I am a commoner, but I will lead the empress to unify the world

Chapter 377 I will not return until I have conquered the royal court

A month and a half after setting out from Shengjing, the army led by Shen Changgong finally arrived at the border.

This time, they specifically took the road next to Huangtubao. The army crossed the high mountains of Huangtubao and came to the large open space in the north to set up camp.

Shen Changgong left the camp and headed towards Huangtu Fort with the generals and a thousand soldiers.

When we reached the top of the mountain, we saw devastation.

What comes into view is a tall tomb mound.

After the Battle of Huangtu Fort, all the Yan army soldiers were killed. When the reinforcements arrived, all that was left were a pile of heads, a group of charred corpses, and collapsed city walls.

The Yan army that came to rescue found no trace of the enemy and could only dig a big pit in the open space of Huangtu Fort.

The bodies were all stuck together and couldn't be separated, and they couldn't tell which head corresponded to which body.

They could only throw all the bodies into the pit, put their heads in it, and bury them with tears.

They created a massive tombstone with the name of every soldier who died in the battle inscribed on it.

At the top are the names of two centurions who refused to surrender.

Zhou Tianlei, Xing Yushu.

Below are the names of more than 200 people.

Shen Changgong waved his hand, and the guards came over with a large pile of offerings, incense burners, paper money, etc. and placed them in front of the tombstone, completing the arrangement.

Shen Changgong personally lit the incense and placed it in the incense burner.

Two guards were burning paper ingots in the brazier.

Behind him, all the people who came stood side by side, staring at the tombstone with bright eyes.

At this time, the sound of horse hooves came from behind, and a general with his guards rushed up quickly, then dismounted, entered through the gap in the wall, walked around the crowd, came to Shen Changgong, knelt on one knee and said,

"General Wu Ran pays his respects to His Majesty."

Shen Changgong looked at the tombstone in front of him with a stern look and said,

"You don't have to kneel to me, kneel to them."

General Wu Ran was stunned when he heard this. Although he didn't know why a general like him should kneel down to some soldiers who died in battle, since the prince had given the order, he immediately did as he was told and turned to kneel down towards the tombstone.

Shen Changgong shouted loudly,

"Salute to all the brothers who died in battle!"

Then he took the lead and bowed to the tombstone.

After three times, everyone straightened up and placed their right fists on their chests.

Shen Changgong's act of respecting the soldiers who died in battle moved every soldier to the point of wanting to cry.

Because they know that one day they may die in battle, and they don't care how they will be buried after death, even if they are wrapped in horsehide or eaten by vultures.

What they care more about is whether anyone will remember them and whether anyone will respect their sacrifice.

And today, Shen Changgong proved with his actions that someone will remember them after they die.

Even the most honorable Lanling King in the country would personally bow to them and pay tribute to them.

Shen Changgong looked at the tombstone and said in a loud voice,

"You barbarians from the grasslands invaded our country without any reason and massacred you. All 245 Yan soldiers were killed!

This crime! Unforgivable! This vengeance! Must be avenged!

Brothers! Don't rush to leave! Just wait and see how I, the King of Yan, lead my army to sweep across the grasslands and avenge you!

I have fought a hundred battles in the yellow sand, wearing my golden armor. I will not return until I have conquered the royal court!"

"I will not return until I have destroyed the royal court!"

The thousands of soldiers behind him shouted loudly!

Shen Changgong took a jar of wine, opened it, and poured it around the tomb while walking around it.

"Brothers, it's bitterly cold in the north. Drink more wine to warm your bodies."

After walking around and pouring out the wine, Shen Changgong put the jar of wine on the ground.

Behind him, a guard brought a chair and placed it behind Shen Changgong.

Shen Changgong sat on it, looking coldly at the kneeling General Wu Ran in front of him, and said,

"Get up and come before this king."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Wu Ran quickly stood up and stood respectfully in front of Shen Changgong.

Shen Changgong looked at him for a long time, until Wu Ran felt uneasy, then he slowly said,

"Take off this armor and go home."

Wu Ran was horrified and immediately knelt on the ground and asked,

"Your Highness, why is this happening? Please forgive me."

"You don't even know what your crime is, yet you want me to forgive you?"

Shen Changgong's eyes were cold.

Wu Ran was shaking like a sieve and said,

"I...I have committed dereliction of duty, causing the deaths of over two hundred brothers from Huangtu Fort."

However, Shen Changgong shook his head and said,

"Each fort is ten miles apart, and even further from your city. The enemy's arrival was sudden and unexpected. It's only natural that you didn't have time to rescue them. What's your fault?"

Wu Ran murmured,

"Then...then what crime has he committed..."

"I'm asking you, what have you been doing for the past month and a half?"

"I will be strengthening the city's defenses, guarding against further enemy attacks, while also gathering intelligence and observing enemy movements."

Shen Changgong nodded and said,

"Well done, what next?"

"No...nothing happened afterwards."

Wu Ran said confusedly.

"Why don't you go and avenge them?"

Shen Changgong pointed at the tombstone in front of him and said.

"I... I only have 10,000 soldiers and horses under my command. I simply cannot defeat the enemy's army."

"If you can't defeat the army, you can't defeat the civilians either?"

Shen Changgong said slowly,

"The barbarians are a nomadic people, and the able-bodied men live together. On weekdays, they graze their livestock separately, with distances of several miles or even dozens of miles, stretching for hundreds of miles.

You can completely gather your troops, consolidate the city defenses, and abandon some of the forts.

The enemy is right in front of you and is about to attack you. These forts are so scattered that they have no ability to fight back against the enemy. Why don't you take them back?

Then you can take your soldiers to the grassland to kill the civilians who come out to graze, and steal their horses, cattle and sheep.

You can't defeat a large army, but you can always use your superior numbers to attack the weak, right?

He killed two hundred of us, so you have to kill two hundred or two thousand of them to avenge him!

If they chase you, hide back in the city. If they attack the city, fight them. Can their horses chew through the city walls? What is the use of the divine thunder I gave you?

If you are afraid of sacrifice, what kind of soldier are you?!

The soldiers of Dayan were bullied, and you didn't avenge them. What kind of general are you?

Shen Changgong's harsh words frightened Wu Ran so much that he trembled all over.

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong..."

Shen Changgong stood up, put his hands behind his back, and said,

"In Dayan, we don't hold grudges overnight. We will avenge our grudges immediately! We have always been the ones bullying others, not the ones bullying us.

If you bully others, I won’t blame you!

But I will not allow others to bully you!"