Chapter 464 Wanting More

After running forty miles in one breath, Qi Duming ordered the army to stop advancing and rest for a while.

It was not that he did not want to return to Yecheng as soon as possible, but if he continued to run like this, the army would run away.

Fortunately, the third princess did not chase him, and it seemed that she focused on maintaining the results of the battle and taking in prisoners, which made Qi Duming breathe a sigh of relief. He roughly looked at the team behind him, and there were at least four or five thousand people who could keep up with the formation, and the loss was a little less than expected.

Having said that, this was already a very heavy blow to him - whether it was the central army or the mechanical battalion that could operate crossbows and copper cannons, they were all elite soldiers he had trained bit by bit, and now half of them were thrown at Wangshan Ferry, which was equivalent to cutting off one of his two hands. It was not an exaggeration to say that his vitality was seriously damaged.

Qi Duming called a messenger, "Go to Pingzhen Ferry and inform General Lu that the main force of Shenzhou is attacking Wangshan Ferry, and ask him to quickly reinforce the defense on the other side."

"Sir, don't you report the battle situation here?"

"Nonsense! I'm good enough to remind him!" Qi Duming said angrily, "If he loses, he may not notify me."

"I understand."

After the messenger rode away, Qi Duming asked the adjutant to open the map and confirm the army's next journey.

"We are now in the Wanhua Road area, about fifty miles away from Yecheng. If we let the light cavalry go with the main force, we will definitely not arrive before dark." The adjutant pointed to the map and said, "So either send the cavalry back first, or we have to choose a place to set up camp tonight."

"Set up camp, if I leave first, I'm afraid it will disappoint the brothers below." Qi Duming sighed. He abandoned the troops that were still fighting and led the entire army to evacuate, which was already a way to undermine his prestige. In the next period of time, he must spend more to appease the people. "But at that time, double the number of scouts, let them keep an eye on the rear, and don't let the Jinxia army come over again."

"Yes."

Just as the adjutant agreed, two cannon shots suddenly came from the mountains and forests on both sides of the official road!

The troops that had just stopped to rest gathered like frightened birds, staring at the direction of the woods.

"Sir, this--" The adjutant was stunned.

"Don't panic, it must be a bluff!" Qi Duming said decisively, "This is in Ganzhou, they can't split up and go around!"

There are no rivers nearby, and Jinxia can't use the town as a stronghold like them, and transport supplies by land. How can they play the trick of splitting up and blocking? A force with more than 2,000 people must arrange baggage to follow. If they do this, they have to act at least four or five days in advance, otherwise they don't even have to fight, and the long-distance march will make them collapse.

The one who can rush here in one breath and not be discovered by the locals in advance must be a detachment of less than 100 people, or simply a scout. By looting civilians' houses and bringing their own dry food, they could fight deep behind enemy lines, but it was absolutely unrealistic to want to stop his large army!

However, after only half a quarter of an hour, Qi Duming realized that something was wrong.

There were figures constantly emerging from the woods on both sides, and the number was probably more than two thousand. It was impossible for it to be just a reconnaissance team!

How could this be possible?

The distance between the two sides was gradually closing, and in less than half a quarter of an hour, they had already approached about a mile. He had to make a decision immediately.

"Let everyone move and continue to evacuate westward! The light cavalry is responsible for intercepting the Jinxia Army!"

It was impossible to fight. The morale of this large army was almost gone, and it was very likely that a rout would occur in the field battle at this time.

The adjutant stared at the front of the official road with a look of astonishment, as if he had seen something extremely incredible.

Qi Duming turned his head, and his heart suddenly sank to the bottom - he saw a row of dark mechanical beasts appearing in the distance, just like the monsters he saw in Wangshandu, but the number of these mechanical beasts was much larger!

They lined up side by side and moved towards this side in an orderly manner. Although it was the thinnest "long line formation", he didn't have the idea of ​​forcing his way through the line.

Humans are made of flesh and blood, how can they compete with this monster made of metal and wood?

What made Qi Duming's scalp tingle was that he saw a giant fox. The fox was larger than the mechanical beast, and with two tails of different colors, there was an indescribable sense of oppression.

Horses were like weak lambs in front of such monsters.

"Sir... we are surrounded." The adjutant swallowed his saliva.

It sounds incredible, but it is the truth.

A large army of 2,000 people was rampant in Ganzhou without being discovered, and they set up an ambush on the road of their retreat early, as if they had expected that they would not be able to stop the attack of the crossing troops.

Qi Duming didn't know what to say for a while.

Is this a brilliant plan? Not really. It was just a simple detour to attack from both sides and cut off their retreat. The strategy was only one level.

Why didn't he think of it?

This was just like asking why people couldn't fly.

Because apart from flying, he couldn't think of how the other party could do it.

"Sir, it's not good!" Another guard came forward to report, "The scouts reported that the princess's troops were found fifteen miles behind, and they are still trying to chase us!"

"Sir Qi, choose a weak point to break through!" The adjutant urged loudly, "The enemy has no horses and may not be able to catch up with the light cavalry. I am willing to stay and cover the rear!"

"No... no need... no need." Qi Duming was silent for a long time, and then he said three "no"s in a row - the moment he said this, he seemed to have aged ten years. "Let everyone lay down their weapons and surrender to Jinxia."

"My lord..."

"This is an order!" Qi Duming shouted.

The adjutant stared at him for a long time, then bowed his head deeply, "I understand."

"By the way, find another rope, tie me up, and escort me to the Jinxia Army." Qi Duming closed his eyes, "Just say that the blame for this battle is all my fault, and you have made meritorious contributions to the rebellion, and Her Royal Highness the Princess should not embarrass you any more."

When he escaped from Wangshandu before, he had heard the words "Jinxia treats prisoners well".

Since there was no chance of winning if he continued to fight, and there was no possibility of making a comeback, doing this might save his men from dying a few more people.

However, what embarrassed Qi Duming was that he did not meet Her Royal Highness the Princess or the commander of the army as he wished, and there was no one to say the impassioned speech he had prepared. The Jinxia Army did not chop off his head to seek credit, nor did they treat him differently because he was a general, let alone stage a drama of the lord untying him personally.

Like other soldiers, he was escorted back east, and the Jinxia troops responsible for guarding him were only about 500 people.

The thousands of troops that had merged not long ago and those bipedal mechanical beasts seemed to have disappeared.

They... wouldn't they go back to Shenzhou?

Looking at the sparse escort team, Qi Duming suddenly felt an indescribable chill rising from the soles of his feet.

If these people have the ability to outflank Wangshandu without knowing it, then they can also use the same method to patronize Pingzhendu!

The princess's goal is not just Qi Duming's part of the Ganzhou Army!

She wants more.