In the early morning, a vast mist blanketed heaven and earth, like a thin veil or wisps of smoke, vast as a tide, water-like, enshrouding peaks, rocks, trees, fields, and villages. Beyond ten feet, one could barely see. People venturing more than ten feet would become blurry, then vanish into the dense fog as if disappearing into a dream. Conversely, those approaching from beyond ten feet would gradually become clear, as if emerging from a dream. Life is like a dream, born from dreams and vanishing into them.
"Creak, creak." Over a dozen household soldiers from Xiaojia Village pushed open the heavy stockade gate, emitting ear-piercing sounds.
Xiaojia Village was like a fortified stronghold, built with exceptional sturdiness to ward off attacks from wild beasts or bandits.
"All of you, buck up," commanded a leader of the Xiaojia Village household soldiers as he stepped out of the gate.
"Buck up for what? What's there to be alert about?" a soldier, leaning against the doorway with his weapon, asked lazily.
"Of course, to heighten our vigilance. Keep your eyes peeled," the leader replied.
"Boss Tu, what are we being vigilant about? We can't even see a ghost," another soldier of Xiaojia Village said, tossing his spear onto the ground, crossing his arms and tightening his thick cotton coat.
Although it was spring or summer in the northern lands, the early morning was still somewhat cold, especially on such a dense, foggy morning.
"You wouldn't understand, would you?" the leader, addressed as Boss Tu, walked up to the soldier and patted his shoulder. "One must guard against unforeseen events."
"How could I not understand? Hey, Boss Tu, haven't we been living in Xiaojia Village for four or five years now?" the soldier changed the subject, asking Boss Tu.
"Indeed, over five years now," Boss Tu replied with a sigh.
"But we haven't even managed to get a wife," the soldier lamented.
"Getting a wife isn't that difficult, is it?" Boss Tu chuckled. "Just drink the fort master's pot-washing water, won't that do?"
"Pah! What if it's pot-washing water? As long as they're good-looking, but we don't even get that to drink..." the soldier said, clutching his cotton coat tightly. "At least, after you, Boss Tu, have drunk it, we juniors can have some."
"Hahahaha!" the assembled soldiers burst into laughter.
"Heh. You're not so stupid after all," Boss Tu praised, holding up three fingers. "Let me tell you, to marry a girl from Xiaojia Village, you only need three things: First, make money for the fort master, by any means necessary, deception or otherwise. Second, find women for the fort master; what he's played with and grown tired of becomes yours, right? Second. And the third, the most important and simplest point: you must be obedient. In our Xiaojia Village, there's no emperor, no government, and certainly no damned imperial decree. Everything is subject to the fort master's command, understand?"
"That sounds easy?" the soldier stuck out his tongue. "The fort master already has so many women, and he still wants more? He's the groom every night, while we juniors just drool... he doesn't even spare a few for us."
"You know nothing," Boss Tu glared at him contemptuously and cursed. "The women of Xiaojia Village are like this dense fog. They look substantial, but it's all fake. In front of us, with just a little effort, you can inhale them into your lungs. Once you've inhaled them dry, you slap your butt and they're gone."
"Cough... cough... cough..." The soldier coughed from his words, wiping his mouth. "Boss Tu, what do you mean by that?"
"Smack!" A whip struck his shoulder. "What do I mean? Stop talking nonsense and pick up your weapons. Carefully question all passersby and be vigilant, damn it."
With that, Boss Tu turned and left.
Inside the house, there was also a beautiful young woman gifted by the fort master. Boss Tu's desires were stirred by the soldier's words, and he rushed back to his room to relieve himself...
"Pah, what kind of person is he? I wish Xiaojia Village would burn down."
After Boss Tu left, the soldier spat at his retreating back, spitting out a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground. He then crossed his arms over his head, leaning against the doorframe, looking at the stockade gate, and sighed, his gaze lost in the distance.
"Oh, there are people ahead!"
"Who is it?"
"Who cares who it is, brothers, business is coming."
The household soldiers of Xiaojia Village suddenly saw figures emerging indistinctly from the dense fog. As they drew closer, they realized the figures were all mounted on horseback. Closer still, they saw that each was burly, wearing helmets and armor, their faces covered by ferocious bronze masks, only a pair of chilling eyes peeking out.
It must be the Yan army. It seems like passing Yan soldiers are going to pass through Xiaojia Village. Usually, these soldiers are difficult to extort, but in Xiaojia Village, even dragons must coil and tigers must lie down. Many passing Yan armies before had also obediently complied. Those who weren't compliant were dealt with by the fort master. All the household soldiers thought this way.
So, a soldier, holding a nearly rusted spear, stepped forward and demanded, "This is a sensitive area of Xiaojia Village. Dismount and be questioned."
The soldier raised his spear, declared his identity, intending to scare the other party. He never expected the Yan army to calmly ride past him in unison.
"Sensitive area of Xiaojia Village? When did Xiaojia Village become a sensitive area? Does it have the responsibility to defend the land and pacify the people?" a Yan general, clad in a bright red cape, mocked as he looked around.
"Kid, what are you doing?" The soldier was annoyed. He was a promising household soldier of Xiaojia Village, about to get married! He hadn't expected to be so utterly ignored. The other party rode their horses directly in front of them. So, the soldier loudly demanded again, "Quickly dismount, kid, report your name. Considering you are from the Yan army, if you offer some silver or pay tribute with some wild goods, we'll let you..."
"Pfft!"
The soldier was rambling on. The Yan general in the red cape, impatient, held a long halberd in one hand and pierced the soldier through and through with it. The sharp tip entered his chest and exited his back, impaling him on the halberd. The soldier, still alive, struggled feebly on the tip, blood flowing down the weapon.
Thus, this soldier died without marrying a wife, nor did he get to drink the pot-washing water from the fort master and the leaders.
The household soldiers were all stunned, frozen in disbelief, too shocked to even react with fear.
"Kill! Kill your way in!" General Yan Yongwu, Lord of the Xuechi Army, Zhou Fugui, threw off the body impaled on his halberd, raised his earth-shattering Dragon Halberd, and loudly ordered, "Those who kneel and surrender will be spared. Those who resist will be killed without mercy!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Those who kneel will be spared, those who resist will be killed without mercy!"
"Kill! Kill your way in! Kill!"
At this moment, countless Yan cavalrymen emerged from the dense fog, all in black attire and armor, like malevolent spirits from hell. Raising their weapons, they galloped forward, cutting down the dozen or so household soldiers guarding the stockade gate, and then swept into Xiaojia Village like a whirlwind.
The thunder of ten thousand horses dispersed the fog but stirred up a sky-covering dust. Swords flashed, blood splattered, like the morning glow.
"Clang... clang... clang..."
"The rebels are impersonating the Yan army and have broken in!"
"Where did these rebels come from?"
"How should I know? Quick, quick, quick, report to the fort master!"
"Old and young gentlemen, come out and face the enemy!"
"Clang... clang... clang..."
Suddenly, countless cavalrymen stormed into Xiaojia Village. These fierce riders killed anyone they saw, with extreme brutality. The people of Xiaojia Village, awakened, frantically rang bronze gongs to rally the villagers to resist. Many people of Xiaojia Village, jolted awake from their sleep, didn't even have time to put on their clothes, running out naked, clutching various weapons, but how could they withstand the tens of thousands of Yan cavalrymen with their sharp weapons, exquisite armor, and well-prepared surprise attack?
Countless villagers who rushed out of their homes, bewildered, not even understanding what had happened, were either trampled to death by horses or cut down, meeting King Yama in confusion. Those who survived either ran around in disarray, shouting hysterically, or retreated back into their homes, burrowing into their beds, trembling in their wives' arms, awaiting their fate.
"Soldiers of the Sun Shooting Camp, shoot those dogs down for me!"
The household soldiers guarding the stockade walls of Xiaojia Village were still stubbornly resisting. They rushed onto the walls, madly shooting arrows downwards or throwing stones and javelins. They did manage to knock down some of the Xuechi Army knights. Enraged, Yang Xinhong, commander of the Sun Shooting Camp, led a thousand archers and crossbowmen of the Xuechi Army, carrying bows and quivers, to the foot of the stockade wall and began to fire arrows upwards.
"Swish... swish... swish..."
"Ah..."
Although the household soldiers on the stockade walls of Xiaojia Village had the advantage of higher ground, firstly, they were few in number; secondly, how could these rabble possibly be a match for the well-equipped and highly trained archers and crossbowmen of the Xuechi Army? Thus, a volley of arrows was unleashed from both sides, but the household soldiers on the stockade walls couldn't hold out for even one round. They were all hit by arrows, letting out screams of agony, either falling within the stockade walls or tumbling down, smashing into a bloody mess.
Despite occupying the advantageous terrain, Xiaojia Village appeared so weak and helpless before these madly slaughtering Yan cavalry, like a lamb awaiting slaughter.
"What happened? Wh..." The leader of the household soldiers, Boss Tu, ran out in a panic, not even having time to put on his clothes, wearing only a leather robe, his furry thighs exposed. Before he could even ask what was happening, a cold glint flashed, and his head was severed, flying into the air. Looking down at the Yan cavalry charging everywhere on the ground, he finally understood what had occurred.
To his death, Boss Tu's rage remained unvented.
"Who dares to be so audacious as to disturb my meditation?" At this moment, an ancient voice rang out, followed by a green light that shot out of a house and hurtled towards the Yan cavalry.