47: Chapter 47 Beautiful Women Have Often Fate (18)

Traveling day and night for twelve days, the Northern Expedition Army approached the border of Beichuan.

The closer they got to Qinzhou City, the more refugees they saw. They were carrying their children, their faces full of exhaustion, their clothes in tatters, having fled all the way from Changning and Qinzhou City.

Upon seeing the Northern Expedition Army, they hurriedly made way, standing on both sides of the road, kneeling and kowtowing on the ground, tears streaming down their faces.

"General, I beg you to avenge us! My husband, my son and daughter-in-law, and my grandson were all killed by the Beirong. My poor grandson was only a month old. The Beirong are worse than pigs or dogs..."

"General, we are the only ones who managed to escape from Changning City... and Qinzhou City. Many others are still trapped inside, used for their amusement as they kill at will. Both cities have become a living hell on earth."

"General, General, please save my husband... I beg you to save him. To cover our escape, he fought off the Beirong jackals with his bare hands. Now, I don't know if he is dead or alive..."

"General..."

The sounds of weeping and the pleas for help moved Hong Yun to tears; she turned away and secretly wiped her eyes.

"Men, send a detachment to escort these refugees to the nearest county for resettlement. The army will continue to advance at speed. We must reach the Qinzhou pass before dark!" Pei Ji ordered.

"Your Highness, we are currently only half a day's journey from Qinzhou. The army has been marching for days and is already exhausted. Once we arrive at Qinzhou City, there will be a hard battle to fight. Zhao Yan dares to suggest that we rest here, conserve our strength, and strengthen our defenses to guard against sneak attacks by small groups of Beirong stragglers."

"It would be better if we depart early tomorrow morning, arrive at Qinzhou in the afternoon, and lay siege to the city. Tonight, you and I can study the tactics."

Pei Ji felt grief and indignation, but knowing she was thinking of the war effort, he nodded in agreement.

In the evening, Zhao Yan went to see the remnants of the Xuanjia Army. Before the army set out, she had persuaded the Prince of Beichuan, Pei Ji, to gather the remaining 4,000 soldiers of the Xuanjia Army from the other camps and place them under her command to fight against the Beirong.

After nearly three years, the illustrious Xuanjia Army was finally able to see the light of day again and defend their homeland. One can only imagine the complexity of their emotions.

However, the great general they revered was no longer in the army.

When Zhao Yan inspected the camp, she saw that the Xuanjia Army soldiers had shaken off the despondency they displayed when they first met. Although they were physically tired from days of marching, their spirits were high. Some held spears with heads wrapped in thick cotton; others brandished broadswords, using the blunt side against each other. They wore their newly issued armor and sparred with one another.

Others held longbows, drawing them fully, their eyes locked on fruit on a tree a hundred paces away. They released the arrows, and with a snap, the arrow struck the fruit directly, knocking it off the branch.

This skill of piercing a willow leaf at a hundred paces was truly remarkable.

The soldiers were locked in intense sparring, training with utmost seriousness. The scene was fervent, and everyone was drenched in sweat. They didn't even notice her arrival, which showed they were truly giving their all to prepare for the coming war.

This was the Xuanjia Army personally trained by the old General Situ; a feeling of pride and admiration welled up in her heart.

Yan Lang had just finished shooting ten arrows with a perfect hit rate. He was satisfied; fortunately, he hadn't let his martial arts skills rust. Turning his head, he saw Zhao Yan standing behind him, watching him shoot. He quickly stepped back to salute, "Miss Bai—"

Zhao Yan reached out to gesture for him to stop, signaling him not to make a fuss. "I'm just here to take a look."

"Aren't you all resting? We're going to war tomorrow. Aren't you tired after marching for days?"

"Not tired. As long as there is a battle to fight, we are never tired. Moreover, we are driving the barbarians out of our Central Plains. Everyone is fully motivated and in high spirits." Yan Lang's eyes sparkled with excitement, a stark contrast to the despondency he had shown at the South Camp training ground.

Zhao Yan smiled slightly, "Good. However, you must get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow, we will help the Xuanjia Army make a comeback."

The next morning, just as the main army was about to set out, the Xuanjia Army was told to depart separately with Miss Bai.

Since returning from the camp inspection last night and seeing the state of the Xuanjia Army, Zhao Yan had come up with an idea. After discussing it with Pei Ji that evening, she finally convinced him to agree to the plan.

Thus, it was decided that Pei Ji would lead the main army to challenge the enemy and lay siege to Qinzhou City from the front, while Zhao Yan would lead the 5,000 Xuanjia soldiers to sneak into the city from the West Gate.

At first, Pei Ji was noncommittal about this plan. Sneak into the city? How?

Setting aside his questions, Zhao Yan carefully asked about the height of the East and West city gates, the distance between them, the deployment of troops, routes, and other issues, before telling him her idea.

After listening, Pei Ji raised his eyes and looked steadily at the person in front of him. Wearing a veil hat, she was not clearly visible through the white gauze.

"I have noted everything Your Highness said. Have you remembered what I said? When you go to challenge them at the East Gate, order your men to beat the drums loudly and do not stop."

Seeing Pei Ji silent, Zhao Yan thought he still didn't approve of her plan, so she said, "It is not that I, Zhao Yan, want to show off the capabilities of the Bai Clan, nor is it that I doubt Your Highness's prowess. You are brave and skilled in battle; taking Qinzhou is only a matter of time. But this afternoon, I heard from the refugees fleeing along the road that there are still many innocent people from our Central Plains inside the city. I fear that once Your Highness strikes, the city's defending general will be pushed to desperation and take it out on the people of Qinzhou."

"If my plan is feasible, you can go and draw their attention while I take the Xuanjia Army and enter through the West Gate. Then, we can strike a fatal blow to the defending general at the East Gate from behind. This will not only save the people in the city but also allow us to take Qinzhou City with minimal bloodshed."

"Even if I cannot break through the West Gate, it will not delay Your Highness from attacking the East Gate. Therefore, if you are willing to let me try, there is no loss for you."

Yet Pei Ji just stared at her with deep, dark eyes without speaking. Zhao Yan couldn't tell what he meant.

"Your Highness, rest assured. The 100-foot-high East city wall would take some effort for me, and the target is too large to easily succeed. But that 60-foot-high West city wall, I can—"

"As you wish." His thin lips parted slightly, uttering only two words.

Her words were cut off. Zhao Yan was stunned. He just agreed? Then, her tone became a bit cheerful, "Then thank you for your trust, Your Highness."

The next day, as soon as Pei Ji's army set out, Zhao Yan took off her veil hat, tied her long hair up high, and changed into a white, small-sleeved robe. She wore leather boots with narrow openings, donned silver armor, and covered it with a plain silk robe. She tucked the Seven-Star Dagger given to her by Xiao Mu into her leather boots and lifted the tent flap to go out.

Yechen had already finished counting the men and was just waiting for her order.

Suddenly, he felt the gazes of the crowd were off. He turned back and saw her, her features clear and refined, her face exquisite, looking heroic and spirited, as radiant as the moon.

Yechen was already accustomed to any appearance of his young master, but he had to admit that the first time he saw her, the impact was such that his expression was no better than theirs.

"Set off!" Zhao Yan vaulted onto her horse, took the red-tasseled spear handed to her by Hong Yun, and gave the order.

At noon, Pei Ji's army arrived at the East Gate of Qinzhou City. The army stood in a square formation. The Beichuan Army was well-disciplined, heroic, and high in fighting spirit. Looking at the leader, he was dressed in black armor, holding a nine-foot-five-inch broadsword, the blade revealing a bloodthirsty cold light under the sun.

When Tuva, the Beirong defending general watching from the Qinzhou city wall, saw the person coming, his scalp tingled; he was all too familiar with that broadsword.

Eight years ago, it was the person below the wall who, riding on an iron cavalry, led the charge, wielding that broadsword weighing over a hundred catties, reaping the heads of his Beirong soldiers like cutting watermelons. His own brother had unfortunately died under that blade.

Tuva's eyes turned red; he wished he could devour the person below alive. But he also knew that in a one-on-one fight, he would certainly be no match for this person.

Fortunately, when he first received news that the Prince of Beichuan, Pei Ji, was gathering an army for the Northern Expedition, he had already sent several letters for reinforcements. At this moment, his Beirong reinforcements were already on the way. He only needed to drag it out for three or four days. Once the reinforcements arrived, he and the reinforcements could attack Pei Ji from the front and back; it was not impossible to win.

He had originally planned well to keep the gates closed. But who would have thought that after Pei Ji's messenger challenged them three times, his East Gate opened? A figure shot out like an arrow on horseback, shouting, "Pei Ji, you brat! Today I will take your head to avenge my father!"

Pei Ji really didn't want to know who his father was; after all, there were quite a few Beirong who had died under his broadsword. If he remembered them one by one, when would he ever finish?

But since the other side insisted on announcing his name, he had a slight impression; it turned out to be the general who had invaded Changning City eight years ago.

"Oh no!" Tuva had only been thinking about how to delay, forgetting that his nephew, Butuo, was accompanying him on this expedition and would never let it go if he saw Pei Ji.

Before coming, he had repeatedly warned him, telling him how powerful Pei Ji was—endless strength, a merciless killer, and someone who especially hated the Beirong. His broadsword alone weighed over a hundred catties and was bloodthirsty. For others, let alone using it, even lifting it was difficult, yet he wielded it with mighty force.

But being young, Butuo was always dismissive, thinking it was an exaggeration.

Watching the two below the wall already engaged in battle, Tuva hurriedly ordered four capable subordinates to go out of the city and bring the young general back. He feared that if they were late, Butuo would lose his life.

The four subordinates received the order and left.

Outside the city gate, Butuo slashed horizontally and vertically, his broadsword exceptionally fierce. But the moment he engaged with the opponent, he secretly thought, 'Oh no!' How could he withstand this strength? He had barely parried two moves when the pressure of the broadsword coming down made his hand numb, and he almost couldn't hold his weapon.

Pei Ji delivered another side slash. Butuo hurriedly withdrew his blade to block, but was crushed by the force, the back of his own blade slamming heavily into his ribs, and he was almost knocked off his horse.

Pei Ji fought nonchalantly, familiar with the routine. In a few exchanges, he had beaten the opponent into having no ability to parry. He wanted to see what other killing moves he had, but the man couldn't even defend himself, let alone attack. Pei Ji lost patience; the man's dead father could at least take ten of his moves, while this one couldn't even manage five.

Pei Ji thrust his broadsword directly forward. Butuo saw he couldn't dodge in time—

The four lieutenants arrived. One of them only had time to leap forward and use his body to block that blade for him.

Pei Ji pulled his blade out and threw the man off the horse. Having escaped death, Butuo was truly terrified this time. He dared not boast anymore and only thought of how to escape.

Fortunately, the other three lieutenants intercepted Pei Ji for him. Taking advantage of the fact that Pei Ji was distracted, he spurred his horse and ran toward the city gate.

Pei Ji killed the three men in succession. Seeing the city gate slowly opening and Butuo about to enter, he casually picked up a long spear from a soldier beside him and threw it with all his might. The spearhead pierced through the armor, killing the man on the spot.

Butuo instantly lost his balance and fell from his horse. The person got in, and the city gate closed.

"Butuo—" Tuva's eyes were bloodshot; anger and hatred filled his heart. This was his brother's only son. He had sacrificed four lieutenants, yet he still hadn't managed to protect him.

The battle at the East Gate was intense, with the sound of drums constant, and no one knew how the battle was going. The people at the West Gate were in a panic. Hearing that the Prince of Beichuan, Pei Ji, had led an army, they were all worried that the Beirong would repeat the mistake of Changning City eight years ago.

In that battle of Changning City, over ten thousand Beirong soldiers were beheaded, and not a single prisoner survived; there were no bones left.

If they lost this battle... the consequences would be unimaginable. They could only pin their hopes on General Tuva being able to kill Pei Ji on the spot and hope that reinforcements would arrive quickly. If that failed, they could still close the gates and wait for reinforcements.

Before long, the soldier who went to the East Gate to scout returned, saying that all four lieutenants by General Tuva's side had died, and the young general, Butuo, had also been killed by Pei Ji.

Everyone turned pale, living in constant fear.

Under these circumstances, who had the heart to stand guard properly? Their hearts had already flown to the East Gate, and they didn't know if Pei Ji would break the city in one fell swoop.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yan instructed four or five agile Xuanjia soldiers, Hong Yun, and Yechen to hide on both sides of the city wall.

She slipped to the bottom of the West Gate alone, her back against the wall. She pulled out the iron-cutting dagger from her leather boots, leaped up, and reached the middle height of the city wall. She plunged the dagger into the wall, used the leverage to leap again, pulled the dagger out, and went straight up to the 60-foot-high city wall. She turned and threw down several ropes from her sleeves.

The soldiers at the West Gate were dumbfounded, thinking they were dreaming. They rubbed their eyes; someone had actually jumped directly onto the city gate!

And this person was a woman in armor, exceptionally beautiful; at least they had never seen anyone like her in their lives.

By the time they came to their senses, she had already tied the other end of the rope to a wall pillar. They then reacted, swarming up, some hacking at the ropes, others hacking at the person.

Zhao Yan struck one Beirong soldier back with a palm and snatched the long spear from his hand.

With the long spear in hand, she was like a fish in water.

She swept the spear horizontally, knocking several men to the ground, then turned and delivered a back-thrust, piercing through a man's chest. She lifted the man directly into the air, suddenly withdrew the spear, and the corpse was thrown at the crowd of soldiers.

The long spear seemed to have eyes; wherever it pointed, it struck. Fighting against many, she was not in the least bit inferior, forcing the men to retreat repeatedly.

Now, no one had the leisure to admire the beauty; this beauty was a human killing machine.

By the time Hong Yun and the others climbed up, it was almost time to clear the battlefield.

There were not many defending generals at the West Gate to begin with, and they were poked into shambles by the spear, no better than a sieve. If they could hold water, it might leak out from all parts of their bodies.

Hong Yun and Yechen opened the West Gate and let the Xuanjia Army, which had been ambushed all around, into the city.

The Xuanjia Army entered the city, and without a word, they killed every Beirong soldier they saw. They slaughtered their way, blades dripping with blood, as they approached the East Gate.

The East Gate had no idea about the commotion at the West Gate, because Pei Ji's drumbeats were too loud, masking many sounds. However, even if they realized something was wrong, they were in no position to save themselves, so how could they have any extra energy to rescue the West Gate?

On the East Gate, Tuva, because of his nephew's death, couldn't wait for reinforcements and wanted to make Pei Ji pay.

He ordered his men to grab innocent people in the city—the elderly, women, and children—bound them, pushed them onto the city wall, and shoved them in front of the Beichuan Army.

"Pei Ji, you killed my brother, you killed my nephew! This hatred is irreconcilable! In a one-on-one fight, I am not your match, so I will kill your Qinzhou people to vent my anger. I will kill a hundred people today, and another hundred tomorrow, until I have killed all the people of Qinzhou. I want to see if you can break the city faster or if I can kill faster! Even if I die at your hands, I will drag the people of Qinzhou City to be buried with me. This trade is never a loss!"

Pei Ji's eyes were gloomy; the man had really hit the mark. The worst-case scenario had occurred.

He could break the city, but it would take time. By then, how many people would be left in the city?

Pei Ji was anxious inside, but it didn't show on his face.

He raised his hand: "Listen to my order, attack the city—"

Tuva laughed cruelly and viciously, grabbed a child beside him, raised his broadsword high, and slashed toward the crying child's head.

Zhao Yan had just climbed onto the East city wall when she saw this dangerous scene. Without thinking, she flew toward the child, snatched the child away, protected her as they rolled on the ground, and using the spear for support, she knelt on one knee and barely stood steady. The spear of the guard beside Tuva struck toward her.

She threw the child to Yechen, who was following closely behind, and he caught her.

She pulled the spear back, turned, bent down to dodge the sharp edge, swept the spearhead horizontally at her feet, broke through a gap, and the spearhead pointed directly at Tuva's throat.

Tuva watched the spearhead getting closer and closer to him, gleaming with a faint cold light. His eyes widened, he backed away repeatedly, and grabbed a soldier to block in front of him.

He heard the sound of the spearhead piercing a body. Before he could feel lucky, Zhao Yan pushed the spear forward a few more inches.

He saw Tuva's wide-eyed gaze gradually lose focus, and blood slowly spilled from the corner of his mouth. Zhao Yan let go, and the two were pierced through the body by the single long spear, strung up like a candied hawthorn.