In the famine, others ate Guanyin soil, but he had space to build a farm.

Chapter 248: Letter of Persuasion

Ye Cheng watched Sun Ting, the trusted messenger, walk further and further away until he disappeared from his sight. Then he solemnly promised: "Once the battle here is settled, I will immediately lead my elite troops and rush back to the capital at night to solve the urgent problem."

"Marshal Ye, should our army press on to pursue the victory, launch a swift offensive and end the battle in one fell swoop?" A general, unable to suppress his inner excitement, stepped forward and asked anxiously.

After hearing this, Ye Cheng frowned slightly and asked, "How confident are you that this surprise attack will succeed?" His tone revealed a hint of displeasure, and he was obviously disappointed with the pervasive trend of quick success and instant benefits in the army. The inspiring words just now had undoubtedly sown the seeds of eagerness for success in the hearts of some generals. They were eager to show their abilities in front of Emperor Chongming to win glory and merit.

"Marshal Ye, please be at ease." At this moment, Zhou Kai stepped forward and analyzed in a sincere tone, "According to my observation, the rebels have suffered heavy losses after today's series of fierce battles. Currently, there are only more than 2,000 soldiers left, more than half of whom are wounded. There are less than 1,000 soldiers who can really fight, and they are all extremely tired. Our army has surrounded them, and it is difficult to supply food and grass. The water source has also been cut off. The rebels even have to slaughter horses to satisfy their hunger. In this desperate situation, the rebels are already trapped in a jar. In addition to surrendering, they will perish. There is no other choice."

Zhou Kai's in-depth analysis made Ye Cheng's expression a little relieved. He knew that calmness and strategy were crucial at this moment. He had to win quickly and ensure that nothing could go wrong. Therefore, he began to carefully deploy a new round of combat plans, vowing to wipe out the rebels in one fell swoop, in order to demonstrate the majesty of the court, and at the same time teach those generals who were eager for quick success a profound strategic lesson.

Ye Cheng slowly looked around, his eyes as deep as the sea, as if he could see into the depths of each general's soul. His voice was deep and powerful, like the cold wind of an autumn night, with a bit of chillness, but also revealed an unquestionable determination: "Comrades, it is a good thing to have a flaming fighting spirit in your eyes. But please remember that a true warrior never despises any opponent. Even a trapped beast in a desperate situation will do its best to make a final fight. What's more, Tie Feng and Mu Feng are veterans who are famous in the snowfields of the Northeast? Their names are enough to scare the barbarian cavalry, and their tenacity and bravery are self-evident."

He paused for a moment, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes. "This confrontation will not only test our military strength, but also our minds and strategies. Although the rebels do not have the natural brute force of the barbarians, their leaders are wise and cunning. They are like poisonous snakes in the dark night, lurking silently and ready to deliver a fatal blow at any time. I firmly believe that they will never sit still and wait for death, especially tonight, when the moon is dark and the wind is strong. This is the perfect time for them to make a desperate attempt to break out."

Ye Cheng's eyes became extremely sharp, as if he could see through everything: "Therefore, I ask you to not only hold the sharp blade in your hand, but also be as careful as a hair, always stay vigilant, and not let any slackness invade your heart. Every slight move of the rebels may be a precursor to their escape. We must not give them the slightest chance."

At this time, an official stood up, bowed, and spoke with confidence and respect: "Marshal Ye has a far-sighted vision. I have made some preparations. In order to avoid the loss of lives, I have specially drafted a letter of persuasion to surrender, hoping to convince people with reason and explain the benefits and disadvantages, hoping that the rebels can turn back and submit to the court. This letter is still waiting for Marshal Ye to review and correct. Once it is correct, an envoy will be sent immediately to deliver it to the rebel camp through the flames of war. If the rebels can understand the general situation and follow the will of heaven, they can naturally avoid a catastrophe and demonstrate the style of our army as a benevolent teacher. However, if they are stubborn and stubborn, our army will sound the gong and beat the drum at five o'clock in the morning, and the whole army will be dispatched to surround them on all sides, like a dragnet, vowing to completely wipe out the rebels and bring peace to the world."

Upon hearing this, Ye Cheng frowned, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes. He shook his head slowly, and his voice revealed a firm and unquestionable determination: "Lin Kunlun is a man who is definitely not an ordinary person from what I have seen in his words and deeds. I visited him in person during the day and tried to impress him with my sincerity, but he was adamant and did not waver at all. This man has an unyielding will, and I am afraid it will not be easy to persuade him to surrender."

After hearing this, the official smiled calmly, his eyes gleaming with wisdom, and he retorted: "Marshal Ye is right, but the world is like a chess game, and the layout often changes rapidly. During the day, the rebels still wanted to break out, and the morale of the soldiers was high, so they naturally refused to surrender easily. But now, the enemy's food and grass have been cut off, the water source has dried up, and the morale is low. It is just a spent force. Sending a letter of persuasion to surrender at this moment is like sending charcoal in the snow, pointing out a way for them to survive. Besides, Yuan Quan's surrender is an example. Although Lin Kunlun is brave, he is not a heartless and ungrateful person after all. How can he defend the isolated city alone and wait for death?"

Ye Cheng was silent for a moment, his eyes sharp as a knife, examining each official in front of him, as if weighing the weight of their words. He knew very well that on the battlefield, people's hearts were unpredictable, and any decision must be made with great caution. So, he slowly spoke, with a tone of tentativeness and careful consideration: "Lin Kunlun once claimed that he was willing to surrender, but he put forward the condition that he would lead the people to resist the Japanese army. There must be something fishy. What I am worried about is that he may be secretly planning a delaying tactic to deceive our army and take the opportunity to escape. If we rashly believe him and send an envoy to deliver a letter, I am afraid we will fall into his trap, giving him a chance to breathe and then make plans."

Ye Cheng paused for a moment, his eyes becoming more profound. "However, the Art of War says 'When the enemy is weak, attack them with strength, and when the enemy is strong, attack them with weakness'. We cannot let this happen and miss this opportunity. Perhaps, we can turn the tables. On the one hand, we can send envoys to express friendship on the surface, but in fact, we can secretly strengthen our defenses just in case. On the other hand, we can speed up the preparations for the siege and not give the rebels any breathing space. In this way, we can ensure that nothing goes wrong and show the benevolence and wisdom of our army."

As soon as he finished speaking, a discussion broke out in the tent, and the generals nodded in agreement with Ye Cheng's careful consideration. Seeing this, Ye Cheng felt relieved, knowing that the decision he made had won the support of the majority. He stood up with a firm gaze, as if he had seen the dawn of victory: "Pass the order down, prepare a letter of persuasion to surrender immediately, and strengthen the city defense at the same time, to ensure that there are no mistakes. In this battle, we must not only win, but also win beautifully, so that the world can see that our soldiers are not only brave, but also wise!"

Ye Cheng unfolded the letter of persuasion and read it quickly with a sharp gaze. He nodded slightly, and decided to take a risk. In his opinion, as long as his defense was proper, even if the letter was ineffective, it would not bring any substantial losses.

So Ye Cheng took out his seal and solemnly stamped the letter of persuasion. He knew that in order to gain Lin Kunlun's trust, he had to make the letter look as formal and serious as possible. After everything was ready, he immediately assigned a messenger to deliver the letter of persuasion to the rebel camp opposite.