My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Gongsun E glanced at Xiao He sideways, a mocking smile playing on his lips:
"I am a general of the Liao Kingdom. In this life, I will only kneel to my Liao King and my ancestors. How could I kneel to you, the Grand Marshal of the Han Kingdom?"

"Stop your delusional thinking!"

"presumptuous!"

Xiao He let out a sharp shout, his anger burning fiercely within him.

Chen Dao was even more enraged and shouted angrily:
"You bastard, you're about to die and you still dare to talk back! How dare you be so disrespectful to my Grand Marshal! You've asked for trouble!"

Before he finished speaking, Chen Dao's right leg swept out like a steel whip, a sweeping leg strike.

"Kaka!"

Clear, muffled cracking sounds rang out one after another as Gongsun E's two lower legs were brutally severed.

A sharp pain instantly swept through his body, and he could no longer hold on, letting out a scream as he collapsed to his knees.

Gongsun E trembled all over, gritting his teeth as he tried to struggle to get up, but the excruciating pain from his broken leg made every movement feel like being cut by a knife. After several struggles, he was finally unable to get up and could only lie paralyzed on the ground.

"Gongsun E, where is your arrogance now?"

Xiao He looked down at the kneeling figure with a gaze as sharp as a knife.

Gongsun E pressed his forehead against the ground, veins bulging on his temples, his cheeks flushed red with shame and indignation.

"Xiao He, how dare you humiliate me like this... How dare you trample on the honor of the Gongsun family!"

"face?"

"Having reached this point, you still dare to talk about face?"

"Gongsun E, I'm giving you one more chance. Surrender or not?"

Gongsun E raised his head sharply, his neck stiff, and lay on the ground, saying in a deep voice:

"I am a son of the Gongsun family, how can I kneel and surrender to you?"

"Xiao He, don't even dream about it!"

A chilling killing intent quietly ignited deep within Xiao He's eyes.

His deliberate attempt to persuade Gongsun E to surrender today was not because he truly valued the man, but rather because he wanted to use Gongsun E's status to set an example for the wavering strategists and generals of the Liao Kingdom.

Surrender to the Han Dynasty, and you can save your life and enjoy glory.

Only by showing the Liao people a glimmer of hope will more people flock to surrender.

But he knew even better that a combination of kindness and severity was the only way to win people over.

If we are too lenient, people will only think that we are easy to bully.

Since Gongsun E is determined not to surrender, keeping him alive would only break the rules. How can such a person who does not know when to advance or retreat be let off lightly?
"Well said, 'No surrender!'"

Xiao He sneered and waved his hand, shouting:

"Guards, drag this thief away and tear him apart by chariots, as a warning to others!"

The guards immediately stepped forward and lifted Gongsun E up.

Gongsun E suddenly came to his senses.

Xiao He really wanted to kill him!
The previous arrogance crumbled instantly, replaced by fear.

He struggled to break free, but was held down firmly by his personal guards, and could only slump to the ground and plead:
"Grand Marshal, spare my life! I am willing to surrender! I am willing to submit to the Han Dynasty! Please spare my life!"

Upon seeing this, Xiao He's lips curled into a mocking smile.

He had already seen through Gongsun E's true nature. This man was not a man of steel. His previous arrogance was just a pretense, an attempt to elevate his status and make him take him seriously.

Unfortunately, there is only one chance, and once it is missed, there is no going back.

"It's too late to admit defeat now."

Xiao He waved his hand again, his tone indifferent:
"Drag it out, no need for further words."

Without further hesitation, the guards dragged the wailing Gongsun E away.

"Grand Marshal, spare me! I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!"

The mournful cries gradually faded into the distance, eventually disappearing outside the camp gate.

Xiao He raised his hand, picked up the wine cup on the table, and held it high:

"Gentlemen, let us drink heartily tonight to wash away the dust of our journey. At dawn tomorrow, we will march east and take Xiangping City!"

The generals responded in unison, raised their wine cups, and drank with Xiao He in one gulp.

Inside the city of Liaodong, the aroma of wine filled the air, and laughter and cheerful chatter echoed throughout.

In the darkness outside the city, a figure was riding at full speed, carrying an urgent report that Liaodu City had fallen and Gongsun E had been killed, heading towards Xiangping City.

……

East of Xiangping City, on the drill ground of the Liao army camp, banners fluttered and drums thundered.

Gongsun Kang, clad in golden armor, sat high on the command platform, surveying the thousands of troops below with a majestic expression.

Squads of Liao soldiers marched past the stage in orderly steps, their imposing presence awe-inspiring.

Among them were the Liaodong cavalry, which was the foundation upon which Gongsun Kang relied and the source of his confidence in resisting the Han Dynasty.

"Father, our soldiers are in high spirits. With such a mighty army, what do we have to fear from Xiao He's Han army!"

Standing to the side, Gongsun Yuan, his face full of flattery, moved closer to Gongsun Kang and began to fawn over him with a smile.

Gongsun Kang slowly stroked his beard, his eyes filled with arrogance:
"Yuan'er, your father is not only unafraid of the Han army, but after I have reorganized my troops, I will personally lead the army to defeat the Han army and march south to seize the world!"

"what?"

Gongsun Yuan was startled, his fawning expression freezing instantly, replaced by shock and ecstasy.

He had never imagined that his father had such lofty ambitions.

If my father can really defeat the Han army, seize the world, and ascend the throne, then as his son, wouldn't I be able to be made the crown prince?
After my father passes away, this vast empire and supreme power will all be mine!
Thinking of this, Gongsun Yuan's heart began to beat faster.

Just now.

The sound of footsteps broke the solemn atmosphere on the drill ground.

Li Xu stumbled and staggered as he ran wildly toward the command platform, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! A terrible disaster has occurred!"

Gongsun Kang was engrossed in his fantasies about conquering the world when this sudden shout interrupted him. He immediately frowned, his face displeased, and rebuked the person:

"What's wrong with you, all flustered and disrespectful? What has happened to make you lose your composure like this?"

Li Xu, panting heavily, his face pale and mournful, reported:

"Your Majesty, Xiao He... Xiao He led the Han army to attack and break through Liaodu City, and General Gongsun E has been killed!"

"what?"

Gongsun Kang suddenly stood up from his seat, his arrogance vanishing instantly, replaced by disbelief.

Gongsun Yuan, standing to the side, also turned deathly pale, his face paling with shock, and he cried out:

"That's impossible, absolutely impossible. Gongsun E has seven thousand troops stationed in Liaodui City. The city's defenses are strong. How could Xiao He have broken through so easily?"

Gongsun Kang also came to his senses and pressed for an answer:

“That’s right. Liaodu City is our army’s eastern shield. If Xiao He leads his army to attack, why doesn’t Gongsun E send someone to ask me for help?”

"Didn't he even have time to send a message?" The father and son exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with confusion and astonishment.

"It wasn't Xiao He who led the army in a frontal attack!"

Li Xu took a breath and explained:

"Xiao He is very cunning. He did not personally lead the army to attack Liaodu City, but secretly sent his general Zhang Liao to lead an elite force to take a long detour and launch a surprise attack, catching Gongsun E off guard!"

Gongsun Kang and Gongsun Yuan both looked bewildered, clearly not expecting Xiao He to use such a tactic.

Seeing this, Li Xu recounted all the information he had gathered:

The story details everything from how Zhang Liao selected elite troops to bypass checkpoints and sneak around the route, to the night raid on Liaodu City, to how the city's defenders were caught off guard, to Gongsun E's failed resistance and eventual capture, and his refusal to surrender, which led to his execution by dismemberment on Xiao He's orders.

After listening to Li Xu's account, Gongsun Kang froze on the spot, all his previous ambition and arrogance vanished.

"How can it be!"

"This...how is this possible!"

Gongsun Kang staggered back half a step, his body crashing into the table behind him. His eyes were wide open, and he muttered to himself in a daze.

The Liao dynasty was thrown into chaos by its rulers and ministers.

Li Xu sighed heavily, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in greeting:

“Your Majesty, I warned you before that Xiao He is a cunning and unpredictable man who never acts according to common sense, so you should be wary of him.”

"Now that Liaocheng has been captured by his surprise attack and General Gongsun E has been killed in battle, the Han army will surely advance straight towards Xiangping next. What should we do?"

Gongsun Kang suddenly came to his senses, his brows furrowed, the veins on his forehead throbbed, and the anger and anxiety in his chest burned fiercely, yet he did not know where to vent it.

Just then, Gongsun Yuan waved his hand and said:
"Father, do not panic. It's just a Liaodu city. It's not a big deal if it falls. Why be so anxious?"

Gongsun Kang immediately turned his gaze to his son, a hint of surprise in his eyes:

"Yuan'er, what are your thoughts?"

Gongsun Yuan stepped forward, straightened his back, and spoke eloquently:

"Father, you may not know this, but there are several important towns in between between Liaodu City and our Xiangping City. They are heavily fortified and cannot be easily breached."

“Especially Pingchang City, the garrison commander Gongsun Ze is one of the few wise generals in our Liao Kingdom. He is resourceful and good at defending cities.”

"Moreover, Pyeongchang City was built along the Yangshui River, which is swift and serves as a natural barrier, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"Your Majesty, I believe that at this moment, all you need to do is send more troops to Gongsun Ze to strengthen the defenses and guard Pingchang."

"With Gongsun Ze in charge and the natural barrier of Yangshui, even if Xiao He has great abilities, he will never be able to break through Pingchang City."

"As long as Pingchang City remains safe and sound, our Xiangping City will be impregnable and we can rest easy!"

These words were all reasonable and were precisely the strategy for defending against the enemy offered by Gongsun Yuan.

The panic in Gongsun Kang's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a glint of shrewdness, and his previously tense emotions slowly calmed down.

After a moment, he nodded and said approvingly:
“Yuan’er is right. Gongsun is a great general of our Liao Kingdom, with both wisdom and courage. With him guarding Pingchang, there will be no chance of failure.”

"Indeed, Xiao He only managed to breach Liaodu City by chance; he is not a cause for concern!"

Having said that, he immediately raised his hand and gave the order:

"By my order, five thousand elite soldiers will be drawn from the garrison of Xiangping and immediately set off for Pingchang City, to be placed under the command of Gongsun Ze!"

"At the same time, send an edict to Gongsun Ze, instructing him to strictly guard the Yangshui defense line and not allow it to be breached!"

Five thousand well-equipped Liao soldiers assembled and sped off towards Pingchang City…

Inside Pyeongchang City.

Gongsun sat upright in the center of the hall, with a military book open in front of him. He held a pen in his hand, occasionally circling and annotating the pages, his expression focused.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar, breaking the tranquility of the lobby.

General Shen You hurriedly pushed open the door and entered, bowing with his hands clasped in a respectful gesture.
"Reporting to General Gongsun, something terrible has happened! There's trouble at Liaodu City!"

Gongsun put down his pen, looked up at Shen You, and said calmly:

"But Xiao He's army has already begun marching towards Liaodu City?"

In his view, if the Han army wanted to advance eastward, it would naturally launch a frontal attack on Liaodu City first, which was a logical thing to do.

"no!"

Shen You shook his head vigorously, his tone heavy:

"General, Liaodu City... has already fallen to the Han army!"

"General Gongsun E, who was stationed in Liaodui City, has also died in battle!"

"what?"

Gongsun Zemeng stood up from his seat, his calm expression instantly replaced by shock.

Then he frowned and said in a deep voice:
"Liaodu City has strong defenses and ample supplies. Although Gongsun E is not a top general, he is by no means mediocre. He also has eight thousand troops stationed under his command. How could Xiao He have breached Liaodu City so quickly?"

Shen You sighed and recounted the information he had gathered:

"General, you may not know this, but Xiao He did not lead his army to launch a frontal assault on Liaodui City. Instead, he secretly dispatched General Zhang Liao with an elite light cavalry force to take a long detour, avoiding all the checkpoints along the way, and launched a surprise attack on Liaodui City under cover of night."

"General Gongsun E was caught off guard, and the city's garrison was thrown into chaos. Ultimately, they were no match for the Han army, and Liaodu City fell. After being captured, General Gongsun E refused to surrender and was executed on Xiao He's orders."

After listening to Shen You's explanation, Gongsun Ze suddenly understood, slowly sat down, and sighed softly:
"I see... Xiao He is indeed worthy of his reputation, he actually came up with such a feint attack."

"General, while we admire you, we must not let our guard down!"

"After Xiao He breaks through Liaodu City, his next target will inevitably be our Pingchang City. After all, Pingchang is the only way to Xiangping, and he can't bypass it."

Shen You reminded him.

A cold glint flashed in Gongsun Ze's eyes, and a sneer curled at the corner of his mouth:
"His coming is perfect. I've long wanted to see just how much real skill Xiao He, who is hailed as the 'God of War' by the Han army, really possesses."

Far from being afraid, he felt a surge of fighting spirit.

"But General, we only have four thousand soldiers under our command!"

Shen You said with a worried expression:
"Xiao He's Han army numbers over 100,000. Even if we hold our ground with Pingchang City and the natural barrier of Yangshui, the disparity of 4,000 against 100,000 is too great. How can we possibly resist?"

Gongsun Ze, however, was confident and sneered:

"Don't worry, there's no need to fret. The news of the fall of Liaocheng must have already reached Xiangping. In order to protect Pingchang as a bulwark, His Majesty will surely send reinforcements to us."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the voice of a guard came from outside the hall:
"Reporting to General Gongsun, the King of Liao has dispatched five thousand elite troops as reinforcements, and they are already outside the city!"

Shen You and Leng Li exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and admiration in each other's eyes.

Leng Li immediately stepped forward and bowed to Gongsun Ze:
"General, you are indeed a prophet! The King has indeed sent reinforcements. With these five thousand reinforcements, our strength has reached nine thousand. With the natural defenses of Pingchang City and Yangshui River, we will surely be able to withstand the Han army's attack!"

Gongsun, however, showed no joy. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted an order:
"Pass on my order: assemble all troops within the city, including the reinforcements that have just arrived, and follow me out of the city to launch a preemptive attack and break through the vanguard of the Han army!"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, both Shen You and Leng Li were startled and stunned.

They all knew that Gongsun Ze was intelligent and skilled in military strategy, but the current situation was different.

Xiao He had over 100,000 Han soldiers under his command, while they only had a little over 9,000 men, even with reinforcements.

With only 9,000 troops facing an army of 100,000, instead of defending the city, they decided to launch an attack. Wasn't that tantamount to suicide? (End of Chapter)