It's better to be an empress than a county magistrate

A moment later, the guards at the city gate poked their heads out.

"Who are you?"

"Damn it, are you blind? This is the general. The general is back, can't you see it?" The guard suffered a defeat and finally escaped with his life, his soul almost lost on the battlefield.

How could he not be angry when these soldiers guarding the city didn't recognize their general and were reluctant to open the door?

"It turns out that the general is back." The soldier said slowly.

"Yes, the general is back. Open the city gate quickly and let us in." the guard shouted anxiously.

They had finally escaped, but who knew if the pursuers would follow them soon?

"Did the general suffer a defeat?" the soldier on the city wall asked again.

"The enemy is too powerful. We are at a disadvantage. Open the city gate quickly." The guard explained casually and urged the soldiers to open the gate.

"Master Zhao said that if the general returns victorious, we will welcome him ten miles away. If the general is defeated, the city gates will not be opened. Let the general go back to where he came from." The soldier on the city wall said in a cold tone.

The guard looked at General Guan with an incredible look.

General Guan did not expect this result.

Several guards raised their heads and cursed.

But what good would it do to scold him? The soldier who had stuck his head out to speak also retracted his head.

There was not even a single living creature to be seen on the huge walls of Yongzhou City.

"General, what should we do now?" The guard looked at him with horror.

"Let's return to the battlefield," said General Guan.

The guard looked at him in disbelief and slowly backed away.

"We will definitely die if we go back to the battlefield. We won't go," said the guards.

These guards were newly arranged by General Guan in Yongzhou City and they cannot be said to be loyal.

General Guan did not embarrass them and nodded, "You can go, I don't have anything valuable to give you. If it were in the city, I would have some property, but it seems that it is gone now."

"Thank you for risking your lives to protect me. Now go your separate ways."

General Guan seemed to take everything lightly and waved his hand casually.

The guards didn't say anything more, turned their horses around and fled in all directions.

General Guan returned to the battlefield.

He was not going to fight, but to surrender.

Lu Xingchen left Lu Feng to clean up the battlefield and escort the prisoners. She took Wei Hu and Zhang Fan and continued to walk towards Yongzhou City.

This time they did not have to march quickly, but moved at a normal speed.

When General Guan saw Lu Xingchen's retreat, he reined in his horse, dismounted and knelt on the ground.

Lu Xingchen also saw General Guan.

Several guards arrived at General Guan's side in advance and put a shining knife on his neck.

Lu Xingchen rode his horse to General Guan.

"Are you Guan Yue?" Lu Xingchen asked.

Guan Yue looked up at Lu Xingchen, with a moment of surprise in his eyes.

He knew that Lu Xingchen was a woman, but he didn't expect that she was such a beautiful girl.

"My name is Guan Yue!" Guan Yue replied.

"Didn't General Guan escape? Why is he kneeling here? Did he feel that he should surrender halfway through his journey, so he stopped here and waited for me?" Xingchen asked.

Guan Yue showed a guilty expression on his face.

"In fact, I have already fled to the city of Yongzhou, but the city gates were closed and I was not allowed to enter. I had no choice but to come back and kneel here to surrender to the commander-in-chief."

"Please give me a chance to live, Lord Governor. I am willing to be loyal to you."

"I heard that you were also a commander who led two thousand soldiers and horses." Lu Xingchen asked.

Guan Yue nodded and said, "I led 2,000 soldiers and served as a commander in the Great Qi Dynasty, but that was a long time ago."

"Okay, then you get up. However, you can't be a commander in my army. You can only be a team leader leading a dozen people. I wonder if you are willing?" Lu Xingchen asked.

Guan Yue nodded. "I do..."

Although Lu Xingchen could not treat the surrendered generals well, she would not kill innocent people indiscriminately.

It was a time to hire someone, and although Guan Yue's moral character was somewhat lacking, as long as he had talent, she was willing to hire him.

In this chaotic world, it is too idealistic and unrealistic to require everyone to be virtuous.

It is best to use people to their full potential.

Of course, being both virtuous and talented is the most ideal state.

As for putting morality first, that is unnecessary. Not to mention in this chaotic world, even in a peaceful and prosperous era, this is just an empty talk of Confucianism.

Guan Yue stood up from the ground and looked up at Lu Xingchen.

"I am very familiar with the defense of Yongzhou City. I can help the commander-in-chief to capture Yongzhou at the fastest speed and with the lowest cost."

Guan Yue wanted to make a contribution and get Lu Xingchen's recognition.

Lu Xingchen shook his head slowly.

"Believe it or not, this place is still thirty miles away from Yongzhou City. If we go another twenty miles, we will see people lining the road to welcome us."

Guan Yue showed a puzzled look.

"You don't know enough about the gentry in Yongzhou City. No wonder you were fooled by them."

"Not only did you work for them, but you got nothing in return."

"They didn't take you in at the critical moment, and even locked you out of the city, and you haven't woken up yet."

What is worrying about Guan Yue is not his moral character, but his IQ.

The team leader had no horse to ride, so Guan Yue followed Lu Xingchen on foot and continued walking towards Yongzhou City.

Lu Xingchen's guess turned out to be correct. After walking another twenty miles, he saw someone there welcoming them.

Moreover, these people were wearing red and green, beating gongs and drums, and it was very festive.

Lu Xingchen rode forward with Ling Xiao and Lu Yun.

The three masters Liu, Wang and Zhao were at the front, kneeling on the ground, and then the people behind them also knelt down one after another.

"The three old men have been waiting for Lord Lu for a long time."

"Please come to Yongzhou City, Lord Governor. We have prepared a banquet to entertain you."

Lu Xingchen did not dismount, but remained on the horse, looking at the three gentry kneeling on the ground.

"Where are the officials of Yongzhou City?" Lu Xingchen asked.

"In reply to Lord Dujun, there has been no official in Yongzhou City for a long time." Master Zhao looked up at Lu Xingchen and replied.

When Guan Yue heard Mr. Zhao's answer, he gritted his teeth in anger.

These old guys welcomed him into the city in the same way and were very respectful to him.

"When the Xin Dynasty was established, the three of us submitted a petition to the court, expressing our willingness to submit to Daliang."

"But His Majesty has not sent any officials here." Mr. Zhao continued.

"Do you mean that you have always been handling the affairs of Yongzhou City?" Lu Xingchen asked.

Mr. Zhao nodded and said, "Yongzhou City doesn't have much to deal with. Several counties around it are relatively independent. They don't submit to us, nor do they pay taxes."

Guan Yue clenched his fists, wishing he could jump up and punch Mr. Zhao in the head.

"Yongzhou City is actually an isolated city. I have long hoped that the court could send a big figure like General Lu to restore Yongzhou City to its former glory." Master Liu looked at Lu Xingchen with admiration.