My father, King Chu, was besieged at Gaixia

Chapter 57: Serving as a Military Officer
Xiang Chang returned to Gaixia, and along the way he kept receiving battle reports from the cavalry sent by Xiang Zhuang. He soon understood the entire process of the battle in front of Gaixia City.

As we got closer to Gaixia City, we could see traces of the war everywhere. The charred land and hills were covered with corpses, and there were also abandoned broken weapons, smoking flags, and broken vehicles...all of which told of the brutality of the war that had just happened.

Teams of soldiers came and went in a hurry to clean up the battlefield, collect and bury the bodies, and sort out the weapons and armor. The Han army retreated in a hurry, leaving behind a large amount of armor, weapons, food, uniforms, flags, wooden objects, cloth, animal skins and other baggage, which fell into the pockets of the Chu army. In particular, weapons, armor, and food were what the Chu army in Gaixia City was in short supply.

The rich spoils of war made the soldiers happy and their morale was high. Some of them even hummed the war song "Guochang" that was sung last night!
Seeing this scene, Xiang Chang's mood also brightened up, and he began to hum along softly. Following closely behind him, Xiang Ju, Xiang Gou and others also slowly joined in, forming a majestic chorus, and for a moment the crows standing on the branches of tall trees beside the road were frightened and flew away with a "cackle".

He learned from the autobiography letter that his father and a group of generals were waiting for him in the north of the city. When they were still far from the north of the city, Xiang Zhuang led a cavalry column, all wearing black armor, riding black tall horses, and holding black flags, to meet him.

When they got closer, Xiang Zhuang waved his hand, and the cavalry raised their spears, lances, axes and halberds, with their flags waving, and at the same time, a powerful horn was blew with a "Woo--", which was full of a sense of ritual.

The soldiers stationed nearby and the soldiers cleaning the battlefield were immediately attracted and stretched their heads to look.

One of the soldiers exclaimed in surprise: "This is the Overlord's ceremonial procession. The king's flag is welcoming the troops. Which general has made a great contribution?"

Xiang Chang frowned and waited patiently for the knights to finish their performance. Then he turned to Xiang Zhuang and said in dissatisfaction, "We are facing a powerful enemy and the military situation is urgent. Why are you doing all this nonsense?"

Although it was only one day, Xiang Zhuang felt that it was so long, as if several years had passed. He looked at Xiang Chang deeply, his eyes revealing endless satisfaction and admiration.

Xiang Zhuang was the only person in the Chu camp who knew all of Xiang Chang's plans in advance.

Last night Xiang Chang told him all his plans. After hearing this, Xiang Zhuang was stunned and speechless for a long time.

Although Xiang Zhuang felt that the plan was feasible, accidents could happen at any time during its implementation, and any small accident could ruin the entire plan! Especially since it was filled with endless difficulties and dangers, just thinking about it was chilling.

Out of worry and anxiety, Xiang Zhuang instinctively wanted to dissuade him.

But seeing that Xiang Chang had made up his mind, Xiang Zhuang hesitated for a while, but finally made up his mind and began to cooperate with him with all his strength.

The reason they agreed was because of the savage ruthlessness of the Chu people that ran in their blood. For them, it is better to live with a voice than to die in silence!

What surprised and delighted Xiang Zhuang was that Xiang Chang really turned his plan into reality one by one, turning a dead end into a living one.

Hearing Xiang Chang's complaints, Xiang Zhuang chuckled and said, "You persuaded three kings to surrender in one day, drove back 600,000 Han troops with a wave of your hand, and lifted the siege of Gaixia in a casual manner. You deserve this achievement! This is also what the king meant."

Xiang Chang was helpless and took the lead, galloping towards the north of Gaixia City.

From afar, Xiang Chang saw his father Xiang Yu leading dozens of generals standing in front of the north gate of Gaixia, waiting in line to welcome him.

Xiang Chang had learned that his father had decided to appoint him as the rear general, and that Zhou Yin's 50,000 troops would be in his hands. The king's flag had just been raised to welcome the expedition, and now all the senior generals were assembled to welcome him, all in order to pave the way for his ascension and build momentum.

After all, Xiang Chang is only a sixteen-year-old boy at the moment. He has not made any achievements before. Although he has made considerable contributions today, the step of becoming a general is still too big. These veteran generals with outstanding military achievements over the years may not feel very comfortable about it.

Xiang Chang naturally decided to accept his father's kindness. Although the siege of Gaixia had been lifted, the crisis was still not resolved. The Han army still had enough troops to destroy the Chu State, and the commander Han Xin was a master of military tactics, so he would not hesitate or retreat. Thinking that he would finally have a force of his own, Xiang Chang could not help but feel a burning heat in his heart.

"Well done! You are worthy of being my son, Xiang Yu. Our Xiang family's ancestors will be proud of you if they are still alive!" Xiang Yu pressed Xiang Chang's shoulders hard and looked him up and down. Seeing that he was intact, his expression relaxed and he said with joy.

Xiang Chang was originally worried that his achievements would arouse his father's suspicion. After all, his father was beaten to death by Liu Bang, trapped in the isolated city, and was about to break out and escape. It was he who turned this dead end into a good one.

Such a comparison is too obvious.

No matter how wise and powerful a leader is, if his limelight is taken away and his status is threatened, he will become cold and suspicious, and even father and son will have no affection at all.

If my dad also becomes suspicious, it will be troublesome in the future. I'm afraid that a bloody drama will happen.

But now seeing his father's expression, Xiang Chang was completely relieved and had a sudden realization: his father's temperament was like that of a child who had not grown up, and a child's feelings for his relatives are often the purest, without any utilitarianism.

The general Zhongli Mei, the rear general Ji Bu, the Xiang clan members Xiang Sheng and Xiang Guan, and all the current core senior generals of the Great Chu, came forward one after another and greeted Xiang Chang one by one.

When the generals saw Xiang Ju and others following Xiang Chang, and thought of Zhou Yin just now, and Ying Bu, whom they had not met yet, a strange feeling arose in their hearts: I drove them away one by one, and my son is gathering them back one by one?
Xiang Chang didn't know whether the generals were being sincere or not, but all of them showed admiration, praise, and satisfaction in front of him. The looks of contempt, disregard, and disdain they had shown towards him in the past had all disappeared without a trace, and they responded with a smile one by one, knowing that from now on, he was finally qualified to sit at the table of the Great Chu!
"We were discussing military intelligence just now. Chang'er, come and listen and share your views." After the greetings were completed, Xiang Yu spoke.

Xiang Chang nodded, stood aside, and listened silently.

After listening for a while, he quickly understood that although Zhou Yin's army and Ying Bu's army rebelled and Peng Yue led the Liang army to leave the battlefield and return to Liang, the Han army and Han Xin's Qi army still had more than 200,000 soldiers and maintained an absolute advantage over the Chu army.

Han Xin led the Han army's center and right armies to retreat to the north. The Han army's original 70,000 troops under Kong Xi were transformed from the left army into the vanguard, and they could not move and stood at the forefront.

Such a formation is self-evident. Han Xin and the Han army are obviously determined to destroy us and do not want to give up. Not only will they start fighting again after they gain a foothold, but I'm afraid we will not be able to spend tonight in peace.

After all, Kong Xi's left army of 70,000 troops had been guarding against Peng Yue's army and had not taken to the battlefield, so they were fully capable of fighting. The Han army had suffered such a great loss today, and with Han Xin's use of troops, there was no guarantee that there would not be some trouble tonight to make up for it.

Fearing a counterattack from the Han army, Ying Bu's army stationed in the west of the city and Zhou Yin's army stationed in the north of the city as a precaution. The exhausted Chu army returned to Gaixia City, ate a large meal of the captured food and fodder from the Han army, and then took the time to rest and regroup.

What the generals of the Great Chu are currently discussing is where Kong Xi's army will launch a surprise attack at night and what tactics they will adopt.

Hearing that the generals all held their own opinions and were arguing with no consensus, Xiang Chang shook his head repeatedly with a look of disapproval.

Xiang Yu, who had been silent all this time, raised his eyebrows when he saw this: "Chang'er, what do you think about this?"

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(End of this chapter)