NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31: Accepted Surrender
At Zhong Yu's order, the soldiers opened a path for the shaman to reach him.
With how narrow it was, Anji would have to stay behind, leaving the shaman to face Zhong Yu alone.
Five steps from Zhong Yu, the shaman found himself staring at swords, the cavalry hinting in no uncertain ways, ‘That's close enough.'
With this place capable of having superpowers and god knew what other quirks, any closer would lead to death.
"The great and noble lord's power has struck fear in my tribe hearing sir's march upon our home. The women are too anxious to gather herbs, the men are too tense to hunt and the children are too restless to play anymore." The shaman said.
"It's all due to the Lord's power. My people have earned your ire and for that are afraid. Thus they sent me, the shaman, wishing to forgive their uncouth reaction and forgive them for their transgression." The shaman fell to his knees, knocking his heavy and weary head on the cold ground.
"You earned my discontent by not knowing my authority, not understanding my kindness. And now you wish to change your ways and bathe under my glory, but I will not hold it against you." Zhong You humbly spoke.
"Rise, how can I have an elder kneeling on the ground? I decided to forgive your people and make them my men to wash away their sins." From the shaman's fear and respect, Zhong Yu didn't mess with him, in case he set off the tribe's anger. He was pleased already he didn't have to waste a soldier and yet get 100+ savages with hardly any effort.
With Zhong Yu's promise, the shaman brightened up.
He withdrew with utmost respect and walked back to the tribe to prepare them to welcome Zhong Yu's army.
At the shaman's safe return, the elders were joyful, the grand elder in particular. He thought death was imminent but now, the excitement got to him having overcome this fate and said:
"Shaman, with me around, the tribesmen will never resist. For us to survive this ordeal is a blessing from our ancestral spirit from having that lord show us such kindness."
At his words, hinting the obvious betrayal in his bones of his own tribesmen just to keep his puny life, second elder, who was doing the same thing, was not so open about it and just snorted.
The grand elder ignored him, "Shaman, then I ‘ll have my loyal men gather the people to meet the tribe outside, to show them our devotion and sincerity."
He got off the walls and went on the sacrificial altar while having his son and three loyal men rounding up the people.
Everyone soon arrived, even the few fighters. After the previous unrest and killings, the tribe was now at 98 people with only 20 fighters. Many of which were terrified warriors.
They were the reason shaman forwent fighting that tribe, knowing that victory was impossible.
Thus, with the shaman and the grieving second elder leading, the tribe walked out, separated into two groups outside and kneeling.
The cold earth hitting their heads and the sharp pain cleared their minds with every kowtow, making their fates as captives sink in and face the cruel reality.
Only the shaman kneeled while presenting the chieftain's symbol of power, a scepter, above his head. He waited for someone to take it while also accepting centuries of honor and glory this tribe had earned.
The restless recruits flooded the tribe at the orders of the officers. They were split into 100 men to stand on each side of the road, in case there was a hidden assassin aiming for Zhong Yu.
While the lord himself, under the imperial guard's protection, reached the gate with four knights in front of highly skilled soldiers; their strength was around rank one.
The cavalry stopped before the shaman, still holding out the scepter.
He was pained and tormented by grief, but had to reign in the discontent deep in his heart. His plan was to use this chance to summon the ancestral spirit's power in a burst of power and take Zhong Yu down with his life.
Though his people would suffer at the soldiers' rage, he was convinced some would slip through and reform the tribe to exact vengeance on this tribe.
How could he just give this plan up? So the grand elder took the scepter and gave it to a knight before going to the side.
At the knights total disrespect, the people were fuming. But at the sheer gap in numbers between the sides, they restrained their anger.
The defeated’s resistance was pointless, forced to obey against his will. It was the only way for the weak to survive.
Zhong Yu's men searched the tribe for other people and riches, enjoying the glory of victory.