【The Dream of the Three Kingdoms】(Chapter 18)

After lingering in Jizhou for several days, Ma Zheng and his entourage resumed their northward journey.
They traveled north, approaching Jinyang County, the capital of Bingzhou, and passing through Shangdang.
According to Ma Zheng's planned route, after leaving Sili and entering Jizhou, they would contact Han Fu at Ye County, the capital of Jizhou,
and then head southwest towards Bingzhou—this was the general direction. After leaving Ye County, Ma Zheng's group left Jizhou, then passed through Shangdang
, and arrived at Jinyang.
When Ma Zheng saw the group of children who had made way for the army by the roadside, he involuntarily stopped.
Looking at these children—skin and bones, pale-faced, and ragged—and comparing them to the
people leading the children, whose faces were rosy, he knew immediately that these children were most likely abducted.
"Whoosh!"
Just then, the curtain of a carriage in the procession was lifted, and a beautiful, delicate face peeked out from inside. When
she saw the ragged children by the roadside, a look of pity flashed across her face. She gritted her teeth and
said to Pei Yuanshao beside her, "Captain Pei, may I ask the general to come here?"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
"General, may I take these children with me?"
Ma Zheng glanced at the group of ragged children and frowned.
"Alright!"
"Pei Yuanshao, take those children away!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" Pei Yuanshao obeyed and left.
"Perhaps I should adopt some children myself and cultivate some basic talent!" Ma Zheng secretly made up
his mind.
That night, at the camp, Pei Yuanshao's words, "General, there's a problem with the children!" made
Ma Zheng, who was resting with his eyes closed in his tent, open his eyes. Seeing Ma Zheng's probing gaze, Pei Yuanshao cautiously replied, "
There's a girl among them..."
...
The tent where Ma Zheng had placed the children was very close to his own. In the open space in front of the tent,
illuminated by the surrounding campfires, nearly twenty children stood timidly and anxiously. The children were filled with fear and
panic about the unknown, especially a girl standing alone in front of the other children. Her uneasy eyes and
panicked expression stared at Ma Zheng as he entered the hall, as helpless as a fawn caught in a trap.
"What's your name?"
Ma Zheng smiled gently, reaching out to place his hand on the girl's head. Her coffee-colored hair was unexpectedly soft
, causing Ma Zheng to unconsciously stroke it.
"Guo Huan..." Ma Zheng's unexpected anger slightly reassured the girl, who uttered a soft pleading
voice, "My lord, please don't send me away, okay?"
"Then what use will you be if you stay?" Hearing the girl's pleading, Ma Zheng, his mischievous nature stirring,
asked casually.
"I...I...I...can I go somewhere where there's no one else? I'll prove my worth!"
The girl remained silent for a long while before answering.
Inside the tent, a row of beds was arranged along the wall. The girl, with her back to Ma Zheng, trembled as she unbuttoned her clothes
—this was the place Ma Zheng had arranged for the children to rest; at her request, Ma Zheng and she had come to this temporarily deserted place. Her upper garment gradually slipped down, and even with her back to Ma Zheng, a blush of shyness still 　　covered her tender white body
in pink ... 　　 Was this what she meant by "useful"? 　　 Ma Zheng stood there dumbfounded—clearly, he hadn't yet 　　 recovered from the shock of how a little girl would know these "adult" concepts. Damn, this was just a ten-year-old girl! Her 　　thoughts were far too cruel! By the time he reacted, the other woman was already 　　standing there completely naked, except for her underpants; however, if he had reacted any slower, her underwear might have been gone too… 　　 “Wait!” 　　 Ma Zheng shouted. Although he was very lecherous and had designs on famous historical beauties, he wouldn't be so wicked as 　　to have any wicked thoughts about a girl who wasn't even a teenager. However, it was clear that Ma Zheng's shout 　　had the opposite effect. The girl, who was still hesitant about whether to remove the last bit of clothing from her body due to her initial shyness, 　　pulled down forcefully at Ma Zheng's shout… 　　 “Ah…” Diao Chan's surprised scream came from behind Ma Zheng. Ma Zheng turned around and saw that 　　Diao Chan was staring at him in astonishment. From her surprised expression and raised slender hand, it was easy to see that she was 　　incredulous at the sight before her. 　　 “So…so, you're this kind of person…” Diao Chan, her face full of shame and indignation, pointed angrily at Ma Zheng 　　 . "Chan'er, it's not like that... Let me explain..." Diao Chan's heartbroken expression made 　　Ma Zheng flustered... 　　 "She's just a child!..." 　　 "Waaah..." Seeing the situation was getting out of hand, Ma Zheng pulled Diao Chan into his arms and decisively kissed her questioning 　　lips, ignoring her non-lethal punches. 　　 After a long while, their lips parted. Ma Zheng looked at Diao Chan, who was now limp in his arms, and affectionately stroked her delicate nose, 　　explaining with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "What are you thinking! This girl took off her clothes herself. I was just curious 　　about her method of proving her worth... Besides, with a mature beauty like you by my side 　　, why would I bully a little girl?" " 　　 ???" Under Ma Zheng's tender whispers, Diao Chan gradually calmed down. She realized she was once again in Ma Zheng's arms 　　! And in front of others no less. A shy blush, like that of a girl next door, appeared on her pretty cheeks. 　　 Ma Zheng gazed at the jade-like woman in his arms, radiating two completely opposite qualities: a refreshing purity and a captivating allure 　　. It stirred a tingling sensation in his heart 　　 . "A vixen... truly a femme fatale!" Ma Zheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly. But he tightened his grip on 　　Diao Chan even more!

Her lips were exquisitely curved, her nose perfectly sculpted. Her eyes, like rippling autumn water, were naturally alluring,
radiating endless charm and allure. Her beauty was almost demonic,
her body curvaceous and breathtaking. She was captivating, naturally alluring, radiating boundless charm and seductive power.
Ma Zheng's mouth went dry.
Ma Zheng rested his head on Diao Chan's soft shoulder, inhaling her intoxicating fragrance, his heart fluttering.
His hands began to wander, soon landing on Diao Chan's firm, round breasts. The amazing elasticity
and smoothness made Ma Zheng's soul tremble, and he couldn't help but apply slight pressure.
"Mmm..."
Diao Chan clearly felt it too, and she abruptly pushed Ma Zheng away. Her face flushed, she glared at him,
a slight panic rising in her heart.
"Don't do anything rash," Diao Chan's voice trembled slightly.
Ignoring Diao Chan's embarrassment and anger, Ma Zheng pulled her into his arms again, his powerful embrace seemingly trying to
merge her into his own body. Diao Chan felt a slight difficulty breathing.
"No...no...here..." These words made Ma Zheng unable to resist any longer. He cupped Diao Chan's stunningly
beautiful face and kissed her rosy lips fiercely.
"Ah! No!"
Diao Chan turned to dodge, but Ma Zheng gave her no chance. He turned her face back and
kissed her hard again.
"Ah..."
Diao Chan tried to say something, but felt her lips covered by a warm, soft kiss, and could no longer utter a sound. Diao
Chan's face seemed to drip with water. But Ma Zheng didn't see this intoxicating beauty. Ma Zheng greedily
sucked Diao Chan's fragrant nectar, and Diao Chan, under Ma Zheng's domineering influence... She stopped her futile resistance, wrapped her arms
around Ma Zheng, and let him ravage her mouth.
Ma Zheng seemed unsatisfied; he wrapped his arm around Diao Chan's waist, his hand slipping inside her clothes, his burning hot hand
against her smooth, white skin, feeling a slick, slippery touch.
"Ah!" The little girl's scream instantly brought Diao Chan back to her senses. Like a startled kitten, she
pushed Ma Zheng away, her face flushed crimson.
Remembering Ma Zheng's domineering advances that had left her no escape, she glared at him fiercely.
This angry glare was incredibly alluring, almost making Ma Zheng lose himself in Diao Chan's gaze. Ma Zheng tightly gripped
the soft hand that was trying to escape his grasp, turning to look at the scoundrel who had ruined his plans.
Diao Chan was somewhat helpless, and could only let Ma Zheng hold her. However, recalling what had just happened, her heart suddenly
pounded…
“Girl, what are you up to!” Ma Zheng, annoyed that his plans had been ruined, questioned her rudely.
“I…can I stay?”
“Sure,” Ma Zheng said, looking at the girl’s pitiful eyes.
“Little sister, you go wait outside…” Diao Chan looked at the sulking Ma Zheng with amusement.
“Okay, pretty sister!” Guo Huan replied happily, then skipped out of the tent.
Holding Ma Zheng’s warm body, Diao Chan buried her head in his broad chest, feeling his steady heartbeat
.
“This feels so good!” Diao Chan said inexplicably, making Ma Zheng even more affectionate.
He hugged Diao Chan’s soft, maddening body tighter, and her long, black hair cascaded down her back,
a waterfall of beauty that added to her allure.
Feeling the strong arms embracing her, Diao Chan gently stroked Ma Zheng's face with her hand, feeling its warmth
. Gazing into the clear, deep black eyes, Diao Chan's fingers involuntarily brushed against
Ma Zheng's slightly thin red lips. Suddenly, Diao Chan said, "Kiss me!"
"Uh..."
Ma Zheng was taken aback. Although he knew Diao Chan's behavior was a bit unusual, he wouldn't refuse her
request! Looking at Diao Chan's lips, as red and delicate as morning mist, exuding alluring temptation, Ma Zheng
's lips gently pressed against hers. With her soft red lips held by Ma Zheng, Diao Chan suddenly felt weak all over,
leaning limply against Ma Zheng's chest!
"My lord, Mr. Guo has arrived..." The jarring voice rang out again. Unlike before, this
time the person who interrupted Ma Zheng's good time was none other than his personal guard commander, Pei Yuanshao.
"Ah..." Pei Yuanshao's voice startled Diao Chan from her reverie, and she
fluttered out of Ma Zheng's arms like a startled butterfly.
"General, I'll go back now!"
Diao Chan stood gracefully before him, exuding allure without a trace of coquettishness.
"Let me hug you again!" Ma Zheng opened his arms and reached out to embrace Diao Chan.
Ma Zheng expected Diao Chan to dodge, but she stood there with a flushed face, glancing towards the tent flap
, allowing Ma Zheng to reach out again.
Ma Zheng wrapped his arms around Diao Chan's slender waist, feeling its elasticity and breathing in the
sweet fragrance emanating from her body. The soft, delicate body pressing against Ma Zheng brought him immense pleasure.
"No! Your strategist is still waiting for you outside! I don't want to be branded as someone who seduced his lord!"
Diao Chan refused earnestly.
"Then... tonight...?" Ma Zheng's gaze lingered on Diao Chan's alluring figure with ill intent as
he asked pointedly.
"Oh, it's rare to have company. Tonight, I'll sleep with that little maid from earlier! If my husband
intends for me to serve him with Sister Guo Huan, I wouldn't mind either!" Diao Chan winked playfully at Ma Zheng
and said with a smile.
"Uh..." Upon hearing Diao Chan's words, Ma Zheng's lecherous expression immediately fell.
Diao Chan, seeing Ma Zheng's crumbling face, covered her mouth and chuckled smugly. As Ma Zheng's expression darkened, she stuck out
her tongue and fluttered out of the tent like a butterfly.
"My lord has returned to life! I truly envy your good fortune with women!" Guo Jia's malicious voice
rang in Ma Zheng's ears.
"Ahem! Fengxiao, what brings you here so late?" Ma Zheng wisely changed the subject.
"This lord..." Guo Jia thought to himself, but he also dropped his nonchalant demeanor and
said seriously, "My lord, the Xiongnu have invaded the Hetao region! They are currently attacking. Brother Zhicai urges you to quickly
take control of Bingzhou!"
"Fengxiao, let Zhicai take action! Let the Xiongnu's last hope be shattered beneath the walls of Hetao! We only
have four years. Within four years, the northern grasslands must be unified!" At this moment, Ma Zheng showed no trace of his previous intoxication
; his entire being exuded domineering power.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
On the city wall of Hetao, Xi Zhicai gazed at the billowing dust and the approaching Xiongnu cavalry.
"They're here! Let this become the Xiongnu's graveyard!" Xi Zhicai murmured, closing his eyes.
At this moment, Zhang Liao whispered to Xi Zhicai, "Strategist, should we evacuate the men from the left and right flank forts?
There are only a hundred or so Zhu soldiers in those forts; leaving them there is just suicide..."
Xi Zhicai didn't speak, his face resolute. "We can't evacuate. The two forts are the shield of the main city of Hetao.
If the Xiongnu occupy the forts, they can suppress us from there. With the Xiongnu's archery skills, our left and right
flanks will suffer heavy losses. Besides, the men can be evacuated from the forts, but the ballistae cannot.
Think about it, what will you do if they use ballistae to shoot us?"
"Are we just going to watch them die?" Zhang Liao argued loudly.
A flicker of pity crossed Xi Zhicai's eyes, but it vanished quickly. "General Zhang Liao," he said, "
please tell the brothers at Weibao that the longer they hold out, the greater our chances of victory. Their
families will be well taken care of!"
"Someone!" Xi Zhicai shouted. A soldier ran to him. "Go and inform all
the people in Hetao City that if they don't want the Xiongnu to break into the city, everyone, regardless of age or gender, must prepare to go up and fight!
" Standing beneath the walls of Hetao City, Luan Di Lie gazed upon this magnificent and formidable war fortress, a surge of pride rising within him.
Hetao was about to be his; with Hetao secured, the rise of the Xiongnu would be imminent. Taking advantage of Ma
Zheng's absence while he was away reporting for duty, and the absence of the Hetao garrison commander, he had quickly recruited as many pro-Xiongnu tribes as possible
: the Duoluo, Yeyu, and Feima tribes, among others, forming an army of 50,000. Combined with
his own 10,000 elite troops, capturing the 5,000-strong garrison of Hetao City was a piece of cake
. "To take Hetao, we must first capture these two fortresses. Each fortress currently has only a hundred or so Han soldiers.
Which leader is willing to take the credit?" Luan Di Lie surveyed the tribal chiefs around him.
Reality is truly strange. Not long ago, Luandilie's status was only slightly higher than these tribal chiefs.
With the fall of the Xiongnu royal court and the near extinction of the Luandilie family's direct bloodline, he was surprisingly
elected as the acting Chanyu by the remaining Xiongnu people. The tribal chiefs who once called him brother were now kneeling at his
feet. Truly, misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and a blessing may be a misfortune in disguise; the twists and turns of life are unpredictable.
"Chanyu, our tribe is willing to go!" Two tribal chiefs stepped forward, from the Bull-Headed and Pegasus tribes, both
staunch followers of Luandilie.
"Good!" Luandilie was overjoyed. "Taking Weibao will be the greatest achievement. After capturing Hetao City,
you will each receive two portions of all the spoils," Luandilie generously declared. The remaining tribal chiefs couldn't help but show regret. Attacking 　　a fortress
guarded by just over a hundred men with only one tribe's strength should have been a piece of cake, but they were a step too slow, allowing these two to get there first. 　　 The Pegasus chief, Halet, and the Feather chief, Agut, triumphantly rode towards their people. Moments later 　　, their forces surged forth. Since they were attacking the fortress, their warhorses were useless; the Bull-Headed and Pegasus 　　tribes dismounted and fought on foot, weapons in hand, carrying ladders, roaring as they charged towards the fortress. Meanwhile, the main force of the Luan Di Lie tribe 　　slowly advanced, preventing any possible reinforcements from the main city to the fortress. 　　 Upon seeing the flag signals from the main city, the soldiers at the two fortresses were resigned to their fate. 　　Li Chunxiao, the commander of the hundred men stationed at the left fortress, looked around and said, "Brothers, we're going to die anyway. Since we're going to die, let's take a few more 　　with us!" The hundred-odd soldiers howled, their faces contorted with rage. Since death was inevitable, they might 　　as well find some companions before they die. At the same time, a similar story unfolded at the right fortress. Soldiers, resigned to their fate 　　, surged towards the fortresses, their eyes gleaming with ferocity as they stared intently at the approaching Xiongnu. 　　 The distinctive whistling of the ballistae shattered the pre-battle tranquility. Powerful bolts pierced the crowd, 　　instantly creating a narrow path through the dense Xiongnu ranks. The bolts, as thick as a child's arm and about four feet long, strung together like a gourd 　　, knocking down many behind them. 　　 "Good!" shouted the soldiers in the fortress. Several men worked together to reload the ballistae. Each fortress 　　was equipped with two ballistae, with a range of about a thousand paces. At this distance, the Xiongnu were helpless against a direct attack. Soon, 　　dozens of cavalrymen from each unit charged out. The cavalry were fast, and once the ballistae were fixed in place, it was difficult to change their angle, 　　so they had to ignore them. The cavalrymen rushed to the fortresses, drew their bows, and began suppressing the fortresses. The arrows whistled through the air. These 　　Xiongnu were all skilled archers, extremely accurate. Soldiers on the fortresses 　　were easily hit if they weren't careful. Although their armor provided protection, a shot to the face was fatal. Soon, 　　wounded soldiers began to appear on the fortresses. 　　 Although the ballistae were powerful, their rate of fire was slow. Only a few arrows were fired from the two fortresses before the charging attackers 　　swarmed to the foot of the fortresses. Squadrons were erected, and soldiers from both tribes began to climb them like ants 　　.

"Lower the log!"
The soldiers guarding the fortress yanked the ropes, and the log suspended from the fortress's battlements crashed down with a whoosh,
sweeping away enemies on the ladders like autumn leaves in the wind. Those struck directly by the log were instantly killed, their bones broken and their bodies shattered
. Even those who managed to avoid the log were likely to suffer broken limbs from the fall of several meters.
In the blink of an eye, a layer of corpses and a group of screaming wounded soldiers lay beneath the fortress.
"Prepare stones! Throw them!" There were too many enemies below; there was no need to look around. Just throw stones, and they
would hit them. A group of soldiers grabbed stones and swarmed forward.
"Archers! Archers! Suppress the enemy cavalry!"
After a frenzied attack, the Bull Head and Flying Feather tribes lost their momentum. They couldn't even climb the walls of the fortress, let alone take it
down.
Seeing the enemy retreat like a receding tide, the left fort's hundred-man commander breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground. This was only the
beginning; a fierce battle was yet to come. Looking around at his soldiers,
he saw that more than a dozen would never rise again, most killed by arrows shot directly into the face from below the city walls.
"Damn those Huns, their arrows are incredibly accurate!" Peeking cautiously from the crenellations,
he saw the enemy regrouping, this time using large shields as their vanguard. "Damn them, they came so fast!"
However 　　 , the difference in strength could not be overcome by mere courage. Soon, the left and right forts of Hetao City
fell 　　one after another, and all two hundred-plus soldiers perished. But before the forts fell, the ballistae within were 　　destroyed by the soldiers, preventing them from falling into the hands of the Huns and threatening the main city of Hetao. 　　 The Bull-Headed and Flying Feather tribes, having each lost hundreds of lives to capture the two fortresses, were furious and heartbroken 　　. Hundreds of elite soldiers represented a significant portion of their small tribe's resources. 　　Having taken the fortresses, both tribes refused to participate in the attack on the main city of Hetao, merely occupying the fortresses and 　　firing suppressive fire towards the main city, hoping for some compensation in the spoils after the capture of Hetao. The two tribal 　　leaders were truly devastated; who could have imagined that a small fortress guarded by only a hundred men could possess such fighting power? 　　 With the fortresses fallen, the main city of Hetao was immediately besieged. Over five thousand soldiers barely held the walls. 　　At this moment, the able-bodied men of Hetao, armed with swords and spears, charged onto the city walls. Zhang Liao could only assign some 　　veterans as temporary commanders before sending the rest to the front lines. 　　 "Throw stones down, pour boiling oil down, push the logs down, and cut down the enemies that climb up. 　　That's all!" the veteran simply told the young men. 　　 The blood on the city walls, the piles of corpses below, and the dense swarms of arrows in the air made the young men pale. Despite 　　their pale faces, they gripped their weapons tightly. Although they had grown up in the north and 　　had never experienced such a brutal war, they were no strangers to bloodshed… 　　 As night fell, Xi Zhicai's thin figure stood atop the Hetao city wall, gazing outwards in the faint starlight. 　　A full 50,000 troops had set up a vast camp stretching for dozens of miles outside Hetao city. As far as the eye could see, there were undulating domed tents. 　　The enemy commander seemed to be well-versed in the art of encircling three sides while leaving one open, completely sealing off the east, north, and west gates, except 　　for the south gate, where not a single camp or tent had been set up. 　　 "Crack, crack" 　　 The heavy footsteps were mixed with the sound of armor plates rubbing together. Zhang Liao, Liao Hua and Gao Shun climbed the city wall together. 　　Liao Hua stepped forward and stood side by side with Xi Zhicai. 　　 "It seems there's nothing tonight, but the enemy will launch another fierce attack tomorrow!" Liao Hua paused, then turned 　　to look at Xi Zhicai's thin face and said in a low voice, "Mr. Xi Zhicai, you've done what you were supposed to do. Leave 　　the rest to me and Liao Hua. Please evacuate tonight." 　　 "Nonsense," Xi Zhicai frowned. "My lord entrusted Hetao City to me. How could I abandon it 　　? General, say no more. I swear to live and die with Hetao." 　　 "Pfft!" 　　 "Hmph." 　　 Before Xi Zhicai could finish speaking, Liao Hua struck him hard on the back of the head with lightning speed. Xi Zhicai groaned and 　　collapsed limply. Liao Hua, who was prepared, rushed forward to catch him. 　　 Liao Hua asked, "Generals Zhang Liao and Gao Shun, are you both ready?" 　　 "They are both ready." 　　 "Master Xi is our lord's right-hand man; his safety is paramount," Liao Hua said solemnly. "Please 　　escort him out of the city immediately." 　　 "Your humble servant obeys." 　　 Late at night, on the city wall of Hetao. 　　 Liao Hua's gaze suddenly sharpened. In the dim firelight of the city wall, he clearly saw Zhang Liao and Gao Shun standing on horseback 　　below the wall. 　　 "Generals, why didn't you retreat with Mr. Xi Zhicai?" 　　 "Mr. Xi Zhicai, as a strategist, is duty-bound to advise our lord; fighting on the battlefield is not his responsibility, 　　" Liao Hua said calmly. "However, as a general under our lord, how can I desert my post?" Liao Hua 　　 said in a deep voice, "Generals, you should be well aware of the situation in Hetao City." 　　 "This humble general naturally knows," Zhang Liao said calmly. "Hetao City can hold out for at most one day, while our lord's army 　　will take at least two days to arrive. In other words, Hetao City will inevitably fall, and our army will inevitably be defeated." 　　 Liao Hua roared, "Since you know this, why didn't you leave?" 　　 Zhang Liao countered, "May I ask why you didn't leave, General?" Liao 　　 Hua frowned and said, "This general is entrusted with a great responsibility by our lord; as the commander-in-chief, how can I abandon the city and flee?" 　　 Zhang Liao said, "This humble general is also entrusted with a great responsibility by our lord; although I am a deputy commander, I dare not belittle myself. 　　 " "Alas...!" Liao Hua sighed and said, "Both generals are highly talented, excelling in both training and commanding troops."

" Tenfold! My lord can live without Liao Hua, but he cannot live without these two generals. If you two generals truly remember Liao Hua,
then live well and help my lord conquer the grasslands!"
A sword rang out, and Liao Hua drew his sword from his waist, holding it to his neck. He said, "At this moment, as the commander
of the Hetao region, I order you two to quickly escort Mr. Xi to my lord. You two must go; if you do not, I will
take my own life!" "
General Liao..."
"Get out..." A trickle of crimson blood flowed down Liao Hua's neck...
"This subordinate obeys..."
The short, peaceful night finally passed. As the sun burst forth from the eastern horizon, the bloody
day inevitably began. Amidst the incessant sound of horns, squads of
soldiers clad in fur robes, exuding murderous intent, lined up outside the city of Hetao.
Luan Di Lie watched as the soldiers slowly raised their right arms, then gently waved them forward, and solemnly commanded, "Attack
!"
In an instant, the deep, resonant horn sound transformed into a loud, clear one, and sections of wooden towers
rose from the rear of the Xiongnu ranks, towering like buildings.
"Release!" "
At a command, dozens of wooden arms swung, hurling massive boulders the size of millstones. Dozens of boulders, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, streaked across the sky, 　　crashing down
upon the city walls with overwhelming force . 　　 "Whoosh! 　　 " One boulder flew over the wall and crashed into the city, creating a large crater in the smooth ground. 　　 "Boom! Boom! Boom 　　 !" Three boulders struck the wall in succession, instantly creating two large dents. One of the boulders shattered a 　　section of the battlement, sending debris and mud cascading down the wall. Beside the shattered battlement, a soldier 　　stood pale-faced and dazed, clearly still bewildered by what had just happened. 　　 The next moment, a large boulder hurtled towards them, its edge barely grazing the soldier's head. 　　 "Thud! 　　 " The defenders' heads shattered like watermelons. The boulder, still moving with great speed, swept past their still-standing bodies and crashed 　　onto the city wall. The entire wall trembled, and several soldiers, caught off guard, fell to the ground in disarray. 　　 "Boom! 　　 " As another boulder slammed down from the sky, a section of the still-unreinforced wall of Hetao City 　　collapsed. Three defenders on the city wall, unable to escape, cried out in agony as they plummeted into 　　the moat, where they were immediately impaled by sharp deer antlers scattered throughout the trench. 　　 The Xiongnu catapults ravaged the city for a full half-hour, leaving Hetao City's walls riddled with holes and 　　scarred, but the casualties inflicted on the defenders were extremely limited. 　　 "Oh! Oh! Oh!" 　　 Outside Hetao City, the Xiongnu cheered in waves, their morale soaring. 　　 On the other hand, atop the walls of Hetao City, apart from a thousand veterans who had risen with Ma Zheng, the rest were filled with dread. 　　 "The great war in the Central Plains hasn't even begun, yet the Xiongnu have already made catapults! Our lord is right, 　　after every major upheaval in the Central Plains, the steppe barbarians inevitably rise! But it's a pity you've met our lord!" Liao Hua sighed with some regret. 　　 Seeing the somewhat demoralized morale on the walls of Hetao City, Luan Di Lie triumphantly ordered, "Anoqi, you lead the vanguard 　　to capture the city!" 　　 "Yes, sir." 　　 "Vanguard, attack..." 　　 Anoqi responded crisply, raising his spiked club and drawing it forward. Five thousand soldiers roared in response, carrying 　　hastily made wooden shields, forming neat ranks and surging towards Hetao City. 　　 On the walls of Hetao City. 　　 Was the capture of the city finally about to begin? Next, the battle was about to truly begin. Liao Hua, his expression calm, drew 　　his sword and raised it high above his head, shouting, "Archers! Prepare!" 　　 Amidst the rapid footsteps, a thousand veterans and a thousand new recruits, longbows in hand, surged behind the parapet. At this 　　point, the veterans and new recruits were clearly distinguishable. The veterans, their expressions cold, remained 　　calm and unmoved as the enemy surged towards them from the city walls. The thousand new recruits, however, showed fear in their eyes, even 　　their left hands holding bows trembling slightly. 　　 But Liao Hua wasn't worried at all, because soon these soldiers would rapidly mature through brutal slaughter 　　, becoming qualified veterans! Of course, many of these soldiers would die in battle; the price of growth was 　　heavy, but this was war, real war. 　　 "Kill…" 　　 Amidst a deafening roar, over a thousand soldiers carrying large wooden shields charged forward. They were a suicide 　　squad, their sole purpose being to draw fire from the city walls! 　　 Four thousand soldiers, carrying ladders and shields, followed closely behind; they were the main force in the capture of the city. 　　Behind them were ten thousand archers responsible for cover and suppression. 　　 On the city wall of Hetao. 　　 "General!" Liao Hua's personal guard commander turned abruptly and reported to Liao Hua, "The enemy's vanguard has entered 　　within a hundred paces." 　　 Liao Hua's raised right arm seemed petrified, unmoving. The eyes of the two thousand archers were fixed on 　　the sword in Liao Hua's hand. Until Liao Hua lowered his sword, they dared not fire a single arrow, and could only allow the enemy to close in. 　　 "General, the enemy's vanguard has charged within a hundred paces!" 　　 "General, the enemy's light infantry has reached the trenches!" 　　 "General, the enemy's archers have entered within a hundred paces!" 　　 This was the moment they had been waiting for! A chilling killing intent flickered across Liao Hua's lips. 　　He thrust his raised sword forward with a sharp swing and shouted, "Release the arrows!" " 　　 Clatter, clatter..." 　　 Longbows were drawn taut, and sharp, wolf-tooth arrows were nocked. The next moment, a piercing...

A sharp whistling sound filled the air as a dense volley of arrows rained down from the city walls, mercilessly striking the advancing Xiongnu
archers. A continuous chorus of screams echoed through the sky as Xiongnu soldiers, clad only in fur robes,
fell in droves, especially the archers who followed, suffering heavy casualties! Liao Hua had defied conventional tactics,
deliberately sparing the vanguard with their large shields raised, intending to kill the ten thousand Xiongnu archers in the rear.
Five consecutive volleys of arrows had inflicted heavy losses on the Xiongnu archers attacking the city!
The Xiongnu main force.
Luan Di Lie, however, was furious, his face ashen: "That useless Arnoqi, what is he doing?"
Beneath the walls of the Hetao city.
After suffering heavy casualties, the Xiongnu finally formed a shield wall, protecting the remaining archers.
Archers on and below the city walls began exchanging fire. Undeniably, although the garrison in the Hetao region held the advantage of terrain,
their numbers and archery skills were far inferior to the Xiongnu. Under the cover of the archers,
light infantry carrying ladders quickly bypassed the shield bearers and placed the ladders on the city walls. Using their wooden shields as
cover, they officially began scaling the walls and capturing the city.
Five hundred li south of the Hetao region, Ma Zheng was leading his army in a rapid retreat. Ten thousand cavalry and thirty thousand warhorses
swept northwards, leaving billowing dust and flying debris in their wake.
On the walls of the Hetao region, fierce fighting raged.
"Kill!"
Liao Hua roared, snatching a spear and hurling it forward. The sharp
spear, accompanied by a piercing whistle, coldly pierced Arnoqi's chest. With continued momentum, the spear, carrying Arnoqi's corpse, pierced
the abdomen of another enemy soldier. The blood-dripping spear tip emerged from the back of the centurion behind them, and both men let out
piercing screams as they fell from the city wall 　　 .
………
... 　　 Liao Hua stepped onto the parapet, picked up the last ladder, and hurled it back down. Then, facing 　　the dark mass of the Jizhou army outside, he raised his fist and roared to the sky, "Victory is certain..." "Victory 　　 is certain!" 　　 "Victory is certain!" 　　 The more than three thousand survivors of the bloody battle responded with a thunderous roar, their momentum overwhelming. 　　 The next morning. 　　 "Boom boom boom..." 　　 Huge boulders the size of millstones violently pounded the city walls. The weak eastern wall, battered relentlessly by the catapults 　　, teetered on the brink of collapse. 　　 Several thousand elite Xiongnu soldiers had gathered there, 　　slowly approaching the weakest points of the wall under the protection of their shields. Having learned from yesterday's experience, the defending archers could no longer inflict much damage on the Jizhou infantry! 　　Only a few scattered arrows pierced through the shields and armor, causing limited casualties. 　　 Inside the city of Hetao, Liao Hua gathered all the available garrison troops. Two thousand soldiers 　　formed a semi-circle around the crumbling weak point, their sharp spears standing like a forest, like a bloodthirsty beast 　　awaiting its prey. 　　 Accompanied by continuous crashing sounds, the city wall trembled slightly, large chunks of broken earth 　　falling from it, cascading to the ground. 　　 As the wall crumbled, the soldiers' eyes gleamed with excited, sinister smiles. 　　 "Boom!" A deafening roar followed as a boulder finally pierced the weak wall. 　　 "Crash..." 　　 With a deafening roar, a section of the wall collapsed, creating a gaping hole dozens of paces wide. 　　Dozens of soldiers on the city wall tumbled down amidst the flying debris and mud, buried alive in the billowing dust. 　　 "Kill!" 　　 The Minotaur leader Harlet and the Pegasus leader Agut, leading the newly recruited soldiers of the Luandi Lie 　　, charged towards the breach like a pack of mad wolves. Thousands of elite troops surged forward like a flood bursting its banks. 　　 Inside the city of Hetao. 　　 "Kill! Kill! Kill..." 　　 The two armies clashed violently at the breach. In an instant, screams and the sounds of battle echoed through the sky. Swords 　　slashed, spears thrust, and cleavers hacked and slashed; sharp arrows flew everywhere... The soldiers of both armies were tightly entangled. 　　Amidst the deafening roar of battle, soldiers on both sides fell like stalks of wheat being harvested by a farmer, while 　　those behind 　　them continued their relentless charge, endlessly filling the gaps left by their fallen comrades. 　　Here 　　, 　　human life 　　was as 　　cheap 　　as ants… 　　 ……… 　　... It's a joke: the war has reached this point, Liao Hua himself has 　　lost count of how many barbarians he's killed. If he were to lay down his weapons and surrender now, Liao Hua is certain his head would be chopped 　　off. 　　"Since that's the case, send him on his way..." A flash of anger crossed Luan Di Lie's eyes. 　　 "Chanyu, the Han troops in the city have all been wiped out. Are the women and children in the city waiting for the Great Chanyu to distribute them?" a tribal chieftain asked respectfully. 　　"No rush. Each tribe will leave a thousand men to guard the city. Whoever seizes the city's wealth can keep it, but infighting is strictly prohibited... and..."

"My brothers are exhausted, and there are plenty of women in this city!" Luan Di Lie said with a lewd grin. Luan Di Lie had his own plans: the
most urgent task was to win over the hearts of the people. Once he secured his position as Chanyu, what wealth would he lack?
"Great Chanyu, your generosity is like the sun in the sky..." A continuous stream of praise rang out with Luan Di Lie's command.
People
out of control are often more terrifying than wild beasts. At this moment, the Xiongnu in Hetao City were like wild animals released from their cages. The screams of women and
the lewd laughter of men filled the city; the pearl of the border was like hell...
While the Xiongnu were reveling all night, Ma Zheng met up with Xi Zhicai, who had been sent out of the city by Liao Hua, outside Hetao City.
Xi Zhicai said to Ma Zheng, "My lord, the fire prepared at the bottom of the city has been lit. We can begin!"
"Hmm." Ma Zheng nodded and said in a deep voice, "Pass on the order to light the fire!" "
General's order: Light the fire..."
Ma Zheng's order quickly spread throughout the army. Soldiers laid out pre-prepared dry grass and branches,
poured on kerosene, tallow, and mutton fat, and ignited them with flint. A raging fire erupted,
rapidly spreading along the tallow-soaked grass and branches, quickly engulfing the entire Hetao city in
a massive ring of fire...
When the coal piled on the ground burned out, the fire that had raged for three days and three nights finally died down. The entire Hetao city was
reduced to ashes. The nearly ten thousand civilians trapped inside, along with the fifty thousand Xiongnu soldiers, perished in the flames!
"Phew..." Ma Zheng let out a long sigh and said calmly, "The Xiongnu! It's over!"
Xi Zhicai added, "Yes, the Xiongnu are finished.
"

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【The Dream of the Three Kingdoms】(Chapter 18)

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