[Fantasy] Water Margin Heroes (Complete) - 16-18

Chapter Thirty-Four: Back to Tokyo

Upon receiving news of the emperor's personal campaign, the Liao army's eastern route forces crossed the Juma River without regard for casualties, while Lin Chong led his troops to retreat to Bazhou. Siege warfare had never been the Liao army's forte, and within days, the Liao soldiers had piled up layers of corpses beneath the walls of Bazhou. Just as the Liao army was losing heart, they received an imperial edict from Yelü Yanxi ordering an immediate retreat. Wuyan Guang, facing the fortified city of Bazhou, had already lost his fighting spirit and, upon receiving the edict, led his troops in retreat. However, Lin Chong and Qin Ming had received a blazing edict that aimed to cripple the Liao army. When the Liao army was halfway across the river, a surprise attack by heavenly troops occurred, leaving five thousand Liao soldiers in a rearguard formation stranded on the south bank.

After the victory at Bazhou, Lin Chong ordered Qin Ming to lead troops to defend the city, while he himself brought one hundred personal guards to Ansu Army to meet the emperor. Upon arriving at Xiongzhou, he found Xu Guanzhong had already headed north, and the two traveled together.

Upon arriving outside the city, the two ordered their personal guards to garrison in the outer military camp, taking only a few close attendants into the city.

After Yang Zhi led his troops to capture Ansu Army, he strictly forbade soldiers from leaving the camp without permission, and even during routine military procurement, no one dared to take advantage of the common people. Seeing the strict discipline of the Heavenly Army, and having made them proud when the Liao soldiers paid their ransom, the people became even more supportive of the army. Whenever the military made procurements, they would lower prices or sell inferior goods to the army. However, Zhang Yang firmly grasped the essence of the Party's love for the people. After the military procurements were completed, there were special personnel to inspect them, and several times he discovered the people's good intentions and sent people to compensate them. After several such incidents, the people's support for the Heavenly Army deepened from the bottom of their hearts.

Although they had a good emperor, the country was not yet at peace, and there were not many people traveling between the prefectures and counties. People in their own city rarely went to the tea stalls at the city gate to quench their thirst.

The waiter stared longingly at the city gate, hoping a few out-of-towners would come in and have a few bowls of tea at his stall. Otherwise, he'd have to go to the government office empty-handed again to collect relief grain. He'd heard that many places in Hebei had suffered from floods, making grain transport difficult and causing grain prices to soar. To prevent the poor in the city from running out of food, the emperor had allocated most of the city's grain reserves to the government offices, and His Majesty had been eating only thin porridge these past few days. Many people in the city had donated money and goods to the government offices, hoping to help those in the disaster areas. He felt a little embarrassed to go to collect relief grain every day for nothing .

Finally, a few soldiers covered in dust entered through the city gate, clearly having traveled a long way.

Seeing that the two leading soldiers looked relaxed and walked at a leisurely pace, the waiter knew they weren't messengers delivering documents and weren't in a hurry. The waiter greeted the group, saying, "Gentlemen, you must be tired from your journey. Please have some tea over there."

Lin Chong, a former member of the Imperial Guard, knew that the people were most afraid of soldiers coming to their door. Although the laws in Bazhou were extremely strict, he had never seen such hospitality from the people. He immediately became interested in how Yang Zhi led his troops and said to Xu Guanzhong, "Let's have some tea first."

Xu Guanzhong was also thirsty, and Lin Chong, a veteran who had followed Zhang Yang in his uprising, smiled and said, "Alright, General Lin, please."

Seeing that Lin Chong and the others had agreed unexpectedly, the waiter quickly ran to the stall, took out a broom, and began to sweep the dust off everyone.

Lin Chong, fearing that people would misunderstand him as being domineering, quickly took the broom and began sweeping with the others.

The waiter, knowing the manners of these military men, then went to the stall and vigorously wiped the table several times before bending down to the group and saying, "Gentlemen, please sit down."

Lin Chong and the others sat down and began to observe the people around them.

Xu Guanzhong glanced around and immediately noticed the difference. Previously, the people's faces were filled with sorrow, but now they wore smiles. Their once gloomy eyes had brightened, and the occasional glances they gave him were filled with respect.

As they were observing, the waiter brought tea.

Lin Chong took the tea and said, "Brother, sit down too, let's talk."

The waiter quickly replied, "I'll stand, sir. Please ask whatever you need to ask."

Just as Lin Chong was about to speak, a troop of soldiers approached them from the street, the leader, a quartermaster, looking rather unfriendly.

Upon approaching, the squad leader saluted and asked, "Please show me your order to leave the camp?"

Lin Chong rose and returned the salute, saying, "We just entered the city and don't have your city's order."

The squad leader then noticed the rank insignia on Lin Chong's shoulder and quickly saluted again, saying, "Greetings, General."

Seeing this, Lin Chong had no choice but to return the salute, knowing that he wouldn't be able to have tea that day. He said, "We are here to meet the Emperor by imperial decree. Please show us the way."

The squad leader saluted and said, "Yes, sir." He then said to the soldiers behind him, "You continue patrolling. I will take this general to meet the Emperor."

Lin Chong had someone pay for the tea and then followed him to the government office.

Zhang Yang, hearing of Lin Chong and Xu Guanzhong's arrival, also summoned Yang Zhi, Wang Huan, and Zhang Qing, and the group greeted each other.

Zhang Yang then said, “I have ordered Lu Junyi to lead 20,000 troops from Fukou into Hedong to reinforce Guan Sheng. My personal guards have also headed to Hedong. Yesterday, I received news from Tokyo that Tong Guan’s troops have already plundered military provisions in Nanjing and are heading to Tokyo. I will also personally go to Tokyo to kill Tong Guan. I will leave Hebei to you. I appoint my sworn brother as the Hebei Pacification Commissioner, stationed in Hejian Prefecture, to oversee the defense of Hebei. Qin Ming will be stationed in Bazhou, Zhou Xin in Cangzhou, Lin Chong in Xiongzhou, Wang Huan in Zhengding Prefecture, and Zhang Qing in Dingzhou. Xu Guanzhong will lead Zong Ying (Zong Zezi) and Zhang Bofen (Zhang Shuye) to Hedong to reinforce Guan Sheng. After I have subdued the Northwest troops, I will go directly to the Hedong front.”

Upon hearing this, everyone hurriedly stood up to receive the imperial decree and express their gratitude.

Zhang Yang asked everyone to sit down and then said, "Please speak your minds."

Yang Zhi was the first to stand up and said, "The city's grain reserves are running low. What does Your Majesty intend to do with those Liao prisoners?" Upon hearing this,

Zhang Yang said, "I didn't consider the grain reserves in the city, which is why I kept them. What do you think we should do with them?"

Wang Huan said, "The Liao Kingdom is unable to pay with gold, silver, and cattle, and the fodder for their border horses is also insufficient. Why not let them redeem the prisoners with sheep and use the money to aid the disaster victims?"

Xu Guanzhong said, "The Liao Kingdom has also suffered from natural disasters in recent years, and I'm afraid they are unable to redeem tens of thousands of prisoners. The ordinary soldiers in the army are all from poor backgrounds, and their families cannot afford the ransom. Why not release the ordinary soldiers and only keep the officers for the Liao Kingdom to redeem? This would show Your Majesty's benevolence and also allow the Liao Kingdom to resist the Jin Kingdom for a little longer." "If war breaks out again, they will certainly not dare to resist our dynasty."

Zhang Yang nodded upon hearing this, saying, "What you two ministers say is very true. Let them ransom the officers. The Ministry of Revenue has already sent officials to handle the disaster relief. My sworn brother, you can keep an eye on things. The merit register of Bazhou has also been sent. My sworn brother, please compile it and submit it to the Ministry of War. Let the Liao Kingdom's ransom be distributed to the meritorious soldiers."

Yang Zhi hurriedly said, "The court's finances are tight, and we need to provide disaster relief. The Liao Kingdom's ransom is nearly three million taels. How can it all be distributed to the three armies?"

Zhang Yang said, "My sworn brother, there's no need to say more. The fallen soldiers should be given preferential treatment, and those who have made meritorious contributions should also be rewarded handsomely. In the future, I will allocate land to their families. Although the court is short of money, we cannot let the soldiers shed blood in vain. The disaster relief funds and grain have already been allocated from Tokyo."

Seeing that Zhang Yang had made up his mind, Yang Zhi could only thank Zhang Yang on behalf of the three armies.

The next day, everyone led their troops to their respective posts, and Zhang Yang also rode an eagle towards Tokyo.

In Chapter Thirty-Five, during a conversation in the palace

, three divine eagles took turns riding him. By evening, Zhang Yang had arrived above Tokyo.

The palace guards, seeing the three giant eagles circling down, knew who it was. However, duty dictated their caution, and one of the officers on duty approached to investigate.

When Zhang Yang was still several meters above the ground, he leaped down.

Seeing Zhang Yang's agile figure and yellow civilian clothes, the officer on duty had no further doubts and quickly saluted.

Zhang Yang returned the salute and then ordered him to summon the ministers of various departments to the Chongzheng Hall for a meeting.

"He is now the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty. What's wrong with you marrying him? With your looks and cunning, you'll surely be made a concubine, and your nephews will have a better life."

Looking at her brother, whose personality had drastically changed since becoming king, Fang Baihua couldn't help but sigh. His claim of acting for his nephew was likely just a high-sounding excuse. After becoming king, he became obsessed with women; every time he conquered a city, he would first order the plundering of beauties and send them to the harem, caring nothing for anyone else. Having just been rescued, he wanted to indulge in pleasure with his concubines, but the heavenly soldiers had isolated and imprisoned everyone, which was why he had come to beg her. Otherwise, he

would surely have been just as carefree. Thinking of the monotonous palace life, she shook her head and said, "He might take me as a concubine to appease the followers in Jiangnan. If I agree, my life will be bound to the palace. Can you bear to see your sister live such a life?"

Fang La knew his sister had always been lively and active. Although he felt a pang of pity, he hadn't enjoyed marital bliss for over a month since his capture, a torment for someone who had once had countless concubines. His mind was already consumed by lust, and any trace of reluctance quickly vanished in the flames of desire. Suppressing the urge to rebuke, he advised, "Actually, there's no shortage of food and clothing in the palace. What's wrong with that? Look at your concubines, they've all lived very happily, haven't they?"

Fang Baihua replied, "Of course they have to appear happy in front of you. They have nothing to do in the palace every day, and you only visit once a month. How can they be happy?"

Fang La was taken aback, knowing he couldn't argue with his exceptionally clever sister, and also knowing her strong will. He gritted his teeth and said, "But our status is different now. If you don't go to the palace, our family will have to wait for their rewards. If they forget one day, we'll starve. Are you going to endure their scorn and wait for their rewards every day?"

Fang Baihua was stunned, and said sadly, "Brother, do you want me to exchange my body for food? That would mean you... " "Can you hold your head high and face people

now?" Fang La had already made up his mind to persuade his sister to enter the palace. Ignoring her sorrowful eyes, he said, "Women are born to support their husbands and raise children to earn a living. Sister, you will eventually get married. His Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition; he will surely be able to conquer the world. Wouldn't it be better for you to marry him than to marry those ordinary men?"

Fang Baihua finally couldn't help but cry out, "Doesn't our doctrine say that men and women are equal? How can women not support their families and have to rely on men?"

Fang La laughed, "Sister, you've been clever since you were little; how could you believe such nonsense? Women are born inferior to men. The doctrine also forbids eating meat and drinking alcohol, but haven't many leaders in the sect broken the precepts? That doctrine is just to deceive some people into following our uprising. Now that we've failed, we don't need to believe in it anymore." After

more than ten years of faith, suddenly being told that it was just a joke, Fang Baihua felt her mind go blank and softly collapsed to the ground.

Fang La dared not allow his only hope to be harmed. Just as he was about to step forward to support his sister, someone snatched her away and held her in their arms.

Zhang Yang glanced at Fang Baihua with pity and said to Fang La, "I hereby bestow upon you the title of Duke of Anle and grant you a residence in Dongjing. You may leave."

Fang La, seeing Zhang Yang dressed in a yellow outfit and referring to himself as "I," disregarded the fact that the title bestowed upon him was the one given to the captured last ruler of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period. He hurriedly knelt and kowtowed, saying, "Your subject Fang La thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

Zhang Yang, too lazy to pay him any attention, picked up Fang Baihua and turned to walk towards the inner palace. After taking only a few steps, he heard Fang La say, "Your Majesty, please allow my wives and concubines to reunite with me."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang did not turn around and said in a muffled voice, "Granted."

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Fang La, disregarding his sister's life or death, kowtowed to Zhang Yang several more times before getting up to seek his marital pleasure.

Zhang Yang, carrying Fang Baihua to the gate of the inner palace, had several eunuchs escort her to Yanfu Palace.

Zhang Yang had just heard Fang La and his sister arguing for a long time. When he arrived at Chongzheng Hall, the ministers of the seven ministries were already waiting outside. Upon seeing Zhang Yang, they hurriedly tried to pay their respects.

Zhang Yang said, "No need for that. Ji Zhong (Zhang Shuye) has also returned from the Northwest."

Zhang Shuye said, "I have returned to seek reinforcements. The situation in the Northwest is already in chaos. Now the Central Plains have become a piece of fat meat, and everyone wants a piece. The Western Xia and Tubo have tasted the sweetness of victory, and even the Xizhou Uyghurs and Huangtou Uyghurs have sent troops to join the war. General Zhong Shidao had to retreat to Qinzhou. Fortunately, Li Jun's navy brought gunpowder, which scared off the Western Xia troops. However, the Western Xia commander, Chage, is brave and skilled in battle, and rich in resources..." "They're cunning; they've been testing the power of gunpowder. It won't be long before they regroup. General Zhong Shidao's forces have already suffered over half their casualties; they probably won't last much longer."

Zhang Yang and the others entered the side hall, walked to the northwest sand table, and frowned, asking, "How many armies has Western Xia deployed?"

Zhang Shuye pointed to the sand table and said, "Three armies. The Western Xia emperor personally led 150,000 troops from the Left Wing Divine Valiant Army to attack Hedong. Western Xia Prince Jin, Chage, led 100,000 troops and 50,000 Tibetan troops to invade Qinfeng." "Lu, Weiming Renzhong led 100,000 troops to invade Yan'an Prefecture from Jianing Military Command. Huyan Zhuo's army was also finding it very difficult to resist Weiming Renzhong's army in Yan'an Prefecture."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang mocked, "The entire Western Xia army numbers only a little over 500,000, yet they launched an invasion with 350,000. Do they really think our Central Plains are in chaos? Send a message to General Zhong Shidao that if they cannot resist, they can retreat to Weizhou. Once Tong Guan's troops arrive, reinforcements will be available. How far is Tong Guan from Dongjing?"

Dai Zong replied, "Not far." "It's already a hundred li away."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang said, "By the time he reaches the city walls, it will be his death day. Are there any other major events in the various tribes?"

Wu Yong replied, "Dali is also gathering troops, and several prefectures in Guangnan West Road are in constant contact with Dali. It seems even the Viet Ly Dynasty has caught wind of this." Upon hearing this,

Zhang Yang thought to himself: This is somewhat similar to the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance in modern times. The difference is that China seems chaotic now, but it won't be long before it is unified. Then it will be the turn of these brotherly nations to cry. The common people will suffer even more, he sighed, "The Central Plains is truly a fat piece of meat. Once I have the time, I will definitely wipe out these barbarian small countries. Is there anything else?"

Zong Ze said, "Because the court has no reserve officials, the prefectures in Hebei can only use the existing officials, who are all inadequate in ability."

Zhang Yang said, "There's nothing we can do about it. We can only let them hold out for a while. Next year, we can have a major test. The intelligence department should pay close attention to prevent any more corrupt officials from appearing. Once one appears, the Ministry of Justice will verify it and execute them without mercy."

Zhang Yang discussed some more political matters with everyone before dismissing them.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Recruiting Heroes

The summer night sky was exceptionally clear, with numerous stars twinkling and dancing. As

soon as Zhang Yang reached the outside of Yanfu Palace, his mood relaxed a bit.

Although the old palace was built with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent in gold and jade, and magnificent palaces and pavilions, it lacked vitality. At night, it appeared solemn and terrifying, like a giant beast lurking in the darkness, devouring everything. Within Yanfu Palace, ponds were dug to resemble a sea, and springs were channeled to form lakes, giving the air a refreshing coolness. There were also animal gardens such as the Thatched Pavilion, Crane Manor, Deer Fortress, and Kongcui Garden, housing thousands of rare birds and animals. The occasional chirping and neighing of birds and beasts added to the serene and otherworldly atmosphere.

Not only the talented Emperor Huizong of Song, but even Zhang Yang was captivated by Yanfu Palace. Listening to the distant chirping and neighing of birds and beasts, Zhang Yang couldn't help but feel a surge of interest in a nighttime stroll through Yanfu Palace.

Just as he approached Chenhui Gate, a eunuch at the gate shouted, "His Majesty has arrived!"

Before even entering Yanfu Palace, he heard several childish cheers, reminding Zhang Yang that his Liangshan family had also entered the palace.

Zhang Yang was also a first-time father, and thinking of his children whom he hadn't seen for two months, he quickened his pace.

Seeing Zhang Yang approach, Wen Lian hurriedly led the women in a grand salute to pay their respects.

Zhang Yang's eldest son, Zhenguo, took advantage of the palace maids' bowing and staggered towards Zhang Yang.

Seeing this, Zhang Yang quickly stepped forward, picked up Zhenguo, and said with a smile to everyone, "Get up, everyone."

As soon as Zhang Yang held him, Zhenguo called out in a childish voice, "Father!

" Seeing that he had learned this new title so quickly, Zhang Yang couldn't help but kiss him happily and said, "Zhenguo, is the palace nice?"

Although Zhenguo inherited Zhang Yang's excellent genes and was more intelligent and precocious than most children, he clearly couldn't answer such a question, only managing a nonsensical "hug."

Wenlian, seeing Zhang Yang's affection for the child, was also very happy and stepped forward, saying, "Zhenguo is still so young, how would we know if he's good or not?"

Zhang Yang, noticing Wenlian's increasingly large belly, embraced her and laughed, "He's my son, of course he'll be smarter than most. Our second child is almost born, why are you still out here to greet me? Let's go back quickly, don't let him blame me in his belly."

Wenlian, seeing Zhang Yang's continued thoughtfulness, felt a surge of sweetness and gently nodded, saying, "Alright, all the sisters have been waiting for a while since they knew the Emperor was returning."

Seeing Wenlian's continued tolerance towards the women, Zhang Yang was secretly pleased and said to them, "Let's all go to the main palace and chat." With that, he embraced Wenlian and walked towards the main palace.

After entering the palace, Zhang Yang chatted with the women for a while. Remembering Fang Baihua's words from earlier that day, he said to Hu Sanniang, "Sanniang, since I married you, I've kept you at home most of the time. Don't you feel bored?"

Sanniang hadn't expected this question and quickly replied, "I had several sisters to keep me company before, and now I have a child. How could I be bored?"

Zhang Yang laughed, "Then don't you want to ride horses and shoot arrows anymore?"

Hearing this, a hint of longing flashed across Sanniang's face. She rolled her eyes at Zhang Yang, touched her slightly protruding belly, and said reproachfully, "I got pregnant with Xingguo as soon as we got married. How could I dare to ride horses again? Xingguo was only a month old when she became pregnant again. When am I supposed to go back to wielding spears and swords?" Hearing this

, Zhang Yang couldn't help but... He smiled smugly, then said apologetically, "Then after our second baby is born, we won't have any more children. I'll accompany you riding horses and shooting arrows every day."

Upon hearing this, Third Sister quickly replied, "People say many children bring many blessings, how can we not have any? Although I enjoy riding horses and shooting arrows, it's not a woman's duty. I'll teach the children when they grow up. Watching them ride horses and shoot arrows, they'll surely be just like me."

Seeing that Third Sister's thinking was still quite traditional, Zhang Yang couldn't help but laugh, "That's fine too. After I've pacified the grasslands, it won't be too late for us to go riding there."

The group chatted for a while longer, and seeing that the children were all sleepy, Zhang Yang said, "It's getting late, everyone should go back and rest."

Hearing this, the women all took their leave.

Seeing everyone leave the room, Wen Lian whispered, "I'm about to give birth and can't serve Your Majesty. Perhaps Your Majesty should go to one of the other sisters' quarters?"

Zhang Yang laughed, "Do you think I'm a stud? It's been two months! I have so much to tell you."

Wen Lian felt even happier upon hearing this.

They chatted until midnight before finally falling asleep in each other's arms.

The next day, after handling some official business, Zhang Yang summoned Deng Yuanjue and Wang Yin, Shi Bao, and Si Xingfang, who had been rescued along with Fang La.

These men had retreated from various places to Bangyuan Cave and were captured along with Fang La. They had assumed they were doomed, but after being taken to Nanjing, they learned from the prison guards that the dynasty had changed, and they were temporarily left there. They were then rescued by the Celestial Empire's forces and placed under house arrest in the palace. Although they lacked neither food nor clothing and were not confined, their daily idleness still made them very depressed. When the group went to pay their respects to Fang La today, they found his residence deserted, his wives, concubines, and children vanished along with him. They learned from the guards that Zhang Yang had bestowed upon him the title of Duke of Anle and that he had moved to a new residence in the inner city.

The group had long been accustomed to Fang La's changes after he became king, and his sudden departure only elicited a few sighs. However, they were now even more eager for an audience with the Emperor of the Celestial Empire.

The four entered the main hall and were surprised to see Zhang Yang, who sat high on the dragon throne, so young. They were about to

bow when Zhang Yang said, "You four, no need for formalities." Wang Yin didn't want him to look down on them, but since they had saved his life, he felt obliged to bow. Hearing this, he rose and clasped his hands, saying, "Many thanks to the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty for saving our lives."

Zhang Yang chuckled at their use of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) etiquette, saying, "We were all once jianghu people, no need for beating around the bush. Fang La has already surrendered to the Celestial Dynasty. I summoned you here hoping you could lead troops to pacify the world. Give me a straight answer."

Wang Yin, having already honed his cunning within the Manichaean sect, was immediately looked at by the other three.

Wang Yin said, "Whether the Holy Duke submits or not is of little concern to us. We raised an army to plead for the people, not to fight for any particular family. I have heard of some of the Emperor's actions these days, which are indeed gratifying, but the Emperor has not fundamentally equalized the rich and poor. The poor still have no land to settle down, which is far from what we are seeking. Therefore, we dare not obey the decree."

Zhang Yang had already learned from Fang La's words yesterday that many Manichaean leaders did not strictly adhere to the doctrines, so he was not too surprised to hear this and smiled, "General Wang..." "General's insights are insightful. Do you really believe that simply distributing land equally will improve the lives of all people?"

Wang Yin nodded and said, "If farmers have their own land, and the court reduces taxes and corvée labor, the people will naturally live in peace and prosperity."

Zhang Yang laughed and asked, "Then tell me, did the Han Dynasty have more arable land than the Song Dynasty?"

Wang Yin thought for a moment and said, "I don't know, but the Han Dynasty had a vast territory, so it shouldn't be less than the Song Dynasty."

Zhang Yang, however, clearly remembered the history of each dynasty and said, "The Han Dynasty had slightly less arable land than the Song Dynasty, but the Song Dynasty had a much larger population." "In the Han Dynasty, if I were to redistribute the land now, the people would barely be able to make a living. This is not the outcome I desire."

Wang Yin frowned and asked, "Does Your Majesty intend to expand the territory before redistributing the land?"

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Exactly. If I redistribute the land now, the people can make a living. Even if I acquire land from surrounding areas in the future, the people will certainly not be willing to leave their homes, making immigration extremely difficult for the court. Moreover, the new dynasty is newly established, lacking talent and the manpower to redistribute land. It would be better to wait..." "In a year or two, the land will be redistributed."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yin asked incredulously, "Does Your Majesty believe that you can conquer the world and expand the territory in a year or two?"

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "That's right. I will definitely conquer Western Xia in less than a year. At that time, we will first send immigrants to Western Xia, and each person should be allocated at least ten acres of land. Only then can the people truly live a life of plenty in good years and be spared from death in bad years."

Although Wang Yin had heard many of Zhang Yang's myths in the past few days, he had also participated in Fang La's deification movement and did not take those supernatural things seriously. Hearing this, Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "The Western Xia has been a problem for decades. It seems unlikely that Your Majesty can eradicate them in a year."

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "The Liao Kingdom has been a problem for over a century, and I only took a month to force them to pay tribute and sue for peace. What is the Western Xia compared to that?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yin exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty has already repelled the Liao army?"

Seeing Wang Yin's wide-open mouth, Zhang Yang couldn't help but laugh and said, "Otherwise, why would I have returned from the front lines?" It

took Wang Yin and the others a while to process this news. They exchanged glances and then knelt down together, saying, "We are willing to serve Your Majesty at all costs."

Zhang Yang helped the four of them up and said, "With the assistance of four valiant generals, the pacification of the world is just around the corner. You will first be appointed as commanders of ten thousand men. Once there are vacancies in the army, you will take up your posts."

Upon hearing this, the four of them quickly thanked Zhang Yang.

Wang Yin then said, "Manichaeans in Jiangnan are mostly poor people. I beg Your Majesty to treat them with mercy."

Zhang Yang smiled and said, "The people only seek a better life, and I will grant their wish. I will treat Manichaeans the same as everyone else, but they are not allowed to proselytize anymore."

Buddhism and Taoism were deeply rooted in the Central Plains and were both effectively banned by Zhang Yang. Manichaeism, on the other hand, had been strictly prohibited by various dynasties since it was introduced to the Central Plains. Therefore, Wang Yin was worried that Zhang Yang would harm the followers. Hearing that Zhang Yang would not pursue the past, he quickly knelt down and kowtowed in gratitude.

Zhang Yang talked with the group for a while longer, and seeing that it was already noon, he hosted a banquet for the four of them in the Jiying Hall.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Northwest Army Descends

. Before the sun had even set, the army had already set up camp again.

Although they were quite tired from marching for several days, no one wanted to go into the stuffy tents early. They all stayed outside the tents in twos and threes, chatting and enjoying the cool air. Many of them whispered among themselves, looking left and right as if afraid of being overheard.

Seeing that no one was around, Wu Lin said to his elder brother beside him, "Do you think Qin Feng Road has really been occupied by Western Xia and Tibet?"

Wu Jie, who had been promoted to deputy general, glanced at his hot-blooded younger brother and said seriously, "This matter is nothing but a rumor spread by Liangshan bandits to disturb the morale of our army. Don't talk about it in the camp anymore. If others hear it, I can't save you."

Seeing that his brother was using the Grand Tutor's words to evade him, Wu Lin shook his head and said, "There's no one else here, brother, why lie to me? Last night I saw you tossing and turning after lying down, unable to sleep. If you believed what the Grand Tutor said, how could you not sleep? In my opinion, this matter is mostly true. After Western Xia established its country, it kept invading the border. If they knew that Zhang Yang had occupied Tokyo, would they not send troops? Most of the troops in the northwest have been transferred away, leaving only the Zhong family's troops. How can they resist Western Xia?" (Many of the great generals in the northwest of the Song Dynasty came from the Zhong family.) (The armies of the Yao, Zhe, and Liu families were often referred to by commoners as "the army of a certain family," much like the later Yue Family Army.)

Upon hearing this, Wu Jie sighed and said, "Perhaps, but as soldiers of the Song Dynasty, our priority should naturally be protecting the dynasty and the country."

Wu Lin said, "But our families are still in the northwest. The capital city of Dongjing is high and the river is deep; it can't be taken in a day or two. Moreover, the morale of the army is already low. Although the Grand Tutor has been strict in disciplining the troops these past few days, it hasn't been very effective. Many soldiers desert every day. If this continues, I'm afraid no one will be willing to risk their lives to attack the city tomorrow."

Wu Jie sighed and said, "Originally, the Grand Tutor had Ma Kuo by his side who could offer advice, but I heard that he left Nanjing alone. Now, only Dong Yun, who only knows how to flatter, remains. I'm afraid the outcome of this battle is uncertain."

Ma Kuo had offered many good strategies in the campaign to suppress Fang La and had gradually gained some prestige in the army. Upon hearing this, Wu Lin said, "Do you think he already knew this battle was hopeless and that's why he left first?"

Wu Jie shook his head and said, "Perhaps. Although Mr. Ma is resourceful, he has never been given important responsibilities by the Grand Tutor. Attacking the capital was mostly Dong Yun's idea. Tokyo is well-stocked and our army only has 80,000 men. We certainly can't take Tokyo in a short time. If it goes on, the Liangshan troops will definitely come to our aid, and then the outcome will be unpredictable. Moreover, Wang Qing's troops are also watching us closely. If he occupies Nanjing, our army will be in a dilemma. Besides, Mr. Ma's family is all in Tokyo. Perhaps Liangshan can persuade him to surrender with a letter from home."

As the two brothers were talking, a low bugle call sounded again outside the camp gate.

Hearing this mournful bugle call, both of them looked somewhat sad.

Wu Lin sighed, "I wonder which battalion of brothers has been captured again."

Seeing the soldiers beginning to assemble, Wu Jie hurriedly said, "Stop talking, hurry and gather the troops." After

assembling his troops, Wu Jie waited a short while before someone came to deliver the order. Wu Jie had no choice but to lead his men towards the camp. Not far ahead, they saw dozens of wooden posts erected outside the camp, each with a fleeing soldier hanging from it.

Several were still breathing, but their necks were strangled by ropes, their faces suffocated to a purplish-red, their hands and feet bound, forced to curl up in agony.

Seeing his former comrades hanged, Wu Jie felt a pang of sorrow. Although he wanted to leave quickly, under the watchful eyes of the supervising officials, he could only slow his pace, inching forward so that the soldiers behind him could fully experience the consequences of desertion.

Finally, the short distance was covered. Wu Jie, no longer concerned with the soldiers, hurried towards his tent, and his men followed suit.

As night fell, to prevent anyone from escaping under cover of darkness, the camp was heavily guarded, with sentries every three steps and patrols every five. However, few soldiers in their tents, their hearts filled with worry for their wives and children, could sleep soundly. The patrolling soldiers were also listless; some, despite hearing noises nearby, pretended not to notice, fearing they might be sending their comrades, who had once fought alongside them, to the gallows.

At midnight, a dark figure leaped down from the walls of Tokyo and disappeared into the darkness. In

the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhang Yang arrived outside Tong Guan's camp. Looking at the wooden pillars at the camp gate, Zhang Yang knew that the intelligence department's psychological warfare tactics had been very effective, and Ma Kuo had voluntarily returned to Tokyo to surrender.

With his extraordinary speed and the cover of darkness, Zhang Yang easily infiltrated the camp. The general on duty was guarding against deserters, not worried about anyone daring to infiltrate the camp to assassinate him. The guards were tight on the outside but loose on the inside; if the enemy were to launch a night attack, he might actually scare them away. Unfortunately, Zhang Yang wasn't from this world, and he chose a decapitation strike.

Soon, Zhang Yang approached the central tent. Security here was relatively tighter, with patrols at shorter intervals, and the two guards at the entrance were alert.

Zhang Yang activated his search device and found a person inside the tent. Once the patrol had passed, he slipped to the side of the tent, pulled out a thin, almost invisible blade, carefully sliced open a door about a foot high, leaped inside, and landed silently with a gentle push. Seeing that the guards at the entrance didn't move, Zhang Yang casually sealed the crack in the tent.

Walking to the bed, he discovered a naked, muscular man lying on it. Fortunately, Zhang Yang had seen Tong Guan's portrait beforehand; otherwise, he might have doubted whether this imposing-looking man was indeed Tong Guan, the eunuch.

Seeing a knife hanging on the wall, Zhang Yang took it down. The moment the sword was drawn, the room seemed to light up, and then the candlelight in the distance dimmed. Zhang Yang secretly admired the sword's sharpness.

He touched the blade and nodded in satisfaction. Covering Tong Guan's mouth, he swiftly severed Tong Guan's head without a sound.

Zhang Yang glanced at the precious sword one last time before setting it down, carrying Tong Guan's head as he left the tent. After sealing the tent, Zhang Yang sneaked into a nearby tent without guards.

Seeing that the tent was fully armored, Zhang Yang knew it belonged to a general. Zhang Yang darted to the bedside and covered the man's mouth.

The general, also a skilled martial artist, immediately punched Zhang Yang upon waking.

Zhang Yang gripped the man's fist with one hand, and with a swift movement of the other, pressed a blade against the man's neck, whispering, "If you want to live, don't scream. Tell me where Liu Yanqing's tent is?"

The man, feeling the blade against his neck, dared not move and asked, "What are you doing sneaking into my camp in the dead of night?"

Zhang Yang tightened his grip on the blade and said, "Answer me."

Feeling the stinging pain in his neck, the man dared not feign ignorance any longer and hurriedly said, "Go out and turn left. The second tent you see is General Liu's."

Zhang Yang said, "I hope you're not lying, or I'll be back." Without waiting for the man to speak, he knocked him unconscious, then, carrying Tong Guan's head, sneaked into Liu Yanqing's tent, repeating the same method to wake him.

Seeing the blade at his side, Liu Yanqing dared not scream. At Zhang Yang's signal, he slowly rose.

Zhang Yang held Tong Guan's head before Liu Yanqing. Upon seeing Tong Guan's head, Liu Yanqing nearly cried out in shock, but Zhang Yang's tightening of the blade reminded him of his predicament.

Zhang Yang said, "I am the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty. I doubt you believe you can conquer Tokyo with only 80,000 remnants. Tong Guan has already been beheaded, and you now hold the highest rank in the army. If you can lead your troops to surrender, the merit will be considerable. Otherwise, I don't mind finding another person."

Liu Yanqing understood Zhang Yang's implication of finding another person and hurriedly said, "I am willing to surrender to the Celestial Dynasty, but there are still a few of Tong Guan's confidants in the army. I'm afraid they will seek revenge for Tong Guan."

The personal guards waiting outside the tent had also heard the voices inside and asked, "What are your orders, General?"

Liu Yanqing glanced at Zhang Yang beside him and quickly replied, "Nothing."

Zhang Yang nodded in satisfaction and said, "Tell me their tents, and I'll handle it myself."

Liu Yanqing quickly told Zhang Yang the locations of the men, and also mentioned the two opposing camps.

After listening, Zhang Yang said, "Go back to sleep. Tomorrow I will bring troops to accept the surrendered soldiers. I hope you won't disappoint me."

Liu Yanqing was about to speak when he felt a sharp pain behind his ear and fainted.

Following Liu Yanqing's instructions, Zhang Yang killed several men, leaving two to test Liu Yanqing's abilities. Before leaving, he set several fires in the camp before departing.

The camp was thrown into chaos by the fires, and several guards discovered that their general had been assassinated, and Tong Guan's headless body had been found. Liu Yanqing's personal guards discovered the commander's head on his own general's bed. Liu Yanqing, awakened by the panicked guards, immediately led his men to check Zhang Yang's victory. Hearing that Tong Guan's trusted men were all dead while his two enemies were unharmed, he broke out in a cold sweat and dared not harbor any further illusions. He first summoned several trusted generals and told them about Zhang Yang's offer of amnesty. Hearing that Zhang Yang had infiltrated the camp and that their commander advocated surrender, none of the generals dared to object.

Liu Yanqing then ordered his generals to ambush the surrounding area. He also summoned the other generals, explaining Zhang Yang's intentions and the current state of affairs. The other generals, knowing that morale was low and no one was willing to step forward, all surrendered.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Rescue the Northwest.

Zhang Yang returned to the palace. Seeing that it was still somewhat dark, he didn't want to disturb Wen Lian. Thinking of Consort Wei's alluring charm, he went straight to Consort Wei's residence.

Zhang Yang gently pushed open the window, jumped into the room, and made no sound. Zhang Yang thought to himself: It seems that shoes padded with straw ash are not only suitable for raiding camps, but also indispensable for stealing kisses and illicit affairs.

Zhang Yang glanced at the two maids lying in the outer room and went directly into the inner room.

It was the height of June, and the sleeping Consort Wei was not covered with anything. The pink bodice could not conceal her voluptuous figure, but instead added a touch of hazy beauty.

Zhang Yang had not been close to a woman for a month, and seeing Consort Wei's mature body, he couldn't help but feel a heat in his lower body. Zhang Yang had come here to relieve his desire, so he couldn't hold back. He quickly took off his clothes, got into bed, and embraced Consort Wei, his hands beginning to roam over her round buttocks.

Feeling the stimulation, Consort Wei moaned seductively. Although she was not yet awake, her body twisted, allowing Zhang Yang to put his hand into her lower body.

Finally, when Zhang Yang's fingers entered her peach blossom cave, Consort Wei realized that it was not a dream. Just as she was about to scream, she realized it was Zhang Yang and was greatly surprised. She had initially thought that with the addition of several concubines from Liangshan, Zhang Yang wouldn't come looking for her for the next few days. However, on the very second day, Zhang Yang had already climbed into her bed. She had never been as favored

by Emperor Huizong as she was now. If she had known that Zhang Yang only used her as a tool for sexual gratification, perhaps she wouldn't have thought this way. Consort Wei glanced at Zhang Yang coquettishly, her hands caressing his firm chest, and said, "Why didn't you let anyone know you were coming, so I could have received you?"

Zhang Yang felt that Consort Wei's lower body was already wet, so he removed her undergarments and thrust himself into her.

The intense impact immediately caused Consort Wei to moan softly, but Zhang Yang paid no attention to her feelings, only frantically releasing the pent-up desire of the past month.

Consort Wei had been wary of Zhang Yang's ferocity. Although she tried her best to please him, she was still afraid of being overwhelmed. Seeing two startled maids standing dumbfounded at the door, she quickly beckoned them over to help deal with Zhang Yang.

These two women were chosen by Consort Wei from among the women of the old palace at Zhang Yang's behest before his departure. After Zhang Yang ascended the throne, he drastically reduced palace expenditures. The concubines of Emperor Huizong in the old palace were reduced to the status of palace maids by the palace steward, and the women, accustomed to luxury, found their days unbearable. Hearing that Consort Wei was choosing someone to serve the new emperor, they disregarded their reserve and, while trying to please Consort Wei, gave some of their remaining jewelry to the palace maids beside her, hoping they would speak on their behalf.

Consort Wei was merely a palace maid who had been favored by Emperor Huizong once, but was shot and gave birth to Zhao Gou. Because of her son's status, she was made a consort, but she was not favored and therefore did not hold a high position in the palace. After receiving Zhang Yang's decree, she felt quite smug seeing the concubines who had previously looked down on her groveling before her, but in order not to affect her future position, she chose a concubine who had been on good terms with her and Princess Fujin, Emperor Huizong's daughter.

The two women, having already received guidance from Consort Wei, knew that Zhang Yang preferred promiscuous women in bed. Once in bed, they also wantonly entangled themselves with him.

After a long while, Zhang Yang finally ejaculated inside Consort Wei.

Embracing Consort Wei and a maid, Zhang Yang noticed another young maid actively cleaning his genitals with her mouth. He couldn't help but ask Consort Wei, "Where did you find these two beauties?" Consort

Wei rolled her eyes at Zhang Yang and smiled, "The Emperor once sent me to the old palace to find two of them. She is Zhao Ji's concubine, and the one below is Zhao Ji's daughter, whose title is Fujin."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang thought to himself: No wonder she's so lewd. Princess Fujin had already married Cai Jing's son and was abducted during the Jingkang Incident, unfortunately becoming the first member of the imperial family to be humiliated. Not long after, to survive, she even persuaded other concubines to serve the Jurchens; clearly, she wasn't a chaste woman. I just don't know how she ended up in the old palace.

Seeing Zhang Yang deep in thought, Consort Wei hurriedly said, "Even Emperor Huizong's married daughters have been sent to the old palace. I know she's been well-behaved since childhood, so I took the liberty of bringing her here.

If Your Majesty isn't satisfied, I'll find someone else." Fujin, however, had grown up in luxury, and Cai Jing's family was even more extravagant. Being sent to the old palace was a living hell for her, which is why she disregarded her dignity and begged Consort Wei

for her favor. Consort Wei, seeing her special status and knowing she wouldn't easily affect Zhang Yang's position, brought her along. Hearing that she might be sent back to the old palace, she was startled. She licked Zhang Yang's genitals even more vigorously, rubbing her full breasts against his thighs. Zhang Yang, feeling Fujin's efforts, played with Consort Wei's large breasts and laughed, "No need, your taste is quite good."

Consort Wei smiled charmingly, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."

Fujin, relieved that Zhang Yang had kept her, gave him a grateful look and then swallowed his genitals again.

A strange pleasure caused Zhang Yang to become erect again. He enjoyed Fu Jin's somewhat clumsy oral service, while his hands roamed over Consort Wei and another maid, feeling their delicate skin. Before long, he felt a tingling sensation down his spine and involuntarily thrust his lower body forward.

After marrying Cai Jing's son, Fu Jin, relying on her status, had never used her mouth to serve her husband. Now, as she was thinking of ways to please Zhang Yang, he suddenly thrust forward, and she had no time to dodge. She felt his huge member enter her throat, her throat hurting, and then a strong stream of semen gushed into her throat. Fu Jin subconsciously spat out Zhang Yang's lower body and leaned over the edge of the bed, trying to spit out what was in her mouth.

Zhang Yang frowned when he saw her making such a shameful move.

Consort Wei, seeing Zhang Yang frown for the first time, quickly gave another maid a look, signaling her to clean Zhang Yang's lower body, and secretly kicked Fu Jin.

As Fujin was desperately trying to clear her throat, Consort Wei kicked her, bringing her back to her senses. She turned and knelt on the bed, saying, "This servant deserves to die, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Zhang Yang also saw Consort Wei's actions and, remembering Fujin's efforts, said, "I will not pursue this matter this time. I hope you will not do anything disrespectful again."

Upon hearing this, Fujin quickly kowtowed to express her gratitude.

Zhang Yang and Consort Wei lingered for a while longer. Seeing that a sliver of dawn was appearing outside the window, he said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave. You may rest a little longer."

Consort Wei quickly got up to help Zhang Yang dress, then escorted him to the door naked.

Once outside, Zhang Yang took a deep breath, feeling refreshed, and walked towards the main palace. Just as he stepped out of the courtyard, he heard faint sounds of Consort Wei's scolding and Fujin's pleas for mercy coming from inside the pavilion. Zhang Yang didn't want to repeat his disgraceful behavior, so he went straight back to the main palace, changed into his imperial robes, and was about to muster his troops to leave the city when he saw that Liu Yanqing had already sent a letter of surrender.

Zhang Yang then ordered a generous reward for the three armies and commanded Liu Yanqing to lead troops to reinforce Zhong Shidao.

The Northwest army, already worried about their wives and children, rushed to the Northwest upon receiving the decree.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Turmoil in Guangnan .

After bestowing rewards upon the various generals of the Northwest, Zhang Yang summoned the seven ministers, five garrison commanders, the naval leaders, and Wang Yin, Deng Yuanjue, Shi Bao, and Si Xingfang.

Seeing the emperor summon them again, the generals guessed that action was imminent and all wanted to claim credit. However, they also knew that the capital wouldn't use a ruse, and a tense atmosphere prevailed among the generals. During their greetings, each general spoke with great vigor, as if afraid Zhang Yang would forget them.

After everyone had finished their greetings, Zhang Yang said, "I have ordered the entire Northwest army to reinforce the Northwest, and the three detachments from Jiangnan have also received orders to head north. I intend to send 30,000 cavalry and infantry to Jiangnan to subdue the various prefectures. Who is willing to take the order?"

Upon hearing this, the five generals left behind stepped forward in unison and said, "This humble general is willing to take the order."

Zhang Yang glanced at the five men and smiled, "Xiang Yuanzhen, Dong Ping, and Mei Zhan's troops shall go to Jiangnan, while Lu Da and Mei Zhan's troops shall remain in Dongjing."

Dong Ping and the other two were overjoyed to have their wishes fulfilled and accepted the decree. Mei Zhan dared not show any dissatisfaction, but Lu Da said unwillingly, "Your Majesty, you know I can't sit still. Training troops in the capital every day is becoming unbearable. Why don't you let someone else take my place, and I'll accompany Your Majesty in conquering all sides?"

Zhang Yang laughed upon hearing this, "Don't be impatient. Isn't Wang Qing still harming the people? Once the situation in the Northwest becomes clear, I will let you lead troops from Tokyo to his lair, and then march north and west. I'll let you participate in all of that, I'm just afraid you'll complain."

Hearing that he had long-term security, Lu Da hurriedly said, "I love fighting, how could I complain? With Your Majesty personally leading the charge, the clowns of Western Xia won't be able to cause trouble for long. I'll just sharpen my sword in Bianjing."

Zhang Yang laughed, "All of you are brave warriors, I won't let you be without a place to use your talents. I will encourage the people to have children; their homes still need you to expand them."

Mei Zhan also breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Zhang Yang continued, "Liu Menglong can lead the navy to transport the three armies across the river, and then control the Yangtze River to prevent Wang Qing from extending his reach to Jiangnan. Afterwards, Xiang Yuanzhen's troops will capture Jiangnan East Road, Mei Zhan will capture Jiangnan West Road, and Dong Ping will capture Jinghu North Road. The main strategy for each unit is to persuade them to surrender, but if any resisters are encountered, they must be swept away with lightning speed to deter other prefectures."

Liu Menglong, finally finding a place to use his skills, hurriedly and loudly agreed.

Zhang Yang continued, "Anle Gong (Fang La) has already sent a letter to several remaining Manichaean troops to submit to the Celestial Dynasty, but to avoid any unforeseen circumstances, Wang Yin and Si Xingfang should still go down to Jiangnan. You can lead the Manichaean army to subdue Liangzhe Road and Fujian Road. But you must avoid indiscriminately killing officials. If there are any heinous criminals, they must be detained first, and then investigated by the prefect."

Due to the corruption of the bureaucracy at the end of the Song Dynasty, and the fact that the Manichaean followers were mostly poor people who had often been oppressed by officials, they would kill corrupt officials to vent their hatred after capturing prefectures. However, as the army expanded, more people with ulterior motives emerged. Coupled with Fang La's failure to control the situation in time, it escalated into a situation where officials were almost entirely slaughtered wherever he occupied, and many civilians suffered collateral damage.

It was after learning of this that Zhang Yang issued this order.

Wang Yin and Si Xingfang were overjoyed to hear they could lead troops again and hurriedly stepped forward to receive the imperial decree and express their gratitude.

Deng Yuanjue and Shi Bao, seeing their companions receive assignments, felt both joy and disappointment. They were joyful because Zhang Yang hadn't questioned them because of their Manichaean background, but disappointed because they still had no assignments. However, unlike Lu Da, they were veteran officials accompanying the emperor and dared not volunteer for battle.

Zhang Yang glanced at Deng Yuanjue and Shi Bao, whose expressions were complicated, and said, "Deng Yuanjue and Shi Bao can go to Jinzhou Army in Hedong first. I will defeat the Western Xia there first, and you will have a place to use your talents."

After Deng Yuanjue and Shi Bao received the decree, Zhang Yang looked at Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun, who were still waiting, and said, "The rest of you will stay in the capital and await orders. If you have any other matters to discuss, please speak."

Dai Zong stepped forward and said, "We have just received news that Dali has colluded with the Yi people of Wusa to attack the Wumeng tribe and has already captured several cities. Almost simultaneously, the Yue Li Dynasty has also sent 50,000 troops to invade Guangnan West Road, and the two countries have formed an alliance."

Upon hearing this, Zong Ze exclaimed in surprise, "King Luo Shao of Wumeng is nearly seventy years old!" The area under its rule is mostly inhabited by the Yi people. If the imperial court cannot quickly reinforce them, they may turn against it, and Luo Biao will be in grave danger. After the establishment of the Viet Ly Dynasty, it continuously sent troops to harass Qinzhou (present-day Qin County, Guangdong) and areas within Qinzhou such as Hongzhai (present-day Anyuan County), as well as Lianzhou (present-day Hepu, Guangdong). In 075 (the eighth year of the Xining era of the Song Dynasty), it suddenly launched an attack, capturing Qinzhou, Lianzhou, and Yongzhou (present-day Nanning, Guangxi). In Yongzhou alone, more than 58,000 soldiers, civilians, and officials were killed. Although the Song Dynasty later sent troops to repel the Viet Ly Dynasty, it did not fundamentally damage it. In recent years, with its national strength slightly improved, it has begun to encroach on the Lingnan region again. This time, it has sent 50,000 troops; it seems Lingnan is in danger of falling. (

Zhang Yangdian) The leader said, “There aren’t many Han Chinese people in the Wumeng tribe and Lingnan region. I can let the Dali brats and the Yue Li Dynasty be triumphant for a while. What I’m worried about is that Dali will collude with the Western Xia and Tubo again, and take advantage of the Miao people’s rebellion in Chengdu Prefecture to invade Chengdu Prefecture. That area was developed very early, and there are many Han Chinese people there. If war breaks out, the people will suffer again.”

Dong Ping said, “Our dynasty’s troops are insufficient. Why doesn’t Your Majesty order the three detachments in the northwest to continue to subdue Jiangnan, and we will lead our troops to take Guangnan West Road first to resist Dali and the Yue Li Dynasty?”

Zhang Yang shook his head and said, “The troops in the northwest are already exhausted, and they must already know about the Western Xia invasion. How can they still have the heart to fight in Jiangnan?” "War. Even if we force them to stay in Jiangnan, you will only have 30,000 troops. The climate in Lingnan is hot and humid, and most of your troops are from the north. They will inevitably suffer from acclimatization problems after moving south, greatly reducing their fighting strength. They probably won't be able to withstand the combined forces of Dali and the Yue Li Dynasty. We can only let them run rampant for now. Once the northwest is pacified, we can raise a large army and march south. At that time, we can crush the two bandits with lightning speed. If we don't act, we won't act at all, but if we do, we must eliminate future troubles permanently. After your three divisions cross the river, you can reorganize the southern troops, and each of you can expand your force by another 10,000 men. Once the northwest is pacified, we will use your three southern troops as the vanguard to march south. Wang Yin and Si Xingfang can also prepare their troops."

Upon hearing this, the five men hurriedly accepted the order.

Zhang Yang discussed it with them for a while, then ordered them to prepare. Zhang Yang then returned to the inner palace to bid farewell to the women.

Chapter Forty: The Defense and Offense of Hedong.

After Li Qianshun led an army of 150,000 to invade Hedong, his advance was unstoppable. The capital of Jin fell one after another, and the remnants of Tian Hu's forces surrendered without a fight in several prefectures and counties near Taiyuan, leading Emperor Chongzong to believe that the Central Plains were in complete chaos. He immediately dispatched 30,000 troops to attack northward, and sent troops to several cities near Taiyuan to urge Tian Hu's remnants to attack Pingdingjun and Liaozhou to the east.

Li Qianshun himself led 100,000 troops to press towards Fenzhou. Guan Sheng's brief engagement and subsequent retreat emboldened the Western Xia army, which then dispatched 20,000 troops to attack Weishengjun and Hezhou. Li Qianshun led the main force in pursuit of Guan Sheng's army. Guan

Sheng retreated to Jinzhou and held the city for a desperate defense. Just then, the three Ruan brothers arrived with gunpowder. During the Western Xia siege, the gunpowder cannons suddenly detonated, causing a major rout of the Western Xia army. Guan Sheng seized the opportunity to launch an attack, but lacking sufficient troops and fearing an ambush, he only managed to kill or wound over 10,000 Western Xia soldiers before retreating back into the city.

Li Qianshun, intimidated by the cannon fire, retreated dozens of miles before daring to gather his remaining troops. He then personally led the defense, forcing "Zhuang Linglang" to test the waters. (The Western Xia selected brave and skilled warriors from among the captured Han Chinese to form their army, sending them to the front lines to reduce casualties among the Tangut soldiers.)

Guan Sheng knew that while gunpowder was incredibly powerful, its limited quantity meant it couldn't inflict massive casualties on the enemy, and excessive use would expose its weakness. Therefore, he simply held the city and defended it.

Li Qianshun attacked several times, but seeing that the city was no longer using gunpowder cannons, he assumed it was out of ammunition. Realizing that the Han army alone couldn't breach the city, he gradually deployed elite Tangut troops and the Po Xi army (the Po Xi army used whirlwind cannons mounted on camel saddles to launch fist-sized stones at the enemy; they were the Western Xia's main siege force).

After holding out for several days, Guan Sheng suddenly unleashed the power of gunpowder cannons again, defeating the Western Xia once more. Unfortunately, Liu Zhen disobeyed orders and led his troops in pursuit of Li Qianshun. Instead, they were defeated by the Iron Falcons, and Liu Zhen died in the chaos of battle.

The Iron Falcons were the most famous cavalry of the Western Xia Dynasty. This cavalry numbered about 3,000 men, divided into ten squads of 300 each, each with a captain, who was described as "a fierce general of his time." This was a highly effective fighting force. Besides serving as the emperor's guard, they were also used as the vanguard in battle. This cavalry was well-equipped, riding fine horses, heavily armored, and impervious to spears and slashes; the riders were tied to their horses with ropes so they wouldn't fall even if killed in battle.

Guan Sheng swung his sword, cutting down a Western Xia soldier who had climbed onto the wall. Just as he was about to push aside the ladder, he felt a gust of wind rush towards him. Guan Sheng quickly turned his head, and a sharp scraping sound came from his helmet. Knowing he had narrowly avoided another flying stone, Guan Sheng didn't even have time to wipe the cold sweat from his brow. With his left hand, he braced the ladder against the lever and pushed it outwards with all his might. Several screams rang out from outside the city, quickly turning into screams of agony.

Guan Sheng had just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw more than a dozen Western Xia soldiers had already climbed up the city walls on both sides, engaging in fierce combat with the defending soldiers. Just as Guan Sheng was about to provide support, he heard a whooshing sound. He quickly shouted and ducked under the battlements. A soldier beside him was a little slower and was struck in the chest by a flying stone. He stumbled and fell against the city wall. Although he was wearing leather armor, the immense force of the stone still dented his chest, and blood gushed from his mouth. Guan

Sheng immediately ordered the wounded to be carried down. Seeing that the Western Xia soldiers had climbed the walls, the Dipuxi army was already being transferred to his side. Guan Sheng dared not send reinforcements to either side and could only order the reserves to reinforce them instead.

Although the flying stones wouldn't explode, their speed and power were formidable. A hit to the face was absolutely fatal, and even a hit to the body could incapacitate a person. With enough artillerymen, a section of the city wall could be suppressed. Fortunately, the Xixia army required rigorous training to reach combat effectiveness. At the founding of the Western Xia dynasty, there were only about two hundred men, and by Li Qianshun's generation, only about three hundred remained. Last time, Guan Sheng's artillery raid killed nearly a hundred more, leaving only about two hundred.

"Crack!" Hearing the sound, Guan Sheng knew the siege ladder was approaching the city wall again. Although he wanted to get up and push it away, the constant whistling above him prevented him from acting rashly. When the sound of the ladder cutting through the air stopped, Guan Sheng knew that Western Xia soldiers were about to scale the wall. He rose and slashed at the outside of the wall with his sword.

A Western Xia Qiang soldier had just peeked out, contemplating how to defend the siege ladder after reaching the city walls, when he was suddenly struck by a blade, his head flying into the air, blood spurting from his neck and splattering all over Guan Sheng's face.

Guan Sheng saw a Western Xia general leap onto the city wall beside him, cutting down several nearby soldiers, and another Western Xia soldier climbing the ladder behind him. Guan Sheng quickly ordered his personal guards to hold this side, and swung his blade to kill the Western Xia general.

Nearby soldiers, seeing Guan Sheng approaching, quickly made way.

The Western Xia general, startled to see Guan Sheng, his face covered in blood and sword in hand, ordered the soldiers behind him to protect him, and he himself drew his sword to meet Guan Sheng.

Enraged by the blood on his face, Guan Sheng's killing intent surged, and without a word, he brandished his single-edged sword and began to slash. After only a few exchanges, he kicked the general off the city wall.

The two elite Western Xia soldiers who followed, seeing Guan Sheng's ferocity and blood-covered face, resembling demons from hell, exchanged a glance, both seeing fear in each other's eyes. But worthy of being Hengshan Qiang soldiers, remembering their duty, they still shouted and charged at Guan Sheng together.

Guan Sheng swung his sword, their weapons clashing, then with a backhand sweep, he cut them both in half at the waist.

No sooner had the Western Xia soldiers been eliminated from the city walls than the Po Xi army outside began launching stones to suppress the walls, allowing the Western Xia soldiers to rush up again. After this repeated several times, Guan Sheng finally heard from within the city that

, under the command of the sentries on the city towers, the artillerymen had finally aimed at the Po Xi forces, and more than a dozen cannonballs landed near them. Two of them struck camels squarely on the head; in the violent explosions, several gunners were instantly blown to pieces, and dozens more were wounded by the flying shrapnel. The startled camels then charged, leaving few unscathed.

Seeing the heavy casualties suffered by the Po Xi army, Li Qianshun was deeply distressed and immediately ordered them to retreat. Without the Po Xi army's support, the Western Xia soldiers on the city walls were quickly wiped out, and most of the siege ladders were destroyed.

Seeing this, Li Qianshun had no choice but to sound the retreat .

A valiant Western Xia general, seeing the heavy losses among his Hengshan Qiang soldiers, said, "Attacking the city like this results in heavy casualties for our army. The Han people are always lenient; why doesn't Your Majesty use Han civilians to attack the city? The defenders certainly won't dare kill civilians, and then we can take advantage of the situation to breach the city."

The Western Xia lacked siege equipment and had often used this tactic in the past. The Song generals, either unwilling or unable to kill civilians, had made the Western Xia troops very familiar with this method.

Upon hearing this, Li Qianshun shook his head and said, "This time we conquered Hedong, and our goal is to rule this place long-term. If we drive the Han people to their deaths, it will be difficult to rule this place in the future. Everyone, let's rest for a while. This afternoon, I will send my personal guards to attack the city."

The general said, "The Iron Falcons are our country's elite troops. If we use them to attack the city, I'm afraid there will be heavy casualties."

Li

Qianshun shook his head and said, "Our country's military strength is limited. Although the Central Plains are in chaos, it is not a place we can conquer. Our country can only conquer Hedong and the northwest routes as soon as possible, hold the strategic positions, and wait until our national strength is strong enough before we can develop into the Central Plains. Now, the army of Prince Pu (Weiming Renzhong) is blocked in Yan'an Prefecture. We can only achieve our strategic goal as soon as possible by conquering Hedong and then attacking Yan'an Prefecture from both sides. For now, we can only send the Iron Falcons to attack the city."

Guan Sheng watched the Western Xia troops retreat like a tide. He breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly ordered his soldiers to treat the wounded and take turns guarding the city. Since the Western Xia army filled in the moat eight days ago, this siege and defense has continued, resulting in heavy casualties. In addition, Liu Zhen's several thousand troops were besieged and killed outside the city. The number of soldiers in the city who could fight was less than 20,000. With food supplies running low, Guan Sheng and his generals had no choice but to personally go up to the city to defend it and boost morale.

Xuan Zan, atop the city wall, saw Guan Sheng, his face covered in blood, still directing the soldiers' shift change. He quickly said, "General, go and rest. It's my turn to defend the city this afternoon."

Guan Sheng, also uncomfortable from the bloodstains, replied, "I only killed a few Western Xia soldiers; I can hold on. These past few days, the Western Xia army's offensive has intensified, and the city's oil and kerosene have all run out. We can only hold out. Fortunately, His Majesty has already repelled the Liao army and returned to the capital. I believe reinforcements will arrive in a few days. How are your fingers?"

Xuan Zan held out his hands, his fingers swollen like radishes, and laughed, "I'm afraid I can't draw a bow anymore. But if the Western Xia soldiers want to get onto the city wall, they'll have to ask my steel sword first. When we return to Tokyo, remember to invite me to Fanlou for a drink."

Guan Sheng, upon hearing this… He punched Xuanzan lightly and said, "I told you to hold back, but you wouldn't listen. Now your hands are like pig's trotters! I'll let you fire a barrage of arrows again. There must have been at least three hundred Xixia soldiers who died by your arrows that day, but less than a hundred made it to the city wall. Tang Bin and the others were also competing with me, so of course they couldn't beat you. This time you managed to find an opening. When the Emperor comes, you can have another barrage of arrows with him. If you win, I'll cover all your expenses at Fanlou from now on."

Upon hearing this, Xuanzan hurriedly said, "Wine and women corrupt the bones; it's best to avoid them. The Emperor is not someone we ordinary mortals can compare to. If I compete with the Emperor, I'm afraid I'll lose so badly I won't even know where I am. Winning? I don't even dare to think about it."

As the two were talking, they saw three divine eagles flying in from afar. The Liangshan soldiers cheered at the sight. Guan Sheng, seeing it was Zhang Yang's divine eagle, laughed and said, "Prepare to receive the Emperor. This afternoon, the Western Xia soldiers will taste His Majesty's rapid-fire arrows."

Zhang Yang had also spotted Xuan Zan, whose armor gleamed brightly. He flew over on his eagle and found a burly man with a face painted red standing beside Xuan Zan. The man was quite robust and covered in blood, clearly having killed many enemies. Zhang Yang jumped off his eagle and, hearing the two men greet each other, realized it was Guan Sheng.

Guan Sheng was usually very clean and always appeared impeccably dressed. Seeing him covered in blood, his usually cherished long beard now a mess of blood, Zhang Yang couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.

Guan Sheng, noticing Zhang Yang looking him up and down, also looked down at himself.

Seeing this, Zhang Yang covered up his embarrassment and asked, "General Guan, are you alright?"

Guan Sheng, thinking that Zhang Yang had just been checking if he was injured, quickly replied, "A few Xixia soldiers couldn't possibly harm me. Has His Majesty already quelled Tong Guan's forces?"

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "I killed Tong Guan and several of his confidants, and accepted the surrender of the army. They have now gone to reinforce Huyan Zhuo and Zhong Shidao, but distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Tonight, I will assassinate Li Qianshun of Western Xia and break through this army. Perhaps this can temporarily halt the offensive of the other two armies."

Guan Sheng, now free, felt the bloodstains on his face and frowned.

Seeing this, Zhang Yang smiled and said, "It's almost noon. The Western Xia army shouldn't be attacking the city anymore. Let's go and rest for a while." Guan Sheng

, without being polite to Xuan Zan, followed Zhang Yang down from the city wall and then excused himself to wash up. ...

Chapter 41 A Small Test

. Li Qianshun, hearing that his favored minister had personally escorted the grain supplies, immediately ordered him to be summoned.

Before the establishment of the Tangut state, the Tangut people had already begun to absorb Han Chinese feudal culture. After Li Yuanhao established the state, he heavily relied on Han Chinese for governance and did not reject Han Chinese culture. After the second emperor, Yizong, ascended the throne, he went even further, replacing the traditional Tibetan customs with Han customs and vigorously promoting Han learning, which led to a more profound influence of Han culture within Western Xia. After Li Qianshun ascended the throne, he established a national academy (i.e., Han learning) in addition to the Tibetan schools, selecting three hundred sons of imperial relatives and nobles, providing them with government stipends and professors for their education. Han culture flourished in Western Xia.

Li Qianshun himself was also very fond of Han culture, though not deeply versed in it, he enjoyed dabbling in it. To consolidate his imperial power, last year Li Qianshun first enfeoffed his imperial relatives Weiming Renzhong as the Prince of Pu and Renli as the Prince of Shu.

The brothers Renzhong and Renli were fluent in both Tibetan and Han languages from a young age and were skilled in poetry and prose. This suited Li Qianshun's tastes perfectly, so he appointed Renzhong as a Vice Minister of Rites and Renli as the Transport Commissioner of Henan.

Weiming Renli entered the main tent and was about to perform his rites.

Li Qianshun said casually, "No need for formalities. The army's grain reserves are running low. Your arrival is timely. There were no obstacles on the road, were there?"

Weiming Renli replied, "There were no Han troops harassing us along the way. However, some ministers in the country are puzzled by Your Majesty's decision to transfer grain from within the country."

Upon hearing this, Li Qianshun frowned and said, "A bunch of short-sighted fools! I intend to annex Hedong into Western Xia. If I were to requisition grain locally as usual, how could I win the hearts of the Han people? If the army hadn't been completely compliant with the Han people, would you have been able to transport grain so easily?"

Weiming Renli, however, was a greedy and sycophantic man. Hearing this, he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is right. I have heard the Han sage Mencius say: 'The brave are fearless, the wise are without doubt, the sincere are trustworthy, and the benevolent are invincible. With wisdom and trustworthiness, one can gain the world.'" "And with ease."

After only a few words of refined language, he revealed his true nature and continued, "As long as we win over the Han people, Hedong will belong to our Western Xia. We will pay a small price today, and we will be able to take back much more in the future."

Li Qianshun nodded upon hearing this, saying, "I have long said that they should learn some Han studies, but unfortunately they are dull-witted. They can herd horses and hunt, but they are completely incapable of writing. Although the Han people are weak, they have thousands of years of history, and there is still much for us to learn."

Wei Mingrenli nodded, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. By learning from the strengths of all schools of thought, we can remain invincible. I will certainly keep this in mind."

Li Qianshun usually liked his Han officials to use more refined language to embellish his imperial pronouncements, and upon hearing this, he nodded, saying, "Yes, when you go back, you must tell them my... " The decree was sent throughout the country, letting them know that there are many ways to win besides killing. This afternoon I will use iron hawks to attack the city; you should come in and have a drink before you leave.”

Upon hearing that iron hawks would be used, Wei Mingrenli guessed, “Has our army already breached the walls of Jinzhou?”

Li Qianshun shook his head, “The Han people have new gunpowder for defense. Several times they dug tunnels, but they were blown up. Many people were killed or wounded, so we had to build ladders to attack. However, with Iron Hawks personally leading the charge, a strong attack will surely take Jinzhou. Once I capture the Han gunpowder craftsmen, conquering cities and territories will be much easier.”

Wei Mingrenli thought for a moment and said, “Jinzhou is not a border city, so the walls probably aren't too high. I have many sacks for transporting grain; Your Majesty has ordered that…” " A soldier can carry a bag of sand and build a ladder. Then the Qiang soldiers of Hengshan will be able to break through the city. Why bother using the Iron Falcons?"

Li Qianshun also didn't want to use the Iron Falcons to attack the city. Hearing this, he praised, "Your plan is excellent. Once the city is captured, you will be the first to receive the credit."

Wei Mingrenli happily said, "It is all thanks to Your Majesty's establishment of Han learning that I am familiar with Han military tactics. Your Majesty should have your son Zhuang build the ladder this afternoon. It should be completed by evening. By then, the Han army inside the city will surely be exhausted. Your Majesty can then send elite troops to attack the city, and we can easily win."

Li Qianshun nodded upon hearing this, "Your plan is exactly what I wanted. The Han people are cunning. I want to use their military tactics to attack their city."

Immediately, Li Qianshun ordered the three armies to prepare food. After lunch, he ordered his son Zhuang to build the ladder.

It was a June afternoon, when the heat was at its peak. Just as Zhang Yang was about to take a nap, he heard a bugle call from the city wall.

"Aren't the Western Xia soldiers afraid of heatstroke? Attacking the city in the middle of the day!"

Zhang Yang cursed. He went out of his house and saw Guan Sheng, who also looked puzzled, and realized that the Western Xia had never attacked the city at midday before. Guan Sheng wasn't on duty, so the two of them went up to the city wall together.

On the street, soldiers were already on guard, and the houses near the city wall were all closed, to avoid being hit by stray arrows. Since the Western Xia siege, the once bustling marketplace had lost its vitality, and the whole city felt oppressive. The blazing sun overhead made everyone drowsy. When

the two reached the top of the wall, they saw the Western Xia troops already gathering outside the city.

Xuan Zan greeted the two as they approached, saying, "I don't know what's gotten into the Western Xia today. They're actually preparing to attack the city in the middle of the day. Even if they capture it, most of their troops will suffer from heatstroke. I thought Li Qianshun of Western Xia was quite resourceful the other day. Has he been stunned by the cannon fire?"

Guan Sheng looked at the Western Xia soldiers outside and shook his head, saying, "It's not that Li Qianshun has gone mad. It's that Western Xia is about to make a big move. The troops they've gathered are mostly stationed troops from various places. Not to mention the garrison and the Iron Falcons, even the main force attacking the city these past few days, the Hengshan..." The Qiang soldiers haven't come out yet. (The garrison was a rotating force composed of skilled riders and archers selected from the sons of Dangxiang nobles.

Upon hearing this, Gong Xuanzan said, "Could it be that he intends to exhaust our army first, and then attack the city with his elite troops?"

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "I'm afraid

that's the plan. General Guan, you've been guarding for half a day. Go and rest first. Let the troops attack the city, and then you can come and help."

Guan Sheng hurriedly said, "This humble general is strong and can fight for a few more days. This humble general cannot retreat in the face of battle, otherwise, why would the soldiers be willing to fight to the death?" "Defend the city."

Zhang Yang laughed, "The greater the battle, the more composed we must appear. General Xuan and I will suffice on the city walls. Perhaps General Guan doesn't trust General Xuan and me?"

Guan Sheng didn't want to go back to his room and was also aware of Zhang Yang's penchant for jokes. Seeing Xuan Zan's agreeable expression, he said, "With His Majesty here, what trouble can the Western Xia army cause? It's just that Xuan Zan boasted about his rapid-fire arrows the other day. I want to see his expression when he sees His Majesty's divine skill." "Let me hand you my quiver here."

Zhang Yang, already aware of their bet, laughed and said, "I don't want my fingers to turn into radishes by the time the Western Xia elite troops attack the city. You go and rest first; I'll use my arrows when the Western Xia elite troops attack."

Xuan Zan, hearing this, also laughed and said, "General Guan, go down quickly. I'll have someone inform you later."

As the three were talking, they saw a large group of soldiers carrying cloth bags slowly appearing from the rear of the Western Xia army.

Guan Sheng exclaimed, "Oh no! They're going to build a ladder of earth!"

Xuan

Zan, seeing this, also exclaimed, "The walls of Jinzhou are only two zhang high. If they build a ladder of earth, it probably won't take long for them to reach the walls."

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "It seems the Western Xia aren't just brutes. Move all the archers here. The Western Xia shouldn't attack the other gates anymore. Also, select five hundred daredevil cavalrymen to accompany me out of the city to fight them."

Xuan Zan, hearing this, hurriedly gave the order.

After a long blast of the horn, the Western Xia archers advanced towards the city walls in a loose formation.

They had barely reached four hundred paces outside the walls when the ranger of the Divine Arm Bow fired a test shot. A dense chord of bowstrings then erupted from the walls. Thousands of arrows flew, seemingly aiming to pierce the sun, shooting straight for over a hundred paces before exhausting their momentum, then relentlessly swooping down upon the Western Xia soldiers.

Although the Western Xia formation was loose, dozens fell to the ground under the barrage of thousands of arrows. A fierce battle ensued, marked by the groans of wounded Western Xia soldiers.

After the Divine Arm Bowmen fired two volleys, the ordinary archers began to unleash their power. Although their range was inferior to the Divine Arm Bows, their overwhelming numerical advantage immediately became apparent. The dense rain of arrows darkened the sky, but the Western Xia soldiers longed for clear skies and bright sunshine. Despite their prayers, heaven did not grant their wish; hundreds more fell in the dense rain of arrows, their groans gradually filling the battlefield.

After another volley of arrows from the city walls, the Western Xia archers, now within range, began to return fire.

The archers on the walls, under attack, also began to suffer casualties. Under the free fire of the Western Xia soldiers, the Heavenly Army could no longer form a dense rain of arrows and could only return fire individually.

Just as the Western Xia commander was about to send his son to reinforce the city walls, he discovered that the Jinzhou city gates, which had been closed for many days, had suddenly opened, and a cavalry force was sweeping towards his archers. He hurriedly led a group of cavalry to reinforce them. The Western Xia

archers were surprised that the city walls had stopped firing when a cavalry charge appeared.

Zhang Yang, with his left hand, cleaved down a Western Xia soldier who had just drawn his sword, while his right hand, wielding his Overlord Spear, swept and smashed, instantly felling all the Western Xia soldiers within a ten-foot radius.

Archers were already powerless against cavalry, and with Zhang Yang, this demon, leading the charge, the Western Xia archers immediately turned and fled without hesitation, but how could they escape the pursuit of the cavalry?

Seeing his archers suffering heavy casualties under Zhang Yang's attack, the Western Xia general was enraged and shouted from afar, "Barbarians, do you dare to fight me?"

Hearing this, Zhang Yang abandoned his archers and spurred his horse to meet them.

The two horses clashed, and Zhang Yang, with a single thrust of his spear, stabbed the barbarian general to the ground. He then charged into the Western Xia cavalry formation, wielding his sword and spear with equal force, leaving the general no match. Seeing the emperor's prowess, the five hundred cavalrymen recklessly slaughtered the Western Xia soldiers.

These were not an elite force to begin with, and seeing their commander killed in a single exchange, and the Han soldiers so fierce, they could not hold out for long before turning and fleeing. Seeing this, many of the young men dropped their sacks and fled towards Jinzhou. The Western Xia soldiers, seeing the Han army approaching, disregarded the young men and turned to flee towards their camp.

Seeing this, Zhang Yang shouted, "Do you dare to come with me to the Western Xia camp?" "

These cavalrymen, already itching to get out of the city, and their ferocity heightened after the recent battle, shouted 'Kill!' upon hearing this."

Zhang Yang nodded in satisfaction and led his troops in pursuit of the Western Xia soldiers.

Li Qianshun, who was resting, heard shouts and neighing horses in front of the camp. He quickly led his men to investigate and saw Zhang Yang leading his troops to slaughter the lagging archers. Enraged, he roared, "Iron Falcon, come out of the camp and bring me their heads!"

Wei Mingrenli hurriedly said, "The camp gates are blocked by the routed soldiers, and the Han army has only a few hundred cavalry. They certainly wouldn't dare to confront our elite troops. By the time Iron Falcon dons his armor and comes out of the camp, they will most likely have already escaped. It would be better to let Iron Falcon rest and recuperate until the sun sets before attacking the city." Upon hearing this

, Li Qianshun knew that it would take Iron Falcons a long time to put on their armor, so he said in a low voice, "Order all units to guard the camp gates tightly. All the generals who attacked the city this time will be beheaded and their heads will be displayed in front of the camp. Anyone who retreats again in the next battle will be killed without mercy." "Having said that, he turned and went back to his tent.

Zhang Yang chased after him to within a hundred paces of the camp before leisurely reining in his horse and leading his troops back to the city.

The soldiers inside the city, seeing that the emperor had defeated the Western Xia army with only five hundred cavalry, were greatly encouraged. ,.,,,

05-09
Chapter Forty-Two: The Prelude to the Bloody Battle

Zhang Yang looked at the immovable cavalry outside the city and knew that the elite Western Xia troops had been mobilized. The soldiers on the city walls were initially in high spirits, but seeing the skilled Western Xia garrison troops in formation, and remembering their excellent archery skills from a few days ago, their hearts began to pound again.

Zhang Yang, however, had three divine crossbows brought to him and a row of quivers placed in front of him.

Guan Sheng seized the opportunity to shout, "Everyone is in for a treat! Stand up straight and watch His Majesty's rapid-fire arrows!" The soldiers on the city

wall were astonished to see the dozens of quivers in front of the Emperor. Remembering his valor earlier that day, they hoped the Western Xia army would attack the city soon so they could witness his archery skills.

Finally, with a piercing horn blast, the leather-armored garrison, in five ranks, charged towards the city wall. Just four hundred paces outside the city, the archers unleashed their power again.

The commander of the vanguard smiled disdainfully at the city wall. His garrison was composed of elite riders and archers; how many could such a sparse rain of arrows possibly fall? He'd show them what true archery was once they were within range.

Just then, several streaks of dark light shot towards him, the first one aimed directly at him. He was about to dodge... In a flash, he was shot in the chest and fell from his horse.

The cavalry behind him, seeing the arrow protruding from the back of their fallen comrade, were also stunned. The arrows hadn't even landed yet, how could their soldier have been hit? Before the thought could even finish, they heard their comrade beside them also fall from his horse with a thud. The rider instinctively tried to hide in the stirrup, but as soon as he moved, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. His legs gave way, and he fell from his horse.

The soldiers on the city walls heard a constant buzzing sound around them as arrows pierced the air, and Western Xia soldiers fell from their horses one after another. Such astonishing archery skills immediately filled the soldiers on the city walls with awe for Zhang Yang, and filled them with confidence for the upcoming battle.

Western Xia Garrison Seeing the riders in front falling from their horses one after another, the cavalry behind realized someone was firing horizontally. The sheer power, speed of the draw, and accuracy of the arrows immediately drew the attention of the cavalry behind.

The arrows rained down from the archers, hitting several more men. Within

moments, Zhang Yang had emptied several quivers, and dozens of garrison soldiers had fallen to his arrows. The

Western Xia soldiers in the rear ranks, however, could not see Zhang Yang's arrows. Seeing their own vanguard soldiers falling from their horses, this bizarre situation immediately sparked discussion among the soldiers.

Li Qianshun was deeply saddened to see the vanguard commander fall, but hearing the commotion from the rear, he quickly ordered his men to quell it.

Zhang Yang continued to draw his bow and fire arrows, suddenly realizing... Several arrows fired earlier missed their targets mid-flight, causing Zhang Yang to pause in surprise. He then fired a few more, only to find that none followed a normal trajectory.

Zhang Yang picked up an arrow, examined it, and immediately understood the reason. A proper feathered arrow should have a straight shaft, with fletching made from the hard wings of large birds like the eagle or hawk. This fletching, held at the end of the shaft, would ensure the arrow hit its target smoothly during flight. However, this arrow not only had an uneven shaft, but its fletching also appeared to be made of poultry feathers.

Guan Sheng, seeing Zhang Yang examining the arrow, quickly explained, "When we left the capital, we didn't carry many arrows to speed up our march. We used them all up during the attack on Tian Hu. The army also brought some arrows when transporting supplies, but we used most of those in the past few days. Now, most of the arrows the archers are shooting are those captured from Tian Hu, and while they're mostly substandard, they're better than nothing."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang nodded and said, "The march was a bit rushed at the time. You have already done your best to annihilate Tian Hu. I will also try out these inferior products." As

the two were speaking, the Western Xia garrison had already rushed into the archers' range. Xuan Zan gave the order, and a dense rain of arrows poured down on the Western Xia troops. The dense bombardment immediately masked the deviation of the arrows, and hundreds of garrison soldiers were shot down, men and horses falling. However, the garrison soldiers were all skilled riders and archers, and the cavalry behind them quickly spurred their horses over or around the fallen warhorses, and their speed did not slow down at all. Very few cavalrymen were tripped up.

After another volley of arrows from the city walls, the Western Xia garrison had reached within fifty paces of the city. The lead rider turned his horse and galloped parallel to the city wall, simultaneously drawing his bow and firing an arrow at Zhang Yang, clad in golden armor, on the wall.

Zhang Yang caught the arrow, nocked it with his crossbow, drew it to its full extent, and shot the rider, who had only galloped a few paces, off his horse. Just as he was about to catch another arrow and fire back, he found himself the prime target of many Western Xia cavalrymen, dozens of arrows already raining down upon him. Zhang Yang quickly jumped down from the wall, deflecting the arrows and occasionally firing back himself.

The other archers on the wall were also attacked by the garrison. The garrison, being the elite of Western Xia, were all highly skilled archers, and those still attacking on the wall were quickly hit. Before long, the garrison had suppressed the archers on the wall.

Seeing how quickly the garrison had subdued the archers on the wall, Zhang Yang couldn't help but admire the archery and horsemanship skills of the ethnic minorities.

The previous swift evasion and the current rapid archery were feats that only a few of his own generals could achieve, but the nomadic people who lived on horseback all day could form a cavalry force. His own cavalry could fight against the minority groups in direct combat, but

they were far inferior to these nomadic peoples. It seemed that building a cavalry from the grasslands was the only

way forward. The five thousand garrison troops quickly formed a large circle around the Western Xia army. The section of the city wall parallel to the tangent of the circle was already covered by the garrison's arrows. Only Zhang Yang occasionally rose to shoot down a few cavalrymen, but it had little effect.

Seeing this, Li Qianshun ordered his men to carry earth towards the city wall.

Zhang Yang saw the men carrying earth bags approaching the city wall in a loose formation, and knew that artillery attacks would be ineffective now, and the archers were suppressed. He could only watch as they assembled at the front of the circle.

When most of the men reached the edge of the garrison, another horn sounded from the Western Xia front. The garrison troops on the flanks of the Western Xia formation began to rein in their horses and form ranks, creating gaps in the circle. As soon as the garrison troops blocking the way had passed, the Western Xia supervisor forced the young men to charge towards the city. Seeing

this

, Zhang Yang immediately ordered the archers to return fire.

One after another, vibrant lives were instantly extinguished by the dense rain of arrows. But before the campaign, the Western Xia emperor had said that if they couldn't build a mound, they would all be executed upon their return. The young men could only hold up their sacks of earth to protect themselves, desperately running towards the city walls. Blood and sand followed their footsteps, scattering in curved lines within fifty paces of the walls.

Upon reaching the city walls, the archers' accuracy improved considerably; many men were shot down as soon as they threw down their sacks. The corpses and sacks of earth slowly piled up in front of the city, forming a slope. As the slope rose, the death rate of the young men increased dramatically. Walls of corpses rose intermittently along the edge of the slope, but under the coercion of the Western Xia supervisor, the young men had no choice but to push them down.

As soon as the walls of corpses collapsed, a hail of arrows followed. Soon, enough bodies and sacks of earth piled up outside the city walls, and the slopes, built up one wall after another, collapsed, spreading towards the city walls.

Zhang Yang, seeing hundreds of Han Chinese die with every foot the slope rose below the city, was filled with grief. After a moment's thought, he gritted his teeth and shouted, "Cease fire!"

Guan Sheng, hearing this, hurriedly said, "If we stop firing, the Western Xia will be able to build the earthen ramparts immediately."

Looking at the hordes of soldiers being forced into the city by the Western Xia army, Zhang Yang sighed, "The Western Xia are now using the blood and flesh of us Han Chinese to build roads. There are tens of thousands of hordes below the city; we cannot stop them. It's better to take a risk and let them build up to the city walls before letting them in."

The hordes who had run into the city that morning were still being monitored by a troop of soldiers. Hearing Zhang Yang's suggestion to let the hordes in, Guan Sheng quickly said, "Although the hordes are all Han Chinese, many have already settled in Western Xia. Normally they..." They are equipped with armor and weapons just like the Western Xia troops. Today, the city was disarmed. If Your Majesty allows them to enter the city, some might seize the opportunity to capture it, and if the Western Xia troops then rush in, the city may fall.”

Zhang Yang shook his head upon hearing this, saying, “Although they have settled in Western Xia, they are still descendants of the Han people. How can I stand by and watch them die? Besides, they have no weapons; what trouble can they cause? Go and have someone build a ramp with wooden planks on the back of the city wall. Have Tang Bin lead men to monitor from below. Once your son enters the city, have them descend. If things get urgent, the ramp can be burned down, and we can defend the city walls to the death. Go and give the order.”

Guan Sheng, seeing that Zhang Yang had made up his mind, had no choice but to go and make the arrangements. Soon, several hundred heavily armored soldiers also went up to the city walls to defend them.

Without the archers' obstruction, your son quickly piled the earthen ramp below the city walls several feet high. Seeing the heavenly soldiers a few feet above the city walls drawing their bows and arrows, yet not stopping them, the young men were puzzled. However, under the coercion of the Western Xia supervisor, they had no time to think and quickly piled up the walls with the corpses of their comrades and sandbags.

Zhang Yang, seeing the young men anxiously building this path that would bring more bloodshed and death, couldn't help but sigh. They thought that settling in Western Xia would make them Western Xia people, fighting desperately on the battlefield to climb the ranks, hoping to rise above others. But when it came to real life and death, they were the ones pushed to the forefront. Even if they became generals, once their soldiers died, it would be their turn. At this moment, how could the young generals compare to a single Tangut soldier?

Everyone says the greatness of the Han people lies in their inclusiveness, but foreign tribes always harbor the idea that those not of our race must have different hearts. Every rise of a minority group inevitably brings a massacre to the Han people. Their strategies are strikingly similar: to use swords and blood to diminish and intimidate the Han people, and begin their rule.

If he wanted to revitalize the Han people, only force and bloodshed would be the fastest way. He needed to intimidate other ethnic groups, forcibly annex them, and then assimilate them through blood ties and education; after a few years, they would all be Han. While Han civilization was certainly attractive, many ethnic groups insisted on maintaining the purity of their bloodlines and ancient customs. Expecting them to integrate into this large family on their own was nothing short of wishful thinking. Rather than waiting for them to assimilate, he would forcefully integrate them himself. The Liao Dynasty had escaped a calamity; let the Western Xia witness the rise of the Han people. When Zhang Yang looked up again, his eyes held a hint of murderous intent.

Chapter 43 After a fierce battle, the victorious soldiers

cleared a path and shouted, "We are all Han Chinese. I couldn't bear to see our brothers kill each other, so I ordered the attack on the city walls to cease. But when the Western Xia attacks later, you will surely be used as cannon fodder again. I cannot surrender the city so easily. Those who wish to enter the city to hide are welcome; those who go back to help the Tanguts slaughter their compatriots will face no mercy from me after the war begins."

The total population of Western Xia was only a little over two million. Although they implemented a system of universal conscription, the people also needed to make a living, so the standing army was not large. Therefore, Zhuang Linglang also undertook many combat missions, but the Western Xia emperor was still wary of these foreign tribes. The casualties at Tiancheng were extremely high. To prevent Zhuang Linglang from mutinying, elite troops suddenly disarmed him.

Zhuang Linglang was quite resentful about being disarmed, but he had been forced to come to Tiancheng. Hearing that Zhang Yang had allowed entry, many people immediately surged towards the city walls.

Zhang Yang then ordered them to descend the city walls through a temporary passage. Seeing this, the fleeing soldiers also rushed towards the city walls. The supervising Western Xia soldiers, witnessing this, began to slaughter the fleeing soldiers. The hesitant soldiers, seeing the Western Xia soldiers indiscriminately killing their comrades, also fled back into the city.

Li Qianshun, seeing the soldiers defecting, was furious and shouted, "Guards, advance and shoot the deserters!"

Wei Mingrenli said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The soldiers have already created an opening; why not send troops to seize the city?"

Li Qianshun nodded and said, "Let those Han people live a little longer. After we capture Jinzhou, we can kill the deserters." He then ordered the flag bearer to wave the signal flag.

Although Western Xia was rich in fine horses, its main fighting force was still infantry. The most elite were composed of men from "mountain tribes," called "Bubazi." They moved up and down the hillsides. They were adept at traversing streams and mountains, excelling in both height and distance, and were light-footed and agile. During the wars between the Western Xia and the Song Dynasty, when encountering the enemy in deep, treacherous valleys, they frequently employed the "Bubazi" (步跋子) for striking, thrusting, and ambushes. The Bubazi were known for their endurance and fighting spirit, and were particularly famous for the Qiang soldiers of Hengshan, a region known as "Shan'e" (山讹).

As soon as Li Qianshun raised his signal flag, 20,000 infantrymen and the only 1,000 crossbowmen quickly advanced towards the city walls.

Three hundred paces from the walls, the crossbowmen formed five ranks and fired at both sides of the slope.

A scream erupted from the walls as Zhang Yang dodged an arrow. Seeing that the crossbowmen were beyond the range of ordinary archers, and the archers' accuracy was extremely low, he had to order his men to erect large shields in front to defend. Fortunately, no Western Xia troops

scaled the walls from either side. Seeing the Western Xia soldiers charging menacingly behind them, the young men scrambled even more chaotically towards the walls. Those who were slightly slower were pushed onto the walls, and before they could even get up, others were already tumbling over them. People trampled over each other. Those who fell pulled down others, further increasing the chaos on the walls. Many were even pushed onto the walls by those behind them, only to tumble down the slope behind them. For a time, cries and screams filled the city and its surroundings.

Seeing that there were still several thousand soldiers outside the city, and that the Western Xia infantry had already begun their assault, Zhang Yang had no choice but to order Ling Zhen's artillery to bombard the Western Xia infantry. However, the Western Xia soldiers' formation was loose during their charge, resulting in limited casualties, and the fierce Western Xia soldiers did not slow down at all.

Seeing that the Western Xia infantry had reached the range of the archers, Zhang Yang hurriedly ordered the archers on both sides to begin attacking the Western Xia infantry. Under a dense rain of arrows, the Western Xia infantry began to suffer large-scale casualties, but the emperor's death order and their fierce spirit still drove them to advance through the rain of arrows.

Guan Sheng saw that they were less than a hundred paces from the city wall and hurriedly said, "Please, Your Majesty, order the passage on the city wall to be cut off, otherwise the Western Xia soldiers will take advantage of the situation to attack the city."

Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "There are still several thousand people outside, let's wait a little longer."

Guan Sheng looked at the dense crowd outside the city and became very anxious, so he had no choice but to order the soldiers on the city wall to be pushed into the city. The increased weight caused the makeshift ramp to creak and groan, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Within moments, the Western Xia soldiers had reached the ramp. The young men behind, seeing they couldn't enter the city and daring not to block their path, fled to either side. Those who stood in their way were cut down, and the ramp rose higher amidst the screams of the young men.

Seeing the Western Xia soldiers almost reach the city walls, Guan Sheng hurriedly said, "There aren't many Han Chinese left outside the city. Should we burn the wooden ramp first?"

Zhang Yang snatched an arrow that had slipped through a gap in a shield, drew his bow, and shot down a crossbowman. He shook his head and said, "Wait a moment."

Only after the Western Xia soldiers had reached the city walls and begun attacking from both sides did Zhang Yang order the wooden ramp to be set ablaze. Amidst the soaring flames, the wooden ramp collapsed with a crash, and several Western Xia soldiers trying to enter the city were burned alive, screaming in agony in the fire below.

Zhang Yang also abandoned his divine crossbow and pushed his soldiers aside to the front lines of the battle.

Several Xixia soldiers, seeing Zhang Yang in his golden armor, their eyes gleamed with golden light, and they charged at him with howls.

Zhang Yang glanced at the Xixia soldiers' ferocious faces, and a murderous intent surged within him. His steel spear pierced through like a venomous snake, and sprays of blood flew from the throats of the leading Xixia soldiers.

One Xixia soldier, just feeling the pain in his throat, felt as if he had been whipped by a giant python, and was thrown into the air. Only then did he realize that the sky was already dyed blood red by the setting sun.

Zhang Yang continued to thrust and smash, knocking Xixia soldiers off the city wall. His soldiers followed suit, cutting down Xixia soldiers from both sides of the wall.

A Xixia general, seeing his soldiers being slaughtered by Zhang Yang like vegetables, and his occupied sections of the wall being recaptured, hurriedly brandished his sword to meet Zhang Yang. Upon reaching the front, they discovered that Zhang Yang's golden spear was flashing incessantly, leaving only a few afterimages in his vision. They dared not advance further, only shouting for their men to seize Zhang Yang's spear.

After more than ten soldiers had died,

the Western Xia soldier who had been impaled in the chest finally managed to pierce Zhang Yang

. Seeing an opportunity, the general who had been clinging to Zhang Yang saw a chance to gain an advantage and hastily brandished his sword to strike him. He had only taken a few steps when he felt a flash of movement and was struck in the chest by a soldier impaled on the spear, his chest pierced by the wall behind the soldier.

Although Zhang Yang was not afraid of the weight of the spear, his spearmanship was already limited by the dense crowd on the city wall. Piercing two people made it even more cumbersome, so he casually threw the golden spear into an open area within the city.

The Western Xia soldiers were stunned to see their general impaled on a spear and sent flying through the air.

Zhang Yang, however, had already grabbed a steel sword and charged into the ranks of the Western Xia soldiers. He stabbed one of the still-stunned soldiers to death with a single blow. As he drew his sword, he slashed the neck of a nearby soldier, and with a swift elbow strike, sent the still-standing corpse flying, clearing a path. His broadsword cleaved and hacked, soon piercing through the Western Xia army and making contact with the Heavenly Dynasty soldiers opposite. His soldiers then took control of the city walls.

However

, the slope outside the city was already level with the walls, piled high with corpses, forcing Zhang Yang to engage the Western Xia troops in close combat. Under Zhang Yang's leadership, they managed to hold them off outside the city. Archers behind their giant shields continuously fired arrows at the Western Xia infantry waiting to attack.

Seeing that a thousand crossbowmen couldn't suppress the city walls, Li Qianshun ordered the garrison to reinforce the city and simultaneously dispatched the Hengshan Qiang soldiers to launch another siege using ladders.

Seeing the garrison rushing towards them, Zhang Yang quickly ordered his archers to attack the city below.

The garrison, arriving at the city walls in a loose formation, immediately began hurling arrows at the defenders. The arrows, swooping down around the giant shields, sprayed blood everywhere. Archers on the walls also began to suffer heavy casualties, forcing reinforcements on the slopes to brave a hail of arrows to reach the front lines.

The Hengshan Qiang soldiers also erected numerous siege ladders on both sides of the slope and began their assault. Soldiers scaling the walls stabbed the Heavenly Dynasty soldiers holding up the giant shields, and soon the shields fell, allowing the Hengshan Qiang soldiers to leap onto the walls as well. Even more unpredictable was that once the shields fell, the garrison began firing pinpoint shots at the Heavenly Dynasty soldiers within sight. Fighting fiercely against the Qiang soldiers on the walls while simultaneously guarding against the constant barrage of arrows from below, the outer perimeter of the city was soon decimated, and the Hengshan Qiang soldiers continued to pour onto the walls.

Zhang Yang had already broken countless swords. With his freakish speed, he cut down every Qiang soldier around him and casually beheaded a barbarian soldier. Seeing that the soldiers on the city walls were already locked in a fierce battle, he ordered Guan Sheng to lead his men down the city walls to guard the passageway and plant gunpowder beneath the walls.

Li Qianshun also brought his iron hawk to the city walls to observe the battle. Seeing his soldiers fall wherever the bloodied man went, he quickly ordered the

soldiers on the city walls to reward Zhang Yang with one hundred taels of silver for each strike and one thousand taels for each death. One hundred taels of silver was enough for a family to live on for more than ten years in the borderlands. Hearing of the heavy reward, the Qiang soldiers on the city walls rushed towards Zhang Yang without regard for their own safety. Zhang Yang knew that if he was caught, he would be torn to pieces, so he quickly jumped into the city.

Seeing Zhang Yang enter the city, Guan Sheng quickly ordered the men fighting in the passageway to retreat, and the demolition expert lit the gunpowder.

The Western Xia soldiers, seeing the "generous reward" offered, jumped into the city. Though somewhat disappointed, they also breathed a sigh of relief. After all, thousands of their comrades had already died at Zhang Yang's hands; no one dared claim they could safely kill that killing god. The Western Xia soldiers on the passageway cheered as they saw the Heavenly Army retreat, rushing towards the city gate.

Li Qianshun, seeing the cheers erupting on the walls, was about to spur his horse onto the ramparts when a deafening roar erupted. The already crumbling city wall, weakened by the digging of both sides, collapsed with a deafening crash. The area within dozens of feet was instantly engulfed in dust, and the wounded Western Xia soldiers screamed in agony.

The Iron Falcon warhorses outside the city, jolted by the explosion, crashed into each other. Wei Mingrenli was also thrown from his horse. As he struggled to his feet, he saw the emperor and his horse lying in front of him. Startled, he scrambled to his side and saw Li Qianshun struggling to pull his legs off the tether. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly ordered the guards to lift his horse.

Li Qianshun stood up, looked at his horse still limp on the ground, and without his usual tenderness, slashed the throat of the seemingly mighty warhorse with a single stroke. Looking at the still-dusty explosion site, Li Qianshun shouted, "After entering the city, the entire army will loot for three days!" As

soon as he finished speaking, a man leaped out of the ashes, drew his bow, and shot Li Qianshun down with an arrow. Then, he turned and jumped back into the city's earthen walls.

Zhang Yang had seen Li Qianshun watching the battle from below while fighting alone on the city wall. Estimating he was still nearby, he came out to investigate. Finding Li Qianshun shouting, he immediately shot him with an arrow.

Wei Mingrenli, seeing the emperor fall again, quickly bent down to check, only to find the arrow had struck the emperor's throat, with only a few inches of fletching remaining in his neck. Wei Mingrenli picked up Li Qianshun, his fingers trembling as he placed his fingers on the emperor's neck, only to find no heartbeat. He burst into tears.

Upon hearing of the emperor's death, the garrison troops were thrown into chaos. Some wanted to storm the city for revenge, others wanted to retreat. Their leader, having been shot dead by Zhang Yang while suppressing the enemy on the city walls, was unable to reach a consensus.

Just then, the imperial army stormed in from the east and west gates.

The garrison soldiers rushed to the rear to retrieve their warhorses, but nearly half of them deserted. With Iron Falcons unable to provide support, the garrison, initially on the offensive, quickly fell into a disadvantageous position. Many, seeing the Heavenly Soldiers still emerging from the city, began to flee as well.

The remaining Western Xia infantry on the city walls were also attacked from both sides. Without the support of the garrison, they could only fight the Heavenly Soldiers to a standstill. Seeing Zhang Yang, the god of slaughter, begin his massacre again, they surrendered after a short time. ...

Chapter 44: A Full-Scale Counterattack

Amidst the Joy of a Great Victory.

Since the battle ended after nightfall, the results had not yet been tallied, but the gleam on the faces of the generals indicated a considerable victory.

Zhang Yang looked at his jubilant generals and smiled, "What do you think our next move should be?"

Guan Sheng, Xuan Zan, and other former Liangshan generals knew of Zhang Yang's great talent and strategy; he often devised plans himself and directly gave instructions to the others. Everyone simply followed the plan, and upon hearing this, they pretended to ponder, awaiting Zhang Yang's instructions.

Shan Shiqi, however, was impressed by Zhang Yang's performance that day and wanted to show off as well, so he stood up and said, "This humble general has heard that Emperor Chongzong of Western Xia had no heir. Now that he is dead, members of the royal family will inevitably vie for the throne. General Chage, the commander of the Western Route Army, is Emperor Chongzong's younger brother and holds military power; he will surely lead his troops back to seize the throne. The Qin-Feng Route only has Tibetan and Uyghur troops left, and is therefore unable to continue its eastward invasion. General Pu Wang Weiming Renzhong, the commander of the Central Route Army, has always been at odds with Chage and will certainly not stand idly by while Chage ascends the throne. Furthermore, Western Xia has always been controlled by the three major families of Weiming, Renduo, and Liang." After Emperor Chongzong ascended the throne, he stripped the military power of the other two families. These two families would certainly not remain dormant, and a fierce power struggle was inevitable within Western Xia. The other border troubles were minor issues; as long as our dynasty spared its resources, we could pacify them. Only Western Xia had been a problem for a century, and repeated campaigns by the Central Plains had failed. Now, a rare opportunity presented itself: to send troops to conquer Western Xia, and then

, with a victorious army, advance westward and southward, thus restoring the territories of the Han and Tang dynasties. As the territory expanded, Zhang Yang realized that he couldn't properly arrange the tactics for every battlefront. To force such arrangements would be akin to the Song dynasty emperors assigning battle routes to their generals. Without adaptability, the army would be at a disadvantage from the start. While the dynasty worried about military generals rebelling, Zhang Yang had no such concern. He also wanted to assess the strategic vision of his generals. Hearing this, Guan Sheng nodded and said, "General Shan's words are very insightful. What do you think, General Guan?"

Guan Sheng was pondering how Zhang Yang would arrange his troops when he heard Zhang Yang mention him. He quickly replied solemnly, "General Shan is quite right. His Majesty has already pacified the Liao Kingdom, and the elite troops in the Northwest have returned to defend. Only Wang Qing's forces remain to threaten our supply lines. However, Wang Qing's troops are mostly a rabble; 50,000 troops are enough to wipe them out. With the death of the Western Xia emperor, they will certainly be unable to continue invading our country in the short term. Our dynasty should take this opportunity to reclaim the lost territories in Hedong and the Northwest. If internal strife breaks out in Western Xia, we should launch an attack to destroy them. However, we should first eliminate Wang Qing to prevent him from threatening our supply lines."

Xuan Zan also said, "In the past, when Western Xia sent troops, they plundered the people's money and grain. If they retreat this time, they will surely plunder again. Today's battle did yield a considerable amount of money and grain, but if our dynasty wants to obtain supplies from the Northwest..." "We must send troops to attack Western Xia from both sides. This will require a large amount of grain to be transported from Tokyo to the northwest. Although Wang Qing has not yet clashed with our dynasty, once Western Xia is pacified, he will be the first to be affected if our dynasty moves south or west. I fear he will attack Xijing, harass our supply lines, and even directly attack Tokyo."

Seeing that everyone else had spoken, Siwen added, "The navy has already transported some money and grain to the front lines. Although it's not enough to support the conquest of Western Xia, it can sustain us for a while. Xijing and Tokyo are both well-fortified and well-supplied, each guarded by 20,000 troops. Wang Qing cannot quickly capture them. Right now, the priority should be recovering lost territory. We should wait until we have more time to attack Wang Qing."

Zhang Yang nodded in agreement, "What everyone says makes sense. Let Wang Qing run wild for a few days. Lu Junyi has already led 20,000 troops to Weisheng to meet with Han Cunbao and Dang Shixiong. Tomorrow I will go to Weisheng to command the troops to recover Hedong. All units should rest and reorganize." Later, Guan Sheng and Shan Shiqi's troops will attack the prefecture, then reinforce Yan'an Prefecture, and seize the opportunity to recapture Suide Army. Wen Zhongrong and Cui Kun (the two leaders of Baodushan) will remain to guard Jinzhou, while Sun An and Tang Bin will lead their troops to attack Fenzhou. The Western Xia troops in Fenzhou should already know of the emperor's death. If they hold their ground, your two troops can defend and await reinforcements. If the Western Xia troops have retreated, you should continue your northward attack on Shizhou and Jinning Army. I will send Han Cunbao and Dang Shixiong's troops to join you."

Upon hearing this, Guan Sheng said, "The situation is tense now, so it would be better for all troops to set off tomorrow."

Zhang Yang shook his head upon hearing this, saying, "The soldiers have been fighting hard for days and are already exhausted. If they are attacked by the Western Xia troops on the way, I'm afraid they will not be able to resist. It would be better to rest for a day before setting off, so that the Western Xia troops can also learn of the defeat of the eastern route army and damage their morale. Perhaps they will retreat without a fight."

Wen Zhongrong's two troops numbered only a few thousand. There were over ten thousand men, including the young master Zhuang and the Western Xia prisoners, and the spoils of war also needed to be inventoried. The manpower was truly insufficient. So, the question was asked: "What should be done with the young master Zhuang and the Western Xia prisoners?"

Zhang Yang thought for a moment and said, "If the young master Zhuang is willing to join the army, he can replenish the casualties of each unit and guide the troops when we attack Western Xia in the future. Those who do not wish to join the army will each receive three taels of silver and be allowed to go their own way. As for the Western Xia prisoners, aren't there many coal mines in Hedong? Let them go there. These mines have a history of accidents. Order all areas to send the Western Xia prisoners to the mines, and in the future, try to reduce the number of Han Chinese going down into the mines. The soldiers who died or were wounded this time should also receive generous compensation." (Before the Southern Song Dynasty, coal mines were called "stone coal mines").

Guan Sheng and the others thanked the soldiers on behalf of the troops and gave a brief account of what had happened since the start of the campaign. Remembering that Zhang Yang was going to Weisheng the next day, they all took their leave.

The next day, Zhang Yang rode an eagle towards Weisheng, arriving over Weisheng in less than an hour. Looking down at the magnificent palace, Zhang Yang knew he was at Weisheng. He wondered how much of the people's hard work Tian Hu had exploited to build this pseudo-palace, only to have it all fall into his lap shortly afterward. "Emperor Yang built palaces everywhere, earning eternal infamy, while I easily acquired several. Although the Yanfu Palace in Dongjing (Kaifeng) isn't as vast as the Qin Dynasty's Epang Palace or the Sui Dynasty's Western Garden, its splendor and ingenuity are probably no less impressive. "

Lu Junyi and Yan Qing were examining Tian Hu's accounts in the front palace when they heard three giant eagles circling above the palace. They quickly rode to greet them.

Upon entering the palace, Zhang Yang asked, "Could it be that Han Cunbao and Dang Shixiong's troops have already gone to attack Fenzhou?"

Lu Junyi nodded, "Yesterday I led my troops to Weisheng. General, fearing Jinzhou couldn't hold out, the two of them led their troops to attack Fenzhou to relieve the pressure on Jinzhou. Did Your Majesty come from Jinzhou?" Zhang Yang nodded and said, "

Yes, yesterday I defeated the Western Xia army and killed the Western Xia emperor. Now it's time for us to counterattack. If we go to Fenzhou, we should be able to capture some of the defeated soldiers. Your two divisions should also prepare. Tomorrow, one division will remain

to defend Weisheng, and the other will accompany me to attack Taiyuan."

Lu Junyi said, "My division has rested for a day and is ready to reinforce Fenzhou at any time. The supplies are also ready. It's still early today, so let's set off now."

Although Zhang Yang also wanted to enjoy the palace for a day, he knew that the situation was urgent, so he said, "Your division is composed of former Song Dynasty Tokyo Imperial Guards. Since the reorganization, you have been constantly marching. Can you still march?"

Lu Junyi said, "When my division was reorganized, the old and weak were removed. The remaining soldiers are all strong men from various places. The Song Dynasty's military discipline was not strict, which is why it could not form a fighting force. After being disciplined by our dynasty's military discipline, our fighting force is now no less than that of other divisions." Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang nodded and said, "

That's good then. Go and muster the troops. Let's set off today."

Now, the three generals guarding Taiyuan, Zhang Xiong, Xiang Zhong, and Xu Yue, were originally bandits who later joined Tian Hu in a rebellion. They were thus appointed as the pseudo-military commanders and stationed in Taiyuan. Seeing Guan Sheng's invincible attacks, they dared not resist and hastily sent envoys to surrender. Guan Sheng had just sent someone to appease the three when they heard that the Western Xia emperor had already conquered Jinning Army. They then killed Guan Sheng's envoy and sent his head to the Western Xia army to surrender. Emperor Chongzong of Western Xia then dispatched troops to Taiyuan and ordered Zhang Xiong and Xiang Zhong to attack Pingding Army.

Zhang Xiong set up camp outside the city and sent a messenger to the prefect of Pingding Army. The two, leading 30,000 rebel soldiers and having acquired 2,000 Western Xia warhorses, felt their strength was formidable. They believed the prefect of Pingding Army, with only a few thousand soldiers, would surely surrender. Therefore, the two held a banquet in their camp and ordered the army's singing girls to perform.

As the two were enjoying themselves, a messenger burst in, wailing. His face was covered in blood, and both his ears were missing. He carried a gaudy woman's dress in his hands.

Zhang Xiong, his mood ruined by the messenger, angrily shouted, "What's going on?" The messenger cried,

"

The prefect of Pingding Army said that General Zhang is a traitor who has served three masters and betrayed the country, even betraying his country and not even as good as a promiscuous woman. He even demanded that I give the woman's dress to General Zhang, saying that if General Zhang dares to attack the city, he will surely make General Zhang's blood splatter on the city walls."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiong was enraged and shouted, "You rude scoundrel! Give me the order: the army will attack the city tonight!"

Xiang Zhong knew Zhang Xiong's temper and knew that it was futile to persuade him now. He didn't take the few thousand soldiers of Pingding Army seriously and went to command his troops to attack the city.

The prefect of Pingding Army looked at the torches burning all over the mountains outside the city and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

The lieutenant beside him, however, was somewhat flustered. Seeing the prefect's cold smile, he said, "The rebel army is powerful, and the world is in chaos. Our army is isolated and without reinforcements, and I'm afraid we can't hold out for long. How can you still smile, sir?"

The prefect replied, "Who says we have no reinforcements? A surprise force will arrive tomorrow morning. We should be able to hold out for one night without any problem, right?"

The lieutenant said, "After Tian Hu's rebellion, you instructed us to be on guard at all times. Now the city is well-equipped for defense. We can hold out for three days and three nights, let alone one night. However, the Chengtian Army's militia only has a thousand troops, which may threaten the rebels."

The prefect shook his head and said, "It's not just... " "Those thousand soldiers. The militia commander just sent word that the Celestial Empire has repelled the Liao army, and the Celestial Emperor's personal guards have already crossed the well path and arrived at the Chengtian military camp. Just then, my urgent letter arrived, and the militia commander surrendered to the Celestial Empire. Now they are heading here overnight. They will surely reach the city walls by tomorrow morning, and then, with the help of both inside and outside, they will surely defeat the enemy." Upon

hearing this, the lieutenant asked in surprise, "How did the Celestial Empire defeat the Liao army so quickly?" The prefect replied

, "The militia commander didn't say much in his letter. We'll know when we meet tomorrow. Go and arrange the defenses."

Hearing that there was great reinforcement, the lieutenant's fear vanished, and he went to deploy the defenses.

Before long, the sound of war drums and shouts of battle filled the night sky and continued for a long time. Because the Pingding Army was well prepared, by the time dawn broke, not a single Zhang Xiong soldier had climbed onto the city walls, but thousands of corpses had already piled up below. Zhang Xiong's soldiers, exhausted from days of marching and a night of fierce fighting, lost their fighting spirit upon seeing the mountains of corpses outside the city. They began to dawdle, some even deserting.

Seeing this, Xiang Zhong said to Zhang Xiong, "The soldiers are exhausted. Let them have breakfast and rest before attacking the city, to avoid heavy casualties and being looked down upon by the Western Xia."

Zhang Xiong had surrendered to Western Xia only because of its power. His attack was merely to expand his territory, not to lose too much strength. Hearing this, he sounded the retreat.

The exhausted soldiers rushed back to their camp at the sound of the retreat, many collapsing to sleep.

Zhang Xiong, however, had little skill in training troops, relying solely on his mountain stronghold's methods. Zhang Xiong had habitually allowed his soldiers to plunder, keeping them in a state of ferocity. The people of Taiyuan, unable to bear the brutality, had mostly fled. However, Zhang Xiong

's troops fought fearlessly, and when they retreated, they fled in droves. Zhang Xiong paid little attention to the chaos and immediately returned to his tent with Xiang Zhong to discuss how to attack the city. Before they could even settle down, they heard a great battle rage within the camp. Zhang Xiong and Xiang Zhong rushed out to investigate and saw a cavalry force in yellow armor less than a hundred paces from the camp.

It turned out that Wu Song and his men had arrived outside the city overnight and, seeing that Zhang Xiong's troops were unprepared, launched a surprise attack. Zhang Xiong's hastily erected camp was no match for Wu Song's charge.

In the blink of an eye, Wu Song led his personal guards into the camp, while Xu Ning and Shi Yong each led a thousand men to cut down the fleeing rebels. Wu Song then led two thousand men straight to the central camp.

Zhang Xiong, though valiant and unassuming, though unaware of Wu Song and his men's origins, saw them slaughtering his soldiers and led several hundred of his personal guards to meet them.

Wu Song, seeing this, roared, "The Heavenly Army has arrived! How dare you resist?"

Zhang Xiong, hearing they were Heavenly Dynasty soldiers, was momentarily stunned. In that brief moment, Wu Song was already upon him, and with a furious shout, he had cut Zhang Xiong down from his horse.

Xiang Zhong was also beaten to a pulp by Yu Beng's blow, horse and all. Seeing their commanders dead, the rebel soldiers scattered like birds.

The prefect of Pingding Army, seeing reinforcements rush into the rebel camp, led his men to encircle the fleeing troops.

Zhang Xiong's men, exhausted from fighting all night and unable to escape, surrendered en masse. ...

Chapter 45: To Take , First Give

. Having chosen to submit to the Heavenly Dynasty, they naturally dared not neglect Wu Song and his trusted generals. Upon returning to the city, they held a grand banquet to celebrate their victory and also to cultivate relationships.

Wu Song poured a bowl of wine into the sea, feeling its refreshing coolness. Although it lacked the smoothness of the imperial wine, this more robust and strong liquor suited his taste better. The exhilarating victory and the hearty drinking made Wu Song extremely happy, except for the deafening drum music that filled his ears, which annoyed him.

Since Zhang Yang's ascension to the throne, Wu Song's status had risen accordingly. Although he commanded few troops, as the emperor's close general, those of equal rank had to show him deference. However, Wu Song's personality had not changed. He still enjoyed practicing martial arts and found these decadent sounds extremely distasteful. Especially after the incidents involving Pan Jinlian and Yulan, he secretly avoided singers and dancers.

Several dancers, attracted by Wu Song's imposing appearance and drinking prowess, began to flirt with him. At the height of their dancing, they even exposed their legs and chests, their large expanses of white skin causing the temperature in the room to rise sharply. Wu Song's brows furrowed even more deeply.

Although Zhao Yi was not a high-ranking official, he had been navigating the bureaucracy for many years and noticed the change in Wu Song's expression. He quickly waved for the dancers to leave and raised his cup, saying, "Today, thanks to the general's leadership, the entire city's inhabitants were spared from the scourge of bandits. I

toast you, General." Seeing that the harem was no longer in sight, Wu Song felt a sense of relief. He raised his bowl and drank it all in one gulp, laughing, "You flatter me, sir. Your troops are well-trained. Your wisdom is also exceptional, leaving the bandits exhausted. Even without us, the militia commander's thousand soldiers would have successfully raided the camp. We were merely icing on the cake. However, your surrender of the entire city has averted a major war; your contribution is considerable. I will certainly report this to the Emperor."

Seeing Wu Song drinking from large bowls and eating large chunks of meat, Zhao Yi initially thought he was a commoner who had risen to a high position through bravery in battle and the lack of talent in the new dynasty. Hearing his words, they dared not underestimate Wu Song and felt more respect for the Celestial Empire. Little did they know that Wu Song had first served as a constable in Qinghe County. After being exiled, he spent some time working for Supervisor Zhang. Although he hadn't deeply penetrated officialdom, he was still familiar with some basic social niceties.

Zhao Yi, also full of ambition but with nowhere to use it, quickly said, "Thank you, General. I was merely acting in accordance with the people's will. How can I believe it? General, you have followed His Majesty in his campaigns, achieving great merit and hardship. It's hard to believe that after the Liao Kingdom was established, it became a major threat to our Central Plains. But His Majesty's arrival has quelled it all. Could you tell us a story, General?"

The other members of the Pingding Army quickly echoed his sentiments.

Wu Song was quite proud of his swift victory over the Liao army. He raised his bowl, downed it in one gulp, and then slowly recounted the battle in the north. His words were naturally filled with heroic fervor. A single night raid had annihilated the Liao army. Seeing that the others were still eager for more, Wu Song recounted Zhang Yang's sale of Liao prisoners and the humiliation of the Liao envoy.

Zhao Yi, after listening, slammed his hand on the table and praised, "His Majesty is indeed exceptional in both literature and martial arts. Selling prisoners has greatly reduced the court's expenditures. The humiliation of the Liao prisoners has made the people of Hebei proud. His Majesty's prestige among the people of Hebei has reached its peak. Even if someone wanted to cause trouble again, I'm afraid no one would be willing to respond. The Liao Kingdom is powerless to invade again; Hebei is now secure."

At first, Wu Song thought the emperor's decision to have the people humiliate the Liao envoy was merely a whim, but after hearing Xu Guanzhong and others discuss it, he realized there were many benefits. He was also taken aback to hear that the prefect of Pingding Army also possessed such a far-sighted strategy. He laughed and said, "His Majesty's extraordinary nature is beyond our comprehension. As you spend more time with him, you'll get used to it."

Zhao Yi, unwilling to remain in obscurity, naturally knew that those close to the emperor were more likely to be promoted. Hearing this, he quickly replied, "I have also heard much of His Majesty's extraordinary nature and wish to listen to his teachings day and night. I would be grateful if you could lend me a hand."

Wu Song was still a novice in officialdom, and his earlier words were merely casual remarks. Hearing this, he shook his head and said, "The court is currently short-handed. If you wish to be transferred to a large prefecture, given your merits, it shouldn't be difficult. But if you wish to be transferred back to the capital, I'm afraid it will be extremely difficult."

Zhao Yi was already quite satisfied to be transferred to a major prefecture, but he still sighed, "I've heard that His Majesty's literary and military talents far surpass those of Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Taizu of Song. It is truly a lifelong regret that I am not fortunate enough to be by His Majesty's side day and night." Wu

Song had often heard people praise Emperor Taizong and Emperor Taizu of Tang, so he thought Zhao Yi's sigh was genuine and advised him, "There is plenty of time in the future. As long as you are diligent in your duties and care for the people, bringing benefits to the region, it will not be difficult for you to be transferred back to the capital in the future."

Zhao Yi replied, "I will certainly remember your teachings, General."

Wu Song had been marching all night and had fought for a long time. As he spoke, he couldn't help but yawn.

Seeing this, Zhao Yi quickly said, "I am sorry, I forgot that you generals have been traveling all night. I have prepared lodgings for you, Generals. Please come with me to rest.

"

Wu Song also felt very tired. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Please arrange three days' worth of rations for us, as we must continue our journey early tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi asked, "Where is the general headed?" Wu

Song replied, "His Majesty will meet us in Taiyuan, and we will head straight there tomorrow."

Taiyuan was a major prefecture in Hedong, with a very important geographical location. Zhao Yi's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He arranged for Wu Song and the others to rest and then went to prepare.

That evening, Wu Song and the others were invited to a banquet. After the food and drink, several servants brought several plates to Wu Song and the others, each covered with red silk.

Seeing that the servants seemed to be struggling, Wu Song asked curiously, "What is the meaning of this, sir?"

Zhao Yi said, "The gentry in the city are grateful for the general's rescue and have collected some gold and silver. Please accept it."

Upon hearing this, Wu Song shook his head and said, "Protecting the territory and ensuring the safety of the people is our duty. How dare we take the people's money and goods? Besides, we are marching urgently tomorrow; how can we carry these things?"

Zhao Yi, however, needed Wu Song's help, and the gold and silver were taken from captured supplies. Hearing this, he hurriedly said, "This is a small token of their appreciation. If it's inconvenient for you generals to carry it, I can keep it for you for a while." Wu

Song said, "After today's parting, I don't know when we'll meet again. Please help us distribute it to the people in the city."

Zhao Yi said, "General, you are kind, but the officials of the counties around Taiyuan have been slaughtered by Zhang Xiong's bandits, and your troops are all the Emperor's personal guards. I'm afraid it's inconvenient for you to guard the counties along the way. I'm willing to take a group of men to guard Shouyang, which can also guarantee the supplies for you generals."

Wu Song, unaware that Zhao Yi was after Taiyuan, thought for a moment and realized that he couldn't leave the Emperor's personal guards to guard the counties. He nodded and said, "That's fine, but you must make proper arrangements for the Pingding Army."

Zhao Yi hurriedly said, "The Prefect is honest and capable. Let him govern the Pingding Army first; there won't be any problems." Seeing that he had already made arrangements, Wu

Song said no more.

The next day, Wu Song and his party set off for Shouyang County.

To match the speed of Wu Song and his men, Zhao Yi had chosen cavalry. Given the mountainous terrain along the way, their speed couldn't be too fast, and initially, nothing seemed amiss. However, as the sun rose higher, the heat intensified, and the world felt like a giant steamer, making it hard to breathe.

Zhao Yi wiped his sweat and said, "We're only sixty li from Shouyang now. If we continue after sunset, we should reach Shouyang tomorrow. General, do you think we should let the soldiers rest first?"

Wu Song shook his head and said, "We need to reach Shouyang tonight. Let's travel a little further and then rest." Upon hearing this

, Zhao Yi realized that his dream wasn't so easy to achieve. He had assumed that Wu Song had given him three days' worth of rations so that he could reach Shouyang within two days, but it turned out to be only one day. Zhao Yi looked back at his cavalry, which was gradually falling behind, and for the sake of his dream, he could only shout for his soldiers to push harder. However, the scorching heat quickly made him thirsty, his throat hoarse, and his buttocks aching from the bumpy ride. But having finally seized this opportunity

, he persisted. Xu Ning, who had accompanied him for many years, had vaguely guessed Zhao Yi's thoughts yesterday, but hadn't dared to say it outright. Now, seeing his tenacity, he couldn't help but admire him.

After traveling for a while, Wu Song finally ordered everyone to rest in a shady valley.

Hearing that they should rest, Zhao Yi dismounted and bent over to sit down. As soon as he touched the ground, he felt a sharp pain in his buttocks and jumped up again.

Xu Ning came over, handed him a pot of water, and said, "You've been shouting for so long, have some water."

Zhao Yi felt his throat was parched. He took the water bottle, took a sip, and handed it to Xu Ning, saying, "Thank you, General." Xu

Ning took the water bottle and smiled, "You're welcome. In this world, the more you want, the more you have to give." After saying this, he lay down in the shade to rest.

Zhao Yi, upon hearing this, was taken aback for a moment, then his gaze towards the Imperial Guards became much more respectful. He felt that there were hidden talents among them, and he secretly rejoiced that he had not chosen to resist them. He also felt even more awe for Zhang Yang, who was more capable of subduing these fierce warriors.

After resting for an hour, Wu Song led his men on the road again, and Zhao Yi began his arduous journey once more. Finally, as night was about to fall, they arrived outside Shouyang County. Before they even entered the city, they saw lingering smoke in many places, and many corpses of civilians at the city gate.

Wu Song hurriedly led his troops into the city, only to find cries everywhere, and some remnants of the army looting. Wu Song immediately ordered his men to kill the bandits along the streets. From one of the fleeing soldiers, he learned that after learning of the defeat, the garrison had begun burning, killing, and looting, and then scattered like birds and beasts. Only a few greedy people were caught red-handed by Wu Song's men. Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi had no choice but to order the Pingding Army to transport supplies and begin to appease the people.

Chapter 46 Taiyuan's Surrender to the Western Xia .

After the surrender of Taiyuan to the Western Xia, Emperor Chongzong sent a thousand soldiers to monitor the area. Although Emperor Chongzong strictly ordered his soldiers to harass the people, these barbarian soldiers, accustomed to plundering, revealed their true colors without supervision. Everything in Taiyuan was undoubtedly new to these people who had just escaped their nomadic life. They ate and drank for free in the markets every day, and even took away things that they considered rare. The people couldn't afford to offend them, so they had to avoid them. Within a few days of the Western Xia soldiers entering the city, the already desolate Taiyuan became even more deserted.

Zhang Xiong's bandits and ruffians were naturally people who often mingled in the markets. Seeing the Western Xia soldiers taking over their territory, they were naturally dissatisfied.

The Western Xia soldiers also considered themselves the masters of Hedong. The Han people should have been treated as slaves, just like in Western Xia, and it was only because the emperor had been gracious that they were made second-class commoners. Naturally, they didn't take Zhang Xiong's soldiers seriously.

Zhang Xiong's men were no pushovers either, and coupled with Zhang Xiong's usual leniency, a conflict quickly erupted between the two armies in the marketplace. Although the Western Xia soldiers were naturally fierce, they were no match for Zhang Xiong's men in street fighting. While street tactics like throwing bricks and sprinkling pepper were unsuitable for the battlefield, they often left the fierce Western Xia soldiers bruised and battered. Coupled with the overwhelming numerical advantage, the Western Xia soldiers were forced to remain in their camps after just a few days.

The Western Xia general initially thought his men were seasoned veterans and could teach Zhang Xiong's men a lesson, showing them who the masters of Taiyuan were. He hadn't expected this outcome. Fearing further mischief from the soldiers and harm to his men, he reluctantly protested to Zhang Xiong.

Zhang Xiong was aware of the Western Xia soldiers' actions after entering the city, but fearing they would abuse their power, he allowed his men to fight. Only after seeing the Western Xia soldiers back down did he order his soldiers to restrain themselves somewhat.

After a few days of peace in the city, once Zhang Xiong left with his troops, the Western Xia soldiers began to rampage through the streets again. Xu Yue, who remained to guard the city, once again allowed his men to teach the Western Xia a lesson. However, there weren't many bandits left in the city, and the Western Xia were now on guard against those underhanded tactics, so for a time, the fighting was evenly matched, but the people of the city suffered.

Outside, the sun was blazing, but Xu Yue was reclining in a chair, resting with his eyes closed. A maidservant knelt beside him, fanning

him with a fan. Li Yu was originally a lady from a wealthy family. Although she couldn't be said to have grown up in luxury, she hadn't suffered any hardship, and with her sweet appearance, she was quite famous in Taiyuan City. But after Taiyuan City was captured by Zhang Xiong, her world suddenly collapsed. The bandit leader Xu Yue, hearing of Li Yu's beauty, wanted to forcibly take her as a concubine, but the strong-willed Li Yu resolutely refused. So Xu Yue invited her whole family into the government office. She herself was forced to become a maidservant. Every day, Li Yu had to do a lot of dirty work. She had tried to commit suicide many times, but Xu Yue had threatened her with her family each time.

Because of the long hours of kneeling, Li Yu's legs were already in excruciating pain. Sweat streamed down her smooth forehead, and her delicate face was contorted. Yet, she still had to keep

fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan. Xu Yue, of humble origins, had been looked down upon by high-ranking officials and nobles. After taking control of Taiyuan, he abducted several wealthy women for his own amusement. At first, he was excited to see these once-noble women writhing and submitting to him, but after a while, he grew tired of it. Now, Li Yu had refused him, so he wanted to see this noble woman fall into depravity. He made her do heavy labor every day, hoping she would beg him, finding pleasure in tormenting her daily.

Xu Yue glanced at Li Yu, who was still struggling, and felt a growing impatience. He had had her for over half a year, and he had thought that a weak woman like her would soon beg him for her, but she remained as stubborn as ever. Last time, he tried to force her to submit by using her parents, but that damned Gao Yan stopped him, saying that he needed to make her mentally subjugate him to show his true colors.

Li Yu noticed Xu Yue spying on her, and immediately pretended to be nonchalant, but the pain in her knees caused fine beads of sweat to constantly seep from her fair forehead.

Just as Xu Yue was thinking about how to better torture Li Yu, he heard hurried footsteps approaching outside the hall. Soon, a personal guard rushed in, panting, and said before he could even stand properly, "It's terrible! The chief and the second chief have been killed by the Heavenly Dynasty's troops!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yue was stunned and said, "Weren't the Heavenly Dynasty's troops still fighting the Western Xia people in Jinzhou? How did they end up in Pingding Army?"

The personal guard had only heard about this from a few deserters, how could he know that Wu Song came from Hebei?

Seeing the puzzled look on his personal guards, Xu Yue asked again, "How many escaped?"

The guards replied in shock, "Only three. They said the Heavenly Dynasty's troops are exceptionally fierce, their warhorses are even better than those sent by the Western Xia. Plus, the Heavenly Army launched a surprise attack, so fewer than a thousand managed to escape the camp. And fearing pursuit, most of those who escaped hid elsewhere."

Xu Yue was stunned to hear that only three of his 30,000 troops had returned. After a long pause, he remembered someone and shouted, "Quickly, bring Gao Yan here!"

The guards immediately went to fetch him.

Soon, a refined-looking middle-aged man appeared outside the hall.

Xu Yue stepped forward and urgently said, "The Heavenly Dynasty has attacked! Please give me some advice!"

Gao Yan was the Prefect of Taiyuan. After Zhang Xiong captured the city, he surrendered to them and became the Prefect, responsible for advising Zhang Xiong and his men.

Upon hearing that it was the Heavenly Army attacking, Gao Yan asked doubtfully, "No way, the Heavenly Army from Weisheng should be attacking Fenzhou to force the Western Xia army in Jinzhou to divide its forces. Why would they be attacking Taiyuan?"

Xu Yue shook his head and said, "They're not from Weisheng. They're coming from Pingding Army. My eldest and second brothers have already been killed, and only three of the 30,000 troops have returned. Now there are less than 5,000 soldiers left in the city. We certainly can't withstand the Heavenly Army's attack. What do you think we should do?"

Gao Yan frowned and thought for a while, then his eyes lit up. He said, "The Heavenly Army is probably coming from Hebei. In that case, even if the Heavenly Dynasty didn't defeat the Liao Kingdom, it must have blocked the Liao army. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been able to reinforce Hedong from Hebei. With the Western Xia's national strength, it's possible for them to invade a few of our cities, but they're trying to invade Hedong and the Northwest. They can't even swallow the Heavenly Army from Jinzhou and Weisheng. Now that Pingding Army has come to reinforce them, I'm afraid the Western Xia will be defeated soon. The Western Xia has always been wary of us Han people. If the Third General continues to follow..." " Western Xia, I'm afraid we'll end up with nothing. Why don't we capture the Western Xia military supervisor and offer him to the Heavenly Army? Perhaps the Third General can still defend Taiyuan then."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yue angrily retorted, "Are you trying to harm me? We just killed the Heavenly Dynasty envoy; if we surrender now, do you think they'll spare me?"

The Third General hurriedly replied, "How could I dare harm you, sir? The General can atone for the heroism of killing the Heavenly Dynasty envoy, and he also has the merit of surrendering the city. If the Heavenly Dynasty kills the General, who among the other states would dare to surrender to him?"

Xu Yue thought for a moment, then nodded. "That's true," said the leader, "but the city's troops are few in number. Killing the Western Xia soldiers won't be easy."

Gao Yan laughed, "The Western Xia soldiers don't know about this yet. General, why don't you invite the Western Xia commander over for a drink, and capture him when he's off guard? A snake can't move without a head, a bird can't fly without a head. Without a commander, what trouble can the Western Xia soldiers cause?"

Xu Yue laughed, "That's a good plan. I'll reward you handsomely when it succeeds."

Gao Yan watched Xu Yue excitedly ordering his personal guards to ambush, and couldn't help but smile coldly.

Although the Celestial Dynasty treats those who surrender well, it never shows mercy to those who commit heinous crimes. You brothers held too much power last time, and the Celestial Dynasty pardoned you. But the situation is different now, and you have the blood of Celestial Dynasty officials on your hands. To think you can live again is nothing but a pipe dream. They were the ones who committed most of the evil deeds in the city. He had feigned several arguments with Zhang Xiong to gain the trust of the ignorant masses, and perhaps he could continue as the prefect of Taiyuan.

Xu Yue, however, was unaware of Gao Yan's intentions and quickly arranged everything.

The Western Xia commander, unaware of the trap, only brought a few personal guards to the banquet. In the midst of the revelry, ambushes sprang up and captured the Western Xia commander on the spot.

Then, the Western Xia soldiers wandering the streets were swiftly slaughtered. Seeing the scoundrels who usually dared not seriously injure them suddenly draw their swords, the Western Xia soldiers hurriedly ran back to their camp for help, but were ambushed and killed outside the camp. However, the two hundred Western Xia soldiers left to guard the camp broke through the encirclement of Xu Yue's troops and escaped. Fortunately, Gao Yan had already ordered the city gates sealed, preventing the Western Xia soldiers from escaping. However, in the process of killing these two hundred Western Xia soldiers, Xu Yue's men suffered over a thousand casualties.

When Wu Song led his troops to the outskirts of Taiyuan, he found the city's garrison already lined up to welcome them. Looking at the disheveled and poorly equipped soldiers, Wu Song suspected that the city's elite troops might be lying in ambush, preparing for a surprise attack.

Wu

Song first sent men into the city to investigate, and finding nothing amiss, he led his army inside. Once inside, he immediately dismissed the troops that appeared to be local ruffians and assigned his personal guards to take over the city's defenses, preparing to welcome the emperor.

Xu Yue, seeing his soldiers being dismissed, panicked and hurriedly sent someone to fetch Gao Yan.

Li Yu, while sweeping the courtyard, saw Gao Yan, who had saved him several times before, enter and whispered, "Please, sir, save my life."

Gao Yan glanced at the exceptionally beautiful Xu Yue, vaguely remembering the last time Xu Yue had asked him to capture her family to force her into submission. He had only fooled her out of pity for her strong will and preserved her chastity. Gao Yan was worried about not being able to retain his position as prefect when he saw Li Yu. A thought struck him, and he shook his head, saying, "Although Xu Yue is no longer in charge of the city, he has rendered meritorious service in surrendering it, and might even be appointed as the military commissioner of Taiyuan. It will be very difficult for you to escape his grasp. Unless…"

He then feigned reluctance to speak.

Seeing this, Li Yu hurriedly said, "I only survived until now because I was afraid he would harm my family. If you can rescue me, I am willing to serve you like a slave."

Gao Yan then said, "If you want to escape this tiger's den, you must submit to someone more powerful than him. Maybe then you can rid the people of this scourge."

Li Yu was stunned. She didn't know any high-ranking officials. To serve a complete stranger was no different from serving Xu Yue.

Seeing this, Gao Yan quickly said, "Don't overthink it. Xu Yue, that scoundrel, has committed countless evils. I've always wanted to rid the people of this scourge, but I've lacked the power to do so. However, the Emperor's personal guard commander has recently arrived in the city. He is exceptionally brave and, more importantly, hates evil. If you, young lady, could submit to him, you would have a secure future and also be able to rid the people of this scourge—wouldn't

that be killing two birds with one stone?" Li Yu thought for a while after hearing this, and finally realized that it couldn't be worse than being tormented by Xu Yue every day, and besides, she could lose her virginity here at any time. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Then please help me, sir. I will never forget your kindness."

Gao Yan was secretly delighted to see her agree. With Li Yu's looks, he thought she could win Wu Song's favor. With Wu Song's status, as long as he helped her a little, he wouldn't have to worry about not being able to rise in the ranks. He nodded and said, "Then congratulations, young lady. I'll make the arrangements right away. I'll need your help in the future."

Seeing Gao Yan enter, Xu Yue eagerly asked, "Wu Song disbanded my troops as soon as he entered the city. Now he wants to harm me, and I can't resist. What should I do?"

Gao Yan thought for a moment before saying, "General, don't worry. The only way to save our lives is to appease him. I saw a beautiful woman sweeping the courtyard. If we can send her to Wu Song's bed, he'll surely remember our kindness, and we might even rise to prominence."

Hearing that he wanted to send Li Yu, Xu Yue felt a pang of reluctance, but for his own life, he gritted his teeth and said, "That's good, but I'm afraid..." "I'm afraid she might turn around and bite me, which would be like trying to steal a chicken and losing the rice instead."

Gao Yan laughed, "She's just an ignorant woman. If we just scare her a little, she wouldn't dare to speak ill of the general. Once the imperial decree is issued, Wu Song won't be able to make things difficult for us anymore."

Xu Yue nodded upon hearing this, "What you say makes sense, sir. But Wu Song is resting in the military camp, and I'm afraid we can't get her into the camp."

Gao Yan laughed, "Isn't Zhang Xiong's room next door empty? You can invite Wu Song to stay there, sir. We'll then host a banquet tonight and get him drunk. Aren't there secret doors between your room and Zhang Xiong's room? We can have Li Yu deliver her there. There's no need to worry about things not going to work."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yue personally invited Wu Song to stay in the neighboring house.

Wu Song was also planning to arrange for someone to monitor Xu Yue, so he brought a hundred personal guards to the yamen and changed the guards in various places.

That night, Xu Yue hosted another banquet to welcome Wu Song. Wu Song, who was fond of wine, quickly drank several jin (a unit of weight) of liquor under the encouragement of Xu Yue and Gao Yan.

Feeling dizzy from drinking, Wu Song stopped and took his leave. Back in his room, the effects of the wine overwhelmed him, and he lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

After Wu Song left, Xu Yue summoned Li Yu and forced her to serve Wu Song. Li Yu, already prepared, pretended to reluctantly agree. ...

Chapter 47 Wu Song,

carrying a candle, tiptoed through the secret passage. Thinking about his journey, he blushed, his heart pounding as if it would burst from his chest; the only sound in the passage seemed to be his own heartbeat. He

didn't know when this secret passage had been built, but Zhang Xiong and Xu Yue used it for their nightly revelry. When they were in high spirits, they would use the passage to reach each other's bedrooms and rape the women they had abducted. He had been forced to watch them commit these acts of violence by Xu Yue more than once, and he had used this passage several times.

A faint, lewd atmosphere seemed to linger in the dark passage. The thought of the shameful act she was about to commit filled her mind with those indecent images.

Li Yu touched her cheek, her palm feeling as if it had been burned.

Leaning limply against the wall, she wondered what was wrong with her. She was about to offer herself to a stranger, yet she felt no bitterness, only a strange anticipation. Had she truly been corrupted by that scoundrel Xu Yue's decadent lifestyle? But when she first heard she was to give herself to a stranger, she felt utterly miserable. Or was it because of him?

Thinking back, Li Yu seemed to return to the banquet. The handsome young general would down a full glass of wine in one gulp, his movements so free and unrestrained. While the generals' eyes followed the dancers, he alone kept his head down, drinking. Occasionally, when he looked up, she could even see a hint of disgust in his eyes. What had caused him to lose interest in the sensual pleasures pursued by other men?

The other men looked at her with amazement or even lewdness, but when he first saw her, his gaze remained indifferent, even his brow furrowed slightly. Afterwards, when she poured him wine, he never looked at her again. Even when their eyes met, his gaze remained cold.

Li Yu didn't know if Wu Song would like her, but she felt he was a man with a story. His carefree and heroic spirit also attracted her; offering herself to a man she was interested in didn't seem so bad.

As Li Yu was lost in thought, the candle in her hand, impatient to witness a beautiful night of passion, dripped a drop of scalding wax onto her finger. Fortunately, after working as a maid for over half a year, the skin on her hands wasn't as delicate as before, and the pain wasn't too intense.

Anyway, once she became his woman, Xu Yue wouldn't dare harm her family. Li Yu finally thought of a suitable reason and resolutely walked towards the other side of the secret passage.

Reaching the hidden door, Li Yu blew out the candle. Hesitating for a moment, she carefully pushed open the door and entered Wu Song's bedroom.

Upon entering, she heard a soft snore. Suppressing her fear, she went to the bedside and, seeing Wu Song was still asleep, gritted her teeth and removed her clothes.

A flawless body was exposed to the air, but sadly, no one was there to appreciate it.

Li Yu gently lay down beside Wu Song, feeling somewhat at a loss. Her mother had taught her to please her future husband, and she had seen Xu Yue and Zhang Xiong, both lustful demons, and to be even more proactive. But Wu Song was asleep; how could she offer herself to him?

After thinking for a while, Li Yu decided to undress Wu Song first.

With great effort, she finally managed to remove all of Wu Song's clothes. When she removed Wu Song's underwear, Li Yu finally found her starting point. Li Yu gently grasped Wu Song's manhood. Without her intervention, Wu Song's member sensed the presence of a woman and swelled as if exposed to the wind. Soon, Li Yu felt she could barely hold it with one hand. Just as Li Yu was shocked, she was delighted to find that it had stopped growing, only becoming hot to the touch and much harder.

Li Yu gently squeezed Wu Song's member, as if trying to figure out how it had changed. Before she could figure it out, Wu Song rolled over and pulled Li Yu into his arms.

Li Yu thought Wu Song had woken up and immediately released her, awaiting the impending storm. After a while, wondering why Wu Song hadn't moved again, she heard him make a soft sound.

Li Yu then realized Wu Song hadn't woken up. She patted her chest, recalling her actions, and felt ashamed. Her beautiful eyes gradually welled up with tears.

Her eyes welled up with tears, and the grievances of the past six months surged to the surface, soaking a large area of the bedside table. After crying for a long time, exhausted from the day, Li Yu forgot her purpose and fell into a deep sleep.

Just as dawn broke, Li Yu woke up habitually, preparing to start working to avoid being humiliated by Xu Yue. As she turned over, she discovered she was completely naked. Li Yu glanced at Wu Song beside her and then remembered what had happened the day before.

Looking at Wu Song's strong body, Li Yu blushed, recalling her actions the previous night and being surprised by her own boldness. After a moment of wild thoughts, seeing that it was already getting light outside, Li Yu remembered her situation. Thinking of her family, who could be poisoned by Xu Yue at any moment, Li Yu resolutely touched Wu Song's manhood again.

Morning was a time of youthful impulsiveness, and the moment Li Yu's delicate hand touched that shameful thing, it swelled up, quickly revealing its grotesque form.

Seeing that it was getting brighter outside, Li Yu dared not waste any more time. After silently recalling all the positions he had seen, Li Yu finally came up with a suitable one. Carefully, Li Yu got up, straddled Wu Song, and slowly sat down, lifting his embarrassing member.

Once their genitals touched, Li Yu realized that this embarrassing situation wasn't so simple. He usually saw them changing positions so easily, but why was it so difficult for him? Was it because his member was too big, or was it something wrong with him?

Li Yu pondered the position for a while, then felt that his member had shrunk. Li Yu gritted his teeth and sat down. Instantly, a tearing sensation came from his lower body, and Li Yu sprang up, blood flowing down his legs.

Wu Song, awakened by Li Yu's movement, opened his eyes to see a naked beauty standing before him. He was stunned, looking at the bloodstains on his member, then at Li Yu covering her genitals. After scanning her up and down, he coldly said, "Get out."

Seeing Wu Song's indifference, Li Yu felt a pang of sorrow and lay down on the bed, weeping.

Seeing Li Yu crying so pitifully, Wu Song's heart softened. He could only say gently, "Go ahead, I won't pursue the matter."

Li Yu cried, "Please, General, save my family!"

Wu Song asked curiously, "Did your family break any laws?"

Li Yu shook his head, "No."

Wu Song was completely bewildered, asking, "If they didn't break any laws,

why should I save them?"

Li Yu then choked back tears and recounted his ordeal from the beginning, tears streaming down his face as he spoke of his

most tragic moments. Hearing of Xu Yue's heinous acts, Wu Song was enraged, cursing, "That dog! How dare he bully men and women! If he lives another day, more people might suffer. I'll go and chop off his dog's head! You wait here!"

With that, he got up and walked out.

Li Yu, hearing that Wu Song was going to avenge him, was overjoyed. Looking up and seeing Wu Song about to leave naked, he quickly said, "General, you haven't put on any clothes yet."

Wu Song... He realized he wasn't dressed yet, and blushed. He quickly grabbed his clothes and put them on, then walked outside.

—Wu

Song left the courtyard, took a few guards, and went directly to Xu Yue's room next door.

Xu Yue had sent Li Yu away the night before. He wasn't worried Wu Song would refuse, but he was somewhat resentful about giving away the woman he had long coveted, so he summoned two women to serve him in bed.

When Wu Song burst in, Xu Yue was jolted awake. Seeing Wu Song's murderous expression and the sight of him entering with a knife, he hurriedly asked, "General Wu, what do you want?"

Wu Song angrily pointed at Xu Yue and cursed, "You have committed many evils, and today I will rid the people of this scourge! You dog, die!" With that, he slashed at Xu Yue with his knife.

Xu Yue, seeing this, quickly rolled onto the bed, but was blocked by a woman beside him, and was instantly cut in two. Xu Yue glared angrily at the woman who had blocked him before dying with resentment.

The woman, who had been tortured all night, had just woken up when she saw this bloody scene and Xu Yue's terrifying gaze. She screamed in terror.

The other woman, hearing her scream, seemed to react as well and began to echo her cries.

Hearing the two women's high-pitched voices, Wu Song hurriedly ordered his guards to handle the aftermath, while he returned to the room to prepare for the woman's fate.

Just as he reached the door, he heard a loud crash, like a stool falling over. Pushing open the door, he saw the woman hanging from the rafters, a stool lying at her feet.

Wu Song quickly stepped forward and embraced the woman, saying, "I've already killed the treacherous Xu Yue. No one will bother you anymore."

Li Yu, however, waited until Wu Song left before thinking for a while. She realized she was no longer a virgin and had been captured by Xu Yue for over half a year; she knew she would be gossiped about if she went out. That's why she wanted to hang herself, but Wu Song saved her in time.

Hearing this, she shook her head and wept, saying, "I can't face anyone anymore. General, please let me die." Wu Song was taken aback, remembering the bloodstains on his genitals, but also admiring her strength. He quickly said, "Since you are now my woman, I will take responsibility. I will immediately send someone to your home to propose marriage. Please don't do anything rash."

Li Yu hadn't expected Wu Song to marry her, and upon hearing this unexpected joy, she forgot her tears and asked, "General, is that true?"

Wu Song didn't want her to die before his eyes, so he quickly replied, "Of course."

Seeing Wu Song's solemn promise, Li Yu felt ashamed again and lowered her head, saying nothing more.

Seeing that she had calmed down, Wu Song carried her to the bed and dressed her. Calming down, Wu Song realized how stunningly beautiful Li Yu was. His fingers inadvertently brushed against her skin, feeling its smooth, delicate texture. Her figure was also fully developed, with curves in all the right places, undeniably alluring to men, especially a man like Wu Song in his prime.

As Li Yu pondered how to explain her relationship with Wu Song to her family, she heard increasingly heavy breathing behind her. Wu Song's hands touched her body more frequently, gradually escalating into caresses. What was even more unbearable was that every place Wu Song's hands touched sent waves of strange sensations through her.

Li Yu tried to turn and push away Wu Song's wandering hands, but found herself too weak to even lift her arm. Her body went limp, collapsing into Wu Song's arms, her mind filled with those shameful images.

Wu Song held Li Yu tightly, feeling her soft body, his hands climbing up her still-undeveloped breasts. The soft texture immediately captivated Wu Song, who began to fondle and play with the two white breasts, shaping them into various forms in his hands.

Li Yu's chest, suddenly attacked, sent a shiver through her body. With Wu Song's kneading, her lower body gradually became wet. The itchy sensation made her move her hips closer to the iron rod behind her, hoping it would bring her some relief.

Finally, with Li Yu's efforts, their lower bodies made contact again, and with the lubrication of her love juices, Wu Song's penis easily penetrated. Just

as Wu Song was reveling in Li Yu's breasts, he felt his lower body enter a warm, tight place. The unusual feeling of confinement immediately caused Wu Song to thrust forcefully.

Li Yu had just begun to feel some comfort and was about to try to accommodate more when Wu Song thrust all the way in, causing another tearing pain in her lower body, and her body trembled involuntarily.

Wu Song, however, did not notice Li Yu's discomfort; the pressure in his lower body only fueled his continued thrusting.

After Li Yu's orgasm subsided, waves of pleasure filled the room. The ecstasy

finally subsided.

Both men, savoring the afterglow of their climax, were unwilling to disturb the beautiful illusion.

After a long while, Li Yu stroked Wu Song's firm chest and said, "I'm yours now, when are you going to marry me?"

Wu Song, for the first time, discovered that life offered such delightful experiences beyond martial arts and drinking. Looking at the woman who brought him this pleasure, he laughed, "Once we return to the capital, we'll get married."

Li Yu, hearing that they would marry in the capital, was overjoyed and asked expectantly, "Does that mean we can return to the capital after things are settled in Taiyuan?"

Wu Song shook his head, "I don't know where His Majesty is now. We agreed to meet in Taiyuan in Hebei. Only after His Majesty has defeated the Western Xia army and pacified Hedong can we return to the capital."

Li Yu, upon hearing this, did not... A wave of disappointment washed over her. "When will that be?" she asked.

Wu Song's large hand roamed over Li Yu's rounded buttocks as he chuckled, "With the Emperor himself in charge, it shouldn't be long. You should start preparing your dowry. Perhaps by the time you're ready, we can return to the capital. Who knows, the Emperor might even bestow a marriage upon us."

Li Yu, hearing this, was stunned. "I can see the Emperor?"

Wu Song laughed. "Of course! The female relatives of high-ranking officials can occasionally visit the Empress in the palace. You can also take the opportunity to see the palace scenery."

Hearing this, Li Yu couldn't help but yearn even more for life in the capital. ...

05-09
Chapter Forty-Eight: Shi Jin's Meritorious Service

in Taigu County. Upon receiving news that Wu Song had led his troops to capture Taiyuan Prefecture, he ordered his troops to advance. Zhang Yang first rode a falcon to Taiyuan Prefecture.

In less than half an hour, Zhang Yang arrived at Taiyuan Prefecture. Xu Ning, who was on duty, hurriedly came out to greet him and sent someone to invite Wu Song and the other three centurions.

Not long after Zhang Yang entered the house, Wu Song and the other three arrived one after another.

After everyone was seated, Zhang Yang said, "I have killed the Emperor of Western Xia. In a few days, Western Xia will surely retreat. However, Wang Qing's army has already besieged Tokyo with over 100,000 troops. I will return to Tokyo first. You can rest in Taiyuan for a few days, and after Lu Junyi's troops arrive, you can go to Yan'an to await orders."

Wu Song said, "Your Majesty has killed the Emperor of Western Xia. Now is the perfect time to pursue the Western Xia army. The Imperial Guard is strong and well-equipped, and they don't need to rest; they can go to the battlefield

immediately." Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "Although the Imperial Guard is an elite force, since leaving the capital in May, they have been fighting non-stop in Hebei and Hedong. Even an iron man would be exhausted. After I quell Wang Qing's rebellion, I will then lead my army to destroy Western Xia. There is no need to rush. All the troops also need to rest for a while. After you have handed over your affairs in Taiyuan, you can all go to Yan'an together."

Wu Song now had something to worry about, and hearing that he could stay in Taiyuan was convenient for both his personal and public affairs, so he was secretly delighted.

Zhang Yang then said, "Tell me what happened after you entered Hedong."

Although Wu Song had heard Li Yu mention Gao Yan's help, he was still quite dissatisfied with Gao Yan's attempt to get Li Yu to offer herself to him, so he didn't say much in Gao Yan's defense.

After listening, Zhang Yang thought for a moment and said, "Issue my decree: Zhao Yi, the former prefect of Pingding Army, is to be appointed acting prefect of Taiyuan Prefecture. Gao Yan, the former prefect of Taiyuan Prefecture, is to be acting prefect of Weisheng."

Zhang Yang chatted with the others for a few more minutes before riding his eagle towards Fenzhou.

Upon arriving over Fenzhou, Zhang Yang saw that the Western Xia troops had not retreated and the city was heavily guarded. He landed in a desolate spot outside the city. That night, he infiltrated Fenzhou and assassinated dozens of Western Xia generals.

The next morning, the Western Xia troops in Fenzhou discovered that almost all the officers in the city had been assassinated. In addition, many remnants of Jinzhou's troops had already escaped back, and the troops in the city had learned of the emperor's death. However, the general who remained refused to retreat because he had not seen the emperor's body. Without the restraint of the remaining officers, the few remaining officers led their troops and fled back to China.

Zhang Yang, seeing the Western Xia troops begin to retreat, headed towards Yan'an Prefecture.

Under

the blazing sun, three or four hundred burly men marched along a small road near Yan'an Prefecture. Each carried weapons, but their clothes were disheveled, making them look less like an army and more like bandits. The occasional civilian passing by fled at the sight of them.

Shi Jin said to Zhu Wu, "I heard that some time ago, some troops tricked the city gates and acted as spies for the Western Xia, almost causing the fall of Yan'an Prefecture. Do you think you can trust us if we come to surrender now?"

Zhu Wu laughed and said, "Brother, don't worry. General Huyan Zhuo, as soon as he left Xijing, issued a proclamation to troops from all over the country to fight against the Western Xia in Yan'an Prefecture. Heroes from all over can also serve at the front lines. He is the commander of an army; he will never break his promise to the world. He will let us into the city no matter what."

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin sighed, "What good will it do to enter the city? If he doesn't let us go to the battlefield, we won't be able to build anything." "You've achieved great things! If I had known this would happen, I should have gone to serve my master, Wang Jin."

Zhu Wu shook his head and said, "I didn't expect that troops would surrender to Western Xia so quickly. After all, Huyan Zhuo is a direct descendant of the Celestial Dynasty. Although General Zhong Shidao is also resisting Western Xia, he is still fighting under the banner of the Song Dynasty. If he fails to defeat Western Xia, he will raise an army to restore the Song Dynasty. But the Song Dynasty is doomed. If we go to serve him, we will not be able to extricate ourselves later. It's better to serve under General Huyan Zhuo. With your martial arts skills, it won't be difficult for you to earn a title and secure a good future for your family."

As the two were talking, they saw a cloud of dust rising from the path ahead.

Shi Jin saw that the dust was coming very fast and shouted, "It's cavalry, and there seem to be quite a few of them. I'll go and see. Everyone, get to the side of the road."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Wu ordered his men to lie down on both sides.

Shi Jin rode his horse a short distance and saw two Western Xia soldiers galloping towards them.

The two Western Xia soldiers also saw Shi Jin. They whispered a few words, and one of them drew his sword and charged at Shi Jin, while the other reined in his horse and took out his bow.

Shi Jin knew that most Western Xia soldiers were skilled in archery and horsemanship; if he rode away, he would most likely be shot dead. Seeing this, he spurred his horse to meet him.

The two Western Xia soldiers, seeing that Shi Jin was advancing instead of retreating, knew that he was no ordinary passerby. The one behind drew his bow and shot an arrow at Shi Jin.

Just as Shi Jin dodged the arrow, the one in front was already close, bringing his sword down on his head. Shi Jin was not flustered; he quickly swung

his broadsword upwards. With a crisp sound, the Western Xia soldier felt a pain in his hand, and his curved sword was also bounced upwards. His chest was wide open, and Shi Jin swiftly slashed the Western Xia soldier off his horse. Without stopping, he spurred his horse and charged towards the Western Xia soldiers behind him.

The Western Xia soldiers behind him were also shocked to see their comrade cut down in one move. Seeing Shi Jin's fierce advance, he drew his bow and fired another arrow at him. Without caring whether it hit or not, he turned his horse and fled back the way he came.

Shi Jin dodged the arrow, and seeing that he could not catch up, he also led his warhorse back.

Seeing Shi Jin return with a warhorse, Zhu Wu asked, "Who are they?"

Shi Jin replied, "I ran into two Western Xia soldiers, probably scouts. The main force behind them should also be Western Xia."

Zhu Wu, hearing this, asked in surprise, "Weren't the Western Xia soldiers supposed to be surrounding three sides but leaving one open? How come there are Western Xia soldiers here?"

Chen Da, the "Leaping Tiger," said, "Who cares why they're here? We'll kill them, bring their heads to Yan'an Prefecture, and that'll be meritorious service."

Shi Jin added, "If we can kill a few hundred Western Xia soldiers, it will prove we're truly loyal to the army."

Zhu Wu looked at the surrounding terrain and said, "The terrain here is steep, making it difficult for the Western Xia cavalry to maneuver. We might as well give it a try. If we can't win, we can escape over the mountain."

Seeing that everyone agreed, Shi Jin ordered the supply wagons to be blocked in the road. Just as everyone finished their preparations, a dozen or so Western Xia riders appeared in the distance, sized them up, and then rode off.

Upon hearing that it was only a few hundred bandits blocking the road, Wei Mingrenli calculated the distance and realized they were almost at Yan'an Prefecture. Not wanting to turn back and take a detour, he led his troops forward.

Upon approaching, they saw that Shi Jin and his men were poorly dressed. Several carts blocked the road, typical of bandits. Wei Ming Renli didn't take these few hundred bandits seriously. Seeing the rugged mountain path hindering the cavalry's movement, he immediately ordered a hundred men to dismount and pursue Shi Jin and his men.

Zhu Wu, seeing that the Western Xia soldiers numbered only a few hundred, was relieved. He said to Yang Chun, "Once the battle begins, you take a few dozen brothers and circle around to the rear of the Western Xia soldiers. When my drum sounds, you attack them from behind."

Yang Chun, upon hearing this, retreated to the back of the column .

Shi Jin and Chen Da, seeing the Western Xia soldiers approaching, also led their men forward. The Western Xia soldiers couldn't withstand the two men, and the Shaohua Mountain bandits were incredibly fierce; in no time, they forced the Western Xia soldiers to retreat.

Seeing this, Wei Ming Renli quickly sent two hundred soldiers to help. The two hundred men went up and within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea... They were then routed by Shi Jin and Chen Da.

Seeing this, Wei Mingrenli, the leader of his personal guards, volunteered to lead a hundred soldiers to reinforce them. Zhu Wu

,

watching from a nearby hillside, saw that only a few dozen Western Xia soldiers remained. Wei Mingrenli, whose horse and clothing were of superior quality, knew he was their leader. Seeing that Yang Chun had already sent men to the rear, he ordered the drums to be beaten.

Wei Mingrenli was pleased to see his personal guards holding off a formidable bandit when he heard a drumbeat from the nearby hill, and dozens more attacked from behind.

Wei Mingrenli hurriedly ordered his remaining personal guards to fight back, but these soldiers were mostly hastily conscripted herdsmen. They might hold out for a while on horseback, but they were no match for these fierce lackeys on foot.

Yang Chun cut down several Western Xia soldiers and, seeing Wei Mingrenli in his brocade robes, charged towards him.

Wei Mingrenli was not skilled in martial arts, and seeing Yang Chun's aggressive approach, he dared not engage in battle. He spurred his horse forward, shouting for his personal guards who were engaged in combat ahead to protect him, but none of them could stop Yang Chun.

The leader of the personal guards, who was fighting Shi Jin, saw his master being pursued and forced Shi Jin back with a single blow, turning to return to protect his master.

Shi Jin had already seen through his intentions, retreated slightly, then lunged forward again, cutting him to the ground with a single stroke.

The remaining Xixia soldiers, already terrified by Shi Jin, scattered and fled upon seeing their only remaining defender killed.

Zhu Wu, fearing Yang Chun would pursue Wei Mingrenli, rushed down the hillside and had Wei Mingrenli captured alive.

Weiming Renli was pushed in front of Zhu Wu. Seeing Yang Chun, who had just chased him, glaring angrily, he hurriedly said, "Hero, spare my life! I'm willing to pay a thousand taels of silver to redeem myself."

Zhu Wu, seeing that he was undoubtedly a Dangxiang, was secretly surprised that he could speak Chinese. He stopped Yang Chun, who was about to speak, and laughed, "You can come up with a thousand taels of silver?"

Seeing that Zhu Wu seemed greedy, Weiming Renli quickly said, "Yes, yes. My brother is Weiming Renzhong, and his camp is just outside Yan'an Prefecture. As long as you send a message, he will definitely redeem me."

It turned out that Weiming Renli, seeing that the situation in Jinzhou was hopeless, had first fled with his personal guards, protecting the emperor's body. Not far away, remembering that the emperor had not designated an heir, he harbored selfish thoughts and turned back towards Yan'an Prefecture, hoping to return to the country with his brother to support an emperor and thus seize more power.

Zhu Wu was overjoyed to hear that he had captured the younger brother of the Western Xia general. He figured that if he delivered the body to Yan'an Prefecture, he would surely be given a high position.

Just then, he heard a henchman behind him curse, "Damn it, what bad luck! Why are these Western Xia people carrying a rotting corpse?"

Seeing a henchman throw the emperor's body on the ground, Wei Mingrenli quickly said, "Please, sir, don't throw away that body! I'm willing to pay another thousand taels of silver to buy it back."

Zhu Wu, feigning greed, said, "There are many corpses here. Are you going to redeem them all?"

Wei Mingrenli glanced at the hundreds of corpses of his personal guards scattered on the ground and quickly replied, "They're different. I only want that one body."

Zhu Wu asked curiously, "Whose body is that? It's worth so much money.

" This time, Wei Mingrenli dared not tell the truth, saying, "A general of our royal family died in battle in Hedong, and I was ordered to escort him back to the country."

Zhu Wu, hearing this, laughed, "Since he's also someone of status, let's take him along. Everyone pack up, let's get going. We caught two big fish this time; General Huyan Zhuo will surely reward you handsomely."

Wei Mingrenli, hearing that he was to be taken to Yan'an Prefecture, was greatly alarmed and hurriedly said, "Hero, spare my life! I'm willing to pay double the price, as long as you deliver a message to my brother's camp."

Yang Chun's eyes had already lit up when he heard Wei Mingrenli was willing to pay a thousand taels of silver; this... Upon hearing that someone was willing to pay double the price, he hurriedly said, "Brother, if we send him to Yan'an Prefecture, someone might steal our credit. It's better to sell this ox. We can split the money, go home, and become wealthy."

Shi Jin, hearing this, rebuked him, "We are seven-foot men, skilled in martial arts, and should be building our careers and securing titles and honors for our families. If we wanted to be wealthy, I would have been before I came to the mountain. If we send him to Yan'an Prefecture, General Huyan Zhuo will surely reward us handsomely; you can take all the money then."

Yang Chun, hearing this, said with shame, "I'm just afraid someone might steal our credit."

Shi Jin shook his head and said, "The Celestial Empire... " "Military discipline is very strict, so it shouldn't be a problem. Besides, I have some connections with Brother Lu Zhishen. I've long heard that he's a leader in Liangshan, so I imagine his current rank is quite high. We should just mention his name first; there shouldn't be any trouble."

Zhu Wu also said, "Brother is right. As long as we get him to Yan'an Prefecture, it will be a great achievement, with military merit and rewards. Everyone, don't have any other thoughts."

Yang Chun, upon hearing this, also said, "I was overthinking it."

After saying that, he shouted again, "Children, quickly bury the bodies of our brothers, let's get going!"

The group buried the bodies of their fallen brothers, and then led the several hundred fine horses towards Yan'an Prefecture.

While Huyan Zhuo was discussing military affairs with his generals, he heard that several hundred men from Shaohua Mountain had captured the younger brother of the Western Xia general. He immediately ordered his men to bring in Shi Jin and the other three leaders.

Huyan Zhuo heard that the four men had been captured in the south of the city, but he couldn't determine their authenticity, so he ordered Wei Mingrenli to be brought in as well.

Wei Mingrenli, however, was not a man of principle and quickly confessed.

Upon hearing that Zhang Yang had killed the Western Xia emperor in Hedong, Hua Rong said, "The Western Xia army will surely retreat upon hearing this news, and we can take advantage of the situation to launch a counterattack."

The others echoed his sentiments.

Zhu Wu, however, unaware of Zhang Yang's methods, felt a tinge of doubt upon hearing the group's plan to leave the city to fight. He said, "The capture of this man is somewhat suspicious. Perhaps we should wait and confirm the matter before proceeding, lest we fall into the enemy's trap."

Huyan Zhuo nodded, saying, "If His Majesty defeats the Western Xia army in Hedong, the news should arrive quickly. Let's wait."

Hua Rong said, "Since the Western Xia army has occupied the prefecture, our army's communication routes will be longer, which may cause delays. General, you should send

out more scouts to monitor the Western Xia army's movements to prevent their escape." Huyan Zhuo then relayed the order. ...

Chapter 49: Easily Taking Xizhou

Defense. Scouts constantly moved between the south gates. Zhang Yang calculated the schedule and followed a scout from inside the city southwards. Sure enough, after flying for a short while, they saw a large contingent of their own army camping outside the city, with Guan Sheng's banner bearing the highest command. Just as

Zhang Yang commanded the divine eagle to descend, the busy soldiers below spotted the imperial carriage, and cheers erupted from the camp. Guan Sheng, who was discussing the attack on the prefecture with his generals in his tent, heard the report from his personal guards and hurried out to greet the emperor. After

everyone exchanged greetings, Guan Sheng asked in surprise, "Your Majesty, have you already captured Taiyuan?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "Zhang Xiong led his troops to attack Pingding Army, but coincidentally, Wu Song led his troops into Hedong, and Pingding Army surrendered to our dynasty. With this inside-outside cooperation, Zhang Xiong's army was defeated. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the garrison of Taiyuan Prefecture killed the Western Xia general and surrendered to our dynasty. After Xu Guanzhong leads his troops into Hedong, we can gradually subdue the northern prefectures. Huai Xi Wang Qing also gathered his forces to besiege Dongjing, but Dongjing is well-fortified and has ample supplies, so we are not afraid of his attack in the short term. Only the garrison of Yan'an Prefecture has suffered heavy casualties. If the Western Xia army launches a strong attack and does not retreat, I'm afraid they will not be able to hold out for more than a few days. Therefore, I went to Yan'an Prefecture first. When I passed by here, I was afraid that the Western Xia army had not retreated, so I came to check. I didn't expect you to have already led your troops here."

Guan Sheng felt much relieved when he saw that Zhang Yang had finally miscalculated. Serving under someone who could predict many things was quite stressful for him. He said, "After His Majesty left Jinzhou that day, I led my troops out. The Western Xia troops in the city should have received news of the Emperor's death. Two days ago, the Western Xia troops in Puxian looted the city and retreated back to the prefecture. But they show no signs of abandoning the prefecture. My troops were almost decimated in Jinzhou. I was also worried about how to attack the city."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang laughed and said, "You don't need to attack the city. I will enter the city tonight and kill the Western Xia general. Without a general to command, the Western Xia troops will most likely flee back to their homeland. Of course, they may also attack the main camp. You must be prepared."

Guan Sheng also knew Zhang Yang's ghostly speed. As long as the Western Xia general did not have an ironclad defense, he would definitely not escape Zhang Yang's grasp. And without a general, even a well-trained army would immediately become a disorganized mess. Although his newly recruited troops were not well-trained, they would not lose to a bunch of headless flies. Thinking of this, he smiled and said, "What I'm worried about is that the Western Xia soldiers are holding the city and fighting to the death. If they dare to attack our army, I believe the soldiers will teach them a lesson."

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "That's good. Let's go out and see the soldiers."

As several soldiers were setting up tents, they saw the Emperor and the generals arrive and quickly dropped what they were doing, standing at attention and saluting.

Zhang Yang returned the salute and smiled, "Let's chat a bit and relax."

The veteran soldiers in front relaxed upon hearing this. Only a few new recruits remained somewhat nervous, their eyes filled with awe as they looked at Zhang Yang.

Seeing the soldier at the head of the group wearing the rank of a squad leader on one shoulder, Zhang Yang asked, "What's your name?"

The soldier respectfully replied, "Duan Gen." (Speaking of which, this name is quite interesting; I heard it from someone in the village. A family in the village had finally had a son, and they cherished him dearly, so they named him Gen (Root). But they didn't consider that their surname was Duan, so the name, when combined, sounded like "severed root.")

Seeing that although he was respectful, he wasn't overly formal, Zhang Yang smiled and said, "You're a veteran of Liangshan, aren't you?"

Duan Gen replied, "Yes, I followed General Guan to Liangshan."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang knew that he was a soldier who had surrendered when Guan Sheng conquered Liangshan, and smiled, "Judging from your accent, you seem to be from Hebei, right?"

Duan Gen nodded and said, "Yes, I was originally stationed on the border in Hebei, but later, during rotations, I was transferred to General Guan's unit. " .

Zhang Yang said: "Oh, is there anyone else at home?"

Duan Gen shook his head and said, "There is no one left. There was a disaster in my hometown that year, and my parents both starved to death."

Zhang Yang patted his shoulder and said, "Hey, if the royal family has a foolish king, the people all over the world will suffer." After you retire from the army, where do you plan to settle down?

Duan Gen said: "I don't have any real estate in Hebei, and I don't have any family. It doesn't matter where I settle."

Zhang Yang smiled and said: "What about Xixia?"

Duan Gen thought for a while and said: "I will be sixty years old after I retire. I'm afraid I won't be able to adapt to the Xixia climate."

Zhang Yang shook his head and said: "After Xixia is conquered this time, single members of the family can choose to settle down in Xixia." I will allocate fields and cattle for you. Those who have achieved military exploits may also have a few party slave girls. Think about it. " When

Duan Gen heard this, he couldn't help but began to lower his head in thought.

Zhang Yang saw a soldier behind him wearing a military uniform that was obviously a bit too big, and said, "Are you a new soldier? "

That soldier is a new recruit, and for the past few days he has been hearing almost miraculous things. As he was stealing glances at the young emperor, he saw him being called upon and quickly saluted, saying, "Yes, I fled into the city when Your Majesty led the cavalry to attack the Western Xia troops."

Zhang Yang, seeing this, laughed and said, "No need for formalities, let's chat casually. How did you become a captured soldier?"

The soldier replied, "I was captured by the Western Xia in the first year of the Xuanhe era when I followed General Liu Fa to attack Shuofang City."

Zhang Yang also remembered

that Tong Guan, in order to gain merit, had forced Liu Fa to lead troops into battle, resulting in his capture. He then asked, "Oh, how is life for you captured soldiers in Western Xia?"

The soldier, recalling his past life, couldn't help but... The soldier said angrily, "After we Han Chinese were captured and taken to Western Xia, most of us became slaves. Even those who became 'Zhuangling' (a type of military officer) were used like mules and horses, and had to be at the forefront in battle. If it weren't for their tight defenses, I would have escaped back to China long ago."

Zhang Yang asked in surprise, "Didn't I hear that some Zhuangling have families in Western Xia?"

The soldier's face immediately showed disdain, and he shook his head, saying, "Those with families are mostly military officers, or they're monitoring us for the Western Xia. Ordinary soldiers, even if they achieve merit, are only rewarded with some food and drink."

Zhang

Yang nodded and said, "You've suffered. After we conquer Western Xia, we'll let them taste what it's like to be slaves."

Upon hearing this, a fierce glint flashed across the soldier's face.

Seeing this, Zhang Yang knew that he had been terribly bullied by the Western Xia. If any Western Xia people fell into his hands in the future, they would probably be severely punished, if not killed.

However, Zhang Yang only offered a moment of silence for those who might perish. After all, many of his compatriots awaited his rescue, and he had no time to arrange for the lives of the alien race.

Zhang Yang spoke briefly with a few soldiers before moving on with his generals to another location. Wherever they went, everyone was naturally flattered and overwhelmed. It wasn't

until nightfall that Zhang Yang and his generals returned to their main tent.

At the third watch of the night, Zhang Yang, dressed in black military uniform, left the camp.

Tonight was a dark and windy night, but the sliver of moonlight filtering through the clouds was enough for Zhang Yang to see clearly within a few feet of him. Moreover, with the help of his search device, Zhang Yang could also detect people within a hundred meters in advance.

Zhang Yang leaped into the night like a ghost, enjoying the cool night breeze, feeling every cell in his body throbbing with joy. Only on nights like this could he truly be a king, able to rule over all things under heaven. Whether it was money or life, whatever he wanted, he could take it silently.

Within a few dozen breaths, Zhang Yang had reached the city walls. Although there were many soldiers on guard, Zhang Yang, with the help of his search device, quickly found an empty spot. With a leap, Zhang Yang climbed onto the battlement, and with a little leverage, scaled the wall. Ignoring the patrolling soldiers, he jumped into the city and headed towards the government office. After assassinating several people there, he turned towards the city's military camp, where hundreds of officers died silently in their sleep.

After circling around, Zhang Yang went to the horse stables. Looking at the thousands of exceptionally fine warhorses, Zhang Yang was filled with envy. The Western Xia controlled the excellent horse pastures of the Northwest, and even a small detachment of their horses was far superior to the ones he had captured from the Four Horse Stables in Tokyo.

Unfortunately, he couldn't take these horses with him tonight, so he would have the Western Xia feed them for a few more days.

Zhang Yang opened up a few stables and then lit a fire on the hay.

Soon, the stables were engulfed in flames, and warhorses fled, running amok throughout the camp. Although most of the Western Xia soldiers who came out at the sound were of herdsman origin, many were still trampled and knocked over by the frightened horses. The night air was filled with screams and groans.

Soldiers quickly discovered the general's severed throat, and amidst cries of alarm, the number was rapidly increased. Many soldiers fled the camp, but fortunately, the city gates remained closed, preventing the Western Xia army from collapsing.

However, after discovering that the officers in the camp and government offices had been assassinated, the remaining generals discussed the matter and decided to lead their troops to Yan'an Prefecture that very night.

Zhang Yang had just returned to camp and fallen asleep when he heard Shan Shiqi, who was on duty, requesting an audience.

Zhang Yang rose and summoned Shan Shiqi. Seeing Shan Shiqi's joyful and eager expression, Zhang Yang smiled and asked, "Have the troops in the city fled?"

Shan Shiqi nodded and replied, "Your Majesty's divine might has saved the Western Xia troops. I believe they are now terrified, and if our army pursues them, we will surely achieve a great victory."

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "My troops are unprepared. By the time you muster your forces, the Western Xia troops will likely be far away. Western Xia is on the verge of collapse; let them live a few more days."

Shan Shiqi, however, was eager for merit and said, "The Western Xia troops are like frightened birds; they will certainly not dare to fight. I am willing to lead the troops on duty to collect some heads."

Seeing Shan Shiqi's strong desire for battle, Zhang Yang said, "Then go. However, the soldiers have been marching for days and are quite exhausted, so you must not pursue them too closely."

Upon hearing Zhang Yang's agreement, Shan Shiqi quickly accepted the order, expressed his gratitude, and mustered his troops to leave.

Shan Shiqi mustered two hundred soldiers and gave chase. The Western Xia troops, without a general to command them, dared not turn back to resist. Only as dawn broke did Shan Shiqi, fearing the Western Xia had discovered his plan, lead his troops back into the city. ...

Chapter Fifty: Another Retreat

: The fighting continued, but the stench of blood in the air did not diminish. The sudden silence of war drums and battle cries in the city added to the oppressive atmosphere. Only the clatter of patrolling cavalry horses on the cobblestone streets filled the air.

Although the fighting on the city walls had ceased, most of the people, seeing that the city's defenses were not relaxed, chose to stay home to avoid being wounded by stray arrows. Only those who had run out of food risked going to the grain shops, but the soaring grain prices meant many returned empty-handed.

In contrast to the oppressive atmosphere in the city, the government office was bustling with activity.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Huyan Zhuo cleared his throat and said, "I just received a document from Jinzhou confirming that the Emperor of Western Xia has indeed been shot dead by His Majesty. Western Xia troops have been sending out scouts extensively in recent days, perhaps waiting for Shi Jin and his men to capture the Western Xia king. In the past two days, Western Xia troops have surrounded

the city without attacking, and several groups have secretly retreated, indicating that the commanders have lost their will to fight. What do you all think our army should do?" Due to the disparity in troop strength, after arriving in Yan'an Prefecture, Huyan Zhuo defended the city to the death. Hua Rong's cavalry was the only well-organized cavalry force in the country, and Huyan Zhuo dared not allow his cavalry to suffer losses in the defense. Even when his forces were insufficient, Huyan Zhuo withstood the pressure and prevented Hua Rong's troops from entering the city.

During this time, Hua Rong's troops had been patrolling and gathering intelligence outside the city. Hua Rong had been holding back for a long time. As soon as Hu Yanzhuo finished speaking, he stood up and said, "The Western Xia general has lost his will to fight. Our army should pursue them relentlessly. Victory is within reach, why hesitate?"

Li Congji said, "The Western Xia have been besieging the city for more than ten days. Their advances and retreats are well-planned. They have surrounded three sides but left one open, and have repeatedly sent people to undermine our morale and try to induce us to surrender by

citing the overall situation of the world. This shows that the Western Xia commander is a master of military strategy. If they retreat, they must be prepared. Our infantry has been completely decimated. If we go out to pursue the enemy, we may be ambushed by the Western Xia troops." Wang Wende also chimed in, "General Li is right. Our army has suffered heavy casualties and is incomplete. The Western Xia troops are extremely fierce. If we go out to pursue them, we may be ambushed and unable to retreat in full."

Hua Rong saw that neither of them agreed to go out to pursue the enemy. Fearing that Huyan Zhuo might also be affected, he hurriedly said, "I know that both generals have suffered heavy casualties. But my troops have been resting and recuperating for a long time. If only my troops go out of the city alone, we can defeat the Western Xia army. The Western Xia has been a threat to the northwest for over a century. Now is the perfect opportunity to weaken their strength. How can we let the tiger return to the mountain?"

Li Congji said, "Although the Western Xia army has suffered casualties, their strength is still no less than 50,000. Their warhorses are also far superior to ours. If you send only 10,000 troops out of the city to pursue the enemy, once the Western Xia generals see through your plan, I'm afraid you will be outnumbered."

Hua Rong insisted, "My troops are all cavalry. Even if we don't win, we can quickly disengage from the battle. This is a rare opportunity. How can we let it slip by?"

Seeing Hua Rong's stubbornness, Li Congji didn't want to argue with him, and besides, he wasn't the one who would make the final decision, so he said no more.

Huyan Zhuo also didn't approve of pursuing the enemy outside the city. However, in the past few days, the two had already had some verbal conflicts because of his attempt to stop Hua Rong from leading his troops into battle. Hua Rong was also the emperor's brother-in-law, and Huyan Zhuo didn't want to create any further rift between them. Just when he was hoping that Li Congji could persuade Hua Rong, he unexpectedly fell silent. Seeing Hua Rong staring intently at him, he pondered for a while and was about to speak when a personal guard outside announced, "His Majesty has arrived."

Huyan Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief when someone came to his rescue and stood up, saying, "Everyone, let's greet His Majesty first."

Upon hearing this, everyone also got up and went outside to welcome him.

Zhang Yang landed, greeted everyone, and then asked, "What's the movement of the Western Xia troops?"

Huyan Zhuo, who was also looking for Zhang Yang's advice, quickly replied, "The Western Xia troops haven't attacked the city for two days. Although the siege hasn't been lifted, several groups of troops have secretly retreated. The enemy commander has clearly lost his will to fight, but is still lingering outside the city. Two days ago, Shi Jin and other brave warriors defeated several hundred Western Xia soldiers outside the city, capturing a Western Xia man claiming to be the Western Xia Prince Shu, Weiming Renli, and carrying a rotting corpse, supposedly the Western Xia emperor. Judging from the movement of the troops outside the city, this seems to be true."

Zhang Yang, upon hearing this, said, "Bring that man here, and I'll interrogate him myself." Huyan

Zhuo immediately ordered someone to bring Weiming Renli.

Soon after, Weiming Renli was brought in. By this time, the city's food supplies were running low, and Weiming Renli, imprisoned, was naturally going hungry. Unable to solve the problem of food and clothing, the nonchalance he had feigned earlier vanished without a trace. Upon entering the room, he knelt and kowtowed, saying, "This sinful subject pays respects to the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty."

Zhang Yang stared at Wei Mingrenli for a while, vaguely remembering that this man had been by the Western Xia Emperor's side when he was shot. But after only a few days, his former noble bearing had completely disappeared.

Seeing his pale face, Zhang Yang turned to Huyan Zhuo beside him and asked, "Is the city's food supply insufficient?"

Huyan Zhuo, unsure of Zhang Yang's intentions, quickly replied, "Yes, the city's food supply can only last the army for about ten days. The army has begun to ration supplies."

Hearing this, Zhang Yang felt relieved. His own soldiers were already being rationed; as long as the prisoners didn't starve, that was enough. Turning to Weiming Renli, he said, "You can go outside the city and send a message to the commander of the army. If you want your emperor's body intact, you can offer ten thousand warhorses and five thousand shi of grain as ransom. If the grain is not delivered within a day,

your emperor's body will be given to the border people for disposal."

Weiming Renli was overjoyed to hear that he could leave the city alive and hurriedly kowtowed, saying, "This sinful subject will certainly persuade my brother to agree to the emperor's request."

After saying this, he began to crawl backwards out of the city.

Hua Rong, hearing that Zhang Yang wanted to allow Xixia to ransom the body of the Xixia emperor, hurriedly stopped him, saying, "Capturing the body of the enemy emperor is a great victory for the court. It should be offered as a sacrifice at the ancestral temple and announced to the world. Under no circumstances should we allow them to ransom it."

Hearing someone stop him, Weiming Renli hurriedly retreated, using both hands and feet, as if this would allow him to escape the city.

Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "My killing of the Western Xia emperor is already a great victory. Why humiliate his corpse further? Huyan

Zhuo, have someone escort him out." Upon hearing this, Huyan Zhuo also ordered his personal guards at the gate to escort Wei Mingrenli out of the city.

After Wei Mingrenli had gone far away, Zhang Yang said, "Wang Qing has gathered his forces to attack Dongjing. Although he cannot capture Dongjing, many prefectures in Jingxi and Huaixi are still suffering under his tyranny. The people have long awaited the imperial army. I intend to wipe out Wang Qing first. Most of Wang Qing's troops have already gathered under the walls of Dongjing. Hua Rong's cavalry can march south immediately and attack Nanfeng directly. I will assassinate Wang Qing first. Once Wang Qing is dead, the bandits will surely be terrified. After you arrive in Nanfeng, you can persuade them to surrender."

Hua Rong, hearing that he had finally found a place to use his talents, gladly accepted the imperial decree.

Zhang Yang, remembering that Shi Jin and Zhu Wu from the Water Margin were quite talented, then ordered Shi Jin and the other three to be summoned. While

Shi

Jin and his companions were waiting in the camp for Huyan Zhuo to confirm the truth, they received the emperor's summons and hurriedly came to see him.

After the four exchanged greetings, Zhang Yang said, "The person you captured is indeed the King of Western Xia, and the corpse is indeed the body of the Western Xia Emperor. The Western Xia troops outside the city are already showing signs of retreat. What do you think should be done with the Western Xia Emperor's body?"

Zhu Wu, upon hearing this, knew that the emperor was testing his talents; if he performed well, he would naturally receive a great reward later. After thinking for a moment, Zhu Wu said, "This humble subject believes that Your Majesty should return the body of the Western Xia emperor."

Zhang Yang smiled and asked, "What do you mean?"

Zhu Wu replied, "If Your Majesty detains the body of the Western Xia emperor, it might provoke the entire Western Xia to come and seize it. Our dynasty still has the Miao people and Wang Qing causing trouble, so it is not advisable to engage in a decisive battle with Western Xia at this time. It would be better to return the body of the Western Xia emperor, and they would surely withdraw their troops. Once Western Xia retreats, the Uyghurs and Tibetans will no longer be a concern. Our dynasty can then concentrate its efforts on eliminating Wang Qing and the Miao people, and then conserve its strength to attack Western Xia at an opportune moment."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang nodded and said, "You truly deserve the title of Divine Strategist. This suggestion is exactly what I had in mind. You four are hereby appointed: because of your merit in capturing the Western Xia king alive and seizing the body of the Western Xia emperor, Shi Jin, Yang Chun, and Chen Da are hereby appointed as commanders of a thousand men, and Zhu Wu as military advisor, accompanying the army to assist in military affairs." Upon

hearing this, the four hurriedly accepted the decree and expressed their gratitude. Wei Mingrenzhong had already received news of the emperor's death in Jinzhou and knew the situation was hopeless. Just as he was preparing to retreat, a report came from the prefecture that his younger brother was carrying the emperor's body towards Yan'an Prefecture.

He

had no choice but to postpone his retreat and send scouts everywhere to search for his brother, who might have gone astray. Just as he was growing impatient, he heard that his brother had arrived and hurriedly went out of his tent to greet him. Upon reaching the tent, he saw that his brother looked hungry and had no personal guards behind him. His heart sank, and he said in a deep voice, "Come into the tent with me."

Wei Mingrenli had extraordinary respect for his elder brother, and seeing his brother's changed expression, he couldn't help but shudder. Upon entering the tent, he knelt down and said, "I failed in my duty to protect the Emperor's body; please punish me, brother."

Weiming Renzhong rebuked him, "The Emperor died in battle at Jinzhou. Why didn't you quickly send his body back to the country via the original route? What are you doing here in Yan'an?"

Weiming Renli cried, "The late Emperor had no heirs, and the next emperor will likely be chosen from among his brothers. Prince Jin, Cage, currently holds military power and has many military achievements. Years ago, you impeached him for embezzling funds and conscripting laborers, thus creating an enmity. I fear that if he were to succeed to the throne, it would be detrimental to you. That's why I brought the Emperor's body to discuss with you the possibility of enthroneing a prince friendly to you. Unexpectedly, we strayed from the path and I was captured by the Han people. Please forgive me, brother."

Weiming Renzhong had already guessed his brother's intentions. He rebuked him a few times and then asked, "How could the Han people let you return?"

Weiming Renli replied, "The Han..." "The emperor has ordered me to send a message to my brother, requesting ten thousand warhorses and five thousand bushels of grain to ransom the emperor's body."

Upon hearing this, Weiming Renzhong flew into a rage, cursing, "I couldn't bear to lose too many troops and wanted to persuade the garrison to surrender, which is why Yan'an Prefecture has held out for so long—since they are so ungrateful, I will storm Yan'an Prefecture in one fell swoop, capture that Han emperor, and make the Han people ransom him!"

Weiming Renli hurriedly said, "Brother, calm down. Now that the Jinzhou army has been defeated, the Han army of Jinzhou will surely come to reinforce Yan'an Prefecture. I'm afraid you won't be able to break through Yan'an Prefecture in a short time. If that Chage returns to the country and becomes emperor, then you and I will be fish on his chopping block. Why don't you endure your anger for now and wait until the country is stable before taking revenge?"

Weiming Renzhong was only angry for a moment. After thinking for a while, he said bitterly, "Let the Han people be smug for a while." After saying that, he ordered people to gather grain and warhorses.

That very day, Weiming Renzhong gathered enough provisions and horses to ransom the emperor's body. That very night, he abandoned the baggage train and retreated back to the homeland. ...

Chapter 51: The Exchange

. The exchange took place at the North Gate. To prevent a surprise attack by the Western Xia army, Zhang Yang and his generals also went to the city walls to guard them.

As soon as they reached the top of the city walls, they saw an endless array of Western Xia troops pressing in from afar.

The center was entirely composed of cavalry, with infantry on both flanks. Compared to the well-trained Heavenly Soldiers, their ranks were not perfectly orderly, but the soldiers possessed a more ferocious, nomadic spirit. Behind the central army were ten thousand saddleless warhorses and an endless array of supply wagons.

When they reached within five hundred paces of the city walls, a deep, resonant voice rang out from the central army, and the army slowly came to a halt. However, the different speeds of the various armies made their ranks appear jagged and uneven from the front.

As soon as the army stopped, Weiming Renli stepped forward to discuss the exchange.

Seeing him arrive alone, Zhang Yang ordered him to be allowed into the city.

With the main army following behind, Wei Mingrenli felt more confident. He went up to the city wall, cupped his hands, and said, "King Shu of Western Xia greets the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty."

Zhang Yang noticed that Wei Mingrenli was dressed in Hanfu and had regained some of his dashing air after washing up, though his voice still lacked a bit of strength, making him seem more like a Han Dynasty scholar. He nodded and said, "King Shu, you look much better. It seems that home-cooked meals are more delicious. So, are you going to ransom Li Qianshun's body?"

Upon hearing the first part of Zhang Yang's sentence, Wei Mingrenli cursed inwardly. He had been weak because he hadn't had enough to eat in prison, but Zhang Yang's words made it seem like he was suffering from acclimatization problems. However, Wei Mingrenli was also concerned about the domestic situation and didn't want to get entangled in these trivial matters. He nodded and said, "We have brought the ransom, but we don't know how the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty intends to exchange it?"

Zhang Yang asked. He laughed and said, "Our Celestial Empire is a land of propriety. If your country hadn't brazenly invaded our borders, we wouldn't be at war. However, the fault lies with your country, but I won't hold it against you. I'll return your corpses first."

Wei Mingrenli had prepared many words to argue with the Celestial Empire's people about the order of payment, but he was somewhat disappointed that Zhang Yang readily agreed to return the corpses first. He was stunned for a few seconds before thanking Zhang Yang.

Wei Mingrenli then said, "Our emperor has died in battle. Our army wishes to return home for the funeral, and we hope the Emperor will grant us mercy and allow us to withdraw to Western Xia. We will also return all the cities we have occupied."

Zhang Yang nodded upon hearing this, saying, "Very well, I can give you two days. Two days later, my army will march to Suide Army. If your army has not withdrawn by then, I will launch an attack."

Wei Mingrenli had already discussed with his brother about returning home to fight for power first, and upon hearing this, he hurriedly said, "Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty. Our army will definitely withdraw before the Heavenly Army arrives."

Zhang Yang immediately ordered someone to drive a carriage to take the body out of the city, and Wei Mingrenli initially followed closely behind to show respect. But no matter how hard he tried to hold his breath, the stench of the corpse still filled his nostrils. The stench quickly made him dizzy and lightheaded. After enduring it for a while, he finally said to the Heavenly Dynasty soldier driving the carriage, "Drive slowly, I need to go and deliver a message." He

then spurred his horse towards the Western Xia camp, only catching his breath after a few dozen steps.

The Heavenly Dynasty soldier, seeing Wei Ming Renli's disheveled figure, secretly envied him, but duty dictated that he couldn't emulate him, so he could only try to minimize his breathing. However, thinking of the generous reward upon returning to the city, the stench behind him seemed to lessen considerably.

When Wei Ming Renzhong saw the emperor's corpse being brought, he hurriedly led his generals to dismount and kneel in welcome.

But as soon as the carriage arrived, the heavy atmosphere was quickly dispelled by the stench of the corpse, and everyone's brows furrowed.

Wei Ming Renli cried a few times, then said, "The Heavenly Dynasty troops are watching us closely, brother, please have the generals return to their respective positions."

Wei Ming Renzhong, also feeling dizzy from the pungent stench, quickly took the opportunity to have Li Qianshun's corpse moved to the back.

After the carriage had been traveling for a while, the stench in the air finally subsided, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Weiming Renli then had another idea, saying, "Brother, now that we've retrieved the Emperor's body, we don't need to pay the Celestial Empire any more grain and horses, right? That

way, we won't leave any ammunition for criticism when we return home." Weiming Renzhong shook his head, saying, "If we break our promise, the Celestial Empire might send troops to pursue us. If we can't return home quickly, the situation in the court might be unfavorable for us."

Weiming Renli said, "There shouldn't be many Celestial Empire troops in the city, so how dare they go out of the city to pursue us?"

Weiming Renzhong said, "According to the spies in the city..." "Report! There's a 10,000-strong cavalry force inside the city, resting and preparing. If we retreat, they might come out and harass us, making it difficult for us to escape quickly."

Wei Mingrenli shook his head, saying, "The Song Dynasty has always lacked horses. How could they have 10,000 cavalry? The information must be wrong."

Wei Mingrenzhong said, "No, many people saw that cavalry force when the Heavenly Army entered the city. It should be the only elite cavalry force the Celestial Dynasty possesses. We cannot be careless." Wei Mingrenli,

also eager to return to his country and fight for power, said no more upon hearing this.

Wei Mingrenzhong then ordered his men to drive the warhorses and provisions into the city. Zhang Yang, seeing the Western Xia people driving unsaddled warhorses, also ordered his soldiers to escort them into the city.

Once all 10,000 superior warhorses and provisions were inside the city, the city gates were closed, and all the generals focused their attention on the warhorses.

Seeing the eager looks in everyone's eyes, Hua Rong quickly interjected, "Our army's warhorses are of mixed quality.

We're on our way to raid Nanfeng, and we hope Your Majesty can allocate some to replace them."

Wang Wende, who had long coveted the cavalry, also chimed in, "My unit of a thousand men already lacks sufficient warhorses, and we've suffered many losses since the campaign. Currently, only about three hundred riders are on the battlefield. Please, Your Majesty, replenish our cavalry."

Li Congji and Huyan Zhuo, not to be outdone, also requested reinforcements for their respective units.

Zhang Yang had originally intended to allocate all the horses to Hua Rong's unit, but with Huyan Zhuo and the other two also speaking up, and Hua Rong being a relative of the emperor, he couldn't ignore their feelings. After a moment's thought, he smiled and said, "Hua Rong's unit is about to raid Nanfeng, so these ten thousand cavalry will be used to replenish Hua Rong's cavalry first. The other three units can rest in Suide Army first, and I will order Jinzhou to transport three thousand captured warhorses there."

Everyone was delighted to hear that they would all receive a reward.

Hearing the incessant neighing of horses, the bolder citizens quietly emerged to watch. Soon, news of the Western Xia's surrender of horses and retreat, along with the emperor's personal arrival, spread throughout the city. Citizens flocked to witness the grand spectacle of ten thousand horses entering the city, and many hoped to catch a glimpse of the emperor.

Even after the warhorses and provisions had entered the city and the gates were closed, many still gazed at the city walls, hoping to catch a glimpse of the emperor. Seeing the Western Xia troops slowly retreating outside the city,

Zhang

Yang and his entourage descended the city walls and headed towards the government office. They hadn't gone far when a figure suddenly rushed out from the side of the street, heading straight for Zhang Yang. The generals, seeing this, were greatly alarmed and instinctively grabbed their weapons to protect the emperor.

Zhang Yang, skilled and daring, wasn't worried about assassination. Seeing the approaching figure, he waved to stop the others and carefully examined this "Cheng Yaojin" (a character from a Chinese folktale known for his cunning and cunning). Zhang Yang glanced at him and knew he wasn't there to assassinate him. The man before him was empty-handed and dressed only in thin clothing, making it impossible for him to conceal any weapon. Moreover, this man's complexion was sallow, and his gait was somewhat unsteady. To attempt to assassinate him, now renowned throughout the land, would be like a moth drawn to a flame.

Zhang Yang hadn't anticipated the speed at which the rumors spread. After capturing Huyan Zhuo and Guan Sheng, he earned the title of the greatest warrior in the land, though only in battlefield duels. After establishing his kingdom, his deeds gained a mythical veneer, and his skills seemed superhuman. This was beneficial for conquering the various states, so Zhang Yang didn't restrict his actions. However, with the fall of the Liao Kingdom and the death of Tong Guan, news quickly spread that the emperor could freely enter and leave military camps, making the notion that the emperor was no ordinary man even more believable.

While this increased the people's awe of him, some were already fond of Zhang Yang's dominance under the cover of night, and were quite dissatisfied with this. The news spread like wildfire, and soon the whole world knew of his miraculous abilities. While this helped consolidate his rule, the enemy would also strengthen their defenses, making it much more difficult for him to assassinate his commanders.

However, given the highly free nature of the society, Zhang Yang was unwilling to stop the people from talking about it. Fortunately, there weren't many enemies that required Zhang Yang's personal intervention anymore. Zhang Yang was also quite puzzled as to how the matter had leaked out. He only knew that quite a few generals had attempted to assassinate Tong Guan, and they were all high-ranking and powerful figures, making it difficult for him to investigate them all.

The commoner ran up to Zhang Yang and knelt down, saying, "Please, Your Majesty, save us!"

Zhang Yang jumped off his horse, helped the commoner up, and asked, "What difficulties do you face?"

The commoner, who had been hoping to survive, was somewhat bewildered to see the emperor personally help him up and ask him with such kindness.

Seeing Zhang Yang's actions, the surrounding people also flocked to watch.

Seeing this, Huyan Zhuo quickly ordered his personal guards to protect Zhang Yang in the center.

Zhang Yang, knowing the ancients' reverence for the emperor, patted him and laughed, "Tell me your difficulties. As long as they are reasonable, I will certainly help you."

Seeing Zhang Yang's amiable expression, the commoner mustered his courage and said, "Since the Western Xia army besieged the city, we have been under house arrest. We cannot work, and grain prices have soared. Our families are on the verge of starvation. We beg Your Majesty to have mercy and lift the house arrest order."

Zhang Yang replied, "The Western Xia army besieged the city, and the house arrest was necessary to prevent spies from causing trouble. The Western Xia army has not yet withdrawn, so the house arrest order cannot be lifted. However, I will have someone distribute grain to you in the western city. You can go there to collect your grain. Once the Western Xia army withdraws, life in the city can return to normal."

Many of the surrounding people were also lacking food and clothing, and upon hearing this, they kowtowed in gratitude for the emperor's boundless grace.

Zhang Yang then said to Huyan Zhuo beside him, "Have someone transport the grain that the Western Xia people sent into the city to the west city. Each person in the city can receive five catties of grain."

Upon hearing this, Huyan Zhuo said, "If we distribute grain, some people will inevitably receive it repeatedly, which will consume a lot of grain. The city's food supplies are also scarce. It would be better to open soup kitchens so that the people can have enough to eat."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "Soup kitchens are chaotic. Let's distribute grain instead. Once the Western Xia troops retreat, the Tokyo navy can quickly transport a large amount of grain."

Upon hearing this, Huyan Zhuo also ordered the grain sent by the Western Xia people to be transported directly to the west city.

That night, the Western Xia troops broke camp and left. ...

Chapter 52 The Situation

in Huaixi The Western Xia troops who were holding back were already more than ten miles away, and the elite cavalry at the forefront were already dozens of miles away, obviously eager to return to their country to seize power. The siege equipment, food supplies, and armor that they hadn't had time to take with them were piled up like mountains in the camp.

Zhang Yang then ordered Hua Rong to lead the cavalry to raid Nanfeng, and the confinement order in Yan'an Prefecture was lifted.

Zhang Yang first flew to Nanfeng to survey the terrain. Upon entering Huainan territory, he saw vast stretches of barren land, desolate fields everywhere. A few cultivated plots interspersed among them were cracked, and the crops were withered and yellow. Groups of refugees could be seen heading east frequently.

Zhang Yang flew southeast for half a day and saw another group of refugees below. He landed in a secluded spot and headed towards the direction of the refugees he had seen earlier.

Upon approaching, Zhang Yang slowed his pace, pretending to be an ordinary passerby as he approached.

Leading the group was a sprightly old man and a young boy, followed by the elderly, women, and children. In the sweltering heat, trudging under the blazing sun, they were all drenched in sweat. Some were injured and ill, mostly struggling to move forward step by step, their heavy, weary bodies barely able to keep up, their groans and cries echoing throughout the land.

Zhang Yang walked up to the old man, cupped his hands, and said, "Old man, may I ask how far Nanfeng City is from here?"

The old man looked at Zhang Yang strangely, shook his head, and said, "Listen to me, go back to where you came from. It's better not to go to Nanfeng."

Zhang Yang bowed and said, "I haven't been to Nanfeng for many years. I've only come to find relatives. If there's anything amiss, please enlighten me, sir."

Seeing Zhang Yang's respectful attitude, the old man replied, "Wang Qing sent troops to attack Dongjing, but that very night, the Heavenly Dynasty's army raided their camp. The army was routed. Now, various prefectures are capturing deserters and able-bodied men to send to the walls of Dongjing. Young brother, I'm afraid you'll be conscripted before you even enter the city gates. You should return to where you came from."

Hearing this, Zhang Yang bowed and said, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. May I ask where you are headed?"

The old man said, "Huainan has suffered from drought for years, and the fields are about to yield no harvest. Wang Qing only knows..." "They plunder the people. To survive, we have no choice but to seek a way to live elsewhere. I've heard that the Heavenly Emperor is benevolent and loves his people; people in various prefectures who can't make ends meet can receive relief grain at the government offices. We plan to head east to see if we can find any able-bodied men from the villages who have been conscripted."

Zhang Yang nodded upon hearing this, saying, "I've also heard about the Heavenly Emperor; there are soup kitchens in the eastern prefectures. Once the world is at peace, the Heavenly Emperor should also arrange a way for the people to live. Here are ten taels of silver; use them on the road. Once you reach the Heavenly Emperor's territory, you won't have to worry about starving."

After Wang Qing conquered several cities, he began to build palaces on a grand scale and exploit the people. The villagers were already barely surviving during Emperor Huizong's reign. After Wang Qing's rebellion, they became even more impoverished. Since fleeing the famine, they haven't been able to get three meals a day. When the people behind him saw the silver Zhang Yang took out, their eyes burned with desire. However, the old man had a high reputation among the crowd, and no one dared to speak unless he nodded.

The old man felt the intense gazes of the people behind him, but still said solemnly, "We are strangers who have just met, how can we accept such a grand gesture from you, young master? The world is in a difficult time now, and the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty has not yet distributed land to the people. No one knows what the future holds. You should cherish your money and make preparations as soon as possible."

Zhang Yang also knew that because he had not distributed land equally, many people were not optimistic about him, but with the current manpower of the court, distributing land would also have many drawbacks, so it was better to wait a while. Hearing this, the old man could only bow and say, "I am grateful for your advice, but I see many of my fellow villagers are sick. I cannot bear to stand by and watch them suffer. I also have some silver in my purse, so please do not refuse, sir."

Seeing that Zhang Yang insisted on giving him the silver, the old man accepted it and bowed, saying, "Then this old man thanks you on behalf of everyone, young master, for your kindness. Please leave your name so we can repay you in the future."

Zhang Yang smiled and said, "It was nothing, not worth mentioning. Please tell me the direction of Nanfeng City, sir."

Hearing this, the old man handed over the silver again, saying angrily, "Young master, you are a kind man. How could I let you go to your death? I don't want your silver, nor will I tell you the direction of Nanfeng City."

Seeing the old man's honesty, Zhang Yang quickly said, "Don't worry, sir. The person I'm looking for is outside the city. I'll look outside the city, and if I can't find him, I'll come back. I will never enter the city."

Hearing this, the old man looked at Zhang Yang and saw that he did not seem to be lying. The old man took back the silver, turned and pointed east, saying, "Go another fifty li or so east, and you'll reach Nanfeng City. Young master

, keep an eye out; those constables often come out of the city to conscript men. Don't get caught." Zhang Yang thanked the old man and headed east. Zhang Yang also wanted to stretch his limbs, so once out of sight of the crowd, he quickly walked towards Nanfeng City.

After traveling a short distance, he arrived at a small village. Although it was midday, there was no smoke from any cooking fires. The usual sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking, common in villages, were absent here; the entire village seemed lifeless.

Zhang Yang entered the village and came to a thatched hut. Seeing that the door was unlocked, he called out, "Is anyone home?"

He called several times, but no one answered, and there was no movement inside. He pushed open the door and went inside. Once inside, Zhang Yang discovered that the hut had been empty for a long time; there were no furnishings, and the stove was covered in dust. If someone lived there, even the laziest person wouldn't let their stove get covered in a thick layer of dust.

Zhang Yang saw that the sun was still high and he couldn't go into the city, so he went out again, looking for a cool place to rest. He jumped onto the roof and looked around, only to find that there wasn't a single tree tall enough for miles around. Zhang Yang then realized that he hadn't seen any tall trees for a long time on his journey.

He saw that most of the houses in the village were dilapidated, their walls crumbling, except for the one he was standing in, which was relatively intact. He found a shady spot behind the house to rest.

Just as he closed his eyes to relax, he heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching the house, stopping abruptly.

A man said, "When the palace was built last year, all the trees around were cut down, and there's hardly any shade for miles around. Let's have some food and drink here. Go and see if anyone is around."

Although Zhang Yang didn't know who the man was, he was certainly aware that he rode a tall horse and had many followers. They were probably not high-ranking officials from Nanfeng City. Even if they were nobles, Zhang Yang didn't want to have anything to do with them. Hearing someone turn around at the back of the house, he got up and lightly leaped onto the roof. He secretly looked at the front of the house.

He saw two people there, both dressed in fine clothes, one with a handsome appearance, the other with a fierce appearance.

Several servants looked around and,

finding nothing amiss, went to report back to the front of the house.

The more handsome official looked around and had someone set out the wine and food he had brought in the shade behind the house, then told his servants to go and drink there.

After a few drinks, Li Xiong asked, "Brother, what do you think of our army's attack on Tokyo?"

Li Zhu sighed and said, "Tokyo is a fortified city with ample supplies and elite troops, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. King Chu (Wang Qing) has also appointed the wrong people. Although he has deployed many elite troops and generals this time, I'm afraid they will not achieve anything. Once the elite troops from Hebei of the Celestial Empire march south, the city will be doomed. We don't even know who will benefit from our deaths then."

Li Xiong sighed as well, "King Chu's uprising relied heavily on your efforts, brother. After gaining power, he favored his relatives and distanced himself from you. After becoming king, he only indulged in pleasure, and the court officials, to satisfy his own desires, ruthlessly exploited the people, causing them to become homeless. Now, the people are angry with the heavens and resentful. I have heard that the Celestial Emperor is very benevolent and loves his people. He defeated Tian Hu and the Liao army, and will rule the country in the future..." "He's the only one who can rule the world, and we should make plans as soon as possible."

Li Zhu shook his head and said, "Although the King of Chu is unjust, I personally pushed him to this point. If it weren't for my efforts, the King of Chu would only be a mountain king now, not in this precarious situation. Now, with internal and external troubles, how can I bear to abandon him?"

Seeing that he was still stubborn, Li Xiong said angrily, "It's precisely because you helped him establish this foundation that I'm angry. If it weren't for you, he might have been arrested and executed by the Song Dynasty officials long ago, and he wouldn't have achieved his current glory. But after he became king, he distanced himself from you. That's bad enough, but you petitioned him several times to show compassion for the people, only to be rebuked and now even stripped of his military power. You've been more than kind to him; you should think about yourself too."

Li Zhu shook his head and remained silent.

Zhang Yang, hearing this, knew that the two were high-ranking officials under Wang Qing. After thinking for a moment, he jumped off the roof.

Seeing a figure leap down from the roof, Li Zhu and his brother quickly rose to their feet in defense.

Zhang

Yang bowed and said, “You two need not be alarmed; I mean no harm. I initially mistook you for Wang Qing’s accomplices, which is why I hid on the roof. Hearing your conversation, I realized you are both loyal and righteous, hence my public appearance. Please forgive my intrusion.”

Hearing Zhang Yang refer to himself as “朕” (the imperial “I”), Li Zhu exclaimed in surprise, “Are you perhaps the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty?”

Zhang Yang nodded, “Indeed.”

Li Xiong, recognizing Zhang Yang as the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty he wished to serve, quickly looked at his brother.

Li Zhu sighed and said, “I didn’t expect the rumors to be true. Are you here to take the life of the Prince of Chu?”

Zhang Yang nodded and said, “I have already defeated the Liao and Western Xia, but the Tubo, Dali, Yue Li Dynasty, and Miao people are still causing trouble. To quickly defeat these barbarians, I have no choice but to capture their leaders. You brothers are also loyal and righteous men. I hope that after Wang Qing is beheaded, you can control the situation in the city and prevent further conflict.”

Hearing that Zhang Yang had once again driven back the Western Xia troops, Li Xiong grew even more anxious and repeatedly tried to signal to his brother. But Li Zhu said, "As subjects of Chu, how can we sit idly by and watch the King of Chu die? To die at the Emperor's hands is an honor."

Zhang Yang frowned upon hearing this and said, "How about this? I can pardon Wang Qing and let him join Fang La. You will save his life and also avert a war."

Li Xiong, fearing his brother would refuse again, quickly urged, "Brother, please agree, otherwise the King of Chu won't survive today."

Li Zhu knew that with Zhang Yang's methods, it would be difficult for them to escape back to report, so after thinking for a while, he also bowed his head and submitted.

Seeing that the two had agreed, Zhang Yang smiled and said, "I haven't eaten yet, let's eat and talk."

Seeing this, Li Xiong quickly removed the extra bowls and chopsticks.

Zhang Yang sat down, drank a cup of wine, and asked, "What positions do you hold under Wang Qing?"

Li Zhu replied, "I am the military advisor and prime minister, but I don't have much real power now—I am the military commander, with over ten thousand soldiers under my command."

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "I will bring Wang Qing to the capital. With your prestige, you should be able to control the city then."

Li Xiong shook his head and said, "Wang Qing's confidants are all his relatives. Currently, most of the city's troops are still in the hands of Duan Wu and Fan Quan. If Your Majesty can get rid of these two, we can control the situation in the city."

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Tell me their addresses, and I'll take care of them tonight."

Li Xiong then told him the locations of their residences, which were conveniently located near the palace.

After discussing all matters, Li Zhu said, "I originally thought His Majesty's troops would be bogged down by the Western Xia, but I didn't expect His Majesty to repel them so quickly. Could His Majesty please tell me the secret behind this?"

Zhang Yang smiled and said, "I happened to shoot and kill the Western Xia emperor in Jinzhou, which caused the Western Xia troops to retreat. If the Western Xia emperor hadn't personally led the campaign, my troops would probably have been in a truly difficult situation."

Li Zhu naturally knew that Zhang Yang was being modest. If the Western Xia emperor were so easy to kill, someone would have killed him long ago; there would have been no need for him to personally take action.

Li Xiong said, "I've heard that Your Majesty can easily enter and leave the military camp. Even if the Emperor of Western Xia doesn't personally lead the attack, Your Majesty could assassinate all the Western Xia generals, right?"

Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "Assassinations can be done occasionally, but if it happens too often, people will become wary. This time, I casually killed some Western Xia generals in Fenzhou and Zhouzhou, so they'll probably be on guard when we attack Western Xia this year."

Li Zhu asked curiously, "Your Majesty is planning to attack Western Xia this year?"

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "There's not enough land in the country right now, so I plan to conquer Western Xia and relocate people there. The national treasury doesn't have much grain left either. If we conquer Western Xia this year, we should be able to arrange the relocation before next year's spring planting."

Li Zhu shook his head and said, "Western Xia has been a problem for a century; I'm afraid it won't be easy to conquer."

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "In the past, our military campaigns were always thwarted by Western Xia's scorched-earth policy. This time, I'll counter their scorched-earth policy and see who can stop my army. Once all the armies have rested, I will personally lead the army to destroy Western Xia."

Li Zhu had only recently surrendered, so he didn't press for more details.

After the three ate and drank for a while, Zhang Yang told the two to go into the city first to prepare.

That night, Zhang Yang sneaked into Nanfeng City, circled the city several times, and found no ambush. He first assassinated Duan Wu and Fan Quan, and then captured Wang Qing and took him out of the city.

The next day, the Li brothers also controlled the situation in the city. Most of the elite troops from the other prefectures had gone to Tokyo. After Hua Rong's army approached the city, the two brothers successfully persuaded the various prefectures to surrender. ...

Chapter 53 The Pacification of Huaixi

Not long after setting off, Wang Qing was awakened by the strong winds created by the flying giant eagle. Opening his eyes, he found himself high in the sky and screamed in fright, but the strong winds rushing into his mouth made him shut his mouth. But soon, water droplets fell from the giant eagle's feet, and it was unknown which unlucky person on the ground was hit.

Zhang Yang saw that Wang Qing was so frightened that he lost control of his bladder and couldn't help but laugh.

Hearing Zhang Yang's laughter, Wang Qing laboriously turned his head, only to find two eagles and one person beside him. He himself was tied to a wooden pole, being carried by a giant eagle.

Wang Qing's movement caused the giant eagle to tilt, and Wang Qing screamed in terror again, only falling silent once the eagle stabilized.

Seeing Wang Qing, once ranked alongside him as one of the Four Bandits, making such a fool of himself, Zhang Yang threatened, "Don't move! Be careful the giant eagle throws you off!"

Hearing this, Wang Qing obediently accepted the chilling wind, looking at the small black dots at his feet, trembling with fear, terrified that the giant eagle above would lose its grip and throw him to his death. "

Looks like in the future, if I catch a corrupt official, letting him take a ride in the sky isn't so bad," Zhang Yang thought, looking at Wang Qing's timid appearance.

After a long while, Wang Qing realized he shouldn't be there and asked in a trembling voice, "Where are you taking me, sir?"

Zhang Yang laughed, "I am the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty. I'm taking you to persuade the troops in Dongjing to surrender. What do you say?"

Hearing that he had fallen into the hands of his enemy, Wang Qing turned ashen-faced and said, "Your Majesty, spare my life! It was that scoundrel Duan Er who wanted to raise an army to attack Dongjing. And there's that tigress Duan Sanniang in the palace. I was forced to agree."

Hearing that Wang Qing was actually afraid of Duan Sanniang, Zhang Yang couldn't help but... Stunned,

Wang Qing asked, "Isn't Huaixi under your control?" Wang Qing smiled bitterly, "When I raised my army, I didn't have many capable men, and I'm illiterate. I had to leave Li Zhu behind to handle political affairs. The battles were fought by the Duan brothers and their relatives, who controlled the military power and finances of each prefecture. Since that's the case, I might as well indulge in sensual pleasures and let the brothers cause trouble."

It turns out that Li Zhu was ostracized because he chose the wrong side. Trying to rise to power with someone who only wanted to enjoy himself was already a miracle; it was already a miracle he hadn't suffered a crushing defeat.

Zhang Yang thought to himself. He said, "I can spare your life and let you continue to enjoy yourself. However, I hope you can persuade the troops under the walls of Dongjing to surrender."

Wang Qing was originally a dissolute young man, forced to Fangshan by the Song Dynasty. He had no ambition whatsoever. Hearing that he could continue to enjoy himself, he hurriedly said, "I will obey Your Majesty's orders."

After a long while, he worriedly said, "But now the commander of the troops is Duan Er, I'm afraid he won't listen to me."

Zhang Yang smiled and said, "As long as you can shake their morale, that will be enough."

Not long after... Wang Qing felt a sharp pain in his arms from the ropes binding them. Accustomed to a life of luxury, he endured it for a short while before pleading, "Your Majesty, may I rest for a moment?"

Zhang Yang, unconcerned about his escape, commanded the giant eagle to land and untie him.

When Wang Qing rode the eagle back into the sky, he was no longer timid, frequently peeking out and looking around with an air of self-assurance.

Around noon, the two arrived above Dongjing. There were many camps outside the city, but no troops had attacked, and there were no signs of battle on the city walls.

Zhang Yang rode the eagle directly into the palace and summoned the ministers and Lu Zhishen.

Lu Zhishen, who was inspecting the city walls, immediately rode into the palace upon hearing of Zhang Yang's return. As soon as he stepped into the palace, he said in a gruff voice, "His Majesty has finally returned! Now we can go out of the city to fight the enemy, right?"

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "Didn't you already go out of the city once? Didn't you have enough fun?"

Lu Zhishen shook his head and said, "What kind of troops were those last time? They were just peasants with swords and spears. As soon as the cannons went off, they panicked. I led three thousand troops straight to the central camp, but Duan Er ran faster than a rabbit. By the time I rushed into the central camp, he had already disappeared. It's really a case of having strength but nowhere to use it. Finally, these past few days, I've seen a few decent troops, but the strategist won't let us leave the city again."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yong hurriedly said, "That night raid was launched when they were off guard, and it was a rabble. This time, the troops are well-trained, and the city only has 20,000 soldiers. If we go out to meet them, I'm afraid we won't be able to win."

Zhang Yang laughed and asked, "How many troops are outside the city now?"

Wu Yong replied, "About 100,000, but the elite troops should be less than 30,000."

Zhang Yang asked curiously, "With so many troops, why aren't they attacking the city?"

Wu Yong said, "It's probably because they lack siege equipment. The walls of Dongjing are over four zhang high; ordinary siege ladders would be too vulnerable if they were built to that height. And the enemy troops don't have ..." What other siege equipment was available, so they hastily built siege ladders. (These were wheeled vehicles that could be propelled, hence the name "siege ladders." They were equipped with shields, winches, grappling hooks, etc. The siege ladders seen in TV dramas are all inferior products.)

Zhang Yang laughed, "The enemy soldiers have been lingering under the city walls for too long, and their morale will surely collapse. I have also captured Wang Qing, so I can have him go out and persuade them. When the enemy generals see that their rear is on fire, they will surely lose their will to fight. Our army can then defeat them in one fell swoop."

Wu Yong, upon hearing this, said, "The enemy soldiers outnumber us five to one, and they also have many elite troops. Your Majesty should not underestimate them. It would be better to hold the city firmly." (Xijing troops) "They've already attacked Ruzhou. Once the enemy receives the news, they'll surely lift the siege and leave."

Zhang Yang shook his head upon hearing this, saying, "Although the enemy troops are numerous, they are not well-trained and their hearts are with the rear; they will certainly have no will to fight to the death. Moreover, the situation in Guangnan is deteriorating daily. We can only advance south after quickly pacifying the Central Plains. No need for further words, everyone. At 7-9 PM, lead the new recruits to defend the city."

Zhang Yang then briefly explained the battle situation in Yan'an Prefecture to everyone. Seeing that it was almost noon, he ordered everyone to go back for lunch.

As dusk fell, the heat subsided slightly. Duan Er, seeing the sun had just set, emerged from the woods and entered the camp, where he saw Fang Han rushing towards him... A soldier ran up and said, "The Heavenly Army has left the city!"

Duan Er, already tired of the boring life in the military camp these past few days, was overjoyed upon hearing this and exclaimed, "All troops, prepare for battle! The day to breach the city is here! Order my men: ten strings of cash for every enemy killed, and the first to enter the city will be promoted three ranks and rewarded with a thousand taels of silver!"

The order was given. The camp erupted in cheers. Many soldiers rushed out

of the camp in a chaotic rush. Before long, more than 20,000 elite troops had formed ranks outside the camp, but the flanks were in complete disarray. The officers' shouts and the men's pleas for mercy rose and fell, like the continuous clamor of a market.

"The Heavenly Army is already three miles away!"

Seeing the slow formation on the flanks, Duan Er hurriedly shouted, "Anyone who makes a loud noise will be executed! Anyone who wanders around will be executed!"

He ordered his soldiers to ride their horses across the flanks to relay Duan Er's orders. Only then did things quiet down, but the formation was somewhat strange. In places where there were many people, dozens were crammed together, while in places where there were few people, horses could run freely.

Zhang

Yang forced his way to within three hundred paces of the camp before finally establishing his position.

The difference in strength between the two armies was immediately apparent. The Heavenly Soldiers' armor gleamed brightly. Their formation was disciplined, especially the two thousand cavalry in the center, who were truly awe-inspiring. The Chu soldiers, however, were mostly infantry, with a few cavalry scattered throughout their ranks. Their armor was chaotic, except for the twenty thousand-plus soldiers in the center, whose armor was relatively uniform—the crimson armor of the Song Dynasty. The able-bodied men forcibly pulled to the flanks were mostly dressed in single-layered shirts, with many shirtless. Fortunately, their numerical advantage and the generous pre-battle rewards kept some fighting spirit in them, preventing them from fleeing at the first sign of trouble.

Fang Han carefully observed the Heavenly Soldiers' formation, hoping to find a weakness. Weaknesses are easy to exploit. Just then, they noticed a new five-clawed golden dragon banner in the central army, and a man in golden armor riding an exceptionally powerful horse. They quickly said to Duan Er beside them, "The Heavenly Army has a new dragon banner in the central army, and the man in golden armor must be the Heavenly Emperor."

Duan Er was overjoyed and shouted, "Pass on my order! Whoever captures the Heavenly Emperor alive will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver and granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households. No one is allowed to fire arrows from the shadows; those who disobey will be executed without mercy!"

Before the messenger had gone far, a rider emerged from the Heavenly Army's ranks. When he was a hundred paces away, Fang Han exclaimed, "That man in front of the ranks seems to be the King of Chu!" Upon

hearing this, Duan Er spurred his horse forward a few steps. Upon seeing that the man was indeed his brother-in-law, Wang Qing, Fang Han's expression changed drastically.

Wang Qing, having also seen Duan Er enter the battle, reined in his horse and shouted, "Nanfeng City has been captured by the Heavenly Army! If you, brother-in-law, surrender with your troops, the Heavenly Emperor will spare your life!"

Fang Han, upon hearing this, exclaimed in alarm, "Our entire family is in Nanfeng City; we're likely all in the hands of the Heavenly Dynasty now!"

The other generals also recognized Wang Qing and rushed to the front lines to inquire.

Wang Qing then said, "Your families have all been captured. If you submit to the Heavenly Dynasty, your past transgressions will be forgiven, and you can continue to serve as officials and enjoy wealth and honor. If you remain obstinate, your entire families will be executed on the day of defeat." ( The text abruptly

ends here. ) Upon hearing this, Feng's generals hesitated.

Duan Er considered for a moment, then his eyes flashed with a fierce light. Pointing at Zhang Yang at the front of the formation, he addressed the crowd, "The Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty is right before us! Our army is numerous and we can surely capture him alive. With the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty in our hands, we can control the Celestial Dynasty's territory... Anyone who dares to harm our families will have their day to shine! Anyone who hesitates or refuses to fight will be executed without mercy!"

With that, he spurred his horse back to his lines. Seeing this

, the generals had no choice but to return to their own ranks. However, the soldiers who had heard Wang Qing's shouts at the front of the formation still managed to spread the news of Nanfeng's fall to the rear. As the news spread, the Chu soldiers began to stir.

Wang Qing also... He rode his horse around the front lines, shouting and causing a commotion wherever he went.

Duan Er, seeing this, was furious and yelled, "That man in front is an imposter from the Celestial Empire! Shoot him dead!"

The soldiers, who had never seen Wang Qing before, immediately drew their bows and fired.

Wang Qing, seeing the danger, spurred his horse and fled. Fortunately, he hovered just outside the archers' range and wasn't riddled with arrows.

Seeing Wang Qing flee in such a sorry state, Lu Zhishen said, "Your Majesty, the enemy soldiers are nothing but a rabble. Why bother? I am willing to lead my troops into battle. If we don't slaughter them, I will not return."

Zhang Yang shook his head upon hearing this, saying, "..." Although the enemy's flanks were mostly a rabble, the central force consisted of surrendered Song soldiers, forming a tight formation. A direct assault would likely result in heavy casualties. Once the enemy mobilizes, their formation will inevitably loosen, allowing us to launch a full-scale attack. You return to your unit; I will lead the cavalry in the attack, while you and Mei Zhan lead the infantry.”

Before he finished speaking, Duan Er, impatient, waved his signal flag.

The 100,000-strong army charged forward with howling cries. Seeing this, Zhang Yang also waved his signal flag and led the charge.

Before the two armies even clashed, Zhang Yang's crossbow had already killed over a dozen Chu generals.

The Chu soldiers watched as their commanders fell from their horses, and Zhang Yang's 20,000-strong army… The thousand-horse army roared in again, their steps slowing slightly. But before they could think, Zhang Yang had already charged into the Chu army's ranks, his Overlord Spear sweeping and smashing, instantly clearing a space of over ten feet.

A Chu general had just approached Zhang Yang's horse when a flash of golden light appeared, and a spurt of blood gushed from his neck.

After charging into the Chu army's ranks, Zhang Yang, with his abnormal speed, relentlessly thrust, each spear thrust accompanied by a spurt of blood, and Chu soldiers within a radius of ten feet fell one after another.

Duan Er, since becoming wealthy, was unwilling to personally charge into battle under the cover of arrows and stones. While supervising the battle from the rear, seeing Zhang Yang charging towards him with unstoppable momentum, he hurriedly ordered his trusted men... The soldiers rushed forward to intercept and kill Zhang Yang.

While these valiant personal guards might have been able to overcome ordinary generals with their numbers, they were no different from ordinary soldiers against Zhang Yang. Before they could even distinguish the real spears from the shadows, they fell one after another.

Seeing their comrades fall so quickly, the guards also grew fearful and stopped to watch. But Zhang Yang charged towards Duan Er's banner, his steed, the Jade Lion, a horse capable of traveling a thousand miles a day. The fallen soldiers could not slow Zhang Yang's advance even slightly. The guards hesitated for a moment, then too fell to Zhang Yang's spear.

Finally realizing they were blocking Zhang Yang's path, the guards scattered to the sides.

Seeing this, Duan Er tried to spur his horse to dodge, but an arrow pierced his throat, causing him to fall from his horse. Several of his personal guards, seeing their commander dead, also turned and fled.

But Zhang Yang didn't wait for them to escape; he fired several arrows, shooting them all off their horses, and the general's banner crashed down.

Zhang Yang casually picked up a spear, planted it on Duan Er's corpse, and rode several miles with the two thousand cavalrymen who had broken through the enemy lines. Then he turned his horse around and charged back into the enemy ranks, shouting, "Duan Er is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

The Chu soldiers in the central army, seeing their banner gone and Zhang Yang carrying Duan Er in his golden armor, lost all will to fight. Those generals whose families were in Nanfeng also led their troops to abandon their weapons, and the others, seeing that all was lost, either surrendered or fled.

The able-bodied men on the flanks, driven back by Lu Zhishen and Mei Zhan's forces, also surrendered after seeing the central army surrender.

Within half an hour, the sounds of fighting ceased, but the corpses scattered on the ground indicated that a fierce battle had just taken place.

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