Shuhan

In Luoyang city, the morning mist has not yet completely dissipated. A ray of dim sunlight tries to penetrate the mist, but it seems to be swallowed up by the haze in the city.

Inside Helu Gate and Jianchun Gate, the prosperous scenes of the past no longer exist, replaced by a mess, like a wasteland after a storm, full of devastation.

Changmancang and Taicang, the two giant warehouses that usually carried the lifeline of Wei State's grain and grass, had their outer gates burned black at this moment, like two huge pieces of black charcoal standing in the ruins, emitting a pungent burnt smell.

Although the fire had gone out, the remaining smoke was still rising, interweaving with the morning mist, making the whole scene even more hazy and desolate.

On the ground, several bodies that had not yet been contained lay quietly, some curled up in a ball, while others had their limbs spread out with distorted faces, as if telling of the sudden catastrophe that had occurred last night.

When Xiahou Xian's black iron combat boots rolled over the broken arrows in front of the Helu Gate, a crisp sound that made one's teeth ache came from the soles of his boots.

He bent over and picked up the half-burned flag of the Wei army. The two characters "Xiahou" on the flag were licked by the flames, leaving only the broken strokes, which looked very much like the wounded soldiers huddled behind the battlements on the city wall - their leather armor was corroded by the poisonous smoke, with honeycomb-like holes, and their exposed skin was covered with purple and black poisonous spots. The force of their fingers digging into the cracks between the bricks actually crushed the ice on the surface of the blue bricks into powder.

The iron-clad gate of Jianchun Gate was hung on its hinges at an angle, and the door panels were as black as charcoal, with faint ink-like marks left by the splashing of kerosene by the Han army visible.

A corpse wearing captain's armor was half embedded in the door crack, its frozen arm still in the posture of pushing the door, blood beads on its knuckles reflected an amber halo in the morning light.

All around, the sound of painful groans could be heard continuously, which was the painful aftermath of thousands of soldiers being ravaged by the poisonous smoke of the Han army last night.

Some of them covered their chests and coughed violently, as if they were going to cough out their lungs; others lay on the ground with empty eyes, muttering to themselves, as if they were still recalling the suffocating moment of terror.

The air was filled with a complex smell of burnt, bloody, and poisonous smoke, which made people frown and feel an indescribable sense of depression in their hearts.

Xiahou Xian, an important general of the Wei State, had a face so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip out of it.

He was wearing armor, and although there was some smoke and dust on the armor, it still couldn't conceal his majesty.

However, his eyes revealed a hint of anxiety and uneasiness, which was the worry about the unknown fate and the sadness about the tragic scene before him.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he was suppressing his inner anger and grief.

The stone beast guarding Changman Warehouse had broken into three pieces, and its head had rolled into the icy gutter. The copper bell in the lion's mouth was covered in black ash, and when it swayed in the wind, it no longer made crisp sounds, but hoarse friction sounds, like the gasps of a dying old man.

"What's the situation in Taicang and Changmancang?" Xiahou Xian's voice was low and powerful, with an unquestionable majesty.

He knew very well that food was the key to this war.

If we have no food left, how can we resist the attack of the Han army?

How could the Wei State defend the thousand-year-old capital of Luoyang?

As soon as he finished speaking, an official trotted forward, looking panicked, with fear and anxiety flashing in his eyes.

He bowed his body, clasped his hands together, and reported tremblingly: "General, the Han army set fire last night and burned a lot of food. The fire was fierce and we had no time to put it out. Fortunately, most of the food was stored in the underground granary, so it was preserved."

There was a hint of relief in the official's words, but more of it was fear.

He didn't dare look up at Xiahou Xian's eyes, for fear that he would read dissatisfaction or blame towards him in those deep eyes.

However, Xiahou Xian did not blame him, but just nodded slightly, with a hint of relief in his eyes.

"Let's go in and take a look!"

When Xiahou Xian stepped into Taicang on the creaking steps, the soles of his boots suddenly slipped - what was condensed on the steps was not frost, but mucus mixed with poisonous smoke, and stepping on it was as sticky as stepping into a pile of rotten meat.

Inside the warehouse, there were wheelbarrows carrying grain lying in all directions, with wisps of white hair entangled between the spokes. They were left behind by the warehouse clerk who was choked to death by the poisonous smoke last night.

He bent down to check the overturned grain bin. Just as his fingertips touched the moldy corn, a group of red-eyed rats were suddenly startled. These animals had eaten the poisoned grain, and their fangs were glowing a strange green color.

Xiahou Xian knew very well that this fire was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the State of Wei.

Although the loss of grain did not put the State of Wei in a desperate situation, it made the already tense war situation even more difficult.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner turmoil, and then slowly said, "Pass the order down, immediately organize people to clean up the ruins and move out the edible food as soon as possible. At the same time, strengthen the city defense to prevent the Han army from attacking again."

Although his voice was calm, it revealed an unquestionable firmness.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers present straightened their backs, with determination flashing in their eyes.

They knew that Luoyang had no way out at this moment, and only by fighting hard could they preserve the glory of this thousand-year-old capital.

Xiahou Xian turned around, his eyes swept across the ruins and wounded soldiers in front of him, and an inexplicable pain surged in his heart.

This war is a test for everyone, whether it is for him or for these ordinary soldiers.

However, he also understood that as a general, he must shoulder this responsibility and lead everyone out of difficulties and meet future challenges.

He raised his head and looked at the hazy skyline in the distance, and secretly swore in his heart: No matter what the cost, he must defend Luoyang, this land belonging to the Wei State.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence.

A messenger came running over and reported nervously, "General, the Han army has begun to line up and seems to be attacking the city again!"

When Xiahou Xian heard this, his expression froze, but he immediately regained his composure.

He waved his hand, signaling the messenger to retreat, then turned to the generals beside him and said, "Everyone, the Han army can't wait to capture Luoyang. But our Wei soldiers are not vegetarians. Pass the order down, all soldiers are ready to fight, let the Han army see how powerful our Wei is!"

Luoyang Imperial City, this ancient and solemn city, looks even heavier under the cover of night.

Last night's shouts and cries were like a tide that never stopped all night, echoing in every corner of the palace. Even if you were in the palace, you could hear it clearly.

That sound, bloody and cruel, seemed to foreshadow the coming of a catastrophe.

Inside the palace, the flickering candlelight illuminated the haggard face of Cao Rui, the Emperor of Wei.

The sound of the night watch at midnight got stuck at the "Chou" mark, and the blood ice condensed in the copper pot froze the floating arrow alive.

Cao Rui raised his hand for the fifth time to fiddle with the pearls hanging from the crown tassel. When his fingertips touched the third string of jade mosses on the left, he discovered that the East China Sea pearl had cracked in two at some point - just like the collapsed arrow tower of the Xuanyang Gate city wall, dark red jade chips seeped through the cracks.

He suddenly remembered the divination of Taibu Ling three days ago: "The pearls are separated from the ropes, and the crape myrtle will fall." At that time, he thought it was just the nonsense of a corrupt scholar, but now he was shocked to find that the crack on his crown was reflected in the old minister's turbid eyes.

Cao Rui sat on the dragon throne, his eyes bloodshot and his expression solemn and tired.

He hadn't slept well for many days, and every night was a torment, fearing that once he fell asleep, when he woke up again, he would see Han soldiers rushing into the palace and wanting to take his life.

This fear, like a shadow, always hung over his heart and prevented him from sleeping.

Cao Rui knew that the current situation was extremely critical. Some people in the palace might have long harbored ulterior motives, waiting for the right moment to use his head to seek reward and fame in exchange for wealth and glory.

This betrayal and conspiracy chilled him to the bone and made him even more determined to defend the imperial city.

He held on to his tired body, his hands tightly gripping the armrests of the dragon throne, as if he wanted to pour all his strength into them.

Although his eyes were tired, they revealed a firmness and determination.

He said to the eunuch Bixie beside him: "Bixie, the guards in the palace must be strengthened and there must not be any slackness. Send all the extra palace maids to reward the soldiers in the army and let them know that I am with them."

Upon hearing this, Bixie nodded, but a feeling of sadness surged in his heart.

He felt mixed emotions when he saw the emperor in such a state.

He knew that the emperor had been under too much pressure and suffering these days. He wanted to say something to comfort the emperor, but in the end he said nothing and just stood aside silently, accompanying this lonely monarch.

At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the palace.

Cao Rui clutched the Chilong armrest on the table tightly, his knuckles turning white against the turquoise inlaid with the dragon's eye.

Not until he saw clearly that the person coming was Xiahou Xian did he realize that the back of his robe had already been soaked with cold sweat, and the twelve patterns embroidered with gold thread were sticking to his skin, like countless cold snakes moving around.

Xiahou Xian, the loyal and brave general of Wei State, hurried into the palace with a solemn expression.

He trotted all the way to the emperor, knelt on one knee and saluted.

"I will die!" When Xiahou Xian knelt on one knee, the ice chips in the mouth of the shoulder-swallowing beast fell down.

This great general, who usually paid great attention to his appearance, now had his hair disheveled like grass under his purple gold helmet. The half piece of Han army scale armor stuck between the seams of his armor was still oozing yellow water - that was pus from the wound corroded by the poisonous smoke.

When Cao Rui saw Xiahou Xian, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.

He pulled himself together and asked, "General Xiahou, what's so urgent?"

Xiahou Xian raised his head and looked at the emperor's tired face, feeling a surge of respect in his heart.

He took a deep breath and told what happened last night: "Your Majesty, the Han army attacked last night. Although our army fought hard, 5,000 people were killed or wounded. As for food, although the loss was not much, tens of thousands of stones were burned. However, these are not the most important things."

Having said this, Xiahou Xian paused and his expression became more solemn.

He continued, "Your Majesty, Zhong Hui, Cui Lin, and Xun Yi have surrendered to the Han. Their betrayal has caused many people in the city to have other thoughts. The army's morale is shaken, and the people's hearts are no longer there. This is our biggest crisis at the moment."

After hearing this, Cao Rui looked even more haggard.

He clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, but he seemed to feel no pain.

An unprecedented anger and disappointment surged in his heart.

Zhong Hui, Cui Lin, and Xun Yi, these three were once the loyal ministers of the Wei Dynasty, but now they betrayed him and defected to the Han army.

This betrayal made him feel heartbroken.

"Why are they doing this?" Cao Rui's voice trembled a little, with a hint of confusion and anger.

Xiahou Xian shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, the human heart is hard to predict. Perhaps they were tempted by the Han army, or perhaps they lost confidence in the future of our army. But in any case, their betrayal has already had a great impact on us."

Cao Rui was silent for a moment, then slowly raised his head, looked at Xiahou Xian and said: "General Xiahou, I know that you have always been my loyal minister. Now the situation is critical, I hope you can stand up, stabilize the morale of the army, and appease the people. I believe that as long as we work together, we will be able to overcome this difficulty."

When Xiahou Xian heard this, a warm feeling surged in his heart.

He knew that what the emperor needed most at this moment was his support and loyalty.

He nodded firmly and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will do my best to stabilize the morale of the army and appease the people. As long as I am still alive, I will never let the Han army set foot into the palace!"

Cao Rui's fingertips stroked the "Xiahou" family emblem on Xiahou Xian's shoulder armor.

The bronze seal characters were blurred by blood, which reminded him of the sheen of armor when Xiahou Shang taught him archery on the Bronze Sparrow Tower in Yecheng when he was a child.

Now is the most dangerous time for Wei.

Cao Rui's eyes suddenly became sharp.

"Melt down the bronze cranes from the Mingguang Palace to make arrowheads."

When he turned around, the pearls from the crown swept across the general's iron helmet, making a light sound like broken jade hitting iron.

"Another decree, all royal family members who are fourteen years old or older, must present themselves at the Taiji Palace to receive their armor at 1:00 a.m. tomorrow."

"Yes!" Xiahou Xian accepted the order immediately.

Cao Rui looked at Xiahou Xian's determined eyes and felt a little comforted.

With Xiahou Xian around, he at least has a glimmer of hope.

He gently patted Xiahou Xian's shoulder and said, "General Xiahou, I believe in you. Go ahead and do what you should do. I will be here waiting for your triumphant return."

Xiahou bowed and turned to leave. His steps were firm and powerful, as if carrying an invisible force, making everyone in the palace feel his determination and courage.

Cao Rui looked at Xiahou Xian's departing back, and a complex emotion surged in his heart.

Bixie stood aside, looking at the emperor's lonely and determined figure, and a feeling of respect surged in his heart.

Although the emperor was exhausted, his will was stronger than anyone else's.

As long as the emperor is still alive, there is still hope for the Wei Kingdom.

The night gradually faded away and the dawn began to appear.

The imperial city of Luoyang gradually returned to peace after a night of noise and chaos.

But this peace is only temporary.

The road ahead is still long and difficult. (End of this chapter)