Jiaohua

Chapter 1692 A Sacrifice to My Great Dingguo Duke's Mansion!
For many years, the Han army has been strengthening its defenses along the border, always prioritizing defensive operations.

A year ago, Xia Zhaoyi led the Xia family army to the north, bringing several important cities of the Northern Yuan to the forefront of the war crisis for the first time.

Following closely was the entire previous year, during which the Han Chinese defense line advanced northwards towards the Yuan Dynasty, even passing through Rongtang Gorge and approaching Erdaodonglu.

The biggest difference between the Northern Yuan and the Central Plains is that the Central Plains is vast and rich in resources, and can be used as a capital anywhere, while the Northern Yuan cannot.

They were short of resources and highly dependent on the Central Plains. Several important cities were built in their southeast, very close to the Central Plains.

Therefore, when the Han army pushed the defensive line forward, it was extremely dangerous for them.

This can no longer be called a defensive line; it's an invasion by the Han army.

Fortunately, the Han army's strength was limited, and Ouyang Jun would return shortly after attacking.

As for Ali, whom all the generals and commanders of the Northern Yuan Dynasty deeply hated, her Falcon Battalion was like a ghost on the grassland, appearing here and there, always taking the initiative and being impossible to defend against.

Yi Shurong hated her to death. National and personal grievances had accumulated in his heart, and he hated her so much that he had nightmares about her at night.

Having fought so many battles over the years, even when he fought against Xia Zhaoxue, Yi Shurong never felt this tired.

What's even more exhausting is that Shang Taiyu is now going crazy.

Despite the agreed-upon alliance, Shang Taiyu repeatedly deployed troops without authorization, disrupting the overall situation.

Moreover, Shang Taiyu seemed to be favored by fate, as he tasted great success in his first three military campaigns, defeating the Han army in a chaotic and disastrous manner.

Finally, Shang Taiyu's long-lost confidence returned, and he became arrogant again. Now, he completely ignored the Allied forces' demands and led his own troops.

Since Shang Taiyu had turned his back on him, Yi Shurong decided not to be polite anymore and no longer considered Shang Taiyu's feelings.

So in early March, Yi Shurong took the initiative to request to become the commander of the Allied Forces.

Shang Taiyu was indeed furious and went crazy.

But this time, Shang Taiyu was favored by fate again, and his anger didn't last long. Because a major event occurred in the desolate valley, which was also the most crushing defeat in Yi Shurong's military career, making Shang Taiyu laugh so hard he almost died.

This year is particularly cold; on the ninth day of the fourth lunar month, the grasslands were still covered in snowflakes under the lingering chill of winter.

The remaining snow, like a tattered sheepskin coat, hung mottledly on the shady slopes of the desolate valley.

Yi Shurong had two elite units under his command, which were his proudest troops.

One branch was called Snow Mountain Camp, and the other was called Heavenly Lake Camp.

The two armies were composed of elite troops from various military camps. Each soldier was tall and strong and had to have taken at least two heads of Han soldiers.

The primary objective of this Snow Mountain Battalion is to annihilate Ali's Falcon Battalion.

After several days of tracking, they were able to pinpoint the Falcon Camp's activity area early on. When they discovered that the Falcon Camp had entered the Wilderness Valley, the Snow Mountain Camp was overjoyed.

No one knew the topography and terrain of Huangze Valley better than them. The Han army often talked about the advantages of timing, location, and people, and they had all three in Huangze Valley!

If he could capture the Falcon Battalion, Cong Mutu couldn't imagine the glory and rewards he would receive.

However, Congmutu was a very patient person. He wanted to take over the entire Falcon Camp in one fell swoop, so he couldn't make a move that might alert the enemy.

After entering the desolate valley, he made every step carefully calculated, determined to determine the route, and to achieve a surprise victory by surrounding the Falcon Camp from both ends, leaving no survivors.

But what he didn't expect was that what lay ahead was just bait, luring them step by step into a trap.

The ambush site he thought was a good spot had already been marked on the map by Xia Zhaoyi. From the moment they entered the Wilderness Valley, Xia Zhaoyi's eyes had been quietly watching him from the shadows.

Cong Mutu chose to take action at midnight.

The Falcon Battalion was very cautious. With only a few lights on, the thousand-strong force was almost blending into the earth under the cover of night, like a withered meadow on a snowy field, with white snow, yellow soil, and newly sprouted green shoots.

Congmutu deployed his troops according to the pre-determined strategy. The soldiers of the Snow Mountain Camp were all battle-hardened warriors, moving swiftly and arriving at their required positions in the shortest possible time.

Congmutu, mounted on his horse, gripped the reins tightly, his eyes fixed on the camp below the valley, his blood boiling with excitement.

On the farthest hillside, a torch was held high, both small and bright; his soldiers had arrived.

Considering they needed time to recover their strength, Cong Mutu did not act immediately. He slowly counted in his mind, then turned his head to look at his deputy.

The deputy general personally sounded the bugle.

Immediately, the inspiring attack slogans of the Northern Yuan people resounded throughout the mountains and plains as they charged down with their swords.

Cong Mutu spurred his horse into a gallop, raising his scimitar: "Cut off the heads of these filthy women! Take their heads back to our wives to toss around and play with!"

The lieutenant shouted from behind, "Send these women back to cooking! Let them see the might of us Northern Yuan men!! Let these women know what a true falcon of the grasslands is!! Do they deserve to be called the Falcon Battalion? They don't!!!"

Congmutu roared, "Yes, kill them! Then we can attack the Han people's territory again, plunder their grain, their cattle and horses, and their wives!! Our parents and children will no longer suffer from hunger and cold!!"

The Northern Yuan soldiers had long wanted to deal with the Falcon Battalion. Everyone ran frantically, their eyes fierce, shouting in unison in the Northern Yuan language: "Kill!"

The female soldiers patrolling in the darkness had already shouted and run to the company camp to call for reinforcements.

The woman's voice was high-pitched as she shouted in Chinese that enemies were attacking and everyone should get up quickly.

As the Northern Yuan soldiers approached, the patrolling women were terrified. They quickly made a judgment, stopped calling for help, and nearly a hundred of them fled the camp, running towards the nearest mountain path.

The mountain road had already been ambushed by Congmutu's men, so the Northern Yuan soldiers did not pursue them.

They pounced on their prey like tigers, targeting the battalions and companies.

Cong Mutu took the lead and ran the fastest. The closer he got, the more he felt something was wrong.

So quiet!

After those women left, the battalion was as if it were dead.

Cong Mutu possessed exceptional judgment and acted decisively, shouting, "Retreat! Everyone retreat!!"

But it was too late.

The already excited Northern Yuan soldiers continued to surge in from all directions, like a tidal wave.

"Retreat!" Cong Mutu shouted to his adjutant.

The lieutenant immediately took out a horn, and as soon as he blew a single note, a cluster of flames suddenly appeared on the mountain.

Cong Mutu quickly reined in his horse and looked up.

Three women stood on the mountain.

The leader was tall and slender, in the prime of her life, with a delicate neck and waist, wearing a black robe that fluttered in the wind, and holding a longbow in her hand.

The women on either side of her were both tall and robust; one held a torch, and the other held the flag of the Falcon Battalion.

A Li's portrait was no longer a rarity in the Northern Yuan, and Cong Mutu immediately pointed his sword at her: "What tricks are you playing!"

But how could those words possibly travel through so much noise to reach the other person's ears?

Xia Zhaoyi looked down from her high vantage point with a bright smile on her face. Then, she raised her hand, and the longbow was drawn to its fullest extent. A sharp arrow shot out with a whistling sound, rushing towards the blazing brazier in the camp.

The brazier tipped over with a "bang".

Instead of charcoal and wood, a slightly viscous white liquid poured out, igniting the tents with its glow.

Inside the tent were rows of large paper frames, the liquid inside of which was already impatiently soaking the cardboard. When it came into contact with a flame, sparks flew up instantly.

And so, a spectacular fireworks display erupted instantly on the largest flat area in the desolate valley!
The Northern Yuan soldiers cried out in alarm and turned to flee.

Those who run at the front are the bravest; they take the lead, eager to achieve great things, but they are also the first to be consumed by the fire.

Congmutu shouted, "Archers, shoot her down!"

This is difficult because the thick smoke billows and black fumes rush in, hitting your eyes and nose, making it hard to breathe.

Trying harder to see, Ah Li on the mountain had already disappeared.

Cong Mutu instinctively wanted to shout "Chase!" but then realized he couldn't!
With such a formidable force, the enemy was clearly well-prepared; pursuing them now would surely lead to a trap.

"Retreat!" Congmutu shouted.

The deputy general and his personal guards immediately sounded the retreat horn.

Those Northern Yuan soldiers who had traveled over mountains and valleys to get here had no way to cross the sea of ​​fire and could only return the way they came.

Cong Mutu looked at them and had a vague feeling that their journey back would be fraught with danger.

Not only them, but he himself was also prey who had stepped into the trap.

And the truth was just as he thought.

When he arrived, the desolate valley was deserted; when he left, torches lit up the entire mountainside.

These torches stretched endlessly, seemingly intertwining with the shadows of battle flags to form a vast, all-encompassing net.

The four old generals at the head of the group—he recognized all four faces: Xia Xingming, Xia Chuan, Jian Jun, and Xia Junnan. Upon seeing their faces, Cong Mutu knew it was too late.

These main forces of the Xia family army shouldn't be here; he thought only the Falcon Battalion was here.

Of course, he didn't take the so-called main force of the Xia family army seriously. He had defeated them before; they were just defeated opponents.

However, if he had known they were here, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to wipe out the Falcon Camp today; he would have acted more cautiously.

"Giddy up!" The girl's clear, low shout, accompanied by the sound of horses' hooves, came from the south.

Cong Mutu's gaze pierced through the torches of the crowd.

Xia Zhaoyi reined in her horse, and her clear, bright eyes locked onto him.

Cong Mutu shouted, "Ali! Is this a trap set for me?"

Xia Zhaoyi's mount slowly stepped out, and she said loudly, "That's right!"

"Do you expect me to repay the debts I've earned there?"

You can think of it that way!

"So what if you vomited it out? Can people who have already died here come back to life? Hahaha! Not only did they die, but I also know that Xia Zhaoxue is dead! The entire Duke of Dingguo's mansion is wiped out, leaving only you!" Cong Mutu pointed his curved sword.

Xia Zhaoyi frowned and glanced in the direction where her second brother was.

Xia Zhaoxue wore a snow hat and had a thick scarf wrapped around his face, with only his eyes showing.

Because his snow hat was pulled down low, it was difficult for others to see his eyes clearly.

Xia Zhaoyi had no idea what her second brother would think upon hearing these words.

Then she saw her second brother's head move slightly, and he also looked at her.

Xia Zhaoyi resisted the urge to turn her gaze away. She smiled faintly at Cong Mutu: "I've come this far, standing here now, how could I still hear such tiresome words? These words can't hurt me in the slightest, but they make you think you've uttered some golden words and are enjoying yourself."

Congmutu laughed wildly: "Ali! The outcome is not yet decided. My men are all the strongest and fiercest men on the grassland. Come at me! Let me send you to your death! To see your father and elder brother, and to reunite your family!"

Xia Zhaoyi said, "Let's see if your mouth is tougher or my weapon is tougher. Today I will make you kowtow here and kneel here forever. Congmutu, none of your Snow Mountain Camp soldiers will get out of here."

Cong Mutu sneered, spurred his horse around, and looked at the soldiers who had fled with him: "Brothers! Look at this woman's arrogant face! Anyone who didn't know better would think that our loved ones had died here!"

The Northern Yuan soldiers burst into laughter.

Congmutu continued, "This woman has been arrogant for too long, thinking no one can deal with her. Today, we will personally take action and crush her arrogance! She thought she had set a trap for us, but that's not the case. Look at her now, she's finally showing herself to us instead of hiding! We'll kill her and take her head back to the grasslands to claim our credit!"

"kill!"

"kill!!"

"kill!!!"

The Northern Yuan soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the earth.

Compared to their boiling enthusiasm, the Xia family army was sufficiently calm, or rather, disdainful.

When Cong Mutu looked back, Xia Zhaoyi slightly turned her head and looked at Xia Xingming.

Xia Xingming nodded, pulled on the reins and stepped forward, bursting into laughter.

His voice was loud and strong, and his laughter was energetic: "Congmutu! You really know how to turn a funeral into a celebration, to find joy in suffering! Stop with the nonsense, let's fight for real!"

As he spoke, Xia Xingming turned to the Xia family army soldiers behind him: "Soldiers! That Congmutu is just a small beast, not worth our attention. We'll use him as an appetizer today. Our real main course is Yi Shurong, Shang Taiyu, and Shangtai Zhenli! We will fight our way to the gates of Shangtai Zhenli's imperial court! We'll slaughter them and make them pay for their crimes in blood! Today, we'll let this bastard pave the way for his masters, and use his blood to consecrate our flag and our Great Dingguo Duke's Mansion! We'll kill them, wipe them all out!!"

"kill!"

"kill!!"

"kill!!!"

The mountains roared and the sea surged on both sides, a cacophony of voices filling the air.

The Northern Yuan soldiers sounded their horns, and the Xia family army's flag bearers waved their battle flags high, which fluttered wildly in the long wind.

The character "夏" (Xia) on the black flag was edged with gold by the firelight. Every tumble of the flag carried a collision of immense space and time, like a low whistle lingering here after the demise of all living things in the world, unwilling to part.

Xia Zhaoyi cracked her whip first: "Kill!!!"

Cong Mutu pointed his curved sword angrily: "Charge with me!!"

The two sides were vastly different in strength. Xia Zhaoyi had a total of 30,000 troops, including the main force of the Xia family army, the Falcon Battalion, the Leopard Battalion, and the Jiangnan soldiers brought by Xia Zhaoxue who had become part of the Yan army.

Congmutu's troop strength is beyond calculation.

In the distant desolate valley, a raging fire raged, its heat sweeping back and already engulfing countless warriors.

The clash of cold weapons and the sounds of battle shattered the bugle calls for the charge.

Xia Zhaoyi's purpose was very clear: Qian Sibi aimed directly at Cong Mutu's head.

Cong Mutu's bodyguards were all fierce and valiant generals. Before they could surround Xia Zhaoyi, a long spear suddenly appeared, fierce and powerful, breaking their formation.

Xia Zhaoxue entered the game.

Xia Zhaoyi did not look away, her movements and moves remained unchanged, attacking quickly and swiftly, agile and dashing.

Xia Zhaoxue's spear technique was like a dragon, each move swift and powerful, attacking like a thunderbolt and defending swiftly like a raging dragon swinging its tail.

The brother and sister worked together seamlessly. Xia Zhaoyi was the main attacker, wielding both a spear and a whip with a perfect balance of strength and gentleness. Xia Zhaoxue was adept at both offense and defense, her spear technique sharp and ruthless, leaving no room for error.

As Cong Mutu's fierce generals fell one by one, the fire in his heart gradually died out.

From the very beginning of the battle, he knew that the enemy was well-prepared and that he would surely perish here today.

But we can kill as many as we can, and each one will be worth it!
He will not surrender, nor will he give up on himself or end his own life. A warrior's path is to fight to the death, to fight to the last! He will burn the blood in his veins until the very last moment!
"Ali, I'll kill you!!" Cong Mutu roared, brandishing his longsword at the Xia family soldiers who were closing in, and yelled at Xia Zhaoyi, "Show me your spear! Come on!!!"

Another guard fell beside him.

Cong Mutu roared and slashed at Xia Junnan, who was rapidly approaching him.

Xia Zhaoyi's brows furrowed, and a flash of silver light appeared. Thousands of green threads, as resilient as swimming dragons, swiftly wrapped around Cong Mutu's blade.

Almost simultaneously, Xia Zhaoxue thrust out with his spear. His spear technique was so fast that the cold light brought with it the sound of wind and thunder, aiming straight for Cong Mutu's heart.

The brother and sister's speed and coordination were extremely fast, and they completed the task in one go, without even a moment's time passing.

The Thousand Jade Silk entangled with the blade of Cong Mutu's slashing attack. The two forces clashed, and the silver light of the Thousand Jade Silk shattered on the ground.
Xia Zhaoyi followed suit with her spear, thrusting it into Cong Mutu's throat.

Two long spears, one above and one below, pierced through Cong Mutu's body.

That sudden pang in my heart was just pain, but I could still bear it.

The sudden pressure on his throat caused a suffocating sensation mixed with pain, and Cong Mutu's face completely changed.

As the brother and sister simultaneously pulled out the spears, Cong Mutu, filled with intense resentment, fell off his mount.

Xia Zhaoxue looked at Xia Zhaoyi. As they got closer, Xia Zhaoyi saw the excitement in her second brother's eyes and the joy of his pride in her.

Xia Zhaoyi's eyes reddened at the corners; she needed no further words, her silence speaking volumes.

She twirled her spear and charged at the next person.

Not long after, dawn broke, and the search of the mountain ended at noon. The last soldier of the Snow Mountain Battalion was pulled out from a hidden corner.

Xia Xingming swung his broadsword and beheaded him.

"We have avenged the Duke!!" Xia Xingming roared.

Xia Jiajun was moved to tears, and many people burst into tears.

After a fierce battle, a sweet dream.

In the evening, Xia Zhaoyi and Xia Zhaoxue woke up and did not sleep for long.

The two men, without any attendants, carried two baskets of wine and food to the southern slope of the desolate valley.

The wind was strong. Xia Zhaoxue spilled the wine on the grass, and Xia Zhaoyi stood beside him, watching the wine being blown away by the strong wind.

“Father must be very pleased,” Xia Zhaoxue said hoarsely. “Since the incident at home, I never thought that one day I would be able to kill my enemy with my own hands.”

Xia Zhaoyi smiled and said, "Compared to killing our enemies, what Father and my elder brother would be more gratified about is that we are living well."

Xia Zhaoxue looked at her, grinned, revealing her pearly white teeth: "Yes."

"So come, let's drink and eat meat to make Father happy!"

Xia Zhaoxue nodded and smiled, "Okay!"