Looking at the man before him, Qing Qin, Zhao Feng did not hesitate. He dismounted from his horse and tossed his Overlord Spear to Zhang Ming.
Then, he stepped forward and helped Qing Qin to his feet.
"General Qing Qin, surrendering for the sake of the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers in the city is an act of great virtue."
"I, Zhao Feng, accept the surrender of all Yan soldiers on behalf of Great Qin."
"And I assure you, Great Qin will not commit needless slaughter."
Hearing this, Qing Qin let out a sigh of relief and turned back to face the many generals who had fought alongside him.
"All troops, hear my order!" Qing Qin raised his sword high and shouted.
"We await the general's command!"
Dozens of Yan generals bowed in unison, and all the Yan soldiers behind them followed suit.
"As the Supreme General of Yan, I order you to lay down your weapons and remove your armor."
"Our army... has surrendered."
Qing Qin's voice was loud and resolute, yet it carried a trace of sorrow and unwillingness.
But above all, there was a sense of relief a form of redemption.
They were surrounded. If he did not surrender, it would only lead to unnecessary bloodshed.
There was no chance of reinforcements arriving in time.
The outcome would be the deaths of nearly 200,000 soldiers.
Their morale was already shattered, and further resistance would be futile.
By surrendering, he could not only prevent meaningless sacrifice but also perhaps secure a better future for these men.
"We obey the general's command!"
The Yan soldiers behind him shouted in unison.
The next moment
Clang! Clang!
Weapons fell to the ground, and the sound of armor being removed echoed throughout the city.
This battle for Yuyang, a battle that would decide Yan's fate, had ended in defeat.
Yan had lost.
"General Zhao Feng," Qing Qin turned back to Zhao Feng.
"General Qing, speak freely." Zhao Feng's tone remained gentle.
"May I ask, what will become of these 200,000 soldiers after their surrender?" Qing Qin asked with concern.
"In Great Qin, there are two ways we deal with captured soldiers who surrendered on the battlefield."
"Both result in them becoming state slaves, who must atone for their crimes."
"The first option: they are reorganized into the Penal Army. By serving Qin and fighting in battle, they can earn their pardon, regain their status, and eventually return home."
"The second option: they are assigned to forced labor, working for Qin for five years. After completing their service, they will regain their freedom and be allowed to return to civilian life."
Zhao Feng spoke slowly.
Hearing this, Qing Qin felt reassured. He bowed deeply to Zhao Feng.
"Great Qin's treatment of surrendered soldiers is merciful."
Among the warring states, only Qin treated its captives with such leniency.
Other nations had only two fates for their captured soldiers
One is being ransomed back by their homeland for an enormous sum.
However, in most cases, surrendered soldiers were abandoned by their own country. Their lives meant nothing to their rulers unless they were renowned ministers or generals.
Thus, the only other fate for captives in other nations was eternal enslavement, sold into servitude for the rest of their lives.
Great Qin's policy was seen as benevolent in comparison.
And it was precisely this policy
That had caused Zhao Feng to offend many powerful figures in Qin's court.
In the past, many enslaved prisoners of war were sold into private ownership.
The reason this system existed?
It was, of course, due to the involvement of certain high-ranking officials.
"Since we are all of the same Huaxia lineage, how could I act too cruelly?" Zhao Feng said with a faint smile.
Hearing this, Qing Qin was momentarily stunned as he gazed at Zhao Feng.
Then, he smiled.
"I entrust the Yan soldiers in the city to you, General Zhao Feng."
"I only hope that as Great Qin advances, you will treat my people with kindness and refrain from unnecessary slaughter."
After speaking, Qing Qin took a step back.
Then
He drew his sword from its scabbard.
The Qin guards behind Zhao Feng immediately stepped forward, watching him cautiously.
But in the next moment
Qing Qin raised the blade to his own throat.
"General!"
"You mustn't!"
"General"
Seeing this sudden action, the Yan generals behind him cried out anxiously, their faces full of despair.
"Today, my surrender to Qin is not an act of disloyalty."
"It is to preserve the lives of the soldiers in this city resistance was futile, and further death meaningless."
"However"
"I, Qing Qin, am not a traitor."
"Today, I shall atone for my failure with my life, repaying the kindness of my king."
Qing Qin swept his gaze over the assembled troops and generals, speaking in a firm and unwavering voice.
The next moment
With resolute determination, he slashed the blade across his own throat.
Blood spurted into the air.
His body collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"General!"
"General Qing Qin!"
The Yan soldiers in the rear let out wails of sorrow.
Zhao Feng took a glance before slowly walking up to Qing Qin's side.
Placing his hand on Qing Qin's body for a moment, he then sent a surge of true energy into him, sealing his heart meridians to temporarily stop the bleeding and prevent him from dying.
For such a loyal and righteous man, Zhao Feng naturally did not want to watch him die. After all, there was still a chance to bring him under his command.
In the chaotic times ahead, Zhao Feng would need many talents.
Although Qing Qin did not possess the same commanding prowess as Li Mu, he was more than capable of serving as a deputy general and holding his own on the battlefield.
Then, Zhao Feng stood up and exchanged a glance with Zhang Ming.
He then spoke loudly, "General Qing Qin was a man of loyalty and righteousness, worthy of admiration."
"I hereby order"
"Ensure that General Qing Qin receives an honorable burial."
Zhang Ming immediately responded, "Understood!"
With a wave of his hand, several personal guards stepped forward to carry Qing Qin away.
"Generals."
"Now that you have surrendered to the Great Qin, I will not turn my back on you."
"But Yan has not yet been fully pacified, and Qin law has not yet been enforced. You will be placed under watch."
"However, rest assured, your food, clothing, and accommodations will be properly managed according to Qin military regulations." Zhao Feng declared firmly.
He then turned to Li You.
"General Li."
"This subordinate is here!" Li You quickly stepped forward.
"You will lead your troops to the outskirts of the city to receive the surrendered soldiers and register them in the records."
"Establish a camp for the surrendered soldiers and ensure they are properly managed." Zhao Feng ordered.
"This subordinate obeys!" Li You responded immediately.
"Wei Quan."
Zhao Feng called out again.
"This subordinate is here!" Wei Quan rode forward at once.
"Lead your cavalry and follow me out of the city to continue the assault." Zhao Feng commanded coldly.
Now that Yuyang City had fallen and his elite troops had rested for a night, there was no time to waste.
Next, Zhao Feng planned to lead his cavalry ahead and strike the incoming Yan reinforcements with full force.
As for handling the surrendered soldiers in Yuyang, Li You and Tu Sui were more than capable of managing the situation.
"Send a fast rider to report the battle of Yuyang."
"This time"
"I intend to press forward without pause until we reach Ji City!" Zhao Feng said with determination.
"General, we have captured Le Cheng. How should we deal with him?" Zhang Ming suddenly recalled Le Cheng's existence and asked.
"This Le Cheng may appear loyal, but he lacks Qing Qin's resolve."
"In that case"
"Kill him."
Zhao Feng did not even bother to meet Le Cheng in person and simply ordered his execution.
Time passed quickly!
Ji City
Inside the Yan royal court.
"Urgent report!"
"Our reinforcements sent to aid Yuyang City have been crushed by the Qin army, suffering heavy casualties!"
A messenger rushed into the grand hall and knelt to deliver the news.
"What?!"
"In just a few days?"
"Yuyang City had 300,000 of our Yan troops defending it. How could the Qin army have broken through and crushed our reinforcements?"
"This is impossible!"
King Yan's face was filled with shock.
"My king."
"Perhaps the Qin army bypassed our defenses by taking an alternative route." A minister suggested.
"Impossible."
"Yuyang City is the strategic hub of our Yan state. If the Qin army dared to take a detour, the garrisoned forces in Yuyang could have easily cut off their retreat. Qing Qin would never stand by and watch the Qin army cross our borders unchallenged." King Yan retorted immediately.
To ensure the defense of Yuyang City, he had issued a strict order to reinforce the city at all costs.
"Report!"
At that moment
Another messenger burst into the hall.
"Your Majesty!"
"Yuyang has fallen to the Qin army. The city has been lost."
The messenger reported in fear.
"What?!"
King Yan's expression changed drastically.
This was an even greater shock than the news of the reinforcements' defeat.
The garrisoned army in Yuyang had been his last hope.
If the city had truly fallen, then with the Qin army advancing, Ji City would have no fortified defenses left.
"Our 300,000 elite soldiers were stationed there. How could they have lost so quickly?"
"How did Qing Qin defend the city?"
King Yan asked, his tone grave.
"Your Majesty."
"General Qing Qin has committed suicide." The messenger reported in terror.
As his words fell
The entire court was stunned.
"Why?"
"Why would the general take his own life?"
"This makes no sense!"
"General Qing Qin had been defending Yuyang. Even the mighty Zhao general Pang Nuan failed to breach the city in the past."
"No matter how strong the Qin army is, they couldn't have taken Yuyang in just a few days!"
"Did Le Cheng betray us?"
"That is highly possible."
"This Le Cheng once defected from our Yan state to serve Zhao. Now that Qin has invaded, he must have repeated his treachery."
"Such a vile traitor truly laughable!"
"Yuyang City was our most important defensive stronghold. Now that it has fallen, Yan is in grave danger…"
The ministers of Yan all turned pale, their faces filled with alarm.
What had been a solemn court assembly suddenly became chaotic.
"Enough!"
King Yan roared in fury, his face darkening.
A heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the hall.
"Your Majesty, please calm yourself." The ministers immediately bowed.
"Why did Qing Qin take his own life?" King Yan demanded, looking at the messenger with a grave expression.
As for Le Cheng
He had never fully trusted him. But Qing Qin was different.
He had placed complete faith in Qing Qin.
Unless the situation had become utterly hopeless, Qing Qin would never have chosen to end his life.
"Your Majesty."
"The general fell into a Qin army trap…"
The messenger detailed the events as they had been reported.
Upon hearing this, King Yan's expression grew even darker.
"300,000 troops completely lost."
"Yan…"
"Is truly on the brink of destruction."
King Yan let out a deep sigh in his heart.
But in the next instant
A surge of burning rage flared up within him.
"That treacherous son! This is all because of that treacherous son of mine! If not for his assassination attempt on the Qin king, how could Yan have ended up in this dire state?"
"If Qi and Chu had come to our aid, we would not have been so isolated!"
King Yan was consumed with fury.
"This disaster was entirely caused by my son…"
"Your Majesty."
"Now that Yuyang City has fallen, and 300,000 troops have been lost…"
"What should Yan do now?"
A minister spoke solemnly, his expression heavy.
"Issue my decree," the King of Yan commanded.
"Summon all remaining troops that can be mobilized and bring them to Jicheng for defense."
"Send envoys to the states of Qi and Chu to request reinforcements. Inform them that as long as they aid the state of Yan, I am willing to cede twenty cities to each nation." The King of Yan gritted his teeth as he spoke.
"Your Majesty," another minister interjected, "most of our main forces were stationed at Yuyang, and the fifteen thousand reinforcements we sent were also crushed by the Qin army. Though some managed to escape, they are severely weakened. Even if we gather all our remaining forces in Jicheng, we will only have about fifteen thousand soldiers."
"Against the Qin army, which is as fierce as wolves and tigers, we stand no chance. Even if Qi and Chu agree to send reinforcements, Yan might not last long enough for them to arrive."
Sima Lin stepped forward and spoke.
"For now, we must consolidate our forces," the King of Yan sighed, his voice heavy with resignation.
"As for what happens next, I will make my decision when the time comes."
"Enough," he waved his hand wearily.
"Dismiss the court."
Later, in the royal palace...
In the King of Yan's bedchamber, Sima Lin entered and respectfully bowed.
"Your Majesty."
"Sima, my loyal subject," the King of Yan addressed him anxiously. "If we seek military aid from the Donghu, can they truly hold off the Qin army?"
At this point, it felt as though the fall of Yan was inevitable.
The King of Yan, who had once refused to rely on foreign forces, now abandoned his principles in desperation, seeking to ally with outsiders in a last-ditch effort to save his kingdom.
"The combat strength of the Donghu is well known to Your Majesty," Sima Lin replied.
"If they are willing to send troops, the Qin army can certainly be repelled."
"But the Qin army numbers at least 300,000, possibly even more. How many soldiers can the Donghu deploy?" the King pressed.
"The Donghu have a smaller population than Yan, but their entire tribe is trained for war. If they go to battle, they can easily muster 400,000 to 500,000 troops."
"Right now, the Donghu are even stronger than the Xiongnu," Sima Lin added confidently.
"And what price must we pay to secure their assistance?" the King of Yan asked grimly.
"This..." Sima Lin hesitated briefly. "I have visited the Donghu before and met their king. If we want them to fight for us, we may have to cede territory to them."
Upon hearing this, the King of Yan stood up without hesitation and stepped closer to Sima Lin.
"Sima, my loyal subject," he said, his tone resolute.
"I order you to travel to the Donghu kingdom in secret and negotiate with their king. No matter the cost, as long as it is within Yan's means, I will agree."
"Of course, all conditions will only be fulfilled once they have successfully driven out the Qin army."
Sima Lin's eyes flickered with an unspoken emotion, but he quickly concealed it. Instead, his face lit up with an expression of feigned excitement as he bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will not let you down."
"However," he continued, "since Your Majesty has decided to seek help from the Donghu, we should also recall the 70,000 troops stationed at the border to reinforce Jicheng. This will buy us more time to hold out."
The King of Yan pondered for a moment before nodding.
"You are right."
"Bringing these forces back will strengthen our capital's defenses and allow us to coordinate better when the Donghu reinforcements arrive."
"I will issue a military order. Take it to the border generals and instruct them to return to Jicheng at once."
Sima Lin accepted the command without hesitation.
"I will obey, Your Majesty."
Once Sima Lin had left, the King of Yan sat alone, his expression troubled.
"Ancestors of Yan," he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with sorrow.
"My kingdom is on the verge of destruction, and I have no other choice."
"Were it not for the sake of preserving my nation, I would never seek an alliance with foreign tribes."
"I refuse to become a prisoner of Qin, to be at their mercy."
"As long as I can keep my kingdom intact, I am willing to pay any price."
He knew that once the Donghu army marched south, history would remember him as a traitor, a disgrace to the Yan people, and his name would be cursed for generations.
But he no longer cared.
As long as his kingdom survived...
As long as he remained king...
It was worth it.
Meanwhile, in Xianyang, the capital of Qin.
Seated on his throne, Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, read the latest battle report, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"Zhao Gao," he called.
Zhao Gao stepped forward and respectfully accepted the document from the king.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He then turned to face the assembled ministers in court and read aloud:
"A report from the central army of Wuan Camp, submitted by Sima Kuai Pu!"
"In recent days, the forces of Wuan Camp advanced upon Yuyang."
"Yuan Shang, the general of Yan, and General Le Cheng commanded 300,000 troops to defend the city."
"After careful consideration, the commander deemed a direct assault too costly, so he devised a scheme to lure General Le Cheng to defect."
"However, Le Cheng feigned surrender, pretending to open the gates while setting a trap for our forces."
"Anticipating this treachery, the commander countered with his strategy."
"A cavalry unit launched a surprise assault from the east gate, charging through the enemy's defenses."
"At the same time, the commander personally led the main army in an attack on the western gate, successfully breaching the city walls."
"After three days of fierce battle, the outer city of Yuyang was captured, and the remnants of the Yan forces were trapped inside the inner city."
"With the enemy surrounded, the commander employed psychological warfare to break their morale."
"On the fourth day, General Qing Qin of Yan surrendered along with his troops. After surrendering, he committed suicide before the commander."
"The commander ordered him to be given an honorable burial."
"In this battle, the Qin army achieved victory with minimal losses, capturing or killing over 300,000 enemy soldiers."
"Yuyang has been completely secured!"
As Zhao Gao's voice echoed throughout the court, a stunned silence fell over the ministers.
The sheer magnitude of this victory left them speechless.
Sitting on his throne, Ying Zheng observed their reactions with satisfaction, a look of deep contentment in his eyes.
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