Gazing at Yuan Shao's irritatingly retreating figure, tho Zhang Xin's heart was filled with countless unwilling emotions, the situation had come to this, and he was helpless.
Zhang Xin sighed, slowly urged his horse forward, pulled his long spear from the ground, and looked around.
He had been so focused on chasing Yuan Shao earlier that he didn't even know where this place was.
Late at nite, in the wilderness, all alone...
It was, to be honest, a little creepy.
Fortunately, not long after, his three mounted personal guards caught up.
"Lord!"
The personal guards shouted anxiously, and upon reaching him, urgently asked, "Is Lord unharmed?"
"I am fine."
Zhang Xin shook his head.
"It's good that Lord is fine; next time, you cannot leave us behind..."
The personal guards breathed a sigh of relief, "While executing the national traitor is important, Lord's safety is even more crucial!"
Visibility was poor at nite, and Zhang Xin had rushed off to pursue Yuan Shao without even a greeting.
Although the personal guards reacted quickly and immediately followed, Zhang Xin ran so fast that he disappeared into the darkness in an instant.
They could only follow the traces all the way.
Zhang Xin looked at his loyal personal guards, a smile involuntarily appearing on his face.
"Good."
Seeing that Zhang Xin's hands were empty, the personal guards didn't ask further, but looked at the surrounding darkness and said, "Lord, should we go back first?"
"Alright."
Zhang Xin glanced at the perfect arc on the ground and followed the personal guards back the way they came.
By the time he returned to the outskirts of Nangpi City, Dian Wei had already ended the battle and brought Yuan Shao's family under control.
With a fierce general like Dian Wei leading a hundred high-spirited Yellow Turban Old Guard against Yuan Shao's dozens of panicking personal guards, there was no suspense in this battle.
Not a single Yellow Turban Old Guard was killed; only a few were injured.
"Is Lord unharmed?"
Dian Wei saw Zhang Xin and hurried to meet him.
"Nothing."
Zhang Xin looked at the carriage surrounded by the personal guards and asked, "How is it?"
"Inside the carriage is Yuan Shao's legal wife, Lady Liu."
Dian Wei grinned, "And his second son, Yuan Xi, and third son, Yuan Shang."
Zhang Xin approached and used his long spear to lift the carriage curtain.
Three panicked faces appeared before him.
Lady Liu was around forty years old; although there were some wrinkles on her face, years of pampered living had kept her very well-preserved, and she still possessed some charm at this moment.
It was clear that in her youth, she had also been a beauty.
Of the other two, one was slightly older, with an ordinary appearance and a hint of timidity in his eyes.
The other was younger, very handsome, but due to illness, his complexion wasn't very good.
Seeing this, Zhang Xin knew that the handsome one was probably Yuan Shang, and the ordinary-looking one was Yuan Xi.
Although Yuan Shao was not captured in this battle, obtaining his family could still be considered a gain, especially Yuan Shang.
He was Yuan Shao's lifeline.
When Lady Liu saw Zhang Xin, her expression first panicked, then she stepped out of the carriage and, disregarding the muddy ground, prostrated herself.
"Although General has a grievance with my husband, disaster should not extend to family members; I hope General will be merciful."
"Take them all back."
Zhang Xin ignored her, instead turning to Dian Wei, his voice devoid of any discernible emotion.
"Understood."
Upon hearing this, Dian Wei gestured for Lady Liu to 'please' enter.
Lady Liu could only reluctantly get up and board the carriage, her heart filled with unease.
As Zhang Xin led his troops back to the city, Dian Wei approached him.
"Lord, I asked earlier; Chunyu Qiong is still stationed in Dongguang with five thousand troops, and Yuan Shao's intention for this trip was to escape elsewhere."
"I know."
Zhang Xin nodded, his expression normal.
Inside the Prefectural Governors Residence, Guan Jian had been waiting for a long time; upon seeing Zhang Xin return, he hurried to meet him.
"Lord, there are still over a thousand Yuan Army soldiers in the city; how should they be dealt with?"
The rain was heavy tonight, and Nangpi, being far behind the front lines, was very safe, so most of the Yuan Army garrison were sheltering from the rain in their camps.
When Zhang Xins army arrived, many were still asleep and became captives.
"Execute them."
Zhang Xin said indifferently.
Dongguang is only fifty li from Nangpi; tomorrow, when Chunyu Qiong receives news of Nangpi's fall, he will surely lead his army to attack.
With a formidable enemy at hand, he had no leisure to incorporate surrendered soldiers.
These garrison soldiers, left by Yuan Shao to guard his home base, were likely private troops provided by the great families of Bohai.
The truly commoner soldiers were mostly serving as cannon fodder on the front lines.
"Come with me."
Lady Liu pulled the concubine and found the soldiers guarding the courtyard gate.