Chapter 67: Turning the Tide
Since the fall of Anqing City, every county and village along the route had submitted to Yongzhao, and countless refugees had flooded into the cities occupied by Yongzhao to escape the war. The Yuanliao forces retreated a thousand miles, and with the death of the Protector of the Nation in the underground palace of Anqing, the Prestige Army had crumbled like scattered sand, impossible to rally. Fortunately, Peng Hong possessed extraordinary courage, and the Wutao Army's morale surged. They held on desperately for several days, defending the Pingbei Pass with their lives.
Fang Guangda, however, showed no sign of discouragement. He launched continuous assaults until the chaotic battle at Pingbei Pass finally erupted. Both armies' main generals charged out to fight with everything they had.
Yongzhao's ranks were filled with talent. Four or five generals swarmed Shen Kang alone. Shen Kang exerted every ounce of strength, blocking furiously, his face drenched in sweat. He had hoped for help, but Peng Hong had already been surrounded by Yongzhao's generals so tightly that no light could penetrate. Jin Lu was fighting and retreating step by step.
Shen Kang's heart screamed in alarm: If this continues, I'll definitely be captured! It's fine if they get me, but if they capture His Highness, it will be a disaster! With this thought, he desperately broke away from the Yongzhao general entangling him, wheeled his horse wildly, and charged toward Peng Hong, shouting: "Your Highness, retreat!"
Peng Hong also wanted to withdraw, but he was trapped in a vortex of blades and spears, unable to break free. Shen Kang simply could not rescue him. Then came the whistling of wind—a Yongzhao general swung his hammer like a vicious dragon racing across the sea. Shen Kang couldn't withstand it; he dodged and tried to veer away, only to be struck full-force by Kong Fang's staff across his face. He flew backward off his horse.
Before Shen Kang could rise, he heard someone shout: "Good job, Kong Fang! Let me bind him!" An iron chain flew out and wrapped around Shen Kang's left hand. With a violent tug, Shen Kang was dragged several meters. Several soldiers pounced to bind him. Peng Hong couldn't break free from his own fight and bellowed: "Shen Kang—"
A gust of crimson wind swept through, carrying white light streaked with blood. Every foot soldier on the ground was slashed multiple times and fell. The Yongzhao general who had bound Shen Kang's left hand hadn't even come to his senses before a stunningly handsome face appeared directly before him.
"You—" He instinctively tried to swing his iron chain, but his right arm was no longer attached to his body. This Yongzhao general, now missing a palm, let out a bloodcurdling scream. Before he could even shift his gaze from the severed arm, he was cleaved in two横躺倒下马去.
"Xia Man Cheng!" Kong Fang shrieked and wheeled his horse to flee.
The Yongzhao generals who had never witnessed Man Cheng before stared in momentary paralysis, then gritted their teeth and charged at him one after another. Man Cheng's eyes narrowed as he roared: "Courting death!" He sharply tilted his head to evade a massive hammer. His blade swept upward from under the man's armpit. With a scream, that man's right arm along with his right shoulder was hacked off. Blood spurted everywhere, splattering Man Cheng's face. Man Cheng reined his horse around and swung again, severing the man's head from his shoulders. He immediately pivoted his blade and stabbed straight into another man's heart. In the span of a breath, two more lay dead beneath the hooves. The remaining generals were struck with terror and scattered in all directions.
Man Cheng wiped the blood from his face, glanced at the corpses littering the ground, and said coldly: "Fortunately my blade was fast—otherwise you would have suffered more." He extended his hand to Shen Kang, who was still sitting on the ground in stunned silence, and冷哼一声： "You are truly useless!"
Shen Kang grasped his hand and stood, his admiration running deep. He mounted his horse and said: "You finally came!"
"What? Can't do without me?" Man Cheng bared his teeth in a grin, but his eyes held not a trace of mirth.
The invincible Supreme Commander had descended from the heavens like this. The retreating Yuanliao forces were electrified with newfound vigor. The Prestige Army instantly coalesced into a formidable, awe-inspiring force. Wei Sihu led several ten thousand dare-to-die vanguard soldiers, charging forward and driving the Yongzhao forces back repeatedly.
Every Yongzhao general who caught sight of Man Cheng involuntarily reined in their horses, their faces pale with fear. When the Yongzhao soldiers saw their commanders retreat, they scattered like mice fleeing.
Guangda's face went green. Trying to control the situation was already too late—millions of soldiers actually surged backward like a tide, retreating from Pingbei Pass. The Yuanliao forces pursued hotly. The Yongzhao forces had barely reached Leixing County when the Yuanliao forces came charging in again.
Leixing County was about to fall to Yuanliao once more. Countless civilians were mixed in with the Yongzhao soldiers, shouting: "We would rather die than submit to Yuanliao!" They rose up in resistance.
Peng Hong was shocked. He urgently sent orders to withdraw the Wutao Army, and couldn't help feeling a chill in his heart: Has Zhang Zhou's rule become so unpopular that it has come to this?
When Man Cheng saw Peng Hong withdraw his forces on his own authority, he raged: "Peng Hong! What do you think you're doing? Who authorized you to retreat?"
Peng Hong pointed to the Yongzhao soldiers and Leixing County citizens united in common hatred, his heart heavy with despair: "Man Cheng, this Yongzhao army has won such deep popular support—we cannot win. Let's retreat and plan carefully."
Man Cheng冷笑一声： "You retreat."
"Man Cheng, why must you—" Peng Hong tried to persuade him further, but Man Cheng turned to ask Lianheng: "What is the population of Leixing County?"
"Reporting to General Xia, approximately eight thousand people!"
"Excellent." Man Cheng's face remained expressionless, his eyes still calm as still water. "They claim they would rather die than submit to Yuanliao, yes? Then grant them their wish."
Peng Hong's face turned ashen with horror: "Man Cheng! You... what are you going to do?"
Man Cheng lifted his head and gazed at the vast sky, momentarily lost in thought.
A moment later, he raised his left hand and smeared it across the blade. That icy-cold, broad blade surface was stained with blood so thick it could not be diluted. The crimson spread through countless red threads, seeping toward the edge of the blade, dripping into the dust and air. Man Cheng raised his blade. Peng Hong heard him speak in a voice like a ghostly whisper drifting in the cold—
"I want them... all to go keep Zhong Shan company in death."
A gust of biting cold wind intensified, carrying the thick scent of blood through the heavens, spreading like a ravenous demon baring its fangs and claws, cackling as it crashed down to swallow all living things beneath the sky.
Wu Lianheng and the others received their orders. The Prestige Army split into three routes and charged straight toward Leixing County.
Man Cheng charged at the front, dragging two blades behind him. Without even raising his arm, he tore open a blood-soaked path. His hooves raged across the ground like a sudden gust of ghostly wind, opening a river of blood. Every elite soldier in the Prestige Army fought with blood in their eyes. Rocks flew and sand swirled; Yongzhao forces lay strewn across the ground in corpses.
Guangda was forced to retreat from Leixing County again. He had barely found a moment's rest when news arrived: Leixing County had been annihilated—every household exterminated.
Every Yongzhao soldier and officer gnashed their teeth in hatred, but none dared face the enemy head-on. Just as they prepared to retreat again, news came: the Yuanliao forces had stopped.
The infamous Yuanliao Supreme Commander, Xia Man Cheng, sat astride his horse at the very front, composed and self-possessed, emanating an inexplicable arrogance and swagger.
The Yongzhao generals stared as if seeing a ghost. No one dared speak. They exchanged uncertain glances.
Several arrows flew "whoosh whoosh whoosh" from the enemy side, aimed at Man Cheng's vital points.
"Clang clang clang—" Man Cheng deflected every arrow with his blade. He muttered to himself: "How ridiculous. Same old tricks."
"Fang Guangda!" Man Cheng's elegant brows shot upward, and demonic killing intent erupted skyward. He bellowed: "I'm letting you live a few more days! When the time comes, I will make you beg for death!"
The Yongzhao forces withdrew several li. Guangda was dejected and completely at a loss, so he could only send word to He Mingpei first.
At Pingbei Pass, Peng Hong sat with a furrowed brow. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "Man Cheng, Zhang Zhou commands that as soon as you reach Pingbei Pass, you return immediately to Yuanliao."
"What?" Shen Kang exclaimed in shock. "Why? Didn't you see what happened today? If it weren't for Man Cheng, could they have retreated so easily? If Man Cheng leaves, then..."
Jin Lu cut him off. "We now have provisions—we can hold out for a while longer. Man Cheng, go back."
Peng Hong didn't want to explain. He gazed at Man Cheng, who remained silent, and felt only pity in his heart. He knew that without his explanation, Man Cheng already understood Zhang Zhou's intentions.
Zhang Zhou wanted to keep this final promise: even if he personally led the campaign, he would not let Man Cheng risk his life!
"I am not going back." Man Cheng's face was cold as frost, his eyes glinting with icy light. He stated with certainty: "I absolutely will not go back."
It was too late already! Zhang Zhou, I have already lost Zhong Shan, so from now on, I have no retreat. I can only walk this path with all my heart!
Zhang Zhou, I only have you now! I would rather die than let you take any risks yourself!
Man Cheng turned to ask Shen Kang: "Where is the Yongzhao army's camp?"
Shen Kang glanced at Peng Hong's ashen face, then at Jin Lu, whose expression was equally indifferent. He felt puzzled: What are they playing at?
Man Cheng snapped: "What are you spacing out for? Where is the Yongzhao camp?"
Shen Kang snapped to attention, unfolded a map, and said: "In Jiudao Valley."
Man Cheng paused, then a mysterious smile curved his lips. "Excellent."
The moonlight was faint. Those who couldn't sleep dreamed of days gone by.
In the dark, dense forest, there was movement. Man Cheng turned and saw that the visitor was Jin Lu. The expectant light in his eyes instantly dimmed into cold indifference.
"What? You thought it was Zhong Shan?" Jin Lu approached, spread out his hand, and in his palm was the string of sandalwood Buddhist beads Man Cheng knew so well. "This was brought out by Zhong Shan's personal guard..."
Man Cheng took the beads and slipped them onto his wrist. His thoughts were in chaos, grief and bitterness overwhelming him. Tears streamed down his face.
Jin Lu sighed. "More than half his body was crushed under the stones. We couldn't even dig out his remains... People like us who舔刀口舔血, this day was always coming... But how exhausted he was these past few years—you saw it clearly yet pretended not to notice. Since you liked him so much, why didn't you treat him better? Now it's too late. He died thinking he was merely your plaything."
Man Cheng didn't respond. He only felt unbearable pain and regret!
"That day when you were poisoned by an arrow at Liule Pavilion, he insisted on sending you back to Yuanliao. I told him: 'Man Cheng doesn't have many days left. Why don't you keep him by your side?' He didn't speak. He just shook his head. When Sihu helped you onto the horse, Zhong Shan held your hand, tears falling endlessly for the longest time. He was clearly reluctant to let you go, clearly torn apart by heartache, yet in the end he still released your hand... Man Cheng, you've never seen him cry, have you? Too bad you didn't open your eyes to see him then. He truly wept with the deepest sorrow—anyone who saw it would have been moved..."
Every word Jin Lu spoke was like a needle piercing Man Cheng's chest. "Man Cheng, you also know that from the moment he joined His Highness, he wasn't serving His Highness, nor was he serving Yuanliao—he was serving you!" Jin Lu cast a melancholy glance at the weeping, helpless Man Cheng, and softly said: "Unfortunately, he's dead, and he never knew how much you treasured him." With these words, Jin Lu couldn't bear to look at the heartbroken man any longer. He turned and walked away.
Man Cheng clutched his chest. The tears didn't flow from his eyes—they gushed endlessly from the hollow void in his heart.
Zhong Shan, how many times even I doubted whether my feelings for Zhang Zhou were love or merely habit! But without you, whether love or habit, I have no choice but to continue down this path!
Do you know how much I regret? You were my retreat!
I wasn't playing games with you. Zhong Shan, I love you! I love you so, so much...
Why didn't you know? Didn't you always know everything just by looking into my eyes?
Why didn't you understand the meaning behind my returning these beads to you! I valued your life more than my own!
Zhong Shan, I really wish... that I could have died together with you.