[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 17

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Chapter 74 – A torrential rain floods White Tiger City, and Hua Rong is trapped on Tiger Head Mountain.

Meanwhile, it is said that Shi Yunqing was wounded in battle and fled towards Guanzhong. Wang Dadao came to his aid, protecting Shi Yunqing as he returned to Guanzhong. Wang Ke hastily ordered his army to charge, attempting to seize the opportunity to break into Guanzhong, but they failed to cross the drawbridge. On horseback, Wang Ke nocked an arrow and shot it directly at the drawbridge cable. However, the drawbridge was large, with two cables, and he shot the second cable with another arrow, severing it. The drawbridge fell, but the enemy had already retreated into the city and lowered the iron gate. Wang Ke was so enraged that he flew into a rage.
He quickly retreated to the outside of the moat and continued his verbal battle, but there was no response from Guanzhong.
Helpless, Wang Ke ordered, "Attack the city!" Immediately, drums thundered, and the soldiers, brave and fierce, surged towards Guanzhong like a tidal wave.
The city walls rained down volleys of flamingos, cannonballs, rolling logs, and boulders, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries, and the defeated army retreated.
After a day's attack, several thousand soldiers were killed or wounded. Baihu Pass was heavily defended and could not be breached. Wang Ke then ordered Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao to assist Wang Jun, and ordered Yuchi Ling, who was guarding Nanyang Pass, to return to Panshan Pass, hoping to capture it from two sides. After half a month of attacking, he gained no advantage and had to abandon the effort, recalling Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao to Baihu Pass.
Wang Ke attacked for several more days, but still saw no progress, and his supplies were running low. Wang Ke
was extremely anxious, sending men back to the capital to resupply supplies while simultaneously racking his brains for a way to attack the pass.
Just as he was becoming increasingly worried, a sudden clap of thunder and torrential rain began, lasting for two days. That evening, a scout reported that the walls of Baihu Pass had collapsed due to the heavy rain.
Wang Ke was overjoyed and rushed out of the camp in the rain to investigate. Sure enough, a section of the wall, twenty or thirty feet wide, had collapsed, and the soldiers and civilians in the city were working to repair it.
The opportunity was fleeting, and Wang Ke hurriedly beat the drums, raised his tent, mustered his troops, and fired the cannons.
He deployed all his generals and above to the front lines, ordering them to follow him, and charged headlong towards the breach in the city wall.
The eastern wall of Baihu Pass had been built by Yue Ling when he was the Marquis of Baihu. Due to the tight schedule and insufficient materials, it was mainly constructed of rammed earth. Such walls are normally impenetrable, but easily crumble when soaked by rain. This type of wall is not
uncommon in this area, which rarely receives rain; it was as if fate was playing a cruel trick, as torrential rains had fallen at this time.
These past few days, due to Shi Yunqing's slander, the main defender of the city had been Wang Dadao. Hua Rong received the report of the wall's collapse and, realizing the danger, immediately dispatched Wang Dadao to lead repairs while simultaneously assembling his troops and preparing for an emergency.
Wang Ke charged ahead, attacking the breach in the wall. Wang Dadao quickly ordered his soldiers to unleash a hail of arrows, only temporarily halting the attack.
Wang Ke, with his exceptional martial skills and the support of generals like Wang Yinping, Wang Xiaojiao, and Pang Qi, feared no arrows and was eventually forced through the gap in the defenses.
Wang Dadao, seeing the situation was dire, put up a brief resistance before hastily turning his horse and fleeing.
Wang Ke pursued closely, chasing for half a mile when suddenly a deafening explosion shook the heavens and earth, sending Wang Ke and his horse flying several feet before crashing to the ground.
Wang Ke remained unconscious for a while before
regaining consciousness. Several people were calling to him. Opening his eyes, he saw Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao beside him, saying, "It's alright, you're awake." Seeing their faces were bruised and blackened, he knew they had been hit by landmines, just like him. Moving his body, he found no major injuries, only a throbbing headache. He quickly stood up, stretched, and found himself unharmed. Looking back, he saw a large crater in the street, with five or six warhorses killed in the explosion and several corpses, all mangled and bloodied. He learned that these were the remains of several of his lieutenants and deputy generals.
When asked about the enemy soldiers and generals, their whereabouts were unknown.
Knowing the dangers of Guanzhong, Wang Ke dared not pursue them further and sent men to search cautiously, street by street and alley by alley.
That night, explosions echoed throughout the city until dawn. Reports came from all sides that Hua Rong had evacuated beyond the pass with the city's inhabitants, leaving the city deserted except for landmines scattered throughout the streets. Soldiers dug out dozens of mines, but also detonated dozens more, killing and wounding about a hundred men.
These hundred or so casualties were insignificant to Wang Ke. He ordered his entire army to remain stationed in Guanzhong, awaiting further intelligence before taking further action.
Shortly after this order was issued, explosions resumed in the city. Upon investigation, it was discovered that landmines were also hidden in the city's various camps, making them impossible to completely defend against.
Left with no other option, Wang Ke ordered his troops to remain within civilian residences and slowly clear the camps.
At noon, scouts reported that Hua Rong's army had withdrawn twenty li outside the city and was still marching west.
Wang Ke hastily ordered Pang Qi to leave 100,000 men in Ma to guard the pass, and appointed Wang Yinping as the vanguard on the left flank and Wang Xiaojiao as the vanguard on the right flank, each leading 5,000 men to pursue Hua Rong. He and Pang Qi led the main force of the central army, and then followed out of the city to pursue them.
Strangely enough, as soon as they left the pass, the sky cleared up.
Wang Ke said, "This must be Heaven's help for my success. After we annihilate Hua Rong's army in this battle, we will press on and take Daxiong Pass, capture Feng Qing, and we will have half the world at our fingertips!"
They chased each other for two days until they reached a large mountain. The mountain was towering into the clouds, and between the two mountains was a main road. In the middle of the road was another high mountain, which split the road in two. On the mountain was a camp, which was Hua Rong's vanguard camp, guarded by Shi Yunqing. Although he was seriously injured and unable to fight, Tiger Head Mountain was a very dangerous and easy-to-defend location. There were also camps on the mountains on both sides, providing a commanding view of the road. Further in was Hua Rong's central army camp, behind Tiger Head Mountain, guarding the pass.
Wang Ke had previously served in the Western Four Passes and was very familiar with the terrain. He knew this place was called Tiger Head Mountain. Beyond this mountain was a plain with no natural defenses, so Hua Rong would definitely defend this pass to the death.
Wang Ke saw a small river beside the main river, its water crystal clear, and knew it was the Xiaochang River, with the best water quality, used by the locals for brewing wine. He ordered his main camp to be set up along the main road, close to the mountains and water, perfectly suited for military operations.
At this time, Wang Ke commanded an army of what was claimed to be 600,000, while Hua Rong had only slightly over 300,000. The disparity in troop strength was obvious. Hua Rong had also suffered losses. Of the seven generals who had been dispatched, three capable female generals—Yue Ling, Liu Zhu, and Qin Ju—had all been killed. The two princesses, Jin and Yin, remained to guard Panshan Pass. Wang Ke himself only had two generals left, Shi Yunqing and Wang Dadao, with Shi Yunqing seriously wounded. Wang Ke, on the other hand, had Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao. Although Pang Qi had lost two generals, he still had four generals and several lieutenants. Thus, the difference in strength was clear.
Wang Ke, assessing the situation, ordered his troops to launch a fierce attack on Tiger Head Mountain. After several days of fighting without success, just then, supplies arrived. Overjoyed, Wang Ke said, "Now that I have supplies, there's no need to continue the attack, wasting lives. We only need to occupy the main road, separating them on different mountains, preventing them from supporting each other, cutting off their supply lines. Within a month, they will surely collapse, and I can defeat them one by one, capturing Hua Rong." He
then set up camp along the main road at the foot of Tiger Head Mountain, effectively trapping Hua Rong's various camps on the mountain.
Hua Rong, seeing this, knew things were dire, but lacking sufficient troops, she had no other choice. She could only send troops to try and attack the camps along the main road, attempting to establish communication between the camps. However, Wang Ke, having intended a siege, was well-prepared. Hua Rong attacked several times, suffering heavy losses, and had to give up. Fortunately, they had many carrier dogs and pigeons, ensuring communication between them; otherwise, they would have been in dire straits.
After guarding for seven or eight days, a female general suddenly reported from the central camp. Hua Rong was overjoyed to see her; it was Princess Yuling of the Western Rong. Princess Yuling was the youngest of the three sisters, but her martial arts were the strongest. Riding a magnificent Akhal-Teke horse and wielding a broad-bladed longsword, she possessed the courage of ten thousand men.
Yuling entered the tent, saying she had been sent by Military Advisor Tao to deliver a message that the supplies had reached the outskirts of Tiger Head Mountain.
Hua Rong said, "Even with supplies, it's useless if they can't be transported to the main camp. Besides, we have few soldiers and generals; what can we do?" "
When Military Advisor Tao sent me, he entrusted me with a brocade pouch to deliver to the general, saying that if the general follows the plan, it will surely come true within five days."
Hua Rong took the pouch, read it, and was skeptical, but he had no other choice but to secretly send someone to follow the plan without further ado.
As for Wang Ke, when he heard from the scouts that the enemy's supplies had been delivered, he was not concerned, because these supplies could only supply Hua Rong's central army camp. The other camps were separated on various mountains and could not be contacted, so they would inevitably be lost sooner or later.
Another day passed, and suddenly thunder rumbled again. Wang Ke exclaimed with delight, "Last time, the torrential rain caused the walls of Baihu Pass to collapse, allowing me to break through. Now, with this rain again, the enemy camps must be suffering from hunger and cold. It's truly heaven's help! Order all camps to sharpen their swords and spears, and wait for the enemy on the mountain to become disorganized before striking and gaining merit."
The rain continued for three days. Wang Ke gazed at the enemy camps every day, waiting for their surrender.
Whether Wang Ke would defeat Hua Rong remains to be seen.

Chapter Seventy-Five—Hua Rong Floods the Xiaochang River, Wang Ke's Tiger Head Mountain Camp Suffers Defeat .

On this day, the torrential rain turned into a drizzle, and the sky began to brighten slightly. Wang Ke heard commotion on the mountain, seemingly indicating unrest in the enemy camp. He knew that the enemy camp on the mountain was likely in disarray, and victory or defeat would depend on the next day or two. He ordered all camps to rest early that night and wait until the next morning. If no enemy surrendered... Then they marched up the mountain.
Wang Xiaojiao set up camp on the left side of Tiger Head Mountain, facing Hua Rong's central army camp in front and Wang Ke's central army camp behind. Tiger Head Mountain was to her left, and Wang Dadao's camp was on the mountain to her right.
Having received Wang Ke's orders, knowing the outcome would be decided the next day, she was eager to try.
She arranged the camp's defenses early, instructing her soldiers to be vigilant and to gather any soldiers who came to surrender from the mountain behind the camp. She returned to her tent, ordered the female soldiers to sharpen her halberd, fed her horse good grass and fodder, preparing for battle. She then undressed and went to sleep, hoping to be well-rested and ready to fight the next morning.
The rain pattered softly outside, and she slept soundly.
Suddenly, a loud noise startled Wang Xiaojiao awake. Listening closely, she heard what sounded like rolling thunder.
Xiaojiao thought to herself, "Why is there thunder again just as the rain was about to stop? Is another heavy rain coming?" Just as I was wondering ,
I heard the thunder coming from afar, like a stampede of ten thousand horses. I had a bad feeling and sat up in bed. I called the female soldier into the tent and asked, "What is that loud noise outside?"
The female soldier said, "It's dark and I can't see clearly, but it sounds like thunder." "
Just then, the sound reached outside the camp. Inside, they heard wailing and howling, thinking it was an enemy attack. They jumped off their beds, grabbed a small garment, and put it on. The sound was already outside the tent.
Xiao Jiao was even more startled. She grabbed her halberd and rushed out of the tent. As soon as she lifted the tent flap, she was stunned. A huge wave, several feet high, was crashing towards her like a wall. It was too late for Xiao Jiao to escape. She was swept away by the wave, pushed to the mountaintop, and then thrown into the valley.
Wang Ke and the other camps also heard the sound, but they couldn't see anything in the darkness. Wang Ke, alert and quick-witted, jumped onto his horse and rode to higher ground before even putting on his armor. Pang Qi, cunning and shrewd, also rode to a high point. Wang Yinping's camp was to the right of Tiger Head Mountain..." The terrain was slightly higher, and the water flow was smaller. Furthermore, Wang Yinping's tent was on a hillside, so she barely escaped with her life.
It turned out that Tao Xiuying had foreseen the heavy rains in the coming days, so she gave Hua Rong a brocade pouch, instructing her to secretly send soldiers to build a dam on the upper reaches of the Xiaochang River to hold back the water. When the water was full, the dam would be breached, releasing the floodwaters and drowning people.
Hua Rong was initially skeptical, but when the clouds indeed rose, she was overjoyed. She released messenger dogs to relay orders to the various camps, preparing for a counterattack, while she and Princess Yuyin supervised the construction of the dam daily.
At dawn one day, the water had reached its full capacity, and Hua Rong ordered gunpowder to blast open the dam.
The floodwaters, which had been accumulating for days and nights, suddenly breached the dam, and the floodwaters rushed down the mountain like wild horses.
Hua Rong's camp ... All the troops were high up on the mountain, but Wang Ke's camp was at the foot of the mountain by the river. The flood swept away eight or nine tenths of Wang Ke's 700,000-strong army.
Seeing the situation was under control, Hua Rong quickly ordered the cannons to fire and his troops to advance, leading the central army with Princess Yuling down the mountain.
The floodwaters came fiercely but receded quickly; the floodwaters that filled the channels were gone in half an hour, and the main roads were exposed again.
By this time, the rain had stopped, and Hua Rong ordered torches to be lit and the enemy troops searched for and killed.
The various camps trapped on the mountain had already received orders and, upon hearing the thunder, had descended the mountain to fight the enemy; they too rushed down.
As dawn broke, the Wang family camp was a scene of utter devastation; eight or nine tenths of it had been reduced to ruins, smaller trees were snapped, and seventy percent of the larger trees were uprooted. There was no one left. They continued their pursuit downhill to where the terrain leveled out before Tiger Head Mountain, where they found corpses hanging from the trees and rocks along the roadside, all naked and grappling with each other.
The floodwaters had been incredibly powerful; those swept away had their clothes torn off, and few were still clothed.
Several armies converged at the foot of the mountain, elated. Hua Rong, knowing the trapped camps had gone without food or water for several days, ordered the central army to distribute the prepared rations.
After a light breakfast, Hua Rong, along with Princess Yuling, led the central army in pursuit, while Wang Dadao led the left flank. Shi Yunqing, still recovering from serious injuries, was left to lead the right flank, collecting the enemy corpses along the way to see if any enemy officers were among them.
They pursued for half a day... In the distance, a group of remnants of the army could be seen fleeing eastward. Hua Rong was overjoyed and led his troops in hot pursuit. Upon closer inspection, they found it was indeed the remaining Wang family army. Among them were about thirty horsemen, including Wang Ke, Pang Qi, Wang Yinping, and several deputy generals, lieutenants, and officers. Wang Xiaojiao was nowhere to be seen among the generals.
Hua Rong hurriedly ordered a junior officer to return and inform Shi Yunqing that Wang Xiaojiao had likely drowned and to search carefully. He then spurred his horse onward to pursue Wang Ke.
Wang Ke and his men, now devoid of fighting spirit, turned back and saw the pursuers closing in. They abandoned their soldiers and fled eastward at breakneck speed, leaving behind their remaining 100,000-plus men. Seeing their commander had fled, the remaining soldiers had no choice but to surrender.
Hua Rong then appointed two deputy generals... He led his men to gather the surrendered soldiers, while he himself continued to pursue the enemy relentlessly.
In his haste, he reached Baihu Pass, but fell just short, as a heavy gate in the city temporarily blocked Hua Rong's pursuit.
Hua Rong camped outside the pass. The next day, Shi Yunqing sent a messenger to report that hundreds of thousands of enemy corpses had been found, including the bodies of Wang Xiaojiao and several enemy generals, which were then brought to him.
The following day, Shi Yunqing led the Right Army to escort the enemy heads and Wang Xiaojiao's body to Baihu Pass.
When Hua Rong saw Wang Xiaojiao's body, he saw five or six corpses on a cart, all naked. Among them was a female corpse with full breasts and a beautiful bottom—it was Wang Xiaojiao. The other corpses were all male, some holding Xiaojiao's arms, others embracing her neck, and still others... He embraced the delicate waist of the young woman. Looking at the other carriages, there were still a dozen or so female corpses, all in
the prime of their lives, beautiful and charming, just like Wang Xiaojiao. They were all being embraced or held by naked male corpses, a scene of extreme lewdness. Upon seeing this, Hua Rong blushed with shame and quickly ordered Shi Yunqing to display the heads of the corpses at Baihu Pass as a command.
It turned out that Shi Yunqing, upon receiving Hua Rong's order, led his troops to search along both banks of the Xiaochang River, and also launched dozens of rafts downstream. They found countless submerged corpses, entangled in each other's arms.
It turned out that those submerged in water would desperately grasp whatever they could touch in an attempt to escape; there's a saying that they would grasp at straws. These enemy soldiers and generals, having fallen into the water, met each other and clung to each other, refusing to let go until death. The corpses were stiffened and could no longer be pried open.
Shi Yunqing ordered grappling hooks to be used to pull the bodies to the bow of a raft on the shore, where their heads were severed.
He then searched the roadside woods and found several thousand enemy soldiers, who were all taken to their respective camps and rafts to identify the bodies of enemy generals.
After searching for half a day, they found over ten thousand heads, and also discovered several female corpses, all embracing male corpses shamelessly. When the surrendered soldiers identified them, they were found to be personal guards of Wang Xiaojiao and Wang Yinping.
Shi Yunqing was overjoyed upon hearing this. Since there were personal guards, he reasoned that the female generals might also be present. He personally boarded a raft and sailed downstream.
After traveling over fifty li, they reached Changdu Lake.
This Changdu Lake was a section of the Xiaochang River, a wide lake with many reed islands, where floods would usually subside.
Shi Yunqing saw several thatched houses and small boats on the slope of the lake shore, and villagers pointing and talking on the bank. He quickly summoned the villagers for questioning. They all said that when they woke up that morning, they saw countless corpses being swept into the lake, numbering no less than 100,000, and also saw four or five naked corpses that resembled women.
Shi Yunqing then ordered the villagers to spread the word to the nearby villages and towns, instructing them to take their small boats and search for the corpses. For any headless corpse, they were to be brought to shore, and each corpse would be rewarded with one tael of silver; if a female corpse was found, ten taels would be offered.
The villagers were overjoyed and all brought their boats to search for the corpses.
Shi Yunqing boarded a large boat and stood at the bow. He saw thousands of sails racing, like a dragon boat race during the Dragon Boat Festival, heading towards the lake.
After searching for half a day, the shore was piled high with corpses, including eight or nine female corpses. He had the surrendered soldiers identify them, and they were indeed the personal guards of Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao.
It was already late, and although they had found the bodies of several enemy generals, they still couldn't find Wang Yinping and Wang Xiaojiao, which troubled Shi Yunqing.
The next day at dawn, Shi Yunqing again took a large boat belonging to the villagers and went into the lake to continue the search. They found thousands more corpses, but still no female generals, which made him anxious.
How did they obtain Wang Xiaojiao's body? Let's find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 76 - Shi Yunqing Finds Xiaojiao in Changdu Lake, Shi Wenlong Wounds Yuchi in Hulang Valley.

Shi Yunqing summoned the villagers who had found the female corpses the day before and questioned them in detail. He learned that the female corpses were distributed near the reed islands in the lake, so he ordered all the boats, large and small, to search the reed islands.
By noon, Shi Yunqing's boat had searched these islands several times. Suddenly, the boatman pointed to a reed and said, "General, please look, is that a corpse?"
When Shi Yunqing looked up, he saw a faint white light emanating from the edge of a reed island. If it weren't for the large size of the boat and its high vantage point, it would have been difficult to see it.
Shi Yunqing hurriedly ordered the boatman to row the boat closer. Sure enough, there were about a hundred corpses submerged in the water. Because of the strange current, most of the corpses were buried underwater, so they could only be seen when they got close.
Although there were many corpses, Shi Yunqing recognized the female corpse at a glance.
The female corpse was lying face down on the shore, her abdomen resting on a rotten log. Although her head, face, breasts, and nipples were not visible, her slender waist and full hips could not hide her female characteristics. When the boat got closer, he saw that the female corpse was being held by four or five male corpses, her legs spread open. Between her two snowy buttocks, a pink peach was clearly visible. Another man was holding her face to the chest, his limp penis thrusting against her private parts.
Shi Yunqing was afraid that he would be disappointed again, his heart pounding wildly. Ignoring the other corpses, he hurriedly told the boatman to bring the boat directly to the female corpse.
When the boat was close, Shi Yunqing hurriedly leaned out of the boat, grabbed the female corpse by her black hair, and pulled her up. It was the female general Wang Xiaojiao.
Shi Yunqing was overjoyed and ordered the boatman to first pull Wang Xiaojiao ashore. Knowing the soldiers hoped to preserve the female corpse, the boatman exerted tremendous effort to get Wang Xiaojiao and the male corpse embracing her onto the boat.
This boatman, thanks to his ancestors' good deeds, received a hundred taels of silver as a reward for this one act.
Upon returning to shore, they arrived just as Hua Rong sent a messenger with news that Wang Yinping had escaped. Shi Yunqing immediately ordered the messenger to return to the front lines to inform Hua Rong, and simultaneously ordered dozens of carts to be requisitioned. The severed heads were loaded onto the carts, along with Wang Xiaojiao and the corpses of the female soldiers. They then broke camp and headed towards Baihu Pass.
Meanwhile, Shi Yunqing's wife, who had been brutally tortured and killed by Wang Jun, harbored deep hatred for the Wang family. Now that she had obtained Wang Xiaojiao, even though she was a corpse, she still refused to let her go. She ordered her soldiers to take bamboo sticks and, as they marched, repeatedly poked Wang Xiaojiao in the front and back orifices.
When the troops arrived at Baihu Pass and met the marshal, Hua Rong ordered the corpses and heads to be displayed below the pass.
Yun Qing personally led men to place Wang Xiaojiao's body in front of the drawbridge, and then placed the penis of the man who had been embracing her against her chest against her genitals, causing the soldiers below the pass to shout and hurl lewd insults at Wang Xiaojiao, which drove Wang Ke and Wang Yinping on the city walls to faint several times.
Another day, the strategist Tao Xiuying personally escorted the grain supplies, and Hua Rong hurriedly went out of the camp to welcome them into his tent.
Tao Xiuying said, "Marshal, I've come here for two reasons: first, to deliver supplies, and second, to help you defeat the enemy in one fell swoop."
"The strategist's strategy of flooding the enemy is indeed brilliant; I, Hua Rong, am ashamed of my inferiority. I wonder what ingenious plan the strategist has to capture Baihu Pass this time?"
Xiuying replied, "Baihu Pass doesn't need to be breached. Wang Ke will soon abandon it. We only need to wait for his retreat and then pursue him."
"Why is Wang Ke retreating?"
"Wang Ke now has less than 200,000 troops. He can barely hold Baihu Pass, but if Xu Youliang takes the opportunity to attack from the rear, I fear Wang Ke's entire army will be annihilated."
"Xu Youliang is preoccupied with his own problems; where would he find the strength to attack Wang Ke?"
“The situation on this battlefield is extremely complex; one move can affect the whole situation. Previously, Wang Bingzheng, Cao Yunlong, and Pang Qi were locked in a stalemate with Xu Youliang and us. Now that Wang Ke has been defeated, the balance of power has been broken, and Cao Yunlong's forces no longer pose a threat. I have already informed Xu Youliang, instructing him to send troops out of Hulangyu to assist in the battle and cut off Wang Jun's retreat.”
“The strategist's planning is truly admirable; Hua Rong is extremely impressed.”
As for Xu Youliang, he had already received Tao Xiuying's report but still didn't believe it. Zhang Gui, however, said, “Tao Xiuying is no ordinary person. If she says Wang Ke has been defeated, then Wang Ke will surely be defeated.”
“How do you know?”
“I heard from passing merchants that there have been torrential rains outside Baihu Pass these past few days, and Wang Ke's 700,000-strong army is likely to be completely drowned by Tao Xiuying!” Zhang Gui laughed.
"Oh? Uncle means that Tao Xiuying plans to flood the seven armies?"
"We'll see in the next two days. Your Highness should quickly mobilize troops and generals to join forces with Tao Xiuying to attack Wang Ke."
"What should we do, Uncle?"
"Send someone to Zhuque Pass to give Cao Hua plenty of food, arrows, and other defensive supplies. Tell him to hold Zhuque Pass firmly. Then, send Feng Ling back to Zhennan Pass and order the Shui siblings to return to Nanyang Pass. Your Highness can accompany me to Nanyang Pass to command the troops. Order Shi Wenlong and the Shui siblings to march north from Nanyang, then out of Hulangyu, and cut off Wang Jun's rear from east to west."
"What if Cao Yunlong takes the opportunity to attack?"
"As long as we hold the three passes of Zhuque, Nanyang, and Zhennan, and wait until the Wang family army is defeated before returning to help, Cao Yunlong will be no threat."
"As you command, Uncle."
Xu Youliang immediately gave the order. Feng Ling and the Shui siblings received the order and withdrew their troops overnight. Xu Youliang met Feng Ling at Zhennan Pass, and after the handover was completed, he and Zhang Gui left Zhennan and rode swiftly towards Nanyang. On the way, they encountered the Shui siblings and arrived at Nanyang Pass together.
Shi Wenlong, upon hearing that the Emperor had arrived, hurriedly came out to greet him at the pass and explained all the matters.
Shi Wenlong and the Shui siblings were extremely excited upon hearing that Wang Ke's army was to be completely annihilated. They immediately received the order and left the pass, heading north.
Meanwhile, Yuchi Ling, after failing to help Wang Ke attack Panshan, returned to Hulangyu. Hearing from scouts that Wang Ke had already captured Baihu Pass, he assumed the overall situation was settled and lowered his guard, never imagining that Xu Youliang would dare to attack him.
The Azure Dragon Formation in Tiger Wolf Valley was previously rebuilt by Xu Youliang's men. Although Yuchi Ling had also made some repairs here, he lacked sufficient funds and manpower for modifications, so he simply restored it to its original state. This was no secret to Shi Wenlong, allowing him and the Shui siblings to easily penetrate the heart of the formation.
Only then did Yuchi Ling realize the situation was dire. He hurriedly donned his armor, mounted his horse, and charged to fight Shi Wenlong. Upon reaching the front lines, he saw that Shi Wenlong had three generals, while he was hastily preparing for battle with only a few lieutenants by his side. However, he had no choice but to fight, so he lashed out at Shi Wenlong with his whip.
Shi Wenlong had no intention of engaging Yuchi Ling in a conventional battle, so he immediately unleashed ruthless attacks. Yuchi Ling was a descendant of Jingde, and his whip technique was also a true inheritance. After twenty rounds, he and Shi Wenlong were evenly matched.
Shi Wenlong circled his horse, then jumped out and said, "Yuchi Ling, I have urgent business to attend to and don't want to waste time with you. Now that your situation is hopeless, either surrender or I'll have to use my hidden weapons." This was Shi Wenlong's way of keeping to the rules, giving prior notice.
Yuchi Ling replied, "If you want to use hidden weapons, then go ahead. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
"In that case, excuse me, but take these hidden weapons."
With that, he raised both hands, and a flurry of hidden weapons whistled through the air, hurtling towards Yuchi Ling.
Yuchi Ling was also a trained fighter, skilled in identifying weapons by sound, so he wasn't afraid. He flicked his whip, deflecting the weapons to the ground. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in both wrists, and both whips fell to the ground. Looking at his wrists, he saw no wounds and couldn't tell what weapons had injured him.
Yuchi Ling, now unarmed, knew he was in trouble and turned his horse to flee. Shi Wenlong followed closely behind, and as he caught up, he reached out to grab the silk sash at Yuchi Ling's waist.
Well done, Yuchi Ling! Knowing that if she were captured this time, she would lose her chastity. With a heavy heart, she threw herself headfirst onto a roadside rock, her brains splattering as she fell to the ground, dead.
Shi Wenlong sighed for a long time, then ordered his soldiers to collect Yuchi Ling's body. Naturally, they stripped her naked, pierced her genitals with a wooden pole, and displayed her above her head as a warning.
Poor Huyan Feng and Yuchi Ling, having just left the mountains, hadn't accomplished anything before sacrificing themselves on the battlefield.
Shi Wenlong, having left Tiger Wolf Valley, led the Shui siblings straight to Panshan Pass.
The soldiers who had escaped from Tiger Wolf Valley had already informed Wang Jun. Wang Jun, having just learned of Wang Ke's defeat and return to White Tiger Pass, was terrified upon hearing that Xu Youliang had left Tiger Wolf Valley. He hurriedly sent someone to White Tiger Pass to deliver a message.
Wang Ke, at White Tiger Pass, was pondering how to mobilize troops to attack Hua Rong again when he heard this news. He was terrified; if Shi Wenlong occupied Huangshi, he would be doomed.
Thinking this, Wang Ke immediately ordered his troops to abandon their supplies and retreat.
Just as Wang Ke withdrew from Baihu Pass, Tao Xiuying and Hua Rong entered and pursued him.
Upon reaching Panshan Pass, the Jinling sisters, having received the news, emerged and ambushed Wang Ke's remaining forces, annihilating most of them.
Wang Ke reunited with Wang Jun and hastily retreated eastward. Hua Rong initially wanted to send a cavalry force to bypass Huangshi and block Wang Ke's retreat, but Tao Xiuying disagreed, only allowing her to pursue and kill, hoping to gain more supplies and recruit more surrendered soldiers.
Wang Ke fled to Huangshi, where he encountered Shi Wenlong and the Shui siblings. Seeing Shi Wenlong's men carrying Yuchi Ling's corpse, Wang Ke, terrified, disregarded everything and fought his way through Huangshi, heading north towards Feng County. Only Wang Jun remained blocked in Huangshi.
Wang Jun fought desperately, battling three opponents—Shi Wenlong and the Shui siblings—for over twenty rounds. Ultimately, he was no match for them. Seeing Hua Rong's army arrive, he knew his fate was sealed and drew his sword, committing suicide by kissing his own lips.
The Feng and Xu families joined forces in Huangshi and exchanged congratulations. Tao Xiuying suggested that the Feng family army head north to attack Feng County, while Shi Wenlong should advance east through Tongzhen to fight Cao Yunlong.
How this battle will unfold remains to be seen; we shall find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Seventy-Seven – Wang Bingzheng, holding the emperor hostage, bestows titles upon seven kings; Emperor Zhenwu secretly plots to capture the traitor .

The battle report arrived in Nanyang, and Xu Youliang was greatly puzzled. Hua Rong clearly had light cavalry and could have captured Huangshi first, so why was he delayed? Zhang Gui laughed, “This was all Tao Xiuying’s idea.”
“What do you mean?”
“Although Tao Xiuying and we won this battle, our losses weren’t significant. If we had wiped out Wang Ke’s army, the title of the strongest in the world would undoubtedly belong to the Emperor. Therefore, Tao Xiuying deliberately preserved the Wang family’s strength to restrain us.”
“I see. Then, Uncle, what should I do?”
“Send someone to order Shi Wenlong to feign strength, besiege Tongzhen without attacking, forcing Wang Bingzheng to make peace. Wang Bingzheng’s defeat will be difficult for him to recover for years. We can take this opportunity to eliminate He Li of Nanling and Cao Yunlong, these two scourges.”
“Uncle is absolutely right.”
Sure enough, when Hua Rong’s army arrived in Fengjun, they also feigned strength, not launching a full-scale attack.
Soon after, Wang Bingzheng sent envoys to invite the Xu and Feng families to Yecheng to negotiate peace.
Upon hearing this news, Cao Yunlong preemptively made peace with Xu Youliang, then withdrew his troops from Qinglong Pass. He Li also withdrew his troops into the mountains, thus relieving the siege of the three southern passes.
The peace negotiations were completed shortly afterward. Wang Bingzheng coerced Emperor Wu into issuing an edict appointing Xu Youliang as the Southern Route Commander-in-Chief and Feng Qing as the Western Route Commander-in-Chief, granting them golden maces and axes, and authorizing them to wage war independently. In this way, Xu and Feng became legitimate local emperors, and even recruiting soldiers became a matter of course. The Great Zhen Dynasty was now merely a name without substance.
After the peace negotiations, Xu and Feng began their own preparations, raising troops and preparing for war. The others were naturally not idle either.
Cao Yunlong, because of his alliance with Wang Bingzheng to attack Xu, demanded to be granted the title of king. Pang Qi, though weaker, was not to be outdone.
Soon after, Emperor Wu enfeoffed Cao Yunlong as the Prince of Donghai and Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Route, Pang Qi as the Prince of Beihai and Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Route, and Wang Bingzheng himself was enfeoffed as a
Prince of Equal Rank and Commander-in-Chief of the Realm. From then on, the seven princes harbored their own ambitions, prepared their armies, and a situation of chaos ensued.
Several years passed in the blink of an eye, and the seven princes began to stir again.
Meanwhile, Emperor Wu, Duan Lin, although living a life of luxury in the palace, was deeply unhappy. Although he was the emperor, he had to listen to Wang Bingzheng's lectures every day. Wang Bingzheng monopolized the government, acting as if he were the only one who mattered, and did not respect the emperor. Therefore, Duan Lin had long wanted to get rid of this thorn in his side.
On this day, which happened to be the Empress's birthday, all the officials and noble ladies came to the court to offer their congratulations. Duan Lin held a banquet at the Meridian Gate to entertain the officials, and Empress He also held a banquet in the inner court to entertain the noble ladies.
After the banquet in the inner palace ended in the afternoon, Emperor Wu said, "Since the Empress entered the palace, it has been a long time since she has seen her family. Today is the Empress's birthday. I hereby order the Imperial Uncle, He Shuyan,
to come to the palace so that the brother and sister can meet and reminisce." The Imperial Uncle, He Shuyan, was more than ten years older than the Empress and was now the Prefect of Ruizhou. He had come to the capital specifically to offer birthday greetings by imperial decree. Upon hearing the decree, he hurriedly knelt down to express his gratitude and followed the eunuchs
into the palace to meet the Emperor. He Shuyan entered the inner palace and met with
the Empress, reminiscing about their separation. A short while later, the banquet at the Meridian Gate ended, and the officials dispersed. Emperor Wu
went directly to the inner palace to offer birthday greetings to the Empress. After paying his respects, the Imperial Uncle wished to take his leave and return home, but Emperor Wu said, "Imperial Uncle, you may linger a little longer and have dinner before you go."
He Shuyan agreed.
Emperor Wu ordered tea to be served, then dismissed his attendants, leaving only the Empress and the Imperial Uncle. The three of them ate tea, and Emperor Wu hesitated to speak.
After a long silence, He Shuyan asked, "Your Majesty, is something wrong?"
Emperor Wu suddenly burst into tears and said, "My dear minister Yan, it is a pity that the great empire built by our ancestors has fallen into my hands today!"
Upon hearing this, He Shuyan was terrified and his face turned even more pale. He hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, why do you say such things? If the ruler is in trouble, the minister will serve him. Why
do you utter such words about the destruction of the country?" When Emperor Wu asked, he recounted how Wang Bingzheng, Zhao Jian, Wang Feilian, and Prince De had seized power in the court and coerced him.
Upon hearing this, He Shuyan was so enraged that his hair stood on end. He said, "This treacherous dog has such disrespect for the Emperor; he cannot be tolerated. Why doesn't Your Majesty punish him?"
"How could I not want to punish him? But he holds military power and is aided by treacherous ministers like Wang Lian. I am alone and powerless; what can I do?"
"Are we just going to let him slowly take over my Great Zhen Dynasty? Why doesn't Your Majesty issue an edict, ordering those loyal and righteous old ministers to devise a plan to capture Wang Bingzheng and his gang, punish them for usurping power and disrespecting the Emperor, and strip them of their military power?"
"However, I wonder which old ministers are willing to help me capture those villains?"
He Shuyan then listed the names of several loyal and righteous veteran officials in the court, and said, "Your Majesty can issue a secret edict, instructing these veteran officials to bring their respective generals to set up an ambush in the palace, and then send someone to summon Wang Bingzheng and his cronies into the palace, claiming that they will be rewarded in person, to lure them into the palace, and then seize them. A snake cannot move without a head, and a bird cannot fly without a head. Without Wang Bingzheng, his remaining followers will not dare to cause trouble."
Emperor Wu said, "However, I have many spies around me, and the palace guards are all Wang Bingzheng's men. How can this edict be taken out of the palace? And how can it be kept from Wang Bingzheng's spies?"
"Your Majesty can give me something under the guise of a reward, and hide the secret edict in it."
"That would be excellent." Emperor Wu was very pleased to hear this, and quickly wrote the secret edict, handed it to He Shuyan, and also gave him a brocade robe, instructing the Empress to sew the secret edict into the lining of the robe and take it out of the palace.
After leaving the palace, He Shuyan summoned several senior officials to his residence to convey his decree and discuss their plans.
Which senior officials were present? Eight, including Liao Wenli, Vice Minister of War; He Liang, Deputy Commander of the Nine Gates; Feng Wenbin, Deputy Garrison Commander of the Capital Region; and Liang Chao, Deputy Chief of the Inner Palace Guards, plus He Shuyan, made nine in total.
After their discussion, the senior officials decided to act the day after tomorrow, which happened to be Liang Chao's day of duty, making it convenient for their operation.
On that day, Liang Chao secretly arranged for his trusted men to guard the inner palace gates, while He Liang led over a hundred of his trusted men into the palace under cover of night, ambushing them throughout the courtyard of Duan Lin's study. At dawn, Duan Lin attended the morning court session. After the session, he issued a decree ordering Wang Bingzheng, Zhao Jian, Wang Feilian, and Prince De to wait in the study, as the Emperor intended to bestow rewards.
Liang Chao and He Liang were waiting in the courtyard of the Imperial Study when they heard voices outside. Knowing the four traitors had arrived, they secretly ordered their men to capture them as soon as they entered the courtyard.
Whether they succeeded remains to be seen; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Seventy-Eight – Liao Wenli Betrays Eight Ministers, Wang Bing

Reports on the Three Depositions of the Emperor in the First Month: The seven traitors were summoned to the Imperial Study by order of Duan Lin. Liang Chao and the others inside, hearing this, were about to act when suddenly the palace gates opened, and hundreds of imperial guards rushed in, each wielding swords. They restrained Liang Chao and He Liang, then searched the area and found soldiers lying in ambush. They bound them all and gagged Liang and He.
Liang Chao and He Liang were terrified, not knowing what had happened. They saw Wang Bing report the four traitors entering, and the four ordered their men to be silent. Soon after, the other ministers arrived and were captured one by one by the four traitors. Then Duan Lin arrived.
Duan Lin entered the courtyard and was surprised to see Wang Bingzheng and the other three sitting there angrily, with the nine ministers and the soldiers lying in ambush all bound. "Minister Wang, what happened?" he asked
. "Your Majesty, you have arranged a good plan," Wang Bingzheng replied.
"Wang Bingzheng, we cannot tolerate you four traitors controlling the court and committing evil deeds. We originally planned to capture you and rid the country of this scourge, but our plan was leaked and you have captured us. You can kill us or torture us as you please.
You are not a loyal minister if you even frown!" He Guojiu hurriedly shouted, trying to protect Emperor Duan Lin.
"Oh dear, Guojiu, my ministers, why must you do this?" Duan Lin understood immediately and quickly said.
"Hahahaha!" Wang Bingzheng laughed wildly, "Duan Lin, if you don't want people to know, then
don't do it in the first place. You thought your conspiracy was flawless, but you don't know that everyone has their own ambitions. Lord Liao, please come in." Everyone looked up and saw that it was Liao Wenli, the Vice Minister of War, who entered with his head bowed, his face full of shame.
"Lord Liao, you are pragmatic, understand the greater good, abandoned the darkness and turned to the light, and exposed the conspiracy set up by the tyrannical emperor and these treacherous officials, thus averting a turmoil. You have done a great service." Only then did everyone realize that Liao Wenli had betrayed them. He Guojiu was filled with remorse and anger, but there was nothing he could do. "Duan Lin, what do you have to say now?" Wang Bingzheng
asked . "Traitor, you control the court, disrespect the emperor, and commit countless crimes, too numerous to record. I have long wanted to rid myself of this scourge, but alas, Heaven has not protected the Great Zhen. What can I do? What do you intend to do now?" "You little fool, how dare you oppose me! You've had enough of being emperor!" Immediately, Wang Bingzheng and the other four traitors summoned the court officials to the capital and listed the crimes of Duan Linjun and his ministers in plotting to harm the "meritorious officials." They immediately deposed Emperor Wu, demoting him to the Prince of Zhao and exiling him to Luzhou, a hundred miles away, without delay. They then installed the fifteen-year-old Prince Duan Feng of Wu as emperor, with the title Emperor Cheng. They forced Emperor Cheng to issue an edict, sentencing He Guojiu and eight other ministers to death by slow slicing and extermination of their entire families. As soon as the edict was issued, the Imperial Guards seized the families of the eight ministers, numbering over a thousand, and bound them with ropes to a hillside outside the southwest gate of Yecheng. They dug eight large pits and buried dozens of wooden stakes around the pits. Tens of thousands of people in the city watched the execution. The hands and feet of the eight ministers were nailed to wooden stakes with iron nails. Their wives and concubines, totaling more than twenty, were stripped naked and also nailed to stakes. First, the children of each household were lifted by their feet and left to die on the ground. Then, all the male members of the eight ministers' households, regardless of master or servant, were bound to the edge of the pit, beheaded, and their bodies thrown into the pit. Next, the maids and servants were stripped naked, forced to kneel beside the pit, and beheaded as well. Finally, the eight ministers' daughters-in-law, granddaughters-in-law, daughters, granddaughters, and other adult women were stripped naked, bound together like roasted chickens, placed upside down on the ground, their anus and slits plugged with wooden mallets, and their throats cut, allowing them to bleed to death slowly. Only the eight ministers and their wives remained, nailed to the stakes, cursing incessantly. The executioner, having received the order, first went to cut off the breasts, gouged out the genitals, shaved off the shoulders and buttocks of the eight ministers' wives and concubines, removed their limbs, disemboweled them, and cut them into several pieces. The pitiful, delicate women, weeping bitterly, were reduced to heaps of bloody, beautiful flesh. Then, using fish-scale-like precision, he sliced each of the eight ministers two thousand times, a process that took three days. The corpses of the eight ministers and their families were then displayed for several days, until the stench was overwhelming, before being thrown into a pit. Men and women, breasts embracing, buttocks rubbing, legs intertwined, arms clasped, showed no shame, and were then buried in a mound of earth. After several days, the corpses decomposed further, and the earth covering them rose to the size of a small hill. The foul stench returned, so the grave was dug up, revealing rotten flesh and bones. The grave was then filled back up and buried, and this process was repeated several times, finally ending after ten days. Meanwhile, Emperor Wu, Duan Lin, and his Empress He were escorted to Luzhou by Wu Qi, a deputy general under Wang Bingzheng, leading 500 imperial guards. The two traveled by carriage for twenty li outside the city, arriving at dusk, where they set up camp to rest. Just after their evening meal, the chief eunuch Hu Sheng and four eunuchs rode swiftly by with Emperor Cheng's decree: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Princess He of Zhao, your brother He Shuyan has falsely accused a minister, a crime deserving of execution by slow slicing. However, considering your past lack of virtue, you will be leniently sentenced to strangulation. Chief eunuch Hu Sheng is hereby ordered to administer the punishment as appropriate. So be it!" Upon hearing this, Empress He turned ashen-faced and collapsed to the ground. Duan Lin and Empress He had only been married for four years and had no children; they were deeply in love. Upon hearing that Empress He was to be killed, they immediately knelt and begged for mercy. Hu Sheng refused to comply and insisted on strangling He Shi. Duan Lin panicked and grabbed He Shi, refusing to let go. Wu Qi ordered his men to pull Duan Lin away and tie him to a pillar with ropes. Because He Shi had once been an empress, Wu Qi and the others were not eunuchs and could not witness the execution. So they prepared warm water for Hu Sheng and the others and withdrew from the tent. Hu Sheng said, "Princess Zhao, the imperial decree is here, and we dare not disobey. We are sorry for our offense." At this time, He Shi could only weep and wail. Several eunuchs held her hands and feet, and Hu Sheng personally stripped her of her palace clothes, shoes, and socks, binding her hands behind her back with yellow ropes. He Shi had married at sixteen and was now twenty years old, in the prime of her youth. She was a phoenix among women, as beautiful as a fairy. Her beautiful flesh was as white as snow and as fine as jade. Her two beautiful breasts were like jade mountains, and her pubic hair was as soft as felt. She was breathtakingly beautiful. The eunuchs spread her legs apart, laid her face up on the ground, exposing her beautiful jade vulva. Two eunuchs held down her feet, while Hu Sheng wrapped a yellow silk ribbon around her neck, grabbed her hair, and then ordered two other eunuchs to grab the ribbon and pull it to both sides, instantly strangling He Shi until her jade face turned blue and purple, her eyes bulged and her tongue stuck out, and she struggled wildly. After strangling her for a while, He Shi defecated and urinated, her pink buttocks became filthy, she arched her back a couple of times, and then stopped moving.

Hu Sheng ordered the yellow silk to be loosened, and he and four eunuchs grabbed her shoulders and legs, repeatedly pulling her up and down until she was revived. They
then pulled her down and strangled her again. They strangled her three times before finally killing her.
They wiped the excrement and urine from her buttocks with a white cloth, washed her body with warm water, wrapped her in a yellow cloth, and then ordered the soldiers to enter the tent, carry her out of the camp, find a high place to bury her, and he took her undergarments back to the capital to report to the emperor.
No one supervised the burial; how could the soldiers easily let go of such a young and beautiful empress? However, since no one witnessed their actions, they couldn't speak ill of them.
Poor Duan Lin, tied to a pillar, watched helplessly as his beloved wife was strangled to death, fainting several times from the pain. He died of depression less than a month after arriving in Luzhou.
In fact, all of this was Zhao Chan's idea. Wang Bingzheng appeared to be very opinionated, but he had already been subtly influenced by Zhao Chan and had become her mouthpiece.
Because of this incident, Zhao Chan was very uneasy about the Duan family's descendants. She also whispered in Wang Bingzheng's ear, and Wang Bingzheng listened to her every word. In less than half a month, he deposed Emperor Cheng and installed the thirteen-year-old Prince Hui, Duan Yu, as Emperor Hui. Then he deposed Duan Yu and installed the two-year-old Prince Duan Luan as Emperor Xing. Thus, within a month, Wang Bingzheng deposed three emperors and used the opportunity to eliminate dissidents, completely seizing control of the court.
Next, Wang Bingzheng couldn't wait to become emperor.
However, he still had doubts about deposing the true emperor and establishing himself as emperor. The six princes were outside, each with their own agendas. Although Cao Yunlong and Pang Qi had always been his close friends, his most powerful rivals were Feng Qing and Xu Youliang.
It was Xu Youliang and Feng Qing who strongly advocated for the establishment of Duan Lin. Now, although he had deposed Duan Lin, the Great Zhen Empire still existed. If he deposed the true king and established himself as emperor, he feared it would give others ammunition to criticize him.
While Wang Bingzheng was hesitating, a servant suddenly reported that Zhao Chan had invited him. This invitation from the beauty was like igniting a fuse, making a major battle inevitable.
What Zhao Chan wanted to do with Wang Bingzheng? We'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Seventy-Nine—Wang Bingzheng's Secret Agreement with Zhennan, Xu Youliang's Military Campaign in Nanling.

Wang Bingzheng had long harbored the intention to seize the throne and replace the emperor, but remained hesitant. Suddenly hearing of the beauty's invitation, he hurriedly returned to the inner palace.
"What brings you here, my beauty?"
"Your Highness, the country is in turmoil, warlords are carving up the land, and the true emperor is young. Why not usurp his throne?"
"My beloved concubine, you may not know this, but when I first came to the capital to oversee the country, Xu Youliang and Feng Qing strongly advocated for Duan Lin to become emperor. Now, if we depose the emperor and establish ourselves as emperor, it may be inconvenient." " Your
Highness, you may not know this, but Xu Youliang and Feng Qing have long harbored the intention to depose the young emperor of the true dynasty." " How do you know this, my beloved concubine?" "A few days ago, Xu Youliang sent an envoy to the court to pay tribute, bringing several loads of southern fruits. When I spoke with him, he hinted to me that Xu Youliang intended to support Your Highness in establishing yourself as emperor." " Xu Youliang's ambition is considerable; how could he allow me to establish myself as emperor?" "Xu Youliang naturally has other plans." "How so?" " Xu Youliang's father-in-law was originally the lord of Nanling, which was later granted to Youliang. Now, the court has granted Nanling to the barbarian Heli. Xu Youliang has long harbored the desire to annex Nanling." "So what?" "Xu Youliang is recruiting soldiers and horses, and every day he thinks of regaining control of the nine valleys and eighty-one caves of Nanling. His only concern is the mantis unaware of the oriole. Now, the implication of Xu Youliang's envoy is that he does not oppose Your Majesty's decision to depose the emperor, and Your Majesty tacitly approves of him taking over Nanling." "How can this be? Nanling was a pawn I deliberately set up. If Xu Youliang takes back Nanling, I will lose a force to restrain him. This is unacceptable." "Your Majesty, He Li is ultimately a barbarian by nature, short-sighted. What can he accomplish? Back then, we invited him to join us in attacking Youliang, but he had many troops and officers, and the garrison in Zhennan was large. Not only did he fail to capture the city, but he also withdrew his troops without authorization, forcing Your Majesty to make peace with Xu Youliang and Feng Qing. This is infuriating. Now, if Xu Youliang goes to attack, it will be a good opportunity for them to fight each other, wounding their soldiers and depleting their supplies. Wouldn't that be better?" "If Youliang gains Nanling, his strength will greatly increase, and I'm afraid I will no longer be able to control him." "No, Nanling is a barren land, devoid of people and soil, unable to support tens of thousands of troops. He Li is in Nanling and poses no threat to Xu Youliang. Even if Xu Youliang gains Nanling, he will only gain a broken cave. Now, to have Xu Youliang support the general as emperor is exactly what we desire. Whether Xu Youliang is sincere or not is not important. As long as Xu Youliang does not oppose the deposition, how dare Feng Qing's family go against the will of the people? Opportunities are rare, Your Majesty, please think carefully." In fact, if they had first adopted a policy of forbearance, and eliminated either Feng Qing or Xu Youliang, then it would not have been impossible for him to declare himself emperor. Now, hastily declaring himself emperor gives others ammunition and loses the support of most people. Moreover, based on strength, Wang Bingzheng is not confident of victory, so this should be considered a bad move. Wang Bingzheng was not originally confused, but firstly, he was blinded by Zhao Chan, and secondly, his ambition drove him to send a special envoy to Zhennan Pass to make a secret agreement with Xu Youliang. Little did he know, Zhao Chan had already accepted a hefty bribe from Xu Youliang's envoy, promising to speak on her behalf to Wang Bingzheng. Besides, Zhao Chan herself was eager to return to the Empress's throne as soon as possible. Zhang Gui, a skilled debater, represented Xu Youliang in receiving the envoy. With the bribery and financial backing, a secret deal was quickly reached. While the envoy was still on his way home, Xu Youliang had already marched his troops into Nanling. Knowing one's enemy and oneself ensures victory in every battle. Xu Youliang was inherently intelligent, and with Zhang Gui's assistance, he wouldn't rashly start a war without certainty, especially now. His Zhennan Pass was besieged on three sides by Wang Bingzheng, Cao Yunlong, and He Li, and his only ally, Feng Qing, harbored ulterior motives. Therefore, the key to advancing into Nanling wasn't victory or defeat, but timing. Although Wang Bingzheng had tacitly approved of Xu Youliang's military campaign, he might very well change his mind at the most crucial moment and launch an attack. Therefore, the attack had to be swift, so swift that it would catch the other three kings off guard. By the time they realized what was happening, Nanling would have already been captured, the die would be cast, and no one else would dare to intervene. He Li wasn't idle either. As the weakest of the seven kings, he knew he could be devoured at any moment by any of them—not just Xu Youliang, but also Feng Qing and Cao Yunlong. Although Nanling had complex terrain and features, the disparity in strength was vast. Any one of the three kings could easily conquer him if they launched a campaign alone. Therefore, He Li felt like he was sleeping on a knife's edge every day. As a crude barbarian king, He Li's wisdom was hardly commendable. Although he occupied Xu Youliang's stronghold and had even helped Wang Bingzheng attack Xu Youliang's Zhennan Pass, he never considered Xu Youliang his greatest threat. He was confident that Wang Bingzheng couldn't do without him and wouldn't stand idly by while Xu Youliang attacked him. Instead, he focused more on Feng Qing. From Feng Qing's Xisi Pass to the Nanling Mandong, there was a long but not particularly treacherous road. If Feng Qing attacked from this route, there weren't many strategically advantageous positions. However, the north was different. From Zhennan Pass to the Mandong, the road was fraught with danger; Duan Lingfeng had been defeated by Xu Youliang in the same way. Therefore , when news of Xu Youliang's flag-raising and troop-raising arrived, He Li was greatly surprised. He hurriedly mobilized his barbarian troops to intercept them along the way and appointed Hu Yue and Zhang Ping as the left and right vanguard officers, leading 5,000 troops to meet them in battle. Xu Youliang's campaign this time was a grand show of force, claiming to have a million troops to sweep through the Nanling Mountains in one fell swoop. As the saying goes, a barking dog doesn't bite, and a barking dog doesn't bite. Military strategy emphasizes surprise, and this kind of show of force, apart from He Li, inevitably made the other princes suspect whether he truly intended to wage war, or whether his real target was indeed the Nanling Mountains. Wang Bingzheng and Zhao Chan also harbored suspicions. Although they had a secret agreement with Xu Youliang, all's fair in war; who knew what he actually wanted? If he truly wanted to fight, perhaps his real target was Cao Yunlong, because Cao Yunlong had the deepest grudge against Xu Youliang, and the Eastern Three Passes lacked sufficient strategic terrain, making them unsuitable for defense.

Therefore, Cao Yunlong was filled with both joy and fear. He hurriedly sent someone to Yecheng to secretly meet with Wang Bingzheng, agreeing to protect each other while mobilizing troops to strengthen the city's defenses, ready for Xu Youliang's attack at any time.
Xu Youliang's Zhennanguan was very close to Nanling Mountain, and his army could arrive in just one day. However, after the oath-taking ceremony, not a single soldier entered Nanling for three months. Xu Youliang, Feng Ling, and Zhao Fengzhu seemed to have vanished into thin air. Hu Yue and Zhang Ping led five thousand barbarian soldiers out of the mountain pass to set up camp, wasting three months' worth of provisions, and finally had to retreat to Huanglong Cave.
Suddenly one day, in a remote place south of Zhuque Pass, someone discovered some newly dug pits filled with grass ash and human excrement. This discovery provided evidence for the claim that Xu Youliang had secretly sent troops to attack Cao Yunlong. Even He Li secretly rejoiced that he had only been a decoy in someone else's feint.
Of course, the person who discovered this situation had vanished without a trace, so those who knew the secret were secretly pondering, fearing that Xu Youliang would discover that the secret had been leaked.
Only one person sat in his mansion, secretly chuckling – that was Tao Xiuying, the Female Marquis of Liu.
As Tao Xiuying had predicted, Xu Youliang's 100,000-strong army arrived at the Nanling Pass at this time, led by Marshal Hua Feng, with Shui Yunu and Shui Jintong as the vanguard officers.
Upon receiving the news, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping hurriedly led their 5,000 troops out of the Huanglong Cave Pass, marching rapidly out of the pass and blocking the road into the mountains.
The two armies met and set up camp. Hua Feng sent a messenger to Hu Yue and Zhang Ping's camp with a challenge letter.
Early the next morning, after a battle meal, the two sides clashed at the foot of the mountain. Hu Yue and Zhang Ping led their entire army, while Hua Feng led 5,000 troops into battle.
Hua Feng rode out into the fray and looked towards the opposite side, where she saw two female generals at the foot of their banners, both around sixteen or seventeen years old.
On the left was a woman with a face as beautiful as a peach blossom in March, phoenix eyes and sword-like eyebrows, a delicate nose and cherry lips. She wore a golden helmet and armor, a bright red battle robe, and rode the Red Hare, wielding a golden halberd with phoenix wings. Behind her was a large banner, red satin with a yellow moonlight, bearing a huge "Hu" character. On the right was a general with a face as white as jade, almond eyes and peach-like cheeks. He wore no helmet or armor, but a plain white short-sleeved robe and a black satin cloak. A black silk scarf covered his head. He rode a black cloud-treading snow horse and wielded a double-headed spear with two large white tassels on the spearheads, the black and white contrasting beautifully. Behind him was also a plain white banner bearing the character "Zhang".
Hua Feng cupped her hands and called out loudly, "Greetings, two female generals.
It turns out that one of the generals defending Zhennan Pass during the last attack was Hua Feng, so I recognize you.
"Greetings, Marshal Hua. May I ask what brings you here?" Hu Yue also rode into the formation. "
The two generals, without cause, sent troops to Zhennan to attack my city and kill my soldiers. Now, I have come on the orders of my lord to demand an explanation. Since the two generals have come, they must give me an explanation."
"Marshal Hua, are you here to interrogate us?"
"Indeed."
"The two generals were sent on the orders of the court, not by my lord's own will. Afterwards, my lord withdrew his troops as a sign of goodwill. Now that things have changed and our two families are at peace, why create further discord? You must know that war is a dangerous affair; for every thousand enemies killed, eight hundred of your own will are lost."
"General Hu's words make sense, but Nanling is behind Zhennan, a threat from within. If we let He Li go today, who knows if he won't harbor rebellious intentions in the future? Moreover, He Li is now practicing nepotism and excluding dissidents, and many of the chieftains of the nine valleys and eighty-one caves are resentful." "General Hu, you should send someone to persuade your prince to submit a memorial resigning his position as King of Nanling and to allow my Prince Xu to return and take control of Nanling. Then, there will be no more conflict, wouldn't that be better? It would also prevent further warfare and suffering for the people."
"What utter nonsense! Marshal Hua, don't think that just because you have more men, my prince is afraid. This title of King of Nanling was bestowed by the court; do you think you can just take it as you please?"
"Exactly! If your He Li relinquishes it, then so be it; otherwise, my prince will rid the people of Nanling of this scourge."
"Hmph! That's just wishful thinking!"
"Whether it's a dream or not, we'll find out soon enough. General Hu, what are your plans now? Will you surrender, or will you become my enemy? Know that when an army passes, even grass and trees cannot remain. General, please think it over."
"You, surnamed Hua, don't spout such nonsense. Come, come, let's fight three hundred rounds."
"Very well." "Then I'll show you my martial arts!" With that, she brandished the chicken-claw-shaped wooden stick in her hand, ready to attack. A voice behind her shouted, "Marshal, why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Let me do the credit!"
Hua Feng turned around and saw it was Shui Yunu.
Knowing the Shui siblings' martial arts were exceptional, Hua Feng circled her horse and returned to her formation.
Shui Yunu, on her white horse and wielding a silver spear, flew into the formation, introduced herself to Hu Yue, and then they engaged in battle.
Hua Feng, watching from within the formation, saw two female generals, both equally beautiful and fierce, exchanging blows. Their slender waists twisted, their shoulders swayed, and they shouted sweetly. A golden halberd and a spear flew up and down, a fierce battle ensued.
After seven or eight rounds, Zhang Ping, seeing Shui Yunu's superior skill and Hu Yue's inability to defeat her, hastily brandished her double-headed spear and rode out, intending to fight Shui Yunu in pairs. Just then, Shui Jintong shouted, "Wait, female general! Shui Jintong is here!" "They spurred their horses forward and engaged Zhang Ping in battle.
In this fight, the four young generals clashed on the battlefield, the drums thundering on both sides, each hoping for the victory of their own general.
The outcome remains to be seen. Stay tuned for the next installment."

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