The retreat couldn't be hidden from anyone.
Meng Chao's actions could be perfectly described by two idioms: "covering one's ears while stealing a bell" and "deceiving oneself."
At first, the Handan soldiers left behind as scapegoats didn't notice anything.
Under the command of their officers, they continued to attack Piyong fiercely, leaving behind at least a hundred corpses.
However, the defenders, holding the high ground, quickly noticed the enemy's movements.
Yang Bao, the commander on the city walls, hesitated for a moment but eventually decided to report it.
Mi Huang and Shao Xun, upon hearing the news, immediately went up to the walls to observe.
"They're definitely retreating," Shao Xun said after a quick glance, his expression thoughtful.
"They've only been attacking for two days, and now they're retreating in such a hurry, not even waiting for nightfall. There must be a reason."
It wasn't hard to guess.
One reason could be subjective—Meng Chao didn't want to fight anymore, didn't want to exhaust his forces.
But after only two days, wasn't this too hasty? The other reason could be objective—the situation on other battlefields had taken a turn for the worse, forcing them to retreat.
Perhaps the situation was so dire that even a slight delay could lead to disaster.
This defeat was quite brutal!
"Commander, it's likely that the battle at Jianchun Gate has been decided. Our forces have won a great victory, and the enemy has suffered a crushing defeat. Meng Chao is afraid and has no choice but to retreat," Shao Xun said immediately.
"I request permission to lead a pursuit."
Mi Huang hesitated for a moment.
Was it necessary to pursue? What if the enemy was setting a trap? Repelling the enemy and defending Piyong would be enough.
Even if there was no merit, there would be no blame either.
Wouldn't it be better to play it safe?
But he didn't hesitate for long and quickly agreed.
"You take charge. I trust you."
There were two reasons for his quick agreement.
First, he had previously promised to let Shao Xun handle military matters, and going back on his word wasn't his style.
Second, deep down, he had ambitions.
He came from the Mi family of Donghai.
Although the family had risen to prominence during the late Han dynasty, they were never considered a major clan.
At best, they were wealthy local magnates with little political influence.
Later, the Mi family split, with some members following Liu Bei to Shu, while others, including Mi Huang's ancestors, remained in Xuzhou.
Over generations, the Mi family of Donghai had managed to establish themselves as a minor noble family, but they were still far from the likes of the Wang family of Langya or the Pei family of Wenxi.
Even compared to the Yu family of Yingchuan, they were still lacking.
Deep down, Mi Huang felt a bit of inferiority, but he also harbored a desire to prove himself.
He wanted people like Wang Dao to see that he, Mi Huang, could also achieve great deeds.
Even a kind-hearted man like him had his stubbornness and ambitions.
In critical moments, he could also take risks!
"Then, Commander, please stay and guard Piyong while I lead the pursuit," Shao Xun said with a nod.
He then turned to Yang Bao.
"Commander Yang, immediately select a dozen soldiers with loud voices and have them shout..."
Yang Bao felt a sudden unease under Shao Xun's gaze but quickly forced a smile.
"I'll find the men right away."
Soon, a dozen soldiers climbed up the walls and, under Shao Xun's direction, braved enemy arrows to shout at the top of their lungs, "Meng Chao has fled! Meng Chao has fled!"
As soon as the shouts rang out, chaos erupted on Kaiyang Gate Street.
The Handan soldiers, who had already lost their will to fight, stopped in their tracks upon hearing the shouts, looking at each other in confusion.
Shao Xun laughed heartily.
Truth couldn't be hidden, and lies couldn't be made true.
Meng Chao's retreat from the Mingtang wasn't hard to verify.
The Handan soldiers would soon realize they had been left as scapegoats, and when they did, chaos would inevitably follow.
Shao Xun quickly descended from the walls and called over Chen Yougen, Li Zhong, Huang Biao, Wu Qian, Yu Liang, Xu Lang, and others.
"Gather everyone who can move. We're going out to pursue and kill."
The men were momentarily stunned but didn't hesitate.
They immediately went to rally the troops.
In a short while, about three hundred men had assembled.
Shao Xun thought for a moment and then had Wu Qian select fifty older youths to join the fight armed with weapons—it was time to give them some experience.
The commotion of Shao Xun mustering his troops drew the attention of the civilians sheltering inside Piyong, who gathered to watch silently.
Yu Liang's father, Yu Chen, who usually kept to himself, also came out with his family to watch the soldiers preparing for battle.
Yu Wenjun stood behind her mother, Lady Qiu, her bright eyes scanning the crowd until they settled on one person.
"Follow me!" The man had tied a red headband around his forehead, his heavy sword slung across his back, and a bow in his hand, exuding an air of invincibility.
Wang Que'er, who had almost become his personal guard, even brought two horses over, his expression serious.
Yu Wenjun tightened her grip on the handkerchief in her hand.
War was a dark and grim affair for her, but the news of victory brought by that man was one of the few bright spots in those dark times.
Like a ray of sunlight piercing through the darkness.
Please, don't let him die.
"Follow me! Follow me!" Chen Yougen and the others shouted in unison.
Yu Liang couldn't help but join in the shouting.
In that moment, there were no distinctions between noble families, magnates, soldiers, or commoners.
Everyone was a comrade-in-arms, brothers fighting side by side—at least for that moment.
Xu Lang's lips moved a few times, but when no one paid him any attention, he stopped hesitating and joined in the shouting, his voice growing louder.
The barricades behind the gate were quickly removed, and the badly damaged, charred wooden gates were opened from the inside.
Chen Yougen leaped out, leading the charge.
The Handan soldiers had truly collapsed.
To say they retreated without a fight would be an understatement.
Upon realizing they had been left as scapegoats, shock turned to despair and then to anger.
Some fled directly down Kaiyang Gate Street, while others rushed into the Mingtang, cursing loudly.
The defenders of Piyong followed closely behind, shouting and killing, their morale soaring.
In that moment, even the most cowardly pursuers became brave warriors.
In that moment, even the bravest men from Hebei became cowards.
The situation was one-sided from the start.
Shao Xun rode into the Mingtang, shooting left and right, quickly catching up to the Hebei soldiers crowded at the west gate.
The gate wasn't wide, and the fleeing soldiers were pushing and shoving, creating a chaotic mess.
The Hebei cavalry had abandoned their horses, discarded their armor, and were slashing left and right with their swords, forcing their way out through the screams of their comrades.
Shao Xun dismounted, drew his heavy sword, and charged forward like a god descending from heaven.
Behind him, a large group of warriors followed closely, their faces fierce, their battle cries shaking the heavens.
The Hebei soldiers pushed even harder, with no intention of resisting.
"Form ranks and advance! Form ranks and advance, have you forgotten?" Li Zhong roared, seeing the disorganized formation of their own soldiers.
The ranks quickly formed, and sharp spears thrust forward in unison.
Groans and screams filled the air.
Some enemy soldiers wept bitterly, only to be impaled by a spear and pinned to the wall.
Some knelt and begged for mercy, only to be beheaded on the spot, their blood pooling on the ground.
Some desperately pushed forward, only to be stabbed in the back by a spear and collapse.
More scattered in all directions, trying to escape with their lives.
Shao Xun's heavy sword danced up and down, leaving severed limbs and broken bodies in its wake.
Chen Yougen, now wielding a large shield, protected Shao Xun's front, his ring-pommeled sword occasionally striking out, always finding its mark.
Honestly, he hadn't experienced such a satisfying fight in a long time.
The enemy barely put up any resistance.
He was beginning to realize just how important it was to follow the right person—it could even change one's destiny.
So—kill!
Kill, kill, kill! Anyone who opposes the commander, I'll kill them to the last.
Kill until others fear us, kill until even we fear ourselves, and see if we can carve out a name for ourselves.
The young Wang Que'er stood to Shao Xun's right, holding a long spear.
He wasn't as strong or fearless as Chen Yougen, nor did he have much training.
It was only after Shao Xun became a team leader that he began to receive proper, rigorous military training.
He didn't understand grand principles, but he knew the commander treated him well, so he was obedient and grateful.
He studied diligently and trained hard in spear techniques.
Yes, most of his effort went into mastering the spear.
Over hundreds of days and nights, he practiced the same dozen or so simple movements.
Now, on the battlefield, the results of his relentless training showed:
His spear thrusts were like a dragon's—simple, fast, and efficient.
This was the style of the "Shao Squad"—don't waste energy, as stamina on the battlefield was precious.
Wang Que'er mercilessly stabbed every enemy who tried to approach the commander, whether they intended to or were forced to.
After killing several, he began to feel a strange sense of intuition, as if he could predict the enemy's movements and anticipate their next actions.
It was a mysterious feeling, using the enemy's steps, expressions, and the overall situation on the battlefield to strike first and kill with a single blow.
He tried it a few times and succeeded each time, growing to love the sensation.
The commander's killing had a unique rhythm and beauty to it, as if the enemies were offering their necks to his blade.
Wang Que'er hadn't understood it before, but now he was beginning to grasp it.
Shao Xun relied on accumulated experience, while Wang Que'er had natural talent.
Though their paths were different, they were both equally deadly.
The enemy at the west gate of the Mingtang was quickly cleared.
Shao Xun stepped through the blood-soaked hellscape of severed limbs and broken bodies, arriving at Pingchang Gate Street.
In the distance, he could see the fleeing backs of the enemy, with Meng Chao's banner faintly visible among them.
"Gather the horses and bring them to me!" he ordered.
(End of Chapter)