The seventh month of the Yan Jian He era.
The seventh month’s sun blazed like a fiery furnace, hanging high in the sky, scorching everything in the mortal world.
At this moment, even breathing felt hot, but the sweltering heat was nothing compared to the suffering of man.
“Snow Bear Army, charge!”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
“Victory! Victory! Victory!”
In the seventh month of the Yan Jian He era, Murong Bo Lie’s son, Murong Chi, led two hundred thousand Changshan troops to attack Youzhou, intending to capture Youzhou and kill the entire Murong Qing family, avenging his father and brother.
The Yan imperial court mobilized a hundred thousand elite soldiers, led by Xieli Hu, Murong Kang, and others, to confront the Changshan army in the vicinity of Rongcheng. A great battle ensued, leaving the land strewn with corpses and rivers of blood, dimming the sun and eclipsing the moon.
The two sides were evenly matched. After the fierce battle, both armies were utterly exhausted. It was then that Zhou Fugui, the Marquis of Pingliang and General Jianzhong of Yan, led over ten thousand fresh troops into the battlefield, cutting off the Changshan army’s supply lines from behind.
Before troops move, provisions come first. Provisions are of utmost importance in any battle, at any time, and can determine victory or defeat.
Murong Chi and his Changshan army, however, made the mistake of advancing too deep and being too impetuous, stretching their supply lines long and unprotected. Thus, Zhou Fugui’s army charged in, cutting off the Changshan army’s supply lines in one fell swoop, even capturing a camp full of provisions.
“Burn it! Burn it all, and leave not a single grain!” Zhou Fugui, astride a white horse, was fully armored despite the scorching heat. Sweat and blood covered his face, giving him a ferocious appearance. He raised his Heaven-Shaking Dragon Spear and shouted his orders.
Zhou Fugui’s commands were almost roars.
Who wouldn’t desire provisions and wealth? But at this moment, the Snow Bear Army could not afford to be encumbered. On the ever-changing battlefield, being encumbered meant defeat and death.
“Hiyah… Hiyah… Hiyah…”
“Whoosh… Whoosh… Whoosh…”
At Zhou Fugui’s command, the iron cavalry of the Snow Bear Army spurred their horses forward, and torches were hurled onto the piles of grain. Instantly, fierce flames erupted within the camp, reddening half the sky. In the hot weather, the fire burned even more ferociously, causing even some of the Snow Bear Army cavalry who were setting fires to fall from their horses, scorched by the flames.
“Second Brother, what is this…?” Many defeated and wounded soldiers of the Changshan army within the camp cried out in agony amidst the flames. The air was filled with the pungent smell of roasting meat. Even Xu Mancang, who was known for his ruthlessness, felt a pang of remorse and asked Zhou Fugui in surprise.
Zhou Fugui, who had always been mocked by Xu Mancang and others for being soft-hearted and overly benevolent, had suddenly become so cruel and brutal. Xu Mancang and the others were greatly confused.
Zhou Fugui’s stern face remained silent. He held his spear and slowly rode his horse towards the distance.
Li Qing sighed inwardly and shook his head.
…
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
“The Marquis of Pingliang is victorious, the rebel army’s morale is in disarray, kill! The entire army charges!”
“The Marquis of Pingliang is valiant!”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
“Capture the rebel leader Murong Chi alive! Capture the rebel leader Murong Chi alive!”
With the Changshan army’s provisions burned by Zhou Fugui, their morale naturally collapsed. Xieli Hu and Murong Kang’s forces, who had been confronting the Changshan army near Rongcheng, took the opportunity to launch a full-scale attack.
First, the auxiliary troops, laborers, and porters of the Changshan army broke and fled. Then, the army collapsed like a landslide. The twenty thousand Changshan troops devolved into a massive rout. Under the pursuit of Xieli Hu and Murong Kang’s forces, the fleeing soldiers scattered across the mountains and plains. Corpses piled up densely in the fields, rivers, and forests, a gruesome sight that made one’s blood run cold. It was truly a living hell.
In this chaotic world, there was no one to collect the bodies. The corpses began to rot, and a great plague was imminent.
Murong Chi, unwilling to accept defeat, gathered his remaining troops for another battle but was defeated three more times. In the end, he was left with only a thousand scattered soldiers and fled desperately towards Changshan Commandery.
“Hmph, valiant?” Murong Kang, riding alongside Xieli Hu in pursuit, scoffed coldly.
“Right Virtuous King…” Xieli Hu glanced at Murong Kang and said, “The Marquis of Pingliang chose such an opportune moment to strike and completely burned the rebel army’s provisions. Even I must admire him wholeheartedly. He is a master of warfare, you cannot deny that, can you?”
“Hmph, he is a Han!” Murong Kang snorted again.
“So what if he is Han?” Xieli Hu shook his head. “You, Right Virtuous King, are far behind the Empress Dowager in recognizing, understanding, and utilizing people.”
“Hmph, wolves cannot be tamed,” Murong Kang grumbled.
“If they cannot be tamed, kill them. But not now,” Xieli Hu said with a cold smile.
Murong Kang glanced at Xieli Hu and nodded, his mood slightly improved.
…
“Crackle… crackle… crackle…”
The summer weather was capricious. Moments ago, it was a clear, sunny day, and in an instant, dark clouds obscured the sun. At first, only scattered raindrops fell from the sky, but soon, large, heavy drops began to descend, pattering down. On the official road northeast of Changshan Commandery, a place called Donggangtou, the raindrops splashed up a white mist. The rainwater washed over the ground, forming puddles of various sizes. The once flat and easily passable official road had become a muddy mess.
The torrential rain was accompanied by flashes of lightning and peals of thunder.
“Young Master, hurry! Hurry!”
A loyal and brave bodyguard shouted at Murong Chi.
The bodyguard was covered in mud and blood, his body riddled with wounds. Now, as the rain poured down, rainwater mixed with mud and blood, constantly washing over his wounds.
The water entering his wounds should have caused excruciating pain, but the bodyguard no longer felt it, or perhaps could not spare a thought for it. The reason was the pursuing Yan army, which was relentlessly chasing them.
“Take care of yourselves!” Murong Chi’s eyes were tearful as he looked at these loyal bodyguards covering their retreat. He spoke with pain before urging his horse forward, heading towards Changshan Commandery.
Defeated at Rongcheng, Murong Chi had fled all the way to this point, with only a few dozen loyal bodyguards remaining. His army was almost annihilated.
Compared to his former glory, this was a world of difference. Murong Chi, who had sought revenge for his father and brother, had fallen to such a state, a truly lamentable end.
“Thump!”
As the saying goes, misfortune never comes alone. The warhorse beneath Murong Chi, exhausted and frothing at the mouth, lost its footing. Stepping into a puddle, it suddenly collapsed, throwing Murong Chi from its saddle.
In ordinary times, Murong Chi would have been able to spring up and run on foot. But now, Murong Chi was also covered in wounds. In the pouring rain, his face was pale, his lips trembled slightly, and he was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally. For a moment, he lay prone in the mud, unable to move.
After a moment, Murong Chi used the notched long saber he held to prop himself up, kneeling in the muddy water, panting heavily. He intended to rest for a moment before getting up to flee towards Changshan Commandery.
“Young Master!”
“Puff! Puff! Puff!”
The bodyguards cried out in alarm. Just as they rushed forward to help, over a hundred arrows suddenly flew from the hillside and the woods, striking down all the dozen or so bodyguards in the muddy water. Blood splattered, forming small red streams that flowed in all directions amidst the pouring rain.
Then, over a thousand iron cavalry appeared on the hillside, coldly watching Murong Chi struggling in the muddy water. The raindrops struck their armor with a “crackle,” a dense sound.
…
“Clip-clop… clip-clop… clip-clop…”
“It’s you?”
As Zhou Fugui slowly rode his horse towards Murong Chi, Murong Chi finally recognized him and gritted his teeth, asking.
“It is I,” Zhou Fugui nodded coldly and replied coldly.
“Han dog, dog thief! Where is my sister?” Murong Chi propped himself up with the notched long saber and glared at Zhou Fugui.
“Where is your sister? Why ask me?” Zhou Fugui replied coldly. “However, I can tell you that your sister has married into a prominent family.”
“Married into a prominent family? To which prominent family?” Murong Chi did not know about Mu Rong Huiying’s situation and asked in surprise.
No wonder, no wonder, Murong Chi cried inwardly. Zhou Fugui and Murong Huiying were in love, and Murong Chi was well aware of it. He also knew that Zhou Fugui and his Snow Bear Army were valiant and skilled in battle.
Murong Chi had planned to persuade Zhou Fugui and the Snow Bear Army to surrender. But he never expected Zhou Fugui to lead his army to cut off the Changshan army’s supply lines, causing their great defeat and bringing Murong Chi to his current state.
At that time, Murong Chi had wondered why Zhou Fugui was serving the court so loyally. Now, it seemed he was driven by love turned to hatred, leading his army to attack him.
“Married to the King of Lelang,” Zhou Fugui replied.
Zhou Fugui’s tone was exceptionally calm, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.
“The King of Lelang? That blockhead? Hahaha…” Murong Chi was stunned for a moment. Then, pointing at Zhou Fugui, he laughed heartily. “It was certainly not my sister’s will, but she was forced. Don’t you know that?”
“I know,” Zhou Fugui nodded. “It was according to the late emperor’s decree.”
“Oh, decree, decree,” Murong Chi nodded and asked, “Do you intend to capture me?”
“Capturing you means promotion, wealth, and a soaring career. Why wouldn’t I?” Zhou Fugui sneered. “Capturing or killing you would be a great service!”
“Dog thief!” Murong Chi was furious, his eyes wide with rage. Using his last ounce of strength, he leaped up, shouted loudly, and swung his saber at Zhou Fugui on horseback.
Under normal circumstances, Murong Chi might have been able to fight Zhou Fugui for over a hundred rounds. But now, Murong Chi was at the end of his rope. Zhou Fugui swung his Dragon Spear, deflecting the notched long saber from his hand. The saber flew out, landing with a “clatter” in a puddle.
“You are at your limit. Why not surrender?” Zhou Fugui then pointed his Heaven-Shaking Dragon Spear at Murong Chi and shouted.