Standalone Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chapter 554 Farewell My Concubine
The second year of Wutai, 526 AD.

In Su Ze's military camp, the New Year's celebration was in full swing. Su Ze personally inspected the barracks. Beef and sheep were cooked in the camp. Although drinking was prohibited, a lively New Year was still celebrated.

Looking at the smoke rising outside the city, Erzhu Rong thought about leading his troops to attack, but when he saw that Su Ze’s camp was well defended, he finally gave up the plan.

But there is not much time left for Erzhu Rong.

Before the Spring Festival, Dugu Xin went out of Yanmen Pass again and plundered the Xiurong area.

The looted Xiurong tribe fled south to the Jinyang area. These were the people who had founded the tribe, so Erzhu Rong had to take them in.

The already scarce food supply became even less.

The morale in Jinyang City had reached its lowest point. Erzhu Rong had ordered the demolition of unused palaces and government offices and distributed them to the military camps for heating.

On the day of the Spring Festival, Erzhu Rong also held a banquet in his mansion in Jinyang. Looking at his old subordinates around him, Erzhu Rong thought of the scene in Luoyang that day, and it seemed like a dream.

Just yesterday, Su Ze ordered people to send Erzhu Shillong's head to Jinyang City.

Although he was prepared, Erzhu Rong was still sad for a while.

Erzhu Shilon was ordered to guard Jizhou. Erzhu Rong knew that Jizhou would be lost, but he did not expect it to be lost so soon.

Erzhu Shilon retreated to Santai, but he could not hold out for long. Murong Shaozong finally broke through Tongque Tower. Erzhu Shilon still had some backbone of the Erzhu family at the last moment, and refused to surrender even until his death.

Murong Shaozong could only chop off his head and hand it to Su Ze.

Su Ze sent Erzhu Shilon's head into Jinyang City.

The Erzhus who followed Erzhu Rong out of Bingzhou have now died out.

His sworn brother Yuan Tianmu was dead, and looking around, only Heba Yun was still by his side.

At the New Year's banquet, Heba Yun was also uneasy.

What happened in the past few years was like a fantastic journey, and the fate of the three Heba brothers changed dramatically.

Heba Yue surrendered to Su Ze, while Heba Sheng led his troops to surrender to Southern Liang.

I heard that Heba Sheng caused a big fuss in the south.

Just at this moment, there was a noise outside.

Heba Yun stood up with full vigilance. The army was surrounding the city and there might be a mutiny in the city.

But Erzhu Rong continued to drink calmly. He was confident in the defenders in Jinyang City. These were soldiers he had trained and promoted, and they would never betray him no matter what.

Erzhu Rong's judgment was correct. After a while, a middle-level officer rushed into the banquet hall and said to Erzhu Rong:
"General, my brothers say that there are countless people who have declared themselves emperors and kings. General, you have made great contributions to rebuilding the country, so you should be crowned king!"

It turns out that he was persuaded to join.

Heba Yun breathed a sigh of relief, but found it funny again.

When he controlled Luoyang and Hebei, Erzhu Rong did not proclaim himself king. Now that Jinyang is the only place left, some people are urging him to become king.

And the Duke of Su across the street has already ruled half of the world, but has not yet become king.

Compared with these two people, those who claim to be emperors and kings seem like clowns.

Erzhu Rong shook his head and said:
"The title of king is just an empty title, but my military achievements are real. Even if Su Ze takes over the world in the future, he can't erase my military achievements!"

"I am the Great General of Tianzhu! I will never claim to be a king!"

The middle-level officer could only retreat in disappointment.

On this day, Erzhu Rong was also a little drunk.

He asked Heba Yun:
"Heba Lang, am I not as good at fighting as Su Ze?"

Heba Yun said with a stiff face: "General Tianzhu defeated a million with only 7000 troops, which is an unprecedented achievement in history. Su Ze is not as good as you, General."

Erzhu Rong nodded and said:

"Yes, when I was in Luoyang, I knew that Su Ze was a man with great ambitions, but he was not as good as me in fighting!"

Then Erzhu Rong sighed again and said:

"It turns out that ruling the world is not just about fighting wars."

Heba Yun felt inexplicably sad.

People are often like this. The more they are good at something, the more path dependence they will develop.

Erzhu Rong had outstanding military achievements. He used military law to govern his subjects and to govern the people.

It is naturally possible to do so when you only occupy Xiurong.

But once the territory he controls becomes larger, this method will not be so effective.

And his sons, nephews and brothers were not as good as Erzhu Rong. They could not win a war. If they used cruel military law to govern the local area, it would be strange if there was no chaos.

Heba Yun also understood that Erzhu Rong was not defeated militarily, but was crushed by Su Ze in all aspects politically.

When Heba Yun thought of Su Ze's strong army, he felt that Erzhu Rong's defeat was not unfair.

When Erzhu Rong returned to the rear house, he took his wife Princess Beixiang's hand and said:

"If you bring your children to surrender to Su Ze after this general dies, he will definitely treat you well."

Princess Beixiang covered her face and cried. The war had already come to this point. Even if she didn't understand military affairs, she understood that her husband had been defeated.

During the New Year period, Su Ze did not launch any attack, but everyone knew that Erzhu Rong's time was running out.

Su Ze's encirclement became tighter and tighter. After the New Year, Erzhu Rong found that he was left with only the isolated city of Jinyang.

The city was filled with subordinates loyal to him.

Su Ze's move could be considered a vicious plot. As for the surrendered towns and those willing to surrender, Su Ze accepted them all and did not hold them accountable for their past.

For the garrison generals who were still loyal to Erzhu Rong, Su Ze also allowed them to lead their troops to Jinyang to join Erzhu Rong.

These people were all loyal and diehard followers of Erzhu Rong. Su Ze would even ask the troops besieging the city to make way and allow these people to lead their troops into the city.

It was impossible for Erzhu Rong not to accept them, as that would discourage the other soldiers defending the city.

However, after taking in these troops, the already scarce food supply became even more insufficient.

Just after the Lantern Festival, Erzhu Rong realized that he could no longer defend Jinyang.

If they continue like this, they will all starve to death in the city even without Su Ze’s help.

Erzhu Rong counted all the troops and finally gathered 4,000 infantry and cavalry. He directly opened the city gate and launched an attack on Su Ze's camp!
Su Ze defended the camp. Erzhu Rong was indeed one of the best fighters of the time. The army, which had been hungry for a whole winter, still fought in an orderly manner and even broke through the first level of Su Ze's camp.

But Su Ze didn't care. After a day of fierce fighting, Su Ze ordered the burning of the first level of the camp and retreated to the next line of defense.

Su Ze arranged a total of nine layers of such camps! Anyway, they were just some wooden barracks, and the food was stored in the rear.

Facing the trapped beast Erzhu Rong, it is always a good deal to use some defensive fortifications to consume his fighting spirit.

After the masters fought each other, Erzhu Rong also understood Su Ze's plan. Looking at the soldiers cheering because of the victory in the first battle, Erzhu Rong could only smile bitterly in secret.

My brother-in-law is too steady and doesn't give me any chance at all.

Erzhu Rong suddenly understood why Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, was too ashamed to meet the elders of Jiangdong.

(End of this chapter)