13 Wounded Dog

A soldier rode his horse past the east gate of Zasra military camp, and the soldiers on horseback continued to rush straight to the training camp. In the distance, he saw Bijan and Koorush standing on the training ground watching the Razaasia soldiers practicing in the training ground. The soldier quickly reined in his horse, jumped off his horse, and ran straight to Bijan and Koorush. 

"General Bijan," the soldier knelt before Bijan and Koorush. "Report, Sir."

Bijan looked down at the panting soldier. He barely had time to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "What is that?" he asked in a deep low tone.

When comparing Bijan to the average Razaasia male, he is considered short because Bijan is only five feet six inches tall, quiet overweight at two hundred and sixty pounds and has a bulging belly.

Bijan's low tone made the soldier dare not raise his head. "Captain Reza was defeated in Hosha City," the soldier said. "He was seriously injured and was coming this way with the surviving soldiers."

"What!" Koorush shouted angrily and kicked the soldier in the chest to vent his anger. "Our plans were perfect down to the smallest detail. How could he lose?"

The poor soldier stood up quickly and said, "The Magoli came to save the Musian."

Koorush growled and gritted his teeth, "The Biizen are doing a terrible job of holding back reinforcements. We should have let them attack first."

Bijan looked at the soldiers and asked, "How many soldiers are left?"

The soldier did not dare to look up at Bijan and said, "Ten soldiers, including Captain Reza."

Bijan smirked and said, "Five thousand elite soldiers went out to fight, and now there are only ten soldiers left. The only general who can defeat such a powerful army is the Southern General of Hmagol. But since there is no change in Da-Lao Pass, he is not the general who aids Hosha City. Tell me soldier, which Magoli general came to aid Hosha City?"

The soldier lowered his head and said, "I don't know."

The horse carrying Reza stopped in front of Koorush. Reza slowly dismounted and walked with struggle to Bijan and Koorush. 

The moment Koorush saw Reza, he sneered. "Looks like you've been through hell," he said, smiling. "Why are you looking like a drowned dog?"

Reza said, "Fa....father..."

Bijan said angrily, "I already told you, when we go out in public, you are to call me General."

Reza said, "Gen... General, I'm very sorry... I was overconfident and let down my guard. The person who led the Magoli army to rescue Hosha City is no other than the traitor, Suo Zhi."

Bijan said calmly, "No wonder you ran back home like a wounded dog."

Koorush said, "How the hell did Suo Zhi end up in with the Magoli army? According to Zhiyuan, he was sentenced to death."

Bijan said, "What Zhiyuan said is not credible. I think the brother-in-law needs to educate his son better and not push the injured dog into the corner, because that is his most aggressive stage." He looked at Reza. "Go and take care of the wounds. There is still time for redemption." He lowered his head and glanced at the soldier who was still kneeling on the ground. "Go get Payam and to meet me in the meeting tent."

"Yes, General." The soldier quickly stood up and left.

Bijan said, "As for you..." He looked at Reza. "Clean your wounds before joining our meeting and brief us on the details of the battle."

After the military doctor bandaged Reza's wound, he walked out of the medical area and headed to the conference tent less than a hundred feet away from him. Reza knew that the moment he walked into the conference tent and sat down, Bijan and others would criticize him. He stopped for a while in front of the tent, preparing to accept severe criticism from Bijan and the others, because after all, it was his wrong decision that led to the loss of four thousand ninety-six soldiers. He took a deep breath, exhaled, then pulled the door curtain aside and walked in. In the tent, he found that in addition to Bijan, Koorush and Payam, there were Xiyan, Zhiyuan and Wen who was sitting on his seat, so he walked to sit next to Payam.

Zhiyuan looked at Reza and said arrogantly, "You are surely looking like a wounded dog. Are you sure it was that Zhi dog that made you look like this?"

Reza said, "It's him."

Xiyan asked, "He came with the Magoli army?"

Reza said, "Yes."

Bijan said, "Tell me in detail how Zhi defeated you. I need all the details, otherwise you will have to face His Majesty alone and be responsible for the deaths of four thousand and ninety-six soldiers."

"I understand," Reza said. He stood up and walked towards the sand model of Hosha City on the table. He picked up the small wooden stick on the table and pointed to the left side of Hosah City. "Half of Hosha City wall was half falling. The first escalade had breached the city wall, and so was our other ladders. The second escalade was right behind the first escalade." He placed a rock marking the second escalade place. "The battering ram arrived at Hosha City gate and began attacking the gate. At this time, some of our soldiers made it up Hosha City wall."

Payam looked at the place marked by Reza and said, "The plan is as I expected. According to this tactic, Hosha City will fall before dusk even if reinforcement arrive. So, what is the problem?"

Reza said, "That's what I thought until..." He picked up the stick and drew an arrow from the left. "Until Magoli soldiers attack us from here." He drew an X on the left side of the city of Hosha. "Here." He drew two X's on the left and right sides of the model of Hosha City on the table. "And here." He placed the last X behind the main camp. "It was here that I met Suo Zhi and the largest number of Magoli soldiers."

Payam said, "There is no guard on this gap of the right side of Hosha City, so did you leave the battlefield and try to escape through that corridor?"

Reza nodded and said, I plan to escape by myself because that is the only least guarded corridor, but who knows that the soldiers will follow me." 

Payam scoffed. "Young Lord, that corridor was specially left for you. They know that as soon as you leave the battlefield, the Razaasia soldiers will follow you. Now I understand why you lost ninety-nine percent of the soldiers."

Bijan hit the table heavily with his palm. "You idiot! I shouldn't have sent you in the first place!" Bijan shouted angrily. He exhaled deeply through his nostrils.

Koorush grabbed Reza's collar and said angrily with gritted teeth, "Do you know what this corridor was called in war?" He pushed Reza away from the model table.

Reza shook his head and said with a trembling voice, "I do not."

Payam sighed and said, "Young lord, you may not know this, but in war we called this corridor...the Corridor of Death. The strategy behind creating this death door is to have your enemies attack from all sides, with the goal of making you think this corridor will lead you out safely. The moment you leave the battlefield and walk into the Corridor of Death; your fate is sealed. The morale of the soldiers will be greatly reduced, and in this way, you are leading your soldiers into a slaughter trap." He sighed. "I assume no other soldiers came out of the corridor except you."

Reza nodded.

Payam said, "That's why we call it the Corridor of Death. On the battlefield, no matter what the situation, the Corridor of Death should be avoided at all costs." He looked at Bijan and noticed that Bijan's face was already red with anger. "General, don't blame the young master. I am also half responsible. I never expected that Suo Zhi would come up with such a plan in such a chaotic situation."

Xiyan said, "This seamless plan is not the result of Zhi because Zhi only has strength and no brains to come up with such a wonderful plan. The person who makes such a plan must be the master of Zhi. I couldn't help but wonder, who could this person be that could made Zhi bend his knees." He turned to look at Zhiyuan angrily. "Are you afraid?"

Zhiyuan swallowed down his saliva. "Why should I be afraid of a traitor?" As he spoke, he felt cold sweat slowly flowing down his back.

Xiyan said, "Zhi is the kind of person who takes an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If I were you, I would be scared. After all, you killed his wife and imprisoned his family. Besides, Zhi is very powerful, but his royal power only belongs to those who have not betrayed him. Thanks to you, the Magoli has gained another strong soldier." He turned to Bijan. "Uncle, I can be sure that Zhi was not the general who led the Magoli soldiers to rescue Hosha City because in such a short period of time and with his attitude, he will never gain the favor of Batukhan. Therefore, I can guarantee that the general who led the Magoli soldiers to aid Hosha City must be someone else... For example, Dawa, or one of his captains, but then again, if the northern soldiers came to fight in the south, then why haven't we got the news yet, and it is impossible for them to come to aid Hosha City on time, so it must be someone we don't know."

Zhiyuan said, "Then we will go to Hosha City to find out ourselves."

Payam said, "My lord, you and lord Xiyan cannot go because Prince Geming is still in Hmagol. Once the two of you enter the battlefield, Prince Geming will become a hostage, which will lead to a war between Hmagol and Tanggolia. If Prince Geming still in Ntsua-Ntu City, Emperor Xin will not invade Hmagol. Do you know where the southern general will invade?" He looked at Xiyan and Zhiyuan. "Haishi City." He turned to face Bijan. "General, I would like the opportunity to go face to face with this mastermind so we can better understand who we are dealing with."

Bijan said, "You got it."