Chapter 1108

By noon, Qin Yangming's army also arrived at Eastern Luo Storage, the sixty-thousand-strong army encircled Eastern Luo Storage so tightly that not even wind or rain could penetrate. Qin Yangming ordered a temporary camp to be set up and meals prepared. After a day and night of marching, the soldiers' strength was completely exhausted, unable to continue the siege mission. If they were not allowed to rest and recuperate, many would likely collapse from fatigue.

Hu Xiaotian deliberately had people set up a stove on the city tower; the aroma of the food drifted on the wind, filling the area around Eastern Luo Storage. The Yong army soldiers outside had not yet had a chance to eat, their stomachs growling with hunger, and upon smelling the food, their hunger intensified.

Qin Yangming summoned everyone into the tent, not bothering to discuss the battle situation, and immediately launched into a barrage of questions at Chang Fanqi: 'Chang Fanqi, I ordered you to guard Eastern Luo Storage, insisting you be careful and cautious—why did you act on your own and lose Eastern Luo Storage? Do you know your crime?'

Chang Fanqi also seethed with anger inside; how could he fail to see Qin Yangming's intent? It was nothing more than a villain filing a complaint first, pushing all the blame onto him to absolve himself. Chang Fanqi said coldly: 'Qin General, if you hadn't ordered the attack on Dongliang Jun and withdrawn fifteen thousand troops from Eastern Luo Storage, how could Eastern Luo Storage have been lost?'

Qin Yangming shouted angrily: 'Nonsense! You lost Eastern Luo Storage and still refuse to admit guilt—men, seize him, bind him, and first imprison him; after we retake Eastern Luo Storage, we will hand him over to the Emperor for judgment.'

The warriors on both sides surged forward, and Chang Fanqi roared: 'Who dares to move against me?' His hair stood on end with rage, a chilling killing intent spreading outward, frightening those warriors into hastily stopping their steps and looking toward Qin Yangming.

Qin Yangming snapped angrily: 'What? Are you planning to rebel? I think the reason Eastern Luo Storage fell into enemy hands is that you secretly colluded with them, opened the gate and let them in—traitor. You really have the gall.'

Upon hearing this, Chang Fanqi realized Qin Yangming was determined to push him out to bear the responsibility. Thinking of his mother seized by Hu Xiaotian and seeing his current predicament, Chang Fanqi nodded and said: 'General Qin, there's no need for you to arrest me. Losing Eastern Luo Storage is my responsibility; I am unforgivable, but I have a request—I implore General Qin to give me a chance to redeem myself through merit. Since Eastern Luo Storage was lost from my hands, I will personally retake it.'

Qin Yangming heard Chang Fanqi begin to soften, and his expression eased a little. In truth, he also knew Chang Fanqi could not possibly be colluding with the enemy, but given the circumstances, he needed to push someone to bear the main responsibility, and for his own self-preservation he had no choice but to say so.

Chang Fanqi was brave in battle, always leading from the front. He enjoyed considerable popularity in the army, with many close comrades. Seeing this scene, everyone understood that Qin Yangming intended to push the main responsibility onto Chang Fanqi. Huang Chengxin, as deputy commander of Eastern Luo Storage, also felt sorry for Chang Fanqi in his heart, and hurriedly stepped forward to say: 'General Qin, now is the time to employ talent; why not give General Chang a chance to redeem himself through merit, to atone for his faults? This would also prove his innocence.' Upon saying this, the surrounding officers all stepped forward to plead.

Qin Yangming heard the pleas, but he could not be too absolute; he sighed and said: 'Chang Fanqi, it's not that I don't value camaraderie, but the state has its laws, which admit no sentiment. If we cannot retake Eastern Luo Storage today, not only you, but everyone present will be implicated because of you.'

Chang Fanqi seethed with resentment: 'Qin Yangming, Qin Yangming, you are indeed trying to push all the blame onto me. I, Chang Fanqi, am not worth dying for, but how could I bear this unjust accusation? If it weren't for your borrowing troops to attack Dongliang Jun, I would not have fallen into such desperation. Thinking of the lost Eastern Luo Storage, it feels as if all hopes are dashed; yet thinking of my mother controlled by Hu Xiaotian, I cannot help but recall his earlier words—loyalty and filial piety cannot both be fulfilled. If I die, what will become of my mother?'

Qin Yangming saw Chang Fanqi remain silent for a long while, assumed he had yielded, and said coldly: 'Chang Fanqi, are you willing to lead troops to assault the city and redeem yourself through merit?'

Chang Fanqi showed no reaction; realizing Qin Yangming was asking for the second time, he finally responded with an 'oh' as if waking from a dream, bowed with clasped fists, and said: 'This subordinate is willing to go!'

Qin Yangming produced a tally stick and said: 'Very well, I will give you a chance to redeem your faults through merit.'

Chang Fanqi stepped forward, took the tally stick, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the internal dispute was over—yet unexpectedly, Chang Fanqi suddenly lifted his leg and kicked the long table between him and Qin Yangming away. The table flew up and struck Qin Yangming's chest with force, breaking three of his ribs; with a puff, he spat out a mouthful of blood. Before anyone could react, Chang Fanqi slapped off Qin Yangming's helmet, grabbed his hair bun, and drew a dagger to his throat.

The officers were shocked and terrified; none had expected such a turn of events. Each drew his sword and moved to surround the center, and Yang Xian shouted angrily: 'Chang Fanqi, you have the gall to actually dare to hold the commander hostage—release him!'

Huang Chengxin and Chang Fanqi were both deputy commanders of Eastern Luo Storage; deep down he still leaned toward him, and he hurriedly said: 'Everyone, stay back—by no means harm the commander's life!' At the same time he added: 'General Chang, don't act rashly!'

Blood trickled from Qin Yangming's lips; although controlled by Chang Fanqi, he remained composed, for as a commander overseeing a region, even at a life‑and‑death juncture he bore the bearing of a general, and he said coldly: 'Chang Fanqi, do you know what you are doing?'

With the dagger at Qin Yangming's throat, using his body as a shield, Chang Fanqi spoke, full of grief and indignation: 'Of course I know what I'm doing! Attacking Dongliang Jun was your idea; you withdrew more than half of Eastern Luo Storage's troops, mustered forces from three places, yet even sixty thousand could not take a single Dongliang Jun, and instead fell for their feint‑east‑attack‑west ploy, letting them sneak into Eastern Luo Storage. I admit I fell for their lure‑the‑tiger‑away‑from‑the‑mountain scheme, but do you bear no responsibility at all? It's not because you're greedy for glory and cling to outdated tactics that we've ended up like this—when we win, all the credit goes to you; when we lose, the blame falls on us. Where in the world is there such a convenient bargain?'

As Chang Fanqi grew more agitated, he pressed the dagger downward, piercing Qin Yangming's skin; a trickle of blood flowed from the wound. Smelling his own blood, Qin Yangming felt a jolt of alarm and whispered: 'Chang Fanqi, don't act rashly…'

Chang Fanqi said: 'What if I'm agitated? Even if I die today, I'll drag you down with me.' He pressed Qin Yangming and walked toward the outside of the tent, took a few steps, turned around, and threatened the officers: 'All of you, retreat obediently; whoever dares to follow, I'll slit his throat with one blow!'

The officers, fearing to harm the hostage, could only watch helplessly as Chang Fanqi led Qin Yangming out of the tent.

Huang Chengxin and the others followed outside; Chang Fanqi ordered the men to bring a war chariot over, his front‑guard Yan Chong leapt onto the chariot, and after Chang Fanqi had Qin Yangming placed aboard, a shake of the reins sent the chariot charging straight toward Eastern Luo Storage.

Seeing their commander restrained and the attacker being Chang Fanqi, the Yong army soldiers dared not act rashly. Chang Fanqi worried someone might launch a covert arrow attack, so he had Yan Chong select troops from their own side to advance. The Eastern Luo Storage soldiers, all his old comrades, seeing the scene, naturally made way, understanding in their hearts that Chang Fanqi must have been forced by his mother's hostage situation, and that Qin Yangming was pressing too hard, trying to push all blame onto him; even if Chang Fanqi stayed, it would be a dead end.

Hu Xiaotian, seeing the scene from the city tower, could not help but feel delighted, and he ordered the drawbridge lowered.

Although the Yong army numbered many, with their commander captured they suddenly lost direction; at such a moment no one wished to step forward to command the battle. In fact, if someone were willing to step up and direct the army to pursue and kill Chang Fanqi, they might possibly charge over the drawbridge into Eastern Luo Storage, but they hesitated—first, they feared for the commander's life; second, besides Qin Yangming, no one possessed the ability to rally the troops. Thus they simply watched helplessly as Chang Fanqi drove the chariot across the drawbridge into Eastern Luo Storage.

Zhai Yuan and Yang Xian, among others, exchanged glances; although Huang Chengxin fully understood what had happened, he put on a helpless facade and sighed, saying: 'Master Zhai, what should we do now?'

Zhai Yuan gave a wry smile and said: 'Don't ask me; I don't know what to do either.'

Yang Xian said: 'Eastern Luo Storage has fallen, and General Qin has been captured alive by Chang Fanqi—should we continue the siege or retreat for now?'

Zhai Yuan replied: 'Siege? Do you think our provisions can last a few days, General Yang? This rain shows no sign of stopping; the soldiers are already suffering immensely. If we keep holding out, likely before we even launch the assault, more than half will fall ill.'

Beside him, Fu Cong, deputy commander of the Nanyang Water Stronghold, said: 'This is no trivial matter; to prevent the Dakang navy from taking advantage of the opening, we must immediately return to garrison the Nanyang Water Stronghold.' He was the first to sound the retreat.

Yang Xian and Zhai Yuan exchanged a glance, then he shook his head and said: 'To avoid casualties, we have no choice but to first return to Shao Yuan to rest and regroup, replenish supplies and troops, and then plan another assault.'

Without a leader, the crowd had no heart to continue the siege.

Qin Yangming was shoved off the war chariot by Chang Fanqi; before he could steady his footing, Zhan Peng led a few warriors forward, stripped off his armor, and bound him tightly.

Chang Fanqi threw the dagger to the ground, and two warriors lunged forward to seize his arms. He roared, trying to shake them off, and Zhan Peng shouted angrily: 'Don't you care about your mother's life anymore?'

Chang Fanqi gritted his teeth, filled with grief and fury, and bellowed: 'Hu Xiaotian, what kind of hero are you? Do you still keep your word?' The two warriors rushed forward, intending to bind him.

At that moment, Hu Xiaotian descended from the city tower accompanied by Zhao Wusheng, waved his hand, and signaled the two warriors to step back.

Chang Fanqi glared at Hu Xiaotian with furious eyes, wishing he could rush forward and tear that hateful brat to pieces.

Hu Xiaotian gave him a faint smile and said: 'General Chang, you've worked hard.'

Two updates delivered, no rest on my birthday; today I strive for one more update, I implore you all to cast your monthly ticket red packets! (To be continued~^~)