“My Lady, a disaster is coming!”
Ye Li and her companions were heading for Scattered Snow Pass at top speed. The attacks launched by Nan Zhao and Prince Li happened so abruptly that Hidden Cloud Soldiers had attracted attention when it came here so it was impossible for it to leave without obstacles. That left Ye Li no choice but to travel with Secret Guard No.2, No.3 and several men of Hidden Cloud Soldiers while the rest men went back in small groups.
“What happened?” Ye Li stopped her horse with a frown.
The man of Hidden Cloud Soldiers who came with the report answered in a low voice: “General Wu was assassinated. His army fell into an ambush as soon as it passed the river. The whole army... was wiped out.”
Ye Li was deeply shocked. “How far are we from Scattered Snow Pass now?”
Secret Guard No.2 answered: “A half day’s journey. But... Scattered Snow Pass is already surrounded by Nan Zhao soldiers, I’m afraid we won’t be able to pass when we are there.”
She said: “Take a detour. Put Scattered Snow Pass aside for now. Let's go to Yong Lin first. Prince Li's troops are probably there.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Back at Scattered Snow Pass, the air was still filled with air-rending battle cries and deafening sound of gongs and drums as it did a few days ago. Murong Shen looked grimly down from the city wall at generals of Nan Zhao who shouted clamor for war. Closing the city's gate against enemy troops continuously was a huge blow to morale. Many of his subordinates wanted badly to go out of the city and meet their enemy head-on which he denied.
“General, please let me face Nanzhao troops outside the city!” A young general pleaded resolutely with anger deep in his eyes. With Nan Zhao troops yelling insults at the foot of the city wall for days, all the young generals and soldiers full of youthful vigor were fuming.
“Shut up! The most important thing for now is to hold the city, not going out into a battle on impulse. Not letting Nan Zhao troops step into Scattered Snow Pass is our goal. Wait for the relief troops!”
Unconvinced, the young general looked at him and asked: “Will the relief troops arrive in time?” There were only 80 thousand of them and at least 300 thousand men combined of troops of Nan Zhao and those of Prince Li who was coming at them from behind.
Murong Shen was quiet for a moment before he answered firmly: “Sure, as long as we can hold Scattered Snow Pass. So don't act on impulse.”
Glancing at those men of Nan Zhao shouting insults at the foot of the city wall, the young general answered with clenched teeth: “Yes, My Lord.”
“My Lord!” A messenger came rashly. “My Lord, news came that General Wu was on his way here with 20 thousand troops. However, after crossing the river, there was an ambush. He was killed!”
Those present gasped in shock.
Murong Shen felt dizzy as if the earth were spinning. Having steadied himself, he asked: “How come? How come Prince Li acted so fast?”
“My Lord! My Lord, last night, Governor of Yong Zhou surrendered his city to Prince Li. Early this morning, Prince Li's troops penetrated Qing Yuan. I’m afraid his vanguard will arrive in Yong Lin in the evening.”
Those present were again shocked. There weren't many troops in Yong Zhou, in addition, Governor of Yong Zhou, the most powerful official in the city surrendered. No wonder Prince Li’s troops advanced victoriously with irresistible force. Given that, Scattered Snow Pass wouldn't be able to stand another two days before Prince Li's troops arrived. Thinking of that, all of them felt a chill up their spines.
Murong Shen was so furious that he burst out laughing instead. “Terrific! What a terrific governor! Who is willing to go and guard Yong Lin?”
Several young generals stepped forward at the same time. “My Lord, I would like to go!”
Murong Shen examined those young men and said with a nod: “Good. Yun Ting, Xia Shu, I give you 20 thousand men. Keep Yong Lin safe. Understand?”
“Yes, My Lord.” The two young men answered in union and left with the order. Neither asked how they were going to guard a city with just 20 thousand men and for how long.
Watching them two leave, Murong Shen glanced at all the generals present and said: “It is the same with us. Let's hold Scattered Snow Pass intact. Understand?”
“Yes! My Lord!”
The normally quiet town of Yong Lin was gripped by depression. All shops were closed, the street abandoned. In contrast to the depression in Scattered Snow Pass where active clashes were avoided, outside Yong Lin, blades and swords clanged and blood was shed.
Under the foot of its city wall, soldiers built ladders in order to come up the wall while men on the wall forced them down with stones and arrows. One man fell, another followed.
Soldiers up the wall were sometimes shot by archers down the wall and fell to death.
Right now, nobody had time to care about those who were shot and fell. All of them were fighting like madmen. None of them remembered they were all men of Great Chu and fellow countrymen. When they came face to face, there was only a life-and-death combat.
“Well? How about I go first?” Up the city wall stood two grim young generals.
“I’ll go first!” Drawing his sword, one of the two turned and left.
The one remained watched him go and sighed. Then he turned around and cut down a man who attempted to climb up the wall.
The city gate opened. The young general charged out with a group of soldiers. The group went among the enemies and dashed around madly in order to relieve the pressure on the wall. The young general took the lead and killed numerous enemies alone the way.
Soon, a big and tall middle-aged man stood in his way. The man got rid of those around them with a wield of his long blade and jeered: “Does Murong Shen have no other subordinate so that he sent a boy who still smells of his mother’s milk in my way? Surrender Yong Lin if you are clever enough. I’ll spare your life!”
The young general’s brows drew tightly together as he sneered: “I don't kill someone without a name. Tell me who you are, traitor, and I’ll leave your body whole.”
“I’m Sun Wei, general of the west vanguard, titled by Prince Li himself.”
The young man rolled his eyes. “So, it's that traitor Mo Jing Li. As for Sun Wei... I've never heard of such a person. Face your death!” Fast and fierce, his sword went at the man who called himself general of the west vanguard without mercy.
For a moment, the middle-aged man reacted with confusion and was finally killed by the boy he looked down on.
The young general spat in disdain. “What a worthless fellow. How dare he bluffing in front of me?”
With its van killed, the enemy troops were thrown into chaos. Seizing this opportunity, troops of Yong Lin came out of the city and engaged in battle. A short while later, the enemy troops fled in a flurry.
“Xia Shu, what do you think?” Back up the wall, as he watched the enemies withdraw in dire straits, the young general who had just displayed his talent forgot all about his depression of the past few days and said delightfully and proudly.
The young man who was called Xia Shu looked out at the distance and said with a frown: “It was only a vanguard. Though we've driven them away, when their crack troops come...”
The young general couldn't help frowning too. The joy of success started to leave him.
Several hundred thousand pigs would be able to drown them, let alone several hundred thousand soldiers. With 20 thousand men, it was hard for them to hold the city, let alone facing their enemies head-on. Different from Scattered Snow Pass, if they didn't fight, Prince Li’s troops might take a detour and avoid Yong Lin. It might be a bit troublesome for Prince Li’s troops, but it wasn’t completely impossible. Once Prince Li had Scattered Snow Pass, Yong Lin was as good as under his control.
“Well, if they come, I’ll drive them away all the same! I, Yun Ting, am not a coward!” The young general snorted.
A smile appeared on Xia Shu’s face slowly. “Good. Let me make it clear. Next time, it is my turn.”
“My Lady, a disaster is coming!”
Ye Li and her companions were heading for Scattered Snow Pass at top speed. The attacks launched by Nan Zhao and Prince Li happened so abruptly that Hidden Cloud Soldiers had attracted attention when it came here so it was impossible for it to leave without obstacles. That left Ye Li no choice but to travel with Secret Guard No.2, No.3 and several men of Hidden Cloud Soldiers while the rest men went back in small groups.
“What happened?” Ye Li stopped her horse with a frown.
The man of Hidden Cloud Soldiers who came with the report answered in a low voice: “General Wu was assassinated. His army fell into an ambush as soon as it passed the river. The whole army... was wiped out.”
Ye Li was deeply shocked. “How far are we from Scattered Snow Pass now?”
Secret Guard No.2 answered: “A half day’s journey. But... Scattered Snow Pass is already surrounded by Nan Zhao soldiers, I’m afraid we won’t be able to pass when we are there.”
She said: “Take a detour. Put Scattered Snow Pass aside for now. Let's go to Yong Lin first. Prince Li's troops are probably there.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Back at Scattered Snow Pass, the air was still filled with air-rending battle cries and deafening sound of gongs and drums as it did a few days ago. Murong Shen looked grimly down from the city wall at generals of Nan Zhao who shouted clamor for war. Closing the city's gate against enemy troops continuously was a huge blow to morale. Many of his subordinates wanted badly to go out of the city and meet their enemy head-on which he denied.
“General, please let me face Nanzhao troops outside the city!” A young general pleaded resolutely with anger deep in his eyes. With Nan Zhao troops yelling insults at the foot of the city wall for days, all the young generals and soldiers full of youthful vigor were fuming.
“Shut up! The most important thing for now is to hold the city, not going out into a battle on impulse. Not letting Nan Zhao troops step into Scattered Snow Pass is our goal. Wait for the relief troops!”
Unconvinced, the young general looked at him and asked: “Will the relief troops arrive in time?” There were only 80 thousand of them and at least 300 thousand men combined of troops of Nan Zhao and those of Prince Li who was coming at them from behind.
Murong Shen was quiet for a moment before he answered firmly: “Sure, as long as we can hold Scattered Snow Pass. So don't act on impulse.”
Glancing at those men of Nan Zhao shouting insults at the foot of the city wall, the young general answered with clenched teeth: “Yes, My Lord.”
“My Lord!” A messenger came rashly. “My Lord, news came that General Wu was on his way here with 20 thousand troops. However, after crossing the river, there was an ambush. He was killed!”
Those present gasped in shock.
Murong Shen felt dizzy as if the earth were spinning. Having steadied himself, he asked: “How come? How come Prince Li acted so fast?”
“My Lord! My Lord, last night, Governor of Yong Zhou surrendered his city to Prince Li. Early this morning, Prince Li's troops penetrated Qing Yuan. I’m afraid his vanguard will arrive in Yong Lin in the evening.”
Those present were again shocked. There weren't many troops in Yong Zhou, in addition, Governor of Yong Zhou, the most powerful official in the city surrendered. No wonder Prince Li’s troops advanced victoriously with irresistible force. Given that, Scattered Snow Pass wouldn't be able to stand another two days before Prince Li's troops arrived. Thinking of that, all of them felt a chill up their spines.
Murong Shen was so furious that he burst out laughing instead. “Terrific! What a terrific governor! Who is willing to go and guard Yong Lin?”
Several young generals stepped forward at the same time. “My Lord, I would like to go!”
Murong Shen examined those young men and said with a nod: “Good. Yun Ting, Xia Shu, I give you 20 thousand men. Keep Yong Lin safe. Understand?”
“Yes, My Lord.” The two young men answered in union and left with the order. Neither asked how they were going to guard a city with just 20 thousand men and for how long.
Watching them two leave, Murong Shen glanced at all the generals present and said: “It is the same with us. Let's hold Scattered Snow Pass intact. Understand?”
“Yes! My Lord!”
The normally quiet town of Yong Lin was gripped by depression. All shops were closed, the street abandoned. In contrast to the depression in Scattered Snow Pass where active clashes were avoided, outside Yong Lin, blades and swords clanged and blood was shed.
Under the foot of its city wall, soldiers built ladders in order to come up the wall while men on the wall forced them down with stones and arrows. One man fell, another followed.
Soldiers up the wall were sometimes shot by archers down the wall and fell to death.
Right now, nobody had time to care about those who were shot and fell. All of them were fighting like madmen. None of them remembered they were all men of Great Chu and fellow countrymen. When they came face to face, there was only a life-and-death combat.
“Well? How about I go first?” Up the city wall stood two grim young generals.
“I’ll go first!” Drawing his sword, one of the two turned and left.
The one remained watched him go and sighed. Then he turned around and cut down a man who attempted to climb up the wall.
The city gate opened. The young general charged out with a group of soldiers. The group went among the enemies and dashed around madly in order to relieve the pressure on the wall. The young general took the lead and killed numerous enemies alone the way.
Soon, a big and tall middle-aged man stood in his way. The man got rid of those around them with a wield of his long blade and jeered: “Does Murong Shen have no other subordinate so that he sent a boy who still smells of his mother’s milk in my way? Surrender Yong Lin if you are clever enough. I’ll spare your life!”
The young general’s brows drew tightly together as he sneered: “I don't kill someone without a name. Tell me who you are, traitor, and I’ll leave your body whole.”
“I’m Sun Wei, general of the west vanguard, titled by Prince Li himself.”
The young man rolled his eyes. “So, it's that traitor Mo Jing Li. As for Sun Wei... I've never heard of such a person. Face your death!” Fast and fierce, his sword went at the man who called himself general of the west vanguard without mercy.
For a moment, the middle-aged man reacted with confusion and was finally killed by the boy he looked down on.
The young general spat in disdain. “What a worthless fellow. How dare he bluffing in front of me?”
With its van killed, the enemy troops were thrown into chaos. Seizing this opportunity, troops of Yong Lin came out of the city and engaged in battle. A short while later, the enemy troops fled in a flurry.
“Xia Shu, what do you think?” Back up the wall, as he watched the enemies withdraw in dire straits, the young general who had just displayed his talent forgot all about his depression of the past few days and said delightfully and proudly.
The young man who was called Xia Shu looked out at the distance and said with a frown: “It was only a vanguard. Though we've driven them away, when their crack troops come...”
The young general couldn't help frowning too. The joy of success started to leave him.
Several hundred thousand pigs would be able to drown them, let alone several hundred thousand soldiers. With 20 thousand men, it was hard for them to hold the city, let alone facing their enemies head-on. Different from Scattered Snow Pass, if they didn't fight, Prince Li’s troops might take a detour and avoid Yong Lin. It might be a bit troublesome for Prince Li’s troops, but it wasn’t completely impossible. Once Prince Li had Scattered Snow Pass, Yong Lin was as good as under his control.
“Well, if they come, I’ll drive them away all the same! I, Yun Ting, am not a coward!” The young general snorted.
A smile appeared on Xia Shu’s face slowly. “Good. Let me make it clear. Next time, it is my turn.”
