[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 11

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Chapter 41 – Joining Forces and Conferring Titles, Attacking the City and Persuading Surrender.

It is said that You Liang returned to the main camp and went straight to the main tent, where Wang Bingzheng and Feng Qing had been waiting for a long time.
Upon seeing You Liang, Wang Bingzheng hurriedly greeted him, saying, “Oh, Master Xu, I originally intended to return quickly to join the attack on Zhuo County, but you beat me to it.”
You Liang replied, “This is not my achievement alone; the Feng siblings deserve the most credit. The second young master entered Yao City first and captured the old traitor Pang Qi, which is an even greater achievement. I, Xu, merely played a supporting role.”
“Master Xu, what are you saying? Without your Iron Pagoda, the Feng siblings would not have achieved anything. This credit belongs to both our families.”
“General Wang, you are too kind. This must be General Feng? I have long admired you.
” “Master Xu, I have heard so much about you!”
“Likewise. Hey, General Wang, weren’t you fighting Hu Da in Feng City? What brings you here?”
"That old scoundrel Hu Da is indeed formidable. I fought him several battles but gained no advantage. Later, I heard that General Feng had captured Xuanwu Pass and came to join forces. That old scoundrel Hu Da is very cunning; he secretly retreated in the middle of the night. By the time General Feng arrived, he had vanished without a trace. Later, scouts reported that the old scoundrel had retreated to Xiting Pass and was setting up some kind of grand formation. I think he intends to abandon Duan Lingfeng. Now that things are no longer urgent, it would be better to rest for a few days. Therefore, I came to Zhuo County with General Feng to discuss the alliance plan with Master Xu."
"Excellent, excellent! Without a proper alliance, it's better to finalize it sooner rather than later. Let's go into the tent to discuss."
Although all three of them secretly wanted to be the alliance leader, at this time, strength was the deciding factor.
Among the three, Feng Qing had the fewest troops and insufficient rear reinforcements, making him the weakest. After their victory at Tiger Wolf Valley, Xu Youliang and Wang Bingzheng were initially evenly matched. However, the battle at Hundred Flowers City resulted in heavy losses for Xu Youliang, while Wang Bingzheng, though having lost two generals in his battle with Hu Da, gained the assistance of the Western Rong tribes, significantly increasing his strength. Although Xu Youliang and Feng Qing were resentful, the position of alliance leader was now undoubtedly Wang Bingzheng's, and they had to outwardly feign willingness.
Having decided on the alliance leader, they considered its name and finally settled on "Jingnan Regent Army." Wang Bingzheng was appointed Grand Marshal of the Jingnan Regent Army and concurrently Commander of the Central Route; Xu Youliang was appointed Deputy Grand Marshal and concurrently Commander of the Right Route; and Feng Qing was appointed Deputy Grand Marshal and concurrently Commander of the Left Route.
The next day, the generals from the three armies gathered at Wang Bingzheng's camp for an alliance ceremony. After offering sacrifices to the gods of heaven and earth, Wang Bingzheng, Xu Youliang, and Feng Qing assumed their respective positions as Grand Marshal and Deputy Grand Marshal.
At that moment, the Marshal took his seat in the command tent, first issuing a proclamation in his name as Grand Marshal, exposing the various evil deeds of the tyrannical emperor, and then bestowing titles upon his generals: Wang Ke and Wang Jun were appointed as the chief and deputy commanders of the Jingnan Regent Army; Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao were appointed as the commanders of the central route vanguard; He Yuanlong and Pei Feng were appointed as the commanders of the left route vanguard; Cao Hua and Shi Wenlong were appointed as the commanders of the right route vanguard. The remaining generals also received their respective titles and rewards. The entire army held a grand banquet to reward the three armies.
When the news reached Baihua City, Feng Ling and Zhao Fengzhu were very unhappy, saying, "It would be fine to appoint them as the chief vanguard and commanders of the central route, but they had to make them the commanders of the central route vanguard, so that they could suppress us. They are all female generals, yet they are stronger than us?"
On the other side, Yue Ling and the other five female generals under Feng Qing were also indignant, but they kept quiet. The female generals of the different families were now competing with each other.
After the three armies joined forces and rested for three days, the marshals convened in their tents to discuss the military situation. First, they sent scouts to investigate Hu Da's situation, and then they discussed how to capture Zhuo County.
"Since Tao Long and Hu Da's reinforcements have retreated, we can afford to besiege them for a while without attacking, to avoid unnecessary casualties. Now that Duan Lingfeng has cut off reinforcements and her supplies are exhausted, Zhuo County, being a small place, will inevitably fall sooner or later," Zhang Gui said.
You Liang agreed, and Feng Qing also agreed.
Wang Bingzheng nodded and said, "What you all say makes sense. I see that Duan Lingfeng is exceptionally skilled in martial arts. If she were to join us, she would be a great help in attacking Hu Da. Now that she has no other way out, we can force her to surrender. In my opinion, we should write a letter and send someone into the city to explain the situation."
"I also agree with this idea. However, sending the letter is very dangerous. Who should we send?"
Several generals stepped forward, including Cao Hua, Wang Ke, Wang Jun, Wang Yinping, and He Yuanlong.
Wang Bingzheng looked at them one by one, then said, "Generals, your courage is truly admirable. However, Marshal Xu and Duan Lingfeng have been at odds for many years, and their grudges run deep. If your men go, I fear that while Duan Lingfeng might let you go, Cao Yunlong will not. In my opinion, it would be better to send Wang Ke instead. Wang Ke, listen to my command!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"I am sending you to deliver the letter. Be careful."
"Yes, sir!"
Wang Bingzheng had his own plans for sending Wang Ke, because he knew that Xu and Feng would inevitably become formidable enemies in the future. Therefore, he wanted to take every opportunity to win them over. Yesterday, he had already persuaded the captured Pang Qi to surrender. If he could also bring Duan Lingfeng and Cao Yunlong under his command, wouldn't that be like adding wings to a tiger?
These past few days, Duan Lingfeng had been on tenterhooks in the city.
The army had run out of food, and the soldiers were killing horses for food. Many of the original soldiers had died or deserted, leaving only thirty to fifty thousand men, who were also exhausted. Xu Youliang had erected iron cavalry siege towers at Yaocheng, hurling stones into the city. Xu Youliang's soldiers were also firing arrows from the other side. Although the iron cavalry siege towers couldn't carry many stones at once, and the arrows were no longer lethal by the time they reached their side, Yaocheng was on higher ground than Zhuojun. The enemy could throw stones with their bare hands, but their side couldn't get anything back, driving the soldiers to despair. The soldiers were filled with resentment.
Just as they were at their wits' end, a report came that Wang Bingzheng had sent a messenger with a letter.
Duan Lingfeng hurriedly ordered his generals to gather, then summoned the messenger.
Wang Ke stepped into the tent, bowed, and said, "Wang Ke greets Marshal Duan."
"Bold Wang Ke, why don't you kneel
before me?" "I am sent by the Grand Marshal of the Regent of the Jingnan Rebellion to deliver this letter. I am not under Marshal Duan's jurisdiction, so there is no distinction between superior and inferior."
"Bold! Aren't you afraid of death?"
"For a general, dying on the battlefield is a joy. What is there to fear?"
Seeing that she couldn't subdue him, Duan Lingfeng gave up and said, "General Wang is indeed a hero. What letter did you deliver? Is it to persuade him to surrender?"
"It was written by my Marshal, urging Marshal Duan to abandon the darkness and embrace the light. My Marshal and Marshal Duan are both loyal subjects of the Great Righteousness, so naturally there is no question of persuading surrender." Wang Ke was very eloquent. He knew that Duan Lingfeng, as the Empress's sister, was very sensitive about the word "surrender," so he deliberately avoided mentioning persuasion.
"Bring the letter forward."
Duan Lingfeng took the letter, read it once, told the junior officer Wang Ke to go and rest, then handed the letter to the generals to read again, and then said, "Generals, Wang Bingzheng has now sent a letter urging us to surrender. What do you all think?" The
generals looked at each other, silent. Only Cao Yunlong mustered his courage and stepped forward, clasping his hands, and said, "Marshal, now that the enemy is at the city gates, the army has been without food for many days, the soldiers have lost their fighting spirit, and the imperial reinforcements have not arrived. We are in a desperate situation, and it is futile not to surrender. This humble general believes that the Emperor's actions are indeed absurd, no wonder the people do not rebel. Now the court is corrupt, the people are thinking of change, the fate of the Great Zhen Dynasty is exhausted, we should follow the trend and withdraw our troops. This humble
general believes we should surrender." Upon hearing that someone had taken the lead, some generals came forward to respond, while others vowed to die for their country. They argued endlessly, and finally all looked at Duan Lingfeng.
Lingfeng said, "I have received the Emperor's grace and hold the command seal. I must devote myself to the cause until my dying breath. How can I surrender to the bandits and commit such a heinous act, bringing shame upon my descendants? I am truly ashamed for you all. Which of you is willing to surrender? I would rather die than surrender."
Upon hearing Lingfeng's words, those who were willing to surrender were unwilling in their hearts, but dared not speak out. Cao Yunlong quickly clasped his hands and said, "This humble general was merely testing the Marshal's heart. Since the Marshal is willing to be loyal to the Emperor, we will naturally live and die with the Marshal." Cao
Yunlong had originally been the first to be willing to surrender, but now that he was willing to die, the surrender faction dared not say anything more.
Duan Lingfeng and his group reached a consensus and summoned Wang Ke.
Wang Ke entered the tent and asked, "What was the result of the Marshal's discussion?"
Duan Lingfeng smiled slightly and said, "I need to borrow something from Vanguard Wang."
"Please speak."
"I want to cut off Vanguard Wang's head and send it to Wang Bingzheng to show my determination to be loyal to the country. Come on, take him out and execute him!"
Wang Ke laughed loudly and turned to leave.
"Wait! Spare his life!" Cao Yunlong hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Marshal, in times of war, envoys are not to be killed. Wang Xianfeng is the one who sent the letter; killing him would be against propriety. Please reconsider, Marshal."
"Hmm. You make a good point. Push it back."
"Marshal Duan, why aren't you killing me?" "
Wang Xianfeng, I am a marshal of the imperial court. How could I do something so impolite? I was merely testing you just now. Wang Xianfeng is indeed brave; I admire you. Now do you understand my meaning?"
"I understand."
"Go back and tell that so-called fake marshal that the reply is unnecessary. We have a gentleman's agreement: we'll meet on the battlefield."
"Very well, this subordinate takes his leave."
"I'll see Wang Xianfeng off," Cao Yunlong hurriedly said.
Cao Yunlong escorted Wang Ke out of the Marshal's Mansion. Wang Ke said, "Vanguard Cao is highly skilled in martial arts and has a bright future. It would be a waste for him to serve a tyrannical emperor. If Vanguard Cao joins our camp, I am willing to give you the Vanguard's seal."
Cao Yunlong simply nodded and escorted Wang Ke to the city wall, where he was lowered down by rope.
How Wang Ke would proceed to attack the city remains to be seen; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 42—Pang Qi Infiltrates the City, Duan Feng Breaks Out in the Middle of the Night.

Wang Ke returned to camp, saying that Duan Lingfeng refused to surrender even in death. Wang Bingzheng, Xu Youliang, and Feng Qing discussed besieging the city for several more days before attacking.
After leaving the tent, Wang Ke secretly told Wang Bingzheng about the situation in Duan's camp, saying that judging from their expressions, Vanguard Cao Yunlong and many officers seemed to be considering surrendering.
Upon hearing this, Wang Bingzheng hurriedly asked Wang Ke to secretly bring Pang Qi to him.
It turned out that after Ziyue City was breached, Pang Qi was captured and immediately surrendered, but Xu Youliang and the others were unaware of this.
Pang Qi entered the tent and hurriedly bowed. Wang Bingzheng told him to rise and said, "Now there is a merit to be made for you. I wonder if you are willing to go?"
"The Marshal has ordered that Pang Qi is willing to serve like a dog or a horse."
"If you do this and that, it will be a great achievement for you."
Pang Qi nodded repeatedly.
That night, Pang Qi and another man ran to the city walls and shouted to the defenders, "I am Pang Qi! Quickly pull me up!"
The soldiers on the city walls saw that it was indeed Pang Qi. They quickly lowered the rope, pulled the two of them up the walls, and then reported to Duan Lingfeng.
Lingfeng hurriedly ordered the tent to be raised and told Pang Qi to announce his arrival at the gate.
Upon entering the tent, Duan Lingfeng asked, "Pang Qi, you've already been captured by Wang Bingzheng, what brings you here? Are you perhaps acting as Wang Bingzheng's intercessor?"
"Marshal, I'm innocent! It's true I was captured by Wang Jun, but I didn't surrender. Wang Bingzheng imprisoned me in the rear camp, intending to send me back to Xisanguan another day. A brave man rescued me, and we both came to join his camp."
"What is that brave man's name, and why did he rescue you?"
"This man is named Ling Zhi, from Guanshan. He was originally a junior officer in Wang Bingzheng's camp, but because he didn't want to bear the stigma of rebellion with Wang Bingzheng, he longed to return to the court, hence his rescue." "
In that case, please, brave Ling, enter the tent."
Ling Zhi entered the tent and bowed. Duan Lingfeng saw that this man had a serene and upright air, like a gentleman. Ling Feng watched for a long time, then suddenly shouted, "Ling Zhi, how dare you come here with Pang Qi as spies! Axemen, take these two out and execute them!"
"Hahahaha, I thought Duan Ling Feng was a great hero, but after seeing him today, he's nothing special. What a pity, what a pity!" Ling Zhi was pushed out of the tent by the axemen, laughing loudly.
"Bring him back. Ling Zhi, what are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at your ingratitude."
"How am I ingratitude?"
"I kindly saved your general and came to surrender to you, but you call me a spy and want to kill me. Isn't that ingratitude?"
"Hmph, fine, I'll let you die knowing why. Since you wanted to surrender to the court, why didn't you escape from Feng County to see Grand Tutor Hu after saving Pang Qi? Why didn't you escape from Baihua City to Nanling Pass? You've already come here to die, there's nowhere to be saved. Why come here to die? If you didn't come to be a spy, then what do you have to say?"
"Hmph! How do you know that Fengjun and Baihua City are both under lockdown, with no one able to escape? Even if I rescue Marshal Pang, how could Wang Bingzheng let us go? We'll be captured sooner or later anyway. Besides, I rescued Marshal Pang to repay his debt and earn merit. Where else could I go but Zhuojun? What's there to fear about dying? The dynasty's fate is sealed; it's doomed sooner or later. What difference does it make whether I die in Zhuojun or Yecheng? I came to serve you, hoping to die loyally rather than live as a traitor. I never imagined that Marshal Duan would treat me like a spy, thus tarnishing my lifelong reputation. Fine, fine, you don't need to kill me. I'll just die myself. I only hope that Heaven knows my loyalty and that I will be proven right in the end."
With that, Ling Zhi turned his head away, ignoring her.
Upon hearing this, Lingfeng hurriedly stepped down from the command table and personally untied the man's bonds, saying, "Your words of righteousness have made me feel deeply ashamed. I have wronged you; please forgive me."
"As long as the Marshal knows my loyalty, I ask for nothing more."
Lingfeng still appointed Pang Qi as deputy marshal and Ling Zhi as general, but she was still somewhat uneasy, so she assigned them to two different posts without giving them real positions. She also instructed Cao Yunlong and another deputy general to keep an eye on their movements. Little did she know, she was inadvertently helping them.
The next day, cannons roared outside the city, and shouts of battle filled the air. Wang Bing was launching a fierce attack on Zhuojun, and the city was on the verge of falling.
When Duan Lingfeng climbed the city wall, she saw that Wang Ke and Wang Jun were attacking from the northwest, while Xu Youliang was leading his army to attack from the south, and Xu Youliang's iron cavalry and a hail of arrows were positioned at the east flank.
Duan Lingfeng ordered her officers to defend the city to the death, but it seemed to have little effect, as the soldiers had not eaten for a long time and were completely exhausted.
At this moment, Cao Yunlong said, "Marshal, this place can no longer be defended. Why don't we break out and head into the mountains? We can use the terrain as a barrier; perhaps we'll still have a chance."
Duan Lingfeng said, "Don't you understand the principle of attacking from three sides when besieging a city? Wang Bing is forcing us out of the city. They must have already set up a trap, just waiting for us to fall into it." "
Marshal, even if we know it's a trap, we have no choice but to go through it. If we run out, we might have a chance to enter the mountains. If we stay in the city, even if they don't attack, we'll starve to death."
"Yes, Marshal, let's go. We'd rather die in battle than starve to death," the generals said in unison.
Lingfeng knew there was no other way and had to agree. While
ordering several deputy generals to guard the city gates to cover the main force, Lingfeng mustered the troops, opened the east gate, and took advantage of the fact that the Iron Pagoda of Yuecheng had just finished firing a volley of cannons and was reloading. Braving the arrows, they rushed out of the city, bypassed Yuecheng, and headed east into the mountains.
This charge covered twenty or thirty miles, with the troops from the three families hot on their heels. Lingfeng was walking forward when suddenly a cannon boomed, and enemy soldiers attacked from both sides. At that moment, Lingfeng didn't bother to see who was leading the troops; she just kept running towards the direction where there were no enemies. When she reached the foot of the mountain, her horse was exhausted, and she had to stop to rest.
Looking back, she saw that the pursuers were busy killing her own soldiers and hadn't paid any attention to her. Only Cao Yunlong, Pang Qi, Ling Zhi, a dozen or so officers, two female soldiers, and about a hundred men remained beside her. She shook her head and sighed, then slowly walked into the mountains.
Just as they entered the mountain pass, a cannon suddenly roared, and another troop of men charged out. Lingfeng, sensing danger, led Cao Yunlong and the others towards a nearby hill.
It was dark, and the enemy dared not pursue. Reaching the summit, Lingfeng looked down and inwardly groaned. The enemy had already surrounded the hill; flames blazed at its base, and tens of thousands of men had completely encircled it. Below, enemy soldiers shouted in unison, "Duan Lingfeng, surrender immediately!"
Lingfeng hardened her heart. There was no escape anyway; tomorrow, when the enemy attacked, she would fight to the death.
She tied her warhorse to a large tree and ordered her hundred or so men to dig trenches around the hilltop, preparing arrows, stones, and other supplies for a desperate fight the next morning.
"Vanguard Cao, the enemy dares not attack at night. Leave a few men to keep watch. Everyone, lie down and rest. There's another great battle tomorrow."
"Yes."
Lingfeng surveyed the area again, arranging the guards. Seeing Cao Yunlong and the other generals resting on the ground, and the two female soldiers asleep, she returned to her warhorse, leaned against a large tree, took off her battle robe to cover herself, closed her eyes to rest, and prepared for the final battle tomorrow.
Whether Duan Lingfeng would survive tomorrow remains to be seen. To be continued in the next chapter.

Chapter Forty-Three—Cao Yunlong Abandons His Master and Captures Lingfeng; Wang Bing, Intending to Become a Prince Consort,

Sends a Letter Back. It says that Duan Lingfeng closed her eyes to rest, preparing for the final battle tomorrow, but unexpectedly fell asleep while sitting.
Suddenly, a commotion startled Lingfeng awake. Opening her eyes, she was shocked to find her feet bound together, her upper body pressed forward and slumped over her legs, her arms twisted behind her back by two unknown people. Someone removed her armor and then bound her up with rope.
Lingfeng knew she had been ambushed, but she couldn't move an inch. Turning her head, she saw two lieutenants pressing two female soldiers face down on the ground and binding them with rope.
On the other side, Cao Yunlong, Pang Qi, and Ling Zhi were engaged in a fierce battle with several other officers, while the soldiers stood by watching the spectacle.
Upon seeing this, Duan Lingfeng cried out, "Vanguard Cao, come quickly to save me!"
Cao Yunlong smashed a man's head with a fork, saying, "Coming right away."
Soon after, Cao Yunlong and his two companions returned, having killed their opponents. The officer who had bound the two female soldiers had finished his work, stood up, and threw the two women, bound together with their hooves tucked behind them, to the ground.
"Vanguard Cao, quickly untie me!"
"Marshal, please forgive us. We have now abandoned the darkness and embraced the light, and we wish to use you as our gift of greeting," Cao Yunlong said.
"You?!" Duan Lingfeng was so angry at being betrayed by Cao Yunlong that she nearly fainted: "Cao Yunlong, the court treated you well in the past, yet you betrayed your master for personal gain. Utterly shameless!"
But what use was cursing now? The tide had turned; she could only think about her fate. Surrender was absolutely unacceptable. The only remaining question was how she would die—beheading, slow slicing, or being stripped naked? Almost certainly! Would she be gang-raped? She didn't know; Cao Yunfeng and several of her fellow disciples had all been gang-raped.
The thought of the dignified Imperial Sister, the Grand Marshal of the Army, being gang-raped sent chills down Duan Lingfeng's spine.
Cao Yunlong and his two companions came over, untied the ropes binding her feet, then tied another rope around her neck, leading her down the mountain like a dog on a leash. As
Duan Lingfeng was brought down the mountain, the soldiers who had surrounded them came to watch the spectacle. Naturally, everyone was curious to see such a beautiful Imperial Sister bound and gagged. The soldiers' language was crude and vulgar; they were all the same. They gossiped and commented, their words constantly revolving around the Imperial Sister's face, chest, and the area below her waist and above her thighs.
Duan Lingfeng, despite her great skills, could only endure this humiliation—truly a tiger fallen into the plains, bullied by dogs!
Cao Yunlong personally helped Duan Lingfeng onto her own warhorse, ordering his soldiers to tie her feet with ropes and tuck them under the horse's belly so she couldn't commit suicide by falling off. As she mounted, Cao Yunlong's hand rested on Lingfeng's buttocks, filling her with immense humiliation.
Cao Yunlong mounted his own horse, holding Lingfeng's reins, and headed towards Wang Bingzheng's camp.
Wang Bingzheng, hearing of Duan Lingfeng's capture, was overjoyed and hurried out of his camp to welcome Cao Yunlong inside.
Duan Lingfeng then learned that Ling Zhi was a newly recruited general under Wang Bingzheng, and that Pang Qi had long since taken the surname Wang.
Wang Bingzheng first appeased Cao Yunlong and the surrendered generals, then ordered Duan Lingfeng to be brought into his tent.
Upon seeing this, Wang Bingzheng hurriedly came over and personally untied her, saying, "Oh dear, Marshal Duan, I have long admired your exceptional talent. This invitation is truly unavoidable; please forgive me."
Duan Lingfeng had seen this kind of trick in historical novels and wasn't surprised. Duan Lingfeng was Duan Lingfeng; she was blindly loyal. To try and win her over using such methods was like a pipe dream.
"General Wang, you don't need to waste your efforts. Lingfeng already belongs to the court. Now that I'm captured, you can kill me or torture me as you please. Don't even think about making me betray my brother."
Wang Bingzheng wasn't in a hurry; he was simply trying to wear her down slowly, hoping to eventually move her. However, Duan Lingfeng's heart was as hard as stone, and all of Wang Bingzheng's efforts were in vain.
Half a month passed, and Duan Lingfeng remained defiant, eating and drinking as offered, and remaining neither servile nor arrogant towards those who tried to persuade her to surrender.
During this time, Wang Bingzheng publicly claimed that Duan Lingfeng had died in battle. He knew that Xu Youliang and Duan Lingfeng had a deep-seated grudge. If Duan Lingfeng surrendered, all would be well; otherwise, Xu Youliang might demand her return. However, secrets cannot be kept forever. Many people had witnessed Duan Lingfeng's capture, and sooner or later, the news would leak out, which would be disastrous. Therefore, Wang Bingzheng was becoming anxious.
In fact, Wang Bingzheng had another selfish motive: Duan Lingfeng's beauty and her status as a princess.
Now that the three factions had joined forces, although he had become the leader of the alliance, he knew that the other two were not convinced of his loyalty. If he were to recruit Duan Lingfeng, he would gain a wise and brave general, a beautiful bride, and the status of a princess consort, which would give him more influence.
Even heroes are not immune to lust, and Wang Bingzheng was no exception. Despite having numerous wives and concubines, he still indulged in extramarital affairs. Take, for example, Han Sumei, the female general he brought with him on this campaign. She was originally the daughter of Wang Bingzheng's deputy military governor. Because of her exceptional martial arts skills, Wang Bingzheng took a liking to her and kept her in the camp as a central officer. Later, when the deputy military governor died, the sixteen-year-old Han Sumei, without any support, was taken as a concubine by Wang Bingzheng. Among Wang Bingzheng's wives and concubines, only Han Sumei knew martial arts, so he brought her along on this trip. Compared to Han Sumei, Duan Lingfeng, though older, was no less beautiful, especially her slender figure, delicate waist, and the heroic spirit between her brows—qualities unmatched by most female generals. What man wouldn't be captivated by her?
From the day he captured Duan Lingfeng, Wang Bingzheng thought of her beautiful body day and night, even just to hold her in his arms for one night. But Duan Lingfeng refused to surrender until her death, and such desires remained unfulfilled.
With the agreed-upon date for the three families to march on Xiting Pass fast approaching, Wang Bingzheng feared he might never have another chance if he didn't capture Duan Lingfeng soon
. He decided to force himself on her, raping her first; then, she would have no choice but to surrender. The plan was finalized and ready to be implemented when a junior officer from the rear camp reported that Duan Lingfeng had escaped. This infuriated Wang Bingzheng.
It turned out that Duan Lingfeng had only been under house arrest in the rear camp, not bound. Because she hadn't made a move for many days, everyone had let their guard down. One day, seizing an opportunity, Duan Lingfeng subdued a messenger leading a horse, seized the horse, and charged out of the camp. Because there were no enemy soldiers nearby, the sentries at all levels were careless. When Duan Lingfeng charged, they didn't have time to close the camp gates, and she escaped.
Wang Bingzheng, unwilling to let such a beauty slip away, hastily mustered five hundred soldiers, along with Wang Ke, Wang Jun, Cao Yunlong, Pang Qi, and Ling Zhi, and rushed towards the direction Duan Lingfeng had fled. After traveling several miles, they suddenly encountered a troop of men approaching. It was Xu Youliang, Cao Hua, and Shi Wenlong, with Duan Lingfeng, bound hand and foot, riding on a horse in the center.
It turned out that Duan Lingfeng, long imprisoned in the rear camp, was completely unaware of her surroundings.
The Great Zhen Dynasty, centered on Yecheng, had three outer passes arranged in a ring.
The first pass was the Four Directions Passes, including the East Three Passes, South Three Passes, West Four Passes, and North Three Passes, guarded by four military governors. Tao Long, the military governor of the East Three Passes, had already died at the hands of Xu Youliang's cannons. The military governors of the South Three Passes, West Four Passes, and North Three Passes were Xu Chengzhu, Wang Bingzheng, and Feng Qing, who were now jointly overseeing the state.
The second line of defense consisted of the Azure Dragon Pass in the east, the Vermilion Bird Pass in the south, the White Tiger Pass in the west, and the
Black Tortoise Pass in the north, along with some auxiliary passes such as the Nanyang Pass, Xihua Pass, and Dongping Pass, forming a circular chain. All three passes had now fallen to the three families. The third line of defense consisted of the Dongyang Pass, Xiting Pass, Nanling Pass, and Beigucheng Pass.
Now that the first two passes had fallen, the imperial army had retreated into the three passes, leaving the surrounding area entirely within the three families' territory. Moreover, Wang Bingzheng's army was positioned in the middle, with military camps stretching for fifty or sixty li. Duan Lingfeng had no chance of escape. Riding the stolen horse, she hadn't gone far south when she encountered Xu Youliang, who was out hunting.
Upon seeing Xu Youliang, Duan Lingfeng realized it was too late to hide; she quickly lowered her head and pretended to be an ordinary citizen.
At first, Xu Youliang only glanced at her and didn't pay much attention. But Shi Wenlong had sharp eyes. He noticed that Duan Lingfeng was dressed in a single layer of clothing, and on the surface, she looked like an ordinary person. However, her fair skin made her look unlike a typical village girl. Then he saw her horse, which was clearly a warhorse. He pointed at her with his whip and stopped her: "Halt! What are you doing here?"
"I am a maidservant from the Wang family in the town ahead. I'm returning from doing errands for the master."
Youliang recognized the voice and circled his horse to get a closer look. He was shocked: "Who is it? It's Marshal Duan! Weren't you killed in battle?
How did you end up here?"
Lingfeng knew something was wrong. She quickly went to the saddle, drew the messenger's sword, and without a word, silently slashed.
Youliang spurred his horse aside, and Cao Hua and Shi Wenlong had already drawn their weapons and surrounded Lingfeng.
Lingfeng, unwilling to be captured, brandished her sword in resistance. However, her weapon was now in Wang Bingzheng's camp. Her martial arts skills were 60% her own skill and 40% her weaponry. Now, without her Phoenix Wing Golden Halberd, she couldn't use her skills effectively. In just a few moves, her sword was knocked from her hand. Cao Hua used an axe handle to whack her at the waist, pulling Lingfeng off her horse. The soldiers immediately rushed forward and bound her.
This was Xu Youliang's territory. Upon seeing Wang Bingzheng approaching, Youliang hurriedly bowed and greeted him, "What brings you here, Marshal?"
At this moment, Wang Bingzheng was embarrassed to admit that he had come to pursue Duan Lingfeng, and stammered without speaking.
Lingfeng spurred her horse, and the horse walked forward on its own.
Lingfeng said, "General Wang, now that Lingfeng has been captured again, please take me back." This made Wang Bingzheng blush deeply, and he had no choice but to admit to Youliang that Duan Lingfeng had just been captured yesterday and had secretly escaped today.
Upon hearing this, Youliang said, "In that case, please take her back to the central camp, Marshal."
Wang Bingzheng was quite pleased. Youliang didn't take her back to his own camp for revenge, but instead gave her to him for free. It seemed that Youliang still respected him as the Marshal. He thanked him and took Duan Lingfeng back to his camp.
On the way back, Wang Bingzheng suddenly realized that Xu Youliang had handed Lingfeng over to him because he was the Marshal, and the other party was intentionally giving him face. However, he had fought with Duan Lingfeng for a long time, and three of his wives and concubines had died at her hands. How could he easily let Duan Lingfeng go? Tomorrow morning at roll call, Youliang would definitely question her in the central tent. If he hadn't subdued her by then, he wouldn't be able to
convince the generals if he didn't give Xu Youliang an explanation in front of them. Thinking of this, Wang Bingzheng decided that as soon as he returned to the camp, he would immediately force himself on her, first inserting his seed into her body, and see if she would submit.
So, Wang Bingzheng led everyone into the camp, telling the others to go back first. He then pulled the horse carrying Duan Lingfeng directly to his tent, lifted her down from the horse, and carried her horizontally into his tent.
Once inside, Wang Bingzheng threw Lingfeng onto the bed and began to undress her, saying, "Your Majesty, my sister, is incomparably beautiful. I have long admired you. Please submit to me."
Although Duan Lingfeng knew she would suffer humiliation in the enemy's hands, she couldn't help but curse.
Wang Bingzheng ripped open Lingfeng's upper garment, kissed her snow-white shoulder, and then reached to undo her bodice.
What will become of Duan Lingfeng? We'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Forty-Four—Han Sumei Advises Wang Bingzheng, Xu Youliang Righteously Releases Duan Lingfeng.

It is said that Wang Bingzheng pinned Duan Lingfeng down and began to strip her clothes.
Duan Lingfeng struggled desperately, cursing incessantly, but with her hands bound, she could not fight back. Just as she was about to be humiliated, someone in front of the tent said, "Marshal, stop immediately! This is absolutely unacceptable!"
Wang Bing hurriedly got up and saw a female general standing in front of the tent. She was about twenty-one or twenty-two years old, with a very beautiful face, a figure that was neither too tall nor too short, neither too fat nor too thin, and wearing a short-sleeved top. It was none other than his concubine, Han Sumei.
"What does Mei'er have to say?"
"Marshal, this is unacceptable. Please, let's speak in private."
Wang Bingzheng followed Han Sumei out of the tent. Sumei said, "Duan Lingfeng is, after all, the imperial sister. We raised an army to oversee the country, not to rebel. Therefore, there is absolutely no reason to kill the imperial sister, much less to humiliate her. Otherwise, how can the people of the world be willing to submit to you?" "
I have already tried my best to persuade her to submit, but she doesn't appreciate my good intentions and actually ran away. She refuses to surrender even at the cost of her life. You won't let me kill her, nor will you let me take her chastity. Do you expect me to let her go?"
"General, please don't be angry. Let me go and persuade her for you."
Han Sumei went inside for a long time before coming out and shaking her head at Wang Bingzheng.
Wang Bingzheng said, "What do you mean? I'll take her virginity and force her to submit to me."
"Marshal, you are mistaken. Duan Lingfeng has been in the army for a long time. She knew she would be humiliated after being captured. How could she change her mind and ruin your reputation? People will not only say you killed a prisoner, but also that you raped and murdered your sister. You clearly disregard the court. Where does your title of regent come from? Although the people yearn for change, they are unwilling to bear the name of rebellion. Who would still want to pledge allegiance to you? Wouldn't that be a case of losing more than you gain?"
"That may be true, but do you expect me to release her?"
"General, you went to great lengths to capture her. You certainly won't release her for nothing. I have a plan that kills two birds with one stone."
"Speak quickly."
"Duan Lingfeng and Xu Youliang have been at odds for years, their grudges running deep. Xu Youliang's three wives and concubines all died at Duan Lingfeng's hands, suffering endless humiliation. They are sworn enemies. Why not send Duan Lingfeng to Xu Youliang? He will surely be grateful to you, that's the first benefit. Whether he kills or dismembers her sister, it won't concern the Marshal, that's the second benefit. And if Xu Youliang were to turn against the King in the future, wouldn't that provide a pretext for raping and murdering the Emperor's sister? That's the third benefit. With these three benefits, we can relieve the Marshal's anger and push this hot potato to Xu Youliang's side. Isn't that good?"
"Mei'er is not only skilled in martial arts but also so shrewd. It's no wonder I've doted on you. Alright, I'll listen to you."
"You should hand Duan Lingfeng over to me. I'll strip her clothes off, wrap her in a bundle, and send her to Xu Youliang. When Xu Youliang sees her body, he will surely lose control. At that time, the Marshal can just wait to see the joke!"
"Good idea, you can do it." However, although she said that, she was really reluctant to let such a good piece of mutton end up in someone else's mouth.
Han Sumei went into the tent, dragged Duan Lingfeng out, and brought her to her own tent. Fearing that she wouldn't be able to control Duan Lingfeng if she struggled, she sent someone to fetch Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao. Three female warriors were more than enough to subdue one woman in the tent.
Duan Lingfeng was captured by the three women, her ropes were untied, her clothes were stripped off, her hands were tied behind her back, her lower legs were folded up and tied to her thighs with rope, and then another rope was passed through her knees and tied to her upper arms, just like a child being held to urinate.
Then, someone was sent to find a wooden box, lined with some mattresses, and Lingfeng was placed inside. The lid was closed, locked, and sealed. Only then were the female soldiers moved to the open space outside the tent. Wang Bingzheng sent a junior officer with several soldiers to deliver Duan Lingfeng to Xu Youliang's camp, saying it was a gift from Marshal Wang, who specifically instructed Youliang to keep it for himself.
Xu Youliang, not knowing what the gift was, had it carried into his sleeping quarters. He dismissed his attendants, unlocked the small lock, tore off the seal, and opened the box. He was astonished when
he saw that Duan Lingfeng was completely naked, her white flesh as white as snow, though pitifully bound. Her two breasts, like two jade bells, were topped with a pair of small red cherries. Her two slender legs were neither too thick nor too thin, without an ounce of excess fat. Between her legs, a row of black hair rose from her pubic bone below her lower abdomen and grew back to the middle of her labia. Her labia minora were soft and thick; normally, they would have been tightly closed like a peach. But now, with her legs spread apart and raised, the taut skin stretched open, revealing her two dark red labia minora and her pink vulva, displayed before Xu Youliang along with her small anus. To enjoy her, he only needed to insert a jade rod—very convenient, and she would have no chance to resist. Looking at her face, her pink cheeks resembled peach blossoms, pitifully charming.
Youliang was so frightened that he quickly turned his face away, his heart pounding wildly. It would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted by such a beauty, but Xu Youliang was a hero, unlike others, and immediately realized this was Wang Bingzheng's scheme. When
Duan Lingfeng was stripped naked and stuffed into a box by Han Sumei and the other two, she didn't know what they wanted to do. If they were going to strip her naked, it was either to display her or to rape her; why put her in a box then? She felt the box being carried around, then placed on a cart, its destination unknown. The moment the box was opened, she saw Xu Youliang, and a tremor ran through her.
She knew the deepest resentment she harbored towards Xu Youliang; his three wives, Fengyi, Fengle, and Fengyun, had all died at her hands, stripped naked and hung on flagpoles for public display. What a agonizing sight that must have been for a husband! Now, in his hands, she feared she would rather be dead.
Xu Youliang stood facing outwards for a long time before finally saying, "Are you Marshal Duan?"
"Indeed, it is your Marshal."
"Youliang didn't know it was the Imperial Sister just now, so he opened the box. It was unintentional. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"What's there to forgive? Now that you've been captured, do as you please. Don't pretend."
"Youliang is not feigning kindness. When my wife, Zhao Fengzhu, was in the camp, she received much care from the Marshal. She pleaded with me that if I ever captured the Marshal, I must not humiliate him. I have already promised and informed the entire army. No one in my camp dares to be disrespectful to the Marshal. Just now, Marshal Wang sent someone to deliver the box, saying it was a gift for Youliang, and asked me to view it alone. I didn't know it was Marshal Duan, so I offended the Marshal. Please don't blame me."
"What blame? What do you intend to do with me now that I'm in the General's hands?"
"The Marshal is the Imperial Sister of the Emperor. Youliang should treat her well."
"Are you telling the truth? "
"How could I dare to lie?"
"Then why are you still binding me like this?"
“Please forgive me, my dear sister. With Feng Ling and Zhao Fengzhu leading troops abroad, there are no women in my camp. Since the chaos of war, people have been fleeing everywhere, and women are even scarcer. Therefore… I am in a very difficult position.”
“You’ve already seen it all, what’s so difficult about it?”
“I didn’t know you looked like this before, my dear sister. Now that I know, I dare not look again.”
“I am a chaste woman. Now that you’ve seen it, how can I possibly marry again? Besides you, who else can let me go?”
“In that case, I apologize.” A thought stirred within You Liang.
You Liang turned around, gently lifted Duan Lingfeng from the box, placed her on his bed, untied the ropes, and draped his battle robe over her.
During this process, You Liang’s hand sometimes had to brush against her genitals, and each time he felt the slight trembling of her flesh.
Duan Lingfeng sat on the edge of the bed, her two pink legs exposed, silent.
Youliang was at a loss for what to do. After thinking for a long time, he remembered that when he left Baihua City, Fengling and Zhao Fengzhu had each left him a set of clothes they had worn close to their skin, so that he could take them out and smell them when he was alone on lonely nights, to find some solace. He quickly rummaged through his bag, took them out, and handed them to Lingfeng.
Lingfeng took them and put them on, still without saying a word.
"What are your plans now, Imperial Sister?" Youliang looked at Lingfeng wearing Fengzhu's clothes, which were different from when she wore armor. She was full of feminine gentleness, making her even more captivating.
“That depends on how Master Xu intends to deal with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that Lingfeng is in your hands, if Master Xu wishes to avenge his wife’s death, whether you kill him or torture him, Lingfeng will not hesitate.”
“On the battlefield, death and injury are inevitable. If revenge only goes on, when will it end?”
“Lingfeng is now a prisoner. If Master Xu intends to take my body, this is the perfect opportunity. Now, if Master Xu desires me, Lingfeng will not resist.”
“What man wouldn’t be tempted by my beauty? But I will never take advantage of you. If I wish to have you, it must be with your consent, and we will marry you properly.”
“Master Xu doesn’t want my body, nor will he avenge his wives and concubines. So what do you want?”
“You Liang’s uprising is not a rebellion. It is because the court is tyrannical that I have been forced to come to the capital to oversee the country. As long as the treacherous Empress Zhao Chan and the traitors Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian are killed and the government is reformed, I will return to my hometown and become the Prince Consort of Nanling. Why doesn’t the Marshal join forces with us and go to the capital together to punish the tyrannical regime?”
"Master Xu, I, Lingfeng, grieve for the deaths of your family. But there are no parents who are wrong, nor are there any rulers who are wrong. When a ruler errs, a subject can only offer kind advice, not raise an army to rebel. Let us not discuss this further; Lingfeng cannot obey. Now, Master, if you wish to kill me, then kill me; if you wish to humiliate me, then humiliate me. If you will not kill or humiliate me, then release me from the camp. I was bestowed the title of Imperial Sister by the Emperor, yet I failed to share the burdens of my lord and bring peace to the realm. Instead, I was defeated and captured, failing the Emperor's trust. I have no face to see the Emperor again and have resolved to retreat to the deep mountains forever, never to be seen again. I wonder what Master Xu's plans are?"
Xu Youliang was in a dilemma. He had finally captured her, and to release her like this would be unacceptable. But if he didn't release her, what would become of an Imperial Sister in the camp?
After much deliberation, Youliang finally sighed, "Since you, my lady, are unwilling to join forces with me, I will not force you. Please do as you see fit."
"You mean you're letting me go?"
"Exactly. Please do as you
see fit." "Really?"
"Really."
"No regrets?"
"No regrets."
"Then I'll go?"
"Please do as you see fit, my lady."
Duan Lingfeng got up and walked towards the tent exit. She thought Youliang would change his mind, believing he would surely capture her halfway, either to rape or kill her. But Youliang escorted her to the door and told the soldiers outside, "Everything is at your discretion, my lady. Do not obstruct me."
Duan Lingfeng slowly walked out of the military camp, only then realizing that Xu Youliang had truly released her. Remembering what she had done to the three Feng sisters, her eyes welled up with tears.
She wandered aimlessly along the road, not knowing where she was going.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of hooves behind her. Turning around, Lingfeng saw Xu Youliang and several cavalrymen galloping towards her.
"Master Xu, have you regretted it?" Lingfeng sneered as Youliang approached.
"My dear sister, what are you saying? The area outside the Second Pass is now entirely our three families' territory. Although Youliang has released you, I fear the other two families may not be willing, so I have come to inform Your Majesty. You may only head south. Once you reach Tongzhen, if you wish to live in seclusion in the mountains, you can go south to Pingling. East of Pingling is my territory, Xu Youliang's, and west of Pingling is Wang Bingzheng's.
You may also go south out of Zhuque Pass and directly to Nanling to hide. If you wish to enter the pass, you can go east from Tongzhen, pass Baihua City, and enter Nanling Pass. The Fengling sisters are in Baihua City; they will certainly not make things difficult for you. Here is a jade plaque that I wear myself, engraved with a poem I personally wrote. With this plaque, no one in my territory will dare to disrespect you. Also, your horse and weapons are not here, making travel inconvenient. This is my horse; it can be used for transportation. I hope you have a safe journey." After Youliang finished speaking, he jumped off his white dragon steed, handed it to Lingfeng, then mounted an empty horse led by a soldier and galloped away.
Duan Lingfeng stood there, speechless, her eyes reddening. Seeing the light fade into the distance, she shouted, "Master Xu, I will repay your kindness today, even if I have only a breath left!" Then she turned, mounted her horse, and rode south.
The next morning, after roll call, Wang Bingzheng quietly asked Youliang, "Vice Commander Xu, how was yesterday's gift?"
Youliang smiled frankly and said, "Thanks to the Marshal's care, I've already sent her away. I believe she won't be my enemy anymore."
Wang Bingzheng secretly regretted that he had done such a great favor to Youliang. He could only laugh awkwardly and say, "I thought so too, but I was afraid that Vice Commander Xu would remember our past grievances, so I sent her to you for disposal. Vice Commander Xu is indeed a man of great benevolence and righteousness. I didn't misjudge you, hahaha. Since that's the case, I'll go all the way and give you her horse, weapons, and armor as well."
"Thank you, Marshal."
Having annihilated Duan Lingfeng's troops and gained three more generals—Cao Yunlong, Pang Qi, and Ling Zhi—Wang Bingzheng was even more in high spirits. He discussed with Youliang and Feng Qing the possibility of splitting their forces into two routes: one led by Youliang to attack Nanling Pass, and the other led by Wang Bingzheng and Feng Qing's troops to attack Xiting Pass.
In fact, this was Wang Bingzheng's deliberate scheme to harm Xu Youliang. Nanling Pass was strategically important, easy to defend and difficult to attack, so Wang Bingzheng wanted Xu Youliang to fight alone, thus weakening his forces. Xiting, on the other hand, was a pass on a plain with no natural defenses, allowing Wang Bingzheng to send Feng Qing's troops to the front lines and preserve his own strength. This was Wang Bingzheng's plan. Xu Youliang, unwilling to be under Wang Bingzheng's command all the time, and wanting to recruit soldiers and expand his power independently, while following Wang Bingzheng meant his recruits would naturally fall under Wang Bingzheng's control, so Xu Youliang readily agreed to Wang Bingzheng's assignment and led his main force south through Tongzhen towards Baihua City. Upon
arriving in Baihua City, he met Feng Ling and Zhao Fengzhu, explained the situation, and Zhao Fengzhu immediately knelt to thank Xu Youliang for releasing Duan Lingfeng.
This time, Feng Ling and Zhao Fengzhu were unwilling to remain gatekeepers in Baihua City and insisted on joining Xu Youliang to attack Nanling Pass.
Xu Youliang, having been without a woman's company for a long time, agreed, leaving a few lieutenants to guard the pass while he led all his generals towards Nanling Pass.
Leaving aside Xu Youliang, let's focus on Wang Bingzheng, who, along with Feng Qing, led two armies towards Feng County. One day, passing through Fenglin Ridge, suddenly someone shouted from the roadside, "Beware!" A white light shot directly towards Wang Bingzheng's face.
Wang Bingzheng cried out, "Ah!" His fate unknown; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Forty-Five—Zhou Tian's Forest Warning, Female Demon Killed at the Pond

It is said that Wang Bingzheng, passing through Fenglin Ridge, heard someone shout from the forest, and a white light shot straight towards his face.
Startled, Wang Bingzheng cried out, "Ah!" But being a renowned general, he reacted quickly, dodging the weapon and catching it in his hand.
His generals shouted, "Assassin!" and rushed up the ridge.
Wang Bingzheng glanced down at the hidden weapon; it was a crumpled piece of paper. Unfolding one side revealed a small stone inside. On the paper were several words: "Beware of Hu Da's assassins, and beware of 'wind, flowers, snow, and moon'!"
Knowing the attackers were allies, Wang Bingzheng quickly ordered his men to recall the generals who had gone to search for him. He continued his advance, secretly wondering what "wind, flowers, snow, and moon" meant, but he didn't show it on his face.
The army arrived at Fengjun, set up camp, and held a general's assembly. He replaced several generals who had originally guarded Fengjun with his deputy generals to strengthen the offensive. After three days of rest, they prepared to set off again.
Wang Bingzheng was residing in the prefectural governor's mansion in Fengjun City. One morning, after roll call at the central military camp, he returned to the governor's mansion and went for a stroll in the back garden. Suddenly, he noticed a white object hidden under the lotus flowers. Upon closer inspection, he saw a female corpse lying face down in the water, completely naked except for a thin cowhide belt tied around her waist. The woman had fair, delicate skin and appeared young. She was thin, but had round buttocks and strong thighs, clearly indicating she was a martial artist. Intrigued
, Wang Bingzheng quickly ordered soldiers to bring bamboo poles. They moved the corpse to the edge of the pond, dragged it up the cliff, and laid it on the ground.
Upon closer inspection, the woman appeared to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a beautiful face, thick eyebrows, large eyes, long hair, a square face, and a high nose, resembling a woman from the northern barbarians. Looking at her body again, she had broad shoulders, a slender waist, full breasts, a flat abdomen, a prominent mons pubis, and thick pubic hair. Her belt had many small leather pouches containing grappling hooks, steel darts, throwing knives, blowguns, and bamboo tubes—clearly a martial arts woman. But her name and the reason for her death were unknown.
Wang Bingzheng ordered his soldiers to search for clues. One soldier found a steel dart on a nearby tree with a note attached. The note read: "Assassin Wuli Feng, skilled in water escape, now eliminated for the general."
Looking at the dart, the character "Zhou" was engraved, indicating he was the one who helped Feng Qing break through Xuanwu Pass. The handwriting on the note matched the crumpled paper found on Fenglin Ridge. It became clear that the female assassin had been secretly murdered. Suddenly, it dawned on him that "wind, flowers, snow, and moon" referred to the assassin's name containing those four characters.
The female corpse was indeed Wuli Feng.
In his early years, when Hu Da was campaigning in the north, he met a famous swordsman from the north named Wuli Qiang. The two admired each other and became sworn brothers. Later, Wuli Qiang died, and before his death, he sent his four granddaughters, Wuli Feng, Wuli Hua, Wuli Xue, and Wuli Yue, to the capital to seek refuge with Hu Da. Out of respect for his old friend and their exceptional skills, Hu Da kept them by his side, always leaving them in the central army camp when he went to war.
These four sisters learned extraordinary skills from Wuli Qiang, mastering the Five Elements Escape Technique. Hu Da spent his days campaigning, focusing on troop formations and battle arrays, and didn't need their martial arts skills. He didn't take them with him on ordinary campaigns, only sending them to gather intelligence.
When Feng Qing broke through Xuanwu Pass, Hu Da knew things were going badly. If he remained in Feng County, he feared being attacked from both sides. Therefore, he retreated to Xiting Pass and set up the Seven Star Dragon Formation at Fengcheng Pass, the gateway to the capital, preparing for a decisive battle with the three military governors there.
Upon entering the pass, Hu Da learned that Tao Long's entire army had been annihilated, and Tao Long himself had perished in battle. Hu Da wept bitterly. He worked day and night to hasten the deployment of troops while simultaneously sending men to gather intelligence on the three families of Wang Bingzheng.
A few days later, scouts reported that the three military governors had joined forces in Zhuojun, forming an alliance. Wang Bingzheng had become the leader and Grand Marshal, and had completely annihilated the army of the Imperial Sister Duan Lingfeng. They were now resting and preparing weapons to attack Xiting Pass.
Hu Da knew the enemy's strength and that Xiting Pass was not a strategically important location; it would fall sooner or later. Therefore, he returned to his camp, feeling deeply depressed. The Wuli sisters happened to see him, and when asked, Hu Da recounted the whole story. Wuli Feng said, "Uncle, please rest assured. With my sisters here, we will surely protect the capital."
Hu Da smiled bitterly, "Sisters, don't worry about me. The enemy is strong and we are weak; the outcome is already decided. I'm merely prolonging the court's existence. Even with hundreds of thousands of troops, I dare not say I can protect the capital. What can you four women possibly do?"
"Strategic deployment and battlefield combat are not our strengths. We've learned to move swiftly and agilely, scaling walls and rooftops, and we also know the Five Elements Escape Technique. Once we're out there, we'll use our skills to bring back Wang Bingzheng's head. A person can't walk without a head, a bird can't fly without a head. With Wang Bingzheng dead, the enemy will lose their leader and naturally fall into chaos."
"Wang Bingzheng is highly skilled in martial arts; how could you possibly be his match?"
"Wang Bingzheng's martial arts are indeed high, but they're all clumsy skills involving riding a horse and wielding a sword. How can they compare to the scaling walls and rooftops that we sisters have practiced?! You must know that it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. When we go, we won't confront him directly; we'll only use poisoned hidden weapons to injure him from the shadows. I'm sure he won't escape our grasp."
"Very well, let's give it a try, but you sisters must be careful."
"Don't worry, Grandfather, we're off."
The four sisters left the great formation and arrived at Xiting Pass. They found an inn to stay at and discussed how to make their move. Everyone said that although Wang Bingzheng didn't know any martial arts, as the Grand Marshal, he would be heavily guarded, making it extremely difficult to get close. Therefore, the four of them shouldn't go together, lest they fail and be caught in the crossfire.
These assassins always acted alone, making them smaller targets, easier to hide, and easier to succeed. So, the four of them split up after leaving Xiting Pass, each going their own way and finding their own method to assassinate.
The four of them were discussing their plan when they were overheard by someone. The person overheard was a shrewd individual and was greatly alarmed. Knowing that one person couldn't keep up with four people, he quickly went ahead to warn Wang Bingzheng and then secretly followed him to protect his safety.
Who was this man? He was a reclusive master, known as the Hermit of Lakes and Mountains, named Zhou Tian. Originally, he was indifferent to worldly affairs. But now, with the world in turmoil and people suffering, the old hermit developed a heart to help the world. First, he helped Feng Qing conquer Xuanwu Pass, and then he went to Hu Da's side to gather information, preparing to steal Hu Da's battle formation diagram. Unexpectedly, he encountered the Wu Hua sisters attempting an assassination, and hurriedly came to protect Wang Bingzheng.
If the four sisters had assassinated together, Zhou Tian could have found a way to notify Wang Bingzheng to capture them in one fell swoop. But now that the four were separated and acting alone, Zhou Tian had no way to be in two places at once. He could only leave a knife and a letter to warn Wang Bingzheng, and then lie in wait near Wang Bingzheng to observe the situation secretly. On this day, he saw Wu Hua and, fearing that the other three sisters might be frightened if they were nearby, decided to act secretly.
Meanwhile, Wuli Feng, having parted from her three sisters, hurried alone towards Fengjun. Upon arriving, she found Wang Bingzheng's army had not yet reached her, so she headed south to meet them. On the way, she encountered Wang Bingzheng and Feng Qing's army, a dense, well-organized mass. Seeing the officers and soldiers surrounding Wang Bingzheng so closely packed together, she couldn't make a move and could only secretly follow behind, all the way into Fengjun city.
Wuli Feng knew Wang Bingzheng was residing in the garrison headquarters, so she went to investigate. She was shocked to find that even the walls of the garrison were guarded day and night, realizing that a family was already on guard against assassins, and that entering through the walls was impossible.
However, Wuli Feng didn't care; she wouldn't have dared to come to Fengjun without real skill.
Wuli Feng's skill was water escape; she had practiced water techniques since childhood and could stay underwater for three days without surfacing for air. During the day, she scouted the area and found a small irrigation ditch that led a mountain spring through a small outlet into the garrison's garden, then out through another outlet under the wall. The outlet was small and underwater, inaccessible to most, but completely different for Wuli Feng.
Late at night, Wuli Feng tidied herself in her room at the inn. She stripped naked (there were no swimsuits then, not even bikinis; going into the water meant going naked, so women usually didn't learn to swim), fastened her belt, and prepared her poisoned assassination weapons.
Quietly, she emerged from the back window, leaped onto the roof, and used her light-footed skills to reach the irrigation ditch. She silently entered the water, swimming nimbly like a large fish, until she reached the outside of the wall. The outlet was about a foot wide and seven or eight zhang long, constructed of bluestone. Wuli Feng slipped through the outlet, the rushing water helping her swim into the back garden. Everything was so silent; no one noticed her intrusion.
Uli Feng had never been inside the garrison's residence and was unfamiliar with its layout. So, she concealed herself among the lotus leaves, quietly emerging from the water to survey the garden's layout and location. Then, she submerged herself again, swimming to the nearest lotus leaf, where she lay face down, waiting for an opportunity to assassinate with a blowgun and escape through the outlet. Her plan was flawless, but unfortunately, the moment she peeked out from the lotus leaves, she was discovered.
Zhou Tian, a man of keen observation and sharp hearing, noticed the faint sound of water dripping from Uli Feng's long hair as she emerged from the water. While most people wouldn't hear this, Zhou Tian immediately spotted the female assassin.
He could have easily alerted his soldiers to capture Uli Feng, but he knew her three sisters might be nearby. If he were exposed, the sisters might change their course, making her harder to catch. Therefore, he decided to eliminate her discreetly.
Uli Feng lay motionless at the bottom of the water, channeling her internal energy. She could remain in this position for three days and three nights, unaware that death was already looming behind her.
Suddenly, Uli Feng felt a numbness at her Dazhui acupoint, as if her Qi and blood circulation had been immediately blocked.
Without the aid of her internal energy, she felt suffocated, a phenomenon she had never experienced since she began practicing martial arts. She hurriedly tried to surface for air, but it felt as if a large hand had grabbed the back of her neck, slamming her face into the muddy water with irresistible force.
She reached behind her head, but found nothing. She tried to struggle, but couldn't get up. A suffocating pain shot through her chest, and her legs began to kick wildly involuntarily. Soon, her entire body felt as if it were being held down in the water, and all she could do was twist her waist erratically.
She finally couldn't hold it in any longer. She opened her mouth and took a sip of water, hoping to slightly alleviate the suffocating feeling, but it only lasted a moment and didn't help much. Then she felt a wave of dizziness and involuntarily took a breath, only to inhale water. A sharp pain shot through her lungs, her head went "buzz," and she knew nothing more, never to know again.
It's pitiful that a highly skilled female assassin, a master of the water, drowned in the pond without even seeing her opponent. The water remained completely still, proving the saying that there are always stronger opponents.
Zhou Tian killed Wulihua, left a mark on the tree, and quietly returned to his hiding place to continue searching for the other three women.
How will the other three female assassins deal with this? Stay tuned for the next installment.

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