Chapter 272: By the Fenghe River: The Choice Between Surrender and Resistance

He turned and walked back to the main tent, finding Zhu Ge Yu already waiting there. Zhu Ge Yu was his military advisor and also his close friend, well-versed in military strategy and skilled in planning; he had offered counsel many times and earned great merit. Jiang Jiang Mingyu trusted him deeply and also deeply respected him.

"Disciple, do you know Lord He's purpose?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu asked, a smile spreading across his face.

"I know," Zhu Ge Yu nodded, saying, "He has come to surrender and to tell us the inner situation of Jingcheng. He says Fei Hou has already lost the people's hearts, that Jingcheng is now a scattered mess, and that once our great army arrives, it will surely enter as if no one were there."

"Excellent, excellent," Jiang Jiang Mingyu praised repeatedly. "Lord He is a wise man, knowing to go with the flow and preserve himself. His words, though somewhat flattering, also hold some truth. I have already learned one important piece of news from his mouth; can you guess what it is?"

A glint flashed in Zhu Ge Yu's eyes as he pondered, "Could it be about the Fenghe River?"

"Precisely!" Jiang Jiang Mingyu clapped his hands. "Lord He says that in recent years, Fei Hou has been so busy dealing with various rebel armies that he had no mind to attend to the river dikes. The last time the dikes were repaired was during the reign of the late Emperor, some 56 years ago. Now the dikes are in utter disrepair; with just a slight move on our part, we can cause the river to flood and pour into Jingcheng, creating chaos."

"This is a fine opportunity!" A sharp glint flashed in Zhu Ge Yu's eyes. "We can take advantage of the night, send out elite naval troops to quietly approach the dikes, use gunpowder to blow them open, and let the river waters surge down, smashing the defenses of Jingcheng. Then we will lead our main force, riding the momentum to break into the city, capture Jingcheng, and seize Fei Hou in one stroke."

"Haha, my disciple is indeed the brain of our army; your strategy aligns perfectly with my thoughts," Jiang Jiang Mingyu laughed heartily. "This way, we can avoid a direct, hard clash, save our troops, and also reduce casualties among the people. It is a good deed that achieves multiple goals at once."

"However, we must also be a little careful," Zhu Ge Yu warned. "Although Fei Hou is a tyrant, he is not a fool. He may send secret agents to spy on our movements, or set ambushes near the dikes to stop our actions. We must make all preparations and not be careless in the slightest."

"Rest assured, I will send reliable men to handle reconnaissance and cover. Our naval troops are the elite among the elite; they will not let Fei Hou have a chance to discover our tracks," Jiang Jiang Mingyu said confidently. "In this battle, we will surely achieve a great victory and unify the world!"

"My lord is wise!" Zhu Ge Yu bowed with clasped hands. "Your subordinate is willing to follow my lord's side and jointly build a peaceful and prosperous age!"

The two exchanged a smile, both hearts filled with confidence and expectation. They felt their plan was already firmly in their minds; they only needed to wait for the right moment to achieve fame and success in one stroke.

Meanwhile, in another tent, He He Xinzhe had settled his family. Looking at their terrified and uneasy expressions, he himself felt some unease. He did not know if his choice was correct, nor whether Jiang Jiang Mingyu would truly trust him and make use of him. He only felt he had no other choice but to take a gamble, to bet on his own fate.

He spoke to his wife and children: "Do not be afraid; this is our new home. Jiang Jiang Mingyu is a benevolent and righteous person who will not harm us. I have already pledged allegiance to him and serve him; he will give us a stable life."

His wife and children did not quite believe his words; they thought him a cowardly person who feared trouble and a sycophant who shifted with the wind. They could not believe he could bring them happiness and could only silently pray, hoping what he said was true.

They did not know that their fate had already been changed by his own hand, that their future had already been wagered by his own hand. They also did not know whether their choice was correct or whether their gamble would succeed. They could only wait, waiting for time to prove it, waiting for fate's arrangement.

At this moment, in Jingzhou City.

Feng Feng Xiwei stood on the city wall, gazing at the dust in the distance, his heart filled with despair. He knew that was Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great army; they were almost at the gates of Jingcheng. Their numbers were vast, their warhorses fine, and their morale high; they were forces that the remnants of the Jingcheng troops under his leadership could not resist.

He turned to look back at the city behind him, seeing only a scene of utter chaos. The streets were covered with corpses and bloodstains; houses and shops had all been looted clean. The people had either fled, or were weeping, or were numb. They had already lost trust in Fei Hou and also lost hope in life.

He looked again at his subordinates, seeing each one with a pale face, dull eyes, and bodies covered in scars. They were soldiers forcibly conscripted by Fei Hou, with no training or experience, and no loyalty or morale. They were merely forced to hold swords and spears, guarding the city gates, waiting for death.

He could not help but sigh, feeling he was both a pitiable and a tragic person. He had originally been a person of talent and ambition; he had once been a high minister of Great Feng. He had once dreamed of serving the country and the people, achieving merit and fame, and leaving his name in history.

But everything of his had been destroyed by Fei Hou. Fei Hou was a tyrant, licentious and without virtue, cruel and heartless, disregarding the lives of the people and caring only for his own pleasure. In dealing with the various rebel armies, he used not wisdom and righteousness, but violence and cunning. He constantly levied taxes and conscripted soldiers, squeezing the blood and sweat of the people, stirring up boiling resentment among the populace.

Feng Feng Xiwei had once thought to remonstrate with Fei Hou, urging him to change his ways and save the dire situation of Great Feng. But every time he opened his mouth, he was severely rebuked by Fei Hou, even beaten and scolded. He saw how the treacherous ministers around Fei Hou flattered and agreed, how they sowed discord, and how they harmed loyal and worthy men. He also saw how the loyal ministers around Fei Hou were neglected, how they were framed, and how they were killed.

He gradually lost confidence and also lost courage. He felt he could change nothing and save nothing. He could only obey Fei Hou's orders, act as his puppet, and serve as his pawn. He could only preserve his own life and also preserve his family.

But everything of his had been destroyed by He He Xinzhe. He He Xinzhe was his direct superior. He was a person without ability or virtue, one who could only flatter, only shift with the wind, and only act for his own benefit. Before Fei Hou, he pretended to be utterly loyal, while secretly colluding with Jiang Jiang Mingyu. Before Feng Feng Xiwei, he pretended to be intimately close, while secretly plotting against him.

Taking advantage of Feng Feng Xiwei's unpreparedness, he fled Jingcheng with his family and treasures, defecting to Jiang Jiang Mingyu. He also told Jiang Jiang Mingyu all the military situation and defenses of Jingcheng, allowing him to be prepared and to capture Jingcheng in one stroke. He also told Jiang Jiang Mingyu Feng Feng Xiwei's name, making him a thorn in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eye and a splinter in his flesh.

Because of He He Xinzhe's betrayal, Feng Feng Xiwei was furiously denounced by Fei Hou as a traitor and forced to continue in the position of commander-in-chief. He was threatened by Fei Hou that he must defend Jingcheng to the death, or else his entire family would be executed. His family was also detained by Fei Hou, becoming hostages to prevent him from surrendering or fleeing.

He had thought to make some effort, to think of stationing heavy troops to guard the key positions of the Fenghe River. He knew the Fenghe River was the natural barrier of Jingcheng and also the fatal weakness of Jiang Jiang Mingyu. He knew Jiang Jiang Mingyu's naval forces were insufficient and also knew the river dikes were already in disrepair. He knew that if he held the dikes, he could stop Jiang Jiang Mingyu's advance and also gain time to wait for reinforcements.

But everything of his had been destroyed by Fei Hou. Fei Hou would not listen to his advice and did not agree to his suggestions. Fei Hou cared only about guarding the city gates and not about guarding the river dikes. Fei Hou thought the dikes were unimportant and that the city gates were the matter of life and death. Fei Hou thought Feng Feng Xiwei was a cowardly person who feared trouble and also a person who would not save others in need. Fei Hou thought Feng Feng Xiwei was shirking responsibility and also making excuses.

With no other option, Feng Feng Xiwei could only lead the remnants of Jingcheng, always ready to fight Jiang Jiang Mingyu to the death. He knew this was a war without hope; he knew this was a war without result. He knew he would surely die, and he knew his family would surely die as well.

Feng Feng Xiwei sighed, his heart filled with worry and a sense of responsibility. He straightened his back and, with determined eyes, issued the order: "All troops, listen! Quickly assemble at the main camp and prepare to meet the enemy!"

He knew deeply that if Fei Hou insisted on sending troops out of the city to fight, it would be a devastating war. The entire Jingcheng would surely be engulfed in flames, and the people would suffer endless hardships. Feng Feng Xiwei could not bear such a tragedy to occur; therefore, he spared no effort in winning Fei Hou's consent to abandon this risky plan.

Now, what gave Feng Feng Xiwei slight comfort was that Fei Hou had finally listened to his advice. This meant the safety of Jingcheng was secured, and the people would not be drawn into pointless warfare.