turned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the ropes and sheepskin on Xiahou Shun's body, then raised his hand and pointed toward the direction of the camp behind, where campfires had already lit up in the twilight.

After a pause, he continued: "I presume you all haven't had a full meal for a long time, have you?"

He didn't continue to humiliate, but actually set up a banquet to entertain?... Xiahou Shun was stunned, looking at Chen Yan in confusion, his heart filled with suspicion, and saluted: "Thank you, Grand General Chen!"

Whether it was Xiahou Shun or the Tuyuhun generals beside him, none could understand what medicine Chen Yan was selling in his gourd...

They could only take it one step at a time.

The night was already deep, and the campfires outside the camp were gradually weakening.

Only the occasional sparks from the fire splashed.

Two oil lamps were lit in the tent, the dim yellow light stretching the figures of the Tuyuhun generals very long.

Suhe Gui sat paralyzed on the low stool, his open collar stained with wine, his cheeks red as if they were about to seep blood, letting out a loud burp, vaguely saying with heavy wine breath: "The wine and food of the Zhou army are really good!"

After being hungry for so long, everything tasted incomparably fragrant.

Niluozhou sat upright on the straw mat opposite, slowly raising his eyes, saying in a deep voice: "Just as the Crown Prince expected, the Zhou army will definitely not take our lives..."

"They will use us to demand more benefits from the Khan!"

The treatment was almost like that of an honored guest.

They even promised at the banquet that they would let them go back completely intact...

As for the price, it must be demanding cattle, sheep, tribute, and ceding cities from the Khan...

"This Chen Yan's military ability is beyond reproach, but he is still too green at the political level..."

Xiahou Shun sat upright on the wooden couch in the main seat, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on his knees, the dim yellow light in the tent shining on his face, but it couldn't hide the cold smile on the corner of his mouth: "He doesn't know the future trouble of letting the tiger return to the mountain at all!"

Between the lines, it was full of mockery.

What use were those external things?

Nothing more than petty gains!

The key lies in people!

As long as they retreat, the things they lost can all be snatched back in the future, and snatched back with interest...

A brat who hasn't reached the age of twenty, how would he know what it means to cut the weeds and dig up the roots?

"After escaping from this predicament, subordinate will definitely make the Zhou army regret today's decision!" Suhe Gui clenched his fists, gritting his teeth.

Just at this moment, angry curses and roars suddenly came from outside the tent, the muffled sound of bodies colliding mixed together, chaotic like a beehive that had exploded.

Xiahou Shun's fingertips tapping on his knees stopped violently, the mocking smile on his face instantly fading. He knitted his brows tightly, listening intently for a moment; the noisy sound was getting closer, and one could even vaguely hear the shouting and stopping of the Zhou army soldiers.

"What's going on?"

He opened his mouth in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping toward the tent curtain, his tone carrying a hint of vigilance and impatience: "Why is it so noisy outside?"

After a pause, he guessed suspiciously: "Chen Yan wouldn't be trying to create chaos and ordering people to disguise themselves as assassins to kill us, would he?"

Niluozhou immediately stood up, went out to inquire from the Zhou army soldiers guarding outside the tent, then rushed back with a greatly changed face, shouting: "Crown Prince, it's not good!"

"It's the camp where our army is settled that has fallen into chaos!" ===== CHAPTER 419 =====

"Once I escape this alive, this subordinate will certainly make the Zhou army regret today's decision!" Suhe Gui clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth.

Just then, angry curses and roars erupted one after another from outside the tent, the dull thuds of bodies colliding blending together into a chaos like a burst beehive.

The fingertips Xiahou Shun had been tapping against his knee stopped abruptly. The mocking smile on his face vanished instantly. He furrowed his brows tightly and tilted his head to listen intently for a moment; the clamor grew louder, and he could even faintly hear the shouting of Zhou soldiers trying to restore order.

"What is going on?"

He spoke in a low voice, his gaze sweeping toward the tent flap, his tone tinged with a measure of vigilance and impatience: "Why is it so noisy outside?"

He paused, then speculated suspiciously: "Chen Yan wouldn't be trying to create chaos, ordering people to disguise themselves as assassins to kill us, would he?"

Nilu Zhou immediately stood up, went out to inquire with the Zhou garrison soldiers on guard, then rushed back with his face drastically changed, shouting urgently: "Your Highness, it's bad!"

"It's the camp where our main army is stationed—it's in chaos!"