Chapter 341 Entering Lin'an

The soldiers of the Southern Qian Army fell into a state of confusion. Many began to question Zhu Song's orders, unwilling to continue attacking that damned city just for the sake of their commander's resentment.

Countless comrades had fallen under that damned Xunyang over these days, and now they couldn't even get a meal. Yet the commander still ordered them to continue the assault; he simply wasn't treating them as human beings.

Desertion—it was inevitable. From a few scattered individuals at first to a dozen, then dozens, and eventually, hundreds of people fleeing together.

Then they were surprised to find that the originally ferocious Disciplines were gone, and even the generals watching over them did not step in to stop them.

Jiang Huaizhen carried a bowl of horse meat soup into the commanders tent. Seeing Zhu Song sitting there in a daze, he walked over and placed the soup in front of him.

"Have a bowl of soup."

Zhu Song did not take the bowl, nor did he look at Jiang Huaizhen. He asked abruptly,

"How many ran away today?"

Jiang Huaizhen sighed and sat down on a small folding stool.

"Over eight hundred. It will probably be even more tomorrow."

"Heh!"

Zhu Song gave a helpless smile.

"Let them run, let them run. It's better than waiting for death with us."

After a pause, he turned his gaze to Jiang Huaizhen.

"Tell me, am I a failure? Since I joined the army, I haven't won a single battle, yet my official rank kept rising and rising."

Jiang Huaizhen looked at the dejected junior before him, and after a moment of consideration, said,

"It is not your fault, nor is it a failure of strategy."

Jiang Huaizhen was not lying. Zhu Song's abilities were not actually bad; it was just a pity that the people he encountered were far from ordinary.

Gao Yuan, this cheat-like existence aside, Gao Long and Gao Hu were beings who could follow Gao Wu and beat nomadic tribes until they were scurrying for cover. Lu Heng, moreover, had suppressed Gao Long and Gao Hu on several occasions.

If Gao Yuan were here, he would surely comfort him like this: 'See Jiang Huaizhen? He's only an A+ rank. You're at least an A-rank, and you're young and have potential.'

As they were speaking, Song Ren also lifted the curtain and entered the commanders tent. He sat down opposite Jiang Huaizhen, picked up a bowl, poured himself a cup of water, and drank it in one gulp.

Zhu Song's gaze swept over the two of them, and he suddenly asked,

"What are your plans for the future?"

Song Ren had obviously already thought it through.

"I'm old and tired. I just want to take my family and find a place to live a peaceful life in seclusion. What about you?"

Jiang Huaizhen shook his head.

"Do you think there's any way out for someone like me?"

"Why wouldn't there be? I've heard that General Ma Zhiyuan, Meng Zhenshan, and Mao Biao have all settled in Guangzhou."

"Gao Yuan can tolerate them?"

"Gao Yuan is clearly someone capable of achieving great things. He is in his prime; why would he care about old men like us with one foot in the grave?"

"Heh, you're right. Even at our peak, we never gained an advantage over Gao Yuan, so why would he care now?"

Jiang Huaizhen suddenly slapped his thigh and turned his gaze to Zhu Song.

"Great Commander, I've thought of a way out for your Zhu family, and one that can still make use of your talents."

Hearing this, Zhu Song's previously cloudy eyes immediately lit up. He sat up straight and stared fixedly at Jiang Huaizhen. Although he didn't speak, his eyes were screaming, 'Tell me, tell me!'

Jiang Huaizhen didn't keep him in suspense and revealed his plan in its entirety.

"I heard that Gao Yuan has already expanded his territory over a thousand li to the west, invading a place called the Indian Peninsula, and is currently fighting the local Mughal Empire. Why not join Gao Yuan's side and lead troops there?"

"Would Gao Yuan be willing to let me lead troops?"

"You have to try to find out, don't you?"

Zhu Song clearly took Jiang Huaizhen's suggestion to heart. That very night, he personally wrote a letter and sent someone to find Wen Pin.

Upon receiving Zhu Song's letter, Wen Pin was also overjoyed. However, he did not dare to make the decision himself and immediately sent the news to Gao Yuan in the Capital City via carrier pigeon.

In less than five days, Gao Yuan's reply arrived.

"Employ based on talent."

Wen Pin passed this reply directly to Zhu Song, completely dispelling Zhu Song's last bit of doubt. After consulting with Jiang Huaizhen and Song Ren, the three of them led the remaining forty thousand-plus troops to lay down their weapons and surrender to Official Zhang Xun.

Song Ren and Jiang Huaizhen got what they wanted. Holding the official documents sent by Gao Yuan, they went to Panyu contentedly to become neighbors with Mao Biao and the others.

As for their families, Gao Yuan had promised to send them over safely.

With Zhu Song's army dealt with, the only remaining problem was the Capital City. Gao Yuan did not want to drag it out any longer and sent a final ultimatum into the city that day:

He demanded that the Pseudo-emperor Zhao You, as well as Xiao Yu, Cui You, Gu Zheng, and others, open the gates and surrender within three days; otherwise, once the army began the assault, their only path would be death.

Those in the city did not yet know that their last hope, Zhu Song, had already surrendered. Some still clung to a final shred of hope, attempting a last-ditch struggle.

Of course, most people were clear-headed. Ever since Gao Yuan besieged the Capital City, they knew that the Great Qian—or rather, Southern Qian—had no hope left, and everyone had already developed their own hidden agendas.

Now that it had been discussed openly, no one hid their thoughts anymore and everyone spoke their minds.

Seeing that most people were actually so supportive of surrendering, Xiao Yu and the others leading them understood that there was no longer any point in persisting.

There was only one hour left until the deadline set by Gao Yuan's ultimatum. The Shire Horses pulling the linchong siege towers and ladder trucks had already been harnessed. The Zimu Cannons had also been dragged from the warships, about to face their maiden battle.

Gao Yuan also finished his breakfast. Under the service of his Personal Guards, he put on his armor, walked out of the commanders tent, and mounted his horse.

Tens of thousands of troops marched grandly out of the camp and arrived two li from the Capital City, waiting only for the order to launch the attack.

Time passed slowly. Gao Yuan took a deep breath and prepared to order the assault when suddenly, the heavy drawbridge began to lower slowly.

*Thump!*

The drawbridge hit the ground heavily, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Then, the thick iron-clad wooden gates of the Capital City slowly opened.

Gao Yuan kept his eyes fixed on the gates, his raised hand never lowering, until he saw a group of people dressed in resplendent clothes slowly walking out from within.

Exhaling a long sigh of relief, Gao Yuan gave a signal, and Nan Jiyun immediately led men forward.

After repeatedly checking those who had come out to surrender and confirming there was no danger, Gao Yuan then nudged his horse's flanks and went to meet them.

Zhao You looked up at Gao Yuan and performed a respectful bow.

"Zhao You pays respects to the Duke of Yue."

The crowd of ministers behind him also bowed to Gao Yuan.

"We pay respects to the Duke of Yue."

Gao Yuan waved his hand and glanced at Zhao You.

"Some things don't belong to you; forcibly taking them only invites disaster. This robe doesn't fit you. Take it off and go back to live your life."

Zhao You was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly to Gao Yuan.

"Thank you, Duke of Yue! Thank you, Duke of Yue!"

At least at this moment, Zhao You, the Emperor of Southern Qian—or rather, Li Sangou, the Tingzhou rascal—felt that his life was saved.

As for whether his return to Tingzhou to resume his old trade and eventually dying in his first street brawl was an accident or something else, opinions were varied.

Surrounded by his troops, Gao Yuan rode his tall horse into the Capital City, the capital of Southern Qian; with this, Southern Qian was no more.