The First Lackey Under The Empress

Surrender?

When Zhao Du'an's words fell into the ears of the generals, all who heard them were stunned.

Immediately, Yuan Feng, with a square face, understood: "Sir, do you want us to feign surrender?"

Zhao Du'an smiled, his gaze calm:

"You could not have anticipated the Divine Machine Camp's early arrival, and the rebels, with even more limited intelligence, should be similarly behind in information. If so, why not go with the flow?"

"Wonderful!" An officer clapped his hands and exclaimed:

"The Divine Machine Camp's brothers-in-arms have arrived after a forced march, making it difficult to effectively resist the rebels in the short term. Our feigned compliance will buy time, postponing the next battle and lulling the enemy into complacency.

Once they are off guard, our Second Battalion soldiers can strike together, catching the rebels completely unprepared! Lord Zhao, your wisdom is unparalleled; this humble general is in awe!"

Such flattery… The others glared enviously, cursing the bootlicker in their hearts.

You started licking so vigorously, how are we supposed to act?

If we don't lick as well as you, won't we be put on Zhao Yama's little black book?

And 'unparalleled wisdom'? It's just feigning surrender to buy time; where's the brilliant strategy? You're blowing it up as if no one else could think of it…

The generals were mentally complaining like crazy, vying to offer praise, showering him with lavish words as if they were free.

Yuan Feng's expression was awkward. As the commander, he couldn't help but blush and feel ashamed seeing his subordinates being so obsequious, but he greatly approved of Zhao Du'an's strategy:

Although it's not ingenious, it's steady.

Fortunately, it seems this Junior Guardian isn't as arrogant and impulsive as the rumors suggest, knowing when to yield and retreat.

What Yuan Feng feared most was the court sending someone who didn't understand warfare but would point fingers after reading a few books on military strategy.

Shi Meng, Chen Gui, Tang Ping, and other officers from the Divine Machine Camp remained silent, only smiling.

They understood that the people from the Five Armies Camp had likely misunderstood, thinking that their commander proposed feigning surrender to buy time because he was afraid of the strong enemy.

But in reality, based on the Divine Machine Camp's understanding of Zhao Du'an, the commander, holding new firearms, didn't choose to directly attack the Qingzhou army camp not out of fear but to avoid "harming friendly forces."

"It's settled then. Commander Yuan, send a letter saying…"

Zhao Du'an smiled, leaned in, and whispered.

…

Not long after, inside the Qingzhou army's main tent.

"Haha, congratulations, Your Highness, the plan worked! The Five Armies Camp couldn't hold on after all!" A strategist, his face full of joy, loudly complimented:

"Fighting three battles not to kill the enemy, but to suppress their morale. Once their morale hits rock bottom, give them a final deadline. This will throw them into disarray, causing unrest among the people, and surrendering to Your Highness will be a natural outcome!"

Inside the tent, Prince Heng, pampered and well-maintained, sat in the main seat, accepting his subordinates' flattery, a smile on his lips.

The thirty-something-year-old Heir Apparent, Xu Zudi, who was as fair-skinned and rosy-lipped as a teenager due to good care, held a folding fan and laughed:

"I thought, with Yuan Feng's style, he would stubbornly resist for a while longer, fighting like a trapped beast or retreating to use the terrain to resist. I didn't expect I overestimated him. He kept saying he was loyal to the court, but didn't he kneel quickly?"

Just now, the Five Armies Camp sent a letter, subtly expressing their willingness to "negotiate."

A strategist smiled:

"That Yuan Feng may be a tough bone to chew, but he's just one man after all. His subordinates are not of one mind, each with their own thoughts. Even if he still wants to fight, he has to consider whether his generals will cut off his head and send it as a pledge of allegiance if he continues to be stubborn."

Prince Heng was in a great mood. Swallowing the Five Armies Camp at a small price was the most ideal outcome.

Next, as long as he incorporates them and attacks the capital, it will be within sight. He looked around at everyone and said:

"Although Yuan Feng is timid and intends to surrender, he demands that we send someone to 'negotiate.' Who among you is willing to go?"

As soon as these words came out, the generals and strategists in the tent were eager to volunteer.

"Your Highness, this humble general is willing to risk his life!" Generals rushed to be the first.

"Hehe, Your Highness, this 'negotiation' is just Yuan Feng trying to sell himself for a good price. Although Your Highness wants to spend a fortune to attract talent and set an example by accepting this person, we can't let him demand an exorbitant amount. It's more appropriate for this subject to go to handle the negotiations."

Others also spoke up one after another, vying for the task.

Although going to the enemy camp carried some risk, everyone assessed the situation and believed that Yuan Feng wouldn't dare do anything.

Moreover, with the six rebel kings vying for power, everyone under Prince Heng wanted to do their best to earn military merits in order to strive for greater rewards in the future.

Few were willing to miss out on such an opportunity that had a low level of danger but great merit.

"Why is Xianzhong silent?" Prince Heng looked strangely at Wei Xianzhong, the commander of the Qingzhou rebels.

Wei Xianzhong, wearing armor, habitually focused his gaze on the ground, a furrow appearing between his brows. At this moment, he raised his eyes, his gaze deep:

"Your Highness, I think this matter is inappropriate. I know a little about Yuan Feng. He's not someone who can be easily swayed by his subordinates. Although the Five Armies Camp's morale has collapsed, they still have the strength to fight. Accepting their surrender at this moment feels a bit strange.

In my opinion, we should strike while the iron is hot, not give the other side a chance, and immediately start a war to destroy them in one fell swoop, which would be more secure."

As soon as these words came out, Prince Heng frowned, and the others also showed dissatisfaction.

"General Wei's words are wrong. Our Qingzhou soldiers are few. If we attack strongly and force the Five Armies Camp into a desperate situation, we must know that even a trapped beast will fight. How many of our Qingzhou army's elites will be lost by then?"

"That's right, General Wei is being too cautious. Heh, besides, you commanded the first three battles and won great victories. Now… it's time to give others a chance. General Wei, you can't monopolize all the credit, can you?"

A strategist said faintly, and these words were quite malicious.

Wei Xianzhong glared coldly: "Do you think I want to attack strongly just to monopolize the credit?"

The strategist was silent, as if intimidated by his aura. This scene changed the expressions in everyone's eyes.

"Alright, Xianzhong's caution is good," Prince Heng said displeasedly, "but with the current situation, that Yuan Feng can't make any waves."

As the master, balancing the interests of his subordinates was no easier than fighting a war.

Wei Xianzhong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, when he suddenly felt Xu Zudi, the Heir Apparent, stepping forward, cupping his hands and saying:

"Father, your son is willing to go to negotiate. Your son is a member of the imperial family. Even if there are accidents, that Yuan Feng wouldn't dare to do anything to your son."

Prince Heng hesitated slightly, finally nodding with pleasure:

"Since you have such ambition, then you shall go to accept the surrender. Let the generals know that the Prince's Heir is leading by example."

Heh, what leading by example, it's clearly giving the Heir Apparent a chance to earn credit… Everyone slandered in their hearts, not daring to speak, and praised loudly.

Wei Xianzhong hesitated, suddenly feeling Xu Zudi's hostile gaze, shook his head, sighed, and sat down silently.

…

"Xu Zudi wants to come in person?"

Inside the Five Armies Camp's main tent, Zhao Du'an sat casually in the main seat, playing with the tiger tally in his right hand. Hearing this, he raised his eyebrows, his expression strange:

"This guy is as arrogant and stupid as ever."

He thought he could only catch an ordinary civil or military official from the Qingzhou faction, but he didn't expect his cousin, Zhenbao, to be so bold.

Shi Meng, the commander of the Divine Machine Camp, smiled:

"Sir, it seems they think they've got us figured out."

Young Master Tang Ping, due to his special status, was also in the tent, peeling a roasted sweet potato by the stove. Hearing this, he scoffed:

"He definitely thinks that with His Majesty absent, no one would dare harm him, a member of the imperial family, so he's acting without fear."

Zhao Du'an tossed aside the tiger tally, stroked his chin, and chuckled:

"Then please invite the Heir Apparent in. Shi Meng, you guys hide yourselves first. Commander Yuan, you talk to him. Heh, probe him first, feel him out. We're not in a hurry. The Divine Machine Camp needs some time to prepare for battle, doesn't it? Oh, right, and give me a set of armor."

As he spoke, he swept his right hand across his face. The disguise mask wriggled, and his features rapidly changed. His handsome face, like that of a Qidian reader, quickly became ordinary. He patted his backside and stood up:

"I'll watch the fun from the side."

Ah, this… Yuan Feng was a serious character, a bit out of sync with Zhao Du'an's rhythm. Seeing the Divine Machine Camp generals leave, Zhao Du'an changed into a deputy general's outfit, his back straight, standing on one side of the tent, acting as a guard.

He had no choice but to brace himself and instruct the other military officers:

"Bring him in."

The interior of the tent was simply furnished, with nothing more than a long table, a stove in the corner, and a weapons rack beside it.

Zhao Du'an waited leisurely for a moment, then heard footsteps outside the tent. Immediately, a hand suddenly reached into the tent and vigorously lifted upwards!

Whoosh—

The tent door swung open, and the dim sunlight shone in from outside. An old man in a gray robe, with extremely long arms that almost reached his knees, had a stern face. His sharp gaze swept over the generals of the Five Armies Camp inside the tent.

Only then did he step aside, revealing a four-man team behind him, led by one dressed in gorgeous clothes, holding a folding fan, with red lips, white teeth, and a powdered face with a tied crown.

His chin was slightly raised, and his posture when looking at people was filled with a sense of "condescension." Even his cloud-patterned boots hardly seemed to have been stained with much dust on this battlefield.

"Heh, Commander Yuan, what great prestige. This Heir Apparent has arrived, yet you generals of the Five Armies Camp are leisurely waiting here. As expected of Xue Shenjiang's capable disciple, even surrendering is done with a straight back, tsk tsk."

The Hengwang Heir Apparent smiled at the corner of his mouth, his words filled with undisguised displeasure and anger.

Zhen Bao's cousin, the prince's heir, Xu Zudi!

On a whim, Zhao Du'an, playing the role of a deputy general, twitched his eyes slightly. After more than half a year, meeting this guy again, Xu Zudi's impression on him hadn't changed at all.

Still arrogant, high and mighty,嚣张, looking at people with slanted eyes.

Last time, Xu Zudi stood up for Li Lang, detained Zhao Du'an's subordinates, and asked him to redeem them, even using the game of shooting apples with flying knives to humiliate him.

It was a pity that, due to his status as the Heir Apparent, Zhao Du'an was unable to teach him a lesson, allowing him to swagger back to Qingzhou.

But this time, everything was different.

"Greetings, Heir Apparent," Yuan Feng, sitting upright in the main seat, braced himself and stood up, trying his best to control himself, not looking at the King Yama Zhao standing to the side.

He clasped his fists and bowed, his expression calm:

"Prince Heng has no decree, yet he left his fiefdom without authorization and brought troops to the capital to 'protect the Emperor,' which is ultimately against the rules. We are not surrendering today, but only seeking peace to avoid expanding casualties…"

"Heh!"

Xu Zudi sneered, his eyes glancing over. One of his entourage brought over an empty chair in the tent.

Cushioning the Heir Apparent's noble buttocks.

Xu Zudi swaggered over and sat down, the folding fan snapping open with a whoosh, disdainfully saying:

"A dead duck has a hard mouth. Fine, this Heir Apparent is magnanimous. If you want to negotiate, then let's negotiate. However, this Heir Apparent has come here personally, not to waste words and saliva with you. Let's stop those platitudes, don't be long-winded, and let's get straight to the point."

He raised his jaw, his tone arrogant:

"If you want to negotiate, you can. It's still the same request. Commander Yuan, order the entire camp to give up resistance immediately and surrender to my Prince Heng's army protecting the Emperor!

As long as you do this, this Heir Apparent can, on behalf of my father, promise not to pursue your crimes of insubordination. Not only that, as long as you do your best to serve Prince Heng's mansion and eliminate the treacherous officials in the city who are harming the country, when my father ascends the throne, you will all be meritorious officials…"

Zhao Du'an's eyes were strange, shaking his head in his heart, saying that Prince Heng seemed to have a problem with his brain as well.

At this time, since he came to accept the surrender, he should show a "friendly" side. Isn't this arrogant and threatening posture increasing the difficulty of surrender?

However, he recalled some gossip stories he had seen in his previous life about World War II, and he didn't find it surprising.

If you turn over history, you will find that outrageous operations are everywhere… Simple arrogance is simply too common.

Unsurprisingly, after Xu Zudi threw out a series of words, the generals in the tent all showed angry expressions.

Too bullying!

When people negotiate, they offer prices, but Xu Zudi touched his two lips together, an amnesty, a blank check, nothing substantial.

Yuan Feng took a deep breath, suppressed his anger:

"Heir Apparent, we are serving the imperial court, what crime is there? Could it be that the Prince still wants to pursue what crime we have committed? The officers and soldiers up and down in my Five Armies Camp…"

Xu Zudi suddenly narrowed his eyes, the folding fan snapping shut with a smack,阴阳怪气, rudely interrupting:

"What? Commander Yuan doesn't want to talk anymore? Let me tell you, now outside, my Qingzhou army is ready to go. As long as an order is given, this place can be leveled! Don't forget, you have already been defeated in three major battles. If it weren't for my father's benevolence, unwilling to kill too many, would you still be alive?"

He suddenly stood up, staring at Yuan Feng, ignoring the others in the tent:

"You need to be clear, saying that negotiation is giving you some face, begging for mercy is you! Not this Heir Apparent! Exempting you from your sins, not imprisoning you, still retaining your official positions, giving you important positions, these conditions, you are still not satisfied? You must know that a person's heart is not enough for a snake to swallow an elephant! Commander Yuan, don't be shameless!"

While speaking, Xu Zudi grinned, without any warning, throwing the folding fan in his hand towards Yuan Feng!

This blow did not have much lethality, just an ordinary throw.

However, the faces of all the military officers in the Five Armies Camp changed!

Because, this act was an undisguised provocation, threat, and slap in the face!

It was like a master getting angry, grabbing an object and smashing it at a servant. If the servant dared to resist, it would be an even more cruel punishment.

Xu Zudi played a strong hand, he wanted to make contributions, as the Heir Apparent, what he wanted from accepting the surrender was a beautiful victory.

Therefore, he took the lead and deliberately pulled his momentum to the maximum, just to break the spines of Yuan Feng and others in one fell swoop!

Yuan Feng tried his best to endure, motionless, his gaze involuntarily cast towards someone in the tent, not daring to act without authorization.

However, at this moment, the folding fan thrown out, flying in mid-air, was suddenly grasped by a hand that lightly and casually stretched out from the side!

"Pa."

A hand with well-proportioned knuckles pinched the folding fan, making a crisp sound.

Immediately, Zhao Du'an said lightly:

"Heir Apparent, you still like to throw things at people like this."

While speaking, he twisted his wrist, and the folding fan was covered with a layer of energy, suddenly like a hidden weapon dart, like a crossbow arrow on a string, like a flash of lightning, smashing towards Xu Zudi's face!

"Courtesy demands reciprocity, Heir Apparent, please accept this move!"