The morale of the Daliang army collapsed like an avalanche, beyond the control of Su Wencheng and his generals.
Helpless, Su Wencheng could only lead his confidants, utilizing a large number of horses and carriages, to rush back to his main force, unable to concern himself with the remnants of the defeated army.
The Daliang soldiers who could not escape initially hesitated about surrendering, but circumstances were stronger than men. With obstacles in front and pursuers behind, more and more Daliang soldiers surrendered and were imprisoned by the Daqian soldiers.
"Su Wencheng got away, damn it!"
After Shi Liuyun joined forces with Yue Yun, they too had to abandon the pursuit, only able to curse from afar.
They really could not pursue further because they had to allocate a large portion of their forces to guard the prisoners, and Su Wencheng should have already escaped to his main camp.
Upon returning to his military camp, Su Wencheng immediately withdrew the troops attacking the mountain pass to the south.
This lure-the-enemy operation ended in a complete victory for Wunongzhou.
A large number of prisoners were escorted to Wunongzhou, with Gongsun Ye personally overseeing the area.
"What are our army's casualties? What are the enemy's casualties?"
Shi Liuyun reported, "Our army suffered eleven hundred killed or wounded, seven hundred severely injured, and five thousand lightly injured. The enemy had twenty thousand killed, forty thousand surrendered, and probably ten to twenty thousand scattered outside!"
Gongsun Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This casualty ratio, including the prisoners, was within an acceptable range.
Including those who surrendered, the casualty ratio was one to thirty, a shocking achievement.
Of course, this was also thanks to the soldiers' bravery and the enemy's exhaustion.
In this battle, Su Wencheng lost over sixty thousand men, leaving the Daliang army with less than one hundred and twenty thousand!
For safety, Gongsun Ye left twenty thousand men to reinforce Wunongzhou and escort the prisoners, while he led his troops towards the Luzhou area, intending to rendezvous with Liang Xiao.
Back in the military camp, Su Wencheng's authority was shattered, and the soldiers dared not speak out despite their anger.
The entire Daliang military camp was in a very delicate atmosphere, which could be disrupted at any moment.
On this day, the Daliang generals united and executed Du Gu Yuncheng.
"What is the meaning of this? Do you want to rebel?!" Su Wencheng was shocked and enraged.
"This man spread seditious words, causing our army to suffer a crushing defeat. The Marshal should not have harbored him!" the generals roared.
Su Wencheng's eyelids twitched, and he repeatedly nodded, "That's right, have this person beheaded and displayed..."
But in his heart, Su Wencheng realized an unprecedented crisis.
The soldiers might no longer obey his command!
"Quick, quick, go and guard the supplies and provisions, we absolutely cannot let them take them!" In his urgency, Su Wencheng immediately arranged for his confidants from the Huichun Sect to lead troops to guard the logistics.
Provisions and pay were the key to maintaining his leadership position.
The Daliang generals, who had failed to seize the supplies, were also dejected.
If the soldiers couldn't even afford to eat, they wouldn't join them in forcing a coup.
"The Daliang nation has lost its military spirit..."
At this moment, these generals, who had once sided with the aristocratic families, were filled with regret and began to question the correctness of their choices.
"Perhaps, defecting to the Regent was the best option? But our families are controlled by the aristocratic families... Alas!"
While the Daliang front-line officers were in a dilemma, in the capital of Daliang, Qin Feng was mobilizing troops.
He had already confirmed that many soldiers were being coerced by the aristocratic families because of their families. A large number of Xuanwei guards and the Northern King's Imperial Guards had been dispatched in all directions, preparing to forcefully take control of the families of these officers.
The aristocratic families, led by the Dong and Yan families, were firmly controlled by Liang Xiao in the capital, rendering them powerless to command the rear.
The families of the officers in the capital were the first to be rescued.
"Regent! The southern barbarians are invading. All the prefectural cities are obeying your military orders and defending their cities!"
Receiving the urgent report, Qin Feng broke out in a cold sweat.
Internal strife and external enemies!
The incident of the concubine's adultery back then was too scandalous, and he dared not alert the enemy. He could only have the Xuanwei guards search day and night for the records from that time.
After Liang Xiao settled all the prisoners in Luzhou City, he confidently led his troops south to reinforce Yuzhang, preparing to launch the counteroffensive in the Jiangnan region.
The soldiers of Luzhou, after several days of rest, were filled with high morale, determined to counterattack Jiaozhou!
At the same time, the Yizhou troops, led by Nan Jiyun, used the Pingman Zhizhang Map to bypass the extensive miasma-filled areas, advancing like a broken bamboo and penetrating deep into the southern barbarian hinterland.
Deprived of the protection of the miasma-filled areas, the Nanman army and its people, facing Nan Jiyun's sudden appearance, surrendered without a fight.
"What are you all doing!"
Outside the palace, the Nanman Queen Meng Wuxin was furious and rebuked the fighting factions within her court.
"It was Gongyang Qiu who incited us Nanman to opposition. We ministers wish to capture this person for Your Majesty!"
A group of old ministers responded indignantly, and with overwhelming force, they captured Gongyang Qiu and his followers from the Huichun Sect.
"If you kill me, what benefits will you gain? You will only gain two more enemies, Jiaozhou and the Huichun Sect!"
Gongyang Qiu sneered, then looked at Meng Wuxin with a gentle gaze, "Wuxin, I sincerely consider your future..."
"Enough! The enemy is almost at the palace. If there is internal strife at this moment, I will execute without mercy!" Meng Wuxin said impatiently.
As everyone was about to argue, an urgent report came from outside.
"The former general of Daqian, Nan Jiyun, has led his troops to the gates of our Yongchang City!"
The shocking news left the Nanman rulers and subjects in a state of panic.
"How could it be so fast? It's only been less than two months!" Meng Wuxin muttered to herself.
"Your Majesty, the enemy general Nan Jiyun has sent someone to call for you outside the city to surrender!" the minister relaying the report stammered.
Meng Wuxin's eyes sharpened, and just as she was about to erupt, Gongyang Qiu shouted, "The soldiers of Daqian are ambitious and untrustworthy!"
"Who exactly guided him to reach Yongchang City within two months?" Meng Wuxin asked sternly.
"I suddenly thought of someone." Gongyang Qiu smiled rather than being angry.
Meng Wuxin's expression changed, "You mean, Tong Zhen?"
"You shouldn't have spared him back then and let him escape. It must be him who acted as Nan Jiyun's guide. After all, the master-disciple bond is deep!" Gongyang Qiu chuckled.
Meng Wuxin was speechless, yet she was also ashamed and angry.
The Yizhou troops, following Nan Jiyun, were at the city gates. Everyone inside Yongchang City was terrified and dared not fight.
"It seems that the Nanman people are not inherently hostile to Daqian. It's a good opportunity to incorporate them into our territory." Nan Jiyun and his generals were filled with heroic spirit, as if they could already see the grand blueprint of the southern regions submitting to Daqian.
Just then, a messenger rushed in with an urgent report.
"The Nanman have dispatched an envoy to see the General and Old Master Tong Zhen. She says, the Nanman Queen knows everything!"
"Seeing my master?" Nan Jiyun was startled and immediately sensed something was wrong.
Tong Zhen's face also turned grim. He forced himself to stand up and said, "Go..."
The envoy was Meng Wuxin's maid. Upon meeting, she pointed at Tong Zhen and cursed, "You kept saying you wanted to serve my Queen and atone for your sins by working like an ox or horse, yet you led wolves into our house! How dare you face my Queen!"
"Presumptuous!" The generals behind Nan Jiyun were furious, but Nan Jiyun signaled them to be quiet.
Nan Jiyun ordered someone to give the woman a seat and then said, "Our Daqian soldiers have not massacred the southern regions. You initiated the invasion, and now facing the might of Daqian, you should surrender and become citizens of Daqian."
The maid said proudly, "My Queen said, are you not the esteemed disciple of Tong Zhen, Nan Jiyun? Then you should lead Tong Zhen into the city to see her! Otherwise, my Queen is already alone and helpless, she might as well be destroyed along with everything!"
"Don't be destroyed, let's talk this through..." Tong Zhen was suddenly ashamed beyond words.
Meng Wuxin's so-called loneliness was the greatest irony to him, her living father.