The Ugly Empress by Yun Guo Shi Fei / 丑娘娘 by 云过是非

Chapter 36 - Summoning

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After listening Teng Yun's strategy and receiving Xue Junliang's approval, Xue Houyang immediately left to reply Xue Yu and Teng Shang's urgent report.

Teng Shang, who was still in northern border, was the first to give warnings about the small county. Now that His Majesty had given order, even though Xue Yu was still reluctant, they would have to move to reclaim the county from the enemy.

This strategy would be led personally by Teng Shang. After spreading the rumors for nearly half a month, Teng Shang finally assembled the troops and started towards the small county.

Zou Zhenying in the small county had heard the rumors but at this point, he had nowhere to retreat. He could only wait until Cheng Tian conquered the border pass and then started attacking Xue Country's army.

Until Teng Shang's troops approached the county, Cheng Tian never once sent reinforcement to support Zou Zhenying. Although he was very brave, Zou Zhenying was incapable in creating soldiers out of nothing. The county was surrounded, isolated and was helpless; Teng Shang surrounded the county and attacked it from many sides. Zou Zhenying fought with all his might but eventually his troops had used up all of their food supply.

Zou Zhenying was at a dead end. After stuck for three days, he opened the county gate and sent out all the old or injured soldiers, as well as any women and children; creating a ruse to confuse his opponent, and then led the soldiers facing Xue Country's army head on.

Zou Zhenying's soldiers had been trapped inside the small county for three days, it was inevitable their spirit was low. They were soon defeated by Teng Shang's soldiers and Zou Zhenying was captured.

When the battle was over, the county was almost desolate a there were not many survivors.

Hearing Teng Shang had taken over the small county, Xue Yu took his one thousand soldiers and went to the small county. In front of the enemy soldiers, he personally cut Zou Zhenying's head and hung it on a bamboo pole right at the county gate. He also ordered all the captured soldiers, with no exception, to be killed and then the bodies be thrown out of the gate.

Cheng Tian's spy quickly got the news; how the usually barren surrounding of the county suddenly was full of wild dogs and crows, how the cloying smell of the corpses was thick in the air.

Xue Yu's action not only shocked the entire soldiers, but also the entire Xue Country's Imperial Court.

Some thought that Xue Yu was too cruel. The enemy obviously had surrendered and Xue Country could use more soldiers and talented military commanders; he could have taken in the captive prisoners.

The others thought Xue Yu's action was necessary and unavoidable. In the end, the prisoners were still enemies; no one could guarantee they would not just pretend to surrender just to buy time before someday rebel against Xue Country. Those prisoners wasn't worth it.

Moreover, if they were to be used as soldiers, the prisoners would need food to eat. Xue Country's own soldiers had to use the army provisions wisely because of how hard it was to transport supplies to the border; how could they afford feeding the prisoners?

For a time, the entire Imperial Court was arguing about Xue Yu's action, and then they started to argue about Teng Shang.

Although Teng Shang had contributed a great victory for Xue Country, he was still a foreigner. In this battlefield, he had gained quite a few follower and many of the court officials suggested that Teng Shang had to be pulled back to prevent him cultivating too much military power.

Cheng Tian, realizing the plan in using the small county to attack Xue Country had failed and he had suffered a great deal of soldiers, didn't dare launching any more reckless move. Moreover, knowing Xue Yu's action, Cheng Tiang became even more restrained and cautious. In battlefield, it was necessary to be savage, but he had never met such heartless action. In the end, Cheng Tian moved his soldiers to withdraw as far as 30 li.