vrcanaries Chapter 2263 At All Costs
Chapter 2263 At All Costs
Chu Xuan changed the subject, his gaze turning to Helian Hui with a complex expression:
"But if they are transferred here, it means that General Gongsun Yi and his troops under Jianghuai City will completely lose their flank support and possible reinforcements."
"They will face the full force of Feng Mulan and Zhang Shijie alone, and may even be completely surrounded and annihilated."
Chu Xuan's words were like a double-edged sword, placed before Helian Hui.
Calling upon the routed troops of Youzhou to intercept the White Horse Cavalry or to strengthen the siege here might indeed provide a fresh force, but the cost would be the sacrifice of Gongsun Yi and his Scorpion Clan's main force!
Gongsun Yi was not only the general of the Scorpion Clan's southern expedition, but also Helian Hui's trusted right-hand man. His troops were one of the core forces of the Scorpion Clan's southward campaign.
Helian Hui's face instantly turned extremely ugly, his teeth clenched so tightly that they cracked, and the veins on his temples throbbed.
On one hand, there was the unparalleled feat of killing Chu Ning, which was within reach, and on the other hand, there was the potential for annihilation that could be avoided.
On the other side are the lives of his loyal subordinates who have followed him through thick and thin and are now fighting a bitter battle, as well as the lives of tens of thousands of Scorpion Clan soldiers!
This choice was incredibly cruel.
Time ticked by, and the dust from the southeast drew ever closer, the sound of horses' hooves like a death knell.
Helian Hui could almost see Zhao Yu's cold, stern face and the gleaming spear tips of the white-horse cavalry.
He abruptly closed his eyes, then opened them again, his eyes filled with a frenzied red light and a desperate, ruthless determination!
"I can't worry about that anymore!"
Helian Hui squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse but carrying a resolute determination to cut off all hesitation.
"As long as we can kill Chu Ning here! As long as we can kill him! Any price is worth it! Gongsun Yi... he will understand me!"
"For the future of the Scorpion Clan, for the lives of all of us, we must risk everything!"
He roared almost frantically, as if trying to convince himself, or as if declaring war on some unseen fate.
For that single goal, he chose to sacrifice his allies and a portion of his own people's forces.
In Helian Hui's view, Chu Ning's life was more important than anything else at this moment, even more important than the survival of his generals and tens of thousands of soldiers.
Chu Xuan gave Helian Hui a deep look, his eyes revealing a ruthless assessment of Helian Hui as well as a glimmer of triumph in his plan.
Without saying another word, he immediately said in a deep voice, "Since the Khan is so determined, then I will send men with my token and warrant to quickly gather the defeated soldiers of Youzhou and the troops of other tribes who are still observing the situation!"
"Order them to disregard the battle at Jianghuai City and move all towards Changtingpo!"
"Our primary task is to establish a defensive line before the White Horse Cavalry arrives, and to stop Zhao Yu at all costs!"
He paused, then added, "At the same time, it would be even better if a portion could be spared to join the final siege of Chu Ning here!"
Helian Hui nodded emphatically, his facial muscles twitching: "Okay! That's how it'll be done! Quickly! It has to be quick!"
Li Shiming listened silently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but his eyes grew even more profound.
He understood that while Chu Xuan's move might alleviate the immediate crisis, it also meant transferring command and some of the pressure from the remnants of the Youzhou army to Helian Hui and himself.
At the same time, they completely abandoned Gongsun Yi, who was under the city of Jianghuai.
This is like drinking poison to quench thirst, but it also seems to be the only straw one can grasp in a desperate situation.
The order was quickly relayed.
Chu Xuan dispatched his trusted generals, carrying strict orders and tokens symbolizing his authority, to ride out to the outer perimeter of the battlefield to find and gather the terrified, scattered Youzhou soldiers.
The final battle at Changting Slope was pushed into an even more complex and unpredictable abyss because of Helian Hui's crazy and cruel decision and Chu Xuan's opportunistic proposal.
A bloody gamble involving time, lives, and last hope has begun its countdown.
Meanwhile, Gongsun Yi, who was under the city of Jianghuai, had unknowingly been included in the list of those to be sacrificed by his Khan for a grander goal.
Beneath the walls of Jianghuai City, the flames of war have not yet ceased, but the balance of power has subtly shifted due to the combined counterattacks of Feng Mulan, Zhang Shijie, and Liu Shijie.
Although the Scorpion Clan and the Youzhou allied forces were still resisting, their morale was clearly dampened.
In particular, the morale of the various units of the Youzhou army had already wavered after experiencing defeat and witnessing that their allies seemed to be more focused on frontal assaults.
Many units hesitated to advance, and some even began to leave the battlefield en masse, scattering to the rear or flanks.
Just as the chaotic stalemate was at hand, Chu Xuan's trusted general Zhou Dashou, holding the prince's token and a sternly worded order, led a team of elite personal guards and rushed into the area where the fleeing soldiers were most concentrated like a whirlwind.
Zhou Dashou was about fifty years old, with a cold and hard face. He was a fierce general under Chu Xuan who was in charge of military discipline and punishments, and he had a good reputation.
He showed no mercy, killing several junior and middle-ranking officers on the spot who had led the escape and incited panic; their bloody heads were then held high.
"His Highness has given the order!"
Zhou Dashou's voice boomed like a bell, drowning out the surrounding noise and wails: "All soldiers of Youzhou, regardless of which unit they belonged to before, immediately assemble before me!"
"Anyone who fears battle and flees in the face of the enemy shall be executed without mercy! Their entire family shall also be punished!"
He waved Chu Xuan's order, which, in addition to strict military law, also offered an enviable reward.
Those who rejoin the team and participate in the battle will have their past transgressions forgiven and will be rewarded with money and silk; if they achieve meritorious service, they will be promoted three ranks and rewarded with a thousand gold pieces!
On one side is the cold, ruthless executioner's blade and the terror of family entanglement; on the other is the hope of escaping punishment and even achieving great success.
Under Zhou Dashou's swift and decisive methods, the defeated soldiers of Youzhou, who had previously scattered like headless flies, began to be forcibly intimidated and gathered together.
Zhou Dashou did not simply adopt a hardline approach. He also dispatched capable subordinates to quickly identify mid- to low-ranking officers who still had fighting spirit, granting them temporary command authority to rally their former troops.
Leveraging Chu Xuan's years of influence and influence within the Youzhou army, coupled with a combination of kindness and severity, they employed various strategies.
In a short period of time, they managed to regroup a sizable force on the edge of the battlefield, which, upon rough count, numbered as many as 20,000!
Although most of these soldiers were still in shock, poorly equipped, and demoralized, their numbers were still considerable.
Moreover, many of them were veterans and relatively well-preserved units that had not participated in core battles.
However, Zhou Dashou's next order stunned all the Youzhou soldiers who had just been assembled.
This also struck Gongsun Yi, who had been fighting hard and hoping that the allied forces in Youzhou could regroup and support him from the flank, like a thunderbolt!
"All troops, listen to my command!"
Zhou Dashou, mounted on his horse, glanced at the bewildered soldiers without hesitation, his voice cold and resolute.
"Abandon the battlefield beneath Jianghuai City! Everyone, immediately follow me to the southeast—to Changting Slope!"
"Our new mission is: to stop the White Horse Cavalry at all costs!"
"Buy the last bit of time for the Prince, Khan, and Emperor of Tang to surround and kill Chu Ning!"