Yun Shu had spent so many recent days poring over military strategy that her head was spinning from exhaustion. So when events started unfolding like this, she felt it was all... strangely normal.
But the commander of the Annan army had a very different opinion.
He could not comprehend why the forty-thousand troops he had deployed had been so utterly ineffective.
Had Vice General Li and Vice General Song ignored his orders and simply fled the battlefield with their men?
Otherwise, how could things have fallen apart this quickly?
Especially since that terrain was supposed to give them a significant advantage.
"Someone's scaling the walls!"
After what felt like an eternity, the battle had finally begun in earnest. Yun Chuhuan raised the telescope, his voice brimming with excitement as he chattered nonstop like a live commentator.
"That one's armor looks different from the rest. He's got several soldiers flanking him. He must be Annan's commanding general, right?"
"What are they saying? I can't hear a thing. It's driving me mad!"
"They've started! General Wei Yuan's forces are attacking the city!"
"Is that a siege ladder?"
"Our catapults are incredible! One strike and they scatter like leaves!"
"Hehehe, our blades are fearsome too! Fifth Sister, the steel you smelted with the steam engine really makes a difference. When their swords clash with ours, it's like they're cutting with tofu!"
"Huh? What's Annan waving now? Is that... white cloth?"
"White cloth?"
Yun Shu, who had been silently studying the siege formation of the Yongzhou forces through the telescope, suddenly froze. Sure enough, the so-called commander of the Annan army was now standing atop the city wall waving a white flag with vigorous enthusiasm.
Yun Shu stared blankly.
A false surrender?
Surely they were not surrendering this quickly?
The sudden gesture caught not only Yun Shu off guard, but also left General Wei Yuan momentarily stunned in the midst of leading the assault.
After all, it had barely been ten minutes since the official siege began. A surrender this swift practically begged for suspicion.
"Surrender! We surrender!"
Perhaps because General Wei Yuan had yet to give the order to cease the attack, the Annan commander, clearly desperate, tossed aside his pride and bellowed down with inner force.
"Cease fire! The battle ends here! We shall open the gates ourselves!"
"Annan soldiers, lay down your weapons!"
"…They surrendered? Just like that?"
On the ramparts, the Annan soldiers who had been loosing arrows and hacking at siege ladders turned to each other in confusion.
The Yongzhou troops, halfway up the ladders, seized the moment. They surged upward, blades drawn, and in the blink of an eye, cold steel was pressed to the necks of the dazed defenders.
The Annan commander did not resist. Propping himself against the parapet, he leaned forward and shouted down to General Wei Yuan:
"If you continue with the assault, the gates will no doubt fall eventually. But some lives will be lost, regardless.
I've heard you are a general who cherishes his soldiers like his own sons. Surely you would welcome a path that preserves more lives?"
"Save your flattery," General Wei Yuan replied coolly, narrowing his eyes.
"How am I to know this is not a trap?"
"What kind of scheme could surrendering possibly hide?"
The Annan commander responded instinctively.
"We know we cannot win. To keep fighting would only mean needless death.
Besides, Annan has long held peaceful relations with Tiansheng. Were it not for the Seventh Prince of Bei Xiang sowing discord and convincing our king that refusing to strike meant awaiting death, we would never have raised arms against Tiansheng in the first place.
Now that the truth has come to light, why should I not open the gates and welcome our allies into the city?
As long as your army agrees to halt the assault and guarantees that no harm will come to Annan's people once inside, I swear I shall have the gates opened at once."
"Very well."
General Wei Yuan gave a cold laugh.
"The army of Tiansheng has always upheld strict military discipline. So long as you do not play any tricks, I will not allow harm to come to innocents."
"Excellent! I respect your honor, General, and I trust that you will keep your word."
The Annan commander raised an arm with a sweeping gesture. His air of grandeur made him look less like a surrendering officer and more like a man giving orders to escort prisoners of war.
"Open the gates!"
"…Marshal, truly? Are we opening them?"
His personal guard beside him looked stunned.
"If the King finds out…"
"Did a donkey kick your head?"
Just after delivering such a valiant speech, his own man was ruining the effect. The Annan commander felt his dignity take a hit and promptly kicked the guard square on the rear.
"Tell me, what happens if we keep fighting to the bitter end?"
"…We die?"
The soldier rubbed his backside sheepishly.
"Though Tiansheng's troops are indeed formidable, we might be able to hold for half a day."
"Half a day! And what good does that do?"
The commander kicked him again.
"That half-day just gives Tiansheng's troops time to work up a full rage. Once they breach the city, they'll loot everything in sight and vent their fury on our people!"
"But didn't their commander say his army follows strict discipline?"
The guard muttered.
"They probably wouldn't…"
"You want a beating?"
The commander raised a fist, fuming.
"Are you actually this naive or just pretending to be? Have you ever seen a single army in history breach a city and refrain entirely from harming civilians or seizing wealth?
Even those who loot but leave the people unharmed are already considered merciful."
"I'll open the gate right away!"
Dodging the incoming slap, the guard clutched his head and scrambled down the wall.
Moments later, the heavy, weathered gates of the city groaned as they were pulled open from within.
To show his sincerity, the Annan commander even came out personally to greet the Tiansheng army.
Yun Shu, watching the scene through her telescope, was silent for a long moment.
"…Why aren't they fighting anymore?"
Yun Chuhuan blinked in confusion and turned to ask.
"Fifth Sister, what are they doing?"
"Annan has surrendered. The battle's over."
Yun Shu's lips twitched as she set aside the telescope. Her expression was unreadable. She rose and brushed the bits of dried grass from her hem.
"Come, there's nothing left to watch."
"That's it?"
Yun Chuhuan stared in disbelief, eyes wide.
"It just started! That's the whole war?
Then why does the Grand Preceptor always speak of war like it's terrifying? Why do all those poets write such dramatic verses, painting battles as some grand, tragic spectacle?"
"Because in most cases, war really is cruel."
Yun Shu replied seriously.
"But that Annan commander… is not exactly normal."
Yun Chuhuan blinked.
"…Not normal? What do you mean?"
Explain it properly!!