[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 15

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Chapter Sixty-Two – Phoenix Feather Maiden Wisely Defends Nanyang Pass; Han Sumei Urgently Deploys Feng Family Generals

. First, Zhuque Pass, originally garrisoned by Cao Hua, was further strengthened by Xu Youliang's addition of Zhao Fengzhu. Moreover, the original pass was designed to defend against foreign invasion, with the south higher than the north. After Xu Youliang returned to the three southern passes, the defensive orientation changed, and the northern walls were also raised and reinforced, creating a formidable pass with defenses from both north and south.
Wang Ke, receiving orders from Wang Bingzheng in the capital, immediately dispatched his troops to Zhuque Pass under cover of darkness. At the fourth watch, a cannon fired, and the entire force attacked the pass.
Although Zhang Gui accepted Feng Qing's conditions and returned to help Xu Youliang reduce his troops, he never dared to relax his vigilance. He had secretly informed the generals of each pass that Wang Bingzheng was cunning and treacherous, and that Cao Hua and Zhao Fengzhu were both seasoned veterans and meticulous men, so he dared not be careless. The defenses of the passes were well-prepared, and the soldiers were willing to fight to the death.
Wang Ke received orders from the capital, assuming that Guanzhong would believe mediation was possible and wouldn't defend too seriously. He launched an attack
under cover of night. Initially, there was no movement from the city walls. However, when the attacking force reached the walls and began scaling the ramparts, a sudden clatter of gongs sounded. Then, countless large barrels and cauldrons poured something unknown down from the walls. Soldiers cried out in agony, and thousands fell instantly. The rest were forced to retreat to the moat.
Some soldiers who sustained minor injuries, touched by the poured substance, developed large, festering sores when they returned with the rest of the troops. The sores quickly spread, and the wounds died within half an incense stick's time. Wang Ke then realized the substance was poisonous.
A count of the casualties revealed seven or eight hundred dead, enraging Wang Ke, who immediately ordered another attack.
After four or five consecutive attacks, resulting in the deaths of over three thousand men, they still couldn't break through. Wang Ke, feeling helpless, had no choice but to temporarily halt his advance and devise a new strategy.
Meanwhile, Han Sumei, after a tremendous effort and the deaths of over two thousand men, and seven or eight days of hard work, finally broke through the traps and ambushes of Tiger Wolf Valley
. Passing through the Azure Dragon Formation, she found herself intercepted only by a junior officer and a few thousand men, demonstrating the considerable effort Xu Youliang had later invested in Tiger Wolf Valley. After a long march, they finally arrived at Nanyang Pass.
Like Zhuque Pass, Nanyang Pass had its northern walls reinforced and heightened, and with Feng Ling and Shi Wenlong guarding the city, it was practically impregnable.
Upon arriving at the pass, Han Sumei immediately ordered her men to challenge the enemy. Feng Ling led the charge, and after a verbal altercation, they engaged Han Sumei in combat.
Han Sumei's martial arts skills were truly formidable; she fought Feng Ling to a draw, and the battle continued until nightfall before both sides returned to their camps.
The next day, Han Sumei came again to challenge the enemy, but Feng Ling refused to come out.
Having experienced countless battles, Shi Wenlong and Feng Ling were no longer the impetuous and belligerent men they once were. Now, defending the pass was their top priority; why act rashly? No matter how Han Sumei challenged them, the two generals simply refused to fight and remained behind closed doors.
Han Sumei challenged them for three days in a row, but the pass remained unresponsive. Frustrated, Han Sumei gave the order: "Attack the city!"
The soldiers shouted and charged, only to be met with a hail of ash bottles, cannonballs, logs, boulders, and scalding poison. Four or five hundred died. They attacked again, and hundreds more died.
After more than ten days of continuous attacks and countless casualties, they still could not capture the city.
Helpless, Han Sumei had no choice but to stop the siege and sent people to inquire about the situation in the pass.
Several days later, her men found a mountain dweller, supposedly a herb gatherer, who said there was a dangerous road north of the pass that could bypass the city by going around it.
Han Sumei had the villager lead her down to the treacherous path. It turned out to be a steep cliff face with several small cracks due to weathering, barely enough to step on. The villager said that in the past, when they gathered herbs, they often circled around from the city gate to the top of the cliff, lowering themselves down with ropes to collect the herbs growing on the cliff face. They had never climbed up from the bottom, only hearing that a senior herbalist had done so, but that person was now dead.
Han suddenly remembered the story of Panshan Pass and hurriedly sent someone to the capital to summon Feng Zijun and his sister.
A few days later, Feng Zijun and his sister awaited orders outside the tent.
Han Sumei was overjoyed and quickly brought them into the tent.
The two siblings had been appointed as the Left and Right Generals of Long Arms after the war, serving as instructors under the Nine Cities Military Command, specializing in teaching climbing techniques. Hearing that they were to climb the cliff to achieve merit, they were eager to try.
The two followed Han Sumei to the foot of the cliff. Looking up, they saw that the cliff was over forty zhang high, steep as a wall, and smooth as a mirror. Although the height was much different, it didn't have the large crevices of the cliff outside Panshan Pass. To climb it, one had to rely on the small cracks, like a gecko, making it much more difficult.
However, skill and courage go hand in hand. Even the most difficult cliff is still a cliff, not a mirror, and much easier to climb than a perfectly smooth city wall. So, the Feng siblings patted their chests and said, "Don't worry, Deputy Commander, with us two, we'll make sure Shi Wenlong and Feng Ling die without a burial place."
Han Sumei was overjoyed.
Back in camp, Han Sumei ordered her subordinates to strictly control the news, and at the same time, she sent small groups of troops to attack the city in rotation every day to draw the attention of Guanzhong.
On this day, everything was ready. Han Sumei sent her generals, with the majority of the troops going to Guanzhong to challenge the attack, and assigned two thousand infantrymen to the command of the Feng siblings.
After breakfast, the Feng siblings tidied themselves up and led their men down the cliff.
Han Sumei had only heard of their exploits in climbing the cliff and scaling the city walls, but had never witnessed it firsthand, so she followed them to the bottom, eager to see it for herself.
The two siblings stood at the foot of the cliff, first gathering their gear, then looking up to plan their climb. They then began climbing up the cliff face, one on the left and one on the right. Clinging
to the cliff like geckos, using both hands and feet, they quickly covered ten zhang (approximately 33 meters).
However, their pace began to slow as they started to feel tired.
Climbing this cliff was extremely difficult, because although its height was limited, there were no platforms or small trees in the middle, so the two could not rest. They could only swing their arms alternately a few times to give their hands a short rest before continuing to climb.
Han Sumei watched from below, her heart pounding in her chest.
However, a master is a master. The Feng siblings, skilled in martial arts and possessing abundant stamina, climbed inch by inch, foot by foot, towards the top of the cliff. They were about ten feet away from the summit.
Han Sumei breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly ordered her men to prepare ropes.
Whether the Feng siblings could successfully capture Nanyang Pass remained to be seen.

Chapter Sixty-Three – Shi Wenlong Shatters the Dream of a Sneak Attack, Han Sumei Attacks Nanyang

in Anger. It is said that the Feng siblings, north of Nanyang, were secretly scaling a cliff. Han Sumei watched from below, seeing that the two were only a little over ten feet from the top, victory seemingly within reach. Overjoyed, Han Sumei hurriedly ordered her men, "Quickly, prepare the ropes!"
"Oh dear!" Just as the group was rejoicing, a soldier suddenly cried out in alarm. Han Sumei looked and was stunned.
A troop of men appeared on the cliff top, each wielding swords, spears, and bows and arrows. Leading them was none other than the Marquis of Nanyang, Shi Wenlong.
He brandished his weapon, and two junior officers, each wielding a long pole, descended from the cliff top.
Feng Zijun and his sister, focused solely on climbing, only looked up when they heard the screams below. They saw two long poles already before them, each with a noose with a slipknot at its end, aimed directly at their necks.
Feng Meiyu had just switched hands, one foot dangling in the air. As she tried to dodge, she dared not let go, watching helplessly as the rope tightened around her neck, the slipknot snapping shut like a leash on a female turtle. With a gentle pull, the noose tightened around her throat.
"You're caught! Climb up quickly, don't try anything funny!" shouted the soldiers above.
Feng Zijun had his feet and left hand as support points, freeing his right hand, and he frantically tried to dodge the noose, refusing to be caught. But when several more bamboo poles were lowered from above, and the nooses attacked from both sides, Feng Zijun knew he was in dire straits. He roared, "Sister, die! It'll save you from humiliation!" Then he said, "My lord, Zijun has done his duty." He released his grip and fell backward from the cliff top.
Han Sumei cried out, falling from her horse in pain. Female soldiers on both sides rushed over, patting her chest and back, finally waking her up. "
General Feng!" Han Sumei cried, looking up at the cliff, where she saw Feng Meiyu struggling in mid-air.
When Meiyu realized she was being held captive, her first instinct was to survive. So, when the rope pulled upwards, she had no choice but to obediently continue climbing. But when she heard her brother's shouts, she suddenly realized what would happen to a female general in the enemy's hands.
Thinking of that boundless humiliation, Feng Meiyu gritted her teeth and made a desperate leap, letting go of her grip and allowing herself to hang from the rope.
The rope was originally held by the soldiers on the cliff for easy pulling; they hadn't expected Feng Meiyu to commit suicide, so their grip wasn't very strong. Using the momentum of her jump, the force of her fall was much greater than her body weight, and the suddenness of the fall caused the rope to slip from the soldiers' hands. Meiyu plummeted down the mountain like a kite with a broken string.
Seeing this, the soldiers rushed to grab the rope, but the force of Feng Meiyu's fall still pulled them towards the edge of the cliff. Upon seeing this, Shi Wenlong rushed forward, grabbed the back of the rope, and pulled it around a rock, finally stopping the fall. Feng Meiyu had already plummeted over twenty zhang (approximately 63 meters) to the mountainside.
Had the rope been already attached to the rock, Feng Meiyu's neck would likely have snapped. If the soldiers had grabbed the rope sooner, they could have pulled her to the top and saved her life. Poor Feng Meiyu, the rope, cushioned by the soldiers' pull, lacked the force to break her neck; it only caused her suffocation. Extreme pain gripped her, causing her to struggle wildly.
Shi Wenlong urgently ordered the soldiers to pull Meiyu up, but pulling a rope twenty or thirty zhang long quickly was no easy feat. Feng Meiyu struggled in mid-air until she was finally pulled to the top, barely clinging to life. Her face was blackened, her eyes bulged, her tongue lolled out, and her trousers were soaked from crotch to boots, emitting a foul stench—the result of incontinence during her death throes.
Before Shi Wenlong could give the order, the soldiers had already stripped Meiyu of her clothes and shoes, revealing her naked body, two pink nipples, and a patch of dark pubic hair. While not exactly a graceful lady, her snow-white skin and pink buttocks were still delicate and alluring. Spreading her legs, they found a clump of soft, yellowish feces stuck between her white buttocks, covering her thighs.
Shi Wenlong ordered her to wipe her buttocks dry with her own clothes, then found two tree branches, one inserted into her anus and the other into her vagina. One soldier held her hands, the other her feet, and they swung her down the cliff into the crowd below.
Han Sumei watched helplessly as Feng Meiyu struggled and was dragged up the cliff, knowing she was doomed. Looking down, she saw a bloody mess on the ground, recognizing Feng Zijun. She quickly ordered soldiers to collect the body; his bones were broken beyond recognition.
A moment later, they heard the laughter of enemy soldiers and generals from the cliff top. Looking up again, they saw a naked woman's body tumbling down, recognizing Feng Meiyu.
The cliff was over forty zhang high; the force of a fall would be immense. No matter which head it landed on, it would surely break bones and tendons. The soldiers scattered in terror. They watched as Feng Meiyu landed on a warhorse,
smashing it in two with a loud crack.
Looking at Meiyu again, she too was torn in two at the waist, her and the horse's internal organs spilling out, a bloody mess, indistinguishable from one another—a truly gruesome sight.
Seeing a young female general, who had repeatedly distinguished herself in battle, reduced to a pile of minced meat in the blink of an eye, stripped naked and humiliated in her private parts, Han Sumei fainted again from anger.
How did Shi Wenlong end up on the cliff top? It was all thanks to the meticulousness of Shi Wenlong and Feng Ling.
Shi Wenlong was skilled in using concealed weapons and was a meticulous man among men, and with Feng Ling by his side, they were even more formidable. These two had fought countless battles and were very experienced; they wouldn't let anyone easily find an opening.
When Shi Wenlong went to take up his post as the Marquis of Nanyang, he had the north wall of the city reinforced and heightened.
Han Sumei attacked the city for half a month without gaining any advantage and temporarily stopped her attack, which allowed Guanzhong to breathe a little easier. However, Feng Ling was not at ease and sent people to scout Han Sumei's movements every day. In order to see what was happening in her camp, she specifically asked local hunters and herbalists to find a suitable location, and they discovered that cliff.
If it were anyone else, they might not have noticed this cliff, but Feng Ling saw it. Not only could this spot reveal Han Sumei's camp, but Feng Ling also knew that Wang Bingzheng had two skilled climbers under his command.
Therefore, Feng Ling sent men to keep watch on the cliff every day, both to monitor the movements within Han Sumei's camp and to prevent anyone from climbing up. One day, a sentry spotted Han Sumei leading men to survey the terrain below the cliff and immediately reported to Feng Ling and Shi Wenlong.
Upon hearing the news, Shi Wenlong and Feng Ling were overjoyed. They had already decided on a plan: Feng Ling and Shi Wenlong would take turns guarding the city, while the remaining person would go to the cliff to ambush them. On the day Feng Zijun and his sister climbed the cliff, it was Shi Wenlong who ambushed them, catching them red- handed.
Han Sumei was revived by her men, still weeping uncontrollably. She ordered the bodies of the two siblings to be wrapped in cloth and brought back to the camp for a proper burial. The entire camp mourned without mentioning it.
After the funeral, Han Sumei was still filled with rage and ordered her troops to attack day and night, determined to capture Nanyang Pass.
This order brought immense suffering to both sides' soldiers. For a month straight, the shouts of battle raged through the night, cannons roared, and beneath the city walls lay a mountain of corpses, the stench of which filled the air.
However, the terrain here was treacherous, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Han Sumei suffered the most losses, with officers below the rank of lieutenant general killed or wounded every day, and even greater casualties among her soldiers. Han Sumei was frantic with worry.
Early one morning, as preparations for the siege were underway, she suddenly heard cannons firing continuously from within the city walls. Han Sumei knew that the people of Guanzhong were about to launch an attack.
The Wang family's troops had been besieging the city for a month, suffering heavy losses, while the enemy had remained firmly entrenched in their defenses. Now that someone was going to fight, they were more than happy to oblige. Han Sumei quickly halted the attack and had her troops form ranks outside the city walls.
Before long, the city gates swung open, the drawbridge lowered, and a troop of about four or five thousand men charged out from within the pass. Leading them were two young generals, a man and a woman, both around sixteen or seventeen years old. They rode white horses and wielded gleaming silver spears. Behind them were plain white satin banners bearing the large character for "water." The two women were beautiful, like a pair of golden boys and jade girls.
Xu family generals and Han Sumei had seen most of them before, but these two newcomers were unfamiliar to them.
The two armies faced each other. The female general on the opposite side rode out into the formation, brandishing her spear. She bowed and asked, "Which one of you is Vice Commander Han Sumei?"
"I am the commander. Please state your name, lady."
"I am Shui Yunu, the grain supervisor of Nanyang Pass. I am here today to escort grain, ordered by my lord, Marquis Shi, to challenge Vice Commander Han. Vice Commander Han, please."
"General Shui, please. What is your rank, General Shui?"
"Vice Commander."
"I am the vice commander, and you are only a vice commander. How dare you challenge me? Aren't you afraid of death?"
"Vice Commander Han entered the ranks early and earned this position through meritorious service. I am a newcomer, and I have not fought a single battle. It is already quite good that I have become a vice commander, but it has nothing to do with martial arts. I have long heard that Vice Commander Han is highly skilled in martial arts, but I am unconvinced and have been thinking about it. I wonder if Vice Commander Han would be willing to teach me?"
"You're so young, yet you speak so arrogantly. If I were to defeat you, it wouldn't be a feat. Generals, which one of you is willing to go and capture this ignorant girl for me?"
"This humble general is willing." A general flew out from behind, it was Vice General Peng Xi.
Peng Xi, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, possessed a beautiful face, rode a peach-blossom horse, wielded a worn silver spear, and was a notorious womanizer in Wang Bingzheng's camp. Now, seeing a young and beautiful female general opposite him, his heart itched, and he hastily charged forward, intending to capture Shui Yunu on horseback.
Han Sumei, recognizing Peng Xi, knew his weakness and frowned, but unable to stop him, could only say, "General Peng, be careful."
"It's alright,"
Peng Xi said, galloping into the center of the formation. Looking at Shui Yunu opposite him, he was captivated, saying, "Beautiful lady, this general has come to meet you. Be careful, lest I harm your beautiful face."
Shui Yunu, upon seeing the newcomer, felt disgusted and said, "State your name, general. My spear does not kill nameless ghosts."
"I am Peng Xi. Little beauty, quickly dismount and surrender, become my concubine, and I guarantee you wealth and luxury."
"Bah! You madman, if I don't show you some skill, you won't know there's always someone better. Listen up, I'm going to stab you three times in a row: one in your thigh, three inches deep; one in your arm, two inches deep; and one in your back, one inch deep. If it's even a fraction too deep, it means I'm not skilled enough. Take this!"
Shui Yunu disliked Peng Xi, so she wanted to give him a hard time right away. Her spear was aimed straight for his lower abdomen.
"Ouch, that's impressive."
Peng Xi saw that her spear was coming very fast and realized that she was not someone to be trifled with. He hurriedly dodged and met her attack with his own spear. Once they started fighting, he realized that he was far inferior to her. Shui Yunu's spear was like a monstrous python, swaying left and right. Although she only attacked his lower body, she made him very flustered. In less than three exchanges, she thrust her spear at his lower abdomen.
Peng Xi was a lecherous man. Losing his life wasn't a big deal, but being shot in the groin was a different story. He quickly dodged to the side, avoiding a bullet to his abdomen, but was struck in the thigh, penetrating three inches deep into the bone.
Peng Xi cried out in pain, but before he could understand what was happening, a second bullet came hurtling towards his chest. Startled, he dodged again, and that bullet struck his arm, two inches deep.
"Good heavens!" Peng Xi was terrified. Knowing he couldn't win, he turned his horse and fled. Just as he turned around, another bullet struck his shoulder blade, this time an inch deep.
At this point, Peng Xi forgot about his lust; his life was paramount. He threw down the gun, covered his head, and fled back to his own lines, utterly disheveled.
Shui Yunu didn't pursue, only saying, "Vice Commander Han, it's better not to send such a useless character, lest it make a fool of yourself."
Han Sumei understood this time; this person was truly capable. If it weren't for the person showing mercy, not only would they not have taken Peng Xi's life, but they would have even taken his manhood, and he wouldn't have been able to refuse.
"When did Xu Youliang produce such a ruthless character? It seems I'll have to personally take action."
Thinking this, Han Sumei spurred her horse and rode out of the formation.
Who will win in the battle between these two female generals? Let's find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Sixty-Four—Two Female Generals Clash in Nanyang, Shui Yunu Sends a Message from the Front Lines .

It is said that Han Sumei's subordinates are not without capable generals. Although Wang Bingzheng's old generals are each guarding their fiefdoms, there are still quite a few rising young generals. For example, this time he brought two female generals who wield double whips, Hu Yanfeng and Yu Chiling. Their age and martial arts are similar to their opponents, but it seems that their opponents' martial arts are better. Perhaps he will have to personally take action.
Han Sumei approached, and without further ado, the two engaged in combat, each brandishing their spears.
Upon exchanging blows, both secretly admired each other's exceptional martial arts skills.
Han Sumei recognized her opponent's accent as belonging to the west, a fellow townsman, and, valuing her as a capable general, tried to persuade Shui Yunu to join her camp.
Shui Yunu remained silent, focusing solely on her fierce battle.
They fought from morning until noon, neither gaining the upper hand. Shui Yunu then stepped out of the circle, saying, "Vice Commander Han's martial arts are indeed superb. Let's go back for lunch and continue our fight at noon, shall we?"
Han Sumei replied, "Do you think I'm afraid of you? But once you go back, you won't be afraid to come out again, will you?"
"Vice Commander, don't underestimate me. I am different from my wife; I would never wrong you."
"In that case, I trust you."
From Shui Yunu's tone, it was clear she held Feng Ling in low regard. Han Sumei knew women were prone to jealousy, so she wasn't surprised and withdrew her troops to her camp.
After noon, Han Sumei led only five thousand men back to the pass. Shui Yunu
arrived as promised, and the two clashed again. After about twenty rounds, Shui Yunu, now in a defeated position, said, "Do you dare chase me?" and fled.
"You dare use a counterattack? Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Han Sumei spurred her horse and pursued.
After rounding a mountain bend and traveling five or six miles, Shui Yunu suddenly circled back and waited on horseback.
Seeing that it didn't seem like a counterattack, Han Sumei found it strange and reined in her horse, saying, "General Shui, why are you standing here instead of using a counterattack?"
"Marshal Han, what do you think of my martial arts?"
"General Shui's martial arts are indeed extraordinary."
"If I were in your camp, what position would I get?"
"If I had merit, I would be worthy of being a general!"
"Is that true?"
"Yes, it is."
Shui Yunu listened and remained silent. Han Sumei intuitively sensed that this young woman had some thoughts in her mind, so she quickly said, "With your martial arts skills, if you were willing to join me, I would definitely petition the court to grant you a marquisate."
"..." Shui Yunu hesitated.
"General Shui, do you not believe my words?"
"What merit is required to become a general?"
"The Duke of Ye is my husband. I can make half the decision. If you help me take Nanyang Pass, I will keep my word." "
Vice Commander Han. May I ask about my brother…?"
"Who is your brother?"
"His name is Shui Jintong. He is the one who observes the enemy and plans the battle formation for me. May I ask…"
"How skilled is he in martial arts?"
"My sister and I have inherited our martial arts. He is a man, and his strength and comprehension surpass those of me."
"In that case, we shall be rewarded equally."
"Will the Vice Commander keep his word?"
"As commander, I always keep my promises."
"I believe you."
"When will General Shui help me break through the pass?"
"Vice Commander Han, although my sister and I are temporarily residing in Xu's camp, we were born in Daxiong Pass and have been favored by Marshal Wang for generations. Now, Marshal Wang is a high-ranking official of the Emperor, fighting for the court against the rebellion, and has long intended to surrender the pass. We wanted to find an opportunity to open the city gates and let the main army into the city, but Feng Ling and Shi Wenlong are cunning and suspicious by nature. They personally arranged the defense of the city, and apart from their confidants, no one can even get close to the city walls. My sister and I are just grain supervisors. If we hadn't signed a pledge, they wouldn't even allow us to fight. This is not an easy task."
"Since you have this intention, why not plan it slowly?"
"We are just grain supervisors. We will only be here for three or five days before returning to Zhennan Pass. We don't know where we will be sent next, or when we will be able to return to Nanyang. I'm afraid the Vice Commander can't wait."
"What should we do?"
"I have a plan. I don't know if it will work."
"Please tell me."
"Let us feign a fight today, fight to a draw, and agree to a clear agreement before the next battle. The deputy commander can secretly lay in ambush near the city gate. When the time comes, I will feign defeat and flee into the city, and the marshal will take the opportunity to pursue. I will have my brothers guard the drawbridge and the city gate. If we can delay for even a moment, the deputy commander can follow me into the city. Once the city gate is lost, the city will fall by itself."
“That’s a good plan, General Shui.”
“Vice Commander, such a matter cannot be hesitated upon. My brother and I entrust our lives to you.”
“General Shui, please rest assured.” After saying this, Han Sumei drew her sword and made a small cut on her left arm, smearing the blood onto her armor.
“Oh dear, what is the meaning of this, Vice Commander?”
“In this way, you can gain Feng Ling’s trust, making it easier to carry out your plan.”
“Vice Commander, your consideration is very meticulous; I am no match for you.”
“We will proceed as agreed tomorrow.” After saying this, Han Sumei turned her horse around and rode back, with Shui Ruyu in hot pursuit.
Back at the pass, Han Sumei ran back to her own camp, shouting, “Shui Ruyu, you used a trick to injure me by chance. Tomorrow, we will fight again, and I will surely take your life!”
Shui Ruyu stood at the front of the camp, laughing loudly, “Vice Commander Han, don’t talk big. Today I only injured your left arm; tomorrow, watch out for your throat.”
After saying this, both sides withdrew their troops.
Back at camp, Han Sumei felt uneasy, unsure of her chances of success. She quickly summoned her military advisors to perform divination. The divination revealed a reversal of fortune, with metal clashing with fire, a situation of weakening fire and strengthening metal. The advisors explained: "The Wang family army was originally at the Western Four Passes, belonging to the metal element, while Xu Youliang was originally at the Southern Three Passes, belonging to the fire element. This divination indicates an opportunity to break through the passes." Han Sumei was overjoyed.
That night, she secretly ordered her vanguard, Huyan Feng, to lead 20,000 troops to ambush in the woods two miles from the pass. She also ordered her deputy vanguard, Yuchi Ling, to lead a large force to ambush in a mountain valley five miles from the pass, preparing to attack together once she and her maiden slew the drawbridge and city gate.
Only 10,000 troops remained in the camp, continuing their training as a feint.
The next morning, Han Sumei led 5,000 troops to array outside the pass, including 2,000 cavalry, and had four deputy generals disguised as ordinary cavalry, ready to command the charge at the opportune moment.
The cannons roared from the opposite side, and five thousand soldiers charged out of the city gates. Leading them was a female general, none other than Shui Yunu. Han Sumei observed closely and noticed that Shui Jintong, who was bringing up the rear, seemed to have intentionally shifted the formation several dozen paces back compared to usual. Looking up at the city wall, she saw Feng Ling watching the battle from the tower. Han Sumei felt confident and spurred her horse
forward. The two fought without a word, Shui Yunu subtly exchanging glances.
After seventeen or eighteen rounds, Shui Yunu stole a glance at the city wall and saw Feng Ling eating and drinking. She whispered, "I've told Feng Ling to use five tripwires in the formation. Vice Commander, be careful." Then, she deliberately shouted, "Vice Commander, do you dare chase me today?" After shouting, she turned her horse and rode off.
Han Sumei, knowing that Shui Yunu had everything planned, also deliberately shouted, "You're using the same trick again! I won't fall for it again! Watch me catch you!" and gave chase.
If Shui Yunu wanted to use a counterattack, she should have fled in panic. Instead, she ran towards her own lines, intending to use tripwires. Normally, Han Sumei, fearing a trap, wouldn't pursue her. But now, knowing this, she had nothing to fear and spurred her horse to chase.
Shui Yunu ran into her own lines, and the soldiers, seeing Han Sumei chasing after her, quickly scattered to both sides. Han Sumei said she was chasing Shui Yunu, but her eyes were only on the ground, where she saw five tripwires lying across it. She pretended not to notice and continued to ride, her heart pounding, fearing she might actually trip.
As it turned out, the tripwires only bounced up for a moment and all fell behind.
"Oh no, run!" The enemy soldiers, seeing that the tripwires hadn't stopped them, knew they were in trouble and fled towards the city.
Shui Yunu, seeing this, also shouted, "Brother, quickly back to the pass!" She took the lead and ran towards the city gate.
Han Sumei was overjoyed. She raised her tiger-headed, gold-inlaid spear, shouted "Charge!" and gave chase, leaving Shui Yunu in a sorry state.
Reaching the drawbridge, Han Sumei glanced around and saw Shui Jintong had already reached the city gate. Knowing her plan had succeeded, she spurred her horse and followed Shui Yunu across the bridge. With a single sword stroke, she severed the cable, and the drawbridge could no longer be raised.
This delay allowed Shui Yunu and her brother to enter the city. The two siblings unleashed a flurry of spears, scattering the guards, and headed straight for the second gate.
Han Sumei looked back and saw her two thousand cavalrymen had already crossed the drawbridge. She then rode into the city gate.
This battle resulted in the deaths of many men and the tragic demise of Shui Yunu.
How Han Sumei would achieve her goal remains to be seen; we shall find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 65 – Entering the Barbican: Su Mei Falls into the Trap, Cleverly Planning a Great Victory at Nanyang. Han

Su Mei rushed into the city gate and saw that the Shui siblings had already headed for the second gate. Hearing the continuous cannon fire and deafening battle cries behind her, she knew the ambush was underway and the outcome was decided.
She then headed for the second gate as well. Upon reaching the gate, she saw the iron gate on the second gate suddenly collapse, trapping her outside.
Han Su Mei wasn't worried, as the Shui siblings had already passed through the second gate and should quickly seize the city gate to support the main force. However, she heard a loud crash behind her and turned to see that the iron gate on the city gate had also collapsed. She realized something was wrong. It turned out that traditional city gates had two gates, with a small open space between them, like a courtyard, called a barbican. With both iron gates down, the barbican had no exit, and the enemy generals inside were like turtles in a jar, with nowhere to escape.
Seeing that only she and two thousand cavalrymen were inside the barbican, with no enemy soldiers or generals, Han Sumei realized she had been tricked.
Sure enough, a loud bang resounded from the city walls, and countless arrows rained down, along with falling logs and stones. Half of the two thousand cavalrymen were instantly killed.
Han Sumei brandished her spear, deflecting the feathers to protect herself and her horse. In no time, all two thousand cavalrymen were dead, and even her lieutenants were riddled with arrows.
The sounds of cannons and battle cries outside the city gates continued incessantly. She knew her men were attacking the city and could only hope they would break down the gates and rescue her.
A short while later, the arrows from the city walls ceased. A loud laugh was heard. Looking up, she saw Shi Wenlong, with Shui Yunu standing to her left and Shui Jintong to her right. She knew she had been thoroughly tricked.
Shi Wenlong said, "General Shui, you two have done a great service by luring the enemy into a trap. I will certainly report this to Prince Xu and request commendations for you both."
"Thank you, Your Excellency."
"You two go to Broken Stone Cliff immediately and carry out the plan. Leave this to me."
"Understood."
After saying this, the Shui siblings disappeared from the city walls, their whereabouts unknown.
Shi Wenlong looked at Han Sumei and laughed again: "Vice Commander Han, you're now trapped like a turtle in a jar. Quickly dismount and surrender to avoid being killed."
"Please, Shi, what kind of hero are you, trapping me with trickery? If you have the guts, come down and fight me to the death."
"It's you who will fight me to the death." Shi Wenlong had no anger at this moment. He calmly took the teacup handed to him by his subordinate, slowly took a sip, and said: "This Marquis is old and useless. I can't beat you, so I admit it. As the saying goes, all's fair in war. Who told you to be so eager to make a name for yourself? If you had been more careful and sent someone else to attack the city gate, things wouldn't have turned out this way."
Han Sumei thought about it and realized that what he said made sense. If she hadn't been so eager to enter the pass as soon as possible, how could she have so easily believed the words of an enemy general?
It was all because the death of the Feng siblings had clouded her judgment.
"You smug Shi, don't be so cocky. Once I get out, I'll take your dog's life!"
"You think you can get out of this fortified city? Dream on! Men, fire!"
The gong sounded, and a hail of arrows rained down. Han Sumei, relying on her strong will to survive, deflected the feathered arrows. Thanks to her superior martial arts skills, she managed to hold out for nearly a quarter of an hour without being hit.
Shi Wenlong raised his hand, and the arrows stopped. Han Sumei was exhausted; she couldn't even lift her arm.
Shi Wenlong said, "Vice Commander Han, how does this feel? I'll give you two options. One is to surrender, and I'll spare your life out of consideration for our past fight against the tyrannical emperor. The other is to end your own life, so I don't capture you and make things look bad."
Han Sumei knew that if she were captured, she would likely lose her chastity, but she absolutely refused to surrender. Yet, she didn't want to die, so she shouted, "If you're so capable, come down and capture me!"
"Hahahaha, I won't come down. I'll just have my men fire arrows until you can't even hold your gun anymore, then send two junior officers down. At that point, you'll collapse at the slightest touch, and capturing you will be a piece of cake!"
Han Sumei knew this was true, but she still hoped to hold on, hoping that her troops outside would soon storm the city and rescue her.
"Then give it a try," she shouted.
"Alright, fire the arrows, one at a time, use them sparingly."
With that, a hail of arrows rained down upon her. Han Sumei could only wield her spear to deflect them. While others took turns firing, she was alone, so how could she not be exhausted? But she had to persevere. She
barely managed to hold on for nearly half an hour when she heard the sound of arrows outside. Shi Wenlong looked up and saw them, overjoyed, exclaiming, "Han Sumei, this time you're completely finished!
The Shui siblings have already circled around to the rear of your camp. Now I'll wipe out your entire army! Watch me take your life!" With that, he took his own precious carved bow from a nearby soldier, drew a wolf-tooth arrow, drew the bowstring taut, and aimed at Han Sumei, firing the arrow.
Normally, with Han Sumei's martial arts skills, an arrow fired directly at her wouldn't pose a threat, but now it was Shi Wenlong shooting, the bow was strong, the arrow fast, and Han Sumei was exhausted. She couldn't possibly deflect it; she raised her spear to deflect it, but the arrow had already struck her left arm.
“If you don’t end it yourself, this arrow will hit your right hand, and you won’t be able to die even if you want to.” Shi Wenlong drew a second arrow.
“Wait!” Han Sumei was truly desperate at this moment. She threw down her spear, jumped off her horse, drew her sword, and bowed three times to the north, saying, “General, Sumei will die for her country.” She then
slashed her neck with the sword, and blood gushed out like a fountain.
Seeing this, Shi Wenlong couldn’t help but sigh. He went down the slope of the city wall, ordered the soldiers to open the two gates, and went into the barbican himself. He saw that the two thousand cavalrymen had either been shot to death or crushed to death, their heads broken and blood flowing, their brains splattered everywhere, a truly gruesome sight.
When he looked at Han Sumei again, he saw her kneeling to the north, her upper body slumped over her legs, her head hanging to the ground, her beautiful eyes wide open, a knife cut across her neck, severing two-thirds of her neck, the blood already drained, her face extremely pale.
Shi Wenlong shook his head and sighed for a long time before ordering his soldiers to lay the slain enemy corpses on both sides, cut off their heads, and impale them on the tips of their spears. He then ordered the bodies of Han Sumei's eight female soldiers to be stripped bare, and spears to be inserted through their genitals. Eight cavalrymen were then ordered to hold the eight female soldiers aloft like flags.
Shi Wenlong personally grabbed Han Sumei by the shoulders and dragged her onto her back, where she lay limp and pitiful. Shi Wenlong removed her armor and then her inner garments, stripping the once beautiful female general completely naked.
Han Sumei was tall and slender, with well-proportioned limbs, a slender waist, and wide, shapely hips. Her breasts were soft and supple, and her pubic hair was as black as ink.
It was a pity that such a beautiful young woman was now nothing but a beautiful corpse.
Shi Wenlong demanded a long spear from his personal guard, parted Han Sumei's two pink legs to reveal her beautiful vulva, and with a single thrust, pierced the spear through her vulva, down to her neck, the tip embedded in her skull. Lord Shi raised the spear, and the once elegant concubine of a duke was now suspended in mid-air like a sack.
Meanwhile, Huyan Feng and Yuchi Ling were intensifying their attack on the city, following Han Sumei's prior arrangements.
They thought Han Sumei's charge into the city was a successful maneuver, but seeing the well-organized defenses on the city walls and hearing only the sound of gongs without any battle cries from within, they were still uneasy.
After attacking for over an hour without breaching the city gate, a cannon suddenly fired from within. The gate opened, and a force of over ten thousand men charged out, crossed the drawbridge, and formed ranks along the moat.
Seeing the enemy troops arrayed and marching out, Hu Yanfeng and Yu Chiling knew that Han Sumei was likely in grave danger. Another cannon fired, and the flag gate opened, revealing a troop of cavalry. The two young female generals, Hu Yanfeng and Yu Chiling, felt their hands and feet go numb
at the sight. The cavalry numbered over two thousand, each wielding a long spear with a human head impaled on its tip. They emerged from the central flag gate, splitting to the left and right, and lined up in a row behind the already arrayed infantry. Once
all two thousand were present, a third cannon fired, and another troop of men appeared from behind the flag gate. Leading them were eight pairs of horses, each with eight riders, each wielding a ten-foot iron spear. A young female corpse was impaled on each spear, completely naked, the spear piercing through her vulva and reaching her skull, held high in the air, her two pink legs swaying with the hooves of her horses.
The two Huyan generals were both inexperienced young female warriors, never having suffered a defeat before. They had never witnessed the tragic death of a female general, and were filled with shame, their faces flushed red, their teeth clenched in fury.
Suddenly, eight more pairs of horses emerged, followed by several warhorses. Several officers sat atop these horses, each with a flag bearer carrying their general's flag. On the central horse was none other than Marquis Nanyang, Shi Wenlong.
Looking at Shi Wenlong, he too held a long spear, upon which lay a naked female corpse. The woman was stunningly beautiful, her face exquisite—it was none other than Han Su!
Upon seeing Han Su, the two Huyan generals burst into tears.
Seeing the formation complete, Shi Wenlong spurred his horse forward and shouted fiercely, "Northern Army generals, your deputy commander's body is here! Why don't you dismount and surrender?!"
The soldiers of the Wang family army, witnessing this scene, were filled with either rage or fear.
Hu Yanfeng knew that the army's morale was wavering. If they couldn't win a decisive battle, even the soldiers might not have the courage to flee. Thinking this, she spurred her horse forward and challenged Shi Wenlong to a duel.
Shi Wenlong already knew the names of these two female generals, but didn't know their capabilities. He casually handed the spear adorned with Han Sumei's corpse to a junior officer, then took his giant-toothed scythe and charged into the enemy ranks.
Upon engaging Hu Yanfeng, he realized her skills were no less than Han Sumei's, and he became increasingly cautious.
The two fought for over ten rounds without a clear victor. Meanwhile, Yuchi Ling also rode out to join Hu Yanfeng in fighting Shi Wenlong. Before she even entered the encirclement, she suddenly heard a series of cannon shots and shouts of men and neighing of horses from behind, seemingly coming from the direction of her own camp. Turning around, she saw her distant camp ablaze with flames, realizing she had fallen into a trap, and inwardly groaned.
Hearing the cannon fire, Shi Wenlong jumped out of the circle and said to Huyan Feng, "General Huyan, your camp has been breached by me. Now you two are cornered and have nowhere to go. Why not surrender?"
"Bah! Shi Wenlong, you've won by luck. I'll definitely get you later!" Huyan Feng pointed at Shi Wenlong.
"Then don't blame me! Soldiers, charge!"
With that, Shi Wenlong charged towards Huyan Feng.
Huyan Feng wanted to fight again, but Yuchi Ling said, "Sister, don't be reckless. Now that the deputy commander is dead and the camp has been captured, morale is low. Fighting will be disadvantageous. We should retreat."
Huyan Feng knew she was right, so she waved her spear and said, "Retreat!"
Before her words even finished, the soldiers, already terrified, fled for their lives, as if their parents had given them two fewer legs.
Shi Wenlong saw this and quickly pursued them.
Upon seeing this, Feng Ling in the city hurriedly released all the prepared troops and gave chase.
Hu Yanfeng and his men reached the main camp, only to find it engulfed in flames. Two infantry units were setting fires and killing people, led by the siblings Shui Yunu and Shui Jintong.
Each led over two thousand men, slaughtering the Northern soldiers fleeing the flames amidst screams and howls. Turning around and seeing Hu Yanfeng and his men returning in defeat, the two immediately stopped setting the fires and charged at Hu Yanfeng.
Although the enemy only numbered four or five thousand, they were elite warriors handpicked by the best. With victory already secured and morale high, they were far superior to the hundreds of thousands of defeated Northern troops.
Huyan Feng dared not engage in battle and hastily ordered his men to quickly cross the area and flee north.
The Shui siblings, not on horseback, watched helplessly as Huyan and his brother escaped, stamping their feet in fury.
This was a clever plan devised by Shi Wenlong and Feng Ling, exploiting Han Sumei's eagerness to avenge the Feng family generals by feigning surrender to lure her into a trap.
They hadn't actually expected Han Sumei to personally enter the city; their only aim was to eliminate her forces. Once Han Sumei was trapped in the fortified city, the Shui siblings, following their pre-arranged plan, mounted their warhorses and rode along a small path straight to Broken Stone Cliff, the very spot where the Feng siblings had perished. Five thousand infantrymen had already been deployed in an ambush. Seeing the Shui siblings arrive, they quickly lowered ropes from the cliff top, and the soldiers swiftly descended.
In no time, they were all at the bottom of the cliff, quietly circling behind the Northern Army camp, shouting orders, and charging in.
The camp, already only ten thousand men remaining, lacked a capable general to defend it, and could not withstand the Shui siblings' onslaught. It was immediately breached.
Shui Yunu ordered, "Burn!" The soldiers, each carrying tinder, lit torches and threw them onto the tents. Immediately, flames soared, and a gust of wind ignited the tents of dozens of horsemen, the fire reaching the sky.
Unfortunately, the horses could not be lowered down the cliff; they could only launch a surprise attack on foot, which was no match for cavalry. This caused them to miss their chance. By the time Shi Wenlong's army arrived and gave the horses to the Shui family generals, Huyan Feng and his men had already escaped.
The Southern army, pressing their advantage, pursued for several days, chasing them all the way to Tiger Wolf Valley. Hu Yanfeng and his men retreated into the Azure Dragon Formation, using its fortifications to stabilize their position.
In this battle, the Southern army acquired countless weapons and received the surrender of over 80,000 soldiers.
Shi Wenlong and his men fought day and night, continuously battling the formation.
The Azure Dragon Formation had been in the Southern army's hands for several years, and they were very familiar with its terrain. Although the terrain was treacherous and progress was slow, the Southern army always held the reins of victory.
After more than ten days of fighting, they had captured nine-tenths of the formation and were pressing towards the central stronghold. Suddenly, Feng Ling sent an urgent report that both Zhuque and Zhennan Passes were in dire straits. Prince Xu ordered Shi Wenlong to return to Nanyang Pass immediately to replace Feng Ling.
Reinforcements were urgently needed. Although Shi Wenlong saw that the Azure Dragon Formation was about to fall, he had no choice but to abandon the attack and return to Nanyang that very night.
What became of the crisis at Zhennan? Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Chapter Sixty-Six – After Cao Yunlong stole Zhuque Pass, Xiao Heli launched a surprise attack on Zhennan Pass

and won at Nanyang Pass. Meanwhile, Zhuque Pass was under the defense of Cao Hua and Zhao Fengzhu. Why was it in such a precarious situation?
It turned out that when Wang Bingzheng launched his campaign, he originally sent someone to invite Cao Yunlong, the general of Dongyang Pass, to join him. However, Cao Yunlong had long seen that Wang Bingzheng was not capable of conquering the world and secretly harbored ambitions to become king himself. Unwilling to join the campaign, he claimed that the northeastern Rong tribes were invading and refused to send troops, which led to the prolonged siege of Zhuque Pass.
Seeing that Xu Youliang was indeed a formidable opponent, but with the battle already underway, Wang Bingzheng had no choice but to offer Cao Yunlong some incentives. He submitted a memorial to Emperor Wu, who issued a secret edict, sending an eloquent man to Dongyang to deliver the decree, bestowing upon Cao Yunlong the title of King of Dongyang and ordering him to immediately raise an army to attack Xu Youliang.
Cao Yunlong was tempted by the edict and quickly sent someone to inform Wang Bingzheng to act accordingly.
After seeing off the imperial envoy, Cao Yunlong quickly mustered 200,000 troops and appointed his newly recruited brother and sister, Song Ziyun and Song Caijiao, as commander and deputy commander, respectively, leading them westward from Dongyang Pass.
As mentioned in the previous book, while Zhuque Pass could hold off Wang Bingzheng, the area between Zhuque Pass and Qinglong Pass was flat and open. Despite Xu Youliang's painstaking efforts in developing the area and constructing some prefectures and counties, the limited time and resources meant that the cities were low-lying and the generals weak, making them no match for the fierce generals Song Ziyun and Song Caijiao.
Cao's army seized three passes by day and eight strongholds by night, killing over a dozen of Xu Youliang's officers. Their advance was swift, reaching Zhuque Pass. Cao Hua and Zhao Fengzhu, caught in a pincer attack, hastily sent generals to break through the pass and seek help from Zhennan Pass.
Hearing of Zhuque's peril, Xu Youliang considered sending Hua Feng to its aid, but then He Li, the King of Nanling, secretly emerged from Nanling and attacked Zhennan Pass.
Xu Youliang was in dire straits and could only send someone to Nanyang Pass to request Feng Ling to reinforce Zhuque Pass.
Shi Wenlong returned to Nanyang and handed over the defense of the pass to Feng Ling. Feng Ling led the Shui siblings out from behind Nanyang Pass, traveling day and night towards Zhuque Pass.
When Feng Ling arrived at Zhuque Pass, it had been besieged for many days, with Song Ziyun having set up a series of camps stretching for more than ten miles inside.
Feng Ling ordered a camp to be set up twenty miles away from Song Ziyun's camps. On one hand, she sent out scouts to gather information, and on the other hand, she sent Shui Jintong to break through the camps and enter the pass to report the news. They agreed on a date for a pincer attack from both inside and outside.
The Shui family generals were indeed highly skilled in martial arts. Shui Jintong, on horseback and with only a spear, broke through nine of Song Ziyun's camps and entered Zhuque Pass.
Upon learning that reinforcements had arrived, Cao Hua and Zhao Fengzhu were relieved and immediately sent generals to prepare to meet Feng Ling.
Song Ziyun was furious when he heard that the enemy had broken through the camps alone and knew that they were planning a coordinated attack from within and without. After much deliberation, Song Ziyun decided it was best to strike first and deal with Feng Ling's group before they could make a move.
He immediately sent a messenger back to Dongyang Pass to request reinforcements.
The next morning, Song Ziyun personally led the main force of his central army to challenge Feng Ling's camp.
Feng Ling had arranged to fight Cao Hua that day, and upon hearing of Song Ziyun's challenge, he was overjoyed and quickly ordered his troops to form ranks for battle.
As the two armies faced each other, Feng Ling noticed the opposing general was a young man around twenty years old, dressed in a green battle robe, riding a chestnut horse, and carrying a Green Dragon Crescent Blade. She couldn't help but feel secretly pleased; although Song Ziyun's martial arts were not bad, his deliberate imitation of Guan Yu's image revealed his impetuousness.
Song Ziyun then looked at the opposing side and saw two female generals facing them: one was a beautiful young woman in her early twenties dressed in barbarian attire, and the other was a stunningly beautiful woman of no more than eighteen or nineteen, dressed in a plain robe, riding a white horse, and carrying a silver spear. She recognized them as Feng Ling and Shui Yunu. He was, after all, a young man, and how could he not be tempted by a beautiful woman? Especially when he saw those two snow-white legs beneath Feng Ling's skirt, his crotch immediately sprang to attention. However, being tempted was one thing, fighting was another, and besides, he wanted to emulate Guan Yu, remaining calm in the face of beauty. So he deliberately suppressed his lustful desires and instead focused on killing. He could only satisfy his urges by capturing or beheading her.
With this in mind, he spurred his horse forward and challenged Feng Ling to battle.
Strictly speaking, Song Ziyun was the marshal, and Shui Yunu was the deputy general. There was no reason for Shui Yunu to fight, but firstly, Shui Yunu wanted to gain merit, and secondly, Feng Ling knew of her abilities. So Shui Yunu stepped forward with her spear to fight Song Ziyun.
Song Ziyun was unaware of Shui Yunu's battle with Han Sumei. He only saw that Yunu's banner indicated she was only a deputy general, and he underestimated her, his words carrying a hint of disdain. Shui Yunu, a proud and arrogant woman, wouldn't tolerate his underestimation. She glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes and shouted, "Song Ziyun, don't underestimate me! Today I'll teach you a lesson! Take this!" She thrust her spear towards Song Ziyun's throat.
Seeing the spear's speed, Song Ziyun hastily dodged, barely avoiding it, but broke out in a cold sweat. He realized her skill was no less than his own, and quickly abandoned his complacency, becoming more cautious. The two engaged in a fierce battle.
The fighting raged fiercely, lasting over fifty rounds without a clear victor. As noon approached, Song Ziyun was about to call a temporary halt for lunch when he suddenly heard a cannon boom from the direction of the pass, followed by shouts of battle. Song Ziyun knew this was the Xu family army from within the pass, attacking in conjunction with Feng Ling. Knowing his forces were insufficient, he hastily ordered a retreat of thirty li.
Feng Ling didn't pursue, instead charging towards the pass to join forces with Shui Jintong, who had also come out of the pass, thus relieving the siege of Zhuque Pass.
However, the problem was not solved, because Wang Ke was still working on the other side, and Song Ziyun and his sister were using their troops skillfully. Although Feng Ling had soldiers and generals, he could not break through them in time. Therefore, the two sides were still evenly matched at Zhuque Pass.
This stalemate lasted for half a month, and the situation became increasingly unfavorable for Xu Youliang.
On the southern front, He Li's barbarian army had swelled to 100,000 men, and two young female generals, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, had arrived to lead an attack on Zhennan Pass. Both women were seventeen or eighteen years old, young and beautiful. Hu Yue rode Red Hare, wielding the Wind-Winged Halberd, displaying a style reminiscent of Duan Lingfeng in her prime; Zhang Ping rode Black Cloud Snow-Treading, wielding a double-headed red-tasseled spear, her martial arts exceptional. Hua Feng went to meet the enemy, and although she fought Hu Yue to a draw, she couldn't withstand the combined attack of the two female generals and was defeated, retreating back to the pass. Hu Yue and Zhang Ping besieged the city day and night, but fortunately, Zhang Gui's resourcefulness allowed them to hold the three passes.
On the northern route, Hu Yanfeng and Yu Chiling, having caught their breath, joined forces with Wang Xiaojiao, who had come to reinforce them. They crossed Tiger Wolf Valley again and reached Nanyang Pass. Nanyang was now only defended by Shi Wenlong. Although the high walls and strong fortifications prevented its immediate loss, the disparity in numbers meant it would inevitably fall sooner or later. On
the eastern route, Cao Yunlong, having received a report from Song Ziyun and his sister, dispatched two more routes totaling 200,000 men, led by Hong Wei and Su Qingluan respectively. One route went northwest to reinforce Song Ziyun, while the other went west, creating a situation where they could reinforce Zhuque Pass to the north and attack Zhennan Pass to the west.
Seeing his men isolated and outnumbered, Xu Youliang was frantic with worry. Zhang Gui, however, advised, "Your Highness, there's no need to rush. Have all the troops defend carefully, lest the enemy take advantage of the situation. I'll go to Daxiong Pass again and tell Feng Qing to keep his word and send troops to relieve the siege."
"How could Feng Qing easily send troops?"
"Let's give him Tongzhen; he'll surely agree."
"Tongzhen is a vital passage; how can we give it up so easily?"
"Tongzhen is currently in Wang Bingzheng's hands. What's wrong with using someone else's money as a bribe? Besides, if we seize Tongzhen first, we can just say we borrowed it from him and return it after we capture Qinglong Pass. Does he really intend to steal it?"
Xu Youliang was now in dire straits and had no other choice but to rely on Feng Qing.
Meanwhile, Feng Qing was constantly monitoring the situation. Just then, Tao Xiuying came to request an audience.
"Your Highness, in my judgment, Zhang Gui should be arriving by now."
"How so?"
"Xu Youliang is in dire straits. We can rescue him now, firstly to earn his gratitude, and secondly, to take the opportunity to negotiate terms with him."
"What terms?"
"Whoever takes Tongzhen must give it to us."
"Tongzhen is currently in Wang Bingzheng's hands. What use is it to him?" "Tongzhen
is the vital passage to Bingye City. If we occupy Tongzhen, Xu Youliang will have to borrow our passage to enter Bingye City, or first eliminate Cao Yunlong and advance through Dongyang Pass. Meanwhile, we have two shortcuts to enter Bingye City: Tongzhen and Fengjun." "
Excellent! The strategist's considerations are absolutely correct. We will follow the strategist's advice."
Just then, a report came that Zhang Gui was requesting an audience. Feng Qing clapped his hands and laughed, "The strategist is indeed astute. I will excuse myself and leave everything to the strategist."
Both sides had their own needs, so they naturally reached an agreement.
Whether Feng Qing will send troops remains to be seen. We'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Sixty-Seven – Feng Qing's Army Enters White Tiger Pass, Yue Ling Seizes Three Cities Alone.

Changsi City was the first prefecture city within White Tiger Pass, and also the front line for Wang Bingzheng's defense and control of White Tiger Pass. The city's garrison commander was his deputy, Yan Bin.
Although Yan Bin was only a deputy commander, his martial arts skills were not lacking. He rode a yellow horse, wielded two iron hammers, and possessed extraordinary martial prowess. He had also accumulated many military merits, which was why Wang Bingzheng valued him highly and assigned him to guard Changsi.
On this day, just as dawn broke, the soldiers guarding the city suddenly reported that a large army had arrived outside the city and had surrounded it, requesting orders for action.
Yan Bin hurriedly donned his armor, mounted his horse, and went to the city gate tower to observe. He saw banners waving and sashes fluttering outside the city, with camps one after another, numbering probably tens of thousands.
Yan Bin was terrified.
He saw that in the enemy's central camp, about two thousand infantry and cavalry were leaving the camp and heading towards them.
Before long, the troops arrived at the moat and formed ranks.
"Where did these soldiers come from? What brings you here?" Yan Bin ordered his loudest soldiers to shout down to the city.
"We are the troops of General Yue Ling, the vanguard commander under the command of Prince Feng Qiansui, and we have come to take Changsi City on my general's orders. We urge your Yan Bin to quickly surrender the city and avoid mutual destruction!"
"Bah! What arrogance!" Yan Bin cursed. "What can a mere woman do? How dare she take Changsi City? Come on, fire the cannons and send out your troops!"
Everyone knew Yue Ling's reputation, but Yan Bin believed that his position as deputy general was not due to a lack of martial arts skills, but rather a lack of military achievements. Therefore, he was quite confident in himself. Otherwise, he would have already secluded himself and sent someone back to the capital to request reinforcements.
Yan Bin descended from the city walls, mustered two thousand men, fired cannons, and marched out of the city to form ranks along the moat. He then called upon Yue Ling to lead the attack.
The opposing formation shifted, and a young female general emerged slowly from behind the flag gate. She was stunningly beautiful, riding a black-footed jade dragon steed and wielding a ten-foot-long spear. She exuded an imposing aura, and Yan Bin secretly admired her.
"Is that General Yan on the other side? Yue Ling greets you."
"Return the greeting. General Yue, if we weren't at your White Tiger Pass, why would we be here in my Changsi Prefecture?"
"The Duke of Ye promised my lord that if Prince Xu reduced his army by 200,000, there would be no bloodshed. Now that Prince Xu has fulfilled his promise, he has broken his word and started fighting. Therefore, my lord has appointed General Hua Rong as commander, with me as vanguard, to advance on Ye City, demanding that the Duke of Ye honor his agreement and withdraw his troops. Our army has arrived here. Please, General Yan, do us a favor and clear a path for us to proceed to Ye City."
"General Yue, you are mistaken! I have heard that the order for Xu Youliang to reduce his army was issued by the current Emperor, and the Duke of Ye was acting on imperial orders. Xu Youliang is outwardly compliant but inwardly treacherous, feigning to reduce the army while secretly recruiting soldiers and stockpiling provisions. His disloyalty is blatantly obvious. I fear Your Highness has been deceived by him."
"General Yan, my lord is right next to Lord Xu. You are in Changshai, a hundred and eight thousand li away from the South Three Passes. If you say Lord Xu harbors rebellious intentions, my lord may not know, but General Yan does? That Duke Ye is using the emperor to command the princes, falsely issuing imperial edicts to actually eliminate dissidents. Why should General Yan speak up for him? Quickly clear the road and let me pass."
"What if I say no?"
"General Yan, look, Changshai is just a small place, no more than fifty li in area, with no more than two thousand soldiers. Can they possibly resist my army?"
"So, General Yue intends to force his way through?"
"Exactly?"
"I know General Yue is a famous general, highly skilled in martial arts. However, the hammer in my hand is not to be trifled with. If you want to pass, you must first defeat my iron hammer."
"A pair of medicine-pounding mallets, you dare to show off?"
"You little wretch, how dare you mock my small hammer! Let me show you my might! This weapon!" Enraged, Yan Bin spurred his horse forward, swinging his double hammers at Yue Ling.
Yue Ling, unperturbed, met him with her eighteen-foot spear.
The two engaged in a fierce battle outside the city. Yan Bin's strength was undeniable, and his hammer techniques exquisite, but unfortunately, he faced the female general Yue Ling. Wielding the eighteen-foot spear, Yue Ling possessed immense strength, and her martial arts were imbued with a touch of agility. After twenty-odd rounds, Yue Ling suddenly unleashed her power, her spear piercing through the gap between Yan Bin's two hammers, striking him squarely in the throat. Yan Bin cried out, tumbling from his horse. Yue Ling raised her spear, shouted "Charge!", and charged across the drawbridge.
The soldiers in the city witnessed this; seeing their commander dead, they were terrified, abandoning their duty to the city, and turned to flee.
Yue Ling led the vanguard battalion and chased for more than forty miles in one go, arriving at the city of Shangsizhou. Upon hearing this, Hu Wu Kui, the deputy general guarding the city, hurriedly went out to meet the enemy.
Hu Wu Kui, a former martial arts scholar, rode a golden steed and wielded a three-pronged fork, having once ranked first in the top three ranks. He didn't take Yue Ling seriously. The two generals disagreed and began to fight.
After only seven rounds, Yue Ling thrust his spear into Hu Wu Kui's stomach, lifting him more than three zhang high before he fell to the ground dead. Yue Ling then captured Shangsi City and continued his relentless advance to Xiasi City.
The garrison commander of Xiasi City, He Yun, was Hu Wu Kui's fellow martial arts scholar, ranking ninth in the top three ranks, and his martial arts skills were naturally superior.
Yue Ling and He Yun engaged in a fierce battle, fighting for more than thirty rounds. Yue Ling was defeated and fled in disarray. He Yun laughed, "You used a counter-attack, do you think I'm afraid of you?"
and gave chase.
Hearing the sounds behind him, Yue Ling knew they had caught up head-to-tail and were close enough to advance. He shouted and turned to thrust his spear at He Yun. Although He Yun was prepared, Yue Ling's spear was too fast. He Yun dodged to the side, avoiding a fatal blow, but the spear pierced his waistband. With a powerful flick, it lifted He Yun up and smashed him against a roadside stone, splattering his skull and killing him instantly.
Seeing that night was falling, Yue Ling ordered his troops to garrison in Xiasi City. He sent a messenger to the marshal to report the victory and ordered a day of rest in preparation for the advance on the third day.
Early the next morning, a letter from the marshal arrived from the central army camp, instructing Yue Ling to proceed cautiously, advancing no more than fifty li per day to maintain close contact with the central army camp.
Yue Ling laughed heartily upon reading the letter and said to the messenger, "Marshal is too cautious. As the saying goes, speed is of the essence in war, and swiftness is faster than lightning. If we follow your advice, Marshal, when will we reach Yecheng, and how will we relieve the siege of Zhennan?
Go back and report to the Marshal, and have her urge the army to advance. Within three days, I will surely capture Feng County and march straight to Xiting Pass." Marshal Hua Rong, upon receiving the reply, exclaimed in surprise, "Yue Ling is greedy for merit and will surely suffer a heavy blow. Where are Liu Zhu and Qin Ju?" "
Your subordinates are here!"
"You two will each lead five thousand men to catch up with Vanguard Yue and persuade her to obey my orders and not to advance rashly!"
"Understood!"
It turned out that among Feng Qing's generals, Yue Ling's martial arts skills were second to none, so she had always believed that she was the best candidate for Marshal. However, Feng Qing appointed the unknown Hua Rong as Marshal, which made her very unhappy, and she intended to compete with Hua Rong.
Yue Ling, single-handedly capturing three cities in a single day, became increasingly arrogant. Using the excuse that "a general in the field may disobey orders from the emperor," she even disregarded the marshal's commands.
Early on the third day, Yue Ling raised her army and marched over forty li to Weiling Prefecture. Prefect Cen Yong, having already received word, sent for Gong Yongxiang, the garrison commander of Lingyu Prefecture.
Cen Yong and Gong Yongxiang, both former deputy generals under Wang Bingzheng and skilled in swordsmanship, had heard of Yue Ling's single-handed slaying of three generals and knew she was a formidable opponent, so they decided to fight her together.
In this battle, both sides fought with all their might, enduring over a hundred rounds without a clear victor. Seeing that it was getting late, Yue Ling grew impatient and quickly turned her horse around, saying, "Do you two dare to chase me?" and fled. Cen Yong and Gong Yongxiang, having heard of Yue Ling's use of a counter-attack to kill He Yun, knew her moves and felt reassured, giving chase.
Whether Yue Ling wins or loses this battle remains to be seen; we shall find out in the next chapter.

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