Chapter 398: Bai Gao Leads Sheep to Present a Memorial [Many Thanks

"Neigh~~~"

Behind Xu Xu Zaijing came several whinnies from horses,

one of which belonged to an Iron Eagle Rider from the first wave of three chargers,

he had only been struck down from his weapon, not injured, and was now turning his mount around.

The others were horses with broken legs lying on the ground, wailing in agony, but because they were clad in heavy iron barding, the horses found it extremely difficult to lift their necks and heads.

"Hoo"

Xu Xu Zaijing twirled the long spear in his hand, flicking the red tassel beneath the spearhead outward.

Drops of blood danced in the air.

After finishing the spin, Xu Xu Zaijing held the spear in one hand and lightly pointed it toward his side-rear.

Behind and to the side of Xu Xu Zaijing, an Iron Eagle Rider whose mount's legs had been broken but who had already risen to his feet,

stared with eyes wide open in sheer horror and terror at the sharp, blood-stained spearhead that had pierced precisely through the gap in his face guard and now stopped just before his eyeball!

It was only because he reacted quickly, halting his movement abruptly!

Otherwise,

the next instant the spearhead would have pierced into his brain.

His immense strength was already terrifying enough,

but what was even more frightening was that his enemy's movements were so precise;

with one thrust of this long spear, or one charge forward from himself, he, clad in full iron armor, would be dead.

The throat beneath the Iron Eagle Rider's armor twitched slightly; sensing the situation, he tossed away the iron mace in his hand and shuffled a step backward.

At this moment,

the only Iron Eagle Rider whose both man and horse remained unharmed had already turned his mount around and was charging toward Xu Xu Zaijing, intending to trample him with his horse.

"Young Master! Be careful!"

"Han Wulang, be careful!"

Amidst the shouts of the crowd,

Xu Xu Zaijing, with his back to everyone, shook his head slightly, then gripped the refined steel long spear firmly with both hands,

gathered his strength, turned, and swung with all his might.

"Whoosh!"

"Bang!"

Following the whistling sound of the swinging staff,

came a bone-chilling impact noise;

the horse and rider, both clad in iron armor,

had the armor on their struck left side directly deformed and caved in,

while the armor on the right side bulged outward slightly;

after hanging in the air for a brief moment,

both man and horse crashed directly onto the ground, utterly silent, with only blood flowing out from beneath them.

Witnessing this scene, the surroundings instantly fell silent.

An Iron Eagle Rider mounted on a Bai Gao warhorse—the combined weight of man and horse armor was astonishingly huge!

Whether Brother Qingyun people or Bai Gao people, no one had ever witnessed such a sight!

As for the Bai Gao ruler, ministers, and soldiers, the fear in their eyes as they looked at Xu Xu Zaijing was even greater than before.

Coinciding with this moment, a slight aftershock of the earthquake swept over,

"Rumble~~~"

The earthquake made everyone somewhat unsteady on their feet, just like the state of mind of the Bai Gao group inside the imperial palace.

"Clang"

"Crackle"

Not far away, the corridor pillars of the palace collapsed,

and roof tiles fell from the slightly tilted hall roof.

This commotion

brought the Bai Gao ruler and ministers back to their senses, causing another wave of chaos around them.

Those with mounts hurriedly calmed their horses.

The chaos subsided slightly.

Behind Xu Xu Zaijing,

Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding raised his voice to an unprecedented height, shouting vigorously in the Bai Gao language:

"Don't any of you go up there!"

"All the experts from the Hanging Ring Bureau who went to Bianjing before were completely annihilated by him alone!"

"If you go up again, you are just seeking death~"

As he shouted, tears actually appeared in his eyes: 'Iron Eagle Riders! All swept away by him! How could I, Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding, be so incompetent! It is clearly that he is incredibly strong!'

Upon hearing these words, the Bai Gao ruler and ministers,

those who understood, displayed faces full of disbelief,

while those who did not understand began whispering among themselves to inquire.

Prince Liang Yi Ren gritted his teeth as he looked at Xu Xu Zaijing.

His hand inside the sleeve beside him trembled slightly.

He knew all too well the capabilities of the experts from the Hanging Ring Bureau.

He was even more acutely aware of the weight of the Iron Hawk Cavalry: struck into mid-air??? What exactly had happened!

Driven by fear, he instinctively looked toward the surrounding Bai Gao infantry archers and crossbowmen.

Just as Prince Liang Yi Ren was about to issue an order, Watching Zhao Taifeng, who had sidled up beside him, tugged his sleeve: "Your Highness, do you believe a figure such as this could be struck by arrows and crossbow bolts?"

Recalling the incident in Bianjing where a sneak attack from behind by Prince Li Shi failed to injure Xu Xu Zaijing, Prince Liang Yi Ren shook his head.

The position where Xu Xu Zaijing now stood was already thirty or forty paces forward from where he had been.

"Clang!"

He brought the long spear he had withdrawn to a halt against the ground before him.

As his gaze swept across them, some of the Bai Gao soldiers retreated while others dared not meet Xu Xu Zaijing's eyes.

Xu Xu Zaijing shouted:

"The Imperial Army approaches; if you surrender now, you may yet retain some dignity and honor!"

"If you wait until the main army assaults the city before surrendering, you will have no dignity left."

Having spoken, he lifted his long spear and pointed it at Liang Yi Ren among the Bai Gao ruler and ministers, saying, "What a coincidence, brother! After our parting in Bianjing, we meet again! Please do me the favor of translating!"

Liang Yi Ren: "You!"

The old minister Zhuojue whispered softly, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, what Han Han Wulang says is indeed correct! If you surrender now, the least you can expect is to live out your days as a wealthy commoner in Bianjing!"

At that moment,

from outside the crowd of the Bai Gao ruler and ministers, a eunuch came stumbling and staggering over.

"Your Majesty! Urgent news from outside the palace."

"Speak!"

After glancing at the Bai Gao ruler and ministers, that Bai Gao eunuch hesitated before speaking in a shrill voice: "A report from outside the palace states that the gap in the northern city wall, collapsed by the earthquake, has grown larger during the slight tremor that just occurred."

The Bai Gao Emperor, Liang Yifu, instantly became so unsteady he could barely stand: Why wait for an assault on the city at all?

"Your Majesty, you can still go to Xiping Prefecture!"

"Xiping Prefecture has high walls and a sturdy city; we can certainly hold out there for a time!"

One of the Bai Gao officials shouted this suggestion loudly.

The assembly of officials erupted into another wave of commotion.

The old minister Zhuojue refuted him: "General Ren Duo! Xiping Prefecture is but a single city! How long can it be held? Nowadays, the Great Zhou Imperial Army is attacking from three sides: to the north lies Marquis Marquis Yongyi, to the east Marquis Marquis Tuoxi, and to the south Wang Shao!"

General Ren Duo: "If we hold it, a way will be found!"

The old minister Zhuojue paid him no heed, bowing deeply to the Bai Gao Emperor:

"Your Majesty! First there was the earthquake in Yanzhou, and last night another struck! These two earthquakes came neither early nor late, but precisely when Great Zhou was attacking our Bai Gao!"

"Great Zhou possesses many fierce and brave warriors like the one before us! They must already be spreading their nets to await us outside the city! Your Majesty, you must think thrice!"

At these words, another murmur of whispered conversation spread among the Bai Gao officials.

After the clamor subsided,

Liang Yifu hung his head in despair, waved his hand, and said, "Lingzhou—we shall not go! Lay down your weapons! Prepare brush and ink!"

The hour of Chen, exact mark (8:00 AM)

Outside Xingqing Prefecture city,

the Great Zhou infantry and cavalry armies had gathered like clouds.

Marquis Marquis Yongyi, Xu Minghua, sat atop his horse,

gazing into the distance at the severely damaged walls of Xingqing Prefecture.

Beside Xu Minghua stood Cao Chen, the eldest brother of the Cao family, the Imperial Uncle of Great Zhou, the male matchmaker for the wedding of Xu Zaizhang and Sheng Hualan, the eldest son of Marquis Marquis Tuoxi, and formerly Xu Minghua's superior in the Western Army when he held the title of Marquis Marquis Yongyi.

He was also the commander of the hundred thousand Great Zhou reinforcements during the previous great battle.

This eldest brother of the Cao family pointed at the city wall with his riding crop and said:

"Minghua, your youngest son not only possesses great courage but can also calculate and predict! He even managed to foresee this earthquake! Had we not been so vigilant, countless of our young men would have been injured!"

"He has simply read many books; with such extraordinary omens, anyone else who saw them would have known as well!" Xu Minghua replied with a smile.

"With the city walls in such a state, it seems we shall save much effort! I only fear the false Bai Gao Emperor might flee to Lingzhou!"

Xu Minghua nodded, his face clouded with worry.

At that moment,

beneath the gate tower of Xingqing Prefecture, a Great Zhou cavalryman holding a flag galloped toward the main army.

Upon hearing the message conveyed: "Scout Pang Pang Wanchun reports that the false Bai Gao Emperor wishes to surrender and requests the army to enter the city; a letter has already been sent to Lingzhou ordering their surrender,"

Cao Chen and Xu Minghua exchanged a glance of astonishment.

Subsequently,

with a large banner bearing the character 'Zhu' leading the way, several hundred Great Zhou cavalrymen galloped toward Xingqing Prefecture.

Very soon,

the banners of Great Zhou were fluttering atop the walls of Xingqing Prefecture.

The main army immediately advanced forward.

On the flank of the army flowed the Yellow River.

Xu Hou's eldest son, Xu Xu Zaiduan, was responsible for defending the flank, guarding against the Bai Gao breaching the Dahe to flood the Zhou army.

When Xu Zaiduan transmitted the news that "everything on the riverbank is normal" back to the army, the forces began to set up camp outside the city.

The Great Zhou infantry also began to systematically take over the city defenses, pastures, and strategic points of Xingqing Prefecture.

Li Li Chi Mei, the younger of the Li brothers from the former Bai Gao imperial clan,

followed alongside his comrades in the Great Zhou cavalry, entering this long-unseen Xingqing Prefecture through the Zhenwu Gate in the northwest.

Looking at the streets and alleys, now unrecognizable and in total chaos,

Listening to the cries of sorrow all around,

He let out a heavy sigh.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop~"

From not far away came a burst of hoofbeats,

Causing the comrades around him to instantly go on alert.

But the alarm was lifted just as quickly.

Amidst a chorus of shouts for "Han Wulang" and "Brother Jing,"

Xu Xu Zaijing arrived not far before Li Li Chi Mei, followed by eunuchs and cavalry from the Bai Gao Kingdom.

"Brother Guo! Your unit actually entered the city first?"

Guo Kui replied, "Yes! His Lordship ordered us to accompany Young Brother Li to take over the city's fodder depot."

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded and said, "Now that the great disaster has just passed, the city is in great turmoil; you must all pay extra attention to Li Chi Mei's safety."

Guo Kui said, "Many thanks for the reminder, Han Wulang; we understand!"

"Good! Brother Guo, I have matters to attend to at the main camp, so I will take my leave first!"

"Han Wulang, go ahead!"

After nodding in acknowledgment to Li Li Chi Mei once more, Xu Xu Zaijing led his men galloping toward the north of the city.

At the main camp outside the city,

Within the Great Zhou central army,

The great tent had not yet been erected,

So the generals of Great Zhou sat in two rows on portable folding chairs.

Marquis Marquis Tuoxi, Xu Minghua, handed the paper in his hand to Cao Chen, the Emperor's uncle standing nearby.

After reading it, Cao Chen stroked the fine-textured paper, glanced at the standing eunuch from the Bai Gao Kingdom, and then looked at Xu Xu Zaijing standing at the very end of the line in the distance.

Military hierarchy was strict, with positions arranged strictly by rank; for Xu Xu Zaijing, a squad leader of scouts, to be allowed to stand even at the end of the line was already an exception.

After rolling the paper back up and returning it to Xu Minghua, Cao Chen leaned in and whispered a few words to him.

Then, after pondering for a moment, Xu Minghua said to the accompanying Bai Gao eunuch, "That your master understands such great righteousness brings us great comfort! However, the matter of accepting surrender must wait until Marquis Marquis Tuoxi arrives!"

"Furthermore, your master need not worry about disaster relief! This matter will be handled by our Great Zhou soldiers alone; your master need only remain within the palace!"

Just as that Bai Gao eunuch was about to speak,

Xu Minghua waved his hand and said, "As for the medicinal herbs your master requests, we will naturally provide support as appropriate."

Cao Chen leaned in again to whisper a few more words into Xu Minghua's ear.

Xu Minghua also glanced at his youngest son, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Very well!"

He then announced in a loud voice, "Where is Xu Xu Zaijing?"

Xu Xu Zaijing, at the end of the line, was startled and hurriedly stepped forward, cupping his fists to say, "This humble subordinate is present!"

"Go to Marquis Marquis Tuoxi's camp and deliver this letter!"

"This humble subordinate accepts the order!"

After speaking and cupping his fists, Xu Xu Zaijing walked forward, preparing to take the letter.

From the end of the line to where the two great generals sat was more than twenty paces, and the eyes of all the Great Zhou generals sitting on both sides were filled with affection as they looked at him.

Arriving close to his father, Xu Xu Zaijing was just about to reach out his hand.

Cao Chen said, "Han Wulang, do you know whether to go north or east, and which route to take?"

Xu Xu Zaijing was startled, then cupped his fists and said, "I plan to head south, cross the Yellow River, pass through Xiping Prefecture, and enter Marquis Marquis Tuoxi's camp directly!"

As soon as these words were spoken,

The Great Zhou generals sitting all around burst into laughter one after another.

"Han Wulang, Xiping Prefecture has not yet surrendered; who knows how many scout cavalry are lurking outside the city!"

Said Zhang Zhang Fangyan, the eldest son of the Duke of Britain, who sat in the first seat on the lower row.

Xu Xu Zaijing turned sideways and bowed, saying,

"No matter how many there are, they will not delay my passage."

Hearing this, Cao Chen handed the letter to Xu Xu Zaijing and laughed, "Hahaha! What a fine lad! Go!"

Watching the Bai Gao eunuch and Xu Xu Zaijing turn and leave together,

Cao Chen said to Xu Minghua beside him,

"When I was Han Wulang's age, I already dared to lead troops in a frontal charge against enemy formations!"

"But this young son of yours dared to enter an enemy nation's capital with only nine men, and even infiltrated their imperial palace to bring out a letter!"

"Truly, the younger generation is formidable!"

Xu Minghua's eyes were full of smiles, yet he shook his head and said, "He caused quite a bit of trouble back in the capital! He is not one who puts people at ease!"

Cao Chen, wondering what came to mind, also had smiles in his eyes: "Tsk tsk tsk~ That is very true! This young son of yours, so handsome and refined, has indeed caused quite a bit of trouble!"

Xu Minghua turned to look at Cao Chen, wondering why he felt the word 'trouble' in their two mouths carried slightly different meanings!

Thirty li south of Xingqing Prefecture,

"Ha!"

"Giddyup!"

Several cavalrymen were galloping wildly along the official road,

Their hooves churning up a trail of dust and smoke.

Leading them was a magnificent black horse.

The Great Zhou cavalrymen on black horses held aloft a long spear,

Upon that long spear, a Great Zhou banner was fluttering in the wind.

Seeing the relay station ahead,

the cavalry did not slow down,

but galloped straight through.

The relay station's buildings were already leaning; inside the courtyard, a relay runner who heard the commotion hurried outward.

Then, this relay runner, seeing the Great Zhou banner drifting through the dust and smoke, rubbed his eyes hard.

One double-hour after leaving Xingqing Prefecture,

Xu Xu Zaijing and his party arrived at the banks of the Yellow River.

Except for the little black foal, all the other horses were panting heavily.

And at the very front, the rider had become Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding.

Before the wide pontoon bridge,

Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding reined in his horse, displayed the token of Xingqing Prefecture, pointed at Xu Xu Zaijing and the others behind him, and shouted a string of gibberish in the Bai Gao language.

Subsequently,

Xu Xu Zaijing and the others rode directly across the bridge.

By the bridge,

the soldiers guarding it stared dumbfounded at the Great Zhou banner held high by Xu Xu Zaijing, for a moment unsure how to react.

After Xu Xu Zaijing and his party crossed the Yellow River and approached Lingzhou, they heard shouts of "Great Zhou, ten thousand victories!" echoing from afar.

Those were the soldiers under Marquis Marquis Tuoxi, using the great victory in the north to raise their voices and seize the initiative.

Just at this moment,

several knights dressed as Bai Gao eunuchs, under the protection of a troop of cavalry, came galloping toward Xu Xu Zaijing and his party.

Xu Xu Zaijing reined in his little black foal, secured the long spear behind his back, and then drew a strong bow from the quiver at his side.

Seeing that Xu Xu Zaijing and his party were dressed as Great Zhou scouts,

these Bai Gao eunuchs hastily reined in their horses;

once they got a clear look at Xu Xu Zaijing's appearance,

one of the Bai Gao eunuchs even pointed at Xu Xu Zaijing, his face full of terror, rapidly speaking something in the Bai Gao language.

A moment later,

a Bai Gao cavalryman ran toward Xu Xu Zaijing with his arms spread wide.

Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding hurried forward to converse.

Before long, Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding came before Xu Xu Zaijing and said, "Han Wulang, the Lingzhou garrison commander has decided to surrender! He is awaiting the end of the Great Zhou bombardment."

Xu Xu Zaijing nodded and said, "Then let us not detour; have him lead the way, and we shall pass directly through the city!"

Outside Lingzhou city,

before the great army's formation,

Cao Zhao, the fourth son of Marquis Marquis Tuoxi, and Zhang Zhang Fangshun, the second son of the Duke of Britain, clearly saw the appearance of the Great Zhou cavalry holding the Great Zhou banner as they arrived before the lines.

Cao and Zhang exchanged a glance; Cao Zhao shouted with all his might, "You brat, how did you appear again from behind the enemy lines?"

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled and raised the long spear in his hand.

He then disarmed, led the Bai Gao general of Lingzhou behind him, and entered the central camp.

Old General Cao, likewise seated in a folding chair, took the letter handed over by his orderly and swiftly scanned a few lines.

Then the old general spoke to the Bai Gao general:

"I know what you wish to say!"

"This Marquis pledges his own head to guarantee you: your soldiers' submission shall be counted as merit; all past grievances are wiped clean in one stroke. Henceforth, you all shall be subjects of our Great Zhou!"

"Anyone who dares to massacre them shall be destroyed by both men and gods!"

"Of course, those who do not wish to become subjects of our Great Zhou are not included in this."

As Old General Cao folded the letter, he said, "Transmit this military order down the lines!"

Behind Xu Xu Zaijing, Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding, stripped even cleaner until only his undergarments remained, translated with a solemn tone.

"We trust the old general!"

That Bai Gao general bowed and spoke in the Great Zhou language.

Zhe Jue Zhejue Zhongding felt momentarily awkward.

The old general issued several more military orders;

the first was to send a golden tablet with urgent dispatches to Bianjing, while the rest concerned prudent entry into the city and arrangements to prevent feigned surrender.

Until everything was secure, the old general naturally would not enter the city.

The others had already departed from the old general's side, leaving only Xu Xu Zaijing.

"Young man of the Xu family, was the earthquake in Xingqing Prefecture last night?"

Xu Xu Zaijing replied, "Yes, Grandfather Cao!"

The old general asked in puzzlement, "An earthquake last night, and they surrender today! The false Bai Gao emperor's change of mind is swift indeed! Moreover, he surprisingly did not come to Lingzhou to drag out his existence."

Xu Xu Zaijing clasped his hands and said, "Grandfather Cao, whether they surrender early or late, they must surrender! The difference lies only in fewer casualties for the Great Zhou soldiers, and some dignity and face retained for them."

Looking at Lingzhou city, Old General Cao spoke with deep feeling: "That they can see this clearly is truly commendable!"

Then, Old General Cao turned his head to look at Xu Xu Zaijing.

"Do you intend to remain in the army, young fellow?"

Feeling the rather pressuring gaze,

Xu Xu Zaijing bowed deeply, cupping his fists, and said, "Replying to Grandpa Cao, this junior is returning to Bianjing!"

General Cao Lao said, "What a waste!"

Xu Xu Zaijing bowed even deeper.

The old general took a deep breath and said:

"Before you kid return to Bianjing, if you have time, go spar with the juniors of the other few families as well."

"And while you're at it, learn from them the art of commanding cavalry! A marquis's youngest son comes to the front lines only to serve as a squad leader of scouts—truly!"

Xu Xu Zaijing kept his head low and said somewhat dejectedly, "Grandpa Cao, how long have I even been at the front lines?"

"Hmph!"

That night,

south of Marquis Marquis Tuoxi's great army,

beneath the starry sky,

at a roadside relay station,

the sound of horse hooves beating rapidly approached from the distance.

An aged, experienced relay runner hurriedly grabbed a waterskin and a lantern, rushed outside, and shouted, "Quick! Saddle the horses! It's most likely an urgent report bearing a golden tablet!"

Hearing the old relay runner's shout, the runners inside the station hurriedly led a sturdy horse out into the courtyard.

Now that Great Zhou had been opening borders in Hehuang for many years, fine horses for transmitting military intelligence had gradually become more numerous at front-line relay stations.

"Quick! Saddle the horses! Urgent report with a golden tablet! The Bai Gao state has surrendered!"

Shouted the knight, his voice somewhat hoarse but his spirit extremely excited, as he flipped off his horse and brandished the token in his hand.

The old relay runner handed over the waterskin in his grasp, saying, "Take your waterskin and... What????"

The knight who had dismounted swiftly mounted the fresh horse, hung the waterskin on the saddle flap, tossed the emptied, shriveled waterskin he had removed back to the old relay runner, and shouted loudly, "The Bai Gao state has surrendered!"

"Giddy-up! Ha!"

With that, the knight whipped his horse and departed once more.

The sound of hooves gradually faded into the distance,

and after the two people in the relay station stood stunned for a moment,

someone shouted and ran toward a nearby building, "The Bai Gao state has surrendered!"

Soon, relay runners rushed out of the building to confirm.

The crowd of relay runners spoke joyfully among themselves,

and after a little while,

the sound of horse hooves arrived,

and another horse, running with all its might, came to a halt in the relay station's courtyard.

The crowd that had come out hurriedly stepped aside to avoid obstructing, while someone handed over a waterskin and shouted, "Brother, has Bai Gao surrendered?"

That knight nodded repeatedly,

pulled the stopper from the waterskin, took a swig to rinse his mouth, spat out the dirty water, and then said, "Surrendered! I must go west to deliver a message to Lord Wang!"

After taking another drink of water, the knight added, "The one ahead is going to Bianjing; I can't even get a good horse here!"

Saying this, the knight changed horses, whipped the mount, and rode off.

Early the next morning,

the old general led Xu Xu Zaijing into Lingzhou City to inspect the situation regarding the Bai Gao troops laying down their armor and weapons within the city.

Then, leading over ten thousand elite cavalry of the Western Army, he exited through the west gate and crossed the Yellow River.

At this time, upon the Yellow River, the floating bridge had become three bridges.

At noon,

General Cao Lao arrived outside Xingqing Prefecture, at the great camp of Marquis Marquis Yongyi.

At this same time,

seven hundred li outside Lingzhou,

in Qingzhou,

at a relay station outside the prefectural city,

a knight covered in dust, with legs and waist somewhat weak, leaned on a relay runner's shoulder to mount his horse.

"Bai Gao has surrendered? When did this happen?"

The knight said, accepting a waterskin and meat buns, "Just yesterday!"

With that, the knight forcefully kicked his horse's flanks,

accelerating as he galloped toward the southeast.

On the third day,

the weather was clear,

a north wind blew,

and atop the walls of the Qinghe Gate, the eastern gate of Xingqing Prefecture which remained relatively intact among the city's six gates, stood Great Zhou soldiers in bright armor.

Outside the Qinghe Gate,

a great army had gathered like clouds,

war banners stood like a forest,

and at the highest point, the great banner bearing the character 'Zhou' fluttered in the wind,

and beside this great banner,

were slightly shorter and smaller war banners for Cao, Xu, Zhang, Zhe, and others,

Behind these battle flags were others from different families,

Beneath the battle flags,

General Cao Lao stood in the center, clad in full armor,

Flanking him on both sides were Marquis Marquis Yongyi Xu Minghua, who held the rank of Regional Commander, and Cao Chen, the eldest son of Marquis Marquis Tuoxi.

Outside them stood scions from various families serving in the military who held the rank of Brigade Commander, leading over ten thousand men each, such as Cao Yang, Zhang Zhang Fangyan/Shun, and Xu Xu Zaiduan.

Further out were the Army Commanders, each leading a force of over two thousand men,

Arranged outward in this manner,

All the way down to the battalion level.

Xu Xu Zaijing's armor was polished to a brilliant shine!

Although his rank was not high,

His position was not far back,

For at this moment, he and several other young scions were serving as bodyguards holding spears on one side, positioned slightly forward and to the flank of General Cao Lao and his father, directly behind his elder brother Xu Zaiduan.

Xu Xu Zaijing boredly counted the iron scales on his elder brother Xu Zaiduan's armor,

When he reached three hundred and ninety,

Xu Xu Zaijing's ear twitched; relying on his tall stature, he turned his head to look toward the distant city gate.

At this moment,

"Wuuu-wuuu-wuuu~~~"

Crying sounds drifted from afar,

Xu Xu Zaijing rose onto his tiptoes,

And saw that not far away, the ruler and subjects of Bai Gao, dressed in plain white mourning clothes, had already exited the city gate.

Leading them was Liang Yi, the former Emperor of Bai Gao, holding a table of surrender in his hands while leading several sheep,

Behind Liang Yi were his ministers weeping bitterly,

Further behind were the female relatives of Bai Gao, stripped of their hairpins and ornaments,

And at the very rear were Bai Gao soldiers carrying coffins,

As they drew closer to the Great Zhou army,

Xu Xu Zaijing, relying on his exceptional eyesight, also saw that Liang Yi held a strip of silk in his mouth, within which something seemed to be wrapped.

Very soon,

The crowd from Bai Gao drew even closer,

The coffins were halted at a slightly distant spot,

The wailing of the Bai Gao ministers subsided considerably,

Liang Yi led the people of Bai Gao with bowed heads to approach Marquis Marquis Tuoxi; just as he was about to kneel, Marquis Marquis Tuoxi stepped forward two paces and caught him, preventing the fall.

This caused some among the ministers of Bai Gao to breathe a sigh of relief.

While the old General Marquis Marquis Tuoxi was accepting the table of surrender and exchanging pleasantries,

The groups of Bai Gao ministers and female relatives behind Liang Yi,

Were mostly so intimidated by the imposing aura of the great army that they bowed their heads and trembled uncontrollably,

Though there were some bold enough to look around,

Yet upon seeing Xu Xu Zaijing holding a spear behind the assembled generals, many of them lowered their heads in panic.

The surrender ceremony concluded,

The ruler, ministers, and families of Bai Gao who had exited the city were lodged for the night in the great camp outside the city.

Over the following day,

The Great Zhou army, following a list provided by a mysterious individual, searched throughout the night within the city and unearthed numerous people and treasures.

These people and goods were all loaded onto carriages found within Xingqing Fucheng,

Subsequently, under the escort of Great Zhou cavalry, the convoy set off toward the Yellow River ferry crossing to the south, in the direction of Chaonan.

Xu Xu Zaijing rode his small black colt at the very rear of the convoy; he turned his head to take one last look at the walls of Xingqing Fucheng.

When passing through Lingzhou of Xiping Fucheng,

The scale of the Great Zhou cavalry and the convoy expanded once again, but that is a story for another time.

On the afternoon of the sixteenth day of the ninth month,

In Bianjing,

Outside the outer city,

Not far beyond Zhou Wansheng Gate,

A knight galloping at full speed brought a waterskin to his lips.

Having taken a sip to moisten his throat, the knight shouted with all his might: "Urgent dispatch with the golden plaque! Make way!"

On the streets outside the city gate,

Commoners and passersby who heard the shout hastily scrambled to the side of the road.

The soldiers guarding the city also hurriedly drove the pedestrians beneath the gate archway to the side.

Amidst the clattering sound of hooves,

The knight quickly arrived near the gate archway,

Where the knight shouted forcefully: "The Royal Army has achieved a great victory! Bai Gao has surrendered! Giddy-up!"

Upon hearing this shout,

The surrounding soldiers and commoners all wore expressions of utter disbelief.

Inside the city,

On the main street within Zhou Wansheng Gate,

At the Ni family residence,

Inside the room, Ni Ni Tengyue was carefully studying an essay on the table.

Just as he had gained some insight and was about to put brush to paper to record a few points,

An unknown clamor came from outside the courtyard.

"Brother! Brother!"

A young lady's voice called out.

The door was shoved open with force.

Ni Ni Tengyue looked at his rash younger sister, his face filled with anger.

"Brother! Just now on the main street, a mounted knight shouted that Bai Gao has surrendered!"

Ni Ni Tengyue frowned and said, "Little Sister! If you're going to make up an excuse, at least make it a better one!"

The young Ni sister pointed outside the courtyard and said, "Brother! It's true! If you don't believe me, listen!"

Ni Ni Tengyue was stunned for a moment; he set down his brush and walked quickly a few steps outward.

Going from the main street within Zhou Wansheng Gate toward the inner city,

On the main street outside Xishui Gate,

At the home of Xu Xu Zaijing's maternal grandmother and grandfather, the situation was much the same.

Hearing the Sun family servant deliver the news with a smile, in the main hall, the two elders of the Sun family sitting in armchairs still exchanged a glance of disbelief.

"Go, send someone to the Cao family and the Xu family to inquire!"

"Yes!"

Xu Xu Zaijing's maternal grandmother waved her hand and gave the order.

Watching the servant turn and depart,

Xu Xu Zaijing's maternal grandfather rose from his chair, walked a few steps, and said, "Tell me, am I not dreaming? That this old man should live to see such a thing?"

Passing through Xishui Gate,

Entering the inner city,

In a courtyard by the roadside bearing a plaque reading 'Zhu Residence'.

Inside Viscount Xie's home, Wu Da Da Niangzi sat on an embroidered stool, leaning forward to look at the needlework in Sister Sister Xiaodie's hands.

"Sister Ni, only by manipulating the needle like this can one embroider this flower."

Ni Ni Qiqiu nodded repeatedly and said with great admiration, "Sister Sister Xiaodie, how did you conceive of such a wildly imaginative stitching technique?"

Sister Sister Xiaodie smiled and shook her head, saying, "My Wei Xiaoniang taught me!"

At that moment, a female servant of the Zhu family hurried in with swift steps.

"Da Da Niangzi! This servant heard on the roadside—"

After the female servant finished speaking, she looked at the dumbfounded Sister Sister Xiaodie and said softly, "Da Da Niangzi, surely this cannot be false?"

Ni Ni Qiqiu shook her head: "It cannot! No one would dare trifle with such news. Come, let us go to the rear courtyard to inform my mother-in-law, and then let us go to Quyuan Street to inquire."

In Xingguo Ward,

At the Duke of Britain's mansion,

At the second gate within the courtyard,

Chai Chai Zhengzheng was holding Han Wu Niang's hand: "Wu Niang, in a few days come to my home for the incense gathering; Lady Chaoyun will bring several young ladies from officials' families, and we can discuss poetry!"

Han Wu Niang smiled and nodded.

Not far from the two of them,

Rong Rong Feiyan stood beside Zhou Dong's daughter, Zhou Da Niangzi, listening as Zhou Da Niangzi explained some techniques for using the bow.

Hearing Chai Chai Zhengzheng's words from ahead, Rong Rong Feiyan said softly, "Sister Chai, could we not invite Sister Zhou as well when the time comes?"

Gu Gu Tingyi, standing nearby, laughed and said, "Sister Rong Feiyan, did you just wake up dazed from sleeping on Wu Niang's reclining chair? Sister Zhou is precisely Chai Zhengzheng's female instructor!"

Upon hearing this, Rong Rong Feiyan was stunned; she regretfully tapped her own forehead.

Following Rong Rong Feiyan's movement, the noble young ladies saw several red marks still on Rong Rong Feiyan's cheeks.

Seeing everyone's gazes upon her, Rong Rong Feiyan shyly lowered her head.

The several young ladies chattered away, talking amongst themselves,

At the passage of the second gate, carriages from various families arrived, and the noble young ladies prepared to board.

Suddenly,

From the direction leading to the main gate, after a burst of hoofbeats, a faint roar of shouting drifted over.

Within Xingguo Ward,

Where nearly every residence belonged either to a Duke or a Hou Jue of high standing,

Which was always quiet and dignified,

Such galloping horses and loud shouting were extremely rare.

Therefore, the shouting carried very far.

At the second gate, the noble young ladies fell abruptly silent.

Zhang Family's Wu Niang frowned and said uncertainly, "Did I not hear 'The Royal Army achieves great victory! Bai Gao has surrendered'?"

After speaking, she glanced at her friends nearby, then looked at Mama Fan beside her.

Mama Fan nodded affirmatively while ordering a young female servant nearby: "Go, quickly have the gatekeeper come forward to report."

With this development, Chai Chai Zhengzheng and the others froze, their eyes following the figure of the Zhang family's young female servant.

Before long,

The young maid returned with a page boy keeping his head bowed; without looking up, he lowered his head and reported, "Replying to Miss, this humble one heard clearly: 'The Imperial Army achieves a great victory, Bai Gao has surrendered!'"

Han Wu Niang asked in puzzlement, "In the past, I never saw anyone shouting so loudly at our gate!"

The page boy replied, "It must be that on the stretch from the southern crossroads to the Imperial Street, eminent monks from three temples were expounding scriptures by the roadside, drawing quite a crowd of onlookers, which is why that knight detoured through the ward."

Han Wu Niang nodded, saying, "Oh~"

Mama Fan, standing nearby, said, "A clever one; come collect your reward later!"

"Thank you, Mama Fan."

The page boy departed.

Han Wu Niang's eyes darted as she said, "Chai Zhengzheng, you all wait for me; after I tell Mother, we'll go before Xuande Gate—perhaps the palace will even set off fireworks!"

Gu Gu Tingyi watched Han Wu Niang's undignified little run, then glanced sideways at Chai Chai Zhengzheng and Rong Rong Feiyan before his eyes flickered as he said, "Now that the kingdom of Bai Gao has surrendered, won't my brother Xing's two maternal uncles be returning to the capital?"

At these words,

The two young ladies beside Gu Gu Tingyi both paused for a moment.

It seemed neither dared to look at the other.

(End of Chapter)