Chapter 742
Fangcheng Submits to the Han Dynasty, and Merchants Govern Fangcheng!
At this moment, Fei Yi was seen as a lifeline by everyone, the only key figure who could facilitate the surrender, and a person to be protected.
Everyone knew that if Fei Yi were to encounter any mishap within Fangcheng City, they would once again face the predicament of no one daring to negotiate with the Han camp.
Two guards immediately stepped forward to receive the order. Fei Yi bowed to Chen Li and the others again to express his gratitude, and then left under the escort of the guards.
Back at the inn, Fei Yi pretended to summon his attendants and whispered, "Give me your last instructions."
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, his expression returned to some calm, and he slowly walked out of the room.
When Fei Yi arrived at the city gate of Fangcheng under the escort of his personal guards, Chen Li, along with Zheng Ji, Feng Qian, and other merchants, had already been waiting there for a long time.
Seeing Fei Yi approach, everyone stepped forward, and Chen Li bowed again:
"Manager Fei, thank you for your hard work this time. We are here to see you off and await good news."
The other merchants also readily agreed.
Fei Yi bowed slightly in return: "Rest assured, everyone, I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations and the expectations of the people of Fangcheng. Please wait here for my news."
Having said that, he mounted his horse and then spurred it on and rode away.
...
Outside the Han army camp, a figure rode a warhorse at breakneck speed.
Upon seeing this, the Han soldiers on duty outside the camp all looked up. When they realized that the person was Fei Yi, they all stiffened and stepped aside to make way for him.
Without pausing, Fei Yi galloped in on horseback, heading straight for the main tent of the Han army.
Upon reaching the entrance to the main tent, he abruptly pulled on the reins, causing his warhorse to rear up, and he leaped off.
Hearing the neighing of warhorses and the sound of footsteps outside the tent, Deng Ai, who was inside, immediately stopped what he was doing, got up and went outside.
He assumed it was one of his soldiers with important news to report, and greeted them with clasped hands.
"Mr. Fei? Why did you suddenly come back? Has something happened in Fangcheng?"
Seeing Deng Ai's puzzled expression, Fei Yi slowly smiled and said:
"General Deng need not worry. There is nothing wrong in Fangcheng. On the contrary, there is great news."
"All the merchants in Fangcheng have decided to surrender to the Han army."
"Really?"
Upon hearing this, Deng Ai's confusion was instantly replaced by shock.
"Is what Mr. Fei said true? Are those merchants in Fangcheng really willing to surrender voluntarily?"
He could hardly believe that things had gone so smoothly.
After all, the merchants in Fangcheng had been ambiguous in their attitude and had been reluctant to express their opinions.
Fei Yi nodded slightly, his smile widening, and said:
"Yes, this is absolutely true, there is not a single falsehood."
"Now, I am here on behalf of all the merchants of Fangcheng to surrender to the Han camp. I have come to report this matter to General Deng and discuss the follow-up matters of surrender."
Upon hearing this, Deng Ai was completely stunned, standing there for a long time without reacting.
"It seems that Mr. Fei is quite prestigious in the Fangcheng area, and was able to accomplish this all by himself."
Deng Ai wore a sincere smile, and his eyes held a hint of barely perceptible admiration.
It is no ordinary person who can so quickly sway even the most unruly merchants.
Fei Yi simply waved his hand dismissively, a calm smile playing on his lips:
"Not at all, it was just a lucky break, a golden opportunity."
He seemed to have everything under control today, without the slightest surprise.
As they spoke, the two stepped side by side into the main camp of the Han army.
Fei Yi's gaze swept across the tent, and seeing only Deng Ai's soldiers on duty, he couldn't help but feel suspicious. He turned to Deng Ai and asked:
"Did the Grand Marshal only send your army to the outskirts of Fangcheng?"
He knew that Xiao He was cautious in his actions. Although Fangcheng was not a major military town, it was still a vital passage in the southeast of Liao. He should not have sent only one army.
Deng Ai quickly bowed and replied respectfully:
"That's not the case. Apart from the Grand Marshal who is in charge of the main camp and overseeing the overall situation, the generals of the other armies have all led their troops to the vicinity of Fangcheng. They are just waiting for news from you, sir, and can act at any time."
Fei Yi's doubts vanished, and he immediately raised his hand and said loudly:
"Guards, go quickly to the other three camps and summon all the generals to the main tent for a meeting. There are important matters to discuss!"
The soldiers on duty outside the tent responded in unison, turned around and left, their figures quickly disappearing outside the tent.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. As the tent flaps were lifted one after another, the generals of the various armies stepped into the main tent.
Before long, the five of them gathered around the table inside the tent.
The candlelight illuminated everyone's faces; they were all waiting for news from Fangcheng.
"Wenwei, what are you doing here? What's the situation inside Fangcheng City?"
Ma Su spoke first, his gaze fixed on Fei Yi.
Before his departure, he had heard that although the garrison in Fangcheng was weak, it was secretly supported by merchants, and he was afraid that Fei Yi would encounter an accident if he went alone.
Fei Yi looked up at the crowd:
"Rest assured, everyone, the city is now completely under control. The merchants have chosen to surrender, and the city's garrison has been properly guarded. No one has escaped, and there has been no large-scale fighting."
As soon as he finished speaking, the tent fell into a brief silence. Everyone looked astonished and stood there dumbfounded.
They never expected that those merchants, who were always profit-driven and cautious, would be so decisive and efficient.
The decision to surrender was made in just one day, a speed that far exceeded expectations.
Seeing the astonished expressions on everyone's faces, Fei Yi slowly spoke:
"After I entered the city today, I handed the Han army's letter of surrender to the merchant leaders. They immediately summoned all the core merchants to a meeting to discuss and weigh the pros and cons of surrendering versus resisting."
"Resistance would only lead to death, while surrender would preserve our lives. After weighing the options, we unanimously decided to surrender to the Han army."
After hearing Fei Yi's account, the astonishment in the tent gradually dissipated, and the people exchanged glances and smiled.
Ma Su clapped his hands and chuckled, his tone gratified:
"It seems these merchants are quite sensible and have made the right decision, saving themselves and our manpower."
Guan Xing, unable to contain his eagerness, stepped forward and asked:
"Now that the city has been pacified and the merchants have surrendered, when shall we lead our troops into the city and formally take over Fangcheng?"
Ma Su's expression turned serious, and his smile vanished.
"Pass on my order: everyone must immediately return to camp to regroup, count the number of troops, and check the weapons. One hour later, the entire army will march into the city!"
"Here!"
All the generals responded in unison.
Afterwards, everyone bowed and left the main tent, returning to their respective camps to make preparations.
Outside the tent, Deng Ai had already left and was directing his soldiers to break camp and prepare for battle. Only Ma Su and Fei Yi remained inside the tent.
The candlelight flickered.
The two sat around the table, their gazes fixed on the map of Fangcheng on it, and began to discuss the follow-up matters after Fangcheng's surrender. Fei Yi lightly tapped Fangcheng on the map with his fingertip and slowly spoke:
"Now that the merchants have surrendered voluntarily and have no intention of resisting, in order to keep them in line and to ensure a smooth transition for Fangcheng, we might as well give them some tangible benefits to appease this force."
Ma Su nodded slightly, then looked at Fei Yi and asked:
"You've dealt with them for so long today, you understand their thoughts best. In your opinion, what benefits should we offer them to make them completely surrender and stop harboring any disloyal thoughts?"
Ma Su knew perfectly well that merchants were driven by profit, and as long as there was enough incentive, they would wholeheartedly follow him.
Moreover, these merchants had suffered oppression for many years under the rule of the Liao Kingdom, and their resentment had long been brewing in their hearts.
The reason why Fangcheng was able to maintain its prosperity in the midst of chaos over the years was entirely due to the hard work of these merchants.
They valued their lives and even more the foundation they had built. Even if the chance of surrendering was slim, they were willing to take a gamble, just to preserve their foundation and maintain the current stability of Fangcheng under the command of the Han army.
Fei Yi pondered for a moment, then slowly said:
“During today’s meeting, I carefully observed their expressions and listened to their demands. They didn’t ask for much. Firstly, they hoped to preserve their businesses and prevent the Han army from invading them, so that they could continue to run their businesses.”
"Secondly, they hope we can go along with it and continue to entrust them with the daily management of the housing complex."
Ma Su couldn't help but laugh, his tone resolute:
“You’re right. Although Fangcheng is the former territory of the Liao Kingdom, the Liao court has neglected to control it in recent years. It is only thanks to the hard work of these merchants that it has become so prosperous.”
"Now that they have voluntarily surrendered and are willing to work for us, it is not unreasonable to hand over the management of Fangcheng to them."
"Furthermore, this arrangement will save us the trouble of sending troops to garrison the city and governing it personally, and it will also stabilize the situation within the city. I believe that the Grand Marshal will agree to this if he learns of it."
Fei Yi also burst into laughter, his eyes showing agreement:
“That’s absolutely right. Xiao He didn’t care much about Fangcheng, this remote place. Now we can take Fangcheng without losing a single soldier, and we can also stabilize the situation with the help of the merchants, saving us a lot of trouble later. This is the best of both worlds.”
"We not only successfully captured Fangcheng, expanding our territory, but also solved the governance problem after taking over the city once and for all. It can be said to be killing two birds with one stone."
...
On the city wall, a cold wind swept through the twilight, and a dozen core merchants stood around the crenellations.
"It's been an hour already, why is there still no news from Manager Fei? Could it be... could it be that the Han army simply doesn't accept our surrender?"
One of the merchants couldn't contain himself any longer.
"What can we do? We've already detained the garrison. If the Han army doesn't accept our surrender and the Liao Kingdom finds out, we're doomed!"
The other merchant was deathly pale and completely lost his composure, having lost all his usual calmness.
"It's over, it's completely over... We shouldn't have impulsively agreed to surrender, now we've driven ourselves into a dead end."
Someone murmured softly, their tone full of regret, and leaned dejectedly against the edge of the battlement, too weak to even lift their head.
Seeing this, Chen Li comforted him:
"Everyone, don't panic or lose your composure. Since we've chosen to trust Manager Fei, we should be more patient."
"I firmly believe that Manager Fei will not fail our trust, and the Han army will certainly agree to our surrender."
He paused, then slowly added:
"Moreover, our voluntary surrender and handing over control of Fangcheng is entirely beneficial to the Han army, and they have no reason to refuse us."
"After all, the Han army would not miss such a good opportunity as to take over a prosperous city without losing a single soldier."
Chen Li's words acted as a reassurance, gradually calming the panic in everyone's hearts.
Everyone raised their heads, suppressing their anxiety, and unanimously turned their gaze towards the direction of the Eastern Han Army camp, quietly waiting for Fei Yi's return.
Meanwhile, in the Han army camp, the soldiers had already prepared themselves.
With Ma Su's order, the army marched in a mighty force toward Fangcheng.
Fei Yi and Ma Su rode side by side at the head of the army.
Fei Yi looked towards the distant city of Fangcheng, knowing that the merchants on the city wall must be extremely anxious, so he quietly increased the speed of his horse and gradually moved ahead of the army.
When Fei Yi's figure appeared in the sight of everyone on the city wall, the previously calm city wall instantly became tense again.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the approaching figure.
They were terrified of hearing bad news from Fei Yi.
Knowing that everyone was anxious, Fei Yi immediately spurred his horse and arrived at the city gate.
He reined in his horse and said loudly:
"Rest assured, everyone. The Han army has already agreed to your surrender. Quickly order the city gates to be opened and welcome the Han army into the city!"
Fei Yi's voice clearly reached the ears of everyone on the city wall.
As soon as the words were spoken, the merchants on the city wall breathed a sigh of relief.
Chen Li immediately turned around and gave a stern order to his attendant:
"Quickly, spread the news that the Han army has agreed to surrender and will immediately open the city gates to welcome them throughout the entire city, so that the people will not panic!"
The attendants responded in unison and left to deliver the message.
Before long, all the city gates of Fangcheng were opened wide, and the merchants and their followers guarding the city lined up on both sides of the gates, looking respectful, waiting for the Han army to enter the city.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the mighty Han army entered the city without any chaos or disturbance to the people along the way.
However, when the Han army appeared on the streets, the people who had been standing and watching were so frightened that they all hid back in their homes, closed their doors and windows tightly, and dared not breathe.
Having suffered from war for many years and having heard rumors of the army burning, killing, and looting after entering the city, they were filled with fear, lest the Han army go on a killing spree and harm themselves and their families after entering the city.
The Han soldiers were already used to this, and they maintained their orderly ranks, following behind the merchants who were leading the way, towards the camp of the Fangcheng garrison.
That place will be their temporary meeting place, and also the place where they finalize follow-up matters with the merchants.
Soon, the group arrived at the Fangcheng garrison camp and went straight into the main tent.
The tent was brightly lit by candlelight, and Ma Su, dressed in military attire, sat solemnly in the main seat.
Fei Yi and four other generals, including Deng Ai, sat on either side, their expressions calm.
Below them stood a dozen or so core merchants from Fangcheng, all looking reserved and at a loss.
The atmosphere inside the tent was very strange.
On one side, the Han army generals were calm and composed, while on the other side, the merchants were uneasy, creating a stark contrast.
Ma Su and Fei Yi exchanged a glance, both smiling faintly as their gentle gazes swept over the merchants below, without speaking first.
The merchants below, swept over by the gazes of these men, became even more tense, their bodies stiffening as they lowered their heads, their anxiety rising once more.
They didn't know what demands the Han army would make next.
The silence lasted for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before Fei Yi slowly spoke. (End of Chapter)