Chapter 459 - 381: Husband, you must live well, don’t leave me all alone, okay?
Chapter 459: Chapter 381: Husband, you must live well, don’t leave me all alone, okay?
News of the Second Prince’s death spread throughout the Qin Kingdom, eventually reaching the military camps of generals like Xiao Mo, who were on campaign.
Xiao Mo fell silent for a long time after reading the news of the Second Prince’s death.
On the battlefield, everyone’s life and death is left to fate.
And although Xiao Mo never believed a man as proud as the Second Prince would commit treason...
...when he learned that the Second Prince had sacrificed his life for the Qin Kingdom’s dominion, he was still overcome with sorrow.
Xiao Mo could only imagine how heartbroken Siyao would be when she heard the news.
"Xiao Yang, announce the Second Prince’s death to the entire army. Make sure the men know how he died.
Furthermore.
From this day forward, the entire army will wear white headbands in mourning for the Second Prince."
Xiao Mo ordered his Vice General.
"Yes, General!"
Xiao Yang hurried away.
In less than a day, every soldier in Xiao Mo’s army had heard of the Second Prince’s death, and they all knew he had died for the glory of the Qin Kingdom!
Xiao Mo’s army was already an ever-victorious force with morale at its peak.
The news of the Second Prince’s death only fueled the soldiers’ fury.
The next day, the Qin soldiers, wearing white headbands, became an army of mourners as they assaulted the city.
The defending Chu general had already found the army led by Xiao Mo to be exceptionally fierce.
But on this day, he learned the meaning of true madness.
It was as if his forces had become the sole target of their vengeful wrath.
At the same time, after Prince Zhenxi and Bai Qi learned of the Second Prince’s death, they too announced the news to their entire army.
Prince Zhenxi and Bai Qi had long been preparing to launch a counterattack against the Yan Kingdom.
But uncertain of the situation at Huai Mountain Pass, they had remained locked in a stalemate with the Yan Kingdom. This way, if the pass fell, they could immediately abandon all their conquered cities and rush to the Qin Imperial City to defend the throne.
Now that they knew the crisis at Huai Mountain Pass was resolved, their rearguard was secure. They immediately launched a counteroffensive, and just like Xiao Mo’s army, they wore white headbands in memory of the Second Prince.
Furthermore, both Xiao Mo and Bai Qi widely publicized the news of the Jin Kingdom army’s crushing defeat at Huai Mountain Pass.
Once the Chu and Yan Kingdoms learned of Jin’s great defeat, there was no way for their commanders to hide the truth.
After all, the death of the Second Prince and the Qin armies’ white headbands were the best proof.
Besides, if the siege of Huai Mountain Pass hadn’t been lifted, how could the Qin forces possibly dare to attack so recklessly?
The morale of the Chu and Yan armies plummeted, while the Qin forces, enraged by the Second Prince’s death, were determined to make the three kingdoms pay their debt in blood.
「At Huai Mountain Pass.」
After crushing the Jin army, the Eldest Prince recaptured the two major provinces of Jinzhou and Luzhou within a month.
Prince Zhenbei, having completely suppressed the remnants of the Wei Kingdom, successfully joined forces with the Eldest Prince, and together they invaded the territory of the Jin Kingdom.
The Imperial Court of the Jin Kingdom fell into chaos.
After deep consideration, King Jin decided to request aid from the Qi and Zhao Kingdoms.
「Seven months after the Second Prince’s death.」
Xiao Mo led his army on an unstoppable advance, crossing the Chu River and conquering Jingzhou Province.
At the same time, Prince Zhenxi, placing his complete trust in the young general beside him, handed full command of his army to Bai Qi.
Bai Qi killed 200,000 enemy soldiers and pushed deep into the Yan Kingdom’s heartland.
Because Bai Qi had previously buried 400,000 soldiers of the Chu Army alive, and now, refusing to accept the Yan army’s surrender, he had slaughtered another 200,000.
People had begun to call him the "God of Slaughter."
Meanwhile, Prince Zhenbei and the Eldest Prince joined forces, driving straight for the Jin Kingdom’s city of Taiyuan.
「In the first month of the year following the Second Prince’s death.」
Xiao Mo and Xiahou Nan successfully joined forces and surrounded the Imperial City of the Chu Kingdom.
Xiao Mo sent a letter to the King of Chu, urging him to surrender.
The King of Chu refused and resolved to resist to the death.
Xiao Mo ordered the assault.
The tenacity of the Chu Army’s resistance truly exceeded Xiao Mo’s expectations.
But under a simultaneous assault from the east and west gates by Xiahou Nan and Xiao Mo, the Chu Kingdom’s defenses finally crumbled.
In the fifth month, the City Defense Array of the Chu capital was broken.
Three days later, Xiao Mo led his army into the city of Yingdu.
The ministers of Chu pleaded with their king to flee the Imperial Palace. They wished to escort him to the Qi Kingdom, from where he might one day reclaim his throne.
But the King of Chu simply shook his head and refused, saying, "I am already the ruler of a fallen kingdom. Why must I also become a stray dog?"
That same day, the King of Chu ordered all the concubines, wives, and daughters of the inner palace to be killed.
The moment before the Qin army stormed the Imperial Palace...
...the King of Chu personally hung a white silk sash from the rafters of the great hall.
He straightened his robes, smoothed his hair, and finally stepped onto a stool to meet his death with composure.
When Xiao Mo entered the Imperial Palace, it was already filled with bodies.
This King of Chu, called a fatuous ruler by his own people, had, in his final moments, preserved the last shred of dignity for the Chu Royal Family.
Not a single member of the Chu Royal Family survived.
Xiao Mo gave the order to have them all properly buried.
And so, the Chu Kingdom was extinguished.
The same month he vanquished Chu, Xiao Mo had all the books, household registries, and land deeds from the Chu capital collected and sent to the Qin Imperial City. Then, he threw open the doors of the Imperial Palace’s treasury to reward his army.
Xiao Mo’s reputation preceded him; most people knew his army was strictly disciplined and would not harm civilians. As a result, the people of Yingdu remained orderly and law-abiding, and the city descended into no chaos.
The following month, Xiao Mo led his army to mop up the remaining Chu resistance.
At the same time, Bai Qi and Prince Zhenxi engaged the Yan army in a final, decisive battle.
This battle would decide the fate of the Yan Kingdom.
Just as Bai Qi and Prince Zhenxi were gaining the upper hand, the Qi and Zhao Kingdoms sent troops to reinforce both the Yan and Jin Kingdoms.
The tide of the war turned.
The Yan Kingdom managed to hold on to its last seven cities.
Prince Zhenxi’s army fell into a stalemate, unable to capture them despite repeated assaults.
「On the Jin front.」
After Prince Zhenbei and the Eldest Prince conquered three of the Jin Kingdom’s major provinces, the arrival of the allied Qi and Zhao forces halted the Qin army’s advance.
In the eleventh month, Xiao Mo finished eliminating the last of the resisting Chu Dukes. The Sovereign of Qin then dispatched several officials to the former Chu Kingdom to take charge of affairs.