Chapter 778
The Jin Army soldiers, with bloodshot eyes from the killing, swarmed into the city, just in time to clash with the Zhao family army returning to defend.
Zhao Sheng, the main general of the Zhao family army, was held up by Bai Jinzhi and Lin Kangle, unable to split his focus. He had to order his subordinates to bring the main force back to defend.
Bai Jinzhi suddenly appeared at the rear with a black sail white python flag held high, causing chaos among the Liang army. Before Zhao Sheng could arrive, the Liang army, seeing the black sail white python flag, panicked and trampled each other while fleeing. By the time Zhao Sheng arrived, he indeed believed the Princess of Zhen had arrived.
Bai Jinzhi’s silk scarf, soaked with potion and worn around her mouth and nose, had been washed clean by the rain. She tore off the scarf while riding her horse, her red tassel spear dripping with blood, uncertain of how many enemies she had killed.
The Jin Army crossbowmen took the high ground, climbed onto the roofs of the Liang army’s barracks, and shot at the Liang army by the swaying firelight.
When the crossbow bolts were expended, they drew their knives for close combat.
The candles burning inside the barracks were knocked over, igniting the wooden pillars or hanging curtains inside. Without the heavy rain to suppress it, the fire grew larger, threatening to engulf barrack after barrack.
Until the dawn broke with a hint of light on the horizon, Bai Jinzhi heard the distant cries of the Liang army lamenting the breach of the city gate. She also heard the faint shouts of triumph from the Qingxi Mountain Pass city walls. Bai Jinzhi felt reassured; the Liang army seemed to be on the verge of collapse.
She fixed her gaze like a torchlight on Zhao Sheng, still fighting desperately, and urged her horse Pingan forward to charge at him.
The steed neighed, raising its hooves and leaping over the Liang army. Bai Jinzhi mustered all her strength to throw her spear at the unsuspecting Zhao Sheng.
“General, watch out!”
A Zhao family soldier saw this, eyes wide, shouting as he threw himself forward. He collided with Pingan’s blood-splattered legs just as the horse landed, causing the horse to lose balance and fall to the ground, flinging Bai Jinzhi into the bloody, muddy ground.
Due to the Zhao family soldier’s collision, Bai Jinzhi’s spear missed Zhao Sheng, instead striking his horse. The horse reared in pain, throwing Zhao Sheng to the ground.
Bai Jinzhi wiped her face, her wolf-like eyes locking onto Zhao Sheng. She drew a large knife from a nearby corpse and charged towards him, fighting off Liang soldiers obstructing her path.
The waterlogged ground reflected the firelight and combat shadows, with the sounds of metal clashing and screams all around.
Lin Kangle reined in his horse, scanning through the flashes of swords and shadows for Bai Jinzhi. He saw the blood-covered Bai Jinzhi embracing four spears thrust at her by the Liang soldiers. She glanced back and feigned retreat, causing the four spears to embed themselves into the wall.
Bai Jinzhi somersaulted over the spears, her knife rising and falling. Four heads dropped, blood spraying like hot rain. The Liang soldiers charging forward were splattered with blood.
Seeing Bai Jinzhi’s murderous aura, the Liang soldiers hesitated.
“Our Jin Army has breached the city gate! Surrender and you won’t be killed! Resist and you die!” Bai Jinzhi shouted.
The Liang soldiers surrounding Bai Jinzhi hesitated. The breaking of Qingxi Mountain Pass had already frightened the Liang army, their morale shattered by the black sail white python flag. Bai Jinzhi’s words suddenly filled the Liang soldiers with a sense of hopelessness; fearing death, some dropped their weapons.
Zhao Sheng, who had just decapitated a Jin soldier, saw this and realized the dire situation. He shouted, voice hoarse, “Liang soldiers! Zhao family army! Don’t forget the battle of Wengshan, where the Princess of Zhen killed 100,000 surrendering Xiliang soldiers! Pick up your weapons. If you must die, die fighting the enemy! If you drop your swords now, tomorrow you’ll be cattle for the Jin army to slaughter. Fight now, and you might still carve out a path to survival! Kill!”
Zhao Sheng’s words awakened the Liang soldiers about to drop their swords. Remembering Bai Qingyan burning surrendering soldiers at Wengshan, they tightened their grips on their weapons, fighting as if they had drunk bull’s blood.
Zhao Sheng had a resolute gaze. He urged his soldiers to fight, not disregarding their lives, nor out of desperation to bring back victory at Qingxi Mountain Pass. Even if victory seemed impossible, they should still strive for it.
Dying on the battlefield was honorable for a soldier.
Surrendering meant becoming helpless livestock for the enemy’s slaughter.
The Jin Army, ordered to gather at the city gate and fight the Liang army, did not enter the city.
Occupying the high grounds of the city walls, wave after wave of Jin crossbowmen fended off multiple charges from the Liang generals, inflicting heavy casualties with arrows from above. They advanced slowly, fighting and retreating.
Under Liu Hong’s orders, the Jin soldiers, imbued with high morale, charged into the city.
After the stormy night, the morning sun rose from the east of Qingxi Mountain, radiating golden light. The steep cliff, washed by rain, shone brightly, with even the pine needles at the cliff’s peak glistening in gold.
This dazzling brilliance created a stark contrast, illuminating only the magnificent cliffs. In stark contrast, the bloodstained city walls, the crimson pools, the mangled remains, and the battlefield piled with corpses lay shrouded in darkness.
The sounds of clashing weapons and screams echoed. The towering cliffs stood motionless in the radiant light, with the occasional breeze causing the pines to sway slightly.
Bai Jinzhi and Lin Kangle’s fifteen hundred men were nearly depleted. Lin Kangle saw the routed Liang soldiers fleeing in their direction.
Lin Kangle’s horse had fallen. He fought his way to Bai Jinzhi’s side and said, “Commandery Princess Gaoyi! We must retreat! The Liang army will fight desperately for their lives. Taking Qingxi Mountain Pass is already a major victory. We can’t let our soldiers fight to their deaths!”
Now that it was broad daylight, unlike the previous night’s chaos where foes and allies were indistinguishable, any disruption would cause the larger Liang army to harm their own.
Breathing heavily, Bai Jinzhi dropped her chipped knife, wiped the blood from her face, and fixed her gaze on Zhao Sheng, still fighting. She shouted, “We must intercept the Liang army here. If they escape, they’ll become Jin Kingdom’s enemy again! I must take Zhao Sheng’s head! It will boost our army’s morale!”
“Commandery Princess Gaoyi!” Lin Kangle, seeing he couldn’t stop Bai Jinzhi, seized an opportunity to catch a riderless galloping horse, leaped onto it, and shouted, “This battle is led by General Liu Hong of Jin Kingdom. Surrender and you won’t be killed!”