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"The minister obeys the order!"

Xue Rengui solemnly replied, inwardly admiring the Crown Prince's methods.

These six points, each seemingly "reasonable" and even tinged with a sense of "helpfulness," actually put a rein on the Sasanian future's politics, economy, military, judiciary, and diplomacy. The power to mint coins and judicial privileges, in particular, will have a profound and subtle impact, like a gentle spring breeze.

"As for sending troops..."

Yi Junze looked at Peroz, his tone tinged with a hint of "understanding" helplessness: "To be honest, Your Highness, I have traveled light and arrived here ahead of everyone else. Our Anxi and Beiting Protectorates have 30,000 elite cavalrymen who have been ordered to assemble along the Shule-Yutian line. However, the dispatch of provisions and the long journey will not be completed overnight. At the earliest... it will take seven days for the vanguard to reach the walls of Mulu. During this period, Your Highness and Commander Xue will need to work together to hold the city and await reinforcements."

Seven days!

Peroz's newly nascent hope was once again overshadowed. Outside Merv, Ziad's 50,000-strong army lay in wait, poised to attack at any moment. Could they hold out for seven days?

But he had no choice. To receive a personal promise from the Crown Prince of Huachao and to have the exact timing of reinforcements confirmed was already an unexpected bonus.

"Seven days...seven days..."

Peroz murmured, a resolute light rekindling in his eyes: "Please rest assured, Your Excellency! Peroz is willing to defend Mulu with General Xue, vowing never to retreat! I only ask that the heavenly army of the superior nation arrive swiftly!"

"That's natural."

Yi Junze said gently, "Now that the alliance is established, how could our dynasty sit idly by and watch our allies fall into danger? Minister Xue."

"Chen is here!"

"From this moment forward, you shall be in full command of the defense of Merv. Prince Peroz and his men may reside temporarily in the temporary residence and participate in defense discussions. Armor and weapons as needed shall be provided as appropriate. You must hold out for seven days until our main army arrives, then we will launch a coordinated attack from within and without to defeat this stubborn enemy!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

Xue Rengui clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice as clear as metal and stone.

Peroz also hurriedly rose and bowed deeply once more: "Peroz thanks His Highness the Crown Prince of the Celestial Empire for saving my life and restoring my kingdom! The entire Sassanid nation will never forget this!"

Yi Junze slightly raised his hand, signaling him to stand up.

...............

After seeing off the profusely thanking Prince Peroz, Xue Rengui turned to face Yi Junze, who was seated in the main seat, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands in greeting:

"Your Highness, the alliance is now in effect, and reinforcements will arrive in seven days. Mulu has become a perilous place, and war is imminent. This place is fraught with danger, and Your Highness's precious body should not linger. I humbly request Your Highness to depart immediately, escorted by Commander Bai and the Xuanwu Guard, and return east to Shule or Khotan to await the arrival of the main army!"

The Crown Prince's status is extremely noble. If anything were to go wrong, not only would Xue Rengui be condemned to death, but the entire western front of the empire and even the court could experience unpredictable upheavals. The Crown Prince's personal presence has already achieved its purpose of deterrence and policy-making; there is really no need for him to personally take risks.

Yi Junze looked at Xue Rengui, whose forehead was almost touching the ground, and a very faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Qing Xue's loyalty is commendable. Are you worried about my safety?"

"I dare not!"

Xue Rengui lowered his head even further, "But on the battlefield, stray arrows have no eyes, and Your Highness is the foundation of the nation..."

"The foundation of the nation..."

Yi Junze put down his teacup and smiled faintly, "Qing Xue, do you know how many people in the whole world can surpass the sword in my hand?"

Upon hearing this, Xue Rengui's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously replied, "Your Highness is a man of extraordinary talent and unfathomable cultivation. I am too dull to presume to make any predictions."

Yi Junze chuckled lightly: "It's alright, I'll tell you. There are only a handful of people who can reliably defeat me."

"Of course, in this vast universe, there may be reclusive old monsters hidden in deep mountains and forests, or those who have obtained special opportunities and can compete with me, but to say that they can definitely defeat me... unless my father personally comes, or several experts of my mother's level attack me at all costs, otherwise... hehe!"

Xue Rengui knew that the Crown Prince was highly accomplished, but he did not expect that the Crown Prince would have such a high opinion of himself, daring to boast that he was second only to His Majesty and those equally legendary empresses!

However, considering the Crown Prince's unfathomable aura and penetrating gaze, Xue Rengui had no doubt about the truthfulness of these words.

"As for the tens of thousands of ordinary soldiers under Ziyad's command..."

Yi Junze said indifferently, "Even with the baleful aura of the military formation, they can trap and wear me down, but to think they can keep me here... Xue Qing, do you think they are worthy?"

Xue Rengui was speechless. Yes, if the Crown Prince's cultivation had truly reached that level, taking the head of a general amidst a vast army might not be easy, but if he wanted to protect himself and escape, there were probably very few places in the world where he could be kept. Judging the Crown Prince's safety by that of an ordinary military general was indeed somewhat... worrying unnecessarily.

"Your subject is... dull-witted!" Xue Rengui bowed deeply.

"Get up."

Yi Junze raised his head slightly: "I understand your loyalty. I have my reasons for staying here. The Battle of Mulu is related to the fate of the Empire's western front for the next few decades, and I need to see it come to an end with my own eyes. Moreover, my presence here is also an invisible deterrent to Qi Yad. If he is smart, he should know when to back down."

Xue Rengui stood up, a sense of relief washing over him, but also a growing sense of pressure. As long as the Crown Prince remained, Mulu City absolutely could not be lost!
"Your Majesty, I will do everything in my power to protect you! Even if it means my own death, I will not allow the enemy to disturb you in the slightest!" Xue Rengui said resolutely.

Yi Junze nodded slightly: "I trust you. Go and prepare. Remember, seven days. We only need to hold out for seven days."

"According to the order!"

Two days slipped by unnoticed. During these two days, the Arab cavalry outside the city grew increasingly rampant, practically shoving their way to the city walls, and small-scale clashes with the Chinese outposts occurred frequently, resulting in casualties on both sides. Rumors spread throughout the city that Ziad's army had completed its assembly and would soon attack. Some of the already wavering Persian nobles began secretly making communications with those outside the city.

Xue Rengui worked almost non-stop, deploying troops, reinforcing fortifications, inventorying weapons, and practicing defense plans. Peroz and his remaining forces were housed in a separate courtyard within the headquarters, issued basic leather armor and weapons, and assigned to some auxiliary defense duties. The presence of the Crown Prince acted as a stabilizing force, keeping the headquarters tense but not panicked; instead, it fostered a sense of resolute determination, as if fighting a desperate battle.

The third day, just before dawn.

"Woo-woo-woo-woo-"

The deep and desolate sound of horns suddenly broke the deathly silence outside the city of Mulu before dawn. Then, horns responded from all directions, forming a terrifying wave of sound that swept in from all sides!
coming!

On the watchtower of Xuanwei Headquarters, the alarm bells rang frantically! The entire headquarters instantly entered a state of highest combat readiness. The Chinese soldiers, who had been waiting for battle, quickly took their positions, crossbows were cocked, logs and stones were in place, and the catapult's winch was tightly pulled.

Xue Rengui, clad in gleaming armor and wielding the "Zhenyue Halberd," stood like an iron tower atop the main gate of the military headquarters. Generals including Wang Yan stood solemnly on either side. All eyes were fixed on the west.

In the dim light of dawn, an endless black tide slowly surged across the horizon.

Leading the vanguard were thousands of light cavalry, like rolling dark clouds, their hooves thundering and kicking up clouds of dust. They roared, brandishing their scimitars and spears, making provocative and intimidating gestures, attempting to disrupt the morale of the defenders. Behind the light cavalry came a phalanx of spearmen, like a moving forest, their steps perfectly synchronized, their spear tips gleaming coldly in the morning light. Further back were even more infantry, wielding scimitars and round shields, and a large number of archers.

The number of people far exceeded Xue Rengui's previous estimate of 50,000. They were a dark mass, covering almost the entire western plain as far as the eye could see, probably close to 70,000.

Clearly, Ziad had not only integrated troops from all over Khorasan, but also brought more reinforcements, determined to take Merv in one fell swoop and remove this thorn in the side of the Chinese Empire's reach into West Asia.

At the central command post, a massive black banner fluttered in the wind, embroidered with crescent moons and scriptures in Arabic script. Beneath the banner, a burly Arabic general, turbaned and sporting a thick beard, surveyed the imposing Xuanwei headquarters with hawk-like eyes. It was Ziad.

Instead of immediately ordering the entire army to advance, he sent an interpreter on horseback to the edge of the archers' range, who shouted in broken Chinese:

"Listen, General Dahua inside! By the command of Allah, the venerable General Ziad has led the heavenly army here! You have one hour to hand over the Sassanid false prince Peroz, open the city gates, and convert to Allah! If you do so, your lives will be spared, and you may even receive a reward! Otherwise, the army will breach the city, leaving no one alive, and your heads will become a testament to Allah's victory!"

The voice, amplified by internal energy, traveled from afar, carrying an air of arrogance.

On the gate tower, Xue Rengui's face was ashen, his eyes icy cold. He slowly raised his right hand.

"Om-!"

A sickening twang of bowstrings rang out, and hundreds of crossbows fired simultaneously from the walls of the camp! The dark mass of crossbow bolts, like a swarm of deadly bees, swept past the announcer's head and embedded themselves deeply in the ground dozens of steps behind him, forming a clear line of death!

No words are needed; that is the answer!
The interpreter was so terrified that he almost fell off his horse and scrambled back to his own camp.

Ziad's face instantly darkened, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. He drew his scimitar, pointed it at Xuanwei's headquarters, and roared:
"Attack! For Allah! Flatten this place!"

Allah is the greatest!

A deafening roar echoed through the heavens and earth, and tens of thousands of Arab troops surged forward like a flood bursting its banks! Light cavalry charged out first, like black arrows shooting towards the camp! Infantry phalanxes followed closely behind!

War arrived without any pretense!

"Archers, three rounds of fire, cover 150 paces ahead, fire!"

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"

The arrows flying from the camp became even denser and more precise, raining down on the charging Arab light cavalry like a deluge. Screams of men and horses falling rang out, and the momentum of the charge faltered. But more cavalrymen, fearless, charged through the rain of arrows, hurling arrows at the walls or attempting to climb them with lassos.

"Crossbowmen, focus on sniping the enemy leader and archers! Logs and rocks, prepare!"

The battle escalated into a fierce contest from the outset. The Arab forces held an overwhelming numerical advantage, their attacks surging wave after wave. They erected makeshift ladders, braced themselves with shields, and relentlessly assaulted the walls of the military compound. The defending troops, however, relied on their fortified positions, superior equipment, and Xue Rengui's excellent command to mount a tenacious resistance. Each time an Arab was about to scale the walls, they were met with vicious spears, or had their brains splattered by molten metal or heavy boulders.

Xue Rengui didn't stay on the gate tower all the time; he appeared wherever danger arose. With each swing of his "Zhenyue Halberd," pale golden energy surged forth, and each sweep cleared a section of enemies from the wall. His unstoppable power greatly boosted the morale of the defending troops.

The battle raged from dawn until noon, with the Arabs suffering heavy casualties. Bodies piled up beneath the outer walls of their camp, but the offensive showed no signs of abating. Instead, the losses fueled their ferocity. Ziad continuously deployed fresh troops, launching wave after wave of attacks, attempting to exhaust the defenders' strength and arrows through sheer numbers.

The garrison at the headquarters also began to suffer casualties, their arrows were being used up at great expense, and the soldiers were exhausted.

"General! A section of the western wall has been breached by catapults, and the enemy is launching a fierce attack! We can't hold it any longer!" A captain, his face covered in blood, ran in to report.

Xue Rengui's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Wang Yan, take your men to block the breach! Push the spare carts over, douse them with oil, and set them on fire if necessary to stop the enemy! The rest of you, follow me, break out from the side gate, and overwhelm their forces attacking the breach!"

With the side gate of the camp wide open, Xue Rengui took the lead, followed by two hundred of the most elite cavalrymen, each equipped with a long spear and lance. Like red-hot knives cutting into butter, they crashed directly into the Arab infantry who were fiercely attacking the breach from the flank!
The Zhenyue Halberd danced in a golden light, leaving men and horses sprawling and limbs flying everywhere it passed, carving a bloody path through the enemy ranks. Two hundred cavalrymen followed closely behind, thrusting with spears and slashing with sabers, turning the Arab infantry attacking the breach upside down and instantly relieving the pressure on the walls.

But this also put them in a difficult situation. Arab infantrymen swarmed around them like ants.

Just as Xue Rengui led his cavalry in a fierce charge, fighting until he was covered in blood and his mount began to tire—

At the top of the highest watchtower of the Xuanwei Military Headquarters, Yi Junze, who had been standing quietly as if observing the scenery, let out a soft sigh.

"In the end, it's just a battle among ordinary people..."

He whispered something, but no one heard him.

With fingers pointing like a sword, he casually pointed in the air towards the direction where Xue Rengui's cavalry was engaged in a fierce battle.

In an instant, all the Arab soldiers who were attacking frantically, whether they were fierce infantry or light cavalry trying to encircle Xue Rengui, froze in their tracks!
It was as if an invisible, cold, and heavy mountain had suddenly pressed down on their hearts! An irresistible fear and trembling, originating from their very life instincts, instantly gripped their hearts! Many people turned pale, their limbs went weak, they could barely hold their weapons, their charging steps faltered and stopped, and some even collapsed to the ground, trembling.

Xue Rengui also felt that subtle yet immense power pass by, but he was not negatively affected. On the contrary, he felt a lightness all over his body, and the attacks of the surrounding enemies instantly collapsed and became chaotic. Although he did not understand what had happened, his battlefield instincts made him immediately seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

"Soldiers! Follow me and fight!"

With a roar, Xue Rengui's halberd gleamed brightly again. He led his cavalry to take advantage of the enemy's confusion and charged outwards with all their might. Finally, they tore open a gap and successfully returned to the side gate of the camp.

This attack clearly hampered the Arab offensive, and their morale began to waver imperceptibly. They didn't understand what had just happened, but felt a chill that was hard to dispel.

Ziad, observing the situation clearly from the center of the army, was both shocked and furious. He had a vague feeling that something unsettling existed within the camp. But he was in a bind; tens of thousands of troops were stranded beneath this small fortified town. If he couldn't conquer it, what would become of his prestige?
"Keep attacking! Don't retreat! God is watching us!" he roared, even personally killing several retreating soldiers to reorganize the offensive.

However, the defending troops gained a respite and re-established their defensive line. Xue Rengui adjusted his deployment, sending reserves to the most critical areas.

The battle continued for another two hours, as the sun began to set. The Arabs left behind more than five thousand corpses, yet their camp still stood tall. The defending troops had also suffered nearly thirty percent casualties and were utterly exhausted, but their gazes remained resolute.

Ziad gazed at the fortress that had remained unconquered for so long, then at the setting sun and the visibly low morale, and finally realized with resentment that he probably wouldn't be able to take it today. The enemy's resistance was more tenacious than he had anticipated, and... a nameless sense of fear lingered in his mind.

"Withdraw! We'll fight again tomorrow!" he gritted his teeth and gave the order.

As the mournful bugle call sounded, the Arab army, which had surged in like a tide, retreated just as quickly, leaving behind a scene of desolate corpses and broken weapons, which looked particularly bleak in the setting sun.

Inside the Xuanwei headquarters, a long-suppressed cheer erupted, a testament to the relief and triumph of those who had survived the ordeal. They had held out! With only 1,500 men, they had withstood a full-scale attack from 70,000 enemy troops for an entire day without breaking through!
Xue Rengui, leaning on his "Zhenyue Halberd," stood atop the blood-stained gate tower, watching the retreating enemy army, and exhaled a heavy breath of foul air, tinged with the smell of blood. He turned and glanced back at the silent watchtower.

At the top of the tower, the moon-white figure was nowhere to be seen.

But Xue Rengui knew in his heart that the existence of the Crown Prince was crucial to their ability to hold out today.

"Take stock of the casualties, repair the fortifications, treat the wounded, and get some rest! The enemy will surely come back tomorrow!" Xue Rengui suppressed his thoughts and gave the order in a deep voice.

The war has only just begun; reinforcements are still four days away. The real test is yet to come. But today's battle has undoubtedly given all the defenders a much-needed morale boost. (End of Chapter)