"Stop singing! Who gave you permission to sing? Anyone who disrupts the morale of the army should be executed!" Xiang Yu roared.
Xiang Zhuang hurriedly stood up, "This subordinate will go and make them stop!"
However, the sound of Chu songs grew louder and louder, and even faintly mixed with cries.
"My parents cannot sleep, worrying about the well-being of their soldier! Amidst ice and snow, hunger and hardship, they alone yearn for their homeland, filled with sorrow!..."
"Surrounded by enemies on all sides..." Xiang Yu's eyes lost focus and his vision gradually blurred. The saying about ghosts and gods had come true again. They all had to die. They all had to die.
Soon, Xiang Zhuang rushed back in a panic, "Xiang, King Xiang, it's not our army singing, but the enemy troops around us singing Chu songs!"
*Snap!* *Splash!*
Xiang Yu smashed the table in front of him with a punch. "Hahaha... What a 'Song of Chu on all sides,' what a 'Song of Chu on all sides'! It makes me want to surrender and go home right now. The sound of Chu songs is heard from all sides. How many Chu people have betrayed Chu! If it weren't for these traitors, how could Great Chu have come to this! I hate it so much!"
Xiang Yu recalled how, at the Feast at Hongmen, he spared Liu Ji, who was trying to seize Guanzhong, out of consideration for their past relationship. He also enfeoffed Mi Xin as Emperor Yi to appease the feudal lords and fulfilled his promise to reward eighteen feudal kings for their merits.
But now it seems that all those decisions were huge mistakes. I actually appointed a bunch of useless people and treacherous traitors who betrayed their principles for personal gain as kings!
But as the leader of the alliance at that time, how could I break the alliance and not reward the meritorious officials? How could I have imagined that people's hearts were so treacherous?
First, Liu Ji took advantage of Tian Rong's uprising in Qi, which caused chaos in Qi and threatened Chu, to annex the Three Qin. Then, Ying Bu killed Emperor Yi, giving Liu Ji an excuse to unite the feudal lords of the world to besiege Western Chu. Immediately afterwards, Ying Bu surrendered to Liu Ji. It was too much of a coincidence.
In all honesty, if Xiang Yu, the mighty overlord of Western Chu, wanted to kill Emperor Yi, he could have done so directly. Why would he need to use Ying Bu to travel two thousand miles to Chen County to do it? Yet Liu Ji insisted that it was Xiang Yu who instigated it, and all the feudal lords in the land actually believed him!
When someone wants to find fault, they will always find a pretext. Explanations are useless; only war will suffice!
If Xiang Yu had lost to the enemy on the battlefield, he would have had nothing to say, but he was going to be defeated by a group of traitors. How could he be willing to accept that!
I did not wrong anyone, yet they wronged me...
Ji Bu sighed, "King Xiang, with the enemy songs of Chu echoing from all sides, the morale of our army is wavering. I must go and reassure the soldiers."
"I'm going too! We can't let the enemy's treacherous scheme succeed!" Zhongli Mei said angrily.
"This humble general is also going." Huan Chu followed along.
Seeing Xiang Yu in such a state, Xiang Zhuang and the others had no choice but to take their leave. It was good for him to vent his anger; keeping it bottled up inside would only lead to trouble sooner or later.
Moreover, the current situation is already as bad as it gets. Even if the Chu soldiers inside the fortress don't flee tonight, they probably won't have much of a chance of winning tomorrow. For now, they can only take it one step at a time.
Seeing Xiang Yu like this, Yu Ji felt as if her heart was being torn apart, and tears welled up in her eyes. Xiang Yu was the peerless hero in her heart, and he had never been so distraught before. It was because he had been too depressed and suffered too many blows during this period.
"Yu, don't leave me, don't go." Xiang Yu slumped on the mat with lifeless eyes, like an old man, barely supporting his body so as not to fall down. There was no trace of the domineering power he usually had.
"Your Majesty, Yu Ji won't leave. It's cold, Your Majesty, please put on your cloak." Yu Ji held back her tears, walked over and draped the cloak over Xiang Yu's shoulders, then knelt behind him and hugged him.
"I'm fine, just a little drunk. Yu, believe me, no matter how dangerous the situation is, I will lead you out of the encirclement, and we'll go back to Jiangdong together." Xiang Yu held Yu Ji's hand.
“I believe you,” Yu Ji nodded in agreement.
"I've already thought it through. Once Ji Bu and the others have stabilized their forces and the 'Song of Chu' has ceased, we'll break out. I'll lead the way, Xiang Zhuang will ride with you, Xiang Han on the left, Xiang Guan on the right, and Huan Chu will bring up the rear. Tens of thousands of troops will charge straight into the enemy camp. I don't believe those chickens and dogs can stop us," Xiang Yu said confidently.
"What about Ji Bu and Zhongli Mei?" Yu Ji noticed the problem.
Xiang Yu smiled and said, "They each led a separate army and broke out at the same time as us. The enemy was caught off guard and didn't know which route to pursue, so everyone broke out."
"Great! Everyone can break through!" Yu Ji said happily, completely ignoring the less-than-ideal parts of the plan.
Meanwhile, the Chu soldiers, who had already learned of Zhou Yin's betrayal of the Jiujiang army, finally collapsed under the onslaught of the enemy's songs of Chu from all sides.
Some people were stunned, some were crying, but most of them took their belongings and fled the fortress in groups, mostly heading south, because they knew that was the defense zone of Ying Bu and Zhou Yin, and that they would be close to home once they got there.
If these people hadn't been unarmed, the Han army would have thought the entire Chu army had begun a breakout.
No matter how Ji Bu and the others tried to stop them, it was all in vain. There were simply too many people fleeing, and most of those who remained were demoralized and unwilling to take action against the fleeing soldiers. Even if they did fight, they probably couldn't stop them, and it might even trigger a mutiny.
The gates of the camps of Ying Bu, Zhou Yin, Liu Jia, Han Xin, and others were wide open. All Chu soldiers who were not carrying weapons were taken in, and then they were gathered in an open space, bonfires were lit, and they were taught to sing.
Seeing how effective the "Song of Chu on All Sides" strategy was, the allied soldiers sang even more enthusiastically. Coupled with the Chu army that had just surrendered, the song of Chu on all sides grew louder and louder.
As a result, more and more people fled from the Chu army's fortifications, and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.
"King Xiang! That brat Lü Matong has run away! He even tried to steal Wuzhui, but I snatched it from him." Xiang Bo led Wuzhui to the central command tent.
Yu Ji knelt beside Xiang Yu in shock. Even Lü Ma Tong had run away, and now they were trying to steal Xiang Yu's black horse?
Seeing that Xiang Bo was still alive, Xiang Yu felt somewhat relieved, at least it meant that the words of the ghost and god were not absolute, and that he, Yu Ji, and the others still had a chance to survive.
"It's rare to see such loyalty from my uncle. Help me tie the black horse outside the tent, and then call Ji Bu and the others over. There's no need to stop those deserters anymore; I have something to discuss with them."
With such a commotion outside, how could Xiang Yu, inside his central command tent, not know about it?
But what good will knowing do?
Those soldiers who fled had lost their will to fight, and forcing them to stay might not be a good thing.
Xiang Yu couldn't bring himself to kill them all; the situation was precarious. Those Chu people simply wanted to live and return home—that's only human nature.
"Yes, sir." Xiang Bo responded and hurriedly turned to leave, unable to suppress the smile on his face. What a woman's kindness! With this order, they should all have run away by now, right?
After leaving the tent and finding no one around, Xiang Bo couldn't wait to laugh, but he dared not laugh out loud. He could only close his eyes, open his mouth, laugh and gasp for breath, trembling uncontrollably, looking completely intoxicated.
At that moment, the black horse outside the tent snorted, wagged its tail, took two steps, and turned its rump towards Xiang Bo, then puffed out a cloud of foul air...
Chapter 22 Farewell My Concubine
The Chu army's fortifications, the central command tent.
Ji Bu, Zhongli Mei, Xiang Zhuang, Xiang Bo and other Chu generals were all present, each with a solemn expression.
Xiang Yu took a deep breath. "My mind is made up. I will break out at dawn tomorrow!"
We divided our forces into three groups. I and the Xiang clan led the cavalry westward, making a show of charging straight at Liu Ji's camp, and then quickly turned southwest to break through Liu Jia's defenses.
After our army launched the attack, Ji Buyin secretly marched and broke through the southeast Yingbu defense zone. Many of his new recruits were the weakest in terms of combat strength.
Zhongli Mei led an army to break through the encirclement by water via the Xiao River, building as many rafts as possible to carry as many people as possible.
There are ferry crossings in Liyang, Dongcheng, Tangyi, Guangling and other places. No matter which one you arrive at, do not hesitate to cross the river and return to Jiangdong immediately.
Do not announce the breakout time to the lower levels yet. Everyone return to your camps to regroup and prepare for the breakout.
"King Xiang, it's too dangerous for the western cavalry to break through head-on. I should go instead," Ji Bu suggested.
"King Xiang, the best chance of breaking through by water is to take Yu Ji and the wounded by water. I will provide cover for them." Zhongli Mei also stepped forward at this moment.
"King Xiang, take your sister-in-law and General Zhong by water, and I will lead the army to break through the encirclement by the western route!" Xiang Zhuang said solemnly.
“This humble general is also acceptable!” Huan Chu said loudly.
Xiang Yu was suddenly moved. True friendship is revealed in times of trouble. It's just a pity that he didn't give them important positions back then, but instead appointed people like Ying Bu and Zhou Yin. Fate is cruel...
"This old minister is also willing! I have no regrets even if I die!" Xiang Bo said righteously, but in his heart he was thinking that the plan seemed perfect, but if the allied forces found out in advance, he would be doomed. In the current situation, it couldn't be easier to send someone out a message.
"Excellent! You are all truly worthy of being called the brave men of my Great Chu! However, I do not wish for you to go to your deaths. I wish for you all to live well! The western route is dangerous, and I will take care of it myself. Only in this way can we draw the enemy's main force. Yu Ji, come with me..."
Xiang Yu glanced at Yu Ji, and then recounted the breakout tactics he had previously told her.
Was the waterway really safe? With Han Xin's abilities, how could he not have taken precautions?
As for Ying Bu's side, it was equally dangerous. Han Xin had many troops and could easily send troops to support him.
Therefore, it is safest for Yu Ji to stay by his side. At worst, he can lead Yu Ji to fight her way out of the encirclement. Even if they fail to break through, they can still travel together on the road to the underworld...
"What? Not only does King Xiang want to bring Yu Ji along, but he also wants her to be the vanguard? This is absolutely unacceptable!" Ji Bu thought to himself, "Isn't this a nine-out-of-ten chance of death? No, it's a ten-out-of-ten chance of death!"
"King Xiang! Let me be the vanguard! Even if it costs me my life, I will fight my way out so that you and your sister-in-law can escape!" Xiang Zhuang said, his eyes wide.
"This humble general is also willing to be the vanguard!" Xiang Han and Xiang Guan said at the same time.
"No need to argue! I, the king, am not so easily killed. On the contrary, if you, as the vanguard, fail to break through the enemy lines, then you will surely die. Why are you all so pessimistic? With eight thousand Jiangdong men by my side, how can the enemy not be defeated when I fight with all my might?" Xiang Yu said proudly.
Upon hearing this, all the generals lowered their heads, and the atmosphere became even more tragic.
Xiang Yu sensed something was amiss. "Why are you all acting this way?"
After a long pause, Xiang Zhuang, his lips trembling and eyes red, said, "King Xiang, there are no more eight thousand Jiangdong soldiers left. When we arrived, we had already roughly calculated the remaining troops. Of the eight thousand Jiangdong soldiers, only three thousand remain. The other armies combined are less than twenty thousand, including many wounded soldiers who cannot walk. Moreover, the number is still decreasing. I'm afraid that even if we add them all up now, we still won't reach twenty thousand!"
Xiang Yu was taken aback, and then his head buzzed. He was a little unsteady on his feet, but fortunately Xiang Zhuang stepped forward to help him up.
"King Xiang..." Yu Ji covered her mouth at the door, her heart pounding in her chest.
Xiang Yu closed his eyes, tilted his head back and took a deep breath, then suddenly opened them. "Let go, I don't need your support!"
Ji Bu cupped his hands and said, "Why should King Xiang grieve over those traitors? Aren't there still people like us who are determined to follow him to the death? Those who remain are all elites. As long as we plan carefully, we might be able to break through successfully..."
Xiang Yu interrupted Ji Bu, "Hahaha...who said I was sad?"
Given this situation, I am deeply gratified and content that you and 20,000 Chu soldiers are still here!
The breakout plan remains unchanged, but I will only take eight hundred cavalry with me, and the rest will be under the command of General Ji.
If the wounded in the camp want to break through, they can go by water. Those who don't want to go can stay in the fortified area and wait for the enemy to surrender.
My mind is made up. There's no need for further persuasion. Let's hurry back to camp and prepare. A little rest is better than wasting time arguing here.
“Absolutely not! King Xiang only led eight hundred men to break through the encirclement and also had to protect Yu Ji, wouldn’t that be…” Ji Bu said with great distress.
"Shut up! I am the Hegemon-King of Western Chu. How can a mere tens of thousands of chickens and dogs stop me! Not to mention the eight hundred cavalry and generals assisting me, even if I were alone, I could slaughter the enemy without leaving a single piece of armor! Stop talking nonsense. Do you intend to disobey my orders? Quickly follow the plan!" Xiang Yu said, staring into Ji Bu's eyes.
"Here." Ji Bu turned his head to the side, said nothing more, slowly retreated, and then suddenly turned and left.
The other generals also took their leave. What other options did they have but to believe that the Overlord could create a miracle?
As Xiang Bo, the last to leave the tent, slowed his pace and whispered to Yu Ji, "Alas, it's not difficult for King Xiang to charge in and out seven times by himself, but what if there were one more person? Alas..."
Upon hearing this, Yu Ji was struck dumb, her eyes filled with confusion. Indeed, if there were one more person, could Xiang Yu still defeat the enemy with such ease? Perhaps only highly skilled generals like Xiang Zhuang would not become a burden to Xiang Yu…
Xiang Yu slowly sat down. At this moment, he could neither hear nor see anything. He was repeatedly rehearsing the breakout process in his mind. He wanted to find a way out, a way to save more people, but he couldn't find it no matter what he did. Even trying to break through the encirclement with Yu Ji was difficult...
The song of "Besieged on all sides" still lingers, leaving one mesmerized.
"The journey is long and arduous, a hundred battles have been fought; the journey is long and arduous, why do I wander aimlessly? Why do I wander aimlessly, the road is vast and uncertain, when will I return?... I think of my homeland, and tears stream down my face!"
Why is that?
Am I being heartless?
Liu Ji betrayed me so badly, yet I did not kill him. Instead, I treated his family members well and returned the jade intact.
But it was Ren who caused me the most suffering.
Am I being unjust?