0p0 Chapter 490 The South Gate of Juzhou Falls, Xiao Ruofeng Wins a Pyrrhic Victory! (2)
Chapter 490 The South Gate of Juzhou Falls, Xiao Ruofeng Wins a Pyrrhic Victory! (2)
"Where is Sheng Yanwei?" Xiao Ruofeng asked, sheathing his sword.
"They were left to garrison the north of the city, where they are locked in a stalemate with Chen Wenyuan..." the commander said. "Our scouts reported that there are still more than 7,000 troops guarding the north gate, and the city's defenses are basically intact."
Xiao Ruofeng nodded upon hearing this, as it was expected.
Sheng Yanwei is a veteran of the Breaking Wind Army; he won't put all his eggs in one basket.
With the south gate lost, he would surely hold the north gate and await reinforcements.
"Order a rest. In one hour, turn around and attack the north gate." Xiao Ruofeng paused. "Also, send someone to contact Chen Wenyuan and Liu Zhenshan to inquire about the battle situation."
"Yes." The commander ordered him to leave.
Xiao Ruofeng stood alone on the city wall, gazing northward.
The fire at the Zhenfeng Silver Mine has been extinguished; the outcome of the battle is unknown.
On Chen Wenyuan's side, the explosions had stopped, but no battle reports had been received.
That night was incredibly tough.
As he was pondering this, suddenly—
Dust rose at the horizon.
It started as a single line, but then quickly spread, like a rolling yellow dragon sweeping across the land.
Banners fluttered in the dust.
The black flag was embroidered with the two characters "Baili" in crimson, as if written in blood.
Xiao Ruofeng's pupils suddenly contracted.
He could see it clearly—the army was moving at an extremely fast pace, its formation was impeccable, and its killing intent was overwhelming. Their numbers…were at least fifty thousand!
The lead rider, clad in black armor and riding a black horse, wielded a strangely styled battle sword, seemingly deliberately severed at an angle from the tip, revealing a chilling sharpness!
Even though they were several miles apart, Xiao Ruofeng could still feel the chilling aura emanating from them.
That was the aura that emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
That's right, it's none other than the world-renowned God of Slaughter, Marquis Zhenxi—Baili Luochen!
Xiao Ruofeng gripped the Haoque sword tightly, his knuckles turning white.
He finally understood why the resistance at Zhenfeng Silver Mine was so strange, and why Sheng Yanwei was holding the north gate but not launching a full-scale counterattack.
Everything is bait.
All of this was to keep his main force tied up outside Juzhou City.
Then, Baili Luochen personally led the main force and arrived like lightning.
"Order the entire army—" Xiao Ruofeng's voice was hoarse, yet still steady, "Abandon the mopping-up operation, assemble immediately, and prepare... to meet the enemy!"
The bugle call from the city wall resounded.
The exhausted Northern Army hastily assembled, facing the ever-approaching red tide outside the city!
The sunlight finally pierced through the clouds, illuminating Juzhou City and also Baili Luochen's cold, hard face.
He reined in his horse and stood before the army formation, his long spear pointing towards the southern gate tower!
South of Juzhou City, the first rays of dawn break.
Fifty thousand Windbreakers pressed down on the city like dark clouds, their iron armor gleaming coldly in the morning light.
This elite force, having fought countless battles, silently deployed into formation, with three rows in front and behind, stretching for several miles to the left and right, completely surrounding the area three miles outside the south gate of Juzhou City.
The front row consisted of heavily armored spearmen, their long spears forming a forest.
The second column consists of swordsmen and shieldmen, their shields linked together like an iron wall;
The third column consists of archers, with arrows already nocked;
Five thousand light cavalry patrolled on each flank, blocking any escape routes!
The chilling atmosphere was so intense it seemed almost tangible.
Surrounded at the core was the main force of the 30,000-strong Northern Li army led by Xiao Ruofeng.
Exhausted from a night of fierce fighting to seize the gate, the Northern Li army now faced the overwhelming force of the Pofeng Army, which had superior numbers, morale, and equipment. Suppressed breathing and the faint clash of weapons could be heard from within the Northern Li army ranks, clearly indicating that some of them were too frightened to hold their weapons!
Xiao Ruofeng stood at the front of the formation, his white robe stained with blood, the Haoque sword hanging at his side.
He gazed at the black banner in the opposing army formation and the figure of the black-armored horse beneath it, his heart heavy as if a boulder had fallen.
Marquis of Zhenxi, Baili Luochen.
This was the legend he looked up to in his youth, the uncle who had sworn brotherhood with his father and fought alongside him, but now he had become an enemy with whom he had to fight to the death.
"Your Highness..." Commander of the personal guards, Xiao Ping, rode forward, his voice hoarse, "The enemy's forces are overwhelming. Should we... temporarily avoid their advance?"
Xiao Ruofeng silently shook his head.
Avoid? Where to avoid?
Behind them was the newly captured south gate of Juzhou. Although the city gate was broken, there were still remnants of the enemy in the alleys of the barbican.
Ahead lay 50,000 elite Pofeng Army troops, their left and right flanks blocked by light cavalry, and their 30,000 exhausted soldiers were now trapped in a hopeless situation!
He took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, and slowly rode out into battle.
At the same time, the opposing army also parted to create a passage.
Baili Luochen rode alone, slowly approaching.
There was a hundred-foot-wide open space between the two armies.
The morning breeze rustled their robes.
Baili Luochen reined in his horse twenty feet away. This famous old marquis had white hair and beard, but his face was still as resolute as iron and his eyes as sharp as an eagle!
The iron spear in his hand rested casually on the saddle, and he was like a statue, exuding an imposing aura that was impossible to look directly at.
However, Baili Luochen himself smiled as he watched Xiao Ruofeng on horseback, his gaze complex—containing admiration, regret, and a touch of melancholy.
“Your Highness, the Prince of Langya,” Baili Luochen spoke first, his voice booming like a bell, “How have you been?”
Xiao Ruofeng, still composed, bowed from his horse: "Old Marquis, it's been a long time. I never imagined we'd meet again on the battlefield!"
"What a cruel fate!"
Baili Luochen stroked his beard and laughed loudly. His laughter echoed across the empty battlefield, carrying a touch of desolation. "If it weren't for your father's constant pressure, this old man might have been able to sit with you and Dongjun in the Marquis's mansion and drink together!"
"The mulberry leaves fall in Qiandong, the autumn dew turns white in Tianqi; let the three of us drink to our hearts' content, why would we need to resort to violence like this today?"
He paused, his smile fading: "But can you blame the old man for being heartless? I would lay my heart out and show it to your father, but he wouldn't even glance at it. He insisted that my Baili family harbored treacherous intentions and plotted rebellion!"
Since that's his mindset, then for the sake of a sliver of hope, I have no choice but to raise an army. If I surrender without a fight, this old man's head would probably already be hanging high on the gates of Tianqi City!
Xiao Ruofeng remained silent.
He knew that Baili Luo was telling the truth; Zhuo Luo had taken the imperial edict south to Qiandong to "send Baili's family to the capital in a cage," a fact he only learned about afterward.
He was not entirely unaware of his father's suspicions about the Baili family, nor of the framing memorials submitted to the court.
But now he is Xiao Ruofeng, the Prince of Langya in Beili, and the Great General who commands the armies of the world.
There were some things he had to say.
"I understand what the old Marquis is saying." Xiao Ruofeng raised his head and looked directly at Baili Luochen. "But I also have something to say to the Marquis!"
"Oh?" Baili Luochen raised an eyebrow.
"The Baili clan has received imperial favor for generations, and my father and the Marquis are sworn brothers, their bond as strong as blood." Xiao Ruofeng's voice was calm, yet every word was clear—
"The principle of 'the ruler is the guide for the subject, the elder brother is the guide for the younger brother' is upheld. Lord Marquis, you have completely disregarded these principles! Ruofeng understands the intricacies of the situation; Lord Marquis has suffered much injustice. But no matter how much you argue, you should absolutely not have rebelled—"
Doesn't this confirm that the Baili clan had been plotting this all along?
He paused, then continued, "Moreover, during this period, I also made many efforts to try to clear the name of the Marquis's family."
But it was too late—the Marquis, before I could, joined forces with my senior brother Gu Jianmen to massacre officials in the southwestern prefectures and embezzle tax revenue.
From that moment on, there was no stopping us, and today, we meet again on the battlefield!
……