"Reinforcements from Jianbei?" Xiao Che and the others were overjoyed.
Just then, Xiao Chan tightly clutched the sleeves of Xiao Che and Xiao Chang. "Father, Godfather, I don't think I can make it..."
Xiao Che was shocked, seeing Xiao Chan's ashen face and shallow breath.
"How is this possible?"
Xiao Che couldn't accept it.
He was merely shot in the leg and had lost too much blood, yet he was dying?
Xiao Chang sighed, "Chan'er, your anger has aggravated your injuries..."
Hearing this, Xiao Che wept, comforting him, "Hold on, my son!!"
Xiao Chan gritted his teeth, using his last ounce of strength to utter a few words.
"When Father and Godfather take over Da Qian, you must personally ravage Princess Ning Shuang for ten days and ten nights to quench my hatred! Then, take the heads of Liang Xiao, General Tian, and the dog emperor's entire family to appease my spirit in the afterlife..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Che and the others were stunned, and the people around them couldn't help but smile bitterly.
They hadn't even captured Luzhou yet, let alone the capital.
They were even losing the positional battles outside Luzhou city, so how could they possibly take over Da Qian!
And they still hadn't seen any sign of Liang Xiao!
However, Xiao Che couldn't bear to let Xiao Chan die with regret. He nodded tearfully and vowed, "When I capture the capital, I will make Liang Xiao's entire family slaves for generations, and the women prostitutes for generations! I will also grind Liang Xiao and General Tian into dust!!"
With that, Xiao Chan smiled, as if his revenge was complete. He closed his eyes, his hands falling limply, and he breathed his last.
Thus ended the life of Xiao Chan, the notorious bandit leader, the wicked young master of the brocade robes, the nominal second son of the Southern King, the beloved son of King Jinpao Xiao Che, who had his arm severed by General Tian outside Luzhou city years ago. Today, he died with resentment outside Luzhou city...
"Chan'er!!"
Xiao Che and Xiao Chang's heartbroken cries echoed through the air.
"Quickly, when the troops from Jianbei arrive, continue attacking Liang Xiao!!"
Filled with grief, Xiao Che abandoned the idea of retreating. He would wait for their forces to combine before launching a full assault.
A moment later, Jianbei galloped in on horseback, looking disheveled.
"Jianbei? Why are you in such a sorry state?!" Alexander roared.
Jianbei said urgently, "Zhuo Ying's entire army is mobilized, and Liang Xiao's cavalry launched a surprise attack, causing us to lose over ten thousand men. Our army has collapsed and can no longer hold the line!"
"What?!" Everyone's pupils contracted.
They had thought Jianbei was their reinforcement, but it turned out to be a defeated army routed by Zhuo Ying!
"Zhuo Ying also has over forty thousand troops. What shall we do?" Xiao Chang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
"Retreat quickly! If we don't retreat now, it will be too late!" Jianbei urged.
As soon as he finished speaking, the sounds of shouting and killing grew louder from a distance.
Everyone looked in that direction and saw Zhuo Ying's troops pursuing the remnants of Jianbei's forces, already approaching the battlefield where Liang Xiao was.
Liang Xiao, who was directing the battle, finally showed a pleased expression upon seeing the reinforcements.
"Excellent!"
He had originally ordered Zhuo Ying to hold the pass and act according to the situation. Zhuo Ying, understanding the opportune moment, had decisively launched an attack, delivering a fatal blow to the enemy!
After all, the allied forces of Jiaozhou were exhausted and their morale had collapsed. They couldn't retreat towards the pass; that would be walking into a trap. They could at most retreat to their southern base.
"Relay orders to all officers: the enemy's defeat is certain. Prepare to form a circular formation into a square formation for pursuit!"
Over a hundred messengers carried Liang Xiao's orders to all officers. The soldiers of Da Qian were greatly boosted: their Marshal said they would win, so they would definitely win!
"The eastern front has been defeated!"
From within the allied forces of Jiaozhou, shouts of panic arose one after another, finally triggering a widespread collapse of morale, with soldiers unwilling to fight.
A large number of these soldiers were actually locals of Jiaozhou, increasingly questioning whether this war should be fought, or whether they should even pledge allegiance to Da Qian.
The soldiers of the Huichun Cult and the Tianri tribe at the front lines were almost annihilated. Now, they only wanted to return home to their wives and children, and no longer wished to die in vain.
"Charge the entire army and reinforce the main force!"
With a command from Zhuo Ying, over forty thousand Da Qian soldiers surged onto the battlefield like a tide. The cavalry led by Zuo Wuji galloped across the battlefield, specifically pursuing the demoralized Tianri cavalry.
The arrival of this army became the last straw that broke the back of the Jiaozhou allied forces, and they scattered and fled.
Even the elite guards responsible for overseeing the troops, trusted by Xiao Chang and Xiao Che, wished their parents had given them more legs and fled in a frenzy.
"Citizens of Da Qian, surrender and live!"
At some point, the Da Qian soldiers in the distance suddenly shouted in unison.
Some of the Jiaozhou soldiers, who had lost all hope, turned to look at the Da Qian army upon hearing the shouts.
Considering that the soldiers from Xichuan had also surrendered to Da Qian and were treated well, these Jiaozhou soldiers hesitated for a moment before laying down their weapons, kneeling by the roadside and begging for mercy.
These surrendering soldiers were immediately taken into custody by the Da Qian soldiers and sent to Luzhou.
However, the Tianri soldiers did not receive such favorable treatment. Several hundred Tianri soldiers with blond hair and blue eyes attempted to surrender amidst the crowd, but were swiftly dispatched by the Da Qian soldiers with a single saber.
"The Marshal has ordered! Only citizens of Da Qian will be accepted, not the Tianri tribe!!"
The Tianri soldiers, filled with anger and unwillingness, died on the spot with regret.
"Do we count?" the Jiaozhou soldiers urgently asked.
"Jiaozhou is inherently a territory of Da Qian. As long as you submit to Da Qian, you count!" the Da Qian soldiers responded without hesitation.
More and more Jiaozhou soldiers laid down their weapons, knelt and begged for mercy, completely abandoning their resistance.
The actual number of Jiaozhou allied forces killed in battle here and at the eastern pass was less than forty thousand, but such losses had completely shattered the fighting spirit of the Jiaozhou allied forces, truly embodying the saying "a defeated army scatters like mountains collapsing."
Coupled with Liang Xiao's strategy of offering surrender to the citizens of Da Qian and promising not to kill them, an increasing number of Jiaozhou soldiers surrendered on the spot.
"Damn it, where are the King of Brocade Robes and the Southern King! Where is Alexander! Where is Jianbei!!"
Zuo Wuji, who was leading the cavalry in pursuit of the Tianri cavalry, exclaimed in frustration.
After returning triumphant from the desert with Liang Xiao, the imperial court, considering his former title as the Marquis of Zhenbei of Da Liang, had exceptionally promoted him to General Zhenbei.
This was one of the Four Zhen Generals, a considerable rank. If he didn't kill an enemy chieftain now, it would be difficult for him to get promoted further!
His goal this year was to secure the title of General Zhenbei for his two grandsons!
The Jiaozhou allied forces were in utter chaos, with more and more soldiers choosing to surrender. Only the Tianri cavalry and some followers of the Huichun Cult were still fleeing.
Liang Xiao had entrusted his ten thousand cavalry to Zuo Wuji to pursue and kill the enemy. Everyone fought like wolves and tigers, but without capturing a chieftain, Zuo Wuji felt the campaign would be incomplete. Therefore, he also followed Zuo Wuji deep into the enemy lines, killing anyone who stood in their way.
The Zuo brothers already had exceptional eyesight, and Zuo Wuji happened to have seized higher ground, allowing him to scan the surroundings.
Alexander, who was desperately fleeing, was finally spotted by Zuo Wuji, whose keen eyesight noticed his distinctive attire.
"Follow this general to capture the enemy chieftain!!"
Zuo Wuji led the charge, his white dragon golden armor and silver dragon golden weapons, along with his personal guards, giving him the courage to charge fearlessly towards Alexander.
"Da Qian's General Zhenbei, Zuo Wuji, is here!!"
Alexander's heart was already in his mouth. He hastily had his personal guards engage, but Zuo Wuji easily slew them one by one.
Just as Zuo Wuji was about to reach Alexander, an enraged roar echoed from afar. A person on horseback charged rapidly towards Zuo Wuji.
"Zuo Wuji! The Great Heng Kingdom betrayed my Huichun Cult! Today, you shall die here!"
Zuo Wuji squinted and recognized the man's face. He was startled. "Sword Saint Jian Nanfeng? No! You are Jian Beihai!!"