Chapter 381 A Battle to the Death
Taiyuan city.
Darkness filled the night as clouds covered the moon and stars. Li Cunxiao lifted his head and all he saw was the endless darkness. He returned to his desk from the window sill with a frown and opened a book. He stared at the same page for a long time; he just wasn’t in the mood to read.
It was not known how much time had passed before a servant knocked on the door with a report. When Li Cunxiao heard the knocking, he quickly put the book down, stood up and said, “Come in!”
When the servant came in, Li Cunxiao walked in the hall too and asked hurriedly, “Quickly, tell me, how is today’s battle situation?”
The servant replied honestly, “The army has suffered a lopsided defeat, and thousands are hurt. The lord too is wounded, and he’s now healing at home!”
Upon hearing the news, Li Cunxiao trembled all over as though being hit by something heavy. His expression turned dark immediately.
After Li Keyong took away his military power and returning to Taiyuan city, Li Cunxiao had stayed at home. No one even brought him battle reports, much less joining the battle atop the wall at Taiyuan city.
Instead of waiting for the news spread by the government office like normal people, Li Cunxiao sent out his servant to gather information.
There had been good news for many days until today. Li Cunxiao had sensed that the situation was about to take a turn towards the bad side. As a senior general of Militarism, he could tell the trends on the battlefield just by hearing what was happening without being there personally.
“The lord has reached the latter stages of the general realm. No one could rival him outside the city, how could he be defeated and even wounded? Is Li Ye back?” These questions flashed before Li Cunxiao as he frowned, questions to which he had no answer.
The servant answered, “It wasn’t Li Ye who came, the general that appeared was not unknown to all, and not even the lord knew who he was. But it was said that he was a force to be reckoned with. Not only did he descend from the heavens, but he just used a formation of only three thousand Pinglu soldiers and defeated the lord...”
The servant seemed worried and anxious as he said those words. Clearly he was concerned about the situation at hand, after all, if Taiyuan city was breached, everyone would suffer.
The servant could see that although Li Keyong had taken away Li Cunxiao’s military power, he was still loyal to Li Keyong and had not a hint of complaint. Otherwise he would show excitement upon hearing the news that Li Keyong had been defeated and wounded.
Li Cunxiao waved the servant away and returned to his desk. After musing for a long time, he finally lifted his pen, dipped it in ink and began to write a proposal to Li Keyong, requesting that he returned to the battlefield.
Li Cunxiao had not seen Li Keyong since returning to Taiyuan city. Not only did he endure the cold shoulder, he had also felt the fickleness of human nature the past days.
Yet now, Li Cunxiao put all that aside, all he wanted was to do something for Taiyuan city.
After finishing his proposal, Li Cunxiao walked to the door and ordered in a low voice, “Someone bring me my armor; I’m going to the Manor to request to return to the battlefield!”
A short time later, Li Cunxiao was fully armored. He got on his horse and rode out the corner gates; he was headed towards the Manor.
However, he came to a stop after only a short distance, for a luxurious carriage was coming towards him with the protection of cultivators. Before long, the carriage stopped before Li Cunxiao.
Li Cunxiao had long gotten off his horse and was waiting on the side of the road.
He had already sensed that the protectors were cultivators. They were all high-level Qi-refining cultivators, and though the man inside the carriage was short of breath, he was in fact of the Spiritual Master Realm.
He knew that the man in the carriage was none other than Li Keyong himself.
The carriage stopped in front of Li Cunxiao. As he saluted, the curtain lifted and Li Keyong walked out in casual robes.
“General, where are you going fully armored?” asked Li Keyong as he waved off Li Cunxiao’s salute. He was curious as well, seeing Li Cunxiao in armor. His expression and movement seemed calm and kind, which was as though there was never any conflict between them. As though nothing had ever happened.
“I was planning on seeing the lord!” Li Cunxiao replied as he bent his back in salute. His voice was very determined, however, he wasn’t exactly articulate. So his words were simple and direct, “Lord, I’m requesting to return to the battlefield!”
Li Keyong heaved a sigh and lifted Li Cunxiao up. He looked at Li Cunxiao with many feelings. “To be honest, I’m also here to ask the general to return to the battlefield. So it’s great that you share the same feelings, which means that it was right that I came to you!”
Li Cunxiao’s eyes flashed and he was full of excitement. “So the lord will allow me to return the battlefield?”
Li Keyong replied, “General, I’ve always known that you are brave and loyal. And I know that the battle in Fenzhou was not your fault. But rumors about you were circling and if I didn’t punish you, none would obey me.” “I hope that the general will understand my situation and not blame me. If you could return to the battlefield and give us a victory, all those rumors will be drowned!”
“Thank the lord!” Li Cunxiao bowed three times with tears of appreciation.
“General, you are too kind, please get up. The battle situation in Hedong is now in your hands!”
“Don’t worry my lord. I will not let you down. I will give it all including my life!”
This picture was just like the typical painting of a ‘harmonious monarch and his subject’.
Li Cunxiao did not complain upon receiving unjust treatment, and he was willing to put his life on the line whenever Li Keyong was in need. Li Keyong on the other hand, also had immense trust in Li Cunxiao as though Li Ye’s scheme of playing one against another did not happen at all.
However, there was a hint of darkness still in Li Keyong’s eyes. It meant that his suspicion had not truly dissipated. He had no other choice but to ask Li Cunxiao to return to the battlefield.
The next day at dawn, the Pinglu army, Henghai army, Zhaoyi Army and Tianping army had all walked out of the camp and surrounded Taiyuan city ready to attack.
An army of three to four hundred thousand strong soldiers had covered three sides outside of the city. The large formation formed by three joined forces was like an endless ocean. Taiyuan city seemed like a lone island amid the ocean of armor.
Atop the Pinglu army watchtower, Liu Dazheng was leaning on his blade and watching over the battle situation, ready to give out commands.
On Liu Dazheng’s side, stood Kang Chengqian, Xue Wei, Liu Jingsi and others. When anything in Liu Dazheng’s camp concerned their three vassal states, they were ready to pass on the order to their sects.
The formation was assembled and everything was ready, but Liu Dazheng had not given the order to attack the city. Kang Chengqian’s and others’ eyes were full of confusion as they watched Liu Dazheng walk to the side.
A man was leaning on the fence atop the watchtower. He was staring blankly at the blood and fire filled battlefield. He looked illusive as the morning sun showered on his silver hair and the wind lifted the hair on his shoulders.
The scene before him had made Liu Dazheng stop in his steps, and he swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
Many years ago he was the master of the battlefield. Whenever there was a battle, his order was the direction of victory and every time they came home triumphantly, he would be praised by the people.
Yet now, a lonely middle-aged man stood before him.
Even if he was still gloriously radiant, no one yelled out his name.
Liu Dazheng suddenly felt cruel.
Seeing Liu Dazheng approach, Li Xian glanced at him and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong?”
Upon hearing his voice, Liu Dazheng lifted his head and replied in a strong voice, “The three armies are ready and waiting for the general’s command!”
Li Xian waved his hand and said, “You are now the chief commander, so you do not need to ask me when to attack.”
Liu Dazheng’s hands shook and his throat was as coarse as a rock, he gritted his teeth.
“You will always be my general.”
Kang Chengqian, Xue Wei, Liu Jingsi and others were all a little surprised upon seeing what was happening. “Why would he ask this general when to attack? Who is he?”
But the three of them suddenly understood, as the top forces of the army, defeating Li Keyong was the key to victory. Liu Dazheng probably just wanted to make sure that he was ready, perhaps out of respect for his feelings.
Liu Dazheng suddenly turned and pulled out the blade from his hips. He lifted the blade high and roared, “Everyone, listen up, attack!”
Suddenly, the battle horns sounded and battle drums began beating.
At the front of the sea of armor, it seemed a lake was separating from it. The lake then separated into waves and rushed towards Taiyuan city. It was as though the waves were about to drown the entire city.
The battle reached the climax as soon as it started.
As the battle of the two sides got to this point, there was no need for them to do any testing. It was an attack to the death straight away. As for the moat and trenches, they’d already been flattened after days of attacking the city. Even if there were still existing moats, they could easily get over it with a plank of wood.
Tens of thousands of soldiers joined the first round of attack. Soldiers had covered every side of the city wall like ants, and not a gap could be seen. It gave people the impression that the city would be swallowed easily if everyone just took one bite.
With the Pinglu army heading the attack, the soldiers of the Imperial Army had covered the Taiyuan city after only half a day.
Though their numbers were far inferior to that of the Hedong Army. But with every piece of the battlefield they took, an endless array of soldiers would join them to quickly expand their territory.
If this kept up, Taiyuan city would be breached by the Imperial Army before dusk.
Just at that moment, Li Cunxiao, the destined famous general who possessed the ability to rule all battlefields got on the city wall.
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