Chapter 217: 217
November 5th .
Huang Zhong got better after Tong gave him the necessary treatment . Today, he packed his belongings, getting ready to leave this city .
Liu Biao had kept his promise . All remaining Imperial soldiers retreated to the south via Pu Yang instead of going back to Henei . It seemed Liu Biao wanted to return to his Commandery instead of returning to the Capital .
As part of the hostage promise, Tong should release him once he confirmed that Liu Biao had withdrawn .
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During a few days as a hostage, Tong allowed Huang Zhong to roam free in his camp, which surprised him .
As a senior general in Liu Biao"s personal army, he used this rare chance to scout Tong Army to learn how this army defeated the overwhelming forces of Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun with fewer troops .
The discovery astonished him .
The stocks of crude oil, provisions, and weaponry . Everything was prepared and kept inside the walls .
Crude oil barrels and granaries should not be kept together as spies or random civilians could plot against the garrison army . Had someone ignite the black oil, Tong"s provision, and supplies would be burnt to oblivion .
Secondly, this oil was a dangerous substance as it could burn for a very long time and it was difficult to extinguish . Once it caught fire, it guaranteed a ma.s.sive fire outbreak . If the Imperial Army used a fire attack, Tong Army would have been finished .
"There are many weak points for keeping these many things together . No wonder Zhang Tong decided to kill all civilians to keep his troops safe from the unknown factors . It"s too risky . "
Huang Zhong sighed . No matter who were to win in the end, it would always be the innocent civilians who would suffer from the war .
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The archer general returned to the camp to visit Tong one more time . He wanted to say goodbye and ask him a few more questions .
"My troops have withdrawn . Can I go now?"
Tong"s face revealed a bitter smile as he predicted that Huang Zhong would not join his faction at this moment . His lord was still alive and kicking, and Huang Zhong family was still in Xiangyang after all .
"Sure . I"ll have my men fetch you a horse and supplies for a month . "
"Thank you . Let"s spar again in the future," Huang Zhong bowed with respect . Though he refused Tong invitation to join his force, he was still impressed by Tong"s strength and leaders.h.i.+p in the army .
"Rather, let"s not be enemies next time," Tong jested .
Huang Zhong probed Tong, "Lord Zhang, if you were in a similar situation like this war in the future, will you kill the civilians again?"
Tong raised his eyebrows and stared at the archer general as he realized that he was tested .
"No," Tong answered without a hesitation which puzzled Huang Zhong .
"Is this young man a hypocrite or does he regret his action?" Huang Zhong thought .
Tong continued, "By that time I experience this scenario again, I"ll probably be stronger than this, and I"ll definitely go after the commanders or the lords before the war even starts . You don"t have to worry about it . "
Huang Zhong blinked for a few seconds before he laughed, "Come to think of it, there was a weird night in our camp . There was a rumor about a ghost that killed one of our commanders, but I think it was the work of a man . Was it you?"
Tong shrugged, "Maybe?"
Huang Zhong laughed again . He liked what Tong planned to do in the future and his fighting style as he also had a similar belief . Instead of using his soldiers to decide the battle, he would rather kill the commanders to end the conflicts as soon as possible to save the lives of his men and his enemies .
The general ma.s.saged his sides as the laugh hurt it, "Well, I hope I don"t have to fight you again . I don"t want to die in my sleep . "
"When that time comes, you"d better join me . It would save me a lot of troubles . "
"Hahaha! I"ll keep that in mind . But if you want me to serve you that much, by that time, you"d better be a righteous ruler . "
"I"ll try . "
With a smile, Tong and Huang Zhong cupped their fist and bid farewell .
They understood it by their heart . Both Tong and Huang Zhong might part ways today, but in the future, they would cross paths again .
As Huang Zhong was leaving, Tong also released all of his prisoners to go along with the archer general . Having many people to spread rumors and news about this battle was a better choice than increasing his army by a few thousand with unloyal soldiers .
…
…
Tong and his surviving men marched back to Ye City and proceeding to Julu City in peace as it was already winter . Snow began covering the entire northern regions, and all warlords hibernated in their cities . No one with the right mind wanted to dispatch an army in this weather .
Out of the active 45,000 soldiers, twenty-five thousand of them stationed in Ye while the rest moved to Julu along with crippled soldiers .
Julu City was a perfect place for retirement as it was the most flourish city among Tong"s affiliate cities . Therefore, the retired soldiers could enjoy their pensions and live peacefully with their families .
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Jia Xu tagged along with the young lord after Tong had returned to Ye City with the veterans . He did not want to get stuck in the city forever without his usual meals . He did not join Tong to enjoy the income, but for the daily mouth-watering food .
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Ju Shou and Zhang He were more diligence as they voluntarily stayed at Shangdang to maintain the order and stabilize the city .
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Julu Army, led by the housewives, Zhang Ji, and Zhang Xiu, returned to Julu earlier than Tong . They did not stop mid-way at Jinyang because Friday said that she detected Lu Bu"s hostility and his glare toward her from a distance . Had she stayed in Jinyang for a few more days, she would have been forced to duel with Lu Bu .
Their 10,000 prisoners integrated into the city"s army as usual .
The harvest that the two girls obtained was enough to make Li Feihong and Tong envious . Friday had over 1,500,000 lifespans from her life essence draining while Hua s.h.i.+ had a bit over 120,000 .
Friday donated a million of her lifespans into the pool and demanded Tong to compensate her at home until the New Year .
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At Jinyang City, it was more eventful .
From the previous battle with the Imperial Army, after they rescued Zhou Cang and Lu Zhi, the entire Jinyang hors.e.m.e.n rampaged through the ranks of confused Imperial soldiers .
Two hours after the chaotic fight, all surviving Imperial soldiers surrendered to Lu Bu as the leading n.o.bles all died by Lu Bu"s hands, increasing his reputation .
10,000 Soldiers were captured and turned into the prisoners-of-war . Zhang Liao advised Lu Bu to integrate them into Jinyang City as Ding Yuan would not have enough troops to defend the border if they were to leave Jinyang again .
Lu Bu Army returned to Jinyang with 10,000 prisoners from the previous battle .
However, he later prepared to march with all his subordinates and resupplied 50,000 Xiongnu Cavalries to Julu as he wanted to beat Tong . Fortunately, Lu Bu"s wife, lady Yan, wanted her daughter to be with her father once in a while, so Lu Bu canceled the schedule and decided to stay home until spring .
On the other hand, Lu Zhi, his family, and Zhou Cang departed from Jinyang to Julu as planned with Gao Shun and his 10,000 Xiongnu Cavalries as their escorts .
…
…
November 30th, 182 A . D .
Tong, Xu Huang, and Jia Xu reached Julu . Jia Xu groaned, yet a smile appeared on his face .
"Finally, I can rest!"
Tong nodded, "Yeah, me too . "
Everyone was exhausted from the tough fight and a long journey through the winter weather . Seeing the nostalgia city wall rejuvenated their spirits .
Zhang Jiao, Sima Fang, and the others stood in front of the south gate to welcome their heroes . The Julu civilians also came to see the returning troops on top of the wall . Family members of soldiers also waited for their husband or father to return home .
Tong looked at the civilians on the wall with a bitter smile . Some of them might be disappointed today as not all of them had returned alive, and there were also crippled soldiers returning as well .
The families of these fallen heroes had to be compensated .
It reminded Tong that war was always cruel to the peasants . He had to end this civil war as soon as possible in this world .
Sima Fang bowed, "Welcome home, young master Zhang . "
"Welcome home, son," Smiled Zhang Jiao .
Tong stepped down from his horse . He walked toward his father and shamelessly hugged him .
"I"m home, dad . "
"If you keep doing this, your master will scold you again," Zhang Jiao reprimanded .
"I don"t care anymore . I"ll make the hugging a new custom in my cities . "
Zhang Jiao laughed and patted his son"s back, "If you say so . "
The soldiers and the officials gazed at the reunion of the father and son duo with a warm smile . The image of a loving family soothed the heart of everyone .
"I"ll hug my parents when I get home," A soldier muttered .
"I"ll hug my wife . "
"I"ll hug your wife, too . "
"Then, I"ll hug your sister . "
"Meh, I prefer older women . I"ll hug his mother . "
"None of you are cultured! I"ll hug his daughter!"
"Hold it, you lots!"
The soldiers laughed and messed with their friends like brothers . As they went through thick and thin together in a battlefield, a sense of brotherhood formed in their heart . Everybody marched into the city with laughter and smiles .
Unlike in movies, the soldiers did not enter the city to get their parade welcome from the civilians, but they moved to their designated camps outside the walls . However, an order came from the government that all of them could get inside the city once they left the weapons and armors inside their camps first .
Zhang Jiao did not want everyone to report themselves at the government hall right away . He decided to postpone the meeting for a day to let the returnees rest .
Tong used this chance to return home after the long months of working on the field . Upon entering his courtyard, Hua s.h.i.+ and Friday, who was still in Xiao Wu form, was already there . There was also a new guest, or he could say [A new member] .
He Xing was resting there with her child .
"I"m going to need an explanation now . Can anyone start?" Tong asked his family .
…
…
On the top of Mount Kunlun, a woman, who looked as if she was in her 20s with curly blond hair, was sitting on a rock as she read the logs from the system menu . Her ten black tentacle wings fluttered in the air . Each of the tentacles was longer than the wings of Medusa .
She was the new owner of this realm, the daughter of Lilith, Lilim .
Unlike her mother, she did not commit any heinous crime that she had to be sanctioned into a fragmented world . However, she was transferred here as a condition for Lilith"s cooperation with the matter in the Netherworld .
Until the Netherworld regained its peace, Lilith"s daughter had the right to seek asylum here while she took over Lilith"s role as the system G.o.ddess .
"What are all these [Skills]!?"
Lilim was baffled by the skills of the otherworlders . They were too bizarre .
She continued reading all log files until she read the comments of her mother .
[Zhang Tong and Liu Ping"s souls were bound by a huge karma thread . Do not get in involved in their feuds . ]