Chapter 146: Battle Of Xiling
Chen Jiu received the report that Su Fei had led two thousand soldiers to East City, and six thousand soldiers had also gathered there, all three commanding generals being Su Fei’s good friends.
Chen Jiu immediately understood and hurriedly went to report to Huang Zu. At this time, Huang Zu had just withdrawn from the city wall, his eyebrows burned off, looking utterly disheveled.
After hearing Chen Jiu’s report, Huang Zu flew into a rage. “I didn’t hold him accountable for losing Zhu County, and yet he dares to betray me?”
Huang Zu immediately ordered the personal guard leader: “Take five hundred axe-wielding soldiers to East City. Don’t listen to Su Fei’s explanations—directly behead him and bring me his head!”
Chen Jiu hurriedly stopped him and said: “Su Fei has two thousand troops under him. He won’t just submit to execution. We can use a stratagem to take him!”
“What good plan?”
Chen Jiu offered a plan: “My lord can send someone to summon him, saying you’re handing over the city defenses to him. This subordinate knows him well—he is very greedy. He will surely covet more troops to ensure greater benefits after surrendering. He will definitely come.”
Huang Zu nodded and immediately sent the personal guard leader to invite Su Fei over to discuss military affairs, planning to hand over the city defenses to him.
There was still half a shichen until the appointed time. Su Fei didn’t know why the Yuzhang Army had suddenly attacked the city, and he felt truly uneasy in his heart.
At this moment, Huang Zu’s personal guard leader ran up and said: “General Su, my lord summons you?”
Su Fei was stunned. “What does my lord want with me?”
“My lord was burned by fire and can no longer command the battle. He wants General Su to take overall command.”
Su Fei was overjoyed. Huang Zu was actually handing military power over to him. He had led thirty thousand troops in surrender—this merit was enormous. He might even be enfeoffed as General of the Middle Army.
He immediately brought a few subordinates and followed the personal guard leader to see Huang Zu. Seeing Huang Zu from afar, Su Fei spurred his horse forward. When still a dozen paces from Huang Zu, Su Fei suddenly sensed Huang Zu’s killing intent and saw his icy gaze.
“Oh no, I’ve been tricked!”
Su Fei shouted that it was bad and turned his horse to flee. Huang Zu coldly ordered: “Loose arrows!”
Over a thousand soldiers all around unleashed a volley of arrows. Even wearing armor, Su Fei couldn’t withstand the dense arrow fire and was instantly shot like a porcupine, falling from his horse and dying on the spot.
Su Fei’s grand ambitions ultimately turned to ashes.
But killing Su Fei was of no use. Yuzhang Army soldiers had already stormed the city wall. Despite the raging flames and thick smoke on the wall, the Yuzhang Army soldiers wore soaked blankets and wrapped their heads and faces in wet cloth.
They had all undergone training and knew how to avoid the smoke and fire. After climbing the wall, each hugged the battlements closely, covered their mouths and noses with wet cloth, and ran bent over with heads low—this was the only passage.
In mere moments, they burst out of the smoke and fire zone and immediately engaged in fierce battle with the enemy soldiers still on the wall who hadn’t withdrawn.
More and more Yuzhang Army soldiers ascended the wall. Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci had also come up onto the wall, killing the enemy troops into steady retreat.
At this moment, the East City Gate opened, and the drawbridge was lowered. One of Su Fei’s personal guards had escaped back to report the news. Several generals were terrified of being killed and immediately opened the gate to surrender.
Huang Zhong, leading five thousand troops, was ambushed outside East City. Seeing the gate open and the enemy coming out to surrender, he immediately led his army charging inside.
Xiling County had fallen. In the grand hall of the prefecture, Huang Zu sat dazed in front of the hall, treasure sword in hand, while several personal guards watched his every move warily.
After a long while, Huang Zu let out a long sigh to the heavens: “Heaven has forsaken me!”
He drew his sword to slit his throat in suicide, but several personal guards pounced forward, grabbing his arms and shouting: “My lord, you can’t do this!”
“Let me go! Let me go!” Huang Zu struggled desperately.
At this time, Huang She rushed in. Seeing his father about to commit suicide, he was scared out of his wits, ran forward to embrace his father, and cried loudly. Huang Zu’s heart softened, and the treasure sword was seized by the personal guards.
Huang Zu stroked his son’s head and said bitterly: “It’s death anyway—let Father die with dignity!”
Huang She sobbed: “Father, order a surrender! There might still be a chance of survival!”
“Hmph! Will Gan Ning spare me?”
“Father and General Gan have no grudge or enmity. He’s not from Jiangdong—how will Father know without trying?”
Huang Zu let out a long sigh. “I hold no hope for myself, but I want to fight for a chance for you!”
Huang Zu immediately ordered the entire army to cease resistance and surrender.
The imminent street fighting was halted. Huang Zu’s forces assembled in various places inside the city laid down their weapons and surrendered one after another. The Yuzhang Army quickly took control of the entire city, escorting teams of surrendering soldiers out of the city.
Huang Zu and his son were temporarily placed under house arrest in the prefecture.
As for how to deal with Huang Zu, Gan Ning was somewhat troubled. According to the alliance treaty he had signed with Jiangdong, he must hand over Huang Zu’s entire family or his corpse to Jiangdong.
But Huang Zu had operated in Jiangxia Commandery for over twenty years with deep connections. All the major noble families in Jiangxia Commandery acknowledged him. Handing Huang Zu over to Jiangdong would undoubtedly offend the Jiangxia noble families.
Especially since the salt mines in Anlu County were almost all in Huang Family hands. Unless he exterminated the entire Huang Family, he would become their eternal enemy—what about Huang Zhong? Moreover, his own reputation would be utterly ruined.
Xu Shu understood what his lord was agonizing over and advised from the side: “My lord, just explain it to Jiangdong!”
“You also think I can’t kill Huang Zu?”
Xu Shu nodded. “Jiangdong has reason to kill Huang Zu, but my lord does not. If my lord kills Huang Zu, it will be hard to pacify all of Jiangxia Commandery. Moreover, Huang Zu surrendered voluntarily—killing someone who surrenders voluntarily would greatly harm my lord’s reputation if word spreads, and no one will surrender to us in the future.”
Gan Ning sighed softly: “You’re right. If Jiangdong turns hostile over this, then we don’t need such an ally.”
Xu Shu smiled faintly: “If Jiangdong takes the initiative to turn hostile, won’t that clear the moral obstacles for our next step in capturing Lujiang Commandery?”
Gan Ning gave a thumbs up. Xu Shu still saw through it all.
Gan Ning immediately received Huang She.
Huang She, uneasy, was brought before Gan Ning, bowed, and paid respects: “Greetings, General Gan!”
“Please sit, Patriarch Huang!”
Huang She was also over forty years old. Seeing Gan Ning’s mild attitude, his unease eased somewhat, and he slowly sat down.
“Regarding the matter of disposing of your father, I’ve considered it carefully. After all, he surrendered voluntarily. Killing him now would harm my reputation, and your father and I have no grudge or enmity.”
“Does the general want to send my father to Jiangdong?” Huang She asked nervously.
“Don’t be hasty—listen to me finish. How old is your father?”
“Nearly seventy.”
Gan Ning nodded. “Seventy is rare in life since ancient times. Your father doesn’t have many years left. I can forgo holding him accountable and let him retire to his fields in old age.”
Huang She was overjoyed and was about to speak when Gan Ning waved a hand to stop him. “Listen to me finish. Letting your father retire to his fields in old age comes with conditions.”
Huang She nodded. “Please speak, General!”
“First, your father must quietly live out his days in retirement from now on, with no thoughts of making a comeback. If I find him up to no good, I’ll send him directly to Jiangdong.”
“General, rest assured. I will watch him closely and not let him cause any more trouble.”
“Second, I want to extensively mine the salt mines in Anlu County. The Huang Family must not obstruct me.”
“Please rest assured, General. I am the patriarch—this matter is mine to decide. I can donate all the salt mines to the Yuzhang Army.”
“Is this true?” Gan Ning was a bit surprised.
Huang She sighed: “General is sparing my father and not sending him to Jiangdong, which breaks the alliance with Jiangdong. How could I not know this? Consider it my repayment for the general’s grace.”
Gan Ning nodded. “It seems you’re still clear-headed. You will serve as Prefectural Assistant of Jiangxia Commandery!”
Huang She was overjoyed and rose to say: “Thank you for your trust, General. This subordinate will go through fire and water, pledging loyalty to the general.”
Gan Ning said slowly: “Your father caused great harm to the citizens of Jiangxia Commandery. You will clean up this mess and pacify the citizens well.”
Huang She nodded silently—this was also what he most wanted to do.
