Chapter 356 The Storm of Kings (Part 1)

Almost at the same time, Xiangzhuang, thousands of miles away, also received a letter from Feige from Ebony Cliff. (")

Xiang Zhuang immediately summoned Xiang He, Xiang Tuo, Zhou Yin, Huan Chu, Ji Bu, Wu She, Baili Xian and other ministers to the palace for a banquet. Gao Chu won a great victory, and the crisis in Jingxiang had eased. So why should we celebrate well?

After drinking for three rounds, Xiang Zhuang said with emotion: "Gao Chu is really the tiger general in the world."

"Who said it was not?" Wu She echoed repeatedly, "Peng Yue is also a hero of a generation. His 100,000 troops were even a tiger and wolf army, but he was destroyed in the battle of Luyezawa. General Gao Chu is worthy of the name of a tiger general."

Zhou Yin said with emotion: "After this great defeat, Liang State is probably over."

"That's not to mention." Baili Xian said, "Not to mention whether Peng Yue can escape back to Dingtao, even if Peng Yue can escape back, Liang State will be in a difficult situation. Liu Bang, Han Xin, and Ying Bu are all heroes of the world. They will never miss such a good opportunity. If nothing unexpected happens, more than 60 counties in the five counties of Liang State will probably be divided."

Huan Chu said: "King, should we get a share of the pie?"

"Hey, I won't be able to chew too much." Xiang Zhuang waved his hand and said, "My main business of Great Chu is to try to defend Bashu and Jingxiang, and then slowly digest it. As for Liang State, they can fight for it. Besides, although Peng Yue was defeated, Liu Bang would never give up. Liu Bang would never give up easily in the Bashu granary."

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The Battle of Greenyezawa was finally over and the Chu army won a complete victory.

It took three days to capture Liang's prisoners of war alone. Zhong Limei's 20,000 naval troops were obviously not only captured Liang's prisoners of war. Many of the 100,000 Liang troops were the water bandits who followed Peng Yue from Juyeze. They had excellent water quality. However, when they finally got ashore, they found that there were still a large number of Chu cavalry waiting for them. (")

At the end of Jiangling City, Gao Chu was accompanied by Zhonglimei, Ziche Shi, Bu Bi, Xu Jiang and others to inspect the city defense.

The Liang army was over, and the only road that entered Jingxiang from the north was flooded. Moreover, it was rainy season again, and most of the roads in each county were muddy and difficult to walk. The possibility of the Han army attacking again was very low. At least before the rainy season ended, it was unlikely that the Han army would invade the territory, but Gao Chu did not relax at all.

The general who is the only one in the town is not so easy to be a general. He cannot let down the king's trust at the beginning.

Amid the endless sound of trumpets, the Chu cavalry appeared in the wilderness outside the city. It was a cavalry team of more than a hundred cavalry, carrying 300 or 400 Liang army prisoners of war, and was winding towards Jiangling.

Gao Chu turned around and asked Xu Jiang, "Shunzhi (Xu Jiangbiao), how many prisoners have been captured?"

Xu Jiang hurriedly bowed and said, "If you go back to the general, you have already captured almost 40,000 people."

Gao Chu nodded, thinking that Liang State seemed to be over. 100,000 elite troops and more than 40,000 were captured. If the drowned ones were removed, there would definitely be no more than 10,000 people who could escape back to Liang State alive. Even if there were still some left-behind troops in Liang State, how many could there be? Looking at the surrounding Liang State, Liu Bang, Han Xin and even Ying Bu, they were all not good at it.

Unfortunately, the State of Chu could not catch up. After the Great Chu captured Bashu and Jingxiang, it was impossible for him to send troops to fight against the Central Plains in a short period of time. It was a disadvantage for Liu Bang, Han Xin, Ying Bu and others.

Xu Jiang said again: "General, how to deal with these more than 40,000 prisoners of war?"

According to the Qin army system, the people of the enemy country did not kill, but no soldiers were left. Most of the anti-Qin army in the late Qin Dynasty followed the Qin army system, but they were even more tyrannical in terms of killing and surrendering. Whether it was Xiang Yu, Peng Yue, Han Xin, or even Liu Bang, they had records of massacres, that is, they would kill them all regardless of military and civilians, regardless of gender, age or young.

However, since Xiang Zhuang returned to Jiangdong and became the King of Chu, the situation in Chu has changed. (　　　)

Due to the insufficient population of Jiangdong, the strong men were particularly scarce, so Xiang Zhuang has always opposed killing prisoners. For this reason, Xiang Zhuang even issued a new reward mechanism for military merit, stipulating that the military merits of killing the enemy's heads would only be half of the enemy's captives alive! Xiang Zhuang did this to plunder the strong men of the enemy through war and to strengthen himself.

Gao Chu replied: "What should I do? Of course, it is to take it to Zhiling and hand it over to Lingyin's mansion."

Xu Jiangwei responded noddedly, but felt relieved. He was really worried that Gao Chu would feel unjust because of his outstanding military achievements. These more than 40,000 Liang army prisoners are not ordinary prisoners of war. With a slight transformation, it would be another tiger and wolf army. If Gao Chu intercepted them in Jingxiang and reorganized them on the spot, then things would be troublesome.

While inspecting, Pojun suddenly chased after him and said with a strange expression: "General, there is a Han envoy outside the city to ask for a visit."

"Han envoy?" Gao Chu was stunned. At the moment, the Chu and Han countries were in a state of war. Why did Liu Bang send envoys to come? To persuade surrender? Or seek peace? But no matter what the Han envoys were doing, it would be okay to meet. Will Gao Chu still be afraid of an envoy? He immediately ordered Po Jun to say, "Go, ask the Han envoys to come up, and I will see him here."

Pojun took the order and within a moment, he led an old man with a cape and belt to the top of the city.

The Han envoy held the talisman in his hand, striding with his head high, and came to Gao Chu with a proud look. He did not bow and said proudly: "I Liu Jia, which of you is Gao Chu?"

"Liu Jia?!" Gao Chu nodded and said coldly, "I remember you, you are the cousin of Liu Bang's old man. When Shuxiang Hou (Zhou Yin) was bewitched by you, he betrayed Chu and surrendered to the Han Dynasty, right?"

"Marquis Shuxiang?" Liu Jia said proudly, "Is he talking about the magistrate of Jiujiang County Zhou Yin?"

Gao Chu groaned and shouted, "Old Liu Jia, what's wrong with this?"

"According to the order of the King of Han..." Liu Jia bowed far away to the northwest and said, "Come to Jiangling to read the edict. Gao Chu, why don't you go back to your house quickly, take a shower and change your clothes, set up an incense table, and kneel down to welcome the edict of the King of Han?"

"The King of Han's edict?" Gao Chu sneered, "Hehe, I'm still taking a shower and changing clothes, burning incense to welcome you? It's a joke! I'm busy with military affairs and don't have that time to spare. If you have any nonsense, just say it here. If you don't want to say it, then get out of Jiangling as soon as possible. Before I change my mind, get out of Jiangling."

"You?!" Liu Jia was furious, but when he saw Gao Chu standing behind his sword, Po Jun and dozens of personal soldiers, he endured his anger and took out Liu Bang's edict from his sleeve, chanting loudly, "The emperor's edict: Gao Chu has good defense and outstanding military achievements... Now he is named King Jing and is ranked among the princes to show respect."

Silence, the head of Jiangling City suddenly became as quiet as death. Gao Chu opened his eyes wide and couldn't believe it.

Xu Jiang, Zhong Limei, Ziche Shi, Bu Bi and others also stared at each other, unable to believe their ears. Liu Bang actually wanted to give General King Jing? He was also ranked among the princes?

After a while, Gao Chu finally came to his senses and laughed: "Hahaha, thanks to the King of Han."

Xu Jiang, Zhonglimei, Ziche Shi, Bu Bi and others suddenly felt a slump. Regardless of whether it is legitimate to confer Gao Chu as King of Jing, if Gao Chu is really moved and imitates Han Xin's remarks to the King of Chu to be appointed King of Jing, it would be a big trouble. Not to mention whether the Chu State will collapse, an internal strife will be inevitable.

While everyone was worried, Gao Chu suddenly turned against him and said coldly: "Where is Pojun?"

Po Jun walked up with murderous intent with his eyes, and said proudly: "The last one is here!"

Gao Chu reached out and pointed at Liu Jia, and said with a grim voice: "Drag this old man down, chop it up, and put the head in a wooden box!"

"Here!" Po Jun responded with a loud bang, and with a wave of his hand, two personal soldiers rushed forward like tigers and wolfs, pressing Liu Jia.

Liu Jia was shocked and struggled quickly and said, "Gao Chu, I am an envoy of the King of Han. As the saying goes, the two countries are fighting troops but not killing the envoys. How can you kill the envoys without killing them? No, you can't kill me..."

"Go to the messenger, don't kill me." Gao Chu said coldly, "I am the envoy like you who killed me!"

Before he finished speaking, Po Jun had already pushed Liu Jia to the female wall with two personal soldiers. At that time, one of the personal soldiers held Liu Jia down, and another personal soldiers took a knife and Liu Jia's big head had already rolled on the top of the city. Po Jun kicked him again, and Liu Jia's headless body fell to the city like a sack.

Xu Jiang sighed and said to Gao Chu: "General, the matter of being a king is not a trivial matter. Although the general is open and honest, he has a clear conscience. The king also trusts the general and will definitely not doubt the general. However, there will be no treacherous gangs in the court to cause trouble. So, did the general take Liu Jia's head to explain in person?"

"No need." Gao Chu waved his hand and said disapprovingly, "What is there to explain? What is there to explain? The king is wise and wise, and how can Liu Bang's old man be deceived?" After saying this, Gao Chu said again, "Besides, even if I, Gao Chu, really want to be the king, but I have no soldiers or generals, why should I use it as the king?"

Xu Jiang, Zhong Limei, Ziche Shi, Bu Bi and others all looked at each other with pity. Gao Chu dared to say this. If it were someone else, even Pang Yu, who was also guarding the other side, would never dare to say it in order to avoid suspicion. However, what Gao Chu said was the truth. Since the Chu State implemented the imperial guard system and the military system, the generals in command of the army had no military power.

For example, although Gao Chu had 50,000 infantry and cavalry and 20,000 naval troops under his command, 10,000 of them were imperial guards, who were absolutely loyal to the King of Chu. The 20,000 naval troops were also only loyal to the King of Chu, but were temporarily controlled by Gao Chu. The remaining 40,000 infantry and cavalry were soldiers of various counties. If Gao Chu really dared to be king, he only needed a military order from the Zhechong Mansion, and the 40,000 infantry and cavalry would immediately abandon Gao Chu and leave. Even Pojun and the 800 personal soldiers under his command might not rebel against Chu with Gao Chu.

After thinking about it, Xu Jiang said again: "Since that's the case, why not take a trip to Zhiling?"

"No need." Gao Chu shook his head and said, "Old Liu Bang wanted to make me the King of Jing, but his intention was to be punished. If I don't explain, the matter will be over. But if I explain, it might become a matter. The treacherous and slandered people in the court have something to say. Although the king doesn't believe it, it's always troublesome to talk about it, so it's better not to say it."
Chapter completed!