Chapter 159: No Choice
At this time, Wei Yan’s five hundred warships had already destroyed the four pontoon bridges on the Han River, and the warships were divided into five teams, patrolling upstream on the Han River.
On a large pontoon bridge in the north of Jingling County, hundreds of carts were crossing the river. They were the convoy responsible for transporting grain and supplies. The grain and supplies had already been transported ashore, but without carts for transport, the grain and supplies still could not be transported to Yundu County.
Logically, the grain and carts should have arrived simultaneously, but for some reason, something went wrong in one of the links, and the carts arrived a full day later than the grain.
This one day was enough to change the outcome of the entire campaign.
Just as dozens of carts had passed, over a hundred mengchong warships appeared on the river surface. They suddenly accelerated and charged fiercely toward the pontoon bridge.
The drivers on the pontoon bridge were terrified. They wanted to turn around, but the carts could not turn. They wanted to go forward, but the front was blocked. With no way to advance or retreat, they could only watch helplessly as the large ships crashed toward them. Many drivers let out desperate screams.
“Boom!”
A huge crashing sound rang out. The pontoon bridge was smashed into two sections, and more than a dozen carts fell into the water one after another. Yuzhang Army soldiers showed no mercy and threw incendiary bottles onto the pontoon bridge. In just moments, raging flames erupted on the pontoon bridge, thick smoke billowed wildly, dozens of mules were startled in the inferno, one jumped into the river, and the drivers scrambled desperately to both sides, abandoning the carts.
Before long, the entire pontoon bridge was engulfed in fierce flames, and over a hundred carts were also devoured by the fire and the river water.
But Wei Yan’s warships did not linger. They continued sailing north. After sailing less than ten li, countless cargo ships appeared along the shore. These were all ships transporting grain and supplies to the east bank. Hundreds of transport cargo ships had not had time to escape and were all captured by the Yuzhang Army. Even civilian ships that were requisitioned could not escape.
Grain and supplies piled up like mountains on the shore. Two thousand soldiers were responsible for guarding the grain and supplies. They sat in a pine forest a li away to avoid the scorching sun. This army was still waiting for the transport carts to arrive.
Hundreds of boatmen and sturdy laborers sat chatting idly beside the grain and supplies. At that moment, someone shouted from the forest: “The Yuzhang Army is coming! The Yuzhang Army is coming!”
The two thousand soldiers all stood up and saw countless soldiers charging from all directions. This was the six thousand troops led by Chen Mu, who instantly surrounded the two thousand soldiers.
The six thousand soldiers shouted in unison: “Those who stubbornly resist die, those who surrender will be released to go home! Those who stubbornly resist die, those who surrender will be released to go home!”
The six thousand Yuzhang Army soldiers aimed crossbow bolts at the two thousand soldiers, making the two thousand soldiers tremble with fear.
No one knew who put down their weapon first, but the morale of the two thousand soldiers rapidly collapsed. Without any will to fight, they all laid down their weapons and surrendered.
Hundreds of boatmen and unloading laborers saw the situation was dire and got up to run, but they could not escape either. Wei Yan led hundreds of his soldiers ashore and surrounded them as well. The laborers were so frightened that they knelt and begged, “We are not soldiers, we are boatmen and sturdy laborers transporting supplies!”
Wei Yan said coldly: “If you want to live, move all the grain and supplies back onto the ships.”
The crowd hurriedly stood up and transported the grain and supplies with extra effort. In just one hour, the grain and supplies that had been unloaded ashore were reloaded onto the ships.
The warship fleet escorted the grain and supplies ships, as well as the boatmen and laborers, away from the east bank and sailed south, soon disappearing on the river surface.
The two thousand soldiers were also taken away. Chen Mu gave them a promise: once the battle was over, they would be released to go home.
In the wilderness, dozens of bonfires were burning brightly. The soldiers lay scattered around the bonfires, dozing off while enduring mosquito bites.
This place was only about thirty li from the Han River. They wanted to retreat to the Han River bank, but it was already completely dark.
Fu Tong and more than a dozen generals sat by the bonfire discussing. Fu Tong said in a low voice to the group: “I just received news from a scout. Our rear logistics grain and fodder were attacked by the Yuzhang Army navy and all robbed. The ships are gone, the cart convoy and pontoon bridges have all been destroyed, and our retreat has been completely cut off.”
All the generals fell silent. Commandant Liu Jing said hatefully: “What kind of rotten battle is this? Dividing forces into three routes, with no heavy troops defending the grain and fodder—they think others are fools. Isn’t this just setting things up for the enemy to defeat us one by one?”
Another general said: “They wanted to sneak attack, afraid that concentrating troops would be discovered, so they divided forces for a rapid advance. The key is the enemy was prepared long ago, having laid a dragnet. This is what they call being clever for nothing, thinking others don’t know.”
“Isn’t this the plan deployed by Military Advisor Cai? He is the strategist, so of course this is his responsibility.”
“As expected of someone surnamed Cai, truly incompetent!”
The group exchanged glances and words, all filled with resentment.
Fu Tong waved his hand. “Everyone, stop arguing. Let me say a few words.”
The group quieted down, and Fu Tong slowly said: “General Huang Zhong gave me a choice. If we surrender proactively, we won’t be treated as prisoners of war, but as those who voluntarily defect. If we don’t choose to surrender before dawn, it means we abandon surrender, and he will launch an attack on us.
I have already decided to surrender myself, but I won’t force anyone. There are still two hours until dawn. If you don’t want to surrender, then lead your troops away yourselves.”
The group remained silent. After a while, one general said: “Old General Huang has always been straightforward with people and won’t harm us. I am willing to follow the general in surrendering.”
“I am also willing to follow the general in surrendering!”
“I am also willing to follow the general!”
More than a dozen generals all expressed their stance, willing to follow Fu Tong in surrendering. In fact, everyone understood that they only had one day’s dry rations left, the grain was about to run out, they were at the end of their rope, and they could still surrender with dignity—who wouldn’t be willing?
As soon as it dawned, Huang Zhong led more than ten thousand troops and appeared a few li away. Fu Tong ordered the entire army to lay down their weapons, remove their armor, form ranks, and go to surrender.
Huang Zhong ultimately captured the third ten-thousand-strong army without a fight.
Yundu County had a peaceful night. The next day at dawn, the outer patrols returned to the city. A night of patrolling had found no enemy situation, which made Li Shu slightly relieved.
But the immense pressure had not disappeared. The two armies that should have arrived yesterday had not come, there was no sign of grain and supply replenishment, and even the three scout teams sent to meet them had no news.
Li Shu stood on the city wall, gazing far into the western official road. His neck was sore from looking, but he still saw no sign of anyone.
Li Shu could not help but let out a long sigh. At this time, Deputy General Zhang Li stepped forward and said: “Reporting to the commander, we only have one day’s dry rations left. We must make a decision immediately.”
Li Shu nodded silently. Of course he knew the severity of the problem. In fact, they could no longer go east. It was still two hundred li to Anlu County, which would take at least three days. With the Yuzhang Army’s scorched earth policy, the soldiers would all starve to death on the road.
Going back would take about one day, and they would arrive at the Han River just as the dry rations ran out. But would arriving at the Han River mean salvation?
Li Shu had no choice. With utmost reluctance, he could only order: “The entire army withdraws back to the Han River!”
The ten thousand army abandoned Yundu County and withdrew. They marched rapidly along the wide official road, in a hurry when they came and in a hurry when they left, wishing they could fly across the Han River immediately.
At this time, Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun’s armies had already been waiting for them for a long time.
