Chapter 5306 Entering the City to Accept Surrender

Chapter 5306 Entering the City to Accept Surrender
In the darkness, Kelunwengding took out a tinderbox and lit the candles on the candlestick one by one. This luxury item from the Tang Dynasty was certainly expensive, but the orange flames were first as small as soybeans, and then they shone brightly, illuminating the hall as if it were daytime, and emitting a faint fragrance.

He bowed and stood beside Zhuge Di, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the Tang army has entered the city and is taking over the city's defenses one by one. The troops have had their weapons confiscated and are being sent outside the city to assemble, awaiting further reorganization."

Zhuge Di remained kneeling, silent and unresponsive.

After a long silence, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Is the time here?"

Kronon knelt on the ground, and said sorrowfully, "Please, Your Majesty, embark on your journey."

Zhuge Di stared at the white porcelain wine pot on the coffee table and sighed, "Life is like morning dew; where do we come from, and where do we go?"

Kronen remained silent, weeping bitterly.

Zhuge Di pounded his numb legs, the candlelight reflecting endless sighs in his eyes: "Or perhaps, everything was predestined? If I hadn't slaughtered the Fan royal family and usurped the throne that day, but instead remained a loyal subject of Lin Yi, would I have suffered this calamity today?"

Corinthians could not provide an answer.

Some things in life are hard to define; some are accidental, some are inevitable. When you look back and a certain point in your life changes, will things change as well?

No one knows the answer.

Since we can't go back to the past, the hypothetical questions naturally have no real answers...

Zhuge Di's face was obscured by the candlelight, and his expression was somewhat painful: "Death is not terrible, but when a country is destroyed, a family is destroyed, and bloodlines are cut off, a person's life is as fleeting as morning dew, ending with the sunrise. In this world, one will flow south with the river and decay with the grass and trees, leaving nothing behind."

Kelunweng hesitated for a moment, then cautiously said, "Your Majesty, the Tang army has taken over the defense of the palace and is about to arrive here."

"Self-committee atonement" was not a punishment imposed by the Tang Dynasty on Zhuge Di; on the contrary, it was the only "benefit" that Kelun Wengding actively sought during the negotiations.

If a dignified king were to become a prisoner and suffer endless humiliation, wouldn't it be worse than death?

If the Tang army were to arrive here, those Tang soldiers, their eyes red with greed for merit, might not be willing to keep their promise. What if they regarded Zhuge Di, the ruler of Linyi, as a great achievement and captured him, then escorted him to Chang'an like cattle to kneel before the Tang emperor as a prisoner of war?

Zhuge Di sighed deeply, "I regret my past actions."

There was a commotion outside.

Kronen could not help but urge, "Please, Your Majesty, set off."

If we wait any longer, the Tang army will enter this area, which will greatly increase the uncertainty.

Zhuge Di probably knew that he couldn't delay any longer. He held the white porcelain wine pot in his hand, his eyes flashing, and his hands trembling slightly.

Since ancient times, the only hardship is death.

How many people can truly accept death with equanimity?

"This wine jug is exquisite and beautiful; it would be a great pleasure to fill it with fine wine."

"...Please, Your Majesty, embark on your journey!"

Kelunwengding spoke more forcefully, and said, "After I have dealt with all matters and ensured the stability of the city, I will follow the king and stay with him through life and death."

At this moment, Zhuge Di seemed to know that his fate was sealed and could not be changed. His hesitation of not wanting to become a prisoner of the Tang army and finding it difficult to make up his mind to commit suicide finally came to an end. After a long period of deliberation, he suddenly tilted his head back and drank the poisoned wine in the pot in one gulp.

Kronen cried out in anguish, "Your Majesty..."

He collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, his shoulders trembling.

……

Outside the city, the sky was dark and rain was drizzling.

Liu Renyuan rode ahead, followed closely by Jiang Ke. The two warhorses were only a head apart. Behind them, a thousand light cavalry and five thousand infantrymen marched swiftly. Outside the east gate and under the city wall, countless Lin-yi troops had already laid down their weapons and gathered there, waiting for the Tang army to incorporate them.

Liu Renyuan's expression was solemn. Although the Kingdom of Linyi had surrendered and the troops had laid down their weapons, such a large number of people gathered together could easily cause a mutiny if someone instigated or stirred up trouble. If they were not careful, the situation could easily spiral out of control.

So he stopped at the city gate and ordered the Lin Yi army to be taken to the camp where the Tang army had been stationed for temporary accommodation. He also ordered the elite soldiers to be reorganized and immediately sent to Da Nang for reception.

He ordered Jiang Ke to enter the city first, accept the civil and military officials of Linyi, and obtain the Linyi State Seal.

Jiang Ke hesitated for a moment, then said, "Why don't I settle the surrendered soldiers here, and the general can enter the city to accept the surrender of Linyi?"

Conquering a nation is one of the most illustrious military achievements, and the most significant way to demonstrate this achievement is by acquiring the imperial seal and accepting the surrender of the imperial ruler.

Such merits should be enjoyed by the commander-in-chief, how could it be the turn of a captain?
Liu Renyuan glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry about other people's envy or jealousy. The most urgent thing is to bring Linyi under our control as soon as possible. We cannot allow even the slightest mistake, otherwise we will not only fail to achieve anything, but also commit a great crime!"

Jiang Keshi was unwilling to stand out any longer, but at this moment he could only consider the overall situation. After receiving the order, he led several thousand men into the city through the east gate.

Squads of Tang soldiers, their armor gleaming and their bearing imposing, rode into the city, heading to various strategic locations to take over defenses according to a pre-arranged plan. Almost all the city's residents came out of their homes and stood on both sides of the streets, pointing and whispering among themselves at the Tang army. Faced with the Tang army that was about to conquer the country, neither the common people nor the merchants felt much fear, but rather a great deal of curiosity.

Is this the most powerful Tang army in the world?

They certainly looked quite different from the Lin-yi army; their physiques were more robust, their aura more imposing, and their military bearing more impressive…

So, we'll be protected by an army like this from now on?

Are we becoming Tang people too?
That's actually quite good...

Under the watchful eyes of the people and merchants of Linyi, the Tang army swarmed in through the east gate and then surged into various parts of the city like a tide.

Jiang Ke led over a thousand soldiers straight to the royal palace, taking over the palace gates, city walls, halls, and so on, until he reached the king's bedroom. Only then did he dismount and have his soldiers surround the area. He then gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist and led his troops in with great strides and heads held high.

Inside the brightly lit palace, eunuchs and palace maids knelt on the ground, and the deafening cries of the concubines abruptly ceased when the Tang soldiers' shoes pounded on the floor.

Jiang Ke stood at the entrance of the palace and saw a person lying face up on the bed. His hair and clothes had obviously just been tidied up. If it weren't for the purplish-blue complexion indicating poisoning, he would have looked quite peaceful.

With a wave of his hand, several Lin-yi officials who had been bribed beforehand bowed and stepped forward. After a thorough examination, they reported, "His identity has been verified; he is indeed the King!"

Jiang Ke breathed a huge sigh of relief. If Zhuge Di hadn't been executed and had instead used a clever trick to switch places and escape, things would have been much more troublesome...

Seeing that Kelun Weng was kneeling to one side, he stepped forward and said gently, "Your Excellency has worked tirelessly to resolve the war and prevent the people of Linyi from being caught in the flames of war. Your merits are outstanding and you are a role model! Please accept my condolences and help the Great Tang take over all affairs of Linyi and stabilize the situation as soon as possible."

With a hoarse voice from crying, Coronon looked up and asked, "How will the superior kingdom handle the affairs after the death of its king..."

Jiang Ke said, "The governor has ordered that although Zhuge Di usurped the throne and seized power, he was willing to commit suicide for the sake of the people of the country at a critical moment to apologize to the world. Therefore, he should be buried with state honors."

Regardless of the circumstances, Zhuge Di was the ruler of Linyi. Since he did not lead his army to resist and instead chose to preserve his dignity by committing suicide, the Tang Dynasty should grant him some respect.

Only then was Kelenton completely relieved: "I will obey the decree of the superior nation!"

……

When the Tang army entered the city, the officials of Lin-yi were unaware of Zhuge Di's plans. As a result, they hid themselves to avoid being arrested and questioned by the Tang army. After Zhuge Di committed suicide and was granted a state funeral by the Tang Dynasty, and after Ke Lunweng publicly read the emperor's edict and the entire Lin-yi submitted to the Tang Dynasty, the officials emerged and happily cooperated with the Tang Dynasty in taking over military and political affairs, bowing and scraping and flattering to the extreme.

What do the rise and fall of a nation, the life and death of its ruler, have to do with them?
With each new emperor comes a new court; surely the Tang Dynasty needed someone to govern Linyi?
Even Kronundin surrendered, let alone these people...

With the assistance of these people, the pace of taking over the military and political affairs of Linyi accelerated considerably. By the time Liu Renyuan had properly settled the surrendered soldiers outside the city and entered the city, the entire city of Tuolupuluo had been completely transformed. Seeing that the war had ended and the situation had stabilized, the people and merchants came out of their homes and onto the streets to sing and dance and warmly welcome the Tang army that had entered the city.

Upon entering the palace, he was quite surprised to see that under Jiang Ke's supervision, Lin Yi officials were restoring tax collection, conducting a census, and pacifying the people. Everything was proceeding quickly and in an orderly manner.

"As expected of the students of the academy, they are truly accomplished in both literary and martial arts!"

Liu Renyuan was generous with his praise.

Although Linyi was weak and Zhuge Di's usurpation of the throne was unpopular, with the entire Linyi Kingdom huddled in the city of Tuolupuluo, it was still a country with a long history. Now that the whole country had surrendered and submitted to the Tang Dynasty, there were many things that needed to be coordinated. As a result, Jiang Ke, along with some naval officers, military commanders, and civil officials, completed almost all the steps in just a few days, which was truly outstanding.

Jiang Ke humbly replied, "I dare not accept the general's praise; this is merely my duty."

Although it is inevitable to be envied, on the other hand, it is only mediocre people who are not envied. This time, facilitating the peace talks is already a great achievement. If you can finish the whole surrender process well and handle it properly, this achievement will be even more remarkable. When it comes time to reward merit, it will be easy to be promoted three ranks, and it is even possible to be promoted several ranks of honor.

To leapfrog a level after a war—it couldn't be more wonderful...

Before the fast horse entered the city and reached the palace, the cavalryman dismounted and galloped inside to report the military situation to Liu Renyuan: "The Zhenla reinforcements arrived at Wuwenling last night and fought fiercely with our army. Li Jinxing and Li Jingren of the 'Trap Camp' are requesting your assistance, General!"

How many enemy troops are there?

"The enemy numbered approximately five thousand and were extremely brave and fearless. Our forces were insufficient to protect the camp completely. The enemy attacked the camp several times, but after being repelled, they reorganized and launched another attack. The battle was extremely fierce, and our army suffered considerable casualties."

Liu Renyuan made a decisive decision and said to Jiang Ke, "I will lead the army to Wuwenling to reinforce the city. You will stay here to oversee Linyi. If anyone harbors rebellious intentions and attempts to rebel, you may deal with them at will without reporting to the authorities. I have only one requirement for you: ensure the stability of Tuoluobuluo City!"

Jiang Ke readily agreed: "This subordinate obeys!"

He knew in his heart that Liu Renyuan was not taking him to Wuwenling in order to protect him. He couldn't let Liu Renyuan take all the credit, could he?

That's not a good thing.