[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 31

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Chapter 161 – Liu Yuge Punishes His Generals, Wang Bing Humiliated and Surrenders the Fortress.

Last time, Xu Youliang summoned Guan Yuqing and Zhang Ping to fight the three princesses of the Western Rong outside Pingling Pass. Suddenly, news came that Zhizi Ridge had fallen again, forcing him to send Guan Yuqing and Zhang Ping back.
How did Zhizi Ridge fall? When Guan Yuqing left, he left Liu Yuge to guard Zhizi Ridge. Within a few months, Liu Yuge had lost two of his sisters, Zheng Mingzhen and Cao Fengxi, and witnessed Wang Ziyi's suicide. He was deeply resentful and, in his frustration, inevitably vented his anger. Just then, a small incident occurred around him, sowing the seeds of his downfall.
One day, Liu Yuge returned from patrolling the camp and heard strange noises behind the central camp. He tiptoed over to investigate and was immediately filled with rage and anger.
On the hillside, in the bushes, a man and a woman were engaged in sexual intercourse.
Upon closer inspection, Liu Yuge recognized the man as Wang Bing, a lieutenant general in the army, and the woman as Zhuang Cai'er, a junior officer under her command.
The two were completely naked; the woman lay on the ground, her legs wrapped around the man's waist, moaning incoherently, while the man thrust his hips wildly inside her.
Liu Yuge, being an experienced woman, should have been magnanimous. However, having been deprived of intimacy with Guan Yuqing for a long time and troubled by the loss of her sister, she vented her anger on the two.
The two, seeing Liu Yuge from afar, were terrified. As they tried to flee, a dozen female soldiers surrounded them, forcing them to use only a small garment to cover their genitals and kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy.
Liu Yuge, enraged, ordered two spear shafts to be brought, and bound the naked couple to the shafts, parading them naked through the camp.
The two men, filled with shame, wished they could disappear into the ground. They knelt, begging for their lives and beheadings, pleading with Liu Yuge to spare them some dignity.
Liu Yuge retorted, "You two scoundrels, engaging in illicit relations in the mountains, worse than beasts! What dignity do
you want?" They were dragged through the camp, their faces contorted with shame, by several female soldiers who had ropes tied around their necks. The soldiers, seeing Zhuang Cai'er's beautiful body, wanted nothing more than to devour her, but could only hurl insults at her.
After such a public display, they should have been executed. However, Wang Bing had several drinking buddies in the camp who pleaded for him in the main tent. Liu Yuge, being a woman, thought that since they had already been punished, they were not guilty of a capital offense and spared them.
As the saying goes, "A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated." Liu Yuge had displayed the two naked in public; even the man felt deeply ashamed, let alone Zhuang Cai'er. Harboring resentment, the two secretly plotted a rebellion.
That day, it was Wang Bing's turn to patrol the western wall of the camp. Seeing no one around, he shot a message out of the camp.
The message was picked up by Deng Xiufu's scout and quickly reported to Xiufu.
Deng Xiufu was overjoyed and hurriedly led his troops secretly to the foot of Zhizi Ridge, as instructed in the message.
That night, it was Wang Bing's turn to be on duty. Seeing that Liu Yuge had finished his patrol, he took out his stored liquor and distributed it to his soldiers.
These soldiers, who usually had no entertainment in the army, treated the liquor like their lifeblood, expressing their gratitude profusely and getting thoroughly drunk.
Wang Bing then flicked a red lantern on the wall. Deng Xiufu, seeing this, quickly ordered his men to set up a ladder and quietly climb into the camp, unnoticed by anyone inside.
Deng Xiufu led a thousand soldiers into the camp, bound the drunken soldiers, gagged them, then sent a detachment with several generals to open the front gate, while he himself led several generals straight to Liu Yuge's central army.
Liu Yuge was fast asleep when he was awakened by the sounds of swords clashing in the courtyard. He hurriedly got up, grabbed a small shirt and threw it on, then rushed out with his twin swords. He saw Deng Xiufu cutting down several female soldiers and rushed to fight him. Suddenly, a spear shaft swept his foot away, causing him to fall forward, his twin swords flying several feet.
Just as Liu Yuge tried to get up, a large foot stepped on his waist, preventing him from struggling. Turning around, he saw it was Wang Bing. He realized
what had happened and, filled with remorse, began to curse. Wang Bing, remembering the humiliation he had suffered, didn't wait for Deng Xiufu's orders. He stepped on Yuge, tore off all his clothes and shoes, then tied him up with a rope and dragged him away.
Although Liu Yuge's martial arts skills were superior to Wang Bing's, his strength was inferior to a man's. Stepped on, he couldn't use his skills and could only endure the humiliation.
Seeing that Liu Yuge had been captured, and that the female soldiers around her were either dead or captured, Deng Xiufu turned back and headed towards the front gate.
Halfway there, he saw chaos ahead and heard shouts, realizing the front gate had been breached and a fierce battle was raging. Deng Xiufu immediately ordered Wang Bing to push Liu Yuge to the front, shouting, "Your commander has been captured! Those who do not wish to die, surrender now!"
Liu Yuge's soldiers turned around and saw her naked and bound, with Wang Bing holding her ropes from behind. Knowing resistance was futile, they had no choice but to surrender.
Deng Xiufu occupied the central hall, directing his men to set up defenses, inventory the storerooms, and settle the prisoners. He then ordered Wang Bing and Zhuang Cai'er into the hall, offering them words of comfort and appointing Wang Bing as his deputy, while Zhuang Cai'er was also appointed as a junior officer.
After Zhuang Cai'er finished expressing her gratitude, she said, "We two have an irreconcilable hatred for Liu Yuge. We hope that the general will hand her over to this humble general for disposal.
" Deng Xiufu had already learned the details from his subordinates. In order to appease the army, he nodded and said, "Everything is up to the two generals. Just remember what happened before and don't repeat the same mistake." "This means that after taking revenge, Liu Yuge should be killed, so as not to leave any future trouble for herself like she did when she let them go.
Zhuang Cai'er was humiliated to the extreme and no longer knew the meaning of shame. Now, she was filled with hatred and was doing everything she could to seek revenge.
Poor Liu Yuge, she was stripped naked as soon as she was captured, and now Wang Bing dragged her to the front of the platform and placed her face up on a table. Zhuang Cai'er personally grabbed her legs, lifted them up, spread them apart, and exposed her tender vulva for everyone to admire. Liu Yuge's eyes were full of tears, and she cursed incessantly.
Zhuang Cai'er ordered Wang Bing and the others to fondle Liu Yuge's breasts and buttocks, and then curled her legs up like a frog, saying to Wang Bing, "General, you can do this slut now and see what dignity she has left." "
Look at Wang Bing. Usually, when he sees Liu Yuge, he only dares to have fleeting thoughts. But now that he has the chance, how could he let it go? He threw off his armor, revealing his treasure, and with one thrust, he entered her all the way in. Look at him, abandoning all pretense, slamming his way into Liu Yuge's buttocks with a loud thud, thrusting four or five hundred times before finally ejaculating inside her.
Zhuang Cai'er then called out to the crowd, 'Such a beautiful female general, are you all willing to let her go?'" The
crowd laughed and rushed forward to grope her. Some even secretly tried to seduce Zhuang Cai'er. Seeing that things weren't going her way, Zhuang Cai'er and Wang Bing withdrew and watched from a distance.
Poor Liu Yuge, because of a moment of weakness, had given her delicate body to the enemy.
Wang Bing and Zhuang Cai'er, like madams, left Liu Yuge there, letting the soldiers torment her for days until she died. The soldiers weren't satisfied, so they dragged over a dozen captured female soldiers, stripped them naked, tied them up, and placed them next to Liu Yuge's body, taking turns to ravage her.
Wang Bing and Zhuang Cai'er were still not appeased, and ordered Liu Yuge's body to be treated as before. They tied the gun barrels together in a cross shape and hung them on a large tree on the hillside as a warning.
Within a day, all the female captives had been played with until they were lifeless, and Liu Yuge's body had decomposed. Only then were they thrown over the eastern wall of the stockade.
When this news reached Pingling, Guan Yuqing was heartbroken and rushed day and night to Nanyang Pass.
Hua Feng greeted Yu Xin and, together with Zhang Ping, advised him not to act rashly and not to fight over a short-term gain.
Guan Yuqing, having lost another concubine, was filled with resentment and ignored their advice, embarking on a long march to capture Zhiziling.
Will Guan Yuqing be victorious this time? We'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 162—Guan Yuqing is poisoned by an arrow at the foot of the stockade; Niu Decao offers a miraculous cure in the camp.

Meanwhile, Guan Yuqing, ignoring all advice, led his troops along the main road until they reached Zhizi Ridge. There, he saw that the ridge was now marked with the banners of the Feng family army, and the central army's banner bore the large character "Deng," indicating that Deng Xiufu was the general.
Guan Yuqing, disregarding the warnings, sent men to challenge them to battle. Deng Xiufu, knowing Guan Yuqing's bravery, refused to fight, only offering sarcastic remarks, which enraged Guan Yuqing, who ordered an attack on the camp that night.
Guan Yuqing's soldiers hurriedly set up stone cannons and prepared flaming shells, hurling them into the camp. The camp erupted in cannon fire, flames soared into the sky, and smoke filled the air, yet not a single soldier moved about, leaving Guan Yuqing utterly bewildered.
Since Deng Xiufu entered the stronghold, he knew that Guan Yuqing would be enraged and attack. Knowing Guan Yuqing was skilled with firecrackers, he had ordered his soldiers to build an additional wooden wall inside the existing stone wall, plastering the sides with mud, and hiding his troops between the two walls.
Although the firecrackers launched from the stone cannons had great range, they were inaccurate. So, while the firecrackers landed in the stronghold, they rarely struck between the two walls, resulting in few casualties and little morale being shaken.
Seeing that the firecrackers were ineffective, Guan Yuqing grew increasingly angry. He shouted "Charge!" and led his troops towards the stronghold wall.
Ash cannons, cannonballs, logs, and boulders rained down from within the stronghold, instantly killing and wounding over a hundred of the attacking soldiers.
Seeing this, Guan Yuqing personally led his troops to attack. Deng Xiufu, seeing this from within the stronghold, nocked an arrow and shot it towards Guan Yuqing's throat.
Although Guan Yuqing was highly skilled in martial arts and adept at parrying arrows with his weapon, it was nighttime, and his vision was poor. Deng Xiufu's arrow, caught in the crossfire of the soldiers' arrows, was faster. By the time Yuqing saw it, it was too late. He twisted his body to avoid the arrow to his throat, but it struck his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. He stumbled and fled, his troops retreating in disarray. Back
at camp, they summoned a physician to examine his wound. Upon removing the arrow, they were shocked to find the arrowhead blackened, and the entire camp was filled with anxiety.
At that moment, Zhang Ping arrived with the rear guard. Hearing that Guan Yuqing had been struck by a poisoned arrow, he too was anxious and came to examine him personally. Yuqing was already unconscious, half of his body turning purple-black.
It was fortunate that Guan Yuqing's life was spared. One of Zhang Ping's soldiers, from a family of weapon makers, volunteered to examine the wound and said, "Vice Commander, don't panic. I don't think Deng Xiufu is a master of poison. I suspect he only sought to kill the Marshal at the last minute, having someone forge this poisoned wolf-tooth arrow. Although the poison is potent, it's not a secret formula. I can cure him, but he'll need half a month to recover."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping's worry turned to joy. He quickly prepared the medicine according to the prescription, ordered the soldier to pry open the jaw, and poured the antidote down the throat. The purplish-black discoloration on half of his body slowly faded.
With Guan Yuqing injured, Zhang Ping temporarily took charge of military affairs, concealing the true extent of the injury from Yuqing, only saying that the Marshal had died from poisoning. He ordered the entire camp to observe mourning and wear mourning clothes, while simultaneously devising a strategy to defeat the enemy.
Three to five days later, Guan Yuqing awoke, though weak, and was able to eat.
Zhang Ping explained his plan to fake a funeral for Guan Yuqing, which Yuqing readily accepted.
Guan Yuqing was still young, and while most people would need half a month to recover, Yuqing only needed seven or eight days.
That day, Zhang Ping made a grand display, sending soldiers to escort Guan Yuqing's coffin to Nanyang Pass.
The next day, Zhang Ping led five hundred men to the foot of the mountain to challenge them to battle.
Deng Xiufu carefully observed from the mountain and, indeed, could not find Guan Yuqing. She then ordered the gates opened to meet the enemy.
Originally, Guan Yuqing's fame was widespread, and Deng Xiufu dared not fight. However, women are never willing to admit defeat to each other, so upon seeing Zhang Ping's challenge, Deng Xiufu's competitive spirit ignited. She also led five hundred men, opened the gates, and charged out on horseback.
When the two armies were about two arrow-lengths apart, Deng Xiufu, with her sharp eyes, noticed a flag-bearing captain in Zhang Ping's ranks who looked remarkably like Guan Yuqing. Startled, she didn't bother to determine whether he was the real Yuqing or a fake, and immediately turned her horse and retreated.
Seeing her trying to escape, Guan Yuqing spurred his horse to give chase, but he was too late. She escaped back to the camp, but the gates were tightly shut, and arrows rained down from above. Guan Yuqing was forced to retreat, feeling extremely frustrated.
Back in camp, Yuqing was inevitably dejected, and Zhang Ping comforted him before he calmed down.
Guan Yuqing was, after all, a seasoned commander, and it was understandable that he was anxious at times, but after a while, he regained his composure.
With Deng Xiufu keeping the camp closed and unable to break through, Guan Yuqing was no longer in a hurry. Each day, he simply sent out a squad of about a hundred soldiers to patrol around the vicinity of Zhizi Ridge.
Seeing this, Deng Xiufu laughed to his subordinates, "That Guan Yuqing is at his wit's end. He only sends a hundred or so soldiers to patrol outside the camp each day, hoping I'll launch a surprise attack. He must be lying in ambush with a large force
hidden there. When I leave the camp, his ambush will spring up everywhere. I won't fall for that. You all listen up. When you see Guan Yuqing's soldiers come out, shoot them with arrows if they get close. If they're far away, just let them go. Don't engage them in battle." The two sides were locked in a stalemate at the foot of Zhizi Ridge for more than two months. Guan Yuqing had a clear understanding of the geography around Zhizi Ridge. He saw that Deng Xiufu was reinforcing the camp walls every day, adding stone chambers to the original single-layer stone walls and having his soldiers live inside. Breaking through the
camp gate was harder than climbing to heaven. Guan Yuqing racked his brains but couldn't find a solution. Suddenly one day, a report came that someone had a plan to attack Zhizi Ridge. Upon hearing this, Guan Yuqing hurriedly went to the camp gate to invite him. Seeing the man's appearance and attire, Guan Yuqing recognized him as a hunter. Guan Yuqing bowed, and the man hurriedly returned the bow, saying, "I didn't expect the Marshal to personally come to greet me. You are truly a gentleman who treats the virtuous with respect.
I, Niu Decao, am deeply honored to meet you." "Not at all, Mr. Niu's strategy to defeat the enemy is a great favor to me. How could I not treat you with courtesy? Please, sir!"
"I dare not, Marshal, please!"
Guan Yuqing led the woodcutter into the central tent, set him up for tea, and inquired about Niu Decao's background. Decao replied, "My family has lived on this Zhizi Ridge for generations, making a living by hunting. Sometimes we gather mountain delicacies and herbs to exchange for salt, tea, and cloth in Nanyang Pass."
"I see. How is this way of life?"
"When the Marshal and General Liu were stationed at Zhizi Ridge, it was quite convenient for me to travel between Nanyang Pass and Zhizi Ridge. Now that Deng Xiufu has occupied Zhizi Ridge, it has become much more difficult."
"Yes, if I had recaptured Zhizi Ridge a day earlier, you could have resumed your previous life."
"That's right, that's why I, a humble commoner, wish to assist the Marshal."
"Now, Deng Xiufu is fortifying his mountain stronghold daily and refusing to fight. I have a hundred thousand troops, but nowhere to deploy them, and I'm very anxious about this. I wonder what plan you, sir, would teach me?"
What plan did Niu Decao offer? Let's find out in the next chapter.
(The Empire, Part II, Chapters 163 and

164) Chapter 163—Zhang Ping secretly poisons the Lonely

Pool times. In the previous chapter, a hunter sought an audience with Guan Yuxin, claiming to have a plan to take Zhizi Ridge. Guan Yuxin was overjoyed and invited him into the central command tent, eagerly seeking his advice.
An ancient saying goes: Heaven's secrets are unpredictable. People consider themselves the chosen ones of Heaven, but little do they know they are merely pawns in Heaven's hands. Although Deng Xiufu was well-versed in military strategy and skilled in warfare, and possessed the advantage of terrain, little did he know that Heaven intended to destroy him; what could human effort do?
What plan did Niu Decao offer? Let me tell you slowly.
It turned out that Niu Decao's family had lived on the eastern slope of Zhizi Ridge for generations, and they knew the area's mountains and rivers like the back of their
hand. There was a mountain spring in the Zhizi Ridge village, its water exceptionally sweet. At that time, there was no fortress in Zhizi Ridge, and Niu Decao often drank water there.
One day, Niu Decao and his father were hunting on the northern mountainside of Zhizi Ridge. While drinking water at a small pool halfway up the mountain, Niu Decao accidentally dropped his wine gourd into the pool. The pool had a deep whirlpool in the center, and the gourd was immediately sucked to the bottom and disappeared without a trace. The father and son didn't think much of it.
Several months later, Niu Decao went to Zhizi Ridge again to gather mountain delicacies. He was thirsty and went to the mountain spring to drink. Suddenly, he saw something floating on the surface. Upon looking at it, he realized it was his father's lost gourd, and he understood that the small pool on the north side of the mountain was connected to the spring in Zhizi Ridge.
Over the years, with the construction of the Zhizi Ridge fortress, Niu Decao no longer needed to drink from the mountain spring and had forgotten about the matter. Now that Deng Xiufu occupied Zhizi Ridge and blocked the road from the Niu family to Nanyang Pass, Niu Decao had to sneak over at night to sell his mountain goods, otherwise he might be injured by arrows from the fortress.
One day, Niu Decao went hunting in the northern mountains and came to the small pool. Suddenly, he remembered the matter and hurriedly went to Guan Yuqing's camp to offer his advice.
Guan Yuqing was overjoyed upon hearing this. He knew from his time at Zhizi Ridge that all the drinking water in the fortress came from this natural mountain spring. If the spring was connected to the small pool to the north, wouldn't that be perfect? Thinking of this, Guan Yuqing hurriedly summoned the central army into the tent, ordered that a hundred taels of gold be given to Niu Decao as a reward, and asked Decao to lead the way to the small pool.
Niu Decao gladly accepted the order and, under cover of night, followed Guan Yuqing across Zhizi Ridge to the northern mountain.
Guan Yuqing arrived at the pool and carefully examined the terrain and the flow of the water, nodding repeatedly in approval.
It turned out that the pool's water originated from rainwater from the mountain. Over time, the rainwater eroded the mountainside, flowing out from the southern slope of Zhizi Ridge.
This was also Deng Xiufu's destined end.
Guan Yuqing returned to his camp and secretly summoned Zhang Ping to discuss his plan. Zhang Ping then rode alone through Zhizi Ridge at night to gather troops from Hulang Valley and prepare medicine. He quietly went to the small pool on the north mountain and soaked all the poisonous herbs in it.
A few days later, Guan Yuqing, observing from a high vantage point, saw soldiers in the Zhizi Ridge fortress, each armed with weapons, moving slowly, and others dragging many corpses. Knowing the plan had succeeded, he raised his tent, mustered his troops, and headed towards Zhizi Ridge.
Upon reaching the foot of the ridge, he shouted and charged forward. The soldiers on the fortress tried their best to defend, but by then they were powerless. Guan Yuqing, with a burst of energy, charged up the fortress wall.
At this moment, Deng Xiufu was directing the defense at the gate of the stockade. Seeing Yuqing ascend the city wall, he rushed to fight, but his strength failed him. After only two rounds, he fell to the ground and was easily subdued and bound by Yuqing's soldiers.
Guan Yuqing took down the fortress and saw that the stockade was full of weak soldiers who would collapse at the touch of a finger. The stockade was filled with excrement and water, and the stench was unbearable.
It turned out that although the poisonous plants were poisonous, the spring water was still flowing, so the poison was only partially concentrated and could not kill people immediately. However, all the soldiers in the stockade suffered from severe diarrhea. After three days, half of the soldiers had died from diarrhea, and the officers barely survived by killing horses and drinking their blood, but they were too weak to fight anymore.
Guan Yuqing ordered his soldiers to clean up the filth on the ground, gave the enemy prisoners medicine to detoxify them, and then sent someone to Zhang Ping in the north to order her to collect the poisonous plants, build a camp by the pool, and send troops to guard it to prevent the water source from being contaminated again.
When Guan Yuqing went to the prisoner-of-war camp, he found it utterly pitiful. Large swaths of sand were laid out, and the prisoners lay naked on the sand. The prisoners were all as white as paper, lying stiffly on the ground. The enemy generals, though able to move, were bound by ropes, some sitting, some lying on the ground.
Most pitiful were Deng Xiufu and her dozens of female soldiers. Because they had drunk horse blood for the past few days, their poisoning was slightly less severe, and the soldiers dared not underestimate them, binding them all. Imagine, those who are poisoned—how could they possibly hold back their excrement and urination? And unwilling to let the enemy see their bodies, they all soiled their trousers, their lower garments soaked, filthy and repulsive. They would rather die than suffer such humiliation, therefore refusing to take the antidote.
When Guan Yuqing looked at Deng Xiufu, her oval face had turned into a melon seed shape, her complexion pale, and she was sweating profusely.
Yu Qing hurriedly ordered his soldiers to find another spot, spread fine sand, and strip the female captives barefoot. They were then washed clean with water, and each was force-fed some antidote before being placed in the sand to rest.
Deng Xiufu refused, saying, "Guan Yu Qing, you villain! You dare not fight me with real swords and spears, yet you poison me! You are not a gentleman!"
Yu Xin, hearing this, came over and lifted her up, saying, "My beauty, you say I dare not fight with real swords and spears? When I challenged you to battle down the mountain, did you come out to meet me?"
Deng Xiufu remained silent.
Yu Qing continued, "Even so, for me to resort to poisoning, you are indeed a capable general. I will grant you some courtesy and personally change your clothes and administer the medicine."
Deng Xiufu wanted to refuse, but fearing he would truly strip her naked in front of so many soldiers, she remained silent. As Yu Qing carried her, Deng Xiufu couldn't help herself and soiled her pants again.
Yu Qing returned to the secluded courtyard where he and Liu Yuge had lived, which was also where Deng Xiufu had stayed. He went to the backyard and placed Xiufu in the corner of the wall. The ground in the courtyard was covered with bluestone. Not far from the corner of the wall was the drain.
Yu Qing untied Xiufu's ropes. Xiufu tried to commit suicide, but she was no match for Yu Qing. He grabbed her like an adult grabbing a child and stripped her naked in a few swift movements. If it weren't for the runny excrement on her legs, she would have been quite alluring. After
stripping her naked, he tied her up again with ropes and made her sit against the corner of the wall. He went to the front, took the antidote prepared by the soldiers, and personally forced it down her throat. He then brought several buckets of warm water and carefully washed Deng Xiufu's entire body, drying her with a cloth. Then he went to the room, took a set of clothes from the wardrobe, and helped Deng Xiufu put them on after untying her ropes.
Deng Xiufu, now completely exposed and having her private parts washed by someone else, had nothing left to hide. She stopped threatening suicide, took the clothes, and put them on. Yu Qing then bound her hands behind her back and led her into the room.
Guan Yu Qing carefully examined Deng Xiufu; she was wearing Liu Yuge's clothes. It turned out that after Deng Xiufu captured Zhiziling, she had stayed in Liu Yuge's former quarters. Since they were both women, there was no need to rearrange things; they simply left their own clothes in the closet. When Yu Qing came looking for clothes, she casually grabbed Liu Yuge's clothes from her home and gave them to Xiufu to wear. Seeing these clothes brought back memories, and Guan Yu Qing's eyes reddened. She quickly turned and left.
Looking at himself, Deng Xiufu understood. Remembering Liu Yuge's tragic end, he was secretly moved: "I've often heard people say Guan Yuqing is a true man. Now it seems so. No wonder Sister Ziyi was willing to die for both loyalty and filial piety. If any woman married such a man, she would die without regret."
Two days later, all the prisoners had been cured of the poison and had largely recovered. Guan Yuqing ordered them to bathe and change clothes, then brought the female prisoners and rewarded the meritorious soldiers as wives and concubines, keeping only Deng Xiufu and Zhuang Cai'er.
The female prisoners all looked at Deng Xiufu. Xiufu knew Guan Yuqing didn't want these female prisoners to suffer further humiliation and agreed. He then signaled to his men to accept Yuqing's kindness and go their separate ways.
Guan Yuqing then incorporated the male prisoners who wanted to surrender into his army, released those who wanted to go home, and allowed the loyal ones to commit suicide to fulfill their loyalty. His bodies were then prepared and sent to Xihua Pass. Of these, only Wang Bing remained.
After distributing the prisoners of war, Guan Yuqing ascended his tent and ordered Wang Bing and Zhuang Cai'er, the adulterous couple, to be brought in.
From the moment they were captured, Wang Bing and Zhuang Cai'er knew their deaths were imminent and that Guan Yuqing would not spare them, so they attempted suicide several times.
However, the soldiers guarding them knew these were the marshal's men and dared not relax their guard. They kept them naked and tightly bound. Zhuang Cai'er, of course, was not spared; she was subjected to daily humiliation and teasing by the soldiers. At this point, she could only close her eyes and accept it.
How Guan Yuqing would deal with the two remains to be seen; we shall find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 164—Guan Yuqing Skins the Traitorous General Alive, Deng Xiufu Seeks Death for Loyalty

. It is said that Guan Yuqing ordered Wang Bing and Zhuang Cai'er to be brought in. The two adulterous men, naked and bound together, were dragged into the tent by executioners and thrown to the ground with a thud, nearly losing their lives.
Guan Yuxin shouted from above, "You two shameless dogs! You committed adultery in broad daylight and violated military orders. Your commander spared your lives because of your past merits in battle, but you held a grudge and betrayed yourselves to the enemy. You even led foreign enemies to harm your former master. Now that you have been captured, what do you have to say?"
Wang Bing was originally a subordinate of Guan Yuqing, who had shown him great favor. Now, he could only lower his head, speechless. Zhuang Cai'er, however, raised her pretty face and declared loudly, "Guan, as the saying goes, 'A scholar can be killed but not humiliated.' Since we two have violated military regulations, you might as well chop off our heads with a knife. Why then parade us naked through the camp? We are men of honor; how can we not avenge this humiliation?"
"You shameless woman! You think you have honor? Do you think you have honor for having sex in broad daylight?"
Zhuang Cai'er knew she couldn't speak after what had happened, so she arrogantly said, "It's pointless to say more now. Your concubine Liu has quite the nerve, being tied up in the army, ridden by a thousand men, and crushed by ten thousand, dying a happy death? How do you plan to take revenge? I know you have a hundred thousand soldiers; dare you tie me up there too, and have me crushed by a thousand cavalry? Zhuang Cai'er is ready!"
"Very well, very well, what a shameless slut! Since you crave the pleasure of being ridden by a thousand horses, this commander will grant your wish! Men, drag this slut away, tie her to the gate, and let the warhorses of the camp enjoy her!"
The executioners, upon hearing this, agreed in unison and excitedly dragged Zhuang Cai'er away. Zhuang Cai'er, hearing this, cursed Guan Yuqing profusely.
Guan Yuqing then ordered Wang Bing, "You dog! Since it was your thing that caused the trouble, cut it off!"
Wang Bing, upon hearing this, screamed and begged for a quick death. He was dragged outside the tent by the executioners, tied to a long table, and with a sharp knife, his manhood was thinly sliced into seventy or eighty pieces.
You see, Wang Bing was just crying out in pain.
After the castration was completed, the long table was carried to the gate. There, Zhuang Cai'er was also lying on a long table, tightly bound. The stallions and donkeys used for hauling provisions were all led in this area, one by one, and placed on the platform. Soldiers grabbed the donkeys, whipped them, and thrust their penises between Zhuang Cai'er's legs.
It was the mating season for both donkeys and horses, and since livestock were not allowed to mate freely in the army, when they encountered a female, they didn't care about anything else, only trembling and writhing on Zhuang Cai'er's body.
These donkeys and horses were the largest of their kind in the world; just looking at them terrified Zhuang Cai'er, causing her to scream in terror. She couldn't withstand their thrusting. She cried, cursed, and wept, her condition utterly miserable.
After half a day, she was numb to the pain. A soldier reported this to Guan Yuqing.
Yuqing said, "We mustn't let them get away with this."
Yuqing then ordered the soldiers to skin the two adulterers and display their skins to the public.
The executioners, upon receiving orders, untied Zhuang Cai'er and hung her from a flagpole. They made a cut from her anus to the back of her neck, then carefully peeled off her skin, leaving only her limbs. They untied her and threw her onto a piece of hemp cloth. They then skinned Wang Bing in the same way.
Of all the tortures, skinning was the most painful. The two men screamed in agony as they were skinned. Even after being skinned, they didn't die immediately, but lay on the ground. The skinned areas were painful to the touch, so they dared not move. When they were utterly exhausted, they could only roll over in pain, but the hemp cloth, soaked with dried blood, clung to their bodies, making the pain even worse.
This continued for two days until the two traitors finally died and were left outside the wall to be eaten by wild animals.
Just as Wang Bing and Zhuang Cai'er were being skinned, Guan Yuqing ordered Zhang Ping to take over military duties, while he secretly led an army out of Zhizi Ridge, heading north.
It turned out that Guan Yuqing was a shrewd and adaptable man, but when he had an opportunity, he didn't wait for Xu Youliang's orders. He knew that Shi Yunqing, Wang Dadao, and He Luming were confronting Shi Wenlong and his men at Huangshi. Now that they had captured Zhizi Ridge, he led an elite force to launch a surprise attack on Panshan Pass. If Panshan Pass was captured, Shi Yunqing and his men would be cut off from their rear and would inevitably fall into chaos without a fight.
At this time, Guan Yuqing had no one as skilled at rock climbing as the Feng siblings, so how could he take down the pass? In fact, nothing is impossible for a willing heart. Although Guan Yuqing had no one skilled at rock climbing, he had flares. Panshan Pass was far from Zhizi Ridge, so it was unprepared. Guan Yuqing unleashed a barrage of flares, causing chaos and nearly allowing Guan Yuqing to capture the pass.
The deputy commander guarding the pass hurriedly sent someone to Huangshi to report the news. Upon hearing this, Shi Yunqing broke out in a cold sweat and immediately ordered the entire army to retreat to outside the Panshan Pass.
Although Guan Yuqing failed to capture Panshan Pass, he forced Shi Yunqing to retreat. Upon receiving the news, Shi Wenlong led his army in pursuit, shifting the battle line far westward from Huangshi.
He Luming arrived at Panshan Pass, taking advantage of Guan Yuqing's small force and his superior position, and charged down the pass. Seeing this, Yuqing did not engage him and retreated south. He Luming pursued for a hundred li, but fearing defeat, he withdrew his troops back to the pass. Yuqing then sent a small force to harass the area around Panshan Pass, preventing He Luming from assisting Shi Yunqing, while he himself returned to Zhizi Ridge.
Upon arriving at Zhizi Ridge, Zhang Ping received him into the camp. After explaining military matters, Zhang Ping privately asked, "Marshal, what do you intend to do with Deng Xiufu?"
"Send him to Pingling and hand him over to the lord."
"Marshal, I have a request. Would you grant it?"
"Vice Marshal Zhang, please speak freely."
"This humble general sees Deng Xiufu as someone similar to Wang Ziyi. If she is willing to surrender, it would be better to persuade her to surrender here. If she is unwilling to surrender, sending her to Pingling will likely result in her suffering humiliation. This humble general is also a woman, and seeing that the general has recently shown considerable compassion for women, I boldly request that if we cannot persuade Deng Xiufu to surrender, we should execute her here and send her head to Yuling to prevent her from suffering further humiliation."
As the saying goes, "When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves." Zhang Ping, a female general, had witnessed countless female soldiers and generals being captured and humiliated. She thought that her own fate would inevitably be the same. Seeing Guan Yuqing's righteous release of Wang Ziyi and his arrangement of marriages for female captives, she knew that his temperament had changed drastically recently due to the deaths of his wives and concubines. That is why she made this request.
“I understand what the deputy commander said. Since the deputy commander has pleaded for her, let us do as he says. Deng Xiufu’s martial arts are comparable to Wang Ziyi’s. If we can get her to surrender, it would be a great fortune. I just don’t know if she will surrender.”
“This humble general has already tried to persuade her, but to no avail. If the marshal goes to persuade her personally, perhaps there will still be a chance.”
“Even you women cannot persuade each other successfully, what can I, the marshal, do?”
“Didn’t you see the look in Deng Xiufu’s eyes when she looked at you? I think she probably has feelings for the Marshal. Now the Marshal has no one to serve him. If he could gain her allegiance, it would be a great help to the lord’s cause, and the Marshal himself would gain a beautiful concubine. Why not?”
Upon hearing this, Guan Yuqing sighed inwardly, “Zhang Ping, Zhang Ping, how could you know Guan Yuqing’s predicament? If Deng Xiufu is willing to surrender, she is not a loyal subject, and how could I, Guan Yuqing, take her as a concubine? If she is unwilling to surrender, even if Guan Yuqing wanted to marry her, it would be a futile effort, adding unnecessary trouble!”
However, Guan Yuqing could not say such things to her face, so he could only agree and went to find Deng Xiufu.
Since her capture, Deng Xiufu had been imprisoned in Guan Yuqing’s quarters, cared for by female soldiers sent by Zhang Ping, but her hands and feet were always shackled.
When Yu Qing arrived, she saw Deng Xiufu, dressed neatly, sitting on a mat inside the room, lost in thought. Upon seeing Yu Qing enter, her face flushed, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with desire. Yu Qing thought to herself, "This time, I fear I'll have to marry an unfaithful concubine."
But to her surprise, when she tried to test her, Deng Xiufu bluntly stated that she loved Guan Yu Qing, but would never betray her former master; their mutual affection could only be fulfilled in the next life.
After much back and forth, Deng Xiufu finally made up her mind, determined to emulate Wang Ziyi, sacrificing herself to uphold both loyalty and righteousness.
Yu Qing said helplessly, "I, Guan, am under the command of my master Xu Qiansui to command the central army. If you, General, refuse to surrender, I, Yu Qing, am bound by duty. Alas!"
Deng Xiufu said, "Since I have pledged allegiance to Feng Qiansui, I cannot turn to anyone else in this life. I appreciate your kindness, Marshal. If there is an afterlife, I will serve you like a cow or a horse, never leaving your side. Now that I have seen you, Marshal, my heart is content. I only ask for a swift death. Before my execution, I have a few requests."
"Speak freely."
"First, I request that you, Marshal, carry out the execution in a secluded place. During the execution, no man other than you should see my body."
"I, Guan, agree."
"Secondly, I beg the Marshal to personally wield the blade. If my head falls to the Marshal's blade, my life will not have been in vain."
"This... how could I, Guan, bear to do it? I beg General Zhang Ping to do it for me."
"Very well. Thirdly, I beg the Marshal to follow the example of Wang Ziyi and send my horse and weapons to Xihua Pass to show my loyalty."
Yu Qing couldn't help but sigh, "I, Guan, agree to all your requests. Alas! I only thought you female generals were pitiful, but in fact, I, Guan, am the pitiful one!"
Deng Xiufu then said, "Xiufu has one more request."
"Speak."
"Before my execution, if I could beg the Marshal for a moment of pleasure, my wish would be fulfilled." At this point, Deng Xiufu's jade-like face turned even redder.
If it were anyone else, Guan Yu Qing would have readily agreed. Although Guan Yu Qing's temperament had changed at this time, he was still a man after all. How could he not be tempted by a young and beautiful female prisoner? Moreover, Guan Yu Qing was not a virtuous gentleman; he had raped female prisoners before, let alone willingly throwing himself into their arms. Guan Yuqing cherished Deng Xiufu, regarding her as a pure and virtuous saint, and thus did not wish to tarnish her reputation because of himself. Therefore, Yuqing repeatedly refused.
Deng Xiufu knew his intentions and did not plead further.
Immediately, Guan Yuqing sent someone to invite Zhang Ping and ordered her to bring her female soldiers, and then carried out the execution in the backyard.
Deng Xiufu said, "Marshal, Xiufu voluntarily seeks death, may I be released from my bonds?"
"Yes!" Yuqing then personally removed her shackles.
Xiufu then asked for a bucket of clean water, and shyly stripped naked in front of Yuqing, revealing her delicate body. She knelt facing the corner of the wall, asking Yuqing to personally splash water on her, to show Xiufu's intention to remain pure.
Zhang Ping received the order, drew his sword, and walked to Xiu Fu's side. Looking at Xiu Fu's slender neck, he thought to himself, "I wonder if Zhang Ping will die like this?" He then swung his sword, severing the beauty's head against the wall. The body fell forward, blood splattering everywhere.
Guan Yuqing waited until the blood had drained, then personally washed and prepared the body, placing it in the camp. He sent the head to Pingling Pass and weapons to Xihua Pass.
A few days later, Xu Youliang sent Deng Xiu Fu's head back, ordering it sewn back onto the body and given a grand burial with the honors due to a general. He also recorded Guan Yuqing and Zhang Ping's merits, ordering Guan Yuqing to garrison Zhizi Ridge and transferring Zhang Ping to Pingling Pass to assist in the battle.
We do not know how the war will unfold afterward, but we will find out in the next installment of Part II,

Chapters 165 and 166. Chapter 165: Feng Qing Retreats

Across the Board, Xu Youliang Sends Two Troops. As mentioned in the previous chapter, Guan Yuqing recaptured Zhizi Ridge, forcing Huang Shi's troops to retreat. Xu Youliang was very pleased and also dispatched Zhang Ping from Nanyang Pass to Pingling Pass to assist in the battle.
Feng Qing received the news and hurriedly discussed it with Tao Xiuying. Xiuying said, "Although we have suffered setbacks on two fronts and the Pingling front is still locked in a stalemate, we still hold the upper hand. My lord, you should first order the withdrawal of
troops from all fronts, and then send someone to Qinglong Pass to invite Hua Rong to enter. Then, my lord and Hua Rong can attack from both sides, and Xu Youliang will surely be defeated." Feng Qing listened and followed her plan. He withdrew his troops from all fronts and sent someone to Qinglong.
Meanwhile, Xu Youliang had also considered this and summoned his advisors to discuss it.
Among them, the advisor Fang Rong said, "My lord, do not be afraid. I think Hua Rong is not someone who can be easily manipulated. Now that his power is growing stronger, he will not easily obey Feng Qing's orders. In my opinion, it is better to take a two-pronged approach. On one hand, send someone to Qinglong to make peace with Hua Rong, and on the other hand, ask Cao Qiansui to send more secret envoys to Qinglong Pass to gather his old troops and disrupt Qinglong. This will make Hua Rong preoccupied with his own affairs, and Qinglong will be safe." Everyone agreed, and
Xu Youliang then ordered an envoy to be sent to Qinglong.
Hua Rong, who was then suppressing the rebellion in Qinglong, met Xu Youliang's envoy. Although he outwardly claimed to be a subject of Feng Qing and scolded the envoy away, his words subtly implied his unwillingness to send troops.
It turned out that when Hua Rong first gained control of Zhuting, the government was efficient and the people benefited. However, after crossing the four passes, his territory expanded rapidly, forcing him to promote lower-ranking soldiers from the rebel army to local positions, inevitably resulting in a mix of good and bad officials. These people, having gained power, forgot the reasons for their initial uprising and became even more wicked. The exploitation of the people was even more severe than when Cao Yunlong was in Qinglong. Resentment was widespread, and many longed for their former master. At this time, some of Cao Yunlong's former subordinates who remained outside the pass seized the opportunity to incite unrest, leading to frequent riots and leaving Hua Rong overwhelmed. With his own home in turmoil, how could he possibly muster the strength to send troops?
Just then, Feng Qing's envoy arrived in Qinglong and met with Hua Rong, proposing military action. Hua Rong, however, had a change of heart and told the envoy, "It's not that I'm unwilling to send troops, but with unrest rampant throughout Qinglong, I cannot act with peace of mind. Please grant me a year; once the internal strife is quelled, I will certainly send troops."
The envoy returned to Daxiong Pass, but Feng Qing had no choice but to temporarily put aside his worries, stockpile provisions, and prepare for another battle.
Xu Youliang, upon receiving this news, was overjoyed and summoned his advisors to discuss the matter, saying, "The Feng and Hua families, one in the east and one in the west, are like thorns in our side. What are your plans, gentlemen?"
Fang Rong said, “If we eliminate one of the two, the other will perish. I think this should be done sooner rather than later.” “
We would like to hear your reasoning.”
“In the battle last month, we captured enough grain and supplies from Feng Qing to supply the army for a year. However, the land south of Zhuque is insufficient to sustain the army’s supplies. Therefore, we should use the captured grain to launch an attack as soon as possible, either to occupy the rice-producing region of Qinglong or to seize the fertile fields west of Pingling. Delay will only lead to exhaustion.”
“If you agree with me, which route should we attack first?”
“In terms of strength, Feng Qing is stronger than Hua Rong. We should attack Hua Rong. However, Feng Qing has long harbored ambitions. If we attack Hua Rong, he will surely send troops to attack our rear, leaving us vulnerable to attack from both sides. If we directly attack Feng Qing, Hua Rong may not be willing to send troops to his aid. I suggest attacking Feng Qing first.”
“What you say is very true. Please, gentlemen, devise a plan and launch an attack as soon as possible.” "
You may ask, why does Xu Youliang, facing two powerful enemies, choose to attack instead of protecting himself? This is the reason Hua Rong risked his life to storm Qinglong Pass. Xu Youliang's grain supplies come from a region hundreds of miles outside Zhuque Pass and within Zhennan Pass. This area was originally fertile, but it couldn't support a million troops. Previously, Cao Yunlong occupied Qinglong Pass, a place with thousands of miles of fertile land, enough to support an army. Unfortunately, Hua Rong seized it, leaving Xu Youliang trapped. If he didn't find a way out soon, he would starve to death within two years. Therefore, given the opportunity, he had no choice but to launch a preemptive attack to secure his grain supplies." Supplying grass was a last resort.
In fact, Xu Youliang had long been preparing for this campaign, only waiting for the right opportunity and deciding which side to attack first; it wasn't exactly an unprepared battle.
Once the strategy was decided, Xu Youliang mobilized a large army, launching a two-pronged attack.
The northern route was led by Shi Wenlong, with Zheng Mingde and his wife as vanguard officers, and Hong Wei as the chief grain officer, heading west from Huangshi to directly attack Baihu Pass. He also dispatched Hua Feng as the second-route marshal, who would march from Nanyang Pass through Zhizi Ridge to capture Panshan Pass as support.
The other route was personally led by Xu Youliang, with Feng Ling and Cao Yunlong as vanguard officers. Feng and Zhang Ping, as the chief grain officer, marched west from Pingling Pass, heading directly for Dongjie Pass. Guan Yuqing was also appointed as the second-in-command, advancing south from Zhizi Ridge towards Xihua Pass as support.
Although Xu Youliang launched a two-pronged attack, his primary focus was on Dongjie Pass in the south. This was because Xu Youliang lacked confidence in a complete victory; capturing Dongjie Pass would grant him control of the vast plains west of Pingling. If he could seize this, he could take over Feng Qing's grain supply base. Daxiong Pass could be taken later. While Feng Qing also valued the land within Dongjie Pass, its terrain was a string of narrow passages. They could fight back step by step, but Baihu Pass was very close to Daxiong Pass. If it were breached, Daxiong would be in imminent danger. Therefore, the focus of the defense was on the direction of Baihu Pass, which reflected everyone's own thoughts.
As soon as Xu Youliang's army moved, Feng Qing already knew. He ordered He Luming to hold Panshan Pass firmly so that Shi Wenlong would not dare to attack Baihu Pass with confidence. At the same time, he ordered Shi Yunqing and Wang Dadao to set up two lines of defense at Baihu Pass and Hutou Mountain to ensure the safety of Daxiong Pass.
On the other hand, Shi Wenlong also played along, ordering Hong Wei to guard Huangshi, while he led his troops across Panshan Pass and headed straight for Baihu Pass.
Seeing that Shi Wenlong disregarded the dangers to his flanks and rear, He Luming hurriedly sent troops to harass him. Meanwhile, Hua Feng ordered his men to launch a fierce attack on Panshan Pass. The two sides fought a chaotic battle there for months, suffering casualties on both sides. Hua Feng couldn't capture Panshan, He Luming couldn't persuade Shi Wenlong to divide his forces, and Shi Wenlong couldn't capture Baihu Pass.
On the other hand, Xu Youliang achieved his first victory at Dongjie Pass.
It turned out that after Guan Yuqing's three captures of Zhizi Ridge, Feng Qing, seeing that victory was impossible and his army was wasting supplies outside, recalled two of the three Xirong princesses, leaving Jinling to guard Dongjie Pass.
West of Pingling was originally just a plain without any passes. When the three families jointly attacked Yecheng, Xu Youliang ceded the area west of Pingling to Wang Bingzheng. Later, when the princes were enfeoffed, it belonged to Feng Qing. Knowing that a major battle with Xu Youliang was imminent, Feng Qing followed Tao Xiuying's plan and built a fortified wall stretching from Xihua Pass in the north to the Nanling Mountains west of Dingnan Pass in the south. Between this wall and Pingling, the widest point on the south side was fifty li, and the narrowest point on the north side was only five li, forming a pear-shaped passage from north to south. A fortified pass called Dongjie Pass was built directly opposite the Pingling Pass. West of Dongjie Pass, a fortified wall and a fortified pass were built every fifty li, namely Dongjie Zhongguan and Dongjie Neiguan. Shaoyin County, a hundred li from Daxiong Pass, was elevated to Shaoyin Prefecture as a garrison to protect Daxiong. Between Dongjie Neiguan and Shaoyin Prefecture, a total of five hundred li, numerous prefectures and counties were also garrisoned with troops and militias. Compared to Baihu Pass, the defenses here seem much stronger, but this is not the case. Baihu Pass is mountainous and strategically important, capable of withstanding a million soldiers, while Lingxi is a basin between mountains, with the narrowest point measuring ten li. Although Dongjie Pass was planned to have three fortifications, due to insufficient funds and manpower, only two fortifications were built for Dongjie Zhongguan and Dongjie Neiguan, and the fortifications were only about one zhang high. Furthermore, the troops were scattered, making it vulnerable except for the fortifications at Dongjie Pass.
To attack Dongjie Pass, Xihua Pass must be attacked first, which was Xu Youliang's strategy. Therefore, Guan Yuqing first launched an attack north of Xihua Pass.
As soon as the battle began, Guan Yuqing threw all his flares into Xihua Pass, killing countless soldiers and civilians. The flares also ignited houses, causing fires everywhere, which spread and burned, causing the soldiers to cry out in agony and the people to wail.
Guan Yuqing, standing on high ground, shouted, "Attack the city!" His soldiers fought bravely, charging towards the city walls. Wang Ke and Wang Yinping stood atop the walls, directing their troops in a tenacious defense. The battle raged for four days and four nights, and Guan Yuqing's offensive temporarily halted. Suddenly, messengers from Dongjie Pass arrived via a mountain path seeking help.
It turned out that while the battle at Xihua Pass was raging, Xu Liang, along with Cao Yunlong and Zhang Ping, had launched a fierce attack on Dongjie Pass.
The fortifications of Dongjie Pass stretched for over seventy li, and Jinling only had a little over 100,000 men inside, averaging only a thousand or so per li. Xu Liang, on the other hand, led over 400,000 troops and was able to concentrate his forces, resulting in a vast disparity in strength. Although Jinling defended with all its might, it was still in dire straits. Jinling sent messengers westward to request reinforcements while simultaneously pleading for help from Xihua Pass.
Wang Ke, under pressure from Guan Yuqing, was reluctant to send troops. Wang Yinping said, "Xihua Pass is no longer the key point. Dongjie Pass is crucial to Daxiong's safety. Brother, there's no need to be so insistent. In my opinion, it would be better if you temporarily defend Xihua Pass, give me a command, and lead a detachment out of the pass to harass Xu Youliang's flank and rear, preventing him from launching a full-scale attack on Dongjie Pass. When Daxiong's reinforcements arrive, the crisis will naturally be resolved."
Wang Ke saw that although Guan Yuqing's attack on the city was urgent, his forces were insufficient to break through the pass quickly. Therefore, he followed his sister's advice, defending the city himself and giving Wang Yinping five thousand men to secretly leave the pass. They marched at night and ambushed the enemy twenty li from Dongjie Pass.
A day later, seeing that it was getting late, Wang Yinping mustered a thousand men and headed towards Dongjie Pass.
Having traveled less than ten li, they saw Xu Youliang's troops attacking the city under cover of night, their lanterns and torches illuminating the area as if it were daytime. Upon seeing this, Wang Yinping brandished her Five-Hook Divine Flying Silver Spear, shouted, "Charge!" and charged forward.
Whether this charge would relieve the siege of Dongjie Pass remains to be seen; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 166 – Xu Youliang Attacks Dongjie Pass, Phoenix Feather Girl Battles Wang Yinping Three Times.

It is said that Xu's troops were attacking the city under cover of night when they were attacked from the flank and rear. Wang Yinping's charge threw them into chaos. In the darkness, they didn't know how many enemy troops there were. Taking advantage of the chaos, Wang Yinping killed one deputy general and three lieutenant generals, then charged eastward into the darkness, leaving the battlefield, and then returned north.
Here, Xu's troops were thrown into disarray, unable to distinguish friend from foe, and began killing each other. Golden Bell seized the opportunity to leave the pass and wreak havoc. By the time Xu Youliang understood the enemy's situation, it was already dawn. He counted his men and found thousands dead and wounded.
Enraged, Xu Youliang ordered a renewed assault. The Jinling army in Guanzhong, having won this small victory, were in high spirits and their defenses became even stronger.
That night, Wang Yinping changed location and launched another attack. Although Xu's army was prepared, they were still unsure of the enemy's strength and were caught off guard, losing nearly a thousand men.
The two sides fought for more than ten days at the pass, with Wang Yinping's army killing nearly ten thousand.
Wang Yinping's repeated successful raids over several nights made him complacent and careless.
That night, Wang Yinping launched another surprise attack at the pass, killing and wounding over a hundred men. He then headed north, but halfway there, a cannon boomed, and a swarm of about two thousand men appeared before him. A female general at the head pointed and shouted, "Hey! Wang Yinping, where have you been? I've been looking for you for ages!"
Wang Yinping looked and saw a woman with a face as white as powder, beautiful as a flower, dressed in a short jacket and skirt, wielding two swords, riding a small stallion, and a bamboo crossbow hanging from her saddle hook. Wang Yinping recognized her as Feng Ling, the wife of Xu Youliang.
It turned out that after the ambush, Xu Youliang had deduced that this army must have come from Xihua Pass, and was most likely led by Wang Yinping.
Feng Ling had been secretly competing with Wang Yinping, and this time she was responsible for monitoring the movements at Xihua Pass. She was humiliated by Wang Yinping's attack and gritted her teeth in hatred, determined to capture Wang Yinping to avenge her previous injury.
Feng Ling was tasked with searching the road north of Dongjie Pass for Wang Yinping. However, Wang Yinping was extremely meticulous, hiding in the Pingling Mountains during the day, changing camps daily, and venturing out at night without using roads, instead wandering through the wilderness. Therefore, Feng Ling searched for a long time without finding
her. This time, Feng Ling didn't know the route Wang Yinping had taken; she simply stumbled upon traces left by Wang Yinping's troops in the wilderness. She then ambushed them on their way and sent someone to deliver a message to Xu Youliang.
Wang Yinping, stopped by Feng Ling, knew things were going badly. If Xu Youliang's troops arrived, she would surely perish. She decided it was better to get rid of Feng Ling as soon as possible and charge through.
With this thought, Wang Yinping ignored Feng Ling and shouted, "Charge!" She charged at Feng Ling on horseback.
The two horses clashed, exchanging blows, and Wang Yinping, not wanting to linger, seized the opportunity to head north.
Feng Ling, enraged, followed closely behind.
The two hadn't run far when Wang Yinping was overtaken. She had been fighting all night, and both she and her horse were exhausted; the horse could no longer run.
Left with no other choice, Wang Yinping turned to fight. Soon after, Cao Yunlong arrived from behind and surrounded Wang Yinping's men.
Cao Yunlong, who was infatuated with Wang Yinping, was captivated by her slender waist, shapely hips, and graceful figure. He cried out, "Your Highness, you must capture Wang Yinping alive!"
Hearing this, Wang Yinping felt despair. She decided to use Feng Ling to create an opportunity for herself. So she blocked her twin swords with her spear and said, "Princess Feng, taking advantage of someone's weakness and using numbers against fewer people is not heroic."
Feng Ling sneered, "General Wang, what makes you a hero?"
"My horse is tired. Let me change to another horse. Then we'll have a duel on the battlefield. No one else is allowed to help. We don't care how many rounds we go, we just need to fight to the death. If I die, there's no need to say anything. If I win, your soldiers can let me return to Xihua Pass. What do you say?"
Feng Ling laughed loudly, "Great! Great! As you wish, General. Go and change your horse quickly."
Cao Yunlong secretly groaned, because the two female generals' martial arts skills were only slightly different. If he went up to help, he would have a 50% chance of success. Otherwise, there was no way he could capture Wang Yinping alive. But Feng Ling had already agreed, so Cao Yunlong had no choice but to observe the enemy's formation from the rear.
Wang Yinping changed horses, and Feng Ling also changed horses, saying, "The horse you changed to isn't yours; it probably won't suit you. I'll change horses too, so we can compete fairly."
"Indeed, Princess Feng is Your Highness; she should make the first move."
"Very well, I'll concede."
Feng Ling changed horses, galloped into the formation, and slightly feinted to draw out Wang Yinping's attack. The two engaged in another fierce battle.
In terms of martial arts, Feng Ling was slightly superior. Last time, Wang Yinping had struck first, and both were injured. This time was different. Wang Yinping had fought for half the night, expending some energy, and her already slight difference in skill had become increasingly apparent.
After more than a hundred rounds, Wang Yinping thought to herself: I should use my ultimate move to defeat her. So he turned his horse around and said, "Do you dare to chase me?"
Feng Ling laughed, "You want to use a counter-attack again? I'm not afraid of you! But it's only polite to retaliate, so you must beware of my poisoned crossbow." With that, he hung his knife on the saddle, took out his bamboo crossbow, and gave chase.
Wang Yinping thought to herself, "I only know she can use a counter-attack crossbow. Does she have to use it while chasing someone? I must be careful."
The two circled each other, Wang Yinping's horse only pawing the ground, not moving fast. Seeing Feng Ling catch up, Wang Yinping suddenly dodged and thrust his spear. Feng Ling was prepared, and slapped his horse's head, causing the horse to suddenly lose its front legs and kneel on the ground. Feng Ling
seemed to lose his footing, falling forward from his horse, Wang Yinping's spear barely grazing his head.
Wang Yinping was startled. He circled his horse, intending to finish off Feng Ling with a shot. But as he turned to look, Feng Ling, though on foot, hadn't fallen. She stood firmly on the ground, shouted "Watch out for the crossbow!" and fired a poisoned bamboo arrow from her small crossbow with a "click."
Wang Yinping was startled and twisted her body, the arrow grazing her neck, narrowly escaping injury.
Having dodged the crossbow, Wang Yinping saw that her opponent was on foot while she had a horse, giving her a clear advantage. She flicked her spear, ready to kill Feng Ling.
Feng Ling remained calm, again shouting "Watch out for the crossbow!" and another arrow shot out.
Wang Yinping dodged another arrow, thinking to herself, "This vile woman can fire a repeating crossbow?"
Just as she thought this, Feng Ling's horse, which had been lying down, stood up. Feng Ling stepped back and reached for the saddle.
Wang Yinping wasn't about to let her get away with it. She spurred her horse and thrust again. Feng Ling raised her crossbow again, shouting, "Watch out!" Wang Yinping dodged quickly, but there was no sound of the bowstring. Realizing she'd been tricked, she was furious and thrust her spear again.
By this time, Feng Ling had her left foot in the stirrup, her body in mid-air. Seeing Wang Yinping's spear coming, she dared not mount her horse. Instead, she kicked off the horse with her other foot, leaping sideways, shouting, "Watch out!"
Wang Yinping wasn't about to let her escape again. She used the same move, aiming her spear at Feng Ling's stomach. Suddenly, she saw a black flash from Feng Ling's crossbow, rushing towards her. Knowing something was wrong, she quickly dodged, only to feel a sharp pain on her neck, as the black shadow had grazed her.
It turned out that Feng Ling's crossbow skills were excellent, but they relied entirely on surprise. She had used it before, but over time, word spread, and everyone knew about it, so it had lost its effectiveness. Knowing this, Feng Ling secretly practiced the repeating crossbow technique, capable of firing two arrows in quick succession. She also drilled a small hole in front of the crossbow mechanism, inserted a two-inch-long arrow, and used a spring to fire.
Although Feng Ling had changed horses, these were well-trained. She deliberately let the horse stumble at a crucial moment to lure the enemy into a trap. Unexpectedly, Wang Yinping dodged the first two arrows. The third arrow was in the small hole, so she dared not fire it lightly, deceiving Wang Yinping once before finally risking a shot on the fourth attempt, which finally succeeded.
The arrows of the Nanling woman were all poisoned, and the poison was extremely potent, causing instant death upon contact with blood. As
soon as Wang Yinping was hit, she felt golden lights flashing before her eyes, had difficulty breathing, and could not maintain her balance on the saddle. She fell off the horse with a thud, rolling and writhing on the ground in great pain.
Cao Yunlong saw this and shouted, "Princess Feng, save her!" He rode over first.
Feng Ling smiled bitterly, "My third arrow is a life-saving measure; I only use it in dire situations, and there's no antidote."
Wang Yinping lay curled up on the ground, making hiccuping noises. She tore open her collar and kicked her long legs wildly. Hearing Feng Ling's words, she slightly opened her almond-shaped eyes and looked at him, clearly begging for a quick death.
Seeing her dying state, Feng Ling felt unbearable pain and took off his sword from his horse. He went over, grabbed Wang Yinping's hair, and with a swift stroke of the sword, severed her head. The
beautiful and valiant Wang Yinping, who had distinguished herself in battle, was now a cold, beautiful corpse.
Knowing that Wang Yinping's body would be in terrible condition in the hands of his own soldiers, Feng Ling led his troops towards the Eastern Border Pass.
Cao Yunlong inwardly lamented his loss, but there was nothing he could do. He could only order his soldiers to strip Wang Yinping's headless corpse of its clothes, then, holding one of her jade-like feet, he examined and defiled her crotch. He then ordered a flagpole to be pierced through her vulva and carried to the Eastern Border Pass for public display. He also ordered her head to be carried to the Western Hua Pass for public display.
The soldiers on the pass, seeing Wang Yinping's naked body, were demoralized. Xu Youliang was overjoyed and immediately ordered his men to intensify the siege.
Jin Ling was frantic with worry, repeatedly sending messengers for help while desperately defending the city.
Could the Eastern Border Pass hold? To be continued.
(Empire

Part II, Chapters 167 and 168) Chapter 167 – The Three Princesses Receive Orders to Meet a Powerful Enemy, Ironclad Cavalry Defeates the Southern Ridge Army.

Now, Feng Qing, hearing that the Eastern Border Pass was under attack, hurriedly dispatched Princesses Yinling and Yuling, leading an army of 250,000 to reinforce the pass. Meanwhile, someone was sent to Qinglong Pass, ordering Hua Rong to send troops to attack Nanling from the rear.
The two princesses, having received their orders, immediately led their armies eastward to relieve Dongjie Pass. Seventy li from Dongjie Inner Pass, they encountered the defeated Jinling.
It turned out that Zi Fengling had killed Wang Yinping with a poisoned arrow. Although Wang Ke of Xihua Pass was furious, Guan Yuqing's attack from behind was intense, and he dared not leave the pass to seek revenge. Xu Youliang, on the other hand, could concentrate all his forces to attack the city.
Although Jinling had prepared a considerable amount of defensive equipment, it was difficult to quickly assemble it. Xu Youliang also set up dozens of iron cavalry towers, bombarding the walls, eventually breaching a section several dozen feet wide. He then charged through the city walls.
Jinling hurriedly tried to plug the breach, but ultimately could not withstand the combined attack of several generals and had to abandon the first pass and retreat westward.
Xu Youliang left a detachment to surround and kill the enemy soldiers, while leading the main force in relentless pursuit. Jinling had just entered the gate of the East Border Pass when Xu Youliang's pursuers had already chased her relentlessly, unable to reach the gate and lock it up. She had no choice but to flee westward, reaching the inner pass of the East Border Pass, where her troops were almost wiped out.
Only a day later, Xu Youliang's army arrived at the city walls and launched another fierce attack. Although Jinling tried her best, the walls were too low, and she ultimately failed to hold out until reinforcements arrived.
Yinling and Yuling welcomed Jinling into their tent and inquired about the battle. Yinling said, "Sister, don't be afraid. When the three of us sisters are together, we will surely make Xu Youliang suffer a crushing defeat!"
That evening, a report came that Xu Youliang had set up camp twenty li away and sent a messenger with a challenge, agreeing to meet ten thousand men each ten li away at dawn the next day.
Jinling summoned the messenger, read the challenge, wrote on the back, "Fight according to the agreement," and gave it to the messenger to take back.
The next day, they prepared food at the fourth watch and set out at the fifth watch, arriving at dawn, already in their respective ranks.
Jinling looked across and saw ten thousand soldiers arrayed in a square formation, archers on both sides holding the line. Under the central banner, Xu Youliang, the King, sat firmly on his saddle, with countless generals arrayed behind him, including two prominent figures: Cao Yunlong and Zhang Ping. It turned out that after capturing Dongjie Pass, Xu Youliang, fearing a surprise attack from Wang Ke, had sent Feng Ling to guard the pass and repaired the fortifications that had been destroyed by cannon fire.
Jinling, having observed for a while, rode forward and bowed, saying, "Your Excellency Xu is truly a man of integrity."
Xu Youliang looked across and saw another ten thousand men, arrayed in a square formation. At the front, under the banner, were three female generals, tall and strong, with golden hair and blue eyes. Although not as delicate as women from the Central Plains, they were still quite remarkable.
Upon being questioned, Xu Youliang reined in his horse and approached, saying, "How dare you, a defeated general from the Eastern Border Pass, confront my army?"
Jinling laughed, "Back then, the disparity in numbers was too great, and you took advantage of the situation. Now that my reinforcements have arrived, Your Highness, you are no match for swords. You should retreat quickly to avoid losing your life."
Youliang said, "Princess, don't boast. My generals are all heroes; do you think they're afraid of three women like you? Just bring your horses at me."
Jinling said, "Words are useless now; let's settle this with swords."
"Exactly, Princess, please send your generals."
"Don't send generals. In this situation, sending my men into battle would only result in casualties. You have three, and my sisters and I have three. Why not have a one-on-one duel, a battle of pairs, each to their own fate? What do you say?"
Jinling's words were clearly meant to make things difficult for Xu Youliang. It turned out that the three princesses of Xirong were all first-rate generals, while Xu Youliang, although also a general, was actually only mediocre in martial arts. In this kind of competition, Xu Youliang would likely lose more often than he would win.
However, how could Xu Youliang openly show weakness? He brandished his spear and said, "As the princesses say.
In that case, I will choose the eldest princess to try." Cao Yunlong rode out from behind and said, "I'll choose the third princess." It turned out that Yuling was the youngest, and Cao Yunlong had ill intentions.
Zhang Ping naturally caught Yinling, and the spectators on both sides beat the war drums. The six of them fought fiercely on the battlefield.
In terms of martial arts, Xu Youliang and his two companions were roughly equal to the three princesses, with Cao Yunlong and Zhang Ping being slightly stronger. However, the three princesses rode Ferghana horses from Western Liang, which were more than two feet taller than warhorses from the Central Plains. From this elevated position, Xu Youliang and his companions were at a disadvantage.
After fighting for an hour, Jin Ling, relying on her horse's height, overwhelmed Xu Youliang, making him lose his footing. In a moment of distraction, Jin Ling sliced off Xu Youliang's helmet plume with her sword, frightening him so much that he spurred his horse and retreated to his own lines. Seeing this, Cao Yunlong and Zhang Ping also abandoned their opponent and fled.
Jin Ling sat on her curved sword and shouted, "Quickly, pursue!"
The soldiers launched a fierce attack, chasing him for fifty li. The next day, Xu Youliang was again defeated and retreated into the inner city of Dongjie. Jin Ling and her troops stationed themselves inside the city, preparing to attack the fortifications.
On the third day, after passing the inner pass of the eastern border, they found no trace of Xu Youliang's troops, knowing they had retreated to the middle pass of the eastern border. They broke camp and pursued them, reaching the middle pass of the eastern border. Suddenly, they saw dozens of cannons lined up on the opposite wall. Jinling realized the danger and quickly ordered her troops to retreat ten miles and set up camp.
The next day, Xu Youliang challenged them again, this time with Fengling in his army.
It turned out that Xu Youliang had retreated to the middle pass of the eastern border and encountered Huang Mian, who was escorting supplies. He hurriedly ordered Huang Mian to return to the eastern border that night to replace Fengling with Fengling. With Fengling's help
, the situation was quite different. Fengling engaged Jinling, Zhang Ping engaged Yinling, and Cao Yunlong engaged Yuling, fighting fiercely to a draw.
After two hundred rounds, Fengling suddenly used her bamboo crossbow, shooting an arrow directly at Jinling.
Jinling hurriedly parried with her sword, but was startled. She had heard of the Phoenix Feather Crossbow's exquisite technique and the poisoned arrows used. Having also witnessed Wang Yinping's headless, naked corpse impaled on a flagpole, she was filled with fear and dared not fight any longer, turning her horse to flee.
The other two princesses, seeing this, also hastily retreated, but this harmed Yuling. Yuling and Cao Yunlong were evenly matched; Jinling was defeated, and in the moment of distraction, Cao Yunlong swept a fork across her head.
Seeing no time to parry, Yuling cried out, "Not good!" She used a feat of iron bridge, leaning back on her saddle, but Cao Yunlong still managed to strike her chest with the fork. Her breast throbbed with excruciating pain, and she screamed in agony, collapsing from her position. Youliang
was overjoyed at the sight and immediately ordered a pursuit. This pursuit lasted for over a hundred miles, reaching the first gorge in Guanzhong, Longfeng Ridge.
Here, the mountains on either side were fifteen miles apart, and the three princesses' armies had set up camp, firmly blocking their path.
While Xu Youliang was sending men to retrieve the Iron Pagoda cavalry, he was also observing the situation of the opposing camp, preparing for a strong attack.
Meanwhile, the three princesses, having suffered a crushing defeat, finally stopped here.
When Yuling took off her clothes to examine herself, she saw that a fork had swept across her left breast from bottom to top, leaving a large bruise and her nipple swollen like a red fruit. She hurriedly called a doctor, who prescribed medicine to remove the bruise. Yuling was so angry that she gritted her teeth, cursing Cao Yunlong for his lewdness.
A day later, Xu Youliang retrieved the Iron Pagoda cavalry and ordered them to be moved to the southern hillside and bombarded indiscriminately into Feng's camp. He also ordered stone cannons to be set up, hurling large and small stones into Feng's camp, causing the soldiers to cry out in pain.
The three princesses discussed in the central command tent how to repel the enemy.
Just then, news arrived that the Western Rong King had dispatched the armored cavalry trained by his eldest prince to the front lines, intending to reward Jinling for her service.
The three princesses were overjoyed upon hearing this, all saying that this time they would surely be able to bring Xu Youliang to his knees on the battlefield.
Anyone familiar with the novels *The Complete Story of Yue Fei* and *Water Margin* knows the tale of the chained iron cavalry.
Chained iron cavalry consisted of horses clad in iron armor, linked together with one rider. They were incredibly fierce, capable of shooting arrows from afar and thrusting spears at close range.
However, the chained cavalry was most vulnerable to the hook-and-sickle spearmen. These men wielded iron crutches in one hand and hook-and-sickle spears in the other.
When the chained cavalry charged, the hook-and-sicklemen would advance instead of retreating. When the horses were close, they would use their ground-stomping skills to roll forward, first using their iron crutches to snag the rider's lance, then using their hook-and-sickle spears to hook the horse's hoof and sever it. Once the horse's hoof was severed, it would fall, dragging down the other linked horses, thus breaking the chained cavalry.
Did the Third Princess not know this, and still want to take advantage of others' mistakes? Otherwise, these armored chariots, while originating from the linked chariots, were different. They consisted of four horizontally connected rectangular frames made of large timbers, with wheels at the four corners. Thick wooden planks stood in front, covered with iron plates to form armor, and studded with countless wolf-tooth iron nails. Numerous sharp blades were also installed downwards beneath the planks; anyone lying under the chariot would be disemboweled. Behind the planks, each wooden frame housed a warhorse, with a small canopy above to protect against falling arrows.
A person stood on each longitudinal beam, firing a powerful bow at a distance, while a driver sat on the rear crossbeam. From the front, it appeared as an armored chariot, but more agile than the linked chariots, and discreet, making it impossible for even a guerrilla force to defeat.
The three princesses were overjoyed upon seeing these hundred armored chariots and discussed how to lure Xu Youliang into a trap.
One day, while Xu Youliang's men were engaged in a war of words, they heard cannons roaring from the opposite camp. A troop of men charged out of the camp, led by the third princess, Yuling.
Yu Ling pointed her broadsword at the soldiers who were cursing her and shouted, "Quickly go and tell your master that he must lead the entire army to their deaths ten miles ahead at dawn tomorrow!"
The soldiers, upon hearing this, hurriedly ran back to their camp.
You Liang, upon hearing this, pondered that these three princesses' boastful words must be part of a conspiracy, and secretly instructed his generals to be extra careful.
The next day, You Liang led the entire army out to the battlefield, only to find Jin Ling and the others already in formation.
Youliang hurriedly arranged his troops, then spurred his horse forward, saying, "Three princesses, what tricks do you have up your sleeves? Use them now, lest you perish on the battlefield!"
Jinling laughed loudly, "Xu Youliang, words are useless. Let's have a one-on-one duel, shall we?"
Youliang replied, "Those who are afraid will not come. Princesses, draw the line, and I will accept."
The two sides disagreed, and they fought three against three. After only a few rounds, Jinling shouted, "Generals, each find your opponents!"
Upon hearing this order, more than a dozen lieutenants and deputy generals rushed out from Jinling's ranks to challenge them. Youliang's side also sent out more than a dozen men on horseback. The battle was quite fierce. After
fighting for a while, Fengling went to retrieve her crossbow, but Jinling spotted her, turned her horse, and ran away, shouting, "This vile woman is going to use a poisoned crossbow again! Run if you don't want to die!"
Hearing this, the generals all retreated to their own ranks. Fengling and the others, seeing this, were not about to let her go and gave chase.
Youliang was already uneasy, and seeing this, he feared there would be a loss, so he hurriedly ordered the retreat.
As the gong sounded, a loud clang echoed from the opposing formation, and the troops suddenly parted to the sides, revealing a front a hundred feet wide in the middle.
There, a hundred armored chariots, their iron plates studded with nails, were parked in a horizontal line. At a command, they roared forth and charged into their ranks. Xu Youliang and his men were terrified.
Whether Xu Youliang survived or not remains to be seen; we'll find out in the next chapter.

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