The Cold Door Hero

Summary

As dawn broke, Guo Yaoshi's army of six thousand, including infantry and Khitan cavalry, faced a dilemma after being outmaneuvered by Song forces. Guo hesitated to attack Bazhou City due to its strong defenses and feared losing his army if he retreated. Xiao Yuqing, suspicious of Guo, pressured him to act quickly. Guo devised a plan to feign an assault on Bazhou while secretly preparing to surrender to the Song, intending to destroy the floating bridges to prevent Xiao Yuqing’s cavalry from following. As the Khitan forces approached, Li Yanqing, the Song commander, noticed the lack of siege equipment and realized Guo was not genuinely attempting to besiege the city. When the floating bridges were set ablaze, Guo announced his intent to surrender to the Song, prompting Xiao Yuqing to order an attack. However, Guo's forces were trapped as they could not retreat. Li Yanqing confronted a messenger from Guo, demanding immediate surrender or face battle. Guo acknowledged the inevitability of surrendering to the Song, realizing the dire situation they were in. Meanwhile, in Hejian Prefecture, reports of looting by Gao Shixuan's troops reached Zhong Shidao, who vowed to report the misconduct to the Emperor. The chapter concludes with the urgent dispatch revealing Guo Yaoshi's surrender to the Song, shocking Zhong Shidao.

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