At the end of the first lunar month, between the Su River and Mount Ji in Hedong, the six full-strength battalions of the Exorcising the Dragon Army, despite the protection of their fortified camp, suffered a complete rout less than a quarter of an hour after engaging twenty thousand Western Pass Prefectural Soldiers who could be called old adversaries. Casting aside helmets and armor, they abandoned their camp and retreated in disarray.
Meanwhile, Xiong Bonan also quickly turned around, abandoning the newly occupied Linyi City and fleeing north.
For the Exorcising the Dragon Army, this was an unquestionable defeat.
It was also an utterly inexplicable defeat. They were attacking on multiple fronts, singing songs of triumph everywhere, so why had this force suddenly lost? More absurdly, from the start of the engagement until Commander Wang Shuyong ordered the retreat, not a single battalion or unit had shown any sign of defeat.
As a result, even though Wang Shuyong subsequently made a point of stressing that large numbers of enemy reinforcements were sweeping around to swallow this entire force, unrest and doubts still inevitably spread through the ranks.
On the other side, the Western Pass Army, whose morale had been shaken by enemy advances on Wuguan, Hedong, and the Poison Desert, as well as the penetration into Shuzhong, was naturally overjoyed and greatly heartened.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty."
Inside the seat of Hedong Commandery, which formed a single whole with Pujin, Han Changmei bowed almost prostrate. "I truly did not know they had only five or six battalions there, much less that they would flee outright, preventing Your Majesty from achieving complete success."
Han Changmei could not see the expression of the man seated above him. When he heard no reply for several breaths, he tried to settle his nerves