For Shao Xun, today's battle wasn't particularly intense, but it was exceptionally bloody.
The enemy seemed to have no other options left, charging forward in a chaotic swarm.
Archers barely needed to aim; they simply fired at will, with very few arrows missing their mark.
Ladder after ladder was propped against the walls, only to be hacked apart with swords and axes or set ablaze with oil, creating countless tragedies at the base of the walls.
The corpses from yesterday hadn't even been cleared away, and now another pile had formed, so much so that it began to hinder the enemy's advance.
The enemy forces showed no regard for their own lives, with one wave after another throwing themselves into the fray.
Shao Xun's heavy sword had been swung so many times that its edge had curled.
After switching to his ring-pommel saber, he killed four or five more enemies, but the blade was now riddled with notches.
The casualties among the defenders were slowly mounting.
By noon, Squad Leader Liu Tong had fallen in battle, Zhong Huan'er was wounded, and a group of soldiers had scattered in disarray.
Chen Yougen, leading the disciplinary troops, fired a volley of arrows, killing over twenty men who had retreated down the ladders.
The ground was soaked with blood, the stench overwhelming, and the sight shook everyone to their core.
"What a sin..."
Wu Qian led a group of children forward, gathering the bodies one by one and burying them in the backyard.
After a day and a half of fighting, they had already suffered over two hundred casualties—an unprecedented loss.
Some soldiers held their ground.
Others began to question their purpose.
And some simply deserted.
The situation was chaotic and varied.
Shao Xun's presence was crucial.
His leading by example bolstered the troops' morale, his unmatched bravery steadied their resolve, and his rewards of wealth and goods lifted their spirits.
In just a day and a half, he had successfully unified the disparate groups under his command.
The once-bullying servants of wealthy families, tempered by blood and fire, had shed their thuggish and cunning ways, becoming cold and ruthless.
The once-humble private soldiers, having paid the price in blood, had grown more skilled and experienced.
The once-disheartened deserters, driven to a frenzy by the fighting, had slowly rediscovered their long-lost courage.
The two squads that Shao Xun had trained the longest now stood like unshakable pillars, fierce and fearless in battle.
They had suffered casualties, but when gaps appeared in their ranks, they simply drew replacements from other units.
These new recruits, thrown into the brutal battlefield, had no time to think.
They could only mechanically integrate into the group and instinctively follow orders to fight.
The battlefield had always been an excellent place for forging unity and strength—provided one could survive.
"This one? Not much to speak of," Shao Xun muttered as he swung his saber, severing an enemy soldier's neck.
"This one has fought for a few years, but he's still lacking," he said casually as he walked up to another enemy.
As the man's sword swung wide, leaving him open, Shao Xun thrust forward, tearing through his abdomen.
"This one? Probably his first time in battle," Shao Xun said, facing a young boy of fourteen or fifteen with faint fuzz on his upper lip.
With a fierce glare and a menacing stance, he easily flustered the boy, then with a casual flick of his blade, slit his throat with almost no effort.
Yu Liang, protected by his family's soldiers, had struggled mightily to kill just one enemy.
Watching Shao Xun's almost artistic killing moves left him deeply shaken.
Especially the last one—the inexperienced young enemy soldier, who hadn't even been able to use a tenth of his potential before Shao Xun effortlessly ended his life.
"The enemy is retreating..."
Yu Liang swallowed hard and said.
"Just their last gasp," Shao Xun replied, tossing his ring-pommel saber to Wang Que'er and picking up a heavy sword.
He watched as the enemy forces retreated like a receding tide.
"Why not pursue them, Commander?" Yu Liang asked.
"If all my men were as bold and fearless as I'd like, we'd be chasing them down right now. Unfortunately, they're not," Shao Xun said with a smile.
"But there's still a chance."
"What do you mean, Commander?" Yu Liang asked, puzzled.
"Strike while the iron is hot. The first charge is full of energy, the second wanes, and the third exhausts," Shao Xun explained.
"Meng Chao has already lost half of his best troops fighting like this. Doesn't that pain him? The attacks this morning were just his last-ditch effort, driven by desperation. But he failed, and now he's lost even more men. He'll have to think carefully about how to end this. Continuing to fight is pointless unless he gets reinforcements."
"This..."
Yu Liang's heart skipped a beat.
"Will there be reinforcements?"
"I don't know," Shao Xun replied bluntly.
If Meng Chao received reinforcements, Shao Xun felt that the Piyong garrison would likely fall, and his own fate wouldn't be much better.
It was a grim reality, and as a transmigrator, he couldn't control his own destiny.
Life or death was often decided by the whims of others.
If he was lucky, he'd survive.
If not, this transmigration would have been for nothing.
"Aren't you afraid, Commander?" Yu Liang asked.
"What's the point of being afraid?" Shao Xun glanced at him calmly.
"In life, you'll face many life-and-death challenges. The only way to survive is to charge forward without hesitation. If you do everything you can and still fail, then it's just fate. If you die, so be it. That's all there is to it."
Yu Liang fell silent.
Shao Xun was only a year older than him, yet he was so composed and fearless.
Yu Liang couldn't help but feel a deep respect for him.
True heroes could emerge even from the roughest backgrounds.
They possessed a passion, courage, and skill that ordinary people could hardly match.
In their time, they often created miracles that left others in awe.
This world wasn't just a stage for the elite.
Li Xiong of the Di people was conquering territories in Shu.
Ji Sang, a nomadic leader, was gathering forces in Hebei.
Zhang Chang, a barbarian, was sweeping through Jingzhou.
And there were countless lesser forces like them.
The age of chaos was coming—no, it had already arrived.
In this time, everything would be redefined.
What truly constituted wealth? That was a question worth pondering.
Unknowingly, Yu Liang's worldview had been subtly shifted.
Shao Xun hadn't expected that the opportunity he had predicted would come so soon.
At a place called Stone Bridge outside Jianchun Gate, arrows and stones flew everywhere as the Ye troops, who had launched a massive assault, were now retreating in disarray, scrambling back toward their own camp.
General Ma Xian had just been killed in battle—what else could they do but flee?
And at that moment, the rhythmic sound of hoofbeats echoed in the distance.
At the forefront was a group of heavily armored knights.
From afar, both men and horses were clad in full armor, wielding large halberds.
They were none other than the armored cavalry of the Youzhou Assault Commander!
They lowered their visors, tilted their halberds, and followed the retreating enemy at a steady pace.
When the time was right, they gradually increased their speed, leveling their halberds and charging into the chaotic enemy formation like a speeding war chariot.
The thousand-plus armored cavalry displayed astonishing power, striking the Hebei troops like a heavy hammer, leaving them dazed and disoriented.
Spearmen threw down their weapons and fled.
Archers, lacking the courage to shoot, mindlessly mixed in with the retreating soldiers, running for their lives.
Some Hebei cavalry tried to intercept, but they were blocked by their own retreating troops, creating chaos.
Some were even pulled from their horses, sitting on the ground and cursing.
The Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Xiongnu cavalry that Sima Ying had heavily recruited quickly flanked the sides, attempting to use their mobility to outmaneuver the terrifying armored cavalry.
But behind the Youzhou Assault Commander were several thousand halberd cavalry led by General Wang Hu of the Luoyang Central Army.
Unlike the armored cavalry, they were light and fast, directly intercepting the charging barbarian cavalry.
The Xianbei cavalry fared better, as many of them were lance cavalry who had interacted with the Jin people in Youzhou and were familiar with Central Plains cavalry tactics.
They held their ground for a while, not immediately losing the upper hand.
But the Wuhuan and Xiongnu cavalry were in trouble.
They primarily relied on mounted archery, and when they faced the halberd cavalry head-on, they were scattered instantly, with countless men falling from their horses, screaming in agony.
Some tried to flee, hoping to create distance before shooting, but when they turned around, they found the halberd cavalry hot on their heels.
With no speed advantage, and lacking the skill to shoot accurately while retreating, they could only sigh and flee into the distance.
With the Hebei cavalry suppressed, the battle was effectively decided.
The Luoyang Central Army's light and heavy cavalry took turns charging, while the infantry pressed forward.
The Hebei army quickly collapsed, abandoning their armor and weapons over a distance of more than ten miles.
It wasn't until they encountered the previously defected Luoyang Imperial Guards that they managed to regroup.
But the heavy losses had already been inflicted.
This battle wasn't just about Ma Xian's forces—every unit had suffered varying degrees of damage, with countless casualties and desertions.
Without even counting, it was clear that tens of thousands had been killed or wounded, and even more deserters would take a long time to regroup.
As for the generals, it wasn't just Ma Xian who had died.
Judging by the fallen banners, at least ten commanders had been lost—a devastating blow.
The crushing defeat outside Jianchun Gate quickly spread throughout the region.
When Meng Chao received the news, he was at a loss for words.
Was he happy? His entire army had been defeated, with countless dead—how could he be happy? Was he sad? Lu Ji had been humiliated, losing troops and generals, and his own fate was uncertain—so maybe he was a little happy.
In any case, he was stunned for a long time.
It wasn't until another wave of his own attacks was repelled by the Piyong defenders that he finally snapped out of it.
Now he had to think about how to escape!
Sima Yi had won a great victory—would he launch a full-scale counterattack? It was highly likely.
If that happened, staying in the southern part of the city would be dangerous.
They had to leave quickly to avoid being surrounded and annihilated.
"Seal the news. Anyone who dares to speak of the defeat at Jianchun Gate will be executed without mercy!" Meng Chao decisively issued the order.
"Also, send the Handan troops forward for one more attack."
"The rest of you, pack up. No, don't bother packing. Just quickly organize the troops and retreat toward Pingchang Gate."
"General, should we wait until nightfall?" someone asked.
"I'm afraid we don't have that luxury," Meng Chao said, glancing at the walls.
"Jianchun Gate isn't far from here. We can't take that risk. Retreat immediately, no hesitation."
"Yes, sir."
The orders were quickly relayed.
The drums thundered, and five hundred Handan troops, driven by their officers, reluctantly launched their final attack of the day.
Meanwhile, inside the Mingtang, the defending troops silently regrouped, awaiting the order to retreat.
The battle, which had seemed to reach its most intense phase, came to an abrupt end at its climax.
(End of Chapter)