Deng Cui returned from defeat and said that he had escaped from death. When he left, he led more than 10,000 Western Region soldiers, and now only three or four hundred people are following behind him.

However, Deng Cui's performance was not a bit defeated. He rode his horse straight into the tiger's city, shouting for wine and meat, as if a wealthy traveler walked into an inconspicuous country shop.

There were not many people in the city. Shen Jingshi was right. The craftsmen did run away. They were building a city for the Great Chu. Once they found that the people of Chu were in conflict, they would suddenly become dissatisfied.

Deng Cui suddenly appeared, which made nearly 200 Chu soldiers in the city feel anxious. They trapped a general and were about to set fire to death.

Shen Jingshi was particularly nervous. After Deng Cui returned to Beijing, he could see the emperor directly. If he sued him, he would not be able to stand it. So he squeezed through the crowd and came to Deng Cui, saying in surprise: "General Deng is back, we thought... how did General Deng come back?"

Deng Cui threw the reins in his hand to Shin Jingshi, "Get the wine and meat first, and then talk about it when you have enough."

After all, Deng Cui was a general, and the number of soldiers brought back was larger. Shen Jingshi transferred the horses to others and ordered the preparation of food.

The chef also ran away. The soldiers brought cold wine and cold meat. Before they could heat it up, Deng Cui and others ate it voraciously. Fortunately, the meat was cooked, but there was more ice chips.

The Chu soldiers stood at the door of the hall, not knowing what to do, and they all looked at Shen Jingshi. Shen Jingshi signaled everyone not to worry, everything was left to him.

Deng Cui had almost finished eating and shouted: "Where is General Zhang? Why didn't you come to see me?"

Shin Jingshi walked forward and smiled and said, "General Zhang slept early, we don't want to disturb him."

"Well, this is how people get older." Deng Cui waved his hand, asked the Western Region soldiers around him to move away, moved his seat to Shen Jingshi, and then asked, "Where are the others in the city?"

"I heard that the troops ahead were defeated and all of them ran away. There were few soldiers in Chu and they couldn't suppress them."

Deng Cui curled his lips, "A group of cowards." Then he looked at Shin Jingshi, "Everyone else ran away, but why are you here?"

"I am hereby order to summon General Deng back to Beijing."

"Whose order?"

"Of course it's your majesty's imperial edict." Shin Jingshi said in surprise.

"I'm just having a happy fight, why should I go back? I won't leave."

Shen Jingshi was shocked again, "General Deng, this is not a joke. You have been defeated and there are not many soldiers left in your command. The enemy is behind you, right? If you attack, Huju City will never be able to defend it. Moreover, this is an imperial edict. How can General Deng resist the imperial edict?"

Deng Cui laughed a few times, "I won't refuse, how can I explain to His Majesty when I go back?"

Shen Jingshi was stunned, then suddenly realized and said with a smile: "Don't worry, General Deng, after returning to Beijing, I will definitely write clearly the meaning of General Deng's defeat in the memorial."

Deng Cui patted Shen Jingshi on the shoulder with his greasy hand, "Thank you then, call General Zhang up and tell him not to sleep. If you want to leave, we will hurry up."

Deng Cui was anxious to leave Huju City, and Shen Jingshi breathed a sigh of relief, leaned forward, and whispered: "General Zhang is more troublesome. He refused to leave, saying that he must wait for the imperial edict to arrive."

"Don't you have an imperial edict?"

Shin Jingshi shook his head, "I came before the defeat. The imperial edict only summoned General Deng back to Beijing, not others."

"So that's it." Deng Cui nodded.

Shen Jingshi continued to persuade, "General Deng led his army to fight, and His Majesty will recall it. If he heard that the army was defeated, he would definitely be recalled by the entire army. Let's leave Huju City first, walk slowly on the road, and receive the imperial edict. After returning to the capital, I have no other intentions. I just want to save this little force in the Western Regions."

"Everyone's thoughts are the same as you?" Deng Cui pointed his chin at a group of Chu soldiers at the entrance of the hall.

"It's exactly the same, only General Zhang is stubborn."

"That General Zhang is not sleeping now?"

"It shouldn't be. He refused to talk to the soldiers and locked himself in the house and didn't come out."

Deng Cui stood up, "This is not simple. I will persuade him, and he will definitely listen to me."

"Yes, General Deng doesn't have to worry too much, as long as there is an official seal."

Deng Cui walked out strode and suddenly turned around, "Don't you go with me?"

Shen Jingshi hurriedly followed and felt much more at ease. Zhang Yin and Deng Cui built a city and led the army, sharing the same seal. In name, Deng Cui had a higher status and was the emperor's relative, so he should be able to convince Zhang Yin to abandon the city.

There was still wood piled up in front of the stone house, and Deng Cui smiled and said, "What's this for? Are you worried that General Zhang will be too cold at night?"

Shen Jingshi blushed and hurriedly ordered Chu Bing to move the firewood away.

Several soldiers stood behind holding torches, Deng Cui strode forward and knocked heavily on the door, "General Zhang opens the door, it's me, Deng Cui."

The old servant inside said, "Is General Deng also trying to persuade the Marquis to abandon the city?"

"It's just a broken city. Why is your marquis reluctant to leave? Everyone will go back to Beijing to explain clearly, and Your Majesty will definitely forgive you."

"The Marquis said that nearly three years of hard work cannot be wasted, and this is not a breaking city. Once this city is lost, the countries in the Western Regions will definitely surrender to the enemy. The gods and ghosts and great khans can occupy the western barrier of the Great Chu without a single soldier. The Hun cavalry moved south from the north, and the Western enemy continued to harass the pass through the Western Regions. The Great Chu was attacked on both sides, making it even more difficult to support it."

Deng Cui turned around and said to Shin Jingshi, "It makes sense."

Shin Jingshi hurried forward, "But Huju City can't be defended at all. There are a total of hundreds of soldiers, and there are not enough food and supplies..."

The old servant in the room robbed: "There are fewer people, but there is enough food and grass. After winter, the court knew that we were still holding on and would definitely send people to support us. As long as Huju City is still there, the enemy will not enter the Western Regions in large quantities, which will be of great benefit to the Great Chu."

Shen Jingshi was so angry that he took a few steps forward, "The Western Regions are all repetitive countries. The Chu army alone guarded the tiger city and was useless. General Zhang wanted to atone for his grandson's sins and not to seek credit for everyone's lives. General Deng is the landlord. Everyone must obey his orders."

"The Marquis said that he only obeys the imperial edict."

Shin Jingshi shook his head helplessly and said to Deng Cui: "I am so stubborn. I don't know if it's General Zhang's own intention or the old servant is doing something bad."

Deng Cui moved away two steps, waved to Shen Jingshi and whispered: "Since things have come to this point, it's better..."

Shin Jingshi leaned over and asked, "What better than that?"

Deng Cui stepped forward, pulled out his waist knife, and without saying anything more, he cut off with one knife, and Shen Jingshi's head fell to the ground, but he didn't react until his death.

Everyone inside and outside the house were shocked, especially a group of Chu soldiers, who were even more shocked. Deng Cui's move was too unexpected. He did not even bring Western soldiers, but he came to persuade Zhang Yin alone, but he actually dared to attack in front of everyone.

Deng Cuiman put away his knife indifferently and said, "If anyone proposes to abandon the city, he will be the same as Shin Jingshi."

No one dared to say anything, but no one took the order.

Deng Cui laughed and said, "Look at your ghost appearance. I can escape back even if I am besieged by 100,000 enemy troops. I can't defend a tiger city? Look at me, do you think I am a dying person? The only man like me, I will return to Da Chu in the future. I will pass on my family and be granted the title of marquis and ministers. In Huju City, I will only make meritorious contributions and not die."

Deng Cui was full of spirit and did not look like a defeated general.

Shen Jingshi was dead, and the Chu soldiers had no leader. They were suddenly impressed by Deng Cui's momentum. Finally, someone said, "How to defend the city?"

"The enemy army has many troops, but this is Kunlun Mountain. There is no people within a hundred miles, and there is no food supply. The more enemies come, the shorter we can hold on. We don't have to do anything and can easily survive this winter. I can guarantee that the enemy will only send people to check the situation. There is no one in the city. They take advantage of the opportunity. If there are people in the city, they will not launch an attack at all. If it is not accurate, I will cut off my head and let the Deng family be defeated."

Deng Cui was confident that Chu soldiers were infected and no one asked questions again.

The Western Region soldiers who were having dinner in the hall also came out, all gathered around Deng Cui. They had experienced a crushing defeat and nine out of ten people died. However, they had no complaints about the general who led them to the expedition. No one ran away. Instead, they all showed a look of willingness to fight for Deng Cui.

"Everyone go to bed. Let's talk about the big things tomorrow. Wait, carry the body away first and freeze with the ground later, it will be difficult to clean up."

Several Chu soldiers came over to carry the bodies away, and the others dispersed. Deng Cui turned around and came to the door again, "If I don't open the door, I will set fire. At that time, I will say that your Marquis colluded with Shen Jingshi and wanted to offer the city to surrender to the enemy..."

The door opened, and the old servant walked out, his face pale, "That is the Western Regions Protector who was enfeoffed by the imperial court."

"I am still a general named by the court. It's okay. The Deng family has few sons and many daughters. At worst, they can offer a younger sister to the emperor."

Zhang Yin also came out, his face was pale, not because he was frightened, but because he was cold and hungry.

"Hungry?"

Zhang Yin nodded.

Deng Cui personally helped Zhang Yin to the hall where there was still the remaining wine and meat.

Deng Cui looked at Zhang Yin eating and said to the old servant: "Don't watch, eat."

Zhang Yin didn't eat much and asked, "You..."

"I met the Western enemy and defeated them. Unexpectedly, the Huns suddenly appeared, and there were a lot of them. I had never fought, but I escaped, went around a big circle, and finally came back. There were some scattered soldiers behind them, and the Chu soldiers in the city, which was probably more than a thousand, enough to defend the city."

“Gap, gap.”

The two worked together for a long time. As soon as Zhang Yin spoke, Deng Cui understood what he meant, "No need to repair it, just stay there. I can guarantee that the enemy will not dare to attack."

Zhang Yin is not an ordinary soldier, and he promised that he would not impress him, and asked again: "What if?"

Deng Cui smiled and said, "What if the earth collapses one day? What if the mountain falls tomorrow? What if there is a sudden illness? Be prepared when you should prepare, and laugh when you should die. It is useless to cry, and it is useless to be afraid. You are right. You cannot lose the tiger city. I have fought with the Western enemy. They are not as powerful as the legend. If we stick to it, it means that the Great Chu is holding on, and when we retreat, it means that the Great Chu is afraid. If we talk about the greatest use of defending the city, it means that the Great Chu will fight for every land."

Zhang Yin nodded, lowered his head and continued to drink cold wine and eat cold meat. The old servant beside him lost his appetite. It turned out that General Deng’s so-called guarantee was not foolproof.
Chapter completed!