Free Web NovelChapter 1221: Chapter 1203: Crossing the River
With Dai Miao acting as an insider, along with the three thousand soldiers he led for protection, they successfully killed their way out of Shu County, carrying Yuan Li as they fled in a rush.
Wang Si Niang personally led people to meet them outside the city. Seeing Yuan Li, whose body had no piece of good flesh, her eyes revealed pity, and she hurriedly brought him back to see the military doctor.
Yuan Li was half-conscious and half-awake, until he entered the army camp and saw the familiar attire of the military doctor, only then did he relax and completely lost consciousness.
Wang Si Niang instructed the military doctor, "Make sure to save his life. Whatever medicinal ingredients you need, just ask the military supply officer."
The military doctor responded and took the apprentices to get busy. This operation to rescue people injured quite a few, and the wounds on Yuan Li did not look like they could be resolved quickly.
Wang Si Niang then went to comfort and reassure Dai Miao. She decided to try contacting Dai Yuan through Dai Miao. By the way, Dai Yuan had already led the army to Yuzhang, currently contending with Wang Xuan. If they could persuade Dai Yuan to surrender...
Yuan Li was covered in injuries, not only external but also internal. The military doctor used a lot of medicine on him, just to preserve his life.
The military doctor estimated, "He’ll probably need to sleep for three days before waking, someone must constantly monitor his pulse."
The apprentice’s body was smeared with blood, his hands holding the bandage slightly trembling. He had been learning beside the military doctor for over half a year, during which he had seen numerous battlefield injuries, observed his master sew stomachs and saw limbs being sawed, but seeing Yuan Li’s injuries, he still couldn’t help but feel terrified.
Seeing the apprentice’s pale face, the military doctor also couldn’t help but admire Yuan Li, "This General surviving truly is a miracle." Generally, people would either die from torture or succumb to fear and die, yet he managed to resist great terror.
The military doctor seized the opportunity to teach the apprentice, "Looking at his wounds and bleeding volume, it’s clear he restrained his fear when under torture. Fear causes the flesh and veins to tremble, accelerating blood flow, thus increasing bleeding. It may also cause abnormal heart beating, disrupting the blood from the heart, and abnormal heart leads to abnormal blood, and blood is the essence of a person, excessive blood loss threatens life."
"A person able to control fear is naturally three times more likely to survive than usual," the military doctor couldn’t help but praise, "He is indeed a great hero."
The apprentice did not know if he was a great hero, but he certainly was extremely tenacious.
Yuan Li, who was diagnosed by the military doctor to sleep at least three days, opened his eyes early the next morning.
The apprentice holding a reed to feed medicine was startled seeing him open his eyes, thinking something unexpected occurred, hurriedly put down the medicine and ran to find the military doctor, "Master, Master, General Yuan woke up!"
The military doctor rushed over, took Yuan Li’s hand, and checked his pulse for quite a while, disapprovingly said to Yuan Li, "General shouldn’t wake up so early, resting aids better recovery..."
Yuan Li’s face was also wrapped in gauze, his body and limbs immobile, but his neck and head were fine. He turned his head, scanning the room, and asked, "Where is Governor Wang?"
The military doctor sent someone to invite Wang Si Niang, then brought the medicine over, "General, since you are awake, please drink the medicine first."
Yuan Li didn’t drink it immediately but sniffed it first, asked about the specific medicine and ensured it was fine before drinking.
After slowly finishing the medicine, Wang Si Niang arrived.
Upon meeting, the two spoke simultaneously, "What did Wang Dun do?"
"King Langya submitted a memorial to pledge allegiance..."
Both paused simultaneously, Wang Si Niang seeing Yuan Li slightly widening his eyes, couldn’t suppress her excitement and said, "Received the telegram early today, King Langya pledged allegiance yesterday, the Great General instructed us via telegram to send a message to Wang Dun, urging him to surrender, if not, immediately initiate the army."
So, he was captured for just a few days, what has happened outside?
Wang Si Niang: "After General was captured, the Great General was furious, immediately mobilized troops to march south, now Southern Expedition Army is at the riverbank, Liu Yueshi ordered south to persuade King Langya, Wang Dun submitted a memorial to pressure King Langya to kill Liu Kui, without waiting for response, launched an attack and captured He Fei."
Procedural justice is procedural justice, however, battle opportunities shouldn’t be delayed.
Thus, Zu Ti received the telegram and issued an announcement the same day, urging Wang Dun to surrender, but without waiting for Wang Dun’s response, or rather, not waiting for Wang Dun to receive the message, he ordered the army across the river.
Liu Kun, after receiving the message, went to request passage orders from King Langya.
King Langya upon hearing was startled, looked at Liu Kun suspiciously, "Has my letter to General Zhao reached Luoyang?"
Sent just yesterday, even an eagle delivering wouldn’t be so fast, he suspected Liu Kun of acting under Zhao Hanzhang’s pretense, could it be he intends to seize Jiangnan himself?
Liu Kun said, "The letter hasn’t arrived, but the Great General is aware of it, this is the Great General’s verbal message."
He handed King Langya a sheet of paper.
King Langya looked down, on the paper were three simple lines, "King Langya wholly understands righteousness, escorting his family back to the capital; Wang Dun acting contrary to common sense, ceremony first then military action; reassuring Jiangnan aristocratic families and civilians, do not disturb the people, granting Southern Expedition Marshal discretionary powers."
The suspicion in King Langya’s heart slightly diminished, gruffly asked, "...Is it Qianli Transmitting Sound?"
Liu Kun smiled but said nothing, King Langya then understood, looked again at the contents on the paper, sighed inwardly, and then ordered the troops at the river’s edge to make way, allowing Jiangbei Army to cross the river.
The army guarding the Yangtze River outside Jiankang City was under King Langya’s control, led by a general named Zhou Chong. King Langya’s allegiance to Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t been made public, after all, he felt the letters needed time to traverse, at present it was critical, therefore kept confidential.
The rumored world-known requires time to disseminate.
But once the military order came, the secret no longer remained, suddenly, everyone in Jiankang City knew King Langya pledged allegiance to Zhao Hanzhang, and the Jiangbei Zhao Family Army would enter Jiankang.
Wang Dao personally came forward to calm the public sentiment and pulled Liu Kui to go to the riverside to welcome the Jiangbei Army.
Gate-clan aristocrats within Jiankang City saw the two hand in hand heading to the river, breathed a sigh of relief, and followed to witness the spectacle, seems the Great King truly pledged allegiance to Zhao Hanzhang.
Inwardly, they were unspeakably delighted, this signified Jiangnan wouldn’t engage in war.
Though war was also an opportunity, they might seize the chance to achieve merits and stand on the court, yet the battlefield was in their hometown after all, who wished their homeland entangled in war?
Plenty of aristocrats and civilians rushed to the river to observe the spectacle, of course, most did not dare approach, only watched from afar.
Across the river, hundreds of boats simultaneously released onto the river, troops boarded, energetically rowing towards this side, the grand scene making onlookers widen their eyes.
Jiangbei Army moved swiftly, once the boats nearly arrived at the shore, each boat had several soldiers quickly leaping off, running ashore, fixing the ropes on the bank, soldiers disembarked orderly, dispersed to guard various openings.
Then the boats were released to go back to the other side, continuing to load people.
