Chapter 740
Surrender to the Han Dynasty is our only way to survive!
After the initial joy subsided, Xiao He's expression turned serious, and he shouted loudly towards the outside of the tent:
"Guards! Summon all generals to the main tent immediately for a meeting!"
"Here!"
The guards outside the tent responded and immediately went off to summon the generals.
Before long, Deng Ai, Zhang He, and other Han army generals rode up and entered the tent, bowing respectfully to Xiao He.
"We, your humble servants, pay our respects to the Grand Marshal!"
Deng Ai, being the most impatient of them all, couldn't help but ask after bowing:
"The Grand Marshal summoned us late at night. What urgent orders does he have? Could it be that he is to send troops immediately to take Fangcheng?"
His tone was filled with barely suppressed excitement.
Xiao He raised his hand to signal everyone to stand up, a smile on his face, and slowly began to speak:
"Generals, please calm down. Fei Wenwei just sent an urgent message from Fangcheng. It has been confirmed that all the merchants in Fangcheng have been united by Chen Li and are determined to resist the Liaofang. They are also willing to submit to our Han Kingdom and help our army take Fangcheng."
After he finished speaking, Ma Su stepped forward and added:
"Therefore, the Grand Marshal has summoned all the generals today to ask you who is willing to volunteer to lead a force to the outskirts of Fangcheng, put pressure on the Fangcheng garrison, assist Fei Wenwei in persuading the garrison inside the city to surrender, and take Fangcheng without bloodshed."
Upon hearing this, all the generals showed joy on their faces, rubbing their fists together, eager to try their skills.
Xiao He raised his hand to press down, and continued to issue instructions:
"I, the commander, will continue to guard Huyang City, stabilize the rear, and guard against a surprise attack by Liao reinforcements. The other generals, please act on your own, select elite soldiers, and immediately go to the outskirts of Fangcheng to set up an attack and besiege the city."
"Remember, this time, we will only besiege the city, not attack it. Do not send troops rashly and disturb the people and merchants in the city. We only need to apply pressure."
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The generals responded in unison.
Just as everyone was about to turn and leave, Zhang He stopped, a look of confusion on his face, and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect as he asked:
"Grand Marshal, Fei Wenwei has already sent word that the merchants of Fangcheng have united to oppose outsiders. The garrison in the city must be isolated and helpless. Why should we go through the trouble of sending troops to besiege the city? Wouldn't it be easier to just let Fei Wenwei persuade them to surrender?"
Upon hearing Zhang He's words, the other generals also stopped in their tracks, their faces showing the same confusion. They all looked up at Xiao He, waiting for his explanation.
Xiao He smiled and explained:
"What you may not know is that the fact that the merchants can unite to be xenophobic shows that they have the same goal at the moment: to protect their own interests and get rid of the control of Da Liao Warehouse."
"Our purpose in besieging the city is not to force an attack, but to use the siege to put more pressure on the defenders and merchants inside, and to make them see the situation clearly."
He paused, then continued:
"We must make them understand that as long as they submit to our Han Kingdom, our army will lift the siege and provide them with a stable business environment."
"On the contrary, if they insist on resisting and the Liao reinforcements are slow to arrive, they will be in dire straits."
"In this way, we can take Fangcheng without bloodshed by leveraging the power of merchants. This is the safest strategy."
Upon hearing this, the generals suddenly understood and couldn't help but admire Xiao He's foresight. They all bowed in respect.
"Grand Marshal's insightful opinion is truly enlightening!"
Xiao He smiled, his gaze falling on the map of the city on the table, a hint of amusement in his eyes, and slowly said:
"The city is full of profit-driven merchants who know best how to seek profit and avoid harm. They would never joke about their own lives and businesses."
"Once our army has established a siege, they will see the truth that the Liao Kingdom is powerless to come to their aid. They will surely take the initiative to unite and persuade the garrison inside the city to surrender and submit to our Han Kingdom."
Having said that, he abruptly raised his hand, his tone firm:
"Generals, return to your camps immediately, muster your troops and set off as soon as possible to reach the outskirts of Fangcheng and lay down the siege. Do not delay!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The generals responded in unison once again.
In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all the troops under his command had assembled and set off out of the city.
Xiao He and Zhang He stood side by side on the high point of the city tower, looking down at the vast procession that disappeared into the distance like a long dragon.
Banners fluttered, horses' hooves thundered…
At the fourth quarter of the hour of Zi (11:45 AM), when the night was at its deepest, the main force of the Han army had already arrived ten miles outside Fangcheng.
Scouts first explored the surrounding area and, after confirming that there was no danger, each unit quickly divided up camps, set up fortifications, dug trenches and built fences, and a formidable camp was thus formed.
After a night of rest, nothing more was said.
The next day at dawn, the Han army launched its operation according to the original plan.
Several elite cavalrymen spurred their horses and galloped straight to the city walls, delivering a formal letter of surrender to the defending general.
To ensure that all soldiers and civilians in the city knew their intentions, countless arrows with letters attached to them soared into the air from the city walls, flying over them and scattering throughout the city's streets and alleys.
The letter of surrender drifted down with the wind, and the news spread like wildfire, quickly becoming a hot topic among the defending troops and the civilians.
The news of the Han army besieging the city was like a bucket of cold water poured over Fangcheng, and panic spread through the streets and alleys.
Many people hurriedly packed their valuables and, with the elderly and children in tow, rushed toward the city gates, hoping to escape the trouble as soon as possible.
But when they rushed to the city gate, they found it tightly closed, the drawbridge hanging high, and the guards standing with swords in hand, their expressions solemn.
The soldiers loudly proclaimed that they were already surrounded by the Han army and had nowhere to retreat.
Upon hearing this, the people turned ashen-faced and terrified, standing helplessly beneath the city gate, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Outside the city, the Han army was not in a hurry to attack.
This inaction is more alarming than a direct attack.
The soldiers guarding the city wall gripped their weapons tightly, their nerves on edge, staring intently at the dark mass of men and horses outside the city.
Inside the city, when the news reached the merchants, everyone felt a chill in their hearts, sensing that something terrible was about to happen.
Chen Li made a decisive move and immediately sent someone to summon all the prominent merchants in the city to a meeting.
Upon learning this, Lin Biao immediately called Fei Yi, and the two of them rushed to Yanshan Winery together.
The two knew the place well and arrived at the third floor of the backyard of Yanshan Winery once again.
Before long, the room was filled with merchants, and the place was bustling with people.
A moment later, Chen Li and the other two walked in slowly and stood directly in front of the main seat.
"As you all know, there is no reason why I have summoned you here today."
Chen Li's gaze was steady as he slowly surveyed the entire room.
Everyone present nodded, their expressions solemn.
Chen Li continued, "Today, the Han army has besieged the city and sent a letter of surrender."
He raised his hand, took out a letter, and unfolded it in front of everyone.
The letter contained only a few words, yet every word was like a knife:
Surrender and you will not be killed; otherwise, we will raze the city to the ground.
The Liao army has always been tough and has no reason to surrender easily, but the defending troops alone are no match for the Han army.
As a result, the private armies of merchants became the key to the outcome of the war.
"Gentlemen."
Just as everyone was caught in a dilemma, Chen Li spoke up again.
"The timing of the Han army's siege of the city this time is too coincidental."
One sentence made the merchants present tense.
Chen Li spoke slowly and deliberately:
"In my opinion, the army behind the Liaofang garrison is probably not the Han army."
These words immediately caused an uproar in the room, with discussions rising and falling.
Fei Yi stood in the crowd, pondering to himself, unable to figure out Chen Li's intentions.
Did he intend to use this opportunity to overthrow the Liaofang, or was he trying to persuade everyone to surrender to the Han army?
Fei Yi suppressed his doubts and decided to wait and see, continuing to listen.
Ignoring the noise, Chen Li asked again in a deep voice:
"You might want to think about this carefully. If the Da Liao Ward is truly backed by the Han army, why would they have gone to such lengths to win us over and offer us so many benefits?" The group fell into deep thought once again.
Given the current momentum and strength of the Han army, if they truly wanted to take Fangcheng, they could simply launch a direct assault without needing to secretly plan anything.
With this in mind, many people already understand.
The true backer of Da Liao Fang should be the Liao Kingdom.
Seeing the slight change in everyone's expressions, Chen Li immediately stated in a deep voice:
"That's right, behind the Da Liao Ward is actually the Liao Kingdom."
The merchants nodded in agreement.
Unable to contain himself, someone excitedly stood up and asked:
"Brother Chen, what do you mean?"
Chen Li's gaze swept over the crowd:
"Gentlemen, are you truly willing to fight the Han army to the bitter end?"
Almost instinctively, everyone shook their heads in unison.
Everyone knows that fighting to the death with the Han army is the most unwise thing to do.
As for profit, the merchants saw no benefit whatsoever.
On the downside, once war breaks out, the losses will be devastating, and the family business will be in jeopardy.
Even if they manage to repel the Han army, their own private army will be severely weakened, making it a losing proposition.
Fei Yi remained calm and composed, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.
The faces of the people present were grim, their eyes darting around, clearly indicating that they had long lost the will to fight to the death.
Chen Li took everything in, and immediately made his final decision:
"Gentlemen, life and death are hanging in the balance."
"Should we surrender to the Han army and preserve the city's safety, or join forces with the Liao army and fight the Han army to the death?"
Whichever path they chose, it was as if they had already made up their minds and were just waiting for everyone to agree.
Ultimately, he handed over the choice entirely to all the merchants.
As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.
Even after surrendering to the Han army, doubts and unease remained in everyone's hearts.
However, if they were to fight to the bitter end, their chances of winning would be extremely slim.
For a moment, everyone's face was solemn, and no one knew what to do.
Dead silence.
At that moment, a slightly timid yet remarkably clear voice suddenly rang out:
"If we surrender, will the Han army really not massacre the city?"
Those present were all wealthy and valued their lives and careers; the words "massacre of the city" were their most feared weakness.
If the Han army truly intended to massacre the city, then surrendering would be tantamount to courting death; it would be better to fight to the death, where there might still be a sliver of hope.
Chen Li met everyone's gazes, speaking without a trace of falsehood:
"I do not know."
"What can we do then! Are we going to gamble with all our lives and our entire fortune?"
A short, stout merchant stood up in a panic.
Another pale-faced merchant quickly echoed:
"Yes, what if the Han army pretends to accept our surrender, and then launches a massacre when we lower our guard? Wouldn't we not even have a chance to resist?"
Some people hesitated and argued in a low voice:
"But then again, if we were to confront the Han army head-on, given the momentum of their siege, could we really win? The outcome would probably only be worse, wouldn't it?"
"In my opinion, it would be better to surrender!"
Someone gritted their teeth and hardened their heart, saying:
"At least there is still a glimmer of hope if we surrender, and maybe we can save our business and our families."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a straightforward merchant slammed his fist on the table and stood up:
"Nonsense! We are all men, paid by the emperor, and should be loyal to him. How can we surrender without a fight and be slaughtered? Let's fight! Maybe we can fight our way out!"
"Stop arguing! Stop arguing!"
"Why don't we send someone out of the city first to secretly contact the Han army, sound out their intentions, and then make a decision?"
A commotion arose, and the crowd quickly split into three distinct camps.
He was pragmatic and only sought to surrender to the Han army in order to preserve himself and his family's property.
He was fiercely independent, resolutely advocating a bloody battle to the end, and unwilling to live a life of dishonor.
Another faction was timid and hesitant, neither daring to surrender easily nor having the courage to fight to the death. They could only waver back and forth in place, filled with anxiety.
Chen Li frowned deeply as he looked at the chaotic scene before him and listened to the endless arguments around him.
He knew that the most dangerous thing right now was for morale to be low and for the city to fall into disarray. He had to reach a consensus as soon as possible, otherwise the city would fall into chaos before the Han army even attacked it.
So he slowly turned to the side, lowered his voice, and looked at Feng Qian and Zheng Ji standing beside him:
"What are you two thinking?"
Feng Qian remained calm and, without the slightest hesitation, stated directly:
"Surrender. The Han army is too powerful. We have no chance of winning if we fight them head-on. It will only result in the needless depletion of our private army and in the end, we will be ruined and our families will be destroyed."
Zheng Ji immediately nodded in agreement, his tone firm and resolute:
"I agree with Brother Feng's view; surrender is the only way out at present."
The two were of one mind, with no disagreement whatsoever. The last trace of hesitation in Chen Li's eyes completely disappeared, and he had already made up his mind.
He abruptly raised his eyes and shouted at the noisy crowd:
"Everyone!"
That shout instantly drowned out the noise of the entire venue.
Everyone instinctively shut their mouths, turned their heads in unison, and focused their gazes on Chen Li, waiting for him to make his final statement.
Chen Li surveyed the entire room:
"We are now at a critical juncture of life and death. Every moment of delay increases the danger. We must make a decision quickly and cannot afford to hesitate!"
"I give you two choices: If you surrender, we will immediately assemble our private army, take over Da Liao Ward as soon as possible, and control the five thousand garrison troops in the city. This will serve as a pledge of allegiance to the Han army, demonstrating our sincerity in surrendering and striving for lenient treatment."
"If war breaks out, we will immediately unite with the soldiers defending the city, strengthen the city's defenses, stockpile provisions, and fight the Han army to the death, sharing both life and death!"
Chen Li clearly laid out two paths before everyone.
After a brief silence, discussions resumed.
Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts and discussing the matter, Chen Li suddenly stood up and loudly announced:
"The three of us have already decided to surrender to the Han army!"
These words struck like a thunderbolt, startling everyone present.
They clearly hadn't expected that the three leaders would so readily choose to surrender.
Ignoring the shock of the crowd, Chen Li continued speaking:
"You all should think about this carefully. Even if we fight with all our might and manage to repel the Han army, we will certainly suffer heavy losses. Most of our private army will be lost, or even the entire army will be wiped out."
"By then, we will have no power to protect ourselves. How could the Liao Kingdom tolerate merchants like us who own property but have no military power?"
"They will definitely seize the opportunity to take full control of us and take away everything we have worked so hard for all our lives!"
"But if we surrender to the Han, the Han army has always acted with propriety and compassion. If we surrender voluntarily and show our sincerity, we may be able to preserve our foundation and families, and at least have a way to survive." (End of Chapter)