Chapter 13

Chapter 647: Gagyoo's Inryejekwon (因利制權) (2)

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The troops led by Gagyoo followed Tang Yeki's forces deep into the main camp of the Guanxi army.

Because of this, Yang Chui did not worry about attacks from the rear. Although there were significant losses in manpower, he did not consider it a matter of concern.

As the troops were pushed back by the forces of Lü Bu, they began to scatter. Even when they reached the Zhongtian military camp and were attacked by their own forces, thousands fled.

In any case, there were few armies in Guanxi with the strong cohesion of Lü Bu's forces, perhaps only the Ma family's troops. They had paid a heavy price for forcibly expanding their numbers to survive in the lawless land of Guanxi.

With the remaining troops, they fought the army at the Zhongtian military camp, but the Xi Xia troops attacked from behind Yang Chui's forces.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack from behind, they could not put up much resistance, resulting in numerous casualties.

"General! Lü Bu's forces are attacking us!"

"These bastards! They lied when they said they would accept our surrender! Lü Bu was said to be a man of honor, but it was all just empty words, empty words!"

Yang Chui was furious, believing that Lü Bu had betrayed him. However, there was nothing he could do to Lü Bu in this situation. It would be the same anywhere else...

"Perhaps it's best to retreat from the battlefield."

"Yes, that's probably for the best. Staying here won't do us any good."

"General! I will clear the way!"

As Yang Xiao turned his horse to the rear, Yang Chui grabbed the reins. Yang Xiao looked at him, puzzled, as if asking why he was being stopped when he had offered to clear the way.

"You won't be able to break through that way."

Yang Chui instinctively knew this.

Although Wei Yue's forces were a fraction of the size of the Guanxi army, in terms of bravery, the Guanxi army would not be able to withstand the Xi Xia troops.

He couldn't bring himself to tell Yang Xiao that he would die if he went that way. It felt as if mentioning such an ominous thing would bring disaster.

However, when he did not immediately surrender to Lü Bu and instead weighed the options between Huang Boshun and Lü Bu, his fate was already sealed.

"Then, are you suggesting we break through the Guanxi army? If we go deeper to the east, we'll eventually be blocked by the Luo River. There won't be any boats waiting for us at the ferry, will there?"

* * *

At the Zhongtian ferry.

The beauties were waiting for boats to cross the Wei River. As the boats arrived, boxes filled with jewelry and various trinkets were continuously loaded onto them.

When the luggage was almost all loaded, Huang Boshun appeared at the ferry. The reason for his appearance here, rather than on the battlefield, was obvious: he intended to cross the Wei River with his concubines.

"Hurry up! Faster!"

Huang Boshun's attendants urged the porters and soldiers. Huang Boshun, as a general, should have been on the battlefield, and his attendants should have been with him, sharing life and death.

Considering that each of his attendants was a capable warrior, this was a waste of manpower.

Huang Boshun beckoned to one of his attendants, who quickly approached and bowed.

"How is it going?"

"Only five are left now."

"Then we can send them on this boat."

"That's what Lord Zhongmei..."

As the attendant trailed off, five beauties approached Huang Boshun. What was strange was that although they were all concubines, the five women were divided into two groups of two and three, walking ahead and behind each other.

It seemed as if they were walking separately due to differences in status.

Of the five women, the two who came forward were called Zhongmei and Hemei. Despite not being empresses, Huang Boshun referred to his concubines as "meiren" (beautiful women).

"Why is Zhongmei...?"

Huang Boshun frowned, unaware that the five women had arrived behind him. One of the women gently grabbed his collar.

When he turned with an annoyed expression, she had the eyes of a frightened deer. His expression softened.

"Zhongmei, why are you doing this? Why didn't you go first?"

Huang Boshun had dozens of concubines. Now, only five remained. Among them, Zhongmei was one of his favorites.

She could have crossed the Wei River before the others, but she was still here.

When asked, Zhongmei glanced at the three women following behind and then looked up at Huang Boshun with teary eyes.

"Zhongmei cannot share a boat with those lowly ones."

At this, the expressions of the three women behind her hardened.

"Hey! Why are you saying that? Has Zhangmei done something to you?"

"Sir, are you treating me like a lowly woman who only cares about trinkets?"

"Ah! Of course not! But the situation is urgent, so please board the boat with the others this time."

"A tiger would rather starve than eat rotten meat. How can a concubine of the Zhong family, with its noble blood, share a boat with those lowly ones?"

Seeing Zhongmei's stubbornness, Huang Boshun was frustrated.

"Lü Bu's forces are fighting my troops. They will be here soon, and I'm worried you might be frightened. Please, follow my instructions this time."

Despite Huang Boshun's repeated persuasion, Zhongmei did not change her mind. Suddenly, she pulled out a dagger and pressed it to her cheek.

"Sir, if you continue to insist, I have no choice but to..."

It was a threat to cut her face if necessary. Beauty is expressed through appearance, so damaging her face would mean the end of her value.

Huang Boshun's concubines were all rare beauties, but Zhongmei was especially outstanding. Not wanting to lose her, he backed down.

"Alright, alright. I understand. Will you board with Hemei then?"

"Yes, Sir. If you show me such consideration, how can I refuse?"

As Zhongmei and Hemei boarded the boat, Huang Boshun shook his head.

'Ah! It's difficult, so difficult!'

* * *

One boat left, and the remaining three concubines boarded another. The porters began loading the luggage again.

At this moment, the Guanxi army was being slaughtered by Lü Bu's forces. However, the scene at the ferry was so despicable that it was hard to describe.

A porter stumbled while moving a box, and the trinkets inside spilled out. A whip lashed out at the porter.

Swish! Swish!

The whip tore through his clothes, and blood and flesh flew. A small foot in embroidered shoes unexpectedly pressed down on the porter's neck as he tried to stand.

"Lowly one! I told you to be careful, yet you dare to disobey me? You will never own even a small trinket in your entire life! It's something you can't buy with your life!"

A young woman in luxurious silk clothes pressed down on the porter as if trying to crush a bug. Two other young women approached to stop her.

"Sister, stop. You'll dirty your skirt."

"Yes. It would be better to have his head cut off. Why waste your energy, sister?"

The woman who lashed out was, of course, one of Huang Boshun's concubines.

She was called Zhangmei, one of the women who had been humiliated by Zhongmei.

Her real name was Zhang Yanhua, but she was far from the simple name of a lotus flower. She was a flamboyant woman, adorned with dazzling jewelry made of jade, gold, and silver.

Such a preoccupation with expensive trinkets often indicates a desire to compensate for or hide a humble origin. Zhangmei was no exception.

Among Huang Boshun's concubines, there were many from noble families.

Even women from fallen families had an invisible barrier between them and the lowly origins of women like Zhangmei. This only fueled her obsession with trinkets.

She picked up a cracked jade bracelet and trembled, then threw it to the ground, shattering the jade.

"Why must I endure such humiliation from that wretched woman? Why! Why! Why!"

"Sister, calm down. Sir might hear you."

"Zhongmei, you will regret this. We are both in the same position, yet she constantly humiliates me based on our origins. How can I bear it every time?"

Zhangmei's fierce expression was calmed by the two women. Anmei and Zhenmei, who were also of humble origins, had formed a bond of sisterhood.

"Are you unaware that if you incur the displeasure of Sir, you will fall out of favor?"

"Anmei is right. The power in the harem comes from Sir's favor. If Zhongmei has Sir's favor, a single mistake could ruin everything you've achieved."

Zhenmei's words were true. However, Zhangmei could not shake off her desire for revenge against Zhongmei. She had not reached her current position easily.

"I will one day have Sir's exclusive favor and become the empress of the new empire."

Zhangmei's ambition was