CHAPTER 327: CHAPTER 324: I’M HERE

Chang Yue felt somewhat uneasy, as if all the glory had been taken by General Cheng.

Old Master Xie asked so much about General Cheng but didn’t mention the master of his house; where did his master fall short?

If it weren’t for the current enemy at the gates, he would have figured out a way to speak in detail with Old Master Xie.

Chang Yue took it upon himself to say that Cheng Yanzhao was a few years older: "Twenty-five or six! General Cheng rarely goes to the village, the last time he was in a hurry to enter because of the thread tassel matter from Xingzhou, and a few times before that it was just for meals." Older and can eat a lot.

Xie Shao Yuan smiled and said, "That’s a good age."

Chang Yue hurriedly said, "My master is just twenty."

On the city wall, Cheng Yanzhao, who was watching the enemy army intently, felt a chill down his spine, as if someone was behind him blowing cold air.

On the opposite side, Third Prince Ge Kun looked at the Dai State Pass as a new round of siege began; he felt the Qi Army couldn’t hold on for long and would soon collapse.

This time he wanted to make a significant achievement, seeing if either of his two elder brothers could still refuse to admit his worth.

"Sir," Ge Kun’s confidant said in a low voice, "Something seems off; the Qi Army’s defense seems much stronger than before—could reinforcements have arrived?"

Ge Kun frowned, "Where is it stronger? They’re barely managing to cope, but if not this time, soon again."

The confidant looked more closely, feeling that the Qi people on the city wall were unpredictably strong or weak, unsure of what to make of it; perhaps he was overthinking?

Ge Kun was enthusiastically watching when someone approached and said, "Third Prince, Mr. Xiao asks us to escort you away from here; it’s too dangerous."

"Where is the danger?" Ge Kun gestured with his whip towards the Dai State City, "These people can’t even fight back. Go back and tell Mr. Xiao not to worry; just help me with troop maneuvers from behind."

After saying this, Ge Kun continued, "Did Mr. Xiao capture anyone?"

The Deputy General lowered his head, "Mr. Xiao fell into a trap set by those people, and they escaped."

Hearing this, Ge Kun’s eyebrows rose, "So Mr. Xiao failed." Despite the Empress Dowager’s unceasing praise for Xiao Xingzong, how much financial resources had he used over the years, and what was the result? Not only did he lose the North, but he also suffered repeated setbacks this time.

Initially, Xiao Xingzong was considered a competent strategist in Ge Kun’s mind, but now he only felt... nothing special. Such a person still wants to take charge for him? Probably just sees that he’s about to win and comes to steal credit.

Ge Kun said, "Tell Mr. Xiao that the troops attacking Dai State were all brought by me, and all soldiers must follow my orders. There’s no need for him to worry about Dai State issues anymore."

The Deputy General could only comply.

Ge Kun looked back at the high city wall, thinking once he breaks into Dai State, he’ll order a massacre so that people know what happens when they hinder him.

Yet another wave of siege battles ended.

Both sides began cleaning up the battlefield.

Cheng Yanzhao sat down in a clean spot and saw civilians helping soldiers carry the wounded and transport military supplies.

Cheng Yanzhao couldn’t help but be a little surprised; this was Dai State, not Zhenzhou, yet the civilians here were willing to help them?

"Sister Chen says to help the severely wounded first."

Hearing the term Sister Chen, Cheng Yanzhao showed a look of realization; with the help of civilians, he felt more confident in waiting for the arrival of Song Xian.

Cheng Yanzhao instructed the Deputy General, "Come discuss the battle strategy; let’s continue to fight this way for the next round, so they don’t think we’ve received reinforcements."

Hiding their strength would play a significant role at critical moments.

Cheng Yanzhao used all his wit and talent in this battle.

After all, Dai State was not Daqi’s territory, plus the Pseudo King’s decree had troops from Ying County and Shuo County encircling Dai State; each time they held off an attack, it seemed to take all the soldiers’ strength.

With rounds of stone-throwing machines and gunpowder, Xie Liangchen’s ears were deafened, and after staying awake for a day and a night, she found it hard to clearly hear what people were saying.

Village Chief Wang had to repeat things twice before she fully understood, "Someone from the government incited the mountain bandits, who came to the village twice, and some villages even had people killed."

The Pseudo King was willing to do such things to deal with Song Xian; they didn’t care what means they used as long as they could disrupt the situation in Dai State.

A clap of thunder exploded overhead, indicating it might rain.

Village Chief Wang worriedly said, "The elders in the village say there might be heavy rain. Our village is low-lying, and if it rains heavily, we may need to leave quickly."

Indeed, stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Xie Liangchen said, "If it really pours, we’ll go to the village to help."

"No need," Village Chief Wang said urgently, "You should focus here; if those mountain bandits come again, our villages will deal with them together."

The mountain bandits had sharp weapons, and the villagers probably weren’t their match.

But now even Chang Yue was on the city wall, and it was impossible to spare anyone to help, so they could only hope for Song Xian’s arrival.

Xie Liangchen was also worried about Song Xian, who took risks to come to Dai State, as Taiyuan Prefecture was fighting aggressively.

Xie Liangchen pulled an arrowhead from a wounded soldier’s shoulder, and blood gushed out. The wounded soldier clung tightly and endured the pain.

Xie Liangchen could only stuff the wound with boiled fabric strips; there wasn’t enough hemostatic powder left.

The woman assisting beside her had already cried several times in secret because everything was just too tragic. All they sought was a stable life, which was too difficult to even imagine.

"Young Lady, can we really hold the pass?"

"We can."

No matter who asked, Xie Liangchen always gave the same answer.

"Dong, dong..."

The sound of heavy impacts came, and someone climbed up the city wall.

Xie Liangchen’s hand remained steady, her mind seemingly empty, focused only on the wounded soldier in front of her.

"They’re about to break in, they’re about to break in."

The wounded soldier, pierced by the Liao people, was brought over after rolling off the city wall, in a wholly frantic state.

"They’re hitting the gate again, hitting the gate again." The wounded struggled to sit down, trying to rush to the city gate.

Xie Liangchen and others managed to pin him down, yet he kept saying, "The General said we can’t retreat, can’t retreat."

This phrase repeated from his lips until his blood dyed all the fabric strips red, leaving him with an open mouth as though he had many unfinished matters to relay.

Xie Liangchen’s view was filled with blinding red; she reached out her blood-stained hand, gently closing the eyes of the wounded.

There was no time for sadness; Xie Liangchen stood up to treat the next wounded soldier.

They were all faces familiar to Xie Liangchen, bearing injuries she’d treated before, going back up the city wall before they’d healed, injury upon injury, until nothing could be done.

"General Song... General Song..."

Someone began to call Song Xian’s name, and in a daze, they realized he was their entire hope.

Song Xian, Song Xian.

Xie Liangchen didn’t know when she too started whispering along with them.

He would come, he would definitely come.

The sound of battering the city gate finally ceased.

Suddenly it became quiet.

Xie Liangchen listened carefully, faintly hearing someone calling her name.

"Someone’s calling me?" Xie Liangchen looked at the woman beside her.

The woman shook her head, "No... no one!"

"Liangchen."

Someone was indeed calling her; Xie Liangchen stood up and walked out of the tent. Having stayed awake for two days and nights, her vision was somewhat blurry, but she still saw someone dismounting and coming toward her.

Xie Liangchen stared intently, gradually making out the figure through the mist.

It was Song Xian, Song Xian.

"Liangchen." The voice was much clearer now.

Xie Liangchen tried hard to discern that everything before her was not a dream; she stepped forward, wanting to get a little closer, only for her feet to give way.

An arm wrapped around her waist first, and the vague feeling finally became real.

"Song Xian."

She was held tightly, the familiar sensation enveloping her as Song Xian whispered in her ear, "It’s me, Liangchen, I’ve come."