【The Chronicles of Chaos ※ Part Two: Soldiers on the Battlefield】(6)

Chapter Six: A Dilemma of Love and Loyalty (Part 1)

Tong Zhong was taken aback, recalling the deep affection between his general and Lady Yun, a truly enviable relationship. Looking at his twelfth

daughter's expression, his heart stirred slightly. Then, remembering her earlier words, he became cautious and stopped thinking. He beckoned, leading nearly two hundred soldiers

to follow closely behind Twelve. After traveling for about half a day, seeing that evening was

approaching, Twelve, who had been leading the way without turning back, suddenly stopped. She hesitated for a moment, then turned back to Tong Zhong, pointing to a mark made of

broken stones , and said in a voice barely audible, "Brother Tong, this is the fork in the road I mentioned. If we go left,

we will connect with the path to Guizhai in another day. Captain Lu and the others have probably gone right from here, leaving the mountains."

Hearing this, Tong Zhong felt reassured. Knowing Twelve's predicament, he didn't look at her, but focused his gaze on the jumbled footprints on the right

, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Twelve! Just now, I had a heated argument with Captain Lu, and neither

of

us could reach an agreement, which is why we split up. Now that I see what you said is true, I should send someone to find Captain Lu. I'm sure Captain Lu will know that what you said is true when he sees this place. If we join forces, we'll have more strength to protect the fortress. Please make some secret marks along the way so

that Captain Lu can follow the tracks. Oh, and please also help the troops find a reasonably spacious place nearby so we can

rest and wait for Captain Lu's reply."

Seeing his words and actions, Twelve knew he was protecting her, and nodded repeatedly. Tong Zhong sent a soldier to follow Lu

Xiao'an's footprints, while he himself led a team to follow Twelve to find a place to camp. The soldier rested after nightfall and set off again the next day

. Before noon, he encountered Lu Xiao'an's scouts, and they met at the front of the army. Lu Xiao'an, after hearing the soldier's story, was deep in thought

when the scout reported that the Jin army had not blocked the path to Heshangyuan, but instead paused briefly before

heading back towards Heshangyuan. Lu Xiao'an became even more suspicious and was about to send someone to investigate further when a scout came running up,

shouting, "Commander Lu, a large force is pursuing us from behind! The forest is a dense canopy; we don't know how many there are!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiao'an immediately ordered his troops to seize advantageous positions and set up an ambush in the forest. The pursuers were mostly rebels, greedy for merit and

reckless, and crumbled upon initial contact. Despite this, they lingered, only taking turns

attacking under the supervision of the Jin soldiers, with reinforcements arriving intermittently. Lu Xiao'an, on the one hand, used archers to guard the dense forest, and on the other hand, widely deployed scouts to detect retreat routes. After

a day of waiting, the scouts returned, all reporting that "the road south to Heshangyuan is densely packed with Jin troops and difficult to traverse; the road north, however, is clear

and peaceful." Seeing that his arrows were running low and the pursuing forces were increasing daily, Lu Xiao'an decisively ordered the entire army to take a side road north

to Fengxiang to join Yang Congyi.

Once the order was given, the army set off, with Lu Xiao'an personally leading a rearguard. There were no roads in the mountains, and both sides

fought their way through the gaps in the trees. Lu Xiao'an's troops were the elite of the Western Army, while the rebels in the pursuit lacked the will to fight, and

the Jin soldiers, unfamiliar with mountain paths, refused to advance. Thus, the distance between the two sides grew ever wider. Seeing no pursuers in sight, Lu Xiao'an

was about to order his troops to catch up with the retreating vanguard when two figures leaped from the trees, shouting, "You traitors,

don't run! Give me back my junior sister's life!" " 　　Golden dogs, don't run! Give me your life!" Lu

Da'an 　　roared to the sky, cleaving down the Jin soldier before him with a single stroke. His soldiers, hearing this, roared back and charged forward like tigers released from their cages. The Jin army attacking the fortress, preoccupied with raising their shields to defend against crossbow bolts, hadn't expected the small fortress, which usually relied solely on crossbows for defense, to dare open its gates and launch an attack. Caught off guard, they retreated in disarray. Lu Da'an led his incorporated rebel army, using the terrain to his advantage , sweeping downhill until they were not far from the Jin army camp. Hearing the gong sound from within the fortress, they returned in triumph. 　　When the Jin army arrived, the eastern route army was conducting a thorough search of the mountains and seas, having drawn many of its main western route forces. Furthermore, relying on the assistance of Mengmen, they had not anticipated the defenses along this route, leaving their remaining battle-hardened soldiers at the foot of Heshangyuan. Therefore, many of the soldiers in their camp were not capable of fighting . Urudun's army had been in the mountains for nearly two weeks, not only failing to make any progress in their attack on the fortress but also suffering over a thousand casualties, their morale shattered . Standing in the center of the camp, observing the rout, Urudun's face turned ashen. Just as he was about to send troops to fight again, he heard a commotion on the right side of the camp. Looking into the distance, he saw tents ablaze, soldiers in disarray, and horses neighing; a small group of white-clad fortress guards were retreating . The Jin soldiers, in their haste to fight the fire, had no time to attend to them; those who attempted to pursue them were all shot dead by the fortress guards' arrows. Urudun was furious. He ordered his left flank to fight the fire and led his personal guards up the slope to attack the fortress, but they were blocked by a hail of arrows and rolling logs from the left peak of the fortress. 　　Wang Jin looked out from the fortress wall and saw that Wu Lu had been shot in the shoulder with an arrow, but refused to treat him and instead whipped . He then laughed heartily, giving Zhe Ling a thumbs-up and saying, "General Zhe's plan is brilliant! He repeatedly ordered Lao Keng to lead the fortified men out by rope, advancing at the sound of the gong to harass the enemy camp. These past few days, Wu Lu has clearly become restless, and with the Jin's offensive weakening daily, he's probably incapable ! The soldiers I recruited a few days ago, after your training, have unexpectedly become so formidable! Thinking back to the day I stopped you from accepting the defection, I was truly foolish!" 　　Zhe Ling shook his head, looking sincerely at Wang Jin, and said, "That day, I was blinded by anger, and only succeeded by chance. What you say, Brother Wang, is a perfectly sound plan. Please, Brother Wang, do not hesitate to speak your mind in the future; I will always listen to your advice." Having said this, he bowed to Wang Jin, then turned to the soldiers returning from the fortified camp below the wall and said, "These are all brave warriors of our Western Army, but they rebelled due to the influence of their commander. It wasn't Zhe Ling's training, but rather the patriotism in their hearts that drove them to this!" 　　Wang Jin was deeply moved and returned the bow repeatedly. Suddenly, Gao Song pointed outside the wall and exclaimed, "General, look! It seems the Jin soldiers are about to break camp!" 　　Zhe Ling and Wang Jin looked in the direction he pointed and saw Jin troops lined up in formation, ready for battle. The rest of the troops, except for a small contingent that remained on guard after extinguishing a fire on the right side of the fortress, were slowly retreating. Wu Lu was arguing furiously with someone in the central camp. Zhe Ling was startled, but Wang Jin had already cheered. Hearing Wang Jin's shouts and seeing the Jin army retreat, the fortress soldiers were overjoyed, raising their weapons and shouting, some even weeping with delight. Zhao Po rushed over from the left peak, beaming, and said, "General Zhe, the Jin have retreated!" 　　Although Zhe Ling was suspicious, he didn't want to spoil everyone's joy, so he nodded and said, "Indeed! But we must not be careless , lest the Jin are using a trap. I request that Brother Zhao send a capable man to accompany Yan Hu and Gao Song to investigate the rear of the Jin ranks ." 　　Zhao Po agreed and happily went with Yan Hu and Gao Song. Zhe Ling turned to Wang Jin and said, "Brother Wang, please come with me to find Wei Qing and interrogate all those he's monitoring. Nana might be among them!" After Wang Jin nodded, he instructed Hao Zhi and Chen Dan beside him, "You two patrol the fortress! If Wang Tangzhu and I fail to find anything, then Nana's whereabouts will fall on you two. This woman is vicious; if we don't eliminate her while the Jin soldiers are retreating, she might harm our inner circle again!" He paused, then added, "Each of you lead a team with you. Don't go alone, and be careful!" 　　Hao Zhi and Chen Dan clasped their hands in obedience and each led a team away. Hao Zhi and his men searched Zhongping, but found nothing.

Sensing something amiss, Hao Zhi wandered around until he arrived near Zhe Ling and Qiao Yun's residence. Seeing the familiar sights brought back memories of Qiao Yun's voice and smile

, as well as his own troubles, leaving him melancholic and depressed. He glanced up and saw

two , suddenly remembering that Xiao Yue was still being held captive there by Zhe Ling. His mind raced, and finally, he gritted his teeth

, dismissing the guards behind him to patrol, and pushed open the door to Christina's room.

The furnishings were as before, but the first thing Hao Zhi saw was the hunched back of an old woman. The old woman

had her back to the door, seemingly oblivious to the creaking hinges, only her trembling hands clearing the dishes from the table. Hao Zhi looked around and saw Xiao Yue

sitting motionless on the couch, like a statue, her eyes anxiously darting back and forth, watching him. He became suspicious.

Remembering how the guards at the door had acted as if they hadn't seen him, he knew something was wrong. He gripped the hilt of his short sword at his waist,

carefully examining his surroundings, but found nothing amiss. Just then, the old woman wiped the table clean and turned to leave

. Suddenly seeing Hao Zhi behind her, she jumped in fright, nearly dropping the bowls and plates in her hands. Composing herself, she said, "This old woman

is deaf ; I didn't hear this gentleman come in. Come, come, please come in! Madam Xizhu is admiring the flowers in the backyard;

this old woman will go and fetch her back."

Although Hao Zhi saw the old woman falter, he remained unmoved, his eyes fixed intently on her face. The old woman's

face with the marks of time, her fingers, thick and rounded from years of hard labor, showed no signs of suspicion. Hao Zhi

, initially intending to warn her to be careful, heard her voice grow clearer and younger as she spoke.

Finally, she repeated a phrase he had often heard during his first encounter with her. A chill ran through him,

and he drew his sword, ready to question her. Unexpectedly, the old woman, as if knowing his thoughts, darted forward like a rabbit. She covered

his mouth with one hand, gripped his throat with the other, and then kicked his already drawn short sword back into place with the sole of her shoe. After

a series of cackling laughs, she chuckled sweetly twice, saying in a coquettish tone, "Don't be rough! I've missed you so much!

Was my acting good? Did I fool you?"

The old woman's aged face paired with her sweet words was extremely eerie. Hao Zhi, however, was delighted at the sound, and

the tense muscles in his body gradually relaxed. The old woman, almost entirely wrapped around him, sensed his change

and gradually loosened her grip. Hao Zhi's lips curled into a smile, but then he suddenly froze. Staring blankly as the old woman straightened up,

stretched , and a playful expression appeared on her face, a chill ran down his spine. Suppressing his trembling, he forced himself to remain calm and said, "

Nana , that day when the fence on the peak collapsed, weren't you crushed to death by the rolling rocks?"

Christina covered her mouth and giggled, "You're so

worried

about my death! Ah, I know! You'll feel more at ease after I die, won't you? What a pity, what a pity, it was Granny Zhang who died, or Widow Li, or Granny Wang. I arranged for Feng Shen to die on the peak, how could I myself die with that corrupt official? Oh, I haven't told you yet,

I am now Granny Liu, all three of my sons are gone, I'm very lonely!"

Hao Zhi was shocked and said, "You did what happened on the peak? You harmed Xie Bao again! No, you said... you

killed three innocent people again!" Christina snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "What about Li Qi of Gushan? What about Xie Bao? What if

thirty people die?"

"So what! You're nothing but an ant!" Then, her voice turned sweet and cloying as she whispered in Hao Zhi's ear, "Although their

disguise is superb, that hateful Zhe Ling is incredibly thorough in his investigation. And that one-eyed ghost is watching them closely. Without several

escape attempts, they'd still be trapped in the surveillance camp. Why would they be here talking to you, sir?"

Hao Zhi's face was filled with sorrow, his heart heavy with grief. He forced back tears and murmured, "I've killed another Arrow Camp brother! I've

taken another innocent life!"

Christina wrapped her arms around Hao Zhi's waist and teased, "Do you really consider yourself a member of the Arrow Camp?

Don't forget, you were first a member of the Meng Clan, and then secretly betrayed them and accepted the commandments of my Ming Cult. To you, the Arrow Camp is nothing more

than a piece of clothing; it's time to take it off!"

Upon hearing this, Hao Zhi trembled all over, lowered his head, and remained silent. Seeing his silence, Christina turned her head and smiled

at him, then said, "Do you know what

was written ? It was a notification to our Ming Cult's hidden experts nearby to assassinate Zhe Ling!"

Chapter Six: Dilemmas of Love and Righteousness (Part Two)

Upon hearing this, Hao Zhi's tiger eyes widened, and he pushed Christina away, gripping his sword hilt again, veins

throbbing on his neck. Christina smiled slyly and said leisurely, "It's a pity that the plan failed, otherwise I would definitely recommend you as the

Dharma King of the Cult."

Hao Zhi slowly drew his sword, pointing it directly at Christina, his voice trembling with hatred, "You...you...you actually

put me in a position of injustice, I...I..." Christina smiled again and said, "What, you first betrayed the Meng Clan,

then the Arrow Camp, and now you want to betray my Ming Cult?"

Hao Zhi didn't know what to do. The old woman in front of him, disguised as a beautiful woman, seemed to be the demon transformed from the love and hate in his heart

. To harm her would harm himself, and not to harm her would harm others. Torn between two options, he could only lower his sword, close his eyes, and say, "I didn't betray you! I didn't

betray you! I just... I just..." For a moment, he felt a thousand words stuck in his throat, unable to express them.

Christina, seeing his expression, knew what he was thinking. Her playful smile vanished, replaced by endless contemplation .

She sighed softly, "How could I not know your thoughts? But, Thirteen Lang and I were once deeply in love. I... I

don't know what to say!" She sighed again and fell silent. All three in the room were silent, only

the rustling of leaves in the wind outside sounding extremely noisy and irritating.

After a long pause, Christina pursed her lips, gripped her clothes tightly with both hands, and said resolutely, "Hao Zhi,

help me one last time! After this matter is settled, return with me to the Persian headquarters to report. We will

go back to Frankish with my father!"

Hao Zhi had been infatuated with Christina for years. Now, seeing that she knew his feelings and hearing the

entrustment in her words, he was overjoyed. He couldn't help but ask, first with doubt, then with delight, "Frankish? Really?"

Christina blushed when she saw Hao Zhi's burning gaze fixed on her. She turned away, and...

He sighed and said, "Do you think I was born with such a venomous heart? Do you think I care about the Ming Cult's grand cause?

My ancestors were Frankish merchants. The Ming Cult coveted their immense wealth and forcibly kept them in Persia to generate money for the Pope.

Although sons of my family have served as hostages at the Ming Cult's headquarters for generations, they have never forgotten their dream of returning home. When I was young,

my grandfather often told me stories of the Franks, urging me to always go back to Frankish territory. By my father's

generation, the family had a son and a daughter. My elder brother, who was a hostage at the headquarters, died mysteriously. When my father went to the headquarters to question him, he was instead protected..."

The warriors beat me so badly I could barely walk. Seeing that my family had no heir, the main altar seized my family property and expelled my father and me

from the religion. I was still young then, and my mother had died early. We had no relatives in Persia and had to beg to support my father. Among

beggars , one could hardly get a meal without being ruthless and cruel. My father and I initially suffered endless humiliation among the beggars, but eventually

we were able to occupy the most prosperous streets in Isfahan. Do you know the unspeakable suffering we endured?”

Hao Zhi saw Christina standing alone in the room, her shoulders trembling, and a surge of pity welled up within him. He took a few steps forward,

reaching out to touch her, but fearing to offend the beauty, he hesitated for a long time before asking instead, "Then why did you later return to the Ming Cult,

and why did you come to the Central Plains?"

Christina wiped away her tears with her sleeve and said, "That day, for some reason, the Three Light Envoys kidnapped my father and me to the headquarters,

promising to send us back to Frankish territory. However, they wanted me to first be ordained as a Holy Maiden of the Ming Cult and go to the East to help the Ming Cult members rise up

... With my father as a hostage, and home in sight, I didn't care about any conspiracy or trap, so I came alone thousands of miles away...

" At this point, she let out a long breath and said fiercely, "I will definitely help the Ming Cult in the East succeed! Anyone who dares to stop me from returning to

Frankish territory, I will kill them! Hao Zhi, help me!"

Hao Zhi felt the chill in her tone, remembered the kind and gentle Qiaoyun Zheling and the brothers of the Arrow Camp who had died, and felt as if

his heart was being torn to pieces, unable to speak for a long time. Christina turned and took his hands, placing them on her

chest. She said softly, "One last time! Just shoot one letter into the Jin camp with an arrow! Okay?"

Hao Zhi stammered, "I've already killed the Princess; I can't kill General Zhe too. How about I secretly

slip away with you from the fortress, ignoring everything in the Central Plains, and return to Persia to rescue your father, then we'll go to your homeland together?

Is that alright?"

Christina coldly replied, "Qiaoyun sought her own death; what business is it of yours? Zhe Ling killed Thirteen Lang; he must die

!" She chuckled and muttered to herself, "The Persian headquarters, even a thousand armies couldn't break through. You and I are just

the two of us ; it's like an ant trying to shake a tree..." She looked up and saw Hao Zhi's haggard face, raised her hand to stroke his cheek, and looked into his eyes sincerely, saying:

"Hao Lang, send this letter out! Stay with me at the fort for ten days and leave the rest to fate. If the fort falls within ten days, you

will join me in establishing merit for the Ming Cult in the East, and then we will return to Frankish territory together. If everything is fine within ten days, I will stay with you to protect

Zhe Ling and guard the fort, disregarding everything else, and grow old with you in the Central Plains. Is this acceptable?"

Hao Zhi was greatly moved and overjoyed, saying, "Good!" After pondering for a while, he hurriedly asked, "Where is the letter?

The Jin army has already broken camp and retreated. I request permission to leave the fort to investigate now, otherwise I fear we will not be able to catch up."

Christina's face lit up with joy upon hearing his words. She took out a letter from her bosom, gave him a light

kiss on the forehead, and instructed, "Hao Lang, be careful on the road! For the next ten days, just wait quietly. On the tenth day, I will

come to find you!" Hao Zhi blushed, lowered his head in agreement, and turned to leave. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped.

Christina, knowing his intentions, released Xiaoyue's pressure points from behind, took her hand, and said to Hao Zhi, "Don't worry, Hao Lang. Xiaoyue

can neither speak nor write; she's just a silent listener. I won't harm her. Go quickly, lest you arouse Zhe Ling's suspicion!"

Hao Zhi nodded, stepped out, called to the scattered fortress guards, and led the group towards the fortress wall. As they walked, a mountain breeze

gently blew, and his burning cheeks and heart pounding in his chest seemed to cool down. He felt

a slight regret for the promise he had made in his excitement, and the letter he carried in his bosom felt like a heavy stone, weighing him down. Seeing that the fortress wall

was near , Hao Zhi dispersed the group and went to the wall to look for Zhe Ling. The fortress guards informed him that Zhe Ling and Wang Jin had not returned. Hao Zhi

pondered for a moment, then climbed down the wall and found a secluded spot, slowly taking out the letter from his bosom.

The letter was unsealed, with only lines of characters written in charcoal on the back of the paper, like a talisman, seemingly a code. Hao Zhi held the letter in

his hand, secretly gritting his teeth, before finally opening it. Inside were several lines of incantation-like characters,

interspersed with twelve characters written in Song script: "Peak rises three, Ming Zuo annihilates, Gate opens the army, enter the fire."

Hao Zhi read it, puzzled, and after much thought, still couldn't figure it out. He could only fold the letter neatly and put it back in his pocket.

Just as he was racking his brains trying to decipher it, a group of fortress soldiers suddenly opened the fortress gate and let in a person. Looking closely, he saw it was Yan Hu. Upon seeing Hao Zhi

approach, Yan Hu, without waiting for him to ask, hurriedly asked, "Where is the general? Master Zhao encountered the scouts sent out before the Jin Gou fortress

and learned that the Jin Gou suffered three defeats in three battles at Heshangyuan, with heavy casualties. At Jianxue Pass,

their leader was captured alive by a young man. The Jin Gou, citing their ineffective fighting, replaced their commander with Wanyan Zongbi. Zongbi dispatched the old, weak, and baggage train to retreat eastward along

the Guanzhong Plain , claiming to be returning home. The scouts rushed back to report the good news, but on the main road from Yulei Pass to this place, they saw the Jin Gou cutting down trees to build a stockade, with

camps stretching..." "Zhu has set up dozens of small camps in the forest, with tens of thousands of soldiers inside. The Jin troops have retreated here and scattered

throughout the forest, blocking all possible routes. The scout who came to report was seriously wounded and was unlikely to survive.

Master and Gao Song protected the scout behind and sent me back to report first. When I returned, horns were sounding repeatedly from the Jin camp, indicating that they had probably already

launched an attack! Quickly, take me to see the general!"

Zhe Ling and Wang Jin, together with Li Yu and Wei Qing, interrogated all those who were monitoring them at Xiaping, but found no one suspicious.

As the four were discussing, Hao Zhi and Yan Hu rushed in. After listening to Yan Hu's words, Zhe Ling calmly instructed, "Yan Hu, go to

the fortress and remind the soldiers not to relax their defenses. Hao Zhi, go and summon Lu Da'an to lead a team to support Hall Master Zhao and

Chen Dan, in case of any mishaps." He waved for the two to leave, then turned to Wang Li and said, "Since you two are both here,

we can discuss the arrangements for defense."

Yan Hu clasped his hands and left, but Hao Zhi lingered. Seeing this, Zhe Ling asked, "Is there something you need?" Hao

Zhi clasped his hands, hesitated, bowed his head, and left without a word. Zhe Ling was puzzled and frowned thoughtfully. After a long pause, he shook his head and

asked, "Brother Li, how are the defensive equipment and provisions in the fortress?"

Li Yu replied, "Rolling logs and stones are inexhaustible, and the stock of swords, spears, shields, and clubs is quite large, enough for our needs.

We still have ten thousand arrows for bows, but crossbow arrows are in dire need. The craftsmen in the fortress have never made crossbows before. Although they have the general's method,

they still need to figure it out themselves. Most of the newly made arrows are defective and cannot be calibrated, which is very worrying. In addition, it is difficult to produce during an attack.

Meat can still be obtained from wild animals in the mountains, but rice and grain are being consumed day by day. If we are careful with our food and supplies, it may last for a month." He paused,

then spoke again as if he had made up his mind, "General, we are short of equipment and food. Why don't we abandon the fortress when the Jin army lifts the siege

?"

Zhe Ling was taken aback by his words and was stunned. Beside him, Wang Jin snorted angrily, "The Princess risked

her life to uphold our loyalty, just so you would abandon the fortress? Before she left, she instructed us to obey General Zhe's orders and

defend the fortress against the Jin. Have you forgotten all that? How dare you utter such heartless words!"

Li Yu's face flushed red and then paled, and he retorted, "You all seem to revel in the fighting at the fortress, but do you know

the deafening cries of the women and children behind it when our wounded brothers are carried back? Today it's Zhang's eldest son, tomorrow it's the father of Li's third son,

and who knows who it will be the day after. The number of people in the fortress dressed in mourning clothes is increasing daily; all the tranquility and peace have turned into the wailing of vengeful ghosts. An Hong

has been seeking reinforcements for over a month. Since the monk has already won a great victory, where are the reinforcements from outside the mountain? The Song people are not to be trusted!

Our Meng Clan is already small in number; if we continue to hold out and wear them down, we fear we will all perish. Are we

to sacrifice our Meng Clan's century-old..." " Are you saying all our accumulated wealth and manpower will be wasted? Even if the Princess were still alive,

she wouldn't stand idly by and watch the Meng Clan perish!"

Wang Jin retorted angrily, "Have you read too many books? How have you become so pedantic? How can war

not result in casualties? We men are men of integrity, and we keep our word. We promised the Princess to resist the Jin, and even if we die, we will

fight the Jin soldiers to the death in this fortress. How can we go back on our word? Not to mention that the Song people are also of our Chinese lineage, just consider what

's behind the mountains. Do you even know where the mountains are? It's Shu! The men of the Meng Clan are now risking their lives to protect our Shu people!" He stopped abruptly, his eyes sweeping over Zhe Ling. Seeing that Zhe Ling's expression remained unchanged, he relaxed, glared fiercely at Li Yu, and turned away without a word. 　　Wei Qing, who had been standing behind Zhe Ling, had silently moved to Li Yu's side while Li Yu was speaking, his single eye fixed on Zhe Ling, coldly awaiting orders. After Wang Jin finished speaking, seeing Zhe Ling slowly shake his head, he released the handle of the awl in his hand and let down his guard. Zhe Ling sighed and said, "Brother Li, there's no need for this, and Brother Wang, please don't be angry. I am well aware of the losses suffered by the fortress, but determination to resist the Jin will never change! I have already guessed a little about the origins of the Meng Clan. I will never forget the help I received from Yun'er and the Meng Clan! That day outside the fortress wall, Brother Zhao once said, 'Brothers may quarrel within the walls, but they unite against external enemies.' You two have been with Yun'er for a long time, so you must have heard this. Shu and Song are brothers, and we should not invite external enemies because of internal strife. Let's deal with the Jin , and then we can decide who is the legitimate successor of China." After saying this, he smiled self-deprecatingly and added, "Think about it, my Zhe family has been an independent family since the beginning of the Song Dynasty ." " And what is there to say... Never mind, once the Jin people retreat, I will take Yun'er to Mount Emei... In the future , when we are in battle, I and the newly defended Western Army soldiers will be in front, and the people in the fortress will follow behind!" 　　Chapter Six: Dilemma of Love and Righteousness (Part Two) 　　Wang Jin said urgently, "No, no! Our Mengmen is ordered by General Zhe to fight against the Jin army together. How can we fall behind others? Since the Jin people came, in dozens of battles, large and small, General Zhe has always been at the forefront. The people in the fortress are all convinced and willing to obey the general's orders!" He looked at Li Yu and said, "Don't listen to this scoundrel's nonsense here!" 　　Li Yu glanced at Zhe Ling Wang Jin, turned his head to the side, and pretended to be indifferent. Just as Zhe Ling was about to speak, Yan Hu approached from afar, urgently saying, "General, Hall Master Zhao has returned and is waiting for you at the fortress wall. He has important news to report!" Zhe Ling rose , but another fortress guard came from the central plain, reporting, "Hall Masters, General Zhe, something terrible has happened! The guard watching over Miss Xiaoyue has been killed by someone using golden needles!" 　　Zhe Ling was shocked and took two steps towards the central plain, but then stopped, startled. Wei Qing caught up, clasped his hands, and looked at Zhe Ling. Zhe Ling nodded and instructed, "Yan Hu, go with Wei Qing. Be extremely careful!" Yan Hu responded loudly from behind and went straight to the central plain with Wei Qing. 　　Zhe Ling, along with Wang Jin and Li Yu, arrived at the fortress wall, where they saw Zhao Po holding a blood-soaked person in his arms, his face filled with grief. The archers, soldiers, and fortress guards all stood silently by, the atmosphere solemn. Upon seeing Zhe Ling arrive, Zhao Po looked up and said sorrowfully, "The Jin army camp is disciplined and imposing, exuding an overwhelming murderous aura, quite different from previous arrivals. In the Jin army's fifth battalion, every soldier is strong and well-armored, their central tents tightly shut, and not a single flag in the entire camp. I suspect that Wanyan Zongbi feigned a retreat but secretly came here." He looked down at the person in his arms, his heart filled with despair, and continued sorrowfully, "When I returned to the fortress on the orders of the Princess, my five disciples who returned with me—Twelve, Hei Zi, and Young Master An—went to seek reinforcements . The remaining three perished outside the Jin camp. My son… my son risked his life to break through the barriers and deliver the message! " 　　Zhe Ling quickly stopped Zhao Po, bending down to slowly channel his inner energy into Zhao Po's body, but finding that the energy could not penetrate and life was extinguished, he sadly withdrew his hand. Seeing Zhe Ling's assistance, Zhao Po stared intently at him. As Zhe Ling shook his head , all hope vanished, and he froze on the spot. Zhao Zi, in his arms, struggled and said, "Father, kill the Jin people, avenge me..." Before he could finish speaking, his breath died. 　　Zhao Po burst into tears, and everyone else also looked sorrowful. After a long while, seeing that Zhao Po's grief had subsided, Wang Jin asked , "Brother Zhao, I just heard Brother Yan Hu say that the Jin people have blocked all the paths in the forest. Then... will Young Master An and my daughter still be able to find their way back?" 　　Zhao Po looked at his son's face, pondered for a long time, and sighed, "Difficult!" 　　Upon hearing this, Wang Jin's brows were filled with worry. Li Yu interrupted, asking, "So, there's no hope ? How can this small fortress withstand Wanyan Zongbi's main force?" 　　Everyone knew that although Li Yu's words were discouraging, they reflected the current situation, and they all hung their heads in despair. Zhe Ling patted Zhao Po on the shoulder, glanced at Wang Jin, and was about to offer words of encouragement when a loud gong sounded from the left peak. A soldier on the wall shouted, "Not good! The Jin dogs are surrounding us again! Wait, no! It's... it's our Great Song Western Army! Reinforcements have arrived! Reinforcements have arrived!" 　　Hearing this, everyone's spirits lifted. Zhe Ling arranged for Gao Song and Wang Jin to accompany Zhao Po to bury his son, then excused himself and climbed the fortified wall to oversee the battle. He had only reached halfway up the wall when Zhao Po caught up and followed behind. Zhe Ling looked back in astonishment . Tears still clung to Zhao Po's face, but he said resolutely, "My son entrusted me with killing the Jin dogs to avenge him! From this day forward, we will never leave the battlefield!" Zhe Ling nodded silently , and together with Zhao Po, they climbed the wall. 　　Outside the wall, groups of soldiers surged out of the forest and lined up neatly at the site of the former Jin camp. Wearing felt hats from Fanyang and carrying bright red military flags, they were none other than the Great Song Western Army. Most of the defenders on the wall were the rebels who had returned to the fortress that day. Seeing the arrival of reinforcements, they cheered wildly. Zhao Po, having just witnessed the Jin army's siege of the mountain, was suspicious of the large number of troops approaching. He turned to look at Zhe Ling and saw that although his face was resolute, his complexion was pale. Just as he was about to ask, a large banner suddenly , embroidered with a huge character "Zhe." Squads of soldiers, under the command of their officers, moved stones and timber to build fortifications, intending to create a city. 　　The soldiers defending the wall had long been in the Jin camp and already knew about the Zhe family's surrender to the Jin. Although they had all been at the forefront of the charge and killing Jin dogs a few days ago , seeing the banner with the character "Zhe," they were all suspicious and secretly glanced at Zhe Ling. Zhe Ling originally intended to send Lu Da'an and Lao Keng with all the swords and shields to descend from the left peak by rope, dividing into several teams to harass the enemy camp.

Construction was halted. Seeing the state of the wall, he had no choice but to suppress his thoughts. Gazing at the Zhe family banner, a mix of emotions welled up within him.

Under the banner, two unarmored generals rode forward, dismounted at the foot of the slope, and stood a short distance from the wall

. The elder of the two generals was about forty years old, with a kind face, stroking his beard in deep thought; the younger one was barely twenty, arrogant

and haughty, looking at Zhe Ling with disdain.

Zhe Ling took a deep breath, clasped his hands, and called out, "Uncle, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

The elder sighed deeply, saying desolately, "Now the world calls me Zhe Keqiu the traitor! Little Ling's address of

'Uncle' deeply comforts me!" He turned to the younger one and said, "This is my youngest son, Zhe Yanyi. Yi'er, come and greet your

elder brother."

Although Zhe Ling was not recorded in the clan genealogy, his background and the fact that Zhe Keshi had secretly passed on his archery skills through Tong Zhong's father were

known to everyone in the clan. When Zhe Ling was eighteen, he repelled the Western bandits with five arrows at Ge Niu City, earning great renown in the Western Army. Meanwhile, his

peers were still spoiled and dissolute under their parents' protection. Although their fathers couldn't openly praise him due to his status, many privately lauded

his abilities. His peers, weary of the comparisons, were filled with resentment and jealousy, leading to a general disdain for Zhe Ling. Zhe Yanyi

, the best archer among his peers, was most resentful of his fathers' praise of Zhe Ling. Upon hearing his father's order, he merely snorted

heavily , turned his head away, and said indifferently, "She's just a bastard born from a lowly servant seducing her master. What right does she have to be my elder brother

?"

Zhe Ling, angered by Zhe Yanyi's words insulting his mother, his face darkened, but out of respect for Zhe Keqiu, he refrained

from retorting, only coldly staring at Zhe Yanyi. Zhe Keqiu was displeased upon hearing this and angrily retorted, "Nonsense!

Before your uncle passed away, he told me personally that the people he owed the most in his life were Xiaoling and her mother.

At the banquet for his transfer to Mingzhou, your uncle got drunk and forcibly took Xiaoling's mother as his concubine. He had tried several times to include Xiaoling in the family genealogy, but your

grandfather insisted on not doing so, so he had to give up. After your grandfather passed away, he intended to start the matter of bringing Xiaoling into the family when he returned home,

but unexpectedly, he passed away in Jingyuan after the New Year..."

Zhe Ling had never seen his father since he could remember. He had often seen his mother secretly shedding tears, and he couldn't help but harbor

some resentment in his heart. Leaving home at a young age to roam freely was probably partly due to his stubbornness and competitiveness. Today, upon hearing Zhe Keqiu

's words, he realized that he had misunderstood his deceased father for many years. His heart was filled with mixed feelings, and he almost shed tears. Zhe Yanyi

, standing beside Zhe Keqiu, heard everything clearly and said indignantly, "My Zhe family is a renowned clan in the Northwest. How can we

allow a lowly maidservant to be included in our family genealogy?" He chuckled and added, "I've heard that maidservant was quite immoral in her youth, and we don't even know if her

son is from my family..."

Zhe Ling, overhearing her deceased father's words, was already filled with turmoil. Hearing Zhe Yanyi's repeated disrespectful remarks, she swiftly drew

an arrow, channeling all her surging energy into it, and aimed it directly at Zhe Yanyi. Zhe Yanyi was still making his sarcastic remarks when he suddenly

felt a chill. Although he was terrified of disturbing his own energy and dared not move his hands or feet, his eyes were fixed on Zhe Ling,

unwavering. His gaze was like lightning, and his cultivation was not shallow. Zhe Keqiu, seeing this, quickly stopped her, saying, "Little Ling, you mustn't! Quickly

put away the arrow!"

Zhe Ling remained silent and released the arrow with lightning speed. A thunderous roar arose as the featherless arrow grazed Zhe Yanyi's shoe and embedded itself straight

into , its fletching disappearing completely. The force of the arrow blasted a small crater in the ground, sending dust flying and covering Zhe

Yanyi in a cloud of dirt. Enraged, Zhe Yanyi frowned and drew his bow to retaliate. Zhe Keqiu slapped him across

the face, yelling, "You bastard! Shut up! Get out of the way! Or you'll be punished according to military law!"

Although Zhe Yanyi had been spoiled by his mother, he knew his father's word was law and his orders were absolute.

He dared not argue, but pointed his halberd at Zhe Ling from a distance and obediently stepped back. Zhe Ling, seeing that he could

predict the arrow's trajectory in the blink of an eye and showed no hesitation, admired his courage and sharp eyesight. Though he resented Zhe Yanyi's foul language, he secretly

praised his extraordinary abilities. Zhe Keqiu dismissed Zhe Yanyi and turned to Zhe Ling, saying, "Little Ling, when Kecun was alive, I

discussed with him the matter of recognizing you as a member of the clan, in accordance with my elder brother's last wish. He greatly admired you and wholeheartedly supported you, which strengthened

my resolve to have you return to the clan. Although now is not the right time, I still want to bring this up with you. After returning to the clan, you will be

the twenty-third son of the Yan generation, and your name will be changed to Zhe Yanling. In the future, I also plan to pass the position of head of this family to you..."

Upon hearing this, Zhe Yanyi exclaimed in shock, "Father, you've gone mad!"

Zhe Keqiu raised his hand to stop Zhe Yanyi from speaking and calmly said, "The position of head of this family originally belonged to your uncle.

Now it is simply being returned to his son."

Zhe Ling, standing on the wall, was stunned upon hearing this news. The position of head of the family was not what he desired, but the matter of

recognizing his ancestors and returning to the clan was something that constantly troubled his mind. After a long while, he involuntarily murmured, "Uncle

..." Zhe Keqiu

chuckled, stroked his beard, and said gently, "Foolish child! Let this matter be settled! Quickly open the fortress gate,

and you and I, uncle and nephew, shall have a drink and talk! As for the fighting on the battlefield, whether it is Jin or Song, as long as the honor of my Zhe family is preserved, it

has nothing to do with us!"

Zhe Ling, whose long-cherished dream had come true, was stunned by this great good fortune and stood there dumbfounded. But upon hearing

Zhe Keqiu's words about Jin and Song, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, instantly sobering him up. Su Rong asked Zhe Keqiu, "

Uncle , with the strength of our fortress, we blocked the Jin army's path on this vital route into Sichuan. May I ask, Uncle,

where did our Zhe family's three thousand soldiers come from, and how did they escape unscathed by the Jin?"

Zhe Keqiu was taken aback, then replied awkwardly, "Xiao Ling, to be honest, I have already led three prefectures to surrender to the Jin.

My current identity is the vanguard under Marshal Wanyan Zongbi. The Marshal knows you are a member of the Zhe family and admires your exceptional martial prowess,

so he sent me to persuade you to abandon the fortress and surrender. The Marshal is a magnanimous man who values talent, and he will surely..."

Zhe Ling interrupted Zhe Keqiu, shouting, "Enough! I already knew about Uncle's surrender to the Jin. It's just...

I just didn't want to believe it! Now that Uncle has confirmed it, I have nothing more to say. Please return and prepare your troops for battle.

Now you..." "Jin and Song, we cannot disregard the bond between uncle and nephew. We shall meet again on the battlefield, and do not blame me for being merciless under your arrows!"

Zhe Yanyi, hearing Zhe Ling's unpleasant tone, shouted, "You lowly brat, how dare you speak to my father like that

!"

Zhe Keqiu stopped Zhe Yanyi again, shaking his head and smiling, "Jin? Song? My Zhe family

has guarded . Although nominally subjects of the Central Plains, we have always been independent in terms of finances, provisions, and military strength, remaining outside the court. Fame

and fortune have all been earned by the men of my Fuzhou Zhe family through martial prowess, and we owe the court no favors. The court

has changed hands between Jin, Han, Zhou, and Song, but my Zhe family has always stood firm. Now the Jin people rule the country; it's just a change of court,

what difference is there from the past? Little Ling, you are not in the clan, and there are some things you do not know. I will forgive your disrespectful words just now."

"It's your fault. Once you return to your clan, you'll naturally know that what I said was true."

Zhe Ling shook his head and earnestly advised, "Uncle, you're so foolish! The Jin, Han, Zhou, and Song dynasties were all part of the Han Chinese,

and it's understandable that my Zhe family didn't interfere in their succession. But you should know that the Jurchens were a barbarian race from beyond the Great Wall, not of our kind!"

Zhe Keqiu was stunned upon hearing this, then burst into laughter, leaving Zhe Ling bewildered. After a long while, he stopped laughing and asked,

"Little Ling, little Ling, do you know that my Zhe family's ancestor was the Xiongnu King Zhelan?"

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【The Chronicles of Chaos ※ Part Two: Soldiers on the Battlefield】(6)

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