At night, several figures crept towards the northeast city wall. Three of them held long bows and shot a flaming arrow outside the city.
"Who is it!"
The flaming arrow startled the city's defenders. By the time they came to investigate, there was no one to be seen inside the city wall.
A Great Gan army outside the city spotted the bright flaming arrow at a glance. They rushed over in the dark, picked it up, and sent it to Liang Xiao's tent.
This was intelligence sent by the Hidden Wolf Guard.
"The Helian family is indeed preparing to coerce the common people. If we attack the city by force, they will make the people defend it," Liang Xiao said with a grave expression.
The most worrying thing had happened.
The soldiers were furious, "After the city is breached, the entire Helian family should be executed!"
"For now, we should find a way to capture Jincheng easily while avoiding expanding casualties," Zhuo Ying sighed.
During the day, the Great Gan soldiers surrounding Jincheng were all persuading the defenders to surrender.
The morale of the city defenders was low, but the city still did not surrender, indicating that some among them were loyal to the Helian family.
"We've only just laid siege, haven't we? Even if the enemy's morale collapses and they choose to surrender, it won't happen overnight," Liang Xiao said with a smile.
Everyone then calmed down.
Just then, an urgent report came from outside: "Marshal! An official from within the city has defected!"
Liang Xiao immediately sent Liu Fan out to meet him.
It turned out to be an old man in a gray robe, holding three official seals.
"This humble official, Bai Ming, is unwilling to collude with the Helian family and has brought the official seals of Helian Xun and others!"
As the old man reported his name, Liu Fan quickly asked Yue Yun and others.
Yue Yun explained, "Bai Ming is the foremost scholar in Xichuan, but he lives in Jiangnan. He was respected as a guest by the Helian family and was in charge of the seals."
Liu Fan immediately returned to report to Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao looked around at his generals and noticed that the soldiers had faces full of contempt but were too embarrassed to say it.
Bai Ming had been highly respected by the Helian family, yet he was the first to betray them for personal gain. This was truly unbecoming of a scholar, but he had indeed abandoned darkness for light.
Liang Xiao explained, "No matter what, with Bai Ming leading the way, as long as we utilize him well, more and more people will come out of the city to surrender. This is a good thing and should be treated with preferential treatment."
Bai Ming received a reward of a hundred taels of silver notes, but what truly comforted him was that he had saved his life and avoided being implicated by the Helian family.
The Great Gan army shot several crossbow bolts towards Jincheng. Each was tied with the same surrender letter, specifically mentioning Bai Ming's role in persuading others to surrender.
Upon hearing the news, Helian Xun was devastated, "Our family has always treated Bai Ming well. He is the first to surrender?!"
With the "scholar" Bai Ming leading the way and receiving rewards, more and more scholars, merchants, generals, and even some landlords within Jincheng began to secretly discuss defecting.
Until a household retainer suggested to Helian Xun, "My lord, why don't we offer to surrender the city? We can still be spared the death penalty..."
With the first person openly suggesting surrender, the surrounding strategists and generals also agreed.
Helian Xun was furious and immediately ordered the household retainer to be executed as a public warning.
"Anyone who discusses surrender again will have their entire clan exterminated!"
Silence fell upon Jincheng.
Of Jincheng's twenty thousand defenders, ten thousand were elites carefully trained by the Helian family. Military power was firmly in the hands of the Helian family, and they dared not openly rebel.
However, the atmosphere of surrender within Jincheng grew stronger.
Everyone hoped to preserve their lives and the lives of their families, rather than be annihilated with the Helian family.
With one hundred and ten thousand troops surrounding the city, the Helian family could not escape now. They could only force Liang Xiao to agree to their terms and pardon their family.
Liang Xiao never agreed to the three envoys sent by the Helian family.
Once he publicly promised to pardon the Helian family, it would be difficult to act against them in the future without incurring criticism from the world.
Allowing the Helian family to continue to possess assets worth tens of millions of taels was also something the Great Gan court would never wish to see.
"Go back and tell Helian Xun that the Helian family has no room for negotiation. The three-day deadline has passed. If Jincheng is not opened and surrendered by tomorrow, once my army takes Jincheng, the entire Helian family will not be spared!"
The envoys shamefully fled back to Jincheng and informed Helian Xun.
Helian Xun felt immense despair and laughed in anger, "Then it's a fight to the death! Mobilize the people of the city immediately and have them participate in the defense!"
The next day, a large number of common people were forced by the Helian family's personal guards onto the city walls, responsible for logistics.
To prevent these common people from rebelling when Liang Xiao attacked, ten thousand personal guards were stationed at various points along the city wall, acting as overseers. Anyone who rebelled would be immediately beheaded!
Zhuo Ying and others at the front lines were also surprised to see a group of commoners, men and women of all ages, appear on the city wall and immediately reported it to Liang Xiao.
"Marshal, if we attack rashly, it's uncertain if we can take Jincheng immediately. These tens of thousands of people might be killed by mistake!"
Liang Xiao looked at the map of Jincheng and after a moment's thought, he smiled and said, "Then we will continue to surround and not attack. When the time is right, we will use our final move. Do you think the Helian family's trick can last forever?"
The generals then felt relieved.
They truly could not bring themselves to harm innocent civilians.
Along all parts of the city wall, a somber atmosphere prevailed, with the wails and pleas of the common people echoing ceaselessly.
Helian Jun quickly reminded Helian Xun, "Father! If this continues, it will seriously affect our army's morale!"
Helian Xun sighed, "Since Liang Xiao cares about the people, seeing these commoners, he will naturally be hesitant to attack. Compared to morale, saving Jincheng is the priority!"
The group had no choice but to continue to hold the commoners hostage for defense.
Jincheng had a population of over five hundred thousand. Faced with the oppression of the Helian family, everyone was enraged.
However, these ten thousand personal guards were elites, fierce and intimidating in their daily lives, and had long instilled fear in the hearts of the common people. No one dared to provoke them.
Discovering that Liang Xiao had not attacked for three full days and had maintained a siege without engaging, the Helian family began to feel triumphant.
"It seems Liang Xiao cherishes his reputation and dares not kill innocent people!"
Just as the Helian family felt secure, the one hundred and ten thousand Great Gan troops surrounding Jincheng simultaneously advanced to a mile outside the city.
"The enemy is going to attack!"
The defenders of Jincheng were all filled with dread, and the common people on the wall looked even more desperate, their cries of sorrow filling the entire city.
"Does Liang Xiao truly disregard the lives of the people?" Helian Xun exclaimed in shock and anger, and immediately ascended the wall to observe.
The defending forces outside the four city walls halted at a distance of one mile.
Under the command of the officers, all the Great Gan soldiers roared in unison.
"The Great Gan Royal Army has pacified Xichuan! We only punish the evildoers of the Helian family. Others who surrender will be spared death, and those who abandon darkness for light will be rewarded!"
Listening to the slogans from outside the city, Helian Xun sneered, "Our Helian family has been established in Jincheng for a hundred years, with deep roots. How can it be taken down by mere psychological tactics?"
At that moment, a thunderous roar from the Great Gan soldiers echoed from afar.
"Hand over Jincheng, and all the property and land of the Helian family and their associates, over twenty-five million mu of land, along with all unclaimed land in Xichuan, will be returned to the people of Xichuan, divided equally among them. Soldiers will receive five times the land, and the entire Xichuan region will be exempt from land tax for three years!!"
The repeated roars, all conveying the same message, stunned everyone on the wall speechless.
Equal distribution of land and exemption from land tax for three years?
After a brief moment of shock, the defenders and commoners on all four city walls erupted in excitement!