My vicious dog, my horse, I can do whatever I want with it

After hearing this, He Xingliang was a little shaken and frowned as if he was thinking about something.

At this moment, a soldier stumbled in from outside the door, knelt down in panic and said, "Your Highness, Your Highness! Zong Yanli is attacking!"

"General Ying and a group of rebel generals... fled!"

"What!?" He Xingliang's heart suddenly turned cold.

Those rebel forces were like a makeshift team, scattered and vulnerable. He Xingliang failed to unite everyone and seemed to be hesitant in leading the army. Now he is even more suspicious of Chen Hanjing. With all the incidents that happened one after another, it is reasonable that he was defeated.

He Xingliang felt that the situation was hopeless and did not dare to stay any longer. He immediately said to Chen Hanjing: "General Chen is so loyal and brave, how could I not trust you? General, you are thinking about me so much. When I find a way forward and make a comeback, I will definitely treat your Chen family well."

He Xingliang's intention was to allow Chen Hanjing to stay behind to cover their retreat, and then he would pack up his things and flee the city without stopping.

Chen Hanjing looked at Prince Shou who was fleeing in panic, his heart filled with disappointment and sadness. He then looked back at the Chen family army who were struggling to hold on. For a moment, he looked a little dazed. He lowered his eyes to look at the sword in his hand, and suddenly he seemed to have lost his direction.

"General! Why should we fight for Prince Shou if he has betrayed us?"

"General, please leave! We can't stop the enemy!"

"General——!"

Those shouts were heard by the most loyal and brave members of the Chen family. They had followed their fathers to fight in all directions and brought honor to the Chen family army. Now they still stayed by Chen Hanjing's side, just like they had stayed by his father Chen Zhengxin's side.

At this moment, Chen Hanjing seemed to suddenly understand.

"You all go to the city immediately and escort my little sister away." Chen Hanjing's thoughts gradually became clear. He turned to the soldiers around him and said, "No matter what, protect the only bloodline of the Chen family!"

"Go quickly!" Chen Hanjing ordered anxiously.

"Yes!" The Chen family's personal soldier stared at Chen Hanjing, hesitated for a long time, and finally gritted his teeth, bowed and responded, and hurried away.

Chen Hanjing drew his sword, turned around, and headed towards the city gate without hesitation.

This time he was no longer fighting for anyone, but for himself, for the Chen family, and for the Chen family army!

On the trampled street of the city gate, Chen Hanjing saw the leader fighting in front. The figure seemed to be standing in front of thousands of troops without any fear, and the momentum of the long sword in his hand was so brave and fearless.

Chen Hanjing stared at Zong Yanli who turned and walked towards him. At this moment he seemed to think of his father.

His father, whom he admired the most, was his hero in his heart...

"General Chen, why don't you surrender?" Zong Yanli's voice came, cold and oppressive.

"The Chen army will never surrender until death!" Chen Hanjing took a deep breath and held the sword to fight against Zong Yanli.

The two men fought in the chaos, but Chen Hanjing was clearly no match for Zong Yanli. However, Zong Yanli discovered that Chen Hanjing came here with the intention of dying.

Zong Yanli fought with him for a while, and after repelling him, he said, "Chen Hanjing! Is it worth it for the Chen family to do so much for the Shou Wang!?"

Chen Hanjing was breathing heavily, and his hand holding the long sword was shaking slightly, but he still straightened his back and said: "...I have no other choice. Since I have chosen this path, I have to fight to the death to live up to the reputation of my Chen family army and the glory of my father."

"Zong Yanli." Chen Hanjing stared at her and said, "I am not embarrassed to be defeated by you."

Chen Hanjing attacked again with his sword in hand, and Zong Yanli had no choice but to fight back.

When the swords were clashing, Chen Hanjing said to Zong Yanli, "You used a letter to alienate me and Prince Shou, and the letter mentioned the kindness you had with your father. Is there any sincerity in your words?"

Chen Hanjing asked this question but didn't think of Zong Yanli's answer. He smiled bitterly and said, "The Chen family has come to this day. I, Chen Hanjing, can only die to apologize to the world, but..."

"My sister is innocent. The defeat of the Chen family army here is all my fault."

"If you really remember my father's kindness in supporting me, I beg you to save my sister and take my head to claim the credit!"

Chen Hanjing's face was solemn. He angrily rushed towards Zong Yanli's long sword with a determined look, allowing the long sword to pierce his chest and abdomen.

Zong Yanli's expression was horrified, and he suddenly clenched his sword tightly. He lowered his head and looked at Chen Hanjing who was going to die. He opened his mouth and blood foamed from his lips. He used his last bit of strength to say: "The Chen family... is exterminated here, and it's all my fault!"

Chen Hanjing took his last breath and fell down with his head down.

Zong Yanli's eyes were dark. He stared at Chen Hanjing who was about to die for a long time, then closed his eyes and said loudly: "The rebel leader is dead, and those who surrender will not be killed--!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed——!"

The shouts, one louder than the other, spread throughout the city and outside. Although there were still some soldiers of the Chen family army who held on, most of them had realized that the situation was hopeless and they had no fighting capacity. It didn't take long for them to lay down their arms and surrender.

Zong Yanli looked at the rebel who had been executed, stared at Chen Hanjing's body for a long while, then turned around and said, "Cut off his head and present it to the king!"

"The rest of you, follow me!" Zong Yanli raised his hand and blew a whistle. A black warhorse jumped out from the crowd. Zong Yanli jumped on the horse swiftly and asked Meng Qi, Pei Liang and others to stay. He led Wen Nian to chase out of Xiaozhuang.

He Xingliang's fighting ability was not that great, but he was very good at escaping. Zong Yanli chased him for ten miles but still could not find him. However, he caught up with the Chen family guards who were fleeing here in a carriage.

The soldiers under the emperor immediately stopped the carriage. Seeing that they could not escape, the Chen family guards had to fight. However, those guards were no match for Zong Yanli and were subdued in a short while.

The people in the carriage were dragged off. There was no one else inside except a woman holding a child. Her hair was disheveled and her face was full of panic. She held the child tightly in her arms and staggered to her knees in front of Zong Yanli.

That woman was none other than Chen Zhengxin's youngest daughter. She was also the one who had talked to Zong Yanli when he was still serving under General Chen in Pingnan Camp. Chen Zhengxin had joked that when Zong Yanli made great achievements, the two families would marry each other...

Zong Yanli lowered his eyes and looked at her. Chen Pingting looked at Zong Yanli with tears in her eyes. She seemed to be shaking uncontrollably, but she still gritted her teeth and asked, "Since I can't escape, I still want to ask, who is the general?"

"Zong Yanli." Zong Yanli was standing in front of her. His tone was cold and serious, and his eyes stared at her, making it impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.

"Are you General Zong Yan?" Chen Pingting seemed to be stunned for a moment, then she burst into tears and laughter. She stared at Zong Yanli and said in a hoarse voice, "My father often mentioned the general's bravery to me when he returned from Pingnan Camp. I never thought that the day I got to see the general's heroic figure would be like this."

"My elder brother..." Chen Pingting had actually guessed it, but still couldn't help asking.

"The rebel leader has been killed." Zong Yanli opened his mouth and said in a hoarse voice.

Chen Pingting could no longer hold back her tears. She put her face against the child in her arms. The sleeping child seemed to sense something and started crying too.

Chen Pingting had to hold back her grief, whispered to the child in her arms, raised her eyes to Zong Yanli and said, "General... I know that the Chen family cannot escape the death penalty this time."

"But my child, my child is innocent..." Chen Pingting said with tears on her face, "My father sent me to another village half a year ago. No one knew that the child was born. I have no other request, but I hope that the general will spare his life for my father's sake."

"Please, General!" Chen Pingting said as she knocked her head on the ground. The gravel road instantly made her forehead turn red.

Zong Yanli took a step forward, reached out and grabbed her arm, looking at this desperate mother and the child in her arms from such a close distance.

It seemed like a long time had passed before Zong Yanli spoke in a low voice: "Wen Nian, this child has no father and no mother and was picked up by this general. From now on, he is my adopted son and I will give him the name Zong Yan Guanghe."

Wen Nian suddenly raised his eyes and looked at her. His throat seemed a little dry. He opened his mouth but said nothing in the end. He walked forward with heavy steps, wanting to take the baby from Chen Pingting's hands.

Chen Pingting was stunned in place, then revealed an expression of ecstasy, crying and laughing as she thanked En, and finally lowered her head to look deeply at the child in her arms and murmured: "Guang He, Guang He..."

Bring honor to the family and spread great reputation.

What a great name...

What a pity, what a pity she won’t be able to see it.

Chen Pingting kissed the child on the center of his brow with deep sorrow, and finally handed the child to Wen Nian.

"The Chen family, Chen Pingting, would like to thank the general for his great kindness." Chen Pingting prostrated herself on the ground and kowtowed in thanks, tears in her eyes as she said, "I beg the general to never tell him about the Chen family's past for the rest of his life, and just treat him as if his mother had given birth to him but didn't raise him and abandoned him in the wild."

After Chen Pingting said this, she pulled out a short blade from her sleeve without any hesitation, raised her hand and stabbed it into her heart, committing suicide.

Zong Yanli's fingertips trembled slightly when he saw this scene. He looked at the woman lying in a pool of blood for a long time without saying a word. The crying of the baby in Wen Nian's arms continued to his ears.

Zong Yanli took a deep breath and whispered, "Take the brocade bag and embroidered handkerchief from her waist and dig a hole on the top of the mountain to bury her."

"General, do you really want to keep this boy?" Wen Nian frowned, looked up at Zong Yanli and asked.

"Keep."

She is not a heartless person. How could she kill such a young child?

The Chen family has no chance of survival this time. The nine clans of the Chen family were executed for the crime of treason. He has no relatives in this world. Chen Hanjing went to his death and offered his head, and Chen Pingting committed suicide to ask for it. No matter how cold-blooded Zong Yanli is, he cannot remain indifferent to this.

Although it was a bit risky, the people who followed her to this place were all her personal soldiers and generals, and no one else.

"Find a family in the village and find a wet nurse to take care of him temporarily, and then take him back after you're done with your business here." Zong Yanli had no experience in raising children, and the crying of young children was very disturbing. She didn't even hold the child in her arms. She just glanced at him twice and let Wen Nian send the child away.

Seeing that he could not catch up with Prince Shou, Zong Yanli turned back to Xiaozhuang. Pei Liang and others were already arranging people to clean up the situation.

All of Chen's troops were captured, and the White Eagle Army also caught up with some of the rebels and detained them all in one place.

She was only responsible for fighting the war, and what happened after Xiaozhuang's death had nothing to do with Zong Yanli. She just had to submit a military letter to the capital and wait for the emperor's decision.

Zong Yanli led the army this time and defeated the rebels in less than three months. His bravery was widely spread, and the names of his two counselors Pei Liang and Gongsun Pu were also hotly discussed. Not long after, someone in front of the bookstall was talking about his three brave strategies for attacking the city.

When Prince Shou escaped, he stumbled to the border of Jin State and was captured. No one knew why Prince Shou went to Jin State.

They thought they could capture King Shou this time, but unexpectedly the State of Jin suddenly sent out troops at this time and abducted King Shou.

Zong Yanli settled the matter of Empress Xiaozhuang and led his troops here to pursue the enemy, but he was still one step too late.

"The emperor has issued an order!" The imperial edict was delivered soon, appointing Zong Yanli as the general of Pingxi, and ordering him to rescue Prince Shou from the hands of the Jin State at all costs!

"Since he has been demoted to the son of a commoner, why do you want us to risk our lives to save him!" Meng Qi was extremely troubled when he saw the imperial edict. It was really one problem after another.

"He Xingliang is of royal blood after all, and he has been in the palace for many years. He has a lot of insights into our country's military and political affairs. If he is persuaded by Jin State..." Zong Yanli frowned and stared at the imperial edict at hand, knowing that He Xingliang would never be allowed to stay in Jin State alive!

Zong Yanli immediately ordered his men to set up camp outside Anzhou Pass. At the same time, he took the imperial edict to meet the army guarding the pass. He also wrote a letter and threw it into the State of Jin, demanding that the State of Jin hand over He Xingliang, otherwise it would be tantamount to declaring war!

The general guarding Anzhou Pass was named Tan Liming. When he saw Zong Yanli coming, he immediately stepped forward and said, "I greet General Pingxi!"

Zong Yanli held out his hand to help him up: "General Tan, there is no need to be so polite."

Tan Liming didn't waste any words and said immediately: "I already know about the rebellion, and I also understand the emperor's will. If Jin insists on not handing over the people, we have no choice but to go to war!"

"I am willing to serve the general at my utmost!" Tan Liming had heard of Zong Yanli's reputation a long time ago. Now that she has been specially appointed by the emperor, she will naturally obey his orders!

"General, you are righteous!" Zong Yanli showed his joy, and then the two of them went into the military tent hand in hand. Zong Yanli also asked about the military strength in Anzhou Pass.

"The State of Jin has always been restless, and has always made some small moves in the past few years. There are sufficient troops and food supplies inside the pass!" In order to prevent the State of Jin from suddenly sending troops, there are tens of thousands of troops guarding the pass!

Zong Yanli felt more at ease after listening to this, and discussed the current situation of the two armies in detail with Tan Liming. Tan Liming had been guarding the pass for many years, and although he could not know everything about Jin State, he did have some insights into it.

Zong Yanli was not in a hurry to start a war, but first understood the differences between the two armies so as to make up for their shortcomings and take advantage of their strengths!

The State of Jin had more cavalry and strong horseback combat capabilities, which was very disadvantageous for the State of Wu, which was composed entirely of infantry.

Zong Yanli thought about it for a long time, and finally wrote a letter to his father, asking for help from the Ghost Camp under Bai Xiuyun!

While waiting for reinforcements, Zong Yanli sent letters to the State of Jin one after another. The content of the letters changed from polite at the beginning to sharp warnings. The atmosphere before the war became more solemn. Seeing that the State of Jin was indifferent, it seemed that it did not take Zong Yanli's warnings to heart at all.

Zong Yanli knew that this battle was inevitable. Outside the military tent, she looked at the blood-red sky with the setting sun and her eyes were full of coldness.