Vast, endless plains, not a soul in sight. Rivers winding, mountains intertwined. Dim and bleak, the wind howls, the sun dims. Thistles broken, grass withered, like a frosty morning; birds fly not down, beasts flee their herds. The army is often defeated. Ghosts cry often, heard when the sky darkens.
At dawn, the sky gradually broke open, the earth hazy and indistinct. Streaks of sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the bloody battlefield. The ground was stained red with blood, like trickling streams; piles of bones lay scattered outside Youzhou City, haphazardly arranged like chopped firewood; broken weapons, banners, and arrowheads lay strewn about like rice shoots in a paddy field; smoke and embers lingered, black smoke enshrouding the entire battlefield like dark clouds pressing down.
The battlefield after the fierce battle was like an inferno, a place where gods and demons alike would fear to tread!
"Deep Dragon King, the city's inhabitants are like birds startled by a bow. We can take the city in one go," said King Donghai, Murong Hong, to Rong Chengkui, the leader of the Zhen'ao people, his eyelids not even flickering despite the countless soldiers lost outside Youzhou City. He stared coldly at the city walls.
It is said that for one general to achieve fame, countless soldiers must die. For war, death is indeed common, but Murong Hong's coldness, laced with a hint of joy, was enough to chill one to the bone.
At least a pretense of sorrow would have been expected!
However, Rong Chengkui, the leader of the Zhen'ao people, was quite satisfied with his future son-in-law and looked forward to the benefits he would gain. Upon hearing Murong Hong's words, he nodded and said, "My worthy son-in-law speaks wisely. We must seize Youzhou City with a unified effort."
Marrying into the Zhen'ao clan was a condition set by King Donghai, Murong Hong, or rather, a condition of mutual exploitation.
Murong Hong originally had a legal wife, the Crown Princess. However, to curry favor with the Zhen'ao people, Murong Hong had his original wife murdered, intending to marry Rong Chenglanmin, the daughter of Rong Chengkui, and make her his primary consort. Should Murong Hong become emperor, Rong Chenglanmin would then be Empress.
Such heinous and inhuman acts were rather admired by Rong Chengkui.
"If you want to go, you go. Our people have suffered many casualties," said Rong Chenglanmin to Murong Hong, her tone defiant. Although the Zhen'ao people were fierce, their numbers were not large. They were brave, but for every enemy they killed, they suffered significant losses themselves. Rong Chenglanmin, clad in a blue-purple dress with a crimson leather vest and a dark purple brocade belt cinching her slender waist, her black hair braided into a long plait hanging before her chest. Her fair, jade-like wrists were adorned with several silver bangles, and her white, tender feet, bare of any shoes, rested on the stirrups. Silver bells on her ankles chimed with the movement of her horse, producing pleasant sounds.
Rong Chenglanmin wore no makeup, yet she was fresh and moving, like a lotus emerging from water, or a hibiscus in summer. Her apron, embroidered with five-colored silk threads, shimmered like fish scales, making her resemble a mermaid from the deep sea.
Rong Chenglanmin had just turned seventeen, an age of blooming flowers, a maiden in her prime. To be married to a man in his early forties, she was naturally unhappy, displeased, and unwilling. But this was a marriage of convenience, driven by mutual benefit, with the marriage itself being secondary, almost negligible. In such a marriage, where profit was paramount, no one would care about the woman's feelings, let alone marrying an elderly man.
"The Princess Consort speaks with reason," Murong Hong said, his cold face instantly revealing a fawning expression. He looked at Rong Chenglanmin with a lecherous and grinning gaze.
Murong Hong was afraid that the Zhen'ao people would capture Youzhou City first. Rong Chenglanmin's words were precisely what he wanted to hear.
Rong Chenglanmin was young and beautiful, while the old Crown Princess had long since faded. This was one of the reasons Murong Hong had killed his wife to marry anew.
"Who is your Princess Consort? Don't call me that," Rong Chenglanmin said, her chin held high like a lotus, her eyes, like deep sea blue pearls, fixed on Murong Hong.
Murong Hong was speechless and could only offer an awkward smile.
It was a foregone conclusion. Although Rong Chenglanmin was extremely unwilling, she had no choice. As for her defiance, Murong Hong saw no need to argue with her.
Once she was married into my household, I will deal with her properly and ravage her, Murong Hong thought to himself. Murong Hong was somewhat impatient.
"Lanmin..." Rong Chengkui reprimanded Rong Chenglanmin, "After this battle, you will be married into the Prince's household."
"Father!" Rong Chenglanmin cried out, her heart filled with anguish.
The man Rong Chenglanmin envisioned as her ideal husband was a young, heroic, and peerless warrior, or at least someone who could both ride and shoot, and sail and break waves. Murong Hong was far from that ideal.
Rong Chengkui, however, lowered his face and paid no heed.
"Deep Dragon King..." Murong Hong chuckled, "The Princess... Lanmin is still young. Why are you like this? Heh heh, the great matter is of utmost importance, of utmost importance."
"My worthy son-in-law, please give the order!" Rong Chengkui nodded and said.
"Your Highness!" As Murong Hong was ordering his army to continue the assault on the city, Wu Mingzhi, the secretary of the Prince's mansion, suddenly spoke up, advising, "After a great battle, both men and horses are exhausted. Is it appropriate to attack the city at this time? If reinforcements were to arrive now, it would surely be disadvantageous to our army! Why not lay siege to Youzhou and temporarily rest our troops, fighting again another day?"
Considering victory before considering defeat, Wu Mingzhi's advice was excellent. Even Rong Chengkui, upon hearing it, was secretly pondering its merit. However, Murong Hong ignored it.
"I have defeated the Runan army. The Youzhou army is like birds startled by a bow and dare not come out to meet us. What reinforcements would dare to come? Even if they did, this King will ensure they never return," Murong Hong dismissed Wu Mingzhi and loudly ordered, "Beat the drums, attack the city! The first to enter the city will be rewarded with ten thousand gold and promoted to a general of ten thousand households!"
"Boom... Boom... Boom..."
"Wooo... Wooo... Wooo..."
"Advance!"
"By order of His Highness, the first to enter the city will be rewarded with ten thousand gold and promoted to a general of ten thousand households!"
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
With Murong Hong's command, the drums that had once struck terror into the hearts of Youzhou's people sounded again, and the horns that had made Youzhou's people tremble blew once more. Amidst the thunderous drums and horns, ranks of the Eastern Sea Army and the Zhen'ao allied forces marched resolutely towards Youzhou City.
Murong Hong, clad in the robes of the Prince of Yan and a golden armor, held a gleaming sword and rode his horse, appearing exceptionally splendid and majestic. He even cast a triumphant glance at Rong Chenglanmin.
"Although I am older, have you ever seen anyone as valiant and formidable as me in the whole world?" Murong Hong was likely thinking to himself.
At this moment, Murong Hong was carried away by his triumph. The consequences of such elation usually led to sudden misfortune.
"Wooo... Wooo... Wooo..."
Just then, as the allied forces were once again launching a major assault on Youzhou City, three loud and long horn blasts echoed from the allied camp behind them. The horns sounded like the desolation of the northern sands, the breaking of the army in the cold; like the neighing of warhorses in the desert, the valiant standing at the forefront; like war banners at the Yishui River, the sky filled with the autumn wind!
In my drunken dreams, I trim the lamp and gaze at my sword. In my dreams, I hear the bugle calls of the barracks. Eight hundred li of roasted meat are served, fifty strings are plucked to the sounds of the frontier, and the autumn soldiers are reviewed on the battlefield.
"Fire! Fire!"
After three loud and long horn blasts, a raging fire erupted in the allied camp behind them. Many allied soldiers halted their advance, pointing at the camp with terrified shouts.
No matter what army, no matter when, the camp is the foundation of an army, containing provisions, wealth, horses, and military equipment. If the camp is attacked or even captured, it means the loss of military supplies. More critically, it will severely affect the morale of the army. Once the morale is shaken, it signifies the beginning of defeat.
The allied camp was certainly heavily guarded. Yet, the raging fire at this moment meant the camp had been attacked, even implying the defeat of the allied forces guarding it.
So, what kind of army was it that attacked the allied camp? Where did they come from? How many were there? These questions were not only in the minds of Murong Hong and Rong Chengkui but also among the Yan army on Youzhou City, including Xie Lihu, Murong Kang, and Murong Qing, who was anxiously waiting below the city walls.
Empress Dowager Murong Qing of the Great Yan Kingdom heard the commotion and, gathering her courage, walked onto the city walls. She gazed out at the sky-high flames and the chaotic allied camp.
The fire in the allied camp, viewed from a distance, resembled a gigantic gray-black dragon, coiling in the sky above the camp, its monstrous mouth gaping open, exhaling smoke and heat, accompanied by the sound of rampant howling and the momentum of devouring all things in the human world, rolling down, rolling towards them.
And within the flames, there were agile figures, individuals, groups, and rows of brave cavalry, charging back and forth within the camp.
"Wooo... Wooo... Wooo..."
"The power of the ice sea and snowfield bear, crushing everything in its path, unstoppable!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Victory! Victory! Victory!"
After three more loud and long horn blasts, three units of cavalry burst forth from the allied camp, from the sky-high flames. These three units, all in black armor, were like three sharp blades, piercing into the rear ranks of the attacking allied forces, like fierce tigers descending from the mountain, unstoppable.
The cavalry in the center was led by a young, valiant general. He wore black Mingguang armor, a large crimson cloak, and wielded an incredibly sharp long spear. His mount was a magnificent white horse, and he charged at the forefront, spear in hand.
As the young general drew nearer, and as the day grew brighter, his brave face became clearly visible. Behind him, a large banner fluttered in the strong wind. On the flag, an enormous white bear bared its fangs and claws, its monstrous mouth agape.
"So handsome!" Rong Chenglanmin's exclamation almost caused Murong Hong to fall off his horse in anger.
"It's the border army, the border army! The reinforcements have arrived!"
The Yan soldiers on Youzhou City walls, recognizing the banner, pointed excitedly at the area below the city and shouted in unison.
Murong Qing smiled and nodded.
Murong Qing not only knew that the border army had arrived but also who had arrived.