Chapter 613: 696 Captured Zhao Jiang, great victory
The shouts of battle outside the city had not stopped all night.
The citizens of Bianliang City also hadn’t slept a wink all night.
Because closing one’s eyes might mean never waking up again.
Standing at a high point in the city, one could see flames rising outside the city walls.
But no one dared to approach and look out of curiosity.
According to informed sources, Prince Zhen Nan led an army of a hundred thousand out to fight, leaving only about thirty thousand troops to defend the city, with the East Gate wide open.
This news frightened the people who heard it.
The Capital was surrounded by an army of a million.
Instead of defending the city, they took the troops out to fight; even a child seeing a few people come to attack would hide at home, not daring to go out, but Prince Zhen Nan led the troops out to fight.
If not for Chen Mo’s past victories, the people would certainly have cursed Chen Mo for being out of his mind, galloping to his death.
Foolish.
...
Weiyang Palace.
"Cai’Er, any news from the front?"
That night, Xiao Yunxi had asked Cai’Er this question countless times. As dawn approached, she asked once more.
Since Chen Mo had not finished telling her about the enemy’s planned night raid, Xiao Yunxi’s heart tightened with worry as soon as she heard the enemy attack was underway. A sudden assault, she feared Chen Mo might be unprepared, allowing the enemy to break in.
From the moment the night raid started, that tightly clenched heart of Xiao Yunxi had not relaxed, constantly praying for Chen Mo.
Cai’Er, watching by her side, said, "Empress Dowager, there’s no news."
"It’s almost dawn, and still no news, the battle must be fierce." Xiao Yunxi’s brows furrowed deeply.
"Empress Dowager, it’s getting late, why don’t you rest for a while, perhaps when you wake, Prince Zhen Nan will be before you," Cai’Er suggested.
Xiao Yunxi shook her head and said, "At this time, how could I possibly sleep."
Xiao Yunxi got up and paced back and forth, then said, "Cai’Er, help me change clothes, I’m going to Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion..."
As if finding an excuse, Xiao Yunxi added a final sentence, "Prince Zhen Nan is fighting on the front lines, Jiang Ning must be worried about him, I need to go see her."
"Yes." Cai’Er responded, and then fetched the clothes to help Xiao Yunxi change.
...
When Xiao Yunxi arrived at Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion on the Phoenix Chariot, the sound of distant cannon fire startled her.
It was her first time hearing the sound of exploding shells; the Imperial Palace was too well soundproofed, she couldn’t hear it clearly.
Upon entering Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion, Wu Xin’Er came to greet her, and Xiao Yunxi asked, "What was that sound just now?"
"It should be the sound of the Red Barbarians’ cannon firing," Wu Xin’Er said.
"Oh, that’s the sound? Truly loud, even louder than thunder," Xiao Yunxi had heard Chen Mo mention the Red Barbarians’ cannon, but she had neither seen it nor heard the sound of it firing...
"Empress Dowager knows a bit about it?"
"I heard Prince Zhen Nan mention it. Where’s Jiang Ning, I want to see her," said Xiao Yunxi, avoiding mentioning Chen Mo further to prevent suspicion.
What she didn’t know was that Wu Xin’Er had long been suspicious.
Zhao Jiangning also hadn’t slept all night, sitting in Wu Xin’Er’s room with Chen Mo’s concubines, praying for Chen Mo.
After Xiao Yunxi arrived, she sat next to Zhao Jiangning.
Xiao Yunxi glanced around and found that sitting with Chen Mo’s concubines, she felt not at all out of place, blending right in. Except for her status causing the women to speak cautiously, there was nothing inappropriate.
Xiao Yunxi’s cheeks flushed inexplicably.
...
The battle lasted until noon.
With Zhao Jiang’s Dantian crippled by a kick from Chen Mo and his neck held at spear-point by Chen Mo, the fighting finally came to an end.
"King Yan is in my grasp, surrender now."
"King Yan is in my grasp, surrender now."
"King Yan is in my grasp, surrender now."
"..."
Chen Mo shouted three times, his voice thundering like a lion’s roar.
The remaining Yan troops, seeing Zhao Jiang lying before Chen Mo, were already paralyzed with fear, and lost all will to fight, throwing down their weapons and surrendering.
Under the winter sun, smoke and dust rolled outside Bianliang City, the earth stained deep red with blood, the moat stained crimson, bodies strewn across the ground.
Both sides suffered heavy losses.
Of the Imperial Guard that charged out to fight, less than thirty percent remained, but they achieved a vast victory.
With King Yan captured and his troops surrendering, the war ended in his defeat.
Chen Mo did not kill him; now his cultivation was destroyed, and Chen Mo had him imprisoned, to be judged by Song law later.
Chen Mo sat down heavily on a spot of earth untouched by blood.
He was exhausted, hadn’t stopped since last night, his hand gripping the spear was weary.
When no one was looking, Chen Mo wiped the Nine Thunder Profound Celestial Spear with True Qi and stored it in his body; the blood-spattered battle armor lost its original appearance.
"Master, are you alright?"
Xiao Jiu came over, its fur as snow-white as the night before, as it approached, it said again, "Master... do you want to lie on my back... to rest..."
Chen Mo didn’t notice the shyness flashing in its eyes, and patted its head, "No need, I just need a rest."
Gao Zheng led the garrison to clean up the battlefield, approaching eagerly, "Prince, the battle is over, the siege of the Capital is lifted. Prince, go rest, I’ll oversee here."
Chen Mo thought for a moment, "Very well, if anything urgent arises, notify me at the mansion immediately."
Finishing that, Chen Mo leaped onto Xiao Jiu’s back, "Let’s go, Xiao Jiu, back to rest."
...
...
"Princess Consort, the Prince has returned..."
As soon as Chen Mo returned to the mansion, the maid came to report.
The women praying for Chen Mo immediately stood up, almost speaking at once:
"Where is Husband?"
"Where is the Lord?"
"Where is Prince Zhen Nan?"
Upon hearing Xiao Yunxi’s voice, Chen Mo’s concubines quickly turned their gaze to her.
Xiao Yunxi blushed, trying to remain calm, she said, "I just wanted to ask about the Prince’s battle situation?"
The maid replied, "Empress Dowager, it seems they won. The Prince is bathing."
"Is anyone by his side?" Zhao Jiangning asked.
The maid shook her head, not speaking yet, when Zhao Jiangning chided, "The Lord is so fatigued, yet there’s no one attending to him."
Finishing that, she headed outside.
The maid pitifully said, "It’s... the Prince won’t let us serve him..."
No one heard the maid, as Zhao Jiangning left, except for Xiao Yunxi, Wu Xin’Er and others all followed out.
Xiao Yunxi hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, she also went out.
...
The victory of the Imperial Guard quickly spread across the Capital, leaving all who heard it bewildered.
King Yan’s army of a million surrounded the city, yet he was defeated once more.
