I am the villain in the book

It was the 18th day of the fourth month in the fifteenth year of Tianji, in Yuanzhou City.

Half the city was smoke and dust, with broken walls and ruined ramparts.

Thick smoke and shattered tiles filled every alley and street in the city, and mournful cries mingled with sobs, creating a desolate scene of war.

They faced five hundred thousand elite troops of the Great Feng Dynasty with seventy thousand demoralized 'abandoned soldiers', holding out for four days.

The performance of the Shu and Liangzhou armies was already valiant enough.

But it was basically the end of the line.

"Lord Liang."

The atmosphere inside the Yuanzhou government office, which had been requisitioned as a 'wartime command center,' was oppressive. A middle-aged man in white armor looked at Liang Zhen and sighed softly.

He was Wen Wen, the general of Liangzhou, who had also been 'abandoned' in Yuanzhou City.

His eyebrows were like flying wings, his eyes were bright as stars, he wore a precious sword at his waist, and his white armor was spotless.

Such a refined name and appearance did not seem like that of a general leading troops into battle.

But Wen Wen was indeed from Liangzhou, the region within the Great Ning known for its fierce people.

"Lord Liang, there are less than twenty thousand soldiers in the city who can still fight. It's not even enough to fill the city walls, let alone defend the city."

"Now that Wu Ding will definitely not return to reinforce us, and breaking through is also hopeless, it's time for us to decide what to do."

"..."

Bright sunlight slanted in from the window, it was already dusk.

In the courtyard, several personal guards stood in the afterglow of the setting sun, the red on their bodies was unknown whether it was blood or the light of the sunset.

Grasping the hilt of his saber tightly in one hand, Liang Zhen remained silent for a long time, Wen Wen's words echoing in his ears.

He didn't know when the next attack from the Great Feng would come, but he knew that the next one would definitely be the last.

Wen Wen was right, now there were only less than twenty thousand soldiers left in the city, not even enough to fill the city walls, so how could they defend it?

"Brother Wen... I am a bit older than you, so allow me to call you brother."

"I wonder, what do you think we should do?"

Liang Zhen's tone was somewhat strained, while Wen Wen was much calmer in comparison.

He also looked out the window, but not to admire the scenery of the dusk, but to reach out and gently close the wooden window.

"Brother Liang, since you ask, then I will speak frankly."

"Now that Yuanzhou City is certain to be indefensible, we have only three paths to take."

"First, fight to the death, using the lives of the remaining tens of thousands of brothers to gamble for a posthumous reputation for you and me."

"Second, gather all the brothers above the middle third rank to protect you and me to break through... I've calculated that if we break through from the south gate, and if we can rush into the Mei Mountains, then there is a thirty percent chance that we can escape."

"And this third path, that is..."

He glanced at Liang Zhen, and Wen Wen calmly uttered two words.

"Surrender."

But as time passed, the hand that was gripping the hilt of his saber slowly relaxed.

Wen Wen was right, now they only had these three paths in front of them.

Choose the first, certain death.

Choose the second, perhaps they could live.

Choose the third, certain survival.

More importantly, not only would he not die, but nearly ten thousand of his brothers could also live.

Thinking of this, a deep sense of powerlessness and anger surged into his heart, making Liang Zhen's expression particularly complicated at this moment.

More than half a month ago, he led thirty thousand men from Shu Prefecture from thousands of miles away to support Yuanzhou, even knowing that this trip was fraught with dangers, he still went without hesitation.

But who would have thought that now only less than ten thousand of the thirty thousand men remained... abandoned soldiers.

Battles always involve death, Liang Zhen naturally understood this principle.

However, the deaths must be worthwhile.

If viewed from the perspective of the overall situation, these people had bought time for the main army to redeploy in Feng County, which could be considered as a worthy death.

However, being abandoned is being abandoned.

There was nothing to say about this.

"Brother Wen..."

Taking a deep breath, Liang Zhen looked up at Wen Wen: "It seems that you have already made a decision."

"Yes."

Wen Wen didn't hide it, nodding solemnly: "Brother Liang, tonight I will lead the Liangzhou army to take off their armor and leave the city, I hope you can join me."

"..."

Take off their armor and leave the city.

Hearing this expected answer, Liang Zhen was not surprised, only staring intently at Wen Wen.

"Brother Wen, this is the crime of treason."

"I naturally understand that this is treason, and I understand even more that I will definitely be scolded for the rest of my life by the people of Great Ning."

Wen Wen's expression remained calm.

"Brother Liang, I am not a person who fears death, and the men of Liangzhou are not cowards who are afraid of death."

"But since Wu Ding and the Emperor abandoned us first, then why should I risk my life for them?"

"I only know how to repay kindness with kindness, but I don't know how to repay kindness with resentment."

Shaking his head, Wen Wen sighed again, seemingly mixed with endless disappointment.

But Liang Zhen's thoughts were somewhat different at this time.

"Brother Wen, that's not right."

"The imperial court has indeed let us down this time, but you must know that no matter what, you and I are both citizens of Great Ning."

"If there were no Great Ning, where would you and I have a place to settle down, where would we be able to sit in the position of general?"

"Why do you only see the 'resentment' in front of you, but not the previous 'kindness'?"

Obviously, Liang Zhen didn't want to choose the third path, and also felt that Wen Wen's statement was just a self-comforting excuse.

However, the latter's next few words made him instantly not know how to answer.

"Brother Liang, you're right."

"The imperial court and the people of Great Ning have indeed been kind to me before."

"Therefore, even if I am so disheartened and angry, I still defended Yuanzhou City for four days."

"These four days were to repay these kindnesses."

"Now, the kindness has been repaid, I and Great Ning owe each other nothing from now on, it's time to go my own way."

"..."

The kindness has been repaid, from now on each goes their own way.

Finally understanding what Wen Wen was thinking, Liang Zhen remained silent for a long time, not saying anything even when the former had already walked to the door.

"Brother Liang, aren't you going to stop me?"

Turning his head, Wen Wen asked with a smile: "If I walk out of this door, you will have no chance."

"Go."

Forcing a smile, Liang Zhen waved his hand weakly.

"What's the point of stopping you?"

"Good."

Wen Wen took a deep look at Liang Zhen, finally leaving one last sentence.

"Brother Liang, if you also figure it out, then bring people to the West City Gate at midnight... Before then, the Great Feng will not attack the city again."

"Squeak."

The door opened and closed again, and as several voices of "General Wen" sounded outside the house, only Liang Zhen was left in the room.

The Great Feng will not attack the city before midnight.

This sentence meant that Wen Wen had probably already expressed his 'surrender' to the Great Feng.

It also meant that if he didn't take off his armor and surrender together, then after midnight, the Great Feng would launch a final attack.

"Crash!"

The heavy general's armor was casually thrown onto the table, crushing the already riddled Yuanzhou City on the sand table.

Liang Zhen, wearing only the under armor that Wei Changtian had lent him before leaving, slowly walked back and forth in the room countless times.

What should he choose?