CHAPTER 817: CHAPTER 499: YOUNG MASTER, PREPARE TO RECEIVE MY MOVE

Surrender?

When Zhao Douan’s words fell upon everyone’s ears, those who heard it were not without surprise.

Soon after, Yuan Feng, with a face like a national character, caught on: "Sir, do you want us to feign surrender?"

Zhao Douan smiled, his gaze calm:

"You all couldn’t have anticipated the Divine Mechanism Camp’s early arrival. The rebels, with even more limited information, should also be similarly delayed. If so, why not go with the flow?"

"Wonderful!" A military officer clapped his hands in approval:

"With the swift arrival of the Divine Mechanism Camp brothers, it will be difficult to effectively counter the rebels in a short time. By feigning cooperation, we can buy time and postpone the next battle while lulling the enemy into a false sense of security.

When they relax, our two battalions will launch a surprise attack on the rebels! Mr. Zhao’s wisdom is unparalleled, I am sincerely impressed!"

Sycophantic... The others exchanged gloomy looks, silently cursing in their hearts.

You laid it on so thickly right away, how should we respond?

If our flattery doesn’t match yours, won’t Yama Zhao take note?

"Unparalleled wisdom"? It’s just feigning surrender to delay time, what’s so extraordinary about that strategy? You’re praising it as if no one else could think of it...

In their hearts, the commanders madly griped while rushing to offer their own praises, throwing compliments around as if they were free.

Yuan Feng’s expression was awkward. As the Commander, seeing his subordinates so obsequious inevitably made him blush with embarrassment, but he still greatly approved of Zhao Douan’s strategy:

Though not remarkable, it was stable.

Fortunately, it seemed this Junior Guardian was not as arrogant and impulsive as rumored; he knew when to restrain himself and withdraw.

Yuan Feng feared nothing more than the court sending someone who didn’t understand warfare but thought they knew better after reading a few military books.

Officials from the Divine Mechanism Camp such as Shi Meng, Chen Gui, and Tang Ping remained silent and simply kept smiling.

They understood that the people from the Five Army Camp roughly misunderstood, thinking their Military Governor proposed feigning surrender out of fear of a strong enemy to buy time.

But in reality, based on the Divine Mechanism Camp’s understanding of Zhao Douan, the Military Governor, who had new firearms in hand, didn’t choose to directly charge the Qingzhou Army’s camp not out of fear, but to avoid "hurting friendly forces."

"It’s settled, Commander Yuan will send a message over, saying that..."

Zhao Douan smiled and whispered conspiratorially.

...

Not long after, within the Qingzhou Army’s tent.

"Haha, congratulations to Your Highness, the strategy worked, even the Five Army Camp couldn’t hold out!" A strategist exclaimed with joy, loudly flattering: "Fighting three battles in a row wasn’t for killing the enemy, but to dampen their morale. Once their morale hits rock bottom, we set a final deadline; this way, the enemy will falter and surrender to Your Highness as a matter of course!"

Inside the tent, Prince Heng sat in the main seat, enjoying his subordinate’s flattery with a smile forming on his lips.

At over thirty years old, the Young Master who looked after himself with red lips and white teeth like a youth, held a folding fan and said with a laugh: "I thought, with Yuan Feng’s style, he would hold out a bit longer, make a last-ditch struggle, or retreat to resist using the terrain. Unexpectedly, it seems I overestimated him. Constantly claiming loyalty to the court, yet they surrender so quickly, don’t they?"

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

A strategist laughed and said: "Yuan Feng might be stubborn, but ultimately he’s just one person, and his subordinates are not united, with different intentions. Even if he wants to fight on, he must weigh whether persisting will lead his subordinates to cut off his head and offer it to us as a token of allegiance."

Prince Heng was in an excellent mood; swallowing the Five Army Camp with minimal cost was the most ideal outcome. Next, once they were absorbed and they broke into the Capital, was just within reach. He looked around the room and said:

"Though Yuan Feng is afraid of battle and intends to defect, he demands we send someone to ’negotiate peace.’ Who among you is willing to go?"

At this, the generals and strategists within the tent all eagerly stirred.

"Your Highness, I am willing to take the risk!" a general eagerly volunteered.

"Haha, Your Highness, this ’negotiation’ isn’t but Yuan Feng trying to sell himself at a good price. Even though Your Highness must offer a fortune to acquire a rare talent, one can’t allow him to make extortionate demands. It would be more appropriate for me to go for the talks." A civil official spoke up.

The others also began to speak up one after another, competing for the task.

Although there was some risk in going to the enemy camp, everyone assessed the situation and concluded that Yuan Feng wouldn’t dare do anything rash.

Furthermore, now that the Six Rebel Kings vied for the throne, everyone under Prince Heng wished to strive for military achievements to secure greater rewards in the future.

This was a rare opportunity with relatively low danger but great merit, few would want to miss it.

"Why is Xianzong silent?" Prince Heng curiously looked towards Wei Xianzong, the Qingzhou Rebel Army’s Commander.

Wei Xianzong, donning armor, habitually kept his eyes on the ground, a furrowed brow forming a frown. At this moment, he looked up with deep eyes and said:

"Your Highness, I believe this is not advisable. I have some knowledge of Yuan Feng; he is not someone easily coerced by his subordinates. Although the Five Army Camp’s morale has collapsed, they still have the power to fight. Accepting their surrender now seems odd to me. In my opinion, we should press the attack without giving them a chance, immediately launch a battle and annihilate them in one fell swoop; that would be more secure."

At these words, Prince Heng frowned, and the others also showed dissatisfaction.

"General Wei, you are mistaken. We Qingzhou troops are few; if we push for a forcible attack and drive the Five Army Camp to the brink, you know even cornered beasts will still fight. How much of Qingzhou’s elite forces would we lose then?"

"Exactly, General Wei is being overly cautious. Moreover, the previous three battles you commanded were all great victories. But now... it’s only fair you give others a chance, you can’t keep all the credit for yourself." A strategist spoke softly, his words sharp.