After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 830 - 820: All Rebel

Gou Xi, leading his men, charged left and right, ordering two teams to cover the rear in succession, barely shaking off the pursuit.

When they stopped, everyone was in a sorry state, with soldiers collapsing to the ground. Gou Xi, however, was better off; after dismounting, he went around and helped them up, checking their bodies to ensure no fatal injuries had been overlooked before instructing them to take out their provisions.

Each team had soldiers responsible for logistics, tasked with carrying pots and more provisions than the average soldier.

Their departure was hasty, and although everyone carried some food, they didn’t bring many pots. Combined with those lost along the way, only a few were left.

The group could only gather their provisions, using two pots to boil water and two to cook porridge with wheat husks and eat it like that.

The soldiers had been hungry all day and didn’t mind the unhulled wheat. They had eaten wheat porridge on many occasions, although they heard the Zhao Family Army didn’t partake of such fare; they would grind wheat into flour, accompanying it with bran to make gray buns and cakes.

It was, regardless, tastier than boiled wheat.

Now that they had joined forces with the Zhao Family Army, in a manner of speaking?

Holding onto this hope enabled everyone to persevere and follow Gou Xi.

Gou Xi encouraged them, "Tonight, everyone rest for the night. At dawn, we will set off. We have circumvented Chengyang County; once we cross the Jishui, we will near the Yu State border where the Yu State Army guards. The pursuers wouldn’t dare provoke them."

Everyone’s spirits lifted, gaining a glimmer of hope.

But the next day, before dawn, Gou Xi had already woken them. After brief preparations, they pushed their legs forward in a grueling run and had been running for half an hour when the morning rays began to rise behind them.

They felt their speed was swift enough, but the pursuers were faster.

Their horses were more numerous and vigorous, supplies more ample, and reinforcements endless. Although obstructed three times, they relentlessly closed in at top speed.

Finally, before sunset, they caught up with Gou Xi in front of the Jishui, the two forces separated by less than a hundred meters.

Kong Chang didn’t even approach, seeing their attempt to urge their horses across the river, he raised his hand for archers to step forward. With a sweep of his hand, a rain of arrows flew forth. Gou Xi, upon seeing this, shouted for his men to force cross the Jishui while turning back to deflect the arrows aimed at him.

Despite his body and mind being utterly exhausted, already a spent force, it would have been challenging even at his peak to withstand such a barrage.

An arrow flew just past the blade he turned, with a thud penetrating his chest. As his chest throbbed with pain, he leapt from his horse, seeking cover at its side. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The horse neighed, struck, and tumbled into the river. Gou Xi continued to fend off arrows while attempting to cross the Jishui, casting a glance at ten arrows heading towards Gou Chun, who was turned away on horseback.

Without time to think, Gou Xi took a large stride to the right, reaching out to pull Gou Chun off his horse.

Gou Chun splashed into the water, while Gou Xi was left fully exposed to the arrows. In that instant, five or six stray shots embedded into his back, with two piercing through.

Gou Xi glanced down at the arrowhead protruding from his chest. At this moment, he was exceptionally calm, surprisingly devoid of the imagined fear or regret.

Instead, he accepted the outcome with serenity, even as Yan Heng’s face flashed in his mind. Wasn’t it last year when Gou Chun forcibly requisitioned supplies, ambushing those who went to Yun City to lodge complaints, that Yan Heng angrily told him, "If you do not restrain Gou Chun, one day, you will die because of him."

At the time, he dismissed it, thinking it an attempt to sow discord, unable to bear their brotherly closeness. Today, it seemed prophetic, now fulfilled.

If Gou Chun hadn’t lost Qingzhou due to severe measures, causing him to lose people’s trust, how would General Pei and the others have defected to the Emperor, restricting his movements during military deployment...

If not for the loss of trust, how would he find himself losing battles, forced to surrender to Shi Le?

Gou Xi thought through many things, though it happened within a fleeting moment. He was not dead yet, still conscious, but no longer able to support his body, kneeling into the water with a splash.

Gou Chun burst from the water, attempting to stand with support from the riverbed. The pursuers slashed into the river. A Jiehu warrior gave him no chance to speak, cutting him down as he emerged. The river turned a brilliant crimson, and with sharp eyes and quick hands, he grabbed Gou Chun’s head, triumphantly shouting, "Merit, merit! Gou Chun’s head is mine!"

A colleague, who fell a step behind, looked on enviously before brandishing a broadsword to chase the fleeing soldiers ahead.

Some had staggered to the shore, not turning back, nor gathering together, but instead stripping off their soaked garments while scattering and running for their lives.

Owing to their dispersion, the pursuers gave up the chase after a short pursuit. Anyway, with Gou Xi and Gou Chun dead, those who escaped were merely minor soldiers, not worth the effort.

Gou Xi knelt in the river, eyes wide open, refusing to close them. Kong Chang attempted twice to shut them, then gave up, having men carry him to the shore.

The soldiers were puzzled, "General, carrying back just the head is enough; why move the body? It’s so heavy."

"He is a renowned general. Though defeated, he deserves respect." Moreover, parading his body could demonstrate both his and the Great General’s prowess, perhaps even dampening the enemy’s morale against the Yu State if they displayed Gou Xi’s body.

Gou Xi was the War God of Jin State, formidable indeed. Although he wasn’t in charge of the Yu State Army, his military prestige wasn’t low, garnering at least some recognition from the soldiers.

Showing Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Ju that even Gou Xi fell by their hands, how long could they defend the Yu State?

Kong Chang had Gou Xi’s body carried back, leaving the other bodies unattended.

Upon returning to the first ambush site, seeing the unrecognizable corpse of Wang Zan, Kong Chang pondered and decided to have it taken along.

Paying respect to his bravery; let him not be devoured by wild beasts.

When news of the rebellion by Gou Xi, Gou Chun, and Wang Zan, resulting in their deaths, reached Pingyang City, Zhao Hanzhang had just apprehended the rebellious Liu Yi, Liu Qin, and others.

Unlike Gou Xi, Liu Yi and his group had prepared for some time, yet didn’t manage to exit the city before they were all captured.

Most were apprehended within the Imperial City, scarcely disturbing the citizens beyond the walls as Zhao Hanzhang dealt with matters inside the Imperial Palace and Imperial City.

This gave Liu Yi a sense of childish play in his failure.

With the defeat arriving so abruptly and the engagement so brief, the casualties were few.

Zhao Hanzhang folded the letter, descending the steps to stand before Liu Yi, "As you know, I have always been soft-hearted. Not only are we friends, but you are of further use to me, so I will not kill you."

Liu Yi knelt on the ground, restrained from moving, raising his head to gaze at Zhao Hanzhang, "Then what will you do with us?"

"While I cannot kill you, I can execute him, eliminate him, slay him..." Zhao Hanzhang pointed at the Han ministers around him, each trembling slightly, their complexion blanching.

Zhao Hanzhang offered them a slight smile, softly saying, "However, I am not one for indiscriminate killing, so this time, I will execute only one person."

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze settled on Liu Qin.