[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 10

Chapter Thirty-Six – Feng Qing Attacks Xuanwu Pass, Hu Da Steals the Camp and Retreats the Northern Army.

It is said that Hu Da and Tao Long arrived at the pass, where the garrison commander Zhang Dehai came out to greet them.
When asked about the situation at the pass, Zhang Dehai shook his head repeatedly, saying, “Feng Qing truly lives up to his reputation as a Three-Tier Commander. His troops are well-trained and well-supplied, and he is a seasoned and experienced warrior. In our first encounter, he killed two of my officers, and even wounded me. We had no choice but to close the pass and await reinforcements from the court. Feng Qing's attack is very intense; if the Grand Tutor had arrived two days later, I fear we wouldn't have been able to hold the city.”
Hu Da said, “I knew Feng Qing was highly skilled in martial arts. It's not your fault that you couldn't defeat him.”
"It's not just Feng Qing; he currently has eight generals under his command: He Yuanlong, the garrison commander of Wulong Pass, riding the Wulong Steed and wielding a Golden Sparrow Mountain-Splitting Axe; Pei Feng, the garrison commander of Heishui Pass, riding the Wuyun Treading Snow Steed and wielding a pair of large iron hammers; Long Zaibiao, the garrison commander of Baishui Pass, riding the Mo Qilin and wielding a large iron spear; and the female general Yue Ling, riding the Mojiao Yulong Steed and wielding a Zhangba Snake Spear; and four other female generals, I heard they are disciples of the same master, named Zhu Mei, Qi Lan, Liu Zhu, and Qin Ju, all of whom are highly skilled in martial arts. My two generals only fought against his two garrison commanders, He Yuanlong and Pei Feng, before losing their lives. The one I fought was Yue Ling, whose spear moves with incredible speed and skill. He only sent three generals, and I was already in such a sorry state. If Feng Qing himself had gone out to fight, I'm afraid I wouldn't have made it back."
"Oh? Is he that formidable? I'll meet him tomorrow."
Before he finished speaking, the sounds of cannons and battle cries came from outside. Zhang Dehai said, "They're attacking the city again."
"Perfect timing, I'll go meet them."
Hu Da came out of the garrison headquarters, ordered his men to muster five thousand soldiers, led over his lightning-jade unicorn horse, and brought out his pair of coiled dragon cudgels. Tao Long also mounted his Red Hare steed, carrying his phoenix-beak saber, and followed behind. The generals, deputy generals, lieutenants, and guards also mounted their horses, each armed, and headed towards the north gate.
At this time, the siege outside was in full swing, and Grand Tutor Hu ordered the signal cannons to be fired.
Hearing the cannon fire, those outside knew that someone was coming out to fight and hurriedly stopped their attack, retreating to the moat.
Hu Da reached the pass and ordered his soldiers to shout to the general commanding the attack on the opposite side, "Quickly tell your military governor, Feng, that Grand Tutor Hu Da has personally led troops here and ask him to come out and meet you."
Before long, the sound of cannons echoed from the opposite camp, and five thousand troops rushed out, forming a battle formation on the opposite side. When the gate opened, several generals appeared. Hu Da had already learned about the other generals from Zhang Dehai, so there was no need to elaborate. He only needed to mention that the main general under the gate was a man in his thirties with a jade-like face and a long beard. He wore a three-pronged marshal's golden helmet, chainmail armor, rode a white dragon steed, and held a five-pronged fork. Hu Da recognized him as Feng Qing, the military governor of the Northern Three Passes.
Hudati stepped forward and said, "Governor Feng, it's been a long time!"
Feng Qing glanced at the well-organized formation opposite him, and then at the officers, he was secretly alarmed. He quickly spurred his horse forward and bowed, saying, "Grand Tutor, how have you been? This fellow Feng Qing greets you. May I ask what brings you here, Grand Tutor?"
"Lord Feng, aren't you asking a question you already know the answer to? I ask you, why did you raise an army to attack the pass and kill the court's generals?"
"Grand Tutor, don't you know what's going on in the court? That foolish emperor distances himself from loyal ministers and befriends treacherous officials. Sons take their fathers' concubines, the emperor commits adultery with his ministers' wives, he deposed a virtuous empress without cause, and arbitrarily killed loyal ministers. The people's hearts have been lost. We raised an army not for any other reason than to go to the capital to oversee the country, depose the wicked Empress Zhao Chan, execute the treacherous ministers Zhao Jian and Wang Feilian, and restore order to the court. When we reached this pass, the generals guarding it overestimated their abilities and blocked our way, so we killed them. Grand Tutor, have you come here to interrogate us?"
"Since you say that raising troops is not treason, I have not come here to interrogate you. I have already petitioned the Emperor, issued an edict to repent, depose the wicked Empress, and dismiss the treacherous officials. The Emperor has granted all my requests, making Lord Feng's regency unnecessary. The Emperor's willingness to admit his mistakes and correct them is truly commendable. I have come to request that you withdraw your troops."
"Heh heh heh, Grand Tutor, you have been deceived by that foolish emperor. You probably don't know that the moment you left the capital, that foolish emperor reinstated the wicked Empress and restored Zhao Jian and his two officials to their original positions, leaving things as they were. How can such a foolish emperor maintain his rule over the Great Zhen Empire without someone to oversee it?"
"Nonsense! It took me more than two months to travel from the capital to here. Even the Emperor's decree required me to travel step by step. How did you know that?"
"Grand Tutor, you are mistaken. You must know that the army, with its mixed cavalry and infantry, cannot travel fast; it can only cover less than fifty li a day. Imperial decrees are delivered through the postal system, covering hundreds of li a day, so they should arrive before the Grand Tutor. Duan Qi merely drafted the decree in the Grand Tutor's presence; he has never issued it. Instead, he has become increasingly absurd. In my opinion, the Grand Tutor should join forces with me and go directly to the capital to oversee the country, thus avoiding obstruction and loss of life along the way."
Hu Da hurriedly turned to Zhang Dehai and asked, "Have you received the imperial decree?"
Zhang Dehai shook his head and smiled bitterly. Hu Da knew that everything Feng Qing said was true, and he was so angry that his nose almost fell off. He had gone to great lengths, but Duan Qi was two-faced, and there was really nothing he could do about him.
Helpless, Hu Da turned to Feng Qing and said, "Lord Feng, even so, I still request that you withdraw your troops. You must know that raising troops is an act of rebellion against the ruler and his subjects. After I return to the capital, I will persuade the foolish emperor to repent and reform. Otherwise, I will depose him and establish a new emperor. What do you say?"
"I am willing to believe in the sincerity of the Grand Tutor," Feng Qing replied, "but can my 200,000 troops simply return like this? If the Grand Tutor's journey fails to change the foolish emperor's ways and instead results in the loss of the Grand Tutor's life, then what benefit will it bring if I send troops again, wasting resources and manpower? In my opinion, it would be best if the Grand Tutor and I went to the capital together to oversee the country."
The two talked for a long time, but Feng Qing still refused to withdraw his troops. Hu Da knew that these military governors held considerable power and harbored ambitions of expansion. He knew they wouldn't be easily dissuaded without being taught a lesson. So, he hardened his face and said, "Lord Feng, I've tried to reason with you, but you won't listen. How can a subject and ruler fight on the battlefield? Such insubordination is unforgivable. I'm only letting you off the hook because your uncle was unjustly killed. If you don't listen, I might have to offend you."
Feng Qing knew that a confrontation was inevitable sooner or later, so he said, "Grand Tutor, are you saying we should fight?"
"If you don't withdraw your troops, we'll have to settle this on the battlefield."
"Since that's the case, I have nothing to fear. Please, Grand Tutor, send a general."
"Fine, I'll show you what I'm made of. Come on, which general will capture this rebel for me?"
Before he finished speaking, a deputy general rode out from behind him, bowing and saying, "This subordinate, Yu Li, is willing to go."
"General Yu, be careful."
“It doesn’t matter,”
Yu Li said, swinging a large iron saber straight at Feng Qing.
Behind Feng Qing, a lieutenant general, Wang Kai, wielding a black-tasseled spear, rushed forward.
The two exchanged names and fought, each wielding a saber and spear, for over ten rounds without a clear victor.
Behind Hu Da, another lieutenant general, Sun Youde, charged forward with an iron cudgel, which Zhao Defang from Feng Qing’s camp blocked with an axe.
The four generals fought in pairs for another dozen rounds before a victor emerged. Yu Li’s saber was slightly superior; Wang Kai, momentarily distracted, was struck on the head, his helmet shattered in half, and he fell dead from his horse. In the other pair, Zhao Defang, with superior martial arts, struck Sun Youde on the back of the neck with his axe, his head flying to the ground.
Both sides had gained an advantage. Yu Li, unconvinced, shouted, “Zhao Defang, how about we fight again?”
Zhao Defang coldly replied, “I’m happy to oblige.”
With that, the two victors clashed again. The two were evenly matched and fought for more than forty rounds. Yu Li was about to use a dragging-blade tactic to escape when he was defeated. Zhao Defang was in hot pursuit and caught up with him. Zhao Defang swung his axe at Yu Li and chopped it down. Yu Li also turned his horse around and slashed at Zhao Defang with his own blade.
Zhao Defang was prepared, so although he swung his axe, he was extra cautious. Seeing Yu Li's shoulder twitch, he knew there was a move, but his eyes remained fixed on Yu Li's blade. Even so, Yu Li's blade was fast, and Zhao Defang couldn't completely dodge it, nor could his axe veer off course. As a result, Zhao Defang's axe struck Yu Li's shoulder, severing him diagonally across the back, while Yu Li's blade, using its final momentum, sliced across Zhao Defang's abdomen, cutting him horizontally. Both men fell from their horses, dead.
Hu Da, seeing two lieutenants lost in the first engagement, was still deeply distressed, even though the overall score was two to two. Having never suffered a defeat in his life, he knew Feng Liang had many capable men under his command, and fearing further mistakes with his lieutenants, he ordered his general Hong Bin to fight, while He Yuanlong, the garrison commander of Wulong Pass, took over.
Hong Bin wielded a pair of phoenix-winged halberds, possessing extraordinary strength, while He Yuanlong wielded a golden sparrow-splitting axe, also displaying boundless power. The two immediately engaged in a fierce, head-on clash of strength. After more than thirty rounds, neither gained the upper hand. Fearing for their officers' safety, Hu Da and Feng Qing sounded the retreat.
The next day, the two sides fought again. Feng Qing's side sent eight generals, and Hu Da also dispatched eight: Hong Bin against He Yuanlong; Liu Tao against Pei Feng; Zhang Zhiwu against Long Zaibiao; Yu Deshui against Yue Ling; and the female generals Zhang Mudan against Zhu Mei, Wang Juhua against Qi Lan, Li Yueji against Liu Zhu, and Zhao Shuixian against Qin Ju. This
battle was fierce, truly a bloodbath. By afternoon, He Yuanlong had chopped Hong Bin down with his axe, Pei Feng had killed Liu Tao with a smash, Zhang Zhiwu had killed Long Zaibiao with his spear, but Yu Deshui was stabbed to death by Yue Ling. The other four pairs of female generals remained locked in a stalemate. Overall, Feng Qing had gained a slight advantage.
Hu Da was furious upon seeing this and ordered the four female generals to be recalled. He said to Tao Long, "General Tao, it seems we two will have to step in."
Tao Long replied, "This humble general is willing to obey orders."
So Tao Long spurred his Red Hare steed, brandished his phoenix-beak broadsword, and stepped forward, saying, "Feng Qing, I will fight you three hundred rounds."
Upon seeing this, He Yuanlong swung his axe and said, "Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? I, He Yuanlong, can capture you alone."
Tao Long blocked the axe and said, "You are no match for me, go back."
He Yuanlong said, "I'm afraid not." He swung his axe again.
Tao Long parried the attack, and within five exchanges, He Yuanlong swung his axe at Tao Long's face. Tao Long didn't parry; instead, when the axe was upon him and he had no way to counter, he swerved his horse to the side, letting the axe graz his side. Meanwhile, he held his sword level and slashed at He Yuanlong's neck. He Yuanlong, seeing the danger, quickly ducked and slashed at his helmet with his sword. Terrified, He Yuanlong turned his horse and fled back to his formation.
Pei Feng, seeing this, immediately spurred his horse forward, wielding his great hammer to fight Tao Long. After four or five more exchanges, Tao Long struck Pei Feng's breastplate with the shaft of his sword, causing him to clutch his saddle, cough up blood, and retreat to his own lines.
Feng Qing was about to ride forward when Yue Ling charged out with his eighteen-foot spear.
Tao Long caught Yue Ling's spear, saying, "What can a woman like you possibly do? Swords have no eyes on the battlefield; I'm afraid you'll get hurt. Go home and marry a good man. This isn't a place for you."
Yue Ling replied, "Don't talk nonsense. Let's fight first."
Once they clashed, Tao Long realized Yue Ling was more skilled than He Yuanlong and Pei Feng. Her spear technique was outstanding, and she was agile—a worthy opponent. He admired her.
Feng Qing, watching from the sidelines, saw that although Yue Ling and Tao Long seemed to be fighting at a leisurely pace, the battle was actually fraught with danger. Yue Ling, being a woman, lacked strength and was slightly at a disadvantage. He rode out to exchange blows with Yue Ling.
Hu Da, seeing this, quickly brandished his dragon-patterned staff and joined the fight with Feng Qing.
This battle was fierce, lasting until dusk. Tao Long removed the silk handkerchief from Yue Ling's head, and her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, obscuring her eyes. Yue Ling knew something was wrong and quickly jumped out of the circle, retreating back to her own lines. Only Feng Qing and Grand Tutor Hu remained, locked in combat. Feng Qing truly witnessed the old Grand Tutor's skills; not only were his techniques exquisite, but Hu Da was also incredibly strong, wielding his short staff with incredible agility. Seeing he was no match, Feng Qing quickly spurred his horse out of the encirclement, saying, "Grand Tutor Hu, it's late today, let's fight again tomorrow."
Hu Da nodded in agreement, and both returned to their respective camps.
That night, Hu Da and Tao Long led five thousand men to Feng Qing's camp, shouting and charging in like tigers entering a wolf's den, slaughtering Feng Qing's soldiers.
Hearing the commotion, Feng Qing knew it was a surprise attack and hurriedly mounted his horse, fleeing towards the camp. Seeing their commander defeated, the soldiers routed, running for over twenty miles before turning back to find their original camp burned to the ground.
Feng Qing rallied his troops, and seeing that his officers were all present, he felt somewhat relieved. He led the remaining tens of thousands of men to retreat to the Qingshan Mountains, a hundred miles away.
The next day, Hu Da led his troops in pursuit. Reaching the foot of the mountain, he found only a narrow path and hurriedly ordered his soldiers to search the mountain along it. However, many were killed by a hail of arrows from the mountain, and the rest were terrified and hastily retreated.
Hu Da fought for half a month without being able to penetrate even half a step into the mountains, when the imperial report arrived.
Upon seeing the report,
Hu Da was greatly alarmed. The reason for Hu Da's alarm remains to be seen; we will find out in the next chapter.

Chapter Thirty-Seven—Grand Tutor Hu Divides His Army into Two Groups, Hong San Niang and Her Sisters Perish . It is said that

Hu Da was attacking Qingshan when he saw the report and hurriedly summoned his generals for a meeting.
The report stated that Wang Bingzheng had successively captured Xihua Pass, Panshan Pass, and Baihu Pass.
With Baihu Pass breached, Wang Bingzheng could advance unimpeded to Xiting Pass and Nanling Pass. This would allow him to cut off the retreat of his sister, Duan Lingfeng, to the south, and also attack his own rear from the north, joining forces with Feng Qing to encircle him.
The generals, upon hearing this, knew the situation was dire and offered various suggestions.
After much deliberation, Hu Da decided to leave General Guan Tong and 50,000 troops to defend Xuanwu Pass, using its high walls to block Feng Qing outside. He and Tao Long would then enter through the Beigucheng pass, taking a shortcut to Xiting Pass to meet Wang Bingzheng and try to drive him out of Baihu Pass.
However, upon entering Beigucheng, they discovered that Duan Lingfeng had already been defeated at Hulangyu and was now trapped in Zhuojun, without food or reinforcements, her life hanging by a thread.
After discussing the matter, Hu Da and Tao Long decided to split their forces into two routes. Hu Da would lead half of his troops out of Xiting Pass, attacking from north to south, while Tao Long would lead the other half out of Nanling Pass, attacking from east to west and then north. The two armies would attack simultaneously to rescue Duan Lingfeng.
Speed was of the essence in war, and the two armies marched day and night towards Zhuo County. A bloody battle was about to unfold on this land.
Meanwhile, Tao Long, leading 250,000 men, three generals, and eight lieutenants, left Nanling Pass and headed straight for Baihua City.
To reach Zhuo County, they had to go through Baihua City to Tongzhen, and then north. Tongzhen was indefensible, while Baihua City was easy to defend and difficult to attack, making Baihua City a necessary route.
To the northeast of Baihua City was a small city called Yuhua Prefecture, only a mile apart, separated by a small river and the main road leading to Tongzhen. Therefore, He Xiuying had stationed the Hong sisters in Yuhua Prefecture as a strategic stronghold.
Tao Long, knowing the city was defended by three female generals, didn't take them seriously. He urged his army to march swiftly, arriving at the city walls and setting up camp ten miles away. After
a day's rest, early the next morning, he mustered two thousand men, led three generals and eight lieutenants, and arrayed them against the city walls.
At the sound of a cannon, two armies, totaling two thousand men, simultaneously charged out from Baihua City and Yuhua Prefecture, forming ranks opposite the government troops.
Tao Long glanced at them and saw three beautiful and outstanding female generals under their banners, followed by only a few lieutenants. Compared to his own forces, the opposing army seemed rather meager, further fueling his underestimation of them.
Tao Long rode forward, exchanged greetings with He Xiuying, but their conversation failed, and they each sent their generals to engage in battle.
He Xiuying sent out her deputy general He Feng, while Tao Long sent out his deputy general Chai Fu to fight. Before they had even exchanged five blows, He Feng slew Chai Fu off his horse. Then, another deputy general, Wu Qifeng, went out to fight, but he too was killed by He Feng before they had even exchanged five blows. Tao Long was shocked, not expecting that Xu Youliang had such a talented general by his side. He hurriedly ordered his general Zhang Zhiwu to go out and fight.
Zhang Zhiwu, having once defeated Long Zaibiao with his spear at Xuanwu Pass, was a master of martial arts. He fought He Feng for over twenty rounds, also defeating him with a single spear thrust.
Upon seeing Zhang Zhiwu take the field, He Xiuying knew that sending another deputy would be futile, so she wanted to go herself. The Hong sisters stepped forward, saying, "General He is the commander-in-chief; this matter should be handled by us sisters."
"Please be careful, both of you."
"It's alright."
Zhang Zhiwu glanced at the two female generals opposite him; both were around twenty years old and looked remarkably alike. Neither wore helmets or armor. One wore a red short jacket with a red silk turban, wielding a pair of meteor hammers; the other wore a green short jacket with a green silk turban. Their faces were as white as jade, their waists as slender as willows—truly beautiful as flowers, their fragrance spreading for miles. Their eyebrows were raised, their eyes held a coquettish charm, exuding an imposing aura and a chilling presence.
Zhang Zhiwu asked, "Do you two ladies wish to fight one-on-one, or in pairs?"
Hong Sanniang replied, "My sister and I always work together. Whether you come alone or ten, it's still just the two of us. I won't bully you. Go back to the camp and tell Tao Long to send you more helpers."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiwu laughed loudly, "You two little girls are barely five feet tall and weigh no more than eighty pounds. In my eyes, you're like chicks. I can scoop you up with a flick of my wrist and crush you with a gentle squeeze. What need do I have for helpers?" With that, he raised his steel-tipped spear and charged straight at Hong Sanniang.
"You ignorant fools, don't blame us for this!" the two sisters cursed, and rode forward together.
Once they clashed, the two female warriors' weapons, one long and one short, one soft and one hard, complemented each other perfectly, playing to their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses. They were incredibly coordinated, and Zhang Zhiwu not only couldn't make any moves but was also forced into a state of disarray. Only then did Zhang Zhiwu regret his earlier arrogance, but it was too late.
Tao Long, observing the enemy formation from within the ranks, knew things were going badly the moment the two female generals made their move. He tried to send someone to help Zhang Zhiwu, but it was too late. Hong San Niang's meteor hammer lashed out, ensnaring Zhang Zhiwu's spear and pulling it towards her. As Zhang Zhiwu hurriedly tried to reclaim his spear, Hong Si Niang rushed in, piercing his back with two short spears simultaneously. With a powerful flick, she threw him off his horse,
where he rolled twice before dying. Tao Long cried out in pain and immediately summoned his remaining two generals, Cao Dongsheng and Bian Yu. One wielded a sword, the other a fork, to fight the Hong sisters. The four generals clashed, but after only seven or eight rounds, Hong Si Niang's spear struck Cao Dongsheng in the shoulder blade, and Hong San Niang's meteor hammer shattered Bian Yu's breastplate. Both men, clutching their saddles and spitting blood, were defeated.
Tao Long, alarmed, had no choice but to steel himself and join the fray.
As they clashed, he discovered that their moves were perfectly coordinated; unless they were separated, he couldn't win.
Just as he thought this, a spear struck his thigh, causing him to cry out in pain. He turned his horse and fell, with Hong Sanniang and her companion hot on his heels, chasing them straight into the enemy ranks. The enemy's lieutenants, officers, and generals rushed to intercept them. He Xiuying, fearing for her safety, hastily ordered a retreat, but this only cost the two sisters their lives.
It turned out the Hong sisters weren't top-tier fighters; their combined martial arts were incredibly powerful. Now, as the Hong sisters pursued Tao Long, although surrounded by lieutenants, they still held a slight advantage working together. Unfortunately, the gong sounded, and Sanniang, hearing it, quickly reined in her horse. Si Niang, however, hesitated, and in that moment of surprise, the distance between them increased by three or four zhang.
Seeing this opportunity, the enemy lieutenants quickly separated them, immediately reducing their fighting strength.
Tao Long was galloping ahead when he heard the enemy's retreat signal. He reined in his horse and turned around, only to see the two female generals separated. Overjoyed, he quickly circled back and charged at Hong Siniang, who was closest.
The two sisters, realizing the danger, desperately tried to pull themselves together, but to no avail. Tao Long was upon them again, and Hong Siniang had no choice but to deal with him first.
Tao Long was no ordinary man; his martial arts were top-notch. In a one-on-one fight, even Hu Da might not be much better than him. Hong Siniang was no match for him.
Tao Long's blade was like an iron cage, tightly binding Hong Siniang. She couldn't escape, and fear gripped her. Suddenly, a sliver of light appeared in the blade's barrier. Thinking it was an opening, she spurred her horse and leaped out, unaware that it was a trap. Tao Long saw Hong Siniang slip out, exposing her back to him, and swept his blade across her waist.
With a single pinch, Hong Si Niang, with her slender waist, could not withstand the blade. She was instantly severed in two, letting out a scream as her upper body fell to the ground, while her lower body remained on her horse as she fled in disarray.
Tao Long, having killed Hong Si Niang, then rushed towards Hong San Niang. Seeing her sister dead, San Niang was heartbroken and repeatedly shouted at Tao Long to fight her. Tao Long, however, was not afraid of her at this moment. He wielded his broadsword, deflecting her meteor hammer in a few strokes, and then charged in on horseback. Those who wield soft weapons are most vulnerable in close combat. Seeing Tao Long close in, she could no longer wield her hammer and tried to run away. But Tao Long had already hooked his sword, reached out and grabbed her hammer rope, and with a gentle shake, wrapped it around her neck. Then, with his other hand, he grabbed the other end of the rope, kicked off her saddle, and dragged Hong San Niang off the horse.
Hong San Niang felt the hammer rope tightly constricting her neck, making it hard to breathe. She kicked wildly, trying to break free, but to no avail.
He Xiuying saw this and wanted to come to the rescue, but fearing the loss of the city would ruin everything.
Knowing she was no match for Tao Long in martial arts, and that if Tao Long killed Hong
San Niang and then launched a counterattack, the city might fall, she hastily ordered a retreat, with all troops withdrawing into the city. Tao Long, deliberately trying to demoralize the enemy, dragged Hong San Niang back and forth across the battlefield seven or eight times. Hong San Niang hung beside her warhorse, her slender waist twisting and her long legs kicking wildly, finally collapsing limply to the saddle, like dragging a dead dog.
Meanwhile, Hong Siniang was cut in half at the waist in the midst of the battle. Her horse ran away in panic. A lieutenant, seeing Siniang's fine horse, spurred his horse to catch up and replace her, only to find Siniang still sitting firmly on the horse, half her body intact. Tao Long's blade had not only severed her waist but also her belt; her skirt and trousers fell down, piling on the saddle, exposing the young girl's snow-white buttocks.
The adjutant, aroused by the sight, pushed her from behind, causing her pelvis to tilt forward. He then reached behind her, inserting his middle finger into her anus, laughing as he lifted her from the saddle. Her trousers slid down, revealing her two pink legs.
Without dismounting, the adjutant leaped back onto his horse, switched horses, and galloped back, removing Hong Si Niang's small boots and pulling down her trousers completely. He turned her upside down, grabbed her knees, and spread them apart, revealing her tender vulva, partially obscured by pubic hair. Back in the ranks
, the soldiers cheered upon seeing her.
Si Niang's upper body lay on the ground, her internal organs spilling out, but she was still alive, watching helplessly as her lower body was violated, filled with shame and hatred.
Seeing Si Niang weeping in shame only fueled the soldiers' sadistic desires, and they began to strip her upper body of her clothes.
Fourth Sister tried to resist, but with her lower body gone, she lost her support and bled profusely. She was powerless to resist, watching helplessly as her clothes were torn off, and hands fondled and played with her breasts. Overwhelmed with grief and anger, her eyes widened, and she died.
Tao Long, having also strangled Third Sister Hong, returned and threw her body on the ground, shouting orders.
The soldiers rushed forward and saw Third Sister Hong lying paralyzed on the ground, her beautiful face turning blue. Two soldiers grabbed her small boots and pulled her up, her skirt falling to her waist, revealing bright red silk trousers. The crotch was soaked, clinging to her body, vaguely revealing her jade-like legs and the girl's private parts—the result of incontinence during her painful struggle.
The soldiers quickly stripped her clothes off as well, only to find yellow excrement smeared on her snow-white buttocks, emitting a foul stench.
The soldiers cut down two small trees from the roadside woods, removed the branches, and made two tall poles, each about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) high. They grabbed Hong San Niang's legs, pulled them apart, revealing her delicate vulva, and pierced the small trees into her vagina, all the way up to her throat. They then pierced Hong Si Niang's lower body into her vagina as well, and put her upper body on top of that, raising them together to the city walls as a show of defiance.
He Xiuying watched helplessly as the two sisters were humiliated, swallowing her tears. She sent men to fetch reinforcements while ordering the truce to be raised high and directing the defense of the city.
Tao Long had already regretted his actions when he discovered He Xiuying's retreat, but it was too late. So he held Hong San Niang until he strangled her to death, then gave the order to attack the city walls. Seeing the truce raised high, he hastily ordered an assault.
The government troops, carrying the corpses of the Hong sisters on flagpoles, launched a fierce attack on the city, their battle cries deafening. He Xiuying and several deputy generals defended Baihua City and Yuhua Prefecture, fighting desperately. A fierce battle ensued.
After several days of fighting, the government troops suffered 20,000 casualties, but the city's defenders were outnumbered and outgunned. Just when it seemed the city was about to fall, a cannon shot rang out, signaling the arrival of reinforcements.
Will Xu Youliang be able to repel Tao Long's army? We'll find out in the

next chapter. Chapter Thirty-Eight – Xu Youliang's Fierce Battle at Baihua, Xiuying's Heroic Devotion at the City Gate:

As mentioned earlier, Tao Long led an army of 250,000 to attack Baihua City. He killed the Hong sisters, San Niang and Si Niang, on the battlefield and then launched a fierce assault on the city. He Xiuying led her troops in a desperate defense.
The two sides fought fiercely on and around the city walls for several days, with both sides suffering over ten thousand casualties. Just when it seemed they were losing, a cannon fired from behind the city, signaling the arrival of reinforcements led by Xu Youliang. Xu charged forward, killing over two thousand of the attacking government troops, the rest retreating to their camp.
He Xiuying, seeing Youliang arrive, went out to greet him. When she spoke of the deaths of the Hong sisters, she burst into tears, and the entire camp mourned.
The city walls were too small to accommodate many soldiers, so they camped outside.
The next day, Xu Youliang led his troops out of the city to challenge Tao Long's camp. A cannon fired, and the two armies faced each other.
This time was different from before. Tao Long had many soldiers and generals under his command, including three generals. Now, one of his generals was dead and two were seriously injured, leaving only Tao Long himself, who was lame. Xu Youliang, on the other hand, had three female generals besides He Xiuying: Feng Ling and Zhao Fengzhu. Adding Shi Wenlong, he had four generals. Although Xu Youliang's martial arts were not as good as the Feng sisters, he was still the son of a regional military governor and could barely be considered a first-rate expert.
At first glance, it seemed the difference in strength was obvious, but this was not the
case. Tao Long's strength could not be judged by numbers, just as the strength of the Hong sisters could not be simply added together. The two sides met without much formality or sending their lieutenants to their deaths; they fought fiercely.
Tao Long's two generals were seriously injured and unable to fight, so he had to fight alone. He Xiuying, having witnessed him kill the Hong sisters, was filled with hatred and rushed forward to fight Tao Long.
Tao Long's martial arts skills were undeniably superb, but in one-on-one combat, He Xiuying was far superior to the Hong sisters. The two fought for seven or eight rounds without a clear victor, but He Xiuying was mostly on the defensive, constantly being chased around by Tao Long.
Xu Youliang had anticipated this situation and quickly ordered Feng Ling to fight Tao Long in pairs.
Seeing this, Vice General Wei Wenliang charged forward with his halberd to block, but Feng Ling swept off half his head with a single blow. Vice General Hua Zimei then joined the fray, but was also cut down in a single exchange. Before the other vice generals could step forward, Xu Youliang, along with Shi Wenlong and his subordinates, rushed out to intercept them, leaving Zhao Fengzhu to fight Feng Ling and He Xiuying in a three-way battle against Tao Long.
The battle raged fiercely.
Tao Long, fighting three against one, didn't seem to be struggling much; the four were evenly matched.
In another battle, Xu Youliang's deputy generals, though fewer in number than Tao Long's, were still formidable with the addition of Xu Youliang and Shi Wenlong. Shi Wenlong, in particular, possessed not only martial arts skills but also a knack for concealed weapons. He would shout, "Beware of concealed weapons! Take this magic weapon!" Each time he shouted, someone on the opposing side would be injured in the eye or hand, forced to withdraw from the battle.
The two sides fought for over an hour. Seven or eight of Xu Youliang's deputy generals were killed or wounded, while nearly twenty of Tao Long's men were also killed or wounded.
Tao Long, seeing this, realized that if the fighting continued like this, once his deputy generals and lieutenant generals were all dead, the enemy would launch a massive attack, which would be disastrous. So, brandishing his broadsword, he used a feint, leaping out of the circle and saying, "Master Xu, you have traveled a long way and are tired. Let's fight again tomorrow." Then he ordered the retreat.
Xu Youliang reviewed his spoils and was quite pleased to have gained some advantage. However, he was unsure who could defeat Tao Long's martial arts, so he summoned all his officers to the main tent to discuss the matter.
Feng Ling said, "Let's fight again tomorrow. The five of us will attack together.
No matter how brave Tao Long is, it will be useless." Everyone agreed, so nothing happened that night. The next morning, they went to challenge him again. When the enemy came out in formation, everyone was stunned, because their two generals had recovered from their injuries and came out in full armor. This time it was another head-on clash. Xu Youliang had no choice but to have his three female generals fight Tao Long together, while he and Shi Wenlong each took on one of the enemy's generals.
They fought for a day without any gains.
The third day was the same. However, this time there was some commotion. The general fighting Xu Youliang was Cao Dongsheng, who used a strategy of turning defeat into victory. He pretended to be defeated, luring Youliang to come closer, and then suddenly turned around and struck with his sword. What kind of person was Hong Youliang? Already on guard, the blade struck only Xu Youliang's helmet, startling him, and he retreated to his own lines. Meanwhile, Bian Yu was fighting Shi Wenlong. Seeing Xu Youliang defeated and forced to use a hidden weapon, Shi Wenlong, despite Xu Youliang's prior warning, still managed to land a dart on Bian Yu's shoulder. Both sides won a round, resulting in a draw.
Back at camp, Xu Youliang lay in bed. Although Feng Ling was there to undress him, he had no interest in anything, only hoping for Zhang Gui's arrival with the grain and the Ironclad Cavalry.
Youliang tossed and turned, finally falling asleep in the middle of the night. Suddenly, he heard a cannon blast and deafening battle cries. Realizing the city was under attack, he jumped out of bed, and together with Feng Ling, donned their armor and went outside. They found the streets ablaze.
Finding their horses, they mounted and drew their weapons, only to see flames reaching the sky.
A warhorse came charging towards them, shouting, "Xu Youliang, where do you think you're going?"
Youliang recognized Tao Long, followed by General Cao Dongsheng.
The five clashed. Tao Long and Cao Dongsheng were formidable opponents, and Youliang and his companion were already outmatched. Then, many more lieutenants and detachments charged in from behind. Seeing the danger, Youliang and Fengling had no choice but to flee north, with Tao Long in hot pursuit.
Reaching the north side of the street, they were met by He Xiuying, and the three of them charged towards the north gate. When they arrived, the gate was locked, guarded by Tao Long's troops. Realizing the danger, they fled west, reaching the west gate where Tao Long's troops were closing it. Fengling shouted, "Run!" and charged out the gate first.
When they reached Youliang, the gate was almost closed. He Xiuying, seeing this, quickly thrust her knife into the gate and forced it open, shouting, "Master, run!"
Youliang asked, "General He, what about you?"
"Don't worry about me, run!"
Youliang hurriedly left the gate. He Xiuying's knife remained stuck in the gate; if she didn't hold it open, it would close, but if she did, she wouldn't be able to get out.
He Xiuying, now resolute in her determination to die, pulled her knife out, and the gate slammed shut, leaving her alone inside.
Xiuying swung her broadsword, hacking and slashing at the soldiers who had stormed into the gate, killing and wounding many, the rest retreating.
At this moment, Tao Long arrived at the gate and saw He Xiuying standing there, sword drawn, like a divine general blocking the gate. He laughed loudly, "Tao Long, my master has left! You've won by luck this time, but my general will avenge this day!"
Tao Long had fought Xiu Ying before and knew her martial arts were superior to those of his generals, so he greatly admired her. He tried to persuade her to surrender, but Xiu Ying laughed loudly, "Tao Long, a loyal minister does not serve two masters, and a good woman does not marry two husbands. Master Xu is benevolent and righteous, unlike that tyrannical ruler. How could I abandon the light for darkness?"
Tao Long said, "You are now alone. With just one order, I can pierce you with an enemy arrow."
"A flowerpot will break if it doesn't leave the bedside, and a general will inevitably die on the battlefield. What is there to fear in death for a general? Come on."
"Aren't you afraid that I will capture you alive on horseback, like Hong San Niang, and strangle you on your horse to command the whole army?"
Xiu Ying had already thought of this. Recalling the humiliating scene of Hong San Niang struggling in agony while hanging by Tao Long's saddle, Xiu Ying's eyes welled up with tears.
"How about it? Scared now? A wise man knows when to yield. Surrender to me, and I'll recommend you to the court as a general."
"Hmph." Xiuying smiled through her tears: "Forget it. I don't care for your so-called general."
"Otherwise, when I capture you, I'm afraid I'll lose my chastity."
"You men only know how to take pleasure in women's bodies. I'd rather die than live to be humiliated by you."
She turned her head, looked at the tightly closed city gate, then jumped off her warhorse, turned around and knelt down outside the city, shouting: "Lord, Xiuying has given her all here."
She drew her sword and slashed her own neck.
Everyone gasped. She threw down her sword, still kneeling there. After a long while, she lurched forward, fell to the ground, curled up into a ball, and then her legs kicked wildly like a dying chick, making a series of hiccuping sounds. Finally, one leg stretched straight up into the air, making a long hiccup, and then went limp.
Upon seeing her, Tao Long was full of praise and ordered her body to be gathered up and the city gates opened to pursue Xu Youliang.
Poor He Xiuying, since birth, had only achieved one merit at Nanyang Pass before her death in Baihua City. The soldiers stepped forward and saw that a third of her neck had been severed, her battle robe stained crimson with blood.
The soldiers didn't care about her loyalty; as long as she was a woman, that was enough. They stripped off her armor, revealing a bright red undergarment soaked with her own urine. They removed her clothes and shoes, revealing a beautiful body: fair skin, thick pubic hair, bell-shaped breasts, and a full moon-shaped buttocks.
It was a pity that such a body had never been married, but instead fell into the hands of enemy soldiers.
She spread her pink legs, revealing two labia, and the crowd crowded around, touching and fondling her jade-like body to their hearts' content. Then he took a large spear, inserted it into the vulva, and thrust it in forcefully, driving it two feet deep, all the way into the jawbone. He then lifted it up, held it in mid-air, and went out of the city to chase after Tao Long.
It turned out that while Tao Long was attacking the city, he was also thinking of a quick way to win. He found a herbalist in the mountains who discovered a small path south of Baihua City, leading directly to the south city wall
. There, the wall was only about three feet high, but the path was narrow, preventing a large army from deploying effectively; a small force had to be used for a surprise attack. Tao Long secretly sent his general Cao Dongsheng with five hundred warriors to the city under cover of night via the small path. They outmaneuvered the guards on the city walls, changed into their clothes, and disguised themselves at the south gate. At the same time, Tao Long also led several thousand men to the city.
With a cannon blast, Cao Dongsheng scattered the gate guards, opened the gate, and let Tao Long into the city. The remaining army, led by Bian Yu, saw that Tao Long had succeeded and rushed into the city.
Tao Long pursued them out of the city, heading straight for Xu Youliang's main camp stationed to the west of the city.
As the saying goes, a defeated army collapses like a mountain; with the city lost, Xu Youliang's army's morale plummeted. Tao Long seized the opportunity to attack, setting fire to the camp. Xu Youliang's entire army crumbled and fled westward. Tao Long
pursued them until dawn, achieving a great victory, beheading over 70,000 and capturing a great deal of gold, greatly boosting the morale of his army.
After a day's rest, the army marched westward, Tao Long riding with high spirits.
In no time, they reached the outskirts of Peach Blossom Valley.
Tao Long had been there before, knowing that although Peach Blossom Valley was called a valley, it was actually just a mountain pass, only two miles long, higher in the east and lower in the west. Beyond the pass was a mountain ring, like a large bottle, and Peach Blossom Valley was the bottle's mouth. The small hills on either side of the pass had gentle slopes on the east and steep cliffs on the west, making it easy for the eastern army to block the western army's advance, but very difficult for the western army to do so.
Therefore, Tao Long knew that the enemy probably wouldn't set up an ambush here, but caution was always better than no danger, so he still sent two small units to occupy the mountain peaks on both sides.
A short while later, the dispatched units sent messengers down to report that there were no enemy soldiers in the mountain pass, but Xu Youliang had already deployed his entire force in the mountain encirclement outside the pass, waiting for Tao Long to attack.
Tao Long thought that although Xu Youliang didn't have any defensible terrain at this point, Peach Blossom Gully was narrow, and if a battle broke out, it would be difficult to replenish troops. He had to act quickly and try to send as many troops as possible out.
Thinking of this, he hurriedly issued an order: "All officers above the rank of lieutenant general, gather at the front and charge out of the mountain pass with me. The junior officers, lead your troops through quickly and form ranks outside the ravine."
Tao Long gave the order and charged out of the ravine with his generals. He saw that Xu Youliang had formed a semi-circle outside the ravine, about two or three miles away, completely surrounding the entrance. The situation was extremely dangerous. Tao Long was worried that there would be insufficient reinforcements. He ordered his officers to be on high alert for the enemy's attack while also ordering his troops to speed up their advance.
Half an hour later, more than 20,000 men had emerged from the ravine and formed ranks behind them. Seeing no sign of Xu Youliang's attack, Tao Long chuckled to himself and whispered to Cao Dongsheng and Bian Yu, "I thought Xu Youliang, coming from a military family, was skilled in warfare, but I didn't realize he's all talk and no action. If he attacked now, with his superior numbers, we would be hard-pressed to withstand him. But if we wait a while longer, and he attacks again, it will be much harder."
Cao Dongsheng said, "I heard he has a subordinate named Zhang Gui, who is very cunning. Could it be a trap?"
"The terrain here is advantageous to us; we can retreat to defend or advance to attack. Even if he's treacherous, what can we do?"
As he spoke, the 20,000 men had already formed ranks. The ravine entrance was already too small, so the entire force advanced to make way for those emerging from the ravine. Suddenly, a deafening cannon shot erupted from the opposite side. Xu Youliang's ranks suddenly shifted to the sides, terrifying Tao Long to the point of utter panic.
What tricks does Xu Youliang have up his sleeve? Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Chapter Thirty-Nine – Youliang and Zhang Gui Fire at Tao Long, Zijun and Meiyu Climb the Wall and Secure the City.

As mentioned earlier, Tao Long launched a surprise attack from a side path, capturing Baihua City. He Xiuying committed suicide, and Xu Youliang suffered a crushing defeat, fleeing westward.
Tao Long pursued him to the edge of the mountains, where he encountered Youliang waiting at the mouth of a ravine. To have enough troops to confront Youliang, Tao Long led all his officers of the rank of lieutenant general and above out of the ravine before sending his troops in. However, Xu Youliang did not attack.
Just as this was becoming increasingly strange, Xu Youliang's formation suddenly split to the sides. Where the enemy's formation parted, a deadly array of weapons was revealed. In a semi-circular formation, over sixty iron wagons and thirty-odd iron siege towers were arranged in a staggered pattern, their cannons aimed directly at Tao Long's troops, pressing inward step by step.
Upon seeing this, Tao Long shouted, "We've been tricked! Retreat!" Before his words even finished, a deafening roar erupted, and a tongue of fire spewed from the iron cavalry cavalry opposite them.
These iron cavalry cavalry were cannons of the time, filled with half a cannonball followed by kilograms of iron pellets. With the cannon fire, the iron pellets rained down, overwhelming even the most valiant general.
At this moment, Tao Long's 20,000 troops had already emerged from the mountain pass and formed ranks. Tao Long and his generals were at the very front of the ranks, only a hundred paces from the enemy. Moreover, to make way for the soldiers newly emerging from the ravine behind them, the ranks were still moving forward, within the enemy's firing range.
A volley of cannon fire followed, and Tao Long and Cao Dongsheng behind him were struck by countless pellets, their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Bian Yu, who happened to be behind Cao Dongsheng, escaped the blast. Hundreds of officers and soldiers already in formation were killed or wounded—a gruesome sight. It was a tragic end
for Tao Long, a renowned general of the Great Zhen Dynasty, who perished before Baihua Mountain.
Upon seeing this, Bian Yu hurriedly ordered his surviving soldiers to seize the bodies of Tao Long and Cao Dongsheng and retreat into the ditch. However, because Tao Long was in a hurry to get out of the ditch and ordered the troops behind to move quickly, those in front wanted to retreat, while those behind, unaware of this, still charged forward, resulting in a chaotic entanglement.
By the time Bian Yu realized that retreat was impossible and led his troops in a charge, he had already given Xu Youliang time to
load his cannons. The second volley of cannon fire came, causing his soldiers to scream and howl in agony. Bian Yu grabbed a rattan shield from a soldier and used it to shield himself. Although he was hit by the cannon fire, only his horse was killed; he himself survived. He quickly changed horses and charged forward while the enemy was loading their cannons. When he
was still thirty paces away from the enemy's iron cavalry, he heard a bang, and the iron wagons rumbled as they all pressed towards him. Bian Yu knew he was in trouble and tried to turn his horse around, but it was too late. He was surrounded by twenty iron wagons.
Only then did Xu Youliang and Zhang Gui emerge from behind the ranks. Youliang raised his spear and, along with Feng Ling, Zhao Fengzhu, and Shi Wenlong, charged towards the government troops.
With their commander-in-chief dead and their only remaining general trapped in the iron siege towers, the other deputy generals and lieutenants were no match for the enemy, and the soldiers' morale was low, leaving them with no choice but to surrender.
The battle ended quickly. Among the government troops, one deputy general surrendered, more than twenty lieutenants and junior officers surrendered, and the rest were all beheaded. Only Bian Yu remained, charging left and right within the iron siege tower formation. Youliang
ordered the iron siege towers to be taken away.
Bian Yu, bewildered by the departure of the towers, was already before Xu Youliang, who urged him to surrender. Bian Yu said, "I am an official appointed by the court, and it is my duty to serve my country loyally. Today, having been defeated, I have no choice but to die." He then drew his sword and committed suicide.
Xu Youliang achieved a great victory, charging into the mountain pass with overwhelming force. Without their commander, the government troops had no courage to defend; some fled, others surrendered, and Youliang recaptured Baihua City.
It turned out that after his defeat at Baihua City, Xu Youliang hastily retreated westward, all the way back to Baihua Mountain, where he encountered Zhang Gui
, who was escorting supplies. These iron cavalry and iron wagons were originally from Hulangyu Valley. After breaking through the enemy lines, Youliang obtained them and sent men to transport them out of the mountains for future use. However, the mountain roads were treacherous, and these iron contraptions moved much more slowly.
That day, Zhang Gui was escorting supplies to Tongzhen when a deputy general was transporting these items to Zhuojun. Knowing Tao Long's prowess and fearing for Xu Youliang's safety, Zhang Gui brought these items to assist in the battle. Xu Youliang was overjoyed upon seeing the iron cavalry, and the two then set up their formation outside Baihua Mountain, waiting for Tao Long to fall into their trap. Although Peach Blossom Gully was easy to defend and difficult to attack, it was also difficult to retreat from. Therefore, Tao Long essentially tied his own hands and feet, making him a sitting duck.
Xu Youliang's victory completely cut off Duan Lingfeng's escape route to the south.
However, Youliang also suffered significant losses: three female generals, He Xiuying, Hong Sanniang, and Hong Siniang, were killed in action, and he lost over 100,000 soldiers. Most of the government troops fled back to Nanling Pass, and only over 20,000 surrendered, leading to a decline in Xu Youliang's overall military strength.
Baihua City was extremely important, and Xu Youliang dared not be careless. Although reluctant, he had to leave Feng Ling and Zhao Fengzhu in Baihua City, giving them numerous instructions and instructions. He also had five iron cavalry towers transported to be erected on the city walls and many deep trenches dug on the main road to the east of the city to slow down any potential government army attack. Only after everything was arranged did he return to Zhuojun.
Upon arriving at Zhuojun, Xu inquired about the situation on Cao Hua's side. Cao Hua reported that Duan Lingfeng had attempted to break through the siege several times, but had been repelled each time. The city was now likely running out of food, and over a hundred soldiers were being lowered down the walls daily to surrender. Meanwhile, Wang Bingzheng and Hu Da had fought several battles, both suffering losses. Xu heard that Feng Qing had breached Xuanwu Pass and was now en route to Fengjun, intending to join forces with Wang Bingzheng to defeat Hu Da's army.
Xu Youliang was overjoyed and immediately ordered Zhang Gui to meet with Wang Jun to discuss the siege
. Seeing Youliang's victorious return, Wang Jun knew Zhuojun was within reach and rushed to Youliang's camp to discuss the plan.
It was Zhang Gui who came up with the idea: to cut off the head, one must first cut off the arms. They suggested surrounding Zhuojun
and attacking Yaocheng separately. Previously, Zhuojun and Yaocheng could exchange arrows to kill each other's attacking soldiers; now, they could use the Iron Pagodas to suppress the archers on Zhuojun's walls, preventing them from supporting Yaocheng's defense. This would make conquering Yaocheng much easier.
Everyone agreed with this suggestion. That night, Xu Youliang sent men to quietly move the Iron Pagoda to the open space outside the east gate of the city, load it with ammunition, and aim it at the city walls on both sides.
Xu Youliang ordered the signal cannon to be fired. As soon as the signal cannon fired, the people on the city walls knew that an attack was imminent. They hurriedly prepared bows and arrows, ash bottles, cannonballs, logs, and pounding stones, and ran to the battlements to look down. They saw nothing but emptiness below, with not a single soldier coming to attack. Just as they were ignoring it, a deafening cannon blast suddenly rang out, and iron balls the size of soybeans shot up the city walls, instantly killing many of the soldiers. The rest were so frightened that they ran away from the battlements, wondering what could possibly be able to hurt people from below.
The soldiers firing the cannons didn't light any lamps, launching a surprise attack in the dark. So, those on the city walls were attacked but couldn't see anyone, not knowing what was happening. It was only after a long time that they realized it was the Iron Pagoda (a type of cavalry unit). No one dared to go to the city walls to investigate anymore, so they could only crouch behind the battlements, firing arrows wildly, posing no threat to Xu Youliang and Wang Jun. Youliang
ordered his men to attack the city quickly. The soldiers immediately rushed across the moat, placed ladders against the city wall, and shouted in unison, grabbing the ladders and shaking them wildly.
The soldiers inside, seeing the ladders moving, thought someone was climbing the city, so they hid behind the battlements, waiting to pry them off. But after shaking them for a long time, no one came up. The soldiers were bewildered. They wanted to look but dared not, because as soon as someone peeked out, a loud crash from the Iron Pagoda cavalry smashed their head, and the others dared not look again.
Less than half an hour into the battle, chaos erupted on the city walls. Someone shouted, "It's terrible! Wang Bingzheng and Xu Youliang's army has breached the city! Run for your lives!"
Soon after, the city gates were opened, and many soldiers rushed out, trying to escape towards Zhuojun City. Xu Youliang had already ambushed his army along the moat. Seeing the gates open, he immediately led his troops into the city, and the city gates fell instantly.
Xu Youliang rushed into the city and saw Wang Jun approaching from the other side. The two met and were overjoyed.
Youliang said, "I wonder where Pang Qi is now? Let's go find him quickly."
Wang Jun proudly replied, "No need to look anymore, that old scoundrel Pang Qi has already been captured."
Hearing this, Youliang hurriedly congratulated him.
It turned out that when Youliang fired the cannons, he had drawn the attention of the defenders on both sides of the city. Wang Jun, however, had secretly led his army to the eastern wall of the city and sent the siblings Feng Zijun and Feng Meiyu to climb up the wall by hand.
Because of the loud cannon fire from the west and news of the Iron Pagoda's bombardment of the city, the imperial troops were focused solely on the Iron Pagoda and never imagined anyone would use such a method to scale the city walls. Thus, the brother and sister easily climbed the city walls, killed the gate guards, and opened the gates to let Wang Jun in. Once
inside, Wang Jun was like a tiger in flight, brandishing his halberd and killing anyone in sight.
Seeing the city had fallen, the government troops fled desperately towards the west gate.
Pang Qi, hearing the cannon fire, first ran to the west gate, then, hearing that the east gate had fallen, hurriedly rode east. Reaching the east end of the street, he encountered Wang Jun. Pang Qi, lacking fighting spirit, fought only a few rounds before being knocked off his horse by Wang Jun's halberd shaft. Wang Jun ordered his soldiers to bind him and then charged west, where he encountered You Liang.
The group fought their way through the city, annihilating the entire defending force.
Because Yaocheng was several dozen feet higher than Zhuojun, Xu Youliang wanted to use Yaocheng to launch cannons, so Wang Jun ceded the city to Youliang.
Youliang ordered the iron cavalry to be brought into the city and lined up on the west city wall, aimed at Zhuojun.
By dawn, the cannons were in place, and Youliang ordered his soldiers to replace the iron shot with large pebbles. Then they fired all at once, and the cannons roared like thunder. The flying stones flew across the sky between the two cities and landed in the city. Although they weren't very accurate, they psychologically intimidated the soldiers of Zhuojun, making them live in constant fear.
Youliang, on the city wall, watched the soldiers of Zhuojun on the other side being bombarded by the cannons and hiding behind the battlements, not daring to show their faces. He felt extremely pleased.
While watching the soldiers fire cannons for amusement, Zhang Gui arrived, saying that the two military governors, Wang Bingzheng and Feng Qing, had arrived in Zhuo County and were waiting at their camp. He invited You Liang to return and meet them.
You Liang was very surprised, not expecting them to arrive so quickly. He quickly got up, ordered his soldiers to continue firing the cannons, and followed Zhang Gui to his own camp.
How the three sides will discuss their meeting remains to be seen.

Chapter Forty – A Master's Assistance Breaks Xuanwu Pass, Hu King's Army Suffers Losses.

So, how did Feng Qing manage to capture Xuanwu Pass so quickly and come to join the attack?
It turns out that after Hu Da left, Feng Qing was relieved of pressure and focused on how to capture Xuanwu Pass. However, the garrison commander Zhang Dehai and General Guan Tong, remembering Hu Da's lesson, avoided battle. Facing the fortified city, Feng Qing, no matter how capable, could not defeat them. He was constantly worried and distressed.
One day, Feng Qing and several generals left the camp and were surveying the terrain around Xuanwu Pass when they suddenly heard He Yuanlong behind them shout, "General, be careful!"
A white light grazed past their noses and embedded itself in a tree beside them.
"Assassins! Protect the general!" The generals hurriedly surrounded Feng Qing, but when they looked around, there was no one in sight.
Feng Qing, still shaken, looked up at the tree and saw a willow-leaf steel dart with a small note attached. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Generals, don't be afraid. This is a flying dart carrying a message, not an assassination attempt."
He Yuanlong quickly took the dart and the note, which read: "At the fourth watch tonight, come to attack the city. The waving red lantern is the signal; then you may enter the pass."
Feng Qing said, "This person is a friend, not an enemy. He wants to help us take Xuanwu Pass."
"We don't know his name or where to thank him."
"Just look at the dart."
He Yuanlong examined it and saw the character "Zhou" engraved on it.
He Yuanlong said, "This man's surname is Zhou, but his given name is unknown. We must be wary of a trap." Just then, a hard lump of earth struck his lip, causing him to cry out in pain.
A man's voice then came from the shadows: "He doesn't appreciate kindness! He deserves a beating!"
Feng Qing hurriedly said, "Who is this wise man who helped us? Please leave your name so we can thank you later."
"A man from the mountains, nameless and without surname, it's fine not to mention it. The rise and fall of the nation is a matter for all people, so there's no need for thanks. General, you should quickly prepare to attack the city."
Before Feng Qing could say anything more, the voice had fallen silent. Knowing it was a reclusive master who disliked worldly troubles, he let it go.
At midnight, Feng Qing led his army quietly away from the camp, crept to the city walls, and lay in ambush.
At first, they saw soldiers wandering around the city walls, but soon they all disappeared. Then, someone on the city wall shook a red lantern three times.
To prevent a trap, Feng Qing didn't dare attack with his entire army, but instead sent He Yuanlong ahead of him.
He Yuanlong led two thousand men, stealthily approaching the city walls, only to find the gates wide open. He cautiously entered, only to find the guards on either side asleep on the ground, unresponsive to any rousing.
Passing through the barbican, He Yuanlong ordered men to guard the gates while he himself ascended the city wall via the ramparts. There,
he saw the soldiers on the gate tower also asleep. He Yuanlong knew they were likely poisoned and was overjoyed. He quickly fired a signal arrow. Upon seeing the signal, Feng Qing ordered cannons to be fired and the soldiers to rush into the city. The defenders on the distant city walls realized the danger and charged towards the gate, but it was too late.
Feng Qing led his men into the city like tigers. Some soldiers followed Pei Feng to the city walls to repel the enemy forces on both sides, securing the gates. He himself led five female generals, including Yue Ling, straight to the garrison headquarters.
They rode for half a street before reaching the garrison commander's residence. They saw the commander, Hu Dehai, rush out without even putting on his armor, mount his horse, and charge into battle. Lingfeng pierced him through the chest with a spear, then flung him through the air, sending him crashing down onto the gate tower of the garrison commander's residence, where he tumbled to his death. After
killing Hu Dehai, Feng Qing went to find Guan Tong.
Guan Tong wasn't staying at the garrison commander's residence, but rather in a large mansion. Hearing the cannon fire, he awoke, donned his armor, mounted his horse, and rode to the battlefield, only to encounter Feng Qing.
Feng Qing pointed and shouted, "Guan Tong, why don't you dismount and surrender? What are you waiting for?"
"I am an official of the court! How can I surrender to a rebel? Feng Qing, give me your life!" With that, he spurred his black steed, brandishing his golden-studded mace, and charged straight at Feng Qing, bringing it down on his head.
Upon seeing this, Yue Ling immediately spurred her horse and charged forward with her spear to intercept him. Despite her petite stature, Yue Ling possessed considerable strength, riding her prized black-footed jade dragon steed and wielding a ten-foot-long spear; her martial arts were also extraordinary.
The two fought for a dozen or so rounds, neither gaining the upper hand. Yue Ling said, "You are a worthy opponent; this is the only way to truly enjoy a fight."
After another dozen or so rounds, Yue Ling suddenly turned her horse in a circle and leaped outwards. Guan Tong, thinking she was fleeing, spurred his horse after her, but Yue Ling's horse circled back, landing behind him. Caught off guard, Guan Tong realized he was in trouble when she was already behind him. It was too late to escape; Yue Ling pierced his ribs with her spear, causing him to cry out in pain and fall from his horse.
After capturing Xuanwu Pass, they searched everywhere for their ally, but to no avail. A note was found on the signal lantern, which read: "Wang Bingzheng is currently engaged in fierce battle with Hu Da. Quickly go to Fengjun to join forces."
Feng Qing then rested his troops for a day and headed to Fengjun. However, upon arriving in Fengjun, he found that Hu Da had withdrawn.
As for Wang Bingzheng, he had left Zhuojun that day and soon arrived in Fengjun, just in time to find Hu Da's army arriving.
The two sides lined up outside the city to engage in battle.
Hu Da had originally brought ten generals from the capital: Hong Bin, Liu Tao, Zhang Zhiwu, Yu Deshui, Cao Dongsheng, Guan Tong, and the female generals Zhang Mudan, Wang Juhua, Li Yueji, and Zhao Shuixian.
Hong Bin, Liu Tao, and Yu Deshui had already been killed in the battle at Xuanwu Pass, and Guan Tong later died there as well. After Hu Da entered Beigu City, he transferred five generals from the three eastern passes: Bian Yu, Lu Deqiang, Sun Fengming, Zhang Haitao, and Liu Ziyu. Zhang Zhiwu, Cao Dongsheng, and Bian Yu were taken to Nanling Pass by Tao Long and were killed by Xu Youliang's Iron Pagoda outside Baihua Mountain Peach Blossom Valley. This time, Grand Tutor Hu only had Lu Deqiang, Sun Fengming, Zhang Haitao, Liu Ziyu, and four female generals left, totaling eight men.
Wang Bingzheng's side had ten generals: Wang Ke, Guan Yuan, Ding Qi, Gu Feng, Ke Liang, Bi Fuxing, Ma Youdao, and female generals Wang Yinping, Qi Qiaoyun, and Hua Mingyu.
The two sides met, but their words fell flat, and they immediately began to fight.
Bi Fuxing, a newly recruited general under Wang Bingzheng, eager to prove himself, rode out first, riding a blue-maned horse and wielding a golden-handled jujube spear, challenging the enemy to battle.
Hu Da ordered Lu Deqiang, the garrison commander of Donghai Longshou Pass, to join the fray. Lu Deqiang, riding a chestnut horse, also wielded a golden-handled jujube spear. The two spearmen clashed, relying entirely on skill; there was no room for trickery.
Although both were equally skilled, Bi Fuxing was a novice, while Lu Deqiang was a seasoned garrison commander. After about twenty rounds, Lu Deqiang roared, knocked Bi Fuxing off his horse, cut off his head, hung it around his horse's neck, and returned to his own lines.
Ma Youdao, a general under Wang Bingzheng, saw this and rushed out to challenge Lu Deqiang. Ma Youdao rode a rouge-colored horse and wielded a nine-eared, eight-ringed saber. Sun Fengming, the garrison commander of Longwei Pass on the opposite side, also drew his sword and charged out.
Sun Fengming rode a white frost-covered steed and wielded a golden-backed mountain-chopping saber. This time, both men used sabers, and there was no room for trickery. After more than thirty rounds of fighting, Sun Fengming cleaved Ma Youdao in half, head and shoulder.
Having lost two battles in a row, Wang Bing was furious and about to send out his generals when Gu Feng and Ke Liang's warhorses galloped out simultaneously, challenging Lu Deqiang and Sun Fengming. The two generals, still brimming with killing intent after their victories, responded and charged out to fight Gu Feng and Ke Liang separately.
Gu Feng rode the Black Dragon Steed, wielding a convenient chain shovel; Ke Liang rode the Yellow Ginger Horse, wielding an octagonal purple-gold hammer.
The four generals fought for over twenty rounds without a clear victor. Zhang Haitao, the garrison commander of Longbei Pass, and Liu Ziyu, the garrison commander of Qinglong Pass, fearing their own men were exhausted from the recent battle, offered to replace them. Guan Yuan and Ding Qi, seeing this, quickly rode out to meet them.
Zhang Haitao rode a horse named Spotted Leopard, wielding a fine iron halberd; Liu Ziyu rode a Jade Flower Steed, wielding twin spears.
The eight generals raised their weapons before the battle, and the two commanders personally beat the battle drums. The eight men, engrossed in their fight, roared like thunder.
After another thirty-odd rounds, Lu Deqiang, having just fought Sun Fengming, was noticeably weaker and gradually began to falter. Four female generals—Zhang Mudan, Wang Juhua, Li Yueji, and Zhao Shuixian—saw this and rushed to his aid, but were intercepted by Guan Yuan, Ding Qi, Qi Qiaoyun, and Hua Mingyu.
Hu Da, realizing the danger, charged forward with his staff. Wang Ke, seeing this, spurred his horse forward to block Hu Da.
Hu Da, though old, was still strong and fought fiercely, and Wang Ke was barely able to hold his own. Wang Yinping quickly rode out to meet him, joining the fray. Hu Da remained fearless, attacking more than defending. Wang Bingzheng then joined the battle.
Thus, a chaotic battle ensued, with twenty generals clashing.
After a long fight, Gu Feng shoveled Lu Deqiang's head off at the neck, while Ke Liang smashed Sun Fengming's head to pieces with his hammer.
Gu Feng and Ke Liang, victorious, rushed to lend their support. Hu Da, fearing for his men, hastily jumped out of the encirclement and shouted for a retreat.
Afterwards, the fighting continued intermittently for seven or eight battles, with neither side achieving any further gains. Wang Bingzheng was anxious about his inability to break through Hu Da's army when suddenly, overnight, Hu Da's forces vanished, startling him. Fearing that Hu Da had found some secret route to outflank him, he hurriedly dispatched several scouts to gather intelligence. However, instead of news of Hu Da, Feng Qing arrived.
This is the course of events. The two men camped in Feng County for several days, learning that Hu Da had retreated to Xiting Pass and deployed his troops, realizing he no longer had the strength to attack. They then ordered Gu Feng and Ke Liang to defend Feng County, while Feng Qing sent He Yuanlong and Pei Feng to garrison Xiangfeng and Huizhou respectively to reinforce Feng County's defenses. Then, Wang Bingzheng and Feng Qing led their respective troops to Zhuo County to join Xu Youliang.
How will the three armies unite? Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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