Chapter 486: Chapter 469: Siege
The soldiers and civilians of West State united wholeheartedly, battling tirelessly through the night. The gates of West State City were illuminated by firelight, resembling daylight. After an entire night’s bloodshed, under the leadership of Fengyu and Nuanyang, their courage grew stronger.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, Han Ziqi waved for retreat, "Men, retreat, pull back!"
Outside the city, the signal for withdrawal sounded. Fengyu watched as the enemy forces receded like a tide, her blood-stained Longsword angrily pointing forward. "Chase them! Leave no one behind!"
"Yes!"
The citizens of West State fought valiantly, their spirits soaring at the peak of battle. Fengyu seized the momentum to pursue, determined not to allow Han Ziqi’s forces to rise from defeat. Han Ziqi had brought ten thousand troops for the assault, exerting them in a hard-fought siege for a full day and night. Exhausted and with no reserves left, West State’s people surged with an unstoppable battle spirit.
"Han Ziqi, surrender your life!" Fengyu roared in fury. Han Ziqi’s surprise attack on West State had caught the city utterly unprepared, resulting in heavy casualties. Fengyu swore she would not let Han Ziqi go unpunished.
"Third Miss, I will claim all twelve states. I’ll be back; wait for me!" Han Ziqi bellowed, retreating in disgrace after suffering heavy losses.
The Sannan soldiers around him were scattered, with Nuanyang and Chen Jiangdong closing in from both sides, determined to claim Han Ziqi’s life.
"A defeated general dares to boast so arrogantly!" Fengyu sheathed her Longsword and pulled a bow, aiming at Han Ziqi’s position as Nuanyang engaged him in an intense scuffle. She released an arrow with calculated precision.
Han Ziqi dodged in panic. Although he evaded a fatal shot, Fengyu’s arrow struck his helmet, knocking it off. His disheveled hair spilled out, making him resemble a madman.
"Fengyu..." Han Ziqi ground his teeth in rage but could no longer linger in battle. "Men, retreat, fall back!"
Han Ziqi’s forces fought while retreating, ultimately sacrificing their rear guard to secure a chance for survival. Part of his troops blocked Fengyu and Nuanyang’s advancing forces, while Han Ziqi led his remaining strength southward for escape.
The soldiers and civilians of West State pursued relentlessly, driving Han Ziqi’s army to flee in utter defeat for five miles.
"Hahaha, we’ve won, we’ve won! Victory is ours!"
No one knew exactly who shouted first, but deafening cheers followed, tearing through the darkness as dawn broke. Fengyu sat on horseback, bathed in sunlight, her eyes filled with tears.
The sun had risen!
Zhixu, we’ve won!
We repelled Sannan’s assault and protected West State.
After fighting fiercely through the night, Fengyu was utterly spent, sustained only by sheer determination. She continuously reminded herself to hold on, not to collapse under any circumstances. As the cornerstone of her people and the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, her fall would have irreparably shifted the tide of battle.
Now, with victory in hand, her exhaustion finally overwhelmed her, and she collapsed.
"Miss... Miss..." Before losing consciousness completely, Fengyu heard Nuanyang’s voice calling out to her, her mind sinking into darkness as she could no longer endure.
Fengyu awakened once more at dusk.
This nightmare of slaughter that lasted an entire day and night was finally over. Her body burned with fever as she lay helplessly in bed. Chunlu and Qiuxiang stayed by her side, their eyes red from crying. Fengyu smelled the aroma of medicine, heard the bubbling of boiling water on the stove, and keenly felt her body fighting against its unbearable heat.
Another fever!
The extreme mental strain and physical exhaustion had pushed her frail body to its limit. She was no invincible warrior on the battlefield, and her body was protesting fiercely against her overexertion.
"Miss..." Qiuxiang sobbed uncontrollably, her voice thick with emotion.
"Don’t cry; I’m fine." Fengyu’s voice was hoarse, yet she had countless questions she needed answered.
Understanding her urgency, Chunlu spoke softly, "Miss, rest assured. General Nuanyang and General Chen are rebuilding the city gates, and the civilians are assisting in cleaning up the battlefield. Those who need to resume farming have returned to their fields. Ruyi is doing well—please don’t worry. Military affairs are in the generals’ hands, and civil matters are overseen by Nangong Heng and the staff. You should rest properly."
Fengyu exhaled in relief. Chunlu sent word to notify Nuanyang, Nangong Heng, and others of Fengyu’s recovery. Her sudden collapse, covered in blood, had deeply shocked Nuanyang and Chen Jiangdong.
Fengyu had sustained six wounds, the most severe being a slash to her abdomen. No one had noticed how she got injured, and Fengyu hadn’t mentioned it. Her bloodied appearance obscured whether the blood belonged to her or her enemies. She kept bearing the pain in silence. If not for her collapse, her grievous injury might have remained undiscovered.
The chaos of the battlefield was overwhelming. Chunlu and Zhang Da had made every effort to protect Fengyu, but there were moments of helplessness. Chunlu blamed herself deeply, grateful that the injuries didn’t harm Fengyu’s vital organs or jeopardize her life.
Fengyu was propped up to take her medicine and eat a little, regaining some energy. Nuanyang and Chen Jiangdong soon arrived. Despite their desire for her to rest more, pressing matters required Fengyu’s attention.
"Miss, the Sannan forces crossed the border to attack Lanzhou. If Lanzhou City is breached, they will advance north to invade Twelve States. Han Ziqi led ten thousand troops for the surprise attack as their vanguard, aiming to evade Lanzhou and strike West State first. Their plan was to destroy our grain stores and weapons depot, and to capture you and the young master alive. With you as hostages, they intended to coerce the Prince and Second Young Master into sending reinforcements. Evidently, Sannan, Beiman, and the imperial court have struck some deal—they couldn’t have deployed troops so quickly otherwise. A ten-thousand-strong army slipping into Twelve States unnoticed is highly unusual!"
Nuanyang and Chen Jiangdong spoke through gritted teeth, their reddened eyes betraying barely restrained fury. This battle had inflicted heavy losses on West State—with around a thousand civilian casualties. The Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, being the main force, suffered five hundred deaths, four hundred severe injuries, and countless minor injuries. Both Nuanyang and Chen Jiangdong bore wounds themselves.
Although the Sannan forces had retreated, nearly four hundred prisoners had been captured, all confined in the State Mansion’s prison. After interrogating them, Chen Jiangdong learned that the main Sannan army, after overrunning several towns in Jiangnan, was now attacking Twelve States. Initially, their advancement into Twelve States was supposed to proceed smoothly. However, after deploying ten thousand troops through Lanzhou, Lanzhou closed its gates and blocked Sannan’s main army, forcing them to launch an assault on Lanzhou.
If Lanzhou falls, Twelve States will face imminent danger.
The southernmost part of Twelve States is Lanzhou, which serves as the junction between Jiangnan and Twelve States. Lanzhou boasts Yanyang’s largest port, thriving with shipping and economic activity. Southeast of Lanzhou are three critical towns, including Yangzhou; northwest lies the Twelve States. The nearest location to Lanzhou within Twelve States is Nanzhou Bay, which lies southeast of Gelzhuan County and northwest of Jinzhou.
Sannan’s incursion into Twelve States requires passing through Jiangnan, making Lanzhou their pivotal checkpoint. If Lanzhou refuses passage, they must forcefully invade. If allowed through, Twelve States will directly face the Sannan army.
Upon learning of the situation, Nuanyang dispatched envoys to Jiaozhou. Nanzhou Bay, being a crucial town without Gelzhuan County’s scale or fortifications, necessitates the evacuation of its citizens.
After receiving the news, Xue Yu began arranging personnel to evacuate the residents of Nanzhou Bay—a town of nearly twenty thousand people. Once evacuated, Jiaozhou needs to prepare for battle.
Yet Jiaozhou now has only twenty thousand defenders to face Sannan’s force of sixteen thousand troops. How could it possibly withstand such an onslaught?
"Lanzhou is a major Jiangnan city. The Commander-in-Chief wouldn’t sit idly by, would he?" Fengyu asked, bewildered. "Why did the Lanzhou Prefecture allow Han Ziqi’s vanguard to pass while barring the main Sannan army? Sannan’s ultimate target is Twelve States. As an imperial-appointed governor, Lanzhou’s representative should protect the city’s civilians—if they intended to obstruct the enemy, they wouldn’t have let Han Ziqi’s ten thousand troops cross. But if they didn’t intend to resist, why would they declare war on Sannan?"
"We still don’t understand Lanzhou’s circumstances. Once Mr. Xue gathers intelligence, he will report back immediately. Miss... I must consult with the Prince," Nuanyang said with difficulty. "We need to prepare for the worst. Jiaozhou must decide how to defend itself and allocate troops—a decision only the Prince can make."
"Very well..." Fengyu looked at the sky but hesitated slightly. "If he’s currently on the battlefield, I might not be able to endure much longer—you must explain the situation promptly."
"Understood!"