Chapter Twenty-Three of Hu Sanniang's Amorous History: Unstoppable Force in the Conquest of Pagan, and Deceptive Tactics in the Taking of Annam

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After Hua Fengchun, Wanyan Hong, and Zhang Jie divided their forces, Hua Fengchun led 10,000 troops into Pagan. Upon entering Pagan, Hua Fengchun displayed his extraordinary prowess, killing three Pagan generals in the first battle with his unerring archery skills. Wanyan Hong also killed an enemy general with her sword in the chaos, and the Pagan army collapsed. In the second battle, the Pagan army's marshal, Bowen, concentrated 50,000 troops to besiege Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong's Ming army. Seeing the enemy's dense formation, Hua Fengchun ordered his artillery to advance. A barrage of cannon fire sent the Pagan army fleeing in disarray. Marshal Bowen, in his escape, was shot in the buttocks by an arrow from Hua Fengchun, falling from his horse and being trampled into the mud by the chaotic ranks.

Pagan's terrain, high in the north and low in the south, with a large plain in the center, was highly advantageous to the Ming army. The Ming Dynasty to the north was currently at its zenith, and the people of Pagan had long heard of its prosperity and the wisdom and prowess of Empress Hu Sanniang. Her story of unifying the Song, Liao, Jin, and Xia dynasties in one fell swoop was already being sung in the streets and brothels of Bagan. Furthermore, Bagan was originally inhabited by many Han Chinese, and most of the Bagan people's ancestors had migrated from the Song Dynasty. They were quite supportive of submitting to the Ming Dynasty.

With this favorable timing, location, and popular support, Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong quickly conquered some counties and prefectures in Bagan, including several larger towns. The conquest of these places did not cost the Ming army many soldiers; most local officials surrendered to the Ming army as soon as the troops arrived.

However, Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong's troops were still too few; each conquered place needed to be guarded, and they quickly became stretched thin. After discussing the matter, the two decided to halt the offensive and begin conscripting soldiers and gathering provisions locally, preparing for the next step: attacking the capital of Bagan. The city Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong were stationed in was called Shula, with a population of two to three hundred thousand. In the remaining conquered counties, Hua Fengchun generally appointed surrendered officials to manage them, sending only a few to supervise, awaiting the court's appointment of new officials.

The King of Pagan, hearing of the Ming Dynasty's powerful southern expeditionary force, summoned his children to discuss strategies for defeating the enemy. His two sons were incompetent and dared not speak. Only his two daughters were exceptionally capable; they now held military power in Pagan and vied to lead the troops into battle. The king, himself inexperienced in military command, told them, "In that case, you two can lead 80,000 troops to defeat the enemy." These 80,000 troops constituted the majority of Pagan's forces; the king left less than 10,000 soldiers to guard the capital. The two daughters accepted the order, kowtowed, and withdrew. The

king's two daughters were of contrasting beauty and appearance. The beautiful one was the elder, Qionghua, possessing a beauty that could shame the moon and flowers, and was twenty-nine years old. She was skilled with a three-pointed, double-edged sword and had outstanding martial arts skills. Qionghua had always been Marshal Bowen's deputy and had considerable experience in leading troops. The less attractive one was the younger, Saihua, twenty-five years old. She was dark-skinned, stout, and incredibly strong, wielding two bronze hammers. She was the king's chief guard. Saihua wasn't the king's biological daughter; her mother and Qionghua's mother were sisters, and their father was a military general. After his death, her mother remarried the king, and she became a princess. The king treated her as his own daughter.

Both of his daughters were married. Ironically, Qionghua's husband was named Tu Wen, the son of a former prime minister. He was uncouth and possessed no talent other than great strength. Before ascending the throne, the king, to appease Tu Wen's father, betrothed Qionghua to him. Qionghua's resentment at marrying such an ugly man was unimaginable. She never let him near her except when sleeping. Fortunately, Tu Wen was shameless; he was rich and powerful, and he was quite content to have sex with the beautiful princess at night. Poor, beautiful and delicate Qionghua was forced to sleep with this fool every night, truly heartbroken.

Saihua's husband, Yudu, was a handsome and charming man. When the king first ascended the throne, he held a nationwide search for a husband for Saihua. The people of Bagan only knew that the king's eldest daughter, Qionghua, was beautiful, but had never seen Saihua, so many applied. Yudu was the most outstanding among them. He won and became the husband, but upon entering the bridal chamber, he was so frightened by Saihua's appearance that he fainted, becoming a laughingstock. To be fair, Saihua wasn't ugly; it was just that her skin was very dark, she had a lot of body hair, even a bit of mustache, and coupled with her imposing physique, most men would be scared away by her.

Qionghua and Saihua were very close sisters, sharing almost everything. Yudu was naturally a womanizer and often had affairs with other women, which Saihua couldn't guard against. So she wanted to arrange a marriage between Qionghua and Yudu, thinking, "My husband is bound to have affairs anyway, why not let him be with my sister Qionghua?" However, Qionghua disliked Yudu's hypocrisy and cunning and refused her sister's request. Due to long-term repression, she turned her sexual interest to women, developing ambiguous relationships with the female relatives of several court officials.

Qionghua and Saihua were ordered to lead the expedition. Yudu went to persuade Tuwen to join him as the vanguard. Yudu believed the Ming army was too small to withstand the overwhelming force of the Pagan forces, and he wanted to seize this opportunity to gain military merit. Tuwen was foolish, so he was perfect for leading the charge. Yudu also wanted to use his command to extort money from the people. Qionghua didn't want Tuwen bothering her, so she appointed him vanguard and Yudu as deputy vanguard, allocating them 20,000 troops. The two were overjoyed and led their troops ahead.

Tuwen and Yudu, with their 20,000 troops, displayed banners proclaiming "Pagan Vanguard Prince Consort Tuwen" and "Pagan Deputy Vanguard Prince Consort Yudu," and surrounded Shula City. They then beat drums, sounded gongs, waved flags, and shouted slogans, hoping to lure the enemy out of the city to fight. But by afternoon, the enemy troops inside the city had not yet come out to fight. Tu Wenyu, exhausted from a day's work, was preparing to withdraw his troops when a deafening cannon boomed, and the south gate of Shula City swung open. An enemy general led five hundred cavalrymen out of the city.

They immediately ordered their troops to surround him. Standing in the center was a female general, clad in golden helmet, golden armor, and a colorful battle robe, wielding twin swords with a heroic and valiant air. Tu Wenyu was utterly astonished, his mouth agape for a long time. The female general was none other than Wanyan Hong. Hua Fengchun had gone out to gather provisions and had not yet returned; only she and five thousand Ming soldiers remained in Shula City. She had been observing the enemy situation from the city walls for a long time, waiting until the Pagan army was exhausted before leading her troops out to attack.

Yu Du stepped forward, reined in his horse, and shouted, "I am Yu Du, the deputy vanguard of Pagan. Who are you, daring to invade my Pagan territory? If you dismount and surrender now, I will spare your life."

Tu Wen echoed, "I am Vanguard Tu Wen. My brother and I are short of a maid to make the bed, and seeing how pretty you are, we'll give you the job. Quickly surrender obediently, lest I hurt you if I have to do it myself." The Pagan soldiers burst into laughter.

Wanyan Hong was furious and, without replying, spurred her horse and charged into the enemy lines. Yu Du and Tu Wen were about to engage in battle when one of their generals, Le Wen, also took a liking to Wanyan Hong and rode ahead of them to meet her. The two began to fight on the battlefield. After several rounds of fighting, Wanyan Hong realized that Le Wen's martial arts were mediocre. She thought to herself, "Killing more generals like him won't make a difference. There are too many soldiers in Pagan; I'll feign defeat to make them underestimate me, and then I'll show them what I'm capable of."

She pretended to be exhausted, panting as she desperately fought Le Wen, occasionally letting out seductive moans that left him completely bewildered. After more than thirty rounds, Wanyan Hong reined in her horse and turned back. Le Wen, unwilling to let her go, spurred his horse to pursue. Wanyan Hong drew her bow and arrow, shooting Le Wen in the arm, and then led her troops back to the city. Le Wen, wounded in the arm, dared not pursue, and roared in anger. Yu Du and Tu Wen also cried out in regret.

The next day, Wanyan Hong led her troops out of the city again to meet the enemy. Tu Wen, having seen that Wanyan Hong's martial arts were not particularly outstanding and her strength not very great the day before, and that her victory over Le Wen was merely a fluke, personally took up arms and fought Wanyan Hong. Fearing that Tu Wen would gain an advantage alone, Yu Du also charged forward with his spear to assist. Wanyan Hong was overjoyed to see both of the enemy's main generals arrive. Empress Hu Sanniang had once instructed her in swordsmanship, and the two twin sun and moon swords she wielded were a gift from Sanniang. With Sanniang's guidance and frequent sparring with Hua Fengchun, Wanyan Hong's martial arts skills had greatly improved. Now, she unleashed her full power, her twin swords gleaming coldly, each move aimed to take a life.

Tu Wen and Yu Du were terrified. Initially, they had been engaged in close combat with Wanyan Hong, captivated by her graceful figure and beautiful face. Suddenly, the beautiful woman transformed into a female demon, her two swords slashing down with chilling force. Tu Wen couldn't dodge in time and was slashed across the neck, blood flowing freely. Yu Du was also struck in the shoulder, the force piercing through his armor, nearly causing him to fall from his horse. Terrified, the two forgot their pain and spurred their horses back for their lives. Their 20,000 soldiers were gleefully watching the two princes-in-law taunt the enemy's female generals when a sudden turn of events stunned them. Wanyan Hong led 500 armored soldiers in a charge, shattering the enemy's formation.

Yu Du and Tu Wen charged through their own lines and fled back without stopping, their soldiers forced to follow. Unfortunately, they encountered Hua Fengchun, the god of war, again. Hearing that Pagan had sent a large army to attack Shula, and fearing for Wanyan Hong's safety, he hurriedly led his troops back. Yu Du and Tu Wen's defeated army was caught off guard and intercepted, suffering a fierce slaughter. Hua Fengchun shot an arrow that struck Yu Du's warhorse, causing it to fall and throwing Yu Du to the ground. There happened to be a mud puddle nearby, and Yu Du fell headfirst into it, his buttocks sticking up high. Hua Fengchun then shot an arrow between his legs, embedding it in his genitals. Concerned for Wanyan Hong's safety, Hua Fengchun did not linger, leading his troops to scatter the defeated Pagan army and rejoin Wanyan Hong before returning to Shula City together.

Meanwhile, the Qionghua and Saihua sisters led a large army to provide support. On the way, they encountered fleeing soldiers who reported that Tu Wen's vanguard had suffered a major defeat at the gates of Shula City. The two quickly set up camp and arranged defenses to prevent the enemy from pursuing their victory. By nightfall, more than ten thousand defeated soldiers had gradually returned, including Yu Du and Tu Wen, who were carried back by their personal guards. Qionghua ordered the army doctor to examine their injuries. Tu Wen, having bled excessively from a cut on his neck, died that very night. Although Yu Du survived after being treated, his manhood had been severed by Hua Fengchun's arrow, rendering him unable to be a man for the rest of his life.

Qionghua and Saihua had not expected such a crushing defeat in their first encounter. The two looked at each other, at a loss. They had already made a bold promise, and their father had entrusted them with the entire army of the nation. Now, they were caught in a dilemma, what should they do? The two sisters embraced and wept in solitude, remaining silent all night.

The next day, Qionghua sent soldiers out to scout out the enemy's movements. Several days passed, and news arrived that the Ming army had mobilized its entire force to fight the Pagan army. It turned out that Hua Fengchun had already recruited about 20,000 soldiers from various parts of Bagan that he had occupied. After these few battles, he felt that the Bagan army was too weak, far inferior to the Annamite army. He believed he could easily defeat them with fewer troops, quickly take Bagan, and then go to support Zhang Jie. So he left 10,000 men to guard the occupied cities, while he and Wanyan Hong led 20,000 troops to fight against Qionghua Saihua's Bagan army.

The two armies arrayed themselves in the open field, and drums and gongs sounded. Qionghua Saihua, fully armored, stood at the front of the army. Standing at the front of the battle were the two generals, Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong. Although the Bagan army was numerous, it was demoralized, while the Ming army was in high spirits and seemed to have an absolute advantage. Hua Fengchun, holding a bright silver spear, rode his steed back and forth in the battle, intending to first break the morale of the Bagan people.

Saihua, upon seeing Hua Fengchun, thought to herself, "Everyone says my husband, Yudu, is a handsome man. This man before me is both a dashing young man and an invincible general, far superior to Yudu." Remembering that her husband Yudu's manhood had been crippled, and that he would be a eunuch in the future, a bitter feeling welled up inside her. Although Yudu was of low character, he had, after all, brought her considerable pleasure in bed.

Qionghua, meanwhile, stared intently at Wanyan Hong, finding the woman too beautiful and yearning to strip naked and embrace her, kissing and caressing her. She was startled by her own thoughts; with the enemy at hand, how could a commander-in-chief harbor such shameful thoughts?

Just then, a flock of wild geese flew overhead. Hua Fengchun, seeing this, took out his gold-painted magpie-shaped bow from his back, nocked an arrow, and with a swift shot, the lead goose fell to the ground. The Ming army erupted in cheers and applause. The Pagan army, witnessing such divine archery, turned ashen-faced and fell silent.

Hua Fengchun shouted, "Are there any fearless generals from Bagan? Come out and fight me to the death!" No one from the Bagan side uttered a sound. Qionghua and Saihua exchanged a glance; it seemed only they could send their leaders into battle. Saihua spurred her horse forward to meet Hua Fengchun, saying, "Don't be so arrogant! Princess Saihua of Bagan has arrived!"

The Ming soldiers laughed upon seeing Saihua: someone who looks like that dares to call herself "Saihua"? Hua Fengchun, however, was different; he was captivated by Saihua's appearance. He had already married nearly twenty beautiful wives and concubines; ordinary beauties were unlikely to move him. Saihua's robust physique was comparable to that of her father Hua Rong's concubine, Ao Liying, possessing a unique charm that caught his eye. Without a second thought, Hua Fengchun engaged Saihua in battle.

Saihua wielded two copper hammers to meet Hua Fengchun's gleaming silver spear, and the two fought for over fifty rounds. Qionghua watched from the sidelines, seeing her younger sister Saihua drenched in sweat and panting heavily, while Hua Fengchun seemed to be handling the situation with ease, estimating that a victor would soon emerge. Anxious, she raised her three-pointed double-edged sword to aid her sister. Seeing this, Wanyan Hong brandished her twin swords, intercepting Qionghua and engaging in a fierce battle. Their weapons clashed, a close and evenly matched fight

. Saihua, on horseback, was entangled by Hua Fengchun's gleaming silver spear, using her two copper hammers to parry left and right, unable to get close to him. Enraged, she dismounted, roared, and charged to meet Hua Fengchun on foot. Hua Fengchun, determined to capture her alive, also dismounted, and the two began fighting back and forth on the ground. Hua Fengchun thrust his spear, and Saihua used her copper hammers to strike the shaft, but missed. A flash of silver light appeared, and the spear tip grazed Saihua's stomach, piercing her armor, which shattered and fell to the ground. Sweating profusely, Saihua rolled on the ground several times before narrowly avoiding Hua Fengchun's silver spear.

Seeing Hua Fengchun approaching again with the spear, she threw away her hammers, took off her clothes, and, bare-chested, grabbed the spear shaft with her bare hands. Hua Fengchun tricked her, deliberately letting her grab the shaft. Saihua was overjoyed and, relying on her strength, pulled the shaft towards her chest. Her face flushed red, but she couldn't budge the shaft an inch. Hua Fengchun suddenly thrust the silver spear forward, and Saihua lost her footing, tumbling backward and falling to the ground. The Ming soldiers watching the battle burst into laughter, and even many in the Pagan army couldn't help but laugh.

Saihua, being the most straightforward, couldn't bear such humiliation. She jumped up, her two large, dark breasts swaying in front of her, and lunged at Hua Fengchun. Hua Fengchun, using a steady stance, caught Saihua's arm with one hand, slipped the other between her legs, and used his shoulder to brace her chest. Taking advantage of Saihua's forward momentum, he slammed her massive body over his head and behind her. Saihua was thrown so hard she saw stars and was in excruciating pain, lying motionless on the ground for a long time. Hua Fengchun stepped forward and stomped on her, demanding, "Do you submit?" Saihua's vision went black, and she fainted.

A while later, Qionghua was also captured by Wanyan Hong. The two were evenly matched in martial arts, and it was said that they would fight for at least a hundred rounds before a winner was decided. However, Wanyan Hong seemed to be Qionghua's nemesis. Qionghua was captivated by her beauty and figure, her heart yearning for closeness. She wielded her three-pointed double-edged sword lightly and weakly, her eyes fixed intently on Wanyan Hong. Wanyan Hong, initially unaware of the situation, nearly killed Qionghua with her blade. She thought to herself, "Has this beautiful princess gone mad?" Later, she guessed Qionghua's thoughts, and, both amused and exasperated, her face flushed.

Because countless soldiers were watching their battle, Wanyan Hong could only whisper to Qionghua, "You shameless woman! If you have no will to fight, why not surrender? Don't waste your life!"

Qionghua then seemed to awaken from her daze; by then, Saihua had already been defeated. Helpless, she dismounted and knelt before Wanyan Hong, saying, "This humble general is no match for you and begs to surrender to the general." Actually, Wanyan Hong also liked Qionghua. She jumped off her horse and reached out to pull Qionghua up from the ground.

The moment Qionghua touched Wanyan Hong, her body went limp, and she collapsed into Wanyan Hong's arms. Wanyan Hong had no choice but to hold her; Qionghua's face flushed crimson, and her body convulsed.

Seeing that their two commanders had both lost, the Pagan army knelt and surrendered; not a single soldier fled. Hua Fengchun ordered the surrendered Pagan army to be incorporated into the army on the spot, and their provisions and pay taken over. Those unwilling to serve were given travel expenses to return home, while those willing to serve and pledge allegiance to the Ming Dynasty were each rewarded with five taels of silver. Qionghua begged Wanyan Hong to take her as her personal maid, saying she was willing to serve her and General Hua. Wanyan Hong pulled Qionghua aside and told Hua Fengchun about it. Hua Fengchun said, "It's alright, you can make your own decision." Qionghua was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to thank her master. That night, Qionghua devoted herself to serving Wanyan Hong and Hua Fengchun in bed, and the three of them enjoyed a passionate night together.

The next day, Hua Fengchun, thinking of Saihua, went to the place where she was imprisoned to see her. He found her naked, chained to an empty room with thick iron chains. It turned out that her clothes had been torn during her fight with Hua Fengchun, and she couldn't find any clothes that fit her. The guards, seeing her fierce appearance and fearing she might harm others, locked her naked in a room alone.

Hua Fengchun unlocked her chains and ordered someone to prepare a bath for her. He also found her the largest male soldier's uniform to wear and gave her a good meal. Saihua had long been subdued by Hua Fengchun, especially since he was a man even more handsome than Yu Du. She didn't know how Hua Fengchun would deal with her, but simply stood obediently beside him, like a tamed beast.

Hua Fengchun dismissed the guards, approached her, and reached inside her clothes to caress her for a while, asking, "Would you be willing to serve me?"

Saihua, panting heavily from his touch, nodded vigorously. She could hardly believe she had encountered such a wonderful opportunity.

Hua Fengchun stripped Saihua naked and held her in his arms, vigorously kneading her breasts and buttocks. Her body was covered in hair, and Hua Fengchun felt as warm and comfortable as touching the fur of a tiger or leopard. Saihua felt extremely comfortable from his touch and began to moan loudly. She opened her mouth to lick Hua Fengchun's body, like a dog licking its master. Later, Hua Fengchun mounted Saihua and fucked her hard until both of them were drenched in sweat and completely limp. Upon

hearing the news that his two daughters had been defeated and captured, the King of Pagan knew that all was lost, so he abdicated and personally went to the Ming army to surrender to Hua Fengchun. Hua Fengchun assured him that Her Majesty the Queen was kind and benevolent, and would ensure the King's future wealth and honor, and would also treat his descendants well. Since the King had surrendered, Hua Fengchun intended to return Qionghua Saihua to him. The King was deeply grateful, but Qionghua Saihua refused, insisting on staying to serve Hua Fengchun and his wife. Knowing that Hua Fengchun would not mistreat his daughters, the King said, "In that case, I entrust my two daughters to the General; please accept them."

Hua Fengchun dispatched a deputy general with 500 soldiers to escort the King and his two sons to Tokyo to see the Queen, while he and Wanyan Hong busied themselves reorganizing the army, setting up defenses, and appointing temporary officials to oversee them. Fortunately, the people of Pagan had already pledged allegiance to the Ming Dynasty, and no unrest occurred during this period. After everything in Pagan was settled, Hua Fengchun left only 3,000 Ming soldiers stationed in the Pagan capital to supervise the temporarily appointed officials, awaiting further appointments from the court. He and Wanyan Hong led the remaining 7,000 Ming soldiers and the 20,000 Pagan troops they had incorporated to Annam to support Zhang Jie.

At this time, Zhang Jie and Nguyen Van Jun had already captured Ngoc Phong, not far from the Annam capital. King Li Jinlong of Annam finally received news that his brother Li Jinhu's 20,000 troops had been completely annihilated by the Ming army, and that the vanguard, Nguyen Van Jun, had defected. Enraged, Li Jinlong wanted to execute Nguyen Van Jun's youngest son, Nguyen Hei Nhu, and her two sons-in-law, Le Duc Tho and Le Duc Cong, but was persuaded to stop by the Annam Prime Minister, Le Vinh. Le Vinh said, "Let them live; they will be of great use in the future."

Li Jinlong was only acting out of momentary anger. If he had truly killed Van Jun's son and sons-in-law, Li Jinhu's life would certainly have been in danger. Li Jinhu was nominally his brother, but in reality, he was the illegitimate son of Li Jinlong and his father's concubine, who was now the Queen Dowager. Li Jinlong and the Queen Dowager doted on Li Jinhu, and Li Jinlong even intended for him to succeed him to the throne.

The Prime Minister, Le Vinh, was the brother-in-law of Li Kim Long. He was resourceful and deeply trusted by Li Kim Long. He was also well aware of the relationship between the brothers Li Kim Long and Li Kim Hu and the Queen Mother. He offered the King a plan: “The Ming army was able to successfully pass through the valley and annihilate the Duke of Zhenguo’s forces, undoubtedly with the help of that woman, Nguyen Van Quan, and her men. If we can eliminate Nguyen Van Quan, the Ming army, unfamiliar with the terrain and the people's conditions, and lacking supplies, will be easily defeated. I predict that Nguyen Van Quan will spare the Duke of Zhenguo’s life to exchange for her son and son-in-law. At that time, we can use this opportunity to coerce them, and so on…”

Li Kim Long was overjoyed and said, “With Prime Minister Le Vinh as my advisor, how can I not defeat the Ming army?” He immediately rewarded Le Vinh with a large amount of gold and silver and sent General Li You Ting to guard the capital. He instructed him to only hold the city and not to engage in battle.

Nguyen Hong U’s husband, Le Duc Tho, and Nguyen Thanh U’s husband, Le Duc Cong, were cousins from wealthy families. They were incompetent and idled away their money, squandering the family fortune left by their fathers. Six years ago, Nguyen Van Quan was deceived by a matchmaker and brought them into her home as sons-in-law, before she had given birth to her son, Hei Yu. Later, upon learning of their character, she deeply regretted her actions. Like other纨绔子弟 (spoiled young men), they lusted after Nguyen Van Quan's beauty. One day, while Nguyen Van Quan was bathing in her room, they spied on her through the window. Later, they even dared to sneak into the room and try to rape her naked body. Nguyen Van Quan was furious and knocked them to the ground, whipping them severely. The two knelt on the ground, weeping and begging

for mercy. Nguyen Van Quan, not wanting to expose her family's shame, had no choice but to give in. King Ly Kim Long, acting on the orders of Prime Minister Le, summoned Le Duc Cong and Le Duc Tho, offering them high-ranking positions and generous salaries, and sent them back to Nguyen Van Quan's household as spies. Although they were imprisoned by the king for a time, they did not suffer much hardship. Seeing that the king needed their help, they even proposed that after the matter was accomplished, they should be given the opportunity to enjoy the favor of the king's mother, Ruan Wenjun. Li Jinlong agreed verbally, but inwardly he sneered: Ruan Wenjun was the woman he had set his sights on; how could he give her to someone else?

Meanwhile, Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong secretly led their troops across the border into Annam, where they joined forces with Zhang Jie and Ruan Wenjun's troops. Zhang Jie introduced them to Ruan Wenjun. At this time, Ruan Wenjun had already been appointed by Empress Hu Sanniang as the military advisor of the Ming Dynasty's southern expeditionary army.

Ruan Wenjun recognized the two sisters, Qionghua and Saihua, who followed Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong. She said to Zhang Jie and Hua Fengchun, "With the help of the Qionghua and Saihua sisters, we will be more confident in taking the capital of Annam."

Qionghua Saihua replied, "Military Advisor Ruan, we will do whatever you ask, even at the cost of our lives." Wenjun then revealed her plan, and Zhang Jie and Hua Fengchun both exclaimed, "This plan is brilliant!"

Zhang Jie and Ruan Wenjun sent a messenger to the capital of Annam, demanding that Li Jinhu be exchanged for Ruan Heiyu and Wenjun's two sons-in-law. Prime Minister Le Yong told the messenger, "Ruan Wenjun has betrayed the King's kindness by surrendering to the Ming Dynasty, and now she wants to ransom her sons. This is truly wishful thinking! Go back and tell her that the King will not agree to her request, even if he were to sacrifice the life of the Duke of Zhenguo, unless she comes to ransom him herself. If she does not come within three days, her son and two sons-in-law will be dead!" The messenger had no choice but to return and report.

Upon hearing the news, Wenjun was terrified and, filled with worry for her son's life, locked herself in her room and wept uncontrollably. Zhang Jie and her daughters came to comfort and console her, but Wenjun cried until she was hoarse and fainted. After being revived, she said to Zhang Jie, "My husband and I were very loving when he was alive, and we only had this one son. I want to use myself to redeem him and repay my husband's kindness."

Zhang Jie said, "Military Advisor Ruan, you must not do that! Going there would be like walking into the tiger's den. We should discuss

this further." Ruan Wenjun dismissed her daughters, leaving only Zhang Jie, and said, "My mind is made up, General. There's no need to persuade me further. That Li Jinlong has always coveted my beauty; he certainly wouldn't want to kill me. I've thought this over carefully. Once he has me, he will be more at ease, which will make it easier to implement our plan." As she spoke, she pulled Zhang Jie close and whispered in his ear for a while.

Zhang Jie felt somewhat relieved after hearing Ruan Wenjun's plan. However, he had already fallen deeply in love with Ruan Wenjun, and how could he bear to send her to that dangerous place?

Ruan Wenjun saw through his thoughts and said solemnly, "General, you are leading troops in the field. You must not let personal feelings interfere with important military and national affairs, and betray the Empress's trust in you. You and General Hua Fengchun must stabilize the morale of the troops and not lose your composure no matter what happens. If I cannot return, I entrust these five daughters to you. I have written my last words for my daughters here, please keep them safe."

Zhang Jie could only nod in agreement, and tearfully accepted Wenjun's last words and put them in his bosom. Ruan Wenjun then called her five daughters in and gave them some instructions, and then made preparations for the ransom. Hongyu, Qingyu, and the others were heartbroken, but Wenjun was usually very strict with them, and they dared not disobey their mother's orders.

The next day, Zhang Jie led his troops to escort Ruan Wenjun to the capital of Annam. Li Jinlong and Li Yong were overjoyed to hear that Ruan Wenjun was indeed willing to use herself to ransom her son. They led their army out of the city and exchanged Nguyen Hei U, Le Duc Tho, and Le Duc Cong for Nguyen Van Quan and Ly Kim Ho. Then both sides returned to their respective posts.

Ly Kim Long and Ly Kim Ho imprisoned Nguyen Van Quan in a secret chamber of the palace, heavily guarded. They hated Van Quan for betraying Annam and tortured her daily in the prison, gang-raping her. They forbade her to wear clothes; she was naked all day, chained around the neck, hands, and feet, like an animal. When her brothers (father and son) were tired of raping her, they would often shout "whore, slut!" while whipping her for their amusement. Nguyen Van Quan remained silent, enduring their humiliation, hoping only that Zhang Neng would soon lead his army to conquer the capital and rescue her.

One day, someone reported that Princess Sai Hoa of Pagan requested an audience with the king. Annam and Pagan were neighboring countries, and relations between the two nations were not usually good. Ly Kim Long, not knowing why Princess Sai Hoa wanted to see him, ordered her to be allowed into the city. Saihua entered with a guard of over two hundred men. Prime Minister Li Yong, still uneasy, assigned over a thousand soldiers to monitor Saihua's entourage.

Because of her unique appearance and figure, no one could impersonate Saihua. When Li Jinlong saw her, he confirmed she was indeed Princess Saihua, and his guard lowered. He asked, "Princess, what brings you here?"

Saihua replied, "The Ming Dynasty inexplicably sent troops to attack our country, but my sister and I led our troops to repel them. We heard that Annam has also been attacked, and my father has specially sent us to support your country. If Your Majesty is willing, we can form an alliance to resist the Ming Dynasty."

Li Jinlong said, "That's excellent. How many troops have you brought?"

Saihua replied, "Fearing another Ming attack, we have only brought 20,000 troops, led by my elder sister Qionghua, stationed outside the west gate. If needed, my father has promised to send more troops."

Li Jinlong said, "Princess, please rest. I will discuss the alliance with the Prime Minister." Saihua withdrew, and the King's trusted men arranged food and lodging for her and her soldiers.

King Li Jinlong then consulted with Prime Minister Li Yong on this matter. Li Yong said, "We must keep a close watch on Princess Saihua and prevent her from moving around freely. Tomorrow, I will go out of the city to Qionghua's camp outside the west gate to investigate. If they are indeed reinforcements from Pagan, we will join forces to attack the Ming army from both sides and ensure they do not return!" Li Jinlong nodded in agreement.

The next day, Prime Minister Li Yong led 5,000 soldiers out of the west gate to Qionghua's camp. He had met Qionghua before, and the two exchanged greetings and sat down to discuss how to defeat the Ming army. Li Yong's confidant, under the pretext of providing supplies and provisions for Qionghua's army, went to inspect and gather intelligence throughout the camp, chatting with Qionghua's soldiers. Upon returning, he reported to Li Yong that the soldiers Qionghua led were indeed genuine Pagan people and could not possibly be Ming soldiers in disguise. Li Yong was then relieved.

Li Yong and Qionghua agreed to form an alliance and agreed to launch a pincer attack on the Ming army five days later. Under the pretext of facilitating communication, he left several trusted confidants in Qionghua's army, instructing them to report the movements of the Pagan army at any time, and then returned to the city. Upon seeing Li Jinlong and Li Jinhu, Li Yong said, "Indeed, Pagan has sent troops to aid our country; the Ming army is doomed this time." At this moment, another secret report arrived, saying that a trusted confidant of Duke Zhenguo Li Jinhu had escaped from Yufeng City, which was occupied by the Ming army.

Li Jinhu called him in, and upon inspection, it was his most trusted subordinate, Li Ruhai. Li Ruhai said, "There are about ten thousand captured soldiers from Annam. Unable to bear the oppression of the Ming army, they are plotting a secret uprising to cooperate with the king's troops to defeat the Ming army."

Li Jinlong and the others were overjoyed, saying, "The Ming army is destined to be destroyed; this is the will of Heaven!" Li Ruhai volunteered to sneak back to make contact, and Li Jinlong instructed several of his trusted confidants to return with him to await the opportune moment. In fact, Li Ruhai was sent by Zhang Jie and his men according to Ruan Wenjun's plan, to boost Li Jinlong's confidence and reassure the Annamese army to fight the Ming army decisively.

After Ruan Wenjun's son, Ruan Heiyu, was redeemed, Ziyu, following her mother's instructions, temporarily entrusted him to a relative living in Chikan Village. Li Duc Tho and Li Duc Cong went to Ngoc Phong City to reunite with their wives, Ruan Hongyu and Ruan Qingyu. With Ruan Wenjun absent, they acted as the heads of the Ruan family. Because Wenjun had instructed the soldiers before leaving that they could only obey General Zhang Jie and Ruan Ziyu, the Li brothers could not command Ruan Wenjun's subordinates. They could only act arrogantly at home, issuing orders to the Ruan sisters, saying, "Mother is probably not coming back. From now on, you must all listen to us brothers."

They also knew about Ziyu's relationship with General Zhang Jie, so they dared not offend her too much, but only sought to provoke Hongyu and Qingyu. Hongyu and Qingyu were both virtuous and honest women who endured their husbands' mistreatment silently. She still couldn't escape being beaten and scolded, and every night she was tormented and couldn't sleep well. Of the five sisters, only Ruan Ziyu was the strongest and most opinionated. She had long disapproved of her two brothers-in-law's behavior. However, she was still an unmarried girl and was too embarrassed to interfere in her sisters' family affairs.

When King Li Jinlong released Li Deshou and Li Degong, he gave them a packet of poison, instructing them to poison Zhang Jie, the commander of the Ming army, when the opportunity arose. Ruan Ziyu and Zhang Jie were deeply in love, and their affair was almost an open secret in the army. During the day, Ruan Ziyu led her sisters in training the surrendered soldiers, and at night she often cooked delicious food for her lover Zhang Jie and sent it to him. Li Deshou and Li Degong thought this was a good opportunity to poison him.

One evening, Ziyu was busy in the kitchen when her second brother-in-law, Li Degong, ran to her and said that there was an argument in the camp that might lead to a fight, and told Ziyu to go and stop it quickly. Upon hearing this, Zi Yu told Lan Yu, who was nearby, to keep an eye on the fire, and then followed Li Degong to the scene of the argument. Li Deshou, who had been hiding outside, saw Zi Yu and Li Degong leave, and then, with poison tucked into his pocket, slipped in to poison her. Unexpectedly, Lan Yu was still in the kitchen. Without hesitation, Li Deshou picked up a wooden stick from the ground and struck Lan Yu on the head, knocking her unconscious . He then sprinkled the poison into the food and placed it in the bowl Zi Yu usually used to bring him. Looking around and seeing no one nearby, he carried the unconscious Lan Yu out on his shoulder.

As the saying goes, "If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it in the first place." Bai Yu saw Li Deshou leaving. Seeing her brother-in-law carrying Lan Yu hurriedly out, she became suspicious and secretly followed. Li Deshou reached a small river, intending to throw Lan Yu in and drown her, so that no one would blame him. But looking at the delicate, pink-cheeked Lan Yu, he felt it would be a waste not to enjoy her before killing her, so he stripped her naked, tore her clothes to strips, bound her hands and feet, gagged her, and began to rape her. Lan Yu was awakened by the rape and, seeing her brother-in-law on top of her, was both ashamed and anxious, struggling desperately. But with her hands and feet bound, how could she possibly fight off Li Deshou? Li Deshou continued to rape her while grinning maliciously.

Bai Yu, hiding behind a tree, saw Lan Yu being humiliated and was extremely anxious. She dared not make a sound, afraid of alerting Li Deshou. Usually, her brother-in-law Li Deshou was always lustful towards her, often reaching under her clothes to caress and pinch her breasts and buttocks when no one was around. She would hide from him like a mouse before a cat. After thinking for a moment, she retraced her steps, intending to go back and call her sisters to rescue Lan Yu. When she returned to the kitchen, she saw Zi Yu carrying a bowl, about to take it to Zhang Jie. She went to the military camp but didn't see any fighting; Li Degong thought it might have broken up before it even started. When she returned, Lan Yu was gone. The food she had prepared was already in a bowl, so she picked it up and headed out the door.

Bai Yu, panting, told Zi Yu that Lan Yu had been harassed by her brother-in-law by the river. Zi Yu was furious and ran after her to the river, throwing down the bowl she was carrying. When she reached the river, Lan Yu had already been raped unconscious by Li Deshou, who was about to throw her into the river. Zi Yu shouted, "Stop!"

Seeing Zi Yu, Li Deshou knew he had been exposed and drew his sword to strike her. Zi Yu had arrived in such a hurry that she hadn't brought a long weapon, only a foot-long waist knife. Li Deshou was a despicable man, but his martial arts skills were considerable. Zi Yu's martial arts skills were passed down from her mother, and she could have easily defeated Li Deshou. However, she was at a disadvantage due to her weapon, and Li Deshou hacked at her repeatedly, leaving a gash on her arm from which blood flowed freely. Seeing Zi Yu injured, Li Deshou became even more frenzied, attacking her to kill her and silence her. Zi Yu dodged left and right, and just as she was about to be killed, a sharp cry rang out, and a long sword flew from afar, embedding itself in Li Deshou's back, the tip piercing through his chest. Li Deshou cried out and fell to the ground.

Zi Yu breathed a sigh of relief, her vision blurred, and she was about to collapse when Hong Yu rushed over and caught her. It turned out that Bai Yu couldn't keep up with Zi Yu's speed and had fallen behind, encountering her elder sister Hong Yu on the way. Hong Yu, having heard Bai Yu's story, also rushed to the riverbank with her sword, throwing it at the last moment to save Zi Yu. Hong Yu bandaged Zi Yu's wound, and the two then went to revive Lan Yu. Since marrying Li Deshou, Hongyu had often been verbally abused and beaten by him, but she always endured it silently, never complaining to her mother. Today, she killed her husband to save her sister, which could be considered revenge for the past.

At this moment, Baiyu and Qingyu arrived, and the five sisters embraced and wept together. Ziyu was the first to regain her senses. She said, "This matter is too strange. Lanyu was with me at the time. Li Degong lured me away from the kitchen before Li Deshou attacked Lanyu. They must have something to do with each other. We must report to General Zhang Jie and find Li Degong as soon as possible." The sisters all nodded in agreement. The eldest sister, Hongyu, carried the poorly clothed Lanyu on her back, and the group headed towards Zhang Jie's residence.

Zhang Jie, upon hearing this, felt that Ziyu's words made sense, so he sent his personal guards to search for Li Degong inside and outside the military camp. In fact, Li Degong had not gone far. After luring Ziyu away, he returned home, drank a pot of wine, and then fell asleep. Qingyu went with everyone to look for Li Degong but couldn't find him. When she returned home, she found Li Degong lying on the bed, snoring loudly. Qingyu hurriedly went out and called Hongyu and Ziyu. The three of them tied up the still-sleepy Li Degong and carried him to the General's council hall.

When Le Duc Cong awoke, he found himself tied to a pillar in the General's Council Hall. Zhang Jie, hand on his sword, glared at him, and beside him stood a dozen or so guards armed with swords and spears, along with the Nguyen sisters. He inwardly groaned: Le Duc Tho must have made a mistake. Terrified of death, he knelt on the ground with a thud, crying out, "General, spare my life! King Li Jinlong and Le Duc Tho forced me to do all this!" Zhang Jie, upon hearing this, thought to himself, "They really have a scheme." He remained silent, but his gaze grew increasingly sharp. Le Duc Cong trembled under his gaze and confessed everything, even revealing that the king had promised to bestow his mother-in-law, Nguyen Van Quan, upon them after the deed was done.

Now the truth was revealed. The five Nguyen sisters trembled with rage, speechless. Zhang Jie asked Zi Yu how to deal with Le Duc Cong, and Zi Yu looked at her sister, Qing Yu. Qing Yu remained silent, walked to Le Duc Cong, drew her dagger, and plunged it into his heart. Li Degong cried out and died.

Too much had happened that day. The five Ruan sisters returned to their lodgings, ate, bathed, and lay down in one room. But they couldn't fall asleep. Zi Yu got up and said, "Let's all go sleep with the General." So the five women went to Zhang Jie's bedside and squeezed onto his bed, still fully clothed. Zi Yu hugged Zhang Jie, while Hong Yu and Qing Yu, one with Lan Yu and the other with Bai Yu, nestled beside him. Soon they all fell asleep.

The next day, Zhang Jie woke up to find Zi Yu already up preparing food. Hong Yu and Qing Yu were still asleep, their full breasts almost pressed against Zhang Jie's face. Lan Yu and Bai Yu, on either side of Zhang Jie, were fast asleep, each with one arm around Zhang Jie's thigh. Zhang Jie tried to quietly get up, but accidentally disturbed Hong Yu and Qing Yu. They woke up shyly, blushing, and silently removed Lan Yu and Bai Yu from Zhang Jie's lap, placing them aside to sleep.

Zi Yu entered and saw the three standing there awkwardly. She took Zhang Jie's hand and led him to another room, then turned and left. Zhang Jie was wondering what she meant when Zi Yu pushed Hong Yu and Qing Yu in, then locked the door from the outside. Zhang Jie thought, "Zi Yu said she wanted to repay me that day, could it be..." Before he could think further, Hong Yu and Qing Yu, their faces flushed, came over and began to undress him. Zhang Jie began to caress their mature, full bodies, and the two women couldn't help but gasp. They were gentle and virtuous women, but unfortunately, they had married husbands who lacked character and masculinity. Now they had finally given themselves to the men they loved. They hadn't said a word from beginning to end, but Zhang Jie clearly sensed their pleasure. Meanwhile,

Li Jinlong and Li Jinhu were in the capital, preparing to deliver a final blow to the Ming army. On the appointed day with the Pagan army, Li Yong's trusted confidant in Pagan reported that Princess Qionghua had led a large army to encircle the Ming army at Yufeng City. Li Jinlong was overjoyed and personally led 70,000 elite Annamese troops, along with Prime Minister Li Yong and General Li Youting, out of the capital and headed towards Ngoc Phong City, leaving only Li Jinhu and 10,000 soldiers to guard the capital.

Zhang Jie and the Nguyen sisters had already formed ranks outside Ngoc Phong City to meet the enemy. Seeing that the enemy force numbered less than 20,000, Li Jinlong concentrated his forces, preparing to break through the enemy's defenses in one fell swoop. He believed that with the Pagan army attacking from behind enemy lines and the Annamese soldiers under Zhang Jie mutiny, the Ming army would surely be routed.

However, he had not anticipated the powerful artillery of the Ming army. Just as Li Jinlong was about to launch his attack, a deafening roar came from the opposite side, and the densely packed Annamese army was hit hard. Initially, Li Jinlong hadn't taken the artillery seriously; the Annamese army also had cannons, and he assumed the Ming army's cannons were similar, only good for intimidation. But the cannon fire continued relentlessly, and many soldiers were hit, their own ranks torn apart by blood and gore, filled with cries of agony.

At this moment, Zhang Jie and the Nguyen sisters began their charge with their army. Despite their low morale and chaotic formation, Li Jinlong refused to retreat, waiting for a pincer attack from the Pagan army and a mutiny by the Annamese troops. But as time passed without any movement, the battlefield turned into a one-sided massacre, with the Annamese army surrendering en masse. Seeing the situation was dire, Li Yong and Li Youting urgently urged King Li Jinlong to retreat to protect himself. Before Li Jinlong could give the order, a deafening battle cry erupted from behind. Hua Fengchun and Wanyan Hong arrived with seven thousand fresh troops, instantly closing the distance to within half a mile of the king. In

this critical moment, General Li Youting led three thousand royal guards to intercept Hua Fengchun's army. Hua Fengchun's arrows were unerring, and he shot down several Annamese officers charging at the front. Upon seeing this, the other soldiers shouted and retreated like a tide, disrupting the ranks of the troops behind them. Li Youting yelled and cursed at the top of his lungs, but unexpectedly, Hua Fengchun shot an arrow that pierced through the chest, killing a soldier following behind. The soldiers near Li Youting were terrified and knelt down, surrendering their weapons.

In the end, only King Li Jinlong and his prime minister Li Yong remained, leading fewer than two thousand soldiers in a desperate resistance. The Ming army grew larger and larger, and Li Jinlong, knowing defeat was inevitable, committed suicide by sword. Li Yong was hacked to pieces in the chaos. The battle ended in a complete victory for the Ming army.

After his previous capture, Li Jinhu dared not underestimate the enemy again. He commanded ten thousand Annamese soldiers to patrol the city day and night. But what he feared most came to pass: less than two days after the king's army left the city, a fire broke out in the city's grain storage area. Li Jinhu rushed to put out the fire, but then a fire broke out in the palace. These were the work of Nguyen Van Quan's men who had infiltrated the city and the two hundred men brought by Sai Hua. Li Jinhu was exhausted from running around. Suddenly, someone reported, "The west gate has been opened by spies, and 20,000 Bagan troops, under the command of Princess Qionghua, have stormed into the city."

Li Jinhu realized he had fallen into an enemy trap, and his brother (father) Li Jinlong was likely in grave danger. He thought of Ruan Wenjun, still imprisoned in the palace, and rode back quickly to personally dismember that vile woman. Ruan Wenjun was still naked and locked in her cell. Although she was unaware of the commotion outside, she knew that the Li brothers hadn't come to rape her for the past two days, so she assumed the military situation was urgent and her rescue was likely imminent. Just then, Li Jinhu kicked open the cell door and burst in. He knew Ruan Wenjun was bound hand and foot and unable to move, and had entered alone.

Li Jinhu's eyes blazed with fury as he stared at Ruan Wenjun. Ruan Wenjun smiled, which only fueled Li Jinhu's rage. He drew his sharp blade and charged forward, aiming a powerful stab at Wenjun's naked body. Wenjun staggered, and he missed, falling to the ground. Wenjun straddled his back and used the iron chain in her hand to tighten around his neck. He screamed and struggled desperately, but the chain tightened further, and soon his eyes bulged out; he was strangled to death.

Li Jinhu's personal guards, hearing the commotion outside, initially paid no attention, as there had always been a great commotion whenever Li Jinhu came to rape Ruan Wenjun. Later, sensing something was wrong, they rushed into the cell with knives and spears. They were stunned to find Li Jinhu strangled to death on the ground. Ruan Wenjun smiled calmly and said to them, "The capital of Annam will soon be conquered by the Ming army. If you want to live, release me now." The guards hesitated for a moment, then came over, untied the iron chains binding her, and found her clothes to wear. Nguyen Van Jun walked freely out of the palace, followed by a group of guards protecting her—the same guards of Li Jin Hu.

Empress Hu San Niang received reports from Zhang Jie and Hua Feng Chun that Bagan and Annam had been captured, and was overjoyed. She bestowed upon Zhang Jie the title of Marquis of Pingnan, upon Hua Feng Chun the title of Marquis of Changsheng, and upon Nguyen Van Jun the title of Princess of Nanguo. The five Nguyen sisters and Qionghua Saihua also received rewards. She urged Zhang Jie, Hua Feng Chun, and Nguyen Van Jun to continue their efforts, capture Siam, and then return to the capital to celebrate their victory.

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Chapter Twenty-Three of Hu Sanniang's Amorous History: Unstoppable Force in the Conquest of Pagan, and Deceptive Tactics in the Taking of Annam

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