[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 18

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Chapter 80 – Hua Feng Advances to Nanling Cave, Hu Yue Holds Firm

at Jiudaogou. Hu Yue and Zhang Ping were locked in fierce combat with the Shui siblings when suddenly a cannon boomed, followed by deafening battle cries. Countless troops emerged from behind the mountains on both sides, surging towards the mountain pass like a tidal wave, launching a pincer attack on the Nanling army.
Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, in the midst of their fighting, suddenly saw the massive army charging in, shattering their formation. The barbarian soldiers fled for their lives into the mountains. Realizing the danger, they could only feign an attack and then turn their horses to flee. Hua Feng raised his spear and shouted, "Pursue!" leading his entire force in a pursuit.
Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, overwhelmed by the Xu family's army, could not withstand the onslaught and retreated into the mountains. The Shui siblings, unwilling to give up, relentlessly pursued them.
The two armies chased each other day and night until they reached the entrance of Huanglong Cave. Seeing Hu Yue's defeat, the barbarian general guarding the cave opened the gate, but the Shui siblings were close behind. The barbarian soldiers couldn't close the gate in time, and the siblings stormed in.
The barbarian general, He Jin, a brave warrior from Nanling, hurriedly ordered his soldiers to close the gate, intending to trap the Shui siblings. However, one of the soldiers who had entered with the siblings was a man with a green veil, wielding a single sword, charging and scattering the barbarian guards, allowing Hua Feng to rush in.
Upon seeing this, He Jin rushed to the cave entrance to intercept Hua Feng.
Hua Feng was a great general, highly skilled in martial arts; He Jin was no match for her. He Jin was struck in the chest by a chicken-claw-shaped wooden stick, his heart and liver ripped out, and he died instantly.
Seeing that things were hopeless, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping abandoned Huanglong Cave and fled for their lives.
At this point, Hua Feng stopped the pursuit and ordered his army to enter the pass, choose a spacious spot to set up camp, rest for two days, and then march towards the Man Cave.
Upon reaching the fork in the road, Hua Feng did not enter the valley. He left 10,000 troops, ordering Shui Jintong to guard the entrance, while he led his army eastward towards the Nine Gully Caves.
Hu Yue and Zhang Ping fled back to the Man Cave. He Li, upon hearing that Huanglong Cave had been lost, was stunned and immediately redeployed his troops, sending his subordinate cave chief He Wei with 5,000 men to guard the small path, and sending Hu Yue and Zhang Ping with the remaining Man soldiers to guard the main road.
Meanwhile, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, knowing that Xu Youliang's army was large and powerful, and difficult to defeat, concentrated their forces, guarding the strategic points at the nine gully entrances layer by layer
. When Hua Feng's army reached the first gully entrance, they encountered Hu Yue and Zhang Ping. The two female generals refused to fight, and Hua Feng attacked for two days without success. He temporarily set up camp, seeking another strategy.
As for Hu Yue, knowing that Xu Youliang was surrounded by powerful enemies and could not sustain a prolonged battle, she held firm to her fortified position, refusing to engage in combat. Meanwhile, she sent someone back to the barbarian cave to request He Li to guard the small path and prevent the enemy from taking advantage of the situation.
He Li was overjoyed upon hearing this, but a day later, another report arrived: the first ditch had been breached, causing him further alarm.
How had the first ditch been breached? Even Hu Yue was baffled. She had been guarding the crucial pass at the mouth of the ditch, a place so impregnable that she was certain it was safe. However, while she was asleep that night, she suddenly heard chaos outside. The barbarian soldiers shouted, "Hua Feng has stormed into the ditch!" She quickly rose to meet them, and indeed saw Hua Feng leading the Shui siblings, rampaging through the camp.
Hu Yue charged forward, engaging Hua Feng and her group in battle. Later, Zhang Ping arrived and joined the fray, but with the strategic pass already lost and outnumbered, Hu Yue had no choice but to retreat.
Hu Yue had made preparations, knowing that if Toudaogou fell, Hua Feng would definitely pursue, so she had already deployed men along the road and laid traps.
Hua Feng indeed fell for it, wanting to repeat the scene at Huanglong Cave, and pursued fiercely. In the midst of the chase, suddenly several tripwires appeared on the ground, throwing Hua Feng off her horse.
Upon seeing this, Hu Yue was about to turn back and kill Hua Feng when the Shui siblings arrived. Hu Yue dared not linger and had to retreat with Zhang Ping to the entrance of Erdaogou.
Hu Yue believed that the loss of the pass was due to the soldiers sleeping at night, so she strictly ordered the barbarian soldiers guarding Erdaogou to be executed if they slept on night watch. She herself also slept fully clothed, never leaving her saddle or removing her armor.
However, strangely enough, Erdaogou fell again that night, and Hu Yue had no choice but to retreat to Sandaogou.
Meanwhile, He Li, sitting in his cave listening to his subordinates report on the enemy's advance, was greatly alarmed to hear that two passes had been lost in two nights. He immediately sent for the remaining sixty-three cave chiefs of the seven valleys to discuss the military situation.
Upon hearing the news of the defeat, the cave chiefs exchanged bewildered glances. Only Huang Mian, the chief of the Great Golden Dragon Cave, hesitated, then, feigning to relieve himself, glanced at He Li. He Li, puzzled, also excused himself and followed Huang Mian.
Once outside the council hall, in a secluded spot, He Li asked, "Why is Chief Huang acting this way?"
"Your Highness, I have important news to report, but I fear it may leak."
"What is it?"
"I've heard rumors circulating that Hu Yue and Zhang Ping are not entirely safe."
"Oh? Is there any evidence?" In truth, He Li had already heard these rumors and was currently only half-believing them.
"It is precisely because there is no evidence that I dare not speak openly, for fear that the walls may have ears."
"Hu Yue and Zhang Ping are the best generals I have recruited, with outstanding martial arts skills. Without solid evidence, they cannot be easily convicted, otherwise, it would cut off the path to virtue. According to the cave master
, how should this matter be handled?" "This humble servant has secretly sent several spies to her side to observe her movements. If Your Highness takes the opportunity to send reinforcements and gives me 20,000 troops to deploy in Hu Yue's camp, in case the pass is about to fall again, I can lead reinforcements to assist in the battle and avoid losses. Entrust the investigation of Hu Yue and Zhang Ping to this humble servant;
I will surely find out the truth." "Very good. Go and prepare."
"Your Highness, this matter is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me; please keep it a secret to prevent others from taking advantage of it."
"I understand."
Meanwhile, Hua Feng, upon reaching Sandao Gully, stopped advancing, only making a show of force outside the pass without attacking, which even Hu Yue found very strange.
The two sides remained locked in a stalemate for two days, neither making any progress.
That day, Hua Feng sent a letter challenging Hu Yue to a duel. Hu Yue circulated the letter among her generals; it essentially accused Hu Yue of being a coward and unwilling to fight. She then read the letter herself and replied to the messenger, "Go back and tell your marshal that his attempt to provoke you has backfired. Hu Yue knows whether her actions were right or wrong. I'll wait here." After everyone left, Hu Yue casually slipped the letter into her sleeve and returned to her tent.
Meanwhile, He Li, in the cave, was on tenterhooks, hoping Hua Feng would retreat or someone would come to his rescue.
That day, Huang Mian secretly went to the Man Cave to see He Li. He Li asked, "What news do you have, Master Huang?"
Huang Mian replied, "Nothing unusual. I see that Hu Yue is calm and composed, not at all like someone intentionally colluding with Hua Feng. Even when Hua Feng sent someone to deliver a letter scolding her, she wasn't angry."
"What letter?"
"Hu Yue read it and kept it in her sleeve. I had someone steal it from her bedchamber and asked Your Highness to take a look."
He Li took the letter and examined it repeatedly. Apart from some dirt on the paper, he saw nothing strange. He casually placed it on the table and said, "Master Huang, go back immediately and monitor Hu Yue's movements. If anything seems amiss, report back immediately."
Huang Mian responded and turned to leave, leaving He Li feeling extremely annoyed.
The next day, another report came that Sandaogou had been breached again. He Li was extremely anxious and paced back and forth in the cave, not knowing what to do.
"Your Highness, look!" a young servant suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
The young servant boy was surprised for some reason; let's find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 81—Hua Feng uses a letter to deceive, and He Li

carries out torture in the barbarian cave. He Li was troubled by the successive losses of Jiudaogou when the young servant boy suddenly pointed to the desk and exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness, look!"
He Li looked and saw that the letter Hua Feng had sent to Hu Yue was covered in ants. Upon closer inspection, he saw that where the ants landed on the paper were several large characters: "Within three days, eliminate the traitor He."
Upon reading it, He Li couldn't help but chuckle bitterly, "Hu Yue, Hu Yue, I have treated you well today, how could you betray me?"
He Li understood; the words were written with honey. When placed on the ground, ants would smell the scent and gather, revealing the writing. This was why there was dirt on the letter—Hu Yue had placed it on the ground to attract ants.
Having figured it out, He Li quickly sent someone to secretly summon Huang Mian back to the cave.
In less than half a day, Huang Mian arrived. He Li asked, "Lord Huang, how have I treated you?"
"Your Highness's kindness in recognizing my talent surpasses even that of the Southern Ridge. I could never repay
you with my entire life." "Good. I now entrust you with a matter of life and death. Do you dare to accept?"
"If Your Highness is in trouble, I will risk my life without hesitation."
"Good. I am sending you to the front lines to temporarily manage the defenses. Generals Hu Yue and Zhang Ping will return to the cave for other assignments."
"Your Highness's orders are my command. I will do my utmost to ensure that Hua Feng does not advance even a step."
"Very good. Arrange for five hundred soldiers and two reliable subordinates to remain in the cave, at my direct command.
Be quick!" "Yes, Your Highness, I will go and do it." In less than half an hour, Huang Mian led two young barbarians in. He Li recognized them as Huang Mian's two sons, Huang Zong and Huang Hao.
"Your Highness, may I leave my two sons by your side to await orders?"
"Since they are your sons, that would be even better. Chief Huang, you should hurry to the front lines, taking with you several capable chiefs. It would be best if you could drive Hua Feng out of the mountains. If not, hold them off outside the Four Gullys for six months to four months. Wang Bingzheng and Cao Yunlong will then send troops to rescue them."
"Understood!"
Meanwhile, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, having lost three gullies, were puzzled. They knew the geography of the Nine Gullys intimately. Apart from the pass they had blocked, there were no other roads leading into the Three Gullys. If Hua Feng didn't use the pass, how did she enter the gullies without being detected? The only explanation was that Hua Feng's spies had infiltrated the guarding forces, or that people from the eighty-one caves of the Nine Gullys were secretly helping her.
Hu Yue only told Zhang Ping about this, and the two carefully observed for any suspicious people or things.
While they were secretly arranging an investigation into the traitor, Huang Mian arrived at the main tent and relayed General He Li's order: Hu Yue and Zhang Ping were to temporarily hand over their command seals to Huang Mian and return to the Man Cave immediately, as they had another important mission.
Hu and Zhang, unaware of the urgent matter requiring their return to the Man Cave, reluctantly handed over their military duties. They then privately informed Huang Mian of the secret communication between someone and Hua Feng, instructing him to investigate carefully and uncover the traitor.
Having settled their affairs, Hu and Zhang hurriedly mounted their horses and headed towards the Man Cave.
Upon arriving at the cave, they were surprised to find that the guards had all been replaced, and they recognized few of them.
The guards, however, all recognized them. A junior officer quickly approached and bowed, saying, "The two generals have arrived?
The Prince is waiting inside the cave." Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, without suspicion, quickly dismounted, and the soldiers took their horses and weapons. The two then stepped into the Man Cave.
Calling it a "barbarian cave" was merely a derogatory term used by outsiders to refer to the barbarians; it wasn't entirely a cave. At least He Li lived in a proper house, complete with an iron-tiled, silver-roofed hall. It was just that the house was built on a mountain, making it partially dark.
Hu Yue and Zhang Ping entered the palace gates and saw two large wooden racks standing on either side of the courtyard. They knew these were the racks the barbarians used to cruelly punish prisoners and war captives, and they wondered why they had been brought to the palace. They never imagined they were specifically prepared for them.
The two went to the silver-roofed hall and announced, "Hu Yue and Zhang Ping come to see us!"
"His Highness has decreed that Hu Yue and Zhang Ping be summoned to the hall!"
The two stepped up the stairs and entered the hall. Upon entering, it was pitch black; they couldn't see anything due to the stark contrast between the interior and exterior.
"Take them down!" A low shout came from the direction of the prince's throne. Before Hu Yue and Zhang Ping could understand what was happening, seven or eight burly men suddenly appeared out of nowhere and pounced on them, pinning them face down. Thick hemp ropes began to swirl around their bodies with a hissing sound.
"Who are you? What do you want? We are Hu Yue and Zhang Ping." Both were bewildered, not knowing what was going on.
"We're binding Hu Yue and Zhang Ping," the burly man replied.
After binding them tightly, they grabbed their arms, lifted them up, and forced them to kneel on the ground.
"Your Highness, what is the meaning of this? What crime have we committed? Why are you arresting us?" Hu Yue looked at He Li, who was sitting on the throne, and asked aggrievedly.
"What crime have you committed? You don't know?"
"Your Highness, this humble general truly doesn't know which crime you've committed."
"Fine, I'll ask you, how's the recent battle going?"
"Your Highness, didn't you already know? We tried our best to resist, but Hua Feng still managed to breach three of our passes."
"Oh. Nanling's terrain is treacherous, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Back then, Duan Lingfeng's hundreds of thousands of troops attempted to attack Nanling, but were completely annihilated in the battle. Now, with the same dangerous passes, you've had four of your defenses breached. How do you explain that?"
"Your Highness, even if you don't ask, this humble general was originally planning to take this opportunity to tell you. This humble general suspects there are spies in the Nine Gully Caves secretly colluding with the enemy."
"Is that so? Then who do you think the spies are?"
"This humble general doesn't know yet, but Your Highness promises time, and you will surely find the spies. At that time, with everyone united, Nanling will be like an iron barrel."
"Hahahaha... promise time? I'm afraid before you find the spies, my head will already be gone."
"What does Your Highness mean by this?"
"What does it mean? Let me ask you, how was Huanglong Cave lost?"
"It was because Hua Feng relied on her superior numbers. My men were outnumbered and had to retreat. Unexpectedly, Hua Feng pursued us relentlessly. The two armies became entangled, and before our troops could retreat into Huanglong Cave, Hua Feng had already seized the gate, thus the cave was lost."
"Let me ask you again, how was Sangou Pass lost?"
"I don't know either. In the middle of the night, we heard deafening battle cries. The enemy troops had already entered the pass, so it was lost."
"Hmph! You've managed to deny everything!"
"Your Highness!"
"Clearly, you feigned defeat to lure Hua Feng into Huanglong Cave. You deliberately opened the gates wide under cover of night, allowing Hua Feng to break through my fortified pass step by step. And now you're crying wolf, claiming there are spies in my nine gullies and eighty-one caves. I think the spies are you two despicable people!"
"Your Highness, we are innocent! My sister and I have been loyal to you without a trace. How can you frame us for treason?"
"Frame us? Hmph! Look, do you recognize this letter?"
"This is a letter from Hua Feng challenging us to a duel. How did it end up in Your Highness's hands?"
"A duel? Hmph! Without this letter, I would have been almost fooled by you two vile women. Hua Feng used honey as ink to secretly write the letter on it, making ants gather to form words. You thought it was ingenious, but who knew Heaven would be on my side and see through your scheme? Hmph! Hu Yue, Zhang Ping, you two treacherous, ungrateful, and disloyal vile women deserve severe punishment. Come, tie these two vile women up in the courtyard, and at noon, slice them into mincemeat!"
"Your Highness, we're innocent! We're innocent! This is all Hua Feng's scheme to sow discord! Your Highness, please don't fall for it!" Upon hearing this, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping burst into tears, crying out that they were innocent. The warriors in the hall didn't care whether they were innocent or not. They dragged them on the ground, first untied the ropes, then several men held each of them down like turtles. They removed their armor, then pulled and tugged them around in the courtyard, finally binding them to the rack in the shape of two "fire" characters.
The two female warriors were speechless, only able to cry out their innocence.
Their armor had been removed, leaving them barefoot and bound to a rack, only their undergarments revealing their full breasts, shapely legs, slender waists, and rounded hips. The soldiers standing nearby stared intently at their chests and lower backs.
The two women knew that at noon, when they were to be dismembered, the soldiers would strip them naked and rub their knives against their breasts and genitals to satisfy their lust. Therefore, their thoughts were obvious. The two women, feeling wronged, blushed with shame. As the
sun rose higher and noon approached, thinking of the pain of being sliced a thousand times and the humiliation of being naked, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping burst into tears. Their groin muscles twitched violently, almost causing them to defecate and urinate.
Two junior officers, one old and one young, kept pacing back and forth, constantly looking up at the sun, eagerly awaiting noon so they could admire the two women's naked bodies.
After a long while, a soldier watching the time shouted, "Noon is here!"
A group of people emerged from the hall. Leading the way were several soldiers who carried a grand chair to the corridor. Then, He Li, surrounded by a group of warriors, walked out of the hall.
He Li sat in the grand chair, with two young officers standing behind him. Hu Yue and Zhang Ping recognized them as Huang Mian's two sons. The two junior officers also approached He Li, and the four of them surrounded him.
He Li glanced at the young female officers bound to the racks on either side, coughed, and said, "Come on, strip these two sluts of their clothes."
How He Li planned to deal with Hu Yue and Zhang Ping remains to be seen; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 82 – He Li Desires to Strip Hu Yue of Her Clothes; Liang Reclaims His Position as King of Nanling

. He Li ordered the two women to be stripped naked. The soldiers agreed and charged forward.
Seeing the soldiers, their eyes gleaming with lust, rushing towards them menacingly, Hu Yue and Zhang Ping twisted and turned on the rack in terror, crying out their innocence.
“Wait,” Huang Zong said.
“Minister Huang, what is the meaning of this?” He Li asked, displeased.
“Your Highness, it’s not yet noon. To execute her now would be against the will of Heaven.”
“I told them to strip her clothes, not to start the execution now.”
“Your Highness, I told them not to rush. They should peel off her clothes one by one, slowly, so as not to strip her naked all at once and lose the fun.”
“Ah—, I see. You’re so young, yet you have such an interest in playing with women. I’ll grant your request.
Come, use your daggers to peel off their clothes one by one. At noon, then expose her vital parts.” “Yes!” the soldiers replied, drawing their daggers. Just as they were about to step forward, the young leader said again, “Wait.”
“What does this minister have to say?”
“These two wretches, though their hands and feet are bound, can still struggle. We mustn’t let them run into the blades and get injured, thus missing the appointed time.”
“What do you suggest?”
“How about using small hooks to hook them?”
"Very good, very good. Come, change your clothes with small hooks."
It turns out that the people here are barbaric, and their methods of killing are even more cruel than those in the Central Plains. While both methods involve slow slicing, the Central Plains typically use a sharp, ox-ear-shaped knife. Even for the finer scale-slicing, a fishing net is used to bind the entire body before the flesh is cut piece by piece. Here, however, for dismemberment, in addition to a knife, small iron hooks are used to hook the flesh from the body bit by bit before cutting it with a knife. Therefore
, iron hooks are always readily available and don't need to be prepared separately. The soldiers agreed and took iron hooks from the torture instrument box. They went to the two women, grabbed the hem of their silk undergarments, and hooked the small hooks from the inside out. With a strong pull, a three-inch-long gash was created. Another hook, another gash. After hooking more than twenty times, the hem of their undergarments was hooked into strips, hanging there like lace.
The two women shivered as the cold iron hooks touched their tender skin, letting out shrill screams of shame. He Li watched with rapt attention.
He hooked the first loop, then the second. With a series of tearing sounds, some of the first-hooked silk strips snapped, falling away to reveal their snow-white bellies. He Li felt a surge of desire; his lower body involuntarily hardened. Afraid of being seen, he tightly clamped his legs together, using his official robe to cover himself.
After hooking for a while, they finally tore the two women's skirts to shreds, tearing them off to reveal their snow-white, delicate arms and bare backs, with a white silk ribbon tightly wrapped around their breasts.
He Li could no longer completely conceal his embarrassment; his breathing became rapid.
The soldiers then began hooking their trouser legs, three inches at a time, peeling away their calves and thighs bit by bit, until they reached their thighs.
In the blink of an eye, it was almost noon, and everyone tensed up.
The soldier who had been watching shouted, "It's noon!"
"Quick, quick, strip them!" He Li leaned forward from his chair, shouting impatiently.
Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, having lost all hope, watched the soldier's hand reach for the white silk bindings, and screamed in despair.
Just then, a great commotion erupted outside, followed by the deafening roar of cannons.
He Li was shocked and asked, "What's all this commotion outside?"
Suddenly, he felt several steel knives pressed against his neck. He Li looked and saw it was Huang Mian's two sons and the two underlings, one old and one young.
"You...you're rebelling?"
"He Li, it's not a rebellion, it's taking back what's ours."
"What?"
"He Li, look who we are!"
The two young leaders, one old and one young, removed their hats and fake mustaches. The surrounding soldiers, seeing them, all knelt on the ground: "Your Highness and Princess."
He Li was stunned. The old man and the young woman were none other than Xu Youliang and Feng Ling, who had long since disappeared.
It turned out that Xu Youliang had planned this campaign to Nanling. He had sent Hua Feng to lead the troops, while he and Feng Ling disguised themselves and entered Nanling first. Many of the cave leaders in Nanling had been ostracized by He Li, and their hearts were restless. Moreover, these cave leaders were all Xu Youliang's old subordinates, so upon seeing Xu Youliang and Feng Ling arrive, they quickly prepared to defect.
When Hua Feng attacked Jiudaogou, Xu Youliang and his wife mingled among the Nanling troops. Every evening, they would go to the pass, reveal their true forms, and the barbarian soldiers, upon seeing their former masters, would surrender and open the gates to welcome the army in. This was what Hu Yue and her husband had been puzzled about.
When He Li saw Xu Youliang, he realized he had been tricked, but he was already bound and gagged. He angrily cursed, "Xu Youliang! My defeat today is not due to a lack of skill in battle. It was all because of my momentary oversight, allowing these treacherous men to take advantage of me. Otherwise, given the terrain of Nanling, how could you have so easily breached it!?"
"Hmph, He Li, how dare you say that." Huang Mian walked in from outside, followed by many Nanling cave chiefs, and more than a dozen of them were bound with ropes. They were all He Li's confidants.
"Your defeat today is not a momentary lapse. Back when Prince Feng and Prince Xu were in power, they valued harmony and had fair rewards and punishments, and no one in the Nine Gully and Eighty-One Caves dared to disobey. But you, in Nanling, have cultivated your cronies and suppressed dissent, causing resentment to boil over among the people of the caves. We have long desired to welcome Prince Xu back to Nanling, but even if he doesn't come today, do you think you can hold your position as King of Nanling? Let me tell you, the Prince's army is currently resting outside the Four Gullys. Those who have risen up with Prince Xu and the Princess today are all from the Nine Gully and Eighty-One Caves. Look for yourself, how many people in the Nine Gully and Eighty-One Caves are truly willing to obey you, and how many are willing to follow their former masters?!"
After Huang Mian finished speaking, he led the cave chiefs to kneel before Xu Youliang: "Your Highness, Princess, we respectfully welcome Your Highness and the Princess back to power in Nanling."
"Please rise, everyone. I, Liang, have been granted the title of Prince of Nanling by the court. My purpose in coming to Nanling is not to covet the throne. It is only because He Li has distanced himself from the virtuous and capable, turning the beautiful land left by Prince Feng into chaos. I had no choice but to comply. Now that He Li has been captured, I will naturally return to pacify the south. Nanling belongs to the people of Nanling. I urge you all to select a worthy successor as the King of Nanling, to unite the various caves internally and defend against powerful enemies externally." "
Your Highness, although you are Han Chinese, you are the Princess of Nanling and are rightfully the King of Nanling. Why seek someone else? Besides, among the chieftains of the nine valleys and eighty-one caves, who, apart from Your Highness and Princess Feng, is worthy of the people's trust? We all wish to pledge our loyalty to Your Highness and take control of Nanling again!" After Huang Mian finished speaking, the chieftains responded in unison.
Xu Youliang declined repeatedly, but unable to refuse any longer, he finally said, "Since you all think so highly of me, I will temporarily assume the position of Lord of Nanling.
I will relinquish it when a suitable person is found." "Indeed, indeed! Lord Xu is the one everyone hopes for! We bow again to Your Highness! Long live Your Highness!
" Everyone bowed again. "My beloved ministers, please rise. Since you all support me as your lord, will I be in charge of all matters?"
"It is entirely up to Your Highness!"
"Very well, bring He Li."
Huang Mian's sharp rebuke had left He Li speechless, and he knew that he was actually very unpopular in Nanling, abandoned by his followers, and destined for defeat. Therefore, he was sincerely convinced. Now, brought over, he had lost his previous arrogance.
"My fellow cave lords, what do you think should be done with Cave Lord He?"
"Kill him!"
"Slice him to pieces!"
"..."
How Xu Youliang will deal with He Li remains to be seen.

Chapter 83 – Xu Youliang Reclaims His Title as King of Nanling, Wang Bingzheng Establishes Himself

Under Emperor Gaozong. Last time, we recounted how Xu Youliang cleverly captured Nanling and took He Li prisoner. The cave chiefs all wanted to kill He Li.
Youliang asked, “He Li, let me ask you, is your current state unjust?”
“It is because I am incompetent and unworthy of the title of King of Nanling that I am now deserted by all. It is not unjust.” He said, his heart pounding, fearing he would truly be struck by countless steel hooks.
“Since you know you deserve your fate, what if I release you now and allow you to return to your cave as chief?”
“Your Highness, He Li’s crimes are heinous; we cannot release him!”
“That’s right, we cannot let a tiger return to the mountain!”
"..."
You Liang waved his hand: "Everyone, listen to me. He Li was merely greedy for the throne for a moment. Although the reward and punishment are unclear, he did not kill anyone indiscriminately, so he cannot be considered utterly wicked. Let him go back now and reflect on his mistakes in seclusion. I believe he will definitely repent and never do evil again. He Li is, after all, a native of Nanling, and he has followed me in establishing the regent, so he has made contributions to Nanling. Can't we tolerate him?"
Everyone remained silent, except for He Li, who trembled all over and knelt down with a thud, saying: "Your Highness, He Li deserves to die a thousand deaths! Hearing Your Highness's words now is like a wake-up call. All my past actions were caused by greed. Your Highness is benevolent and righteous, and will not hold past mistakes against me. Although He Li's crimes are heinous, he is still born of human parents. How can he not know right from wrong? If Your Highness spares my life, I will definitely repent and start anew."
"Since you know your mistake, I will release you. The cave leaders who colluded with you in your evil deeds will also be released. The past is over; if any of them dare to bring it up again, they will be making an enemy of me, Xu Youliang."
The captured cave leaders, who had expected to be brutally tortured on the racks, were now moved to tears by Xu Youliang's magnanimity. They kowtowed repeatedly, vowing eternal loyalty and never to commit evil again. Xu Youliang
was overjoyed and ordered their ropes to be untied. He then prepared a banquet for everyone to enjoy.
Only then did Xu Youliang remember the half-naked female generals bound to the racks. He hurriedly turned to look, only to find that Feng Ling and several female soldiers had already taken them down and clothed them.
The two generals, still reeling from the shock, were in a daze, as if in a dream.
"Generals, you have been frightened," Feng Ling said.
"General...Madam..." the two stammered, unsure how to address Feng Ling.
"Generals, Nanling is only so secure because of you. To spare the people of Nanling from the ravages of war, I have had to apologize for the fear and hardship you have endured."
Feng Ling finished speaking and made a gesture to bow, which startled Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, who quickly stopped her, saying, "Madam, please don't! This humble general was ignorant of the times and defied the Heavenly Army; it is a capital offense. We are deeply ashamed that you have forgiven us, Madam. How dare we accept your bow? From now on, we will serve you faithfully and will never break our promise."
In truth, the two hadn't fully understood what had happened yet, and afterwards, they secretly regretted their hasty betrayal of their former master, fearing they would be looked down upon. This was one of the reasons why Zhang Ping carried a burden in her actions, ultimately leading to her death.
Xu Youliang lingered in Nanling for two days, accepting the congratulations of the various cave masters and arranging future affairs, restoring the rules established by the old cave master, Feng Tong.
On the third day, Xu Youliang left Fengling in the cave to handle state affairs. Fengling was a princess of Nanling and had good relationships with the various cave chiefs, so having her in Nanling gave him peace of mind.
Youliang bid farewell to Fengling and led his newly recruited subordinates Hu Yue and Zhang Ping out of Jiudaogou to join Hua Feng's forces. He ordered the Shui siblings to go to Nanling, one to the east and one to the west, to guard key routes and prevent Cao Yunlong and Feng Qing's sneak attacks. Then, the main army retreated along the same route.
Xu Youliang reclaimed his stronghold without bloodshed, eliminating his worries about the rear, which greatly surprised the other princes.
Wang Bingzheng was especially surprised; he hadn't expected Xu Youliang to turn the feint into the main attack, and so quickly that he didn't even have time to intervene. However, it was too late to take Nanling back from Xu Youliang and hand it over to someone else; he could only try to gain some advantage from the situation.
Just then, someone delivered a memorial to Wang Bingzheng, saying it was sent by Xu Youliang, the "One-Word Parallel King."
The memorial stated that the current emperor was too young and, in terms of both talent and virtue, unfit for the heavy responsibility of the throne, and should voluntarily abdicate so that a wise ruler could be chosen.
Wang Bingzheng was overjoyed upon reading it. It seemed that Xu Youliang had indeed kept his word and intended to support Wang Bingzheng's ascension to the throne. This greatly reduced his anger towards Xu Youliang. He immediately drafted an imperial edict, placing Nanling under the jurisdiction of Zhennanguan, which was tantamount to acknowledging Xu Youliang's occupation of Nanling. He then summoned a messenger, rewarded him with one hundred taels of silver, and sent him back with the imperial edict and a message to Xu Youliang, saying that he would receive further rewards upon his ascension to the throne.
Having resolved the matter with Xu Youliang, Wang Bingzheng began to garner support from the other four kings. Pang Qi and Cao Yunlong agreed the fastest, each drafting a memorial similar to Xu Youliang's and sending it to the capital by messengers. Only Feng Qing and Wu Dehai remained. Two or three days later, they sent a joint memorial, the contents of which were almost identical to those written by Xu Youliang.
Wang Bingzheng had never expected Feng Qing to submit such a memorial, and he was immediately overjoyed, completely ignoring the hidden agendas in the five princes' wording. This was all because Wang Bingzheng was bewitched by Zhao Chan, which led him to make this irreparable mistake. Didn't he consider that if he declared himself emperor, wouldn't he be stirring up a hornet's nest? Which people would want to support him? Wouldn't he be putting himself on the fire?
Meanwhile, after receiving the memorial from the five princes, Wang Bingzheng first summoned Zhao Jian, Wang Feilian, and Prince De to his palace for discussion.
The three treacherous ministers already knew that the Great Zhen Dynasty was now merely a name, and that Wang Bingzheng, with military power and the support of many generals, was now the most powerful warlord in the land, with an army larger than the combined forces of Xu and Feng. Sooner or later, the world would belong to him. If they helped Wang Bingzheng ascend the throne, they would become founding heroes in the future; otherwise, they would likely face certain death. Therefore, they all expressed their willingness to depose Emperor Dazhen and support Wang Bingzheng as the new ruler.
Upon returning to his residence, Wang Bingzheng made another declaration to the treacherous Empress Zhao Chan. Zhao Chan, who had longed to be empress for years, had no patience to wait and immediately expressed her support for Wang Bingzheng's plan to depose Da Zhen and establish himself as emperor.
Wang Bingzheng, blinded by greed, saw that his confidants supported his self-determination and that he had the memorial from the Five Princes. He disregarded the consequences and secretly arranged for men to prevent Da Zhen's senior officials from causing trouble. He then sent Wang Ke to the palace to force Emperor Xing and his mother to abdicate.
Because Emperor Xing was young and unable to rule alone, his mother, Empress Dowager Huang, had always presided over court.
Now, with Wang Ke's coercion, Emperor Xing, being a child, treated court as a game and grew tired of it. He simply said he would no longer be emperor, which was perfect. However, Empress Dowager Huang was unwilling, weeping and wailing, but refusing to comply.
After a long argument, Wang Ke flew into a rage, drew his sword forward, and stuck it on the table: "You'd better agree or not. If you don't, you and your son will each take a blow from my sword.
" Seeing Wang Ke's ferocious appearance, Emperor Xing burst into tears. Empress Dowager Huang, left with no choice, agreed to write the abdication edict, affix the imperial seal, and hand it to Wang Ke.
A few days later, Wang Bingzheng chose an auspicious day and held the abdication ceremony in the palace. The young Emperor Xing and Empress Dowager Huang first attended court to receive homage, then issued the abdication edict and stepped down from the dragon bed.
Wang Bingzheng declined repeatedly, put on the dragon robe, received the imperial seal, and ascended the dragon bed, establishing the dynasty name as Shun, posthumously honoring his three ancestors as emperors, proclaiming himself Gaozong, making his first wife Xu his empress, Zhao Chan the Eastern Palace Imperial Noble Consort, and Wang Ke the crown prince. He received the three bows and nine kowtows from the ministers.
Then, sacrifices were offered to Heaven and Earth, and Emperor Xing was further enfeoffed as Prince Xing, while Prince De retained his title of Prince De. The king ordered all the other officials to remain in their original positions. He then issued an edict to the world, bestowing upon Xu Youliang the title of Prince of Zhennan, Feng Qing the title of Prince of Daxiong, Wu Dehai the title of Prince of Xirong, Cao Yunlong the title of Prince of Qinglong, and Pang Qi
the title of Prince of Xuanwu. Wang Bingzheng's ascension to the throne was naturally met with the greatest joy by Zhao Chan, who had finally returned to the palace, though not as empress. This was because Xu, the mother of Wang Ke and Wang Yinping, was still alive, and Zhao Chan dared not harm him. Wang Ke and his sister held military power, and Wang Ke was the crown prince; harming his mother would threaten stability.
However, she had her own plans. If she could bewitch Wang Bingzheng and make him indulge in wine and women, she could eventually control him. Once the empire was pacified, she could find an opportunity to frame Wang Ke and Empress Xu for treason, allowing her to rightfully ascend to the position of empress. After having her own child, she could then make him crown prince, thus maintaining the roles of empress and empress dowager. Not his own?
Wang Bingzheng, now emperor, was brimming with pride, believing the world was at peace. His next task was to find an opportunity to remove the five princes and centralize power.
However, less than half a month later, Xu Youliang, Feng Qing, and Wu Dehai jointly announced to the world that their request for Emperor Xing to abdicate was due to his youth and inability to fulfill the responsibilities of a ruler; the throne should rightfully be chosen from among the descendants of Da Zhen. They
accused Wang Bingzheng of using his military power to force Emperor Xing to abdicate, a treasonous act, and declared that they did not recognize the false Shun dynasty, demanding Wang Bingzheng's abdication and the return of power to Zhen.
A few days later, Pang Qi and Cao Yunlong also issued an announcement, less vehement than the three princes, but still stating that Wang Bingzheng's deposition of Zhen and installation of Shun was improper and that power should rightfully be returned to Zhen.
This infuriated Wang Bingzheng. He could understand Feng Qing's opposition to his ascension, but Pang Qi and Cao Yunlong's... The weather was mild, and talking about it wouldn't have been a big deal, but Xu Youliang had made a prior agreement with him, and he had already tacitly agreed to let him reclaim Nanling. Now, Xu was going back on his word and demanding that he hand over the throne he had already obtained. If he succumbed to the pressure and actually handed over the throne, not only would his reputation be ruined, but this concession would also give the Duan family an opportunity. Sooner or later, he feared he would be accused of treason and rebellion, and his entire family would be executed.
Wang Bingzheng became increasingly angry as he thought about it, and hurriedly issued an edict. On the one hand, he sent people to appease Pang Qi and Cao Yunlong, offering them official titles and promises; on the other hand, he appointed Wang Ke as commander-in-chief, with Wang Yinping as the vanguard commander, leading 500,000 troops, six generals, thirty deputy generals, and one hundred and five lieutenant generals, to punish the traitor Xu Youliang for the crime of unauthorized conquest of Nanling.
War broke out again in the world.
Who knows what the outcome of this battle will be? Let's find out in the next chapter .

Chapter 84 – Wang Bingzheng Launches Another

Campaign Against Xu Youliang, Guan Yuqing Devises a Plan to Kill Mei Yunxia. It is said that Wang Ke, leading an army of 500,000, marched towards Zhuque Pass. This time, Wang Bingzheng was determined to win .
Excluding Wang Ke and Wang Yinping, he dispatched six generals, all newly recruited and related to his relatives. The left flank commander was General Yan Tieqiao, with his sister Yan Jiumei as vanguard. The right flank commander was General Yunlong, with his eldest sister Yunfeng as vanguard. Yunlong's other two sisters, Yunluan and Yunxia, accompanied him on his campaign.
He appointed General Meng Qinghai and his wife Gong Sanniang as the first flank support commanders, leading 100,000 troops to garrison Tongzhen. He appointed Zheng Mingde
and Zheng Mingzhen, brother and sister, as the second flank support commanders, leading 100,000 troops to garrison Fengjun.
Wang Bingzheng also appointed the female general Hu Yanling as the chief grain officer.
The two support commanders arrived at their respective garrisons first, and then the chief grain officer escorted the army's provisions to Tongzhen.
Wang Ke's army arrived at the chief grain officer's... The official arrived in Tongzhen the following day.
Wang Kesheng mustered his troops and dispatched the four Yunlong siblings, the commanders of the right flank, with an army of 200,000 men to march west from Tongzhen, enter Hulangyu, and advance towards Nanyang Pass.
He himself led the remaining troops directly south towards Zhuque Pass.
Xu Youliang had already received news at Zhennan Pass that Zhuque Pass was guarded by Cao Hua and Zhao Fengzhu, and Nanyang Pass by Shi Wenlong, both of which could hold out for a while. Therefore, he appointed Hua Feng as the chief support officer, transferring the Shui siblings from Nanling, along with Hu Yue and Zhang Ping, to Hua Feng's command, leading 300,000 troops to the Pingshan area, ready to send reinforcements to whichever side was in dire need.
In this battle, although Wang Bingzheng had a large army and many generals, he lacked a legitimate reason for his campaign, and the hasty deployment and insufficient training of his troops had already sown the seeds of defeat. Xu Youliang, on the other hand, had already made preparations when he decided to join forces with Feng Qing and issued the proclamation, so although his forces were smaller, But the people's hearts were won over, and morale was high.
Meanwhile, Yunlong led his army to the outside of Tiger Wolf Valley and first sent men to challenge them.
Guarding Tiger Wolf Valley was a newly recruited young general named Guan Yuqing, clad in bronze helmet and armor, wearing a green robe, riding an iron-blue horse, and wielding a large, door-shaped broadsword, possessing the courage of ten thousand men. Just as Wang Bing was about to send out his troops, Xu Youliang had already sent a messenger to him, ordering him to hold his ground and not engage in battle. But Guan Yuqing, young and ambitious, upon hearing that someone was challenging him, disregarded his deputy's objections and led two thousand elite swordsmen to form ranks outside the valley.
Looking across, the soldiers were like mountains, the generals like a sea. Under the banners were four generals, one man and three women, aged between seventeen or eighteen and twenty-four or twenty-five, each imposing and handsome, and clearly born of the same mother.
As soon as Tongzhen divided his forces, scouts reported the news to Guan Yuqing, so although Guan Yuqing hadn't asked any questions, he already... He learned the names of the four women.
The one in the center, wearing a golden helmet, golden armor, and a yellow robe, riding a yellow gelding, with a pair of eight-sided purple-gold hammers hanging from his sling, was Yunlong, the commander of the right flank. To his left was a female general, about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, wearing a silver helmet, silver armor, and a plain robe, riding a white dragon steed, wielding a worn silver hammer; this was Yunfeng, the vanguard of the right flank. The first female general on his right, around twenty years old, wearing a bronze helmet, bronze armor, and a green robe, riding a spotted leopard, wielding a bronze hammer, was Yunlong's second sister
, Yunluan. The second female general on his right, about seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing a wrought-iron helmet, armor, and a black robe, riding a black dragon steed, wielding a wrought-iron oil-pressing hammer, was Yunlong's third sister, Yunxia. Guan Yuqing, only twenty years old, was a young man in the prime of his life. With so many beautiful female generals, how could he not take a few glances? But these few glances angered the female general Yunxia opposite him. Without waiting for Yunlong to speak, she rode out to the front of the formation and shouted: "Hey!" " Is that young man Guan Yuqing?"
"It is indeed your General Guan. And you, girl, are you named Yunxia?"
"I am Yunxia." "
Yunxia, I heard that the one leading the troops is your elder brother Yunlong. You went into battle without waiting for your elder brother to speak. Don't you know the rules?"
Yunxia then realized that she had broken the rules. According to the rules, she would be punished with at least forty strokes of the military rod when she returned. Her heart pounded, and her fair face turned pale.
Yunlong, already resentful of his sister, knew a beating was inevitable. However, with a major battle imminent, they needed to unite against a common enemy. He shouted, "Guan Yuqing, shut up! You're just a lowly deputy general, how dare you answer me, the commander-in-chief?"
"You little rascal, did you hear that? It was my brother who sent me out to ask you questions." Yunxia, hearing her brother's voice, knew he was trying to exonerate her. Whether she could avoid the beating or not depended entirely on the outcome of her first battle. She said, "Let me ask you, what are you doing, looking at me like that?"
Guan Yuqing, annoyed that he was looking at her, scrutinized her from head to toe, saying, "It's because you're ugly. You call yourself a woman? You have no breasts, no hips, a slender waist, and big feet. It's ridiculous, that's why I want to look."
In truth, Yunxia's figure was just as beautiful as her sisters', only slightly thinner as she had just reached puberty. But girls are most afraid of being called ugly, and Yunxia was no exception. Hearing Guan Yuxin's words, she was furious: "You arrogant scoundrel, how dare you speak ill of me! I'll beat your stinking mouth to a pulp!" After saying that, Yunxia spurred her horse forward and grabbed her hammer to strike.
"Wait!" Guan Yuxin waved her hand.
"What, are you scared?" Yunxia hurriedly reined in her horse.
"It's not that I'm scared, I don't know if you four siblings are coming at me together or fighting one by one? If you're afraid you can't beat me, you might as well all come at me together."
"Nonsense, dealing with a scoundrel like you who only knows how to talk big is enough for me alone."
"I'm afraid I'll not only know how to talk big, but if I capture you, I'll gain even more."
Don't underestimate Guan Yuxin's youth; she's quite cunning. Every word she said angered Yunxia, and when she lost her temper, her martial arts skills suffered. Guan Yuqing knew he was facing four siblings alone, and he was no match for them in a group fight. So, he made things clear first, making them feel awkward about fighting four against one, and then provoking Yunxia to disrupt her concentration, hoping to finish the fight quickly and eliminate them one by one. Unexpectedly, the siblings fell
for his trick. Yunxia was furious when she heard Guan Yuqing's frivolous words. Her face turned red with anger, and she roared, "I'm so angry!" She spurred her horse and charged forward.
"Sister, be careful, don't get angry!" Yunlong saw through Guan Yuqing's intentions and hurriedly reminded her, but Yunxia was already enraged and couldn't understand her brother's meaning. She swung her two hammers wide and aimed them at Guan Yuxin's head.
In terms of martial arts, Guan Yuqing was on par with Yun Feng, the strongest fighter in the Yun family, and only slightly better than Yun Xia, the weakest. In a one-on-one fight, it would take seventy or eighty rounds to determine the winner. However, once the psychological balance was broken, the outcome was drastically different.
Although Yun Xia was beautiful, she was now fighting for her life. Guan Yuqing dared not be careless. Instead of directly taking her blows, he swerved his horse to the side, swung his broadsword, and lightly deflected them, saying, "Good that you're angry. If you're angry, I won't have to lift a finger."
As Guan Yuqing continued to provoke her, Yun Xia became increasingly angry, anxious, and chaotic. Her two iron hammers pounded wildly on Guan Yuqing's head and body like windmills. Guan Yuqing only dodged and did not retaliate, only verbally abusing her, thoroughly ravaging her from head to toe.
Yun Xia relentlessly pursued Guan Yuqing, striking her with hammer after hammer, for over thirty rounds, yet the two horses never separated.
These were dozens of blows delivered with all her might, yet each strike missed its mark, needlessly draining Yunxia's strength. After these blows, Yunxia felt her arms ache and she was utterly exhausted. Her opponent hadn't even made a move yet. Knowing she was in trouble, she quickly stopped her hammering and tried to turn her horse to escape the circle and recover. But Guan Yuqing wouldn't give her the chance. Seeing her turn her horse, he followed suit, turning the chase into the pursuer. Before the two horses were even separated, Guan Yuqing's blade struck.
Guan Yuqing was truly ruthless, showing no mercy; his blade aimed straight for vital points.
Yunxia had just turned her horse around, not expecting him to be so fast. Knowing was useless, though, as she was already exhausted and unable to swing the hammer. Besides dodging, she had no other way to counter. Even worse, hammer wielders rely on strength, and their agility was slightly less than that of the average warrior—but that was enough.
Hearing the golden wind behind her, Yunxia knew it was a strike aimed at her head. This strike would cleave her in two. She thought to herself, "If it hits my crotch, my clothes will be useless, and everyone will see everything!"
In a flash, Yunxia spurred her horse to the side, risking having her arm chopped off; survival was paramount.
But Guan Yuqing's martial arts were superb. Even with the blade at point-blank range, he could still change his move. He had anticipated her dodge and was already on guard. Seeing her sway, he aimed his blade at her shoulder, then twisted it mid-strike, tracing a small arc towards her neck. Yunxia hadn't expected this move, and even if she had, she couldn't have dodged it.
Guan Yuqing's broadsword was like half a door panel, weighing dozens of pounds, and sharpened to an incredibly sharp point. Without even swinging it, a mere touch to the neck was enough to kill. Yunxia, a woman with a long, slender neck, was no match for such a steel blade. With a soft "thud," the blade passed her neck, and a beautiful head flew through the air.
Guan Yuqing was later nicknamed "Little Luo Cheng," referring to his high martial arts skills and handsome appearance, but also his ruthlessness and lack of compassion, much like the insidious Luo Cheng of old.
Not content with killing, Guan Yuqing, relying on his swift horse and agile hands, raised his sword and caught the severed head in mid-air, the tip striking the neck, embedding the beautiful head in the blade. Then, he switched the sword to his right hand, grabbed Yunxia's silk sash with his left, and with a gentle pull, lifted her onto his horse, galloped back to his formation, threw her to the ground, and gave the soldiers their orders.
Meanwhile, the three Yun siblings, observing the battle from the opposite side, had long sensed that Yunxia's emotions were affecting her martial arts, but their reminders were ineffective. Furthermore, bound by their agreement with Yunxia, they couldn't intervene. Later, seeing Yunxia exhausted and weary, they realized it was too late to help.
Yunfeng saw Yunxia's horse turn, and Guan Yuqing followed suit, realizing the danger. Without hesitation, she galloped out of the formation, shouting, "Guan, spare my sister!"
The outcome of the battle between Yunfeng and Guan Yuqing remains to be seen; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 85 – Yuxin Repels the Enemy with Formation, Yunlong Sends Generals to Break the

Formation. The previous text described the battle between Guan Yuqing and Yunxia. Seeing her sister about to be defeated, Yunfeng rushed to her rescue, but it was too late. Seeing her sister's head already flying into the air, she cried out in pain, her head spinning, and fell off her horse.
Upon seeing this, Yunlong galloped out, wielding his double hammers to protect Yunfeng, and had her carried back to their own formation.
Meanwhile, Yunluan had already rushed to catch up with Guan Yuqing, simply because her sister's body was in his hands, and the other side's purpose in taking back the female general's body was self-evident. She and Yunxia were siblings, and the disgrace of her sister's body was the same as her own.
Yunluan reached the enemy lines, and a volley of arrows rained down from the opposing archers. Yunluan wielded her double hammers, protecting herself and her horse, and was unharmed, but her advance was halted. Guan Yuqing had already returned Yunxia's head and headless body to the enemy lines.
The Xu family army cheered at this brilliant victory.
The soldiers quickly removed her armor, undergarments, boots, and socks, stripping the beautiful Yunxia bare like a woolen white sheep. Yunxia was only twenty-nine years old, with a slender, jade-like body, a pair of small, cone-shaped breasts topped with two pink nipples, a tuft of dark pubic hair, and a pair of snow-white buttocks—truly alluring.
The soldiers, uttering lewd whispers, parted Yunxia's beautiful legs, revealing a peach-like vulva. They parted the flesh of her vulva, piercing it with a long spear from her anus, protruding through her neck, then placing her head on the spear tip, raising it in mid-air, and chanting a victory song. The morale of the Wang family army plummeted.
Yunluan, looking at her sister's corpse, blushed with shame and gritted her teeth in anger, shouting loudly, "Guan, what kind of skill is it to defile a dead body? If you have the guts, come out and fight me three hundred rounds!"
Guan Yuqing slowly rode out of the formation, laughing loudly, "Yunluan, I find your sister's body quite beautiful. I was just thinking of skinning her to make a banner. Your body is just as good as your sister's. Are you offering your skin to make a pair?"
Yunluan was furious, shouting, "If you have the ability, come out and fight me! What are you doing hiding behind the archers?
If you defeat me, this skin is naturally yours." Guan Yuqing laughed loudly, "Don't try to provoke me. I have a rule: I can only win one battle a day. If you want to fight, come into my formation." After saying that, he waved his hand and led two thousand men back into the valley.
Yunlong, seeing that the female soldiers had revived Yunfeng, was about to go into battle when he saw Guan Yuqing carrying Yunxia's body and about to leave. He refused to let him go, raised his double hammers, shouted, "Kill!" and swung his entire army forward.
In terms of numbers, Yunlong had 200,000 men, while Guan Yuqing only had 2,000—a completely disproportionate force. Unfortunately, this was a mountain pass, preventing the troops from deploying effectively, so Guan Yuqing didn't have a numerical advantage. Guan Yuqing, however, was prepared and calmly retreated into the valley, shooting arrows as he went, killing over a hundred of Yunlong's soldiers. He could only watch helplessly as Yunlong left.
The first battle was crucial for morale; he wasn't seeking great achievements, only victory. Guan Yuqing had achieved a victory against overwhelming odds, beheading Yunxia and getting off to a good start, but he also felt a deep sense of lingering fear. If Yunlong hadn't been so stubborn, and had attacked with four men at once, or even with two against one, he feared he would have lost his life on the battlefield. Thinking this, Guan Yuqing suppressed his youthful impetuosity and thought, "Why should I gamble with him on the battlefield? It would be better to surround him with formations and then defeat him one by one."
Therefore, Guan Yuqing sent a eloquent and courageous junior officer to Yunlong's camp to deliver a letter, inviting him to lead the battle.
Yunlong received the book and immediately wrote on the back: "Return the original book; victory or defeat will be decided in the formation."
The next day at dawn, Yunlong led his troops into the formation from the valley entrance. They encountered no obstacles along the way and advanced directly into the formation.
From north to south, they first arrived at the original core of the formation, the Azure Dragon Formation. Due to the change in the defensive direction, this place had now been converted into the entrance of the formation.
Before Yunlong set out, Wang Ke had given him the formation diagram of the Azure Dragon Formation, but after Xu Youliang's victory in the last great battle, he had sent Zhang Gui to redesign it and had people rebuild the formation, changing all the traps and ambushes inside, creating a completely new formation, entirely different from what Yunlong knew.
Yunlong also knew that it would be difficult to break the formation with just the diagram, but if he didn't enter the formation, he couldn't pass through Tiger Wolf Valley. Therefore, he left Yunfeng and a dozen deputy generals on the road between the valley entrance and the core of the formation to provide support, in case the entire army was caught in the formation. Only then did he lead 50,000 troops into the formation. Why only 50,000 men? Simply because the space within this formation is cramped; more men would be useless.
Guan Yuqing waited in front of the Azure Dragon Formation in the middle, behind him a flag bearer holding a large banner. Looking at the two red beans and the cluster of black clouds on the banner, one could tell it was indeed Yunxia's human skin.
The skin had been cut and peeled off longitudinally from the back, the limbs removed, leaving only a square piece. Four leather ropes were tied to a horizontal wooden pole at the shoulders, and these ropes were suspended from the top of the flagpole, resembling a large banner. On the belly were written two large characters, "Yunxia," and the genitals formed a protruding pointed angle. The vulva and anus formed two small round holes, strung with red ropes and adorned with a large red lantern tassel.
This enraged Yunluan, who was about to order a fight, but Yunlong quickly stopped her.
Upon seeing Yunlong arrive, Guan Yuqing bowed and said, "Commander Yun, you are truly a trustworthy man."
"Very well said, General Guan. How do you intend to break this formation?"
"Commander Yun has thousands of troops and dozens of generals, while I, Guan Yuqing, am but one man. Therefore, I must rely on formations. This Azure Dragon Formation consists of five large formations and countless winding paths. Commander, you may attack however you wish. Whichever side you choose, once you pass through the formation, it will be broken, and I, Guan, will naturally become your prisoner, at your disposal. If Commander cannot pass through and is trapped within, Commander Yun, just look at the banner behind me. Within three days, you will all be pulverized. I will use this banner as a shield, and you and your siblings will be united to bring fame and fortune to me, Guan."
"Very well said, but I fear it will be you, General Guan, who will be on the banner."
"Enough with the boasting. Once I retreat into the formation and raise the banner atop the central mountain peak, Commander, you may then attack the formation."
"Wait a minute, I haven't seen this formation before. How are we supposed to fight it?"
"That's true. There are flagpoles and watchtowers at the old formation's core. Commander, just keep an eye on it. Before we start fighting, just fire a cannon as a signal, and I'll know."
Yunlong climbed onto the old formation's core, and he and Yunluan climbed onto the watchtowers to carefully examine the formation. They saw no soldiers or generals in the formation, but a faint killing intent emanated from it. They couldn't help but shudder and said, "This formation exudes a chilling killing intent, making me terrified. What's going on?"
In Yunluan's eyes, there was only her sister's skin, watching helplessly as she was lifted high... On the pole, all the women's vital parts were on full display. Ignoring everything else, they exclaimed, "It's just a formation! Do you think we, with our thousands of troops, are afraid of it?! In my opinion, Tiger Wolf Valley is currently only defended by Guan Yuqing. It's likely just an empty city tactic. We must break the formation quickly, lest we repeat Sima Qian's mistake. Otherwise, if Xu Youliang sends reinforcements, it will be difficult to break through."
Yunlong felt his sister's words made sense, but fearing he would fall into her trap, he hesitated repeatedly, not daring to act.
It was late when someone reported, "The soldiers have captured a spy outside the camp."
Yunlong hurriedly ordered the spy brought into the tent for questioning.
Seeing the spy, short and stocky with a sleazy appearance, Yunlong felt a sense of displeasure.
"Who are you? Don't reveal your name."
"I am a mountain dweller from this area, my surname is Wang, and my given name is Xiao Er."
"Why are you spying on my camp?"
"I've lived here for a long time, relying on the mountains for food and the water for sustenance. Do you think I won't eat or drink now that your army is here?"
"You audacious spy! You are clearly Xu Youliang's spy, yet you dare to deny it! I ask you, since you are a mountain dweller, have you seen Xu Youliang set up his formation here?"
"I've lived here for a long time, of course I've seen it."
"Since you've seen it, let me ask you what the formation looks like?"
"Oh my goodness, this formation is incredibly fierce!"
"How so?"
“From my vantage point on the mountain, I observed that when the formation was still, all was silent; when it moved, the soldiers were like mountains, the generals like seas, the cannons roared like thunder, it was truly formidable. There were also thunderclaps, iron chariots, and all sorts of weapons within. If anyone were to enter, I fear they would not be able to come out, and nine out of ten would lose their lives.”
Guan Yuxin listened, her mind racing, and then said, “Since you have seen it, could you draw a diagram of the formation for me to see?”
“That’s easy,”
Wang Xiaoer said, and then took out paper and pen to draw the formation. When Yunlong looked at it, it was exactly the same as what he had seen on the watchtower. Yunlong was a meticulous person, and he carefully observed Wang Xiaoer’s eyes and movements. He saw that Wang Xiaoer carefully held the pen in his hand, his eyes darting around, as if he knew what was going on.
After Wang Xiaoer finished drawing, Yunlong took the diagram and looked at it, and then asked in detail where the ambush was. Wang Xiaoer refused to say, only saying that it was too far away to see clearly. Yunlong nodded and said, "Indeed, Wang Xiaoer. I, the commander, see that you are not a spy. Go, I will spare your life. But there is one condition: you must not wander around my camp again. Otherwise, I fear you will be shot dead by my soldiers, and no one will save you."
"Yes, yes, I dare not do it again."
"I will let you go now, but if you go to deliver a message to Xu Youliang, and fall into my hands in the future, I will skin you alive to make armor."
"Yes, yes, I dare not."
"Send him out."
The soldiers escorted Wang Xiaoer out of the camp. Yunluan said, "Brother, this fellow is clearly a spy sent by Guan Yuqing, why did you let him go?"
"How could I not know he was a spy? If he weren't a spy, how could he dare to wander around the military camp at this moment?"
"So, brother, you've already seen through his treachery. Why did you let him leave the camp?"
"I think this man is not only a spy, but a scheme orchestrated by Guan Yuxin. He deliberately sent this fellow out of our camp, then deliberately let the soldiers discover him, deliberately let him be captured and brought to see me."
"How did you see through him, brother?"
"When he used his pen, it seemed he was deliberately holding it tightly, but there were clearly calluses on his index finger. He's someone who frequently holds a pen; isn't that just a cover-up?"
"Since you know he's a spy, why not kill him?"
"He deliberately made this formation sound extremely dangerous, so I wouldn't dare enter. I'm afraid it's just a ruse.
I, your foolish brother, want to turn the tables on him, so I let the spy go and send a message to Guan Yuqing, making him believe I wouldn't dare enter the formation. I'll then sneak into the formation at night and catch him off guard." "Brother, you're right. Quickly send troops!" But how will Yunlong deploy his troops? We'll find out in the next chapter.

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