Song Xiu

Chapter 107 Re-entering the Lamenting Camp Amidst Turmoil
As Zhao Guangyi drove the donkey cart at breakneck speed, Li Chongjin, who was chasing behind him, gradually began to complain bitterly.

As Li Chongjin ran towards the Song camp's command tent, he encountered some routed Song soldiers along the way.

With the help of the firelight in the camp, Li Chongjin roughly figured out where Zhao Guangyi had gone, based on the directions given by the routed Song soldiers.

Li Chongjin even vaguely saw that Zhao Guangyi was driving a donkey cart to escape.

Upon realizing this, Li Chongjin was overjoyed.

With his elite troops and swift horses, how could he not catch up with a donkey cart?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Because of this certainty, Li Chongjin initially approached the matter with a playful attitude.

Li Chongjin ordered the soldiers behind him to shout "Capture and kill!" loudly to ensure that Zhao Guangyi in front could hear them.

Li Chongjin's actions were intended to break Zhao Guangyi's resolve.

If we can force him to get off the carriage and surrender, then we can at least somewhat alleviate the resentment of the Zhao family for usurping the Guo family's throne.

However, Li Chongjin, who was too happy too soon, never expected that his actions would completely unleash the potential of the man and the donkey.

After a brief warm-up, Li Chongjin watched as the donkey cart in front of him sped up faster and faster.

The donkey cart could even sometimes perform some seemingly unbelievable actions.

When going around sharp bends, he would inevitably have to slow down even when driving a fine horse, but the donkey cart did not!
When the donkey cart in his eyes passed over the sharp bend in front of him at an incredible angle and speed, Li Chongjin was completely dumbfounded.

Is this a dream?

The intense shock and astonishment caused Li Chongjin to slow down his horse.

As the donkey cart ahead receded into the distance, the soldiers behind Li Chongjin shouted urgently:
"General, hurry and chase after it, or you won't be able to catch up with that donkey cart!"

Can't catch up with the donkey cart?
This would be such an absurd statement under normal circumstances.

Even though Li Chongjin's horse speed was slowed down due to his wounds, it was still absurd!

Looking at the absurd reality receding into the distance, Li Chongjin shouted anxiously:
"Quick, chase them!"
I refuse to believe that donkey cart has such good endurance!

After saying this, Li Chongjin encouraged his men and led them to continue chasing after the donkey cart ahead.

The more they chased, the more alarmed they became. They had been chasing for a long time, but the speed of the donkey cart ahead showed no sign of slowing down.

Unbeknownst to them, Li Chongjin, chasing the donkey cart, had already entered the territory of Sizhou.

Lai'an County is more than a hundred miles away from Sizhou!
News of the Song army's attack outside Lai'an City quickly reached Chuzhou City.

Upon receiving the news, the generals gathered at the Song army camp outside the East Gate.

Upon seeing Wang Quanbin, Tian Chongjin immediately demanded in a stern voice:

"What exactly happened? How could the Marquis of Donghai have been attacked and his fate still unknown?"

This was the first time Tian Chongjin had shown such obvious anger.

The news he received was simply too shocking.

Yesterday, Zhao Guangyi was still in high spirits, convening his generals for a meeting:

"The chaos in Huainan will be resolved within ten days!"

Zhao Guangyi's confident tone still lingers in my ears.

How could the situation have changed so drastically in just one day?

Not only is the Huainan Rebellion still unresolved, but our own commanders are also in a situation where their fates are unknown!
This dramatic turn of events immediately alarmed many Song generals.

A single defeat in battle might not have angered Zhao Kuangyin.

But if Zhao Guangyi were to die, or be captured alive by Li Chongjin, he would surely face Zhao Kuangyin's wrath.

Under Tian Chongjin's questioning, Wang Quanbin looked distressed.

"I only know that the rebels launched a night attack, and our army was caught off guard and had to fight back. In the chaos of the battle, the magistrate disappeared without a trace."

Most of our troops scattered and fled.

Wang Quanbin revealed the information he had received, which he learned from Song soldiers who had fled back from outside Lai'an County.

After hearing Wang Quanbin's words, the generals in the tent couldn't help but sigh with regret.

Most of the generals were experienced in leading troops.

The fact that most of the Song soldiers were still able to run back to Chuzhou after the night attack shows that their organization had not been broken up.

Given the advantage of a night raid, Li Chongjin's reluctance to annihilate his own elite forces indicates that the rebel army did not have a numerical advantage.

Having considered these two key points, some generals guessed the main factors behind tonight's defeat:

"It must be that the Marquis of Donghai left the camp first, leaving our army without a leader."

Pan Mei finally couldn't hold back any longer and was the first to voice his judgment.

Pan Mei's words were echoed by many of the generals in the tent.

Some generals, like the hot-tempered Li Hanqiong, put it even more bluntly:
"Leave the camp?"
This is clearly desertion in the face of battle!

Li Hanqiong was dissatisfied with Pan Mei's attempt to avoid mentioning the faults of his superiors, and he succinctly revealed the key to the Song army's defeat that night.

Upon hearing Li Hanqiong's words, the generals in the tent became even more flustered.

It is true that all the generals in the tent are excellent generals of the time, but the more excellent generals there are, the more they need a commander to lead them.

Otherwise, the army might descend into chaos.

Gradually, some sounds could be heard coming from inside the tent:
"We must send someone to find the Marquis of Donghai immediately."

Yes, yes.

"Where can one find him in Huainan, a thousand miles away?"

"With the enemy's situation unclear, hastily dividing our forces would make us vulnerable to an enemy ambush."
Inside the tent, a heated discussion arose about whether or not to send troops to search for Zhao Guangyi.

Before this discussion could reach a conclusion, a dangerous voice was heard inside the tent:
"How about we withdraw our troops?"

One of the generals was the first to propose withdrawing the troops.

After these words were spoken, the tent gradually quieted down.

Clearly, this suggestion resonated with many generals.

The battle outside Lai'an County did not cause much damage to the main force of the Song army.

However, the disappearance of the commander-in-chief dealt a heavy blow to the Song army's command system.

A snake cannot function without a head, so it's normal for a general to want to retreat.

Seeing the growing silence within the tent, Pan Mei was the first to speak out in protest:

"Our army must not retreat."

"The news of the Marquis of Donghai's disappearance will not be kept from the entire army. Once the news spreads, it is inevitable that the morale of the army will be unstable."

Our army has built four large camps outside Chuzhou City. These four camps are interdependent and serve as a shield for each other.

With the protection of the main camp, the instability of the army's morale can be suppressed in the short term.

Once our troops withdraw and leave the camp, the morale of the army will definitely be further deteriorated.

Li Chongjin is a veteran general; he won't let this opportunity slip by.

Seeing that Pan Mei clearly expressed her opposition, Cui Yanjin, who was determined to withdraw his troops, retorted immediately:

"If we are trapped in our camp and the rebels attack our supply lines, should we come to their aid or not?"

After leading his army to the city of Chuzhou, Zhao Guangyi arranged for several thousand imperial guards to escort the grain transport route.

Based on various intelligence reports, the number of rebels outside Lai'an City is not very large.

Under normal circumstances, several thousand imperial guards would be sufficient to ensure the supply lines remain intact.

However, those thousands of imperial guards had no fortified camps to rely on, and it was quite worrying how much fighting strength they could maintain once news of Zhao Guangyi's unknown fate spread.

Cui Yanjin's concerns were reasonable, but Li Hanqiong, who had long disliked Cui Yanjin, wouldn't tolerate him.
"If our army retreats, would it be alright if you led your troops to stay behind and cover the rear?"

Upon hearing Li Hanqiong's words, Cui Yanjin was immediately speechless.

He forgot about that.

In any retreating army, the task of covering the rear is a matter of life and death. However, this task is dangerous, and with the commander-in-chief absent, no one has the authority to assign it. Which general is willing to volunteer?
If elite troops were not sent to cover the rear, the Battle of Luzhou would serve as a stark reminder to every Song general in the camp.

Seeing that nothing worked, the tent was soon filled with arguments again.

Amid the cacophony of arguments, voices clamoring to rescue Zhao Guangyi began to rise again.

Sensing that the atmosphere inside the tent was becoming increasingly strange, Tian Chongjin, who had been hesitant, finally made up his mind.

"The Prince of Taiyuan will arrive in Huainan soon!"

After this shout came from inside the tent, the argument inside gradually quieted down.

"really?"

After the atmosphere quieted down, Li Hanqiong's excited voice suddenly rang out.

Li Hanqiong's question drew the attention of all the generals in the tent to Tian Chongjin.

Facing the stares of the crowd, Tian Chongjin feigned anger and said:

"I am the deputy general of the army personally appointed by His Majesty. How could I joke about such a matter?"

Then Tian Chongjin recounted how he had recently submitted a memorial to Zhao Kuangyin.

As all the generals knew, Tian Chongjin was a trusted confidant whom Zhao Kuangyin had personally promoted.

Tian Chongjin's participation in the campaign against Huainan this time also had a supervisory role, so it was not surprising that he submitted a report on the military situation in Huainan.

Everyone knew that Zhao Kuangyin's purpose in sending Zhao Dexiu to Huainan was to replace his general in the midst of battle.

Changing commanders on the eve of battle does not necessarily cause unrest in the army.

The difference lies in whether the person being replaced has more prestige than the original commander.

Thinking about Zhao Guangyi's recent questionable actions, and then thinking about the good reputation Zhao Dexiu earned in the Battle of Luzhou.

Comparing the two, Li Hanqiong sincerely praised:
"That's a good change!"

Seeing that the generals' emotions had calmed down, Tian Chongjin quickly said:

"The Prince of Taiyuan is about to arrive. I hope that you will all help him take good care of the tens of thousands of imperial guards in the days to come."

As soon as Tian Chongjin said this, he immediately won the support of many generals in the tent.

They smiled and said:
"It's natural!"

If Zhao Dexiu could win the battle of Luzhou with fewer troops, then the battle of Huainan should have been a favorable situation for the Song army.

As long as we can win, nothing else matters.

After receiving some encouraging news, the generals gradually left the tent and went to their respective armies to reassure the troops.

With the reassurances from the generals, there was no need to worry about morale for the time being.

Before the generals left, they no longer insisted on rescuing Zhao Guangyi.

After Tian Chongjin emerged from the tent, exhausted, Pan Mei caught up from behind:
"General Tian, ​​will Prince Zhen of Taiyuan arrive in Huainan soon?"

Pan Mei was very observant; he had noticed the hesitation on Tian Chongjin's face inside the tent.

Seeing that no one was around, and knowing that Pan Mei was a trusted confidant of Zhao Kuangyin, Tian Chongjin told Pan Mei the truth.
Tian Chongjin had previously submitted a memorial to Zhao Kuangyin, and based on his understanding of Zhao Kuangyin, it was highly likely that Zhao Kuangyin would make the decision to send Zhao Dexiu to Huainan.

But no matter how possible it may be, it is ultimately not a fact.

Zhao Kuangyin did not reply explicitly, informing Tian Chongjin of his decision on the matter.

After all, no matter how skilled Zhao Kuangyin was in military strategy, he could not have imagined that the situation in Huainan would change so drastically in such a short time.

Tian Chongjin's explanation caused Pan Mei's expression to change slightly.

"General Tian, ​​your righteousness is truly admirable!"

As the deputy general and military supervisor, he revealed the news that "the King of Taiyuan is about to arrive in Huainan" without receiving an imperial edict.

If Zhao Dexiu had not gone to Huainan in the future, although it was an emergency and expedient measure, Tian Chongjin would still have been held accountable for his crimes.

Tian Chongjin's act of sacrificing himself for the country deserves the praise of Pan Meizan as "noble and righteous".

What Pan Mei didn't know was that Tian Chongjin had a reason for taking this action, besides considering the country, he also had a sense of security.

That layer of protection was precisely what Zhao Dexiu had given him before he set off on the expedition.

Even with a commander in charge, Zhao Dexiu still privately gave him instructions, wasn't it so that he could act according to the circumstances if the army was in danger?
Thinking of Zhao Dexiu's dedication in Luzhou, Tian Chongjin felt much more at ease.

With the Crown Prince protecting me, I'm not worried!

After a night of travel, Zhao Guangyi stopped his donkey cart somewhere in Sizhou.

When the donkey cart stopped, Shi Xizai had already collapsed inside, completely disoriented.

As for the donkey, hot air was constantly billowing from its mouth, and the panting from its nostrils was like thunder.

In contrast, Zhao Guangyi's eyes remained bright and piercing.

Zhao Guangyi stood up and looked back at the scene.

Seeing that there were no more pursuers in sight, Zhao Guangyi finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat down blankly in his carriage.

"I've heard that Li Chongjin is good at raids, but he's nothing special!"

Once his life was temporarily out of danger, Zhao Guangyi's confident tone reappeared in his mouth.

However, his confidence was short-lived. Looking at the divine donkey that was gazing at him with affection, Zhao Guangyi was suddenly overcome with sorrow.

Although he narrowly escaped death amidst the chaos of battle, his figure riding a donkey cart wildly last night had been seen by many.

His illustrious reputation has been ruined by this battle. How will he face His Majesty when he returns to court?

The sense of humiliation in his heart grew stronger, and Zhao Guangyi saw a long knife in the carriage.

Driven by a sense of humiliation, Zhao Guangyi suddenly raised the long knife and held it to his own neck.

Oh, vast heavens!

When Zhao Guangyi looked up at the sky, there were no clouds.

However, not long after, a large patch of dark clouds drifted into the sky, blocking Zhao Guangyi's scorching gaze.

It seemed that even the heavens could not bear to look directly at him.

The cold blade had been resting against my neck for quite some time.

Shi Xizai wanted to stop it, but he was powerless and his eyes were filled with terror.

Just as Shi Xizai thought Zhao Guangyi was going to die to clear his name, a sigh came from Zhao Guangyi's mouth.

"The blade is cold, hindering my erroneous thoughts."

"As the commander of an army, how can I simply die now that my whereabouts are unknown?"
I imagine that tens of thousands of Imperial Guards are all waiting for me to return to camp and take charge of the overall situation.

"Death is easy, but if it leads to the downfall of the nation, how can I live with myself!"

As he spoke, Zhao Guangyi put down the blade in his hand.

Just then, Shi Xizai finally regained his composure and rushed forward to persuade him:

"Lord of the Commandery, since ancient times, which hero has never been defeated?"
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang suffered many humiliations in his youth. If he had taken his own life then, he would not have earned the reputation of "Little Emperor Taizong" later on.

I urge the Marquis not to entertain any more thoughts of suicide!

After saying this, Shi Xizai burst into tears.

The crying seemed to wash away the humiliation suffered the previous night with a single cry.

When Shi Xizai mentioned Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Zhao Guangyi's grief and indignation subsided somewhat.

The history of China is so vast that it often inspires unnecessary speculation.

"Don't cry, don't cry, I will not give up easily."

"Come back to camp with me, regroup, and fight again in Huainan."

(End of this chapter)