Zhao Hanzhang had already arranged her people, just waiting for Shi Le to wake up.
As soon as Shi Le awoke, she imdiately went to see him with her people, officially announcing Shi Le’s surrender.
Before everyone present, Zhao Hanzhang appointed Shi Le as Great General, in charge of all military affairs in Youzhou, and as the Inspector of Youzhou.
The current Youzhou Inspector, who is sending troops to seize Liu Kun’s territory, Wang Jun: ...
The officials: ...
They exchanged glances and then lowered their heads. The Governor is becoming increasingly shaless. Youzhou isn’t in her hands; this awarding, isn’t it just asking Shi Le to seize Wang Jun’s territory?
Shi Le accepted without changing his expression, looking at Zhao Hanzhang with gratitude.
Zhao Hanzhang gently reassured him: "The Shi Army is now scattered, without a leader, causing much disturbance to the people, so it should be recalled as soon as possible."
She said, "I’ll have soone call back the troops, and they will remain under the command of General Shi."
Shi Le gratefully accepted and introduced Shi Jian, expressing his deep remorse for his past mistakes and his desire to redeem himself, so he would lead the effort to bring back the scattered Shi Army.
Zhao Hanzhang gladly agreed.
She handed the task over to Ji Yuan and Xie Shi, instructing them to split their forces to accept the surrender.
Shi Le still had three armies outside, not counting the one in Shunyang County; two more were out there.
They followed the original policy set by Shi Le, plundering grain on their way north, intending to rendezvous in Anping Country.
The army traveling outside lacked news circulation, but the Shi Army had special ssengers to relay information.
Moreover, Zhao Hanzhang’s encirclent of Shi Le in Wu’an was significant news, spreading like wildfire. They naturally heard it too.
Hesitating whether to continue north as ordered or support Shi Le, they heard that the Shi Army was defeated and Shi Le died on the battlefield.
The army was in panic; though stationed in different places, both expressed fear and worry, continuing northward as per the original orders.
At this mont, they heard the news of Shi Le’s surrender to Zhao Hanzhang.
Half of the soldiers believed, half didn’t, causing a short-lived chaos with hundreds fleeing in just two days until the commander executed several deserters to suppress the trend.
Then, exactly at this ti, Shi Jian arrived with Shi Le’s signed letter, accompanied by the Zhao Family Army.
The general of this army, Zhang Si, wanted to suspect this was a conspiracy by the Zhao Family Army, but Shi Le’s letter was too hard to fake.
Shi Le didn’t know how to read or write before; after becoming Great General, he liked others reading books to him, gradually learning to read so characters himself.
He naturally learned to write for handling official docunts, though his writing was... very unique, impossible for others to imitate, too unsightly to emulate; this kind of imitation was clearly a challenge for scholars.
After reading the letter, Zhang Si couldn’t comprehend it, pulling Shi Jian aside away from Xie Shi to ask, "Why did the Great General surrender to Zhao Hanzhang? We’ve had considerable enmity with the Zhao Family Army, isn’t this jumping into the fire pit?"
Shi Jian replied expressionlessly, "In Anping Country, the King of Chu has ascended the throne."
Zhang Si was stunned, contemplating for a while before saying, "Then we should surrender to Zhao Hanzhang, Zhao Hanzhang is better than the King of Chu."
Shi Jian widened his eyes, "You think Zhao Hanzhang is better than the King of Chu?"
"Why not?" Zhang Si snorted coldly, "That King of Chu looks down on our general; even during the late emperor’s reign, he was overly proud. Now as emperor, when the Great General ets him again, won’t he look down on us even more arrogantly?"
Liu Cong looked down on both Jie people and Han people.
And Zhang Si was Han.
If the Han Kingdom was under Liu Cong’s rule, he would have no future prospects, possibly even risking his life.
Thus, even though they had fought fiercely with the Zhao Family Army before, Zhang Si quickly accepted the surrender, leading the Shi Army with Xie Shi to Wu’an County.
On the other side, Ji Yuan also took another Shi Army soldier and Shi Le’s letter to recruit another army.
This army had fewer mbers but was very fierce. When Ji Yuan arrived, they were attacking a city, trying to break through encirclent to return to Wu’an County.
Bringing an ordinary soldier made it difficult to convince the other side, but Ji Yuan still managed to persuade them with the letter and persuasive argunts, then brought them back to Wu’an County.
Back in Wu’an County, all surviving Shi Army leaders saw Shi Le, fully confirming the Shi Army’s surrender.
From then on, the Shi Army would have a prefix, the Zhao Family Shi Army~~
The news spread, Shi Le’s remaining scattered troops flocked to surrender, and when Zhao Hanzhang’s forces moved northward, the cities along the way crumbled like tofu, falling one after the other.
Sotis they hadn’t even reached a stage to shout commands before the city gates opened to welco them inside.
Bingzhou and Jizhou already had many Jie people living there, who had long pledged loyalty to Shi Le and naturally followed his orders.
For the remaining small towns stubbornly resisting, they quickly conquered or bypassed them, heading straight for Anping Country.
The strength of their forces and their sharpness in battle made it clear to all that Zhao Hanzhang intended to swiftly conquer the Xiongnu Khanate.
When Shi Le’s surrender news reached Jiangdong, King Langya felt a thorn in his throat, knowing if he didn’t act now, Zhao Hanzhang would stabilize the north, and he would be next.
Thus, he hurried to et Wang Dao.
However, Wang Dao wasn’t in Jianye; he secretly went to see Wang Dun.
The Wang brothers received the news a day earlier than King Langya, and after Wang Dao confird its truth, he sighed with Wang Dun: "Destiny is with her."
Wang Dun pressed his lips together, "I don’t believe in destiny."
An earlier thought Wang Dao had suddenly resurfaced, nagging at his heart, "Second brother, will we really disregard the world for our own benefit?"
Wang Dun’s heart was as hard as iron, "If the country falls into Zhao Hanzhang’s hands, chaos will follow, making peace elusive."
Wang Dao: "I used to think so too, but now I question my judgnt."
Wang Dun remained silent, his expression stubborn.
Wang Dao didn’t press Wang Dun for a quick change of heart or imdiate response.
However, Wang Dun kept it in mind; within two days, he told Wang Dao, "Since you believe in destiny, I will show you destiny."
Wang Dao was puzzled.
Wang Dun said, "I’ve invited Guo Jingchun here; you should take him to et King Langya."
Wang Dao widened his eyes, "Invite? Did you invite or kidnap him?"
Wang Dun indifferently said, "Is there a difference? He wasn’t willing anyway."
Wang Dao: ...
Guo Jingchun, also known as Guo Pu, was a famous Divination Master in Jin State, thirty-five years old this year, originally from Yu State, but fled south to Jiangnan years ago to escape disaster. He was now well-known in the Jiangnan and Jiangdong area.
It was said that so people are willing to offer beauties or entire carriages full of jewels for one of his divinations.
Wang Dun personally did not believe in such matters, but since Wang Dao changed his mind because of destiny and other nonsensical things, he decided to let Wang Dao witness destiny firsthand.
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