Xiang Xiuming smiled bitterly. "But the cannon was Ning Chen's own invention too, wasn't it?"

"We have twenty-odd thousand men left now, and a hundred-odd warships, and morale is low. We may be good on water, but I am afraid that even hand to hand we are no match for Ning Chen. On land it does not bear thinking about."

Huang Shao's eyes narrowed slightly. "What does the General mean?"

Xiang Xiuming thought for a long time, then spoke slowly. "Let us surrender."

Huang Shao's eyes thinned to slits.

"Is the General giving up on his family, then?"

There was grief in Xiang Xiuming's eyes. "Huang Shao, there must be no more dying. Enough have died already... They are all my soldiers. My family matters to me, but so do they."

"What we are facing is Ning Chen, the god of war of Great Xuan... We cannot win."

"Better to surrender, follow Ning Chen, bring down Prince Rui, and get our families out."

A sinister smile spread over Huang Shao's face, and little by little his eyes turned savage.

"Xiang Xiuming. You mean to go over to the enemy and betray the country?"

Xiang Xiuming stared at him, his eyes gone sharp and hard.

Huang Shao smiled coldly. "Xiang Xiuming, nothing escapes His Majesty's eye. He knew from the start you were not to be trusted, which is why he had your family brought to Xiangzhou."

The Majesty Huang Shao spoke of was the Yuan Emperor, which was to say Prince Rui.

"Huang Shao, you... What did Prince Rui give you?"

"It is the Yuan Emperor. His Majesty saw long ago that you would never be wholly his, so he sent me to watch you... Xiang Xiuming, once you are dead, your place is mine."

Xiang Xiuming's eyes were starting out of his head. "Huang Shao, I raised you up with my own hand... Do not take the wrong road. Even if I die, you cannot stop Ning Chen."

"Listen to me. Surrender is the only chance any of us has to live... Ning Chen is certain to fight his…