northernbook Chapter 139 Attacking the Heart
Chapter 139 Attacking the Heart
The highest level of warfare is to subdue the enemy without fighting; winning hearts and minds is superior to besieging cities, and a brute force is the worst. Yuan Feng's reluctance to launch a direct assault is why the conflict has dragged on for so long.
News of Xu Sheng's capture of Longli and the incorporation of half of the surrendered soldiers reached Fengyuan. Nan Fei sat in his tent in silence for a long time, then Yuan Feng's eyes lit up and he went out.
Yuan Feng ordered his men to circle the city, beating gongs and drums, and shouting messages day and night:
Luonan has surrendered, and not a single person has been killed. Fengyuan surrendered without killing, without looting property, without disturbing the people, and without massacring the city…
Danfeng has surrendered, without killing a single person. Fengyuan surrendered without killing, without looting property, without disturbing the people, and without massacring the city…
Shangzhou has surrendered, and not a single person has been killed. Fengyuan surrendered, and no one was killed; no property was looted, no people were disturbed, and no one was buried alive after surrendering…
……
One day, the soldiers shouted:
“If Xifu does not surrender, kill 30,000 people. Your king has fled to Dingzhou. If Fengyuan surrenders within three days, we will not kill a single person, plunder property, or disturb the people. If it does not surrender within three days, we will flood Fengyuan and massacre the entire city.”
Fengyuan was almost completely cut off from the outside world and knew nothing of the true situation. The people of Fengyuan were terrified, and some in the court advocated surrender.
Finally, Prince Ming could no longer remain seated and stood on the city wall to demand negotiations. Yuan Feng demanded that all the high-ranking officials and nobles in the city be escorted back to Bianjing for support. He promised not to kill a single person, not to disturb the common people, and not to humiliate their families.
Prince Ming requested to bring a thousand personal guards, a separate residence, and retain his title. Yuan Feng returned to discuss this with Nan Fei.
Nanfei said, "As long as he's willing to surrender, you can agree to any conditions he sets."
Yuan Feng said, "What if the Crown Prince and the Emperor disagree?"
Nanfei said nonchalantly, "All's fair in war. We're the fish on the chopping block, and what can you do if we disagree with Prince Ming?"
Yuan Feng stared at him, her gaze clear and indifferent.
Nan Fei began to feel ashamed of himself and said seriously, "A thousand personal guards won't do, but I'll agree to anything else. Leave the Crown Prince to me; I can handle him."
Yuan Feng looked away from the topographic map.
Nanfei assured him again, "Ah Feng, believe me, I can handle the Emperor and the Crown Prince. If Prince Ming is willing to surrender, I will personally escort them back to Bianjing, and I guarantee no one will dare to touch them."
Yuan Feng's expression softened slightly: "Okay."
Nanfei stroked her face and leaned in to kiss her: "Ah Feng is so great!"
Yuan Feng slapped his hand away and said coldly, "There's no need to put aside family ties for the greater good."
Nanfei chuckled: "You've got quite a temper. Still angry after all this time? What do you want? I'll give it to you."
Yuan Feng said calmly, "There's nothing I want."
Nanfei saw her dejected expression and was about to say something to tease her when Xiaoman came in and reported, "General, something has happened."
The grass was packed with people, three or four deep, and the noise was deafening.
Yuan Feng raised her voice slightly: "What's all the noise about?"
The noise immediately subsided, and the crowd spontaneously parted to make way. Zhao Xiuwen lay in the center of the crowd, clutching his leg and groaning loudly, "My leg is broken, my leg is broken..."
Several scholars were squatting next to Zhao Xiuwen, while Yan Zeyu and another man dressed as a general stood nearby.
Yuan Feng's gaze was authoritative and calm as she surveyed the crowd before settling on Zhao Xiuwen's face. The onlookers gradually quieted down, and Zhao Xiuwen's voice grew softer and softer under her intense gaze until it finally fell silent.
When the room fell silent, Yuan Fengcai spoke, her voice calm yet authoritative: "What happened?"
Yan Zeyu said, "The scholars presented several books to the newly appointed general, but General Tang Bing, who is illiterate, held the books upside down..."
Tang Bing? Yuan Fengding's third-rank general? Nan Fei glanced at Tang Bing, a big, burly, and simple-minded man who looked somewhat like Hu Zi.
Tang Bing lowered his head immediately when he met Nan Fei's gaze. He was originally a common soldier who was illiterate, but he was promoted to a third-rank general for his meritorious service in pulling the flag. He first received a reward of silver, and then a large and round pearl from the East.
The announcement of the rewards was made, and the soldiers in the army heard that the pearls were priceless and that they had never seen them in person before. They were very curious and people gathered around to see them.
Zhao Xiuwen studied diligently for over a decade, eventually becoming a fourth-rank scholar-official. Relying on the Empress's influence in Bianjing, he could get whatever he wanted. He gathered a group of scholars and literati, planning to arrange their appointments in local positions, so that his students and friends would be found all over the country.
Not only did his plan fail, but he also suffered from poor food and sleep in the army and was ignored by everyone. Hearing that an illiterate peasant could be promoted to the third rank and even obtain a pearl, Zhao Xiuwen was very indignant. He took several scholars and pretended to present books to Tang Bing.
Tang Bing held the book upside down, and Zhao Xiuwen made a few sarcastic remarks. Tang Bing, ever straightforward, kicked at him, but before the kick even landed, Zhao Xiuwen was lying on the ground groaning.
Tang Bing felt he hadn't kicked anyone, but Zhao Xiuwen insisted that he had broken Tang Bing's leg, and the two started arguing.
Yan Zeyu rose to the position of general step by step, displaying considerable shrewdness. He immediately sent someone to invite the military doctor and Nan Fei.
After Yan Zeyu finished speaking, he took a few steps back. At this moment, he was filled with admiration for the Crown Prince's wisdom in placing Nan Fei in the army to keep order. Putting aside everything else, at least Yuan Feng's military orders were carried out smoothly, and any idlers who wanted to cause trouble would have to think twice about Nan Fei's weight.
The Emperor is in poor health and spends most of his time recuperating; in reality, he is the Retired Emperor. The Crown Prince oversees the country but holds real power. It's hard to say whether the Empress or the Crown Princess has more influence… but compared to Nan Fei, Zhao Xiuwen…
As Yan Zeyu was weighing which outcome was more likely, he noticed Nan Fei's gaze lingering on his face. He immediately abandoned his spectator's attitude and said seriously, "General, Physician Hua has arrived."
Nanfei watched Yan Zeyu retreat and thought to himself, "If Yuan Feng were this clever, he would have been a great general long ago."
Yuan Feng was greeting Hua Xuan when Nan Fei squatted down and smiled, saying, "I used to be the doctor's apprentice at the Heaven and Earth Villa, and I am quite skilled in medicine. Lord Zhao, please let go of my hand so I can take a look."
Zhao Xiuwen, without suspecting anything, immediately let go: "Be gentle, it hurts."
Nanfei touched his calf, tightening his grip, and said in a slightly raised voice, "Oh no, it's really broken!"
The cracking sound was clearly audible, and Zhao Xiuwen's screams were shrill and chilling.
Nan Fei, though thin, was surprisingly strong. He grabbed Zhao Xiuwen and threw him to Hua Xuan, saying, "Lord Zhao, your leg is broken. Just rest in your tent. Military law is strict; insubordination is a capital offense."
Zhao Xiuwen held Hua Xuan and wept bitterly: "Medical Doctor Hua, you have to save me... I can't be crippled..."
Hua Xuan quickly ordered someone to carry Zhao Xiuwen away, and Nan Fei turned to look at the scholar in front of him.
The scholars huddled together and retreated in unison. One of them pointed at Nan Fei and said, "You, you..."
Nanfei smiled wryly: "No one has ever dared to point at me and speak."
The man immediately clenched his fist and then lowered it: "You broke Brother Zhao's leg."
Nan Fei raised his hand: "Scholar Zhao's words insulted General Tang, and General Tang magnanimously punished him lightly. How could I have broken it? My wrist is so thin, how could I break a leg bone? Could you?"
The scholar said to Yuan Feng, "He's the one who broke it. You're a general, you have to take charge..."
Yuan Feng said calmly, "You just said that General Tang broke Lord Zhao's leg, and now you're falsely accusing the General. This is the army, not Bianjing, where people are not allowed to make baseless accusations."
The scholar trembled with rage: "You two are a den of snakes and rats, you just wait..."
Nanfei said, "Wait!"
As the group was about to leave, they stopped immediately when Nanfei told them to wait. They cowered and asked, "What do you want to do?"