Chapter 771: Escape! Survive!
Looking at Cai Yunhui kneeling on the ground in a state of embarrassment, Wang Muzhi said coldly:

“How was Pingyun County lost…”

Feeling the coldness in Wang Muzhi's words, the Pingyun County garrison commander couldn't help but shudder all over. He was very worried and quickly defended himself:

"Sir, the loss of Pingyun County this time has nothing to do with me!"

"It's Wang Zhide! It was this guy who defected to the Fengwu Army and tricked me into opening the city gate!"

Wang Muzhi was shocked when he heard what Cai Yunhui said. Wang Zhide was his cousin who was sent to Sanmenling to block the Fengwu Army. Therefore, he naturally did not believe what Cai Yunhui said.

Cai Yunhui also understood that Wang Muzhi did not believe him, so he continued to explain:
"Governor General Wang Zhide was defeated at Sanmenling and captured by the Fengwu Army. In order to survive, he surrendered to the Fengwu Army!

"He brought a group of Fengwu troops disguised as ours, saying that you, the Governor, sent him to reinforce me. Your Excellency Wang Zhide is your cousin, so I didn't think much about it and opened the city gate to let them in!"

"Who would have thought that the Fengwu Army would reveal their true colors as soon as they entered the city gate? I was caught off guard and immediately thought about organizing troops to counterattack, but Lin Huaiwu came too fast. The Fengwu Army continued to pour into the city. The city could no longer be defended, so I led the troops to break out!"

After explaining, Cai Yunhui looked at Wang Muzhi. He was also full of grievances at this time. He had well-trained soldiers and sufficient food in Pingyun County. He was very confident that he could resist the attack of Fengwu Army. However, who would have thought that the city would be captured by Fengwu Army like this, and half of his 20,000 men were also lost...

There is no doubt that this was a great defeat. Someone had to take responsibility for such a huge loss. As the defending general, he was naturally the first person responsible. According to military law, he would most likely be sentenced to death, and even his family might be implicated!
If it was really because Cai Yunhui failed to defend Pingyun County under the fierce attack of the Fengwu Army, he would have accepted it, but in the current situation, he felt that he was too wronged because Wang Zhide lost the city!

In order to survive and escape punishment, Cai Yunhui has already made up his mind. He must hold Wang Muzhi accountable. After all, Wang Zhide is his cousin. He must take responsibility for this defeat!
Hearing what Cai Yunhui said, Wang Muzhi was extremely shocked. He had thought about the reason why Pingyun County fell so quickly before, but he really didn't expect it to be like this. Although it was still a little hard to believe, Wang Muzhi knew that Cai Yunhui would not lie about this matter. After all, there were thousands of soldiers following him back, so it was not difficult to find out the truth of the matter.

Thinking of this, Wang Muzhi was also furious. Wang Zhide, you bastard, how dare you defect to the Fengwu Army?

Because you are my cousin, I promoted you and gave you the best personnel and equipment. It would have been fine if you didn't want to repay me, but you actually turned against me and joined the Fengwu Army to harm me. Why didn't you die in Sanmenling?
Although he was very angry, Wang Muzhi also saw through Cai Yunhui's little thoughts, and pretended to be calm and spoke:
"Since you said that it was because Wang Zhide tricked the city gate into opening that you lost Pingyun County, then let me ask you where Wang Zhide is now?"

Seeing Wang Muzhi asking this, Cai Yunhui was stunned for a moment before he spoke:
"I remember that he was shot in the chest by an arrow during the chaos and fell off his horse. He is probably dead now..."

As soon as these words were spoken, Wang Muzhi breathed a sigh of relief. This was a blessing in disguise. As long as Wang Zhide was dead, there would be no evidence.

Thinking of this, Wang Muzhi slammed the table and scolded loudly: "Cai Yunhui, you are so good! You lost Pingyun County and you dare to shirk responsibility! How can we enforce military law if you don't die?"

"Someone, come here! Drag him down and chop off his head. Send weapons to the three armies!"

After hearing this, Cai Yunhui never expected that Wang Muzhi would be so cruel as to make him a scapegoat. He immediately shouted angrily:
"Wang Muzhi! I don't accept it!"

"It was your cousin who defected to the Fengwu Army and tricked the city gates open! Why would you kill me?"

"Wang Muzhi, are you also colluding with the Fengwu Army? I want to meet the Prime Minister and report you!"

Seeing Cai Yunhui talking nonsense here, Wang Muzhi's eyes suddenly flashed with cold light. Without waiting for the guards to arrive, he directly drew out his sword and slashed at him. The sword was fast, accurate and fierce. Cai Yunhui was caught off guard and was beheaded by Wang Muzhi.

After wiping the blood off his sword, Wang Muzhi put the sword back into the scabbard and walked straight to the sand table.

With Cai Yunhui as his head, I can at least give an explanation to my superiors for the defeat in Pingyun County this time. However, the Prime Minister’s wrath is foreseeable. Not only should I defend Dagu County, but I also need to win another battle to barely appease the Prime Minister’s anger...
Wang Muzhi was also very troubled by this realization. Although he had long known that Xun Ke was a man of unparalleled wisdom and strategy, he had never thought that Xun Ke would put himself in such a passive situation as soon as he made a move.

His original deployment was that Cai Yunhui would lead 20,000 men to guard Pingyun County, while he himself would lead 50,000 men to guard Dagu. As long as the Fengwu Army was at a disadvantage in the battle in Pingyun County, he would lead his troops to make a detour and attack the Fengwu Army from the flank.

However, with the defeat in Pingyun County, this strategy was officially declared bankrupt. Cai Yunhui only brought back six or seven thousand people from Pingyun County. Even if defeated soldiers would retreat one after another in the next few days, the total number would not exceed 10,000. This means that he still has a maximum of 60,000 soldiers under his command.

If he chose to defend Dagu County, Wang Muzhi would be confident that he could stop the Fengwu Army, but what was the point of guarding Dagu County?

If Pingyun County had not been lost, it could have formed a corner with Dagu County to resist the offensive of the Fengwu Army. But now Pingyun County has been lost, and only Dagu County is left in the surrounding area. If there are reinforcements in the future, they can barely hold on. But if the court does not send troops and the people of Yunbing have been squeezed to the limit, there will be no reinforcements to support them.

Under such circumstances, to hold on to Dagu County would be to seek death. The Fengwu Army could completely surround the city without attacking. There was not much food left in the city. The 60,000 men under his command could not hold out for long under the siege. Once Dagu County was defeated again, the entire Yunbing would no longer have any strength to resist the Fengwu Army's attack...
(Sorry everyone, my waist hurts so badly that I can’t bear it anymore, so I’ll write less and make up for it later!)

(End of this chapter)