[Fantasy] Clouds Dance and Moon Rises (Complete) - 4-6

Chapter 4

Moreover, in the border prefectures and counties of Xijing Road and Nanjing Road, the imperial court's policy has always relied on local powerful clans. Although his official rank sounds high, he can only govern Jinsu City. The city has a mere three thousand or so residents, soldiers, and civilians, seven or eight out of ten of whom are Han Chinese and barbarian tribes. To govern this place, he must rely on their cooperation. The Han family has several hundred members, many of whom are still serving in the defense army. They are a significant force in Jinsu City. If he were to punish Han Yue, he might hesitate to act rashly.

Yelü He'an knew that although the Liao Dynasty was based on the Khitan people, there were many tribes throughout the Liao territory. The Khitan people were not the majority among these tribes. In many places, such as Shangjing Road and Dongjing Road, many barbarian tribes, such as the Zubu and Jurchen, had a tradition of causing trouble. Submissions and rebellions were commonplace, as was the case with his own Jinsu army. Therefore, he had to be cautious in handling this matter.

In truth, Yelü Da was in the wrong today; he brought this upon himself and has no one to blame but himself. Moreover, Yelü Da's reputation is indeed poor, and his misdeeds far surpass those of Han Yue today. Many of the powerful clans in this city have suffered his humiliation. If Han Yue were punished for this, these people would likely rebel, and if someone incited unrest, it would be difficult to say how many soldiers would still obey his orders.

However, Yelü Da is a military general of the imperial court, while I am the dignified commander. Han Yue attacked Yelü Da, but in reality, he was defying my authority. It is true that the Liao Dynasty relies on these barbarians, but it will never put the cart before the horse. If I do not respond to this matter, I will lose all my prestige and how will I govern this land?

This is Liao territory! The Jin Su Army is not ruled by you powerful clans, but by us Khitans!

"Uncle, that Han Yue is incredibly vicious and utterly lawless..."

Yelü Da was still rambling on when Yelü He'an, growing impatient, snapped at him, silencing Yelü Da instantly.

"You told me long ago that you should hone your skills before showing them off. What happened today? You only know how to complain after suffering a loss? Who are those bandits? They're all ruthless killers. You went looking for trouble, weren't you just asking for it? And you still have the nerve to complain to me!"

Yelü He'an was annoyed. This was all the grit he had. If he weren't his nephew, he would have kicked him out long ago.

"This... Uncle, then let's just let it go?"

Yelü Da was indignant, but dared not argue.

"Do you want to sue? You're from the Southwest Pacification Command, while he's from the Western Capital Garrison Command. Who has a higher-ranking official backing? Besides, brawls are common in the army, and no one died. What's the big deal?"

"How can no one die? He killed four of my servants. Did he kill them in vain?"

"In full view of everyone, more than ten of your servants, armed with weapons, attacked him first. There are at least eighty or a hundred witnesses. If he claims it was self-defense, what can you say? Moreover, your servants weren't even registered soldiers, while he was a military officer. If it's truly investigated, it's your servants who committed insubordination and deserved to die. Do you think you could escape responsibility then?"

"He...he defeated the army and disgraced the country...isn't that a violation of military law?"

“Military law is none of your business! Besides, those who died were Han soldiers and tribal soldiers. Hunting for fodder is inherently dangerous, and casualties are common. By the time you go to complain, they’ve already taken care of everything!”

Yelü He’an looked at his idiot nephew and really didn’t want to waste any more words on him. He glanced at Yan Zhigu beside him. This man was his confidant, quite intelligent. He had made him Yelü Da’s judge with the intention of assisting him, but this nephew was truly hopeless.

“My lord, that is true, but we cannot back down on this matter. Otherwise, the various tribes in the city may look down on you. These barbarians are already unruly. If they follow suit, there will never be peace.”

Yan Zhigu bowed with his hands clasped.

Yelü He’an knew that things had come to this point and he could not give in, but he couldn’t think of a good solution.

"I know this myself, but I can only lament my predicament. Han Yue's status is special, and he has the upper hand. If we insist on punishing him, I fear the city will not accept it."

"My lord, in my humble opinion, if we want to punish Han Yue, we cannot use today's events as evidence. We must start with his family."

"What do you mean?"

"Does my lord know about Yelü Yixin?"

Yan Zhigu's expression was gloomy.

"Yelü Yixin? What does that have to do with anything?"

Yelü Hegu was somewhat confused. Who didn't know Yelü Yixin? He was a notorious traitor in our Liao Dynasty. There probably had never been such a traitor since the founding of the dynasty. Since suppressing the rebellion of Yelü Chongyuan, he had risen rapidly in rank, wielding immense power, excluding dissidents, and framing loyal officials. He colluded with Zhang Xiaojie to fabricate the infamous "Ten Fragrant Erotic Poems Case," falsely accusing Empress Xiao Guanyin of adultery with a court entertainer, leading to the Empress's execution. Then he framed Crown Prince Yelü Jun for treason, causing the prince to be deposed and reduced to a commoner. Soon after, he had the deposed prince assassinated. Fearing his plot would be exposed, he then assassinated the Crown Princess. Finally, he went so far as to plot to kill the Crown Prince's grandson as well. The emperor eventually discovered his treachery, demoted him on some pretext, and later executed him. He had been dead for several years.

"You want to link the Han family to Yelü Yixin, but without evidence, I'm afraid it won't be easy."

"In the seventh year of the Da Kang reign, the treacherous Yelü was dismissed and exiled by the emperor, and his followers scattered like monkeys after the tree fell. This Han Yue is not Han Su's biological son; his second son is Han Su's adopted son, a child Han Su once abducted from Western Xia territory during a raid. Coincidentally, this also happened in the seventh year of the Da Kang reign, precisely after news of Yelü's downfall reached Jin Su."

"My lord, consider this: if Han Su had crossed the border to raid, he would have had to go south, not west. Clearly, he was preparing to defect with his entire clan to Western Xia; he was scouting ahead."

"According to your logic, why didn't he flee?"

"It's only because that treacherous Yelü Yange later became the governor of Xijing. Yange and Yelü Yixin were in cahoots, and Yixin's followers were mostly under his protection, so few knew of his treachery. Moreover, Yelü Yixin was ultimately convicted on some unrelated matter, and the emperor didn't want to publicize his crimes, lest it damage the emperor's ability to judge character. Therefore, most of his followers survived, which was also due to Yelü Yange's influence. When he was governor of Xijing, many of Yixin's remaining followers either bribed him with gold and silk or worked under him; Han Su was one of them."

"This is probably just hearsay, hard to believe..."

Yelü Hegu thought this plan was good, but he lacked evidence. When Yelü Yixin was in power, his residence was bustling with visitors; countless people gave him gifts. Were they all his followers? They were merely sycophants. Moreover, Yelü Yan is even more ruthless. Many of Yelü Yixin's treacherous schemes originated from him, yet even after Yixin's downfall, he remained powerful and influential. As the governor of Xijing, a powerful regional lord, how could he lack those who fawn over him?

"If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but the current governor, Xiao, is from the Empress's family. Back then, Yelü Yixin murdered the Empress, and many high-ranking officials within the Empress's family were deeply dissatisfied, harboring countless hatreds. If Governor Xiao knew of this, he certainly wouldn't take it lightly. If we can bring down Han Su, Han Yue will naturally be in your grasp, sir."

Yan Zhigu knew the odds of this plan being against him, but since his superior had asked him to offer a strategy, he had to show his support. The current governor of Xijing, Prince Chen, Xiao Yanliu, was from the Empress's family and had always hated Yelü Yixin's treacherous faction; perhaps this plan could be effective.

"Not enough, not enough. Han Yue is a cavalry captain personally commanded by Commander Xiao, so she probably has some influence with Commander Xiao. As long as he denies everything, it will all be for naught."

"Uncle! Uncle! I know something! It can help you succeed!"

Yelü Da suddenly shouted...

The night was deep, and under the red candlelight, Yan Zhigu peeked out and closed the door again.

"What did you say? Can you see it clearly?"

Yelü He'an was also a little excited, his voice trembling. "Is that really Princess Ali Jie in the painting?"

Ali Jie was the wife of Prince Chen, Xiao Yanliu. She was a famous beauty in the Liao Kingdom, and more importantly, she was outstanding in literature, and had a good reputation in the Liao court and among the people.

“I remember seeing Commander Xiao and his consort accompanying His Majesty on his tour of Xijing Road two years ago. They do indeed resemble each other quite a bit. At that time, I was serving in the Imperial Guard, which is why I was able to accompany the Emperor. Han Yue was the head of the cavalry under Commander Xiao, so naturally she was also required to accompany him. I saw more than ten paintings at Han Yue’s residence. The women in the paintings were all different, and they were all depicting such erotic scenes. They must all be women he had affairs with. This scoundrel is Han Chinese, fond of painting and indulging in refined tastes. He probably painted these as souvenirs to show off his romantic affairs. I didn’t expect him to leave behind evidence.”

“This…”

Yelü He’an hesitated. This was no joke. If he made a mistake, Xiao Yanliu would definitely take his anger out on him, and he would be finished.

"My lord," Yan Zhigu said, "that Han Yue is known for his lust and audacity. If it were a matter of seducing the princess into an affair, he might very well do it. Moreover, as a close attendant of Prince Xiao, he frequently enters and leaves the royal tent, giving him ample opportunity to come into contact with the women of the palace. Someone as young and handsome as him is a woman's nemesis. Furthermore, the princess is over thirty and no longer as favored as before, and she has no children. It's not uncommon for Prince Xiao to have fallen for someone else. The princess is in her prime, and the palace is lonely; she might harbor resentment towards the prince. Now, a young, handsome, and charming lover has appeared before her. If he intends to seduce her, and they are mutually attracted, the princess might not be able to resist."

What Yan Zhigu didn't say was that, in any case, the Khitans weren't exactly known for their civility and reason. They might not understand the etiquette and shame that the Han people valued. Women committing adultery was probably commonplace for them.

Yelü He'an paced back and forth, then asked Yelü Da, "Have you looked closely? Is there any writing on the painting?"

"This... there is writing, it's a poem, but I've mostly forgotten it."

"You idiot!"

Yelü He'an turned away angrily, ignoring him.

"Commander, think carefully, even just remembering one or two words would be helpful."

"It seems...it seems..."

Yelü Da tried hard to recall, "I only remember the character 'mountain'."

"Mountain...mountain..."

Yan Zhigu pondered for a long time, then suddenly asked, "Is it Yinghui Mountain?"

"Yes! Exactly, Yinghui Mountain."

Yelü Da looked puzzled, but Yan Zhigu was excited. "My lord, there's no mistake! This Han Yue is incredibly audacious; she actually had an affair with the Princess!"

"How do you know?" "

Two years ago, the Emperor went on an inspection tour of Xijing Road and was hunting at the foot of Yinghui Mountain for over a month. Commander Xiao accompanied him the whole time, and Han Yue must have been among them, having plenty of opportunities to meet with the Princess. The woman in the painting resembles the Princess, and it has the words 'Yinghui Mountain' on it. How could this be a coincidence? It must be that the two were deeply in love and acted on impulse during their tryst. My lord, this is a golden opportunity!"

"Hmm...even so, we still need to see the painting in person."

“That’s not difficult. A few days ago, we received an official document from the Pacification Commissioner’s Office. The Western Xia has sent an envoy to the court, and fearing something might happen on the way, they asked us to send troops from the military prefectures along the route to escort him. Why don’t you send Han Yue with men? Once he’s gone, we can steal the scroll and take a look.”

“Alright, let’s do it that way.”

The next day, Yelü He’an summoned Han Yue for his orders, making no mention of the previous day’s events. He only told him to lead a hundred cavalrymen across the Yellow River to Tiande Army to meet the Xia envoy. Han Yue didn’t know what this guy was up to, but this was a normal order from his superior, and he had no reason to refuse. He had no choice but to accept the order, go home to give instructions, and then prepare to muster his troops.

By this time, Sun Erniang already knew the Han family’s background and affectionately called Han Yue her senior brother. Han Yue was quite affectionate towards this junior sister, but Han Su was quite worried about it.

"Father, don't worry. If Yelü Da dares to cause trouble again, we'll beat him to a pulp next time."

"You're always so hot-tempered. He won't let this go so easily after you've humiliated him so badly. I'm not comfortable sending anyone else this time, just you."

"I'm prepared. If he plans to kill me on the way, I'll make him regret it. I'm a Lanzi horseman, not someone to be trifled with. If he wants to harm me, he'll have to ask the Xijing Garrison Command for permission. Besides, I've only sent people close to me this time. What ability does he have to harm me?"

"What is the Xia envoy's purpose in coming to court this time?"

"It's because the Southern Dynasty has won another battle. I heard that Song general Zhe Keshi lightly cavalry broke through Weizhou, repeatedly defeating the Xia army, causing heavy losses to the Western Xia. I imagine Liang Yibu and Empress Dowager Liang are panicking again, probably coming to our country for help. In recent years, the Western Xia have repeatedly invaded Song territory, suffering defeats each time, and have requested our country to send troops to Hebei to contain the Southern Dynasty. This January, Marshal Xiao of Nanjing deployed troops to the border, causing panic in the Southern Dynasty. Liang Yibu then seized the opportunity to attack Suide, plundering along the original route for over fifty days. Today's defeat will surely lead to revenge; I imagine they're requesting our dynasty to send troops to Hebei to contain the Song army."

"Just be careful on the road."

After instructing his family, Han Yue went to the army headquarters, mustered a hundred guards, and rode north out of the city.

That night, a shadowy figure moved stealthily into Han Yue's house. Two servants accompanied Han Yue, while two others guarded the house. The shadowy figure, as light as a cat, gently opened a window and slipped inside. Soon after, he emerged carrying another item, disappearing in a few swift movements.

At the military headquarters, Yelü He'an, Yan Zhigu, and Yelü Da carefully examined the erotic painting under the lamplight.

Having seen Princess Alijie before, the three of them were immediately convinced of its authenticity upon seeing the woman in the painting. No woman in the world could resemble her so closely. It was all thanks to Han Yue's masterful painting skills that the woman was so lifelike. The attire was indeed that of a noblewoman from the Khitan court, and the poem further confirmed this.

"Beneath Yinghui Mountain, boundless affection abounds, truly a paradise on earth. What a fine poem! I never imagined Han Yue was such a talented man, skilled in both literature and martial arts. Such lewd and erotic poetry… hehe… truly a blessing."

Yelü He'an, gazing at the beauty in the painting and reading the poem, couldn't help but let his imagination run wild, swallowing hard.

Princess Alijie was of extremely high status, renowned among Liao noblewomen for her dignified elegance, reminiscent of the scholars of the Southern Dynasties. For someone of her noble status to write such lewd and obscene poems demonstrates just how dissolute and unrestrained she was at the time. What kind of magic did Han Yue possess that could drive such a woman to such depravity, causing her to disregard her status and write such vulgar and obscene poems like a courtesan?

"Hmph, this poem was probably written by the Princess. The first four lines are full of sorrow and self-pity, clearly expressing the Princess's neglect, loneliness, and resentment. The fifth and sixth lines, 'Village wine and mountain lees intoxicate, wall flowers and roadside grasses vie for beauty,' describe the pleasure of illicit affairs. Han Yue is of lowly status compared to her, perfectly fitting the description of 'village wine and mountain lees, wall flowers and roadside grasses.' With Han Yue as 'village wine and mountain lees, wall flowers and roadside grasses,' there is a unique pleasure of 'intoxicating beauty and vying for beauty.' The last two lines, 'Old oysters produce pearls, jade is planted in Lantian,' perfectly reflect the Princess's fading beauty and childlessness, her urgent desire for a son. My lord, this is irrefutable evidence!"

Yan Zhigu was initially unsure, thinking it might be a coincidence. But after reading the poem, he was absolutely convinced that he had inadvertently uncovered a major case.

"My lord, time is of the essence. We must report this matter to Commander Xiao. Firstly, it concerns the fundamental relationship between our Khitan and the various tribes; secondly, it involves the treacherous faction of Yelü Yixin; and thirdly, it involves Prince Xiao's private affairs. With these three aspects addressed simultaneously, the matter is bound to succeed. Moreover, the first and third points are irrefutable. Once these two are proven, Prince Xiao will have no choice but to believe the second. Then, by accusing Yelü Yixin of being a treacherous faction, we can eliminate the Han family in one fell swoop, which will not only deter the various tribes but also preserve your reputation for impartial judgment, and teach those bandits a lesson. It's killing several birds with one stone!"

"Good, I will issue the order now. Yan Zhigu, you go to Xijing tonight!"

Saying this, he clapped his hands, and a person dressed in black flashed out from outside the door. It was the person who stole the painting. This person was a master thief, accustomed to sneaking in and out of places.

"Return this painting to its original place. Be careful not to alert anyone."

"Yes, sir."

Ten days later, on the banks of the Yellow River in Xijing.

"What did you say?"

Han Yue glared angrily at Ma Baoze, the messenger who had come to deliver the news.

"This time it's someone from the Xijing Garrison Command. They say your father was a traitorous member of Yelü Yixin's faction, and the evidence is conclusive. They want to arrest him and punish him. Your father resisted arrest with weapons, escaped wounded, and now your house has been confiscated. That scoundrel Yelü He'an has sent men to arrest you."

"My house has been confiscated too?"

Han Yue felt a buzzing in his head, almost fainting.

Those scrolls, if exposed, would be deadly, and that erotic painting with the Princess Consort—if that got out, countless heads would roll.

What he didn't know was that Yelü He'an had already viewed all of Han Yue's collection, then flew into a rage. Upon returning home, he killed one of his favored concubines with a single blow, and swore to the heavens that Han Yue would suffer a terrible death.

Despite their usual boisterousness, the various tribes in the city became as docile as rabbits when they saw the Khitans were serious, especially under the pretext of punishing traitors. Not a single one dared to cause trouble. Their own forces were outnumbered and outmatched, making it difficult to resist.

"It must be that damned Yelü He'nazhi who framed my family!"

Han Yue was filled with remorse.

"You'd better run! It'll be too late if you don't leave now."

"Xiao Hou, I can't thank you enough. I have to find my father."

"Why do you say that, Captain? We, the Lanzi Ma, respect heroes. I don't know anything about Yelü Yixin. I only know that you, Captain, have risked your life alongside us. For that alone, we cannot stand idly by."

"Thank you!"

Han Yue hung up his bow and whip, abandoned the main force, and headed south.

After a day's journey, relying on his familiarity with the terrain, he finally encountered Han Su and his men fleeing in panic. Unexpectedly, Sun Erniang was among them. According to Han Su, he was saved by Sun Erniang, otherwise he would have been unable to escape.

"Father, it's all my fault!"

Han Yue looked at Han Su, an arrow lodged in his back, his wound extremely severe. He was clearly clinging to life, and seeing Han Yue now seemed like a final burst of energy before death. Han Yue was heartbroken, tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's alright... this is also retribution..."

"Father, I will definitely kill those two treacherous dogs, Yelü Uncle and Nephew, to avenge you."

"What nonsense are you spouting? You barely escaped with your life, and now you want to go back to die?"

Han Su aggravated his wound, feeling a sharp pain.

"That treacherous dog framed Father..."

"I said this is retribution... Yelü He'an's plan, though vicious, didn't wrong me..."

"Ah? Father, you..."

Han Yue was stunned. Could it be that their Han family was really connected to Yelü Yixin?

"There are some things I've kept from you. I thought they would have been forgotten after more than ten years, but I never expected that there would be retribution. Our Han family did indeed rely on Yelü Yixin back then and did many evil things for him. Yelü Yixin was all-powerful back then. We are Han Chinese, and if we wanted to establish ourselves in Liao, we had to rely on a powerful figure. I never expected that after more than ten years, this matter would still be brought up again..."

Han Yue was completely stunned. After all this time, her family really was a "traitorous faction."

"Later, when Yi Xin's rebellion failed, we who were his allies were filled with anxiety. I thought of leading my clan to flee. In this world, if we don't go to Xia, we go to Song. We originally fled from the Song Dynasty, and now the Liao Dynasty won't let us stay either. We have no choice but to go to Xia. I secretly led more than ten trusted men to explore the territory of Western Xia. Unexpectedly, we encountered a group of people. It was dark at the time, and we didn't know who they were. We thought we had encountered patrolling Xia soldiers, and they thought we had encountered Liao soldiers raiding our territory. The two sides started fighting, but those people seemed to be Han Chinese. That's when I kidnapped you. The only thing you had was that jade pendant..."

"My child, don't seek revenge. I have fallen to this state today, which is my retribution... From now on, I hope you will take care of yourself and go find your real parents..." After

saying this, Han Su breathed his last, his head tilted to the side, and he died on the spot.

All that remained were the mournful cries echoing through the wilderness…

September of the fifth year of the Tianyou Min'an reign of the Western Xia Dynasty, at the Tiandu Mountain Palace of the Left Wing Baotai Military Command.

Inside the palace, resplendent gold and jade, with carved beams and painted pillars, all the guards stood in rows a hundred paces outside the main hall, armored and swords at their sides, wielding spears and halberds, exuding a murderous aura, like an iron wall surrounding the hall. They were the most elite and noble of the Western Xia's Imperial Guard, the Six Guards, protecting the supreme ruler of the Great Xia, the current Empress Dowager Liang.

Inside the main hall, in the sleeping quarters, a beautiful woman in her thirties, dressed in a thin veil, exuding endless allure, was indulging in the pleasure of intimate union with a young and strong body. A voluptuous, naked body straddled a strong man's physique. Her dark, hairy, and plump vulva greedily pressed against his genitals, pressing down on him. Her alluring, smooth waist writhed wantonly, her round, heavy breasts trembling slightly, the dark red testicles resembling two large, purple grapes, displaying a rich, ripe, and wanton allure developed by countless men. Besides the man

serving her, a handsome young man, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, lay on the bed before her. His naked body was fair, athletic, and well-proportioned. His beautiful, jade-like penis was erect and full of life. The beautiful woman, her face filled with wantonness, sucked and licked the man's penis, letting out soft moans that sounded like pleasure or thirst, as if she were savoring some delicacy. Her saliva swirled around her tongue as she sucked and pinched the sensitive glans, making smacking sounds, filling the air with a decadent atmosphere.

"Empress Dowager, I...I..."

The young, handsome man frowned, gritting his teeth and enduring the pain. The beautiful woman before him was in the prime of her life, insatiably demanding. Every time they served each other, she would drain him dry, wanting to devour him whole.

At first, he felt a forbidden thrill from the vast difference in their status—their high status and the fact that he could have intimate relations with the sacred and inviolable Empress Dowager. But as time went on, he found it unremarkable. Instead, he felt that this woman, relying on her supreme status, did as she pleased, disregarding royal dignity and indulging her desires. Her actions were utterly unworthy of the title of Empress Dowager of Western Xia.

"Hold on, don't urinate."

The woman's hair was disheveled, her face flushed, and her breath was filled with lustful allure. At the same time, she opened her mouth and swallowed his entire penis. The man's body trembled, his legs went weak involuntarily, and his waist began to spasm as he twisted. The pleasure was overwhelming.

The man beneath her held the woman's full buttocks, kneading them. His erect penis churned within her wet, sticky flesh, her labia, glistening with vaginal fluid, rubbed against his scrotum, producing lewd, wet sounds. Though the woman was no longer young, her vaginal opening was tight and powerful, gripping him intensely, giving him immense pleasure.

This was the supreme Empress Dowager of Western Xia, such a noblewoman shamelessly straddling the body of a lowly man like him, yielding to his desires, utterly devoid of the dignity of an Empress Dowager—how stimulating!

The young, handsome man trembled, unable to restrain himself any longer. His hips involuntarily swayed, and just as he felt himself about to ejaculate, he tried to pull his penis out of the woman's mouth, but she held it firmly. In an instant, a tidal wave of pleasure overwhelmed his senses, and his thick, hot semen gushed out, completely spilling into the woman's mouth.

The woman forcefully took his penis deep into her throat, greedily sucking, as if savoring the most exquisite delicacy in the world, swallowing the semen completely.

"I deserve death! I deserve death! Empress Dowager, have mercy! Empress Dowager, have mercy!"

The handsome young man, now fully conscious, was terrified. He had actually urinated in the Empress Dowager's mouth, defiling her precious lips—a grave offense indeed. His legs went weak, and he scrambled off the imperial bed, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly.

"Useless thing, get out!"

The woman's phoenix eyes flashed with murderous intent, her voice, though not loud, was filled with power. The handsome young man was so frightened he dared not even put on his clothes. Two armored palace maids emerged from behind the screen, their features delicate yet agile . They grabbed the young man like eagles snatching chicks, dragging him away without a word. The young man didn't

dare scream, his face pale, his bare bottom exposed as he was led away. The man beneath him saw this but pretended not to. This Empress Dowager, though licentious and promiscuous, was capricious. If she didn't grant his wishes, even after their passionate encounter, she could have his head chopped off in the blink of an eye. At this moment, he could only thrust even harder, pounding his fleshy member into her vagina. The woman trembled incessantly against him, clearly aroused to the extreme.

Suddenly, the woman's breathing became heavy, her vagina clenched, and she leaned down, pressing herself against the man. Her heavy breasts pressed against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around him, her legs hooked around his thighs, and she let out a moan that sounded like a cry. She twisted her hips, her inner flesh writhing and grinding, and finally, with a violent shudder, she released a gush of hot fluid. Seeing this, the man slowly stopped, letting her lie on top of him. Based on experience, he knew there would be a second round after she recovered...

Two hours later, at the back of Tiandu Mountain.

The back mountain was full of stone caves and Buddhist statues. Most of the nobles of Western Xia were Buddhists, and temples were everywhere in Western Xia, with incense burning constantly.

Although it was late autumn, the back mountain was still lush and green, like springtime. The huge stone Buddhas were in various poses, creating a unique scene. Compared to the grim atmosphere of the military camp on the front mountain, with its battle cries and the clash of swords, it was quite a contrast.

Tiandu Mountain, though small, held special significance for both the Western Xia and the Song Dynasty, though for the Song Dynasty, it was mostly a bitter experience. For the Western Xia, however, Tiandu Mountain represented the rise of their Li family dynasty. Before each war, the Western Xia would gather its troops at Tiandu Mountain to decide on the direction of attack. From Li Deming's conquest of Tibet until the reigns of Li Yuanhao at Haoshuichuan and Dingchuanzhai, Tiandu Mountain witnessed the Tangut people's conquests and dominance of the Hexi Corridor for decades.

During the Song Dynasty's Yuanfeng Western Expedition, Li Xian, the commander of the Xihe Road, together with the Tibetan leader Dong Zhan, fought to recapture Lanzhou, a key town in the Hexi Corridor. They then advanced into Tiandu Mountain, capturing Tiandu Village and burning the Xia emperor's palace almost to the ground, giving the Song Dynasty a much-needed reprieve. However, due to Gao Zunyu, the commander of the Jingyuan Road, being jealous of talent and ostracizing the valiant general Liu Changzha, the opportunity to destroy the Western Xia was missed, leading to the defeat at Lingzhou, where hundreds of thousands of Song troops were wiped out. Tiandu Mountain was eventually recaptured by the Western Xia, and the Western Xia finally emerged from the shadow of national subjugation.

It can be said that Tiandu Mountain, like the Dijinze deep in the desert, was considered a "blessed land" by the Western Xia. Those who guarded Tiandu Mountain throughout history were all renowned generals and ministers of the Western Xia, the most famous being the powerful Yeli clan among the eight tribes of the Dangxiang.

From ancient times to the present, the Yeli clan has been one of the most powerful tribes among the Dangxiang peoples, especially during the reign of Yuanhao, when the Yeli clan produced many talented individuals and wielded immense power in the Western Xia. The brothers Yeli Yuqi and Yeli Wangrong were among the most outstanding figures of their time. It was through the strategies of these two men that Yuanhao achieved victory at Haoshuichuan. He later married the daughter of Yeli Yuqi, who then guarded Tiandu Mountain, commanding tens of thousands of elite troops and known as the "King of Tiandu," wielding unparalleled authority. This was the most powerful period for the Yeli clan.

However, the Yeli brothers were later assassinated by Zhong Shiheng, a famous general during the reign of Emperor Renzong, who tricked Li Yuanhao into cutting off his own arm. The Yeli clan was relocated to Mituo Cave in Xia Prefecture and placed under the command of the Shenyong Army. From then on, the Yeli clan never recovered its former glory, though it remained a powerful clan. Meanwhile, newly rising nobles such as the Renduo clan were gaining momentum.

At this moment, Yeli Mingrong, the commander of the Shenyong Army, stood before the group of statues in the grottoes behind the mountain, respectfully watching the woman carefully examining the large Buddha statue in the hut.

Only the supreme ruler of Western Xia could have driven him to travel from Xia Prefecture to Tiandu Mountain.

Beside him, hundreds of imperial guards in brocade robes and iron armor stood at attention, halberds and spears at their sides. Behind the woman, more than a dozen high-ranking officials and generals of Western Xia followed closely behind. After all, the radiant and dignified woman before them was one of the most powerful women in the land, the biological mother of the current Western Xia ruler, Li Qianshun—Empress Dowager Liang.

As a high-ranking official of Western Xia, Yeli Mingrong was well aware that Western Xia was currently under the rule of the Liang family. However, he did not possess the talent and ambition of his ancestor, Yeli Yuqi. Regardless of who was in power, as long as the nominal ruler of Western Xia still bore the surname Li, he would remain a dutiful subject of Western Xia. His life goal was to maintain the Yeli clan's position among the various Dangxiang tribes while he was alive and to peacefully hand over power to the next generation—the duty of a military general.

As for the conflicts between the Weiming and Liang families, he had no intention of getting involved. The power struggles in Western Xia were always bloody and cruel; getting too deeply involved could cost you your life and fortune.

Moreover, the feud between Empress Dowager Liang and her brother, the current Chancellor Liang Yibu, was now public knowledge. Among the high-ranking officials around Empress Dowager Liang were Renduo Baozhong, Commander-in-Chief of the Jingse Army in Weizhou and concurrently Commander of the Six Left Wing Armies; Weiming Amai, Commander of the Baotai Army in Xishou; Meile Dubu, Deputy Commander of the Xuwei Cavalry and concurrently Commander of the Six Inner Guards; and Ye Bomai, Commander-in-Chief of the Xiangqing Army in Lingzhou and concurrently Commander of the Xingqing Prefecture Guard.

Mei Ledubu and Ye Bomai were Empress Dowager Liang's confidants, commanding the Six Guards of the Inner City and the Xingqing Prefecture Guard respectively. The Empress Dowager naturally accompanied them on her travels. However, Ren Duobaozhong and Weiming Amai, notorious political enemies of the Grand Chancellor Liang Yibu, were present at the Empress Dowager's side, while Liang Yibu was absent. The implication was clear.

Anyone with even a modicum of political acumen should not easily express their opinion at this moment. Ye Limingrong had already decided that unless the Empress Dowager asked him, he would not speak lightly; loose lips sink ships, a golden rule indeed.

"Empress Dowager, the Grand Chancellor has a memorial to present."

A eunuch knelt down, holding the memorial above his head.

"Another one requesting to lead troops,

isn't it?" Empress Dowager Liang sneered disdainfully, picking up the memorial and glancing at it. "The Chancellor requests to lead troops into battle, saying that my precious body should not lightly leave Xingqing Prefecture, lest it cause fear throughout the land. I wonder what you gentlemen think?"

"Empress Dowager," Ren Duo Baozhong and Wei Ming Amai seized the opportunity to speak out, "the Chancellor, though loyal in his intentions, has limited vision. The Eastern Dynasty is tyrannical and has invaded our Weizhou. Now is the perfect time to raise troops to punish them. Your Majesty, as the Empress Dowager, personally mustering the troops would boost morale and let the Eastern Dynasty know that I am not afraid of tyranny. Moreover, the Right Wing Army under the Chancellor's command does not border the Eastern Dynasty. Mobilizing troops and

transporting them over a thousand miles would be exhausting for the people and wasteful of resources. This is not the way Your Majesty should care for the people." They already knew Empress Dowager Liang's intentions, and if they didn't take drastic measures now, when would they?

"Your Majesty, the Chancellor has been in command of the army for too long, wielding immense power. The troops only know the Chancellor, not Your Majesty. If this continues, it will not be the way for the court to protect its veteran officials, nor will it tarnish Your Majesty's reputation. Your Majesty, please reconsider."

Almost everyone present was Liang Yibu's adversary, and they began to offer their advice one after another.

The Liang family of Western Xia had long held absolute power, and all the loyal ministers of the Weiming clan longed to end this situation of unchecked power, but had lacked an opportunity. Now, finally seeing a glimmer of hope, how could they let this chance slip by?

Although Liang Yibu had been in charge of state affairs, he was actually ambitious but lacked talent. Besides his skill in political maneuvering, he had no outstanding ability in governing the country or leading the army. However, his sister, Empress Dowager Liang, was a formidable woman, cunning and decisive.

Although Liang Yibu was the Chancellor, he always followed Empress Dowager Liang's lead. The two cooperated closely, and by maintaining the righteous pretext of "Bingchang," they were able to control the emperor and command the feudal lords. Currently, Liang Yibu is the prime minister, ambitious but incompetent like his father, and even more vulgar and uncouth than his father. Yet, he is dissatisfied with his sister, Empress Dowager Liang, and internal strife within the Liang clan is imminent, making this a crucial time for restoring order.

Following the disastrous defeat at Weizhou in March, Liang Yibu has repeatedly petitioned to muster troops for revenge against the Eastern Dynasty over the past six months, but the Empress Dowager has refused each time. This indicates a growing animosity between the two, and the Empress Dowager no longer desires the prime minister to hold military power for long. When two people with such strong desires for power clash, only one can ultimately remain. The choice between Liang Yibu and Empress Dowager Liang is self-evident.

Empress Dowager Liang herself is well aware of this.

Of these people, very few truly supported her; almost none. If she weren't Qian Shun's mother, they probably wouldn't even give her a second glance. But it didn't matter; everyone was just using each other. Her brother had already lost all sense of propriety. He forgot that without her support, he was nothing more than a prime minister.

The Liang family needed to rely on the Li family to survive; if they dared to try and replace the Li family, they would only meet a catastrophic end. Back then, her father, Liang Yimai, and her aunt, the Empress Dowager Liang, had only imprisoned her husband, Bingchang, yet it nearly sparked a civil war within Western Xia. If it weren't for the Song army's invasion, which forced everyone to unite, Bai Shang Kingdom would probably have already split long ago.

These Dangxiang nobles were only loyal to the Li family.

And her brother now actually harbored thoughts of replacing the Li family. Someone had long reported to her that every time Liang Yibu received the annual tribute from the Eastern Dynasty, he would boast in public, "Has Wei Ming ever achieved such merit? Has China ever been so fearful?" He

even said, "My annual military campaigns are intended to make the Southern Dynasty fear me and to persuade the people of the country to cease hostilities." How

could he utter such words? Did he think he was Emperor Jingzong?

The reason he was initially granted military power was because the Liang family had made too many enemies, and they couldn't afford not to hold power. Moreover, for the Liang family to secure their position, they had to wage war to divert internal conflicts. But now, Liang Yibu was constantly planting his cronies in the army, plotting to usurp the throne, and he didn't even respect her, the Empress Dowager. This had crossed the line for Empress Dowager Liang.

Unlike her aunt, Empress Dowager Liang didn't have such ambitions. As a woman, she knew that her position depended solely on her son, Qian Shun. As long as Qian Shun was the ruler of Western Xia, she would be the supreme Empress Dowager, forever enjoying the highest power. And if Liang Yibu were to replace Qian Shun, what would she be?

Could he still be the Empress Dowager?

Even if Liang Yibu ultimately succeeded, what benefit would it bring him? What did the rise and fall of the Liang family have to do with him? He only wanted to enjoy the wonderful taste of power for the rest of his life. With power, all his desires could be satisfied. Giving up his power and status for his family was out of the question. In the power struggles of Western Xia, kinship was always secondary. In fact, the entire history of power struggles in Western Xia was a history of relatives murdering and betraying each other. For power, sons could kill fathers, mothers could imprison sons, and it wouldn't be surprising if a brother killed his sister.

Moreover, realistically speaking, Liang Yibu was no longer suitable to be a commander. Since Zhang Jie was appointed to govern Huanqing during the Eastern Dynasty, Western Xia's military campaigns had suffered repeated setbacks. The defeat at Weizhou was a major humiliation for Western Xia, and a victory was urgently needed to salvage its reputation. Empress Dowager Liang found Liang Yibu's boastful "glorious military achievements" utterly shameless, for she knew the truth of the matter.

In July of the second year of the Tianyi Zhiping era, Liang Yibu ordered Renduo Baozhong to attack Jingyuan, but they were repelled by Liu Changzuo, the Song general in charge of Jingyuan, and were forced to retreat. In

August, Aligu, the leader of the Qinghai-Tibetan Empire, rebelled against the Song Dynasty. Liang Yibu mobilized the entire army of the country to join forces with Aligu to attack the Song Dynasty's Xihe Road. The combined forces of the Tibetan and Western Xia, numbering 240,000, besieged Hezhou for more than ten days without success, suffering over 10,000 casualties and suffering another major defeat.

In September, upon learning that Liu Changzuo was seriously ill, Liang Yibu again ordered Renduo Baozhong to lead an army of over 100,000 to attack Jingyuan Road. However, Fan Chun, the prefect of Qingzhou, took advantage of the situation and launched a surprise attack on Qulu Mountain, forcing Renduo Baozhong to hastily withdraw his troops. After this battle, Ren Duobaozhong openly accused Liang Yibu of "not knowing military affairs" and issuing "chaotic orders," causing the domestic conflicts that had been painstakingly suppressed to resurface. In

the first month of the third year of the Tianyi Zhiping era, Liang Yibu led his troops to invade Fuzhou, but was ambushed by the Song general Qian Zongyi, suffering a major defeat with over a thousand casualties.

In the third month, he again led his troops to attack Dejing Fortress, but was repelled by the Song general Zhang Cheng.

In the fourth month, he led his troops to attack Saimen Fortress, but the Song army took advantage of the situation to launch a counterattack on Shibao Fortress and breached Hongchuan Fortress, killing and looting thousands of people and losing tens of thousands of cattle and sheep. He was forced to withdraw his troops.

In the ninth month of the second year of the Tianyou Min'an era, Liang Yibu led an army of 150,000 to plunder Hedong, but was repeatedly ambushed by Sun Gui, a famous and valiant general among the Hedong cavalry, with surprise attacks. More than 100,000 men were helpless against a mere thousand enemy soldiers, and after suffering repeated defeats, he was forced to withdraw his troops.

It can be said that in the years Liang Yibu has commanded the army, he has suffered more defeats than victories against the Song Dynasty. He has basically encountered every obstacle he could find in the surrounding area. With such a dismal record, he still dares to boast and compare himself to Li Yuanhao. No wonder generals like Renduo Baozhong are dissatisfied with him. Therefore, this is an opportunity for me to establish my authority. I want to show Liang Yibu who the true supreme ruler of Western Xia is. Didn't Empress Xiao of Liao personally lead the army to the south and eventually sign the Tan Yuan Alliance with the Southern Dynasty? Empress Xiao was a heroine among women. Am I inferior to her? What the Empress Dowager of Liao could achieve, my Empress Dowager of Western Xia can achieve as well!

"Gentlemen, you say that I should personally command the army this time?"

Although the tone was questioning, the real meaning was self-evident.

"If the Empress Dowager personally commands the army, we are willing to be the vanguard!"

More than a dozen important officials knelt down at once.

"In that case, I will personally lead the troops and fight the Eastern Dynasty to the death!"

Empress Dowager Liang was smug, already knowing that these powerful lords had made their choice, which was all within her expectations.

"Send a decree to the Chancellor, saying that the Chancellor has rendered great service and is still recovering from his foot ailment. It is not the way a country should treat a meritorious official at this time. The Chancellor only needs to remain in Xingqing Prefecture. This time, I will personally lead the army."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Everyone knelt down to accept the order. Ren Duobaozhong, Weiming, and Meile exchanged glances, knowing clearly that with the Empress Dowager's support, victory was assured.

Empress Dowager Liang looked at these high-ranking officials who were respectfully kneeling to receive her decree, and a great sense of satisfaction welled up in her heart. That feeling was indescribable, as if all things in the world, the sun, moon, and stars, surrounded her, and all her desires were endlessly satisfied. This was the beauty of power; as long as one possessed power, one was omnipotent. With power in her grasp, a single word could command the deaths of thousands, and subjugate powerful warlords to her will. A strange excitement coursed through her, filling every pore and nerve of her body. She was the supreme ruler, free to do as she pleased, her word determining the fate of all things.

A burning desire rekindled within her. Since her husband Bingchang's death, she had recklessly chosen men to satisfy her insatiable lust, disregarding all morality and shame. She possessed supreme power; who dared object? She firmly believed power was everything. She needed men, she loved men, and therefore she would possess them.

Her long, powerful legs trembled slightly beneath her long skirt, the strong, hot penis filling her emptiness and hunger, the ecstatic climax...

Her gaze couldn't help but drift to the young, handsome eunuch. The uncastrated eunuchs were her sex slaves; their sole purpose in the palace was to satisfy her lust until she grew tired of them. She imagined the wonderful sensation of his strong, muscular body pressing down on her, the sweat from his muscles, filled with masculine intoxication, the pleasure of her own body greedily devouring and draining his energy.

"Return to the palace!" As she turned, the erotic scene still lingered in her mind. This

was the benefit of power; what use was power if it couldn't grant her every wish...?

********** ...

The two sides had been fighting on and off for nearly a hundred years, so they knew each other inside and out and had no secrets between them. Since Zhekeshi captured Weizhou half a year ago, even ordinary people knew that Western Xia would not let it go and would inevitably retaliate sooner or later.

In mid-September, rumors began to circulate on the border that the Western Xia was about to launch another large-scale invasion. Subsequently, scouts from various military prefectures discovered signs of large-scale troop movements in the Western Xia's Yanbian Jingse, Baotai, Xiangyou, Jianing, and Shenyong military commands. Meanwhile, intelligence reports from spies within Western Xia territory decreased significantly, indicating that Western Xia had begun to consciously strengthen its defenses, checking roads and cutting off transportation – a common harbinger of major action, based on experience.

Finally, reliable intelligence arrived: Western Xia was again mobilizing troops at Tiandu Mountain, gathering forces from various regions. This time, it was unknown which side would suffer the consequences. Starting from Jingyuan Road, which bore the brunt of the attack, alarms and military intelligence were relayed along the routes by scouts. The Xihe-Lanhui Road, Qinfeng Road, Huanqing Road, Linyan Road, and other Shaanxi routes were all on high alert. Due to their disadvantageous terrain and lack of defensible positions, they could neither determine where the Western Xia would attack nor concentrate their forces on strategic strongholds. Therefore, once an alarm sounded at Tiandu Mountain, all routes would be placed under martial law. The garrison troops and Weizhou, among others, had already begun digging deep trenches and building high walls, awaiting the Western Xia's attack.

Since their victory at Yongle City, the Western Xia had often deployed hundreds of thousands of troops, using overwhelming numbers to besiege Song cities and fortresses, aiming for a decisive victory before reinforcements arrived. If they failed to achieve their objective within the allotted time, they would not hesitate to retreat immediately.

The Song army, unable to predict the enemy's target or concentrate their forces beforehand, could only distribute their troops evenly among the various fortresses, often leaving only a few thousand defenders for each city and fortress. Each time they were besieged, they faced fierce battles. Sometimes, reinforcements couldn't arrive in time before the city fell. Last year's major defeats at Dingxi and Tumenbao, which resulted in the death of the renowned Hedong general Li Yi, are a prime example.

The market town of Tonghua County is located at the South Gate, and the main store

is in Chang'an. As the only county under the jurisdiction of Huanzhou, Tonghua County was effectively the seat of Huanzhou. The Tonghua County government and the Huanzhou government were located in the same city, making Tonghua County essentially the Huanzhou capital. As the only superior county within Huanzhou, which was classified as a lower-level prefecture by the imperial court, its prosperity was naturally the greatest in the prefecture, surpassing the other four towns of Maling, Mubo, Shichang, and Hedao. Huanzhou, originally a region inhabited by both Han and non-Han peoples, was notoriously difficult to govern. However, the imperial court appointed renowned officials and generals to govern it. Starting with Zhong Shiheng, a famous general during the reign of Emperor Renzong, three generations of the Zhong family, including Zhong Shizhong, served as prefects of Huanzhou. Despite enduring decades of war, Huanzhou remained steadfast and, under the rule of successive generations of officials, even began to prosper. To this day, it boasts over 7,000 households and a population of over 10,000. Furthermore, its local specialty, licorice root, has been selected as a tribute item for the imperial court.

The Nanguan Fanshi area is a gathering place for non-Han tribes. The northwest region was originally the land of the Qiang people, with various Qiang and non-Han tribes scattered throughout. Currently, the imperial guards include units of non-Han troops. The imperial guards in Shaanxi differ from those in other regions; besides the military training troops, even local militia from non-Han tribes can be promoted to regular imperial guards. Many non-Han people own their own horses and are ready to fight in battle; many families have served the government for decades, with three generations of non-Han men risking their lives in battle. During the reign of Emperor Renzong, the Shaanxi vassal army, at its peak, boasted over 100,000 powerful cavalrymen. They repeatedly distinguished themselves in battle against Yuan Hao in the west. Even during the Yuan You era, although many incompetent individuals were eliminated by the war, the vassal army's power remained formidable.

This "Chang'an Zhengdian" was merely an ordinary inn in the vassal market, named so because the owner was from Chang'an. At this moment, the inn was nearly empty, with the owner and staff busy with their own tasks. Suddenly, an old and a young Taoist priest entered. Judging from their travel-worn attire, they were itinerant Taoists. The older priest, with a weathered face and an air of otherworldly wisdom, carried a whisk and a sword. The younger priest, seemingly his disciple, was handsome and elegant, carrying a banner and a large bundle.

Although Buddhism was prevalent in the Hexi region, the Song Dynasty maintained a relatively open attitude towards Buddhism and Taoism, not deliberately interfering. Moreover, Qingzhou City was large and populous, a melting pot of all walks of life; the presence of a few Taoist priests was not unusual. After the Taoist priest entered, the innkeeper glanced up, stopped keeping his ledger, and bowed, asking, "Does the Taoist priest need a room or a meal?" "

Amitabha, this humble Taoist bows in reverence. May I ask where the main room, number one in the Heavenly Palace, is?"

The innkeeper's eyes twitched as he scrutinized the Taoist priest, noticing his serene expression. The priest gently placed a Xining Tongbao coin on the counter. The innkeeper examined the coin and said to his assistant, "One superior room. Lead the way."

The two Taoist priests were led to a room in the back courtyard. As soon as the door closed, the younger priest slipped to the window and listened for a while, confirming that two people were guarding outside. He looked back at the older priest, who didn't even glance at him, seemingly meditating with narrowed eyes. So the younger priest turned back and placed his bundle on the table.

A moment later, the door opened, and a man dressed as a merchant slipped in.

"Who are you?"

the merchant asked warily, staring at the older priest, clearly recognizing the two men's martial arts skills.

"Why ask, sir? I am not here to see you."

"Though you possess a token, Commander Zhang is not someone anyone can see lightly."

"I am merely delivering a message. This time, the Western Xia army is openly attacking Jingyuan Road while secretly raiding Huanzhou. The force numbers approximately 200,000, and it is Empress Dowager Liang personally leading the campaign. I have come here despite the hardships, hoping that Minister Zhang will prepare accordingly. Furthermore, I possess something that can help you repel the enemy."

"What is it?"

The old Taoist pointed to the bundle carried by the young Taoist. The merchant frowned and said, "Open it."

Although he was Zhang Jie's confidant, Zhang Jie was a man of deep cunning and strict control over his subordinates; many things were beyond his comprehension. He didn't know the origins of these two Taoists, but he had a duty to be cautious. He would not allow the bundle to approach Zhang Jie until he was certain it contained nothing dangerous. The young Taoist didn't even flinch, his face filled with arrogance. The merchant sneered and stepped forward to grab. The young Taoist dodged, grabbing nothing. The old Taoist sprang up, lightly tapping the ground a few times with his toes, his body seemingly weightless as he swayed and "slid" between the two, raising his arm to block and push, actually shoving the merchant away.

The merchant was immediately startled. He had received instruction from a renowned master and was naturally a discerning person.

"Nine Palaces Steps, Shenxiao Sect?"

He knew his own strength; to be able to push him away so easily with one hand, this old Taoist was clearly no ordinary person. And his strange footwork was strikingly similar to the Nine Palaces Steps of the Shenxiao Sect of Taoism.

"Immortal Master, how have you been?"

A greeting sounded from outside the door, and a distinguished-looking middle-aged scholar entered the room.

Upon seeing this man, the merchant immediately bowed: "Greetings, Commander Zhang."

"You may leave now."

Zhang Jie waved his hand.

"Yes, sir."

The merchant immediately bowed and left, disappearing along with the man outside. The vast courtyard was deserted, no one in sight. The old Taoist priest observed this and inwardly praised him. Although Zhang Jie was a civil official, he possessed extraordinary courage. In the current tense situation, with the Western Xia army poised to invade at any moment and Huanzhou potentially engulfed in flames, this powerful regional lord dared to travel incognito to this perilous place to meet him. His courage alone was admirable. Furthermore, the swift and disciplined actions of his subordinates revealed them to be seasoned veterans. The man dressed as a merchant was also exceptionally skilled in martial arts and shrewd and capable; it seemed that his years as a military commander had yielded a hidden pool of talent.

If the Empress Dowager Liang of Western Xia encountered this man, she would likely suffer a humiliating defeat. This was for the best; he carried a special mission, and if he entrusted himself to the wrong person, it would jeopardize his important task. It is precisely such decisive and ruthless heroes who can be put to use…

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the merchant waited for Zhang Jie outside the door, carrying a bundle in his hand. Zhang Jie said nothing, only waved his hand and whispered, “Prepare the horses, return to Qingzhou.”

Inside the VIP room, the old Taoist stood in the middle, hands behind his back, and sighed softly, “Zhang Zhifu is truly a hero!”

The young Taoist seemed somewhat disdainful, curling his lip and saying, “Southern Dynasty scholars, what’s so great about them? They’re probably just empty talkers. Only the north wind can forge true character.”

The old Taoist frowned and said, "Han Yue, don't forget you're a Song citizen now. Stop talking about the Southern Dynasty. Your father, Han Su, and I are both disciples of Maitreya. You were entrusted by Han Su, which is why I've been looking after you. But now that you've joined my sect, you're a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect. You're not allowed to mention your Liao identity anymore. You are now a Song citizen!"

"Disciple will obey Master's orders,"

Han Yue, disguised as a Taoist, replied obediently. This old Taoist was extremely skilled in martial arts, and she was no match for him. Moreover, his Shenxiao Sect had connections with many nobles in the Song Dynasty, which was a safe haven for someone like her who had nowhere else to turn. This was all thanks to Sun Erniang. Sun Erniang had followed Su Yanfu for a long time and was considered his confidante. Su Yanfu was a disciple of Maitreya and had many connections with the remnants of the Maitreya sect in various places. Sun Erniang naturally knew a lot about the secrets of the Maitreya sect. It was through her that she had managed to get in touch with this old Taoist.

It felt like a dream. He was originally a military officer of the Liao Dynasty, but now he was a Taoist priest in the Song Dynasty.

A Taoist priest it is, after all, Taoists don't forbid abstaining from women. It's better than Sun Erniang becoming a bandit. He already had nowhere to go in the Liao Dynasty and really didn't want to cause any more trouble.

"Oh, and your Maitreya Sect martial arts, don't use them in public anymore, lest you cause unnecessary trouble."

"Disciple obeys. Master, can the Qilin Pill in that bag really defeat the Western Xia?"

Having been a military officer himself, Han Yue knew very well that using poison on the battlefield was common practice. Yuan Hao had defeated the Liao army using poison. However, in a single battle, the area poisoned by the army often spans hundreds of miles, and the amount of poison used is enormous. But this small packet...

"This is the 'Poison Mother,' refined by the alchemists of our sect. With the 'Poison Mother,' hundreds of kilograms of poison powder can be obtained by boiling water. Whether the master of Yipintang can get what he wants after this matter is over depends on his fate."

"Yipintang is from Xixia... Why would they help the Song Dynasty?"

"Hmph, it's just infighting among the treacherous Western Xia. But this matter has nothing to do with us. Their infighting in Xixia is an opportunity for our Great Song. This place will soon be ravaged by war, so it's not a place to stay for long. Let's go."

"Where to, Master?"

"Back to Bianjing."

The night of the fourth day of the tenth month.

The backyard of the Qingzhou Military Command.

This is a separate courtyard. Apart from one room, there are no other buildings in the courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded by guards every five steps and sentries every ten steps, all of whom are the personal guards of the Military Command, each with a cold expression. Lanterns and torches illuminated the entire courtyard, and above the main gate of the house in the courtyard were three large characters: White Tiger Hall.

At this moment, Zhang Jie, the Pacification Commissioner of Huanqing Road of the Great Song Dynasty, was in the hall. A large table was set up in the hall, on which was spread a sand table map, which showed the terrain and cities of Huanqing Road. Surrounding the map were the high-ranking generals of Huanqing Road, including Zhang Cun, the military supervisor of Qingzhou, Li Hao, the deputy military commander of Huanqing Road, Zhe Keshi, the chieftain of Hongde Village, and Mu Hua, the leader of the Huanzhou vassal tribe, and more than ten other generals of both Han and vassal states.

"Commander Zhang, the Western bandits have gathered troops at Tiandu Mountain this time; their ambitions are not small."

"Commander Zhang, military reports from Jingyuan Road indicate that the Western bandits have stationed their troops in the Qilu Lang, Shimen Shui, and Jiuyangzhai areas, with camps stretching for dozens of miles. Large groups of Western bandits have been spotted in the Xiningzhai, Tianshengzhai, Gaopingzhai, Huaiyuanzhai, and Dingchuanzhai areas, and even small groups of Western bandit cavalry have penetrated deep into Deshun Army territory."

"Commander Zhang, the Western bandits' expedition this time is to avenge the loss of Weizhou. The bandit troops on Jingyuan Road are surely just bluffing. Our Huanqing Road has repeatedly thwarted their advance, and this time we will surely face retaliation. We must prepare early."

The generals chattered incessantly, but Zhang Jie remained as calm as a mountain, not uttering a single word.

He had learned three days prior that the main target of the Western Xia attack was Huanzhou, but unfortunately, he couldn't reveal this intelligence to his generals. He knew the old Taoist's background; it was he who tipped off Zhe Keshi about the capture of Weizhou, a result of the internal strife between the Liang siblings within Western Xia. As a Song official, Zhang Jie naturally hoped Western Xia would descend into chaos, ideally leading to its self-destruction—a sign of divine intervention.

However, the fact that Western Xia would collude with a foreign enemy for internal strife was truly unbelievable. Moreover, while the old Taoist had connections with the Tongpin Hall, the Shenxiao Sect was closely linked to the currently powerful Old Party. The renowned Shenxiao Taoist, Lin Lingsu, was a pageboy to the Old Party official Su Shi before becoming a monk. Since this old Taoist was also from the Shenxiao Sect, did the Old Party also participate in this? If so, did the Old Party officials and Liang Yibu of Western Xia have a tacit understanding? Wouldn't this constitute collusion with Western Xia?

Perhaps the old faction felt that Empress Dowager Gao was getting old and the Emperor was about to assume personal rule, making their own future uncertain. Therefore, they wanted to settle the matter in Shaanxi now. Perhaps, after Empress Dowager Liang, Liang Yibu would again submit to the court and sign another peace treaty. With this peace treaty, even if the warlike new faction returned to the central government, they wouldn't be able to easily wage war against Western Xia again.

Wasn't this in line with the old faction's advocacy of "governing the country quietly"? They wanted to put a tight rein on the court and the Emperor beforehand.

Ultimately, it was still factional strife…

However, Zhang Jie was a high-ranking official, and his primary responsibility as a border commander was to win battles. He didn't have time to concern himself with factional strife; he only wanted to consider it from a military perspective.

Liang Yibu wanted to use someone else to kill his sister, using the Song army to eliminate her. Without solid evidence, the generals would never believe this intelligence, nor would the court. Mutual suspicion between generals and commanders was a major taboo in the army.

This was intelligence that couldn't be made public. Once revealed, his career would likely be over. The old party officials would never admit to any secret collusion between him and the Western Xia, nor would they let him, the insider, go unpunished. Of course, Zhang Jie didn't care who was colluding with whom; as long as they could win the battle, it was a brilliant plan.

He couldn't help but sigh that he was only the military commissioner of Huanqing Road. If he could command all five routes of Shaanxi like Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi, he would surely gather the elite troops from all routes to Huanzhou to deliver a crushing blow to the Western Xia. This would be a golden opportunity to severely damage the Western Xia. Unfortunately, he was only the military commissioner of Huanqing Road, only able to control 50,000 troops there. All he could do was make do.

In any case, whether the Western Xia ultimately came to Huanqing Road or not, he still had to prepare for war. Thinking about it this way, it didn't make much difference.

Moreover, the advantage was that most of the generals shared his opinion, believing that the Western Xia's real target this time was Huanqing Road, which made things much easier for him. However, if all the troops were transferred to Huanzhou to meet the enemy, the generals would likely still be suspicious. Even if the entire army were deployed, they would be at a significant disadvantage against the Western Xia army; a direct confrontation would be futile. Of course, once the battle began and everyone understood that Huanzhou was the Western Xia's target, reinforcements would be sent from Jingyuan, Linyan, and Qinfeng. However, by the time these reinforcements arrived in Huanzhou, the Western Xia would likely have already withdrawn.

Thinking of this, Zhang Jie once again lamented that he was not Han Qi or Fan Zhongyan, seeing this golden opportunity but being powerless to act.

It seemed the only option was to settle for second best; brute force was not feasible, and this battle should be won through strategy.

"Gentlemen!"

Zhang Jie spoke.

The generals immediately stopped arguing and bowed in unison.

"If the Western bandits don't come to Huanqing this time, all is well. But if they do, we must fortify our defenses and scorch the fields, exhausting them beneath our fortified cities. All the people under the jurisdiction of the prefectures, counties, towns, and fortresses along this route must relocate to their respective prefectural cities within a specified time. Not a single grain of food must be left for the Western bandits along the way. Only garrison troops should remain in the border villages. Anyone who delays or fails to arrive on time will be treated as a traitor. The prefectural governors must organize their garrison troops, inspect their weapons, and ensure that when the Western bandits arrive, they are not allowed to leave the city to engage them. They must simply hold their ground and preserve their cities; that will be considered a meritorious deed."

"Yes, sir."

All the prefects present bowed and accepted the order.

"Zhe Keshi, heed my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

Zhe Keshi clasped his hands in salute.

"You shall lead your troops to defend Hongde Village. When the western bandits raise their army, do not engage them in direct combat! Leave only the garrison troops. For every advance the bandits make, we shall retreat. They will surely think us cowardly and, for their own defense, will abandon our border defenses. Instead, gag yourselves and circle around to their rear via a side path, or lie in ambush in the valleys, waiting for an opportunity to strike them on their retreat." "

Your subordinate obeys!"

Zhe Keshi shouted sternly.

"Xu Lianggong, Liu Suo, Dang Wan, Zhang Xi, heed my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

The four generals bowed in unison.

"You shall each lead your troops and deploy defenses along the various fortresses of Baimachuan. When the enemy arrives, abandon the fortresses and do not linger in battle. Retreat to Maling and return to Zhe

Keshi's command. Do not make any mistakes!" "Your subordinate obeys!"

The generals shouted in unison. "

Li Hao, heed my command

!" "Your subordinate is here

!" "Zhang Cheng, Ma Qiong, heed my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!"...

Late at night, military orders were relayed through the White Tiger Hall, and fast horses galloped out from all directions of Qingzhou City. All the military forces of the entire Huanqing Road were fully mobilized with these orders. War clouds were already quietly rising on the western horizon. The Song Dynasty's massive military machine began to operate, and the entire Shaanxi was ready to face the impending great battle...

********** ...

Since the Xia army stationed its troops here, their camps stretched for dozens of miles, and the sounds of battle could be heard daily. Large armies frequently came and went for drills, while small cavalry units roamed freely in the countryside, seemingly conserving their strength, waiting only for the order to launch a major attack.

While the Western Xia were watching with predatory eyes, the Song army was not idle either. The Zhenxu Army, Deshun Army, Huizhou, and Qinzhou were all under martial law, mobilizing troops to strengthen city defenses, awaiting the Western Xia's attack. However, nothing happened. The Western Xia army consisted mostly of fierce and courageous soldiers. Now that their position was secure, and with the Western Xia not attacking, their fear gradually diminished, and they began to consider launching an offensive. The garrison commanders of each prefecture continuously sent out scouts to probe the Xia army's strength, and small groups of both sides frequently clashed, but the main Western Xia force never appeared.

In the open field, thousands of cavalrymen marched towards the Xia army camp. The soldiers were all dressed in the red robes of the Song army. These six commanders of the garrison cavalry represented the entirety of the Zhenxu Army's cavalry force. Guo Cheng, the fifth general of the Zhenxu Army and Jingyuan Road, led Zhang Yun, the chieftain of Xining Village, to the Xia army camp with one purpose: to raid it.

This seemingly reckless move was actually quite strategic. The Western Xia frequently held mobilizations, favoring feints and spreading false information before their actual attack, often targeting the opposite objective. This time, the Western Xia's loud pronouncements about attacking Jingyuan Road meant that other areas might actually suffer; the camp there was merely a diversion. Those who had dealt with the Western Xia for a long time would make this judgment, but not everyone dared to put it into practice. If the judgment was wrong, sending a few thousand men into a direct confrontation with tens of thousands in the open field was like throwing eggs against rocks.

However, for Guo Cheng, this risk was negligible.

Guo Cheng was a legend even among the many renowned generals of the Western Army. A former subordinate of Guo Kui, a famous general during the Xining era, he repeatedly distinguished himself during the southern campaign against Jiaozhi. In the Battle of Fuliang River, he led his troops into battle, fighting fiercely against a herd of Jiaozhi elephants. Despite sustaining numerous wounds, he fought to the death, personally killing dozens of enemy soldiers and breaking several hundred swords before finally breaking through their lines. His bravery quickly became renowned throughout the southern border.

During the Yuanfeng western expedition, he followed Liu Changzha in crossing the Hulu River, fighting a bloody battle at the strategic Moqi Village, and launching a night raid on Mingsha City, repeatedly achieving military exploits. During the attack on Lingzhou, Guo Cheng's troops were at the forefront, nearly capturing the city in one fell swoop as they pursued the defeated Western Xia army. Some say that if he had run faster, Lingzhou might have fallen, and Western Xia might even be destroyed by now. Later, when the city was besieged, the Western Xia army sent a valiant general to challenge them in a duel, but Guo Cheng single-handedly killed him on the battlefield, demoralizing the Western Xia defenders.

Finally, the Xia army breached the Qiji Canal, diverting the Yellow River to flood the Song army camp. The elite Song army along the Jingyuan Road was almost completely annihilated, yet Guo Cheng miraculously escaped death and returned alive to Song territory. His fame and fortune were earned through countless battles, risking his life on the battlefield. He had faced death several times; for him, life and death were trivial matters.

For such a man, if he suspected a trap, he wouldn't consider any risks.

The distance to the Western Xia camp was less than twenty li. Scouts reported that they hadn't seen the main force of the Western Xia army leave the camp, which fueled Guo Cheng's suspicions. The Western Xia were numerous and powerful, eager for the Song army to engage in open battle. His large-scale attack played right into their hands; there was no reason for them not to send troops. Moreover, he had just wiped out a group of Western Xia cavalry; one who escaped would surely return to deliver a message. The Western Xia camp was completely silent; there must be a trap.

Could it really be a feint? If so, how long had the Xia army been gone?

Without further hesitation, Guo Cheng ordered Zhang Yun to lead a cavalry force as the vanguard, while he himself led his troops to provide support. Zhang Yun's cavalry swept through the enemy lines like a whirlwind, reaching the main camp of the Western Xia army in one fell swoop. They easily routed the hundred or so Xia soldiers who came to block their path, who instead scattered and fled instead of entering the camp. Zhang Yun, a man of exceptional courage and resourcefulness, immediately sensed something was amiss. Confident in the support of Guo Cheng's army, he ordered a raid on the camp, only to find it empty.

Within a single morning, more than ten Xia army camps had been breached by the Song army, each one deserted. The tens of thousands of Xia soldiers who had originally been stationed there had been gone for days, leaving only empty camps, as if mocking the Song army's cowardice.

"It was indeed a feint!"

Guo Cheng coldly observed the billowing smoke from the Xia army camps. It seemed that the Western Xia had planned this all along, and the most likely scenario was that Huanqing Road would suffer. The Xia army had meticulously planned and successfully carried out a massive relocation of tens of thousands of men, fooling so many Song scouts. They vanished without a trace, and even more frighteningly, the Song troops in Huanqing Road were likely unaware of this.

"General Guo, should we send an alert to Huanqing Road?"

"It's too late. Immediately send a messenger to General Wang, requesting reinforcements for Huanqing Road. At this moment, Huanzhou is likely already under siege."

On the same day, in Huanzhou.

Although the people and soldiers of Huanzhou had prepared for a possible Western Xia invasion, the vast majority still prayed that the Western Xia's main attack would be from another direction. When the devastating news arrived, all their hopes were shattered; Huanzhou might truly face annihilation this time.

Just after dawn, smoke signals for an emergency were lit almost simultaneously at several outposts surrounding Huanzhou, including Anbian Village, Xingping Village, Qingping Pass, Liujing Fort, and Guide Fort. Song troops operating in the open and covert camps, along with scouts and sentries, discovered thousands upon thousands of Western bandit troops invading along all the main roads and plains of the Baima River. The Xia armies, numbering in the tens of thousands and in the thousands, were advancing on the various forts. The Song troops defending the forts hastily lit smoke signals to warn of the danger and simultaneously mustered their forces to meet the attack. However, outnumbered, they suffered a near-total defeat, abandoning their forts in flight. The remaining troops in each fort were trapped inside, living in constant fear.

Zhe Keshi, the commander of Hongde Village, upon hearing the news, intended to muster his troops for a rescue, but upon reaching the old fork of the Baima River, he learned that the armies of the forts ahead had collapsed, all communication with the forts had ceased, and the opposite bank was teeming with Xia troops. Realizing the situation was hopeless, he decided to hold his ground at the river. In mid-October, during the dry season, both the Baima River and Guide River had dried up, and other tributaries were completely dry and posed no obstacle. Several thousand Xia troops seized the opportunity to bypass the river from the east, reaching the walls of Hongde Village unexpectedly. The hundreds of Song soldiers remaining in the city, seeing the overwhelming strength of the enemy and unsure of their commander's fate, blocked the city gates and dared not engage, only lighting smoke signals.

Zhe Keshi, already exhausted from confronting the Xia army across the river, and learning that his rear had been cut off and that several thousand Xia troops were planning to attack from the west, decisively withdrew south, abandoning even his stronghold of Hongde Village. Along the way, several defeated Song troops merged into one and retreated in disarray along the Baima River to Huanzhou. However, no sooner had they arrived than the Xia general Wei Ming Amai arrived with his army, and the two sides reached the walls of Huanzhou almost simultaneously. Fearing that the Xia army would take advantage of the chaos to seize the city, the garrison of Huanzhou refused to let the Song army outside the city in. Zhe Keshi had no choice but to continue to flee south. The nearly 10,000 troops retreated all the way to Maling Town, which borders Qingzhou, before they stopped.

On October 13th, tens of thousands of elite Western Xia vanguard troops penetrated deep into Huanzhou territory. All the fortresses north of Huanzhou were besieged, and the Song soldiers defending them were cut off from communication, their fates unknown, and whether the cities and fortresses had fallen was completely unknown. Meanwhile, over 100,000 elite troops of the Western Xia imperial army, personally commanded by Empress Dowager Liang, appeared on the battlefield, marching south along the Malingchuan River in a show of force, reaching the walls of Huanzhou that same day. From then on, Huanzhou was completely cut off from its rear. At dusk that day, the Western Xia vanguard cavalry continued south to Mubo Town. Since the residents had already moved into Huanzhou City, it was an empty city. The Xia army gained little, so they set the town ablaze. Thick smoke billowed into the sky, and even Maling Town could see the red glow in the southern night sky.

Thus, in just two days, the entire territory of Huanzhou, except for the three strongholds of Maling Town, Hedao Town, and Fangquzhai, which were still in Song control, had been overrun by the Western Xia army, including the capital Huanzhou.

On October 14th, at the walls of Huanzhou.

The Western Xia camps stretched for dozens of miles, filling every flat stretch of the main roads north of Huanzhou. From a high vantage point, the banners and spears stretched as far as the eye could see, covering the entire horizon. The besieged Song army fortresses looked like tiny, pitiful islands in a vast ocean.

This magnificent military display filled Empress Dowager Liang, who was personally inspecting the front lines, with immense excitement and exhilaration.

No wonder Liang Yibu loved to personally command troops; the immense sense of accomplishment, the grandeur of commanding millions, the exhilaration of standing atop a vast army—the wonder of it was something one could not truly appreciate without experiencing it firsthand.

She, unusually dressed in full military attire, rode in the imperial carriage, surrounded by high-ranking officials such as Renduo Baozhong, Meile Dubu, and Weiming Amai, along with two thousand imperial guards of the six ranks, patrolling the military camp. Wherever they went, thousands of soldiers and officers knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" The surging waves of people seemed to shake the earth, and the shouts of ten thousand people were like a tsunami, echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

"General Renduo, when can Huanzhou be captured?"

Back at the imperial camp, Empress Dowager Liang could not hide her excitement. She couldn't wait to step onto the city wall of Huanzhou and show off her martial prowess to the world.

"Your Majesty," said Ren Duobaozhong, "the Eastern Dynasty's army has always been hesitant in open battle, but adept at defending cities. Although Huanzhou City is not as heavily fortified as Suide or Yongle, it is still a crucial border town that the Eastern Dynasty has cultivated for many years. I observe that the banners within the city are orderly, and the garrison on the city walls is disciplined, indicating that there are capable men within the city. It will be difficult to take it easily within a few days. To conquer this place, we must first capture the surrounding fortresses and cut off Huanzhou's external support. Then, we can surround and attack from all sides. I believe the city's troops are not many, while our army outnumbers them many times

over. At that time, victory is assured." Although Ren Duobaozhong intended to align himself with Empress Dowager Liang, he dared not speak recklessly when it came to matters of national importance. Political struggles were one thing, but on the battlefield, a single blunder could cost the lives of tens of thousands of Tangut men.

"The Song army's various fortresses are all holed up inside the city, each with only a few hundred soldiers waiting to die. Cut off from communication, what can they possibly do?"

Empress Dowager Liang frowned. "Besides, when did I say I wanted to annex Huanzhou? This expedition has already been planned with a strategy: to capture Huanzhou and plunder it to avenge the loss of Weizhou. According to your plan, how long will you wait? If we delay, what will happen if Song reinforcements arrive from all directions?"

Ren Duo Baozhong knew that Empress Dowager Liang wanted to achieve victory quickly. Huanzhou was the only major city within Huanzhou; if it could be captured, the other fortresses would surely fall without a fight. However, if he were in charge, he would first clear out the fortresses behind him to ensure the safety of his retreat before making any further plans. Although he didn't think the remnants of the Song army's various fortresses behind him could accomplish anything, as a veteran general who had fought on the battlefield for many years, the presence of enemy forces in his rear always made him uneasy.

But now it was Empress Dowager Liang who was in charge, and what she said made sense. The Song army of today is not the same as the Song army during the Battle of Yongle. Back then, Xu Xi was in power, ignoring the advice of the Song generals and acting arrogantly, which nearly alienated all the Western Army generals. As a result, when Yongle was in crisis, none of the commanders sent reinforcements, allowing Yongle to suffer a crushing defeat. Since Emperor Shenzong's full-scale counter-offensive against the Western Xia, two major defeats were the most devastating. One was the defeat at Lingzhou during the Yuanfeng Western Expedition, which directly led to the failure of the expedition, with almost all the elite troops of the Jingyuan Road perishing at the walls of Lingzhou. The other was the defeat at Yongle, which resulted in the loss of over 70,000 soldiers and civilians, with the elite troops of the Linyan Road almost entirely wiped out by the Western Xia.

After the defeat at Yongle, Fan Chun submitted a memorial requesting a comprehensive review of the coordination between the various Song armies. From then on, the various Song armies in Shaanxi agreed to support each other in times of trouble. It is certain that the reinforcements sent to Qingzhou by the Qinfeng Road, Jingyuan Road, and Linyan Road are already assembling.

Since the purpose of this battle is only to capture the city and plunder, there is indeed no need to worry too much. As long as the city can be captured quickly, the Song army will be helpless. With nearly 100,000 troops under our city, how could we not be able to defeat a small city like Huanzhou?

Beside her, Meile Dubu said, "Your Majesty, Huanzhou is a small city and not a place that can be defended. In my opinion, we should ignore the villages north of the city for now. As long as Huanzhou is captured, we can take its generals and officers back to the villages on our return journey. The defending soldiers will surely lose their morale when they see this. Then we can try to persuade them to surrender. The villages will surely fall without a fight."

Empress Dowager Liang was overjoyed when she heard this and immediately issued an edict ordering Generals Renduo Baozhong and Meile Dubu to take command of all the troops and attack the city with all their might. Huanzhou must be captured today.

Renduo Baozhong and Meile Dubu left the imperial camp. Meile Dubu said to Renduo Baozhong, "Commander Renduo, it is not that I am being rude, but the Empress Dowager wants to see achievements. We, as subjects, can only obey orders. Moreover, this is the Empress Dowager's first time commanding troops, and we should not go too far against Her Majesty's will, otherwise there may be unforeseen disasters."

Renduo Baozhong bowed and smiled, "General, you are absolutely right. It is not that I fear Huanzhou City, but the situation behind us is not yet settled, and the various strongholds are still putting up a stubborn resistance. There are still several thousand Song soldiers remaining in Maling Town. Although they have been defeated and fled, their strength has not been greatly diminished. I am just a little concerned. As a general, I only know to be loyal to the Emperor. Since the Empress Dowager has inquired, I dare not not speak frankly and offer my advice."

"Hahaha, everyone knows of Commander Renduo's loyalty and righteousness. However, what the Empress Dowager said is not wrong. I know of Commander Renduo's concerns, but I am afraid that the retreat route will be lost. But in each of the villages behind us, the Song army is at most a thousand men, and at least a few hundred, while our army surrounding each village is several times larger than the enemy. The Song army is barely able to protect itself, how dare they come out to die? As for the enemy in Maling Town, the newly defeated army has lost its morale. I expect that the reinforcements from Qingzhou and other places will not arrive, so they dare not come out lightly. Even if they do come out, I have already deployed 30,000 iron cavalry, including the Iron Falcon Army and the Capture the Living Army, on the key road of Mubo Town. With the ability of our Dangxiang iron cavalry, which is several times larger than the enemy, if the Song army does not come, fine. If they do come to fight in the open field, they will only be throwing their lives away. On the contrary, it saves our army from having to go to the stronghold."

"General, your insight is brilliant. I admire you."

To be honest, Renduo Baozhong thought that Meile Dubu's arrangement was indeed shrewd and experienced.

"Hehe, Commander, you are too modest. A general should anticipate defeat before victory, and it is always good to make some preparations in advance. In case Huanzhou suffers a setback, when we retreat, we will use the Iron Falcons to capture the remaining troops and cover the rear. I believe the Song army in Huanzhou will not dare to leave the city to pursue us in open battle. If they do leave the city, I think their large formation will not be able to withstand a charge of the Iron Falcons. At that time, our army will turn around and attack again, and I am afraid that we will also take Huanzhou. If they do not leave the city, our army will return by the same route. The Song troops in each camp can only watch us return home and will not dare to leave their camps to fight."

"They don't even dare to fight a few thousand people. Facing tens of thousands of people, how dare they show their faces?"

Renduo Baozhong laughed heartily, finally feeling a little relieved. Meile Dubu and Weiming Amai were both veteran generals from the time of Yuan Hao. They had fought on the battlefield for decades and could be called battle veterans. Their prestige in the army was well-established. As long-serving officials, they would never neglect military matters to please the Empress Dowager. Their arrangements, in his opinion, were shrewd and meticulous, which at least gave him some peace of mind.

"It's just a pity the river is dry at this time of year. The area around Huanzhou is mostly barren wasteland, and providing drinking water for over 100,000 people is a major headache. They can't just drink the water they carry with them."

Meile Dubu frowned and took a sip from the leather water bag offered by his personal guard. The Baima River, flowing from Western Xia territory, is bitter and difficult to drink. Now, in the dry season, even this bitter water is unavailable. With over 100,000 soldiers drinking from both men and horses, the daily water consumption is enormous. Moreover, the soldiers have been fighting all day, extremely exhausted, and need to drink much more water than usual. And the wells along the way had all been destroyed and filled in when the Song army retreated.

"General, please rest assured. I have already scouted the area. Although there are no rivers within a hundred miles of Huanzhou, there is a large lake called Niuquan twenty miles east of the city. The lake is over ten feet deep and covers an area of more than ten hectares, enough to supply the army. When I set out, I had already sent five thousand soldiers south overnight to seize the lake before the Song army. Yesterday, I sent ten thousand laborers and convicts with hundreds of water carts to Niuquan Lake to transport water to the main camp day and night. The battle was originally planned to last seven days. As long as we have Niuquan Lake, seven days will be enough. Water is the lifeblood of an army. How could I not investigate?"

"Hehe, I've long admired the abilities of Commander Renduo, and today I see it's no exaggeration."

Meile Dubu inwardly praised him. The Renduo tribe was just an ordinary tribe among the various Dangxiang tribes during the Yuanhao era, but afterwards, they produced many talented individuals. First came Renduo Han and Renduo Dingling, then Renduo Baozhong, such outstanding figures. No wonder they grew so rapidly, almost comparable to the Yeli clan of yesteryear.

"But this Huanzhou city, the old general requested the Empress Dowager to order its capture in a single day, I'm afraid..."

Renduo Baozhong was still not entirely at ease, feeling that something hadn't been considered.

"Huanzhou is a small city, not comparable to fortified cities like Yongle and Hezhou. With our army of 100,000, we can easily conquer it by surrounding and attacking from all sides. Besides, the defeated Song army didn't enter Huanzhou city. There are at most three or four thousand Song soldiers inside; what can they possibly do?"

"General, along this route, although our army hasn't captured a single stronghold, our plundering of villages and towns has yielded little. Clearly, the Song army was well-prepared; the people and livestock have likely all been moved into Huanzhou City. If so, Huanzhou has seven or eight thousand households and tens of thousands of people, totaling thirty to forty thousand. If they are all in Huanzhou City, several thousand able-bodied men could be selected. Based on this, the number of Huanzhou's garrison has probably more than doubled."

At this point, Ren Duobaozhong suddenly realized what his vague worries were. The Song army seemed to have been well-prepared for this campaign in Huanqing Road, having already moved people, goods, and food into Huanzhou City. If the Xia army didn't intend to expend resources on a siege, they might return empty-handed. Could Zhang Jie have foreseen this? Or was he truly a divine strategist?

Although the Song army was to be on high alert at Tiandu Mountain and all routes in Shaanxi were to be under martial law as usual, the thoroughness and cleanliness of the preparations suggested that Zhang Jie had anticipated this invasion. Although Zhang Jie was a civil official, he was well-versed in military strategy, possessed great wisdom, and was decisive in his actions. He was a rare military talent among the Song Dynasty's scholar-officials. It was possible that he had indeed anticipated the invasion through some subtle clues, and given his character, he could certainly have

implemented such a thorough scorched-earth policy. But what if there was another possibility? What if the Western Xia had leaked the news? Ren Duobaozhong recalled the disastrous defeat at Weizhou six months ago, a defeat that seemed inexplicable, with the Song army seizing the opportunity at the perfect moment.

He could only think of one prime suspect, but he dared not utter a word about it now. He could only wait until after the battle to speak out…

“In that case, it is indeed worrying. But I wonder who is the general in Huanzhou City?”

Mei Ledu shaded his eyes with his hand, gazing at the city walls.

The officer beside him hurriedly clasped his hands in salute: "Reporting to the commander, the banner on the city wall bears the character 'Zhong'."

"Zhong? The Zhong family generals of Hexi? Is it Zhong Jianzhong or Zhong Pu?"

"It must be Zhong Pu. This man's military tactics are quite similar to his father Zhong E's, and he is quite renowned in the Eastern Dynasty army. However, the Empress Dowager has already issued an edict, and we can only obey. Even if he has troops, Huanzhou City is small, and there isn't enough room for so many people on the city wall. In a narrow encounter, the brave will prevail! Today, let's test his ability to defend the city."

Renduo Baozhong lifted his cloak and shouted: "Niao Mibaiye!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

A great leader beside him, fully armored and of imposing stature, stepped forward and saluted.

"I, the commander, will give you five thousand men, combined with your own troops, making a total of ten thousand, to attack the northwest and southwest sides!"

Renduo Baozhong drew a command arrow and threw it to him.

"Your subordinate obeys!"

Niao Mibaiye bent down, picked up the command arrow, and ran out, holding it high.

"Mi Qinluo!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

Another general stepped forward.

"You lead your troops and attack the east!"

The command arrow was thrown down.

"Your subordinate obeys!"

At this moment, drums and horns sounded in unison outside, banners fluttered and ribbons billowed, and the sounds of men shouting and horses neighing filled the air. Countless ranks of soldiers, like a dense swarm of ants, adjusted their formations. The soldiers advancing into battle were a sea of people, stretching as far as the eye could see. Countless military flags waved overhead, like a ocean of flags.

Swords, spears, and halberds were densely packed like ears of wheat and hemp in a field of crops, and the ground trembled slightly, as if rolling thunder came from the earth.

"Send the order: each unit and army shall select one hundred skilled archers to serve on the front lines."

"Understood!"

"Send the order: dispatch the Po Xi Army to the front lines, ready to be deployed at any time. Send three thousand elite soldiers to directly attack the east, west, and north gates. Anyone who dares to retreat before breaching the gates shall be killed without mercy!"

"Understood!"

As the military orders were relayed, countless Western Xia troops moved at the command. The dark mass of soldiers covered the land, slowly approaching Huanzhou from three directions. Suddenly, a muffled horn sounded, echoing through the heavens and earth. Tens of thousands of arrows, amidst whistling gusts of wind, rained down on Huanzhou from all directions, while the Western Xia soldiers, shouting terrifying cries, raised their shields and carried siege ladders, striding towards Huanzhou.

"Surrounding three sides and leaving one open, truly brilliant."

Wei Ming A'mai had also arrived at the observation point at some point. This specially made high cart was over two zhang tall, offering a clear view of the battlefield. Ren Duo Baozhong and Mei Le had already exchanged greetings. Ren Duo Baozhong said, "This kind of trivial trick is probably of little use, just better than nothing. Zhong Pu is from a military family and is quite popular with the army. To truly achieve merit, he still needs to fight a hard battle."

Everyone turned to look, and indeed, as Ren Duo Baozhong had said, the Song army in Huanzhou was resisting fiercely. The Xia army's arrow rain was extremely dense, and the wooden parapets and crenellations on the city walls were covered with countless arrow shafts. The Song army was hiding behind them, constantly firing crossbow bolts downwards. Although the moats and tributaries outside the city were dry, the Song army had filled them with sharpened wooden stakes and caltrops. The Xia army tried to cross them by connecting planks of doors, but arrows and stones rained down from above.

Some Xia soldiers slipped and fell into the moats, while others were knocked down by stones. Some Xia soldiers even tried to wade across the bottom of the moat, but the Song army threw pottery jars filled with burning oil from the city walls. A barrage of fire arrows rained down from the city walls, turning the area below into a sea of fire. The Xia soldiers in the moats were burned, their bodies turning into fireballs, screaming and rolling on the ground. A makeshift moat bridge was also ignited, and the surrounding moats were piled high with the corpses of Xia soldiers.

Nearly ten thousand Xia archers were concentrated at the front, desperately firing arrows at the Song troops on the city walls. Countless arrows flew through the air like locusts, and Song soldiers kept falling from the walls, but for every one that fell, another would rise to take their place. All the able-bodied men in Huanzhou had been mobilized; every able-bodied man had been given bows, arrows, swords, and spears, ready to fight the Western invaders to the death.

The bodies of the Song soldiers carried down from the city walls piled up like a small mountain at the foot of the walls, growing higher and higher. Later, they simply stopped carrying them and pushed them down directly from the walls. Blood flowed down the cracks in the walls, turning the entire wall red, and the blood seeping from beneath the pile of corpses had formed a small red stream. Hundreds of

Han soldiers, carrying heavy timbers, risked their lives to rush to the city gate, but a volley of stones knocked down more than ten of them. Before they could even break down the gate, the sound of a bridge collapsing came from beneath their feet, and the ground suddenly collapsed, sending dozens of men and the heavy timbers tumbling into the pit. Then, every time the Song soldiers on the city wall removed a rubbing, a pit would collapse, and dozens of Xia soldiers would fall into the pit, breaking their bones and tendons.

"The Eastern Dynasty's reputation for defending cities is truly well-deserved..."

Ren Duo Baozhong sighed softly as he watched the battle unfold. Although the Xia army held an absolute advantage at the moment, the swarming assault on the city walls was not something he wanted to see, and the Xia army's casualties were rising sharply.

"However, the Song army won't be able to hold out for long. Huanzhou is not a large city after all."

Mei Le Du Bu turned his gaze and saw that dozens of long ladders had already been erected on the city walls, and countless Xia soldiers were climbing up. The Song army was desperately resisting with forks, and smoke balls from firearms were thrown down, causing Xia soldiers to fall in strings, sometimes more than a dozen at a time. But for every ladder that was overturned, a group of defenders on the city walls would be shot down by arrows from below.

"Po Xijun, it's time to go!"

Ren Duo Baozhong coldly gave the order. A caravan of camels emerged from the formation, each camel's hump equipped with a large, wheel-like whirlwind cannon. With banners waving, hundreds of fist-sized stones soared into the air, raining down on the city walls. Most struck the walls, some even injuring friendly fire, but a row of wooden parapets on the city walls collapsed, and those behind them fell in droves. These stones, each weighing two or three pounds, were fatal or severely wounding anyone who hit them.

The attacking Xia soldiers below cheered loudly and quickly assembled, building ladders to climb up. However, the Song soldiers above were equally ruthless. As one row fell, another rose, wielding yaksha sledgehammers and wolf-tooth sledgehammers, relentlessly striking down the fallen.

Moreover, they poured barrels of flaming oil down from above and threw burning swallowtail torches indiscriminately. Instantly, thick smoke billowed, and the long ladders were reduced to blazing torches. The Xia soldiers, engulfed in flames, jumped from the air, their screams heart-wrenching.

Renduo Baozhong didn't even raise an eyebrow, only continuously ordering the drums to be beaten and the horns to blow, urging the troops to attack. The Po Xi army kept firing cannons, while the Song army on the crossbow platforms on the city walls of Huanzhou pushed out their ballistae and fired wildly at the Po Xi army's position. The ballistae's iron hoppers were loaded with dozens of iron arrows at a time, and when several crossbows fired at once, it was like a rain of iron hitting them. Several camels were hit by this rain of iron, their flesh and blood flying everywhere, and they fell down with cries of pain. Wounded camels ran around in all directions. The Po Xi soldiers were also in a panic, after all, their whirlwind cannons had a shorter range than the ballistae, and the enemy was on higher ground.

"Order the Po Xi Army to hold their positions! Anyone who dares to move will be executed on the spot! The Po Xi Army bears a heavy responsibility; if they move, how will the attacking soldiers be protected? Continue firing the cannons! If the Po Xi Army is wiped out, send in ordinary soldiers. If the camels are all dead, carry them out by men!"

Ren Duo Bao Zhong's face was stern, his tone ruthless.

As soon as he finished speaking, several plumes of smoke fell from the sky amidst the Xia army's ranks, and pillars of fire burst forth from the crowd, instantly turning an area of several feet in diameter into a sea of flames. Dozens of Xia soldiers were engulfed by the flames, screaming and rolling on the ground. The Seven-Cannon in Huanzhou City unleashed its power, massive incendiary bombs raining down on the Xia army, spreading large amounts of poisonous smoke in all directions. The Xia army's attacking force was thrown into disarray for a moment, but quickly regained its footing.

The battle raged until dusk. Song banners still flew atop Huanzhou city walls, and the Song defenders appeared largely unchanged, as the number of soldiers on the walls remained the same. A hail of stones and crossbow bolts continued to rain down, interspersed with fireballs and volleys. Despite the Xia army's desperate advance, even briefly scaling the walls, they were ultimately driven back by the Song forces. The number of corpses inside and outside the city steadily increased, but the Western Xia bodies clearly outnumbered the Song corpses.

Although the city was surrounded on three sides with one open gate, no one seemed willing to flee through the south gate, perhaps anticipating an ambush.

Renduo Baozhong had already replaced his forces with another group to attack the city; the first wave, exhausted and suffering heavy losses, had been withdrawn to the main camp for rest and reorganization. He intended to wear down the Song army through this war of attrition. Inside the camp, the wounded were everywhere, cries of agony filling the air. Doctors rushed back and forth, carrying buckets of water. The Xia soldiers, parched from a day of fierce fighting, gulped down water from bamboo tubes, the entire camp filled with the sounds of heavy drinking…

South of Huanzhou, at Fangqu Village.

Two days earlier, nearly ten thousand Song soldiers had been defeated at the front. The defeated troops passed through Fangqu Village, heading straight for Maling Town in the rear—this represented all of Huanzhou's field forces. Meanwhile, a hundred or so Xia light cavalrymen were patrolling outside the village, their mission to monitor the Song army at Fangqu Village.

Although the Xia cavalry were outnumbered, they remained calm, for the Iron Falcon Army was stationed behind them in Mubo Town, and nearly twenty thousand regular light cavalrymen were stationed along the route, ready to provide rapid reinforcements should anything occur. With tens of thousands of elite troops as their backing, they wouldn't hesitate to attack the Song army's main camp right now.

Flags were everywhere inside the castle opposite, and Song army camps were also located outside. It seemed this wasn't a temporary camp, but a well-prepared fortified stronghold. The walls were made of thick timbers over a foot in diameter, with numerous stilts erected on top. Moats and chevaux-de-frise were dug outside, and Song soldiers behind the walls watched them warily with crossbows at their ready.

Xu Lianghong, the seventh general of Huanqing Road, stood atop the watchtower, glancing at the sky and then at the distant Xia army cavalry, hoping for darkness to fall quickly so the enemy would withdraw. When Zhe Keshi retreated through this area, he left Xu Lianghong to guard this stronghold as a shield for Maling Town.

At this moment, in Maling Town behind him, although the banners of various generals fluttered atop the city walls, the town itself contained only a few hundred wounded, sick, and disabled people—it was practically an empty city.

Earlier, sentries patrolling outside the town captured a junior Song soldier from Ansebao. Initially, they thought him a deserter, but Zhe Keshi insisted on interrogating him personally. Many found this suspicious; the fortresses of Huanzhou were surrounded like an iron barrel, and breaking through would require the skills of a sword immortal like Xue Hongxian or Nie Yinniang. However, the news they received astonished everyone: the Xia army besieging the fortresses had begun to withdraw!

Many expressed disbelief, but the junior soldier said that a plague seemed to have broken out among the Western bandits' army. Many had inexplicably collapsed and died, their bodies carelessly dumped by the roadside, all with black blood in their seven orifices—symptoms of poisoning. The Western barbarians believed it was a curse from ghosts and gods. Some tribes broke camp and headed towards Huanzhou to join the main army, while others, though still under siege, seemed to be losing morale. Therefore, he managed to leave his camp through a tunnel to seek reinforcements in Qingzhou.

Upon receiving this news, Zhe Keshi decided to personally go to Anseburg, handing over his own command flag to Xu Lianghong and directly appointing him as the seventh acting general. However, he only left the wounded and some elderly and infirm soldiers with limited mobility to Xu Lianghong, leaving less than a thousand combat-ready soldiers in the entire Fangqu Fortress. The remaining eight thousand or so capable soldiers were taken away. Xu Lianghong felt that Zhe Keshi must know something, but Zhang Jie had clearly ordered all generals to be under his command, with those who disobeyed to be punished according to military law, so he could not ask. Moreover, what he needed to worry about now was whether he could deceive the Western bandits on the other side.

"Pass down the order: all troops should make a great commotion and create a spectacle. Select fifty brave warriors, each on horseback, to follow me into battle."

As a feint, sometimes courage was even more necessary. The Western bandits on the other side were not easy to fool; without putting in some effort, it was unlikely that they would be deceived.

"Understood!"

At this time, there were only fifty horses in the fortress, which Zhe Keshi had left for him as a precaution. Xu Lianghong mounted his horse, steeling his resolve to leave the camp, when suddenly he heard a sentry in a hanging basket overhead waving his arms and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Reinforcements! Reinforcements are here!"

Xu Lianghong climbed higher and looked again, and saw a large, dark mass of Song troops winding their way along the mountain road to the south, their banners fluttering, their formation imposing. Several hundred cavalrymen led the way, already approaching the southern entrance of Fangqu Village. On the banner was a single character, "Zhang," and the leading general was clearly visible—it was Zhang Cun, the military governor of Qingzhou.

"Finally..."

A huge weight lifted from Xu Lianghong's heart. "Open the gates, welcome the reinforcements!"

The Xia army opposite had obviously seen them too, and with a whistle, they calmly and slowly retreated...

Huanzhou, Xia army's main camp.

The attacking Xia army had retreated, and the area beneath the city walls was piled high with corpses from both sides. Burning ladders still clung to the walls, and several fires still raged; the entire battlefield was a scene of utter devastation.

"What happened?"

Ren Duo Baozhong, Wei Ming Amai, and others stood at the front camp, their faces ashen as they stared at the soldiers lying on the ground. All of them were dead, their faces black, black blood flowing from their orifices—clearly poisoned. The number was estimated to be over a thousand. The generals beside them were also deathly pale.

During the siege, many soldiers suddenly convulsed and then collapsed and died; countless others perished in this manner, directly contributing to the Xia army's rout.

Now, hundreds of generals, chieftains, and leaders from various camps and units had gathered in the central command tent. Their respective camps had all experienced poisoning. The poison was extremely potent; so far, none of those poisoned had survived. Such widespread poisoning was enough to drive them mad.

Even within the direct forces of high-ranking officials like Ren Duo Baozhong and Mei Le Du Bu, hundreds had died from poisoning.

"Someone must have poisoned them!"

Mei Le Du Bu immediately understood. In fact, everyone understood, but where did the poison come from? How could it have spread so widely?

"Water source!"

Rendo Baozhong's mind went blank.

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, men in all the other battalions have collapsed and died after drinking the water, and the leaders are in a state of panic."

The central officer reported on his knees. Actually, Rendo Baozhong already knew this even without the officer's report. With over 100,000 troops, their daily water supply came from Niuquanpo. How many people had already drunk that water by now!

"Issue the order! No more troops are allowed to drink water from Niuquanpo. Any water already brought should be discarded on the spot."

Rendo Baozhong's mind was buzzing. The poison wasn't the problem; the key issue was that morale was now in chaos, and no one dared to drink water. With over 100,000 troops stationed in the field, water was their lifeline. Without water, they couldn't fight, and they couldn't even survive.

"Commander-in-Chief, the Empress Dowager has arrived."

Rendo Baozhong turned around and saw Empress Dowager Liang approaching angrily, accompanied by hundreds of guards.

She had just been in the imperial tent, indulging in passionate pleasure with her handsome eunuch, enjoying a climax of intense carnal desire, when suddenly the man bled from all seven orifices and died on his own stomach. She was nearly scared out of her wits. When she finally understood what had happened, she learned that her hundreds of thousands of troops were in complete disarray.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects!"

Thousands of people around her knelt down in a flash.

"Rise, gentlemen. What has happened?" Empress Dowager

Liang, seeing the scene before her, was stunned, taking a step back and covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve.

"Your Majesty, a traitor has poisoned the drinking water of our army. Many soldiers in various camps have been poisoned."

"Who is the traitor?"

"This… I fear it was the Song army."

"What are the casualties?"

"The casualties in each camp are still being tallied."

Ren Duo Baozhong's heart was now ice-cold. Although the total number hadn't been reported, he knew it was definitely not low. He knew the size of Niuquan Lake. To pollute such a large body of water, the amount of poison needed would probably require cartloads; hundreds or even thousands of kilograms wouldn't be effective. The fact that his troops controlled Niuquan Lake on the day of their advance meant that the Song army had poisoned it before their invasion. Such a large quantity of poison couldn't have been prepared in just a day or two, nor could it have been used so casually.

This was the only water source outside Huanzhou City. The Song army's actions clearly indicated premeditation. Unless they were absolutely certain that the Xia army's true target was Huanzhou, they couldn't have prepared so much poison beforehand, much less used such a ruthless tactic. This water source was normally supplied to the Song Dynasty; after this incident, the lake would likely be rendered useless. Moreover

, the poison's potency was unprecedented, completely different from arsenic and aconite.

Viper venom and arsenic might have similar toxicity, but they were extremely rare and couldn't have been used on such a large scale. The fact that the Song army could obtain this poison showed that they had indeed been preparing for many days.

Rendo Baozhong was certain that even if Zhang Jie was ruthless, he wouldn't use such methods beforehand without knowing whether the Xia army would actually invade.

Coupled with his previous suspicions, could someone have really leaked military intelligence beforehand? Song army spies couldn't be that resourceful! Who else could it be, Liang Yibu? Was this guy really so depraved that he dared to collude with the enemy? To commit such a treasonous act?

Rendo Baozhong exchanged glances with Meile Dubu, Wei Ming Amai, and others, and saw the same doubt and fear in their eyes. These were all seasoned generals, and they immediately realized that this expedition might have led them into an enemy trap…

October 15th, Anse Fort Song Village, inside the main hall of the government office.

After a day of arduous trekking through the mountains, with over 800 Song soldiers lagging behind, they finally arrived at Anse Fort with great difficulty.

Because the main force of the Western Xia army was stationed along a flat line from Baimachuan to Malingshui, and the northeast of Huanzhou was mostly mountainous, places like Ansai Village, Huiding Village, and Mugua Village were far from the main road and isolated in the mountains. The Western Xia considered them of little value, so they didn't have many troops surrounding them. Recently, they had suffered from a poisoning disaster, resulting in many deaths. Panicked and fearing for their lives, they hastily withdrew their troops. This is why Zhe Keshi was able to enter the city safely.

"Just as I thought, hmph..."

The generals sat around him in the hall. Zhe Keshi looked at the corpses of the Western Xia soldiers on the ground and sneered repeatedly.

The sixth deputy general Liu Suo, the seventh deputy general Zhang Xi, the sixth general Dang Wan, the cavalry leader of Suning Village Mu Hua, the cavalry leader of Wulan Village Mo Lebo, and the chieftain of Ansai Village Meng Zhen were puzzled by his laughter. Liu Suo coughed, about to ask, but Zhe Keshi, looking excited, offered to explain.

"Generals, the Western bandits have fallen for Commander Zhang's plan. I predict that they will withdraw their troops within ten days. The day they withdraw will be the day we defeat them and achieve victory!"

"I wonder why you say this, Your Excellency? What plan has Commander Zhang devised?"

Liu asked, voicing everyone's doubts.

"Gentlemen, you may not know, but Commander Zhang foresaw the Western bandits' attack on Huanzhou beforehand. He poisoned Niuquan Lake beforehand. The Western bandits, numbering over 100,000, relied on this lake for water. Now the poison has taken effect, and the army is without water. How can we stay any longer? Liang is a woman, but Renduo, Meile, and Weiming are all knowledgeable in military affairs. Knowing they've fallen into a trap, how could they not retreat?"

"I see. No wonder Commander Zhang strictly ordered each village to dig wells and not to leave the village to fetch water."

"You mean, after the Western bandits retreat, we will pursue their rear?"

"If the Western bandits retreat, their rear guard will surely consist of elite troops like the Iron Falcons and the Capture-the-Life. Why should we bother with such a tough nut to crack..."

Before he could finish speaking, a junior officer rode swiftly from the city gate. Zhe Keshi, recognizing the scout he had sent to gather intelligence, immediately widened his eyes.

After verifying the officer's token and password, the officer entered the main hall, knelt on one knee, and announced that he had military intelligence to report.

"What is it?"

"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, just as you predicted, the Western bandit cavalry of Mubo Town have already retreated north in batches, heading to Huanzhou to join the main Western bandit army."

"Go and collect your reward." Zhe Keshi

's expression immediately changed.

"As expected, the Western bandits are preparing to retreat. If they retreat, they will definitely pass through the main road of Hongde Village. The Western bandits suffered a setback at Huanzhou this time, and were also poisoned. They have been traveling a long distance without water, and they must be starving and thirsty. Their morale is not good. We will go around to their retreat route and ambush them. When the Liang family's central army arrives, they will underestimate the number of troops in our various villages and will be unprepared. We will ambush and kill them by surprise, and we will surely defeat them."

As he said this, Zhe Keshi's gaze slowly swept over the generals, and he uttered each word through gritted teeth: "If Heaven opens its eyes, we can capture the false empress of the Liang family in one battle! This is an unparalleled feat..." With

a "smack," Zhe Keshi slammed his hand on the table and stood up, shouting sharply: "Do you gentlemen wish to be ennobled?"

Zhe Keshi's words were resounding and full of heroic spirit. The generals present were filled with fervor, and they all stood up at once, clasped their hands, and shouted: "We are willing to follow the general to defeat the enemy and serve the country! We will share wealth and glory!"

"Good!"

Zhe Keshi shouted: "Bring the wine!"

The head of the personal guards, Gao Long, led a group of personal guards in carrying a wine jar. Each general took a bowl and drank it down. Zhe Keshi smashed his wine bowl: "To be able to fight alongside you all on the battlefield is a life well-lived! Where is Meng Zhen?!"

The vassal official Meng Zhen bowed and roared: "Your subordinate is here!" "

Our entire army will take the route through the Great Insect Valley, detouring through the mountains to ambush at Hongde Village. General Meng, you know the Great Insect Valley well. The notorious bandit Su Yanfu of Hedong was tricked there by you. There are many Western bandit camps along this route. Our army must hide during the day and travel at night, without using fire, lest we be discovered by the Western bandits. Therefore, we need your guidance, General. Your troops will also accompany us." "

To be able to fight the bandits alongside you, General, is more than I could ask."

"Mu Hua, Mo Lebo."

"Your subordinate is here!"

The two generals clasped their hands in salute. March 21,

Chapter 6

: "The two strongholds of Wulan and Suning are interdependent with Hongde. Generals, each lead a thousand elite troops to ambush within the two strongholds. When the Western bandit's central army passes by, light fires and smoke signals. Once the ambush at Hongde's stronghold is activated, each general will lead their troops to attack the bandits."

"Your subordinate obeys!"

"Gentlemen..."

Zhe Keshi looked at the generals present. After this fierce battle, he wondered how many would survive to see him again.

"We are deeply grateful for the Emperor's favor; we must fight to the death to repay our country. On the day of the reward for defeating the bandits, wealth and honor will be shared with all of you!"

"On the day of the reward for defeating the bandits, wealth and honor

will be shared with all of you!" The generals clasped their fists in unison in agreement.

"Issue the order: advance!"

October 17th, night, beneath the walls of Huanzhou City.

Empress Dowager Liang sat in her imperial carriage with its yellow canopy, giving a hateful glance at the towering city of Huanzhou in the night, and finally, helplessly, accepted the fact of withdrawing her troops. Along the road beside her, a massive throng of Xia soldiers surged like a turbid torrent, embarking on their journey northwards back home.

Since the discovery of the poison in the water three days prior, the morale of the entire army had been in turmoil. The four military leaders—Renduo Baozhong, Weiming Amai, Meile Dubu, and Yebo Mai—pleaded with her to retreat immediately. Although she had issued orders forbidding the drawing of water from Niuquan Lake, over four thousand soldiers had already been poisoned, half of them dead, and the remaining, less severely poisoned, were completely crippled. Even more terrifying was the lack of water; many wounded soldiers had died of thirst.

Even if Empress Dowager Liang knew little about military affairs, she understood the gravity of the situation. As a nomadic people who had long lived in the desert, the Tanguts were acutely aware of the importance of water. Furthermore, news from the rear made her restless; many troops besieging the various villages had already withdrawn without authorization due to poisoning and lack of water.

The military intelligence from the south was even worse. After the Iron Falcon Army withdrew from Mubo Town, the Song army began its northward advance. Initially, it was in small groups, but yesterday afternoon, a large contingent of Song troops appeared in Mubo Town. According to scouts, the main road from Maling Town to Mubo Town was filled with a vast Song army marching continuously from night until dawn, with an estimated number of up to 20,000. The Song commander-in-chief knew that they were using the banner of Li Hao, the commander of the Huanqing Road.

Li Hao was a famous general of the Eastern Dynasty, and the Western Xia emperor and his officials knew him very well. Among the generals of the Song army in Shaanxi, none had a more impressive resume and seniority than him. During the reign of Emperor Renzong, he followed Di Qing on the southern expedition and distinguished himself. Later, Li Hao participated in and repeatedly made outstanding contributions in major battles during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, such as the Song-Xia struggle for Suizhou, Wang Shao's expansion of Xihe, Zhang Dun's conquest of Nanjiang, and Guo Kui's conquest of Jiaozhi. Later, he presented Wang Anshi with the "Strategy for Pacifying the Borders," which was praised by Emperor Shenzong. During the Yuanfeng Western Expedition, as the vanguard of General Li Xian, he led troops to capture Lanzhou, bringing this once-powerful Han and Tang dynasty stronghold back to the Chinese territory after more than two hundred years of subjugation by foreign tribes. For his merits, he was promoted to Commander-in

-Chief of the Imperial Guard, commanding the Imperial Guard. After the Yuanyou Restoration, Li Hao, this "petty man of the New Party," was naturally unacceptable to the "gentlemen" and was ostracized from Bianjing. He served as the deputy commander of Jingyuan, Linyan, and Huanqing, and was sent to the far northwest to guard the border.

This man had fought on the battlefield for more than thirty years, serving four emperors. He was a true veteran of countless battles, and his prestige in the army was well-established. Indeed, apart from Zhang Jie, only he was qualified to command an army of tens of thousands.

It seems that Zhang Jie has come out with all his might this time. With 20,000 men plus the previously defeated Song army, that's close to 30,000. This is almost the entire field force of the Huanqing Road. Zhang Jie is clearly going all in this time, intending to decide the outcome in one fell swoop.

These 30,000-plus men weren't actually a huge number, but they represented the arrival of Song reinforcements to Huanzhou. Reinforcements from Linyan Road might arrive tomorrow, and from Jingyuan Road the day after. When that happened, the real trouble would begin.

The siege of Huanzhou had failed, the army was without water, and enemy reinforcements had reached Mubo Town, now directly threatening the Xia army besieging Huanzhou. Even so, despite the earnest advice of her high-ranking officials, Empress Dowager Liang delayed for two more days before deciding to withdraw. Her first campaign against the Song Dynasty had ended in such a laughable, anticlimactic failure, with over 5,000 casualties and nothing gained—it was truly unbearable.

However, the current situation forced her to swallow this bitter pill. Renduo Baozhong, standing beside her, advised, "Empress Dowager, don't worry about it. We can regroup today and seek revenge next year."

"Hmph, I only regret that someone leaked military intelligence; otherwise, we wouldn't have suffered this defeat! If I could obtain evidence, I would surely exterminate their entire family!"

At this moment, Empress Dowager Liang subconsciously tried to find a reason for her "defeat," and Renduo Baozhong's analysis was indeed reasonable. Liang Yibu, that traitor, had actually colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country; his crime deserved death!

Renduo Baozhong lowered his head, and no one could see the expression on his face.

He still couldn't be sure if Liang Yibu had truly colluded with the enemy. Political struggles were one thing, but he might not be so sure about military matters. If someone had indeed colluded with the Song Dynasty, then with Zhang Jie's abilities, he would not have easily let this opportunity pass. Besides poisoning, there must be even more ruthless schemes waiting for them.

"But I wonder what the Song army in Mubo Town is doing. What if they attack while our army is withdrawing?" "

It was now completely dark, and the Xia army had all lit torches, illuminating the road as bright as day. From afar, it looked like a colossal fire dragon winding through the mountains.

" "Your Majesty," said the commander, "our rearguard consists of elite cavalry; in open battle, none can withstand them. I will personally lead the Iron Falcon Army to hold the rear. If the Song army doesn't come, fine; but if they do, we will make sure they cannot escape."

"Excellent! Today's grudge will be repaid tenfold by the Eastern Dynasty tomorrow." Empress Dowager Liang

finally uttered a perfunctory remark, and her imperial carriage, escorted by her guards, embarked on its journey north.

Early morning on the 18th, at Suning Village.

Mu Hua lay prone on the battlements, watching the road below the mountain by the firelight. Since their arrival on the 17th, they had been resting and recuperating for a day, and according to their intelligence, the Western Xia army would retreat within the next day or two. The soldiers surrounding the village had almost completely withdrawn, clearly having returned home first. These villages were practically unguarded, demonstrating the extent of the Western Xia's morale collapse. Meanwhile, in

the village behind him, his vassal soldiers were all well-fed and ready for battle. They were just waiting for the Western bandits to arrive for a major battle. The Qiang people were naturally fierce and considered dying in battle auspicious, so his men weren't afraid of the Western bandits' numbers.

Their Mu family had served the court since the reign of Emperor Renzong, with two clan leaders dying in service to the king. The Mu family's cavalry had always been a mainstay of the Huanqing Circuit's army. What reward would the court give them if this battle was won? Perhaps a new surname? They'd heard that the leader of the Weizhou cavalry had been granted the surname Bao by the court, and since then, he'd been smugly telling everyone he met that he was a relative of Bao Zheng, that Bao Qingtian was a celestial being descended to earth, and that being related to him was an immense honor.

As for himself, if he rendered meritorious service, he would ask the emperor to grant him the surname Fan, since Prime Minister Fan was also a celestial being descended to earth.

Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly saw flames flickering on the southern road. Countless torches illuminated almost the entire night sky, and a wild military aura surged from the ground to the heavens. Amidst billowing smoke and dust, the seemingly endless Western bandit army retreated.

"They're here! Children, prepare for battle!"

Then, the massive Western bandit force reached the gates of Suning Village. They seemed completely unconcerned about the Song army within, swaggering past the gates without even leaving anyone to guard them.

This was utterly insulting.

Mu Hua clenched his fists. These Xia dogs were going too far! Did they really think the Great Song Dynasty was without men? He slowly drew his sword and whispered the order: "Light the fire!"

Huge flames shot up from the beacon towers of Suning Village, glowing eerily green, like will-o'-the-wisps from the underworld. This was a fire specially prepared by Zhe Keshi, supposedly containing some kind of elixir, specifically for today's events. A commotion arose among the Xia army marching outside the city. Having never seen green flames before, they moved with increasing speed and disarray, their hearts pounding with fear.

Soon, the beacon fires of Wulan Village in the distance also lit, their flames a similar green.

However, Hongde Village remained silent. Zhe Keshi had issued a strict order: they must wait until the rebel army's central camp passed by, and only then, upon seeing the signal fire, could they raise their troops.

After an unknown amount of time, the Western rebel army finally passed. This must be the vanguard; the central army must be next. Sure enough, not long after, an even larger army rolled in. Mu Hua, with his sharp eyes, spotted the bright apricot-yellow banner in the middle of the procession—the imperial yellow. Beneath the banner was a yellow canopy, and countless splendidly dressed guards in brocade robes surrounded a massive chariot drawn by sixteen horses. This chariot was essentially a small palace on wheels, its carved beams and painted pillars, adorned with gold and jade, displaying extreme opulence. There was no other chariot like it.

Empress Dowager Liang! Mu Hua gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his eyes fixed on the massive carriage and procession slowly disappearing from his sight. He turned his head towards Hongde Village, his teeth clenching involuntarily.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a flash of green light suddenly appeared in the night sky towards Hongde Village, followed by the faint sound of war drums. A chilling aura swept in from beyond the earth on the night wind, carrying the stench of blood and the killing intent of war! It carried an aura of carnage, as if mountains were collapsing and the earth were splitting, the shouts of a thousand armies echoing in the night wind. "

On the day of victory, riches and honors will be shared by all!

Let's fight!"

Mu Hua let out a long roar, brandished his sword, and shouted, "My children, today's battle is a fight to the death! Our army is no match for the enemy, and if we retreat, we will surely perish! We must fight to the death! If we win this battle, the rewards will remain the same, the loot will be divided among us, and each of us will receive two bolts of fine silk!"

The soldiers cheered and shouted, their fear of the Xia army long forgotten, their minds filled only with the prospect of dividing the spoils after victory.

Seeing that their morale was high, Mu Hua mounted his horse and roared, "Beat the drums! Open the gates! Form ranks!"

Amidst the thunderous war drums, almost the entire force of the thousand cavalry and four hundred infantrymen of the Suning Fortress surged forth, a vast, dark mass like tigers descending a mountain, pressing down on the bewildered Xia army. The Xia army was thrown into chaos. Mu Hua saw an opportunity, drew his bow, and with a whoosh, a Western Xia army flag fell to the ground.

"Serve the court! Grant titles and honors to your wives and children! Today is the day! My children! Kill!"

"Kill!"

Over a thousand warriors erupted in a deafening roar, charging forward like a collapsing mountain or a bursting dam. Powerful crossbows rained down on the Xia army like locusts.

The Battle of Hongde Village, a battle recorded in history between Song and Xia, had begun…

************ October 18th, afternoon, Hongde Village.

On the west bank of the Baima River, the roars of the Song army echoed across the plains. Tens of thousands of soldiers from both Song and Xia armies clashed in a chaotic melee. Warhorses neighed, weapons clashed, and the ground was littered with the corpses of men and horses, broken swords, spears, and arrows. Dozens of burning carts lay scattered across the road, blocking the way and preventing countless Xia soldiers from joining the battle. Meanwhile, arrows flew overhead from within the city, and men were frequently struck and fell.

On the battlefield, hundreds of guards were protecting Empress Dowager Liang's imperial carriage, but due to blocked roads and the carriage's massive size, it was unable to leave the battlefield. Fortunately, Meile Dubu commanded Xia soldiers to continuously arrive to protect her, and for the time being, no Song soldiers could get close.

This was the first time in her life that the Song army had gotten so close.

She now realized that she had fallen into the Song army's trap. The defeated Zhe Keshi army, who should have been chasing them down with Li Hao, had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, cutting off their retreat. Moreover, their target was very clear; they repeatedly charged towards her carriage. Compared to their previous cowardice, the Song army was now as fierce as tigers, fighting for nearly four hours since before dawn and still as ferocious as ever.

If it weren't for the veteran general Meile Dubu's calm and collected response, she might have been captured by the Song army's surprise attack from the very beginning.

Clearly, the initial cowardice displayed by these valiant Song soldiers was merely a ruse. Their current display reveals their true ferocity.

This indicates that from the very beginning, even before the poison attack, she had already fallen into the Song army's trap. From the start until now, every day, every step she took, had been part of the Song army's calculations.

She still vividly remembers the moment the world suddenly turned upside down.

The green flames atop the city walls, terrifying green flames, like will-o'-the-wisps from the underworld, illuminated the entire night sky with a chilling gloom, as if the gates of hell had truly opened that night. No one had expected so many Song soldiers to be lurking within this stronghold. Dozens of burning chariots, like giant monsters, surged onto the road, followed by a torrent of Song soldiers rushing in like a burst dam.

The Xia army's ranks were instantly thrown into disarray. In the torchlight, it seemed as if enemies were everywhere. In the shadows, it appeared as if Song soldiers were lurking on the surrounding hills, their ambush not limited to one route, but also cutting off the road from the roadside. The Xia army couldn't tell how many enemies there were in the darkness, only the deafening shouts of battle filling the air. The entire army was in chaos. Had it not been for Meile Dubu desperately holding him back, he would have already succumbed to fear and fled. Meile Dubu had guaranteed with his life that the Song army was not numerous, merely using the darkness to disrupt morale. He assured them that as long as they maintained their formation and held out until dawn, the main force would press forward and annihilate this Song army.

It was already afternoon, but the Song army seemed tireless and unharmed, their frenzied shouts and charges only further disrupting the growing Xia army. The Song army had gained the upper hand.

Although Mei Ledubu's face remained calm, his heart was burning with anxiety.

Clearly, Zhe Keshi had deliberately circled around to wait for them, and behind them lay Li Hao's 20,000 fresh troops. The vanguard had already passed, but the central army was now stuck here, unable to move. If Li Hao seized the opportunity to launch a direct attack, the already demoralized Xia army, caught in a pincer movement, risked total annihilation.

Thinking of this, he suddenly shuddered. Could this be Zhang Jie's plan? Judging from his strategy, it was highly likely. Moreover, the Song army's actions so far had been perfectly coordinated. With their own side blocked, they had just received a military report that Li Hao's army had reached Huanzhou; their next move would likely be a pincer attack from the rear. "

Renduo Baozhong, you must hold off Li Hao! Otherwise, none of us will have the face to face Emperor Jingzong."

The situation of the rear army was unknown, but the current situation was no better.

Although the Xia army had a significant numerical advantage, the Song army, though smaller in number, was extremely fierce and cunning. They relentlessly pursued the imperial camp where Empress Dowager Liang's carriage was located. The massive, ornate imperial carriage was a highly conspicuous target, and regardless of casualties, the Song army tenaciously persisted. When the imperial carriage moved to the left, the Song army charged to the left; when it moved to the right, the Song army charged to the right. Their objective was clear: to strike at the heart of the Xia army and create chaos throughout the entire campaign, and the Xia army was already in disarray.

At this moment, only about ten thousand Xingqing Prefecture guards and two thousand imperial guards were truly resisting the Song army. Empress Dowager Liang suspected Liang Yibu of plotting a rebellion, and Liang Yibu, having long held military power and possessing many followers within the army, feared that his followers would take advantage of the chaos during the retreat to commit crimes. Therefore, during the withdrawal, a strict order was issued: no battalion or unit of the central army was allowed to approach within five li of the imperial camp without permission. The emperor's escort was entirely handled by the Imperial Guards and the Xingqing Prefecture Guards.

These two armies were normally the imperial guards protecting the Xia emperor and the capital. Although they were well-trained and elite troops, the six Imperial Guards within the imperial perimeter were the Xia emperor's personal guards, long stationed in the palace during a period of peace. The Xingqing Prefecture Guards numbered over 90,000, with 20,000 coming this time. However, only 5,000 of them were regular soldiers; the rest were auxiliary troops. The vast majority of officers and soldiers had never fought in battle, and their combat experience was far inferior to that of the armies under the Twelve Supervisory Offices, which were seasoned veterans. Thus, although they had not been defeated in the fierce fighting with the Song army, they were in disarray and unable to shake off the Song army's entanglement.

The Song army, on the other hand, appeared to be a battle-hardened elite force. Their cavalry charged in formation, seemingly chaotic, but actually providing mutual cover and displaying considerable discipline. The soldiers who lost their horses formed squares with the infantry, their long spears and shields striking the crossbowmen in layers, using the carts for cover to repel the Xia army's reinforcements. The rest of the Xia army, without orders, dared not advance, and the battlefield couldn't accommodate these men; they could only advance piecemeal, but struggled to break through the Song infantry's formation.

Moreover, besides the imperial guards, the central army consisted mostly of infantry from the Hengshan vassal tribe, numbering over 60,000.

Traditionally, the Western Xia had to draw troops from the Hengshan vassal tribe as a vanguard for every military campaign, because these tribesmen were known for their fierce fighting spirit and bloodthirstiness; they had participated in all the major and minor battles between the Song and Xia, making them the main force in the Western Xia army for tough and arduous battles. To control these tribes, the Western Xia established the Left Wing Military Supervisory Offices to pacify them.

Besides the Xingqing Prefecture Guard, the Six Guards of the Imperial Enclosure, the Iron Falcons, and the Capture-the-Life Force directly under the Xia Emperor's command, most of the troops dispatched were drawn from the Left Wing Army Commands. The Left Wing Army Commands of Jingsai, Baotai, Jianing, Xiangyou, and Shenyong controlled the Qianli Hengshan region, and the mountainous vassal states in these areas were largely divided among these five commands. Each command had between 20,000 and 30,000 troops, and the smallest between 10,000 and 20,000, all border troops under their command. With the Empress Dowager's personal campaign, each command mobilized over 10,000 vassal troops to accompany her.

Although these infantrymen were known as the elite of the land, the vast majority were skilled in close-quarters combat and not adept at using bows and crossbows. The Song army had numerous crossbowmen in their infantry formations. The infantrymen, clad in simple armor, charged repeatedly dozens of times, only to be repelled by a hail of arrows. Furthermore, the thousand elite crossbowmen on the walls of Hongde Village rained down arrows, their crossfire felling nearly a thousand men.

This helpless situation, where they could only be beaten without being able to retaliate, ignited the savagery of these mountain barbarians. Many roared and even attempted to attack Hongde Village, only to become easy targets before they even reached the city walls. Their desire for revenge for their people fueled the attack, prompting more tribes to join the fight, only to be driven back again, creating even greater chaos in the ensuing battle. The Xia army generals futilely issued orders for their troops to remain still, but the wildness of these vassal tribes had already taken hold, and they completely ignored these orders.

More and more Xia troops gathered on the main road, countless men crouching or standing with shields raised, guarding against arrows flying overhead—a scene with an indescribable eeriness.

The troops arriving later couldn't find enough space and simply went down into the riverbed. Now, the riverbed was nothing more than exposed weeds and pebbles, just small streams and puddles, hardly qualifying as a river at all. Tens of thousands of troops entered, instantly filling the riverbed as well. However, these people were all watching the battle from their vantage point. Since the Empress Dowager's carriage hadn't left and they hadn't been ordered to continue, they all stopped. Some took the opportunity to run and scoop water from the stream to drink. The soldiers, who had been thirsty for a long time, immediately followed suit when they saw others drinking, rushing to grab water. The Xia army's ranks were already large and chaotic, and this made them even more disorganized. Soldiers shouted and horses neighed, only knowing to scramble for water. Seeing this ,

Mei Le Du Bu was furious and loudly ordered the troops not to move rashly, but no one listened.

Just then, the first cannon of Hongde Village fired repeatedly, the west gate opened wide, and thousands of Song cavalry roared out. These warhorses galloped like the wind on the mountain road, disregarding formations, charging headlong into the chaotic Xia army's center. The riders were all dressed as Qiang people, their weapons and armor varied, but their fierce appearance was truly as ferocious as lions and tigers.

The Xia army, already demoralized from its repeated defeats, was exhausted and thirsty from its long march through the night. Many were parched and their throats were parched. Now, still reeling from the ambush, tens of thousands of soldiers were scrambling for water in the riverbed, completely disorganized and devoid of discipline. Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted. Looking up, they saw thousands of fierce cavalry charging towards them like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey. Chaos ensued. Before they could even form ranks, the enemy cavalry broke

through their lines, and in an instant, corpses rolled and blood flew everywhere. The Song army broke through, and the Xia army's ranks rippled like waves. The chaos spread rapidly, inevitably affecting Empress Dowager Liang's small group. Mei Le Du Bu was extremely anxious. The Song army had chosen the perfect moment, striking precisely at the Xia army's weak point. Now, unable to command effectively, he could only protect Empress Dowager Liang's carriage and slowly push it backward, surrounded by his personal guards.

At this moment, the Xia army could only rely on individual soldiers fighting on their own. As long as they maintained their fighting spirit, even if these few thousand Song soldiers could be arrogant for a while, they would eventually be overwhelmed by the Xia army. After all, the Xia army outnumbered the Song army by an absolute majority, and Ye Bomai and Wei Ming'a were still trying their best to command amidst the chaos, even though they were also being swept along by the tide of the battle.

In fact, the chaos was mainly caused by the Xia army itself. The infantrymen were fearless in battle, but they also had the worst discipline. The main source of the chaos was these barbarians. Although they were forced to stop charging into the camp due to the power of the Song army's crossbows, the range of various powerful crossbows on the walls of Hongde Village covered the entire battlefield and even reached into the river. The volleys of arrows felled the barbarians in droves. The simple armor and shields on the barbarians' bodies could not stop the crossbow bolts. Once attacked, these barbarians shouted and ran around in all directions to avoid the arrows. Although the other troops outside the river were disciplined, they were disrupted by these barbarians.

Looking around, Meile Dubu saw that the central army within his sight was in complete disarray. Arrows rained down from above, and Song soldiers charged recklessly through the ranks. The morale of the vassal states was low, and the fighting was becoming increasingly chaotic. It would be impossible to quell the situation in the short term. The only way to control the situation now was to mobilize elite troops with strong discipline and combat effectiveness no less than that of Shan'e.

The fighting strength of the Western Xia was comparable to that of the Bubazi, and the only disciplined troops were the Iron Falcons, known for their invulnerability to swords and spears and their ability

to uproot mountains and forests. These were the true elite troops composed of the most valiant warriors among the Dangxiang people. At this moment, the Iron Falcons were led by Renduo Baozhong and were still in the rear, monitoring the main Song army that had advanced to Huanzhou. According to scouts, the area outside Huanzhou was densely packed with Song army camps. Their military bearing was magnificent and disciplined, and their momentum was overwhelming. It was clear that the Song army consisted entirely of elite troops, determined to win. Li Hao, a seasoned and experienced warrior, was sure to pull off some unexpected tactics with such a powerful army at his disposal.

With a "whoosh," a nearby personal guard deflected a stray arrow with his sword.

Mei Le Du Bu, gripping his longsword, watched as the Song army charged again, shouting. The vassal cavalry, after circling and fighting their way through the ranks, had also managed to break free. The chaotic mass of soldiers collided and clashed once more. Despite their best efforts, the imperial guards and personal guards were unable to escape the relentless fighting…

October 18th, dusk, north of Huanzhou, Yemaling.

On the high slope, Ren Duo Bao Zhong watched the Song army fleeing towards Huanzhou, the scattered weapons and banners at the foot of the mountain, and the more than three hundred headless corpses of Song soldiers. He sneered disdainfully. In the desolate and silent mountains, the battle that had just ended seemed as if it had never happened. And the tens of thousands of fierce cavalry waiting in battle formation behind the mountain had only had a brief opportunity to demonstrate their prowess; they had not yet had the chance to truly shine.

Upon learning of the ambush and setback at the central army camp, Ren Duobao immediately realized that his forces had fallen into the Song army's trap. The Song army had meticulously lured the Xia army into their trap step by step, and now was the time to launch a decisive attack. Considering that some tribes in the besieged villages had deserted their posts after the poisoning incident, he truly believed that someone was deliberately creating opportunities for the Song army. Otherwise, how could Zhe Keshi's nearly ten thousand troops have so easily crossed the Xia army's heavy blockade, making a detour from Maling Town to Hongde Village, a distance of over a hundred miles? To completely conceal the movements of nearly ten thousand men under the Xia army's noses would require superhuman abilities.

If it was indeed Liang Yibu's henchmen causing trouble in the shadows, then even a hundred thousand men in the central army would not be safe.

However, going to the central army to rescue the emperor was unwise, because the Song army in Huanzhou was watching closely; if he turned around and revealed a weakness, they would likely pounce immediately. Li Hao was a seasoned general, decisive and shrewd in his military tactics. He had fought in the Northwest for decades, and the Xia army had repeatedly suffered defeats against him, making him a formidable foe.

Ren Duo Baozhong believed that Li Hao would seize any opportunity to strike. At this moment, the Xia army's morale was low, and its soldiers were filled with doubt and fear. A pincer attack from both sides threatened

to overthrow the Xia army. Therefore, going to the central army was pointless; the only option was to eliminate the threat posed by Li Hao. Once Li Hao was dealt with, the Song army's pincer attack strategy would be rendered useless, and then they could turn their attention to Zhe Keshi.

If he could feign weakness to lure the Xia army into a full-scale attack, he could seize the opportunity to severely damage them.

The Xia army might not be adept at siege warfare, but in open field battles, they were second to none. Even if Li Hao employed the Song army's signature formation tactics, Ren Duo Baozhong was confident. Even the once-powerful Khitan general, Pi Shi, was a defeated foe of the Western Xia, and the formidable Ping Shan Iron Falcons of Hexi were no ordinary men.

However, Li Hao's shrewdness in warfare clearly exceeded his expectations. After arriving in Huanzhou, Li Hao set up camp. Despite Li Hao's feigned weakness, Li Hao remained unmoved, only sending his generals Zhang Cheng and Ma Qiong with a detachment north to search for reinforcements. The enemy that had just fallen into his ambush was the elite cavalry led by Ma Qiong, the fourth general of Qingzhou. Li Hao's intention was to surround them without attacking, luring Li Hao to send a large army to their rescue. However, the Song cavalry were the most ruthless and desperate elite soldiers in the army. Even surrounded, they fought fiercely, and although the Iron Falcons were deployed and almost completely annihilated this elite Song force, the remnants still managed to seize their commander and escape.

Ren Duo Baozhong had no intention of pursuing them, knowing that after this battle, the Song vanguard, having suffered such a heavy blow, would be much more cautious in their future attempts, and his plan to lure the enemy would likely fail.

Time is running out. The fighting in the Hongde Village area started before dawn and has continued all day now, even after dark. The Xia army is beset by internal and external troubles, and morale is low. If this drags on any longer, who knows what might happen? Moreover, Ren Duobaozhong has a strange feeling that the Song army's actions in Huanzhou don't seem to be coordinated with the Hongde Village battlefield. It seems that both sides are fighting independently. If they were coordinating, the fighting in Hongde Village has been going on for a whole day, and the Southern Song army has only just arrived. Their speed of action is too slow, and their offensive is too conservative.

Could it be that there's a problem with the Song army's intelligence transmission, and the two forces have lost contact?

Ren Duo Baozhong was unaware that his guess was correct. Although Li Hao knew Zhang Jie's plan, he didn't know exactly where Zhe Keshi would ambush him, whether it would succeed, or whether they had already engaged in battle with the Xia army. He couldn't contact Zhe Keshi, and his vanguard had suffered a heavy defeat; only half of the elite scouts had escaped. Learning that the Western bandits had tens of thousands of elite cavalry, including the Iron Falcons, lying in ambush at a strategic point ahead, Li Hao realized that a large-scale attack would play right into the Western bandits' hands. With the Western bandits well-prepared, Zhe Keshi was likely already defeated. Therefore, he ordered his entire army to hold Huanzhou and not move rashly. Meanwhile, he deployed scouts to try and find news of Zhe Keshi's forces.

At this time, Zhe Keshi was unaware that he had fallen into a situation of fighting alone.

Of course, none of these three parties involved knew any of this yet; Ren Duo Baozhong only knew that he couldn't stay there any longer.

"Order the entire army to march north immediately to the central army to rescue the Empress Dowager!"

"Commander, the Song army in Huanzhou is not yet pacified. If we rashly turn back, and the Song army pursues us, we may face utter disaster."

The generals beside him were all stunned. No one wanted to expose their backs to the Song army in Huanzhou, a large army of tens of thousands.

"Hmph, the Song army will surely lose morale after this setback. Moreover, it is almost dark now. Li Hao is cautious in his military operations and will not dare to advance in the dark. The central army is where the Empress Dowager is. If it is lost, can you bear the consequences! Enough talk. Order all troops to set off immediately. The Iron Falcons will, as usual, cover the rear! Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!"

Ren Duobaozhong's strict military discipline was well-known in the Xia army. None of the generals present dared to remonstrate. In an instant, the large cavalry raised layers of dust and marched north in a mighty procession...

October 18th, afternoon.

In the chaos of battle, Dang Wan dodged an arrow, then parried a spear with his sword. Creating an opening, he shifted his stance, and a nearby personal guard seized the opportunity to strike the Xia general in the back. The general coughed up blood and collapsed. Dang Wan picked up his shield, pushed through the throng of soldiers, and managed to stab another man to death. Leading his last remaining personal guard, he desperately fought his way back into his own formation. Dozens of Xia soldiers roared and charged, swords raised. The Song soldiers beside him shouted and charged forward, the crowd violently jostling and colliding. Shields clashed, spears pierced, blood splattered, and several Xia soldiers were impaled by spears. The Song soldiers, unable to remove their spears, advanced over the corpses, finally pushing the Xia army back.

By this time, Dang Wan's armor was ripped apart, his body covered in blood and several arrows, but he felt no pain. He had lost count of how many times he had been separated from the main force by the chaotic army. He was one of the two ambushers that Zhe Keshi had laid in ambush outside the city. By this time, he had been fighting fiercely for eight hours without eating or drinking. Of course, he had lost all sense of time now, only knowing that he was surrounded by a sea of Western bandits

stretching as far as the eye could see. The battle had started at nightfall, and now it was almost night again, and these Xia dogs seemed endless. The surroundings were so chaotic that friend and foe were indistinguishable. All he knew was that arrows flew everywhere, horses clashed, and countless people were fighting each other with swords and spears. Swords pierced necks, spears pierced stomachs, arrows pierced eyes, blood, flesh, and entrails sprayed into the air, limbs rolled into the dust, and countless corpses lay scattered on the ground.

Countless torches were lit again, like scattered stars. Was it another day? In a daze, Dang Wan no longer knew where he was.

Suddenly, he heard a rumbling thunder, a sound as if the entire earth was trembling. He awoke with a start; this was the energy released by countless iron hooves crushing the earth. Looking south, though the sky was dark, billowing dust rose into the air. The boundless sea of people from the Western Xia seemed to have suddenly surged, the overwhelming military might seem to shatter the earth, and the entire atmosphere seemed to be shaken by this energy. As far as the eye could see, the surging iron men and horses were like a giant tidal wave, sweeping across the land.

All the Song soldiers were shocked by this scene; some even exclaimed in astonishment,

"The iron hawks of the Western bandits!"

"The reinforcements of the Xia dogs!"

Almost simultaneously, the urgent sound of retreating troops rang out from the walls of Hongde Village.

Even when she saw Renduo Baozhong, Meile Dubu still couldn't believe her good fortune.

Eight hours had passed since dawn, and every moment he worried that the northward-bound Song army would suddenly appear behind them, launching a fatal pincer attack on the Xia army. He knew that with their current low morale, they could hardly withstand such an attack.

For an entire day, the southern Song army had made no proactive moves, only probing slightly to the north before retreating back to Huanzhou after being thwarted, leaving the Song army at Hongde Village to fight alone. In an instant, Meile Dubu recalled the Battle of Yongle City. Was the victory at Yongle about to be repeated?

The moment the Iron Falcon appeared on the battlefield, the situation immediately changed.

The Song army ambushing troops at Suningzhai and Wulanzhai were already outnumbered and exhausted after a day of fierce fighting. Just then, the Xia cavalry arrived, immediately routing the Song army and throwing them into disarray. The Xia light cavalry seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack, and the Song army finally collapsed. Almost none of the Wulanzhai infantry survived; they were all trampled into mincemeat by the Xia army's iron hooves. The Fan cavalry, already lacking discipline, also scattered and fled after suffering heavy casualties.

Molebo, leading several hundred defeated soldiers, abandoned Wulanzhai and charged north. Just as he joined Muhua's troops, the main force of the Xia cavalry arrived in hot pursuit. Muhua and Molebo turned to meet the attack. The Xia army, riding high on morale, flattened the Song infantry squares in a single encounter, then launched a fierce attack on the cavalry, scattering the Fan cavalry as well. Muhua, wounded by two arrows, rallied nearly a thousand remaining soldiers and retreated into Suningzhai. The Xia cavalry then advanced unimpeded to the Hongdezhai battlefield.

After that, the seemingly tireless main force of the Song army began to rapidly show signs of defeat.

Despite heavy casualties, the Song infantry formation, which seemed to be rooted to the ground, was forced to retreat step by step under the repeated and fierce attacks of the Iron Falcons. Their proud crossbow tactics failed for the first time. The Iron Falcons were covered with two layers of iron armor, and their warhorses were also protected by iron armor. Although the crossbow bolts fired by the Song army's powerful crossbows, such as the yellow and black ones, hit them one after another, these tall, armored warriors, despite carrying four or five arrows, continued to charge bravely, seemingly unaffected.

The Song army began a fighting retreat. Zhe Keshi was no incompetent commander; the routs that had occurred at Suning and Wulan fortresses did not repeat themselves here. However, any soldiers in the rearguard who were even slightly slow to retreat, whether infantry or cavalry, were immediately swallowed up by the massive iron torrent. Entire units were unable to evacuate the battlefield and were swallowed up by the overwhelming onslaught of the Xia army. By the time the Song army had completely retreated to Hongde fortress, hundreds more Song soldiers lay dead on the battlefield already littered with corpses. Zhe Keshi

stood atop the city wall, his face cold and stern. Even with so many of his comrades dying before his eyes, he didn't even raise an eyebrow.

This battle was inherently fraught with peril; as a general, he needed a ruthless heart. For victory, he could unhesitatingly send thousands to their deaths. He hadn't expected the Xia army, even after so many setbacks and with their morale low, to still possess such fighting spirit, managing to hold out until the elite rear guard arrived.

The Western bandits' rear guard had arrived—had Li Hao been defeated? Since learning that the Qingzhou reinforcements had marched north, he had secretly revised his original plan. The essence of military strategy is adaptability; if he could form a pincer movement with the Qingzhou reinforcements against the Western rebels, not only Empress Dowager Liang, but even the main force of the Western rebels might become prey for the Song army. If heaven truly smiled upon him, this would be a battle that would change the history of the Song and Xia dynasties.

That's why he stubbornly fought a day without yielding, intending to create an opportunity for the Southern Song army.

Now, the Western rebels' rear guard had actually appeared. Had something gone wrong with Li Zhifu? If the Western rebels' rear guard had defeated Li Hao's main force before arriving here, wouldn't he be left isolated deep behind enemy lines?

Looking at the Song soldiers who had retreated into the city, exhausted and collapsing on the ground, desperately drinking water and panting, several generals were covered in blood, wounded though not dead. Liu Suo limped, his helmet missing. Dang Wan's armor was riddled with holes, several arrows hanging from his body. Meng Zhen's face was covered in blood, and a knife wound near his left eye made him appear blind; his personal guards were bandaging him. Zhang Xi had fired over a thousand arrows in a day, breaking two bows in the process, and his fingers were cut, blood flowing down to his elbow.

"Zunzheng, the Western bandits are overwhelming, and the soldiers are all exhausted."

Liu Suo came over and looked outside. It was already dark, and torches lit up the mountains and fields outside. Countless Xia soldiers were cheering and howling wildly, like a huge tsunami echoing through the valleys.

"We can only defend this stronghold to the death; the Western bandits will never allow us to break out." Zhe

Keshi slowly shook his head. Sure enough, the Xia soldiers outside began to form ranks, with huge shields lined up in front. Then, with a loud shout, they surged towards the stronghold like a tidal wave.

Hongde Village was a mountain fortress, and the main road was on a slope from the city wall. The Xia army struggled to attack uphill, so they held their shields above their heads to clear a path.

Then came the sound of a gong from the city wall, signaling the Song army's impending arrow barrage. A terrifying shriek followed, and a hail of iron arrows rained down, piercing even the large shields used to clear the way. Screams of agony erupted from the Xia soldiers as dozens, wounded, tumbled down the hillside, followed by a deluge of rolling logs and stones.

"Divine Arm Bows!"

The Xia soldiers cried out in alarm. Everyone knew the power of the Song army's divine arm bows; they could pierce even iron armor. At such close range, even shields were useless. However, the Song army's divine arm bows were extremely difficult to manufacture, requiring scarce materials and not easily mass-produced by those with money. Therefore, they were only issued to the elite troops of the Imperial Guard. Unexpectedly, even in this small Hongde Village, there were divine arm bows, and judging by the density of the arrows, there were probably several hundred.

During the Xining era, when Jiaozhi attacked Song, Su Jian relied on a hundred divine arm bows to defend the isolated city for forty-three days, killing over fifteen thousand enemy soldiers. The divine arm bow thus became renowned throughout the land.

Despite the infantrymen's desperate charge uphill, the Song army's arrow rain was too fierce. Their armor was utterly useless; a single arrow pierced their chest and abdomen. Moreover, these infantrymen mostly wore rudimentary iron armor. Those struck by arrows fell in layers on the slope, each step forward costing them dearly.

The Song army not only fired arrows and crossbows but also had prepared a large quantity of caltrops, which they scattered outwards. It was already late at night, and although torches illuminated the area, it was not daytime. The caltrops covered the entire hillside, making visibility impossible, and stepping on them resulted in injury. Later, the Song army simply carried baskets and dumped them down the hillside. The Xia army's progress slowed further, and finally, unable to hold on any longer, they all retreated with a shout. Seeing this, the Song army unleashed another volley of arrows, felling more than ten men.

However, the Xia army did not retreat. The bugles sounded, and countless archers arrived at the front. The Iron Falcon Army dismounted, wielding massive shields, iron hammers, long swords, and heavy axes, seemingly preparing for a foot charge. Judging from their movements and expressions, their heavy armor did not appear to hinder their actions.

Many people believe the Pingshan Iron Falcon Army was a heavily armored cavalry force, specializing in flat terrain charges. In reality, of the ten thousand cavalrymen in the Iron Falcon Army, only three thousand were true elite troops; the remaining seven thousand were auxiliary troops. These auxiliary troops normally assisted the elite troops in mounted combat with light cavalry, and in foot combat, they wore heavy armor for charges. The Iron Falcon elite troops, on both horseback and foot, were heavily armored. In daily foot combat training, both elite and auxiliary troops had to wear two layers of armor to leap over camel backs on flat ground, or face punishment. Therefore, even dismounted, the Iron Falcon Army remained a formidable and powerful force capable of siege warfare.

Empress Dowager Liang, having somewhat recovered from her initial shock, gritted her teeth and glared angrily at Hongde Village in the night, her eyes filled with a chilling killing intent that made it difficult for anyone to look her in the eye. The Song army had now been driven back to the city, the main road was cleared, and the Song troops had been terrified by the Iron Falcons.

As long as the Iron Falcons were left to cover their retreat, the rest of the armies could return north at their leisure. However, Empress Dowager Liang was unwilling

to let the matter rest so easily. The Song army on the city walls was still arrogantly firing arrows; were the other armies to be bathed in a hail of arrows before leaving? The Great Xia army had only suffered some setbacks, not been defeated. Being ambushed by a lone Song army, bombarded with arrows, yet not daring to retaliate, having the upper hand but only knowing how to retreat—this appeared utterly cowardly. Returning home like this was no different from a defeat. Empress Dowager Liang did not want to end this journey in such a humiliating manner; her pride would not allow it.

Moreover, this military campaign had truly been a disgrace. Having seized military power from Liang Yibu and personally commanded the army, she had suffered repeated setbacks. What would the tribal chiefs think upon her return? What would the high-ranking officials think? How would Liang Yibu exploit this incident? If she could annihilate the Song army at Hongde Village, it wouldn't be a complete loss.

"Issue the decree: the Iron Falcon Army must dismount and fight on foot! I want Ke Shi's head!"

Generals like Ren Duobaozhong frowned upon hearing this. The Song army was still lurking behind them; wasting time was pointless. However, they could all understand the Empress Dowager's reasons. The Song army had fought a long day and was already exhausted. The Iron Falcon Army's sudden charge had overwhelmed them, indicating that Zhe Ke Shi was also at his wit's end. With only a few thousand weary and remnant troops defending an isolated city, Hongde Village was smaller than Huanzhou City. If they truly launched a full-scale attack, there was no reason they couldn't take it.

"Your Majesty, the soldiers of the rear army are exhausted and thirsty from the long battle. Please allow them to drink water to quench their thirst and replenish their strength. Once their strength is restored, this camp can be captured in one battle."

"Your Majesty, the Song army is trapped in a dead end; even if they had wings, they wouldn't be able to escape. Our army doesn't need to rush the attack."

Seeing her trusted ministers offering their advice, Empress Dowager Liang nodded in agreement. Only then did she remember that her army was facing a water shortage. The army had fought hard for several days, exhausting their strength, but their water supply was insufficient.

The Iron Falcons were an elite force, having fought their way here; they must also be parched.

"Issue the order: all armies must collect clean water and give it to the rear army. The rest can drink their fill back home."

Upon receiving this order, the other armies couldn't help but complain. They too had fought a hard day, yet the Empress Dowager showed no compassion, only caring about the Iron Falcons, as if the entire battle had been fought by them. Hadn't they contributed? However, the Empress Dowager issued an edict, and the high-ranking officials and generals such as Renduo Baozhong held considerable prestige in the army, so no one dared to disobey. After reluctantly collecting the water, the Iron Falcons didn't hesitate to gulp it down along with their dry rations, leaving the rest of the Xia army with parched throats.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Mele Dubu personally stood at the front of the battle line, sword in hand. He had been a fierce general in the Iron Falcons army during the Yuan Hao era, and now, clad in armor, he prepared to personally oversee the battle.

"Archers, fire!"

At his command, over ten thousand fire arrows streaked across the night sky like a bright rain of fire, completely enveloping Hongde Village. Several fires broke out within the city, and shouts of panic erupted from the city walls. Mele Dubu continuously ordered the arrows to be fired, and tens of thousands of fire arrows formed a spectacular meteor shower in a very short time. Then, Mele Dubu roared, "Charge!"

Over ten thousand armored warriors roared back, raising their large shields and launching another attack.

For the first time, the Song army witnessed an army charging relentlessly despite a dense hail of arrows fired from the Divine Arm Bow. The bow could pierce their large shields, their two layers of iron armor, and even the shields and armor together. Yet these Iron Falcons charged like mad tigers, seemingly oblivious to pain. The Song crossbowmen were certain the arrows had pierced the armor and embedded themselves in the flesh, but they couldn't determine if the wounds were fatal. The armor,

known as the "wart armor," was of superior quality, impenetrable even by powerful crossbows at fifty paces, yet these Iron Falcons had pierced two layers.

While the Divine Arm Bow was no ordinary crossbow, its effectiveness against these heavily armored giants was diminished, as had been in the past. These strongmen seemed immortal, advancing relentlessly even with arrows piercing their hands, feet, and stomachs.

For the first time since the start of the battle, the Xia army reached the walls of the stockade.

Several fierce warriors, wielding sledgehammers and axes, began pounding on the gates, while others gathered together with shields for cover.

Logs and stones rained down from the city walls, mixed with burning pots, yet the Iron Falcons, despite their own bodies ablaze, continued their assault, forming human ladders to force their way up the walls. Smaller stones seemed to have no effect on them, merely causing a slight sway. Larger stones, however, were clearly visible to them, and they dodged with agility.

Inside the city, Zhe Keshi slowly observed the Xia soldiers gathering. The Iron Falcons lived up to their reputation; their ferocity and bravery made them a true elite force. He waited, and finally, as the Xia army swarmed together, he raised his banner. A hundred crossbowmen, who had stealthily infiltrated the city walls, simultaneously raised their crossbows. This was not the Divine Arm Bow, nor any powerful crossbow possessed by the Song army; it was a type of crossbow he had never seen before.

After a sharp whistling sound, the previously arrogant Iron Falcons fell in droves, their heavy, armored corpses tumbling down the hillside. The power of this crossbow was even greater than that of the Divine Arm Bow. The Iron Falcon soldiers' two layers of armor were completely pierced, their strong bodies twisted and knocked over by the violent force.

The entire battlefield seemed to fall silent for a moment, then both the Song and Xia armies roared in unison.

In the world, no one could rival the Song Dynasty in crossbow wielding. The Divine Arm Bow, after all, was from the first year of the Xining era, more than twenty years ago. Now, the Imperial Arms Bureau had developed a crossbow with even greater power: the Divine Strength Bow. Today, the Divine Strength Bow was making its first appearance on the battlefield after its invention.

"Beat the drums! Kill!"

The supervising officer, Meile Dubu, saw clearly that the Iron Falcon's momentum was waning and needed encouragement. The war drums thundered, and the battle cries filled the night sky once more. Those Iron Falcon soldiers were indeed valiant. Despite facing the terrifying threat of the Song army's powerful crossbows, these brave warriors still charged forward relentlessly, even using the corpses of their fallen comrades as shields.

A large section of the city gate had been hacked down, and the constant barrage of flying stones from the city wall only fueled their growing numbers below.

While the hundred powerful bows were formidable, loading them took time, and the sheer number of Iron Falcons attacking now far exceeded what a hundred bows could handle. Moreover, the Xia army archers were firing relentlessly, a dense rain of arrows mixed with fire arrows hurtling towards the city walls, causing men to fall every moment.

They had no choice but to use that weapon; the gate was nearly destroyed, and if the enemy broke through, no one would survive. However, no one knew the power of the firearm called the Tiger Collapse Cannon, and it was the first time they had used it. Zhe Keshi glanced at the object covered in blue cloth in the storeroom inside the stronghold. It was a secret weapon transported to Huanqing Road. When he first conceived this battle plan, he had planned to use it as a surprise attack, hiding it in a secluded spot in the Great Insect Valley. He had taken it out halfway to Hongde Village yesterday, intending it for emergencies, but unexpectedly, it had actually come in handy today.

"Bring up the Tiger-Break Cannon!"

The Song soldiers lifted the cloth curtains one by one, revealing large, sealed wooden barrels wrapped in layers of iron hoops. The barrels were decorated with ferocious tiger heads and flames, and were about the size of rice jars. They had fuses on the outside. The Song army was famous for its skill in using firearms, and many veteran soldiers knew at a glance that this was probably some kind of new firearm. However, the name "Tiger-Break Cannon" was quite strange.

"I'm going all out..." Zhe Keshi took a deep breath, picked up one in each hand—they were quite heavy, each weighing forty or fifty pounds. He stood on the city wall, holding the tinder, while his personal guards held shields to protect him from arrows. Gritting his teeth, he lit the fuse, raised his arm, and swung the large, dark object. With his superhuman strength, he threw it directly into the group of Xia soldiers in front of the gate, who were holding shields in an iron-clad tortoise-shell formation. It smashed through two shields and entered, but the Xia soldiers paid no attention, assuming it was a Song army stone-throwing attack. They were confident that their shields protected them from injury and didn't even glance at their feet. However, by the time someone noticed that the object was smoking, it was too late.

In the distance, Empress Dowager Liang, Renduo Baozhong, and Meile Dubu were watching the battle. Seeing that the Iron Falcon Army was indeed brave and that breaking through the camp would be a matter of moments, they were feeling quite pleased with themselves. Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the earth, like a thunderclap from the heavens, making everyone's ears ring and their hearts nearly leap out of their chests. The ground beneath their feet visibly trembled. Some unsuspecting soldiers were so frightened that their legs buckled and they collapsed to the ground.

Then, from within the group of Iron Falcons pounding on the door, a massive red flame erupted, followed by a tall column of thick smoke and fire shooting into the air, like a volcanic eruption. Thick white smoke swirled with black debris and soil, forming dozens of fiery dragons that burst forth in all directions.

The powerful, seemingly immortal armored warriors were scattered in the explosion. Several bodies encased in iron armor were propelled high into the air by the blast wave before falling to the ground in pieces. Countless limbs and severed parts spun in all directions. After the smoke cleared, the dozens of elite soldiers were found scattered and broken, with burning debris littering the ground. The force of the explosion even caused half of the city gate to collapse, and the area outside was shrouded in smoke and dust.

"What was that?"

Mei Le Du Bu was stunned by the sight before him. Was this something humanly capable of? Even the thunder and lightning of the heavens could not possess such power.

Ren Duo Bao Zhong was also startled, but he immediately realized that it was a Song army firearm. However, in all the years of fighting against the Song army, he had never seen such terrifying firearms. It was the dead of night, and no one had noticed what powerful weapon the Song army had just used.

The Iron Falcon soldiers, densely packed on the hillside, were also stunned. They were the ones who felt the earth-shattering power most directly, but then they vaguely saw dark objects being thrown out of the city one after another. Although it was dark and they couldn't see their exact shapes, they could see faint sparks flashing.

Everyone instinctively raised their large shields, and the entire hillside was instantly covered by a dense array of iron shields, like tortoise shells.

Boom! Boom! A series of large fireballs exploded among the Iron Falcon soldiers, like thunderbolts, flashing with lightning. Shattered pieces of armor, torn human bodies, and broken weapons were thrown into the air one after another. The massive explosions knocked down and sent rows of soldiers flying, countless bodies and rubble tumbling down, the force like a mountain collapsing and a cliff crumbling, causing even the ranks behind to lose their footing.

The Song army inside the city was also stunned by the earth-shattering power. Six archers on the city wall were caught off guard and fell to the ground. Afterwards, everyone huddled behind the parapet, afraid to show their faces, feeling the thick smoke and dust rising to the sky above. But once they realized what was happening, they immediately cheered and roared with excitement, their morale soaring. They brought out all forty-odd iron-hooped wooden barrel-shaped cannons, officially called Tiger Collapse Cannons. There was a five-pronged cannon in Hongde Village. Hundreds of men pulled on the breech and threw these deadly machines one after another.

The continuous explosions covered the entire hillside, and the Iron Falcon soldiers were blown to pieces. Finally, even the Iron Falcon Army, known for its unyielding spirit, could not hold on. Their retreat turned into a rout, and in the chaos, they retreated like a flood breaking through a dam.

But once they were back in the rout, they realized that chaos had already broken out behind them. All the warhorses of the Xia army were terrified and went berserk. Tens of thousands of frightened horses formed a vast, boundless raging torrent in the darkness, completely disrupting the entire army formation. Everywhere, terrified Xia soldiers were crying and screaming, running and charging wildly. Everywhere, mad horses were rampaging and crashing about. The barbarians of the Hengshan tribe, devout Buddhists, were extremely superstitious and believed in supernatural powers and strange phenomena. Seeing the Song army using some unknown means, their divine power was beyond the reach of ordinary people. It seemed that the Song people had somehow summoned the help of the Thunder God from the heavens. Everyone was afraid that the next bolt of lightning would strike them on the head. These barbarian tribesmen were the first to flee, disoriented in the darkness, only wanting to escape this place cursed by demons as quickly as possible.

With their initial rout, the rest of the Xia army descended into complete chaos. The setbacks, poisoning, hunger, thirst, cold, fatigue, and pent-up resentment from the campaign—countless negative emotions—were amplified infinitely in the face of uncontrollable, catastrophic terror. At the critical moment, the entire world seemed to collapse.

Someone shouted "Defeat!" first, and then countless others followed suit, shouting "Defeat!" Countless torches were thrown to the ground. Tens of thousands of irrationally fleeing soldiers ran in all directions in the darkness. Roads, rivers, and surrounding hills were filled with a massive, chaotic tide of fleeing soldiers, trampling and shoving each other, thousands falling off cliffs.

Inside Hongde Village, Zhe Keshi was overjoyed. All the Song army officers still capable of fighting drew their weapons; no one had expected the Xia army to collapse so suddenly. This god-given opportunity to turn defeat into victory ignited a surge of excitement in everyone.

Zhe Keshi personally donned his armor, mounted his horse, and with a swift stroke of his broadsword, the gate-blocking carts and the Flying Ape Fortress were all pulled aside, leaving the dilapidated gate wide open. "

The Western bandits have been defeated! Brothers, kill!"

"Kill!"

A deafening roar echoed through the sky.

Thousands of Song soldiers, with even greater momentum than before, surged out of the gate, disregarding formations, and swarmed across the mountains and plains towards the endless, chaotic, and routed Xia army in the darkness. At this point, tactics were meaningless… ********** ... The scene of the 100,000-strong army collapsing was truly unstoppable, like a mountain collapsing and a cliff crumbling. Her imperial carriage was swept up by the chaotic soldiers and unable to move, while the Song army was already advancing with unstoppable momentum. Fortunately, her guards fought desperately to hold her off, giving her a chance to abandon the carriage and escape. At this moment, her carriage was probably already a spoil of war for the Song army, and she was desperately trying to escape in the darkness, only being protected by a few loyal guards as she squeezed into the mountain paths. She couldn't tell which way was which, only knowing how to run. Now she was separated from the main army and was just hacking her way through the thorns and brambles in the mountains. She didn't know the fate of important officials like Renduo Baozhong and Meile Dubu, nor did she know if there were Song soldiers pursuing her. As a woman, now without the protection of the army, she felt as naked and insecure as if she were naked. And that treacherous Liang Yibu, if anyone wanted to harm her now, in this desolate wilderness, she might die without anyone even knowing. And these guards… Suspicion immediately began to creep into her heart. It was certain that there were spies of Liang Yibu in the army during this campaign, and the sudden collapse of the army was likely related to the machinations of these spies. She clearly heard someone shout that they had been defeated. Wei Ming, A'mai, Ye Bo'mai, and others had tried their best to control their troops, strictly ordering the immediate execution of anyone who disrupted morale. Even after beheading more than ten fleeing soldiers, they couldn't stop the chaos. Ultimately, they themselves were swept up in the commotion and disappeared. Now that she was in dire straits, it was hard to guarantee that someone wouldn't take advantage of the situation and harbor treacherous intentions. The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. Looking at the dozen or so guards beside her, each one a trusted confidant who usually accompanied her, they all seemed increasingly suspicious. Lost in thought, suddenly one of the guards drew his sword and deflected a stray arrow with a clang. Empress Dowager Liang screamed in fright and tumbled from her horse. Then, several men in black, armed with bows and arrows, appeared out of nowhere behind them, charging forward while firing arrows. Several assassins also appeared in front, and one guard, caught off guard, was struck in the chest by an arrow. "Protect the Empress!" the guards shouted in unison. Two men shielded the Empress Dowager from the front and back, while the rest brandished their weapons and charged forward. The assassins in black were highly skilled, firing arrows in rapid succession. The guards dodged left and right, several being struck. Finally, they reached the Empress Dowager, and the two sides clashed. The six guards within the imperial enclosure were all outstanding warriors from various noble families, each a highly skilled fighter. They fought fearlessly in close combat, and amidst the flashing blades, blood and flesh flew. These guards were all loyal followers of the Xia Emperor; seeing themselves ambushed, their only thought was to risk their lives to ensure the Empress Dowager's escape. Therefore, in the fight, they used mutually destructive tactics, prioritizing killing the enemy over their own safety. Unexpectedly, these assassins in black were also quite ferocious, showing no regard for casualties. In the blink of an eye, both sides suffered heavy losses. After the last guard was slashed down from behind, corpses littered the ground. Only two of the black-clad men remained standing. Empress Dowager Liang was already terrified and ran for her life, disregarding direction and desperately fleeing along the mountain path. But how could a woman compare to martial arts masters? After running for a while, she was panting heavily, her legs weak. The two black-clad assassins, their eyes gleaming with ferocity, calmly closed in. "Who are you? Do you know who I am!" Empress Dowager Liang, however, had regained her composure. The panic on her face faded, replaced by her imposing presence. These people were not Song soldiers pursuing her; Song soldiers were all armored. Nor were they Xia soldiers, and they certainly didn't seem like bandits. Judging from their martial arts skills and aura, they were no ordinary people. Could it be… Liang Yibu! "You're about to die, yet you still spout such nonsense!" "You are Liang Yibu's men, committing treason and rebelling. Are n't you afraid of being exterminated?" "We only want to take your head back to report. We know nothing else."

A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the man in black on the left. He raised his knife to strike, but suddenly, with a whoosh, a crossbow bolt shot out. Sensing the ominous wind, the man in black dodged to the side, but the bolt was too fast and struck him squarely in the ribs. He cried out in pain and immediately fell to the ground. He struggled twice, then died; clearly, the arrowhead was poisoned.

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