The war spread across the land. The weather was extremely cold. It snowed at night, and the next day the land was stained red with blood and corpses. The sounds of endless sieges and fighting made the north wind even more murderous and oppressive.
The city was short of food and supplies, and the reinforcements were cut off. The Hu people outside the city were aggressive, and they were obviously going to push them to the brink of desperation. Cen Yelan knew that Yan Le wanted to trap them to death in Beicang Pass. They were scheming and plotting. Cen Yelan knew that he had fallen into a trap. He came to Beicang Pass to set a trap, just for today.
From Shangwei and Heshan Prefecture, he took every step carefully, all in order to turn Beicang Pass into an isolated city.
But now Beicang Pass has become an isolated city, and Yan Le’s offensive is still fierce. It is not a wise move to even use the corpses of the Hu soldiers to build a flesh-and-blood ladder to attack the city.
Cen Yelan thought that Yan Le could have worn them out to death, but now that he was eager to attack the city, it only meant that they didn’t dare to delay it. But now the Hu people have all the advantages, and their food and supplies are also safe—unless they can’t delay. Cen Yelan thought of Yuan Zheng.
If the Hu people knew Yuan Zheng’s identity, everything would make sense.
Yuan Zheng is the emperor’s favorite son, the prince of Dayan who is most likely to enter the Eastern Palace. The emperor will not allow Yuan Zheng to die on the northern border. But Cen Yi has sent a letter to Hedong. Si Shaoying knows the situation well. Even if Hedong is lost, they dare not not come to rescue Yuan Zheng either.
However, there is still no news.
Cen Yelan thought of the inexplicable loss of Heshan Prefecture and suddenly understood something. It was true that Yuan Zheng was the emperor’s most beloved prince, but the emperor had more than one prince. A tall tree attracts the wind. Cen Yelan seemed to have caught a glimpse of a corner of the capital’s treacherous situation.
For the first time, Fang Jing felt what it meant to live a day like a year1A day that drags past like a year (idiom) time crawls when one is wretched..
He was born into a wealthy family. If he had not followed Yuan Zheng to the northern border, at this time of year, he should be in a warm room with a heating system, drinking the best wine, enjoying graceful singing and dancing, as well as the greatest happiness in the world.
What they drink now is the ice and snow of the north, and what they swallow is the howling north wind, which is enough to destroy people’s hearts and flesh.
He walked quickly, stepping on the cold greenstone slabs. He walked too fast and slipped and fell flat on his face. The little heir, who had never suffered before, cursed and touched a piece of paper on the ground. He glanced at it hastily, and his face became even uglier.
Fang Jing wanted to tear up the paper, but after hesitating for a moment, he rolled it up and put it in his arms. He then climbed up using his hands and feet and walked towards the city gate.
Yuan Zheng was indeed on the city wall.
During the truce, there were people on the city wall moving wounded soldiers, people leaning against the wall eating bread, and people cleaning up the battlefield, all coming and going in a hurry.
Cen Yelan was talking to Cen Yi with calm faces, and both of them looked quite serious.
The drums standing nearby were splattered with blood, which had dried, revealing the cruelty of the war. Yuan Zheng was standing under the drums, his sword aside, biting a dry bread in one hand while talking to the soldiers around him.
Fang Jing walked over. “Young Master.”
Yuan Zheng responded lazily. Fang Jing glanced at the soldier and suddenly remembered that one night, where they talked and laughed together in the wounded soldier’s room over the boiling meat soup. The soldier was over forty years old, with thick arms and a dark face. Fang Jing remembered that his last name was Qi, he’s Qi Bai.
Qi Bai’s neck was covered with blood and a thick bandage. His face was pale, but he still smiled. He said, “Three generations of my family have been soldiers. I’ve been beating the drums for the Old General, and now I’m following the General for exactly twenty-five years already! The war drums have never gone wrong.”
Yuan Zheng laughed and said, “It’s amazing to devote your whole life to one thing.”
Qi Bai smiled and said, “It’s a pity that I had a son in my old age. My son is only seven years old. But don’t underestimate him. His little arms are very strong.” As he spoke, he waved his hands and ‘Dong—dong—dong2It’s the sound of the drum.’
Yuan Zheng looked up at Fang Jing, their eyes met, and he picked up the sword, walking a few steps forward, Fang Jing whispered: “Your Highness, look at this.”
He handed the crumpled paper to Yuan Zheng, who unfolded it and looked at it for a few seconds. His face was expressionless, and he said, “It’s just words used by the Hu people to incite the army.”
Fang Jing said, “Your Highness, is this really false?”
Yuan Zheng frowned and stared at Fang Jing without saying anything.
Fang Jing said, “The city is short of food and supplies, how could the Hu people know? Now Beicang Pass is an isolated city, but Cen Yelan is doing nothing at all. What does he want to do?”
Yuan Zheng kicked him and said, “Keep your voice down.”
He asked, “What do you think he should do?”
Fang Jing’s neck stiffened and said, “Your Highness is of noble status. Cen Yelan should put Your Highness first and escort Your Highness out of Beicang Pass instead of leaving Your Highness in danger!”
Yuan Zheng said, “It has nothing to do with him, I want to stay.”
“Your Highness, it’s different now. Beicang Pass is a dangerous city.” Fang Jing took a deep breath. “Once the Hu people know your identity, the consequences will be disastrous.”
Yuan Zheng said calmly, “So what? We won’t lose.”
Fang Jing said angrily, “Your Highness, the Hu people are coming with such force this time that both the northern border and the eastern part of Hedong are caught in the flames of war. In the past few years, the border defense was as solid as a rock and never lost an inch of land. This year, our army has lost several cities in a row. Doesn’t Your Highness find it strange?”
Yuan Zheng stared at Fang Jing for a while. Fang Jing’s heart trembled, but he did not retreat. He continued: “If it were normally, Your Highness could do whatever you wanted, but now, it is a matter of life and death.” He paused and said, “Your Highness, His Majesty is still waiting for you to go back—”
Yuan Zheng’s expression shifted slightly. The rustling of the north wind sounded like a mournful whimper. He subconsciously turned his head to glance at Cen Yelan. Cen Yelan seemed to have sensed something, turned his head to look at him, and then turned away again.
Yuan Zheng said, “I can’t leave. The fighting situation at Beicang Pass is intense. If Cen Yelan sends more troops to escort me out of the city with great fanfare, it will definitely alert the Hu people.”
“It’s still unclear whether we can leave or not at that time, and it will undoubtedly make things worse for Beicang Pass. “
Fang Jing was silent for a moment and said, “The sword on the battlefield is blind. If something happens to Your Highness on the northern border…”
Yuan Zheng’s eyes fell on Fang Jing’s face, and he said, “Ah Jing, I have a clear idea in my mind.” He patted Fang Jing’s shoulder and said, “I won’t get you into trouble.”
Fang Jing was stunned, but Yuan Zheng had already walked past him. He felt mixed emotions and was so angry that he stomped his feet hard.
Fang Jing remembered that before he came, his father specially called him to the study, and his words vaguely revealed that the emperor had no intention of demoting Yuan Zheng, and as long as he returned from the northern border, he would be the crown prince of Dayan.
But now, if anything happens to Yuan Zheng while he’s at the northern border, those of them who followed him will inevitably bear the emperor’s wrath, and it’s not like those who are not involved with Yuan Zheng will be fine.
Suddenly, the wind blew down fine snow, and in the distance, there were sounds of iron hooves, and the Hu people came again like a wave.
Dong—the war drums sounded again.
The longer the war dragged on, the more the soldiers in Beicang Pass were annoyed by the Hu people’s day-and-night attacks on the city, and the people also became uneasy. The Hu people sent inflammatory letters into the city with arrows and Kongming lanterns. The soldiers in the city were unable to stop them, and some of them still fell into the hands of the people.
At first, they tore it up with hatred, but the shouts of killing were heard day and night, and the entire Beicang Pass seemed to be shrouded in a bloody horror, and the people’s hearts were trembling. The black words on the white paper, such as massacre, surrender, and food shortage, seemed to be stained with blood, turning into the Hu people’s deadly scimitar.
Cen Yelan sent people to appease the people. He was the legend of the undefeated border guards, so people calmed down for a few days, but the war continued.
Two days later, a dozen civilians ran and screamed in the city late at night, shouting, ‘The city has fallen, the city has fallen, the Hu people are going to massacre the city.’ Their voices were shrill and sharp, like the cry of an owl in the night.
When Cen Yelan arrived, Cen Yi’s face was cold, and several people were already dead on the ground.
Another one seemed to be crazy. When he saw Cen Yelan, he pointed at him and said, “Hahaha, you can’t hold on. The Hu people said that they won’t massacre the city if you surrender. Otherwise, he will kill us all, kill us all, hahahaha… we are going to die.”
He pointed at Cen Yelan and said, “You can’t protect us at all. You are going to kill everyone!”
Cen Yi coldly rebuked, “Nonsense!”
When the spear tip passed, the man suddenly stopped talking and fell to the ground.
The long street was completely silent. The awakened people stood in the distance, terrified, and watched silently.
Cen Yi tilted his spear, blood flowed under the pale moonlight and dripped onto the ground. He said, “These people are spies used by the Hu people to disrupt the morale of our army.”
“Everyone, go back with peace of mind.”
War time is nerve wracking damnit!