Fifth Wang's crushing defeat was the sort that would hardly have surprised anyone even if he truly lost.
Because no matter how sincere, compliant, and reasonable Wang Shuyong ordinarily appeared, less than half a year could not possibly change his underlying nature as a great local magnate.
When someone like him suddenly acquired a commandery and over ten thousand followers, even if he understood that he was probably no match for the enemy, and probably knew that the two dragonheads behind him were right in their warnings, he would still be unwilling to abandon his pots and jars-and so would collapse like a mountain in a single battle.
Of course, Zhang Xing also had to learn from this: even when standing firm, preserving men had to take precedence over preserving territory. Unless there was absolutely no alternative, unless the balance of strength offered a sufficient chance of victory, he must never lightly pin his hopes on a decisive military engagement.
But unsurprising though it was, this defeat had naturally made the Exorcising the Dragon Gang's military position exceptionally difficult.
In fact, after barely managing to receive the defeated troops from Jibei Commandery, the eastward army that had swept irresistibly through three commanderies during the third month was in utter disarray. Almost as though fleeing for its life, it abandoned the fertile lands of Pinglu, Xuchang, and Sucheng, wedged between Lu and Jibei Commanderies, and chose to withdraw directly west.
It had no choice. Any longer, and it would have been completely enveloped.
During the retreat, the troops' condition grew steadily worse. Low morale, discarded helmets and armor, and deserting recruits were commonplace; arguments between leaders and units scrambling over the same roads were frequent. Something even worse happened, too-two newly surrendered leaders from Dongping Commandery, a county magistrate and a