Dynasty Secrets 4: The Bloody Battle of Taishun

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Chapter Four: The Bloody Battle of Taishun The next morning, when Li Huaxin woke up, she found herself still entwined with her nephew, their limbs intertwined. His shrunken penis was still inside her vagina. Overwhelmed with shyness, she gently moved, trying to break free from Han Qing's embrace. However, due to their close contact, this movement immediately woke Jiang Han Qing. Opening his eyes and looking at Li Huaxin, now his woman, Jiang Han Qing smiled slightly and began to stroke her buttocks, which had been ravaged the previous night. "Ouch... Qing'er, be gentle! Fifth Mother still hurts! You hit me too hard last night!" Li Huaxin, acting like a little girl in heat, rested her head on Jiang Han Qing's chest and said in a coquettish voice, seemingly forgetting that she was old enough to be the mother of the man before her. "Hehe... You couldn't take it after just a few touches last night? You still dare to come for tonight's main event?" "I can't bear to part with you, what can I do? The thought of you leaving right after I became your woman makes me so sad! And you're still here laughing at me." Li Huaxin pouted and lightly punched Jiang Hanqing's chest. "Alright! I know it's for me, Fifth Sister. I love Fifth Sister to death too!" "Oh! By the way, this room is so well-equipped, have you brought many women here to play?" Li Huaxin asked jealously, suddenly remembering this. "Women have definitely come in, otherwise do you think these things are just for decoration? But not many, just one!" Jiang Hanqing said smugly. "What? What kind of woman?" Li Huaxin's eyes clearly showed jealousy towards the woman who came here before her and was played with by Hanqing. "Hehe! Is Fifth Sister jealous?" "Hmph!...I am jealous, so what?" Li Huaxin said, forcing a smile. "Haha! Not really. But, Fifth Sister, do you really want to know what kind of women I used to bring here to play?" "Yes! What, you don't want to tell me?" "No! I'm afraid that if I tell you, Fifth Sister, it will scare you!" Jiang Hanqing was excited, thinking about the horrified reaction Li Huaxin would have if he told her that he brought his mother to this room to humiliate her. His penis, still inserted in Li Huaxin's vagina, immediately became erect. "You...what kind of woman are you? That you can feel this way just thinking about her..." Feeling the penis in her vagina rapidly swell and harden, Li Huaxin was filled with even more jealousy towards that woman. "I'll tell you! It's my mother! Haha!" Jiang Hanqing put his mouth close to Li Huaxin's ear and deliberately lowered his voice. "You...what did you say...?" Upon hearing this, Li Huaxin immediately sat up in terror, tilting her head to assess his expression and credibility. "Hehe...I said I brought my mother here to play with her just like I played with you yesterday!" Jiang Hanqing grinned at his aunt's violent reaction. "You...are you crazy...how could you joke about your own mother like that!" Li Huaxin's face was filled with shock and disbelief. "Haha! You think I'm talking nonsense! Let me tell you! I'm telling the truth! Haha! You see your mother looking so righteous, right? Let me tell you, she's even more slutty and shameless here than you. The way I'm going to play with you tonight has already been exhausted from using on my mother. Otherwise, how do you think I practiced all those tricks on you last night? Let me tell you, I practiced them on my mother every day!" "Impossible, how could Sister Feng...with...with you...!" Li Huaxin murmured. "Hmph! Let me tell you, the person I love most in this world is my mother, and the second is you! Fifth Sister, think about it, since you can sleep with me, why can't my mother?" "That's different! We're not related by blood! But your mother and you!" "So what if she's my mother! I slept with her, and I still slept with her! Not a single hair was lost! Not only will I sleep with my mother, but one day I'll marry her." Jiang Hanqing said very seriously. "My God! Qing'er, you'll be condemned by millions for doing this!" Li Huaxin looked at the serious-faced Jiang Hanqing in astonishment, finding it unbelievable that he would have such thoughts. "Hmph! One day I will do it!" Jiang Hanqing's eyes shone with longing, as if he could already see that scene becoming a reality. Seeing his expression, Li Huaxin knew that he had already made up his mind, and there was no point in saying anything more, so she stopped talking and changed the subject to talking to him about other things in bed. After a long while, Jiang Hanqing said to her, "Alright, Fifth Sister. It's already dawn, you should go back. If the rest of the family finds out you spent the night here, we'll be in trouble. Go back and rest for a bit, then come back to keep me company tonight. I also have to meet with the men who accompanied Jiang Hanqing to Qiu Te later." Although she was reluctant to leave Jiang Hanqing, she knew he was right; their illicit affair absolutely could not be known to anyone in the Jiang family. With no other choice, Li Huaxin got up, dressed, helped Jiang Hanqing get up, and then, led by him, left the secret room. Reluctantly promising to see him again that night, Li Huaxin returned to her own courtyard. Shortly after Li Huaxin left, the men who had accompanied Jiang Hanqing to Qiu Te gradually arrived at the courtyard, gathering together to await his instructions. After a while, Lin Fengxian came in and reported to him, "Brother Qing, all eighteen brothers are here! What do you think…" "Alright, let's go out!" After saying that, he got up and walked out, and Lin Fengxian quickly followed behind. A group of young people who were talking quietly in the courtyard immediately stopped talking and stood straight in place when they saw him come out. Looking at this group of elite young people from the family that he had carefully selected, Jiang Hanqing was filled with emotion. In the coming months, he would lead this group of young people who were about his age to fight for the future of the family. He didn't know how many of them would never see the sun in the capital again after leaving here. But he was certain that those who came back alive this time would definitely become capable people who could stand on their own, and he had enough confidence that he could win them over through this journey and make them a strong support for his future career. He cleared his throat and walked to stand on the steps in the courtyard. The eighteen men below the stage looked with reverence at this future head of the family, a man their age who had already demonstrated extraordinary abilities. Last night, they received a notification from the head of the household that the young master had chosen them to accompany him on a crucial mission to Qiu Te, a mission vital to the family's survival. Almost all of these young men were so excited they hadn't slept, knowing that the young master's selection signified the family's highest leadership's recognition of their loyalty and abilities. And after completing this supposedly incredibly perilous mission with the young master, they would undoubtedly be considered his confidants and groomed for advancement, potentially making their dream of rising to a high position within the family a reality. Jiang Hanqing slowly surveyed the eighteen men, sensing their reverence, and nodded with satisfaction. Amidst their anticipation, he began his address: "Brothers! The place we are going to is the land of barbarians—Qu Te. I think the head of the household has already told you this, hasn't he?" "Yes, young master!" the eighteen men answered in unison. "Did the head of the household tell you the actual purpose of this trip?" "No!" The answer remained as crisp and clear as ever. "Then let me tell you, our purpose here is to help the Kingdom of Qiute defeat the Imperial army!" Jiang Hanqing said, carefully observing everyone's reactions. Almost everyone trembled slightly, but then they all immediately shouted, "Understood!" "Our mission is to teach the soldiers of the Kingdom of Qiute how to deal with the Imperial army, and if necessary, even to personally participate in the war against the Empire. Are you confident in completing the mission?" This time, everyone answered without hesitation, "Yes!""Very good! Do you understand? If any one of you had asked why we were helping the Kingdom of Qiu defeat the Empire, I would have immediately expelled him from the group. What I need is an obedient warrior who will resolutely and unwaveringly carry out my orders, not someone who asks 'why' about everything! Such a person is useless to me, and in fact, to all leaders, such a person is useless, even deserving of firm rejection. Can a lord trust a warrior who doesn't immediately obey his orders but instead hesitates and questions them? Furthermore, such a person might know too much he shouldn't, and in dangerous situations, he might unintentionally betray his lord's secrets." Jiang Hanqing paused here, then added, "Also, remember this: if I want you to know something, I will naturally tell you; if I don't tell you, it means I don't want to, and in that case, don't ask anything! Do you understand?" "Understood!" "Very well, finally I must tell you that this journey is extremely dangerous, and I cannot guarantee that I can bring every one of you home. If anyone is unwilling to go, step forward now, and I will not blame them!" "We are willing to follow our young master, even if it means going through fire and water!" "Very good! Everyone, go and prepare! We will depart tomorrow morning!" After finishing his instructions to the entourage, Jiang Hanqing went to his father's place. The father and son discussed how to ask the imperial censor for leave after Jiang Hanqing's departure, and what to say if the emperor asked where he had gone. Jiang Haoyu gave him a long lecture on what to be careful about on the road, and finally told him, "Your mission is very secretive and cannot be publicized, so I will not see you off tomorrow. When the time comes, you can set off on your own!" After saying a solemn goodbye to his father, Jiang Hanqing returned to his room. Nothing happened that day, and after dinner in the evening, Li Huaxin came to his room. Without a word, Jiang Hanqing immediately led her into the secret room, beginning their final, frenzied farewell. The two naked people embraced and kissed face-to-face. "Qing'er! Come, punish this lewd woman!" Speaking these words in a passionate tone, Li Huaxin had truly entered a masochistic state. Since her aunt had made such a request, Jiang Hanqing naturally wouldn't be polite. With a rough shove, Li Huaxin fell to the ground. A black leather collar was thrown on the ground in front of her. "You filthy bitch, put this on yourself!" Her nephew's cold voice was devoid of any emotion. "No! I can't!" Although she had fallen to this state, she was still a woman of noble birth. When her nephew wanted her to wear the dog collar, Li Huaxin's remaining sense of shame immediately made her refuse his request. With a "crack," the leather whip in Jiang Hanqing's hand lashed her buttocks. "You slut, didn't you promise me you'd let me do whatever I wanted with you? Why are you going back on your word now! Fuck!" "Ah!...It hurts...please have mercy...this is a dog collar...how can I...ah!..." Li Huaxin's words were abruptly cut off as Jiang Hanqing lashed her vulva with his whip. "You bitch! Isn't this dog collar perfect for your sex slave status? Put it on right now!" With that, Jiang Hanqing kicked her, sending her sprawling to the ground. He then spread her thighs and began whipping her delicate vulva. "Ah!" The pain from the whip made Li Huaxin's eyes roll back, but her violently parted vulva began to flow with lustful fluids again. Under her nephew's violence, Li Huaxin had no choice but to submit in a lowly manner. Amidst her nephew's mocking laughter, she placed the dog collar, a symbol of her degrading status, around her neck. At this moment, Jiang Hanqing walked over and tied a rope to the eye of the dog collar around his aunt's neck. Then, he led his aunt around the room. Li Huaxin was thus humiliated by her nephew, crawling on the ground like a dog. If she paused even slightly, Jiang Hanqing's leather whip would lash her back and buttocks. Because crawling on all fours was extremely strenuous, coupled with the humiliation her nephew inflicted on her dignity, after circling the room twice, Li Huaxin was drenched in sweat. Sweat streamed down her hands and feet, leaving wet trails wherever she crawled. "Hehe... Fifth Sister, you're such a slutty bitch!" "Yes! I'm Qing'er's bitch!" Stimulated by perverse lust, Li Huaxin said these words without hesitation. "Alright, now stand up!" Jiang Hanqing forcefully pulled the rope upwards, and Li Huaxin, in pain, had no choice but to stand up. "Come on! Enjoy this." Jiang Hanqing was holding a short iron chain with small clips at both ends. "What's this?" Although she didn't know what it was for, Li Huaxin knew it couldn't be anything good. Sure enough, her nephew's answer made her gasp. "Well... hehe... it's used to clip onto your nipples, Fifth Aunt." "No! How can that be? It'll hurt like hell!" The cruel nephew didn't care about his poor aunt's reaction. He grabbed the dog collar around her neck and pulled her into his arms. Then, ignoring her protests, he clipped the clips onto her erect nipples. "Ah!" Li Huaxin trembled and let out a groan. When the clips were on her nipples, they hurt, but a strange pleasure also arose. Jiang Hanqing pulled on the iron chain as he walked around the room. Li Huaxin's nipples were pulled forward, forcing her to hunch her way along with her nephew, her breasts sticking out. Her vaginal fluids dripped down her thighs. "Haha, this feels good, doesn't it! Does this slutty bitch like it best?" Jiang Hanqing asked, finally stopping. "Yes... I like it... Please forgive my lewdness, Master!" "Alright! That's enough for today! I'll train you properly next time I come back! Now it's your main meal! Do you want it?" "Yes... I want Master's big cock!" Hearing that they could finally have sex, Li Huaxin smiled seductively, seemingly drooling. Laughing loudly, Jiang Hanqing walked triumphantly towards his obedient sex slave. He wanted to properly reward his little brother before leaving the capital. This night was truly a blissful one for him. The next morning, Jiang Hanqing saw off Li Huaxin, who was reluctant to part with him, and immediately set off with Lin Fengxian and eighteen attendants. His warhorse galloped out of the city gate of the Jiang family compound. He knew that from this day forward, he would resolutely continue on the path of conquering the world, even if this path was filled with dangers, failures, and even death. He would not and could not retreat. The victor is king, the loser is villain; history would ultimately judge his gains and losses, and history awaited his writing. As their mounts galloped out of Chengtian Gate, the east gate of Yong'an Prefecture in the capital, Jiang Hanqing couldn't help but rein in his horse and turn back to look at the magnificent gate tower. At this moment, Chengtian Gate was bathed in golden sunlight, the glazed tiles on the tower shining brightly, boasting the empire's current strength. Banners fluttered on the city walls, and spears and halberds stood tall, giving all those who came to the imperial capital for the first time a strong sense of the empire's power to subdue all barbarians and dominate the eight directions. Above the gate, three large, gleaming golden characters were engraved on the plaque—"Chengtian Gate." For centuries, it had silently watched over the imperial subjects hurrying past beneath it, witnessing the rise and fall of the empire. Looking at this city that had dominated the world for millennia, and seeing the heroic tales that had unfolded here over the centuries, Jiang Hanqing felt a surge of pride. He secretly vowed, "Yong'an Prefecture! Yong'an Prefecture! Just you wait! I will personally write a new history for you! One day, I will become your master!" He spurred his horse, shouted "Giddy up!" and his warhorse galloped off like an arrow along the official road. Lin Fengxian and the eighteen riders hurriedly urged their mounts on, following closely behind. The group kicked up clouds of dust, seemingly enveloping even Chengtian Gate in a cloud of smoke. Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, the Qiu Te people were besieging a small county town desperately resisting their attack. This town was called Taishun City. It was small, only three miles in circumference, and before the battle, it housed three thousand households, totaling over eight thousand residents. Although the city is named Taishun, it is actually far from peaceful and harmonious.Taishun City sits atop a slightly elevated hill where the plains meet the mountains. Its east, north, and west sides are surrounded by towering, desolate mountains, while its south gate faces a large slope extending into the plains. A hundred li south of here lies the official road connecting Yong'an Prefecture to the vast eastern lands of the empire. Normally, this hundred-li distance is an extremely long journey for ordinary people. Coupled with its proximity to barren mountains and the surrounding infertile land, almost no one is willing to migrate here during this peaceful era; on the contrary, more and more people are leaving. Thirty years ago, the city had over five thousand households; now, only half that remains. Due to the harsh living conditions and fierce competition, the local people have historically been known for their fierce nature, with fights and even deaths occurring frequently. As the Qiu Te cavalry sped westward along the official road, they paid little attention to this small city, seemingly far removed from the main road. The army continued westward, but because five hundred imperial soldiers had fled to this city after their defeat, the Qiu people sent a small detachment of two thousand men to attack it. Unexpectedly, in this time of national crisis, the fiercely independent people of the region spontaneously rallied to fight for their country. Their fearless courage astonished even the scholars who usually looked down on them. Who could have imagined that the unruly and uncivilized people, usually seen as arrogant by the officials, would now transform into passionate patriots? While local officials fled, over two thousand able-bodied men in Taishun City spontaneously organized into a volunteer army, determined to unite and fight the invading Qiu people. The city would stand or fall. When this decision was made, not a single woman, young or old, in the city objected. Everyone was determined to die rather than surrender, to fight the barbarians to the bitter end. Together with the five hundred soldiers who had fled there, they elected the only officer among the soldiers, a battalion commander named Fan Hu, as their leader. When the Qiut people, arrogant and overconfident from their victory, swaggered towards them, this volunteer army launched a surprise attack, routing the enemy and even killing their deputy commander. Before the enemy could react to their defeat that same day, they, with few horses, galloped over a hundred li (approximately 50 kilometers) and, in the dead of night, raided an enemy supply convoy on the main road, burning a large quantity of provisions. This enraged the Qiut people, who finally began to take this seemingly insignificant town seriously. They understood that while a hundred li (approximately 50 kilometers) from the main road might seem far to ordinary people in peacetime, it was far too close in war. Three days later, twenty thousand Qiut warriors surrounded the town, beginning a relentless siege day and night. Although the people of this small town had recently inflicted two minor defeats on them, the sheer disparity in troop strength still convinced the commanding general that he could easily conquer this tiny city. So, without even preparing siege equipment, the Qut people launched their attack. Two days later, after leaving over 1,500 corpses at the city walls, the Qut people realized this town was unlike any they had encountered before; they would not admit defeat until the very last man. When the commanding general—the renowned Qut general Hua Tianwei—clearly saw that among the defenders on the city walls were elderly people, women, and even children, a hint of surprise and admiration finally appeared on his usually indifferent face. That night, in an urgent military intelligence report to the commander of the Qiu Te vanguard—the Imperial Uncle Han Xionglie—the general described the enemy's resistance as follows: "All those capable of walking are fighting to the death, including women and children. Their ferocity is unprecedented since the start of the campaign!" He made this request to the Imperial Uncle: "Our army of 20,000 men, with soldiers fighting desperately, attacking by day and raiding by night, has achieved very little success due to the lack of siege equipment, and has suffered many casualties. I humbly request that the Imperial Uncle quickly provide some siege equipment, then the fall of this city will be within reach!" When Han Xionglie saw the military intelligence report, he was furious. He said to his men, "These scoundrels attacked a tiny city with 20,000 troops and failed! This is a disgrace to the nation! How dare we ask for more?! If the Emperor finds out, how can we escape punishment?" Although he was angry, he knew the situation was urgent and had no choice but to immediately send 10,000 reinforcements with siege engines, catapults, ladders, and other siege equipment. He thought that with this, the city would be captured soon. However, three days passed, and the small city remained unyielding despite being besieged by 30,000 enemy troops. The people inside were exhausted but still fought to the death. This time, even the Queen of Qiute knew of the city's existence. Autumn, September 30th, fifth year of Taiping Zhenzhi, afternoon, Taishun City. Fan Hu, his eyes bloodshot, stood on the city wall, observing the enemy camp and their movements. The enemy launched their offensive this morning, with over five thousand troops simultaneously attacking the city from the east and south. Stones and arrows rained down from both the city walls and the ground. The morning's attack lasted a full two hours, and as usual, the enemy retreated again half an hour ago after leaving behind hundreds of corpses. The city's defenders used this time to fill their stomachs, awaiting the next enemy attack. At this moment, Fan Hu felt no joy at repelling the enemy's attack. Looking at his comrades, exhausted and sprawled on the ground, at the women and children who, like the men, hadn't slept a wink for five days and five nights while assisting in the defense, and at the corpses of fallen soldiers burning at the foot of the city walls, he knew clearly that the city was about to fall. Seeing no major activity within the enemy camp, he figured they wouldn't launch a new attack anytime soon. He breathed a sigh of relief, sat down on the ground, leaned against the city wall, and closed his eyes to rest. For the past ten days or so, he hadn't actually slept more than two hours a day. The cold city wall behind him felt comforting after a fierce battle, his body drenched in sweat, and his weary mind cleared considerably. This temporary respite allowed him time to recall the events of the past ten days. Ten days earlier, he and his unit, part of a city's garrison, had faced the Qiut army. Faced with the fierce Qiut cavalry, the pampered imperial garrison quickly crumbled. Helpless, he fled west with the others, only to become separated from the main force. Following several hundred brothers in a daze, he somehow ended up in Taishun City, over a hundred li away from the main road. Here, as the city's only officer, he was elected leader by the determined populace, who were determined to fight to the death against the enemy. He finally had the opportunity to showcase his military talents, which had been buried by incompetent superiors in the imperial army. In eight days, this ragtag force had killed nearly eight thousand Qiut soldiers—a feat he could be very proud of. But now, this volunteer army was finally exhausted and on the verge of annihilation. Opening his eyes and looking at the soldiers and civilians around him, he couldn't help but sigh. So many days of life-and-death struggles had forged a deep bond between him and these people he had never met before. He didn't know when this isolated city would fall; perhaps it could hold out for a few more days, perhaps even today. Then, these brave citizens of the empire… His vision blurred, and something seemed to choke him. Looking at the teenager sleeping beside him, mumbling in his sleep, he seemed to see the tragic scene of the child being cleaved in two by enemy soldiers after the city fell. His chest heaved rapidly; he quickly took a deep breath to calm himself, then shook his head vigorously, trying to banish these terrifying thoughts from his mind. He was now the commander of this city; he couldn't show any weakness. He couldn't let everyone lose their will to resist, even though they were already in despair. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a commotion in the enemy camp outside the city. He quickly stood up and looked towards the enemy camp. The enemy seemed to be preparing for another attack, with large numbers of soldiers beginning to assemble and line up in the open space within the camp. He didn't rush to wake the sleeping soldiers and civilians; the enemy hadn't truly attacked yet, and waking them would be useless. It was better to let them take advantage of the time to sleep a little longer. After a while, he realized something was wrong. Generally, siege forces should take turns attacking, with one group attacking the city while the other group rests in the camp. The enemy had done the same for the past few days. But now, the entire enemy force was assembled and lined up. "Could it be that the enemy is getting impatient and preparing for a full-scale attack?" he wondered. However, the enemy's actions quickly revealed the correct answer. After lining up, the enemy troops, except for a small number who remained in the camp to guard against a counterattack from the city, all ran to both sides of the road and lined up, seemingly preparing to welcome the arrival of some important figure. Although they didn't know who the person coming was, judging from the scale of the welcome, Fan Hu estimated it to be a high-ranking military commander or a member of the royal family. Half an hour later, bugles suddenly sounded throughout the enemy camp. The defending soldiers and civilians awoke with a start, thinking the enemy was about to launch a new fierce attack, and rushed to their battle posts. When they realized that the enemy was actually welcoming someone, they couldn't help but discuss and speculate about who was coming. However, one thing they all understood was that this person's arrival would definitely bring a fierce and overwhelming offensive to Taishun City.A cloud of dust billowed in the distance, obscuring the view of anyone, but the earth began to tremble slightly. The soldiers and civilians in the city exchanged horrified glances. The sheer power of an army capable of generating such overwhelming force was unimaginable, and Fan Hu, with his rich military experience, estimated that the enemy numbered no less than fifty thousand cavalry. His heart sank; he knew that Taishun City was doomed. The earth trembled more violently, and the sound of hooves grew deafening. Finally, a cavalryman emerged from the dust, entering the scene, followed by a growing number of Qiu Te cavalrymen. Forming four neat columns, they charged towards Taishun City, a vast and seemingly endless force. In the despairing gazes of the defenders of Taishun City, the vanguard of cavalry was nearing the Qiu Te camp beneath the city walls, while seemingly endless cavalry columns continued to appear and rush in their direction. When the lead Qut cavalry charged into the camp, they didn't linger. Instead, they passed directly through the camp and formed ranks on the open ground below the city. "Brother Tiger, aren't they planning to rest before attacking the city with such a weary force?" asked an Imperial soldier standing beside him. Fan Hu shook his head heavily, and after a long pause, said, "No. They're forming ranks because they're afraid we'll launch a surprise attack when their commander enters the camp, not because they intend to attack us immediately! With their strength, they shouldn't be worried about us at all, yet they're doing this... This can only mean that the person coming has an extremely high status in the Qut Kingdom. The Qut people won't allow any accidents to happen to this person, so everything must be done in the safest way possible." "Who could this person be? Brother Tiger, can you guess?" the soldier asked curiously. Fan Hu, who was observing the Qut cavalry's attire, suddenly turned pale, his expression becoming extremely gloomy and serious, as if he had thought of something important. He shook his head and didn't answer the soldier's question. Seeing his expression, the soldier didn't dare to ask any more questions. By this time, those on the city wall had noticed that the newly arrived Qut cavalry were dressed very differently from those they had seen before. Typically, Qut cavalry wore light silver or black armor with minimal ornamentation, iron helmets with dust-proof caps, and primarily wielded scimitars. Their horses were unarmored, and their banners usually bore only the commander's surname. But the armor of these approaching Qut cavalrymen was gleaming gold, appearing extremely heavy, and engraved with numerous ferocious beasts. Besides their helmets, they also wore brass masks, leaving only their eyes exposed. Each of the four ranks of cavalry carried a different weapon: a lance, a broadsword, a scimitar, and a halberd. Their mounts were completely armored at the groin, their heads and necks encased in iron armor, leaving only their eyes visible, just like humans. Their banners did not bear the commander's surname, only an embroidered image of a tiger poised to pounce. "Could it be…could it be…they are…" Fan Hu thought of the legendary Qut army, and a wave of despair washed over him. "The Tiger Legion!" A nearby Imperial soldier cried out in terror, uttering the name Fan Hu had been muttering to himself. "What? This is the Tiger Legion!" Imperial soldiers who had heard of this army exclaimed in surprise. Although the people of Taishun City had never heard of this name, seeing the undisguised despair and terror on the faces of the brave soldiers who had fought bloody battles for days without ever retreating, they immediately understood that this army must be of great importance. They began to ask the soldiers around them. "The Tiger Legion is... the most elite force of the Qiu Te Kingdom, the army of the army composed of their most selected warriors... and also the emperor's guard army!" An Imperial soldier suddenly slumped to the ground, leaning against the city wall, throwing his weapon aside, and dejectedly uttered words that left all the surrounding people dumbfounded. As if to prove the correctness of his statement, the Qiu Te army suddenly cheered. The people on the city walls hurriedly looked up into the distance, and a huge white flag appeared in their sight, embroidered with a golden eagle spreading its wings as if about to take flight. Although none of the imperial people present had ever seen this flag before, almost everyone was thinking, "The Banner of Qiut!" Empress Han Yuexue of Qiut sat high on her warhorse, escorted by her personal guards, galloping towards the military camp in Taishun City. She wore a black-trimmed yellow cloak, dragon-embroidered boots, and a dazzling set of women's golden armor. She wore leopard-skin gloves and an eye mask. Judging from the lower half of her face not covered by the mask, her appearance was quite beautiful. Her skin was fair, her face oval, and her cherry-red lips were very rosy, making one want to remove the mask to see her full face. As Taishun City drew closer, Han Yuexue slowed her horse and nodded to her uncle Han Xionglie, who was following behind her. Han Xionglie quickly stepped forward. "Uncle, is this Taishun City?" "Yes, Your Majesty!" "Hmph! Such a small city, yet we have besieged it for five days with 30,000 iron cavalry, suffering nearly 10,000 casualties, and still haven't taken it. If every Xia Kingdom city has to be attacked like this, even if our army were ten times larger, it wouldn't make a difference! Is the enemy truly powerful? Or has Hua Tianwei become an idiot? I have come here personally to see if the enemy is as invincible as you all claim!" His voice was filled with dissatisfaction with the incompetence of his generals. "Your Majesty's divine might, with your personal command, will surely swiftly annihilate the stubborn enemy of Taishun!" The uncle, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, said fearfully. "Hmph! You're quite the talker! If every small city requires my personal command, I think this war is pointless; everyone should just go home!" After saying this, Han Yuexue ignored Han Xionglie, lashed her horse's belly with a whip, and her warhorse neighed and galloped forward. Han Xionglie hurriedly called for his attendants to follow closely. As they rode into the camp gate and prepared to dismount, Hua Tianwei had already rushed forward, trembling as he knelt before Han Yuexue's horse. Han Yuexue stepped onto his back, jumped off, and without giving him a second glance, went straight into the main tent. Hua Tianwei dared not delay and quickly got up to follow the others inside. Han Yuexue sat in the center of the tent, accepted the greetings of the camp's generals, slightly parted her lips, sipped the fragrant tea served by a maid, moistened her throat, and then turned her gaze to the trembling Hua Tianwei standing to the side. Hua Tianwei glanced furtively and saw Han Yuexue glaring at him. Terrified, he knelt on the ground with a thud, repeatedly crying out, "This humble subject deserves to die! This humble subject is incompetent, failing to breach the enemy city and causing Your Majesty's alarm. I deserve to die a thousand deaths! Please, Your Majesty, punish me!" Standing to the side, Han Xionglie, fearing she might actually order Hua Tianwei's execution in her rage, was about to plead for him when Han Yuexue spoke up: "Hua Tianwei, the failure of this campaign cannot be entirely blamed on you. Those determined to die should not be underestimated! Given the size of Xia Kingdom, I had anticipated such a group of people fighting to the death; I just didn't expect them to appear so late. Haha! Otherwise, our army's previous operations probably wouldn't have gone so smoothly!" Seeing the crowd's relieved expressions, believing she wouldn't blame Hua Tianwei, Han Yuexue suddenly raised her voice, saying, "Even so, your command was flawed. Attacking a small city with 30,000 troops for five days without success, resulting in numerous casualties, is truly culpable! The death penalty may be spared, but punishment is unforgivable! A year's salary will be deducted, and you will be demoted three ranks but allowed to serve as a penance! Do you accept this?" Hearing the Empress suddenly blame him, Hua Tianwei, who had already broken out in a cold sweat and feared for his life, breathed a sigh of relief, relieved that his life was spared. He dared not say anything more and quickly kowtowed in gratitude. After dealing with Hua Tianwei's matter, Han Yuexue announced that the entire army should rest immediately, preparing to attack Taishun City that night. Meanwhile, on the walls of Taishun City, watching the enemy troops below enter their tents to rest, Fan Hu knew another night battle was coming and ordered everyone except those on duty to rest immediately. Although Queen Qut's arrival instilled great fear in the people, exhaustion was an insurmountable obstacle. Those granted rest almost immediately fell asleep, temporarily forgetting the deadly threat posed by Queen Qut's powerful army. As night fell, torches illuminated the city walls, and everyone nervously watched the Qut camp, awaiting the attack. The Qut had begun assembling; it seemed their elite Tiger Army would not participate in the siege, as the soldiers in formation were ordinary troops who had previously participated in sieges. This offered a slight reassurance to those on the walls, though they knew the outcome would ultimately be the same. It was a bright, moonlit night, the moonlight pouring down like water, and the thousands of torches from both sides illuminated the earth as if it were daytime.Fan Hu looked up at the bright moon in the sky. The cold moonlight made him feel exceptionally lonely. How many years had he been away from his hometown? Fifteen years, perhaps? He wondered if his parents were doing well. He seemed to see the tears on his elderly parents' faces thousands of miles away. Were they also gazing at this bright moon, hoping that their unfilial son would return to see them? A tear slid down his cheek. "If I survive, I will definitely go back to see my mother immediately!" But could he survive in this situation? He didn't know, he really didn't know. He recalled the carefree days of catching shrimp and crabs with his friends in the streams of his hometown during his childhood; the hopeful looks in his parents' eyes on the morning they scrimped and saved to send him to a private school when he was a little older; the disappointment his parents felt when they learned he had joined the army after an argument; the days of high spirits and arrogance when he first joined the army; the resentment and indignation when he was oppressed; and his childhood dream of becoming a hero… “Hero…hero…sigh!” he murmured with a sigh. He now understood how heavy the hopes, disappointments, and pains the word “hero” carried! With a bitter smile, he comforted himself, “If people knew the truth about this battle, perhaps I would be fortunate enough to become what they call a hero.” “Boom…boom…boom boom…boom boom boom boom…!” The war drums of Qiu Te’s army finally sounded, jolting Fan Hu, who was lost in memories, awakening him from his reverie and reminding him that he was still commanding the battle on the battlefield. As he looked up towards the Qut army camp, the Qut royal flag was raised, hanging high on the main flagpole of the camp, fluttering fiercely in the night wind, exuding an imposing aura. It seemed that the Queen of Qut would personally oversee the battle tonight. He smiled, thinking that he really wouldn't have the chance to see the sun rise tomorrow, and turned around to order: "Prepare rolling logs and boulders! Heat the oil! Archers, take your positions!" The Qut soldiers, now in formation, suddenly looked at the banner symbolizing the honor of the Qut emperor and roared three times in unison. Then, Hua Tianwei, the general in charge of the siege, drew his gleaming sword with a whoosh and swung it forcefully, the blade pointing diagonally at Taishun City. The enemy had finally begun their formal operation. The Qut siege troops marched out of the camp in square formations, the main force arrayed five hundred paces from the city. The troops responsible for scaling the walls continued to advance, with battering rams at the very front of the column, followed by siege ladders, giant ballistae, and so on. The crisp sound of marching footsteps reached the ears of the imperial people, who stood ready on the city walls, as terrifying as a death knell. The air was thick with the scent of death, pressing down on everyone. They all felt an atmosphere completely different from the enemy's previous sieges. Looking at the fear, despair, and even numbness on the faces of those around him, Fan Hu knew that the morale of the enemy, ignited by the presence of the Queen of Qiut, had completely crushed their own fighting spirit. His soldiers had given up their last hope. Now, he had to step forward and ignite their fighting spirit, to fight the enemy to the death, to die for their dignity! He suddenly shouted, "Brothers, elders and fellow countrymen! We have been trapped here for eight days. For eight days, we have inflicted heavy casualties on the arrogant Qiut cavalry. For eight days, we have earned the enemy's respect. Now, the Queen of Qiut has personally come to preside over this battle. This shows how much the enemy values us. This is the glory of our Taishun City!" His voice echoed in the night sky, drawing everyone's attention. Looking into the trusting eyes of everyone, he suddenly felt his voice choke, but he persisted, saying, "Brothers... tonight may be the last... moment we spend together!... But... I believe... our spirit will be forever recorded in the glorious annals of the Great Xia Kingdom, and our name will resound in every corner inhabited by the Yanhuang people! Future generations will revere us as heroes! Brothers, give it your all, and let the Queen of the Qiut barbarians see what true descendants of Yanhuang are! Tell them we will never surrender! Let these barbarians know that the descendants of Yanhuang are the greatest race, invincible! The city stands, we stand; the city stands, we perish!" His voice trembled with emotion, which might have sounded ridiculous under normal circumstances, but at this moment, everyone was filled with tears and their blood boiled. Yes, how could the descendants of Yanhuang be intimidated by barbarian tribes? They would rather die than surrender! "The city stands, we stand; the city falls, we fall!" The unified shouts, the solemn tones, and the tears streaming down their faces expressed the heartfelt sentiments of the people of Taishun. "With my burning blood, I pledge my loyalty to our ancestral Yanhuang! Kill... Ah!... Ya!" Fan Hu roared hoarsely and hoarsely. "Kill... Ah... Ya...!" Young warriors, the elderly, women, and children all screamed with all their might, roaring out the indomitable spirit of the people of Taishun. Swords and blades were raised high in the air, waving at the slowly approaching enemy. Tears streamed down everyone's face, but no one wiped them away. These were the tears of heroes, tears that would be forever etched in the annals of the empire and remembered by future generations! Watching the enemy shouting and screaming on the walls of Taishun, Han Yuexue's face, hidden behind a mask, revealed no emotion. However, the skin tone of her chin appeared strangely pale in the moonlight; perhaps she was already turning ashen with rage. She turned to Han Xionglie and said, "It seems our army's morale has been suppressed by the enemy. Beat the siege drums and suppress their arrogance! You go to the front to supervise the troops; anyone who retreats even a step will be executed!" Han Xionglie hurriedly bowed and obeyed, then spurred his horse forward. A moment later, the Qiu Te army's war drums sounded. Hearing the order to attack, Hua Tianwei forcefully swung his longsword twice in the air and ordered, "Archers, step forward! Prepare the giant crossbows!" The Qiu Te army archers, longbows in hand, ran out from the ranks, forming two lines at the front. They drew a long arrow from their quivers and planted it in front of them, then attached an arrow to the bowstring, raising it diagonally upwards towards the sky above the Taishun city walls, awaiting their commander's command to fire at the enemy city. The giant crossbows on the carts were raised, their angle adjusted, and ten bolts were loaded into their quivers for a volley. Seeing his men ready, Hua Tianwei raised his longsword high and brought it down heavily. "Release the arrows!" In an instant, a rain of arrows fell upon the small city walls of Taishun. "Assault team, attack!" At the command, the already prepared assault troops roared, pushing siege carts and ladders, carrying makeshift ladders as they charged towards the city walls. The drums in the main camp also quickened their pace accordingly. The small moat beneath Taishun had long been filled in by the Qiu Te army, and the assault troops quickly reached the walls, propping their ladders against the walls and beginning their ascent. The defenders of Taishun desperately fired arrows and threw stones down to prevent the enemy from approaching the walls; if a ladder came close, they rushed over and forcefully pushed it down, while some even poured boiling oil on the Qiu Te soldiers climbing the walls. For a moment, the sounds of battle cries from both the city walls and the surrounding area were deafening, a cacophony of clashing swords, screams, and the shouts of officers. Under the beautiful moonlight, a bloody battle raged between the two sides. With the Empress's presence tonight, the Qiu Te army knew their only option was to fight to the death, charging forward with unwavering resolve. Hua Tianwei, recently punished, dared not slacken, personally directing the attack from below the city walls. The Qiu Te army surged towards Taishun City like a relentless tide; as one fell, another climbed over the corpses of their fallen comrades. Wave after wave, without end. Fan Hu patrolled the city walls, directing the desperate defense. Everyone knew their fate after the city fell, yet no one dared to flinch. Everyone fought desperately, including women and children. Some helped throw stones and pour oil down the walls, others busied themselves carrying new arrow and stone materials up the ramparts, and still others tended to the wounded and dragged away the dead. Facing the overwhelming onslaught of a superior enemy, there was no respite; no matter how bitter or exhausting, they could only endure. People were constantly falling in battle, their bodies immediately dragged away, and another person would take their place to continue the defense. The battle raged all night, the Qiu people's offensive never ceasing. By dawn, both sides were exhausted. However, the Qiu people were numerous and powerful, constantly sending new recruits into the fight, while the soldiers and civilians of Taishun City were practically at their last gasp. Their casualties were mounting, and almost no one on the city walls escaped injury; even women and children were not spared. Fan Hu was still running around on the city walls, directing the defense, occasionally joining the fray in the most critical areas. He was nearly collapsing; a night of fierce fighting, shouting, and no water had left his lips cracked. Watching the enemy still charging with undiminished vigor, he knew that Taishun City was truly finished today, with no hope left.The Qut rams came again. Fan Hu quickly ordered everyone to lower their arrows and pour oil on the men pushing them, but due to heavy losses, their defenses were far weaker than at the start of the battle. The Qut remained relentlessly aggressive; as one Qut soldier fell, another rushed to hold him off. The rams finally crashed into the city gate with a loud bang, but they didn't break through! The Qut army pushed them backward, then turned and charged towards the gate again. Qut troops on other parts of the city wall also launched a full-scale attack. They knew the enemy wouldn't hold out much longer, and everyone wanted to be the first warrior to break into the city—this time, the hero would be personally rewarded by the Queen, what an honor that would be! Fan Hu and the soldiers around him desperately fired arrows and threw stones from the gate tower, pouring pots of boiling oil down. If the Qut army crashed into the gate again, their chances of survival would be slim. Bloodshed was raging everywhere; no one could spare manpower to reinforce this area. They had to rely on themselves. Over forty Qut soldiers had already fallen before the gate during this assault, and the battering rams were ablaze, but they still didn't give up. New men arrived, and the battering rams charged towards the city gate once more. Several more Qut soldiers fell, struck by arrows. The battering rams continued forward. More oil was poured on, and another group of Qut soldiers writhed on the ground, screaming in agony from the burns. But the remaining Qut soldiers finally pushed the battering rams to the gate, slamming them against it. "Bang...creak..." With a deafening crash, the gate broke open! The burning battering rams also ignited the city gate, and cheers erupted from the Qut camp. Han Yuexue, who had been watching the battle all night, finally breathed a sigh of relief. She truly hadn't expected that such a small city, relying on a group of ordinary people, could hold out for so long. It seemed she needed to reconsider the fervor of the imperial people in resisting the enemy. A thought arose in her mind: perhaps the war against the empire had only just begun. "...Clang..." The charred and shattered city gate collapsed to the ground. Nearly ten thousand frenzied Qut cavalrymen charged through the breached city gates. In the blink of an eye, the city was ablaze. The sounds of clashing weapons and the screams of dying echoed through the small town. Fan Hu charged down from the city wall, hacking down two oncoming Qut cavalrymen with his sword. He saw a Qut cavalryman a short distance ahead catch up with a woman carrying a child, spurring his horse to trample her to the ground, then letting his mount trample her repeatedly until the woman and child were about to die. Fan Hu's eyes widened in fury as he charged towards the Qut cavalryman. Suddenly, he sensed the hoofbeats growing closer behind him, and a gust of wind blew by. Knowing something was wrong, he leaped to the side. "Crack!" The catching Qut cavalryman struck him in the back as he leaped into the air, judging him to be dead, and continued galloping down the long street, searching for his next target. Fan Hu fell to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through his back. He struggled to look up at the sky; it was already bright, the blinding light piercing his eyes. He chuckled, thinking, "Who said I couldn't see the sun today? I finally saw it..." Suddenly, everything went black, and he collapsed to the ground with a smile still on his face. When Han Yuexue entered Taishun City, all the imperial people in the city had been wiped out; not a single one remained alive, not even the children. Looking at the corpses of the imperial people filling the streets, her heart was still filled with rage. How could she not hate these bumpkins who had caused her fierce cavalry to pay such a heavy price! "Cut off their heads!" The cold voice seemed to come from hell. "Yes, Your Majesty!" Qiu Tebing responded with a roar and immediately began to act. Just then, a cavalryman charged up to her, dismounted, and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, Marshal Li Jixing of the Xia Empire has led an army of 400,000 to meet our forces and has reached a point 500 li from here!" "Oh! Order the entire army to immediately withdraw. Return to the imperial camp!" Hearing this news, Han Yuexue dared not be careless. She no longer ordered her men to cut off the heads of the dead, and led her army away from Taishun City, returning to the imperial camp set up on the official road. Behind Qiu Te's army lay a city littered with corpses. In the autumn of the fifth year of the Taiping Zhenzhi reign, on the first day of the tenth month, at dawn, Qiu Te's army breached Taishun City. The entire city's soldiers and civilians fought to the death, and not a single person surrendered! Qiu Te's army slaughtered the city and returned! Taishun City was ruined!

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