MSW Chapter33

68

A sudden rainstorm burst forth without the slightest warning. Large, bean-sized droplets hammered down with a sharp crackle, each one carrying a biting cold that made people shudder involuntarily.

 

Xu Ying wiped the rain from his face and looked up at the sky — this rain had come far too abruptly. It had already rained for most of the night, only stopping around the fifth watch. He and Li Yue had followed their plan to lead a team out of the city under the cover of darkness and climbed Wutou Ridge. The soil was moist, and the shrubs, washed clean by the rain, looked completely renewed. While crouching by the side, one could still catch the scent of earth and leaves.

 

Scouts came and went frequently, bringing news to Xu Ying and Li Yue of the battle ahead between Zhou Ting and Sun Qing.

 

Xu Ying had once crossed blades with Sun Qing. Sun Qing was younger than expected, likely in his early thirties, wielding a long sabre known as a modao[mfn]I think I’ve already make a note for this, but anw, Modao was a type of large, two-handed curved sword used primarily by heavy infantry in ancient China, especially during the Tang dynasty.[/mfn], with extraordinary strength. Xu Ying typically used a spear, and the moment he clashed with Sun Qing, the flesh between his thumb and index finger nearly split open, the sheer ferocity of that strike was unparalleled, it was something he had only experienced under Mu Peixuan’s spear.

 

Xu Ying rubbed the web of his right hand, feeling his blood begin to stir.

 

The modao was the blade commonly used by the Northern Garrison Army of Daliang. Stationed at the northern frontier to defend against the Hu cavalry, renowned for their formidable horsemen, the Northern Army had established a special unit known as the Zhanma Battalion. Every soldier in that battalion wielded a nine-foot Zhanmadao[mfn]The Zhanmadao, or “horse-cutting saber,” was a formidable two-handed sword developed in ancient China to counter cavalry threats.[/mfn], and the unit had once achieved great feats. Xu Ying remembered how his instructor in the army had spoken of the Zhanma Battalion with deep admiration.

 

Unfortunately, ever since Marquis Xuanping, Yun Chu, rebelled and his entire clan was executed, the battalion’s power and prestige had declined considerably.

 

Through the hazy curtain of rain, Xu Ying looked toward the hill opposite him, Li Yue was leading his troops in an ambush over there. He glanced back at the soldiers hidden along his own hill, then drew a deep breath. The frigid air, sharp as blades, cut into his lungs, clearing his mind at once. This rain had come at the worst possible time. It was the dead of winter, if it kept falling, the troops would soon be overwhelmed by the cold, their limbs growing stiff, the garments beneath their armor soaked and heavy, all of which would hinder a charge.

 

“Qianhu, the rebels are headed this way!” The scout braved the rain, reporting in a low voice.

 

Xu Ying’s spirits surged. He raised his voice and shouted, “Brothers, stay sharp! The rebels are almost here, we’ll make sure none of them leave alive!”

 

All of the soldiers around him fiercely wiped the rain from their faces and responded in unison, “Kill all the rebels! Kill all the rebels!”

 

Moments later, a blinding bolt of violet lightning split the churning black clouds above, thunder exploding across the sky. A sudden intuition struck Xu Ying, and he looked into the distance, dozens of riders had charged into the curtain of rain. The standard-bearer’s flag was already soaked, but through the downpour, he could faintly make out the dusky yellow satin.

 

It was the very military banner used by Liu Ziyi’s rebel forces.

 

Xu Ying raised his hand and ordered, “Archers and crossbowmen, ready!”

 

As soon as he spoke, the baihu[mfn]Commander of Hundred Household, it’s a military title below the Qianhu.[/mfn] beside him made a hand signal. Hidden within the hills, the archers and crossbowmen all nocked their arrows and drew their bows to full tension, waiting for a single command to loose them straight at the enemy’s heads.

 

The wind and rain swept across the land.

 

Sun Qing rode forward. The moment he stepped onto Wutou Ridge, he sharply sensed a chilling danger beneath the wind and rain. He and Mu Peizhi had been locked in a standoff in Fuzhou City for over ten days, with victories and losses on both sides. He had done some cursory research on Mu Peizhi beforehand, this man was well-read and renowned for his literary talent, but when it came to leading troops, he was merely mediocre.

 

Unlike Mu Peixuan, who had fought on the battlefield in his youth and made a name for himself with a single victory.

 

Sun Qing had originally thought he could quickly take Fuzhou City, but this battle had dragged on much longer than he expected.

 

He held his modao in his hand. Nearby, in a tangle of low stones and wild brush, a tilted stone tablet jutted out, the characters of “Wutou Ridge” had been washed clean by the rain, standing out starkly.

 

He lifted his head, looking toward the hills flanking the long path. The cold rain blurred his vision. Trees stood tall, backed by the rolling rise and fall of the mountains, which, in the dim storm, resembled a giant beast lying in wait.

 

Mountain winds swept over the ridge, driving raindrops as large as beans against his face, stinging faintly. Sun Qing tightened his reins and said, “Advance.”

 

He was strict in his command; even the motley rabble of the past, once under his control, had been disciplined into obeying orders with precision, gradually taking on the form of a proper army. At Sun Qing’s command, the troops behind him began to slowly advance.

 

Suddenly, arrows mixed with the heavy rain pierced through the cold wind, shooting toward them at high speed.

 

Sun Qing let out a cold laugh, swung his modao to slash down several of the incoming arrows, and said in a deep voice, “Raise shields!”

 

The formation faltered for a moment but quickly regained order in the rain. The shield-bearers raised their shields in unison, forming a solid wall. The sharp, grating clang-clang-clang that followed was the sound of arrowheads striking against the shields.

 

The usually quiet Wutou Ridge was suddenly engulfed in the sounds of battle, the clash of two armies reverberating through the wind and rain. The cold, damp rain seemed to carry an aura of death.

 

The rain fell heavily, and Xu Ying’s armor was soaked through. The archers continuously loosed long arrows, and occasionally, large rocks would roll down. Some of the rebel forces, pushing through the rain of arrows, had already reached the border troops and were engaged in battle.

 

Blood splattered, staining the small pools of water on the mountain and turning them a deep red. Xu Ying saw that more and more rebels had climbed up. With a swift movement, he raised his spear and cleanly killed one of the rebels while shouting, “Kill!”

 

“Kill!!”

 

The shout echoed around him, and the momentum was deafening. In an instant, the two armies were locked in a fierce struggle on the small Wutou Ridge.

 

Xu Ying did not linger in the battle but instead made a direct charge toward Sun Qing who was among the rebel forces. Sun Qing, wielding his modao, cut through the air with great force, leaving behind a trail of severed corpses.

 

A deafening thunderclap rang out, and Xu Ying’s eyes met Sun Qing’s. Sun Qing grinned, abandoning the others, and strode toward Xu Ying. Xu Ying gripped his spear tightly, his gaze turning sharp, the spear aimed directly at Sun Qing’s vital points.

 

Clang — the spear and the modao collided, both of them stepping back half a pace, their eyes cold with murderous intent. The number of fallen soldiers on Wutou Ridge grew, blood flowing in streams that gathered into small rivers. Xu Ying and Sun Qing were locked in intense combat, both skilled warriors who did not speak a word. Every strike was aimed at each other’s life.

 

In the end, Xu Ying was still too young and lacked real battle experience. He had already stumbled back three steps, his arms growing numb and his movements starting to slow. Blood seeped from the webbing between his thumb and forefinger, sliding down along the shaft of his spear.

 

Suddenly, Sun Qing feinted a strike. Xu Ying’s brow twitched, and with barely a moment to react, he rolled to the ground, narrowly avoiding the deadly blow that followed.

 

From his higher vantage point, Sun Qing looked down and said, “Kid, you’re no match for me.”

 

Xu Ying swallowed the blood in his mouth, sneering, “Even a rabbit has the strength to fight an eagle. And besides—” He leapt forward, seizing his spear and launching an attack on Sun Qing. “This lord is no rabbit!”

 

Sun Qing scoffed, “You’re asking for death.”

 

In the blink of an eye, the two clashed several more times. Just as Sun Qing spotted an opening and was about to take the young man’s head with a strike, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. In a swift motion, he spun around, blocking with his modao. The loud clang of metal on metal rang out, but instead of his own blade, it was the sound of a long sword.

 

The young man holding the sword was clad in armor, his hair drenched with sweat, revealing a sharp, refined face. He glanced at Sun Qing before launching a fierce and precise strike, the sword moving like a tight net, brimming with murderous intent.

 

It was none other than Li Yue.

 

Xu Ying, who had worked with Li Yue for many years, felt the seamless coordination between their weapons. Under the combined pressure of the spear and the sword, Sun Qing began to struggle, unable to defend himself effectively.

 

Xu Ying called to Li Yue, “Why did it take you so long to get here? I’ve already said, capture the leader first.”

 

Li Yue gave a faint chuckle and said, “Ran into a few troublesome ones.”

 

Xu Ying replied, “Hurry up and kill him, I’m about to freeze to death.”

 

His lips were slightly pale, and as he got closer, Li Yue could smell the blood on him.

 

Li Yue glanced at Xu Ying and quickly deduced that Xu Ying was likely injured — Sun Qing was indeed no easy opponent. Neither of them wished to prolong the battle any further, and their attacks grew even fiercer. Sun Qing let out a low grunt as a new wound appeared on him. He glanced into the distance and spoke, “You two are indeed brave. Why waste your lives for Daliang? Why not join the righteous army? If we succeed in taking the country, you’ll be honored as founding heroes. Who could say you won’t be recorded in history, with wealth and power to spare?”

 

Xu Ying swept his spear heavily, sneering, “Foolish delusion. You think you can covet the land of Daliang with the likes of you?”

 

Sun Qing retorted, “Are noble lords and generals born with their titles? Today, the Emperor of Daliang is feeble and unfit to rule, while treacherous ministers and eunuchs plunge the court into disorder. The common people suffer, so why shouldn’t we rise up?” He blocked Xu Ying’s spear, but seeing the long sword coming at him, he hastily dodged, though the blade still sliced across his arm.

 

Li Yue calmly said, “Rebels are rebels, no need to waste words.”

 

Under the pressure of the two’s combined assault, Sun Qing grew increasingly desperate. His helmet was knocked off, and a shadow of gloom passed over his face. In a flash, he turned his focus to the injured Xu Ying and launched a fierce counterattack.

 

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from afar. Xu Ying and Li Yue immediately turned to look, only to be met with the clash of battle cries and the harsh sounds of slaughter. It was another cavalry force. This new group was large, armed with sharp blades, and riding strong, sturdy steeds. As they entered the fray, the battlefield was immediately filled with screams.

 

Li Yue’s expression changed abruptly, and he said, “It’s an ambush!”

 

It was the old strategy, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind[mfn]To pursue immediate gains while neglecting greater danger behind[/mfn].

 

Sun Qing glanced at the two with a faint smile, lifted his modao, and said coldly, “You’re not going anywhere.”

 

Li Yue made a quick decision and said to Xu Ying, “Retreat!”

 

Xu Ying glared at the cavalry that had suddenly appeared from nowhere, gritting his teeth and saying, “Let’s go.”

 

The two gave orders to the flag bearer, but the flag bearer’s attempt to wave the soaked flag was interrupted as the sudden cavalry charged through, scattering the border troops in a panic. In an instant, the ground was littered with corpses. A crossbow bolt, seemingly from nowhere, pierced through the flag bearer’s throat. He staggered, then collapsed to the ground.

 

The situation had taken a sharp turn.

 

The scent of blood in the air grew heavier, and the two quickly mounted their horses, leading the remaining troops in a hasty retreat.

 

Sun Qing, however, swiftly caught up, accompanied by a man at the head of a cavalry unit. This man was tall and imposing, wearing a dark iron demon mask on his face. He wielded a long spear that gleamed with a cold light, and with a swift motion, he aimed it directly at Li Yue.

 

Li Yue raised his sword to block, engaging in a few exchanges before his expression suddenly hardened. His eyes locked onto the masked man, and he gritted his teeth, saying, “The Chilou clan—”

 

The Chiluo clan, once the royal family of the Arles tribe, had been defeated and taken captive. Following their downfall, the entire clan was imprisoned in Liangdu.

 

They, regardless of heaven or earth, should have been locked in Liangdu until death, they should never have appeared here.

 

The man halted briefly, his eyes a distinctive gray, an unmistakable trait of his foreign tribe. He gave a cold, mocking smile and said, “Looks like your southern army still remembers us.”

 

His tone softened as he continued, “How is Mu Xiao Junwang of your Marquis Annan Mansion?”

 

Xu Ying stared at him intently, and the man added, “It’s been many years since we last met. I’ve come to settle the grudge from those years,” he said. “Perhaps I’ll take your heads as a greeting gift for him.”

 

It was the first time Xu Ying had ever felt the presence of death so vividly.

 

Sun Qing was already difficult to deal with, but the person wearing the demon mask, whose identity was inscrutable, pressed forward with deadly intent at every step.

 

Xu Ying clenched his teeth, thinking to himself that they probably wouldn’t make it back this time, they couldn’t all die here. He glanced at Li Yue who was beside him, only to meet Li Yue’s gaze. That look was calm yet resolute. Li Yue stared straight at him and said, “Go back and report to His Highness about the collusion between the Chiluo clan and the rebels.”

 

Xu Ying was stunned, but before he could react, the horse beneath him was suddenly struck hard with the back of a sword. Li Yue shouted, “Go! Stay alive and get back!”

 

As the words left his mouth, Li Yue had already charged toward Sun Qing and the masked man.

 

Xu Ying gripped the reins tightly, instinctively wanting to turn his horse around, but the horse, spurred by pain, had already leapt several zhang forward. He glanced back, the wind and rain slashing into his eyes like icy blades, turning them bloodshot in an instant.

 

“Li Yue—!”

 

The author has something to say:

Li Yue has wrapped up his part >3

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T/N: The way I sobbed cuz I really like Li Yue :3 and “Daliang” mean “the Great Liang” btw.