"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
The shouts soared straight to the heavens.
...
In Youzhou, the epidemic has already subsided. Those who fell into a coma after being infected with it, as long as they had a breath left, showed improvement after taking the medicine prescribed by Nalan Yiren. After three doses, they were basically cured.
Of course, those who contracted the epidemic and died can’t be resurrected.
The "disaster relief fund" allocated by the court, along with relief grains and compensation from the Fu Ze Restaurant, have reached Youzhou and were distributed to the affected populace.
...
In Ying City, Nalan Yiren and Yu Zhu, clad in silver armor, stood straight with their swords at their sides behind Chen Mo, surveying the border army beneath the high platform together with him.
The fifty thousand border troops were fully equipped and seasoned in many battles, among which half were armed with compound bows.
Zhao Liang was delivering a speech below.
Mainly emphasizing the sins that Jin Xia committed against Great Wei, stirring up the soldiers’ hatred and morale.
...
Nightfall descended.
Within the main camp of the garrison at Haiyan Pass, the garrison commander, Tuoba Zhu, was still awake, unable to sleep.
There were many spy clothes from Jin Xia infiltrating Youzhou lately, and these spies had transmitted the events in Youzhou, including military movements, to him via carrier pigeons.
Although he didn’t know the emperor of Great Wei had already reached Youzhou, based on the current situation in Youzhou, the Plague God was already on its last legs; it wouldn’t be long before it was eliminated.
This was too fast, much quicker than the court’s estimates.
The most worrying for Tuoba Zhu was that the swift extermination of the Plague God did not affect Great Wei significantly, but instead would incite Great Wei’s anger and reprisal.
He speculated that it wouldn’t be long before Great Wei mobilized troops against Jin Xia.
Haiyan Pass only had thirty thousand troops, which did not give him any sense of security. He still vividly remembered the major defeat over two years ago. If the Great Song truly launched a counterattack, this amount of troops would be absolutely unable to hold the line.
He must explain the current situation to the Great Khan, so the Great Khan could reinforce Haiyan Pass.
Just as Tuoba Zhu was writing the secret letter.
Thud, thud, thud—
The ground quivered.
An unexpected and peculiar noise as if someone was drumming from afar or thousands of beasts were galloping.
Tuoba Zhu awoke with a start, having previously been the military supervisor during the assault on the Eastern Army of the Great Song, he recognized all too well, this was the sound of the Great Wei’s war horse hooves, now it was the Wei.
Wei lacked warhorses, especially high-quality ones, so the mainstream warhorses of Wei were cultivated from wild horses in Gaozhou Wutai County; hence, this sound of hooves differed remarkably from those of Jin Xia’s steeds.
Urgent yet orderly like drumming, without a hint of noise apart from the hooves, this muffled sound alone instilled a sense of the grand army’s majesty.
Hearing the sound of Wei’s war horses in the camp at Haiyan Pass, what did this signify?
Tuoba Zhu’s face drastically changed; there wasn’t even time to don armor, grabbing the sword placed beside him, he rose and headed outside the tent.
The camp had already descended into chaos.
A personal soldier hurriedly ran towards Tuoba Zhu.
Seeing Tuoba Zhu, he hastily shouted, "Prince, it’s not good, enemy assault! Enemy assault!"
"Boom!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, a loud explosion echoed from afar, and a blaze shot up into the night sky.
This sound, Tuoba Zhu recognized it all too well.
It was the Strange Thunder of Great Wei.
Great Wei launched a night raid.
Just as Tuoba Zhu steadied his mind, preparing to advance to the city walls and oversee the battle.
"Prince, it’s not good, the city gate was breached by the enemy forces, they’ve entered the city."
A soldier with a gray, black face stumbled towards Tuoba Zhu, unaware of where his helmet had fallen.
"What? The city gate has fallen?!"
Tuoba Zhu was aghast.
As the border pass of Jin Xia, the walls of Haiyan City were extremely tall and thick, and the city gate was very fortified, not only having three giant gates in front, middle, and rear but also a thousand-pound gate latching behind each one, and wouldn’t be breached by the Strange Thunder.
He understood that the Wei garrison in Ying City was led by someone named Zhao Liang, whose cultivation, according to intelligence, was merely that of a Middle-Grade Martial Artist and this capability couldn’t break through the city gate at all.
As for Wei’s elite soldiers, there was no news of their arrival in Ying City.
With the sound of hooves just past, how could the city gate fall so quickly?
"Quickly, wake everyone, let’s drive them out with me," said Tuoba Zhu in a heavy voice.
This Haiyan Pass, he must maintain control of.
The defeat of the Eastern Army last time was shouldered by Gale, coupled with his royal family’s status, the Great Khan didn’t hold him accountable.
But this time, he was the main garrison commander at Haiyan Pass.
If he lost Haiyan Pass, there’d be no good outcome waiting for him back home.
Furthermore, while he couldn’t figure out how the city gate was breached, he felt this night raid was merely the border garrison of Wei, which he could handle.
...
As for where the cannons in Ying City came from...
After Chen Mo’s decisive defeat of Jin Xia’s Eastern Army, he left the supplies at the border pass without taking them back, including the Red Coat Cannons.
It was just that there were no cannonballs then, so when compound bows were distributed to the border garrison, the cannonballs were replenished together.
Once inside the city, Chen Mo, wielding a Tang Blade, led the charge at the forefront, cutting down the obstacle in the city with a single swing, loudly declaring, "Zhao Liang, take your men and assist the State Preceptor in attacking the left wing."
"Understood."
"Understood."
Zhao Liang and Nalan Yiren responded respectfully.
"Yu Zhu, stay close to me."
Riding on horseback, Chen Mo led the troops towards the right wing.
This group of Jin Xia garrison were not rabble; after the city gate was breached, they neither scattered nor fled, but immediately organized a military formation to resist in the city.
With too many people in the city to form up, Jin Xia promptly organized a military formation to resist, thinking that since relatively few Wei troops had entered the city, they could drive this entering Wei force out.
They never expected that the emperor of a nation would not only lead the assault and enter the city but also lead the charge himself.
Chen Mo, like a fierce tiger, charged into the Jin Xia formation. Their swords and spears couldn’t break his defense at all, let alone the personal guards flanking him. Chen Mo unleashed blade lights, and in his eyes, these people were like sugarcane lined up to be chopped.
Wherever he passed, limbs flew, leaving no complete corpse, and he quickly carved out a bloody path, clearing a space for his troops to enter.
"Anyone who deserts in battle will be executed!"
"Enemy, do not indulge in cruelty."
At this moment, Tuoba Zhu led soldiers to fight and after casually slaying a fleeing Jin Xia soldier, he was preparing to rally the remaining troops against the enemy. But as soon as he arrived, his face changed dramatically.
"Chen... Chen Mo..."
Tuoba Zhu recognized Chen Mo’s face and his armor; though it was a dimly lit night in the city, under the surrounding fires’ illumination, he could clearly identify it.
"Gulp..."
He had witnessed the other’s might two years ago, which was deeply etched in his mind.
As soon as they met face to face, he decided to retreat and turned his horse around.
His face turned pale; he never expected Chen Mo to appear. Now that the city gate was breached and Chen Mo led the troops, there was no way he could defend Haiyan Pass.
But Chen Mo had already spotted him, the string of red numbers on his forehead especially conspicuous in the night.
"Protect Princess Consort Xiang."
Chen Mo said to Sun Meng before spurring his horse, landing lightly on a personal soldier’s shoulder, borrowing light strength from him, utilizing the Wandering Dragon Step, and leaping towards Tuoba Zhu.
"Protect the prince."
Chen Mo, airborne, made for a good target; the Jin Xia personal soldiers protecting Tuoba Zhu all drew arrows and shot at Chen Mo.
However, these ordinary arrows could not even come near Chen Mo.
In an instant, Chen Mo reached the vicinity of Tuoba Zhu, landing on his horse.
Given Tuoba Zhu’s prowess, he could naturally perceive Chen Mo on his back and knew that the opponent’s power wouldn’t grant him time to turn and defend, so he raised his hand for a backward stab.
He also knew this move couldn’t possibly harm Chen Mo, so as he thrust, he didn’t concern himself if it hit.
In that instant of leaning back, his hand slapped the horse’s back behind him, sending his whole body airborne.