Gongxi Chou was practically the bane of military commanders.
Anyone who could outargue him could not beat him, and anyone who could beat him could not outargue him. In a sense, he stood undefeated.
The reinforcements were routed in a single battle, and most fled in panic.
Those who could not escape became prisoners, waiting for fate to decide their future.
Anyone who often led troops into battle knew what happened to captives—and generally speaking, their treatment was directly proportional to their ability and status.
Only those with ability and status were worth recruiting or ransoming!
Captives of this caliber were usually treated to fine food and wine while they waited for the true decision-maker to appear and settle their fate.
Captives without ability or status had it rough. Going hungry and being beaten were merely basic procedures. They would use methods resembling breaking an eagle to crush any thought of resistance, and some would even be pushed onto the practice grounds as living targets, providing entertainment while enemy commanders feasted.
To a battle-hungry commander, what fun was there in a motionless dead target compared to a living target that could run, jump, beg for mercy, and scream?
Judging by Gongxi Chou's conduct, he was a vicious one too.
They waited in trepidation for several days.
No one deducted their food, and no one dragged them out to beat them. Apart from their Dantians being sealed and their freedom restricted, everything was much the same as usual. They did not count their blessings, either, only fearing that this was the calm before the storm. "...Sigh."
Just as they sighed, an unwelcome guest entered the tent.
Everyone inside instantly became alert.
_(:з"∠)_
To save on manpower, the reinforcement commanders were locked up in shared cells, which also spared Gongxi Chou from