noffsinger Chapter 2100 finally stopped.
Chapter 2100 finally stopped.
Despite having a bad feeling, Guo Ziyi was still shocked when he heard the word "captured" come out of Li Jing's mouth. It was as if he had been struck by lightning!
He instantly reined in his horse, his face drained of color, his eyes filled with shock, regret, and disbelief!
Yuchi Bo! He was one of his most valiant and loyal generals!
He is strong-willed and unyielding!
He was actually... captured?
For Yuchi Bo himself, this would probably be even more unbearable than dying on the battlefield!
This was a heavy blow to the morale of the Tang army, especially to the generals!
“General Yuchi… General Yuchi…” Guo Ziyi murmured, his voice hoarse.
He remembered Yuchi Bo's usual hearty laughter, his fearless figure charging ahead, and the determined look in his eyes when he patted his chest to guarantee the completion of the mission.
Now, all of this may be shrouded in dust, or even come to an abrupt end, with the word "captured".
A surge of immense grief and anger, mixed with deep concern for the plight of his comrades, welled up in Guo Ziyi's heart.
But he knew that he must not lose his composure in front of Li Jing at this moment.
He took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions, and the shock and grief on his face were gradually replaced by a heavy resolve.
He looked at Li Jing and found that the old marshal's eyes were equally complex, filled with guilt, pain, and a sense of desolation, like the saying "a rabbit mourns a fox's death."
"Li Shuai!"
Guo Ziyi's voice regained its composure, but the heaviness lingered:
"We will discuss this matter in detail later. General Yuchi is loyal and brave, and the Chu army may use this to blackmail us. We need to plan this carefully."
He paused, his gaze fixed on the faint outline of lights from the distant Tang army camp, his tone firm:
"Right now, let's return to camp, reorganize the troops, treat the wounded, and take stock of the losses."
"General Xue Kehu's side also needs to be evacuated. Once the situation is stabilized, we can then consider a plan to rescue General Yuchi."
Li Jing nodded silently and said nothing more.
In the darkness after the catastrophe, the two Tang generals, with heavy hearts, continued their journey toward the camp that symbolized temporary safety but was already shrouded in the shadow of defeat.
The capture of Yuchi Bo was like another heavy blow to the already wounded Tang army.
The road ahead seems even more difficult.
The January wind, like countless tiny ice blades, swept across the empty fields, carrying a biting chill and the lingering smell of gunpowder and blood.
Although the sun was high in the sky, its light appeared pale and weak, unable to dispel the bitter cold of winter or warm the battlefield that had just experienced a fierce battle.
Outside the gate of the Tang army camp.
When Li Jing and Guo Ziyi led their defeated troops, who had endured a night of terror, were all wounded, and were utterly exhausted, they finally saw the familiar outline of their own camp and the fluttering flags. Many of them almost burst into tears.
It was not just a fortress, but a way out in dire straits, the only place that could provide shelter and respite after defeat.
Guo Ziyi ordered the camp gates to be opened and personally escorted Li Jing into the camp.
The generals and soldiers left behind in the camp all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their commander return safely.
But seeing the wounded and demoralized defeated soldiers following closely behind, and the cavalry that was clearly much smaller, a heavy gloom instantly settled over his heart.
The joy of victory vanished, replaced by a heavy, oppressive feeling.
They silently made way, watching Li Jing and Guo Ziyi pass by with complicated expressions.
Almost at the same time that Li Jing stepped into the central command tent to receive treatment from the physician, a deep and long gong sound pierced through the biting cold wind and clearly resounded throughout the entire battlefield.
"Dang-dang-dang-!"
The voice carried a sense of relief after exhaustion, and also signaled a strategic adjustment following the return of the commander-in-chief.
At the front line, outside the Chu army camp.
The fierce battle has lasted for a day and a night.
Xue Kehu faithfully carried out Guo Ziyi's order to "spare no effort to hold back Han Xing," and his Tang army, like mad tigers, launched wave after wave of almost non-stop fierce attacks on the Chu army camp.
The area outside the camp was already a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood; both sides had paid an extremely heavy price.
The Chu army's camp walls were damaged in many places and were repaired and reinforced overnight. Some sections even changed hands repeatedly.
Xue Kehu himself was also bristling with rage, and had several new wounds on his body. He brandished his machete and continued to roar, urging his soldiers to attack.
"Charge! That old bastard Han Xing is about to give up! Give it your all!"
However, under Han Xing's command, the Chu army camp remained as steadfast as a rock.
Relying on their fortifications, they resisted step by step, using arrows, rolling logs, stones, and even oil to repel the Tang army's charges time and time again.
Although Xue Kehu was brave, he could not make a decisive breakthrough in the face of Han Xing's watertight defense, and the battle fell into a brutal stalemate of attrition.
He himself knew that the physical strength and morale of his men were also nearing their limit.
This was less of an attack and more of a bloody spectacle of trading lives for time.
Just as he was preparing to organize another suicide squad for one last assault, the retreat signal, which signaled a retreat, was clearly heard through the cold wind.
Xue Kehu suddenly stopped, his axe hovering in mid-air.
He listened intently, somewhat incredulously, to confirm that it was indeed the sound of gongs from the rear camp, representing the highest command, and not a trick by the Chu army.
Immediately afterwards, he subconsciously turned around and looked in the direction of the Tang army camp.
At this time, because the two sides were engaged in fierce fighting and the battlefield was noisy, the specific situation of the rear camp could not be clearly seen.
However, Xue Kehu's sharp eyes still pierced through the billowing smoke and distance, and he could vaguely see the sounds of a large group of people returning near the camp gate.
More importantly, he seemed to see the commander's flag, which represented Li Jing and was now incredibly precious, reappear in the camp!
Although the flag may be damaged and the returning team may look disheveled, it is indeed Li Shuai's flag!
An indescribable surge of ecstasy and a feeling of relief instantly overwhelmed Xue Kehu's nerves, which had been taut for a day and a night!
"Stop! All of you, stop right now!"
Xue Kehu roared with a hoarse voice, his thunderous roar drowning out the sounds of battle ahead.
The Tang soldiers who were charging forward stopped in surprise and looked back in confusion.
Xue Kehu smiled for the first time since the start of the war. The smile was stained with blood, but it was full of satisfaction after completing the mission.
He raised his axe high, pointed it behind him, and announced in a loud voice: "My men! There's no need to fight anymore! General Li—has been safely brought back to the camp by General Guo!"
Our mission—is complete!