Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 248 Hu Tian: Please help persuade them to surrender.
"Xiao Xizi, help everyone up." Zhu Zhanhe knew that his sudden outburst must have frightened the few people in front of him who had never seen anything like him before. So, he first sat down in a chair to reduce the pressure on everyone, and then instructed Xiao Xizi to help them up.

"Yes!" Xiao Xizi obeyed Zhu Zhanhe's orders without hesitation. He first helped Xia Xuan up, then Wang Jinghong, and then Yin Shi and Inspector Liu.

"My lords, time flies! Look, it's already past midnight, and dawn is almost here. Time waits for no one." Zhu Zhanhe turned his head and looked out the window at the sea, where he saw that the sky outside was beginning to lighten slightly.

“Your Highness, there are nearly a million people in Guangxi!” Inspector Liu also noticed the sky outside the window that was about to brighten. He knelt down again and loudly persuaded Zhu Zhanhe with trembling voice. His tense and trembling voice was so heartbreaking to hear.

"My lords, please rest assured, I will only occupy the territory, I will not kill people indiscriminately."

"After all, I still need to rely on the millions of people in Guangxi to collect taxes, build ships, and recruit soldiers." Zhu Zhanhe said to Yin Shi and the other man with a smile, sipping his tea.

In that instant, Yin Shi and Inspector Liu collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. They knew that the Han prince's so-called negotiations were merely a ploy to seize Guangxi without bloodshed. They had no bargaining chips whatsoever; not only were their defensive forces insufficient, but even repelling a single attack was a pipe dream!

More importantly, the Crown Prince of Han was determined to take over the lands of Guangdong and Guangxi. Moreover, what the Crown Prince of Han wanted was not just to occupy them, but to take over them in all aspects, from politics and military to people's livelihood!

As dawn broke, Yin Shi and Inspector Liu's hearts sank to the bottom!
Because the moment it gets light will be the moment when the Han Crown Prince's army launches its attack!
Meanwhile, in the Yunnan Army camp outside Zhen'an City.

"My lords, dawn is approaching, and His Highness's order to attack is imminent. Military orders are paramount, please forgive us." In Hu Tian's main camp, Zhu Zhanqi, Qian Zhongcai, Jiang Xiaohu, and the Mu brothers were gathered. They faced Ji Zuo, the Left Provincial Governor, and Wang You, the Right Provincial Governor, who had arrived by fast horse from Guangxi. Seeing that the moment of attack was fast approaching, Hu Tian apologized to them without hesitation, for military orders are absolute!
"General Hu, Your Highness, generals, Guangxi has a million soldiers and civilians. Once war breaks out, countless people will die. Please think it over!" Seeing that his two had tried to persuade him for a long time but still could not shake the Yunnan army's determination to attack, Wang You, the Right Provincial Governor, stood up anxiously and shouted loudly at Hu Tian.

"My lords, if you truly wish to reduce casualties among the city's inhabitants, please persuade the soldiers and civilians to cease resistance. My Yunnan army guarantees not to harm a single soldier or civilian!" Faced with the Guangxi official's concern that the people would suffer from the ravages of war, Qian Zhongcai offered what he considered the most reasonable solution without hesitation.

As soon as Qian Zhongcai said this, everyone's attention was drawn to him, and they couldn't help but admire the wisdom in his words.

"General Qian is right. Well then, gentlemen, you've gone to great lengths to make this trip, so I'll grant you some face and slightly delay the attack." Hu Tian's eyes lit up at Qian Zhongcai's words, and then he thought of something interesting. So, without hesitation, he spoke to the two provincial governors of Guangxi. But his wicked smile gave people a bad feeling.

"Please speak, Lord Hu." Governor Ji Zuo saw through Hu Tian's ill intentions at a glance, but after a slight hesitation, he bowed to Hu Tian with a solemn expression.

"The fact that you two gentlemen traveled thousands of miles to come here for the safety of the people in the city has shown me your concern for the people."

Therefore, I have decided that before launching the siege, I would like to trouble you two gentlemen to accompany us to the city walls to persuade them to surrender!

If the city gives up resistance, then not only will you have protected the people of the city, but I will also have fulfilled the military order given by His Highness the Crown Prince. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

"What do you two think?" Hu Tian stood up and approached the two provincial governors of Guangxi, speaking earnestly. At the same time, he glanced around with a knowing smile.

"The commander-in-chief is absolutely right!"

"The commander-in-chief is right!" Upon hearing Hu Tian's words, the eyes of the many generals in the room lit up. After all, they were quite willing to accept such a good thing! So, they all echoed Hu Tian's suggestion. However, the two provincial governors of Guangxi, Lord Ji and Lord Wang, were filled with astonishment and disbelief. After all, they had come to mediate peace, but now they were being used as the main force for persuading surrender. This sudden change in status left the two of them somewhat unable to accept it.

"General Hu, Third Prince, generals." Ji Zuo, the provincial governor, wanted to continue struggling, but Hu Tian interrupted him directly.

"The matter is decided then. Everyone, go and make preparations." Hu Tian did not allow any outsiders to question his decision, so he issued the order for pre-battle preparations without hesitation.

"Yes!" Upon hearing Hu Tian's order, the generals present immediately stood up and began preparations, completely disregarding the unpleasant expressions on the faces of the two provincial governors of Guangxi.

Zhu Zhanqi quickly followed the others and walked out of the tent. After all, he had come to learn how to fight and there was still much for him to learn! However, when Zhu Zhanqi passed the two provincial governors of Guangxi, he gave them a helpless look.

After all, he was just an underage apprentice general, purely there to learn military tactics, possessing only the title of the Prince of Han's son, without any real power. However, even if he did have real power, he wouldn't help outsiders; his elder brother could offer so much that no one could refuse, and he was no exception!
Seeing that no one in the entire military camp paid any attention to them, the two provincial governors of Guangxi seemed to have lost their backbone in an instant, instantly losing all their energy and spirit, and their expressions visibly sank down.

Their somber mood didn't last long before they were interrupted.

"What are you doing?!" Suddenly, four soldiers burst into the tent and pinned the two of them down in pairs. In a moment of panic, Governor Ji shouted loudly.

But clearly, the reprimands of the provincial governor Ji Zuo had no effect. The four soldiers, like ruthless machines, grabbed the two men by the arms on either side without hesitation and carried them away.

"You..." The Right Governor Wang tried to speak again, but unfortunately, the soldiers before him were prepared. To prevent them from shouting and committing suicide, they had stuffed a piece of cloth into each of their mouths. Instantly, the two men, their mouths gagged, could only thrash around like salted fish, but clearly, it was to no avail.

Soon, the two watched as they passed through layers of various armies and were brought to the front lines of the two armies.

"You uncouth bastards, release these two officials at once!" Hu Tian, ​​who was riding his horse under the city of Zhen'an, turned his head and saw two Guangxi officials being gagged and dragged over. He angrily rebuked the rude soldiers.

After hearing Hu Tian's words, the soldiers who were holding the Guangxi officials remained silent. They simply put the two men down, removed the cloth stuffed in their mouths, untied the ropes, and turned to leave.

"My lords, we are just some lowly soldiers, while you are all cultured men who have read many books. Please don't take offense at us," Hu Tian said with a smile as he looked at the two Guangxi officials who had been brought to the front lines of the battlefield.

"My lords, according to the information I have, there are fewer than 5,000 soldiers in Zhen'an City, but more than 100,000 civilians."

"Now that our army is at the city gates, we do not want to cause unnecessary casualties, and you two gentlemen do not want the people to suffer either. Would you be willing to speak?" Hu Tian did not give the Left and Right Provincial Governors of Guangxi a chance to speak. He rode on his horse and pointed to the city wall not far away, speaking to the two Guangxi Provincial Governors who were filled with resentment and panic.

(End of this chapter)