Chapter 168

Chu Qiao stood high in the watchtower as she looked over the jubilant Beishuo. Seeing that there was some hope of victory, everyone rushed up onto the city walls. Lifting up some simple yet crude stone catapults, they stubbornly defended the city.

The black masses of arrows fired out in batches as the enemies fell like grass under a lawnmower. Wearing a white overcoat, Chu Qiao was expressionless. Hundreds of thousands of lives were being lost every second, and it would be all commanded by a simple gesture from her. The blood flowed like a river, and in some places, it started to form huge puddles. All of a sudden, on this battlefield, it seemed as though human lives were no longer valuable, as they were like mere ants, as the demon of war opened its mouth and swallowed them whole.

Chu Qiao gradually lost her senses, and no longer felt scared, or disgusted. In fact, she did not even feel tired anymore. Was had numbed her senses, and now she only felt stiff from the cold.

Ultimately, war was still merciless. Two days later, the arrows in the city had been exhausted. Another day later, the boulders and rolling trunks were too depleted. For this, Xiao army had sacrificed nearly seven thousand lives. In this barren battlefield, bloodied bodies formed a crimson carpet, as numerous weapons and arrows lay wasted. The defenders of Beishuo were extremely tired, but before they could even grab a bite, the black swarm once again crowded over.

Chu Qiao miserably sighed. Even though they had thrown out their last piece of boulder, and shot out every single arrow, and had inflicted such heavy losses onto the enemies, they still reorganized so quickly and charged up again. Both she and Zhao Yang knew sometimes war was merely a competition of attrition. Whoever lasted longer would be the final winner. Facing such heavy losses, Zhao Yang was planning to give it his all to resuscitate his otherwise serious defeat.

“Master, what should we do?” A subordinate rushed in. With eyes of anticipation, he looked at her. After all, this female general had always managed to bring out some secret weapon to save the day, so the entire second army had overwhelming support for her. Yet, Chu Qiao shook her head and calmly replied, “We have no other method. Let’s fight.”

Hand-to-hand combat finally ensued. In the bloodcurdling howls, even the earth seemed to tremble. The Xia formations seemed like an endless ocean that repeatedly crashed into the city walls of Beishuo wave after wave. The numeric disadvantage was ultimately devastating. As the battle progressed, the city wall had repeatedly been lost to the enemy, and each time, with a bloody counterattack, they regained control over the walls. The Southwest Emissary’s Garrison displayed an overwhelming combat prowess. With barely 3,000 troops, they guarded half the wall. The other half was guarded by over 60,000 soldiers, but the Southwest Emissary’s Garrison still had to frequently assist the other half to repel the enemies.

Two days later, Zhao Yang sent men to dig a trench near the East side of the wall. That caused the collapse of a small segment of the wall. Although Chu Qiao responded quickly, 2,000 of the Xia forces still managed to breach into the city. Those 2,000 were the elites of Xia forces, and it took over four hours to clear them out, creating a mountain of corpses in the process.

“General! The third battalion has completely been decimated! The archer camp and the Fourth Group of the conscripts charged out of the city under the leadership of General Yu. They forced back the Xia soldiers who were digging under our walls, but we had lost all of them! The Xiaolin Camp and the 11th Group have been completely annihilated by the East city walls…”

“General, we can no longer fend off the enemy. We could only hold on for four hours at most. We should retreat!”

He Xiao walked over. There were countless wounds on this young man, as he was drenched in blood. With a hoarse voice, he pleaded, “Master, the entire Southwest Emissary’s Garrison implores you to retreat. We can be the vanguard to make a breakthrough for you in the South gate.”

Yin Liangyu’s face was pale. This man who was an administrative officer mere days ago was now wearing a battle uniform for generals. Frowning, he walked up, “General, the reinforcements will not arrive in time. We do not have time. Please lead the Southwest Emissary’s Garrison, along with the ladies and children, out of this encirclement. Head to Lan City, and as long as you could find Lady Yu, we still have a chance of revival. This subordinate is willing to stay here in Beishuo to keep fending off the enemy.”

Chu Qiao slowly shook her head. Only she knew that there would not be a single person in Yan City. Even if she escaped there, she would merely be attracting the Xia forces to advance inland. Firmly she replied, “I will not retreat.”

“Please! General, you have to think to the bigger picture! Now is not a time for you to be stubborn!”

Chu Qiao lifted her head up and stared into the distance, before confidently declaring, “The reinforcements will definitely arrive.”

“Master!” By now, Xiao He had already become a bit hysterical, as he outright refuted, “Even if the reinforcements are on the way, we may not be able last that long! If we do not leave, we may not get an opportunity to do so anymore.”

Chu Qiao repeated her sentence, still brimming with confidence that bordered on maddening faith, “The reinforcements will arrive.”

The crowds helplessly backed off, as they relayed the order to fight down to the last man. With that instruction, the entire city blew up in a maddened roar. Chu Qiao could not even tell what emotion that was. Was it anger? Sadness? Fear? Bloodthirst? Terror? Hatred? Despair? Or perhaps, it was merely a death cry?

As the day proceeded into the dusk, and the sun turned into a blood crimson, the battle had entered its final stages. The commander of the eighth division, seventh battalion, who was also the cook, held his butcher knife as he dismembered the Xia soldiers who were scaling the wall. A dozen Xia soldiers rushed at him together, but the fat cook merely pounced on them and fell into a fire pit together with them. As the flames burnt them, the Xia soldiers rolled around in panic, trying to extinguish the flames that were burning them, but the cook merely dashed to other Xia soldiers. The burning flames on his body merely added to his seemingly unstoppable aura, as the Xia soldiers panicked and avoided him like the plague. In the end, without so much as giving out a groan, he grabbed the ladder that the Xia army was using to climb up the wall, and with his oversized body, he rolled down, bringing with him the lives of over 20 Xia soldiers. He crashed into the boulders beneath the city.

On that day, hundreds of soldiers witnessed the loyalty and bravery of a mere cook.

“Master! The Eight Group has been decimated!”

“Reinforcements will come.”

“Master! The East wall sector two collapsed! Over 300 enemies had charged in. The Ninth and Tenth Battalion are heading over to intercept them!”

“Reinforcements will come.”

“Master! Quickly leave! The last few formations of the Xia army have entered battle!”

“Reinforcements will come.”

“Master! It would be too late if you do not leave now! The reinforcements will not come! Please give us the order to retreat!”

“Reinforcements will come.”

“Master…”

….

Everyone fell into despair. They thought that Chu Qiao had made up her mind to really defend this city to the last man. As the battle intensified further, the cries of anguish filled the city. As though they were madmen, the Yan Bei soldiers gave their all, as they charged to the enemy while brandishing their blades.

By right, the highest in command must not participate in the battle, but at this moment, Chu Qiao drew her blade. Even at this moment, a certain faith crazily screamed in her mind. Every moment counts. Walking out from the main tent, she arrived at the highest point on the city wall. With her blade drawn out, the light of the setting sun reflected off the cold steel in a faint glimmer.

Xiao He suddenly charged up to her, with his expression in shock. It was hard to tell if he was happy or sad as he anxiously called out, “Master!”

“Do not say anymore!” Chu Qiao interrupted him as she firmly informed him, “I will not retreat. Reinforcements will definitely arrive.”

“Master,” Xiao He licked his pale lips as his continued slowly, “the reinforcements have already arrived.”

Chu Qiao’s frail figure froze up as she turned in the direction of Xiao He’s finger. On the horizon of Huolei plains, a jet black line appeared, with a cloud of dust flying in the air. At this moment, the Xia Army sounded off waves after waves of bugle calls, but the sound was clearly different from one that declared victory. The Xia messengers rushed around the battlefield desperately, as their officers kept shouting at each other. It was panic, absolute panic. The Xia army retreated like a flood, with the Xia soldiers retreating back following the bugle call, but completely confused by the turn of events.

The Earth trembled! Boom! Boom! Boom! All motions ceased in Beishuo city. Those guards who already prepared themselves for death lifted up their heads and stared into the distant East. The thin black line gradually turned into a stream, then a river. And then, like a black eagle poking its head out from the clouds, all of a sudden, the flanks appeared. Like two broad wings of the eagle, the black river turned into an ocean!

In an orderly formation, the intruders seemed unstoppable! Black flags fluttered in the air above the ocean of black, as the war eagle on those flags stared mercilessly at their enemies. Controlling the horse with just their legs, those warriors drew their blades and held it vertically before their face. With a thunderous roar, they shouted, “For Freedom!”

The charge call of the bugle reverberated throughout the heavens, and along with it, Beishuo city gave out a wave of jubilant cheers!

“The black eagle flag! It is His Highness! His Highness came!”

“Our reinforcements are here!”

The cheers of the soldiers mixed in with their tears of joy. In the mere days prior to this, this city had seen much deaths of allies and enemies alike, and with the light of hope suddenly shining before them, they were overwhelmed with ecstasy.

In stark contrast to their cheering was the roars of panic within the Xia army. Zhao Yang found it unbelievable, as he shouted, “How can this be? How did they circle around us!”

“Your Highness! Your Highness!” A messenger rushed up. Strangely, this soldiers was wearing a uniform that would only be seen in Zhen Huang City. Grim and covered in dust, he shouted, “Orders from the imperial capital! You are to immediately turn back to reinforce the capital! The rebel Yan Xun has led 500 thousand troops deep into Imperial territory. The entire Northwestern region has been reduced to rubble. Now, he has turned back to encircle your troops!”

With a bam, Zhao Yang kicked the soldier off his horse, as he snapped in rage, “Why not wait until they have already killed all of us before reporting?”

“This servant has already been traveling day and night. All my comrades have been killed by the Yan Bei army. I had no choice but to be more careful…” That soldiers quickly tried to defend his delay, but before he finished, he got kicked by Zhao Yang again. The Fourteenth Prince quickly ordered, “All forces are to brace! No one is to retreat. Only by steadying our formations can we afford to face the enemies!”

Yet, before his words were even finished, the Southwestern Army, the Northern coalition, and the Batuha troops already broke into a full chaotic rout. Only the Northwestern force remained firmly before the rapidly approaching Yan Bei forces.

Zhao Yang closed his eyes in despair. Did the heavens really wish for the demise of the Xia Empire?

The defeat of the Xia army happened in an instant, as all forms of defense had been torn apart by the elite Yan Bei forces. Now, with advantages in numbers, fighting prowess, morale, and the element of surprise, the Yan Bei army was almost guaranteed a crushing victory. In mere four hours, the Xia army completely vanished from the Huolei plains, routing into the Helan mountains. To chase down the escaping enemies, 100 thousand troops were sent out in pursuit!

That day was November the First, year 775 of the Bai Cang Calendar. The Black Eagle Army that had deeply penetrated into Xia territory had suddenly turned back. With blazing speed, they rushed through the nights, and even ate and slept on the horse backs. Without any rest, they entered combat, catching the Xia army completely off-guard, sending them into a full rout!