Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The setting sun was as red as blood, sparingly sprinkling the last ray of afterglow on the vast and desolate land of Kunyang.

This land is flat and boundless, which should be a good place for galloping on horseback, but now it has become a desperate place for the remnants of the Han army.

Liu Xiu led the remaining 50,000 soldiers and horses, like a wounded and dying python, wriggling hard on the cold wilderness.

Since the disastrous defeat outside Hongdu City, they have been fleeing for a whole day and night without sleep or food.

Extreme fatigue, hunger, pain and huge psychological fear almost overwhelmed everyone.

The soldiers walked unsteadily, and every step seemed to require all their strength.

Their faces had long lost their color, leaving only grayness and numbness. Their chests heaved violently, and their heavy breathing merged into one in the silent team, like a broken bellows.

Many people fell to the ground while walking and could never get up again.

The team's progress was so slow that it was despairing.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

Several senior generals exchanged glances with each other, and finally mustered up the courage to ride their horses to Liu Xiu, who had a gloomy face and was urging the march.

An older general spoke in a hoarse voice, almost pleading:

"Soldiers, we can't walk any further. Many of you have reached your limit. If we continue to push on, we will collapse without the Chu army chasing us."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Another general interjected, his lips chapped and his eye sockets sunken, "This place is already within the borders of Kunyang, not too far from the city."

"Can...can we let the soldiers rest for a while, even...even for just an hour?"

"Let everyone take a breath, drink some water, and bandage their wounds. Otherwise, we really can't hold on any longer."

Liu Xiu suddenly reined in his horse, looked back at the army on the verge of collapse, his eyes full of anxiety and impatience.

Didn't he know that the soldiers had reached their limit?

But the strong sense of crisis in his heart and Chu Ning's cold and bloodthirsty eyes seemed to be staring at him from behind, making him dare not relax at all.

"rest?"

Liu Xiu's voice was hoarse from lack of water, but it carried an undeniable severity: "Rest now, it is tantamount to seeking death!"

"The Chu army's pursuers may arrive at any time! Do you want me and these tens of thousands of soldiers to become the souls of Chu Ning's victims? Get up and keep moving!"

The generals looked at each other, their faces filled with helplessness and despair.

They knew that what the emperor said was true, but the reality was that the team really could not move forward.

Everyone turned their eyes to Zhou Yongyan, the strategist who had been silent in the team.

At this moment, perhaps only this counselor who is deeply trusted by His Majesty can persuade the stubborn emperor.

Zhou Yongyan saw everything.

He looked around and saw faces distorted by extreme fatigue, countless pairs of desperate eyes that had almost lost focus, and bodies that were barely standing with the help of weapons, with wounds still oozing blood.

He knew very well that His Majesty was eager to win and was anxious to escape from danger, but an army that had completely lost its physical strength and fighting spirit, even if it arrived at the city of Kunyang, how much combat effectiveness could it have to defend the city?

He sighed deeply, and drove his skinny horse to Liu Xiu's side. His voice was low and earnest: "Your Majesty, please listen to what I have to say."

Liu Xiu frowned and looked at him.

Zhou Yongyan pointed at the soldiers around him and said sadly, "Your Majesty, as the generals have said, our soldiers are indeed exhausted. Even a spent crossbow cannot penetrate a piece of silk."

"If we continue to force a march now, we might cause a mutiny, or even collapse before encountering the enemy. This would be a death sentence."

He changed the subject and analyzed, "Furthermore, the sudden hailstorm today was massive and must have lasted for quite some time."

"The Chu army is mostly cavalry, so they will be more affected by the hail, and their movements will inevitably be hampered."

"I infer that even if they were to regroup and pursue us, it would take quite a while. It's not an unacceptable risk for our army to rest here for an hour."

Finally, he offered a realistic option: "On the contrary, if we don't let the soldiers rest, given their current condition, they won't be able to march for even half an hour, let alone an hour. Their speed will only get slower and slower."

"Instead of moving so slowly, it would be more efficient to let them rest for a while and recover some strength. Then we can continue on our journey. Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Zhou Yongyan's words were clear and logical, taking into account both military morale and an analysis of the enemy situation.

Liu Xiu's tense expression relaxed slightly. He looked around again and saw the soldiers who were almost collapsing on the ground. Finally, he wavered.

He really needed an army that could still fight, not a group of corpses walking to the city of Kunyang.

"That's all."

Liu Xiu took a deep breath and reluctantly said, "As you say, the entire army will rest for an hour! But—"

His tone suddenly turned stern. "All scouts, send out! East, south, north, twenty miles! Report any signs of trouble immediately! Anyone who neglects their duty will be punished by military law!"

"As ordered!"

The generals were granted amnesty, although it was only for a short hour, it was already a great blessing.

The order was passed down quickly, and the Han soldiers, who had already reached their limit, collapsed to the ground in an instant as if they had received a special pardon.

Many people didn't even have time to find a dry place. They fell directly on the cold ground still covered with hail and fell into a coma instantly.

The entire team seemed to have fallen apart, with only a small number of sentries and scouts who were ordered to set out still active.

However, the sleep brought about by extreme exhaustion is often the prelude to death.

Just over half an hour had passed, and most of the Han soldiers were still immersed in a deep sleep recovering their strength.

"Da da da da——!" A burst of rapid and almost crazy horse hoof sounds came from far away!

A scout sent to the east, lying on his horse's back, galloped back at a desperate speed.

He couldn't even wait for the horse to stop, and almost rolled off, crawling to Liu Xiu, who had just closed his eyes to rest. His voice was torn and distorted by extreme fear and running:

"Your Majesty! It's bad! The Chu army... the Chu army cavalry is catching up! Right behind us! It's a dark mass, full of torches!"

"what?"

Liu Xiu was suddenly startled like a tiger whose tail was stepped on, and all his fatigue was instantly replaced by great fear!

He suddenly looked up to the east -

really!

On the distant horizon, a jumping and flickering fire is moving and expanding rapidly!

Like will-o'-the-wisp fire spreading in the darkness, it was rushing towards the direction where they were resting! That speed was clearly cavalry!

"All troops, get up! Get up quickly! Prepare to meet the enemy! Retreat! Retreat south!"