bookrandom Chapter 2099: Mixed Good and Bad
Chapter 2099: Mixed Good and Bad
Ma Chao's words struck Ma Dai's heart like a heavy hammer.
He opened his mouth, but found himself unable to refute it.
I know my body best. I was holding on by sheer willpower just now, but now that I've relaxed, I feel pain all over my body and my strength has been drained away.
My elder brother is right. In my current state, chasing after them would only make me a burden, or even lead to my death.
Seeing that the indignation in Ma Dai's eyes was gradually replaced by helplessness and clarity, Ma Chao knew that he had understood.
He patted Ma Dai on the shoulder, his tone softening, yet still carrying an unyielding resolve:
"This battle was not your fault, nor was it due to the lack of courage of the soldiers."
"Li Jing's fate was not yet sealed, and Guo Ziyi's timely rescue was the will of Heaven."
"However, our army has severely damaged its main force, killed its general, and forced Li Jing to live in constant fear, which is already a great achievement."
"His Majesty and General Han will certainly not blame you."
He turned away, no longer looking in the direction of the Tang army's retreat, as if to sever that regret completely, and ordered the generals around him in a deep voice: "Order all units to gather their troops, count the casualties, and treat the wounded!"
"Send out scouts ten miles ahead to closely monitor the movements of the Tang army and prevent them from launching a surprise attack!"
"The rest of the soldiers, rest on the spot. Send out a unit to clean up the battlefield, collect the remains of the fallen soldiers, and count the spoils of war!"
"We cannot linger here. Before dawn, the entire army shall retreat to a location that forms a pincer movement with General Han's main camp!"
Orders were issued one after another, and the Chu army began to carry them out in an orderly manner.
Although the joy of victory was overshadowed by the regret of not achieving complete success, the surviving soldiers felt more of a sense of relief at surviving a disaster and a sense of relief at completing their mission.
Ma Dai silently watched the soldiers begin their work, then glanced again at the Tang army's firelight in the northeast, which had long since disappeared into the thick darkness of the night.
In the end, all they could do was let out a long, reluctant sigh and accept the reality.
The intense pain and weakness he felt forced him to admit that his elder brother's decision was perhaps the most rational choice at present.
However, the regret of missing out on such a great feat will likely linger in his heart for a long time.
On the Tang army's side.
After confirming that the Chu army was not pursuing them, the sounds of horses' hooves and shouts of battle, which symbolized danger and oppression, finally disappeared completely into the darkness and silence behind them.
Guo Ziyi's nerves, which had been taut like a bowstring, finally relaxed slightly.
He reined in his horse and looked back. Apart from a few scattered torches that might have been the light of Chu troops cleaning up the battlefield, there was no sign of any large-scale activity.
He exhaled a long, deep breath, a breath that seemed to carry the weight of a whole night's thrills and immense pressure.
The night wind carried a chill across the wilderness, along with a lingering, thick stench of blood.
Guo Ziyi turned his head to look at Li Jing, who was also standing silently on his horse beside him.
This was once a powerful military genius of the Tang Dynasty, who struck fear into the hearts of enemy nations.
He looked disheveled, his armor tattered, and his face bore an undisguised weariness and a deeper, almost desolate, sense of loneliness.
The starlight and the remaining firelight illuminated his profile, outlining a tragic end for a hero.
Li Jing also felt Guo Ziyi's gaze. He didn't turn his head, but instead looked in the distance in the darkness where the Chu army might be, and spoke in a low, hoarse voice:
"Ziyi, we are so grateful to you for leading your troops to our aid in time."
“If it weren’t for your decisive attack, risking leaving the camp and venturing into dangerous territory, my life, and the lives of these thousands of surviving soldiers, would have truly been lost to Brother Ma Chao.”
His words conveyed genuine gratitude, but also a lingering sense of heaviness and self-reproach.
Throughout his life of battles, Li Jing had never needed his comrades to risk their lives to save him in order to escape.
This in itself is a huge failure.
Guo Ziyi quickly bowed slightly on his horse, his tone respectful and sincere: "General Li, you flatter me. Protecting the commander-in-chief is my duty."
"Moreover, Commander Li is responsible for the safety of the entire army and is a pillar of the nation. Even if there are countless dangers, I, your humble servant, am willing to go through fire and water."
He paused for a moment, then his tone turned concerned: "Is Commander Li seriously injured? The camp physician has already prepared everything; he needs to be treated immediately upon returning to camp."
Li Jing waved his hand, indicating that it was alright.
He was more concerned about the global chain reaction triggered by his defeat.
He turned to look at Guo Ziyi, his eyes filled with seriousness and inquiry:
"Ziyi, you personally led the main cavalry force out of camp to pursue me in order to save me. What is the current situation of the main camp facing Han Xing on the front lines?"
"Han Xing is a shrewd and experienced strategist. If he launches a fierce attack while your main force is away from camp, I'm afraid..."
This was another huge weight that had been hanging over Guo Ziyi's mind.
His expression was solemn as he replied in a deep voice, "Rest assured, Commander Li, I have already made arrangements before leaving the camp."
"Order General Xue Kehu to lead all his elite troops and launch a sustained and fierce attack on the Chu army camp at all costs."
"If Han Xing wants to divide his forces to pursue or harass our camp, he must first get past Xue Kehu."
"General Xue is brave and fierce, enough to keep Han Xing's main force tied up in front of the camp, leaving them no time to look at anything else."
"At this moment, General Xue must still be engaged in fierce fighting with Han Xing, tying down his forces."
Upon hearing that Xue Kehu was still fighting on the front lines, Li Jing nodded slightly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
Using a general and his men's fierce attack to buy time and space for one's own escape is a heavy price to pay.
But he also knew that this was the best option Guo Ziyi could make under the circumstances.
The conversation seemed to have come to an end, and the two, surrounded by their guards, followed the large group of people and slowly made their way towards the Tang army camp in the night.
Apart from the sound of horses' hooves and the occasional groans of the wounded, there was complete silence all around.
This silence was filled with the oppression of defeat and anxiety about the future.
After walking for a while, Guo Ziyi seemed to remember something. He glanced around at the sparse guards and personal soldiers around Li Jing, and his brows furrowed imperceptibly.
He remembered that the generals he sent to meet him included Qin Hong and Yuchi Bo.
"Li Shuai,"
Guo Ziyi's voice held a hint of hesitation, but he still asked, "General Yuchi Bo, whom I sent to provide backup...where is he now?"
"But they are still gathering the other defeated soldiers and haven't yet reunited with Commander Li?"
He felt a vague unease. Yuchi Bo was brave and loyal. If he had received Li Jing, he would have protected him closely. His absence at this moment was definitely not ordinary.
Upon hearing the name "Yuchi Bo," Li Jing's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
He was silent.
The night breeze seemed even cooler.
The guards around him also lowered their heads, and the atmosphere suddenly became stagnant and sorrowful.
After a long silence, Li Jingcai spoke slowly in an extremely deep voice, as if each word carried the weight of a thousand pounds:
"General Yuchi... in order to cover my retreat, he led his troops to cover the rear and fought a bloody battle with Ma Chao's troops. In the end, he was exhausted and captured, falling into the hands of the Chu army."