Chapter 300: Siege Like a Dream, Surrender Like an Illusion

About half an hour later, Jiang Mingyu's nearly five hundred thousand troops set out once more.

Jiang Mingyu sat astride Ma Bei, gazing at the endless sea of soldiers behind him, a surge of astonishment and excitement rising in his chest. The poor boy from his memories now commanded such a vast army—this contrast was unimaginable. He shook his head slightly, still finding it hard to believe.

"It's like a dream," Jiang Mingyu murmured.

Many officers rode behind Jiang Mingyu. Tukesulu sat atop a towering steed, his burly frame and resolute gaze unmistakably those of a battle-hardened general. Zhang Jiani rode a white horse, her slender figure standing out sharply amid the vast army. Jiang Mingyu spotted the two familiar figures and smiled faintly, his confidence swelling.

The massive iron cavalry advanced slowly across the plain, winding like a black dragon stretching endlessly, radiating an awe-inspiring, chilling authority. The footsteps of five hundred thousand troops echoed like rolling thunder, deafening in their intensity.

After another two days, the army entered the territory of Luohejiang. Tukesulu looked up from his map and said, "Brother, thirty li ahead lies Luohejiang. Shall we launch the assault now?"

Jiang Mingyu glanced at the sky—the warm afternoon sun bathed the land in gentle light, a perfect day. Without hesitation, he ordered: "Attack the city!"

Moments later, a flood of troops surged toward Luohejiang like a dark cloud. Jiang Mingyu stood atop a high point, squinting down at the city walls and nodding dismissively: "As the scouts reported—the walls are only three zhang tall. Pathetically low."

"Such short walls—Luohejiang's defenses must be weak," Zhang Jiani murmured, gazing at the low ramparts. The soldiers behind her chuckled scornfully and shook their heads.

Jiang Mingyu surveyed the dilapidated little city and suddenly recalled Shangmu City—his lips twisted into a bitter smile. "If it were any lower, it'd be almost as bad as Shangmu back then..."

Following Jiang Mingyu's gaze, the others sized up the city, their disdain and mockery plain on their faces. The city was too small, too ruined—it looked nothing like a capital, more like an ordinary backwater town.

Suddenly, Jiang Mingyu noticed a recent repair on the southeast corner of the wall—clearly the breach made by the townsfolk. This confirmed the rumors of recent civilian uprisings; Luohejiang's internal chaos had spiraled out of control.

The army halted before the city walls as engineers began preparing siege equipment. Tukesulu raised his longsword and shouted toward the battlements:

"Listen, people of the city! His Majesty Jiang of Great Jiang leads five hundred thousand troops to punish Li Haoyang. Send out Zou Jingtong and Lao Huarong to greet us!"

The Commandant on the battlements stared at the sea of iron cavalry, his face pale, his legs trembling. Five hundred thousand soldiers—each stepping once on the ground could crush Luohejiang's walls into dust!

The Commandant stumbled down the wall, running and screaming: "Disaster! We're doomed!" The soldiers inside heard his cry, their faces frozen, hearts filled with despair.

Tukesulu watched the panicked enemies and sneered: "These fools still dare resist? Pure delusion!"

Jiang Mingyu mused: "Not necessarily. If Lao Huarong and Zou Jingtong are loyal to Li Haoyang to the death, they might fight to the end. But I've prepared a special gift for them." Here, Jiang Mingyu exchanged a knowing glance with Tukesulu.

"Ha! They'll love it!" Tukesulu laughed, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

As they spoke, Lao Huarong and Zou Jingtong, clad in armor, hurried up the battlements, panicked and breathless.

Their feet felt as if they trod on cotton—numb, insensate. When they looked down, a blinding silver glare met their eyes.

Tens of thousands of swords, steel blades, and iron spears gleamed with icy brilliance under the sun; the armor of countless soldiers reflected blinding light, nearly blinding the onlookers. The grand spectacle resembled a revelation from hell, heralding the doom awaiting them.

"This... how is this possible..." Zou Jingtong whispered, his pupils shrinking in terror.

Memories of the bloody Battle of Jizhou three years ago flooded his mind—the fallen soldiers vanished without a trace, the royal capital fallen. That endless despair clamped down on his chest, suffocating him.

"Our end has come..." Lao Huarong whispered in despair. He had already seen Tukesulu's cold, merciless face—waiting to claim their lives.

Tukesulu spoke coldly: "I'll say this once..." Each word struck like thunder, crashing over them. Instantly, Zou Jingtong felt the world spin—he staggered, nearly fainting...

"You have one final chance!" Tukesulu's voice fell like the final toll of a death bell, shattering the last sliver of hope in their hearts...

He paused, his gaze sharp as a hawk's fixed on them: "Open the gates and surrender, and you may keep your lives. Resist to the end, and you'll be destroyed utterly!"

"You have one cup of tea to decide. If you still refuse, then you'll only have yourselves to blame for your fate!"

Lao Huarong and Zou Jingtong exchanged a glance—each saw bottomless despair in the other's eyes. This was no longer a matter of choice—it was a struggle for survival!

Tukesulu, unconcerned, hummed a tune idly, as if this were mere small talk. Lao Huarong glared at him in fury, wishing he could slash him down from his horse.

In an instant, the cup of tea had passed. Tukesulu stopped humming and turned his gaze back to them—their faces had lost every trace of color...

Time slipped away. The cup of tea was gone. Tukesulu cut his idle tune short and spoke coldly: "Generals, have you reached a decision?"

Hearing this, Lao Huarong and Zou Jingtong turned ashen, as if plunged into ice. Zou Jingtong stammered: "This... we..."

Tukesulu had no patience for his halting words. He raised his sword and barked: "Prepare to assault!"

At Tukesulu's ultimatum, Lao Huarong and Zou Jingtong went pale. Their inner thoughts screamed: "We're finished! Five hundred thousand troops at our gates—our pitiful forces can't fight back. We're at their mercy now!"

Zou Jingtong's teeth chattered, sweat pouring down. He tried to feign calm, but only managed broken phrases: "I... we..." Before he could finish, his throat tightened as if choked by a stone—he could not speak.

Lao Huarong gripped the battlements so tightly his fingernails dug into his palms. He longed to leap down and beg for mercy, anything to save his life.

As Tukesulu gave the order and five hundred thousand troops surged forward like a tidal wave, the two screamed in terror, simultaneously shouting: "Stop! We surrender! Please, we surrender!" Their desperate cries, shrill as chicks, made Tukesulu frown.

Jiang Mingyu nodded. Tukesulu raised his arm and roared: "Cease! All troops, halt the assault!" Five hundred thousand soldiers instantly stopped, parting to form a long corridor.

Tukesulu stared at them and ordered: "Since you've agreed to surrender, open the gates immediately!" Zou Jingtong and Lao Huarong dared not delay—they ordered the gates opened to welcome the army.

Jiang Mingyu allowed himself a small satisfaction. He had intended to humiliate them further, but now he'd save that for later.

An hour later, Lao Huarong and Zou Jingtong stood before Jiang Mingyu, trembling and cautious. Jiang Mingyu suddenly smiled: "Enough. You're one of us now. Don't be so tense. Rest assured, your troops remain under your command, and your ranks are unchanged."

The two stared at each other in shock. A man moments from death suddenly pardoned, his life and crimes forgiven—this surpassed even their boldest hopes. They knelt at once, swearing eternal loyalty.

"As long as you serve faithfully, I'll see to your welfare. But if you show even a hint of disloyalty, don't blame us for enforcing military law," Jiang Mingyu warned deliberately.

Lao Huarong swore repeatedly he had no second thoughts and hurriedly withdrew from the tent. The accompanying officers snickered quietly at the two men's panic—they had witnessed Jiang Mingyu's mastery of power and human nature: terrifying, yet radiating benevolence.