【The Chronicles of Chaos ※ Part Two: Soldiers on the Battlefield】(2)

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Chapter Two: Hidden Arrows and

Open Attacks Before the cheers had subsided, a voice boomed from outside the tent, "Reporting to the General, your subordinate Shi Tianfei requests an audience!" Wu Lin

exclaimed joyfully, "Tianfei's return to camp must mean he's found where Privy Councilor Zhang is staying!" Wu

Jie ordered Shi Tianfei to be summoned into the tent. An Hong looked around and saw a man with narrow eyes and thin eyebrows stride

in, carrying a severed head. Though dressed as an ordinary citizen, he exuded an air of dashing freedom. Blood was still dripping from the severed head

; it belonged to the man who had just fled on horseback.

Shi Tianfei bowed respectfully to Wu Jie and said, "My three subordinates have fulfilled their mission and learned that Privy Councilor Zhang

moved to Xingzhou a few days ago. I feared that the general would be anxious waiting, so I came to report first. The other two should have already

found out the location in Xingzhou and will return to camp soon." Wu Jie nodded and smiled, asking a few questions about their separation, which Shi Tianfei answered one by one,

their manner quite agreeable. Wu Jie paid no attention to the head in Shi Tianfei's hand, and Shi Tianfei was equally unconcerned, as if it were a

natural . The officers were relieved to hear that Privy Councilor Zhang's location had been found. However, with the matter of the mutinous army

not yet resolved and Shi Tianfei's head in hand, they dared not be careless, each maintaining a tense and focused mind.

Wu Jie inquired a few more questions about the military situation, then ordered

Shi Tianfei to present the severed head and wait aside. Pointing to the head, he said, "The ringleader of tonight's events has been eliminated; the accomplices will not be questioned!" The officers relaxed slightly upon hearing this. Wu Jie looked around and continued

, "The soldiers' wives and children are scattered, supplies are insufficient, the court's instructions are unclear, and the whereabouts of the Privy Council are unknown. It is not easy for you all to command troops,

yet I have been unable to share the burden. The blame for tonight's chaos lies with Wu Jie.""I, Wu Jie, am incompetent; please forgive me." He then

bowed deeply to everyone.

Upon hearing this, the crowd clasped their hands in greeting, their hearts filled with a mixture of surprise and shame, speechless. Wu Jie finished bowing, turned with his hands behind

his back, and walked a few steps before suddenly speaking sharply: "But there is something on my mind, like a fishbone stuck in my throat, that I must speak out! Has

the shame of our Han people in three thousand years been like that of Jingkang? Has the defeat of our Great Song Dynasty in two hundred years been like that of Fuping? We have experienced

these two great humiliations; why do we not think of strengthening our army and preparing for war internally, and reclaiming Shaanxi to defend against the Jin? Why do we weep and grieve, acting

like children? If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach? If the country is destroyed and we neglect everything, how can our families survive? Do you intend to tell your ancestors, who conquered the west and north, controlled the Western Xia, and recovered Yan and Yun

a hundred years , that the fate of the Great Song Dynasty was ruined in

our hands?" " Do you all wish to see your children and grandchildren, surrounded by their knees, dressed like barbarians, speaking like beasts, serving as

cattle and horses for the Jin dogs? Never forget, we are the Western Army! The most formidable tigers and wolves of our Great Song!" At this point, Wu

Jie drew his sword with a clang, cut his fingertip, and swore to Heaven today: "I, Wu Jie, swear an oath! I will never betray the court!

I will never abandon my ancestors! I will uphold the Great Song! I will restore the glory of our Western Army!" Hearing Wu Jie's words, everyone in the tent was filled with

fervor and excitement. Before Wu Lin could speak, a man suddenly drew his sword,

drew his finger, and passionately proclaimed: "Our Western Army soldiers are not to be trifled with! I, Wu Jie, am willing to fight to the death with you, General Wu,

and we will ensure that the Jin dogs never return!" Before he could finish speaking, another soldier passionately declared, "Wang Yang of the Qin Feng Army is willing

to fight to the death here with General Wu..." "Liu Liangsi of the Jingyuan Army..." "Gao Meng of the Huanqing Army..." In an instant,

the patriotic fervor of the officers in the tent burned like wildfire, their vows to resist the Jin army rising and falling in waves. An Hong, Twelve, and others nearby

were deeply moved. As the clamor subsided, Wu Jie wiped the blood from his fingertip onto his lips and declared triumphantly, "Today I

swear an oath of blood with you all! Forgive the past, and let us unite to defend this plain, preventing the Jin army from advancing. Uphold the Great Song Dynasty! Restore

the glory of our Western Army!" The officers, following Wu Jie's example, also smeared their lips with blood and shouted in unison, "Uphold the Great Song Dynasty! Restore

the glory of our Western Army!" Hearing the shouts from inside, the soldiers outside the tent joined in with their own. Instantly, the majestic mountains echoed,

and birds in the twilight took flight in fright. The soldiers in the other camps, initially confused by the commotion, were also filled with fervor upon hearing the shouts from the main camp

.

Just as the officers were raising their voices, a soldier hurried in, circled around to Wu Jie's ear, and whispered a few words.

Upon hearing this, Wu Jie dismissed the soldier, raised his hand to stop the crowd, and laughed loudly: "Good news! Yang Congyi, leading 1200 men,

has captured Fengxiang using a feint, seizing hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain. The supply convoy is on its way, already halfway there! The food shortage for the troops on the plains

is about to be resolved!" Upon hearing this, the officers cheered again. Wu Jie ordered all the generals to return to their respective garrisons and gather their troops, to report for duty in front of the central command tent

the next morning . After everyone had respectfully saluted and dispersed, Wu Jie led An Hong to the main seat,

knelt on one knee, and said respectfully, "If it weren't for Young Master An's single-handed defense of the camp gate tonight, risking his life to save me, I, Wu Jie, would already be a ghost

under his blade . Please rest in peace, Young Master An, and accept my deepest respect!" Wu Lin, Chen Yuanyou, and Shi Tianfei all followed behind Wu Jie in

bowing, but An Hong refused, jumping up and stepping aside, repeatedly saying he dared not, and using a gentle internal force to support them.

Twelve, standing to the side, smiled broadly, as if he himself were the one being bowed to. Unable

to bow properly because of his obstruction, Wu Jie and the others secretly praised his profound skill. Only Wu Lin glanced at Twelve and remarked,

"This young man's smile is quite handsome, but unfortunately he's too thin; he'll surely be weak in battle!" Twelve scoffed, "My

young master An is also thinner than you. Do you dare to challenge him?" Wu Lin, imagining the hellish scene at the camp gates,

shook his head and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "If young master An were a Jin dog, I would risk my life to fight him. But young master An is our

strong ally; I'm not so foolish as to offer myself up to be beaten!" Everyone laughed upon hearing this, all the anxiety and trepidation they had felt since the beginning of the night vanishing

. An Hong, thinking of Zhuge Fortress and recalling the plan he had devised with Wu Jie in the tent earlier that day, smiled and asked, "

General Wu, now that there are good reports of Zhang Shumi's whereabouts and the military operations in Fengxiang, what strategy should we use?" Wu Jie shook his head, a worried expression suddenly appearing

on his face . He sighed and said, "

Several groups of people have already sent messages like Tianfei, informing Zhang Shumi of his location. Every time I receive a message, I send someone to find Zhang Shumi and report the military situation here, but each time I fail. That's why I

had Tianfei use this safer method this time. Only after the two who went with Tianfei return can we confirm its accuracy. At that time, I will send Tianfei

and Young Master An together, firstly to request reinforcements from Commander Zhe, and secondly to seek some money, provisions, and troops for my Shangyuan." "An

Hong asked in surprise, "Didn't Fengxiang deliver hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain halfway there?" Wu Jie subconsciously looked around,

then sighed quietly, "The news that came from my personal guard just now is that a thousand men from the Fengxiang grain convoy

fought with the Jin army on the main road outside Shencha City, and the entire convoy disappeared on the banks of the Shensha River, their fate unknown!" …………………

…………………………………

"Fate unknown, no trace!" Li Yu glanced at Wang Jin, who had asked the question, without even looking at Zhe Ling,

and was about to leave. Wang Jin said angrily, "How many days has it been! Why are you so stubborn? General Zhe is now... "

"You are the lord of Zhuge Fortress, show him some respect!" Li Yu stopped and said, "In my heart, the lord of Zhuge Fortress will always

be only the Eldest Princess!" Zhe Ling raised his hand to stop Wang Jin, whose expression had changed, and calmly said, "It's alright!" He turned to Li Yu

and asked, "Brother Li, have you been searching the fortress for the past twenty days without any results?" Seeing Zhe Ling's reaction, Li Yu felt embarrassed to be too

rude and lowered his head to answer, "It's strange, but we haven't been able to find even a trace of that Hu woman anywhere in the fortress.

The fortress's men have been camped out for over ten days, and recently some have become lax, yet nothing has happened. That Hu woman probably killed someone and

escaped from the fortress!" Zhe Ling nodded and said, "I'm so grateful for Brother Li's hard work these past few days!

How is the inventory of the fortress's food and supplies going?" Upon hearing this, Li Yu abruptly looked up, displeased, and said, "This matter of managing the household is my duty, and I have ensured that...

the general's preparations are thorough, preventing any shortage of supplies. However, the general should also restrain his troops and prevent waste! That

fire by Feng Shen used up all the fort's fire starters and half of its fuel; it was utterly reprehensible!" Zhe Ling turned to look at Feng Shen, who had been following behind

, but only saw the back of a figure in a long robe hurrying towards the saber-mounted crossbow, calling out to the fort's soldiers. Li Yu snorted coldly and left

. Wang Jin, standing beside him, said, "Although Li Yu was rude, what he said was indeed important. That fire, though spectacular, is something that

can only happen once. It's not worth exhausting the soldiers for the same elaborate drills as that night." Zhe Ling

nodded and said, "Scholars don't understand the hardships of war! I've already spoken to him; from now on, he'll only be allowed to plan and advise, not to be in charge.

Brother Wang, rest assured. " Wang Jin bowed and left, breaking off his feather and descending the fortress wall to enter. He found Zhao Po and, along with Gao Song and

Yan Hu, prepared to observe the enemy from the fortress.

Reaching a wide open area behind the fortress wall, he saw Lu Da'an and Lao Keng leading two teams of about ten men each,

wielding swords and shields in combat on the left, and Hao Zhi instructing some of the fortress archers on the right. A group of women, children, and the elderly brought water jugs to quench everyone's thirst. Lao

Keng finished his bowl of water in one gulp and shouted for more water to be added to the back of an old woman carrying a bucket, who was staggering towards Hao Zhi. Seeing that the old woman ignored him,

he shook his head and chuckled, "This old woman is getting harder and harder to hear. Calling her back is harder than chopping down ten golden dogs!"

Lu Da'an chimed in, "Don't exaggerate! During the raid on the camp, you only killed nine! How do you know

how much effort it takes to kill ten golden dogs?" The two men and those around them laughed and joked, creating a chaotic scene. Suddenly, someone spotted Zhe Ling and quickly

straightened up to salute, saying, "General Zhe!" Upon hearing this, everyone, regardless of whether they were on the left or right of the fortress, or whether they were men, women, or children, all bowed

respectfully. Since that night's raid on the camp, they had won several battles in pursuit of the defeated Jin army. Everyone in the fortress regarded Zhe Ling as a god, and

their fighting spirit was unparalleled. After bowing, Hao Zhi asked Zhe Ling, "General, are you going to investigate where the Jin dogs are trapped?

" After Zhe Ling nodded, he added, "It just so happens that the people surrounding the camp are about to change shifts. I've brought some men to go with you, General." The group

left the fortress, turned left, and traveled through the forest for several hours until they reached a valley. Not far from the valley entrance,

Chen Dan and Xie Bao emerged from behind a tree. Before Zhe Ling could ask, they reported, "General, there are fewer than a hundred Jin dogs left in the valley, most of them

wounded. " " As the general commands, shoot those who flee during the day and those who set fire to the camp at night. The Jin dogs have dared not light a fire for three nights, and the number of

those who break out in a frenzy during the day is increasing daily; their annihilation seems imminent." Zhe Ling offered a few words of encouragement and ordered a change of guard. The

archers and shield bearers emerged from their hiding places behind the trees. Just then, a shout suddenly rang

out from the valley. Dozens of unharmed and lightly wounded Jin soldiers charged out, followed by heavily wounded and unable to move, like mad tigers. The fortified men surrounding the valley were caught off guard and

panicked . Zhe Ling climbed to a high point and shouted, "Shield bearers in front, archers behind, each hold your ground! Zhao Po, charge forward with shield bearers,

the archers bring up the rear and shoot the enemy general!" As he spoke, he drew his bow and nocked an arrow, aiming at the Jin soldier at the forefront and firing.

Hearing the word "featherless arrow," the others felt much more at ease and followed orders. Before the formation was even complete, five enemies had already perished

under the featherless arrow. Seeing this, the others cheered with joy and fought fiercely. Arrows pierced the forest, blades flashed, shouts rang out

, and screams echoed. In the short time it takes to eat a meal, most of the Jin soldiers were dead, and more than twenty of the fortress guards were wounded,

but none were fatally wounded. Zhao Po, at the forefront, killed several Jin soldiers before engaging a Jin general in combat. The general

wielded a long-handled hammer, which he swung with great force. Zhao Po's single-edged sword was relatively short and thin, and he dared not meet it head-on,

so he could only use his agility to circle and slash around the general. Seeing the Jin soldiers around him falling one after another, the general's eyes filled with blood… Seemingly crazed,

the hammer swung erratically, its movements chaotic and brute force haphazard. Zhao Po seized the opportunity to inflict several minor wounds, gradually

gaining the upper hand . A

short while later, the Jin soldiers were wiped out, leaving only the hammer-wielding Jin man covered in blood. Zhe Ling admired his bravery and, seeing

Zhao Po's unwavering advantage, ordered his troops to clean up the battlefield and collect weapons. He then collected his bows and arrows and, along with Hao Zhi and Gao Song, watched from the sidelines.

The Jin general, seeing his army nearly wiped out and Zhe Ling and his men watching with predatory eyes, was terrified. In a moment of carelessness, Zhao Po kicked his elbow, causing the hammer to slip from his grasp and strike his own knee, instantly causing him to kneel

. Zhao Po placed his blade against the general's neck, turning his head to look at Zhe Ling, waiting for 　　his command to take the general's life. Seeing this, Zhe Ling was about to signal Zhao Po to behead him when Hao Zhi coughed and hesitated, saying, "General, could we spare this Jin dog's life?" Zhe Ling, puzzled, asked, "Why?" Hao Zhi hesitated for a moment before replying, "The Yinping Road is treacherous, and mules and horses cannot travel it. It's not favored by the Jin dogs, who are accustomed to marching on plains, hence their slow pace. Although the two vanguard teams sent ahead have been completely wiped out by the general, the main force should still be unaware. The general can use these men to deliver a message to the later Jin dog force, letting them know that not only is the road treacherous, but a powerful army is also blocking the way..." Hearing this, Zhe Ling clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Excellent! Excellent! The Jin people will surely be filled with fear and hesitation for a while! Brother Zhao Po, please lead the fortified men to a distant location and set up various traps and traps in the fortified camps along the inevitable route. The Jin people will be terrified at every step of the way, and our archer battalion can then ambush them in the forest, forcing them to slow down. By the time the Jin people reach the fortified camps, my second brother might have already returned with reinforcements..." Zhao Po, upon hearing this, also smiled and praised, "This method is excellent!" "However, we cannot allow this golden dog to return intact !" With that, he swiftly severed the golden man's ears at the root with two quick strokes. The golden man screamed in agony, clutching his head , blood gushing from between his fingers. The fortified soldiers, having already gathered, surrounded him, laughing hysterically. The man with the broken halberd pointed and shouted, "I'll spare your life today, but go back and tell any more golden dogs that the Western Army's Divine Arrow Battalion and the Shu Zhuge Fortress are guarding this road together. Anyone who comes will surely die!" Hao Zhi stepped forward, grabbed the golden man's collar, and said, "Remember my general's words! Now get lost!"Having said that, he used all his strength to throw the golden man away. The golden man landed and tumbled, covered in leaves and mud, and everyone laughed. The golden man surveyed the mess of corpses, his eyes gleaming with ferocity. Hao Zhi waited for the man to look at him, then pointed in a direction and said, "Go straight ahead, and you'll find your way out of the mountain. If you die in the mountains, all your efforts will be in vain."

"My general will keep you for his use!" Upon hearing this, the Jin man gave Hao Zhi a deep look, snorted angrily,

dragged his injured leg, clutched his head, and limped away.

Zhe Ling led his men back to the fortress, ordering Zhao Po to send scouts to explore a hundred miles away, and also ordering Wang Jin to have the fortress workers set up traps and mechanisms along the roads.

Then, he personally worked with Feng Shen and Li Yu to improve the existing crossbows in the fortress and reinforce its defenses. Before they knew it, several days had passed

quickly . That morning, Zhe Ling and Feng Shen looked down from the council hall and saw

smoke rising from the twenty-odd terraces on the three-square platform, with the sounds of chickens and dogs constantly heard. Sometimes women would scold, sometimes children would cry—a scene of tranquility and peace.

Feng Shen sighed, "This is truly a paradise on earth!" Zhe Ling looked back at the council hall and sighed, "The Jin army

has breached the pass and ravaged the Central Plains. How many such idyllic places have suddenly been engulfed in flames of war? How many lovers

have been ruined, their lives destroyed, their joy extinguished!" Feng Shen, seeing Zhe Ling sighing at the council hall, knew he was still thinking of Qiao Yun and unable

to extricate himself . Just as he was about to offer some words of advice, Gao Song arrived hurriedly with a scout from the road below. As they approached, the

scout bowed and said, "General Zhe, good news! The Jin army's advance is slow, almost halted. Seven days ago, after exiting

the Wooden Gate Pass, they were crossing the Bailong River when the river suddenly swelled, and countless men drowned. With no boats available,

the Jin army was cut in two. The vanguard of about five thousand men has crossed the river, but all their provisions and supplies have fallen into the water, and they

are now hunting for food." Upon hearing this, Feng Shen's face lit up with joy. Zhe Ling merely gave a faint "hmm," then ordered Gao Song

to take the scouts to rest and eat. He and Feng Shen then went down to the fortress to announce the news. Reaching the lower plain, not far from the fortress wall, Yan

Hu hurriedly arrived with another scout, bowing and saying, "General Zhe, good news! The Bailong River is flooded and has not receded for three days.

The river is so wide that the two banks are almost invisible to each other. Many roads along the banks are submerged. The main Jin army has retreated thirty li to set up

camp. Those who have crossed the river have moved to the mountaintop to camp. There is no smoke from the camp, perhaps because their food supplies have run out." Feng Shen was

overjoyed again, as was Zhe Ling. Yan Hu, seeing Zhe Ling hesitate, said with concern, "General,

you haven't smiled since Lady Yun left. If Lady Yun were here, she would certainly not be happy." "Having said that, his eyes reddened slightly. Zhe Ling was

moved and patted Yan Hu on the back without saying a word. After a long while, he sighed and said, "Don't worry, I have a plan." He waved and sent Yan Hu and

the scout away.

When they arrived at the fortress, they found Wang Jin, Zhao Po, and Li Yu. Zhe Ling repeated what the scout had said and instructed, "Since

the Jin 's advance is slow, we can make arrangements at our leisure. There is no need to leave too many people to guard the fortress. Please ask

Brother Wang and Brother Zhao to lead the fortress men to the forest to help set up traps. Leave about ten people in the fortress to help me, Mr. Feng, and Brother Li guard the fortress." Feng

Shen stroked his beard and said, "I have a suggestion. Why don't we ask Hall Master Wang to lead Lao Keng and half of the fortress men to the forest to help set up

traps? Hall Master Zhao can lead Lu Da'an and the other half of the fortress men to set up more fortifications on the sides and behind the traps." The next day, after the Jin army crossed the river and entered

the forest, General Zhe could lead the archers he had recently trained out of the fortress. With the aid of traps and mechanisms, they could establish a layered defense,

far superior to simply holding the fortress walls! Upon hearing this, Zhe Ling and his three companions clapped their hands in approval and followed the plan. About half a day after Wang Jin and Zhao broke out of the fortress,

Zhe Ling was on the fortress wall discussing strategies with Li Yu when he suddenly saw a blood-soaked man rushing towards them from the slope outside the fortress

. When the man was still some distance from the wall, he collapsed to the ground with a thud, crying out, "General Zhe,

something terrible

has happened! The two hall masters, Wang and Zhao, are heavily surrounded by Jin soldiers! They sent me to fight my way out to seek your help!" Everyone on the wall paled. Zhe Ling leaped down, helped the man up, and urgently asked, "Where are they surrounded? How many Jin soldiers are there?"

The man's face was also covered in blood, and he wept, "Several thousand Jin soldiers have surrounded the two hall masters..." The sound faded,

and the body slowly slumped. Zhe Ling panicked, bending down to listen intently. The man, feigning death,

suddenly opened his eyes wide in fury, flashed a dagger, and thrust it fiercely towards Zhe Ling's heart. Seeing the flashing glint of the dagger, Zhe Ling knew

it was too late to dodge, and could only try to pull himself down. The dagger pierced his flesh, embedding itself in his left shoulder below the collarbone, down to

the hilt.

Zhe Ling endured the pain, channeling his inner strength to push out with a palm strike. The man, having landed a blow, rolled away, but suddenly felt a powerful, wide-ranging palm strike

behind him . Though he dared not meet it head-on, he had no choice but to turn and strike back with all his might.

The palm strikes met, and the man heard a cracking sound, followed by excruciating pain; his wrist and palm bones shattered; his chest and abdomen felt as if

struck by a sledgehammer, and he coughed up blood, lying motionless on the ground. Zhe Ling had defeated his enemy in one move. Just as they were about to question him about his origins,

five figures simultaneously sprang from the dense forest on both sides of the road, surrounding Zhe Ling. They seemed to be using some kind of coordinated attack, their movements

surprisingly synchronized.

Those on the fortress wall, seeing Zhe Ling wounded and trapped, were all greatly alarmed. Feng Shen and Li

Yu were scholars, and while the archers of the Arrow Camp were exceptionally skilled archers, they were lacking in close combat. Lu Da'an had left the fortress to set up the

traps , leaving them with no way to help or rescue their leader.

Initially, Zhe Ling was restrained by the five's coordinated attack, but gradually, as he became more accustomed to their tactics

, he gained the upper hand. He leaped high and low, blocking and parrying from all sides, suppressing the five-man formation to a defensive posture. In the

midst of the struggle, he suddenly felt a tingling numbness in his dagger wound, causing weakness in his left arm. He inwardly cried out, "This is bad!

" Despite the pain, he exerted even greater strength, displaying incredible prowess, aiming for a swift victory.

The five attackers suddenly felt Zhe Ling's palm strike change, pressing down like a wall, making it difficult to dodge or defend.

Moments later, one of them was struck in the left leg by the palm strike, breaking bones and tendons, collapsing to the ground. Zhe Ling stomped

on , instantly killing him. The small formation was broken, immediately scattering. After another short while, three were dead and one wounded;

the crisis was over. The wounded man pulled a dagger from his robes, threw it at Zhe Ling's face, and turned to run. Zhe Ling

dodged it , gathering his strength... He was about to give chase when he felt a sudden dizziness. Knowing the dagger was poisoned, he dared not be careless and quickly stopped to circulate his energy

to expel the poison . The wounded man dodged several arrows shot from the wall by the archers and, taking advantage of Zhe Ling's healing, fled into the woods

. Suddenly, an iron spike pierced his chest from the side, killing him instantly

. Wei Qing, having killed the man, rushed to Zhe Ling's side and used his internal energy to help him expel the poison. The archers climbed down the wall, intending to capture the first

assassin and bring him back to the fortress. When they were a few steps away from the man, they saw him struggle to sit up and weakly recite: "

If one can dwell in that country, one will ultimately be free from sorrow." As he spoke, blood flowed from his seven orifices, and he died. The crowd

was astonished and could only search the corpse for anything that could prove his identity, but they found nothing.

After a while, Zhe Ling finished expelling the poison and slowly opened his eyes. Knowing that the crowd had not found anything, he turned back and asked with concern: "You helped me with

your true energy , is your own injury much better now?" Wei Qing replied:He is now out of danger, thank you for your concern, General!

I felt stifled staying indoors for so long, so I went for a walk in the mountains today to clear my head, but unexpectedly someone attempted to assassinate you. Wei Qing failed in his duty of protection; please forgive me.

"General, please forgive me!" Zhe Ling waved his hand to indicate that he was alright, and was about to return to the fort when another blood-soaked man came rushing from afar,

shouting, "General Zhe, something terrible has happened!" Having witnessed the previous incident, the archers, upon hearing the voice, spontaneously

lined up in front of Zhe Ling, drawing their bows and pointing their arrows at the approaching man. Seeing this, the man stopped abruptly and shouted, "I am under

orders from Hall Master Zhao to deliver urgent military intelligence to General Zhe!" At this moment, a woman's voice called out from the left peak of the fort, "Don't hurt

my Erniu! He's a scout under Hall Master Zhao!" Hearing the sound, the archers felt reassured and released their bowstrings. The newcomer

, seeing this, strode forward, about to speak, when an arrow flew like lightning, piercing his right ribs and exiting through his shoulder.

The arrow contained internal energy, wounding both bone and internal organs. The man coughed up blood and staggered back several steps, leaning against a tree. Suddenly,

another arrow flew, piercing his left shoulder and pinning him to the tree with a thud.

The archers looked over, seeing the arrow without feathers, and before they could even turn back in shock, Zhe Ling's command rang in their ears: "Wei Qing,

go first ; Hao Zhi, bring up the rear. You all hurry to the left peak platform of the fortress to capture the man, dead or alive! That voice just now was

that Hu woman, Nana! Be extremely careful!" As Zhe Ling spoke, he swiftly moved to the man before the tree and demanded,

" Who are you? How dare you conspire with that Hu woman to repeatedly attempt assassination!" The man, pinned to a tree by an arrow and wounded in the

lungs by the arrow's internal energy, was struggling to recover. When Zhe Ling approached to inquire, he saw the man's left shoulder wound bleeding profusely, clearly

widening the wound when he forcefully drew the bow. The man gave a sinister smile, stomped on the tree trunk, and, enduring the pain, pierced the arrow through his body, striking

Zhe Ling squarely in the chest. Zhe Ling, unprepared for the man's unwavering resolve, was struck

squarely in the chest, blood gushing from his wound as he flew backward. The man, having fought desperately, was writhing in pain from the arrow wound and broken ribs, knowing he could no longer fight

. Seeing the archer camp returning to the fortress gate rushing back, he disregarded Zhe Ling's life and

fled unsteadily. A few breaths later... Suddenly, he heard a sound like thunder and lightning behind him. Turning around, he saw two arrows

hurtling . The man's expression hardened. He channeled his remaining inner strength into his left hand and brought it down vertically in front of him, intending

to sever both arrows with a single blow. Unexpectedly, the lower arrow, without feathers, suddenly accelerated, striking first and piercing the man's abdomen.

The true energy exploded within his abdomen, severing his intestines.

The man had exhausted himself firing both arrows simultaneously, further aggravating his left shoulder wound. Seeing the fleeing man struck by an arrow,

he felt a sense of relief, swayed a few times, and fell backward. The archers who had just arrived rushed forward, protecting the man.

After a moment of recuperation, the man pointed to the summit and said, "Don't worry about me, don't let that barbarian woman escape!" "The archers, hearing his

weak voice, exchanged glances, none willing to move. They simply tore strips of cloth from their own clothes to bandage Zhe Ling's wound.

Zhe Ling, seeing this, sighed helplessly. He instructed Wei Qing to identify several acupoints on his body so he could apply pressure

to stop the bleeding . Wei Qing had just finished performing the ritual when another person came running from afar, shouting, 'General Zhe, something terrible has happened!' The archers

, hearing this, were all furious. When they got up to nock their arrows, they discovered that the person who had come was Zhao Po. Zhao Po was also

taken aback to see everyone pointing arrows at him. When he saw Zhe Ling injured, he rushed forward to ask what was wrong . Only when Zhe Ling asked did he realize the reason and hurriedly said, 'General Zhe,

a scout reports that the Jin army has secretly crossed the Bailong River from somewhere and their forces have reached Yulei Pass. The camp on the mountaintop by the river

is a feint!' Zhe Ling asked in surprise, 'Isn't it only a day and a night's journey from the main road to Yulei Pass?'" Zhao Po

replied with shame, "My scouts were personally trained by me and are unlikely to make mistakes or be fooled. The intelligence they've sent back is riddled

with errors, which must mean my master, the Grand Elder of the Meng Clan, is directing them from within the Jin camp. If he were truly here, this distance

could be covered in a day by taking a shortcut. Half a day has passed since I received the scouts' message and returned to the fort." Zhe Ling

, enduring the pain, rose and ordered the arrow battalion to go to the fort to relay the order for battle. He then asked Zhao Po, "

Where are Brother Wang Jin and the able-bodied men who set up the ambush at the fort?" Zhao Po helped Zhe Ling up, saying as they walked, "After receiving the message, I rushed ahead, and he followed with

the main force . They should be back in an hour or two." As the two spoke, they spotted the riverbank and

heard the faint sound of hurried footsteps approaching from the distant slope. Looking back, they saw a troop of Jin soldiers advancing rapidly, numbering about three hundred.

A figure at the head of the troop flashed forward like lightning, instantly appearing before Zhe and Zhao. The newcomer struck down with a palm,

enveloping the two, but without pausing, he floated straight towards the still-open gate of the fortress. Seeing the danger, Zhe Ling disregarded

the approaching palm strike, leaping into the air, his fingers forming a claw, using his remaining strength to draw in the newcomer, attempting to hold him back.

Zhao Po, standing nearby, shouted, his palms overlapping and pushing upwards, trying to directly withstand the force of the attack.

The newcomer, in mid-air, assumed the two on the ground were of similar skill and that one palm strike would be enough to escape and control the gate,

allowing a powerful suction force came from below; if he didn't dodge, he risked injury. He could only frown

and gasp. With a sigh, he caught his breath, changed his palm technique, and abruptly stopped his momentum, spinning back to land not far from the

moat .

Zhao Po knew the identity of the newcomer and knew he was no match, so he used all his strength when pushing out his palm. Unexpectedly, the powerful palm wind from the other side suddenly

disappeared, and all his strength struck empty air. His body felt empty and uncomfortable, his throat tightened, and he almost vomited blood. Zhe

Ling used his internal energy to grab the newcomer, and his strength was already flowing back, but unexpectedly, the opponent's palm wind suddenly changed, carrying his internal energy towards

him . Although he tried his best to dodge, he still couldn't escape his fate. His blood surged, and his injuries worsened. Clutching his chest,

he used the residual force of the opponent's palm wind to float backward across the moat, staggering and sitting down. Looking at the newcomer, he saw an old man with white hair, a tiger-like

nose, and hawk-like eyes, dressed in black, who was also scrutinizing him.

The old man saw that Wei Qing had already led several people out of the fortress gate, knew that the opportunity had been lost, and then smiled coldly with his hands behind his back: " The cuckoo

has taken over the nest, quite something indeed!" Turning to Zhao Po

, he scolded, "You traitorous disciple! You betray your master and ancestors! Taking advantage of my absence from the fortress, you've done such a thing!" Upon hearing this, Zhao Po knelt down with a thud, kowtowing and replying, "The Meng Clan is to me

one with my family and country. All my skills and abilities were taught by my master. How could I, your disciple

, dare to commit such a heinous act of betraying my master and ancestors? It's just that the eldest princess's dying wish was for me to assist General Zhe in defending the fortress against the Jin. I entered the Meng Clan at a young age, and with the eldest princess 's order, how could I dare

disobey? Please forgive me, Master!" Upon hearing this, the old man sneered again, saying, "Acting disloyal and unjustly,

yet finding a righteous reason to do so! Fine! Now, as an elder of the Meng Clan, I order you to offer the fortress to the Jin people, helping them enter Shu and destroy

the Song, to avenge the century-old grudge of my Meng Clan!" As the old man finished speaking, the troop of Jin soldiers was already nearby. The old man raised his hand,

signaling the soldiers to halt, and looked directly at Zhao Po, awaiting his reply. Zhao Po kowtowed three times, then rose and firmly said, "..."The rules of the sect state that the Meng Clan is the Meng Clan of the Meng family, and the gatekeepers and elders must be at the beck and call of the Meng family and must not disobey. Now, the elder's order contradicts the last wishes of the eldest princess, and I dare not obey it! The old man pointed his halberd and roared angrily, "How dare you!"

" You disregard the century-long slaughter and oppression of the Shu people by the Zhao family? Do you not care at all? Do not forget that your ancestors' names are still

prominently displayed in the council hall! You are a Shu person!" Zhao Po lowered his head and sighed, "Master, your disciple dares not tarnish the illustrious name of our ancestors,

and should uphold their legacy. But whether it is Shu or Song, both belong to the unified China. When the Princess was studying in the fortress

, she taught us that brothers should fight among themselves, but unite against external threats. Your disciple deeply agrees and would never dare to collude with the barbarians for the sake of the Shu-Song conflict, thus

ruining our Chinese land! Wang Jin, Li Yu, and everyone in the fortress think the same way as your disciple!" The old man was furious, gathered his strength,

raised his hand, and shouted, "Traitorous disciple! Today I will kill you!" Having said that, he gestured behind his back with his left hand. The Jin soldiers understood and charged forward

with shouts . The old man raised his right hand to strike, but suddenly felt a surge of wind and thunder coming from the fortress gate. He twisted his wrist,

directing his palm force at the wind and thunder. The two forces collided with a deafening roar, and the featherless arrow shattered into dust.

Zheling channeled all his remaining inner strength into the arrow, and as it left the bowstring, he fell, shouting, "Come back! Fire!

" Zhao Po darted across the moat and, together with Wei Qing, dragged Zhe Ling through the fortress gate. The archers, already poised on the wall

, unleashed a hail of arrows upon receiving the order.

The old man, jolted by the arrow, staggered; by the time he tried to pursue, the gate was closed. The wall was high and difficult to climb, and with the arrows

raining down, he had no choice but to retreat. The approaching Jin soldiers, each carrying a shield, arrived. A dozen or so men escorted the old man to a safe distance, while the remaining two

hundred or so charged towards the fortress wall with shouts. The old man cried out from behind, forbidding an attack on the fortress, but no one listened; they only shouted… Unstoppable.

Besides the five archers, only a dozen or so fortified men remained on the wall. Though each carried a bow, the arrow rain was sparse and insufficient to halt

the Jin soldiers' advance. This group of Jin soldiers was extremely brave; one column exchanged fire with the wall at a distance, while the rest charged forward.

Upon reaching the river, those in front, disregarding their own safety, propped their shields up diagonally behind them, while those behind used these shields as stepping stones,

leaping across the river one after another. Except for a few who fell into the river and were swept away by the swift current, most successfully crossed. The dozen or so archers

on the wall shot dead... Several men who had been using the ramparts shot down some of those leaping through the air, but they could not withstand the sheer number of Jin soldiers.

Moments later, dozens of Jin soldiers were already below the fortress wall, using daggers to pierce the wooden structure and relying on their immense strength to slowly climb upwards.

The five archers on the wall remained unmoved, focusing their arrows at Hao Zhi's command, sometimes firing long-range shots at the Jin soldiers,

sometimes sniping down at those climbing the wall. The dozen or so fortress soldiers panicked upon seeing the enemy cross the river, their bows trembling,

unsure where to aim their arrows in their haste. The Jin soldiers crossing the river below gradually grew denser .

Just as the situation was critical, a drumbeat suddenly arose from the left peak of the fortress, and stones, some as large as bowls and others as small as eggs, rained down like a storm .

Caught off guard, the Jin soldiers couldn't raise their shields in time and were struck, their faces bruised and bloodied. One

of the men, who appeared to be a general, raised his shield and shouted, but before he could finish, an

arrow pierced his throat. The Jin soldiers were terrified, but a cheer erupted from the arrow corps on the wall. Amid the cheer, Zhe Ling, pale-faced, raised his bow and shot down three Jin soldiers dressed as generals

. He lowered his bow, panting, and said, "Chen Dan, Xie Bao, go up the left peak and shoot only the old man in black guards; ignore the rest.

Brother Zhao , Wei Qing, lead the fortress men to abandon their bows and take up swords; cut down the Jin soldiers climbing the wall. Hao Zhi, Gao Song, Yan Hu, the three-pronged arrow formation,

shoot those using shields as steps along the riverbank." Having said that, Zhang Gong fired another arrow, impaling two Jin soldiers on the wall.

Seeing the broken arrow, the men felt reassured and, with renewed vigor, obeyed orders. The Jin soldiers, besieged on all sides, gradually showed

signs of defeat. Although Zhang Gong's rest time was longer after each shot, the fact that every arrow killed an enemy terrified the Jin soldiers and reassured the fortresses

.

On the left peak, after days of preparation, Feng Shen and Li Yu had led their men to erect a half-person-high wooden fence around the summit for

safety and to allow the defenders to observe from above. They had also stored heavy stones inside the fence for future attacks. Now that these stones were needed, they were put to use. Therefore,

they led their men... Women and children, busy cooking and fetching water, were happily hurling stones they had collected over the days down into the air. As the number of Jin soldiers

killed and wounded increased, the crowd began to recede like water. The two men, leaning on the railing, looked down and laughed, pointing at the Jin soldiers' disheveled state .

A Jin general beside the Grand Elder of the Meng Clan, annoyed by Chen Dan and Xie Bao's arrows and with nowhere to vent his anger, heard Feng and Li's laughter and

suddenly shot an arrow at them. Xie Bao, quick as lightning, discarded his bow and pulled the

two past them. Li Yu stumbled and fell, while Feng Shen staggered back several steps, muttering, "You scared me half to death,

you scared me half to death," before leaning against the wooden railing at the summit where the stones were stored. Seeing that the two were unharmed, Xie Bao breathed a sigh of relief and exclaimed

, "That was close!" Before the sigh had even faded, the railing Feng Shen was leaning against cracked open on all four sides, sending a torrent of boulders tumbling

out . Caught off guard, Feng Shen was swept away by the boulders and thrown towards the back of the peak. Xie Bao leaped up, landing and grabbing Feng Shen's sleeve,

but was also swept away by the boulders. Although the wooden fence behind the peak wasn't as sturdy as the one built on the side in front of the peak where the battle was taking place, it was still

constructed from large timbers from the mountain. But now, the entire fence snapped into several pieces upon encountering the rocks, and along with countless boulders, it carried Feng

Shen and Xie Bao down the peak.

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