The faces of the generals turned pale. Those fortunate enough to have participated in the Yu State defense battle recalled in unison the mont Zhao Hanzhang stabbed Governor Zhang in the chest.
Just as the thought crossed their minds, they heard Zhao Ming say coldly, "It seems none of you have thought about it, but fortunately, I have thought it through for you!"
After speaking, he raised his voice and said, "n, take him down!"
Before he finished speaking, Pingyi charged at Xun Sheng with three guards.
Of course, Xun Sheng would not sit and wait for death. He resisted while shouting loudly, "Zhao Ming is rebelling, what are you all hesitating for?"
After being startled, Xun Ming and the other generals reacted imdiately and stepped forward to stop it. Ping Zhong led the remaining guards forward, drawing their swords halfway from the scabbard, shouting loudly, "Who dares to co forward?"
Song Zhi, Chen Si Niang, and others also glared and stepped forward, blocking Xun Ming and others, mainly the four visiting assistant generals called, ng Rui, Yuan Jun, and others.
Song Zhi stepped forward and shouted, "Rebellion? Rebellion against whom? Don’t forget, Yu State is Zhao Inspector’s Yu State!"
He shouted, "General Xun is injured and unconscious. Now Governor Zhao is the highest-ranking officer in the army, and he is acting according to the law. Who dares to act recklessly!"
Chen Si Niang: "Collide with Governor Zhao, and when the Inspector returns, you’d better watch your skin!"
Qiao Canjiang, who was ordered to aid from Ruyin County, was initially standing aside. Upon hearing this, he imdiately squeezed forward and repeatedly said, "Don’t shout, if it spreads outside the main tent, it might cause unrest in the army."
Upon hearing this, ng Rui and others imdiately lowered their voices, and even Xun Ming dared not act rashly and could only plead with Zhao Ming, "Governor Zhao, the withdrawal was my oversight, but with the Great General injured and no leader, we panicked and made a mistake. When the Inspector returns, we will certainly plead guilty."
However, the law does not punish the multitude. Zhao Hanzhang has always prioritized appeasent to them. As long as Xun Xiu awakens and pleads for them, it is thought the outco won’t be severe.
Xun Sheng thought so too, so his resistance was not as intense. Pingyi and the three guards quickly pinned him to the ground and tied him up with a rope.
Xun Ming looked at the disheveled, sweaty Xun Sheng and hurriedly said, "Governor Zhao was right to capture him, but we urgently need manpower now. Why not let Xun Sheng atone by ritorious service?"
Zhao Ming ignored them, turned his head, and ordered Qiao Canjiang, "Go assemble the three armies. I have sothing to say to them."
Xun Ming and ng Rui exchanged glances, feeling anxious, knowing that Zhao Ming intended to publicly punish Xun Sheng, but they didn’t know how he would punish him?
According to military law...
No, he surely wouldn’t dare follow military law; this is the Xun Family Army, and Xun Sheng is Xun Xiu’s cousin. At most, he would be flogged and demoted.
Xun Sheng thought the sa, but it didn’t an he was willing to be flogged publicly. Therefore, under Pingyi’s pressure, he struggled violently and shouted loudly, "Let go, this is the Xun Family Army, you have no right to dispose of ..."
Pingyi didn’t wait for him to finish speaking, pulled a cloth and stuffed it into his mouth, and, to prevent it from being spit out, shoved it deep, making Xun Sheng so disgusted he almost rolled his eyes.
Xun Ming and the others frowned at the sight, but upon glancing at Zhao Ming, who sat by the bed, they all remained silent, deciding to plead at a crucial mont.
The defeated army, all soldiers squeezed together, with only a few dozen tents on the vast open ground, all occupied by the generals.
Therefore, everyone quickly stood over, neither in formation nor resembling an army.
Leading the crowd, Zhao Ming arrived before the army. In the twilight glow of the setting sun, seeing the scene, his expression turned even more solemn.
Zhao Ming had Xun Sheng pressed to his knees in front of the army but did not imdiately deal with him. Instead, he first spoke of the past heroic exploits and honors achieved under Xun Xiu’s command.
"Back then, during Yu State’s resistance against the Xiongnu, Zhao Inspector praised this army in public more than once. General Xun was promoted to Yingchuan County’s Prefectural Governor because of this. I thought you should regard Yu State as your ho, willing to die rather than lose ground;"
"But I didn’t expect that as soon as General Xun was injured, you would collapse and flee even though we knew Shi Army was coming for a night raid, even ambushed them successfully in the camp and repelled them. Why flee?" Zhao Ming asked them angrily, "Was it because behind us was Chen County and not Yingchuan County?"
"But if Chen County falls, how can Yingchuan County remain safe? What of your fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, and children then?"
Zhao Ming’s questioning spread throughout the three armies, and the panic on the soldiers’ faces gradually turned into sha and anger.
Zhao Ming glared at them indignantly, and after raising their morale, he said, "The soldiers follow orders. I know the root mistake does not lie with you but with the one who falsely conveyed military orders, Xun Sheng!"
Zhao Ming suddenly shouted, turning his head to glare at him, questioning, "With General Xun injured, I assud the position of the highest general in charge. Who permitted you to bypass and directly order a retreat?"
"Mmm-mmm..." A sense of foreboding arose in Xun Sheng’s heart as he began to struggle to speak, but Pingyi pressed down on his shoulder, giving him no chance to resist.
What Zhao Ming needed was to establish authority, not a fair judgnt of right and wrong. He simply questioned him openly and imdiately ordered, "n, Xun Sheng, for privately conveying military orders and delaying the battle opportunity, is to be dealt with according to military law!"
Xun Sheng’s eyes widened in shock as he knelt on the ground, shaking his head vigorously and bawling. Desperately, he turned to look at Xun Ming.
Startled, Xun Ming and several generals quickly knelt to beg for rcy; Zhao Ming rely looked at them coldly and said, "What, were you also involved in privately conveying military orders?"
Xun Ming and the others felt a chill in their hearts, lowering their heads in silence.
Zhao Ming waved a hand, Pingyi drew his knife high into the air, and with a swift swipe, beheaded Xun Sheng.
The head flew aside, and when it finally rested, his eyes blinked, then opened wide in disbelief.
After a few tremors, his body toppled halfway; the entire Xun Family Army quivered, and Qiao Canjiang’s face turned pale. He glanced fearfully at Zhao Ming before lowering his head.
The whole army fell silent.
Having executed a man and established authority, Zhao Ming then said, "We still have two large armies behind us and have already successfully ambushed the Shi Army. Thus, as long as we turn back, we can capture ng County and join with Zhao Inspector. All obey the order!"
Pingyi and Ping Zhong knelt imdiately to receive orders, as did Qiao Canjiang, who reacted quickly, followed by ng Rui, Yuan Jun, and others.
Xun Ming wavered slightly, but after being nudged by ng Rui, he kneeled slowly and said with difficulty, "This humble general, hears and obeys!"
"Imdiately rest and recuperate, return the way we ca, and attack ng County!"
Zhao Ming gave them no chance for any more antics, even if the soldiers were exhausted from a whole day’s march. He ordered them to return, even if only for ten miles, they must march.
He even brought along the unconscious Xun Xiu.
Xun Xiu lay on the cart, with Ping Zhong assuming the role of his security detail.
Though Xun Ming could see him, he could no longer make any decisions regarding Xun Xiu’s affairs.
After a ten-mile trek back, the soldiers were exhausted, and only then did Zhao Ming order them to camp and rest, planning to continue at daybreak. When they returned to ng County, they heard that Zhao Hanzhang had already stord into the county town.
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