Outside Qiancheng Commandery City, a scattered group of torchlight frantically ran towards the city gates.
"Quick, quick, open the city gates!"
"Brothers outside the city, what happened?"
"Don't talk, we've been defeated! Hurry and open the gates!"
"This, what proof do you have?"
"Damn it, the armor we're wearing is proof! The Prince himself is missing, what more proof do you need, really!"
"Just consider it a plea from your brother, hurry and open the gates!"
"Alright, fine."
The person on the city wall sighed and immediately ordered his men to lower the drawbridge and open the city gates.
The fleeing soldiers outside the city were overjoyed and immediately called out to those around them, rushing across the drawbridge and into the city.
Just as they watched the drawbridge being raised behind them and the city gates closed, feeling a sense of security and relief.
Suddenly, blades were placed at their throats.
"Bro, brothers, what are you doing?"
"Brothers? Who are your brothers? Open your damn eyes and see who we are!"
The captain of the city gate guard couldn't help but laugh.
At this moment, the rebel soldiers who had fled into the city realized that these so-called brothers guarding the city were wearing different armor than them. They were wearing the official army uniforms representing the imperial court.
"This, this, damn it..."
"Hahaha~ You're the second batch!"
"Strip their armor and guard them strictly!"
"Yes!"
Watching the dejected rebel soldiers being escorted away, An Xian's cousin, An Yong, was overjoyed.
"The Marshal's plan is truly brilliant. A single elite force left in the city directly infiltrated them. Now, by disguising themselves as the original rebels, they've caught all the defeated rebels like fish in a barrel, saving the trouble of hunting them down later."
An Yong did not accompany An Xian in the hot air balloon to attack other counties. Instead, following Chu Chen's instructions, he had laid an ambush around the area while Li Mengdie led the main army in pursuit of Chu Chen.
When the distant firelight erupted and the battle raged, they used grappling hooks to launch a surprise night attack on Qiancheng Commandery City. Forty thousand men rushed in, taking the rebel forces within Qiancheng Commandery City in one fell swoop.
Completely unprepared for the imperial army's retreat, and with such a large attacking force, the soldiers defending the city were caught off guard.
By the time they reacted and notified others to defend the city walls, it was already too late.
With only a few hundred men on the city walls, and the west side not being surrounded earlier, the west city wall was occupied first. A large number of soldiers poured into the city, and forty thousand against ten thousand easily captured Qiancheng Commandery City.
"Military discipline is indeed very important. Soldiers, at all times during wartime, unexpected situations can occur, and vigilance must be maintained. These rebels are a negative example. You all must learn from this experience!"
An Yong sighed and did not forget to lecture the surrounding soldiers.
"Yes! Your subordinates will surely keep it in mind!"
As dawn broke and the sun slowly rose, the battles that had taken place around Qiancheng Commandery City had ended.
A large number of prisoners were escorted into Qiancheng Commandery City and confined.
Returning to the commandery city, Chu Chen met Princess Xinyue, who was waiting for Chu Chen's return in the commandery mansion.
"Chu Chen, are you alright?"
Princess Xinyue's heart trembled when she saw that Chu Chen's magical artifacts and clothing were gone, and she asked with concern.
"I'm fine, just some of my magical artifacts are temporarily damaged. I myself am not injured."
Chu Chen smiled slightly and gently put his arm around Princess Xinyue's waist.
"Mm, it's good that you're not injured."
Princess Xinyue's face turned slightly red, and she whispered in his ear.
"It's not that I look down on your second sister, but with her amateurish command and combat skills on the battlefield, I could easily defeat her with one hand tied behind my back."
Chu Chen's lips curved slightly as he said exaggeratedly.
"You're such a chatterbox!"
Princess Xinyue playfully slapped Chu Chen's shoulder, scolding him.
After they separated, Princess Xinyue asked with a hint of sadness, "How is my second sister?"
"Uh~" Chu Chen hesitated for a moment and said, "She escaped, we didn't catch her."
"Is that so? That's good then!"
Princess Xinyue smiled slightly upon hearing this.
In the left seat of the Qiancheng Commandery Mansion sat Princess Xinyue, and in the right seat sat Chu Chen. Below them, a group of generals stood on both sides.
"Have the battle results been tallied?"
"Reporting to the Marshal, in this campaign, our side deployed sixty thousand troops, with over fifteen thousand casualties. The enemy had fifty thousand troops, with countless casualties. Twenty-three thousand eight hundred prisoners were taken. Their highest commander, Cai Guangyao, died on the battlefield. The Prince's whereabouts are unknown, and the Prince's Mansion's Chancellor, Fan Ju, has fled and his whereabouts are unknown."
"...Fan Ju wasn't captured in the city? He ran away?"
Chu Chen was slightly taken aback. He remembered this guy wasn't on the expedition but was left to guard the city. How could he have escaped?
He probably ran off right after Li Mengdie led her troops out, right? Is that even possible? Damn it!
"Yes, yes."
An Yong's face was awkward, and he hated Fan Ju in his heart.
As the Chancellor of the Prince's Mansion, Fan Ju was an important strategist and civil official to the Prince, the head of the Prince's civil officials. Letting such a person escape was undoubtedly a stain on their record.
But who could have known this guy would escape so smoothly!
Chu Chen waved his hand: "Forget it. Send people to patrol the surrounding areas and see if we can find any trace of the Prince and this Fan Ju. Also, send someone to report the battle results to the court!"
"Yes!"
At this moment, Wei Lixuan stepped forward and said, "Marshal, there are many refugees in Qiancheng Commandery City. They are residents of the four counties we passed through. How should these people be dealt with?"
"Distribute provisions to them as travel expenses. Send a thousand soldiers to escort them back. Be sure to keep accurate accounts. Anyone who dares to embezzle will be killed!"
Chu Chen pondered for a moment and then spoke.
These so-called refugees were not actively rebelling, but were coerced. Moreover, they had not had time to do anything significant. At most, a thousand young and strong men were forcibly conscripted to defend the city.
It was too troublesome to treat them as rebels, so it was better to disperse them with money. Anyway, the imperial court was not short of money now.
"Yes!"
Although Wei Lixuan had some thoughts, he did not dare to disobey Chu Chen's words and asked, "Marshal, what about the rebel prisoners?"
"Keep them imprisoned and guarded for now. After the war is over, report to His Majesty for disposal. In any case, do not kill them easily, unless they are troublemakers."
Chu Chen thought for a moment. It would be a pity to kill these people. Let's keep them for now.
Only when people are alive do they have the greatest value for exploitation. The dead cannot create any benefits.
If a war yields no benefits, it's a complete loss. Chu Chen would never do such a foolish thing.
"Yes!"
Wei Lixuan was slightly pleased. If the imperial court handled them, according to custom, they would be enslaved. This was wonderful.