The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 484 The Emperor (The End)

On Wild Fox Ridge, the thin mist had not yet completely dissipated, making the stone walls hastily built by the Jin army along the mountain slope and the deer forts constructed by felling trees appear indistinct, like a lurking giant beast panting in the morning mist.

Inside the central command tent, the oil lamp was half-extinguished, casting a dim light. Li Cunxu, fully clothed, leaned against a simple camp couch, his armor still on, covered in dust and dark brown bloodstains.

In just a few days, the Prince of Jin's eyes became sunken, his cheekbones became prominent, and the graying at his temples became more pronounced. At that moment, he listened to the sound of the bugle call in the camp while glancing at the map spread out on the table.

The tent flap was lifted, and Li Cunli, Yelü Lage, the fake Li, as well as Gao Xingzhou, Xia Luqi, Liu Zhiyuan, and others filed in. After bowing, they all stood solemnly to the left and right, but no one uttered a sound for a moment.

After a long pause, Li Cunli finally spoke first, stepping forward and saying, "Your Majesty, scouts report that Wang Yanzhang has been mobilizing troops and making constant noise all night, seemingly intending to launch a full-scale attack on Huan'erzui. Our army has been holding out for days, suffering increasing casualties, consuming a huge amount of arrows, and our provisions will not last much longer. There is still no definite news of reinforcements from Taiyuan. I humbly request Your Majesty... to return to Taiyuan immediately with a small entourage."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Cunxu frowned, looked up, and glanced at the generals in the tent. He saw that everyone had a serious expression and avoided eye contact, clearly sharing the same sentiment.

Li Cunli, however, spoke more quickly and earnestly: "Taiyuan is the foundation of the nation. As long as Your Majesty is absent, the people's hearts will be unsettled. Although your uncle Li Kening has always respected Your Majesty, his adopted sons Li Cunhao and Li Cunshi have always advocated the idea of ​​succession by brother. If Your Majesty remains isolated here, I fear there will be internal strife. I believe that the defense of this place should be entrusted to me and the generals to hold it to the death. As long as Your Majesty remains in Taiyuan, the army will be at peace, and the foundation of Hedong will be as solid as a rock. Once Your Majesty regroups and reinforcements march north, Yefuling may well be recaptured!"

Before Li Cunli could finish speaking, Yelü Lage impatiently chimed in: "Prince Jin, what Marquis Xue said is absolutely right. If Taiyuan falls, there's no point in us holding on here to the death. It would be better to... temporarily avoid the enemy's advance, retreat to Yanmen, and form a defensive alliance with Yunzhou and Shuozhou. Isn't that what we call planning for the future?"

The fake Li glanced sideways at Yelü Lage, letting out a silent sneer. He knew perfectly well that this fellow was just trying to take advantage of the situation to encourage Li Cunxu to leave this dangerous place so that he could save his own life.

The other generals also chimed in, saying, "If Taiyuan is unstable, it will affect the whole situation. Your Majesty is the soul of the army and your body is of utmost importance. It is not advisable for you to remain in this dangerous place for long."

The voices of advice rose and fell, mostly urging Li Cunxu to leave. After the last plea was uttered, the tent fell silent as everyone awaited Li Cunxu's decision.

Li Cunxu slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over each face in the tent. But in the end, he simply shook his head.

"How could I not know your intentions? But..."

He gave a bitter laugh and said, "If I were to turn back south now, the morale of the army would immediately collapse. What kind of person is Xiao Yan? He has countless fierce generals under his command. How could he let go of this golden opportunity? If our army's morale falters even slightly, he will surely take advantage of the situation and launch a fierce attack. If Yehu Ridge is lost, Xiao Yan can drive straight in, sweep across the entire southern desert, and even besiege Yunzhou. Then, along Feihu Pass and Daoma Pass, he can go straight down to Weizhou and drink from the Hutuo River..."

"At that time, not to mention Taiyuan, the entire Daibei and Hedong hinterland, except for Yunzhou, will be defenseless, with its gates wide open and ready to be trampled upon. The danger to Taiyuan lies in the unrest of the people, which can still be suppressed and pacified by Zhang Chengye's prestige and Guo Chongtao's wisdom; the danger to the northern frontier lies in the shattering of the natural barriers, which will be a catastrophic disaster that cannot be averted."

Li Cunxu took a deep breath and, forcing himself to remain calm, reassured his generals, saying, "With me here, I am the anchor of the army. As long as I am here, the morale of the army is high, and so is Yehuling. Issue my order to send another fast horse south to Taiyuan. Appoint Zhang Chengye as the garrison commander of Taiyuan, in charge of both military and political affairs, with Guo Chongtao providing full assistance. Strictly investigate any traitors and stabilize morale. Also, order Zhou Dewei to wait for reinforcements to arrive and clear the way back before I return to Taiyuan. This is a matter of life and death. I am not here to linger on the battlefield, but to remain here for the sake of the army's survival and the preservation of Hedong."

Seeing that Li Cunxu had already made up his mind and would not change it, Li Cunli could only sigh and retreat dejectedly. The generals were either excited or unwilling, but they could only obey their orders and do their best to stabilize the camp.

As June arrived, the weather was already quite hot. In addition, with the two armies locked in a stalemate inside and outside Yehuling, and the Liang army's logistics stretching for thousands of miles, they would eventually be unable to hold out and would retreat on their own. Therefore, Li Cunxu's strategic intention to stay here and prevent Xiao Yan from taking advantage of the situation was quite effective.

As for the people's hearts in Taiyuan... With the deserts of Mobei and Yinshan gone, Yunshuo is directly exposed to the Liang army. The various tribes of Yinshan will surely rebel. And if Yunshuo is lost, what use is a mere Taiyuan to Li Cunxu?
North of the Yangtze River, apart from the Yinshan tribes, the State of Jin had no external support. If the tribes were to be lost as well, the State of Jin would be as good as having been given a critical illness notice.

After all, the two towns of Dingnan and Shuofang, which are adjacent to Hedong, probably wouldn't dare to come to Jin's aid under Xiao Yan's nose. In the past, when Jin was still powerful, it might have been possible, but now it's absolutely impossible.

Therefore, although Li Cunxu was exhausted, he managed to stabilize the morale of his troops and give them a glimmer of hope that they could force the enemy to retreat.

Half a day later, Li Cunxu suddenly heard a great commotion in the camp while he was in his tent. Before he could send someone to inquire, he saw that all the generals had gathered in the tent again. This time, however, everyone looked pale and as if they had lost their parents.

An ominous premonition instantly made Li Cunxu realize something was wrong.

Li Cunli's face was ashen, and he said dryly amidst the silence of the crowd, "Your Majesty, Yunzhou, Yunzhou... has fallen."

The tent fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop.

After letting out a long sigh, Li Cunxu's expression became unusually calm, as if such bad news had become commonplace. He simply closed his eyes and then asked for details in a low voice.

"...Liang general Zhao Dejun marched westward from Juyong Pass, while Zhu Youwen and Zhao Siwen led the Northern Palace Army to attack from the north, besieging the city for several days without success. Until three days ago, Grand Commandant Li Cunren was forced to retreat from Yinshan to Yunzhou by the Liang army, tricked them into opening the city gates, and led the Liang army into the city. Li Cunzhang, Li Si'en, and the generals of Yunzhou fought bravely and died for their country... After the fall of Yunzhou, the Tuyuhun, Dangxiang, and other tribes all surrendered to the Liang army and immediately submitted a memorial to Xiao Yan, pledging allegiance..."

Li Cunxu swayed suddenly, his vision went black, and he almost fell over if he hadn't grabbed the table in time.

Before Li Cunli could finish his statement, he added humiliatingly, "After Xiao Yan entered Yunzhou, he sent proclamations to all directions, saying... saying that if Your Majesty is willing to surrender territory, you can be ennobled as a marquis based on your merits..."

"puff--"

Li Cunxu could no longer suppress his surging blood and qi, and a mouthful of blood splattered onto the map in front of him. He staggered backward, but was firmly supported by Jingxinmo, who rushed forward.

The generals' expressions changed drastically, and they all stepped forward.

But Yelü Lage, standing to the side, was struck dumb, his face ashen, and he slumped to the ground, muttering unconsciously, "It's over...it's all over..."

The generals in the tent, including the usually calm Gao Xingzhou and the fierce Xia Luqi, also lost their color in an instant. They all turned around and glared angrily at Yelü Lage, but even so, there was a sense of bewilderment in their eyes as if a great building was about to collapse.

Yunzhou was the last barrier connecting Yanmen, controlling Daibei, and leading to Taiyuan. It was originally Li Cunxu's planned retreat route and the psychological foundation upon which the entire Jin army remnants relied.

Its fall, especially its sudden fall in such a manner, was absolutely devastating to the entire Jin army at Yefuling.

And this news could not be suppressed. As the tent fell silent, the terrified shouts and cries of the soldiers outside the camp could be faintly heard.

Yunzhou has been lost!

"Grand Commandant Li is a traitor! We're all finished!"

"Taiyuan...can we still go back to Taiyuan?"

"Where is the Prince of Jin...?"

Panic shouts, desperate cries, angry curses, the clanging of weapons hitting the ground, officers' desperate attempts to quell the unrest... all sorts of sounds mingled together and spread at an extremely rapid pace. The collapse of morale was clearly imminent.

Whether influenced by the morale of the camp or by their own despair and collapse, even some of the officers who had initially remained relatively calm in the tent lost their composure and burst into tears.

Li Cunxu gritted his teeth, first shoving the Mirror Demon aside, then suddenly standing up, kicking over the table, and shouting sternly, "Silence! What's the panic?!"

The roar, coupled with the ferocious bloodlust on his face, instantly silenced the tent. Li Cunxu, his face still contorted with rage, pushed aside his generals, strode to the tent entrance, and abruptly ripped open the curtain.

In the camp, the soldiers scattered like headless flies. Some wept with their heads in their hands, some looked around blankly, and some gripped their weapons with red eyes, not knowing where to rush. The camp, which was originally filled with smoke during lunchtime, was now enveloped in a palpable atmosphere of panic.

Li Cunxu forced down the metallic taste in his throat, gripped the sword at his waist, and strode towards a slightly elevated earthen platform. His generals, including Li Cunli, Gao Xingzhou, Xia Luqi, and Liu Zhiyuan, who had pursued him, dared not delay and hurriedly followed.

Li Yazi is Li Yazi after all. As the soul of the Jin army, his appearance before all the soldiers at this critical juncture is more effective than any words. At the very least, it lets the soldiers know that the King of Jin has not run away.

So the panic in the camp subsided, and Li Cunxu seized the opportunity. He took a deep breath on the earthen platform, gathered his inner strength, and his voice, like a great bell, resounded throughout the surrounding area.

"Soldiers! The fall of Yunzhou has caused me as much grief as you! But Yehu Ridge still stands, the sky will not fall! The Liang bandits seized Yunzhou to cut off our retreat and demoralize our army! Now more than ever, we must unite in our hatred of the enemy! I am here with you! The natural barrier of Yehu Ridge remains in our hands! The reinforcements personally led by General Zhou Dewei are on their way! The Liang bandits want to swallow us whole? Not so easy!"

Li Cunxu's voice suddenly turned fierce: "That scoundrel Xiao Yan lured me to surrender with the promise of a marquisate! Yes, he might give me, Li Cunxu, a marquisate, and perhaps some land. But what then?! We, the men of Hedong, have stood on our honors for generations through archery and horsemanship, and our bones are made of integrity, loyalty, and courage. Once we bow our heads and become Xiao Yan's surrendered generals and soldiers, our descendants will forever have their spines bent. Before those Han tyrants and Zhu Wen's former subordinates, we, the people of Hedong, will forever be inferior, and be called cowards who live by clinging to life. The glory of our ancestors, the pride of Hedong, will all be buried by our own hands at the foot of Yehu Ridge!"

He surveyed the soldiers, who were shaken by his words, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Are you willing?! Are you willing for your children and grandchildren to live forever in the shadow of surrendered captives, to be despised by others?! Are you willing for the blood and pride of the men of Hedong to be tarnished like this?!"

The soldiers looked at each other, but under the influence of emotions, the fighting spirit of most of them was ignited, and they roared in response: "We refuse!"

"Good!" Li Cunxu raised his arms and shouted, "These are the men of Hedong! Today, let alone a marquisate, even if Xiao Yan gave me a kingship, I would stand with you! All for the backbone of the Shatuo men! All for the glory passed down from our fathers and ancestors! We would rather die standing than live kneeling! Let the world see that there are no cowards among the men of Hedong! Let the Liang traitors know that if they want the men of Hedong to bow their heads, they will have to trample our mountains of corpses and seas of blood!"

"To live and die together!" Xia Luqi was the first to react, his eyes wide with fury, and he shouted angrily.

Gao Xingzhou, Liu Zhiyuan, and many other generals and soldiers of the Prince of Jin, who were also inspired by Li Cunxu's imposing manner, all roared at the top of their lungs.

The roar was initially somewhat chaotic, but it quickly coalesced into a torrent, like a torch lit in despair, temporarily dispelling some of the panic. While it was only effective for a short time, it was the best possible outcome compared to the collapse of morale and the soldiers' defection.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Li Cunxu swiftly issued his final defensive orders: Gao Xingzhou was tasked with gathering all cavalry and concentrating their horses for a southward breakout. Xia Luqi was to organize all available infantry, relying on the mountain terrain, to defend against a frontal attack from Huan'erzui. Li Cunli was responsible for gathering provisions, especially ample arrows, for use during the breakout.

The group accepted the order with a solemn air and dispersed in all directions.

Just as the Jin army's riots were being forcibly suppressed and Li Cunxu was issuing orders to deploy defenses, at the end of the Xuanda Ancient Road, which extends from Yunzhou to Xuanhua (now Zhangjiakou) on the southwest side of Yefuling.

Xiao Yan reined in his horse and stood on a high slope, raising his hand to shield his eyes as he gazed into the direction of Wild Fox Ridge.

After conquering Yunzhou and subjugating the various tribes of Yinshan, he did not linger for a moment. He entrusted the defense to Zhao Siwen and personally led Zhu Youwen and the Yinshan vassal army he had gathered to march north day and night. Along the way, he accepted the surrender of countless tribes, large and small. When he arrived at this place, he had gathered more than 10,000 people on both sides.

Of course, these opportunists who surrendered at the first sign of trouble were certainly not capable of fighting a tough battle, but as long as they could create a stir, that was enough for Xiao Yan.

The surrendered minister stood slightly behind him, but her gaze remained fixed on Xiao Yan. Last year, she had accompanied Xiao Yan on his military campaigns for hundreds of miles, and Yunzhou was only a day's journey away, so it was nothing to her. However, her feelings towards this man now were quite different from before.

Hou Qing and the other two were riding horses in a relaxed manner not far away. The elder sister was even making a lot of noise, as if she was on a picnic.

“Your Highness,” a scout galloped up and dismounted, “the news from Yunzhou has been confirmed to have reached the Jin camp. Although Li Cunxu has suppressed the riots in the camp, the morale of the army has been lost, and they will surely withdraw their troops from Yefuling.”

Xiao Yan nodded slightly, showing no surprise on his face. He withdrew his gaze and said, "Li Yazi's situation is hopeless. Order Wang Yanzhang to launch a general offensive immediately, sparing no expense, and fiercely attack the front of Huan'erzui. I will break in from the west side of Changyukou, attacking from both the north and south. Today, we will finish them off in one battle!"

"Understood!" The centurion was greatly encouraged, mounted his horse, and immediately went to arrange for the message to be sent by mail.

That afternoon, the Liang army camp, which had been poised for battle in front of Badger's Mouth, suddenly erupted with deafening war drums and horns, unwilling to wait even half a day, and sent out its entire army.

Li Maozhen personally led five thousand infantrymen from Youzhou, pressing forward first. They wore lamellar armor that had been transported from Youzhou some time ago, and carried large shields almost as tall as a person. They formed a tight tortoise-shell formation, like a giant steel hedgehog, slowly crawling up the hillside.

Behind them were 2,500 soldiers each led by Yuan Xingqin, Sun He, and Yang Shikan. These 7,500 soldiers used only light shields to protect their vitals, with quivers at their waists and powerful bows and crossbows in their hands. Under the cover of the shield formation in front, they pressed forward in shifts. Once within range, a dense barrage of crossbow bolts flew over the heads of the tortoise-shell formation and rained down on the fortifications held by the Jin army at Badger's Mouth.

On a high platform behind the army of ten thousand, Wang Yanzhang, shirtless, held a huge drumstick in each hand and used all his strength to personally beat a cowhide war drum that was more than ten feet tall.

"To achieve great deeds, to secure a high position for one's wife and children—the day is here!"

kill!kill!kill!

Under the cover and suppression of the heavy arrow rain, the five thousand heavy infantrymen pressed forward continuously, stopping every few dozen steps to reorganize their formation, emitting deafening battle cries, their momentum unstoppable.

On the mountain pass, the generals of the Jin army had grim faces and were frantically running around in the formation to supervise the battle.

The Jin archers, positioned on higher ground, required almost no shield bearers for cover. They simply leaned forward, drew their bows, and released their arrows, which rained down from above with tremendous force due to gravity. However, the Liang army was heavily armored and shielded, so the arrows had limited effect on them. Therefore, the Jin army's arrow volleys were mainly used to exchange fire with the Liang archers behind them, in order to suppress any reinforcements.

Fortunately, the Jin army had rolling logs and stones on hand. Although the quantity was limited, they could only push them down one after another as the Liang heavy infantry gradually pressed forward.

Logs and rocks rolled down with a rumbling sound, and the Liang army, under the command of its generals, dispersed its formation to reduce casualties. At this moment, Li Maozhen, who was personally leading the charge, had already broken several logs and then rushed forward into the Jin army's formation.

Li Maozhen charged into the enemy lines, single-handedly disrupting the Jin army's archer formation. Meanwhile, the infantry behind him immediately abandoned all their heavy shields, allowing the lightly armored infantry behind them to rush upwards. After paying the price of hundreds of lives, the latter finally broke through the rain of arrows and reached the Jin army's low wall, whereupon a melee broke out instantly.

The Yuan soldiers, who were the first to reach the mountain pass, desperately threw grappling hooks onto the low wall in an attempt to climb. The Jin soldiers behind the wall stabbed downwards with spears, cut the ropes with swords and axes, and hurled stones at the heads of those trying to climb. Screams, curses, and the clanging of weapons mingled together. People kept falling from the wall or being dragged down.

However, the heavy infantry who had abandoned their heavy shields quickly came to their aid. Li Maozhen forcibly broke through several low walls, creating gaps in the walls, and the heavy infantry poured in. The soldiers from both sides immediately began to fight and squeeze through the narrow gaps.

Spears clashed and stabbed each other, swords and axes slashed wildly, shields rammed violently, blood splattered like fountains, and severed limbs flew everywhere.

In the cramped space, the soldiers were almost touching, so close that they could see each other's ferocious expressions. Both sides spoke with Jin accents or cursed in Youzhou dialect, hurling the most vicious insults at each other's families, and then each struggled forward, their eyes red as they desperately killed the other with their blades.

The badger's mouth instantly turned into a blood and flesh millstone.

After Li Cunxu took command at the mountain pass, he personally beat the drum to cheer on the troops.

Xia Luqi led the charge, charging left and right along the mountain path, rushing to wherever danger lurked, roaring as he cleaved the advancing Liang soldiers down the slope. Gao Xingzhou directed the archers, unleashing wave after wave of arrows to suppress the Liang army's momentum.

Corpses piled up rapidly inside and outside the mountain pass, and blood flowed into streams, trickling through the cracks in the rocks. However, the Liang army's equipment, morale, and energy were all at their peak, and their fighting spirit had been suppressed for several days. Although Li Maozhen was quickly suppressed by the God of War, under the charge of Yuan Xingqin and his generals, he managed to push the Jin army back a hundred paces in one fell swoop.

But as the saying goes, even a cornered beast will fight. The Jin army knew that if they were to be defeated, they would be in danger of being wiped out by the Liang army's unused cavalry reserves. Therefore, they fought desperately.

So even though Liang's army had the upper hand, they were temporarily blocked at the mountain pass and could not advance an inch.

Li Cunxu's eyes were filled with bloodlust as he watched, but he gritted his teeth and continued beating the drum.

But just as the battle on the front lines reached its climax, with both sides continuously pouring their manpower into the fray, panic suddenly erupted in the rear of the Jin army. First, there was constant commotion, then incessant shouting.

"Liang troops have broken in from the west! Changyukou has fallen, and Zhu Youwen has stormed in!"

Li Cunxu was startled. Although he immediately ordered his men to quell the riot, it was too late. Zhu Youwen had already torn a huge hole in the hastily organized defense line from the southwest mountain pass, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. The Liang army and the Yinshan auxiliary troops poured in like a flood, heading straight towards the mountain ridge.

The Jin army, which was blocking the enemy at Badger's Mouth, was shocked by the shouts and screams coming from behind. They were initially stunned, but then became bewildered and lost.

"Where is Li Cunxu?! Zhu Youwen is here to take your head!"

Immediately, a thunderous roar rolled in, and this sound quickly caused the Jin army's defenses, which they had been struggling to maintain, to crumble instantly, like a dam whose foundation had been removed.

"Hold on! Anyone who retreats will be executed!" Liu Zhiyuan, who was in charge of supervising the battle, was covered in blood. He cleaved a Liang general in two with a single stroke and roared, but his voice was drowned out by the chaotic battle.

As the saying goes, a defeated army collapses like a landslide. Taking advantage of the situation, the Liang army pressed forward. First, a portion of the Jin army began to retreat involuntarily, and then in an instant, a large number of soldiers retreated one after another, losing their helmets and armor, and were in a sorry state.

Although the battle was originally intended to block the Liang army's offensive and cover the retreat of the rear army, the Jin army was attacked from both sides and could not even hold out until nightfall, and the Jin army showed signs of complete collapse.

Given this situation, even if Li Cunxu were to become the commander-in-chief of the Jin army, Xiao Yan would be powerless to reverse the outcome.

Li Cunli, his eyes bloodshot, fought his way to Li Cunxu's side, joining forces with Gao Xingzhou and Xia Luqi, who were also covered in wounds. He desperately urged Li Cunxu to retreat immediately. Looking at the scene of utter defeat before him, and at the Liang army surging in from the east and west like a tidal wave, the last glimmer of light in Li Cunxu's eyes was extinguished; he was utterly exhausted and speechless.

"Let's go." His voice was hoarse, as if he had used up his last bit of strength.

Li Cunli, Xia Luqi, Gao Xingzhou, Liu Zhiyuan, and others protected Li Cunxu, gathered their last remaining troops, abandoned Huan'erzui, and fought their way south towards Feihu Pass in Weizhou, retreating in a sorry state.

But the most valuable asset in this so-called encirclement from the north and south was Li Cunxu himself. Whether it was Shuliduo, Li Maozhen, Wang Yanzhang, Zhu Youwen, or even the Yinshan tribe that had just submitted to Xiao Yan, they all coveted this immense achievement. Several large armies were like wolves chasing a deer, encircling and pursuing him from all sides.
In this rout and escape, the Jin army initially had nearly two thousand men, but by the time they withdrew from Yehuling, they had lost more than half of them.

After leaving Yefuling, Yelü Lage, seeing that the situation was hopeless, directly called upon his remaining troops in the northern desert to turn around and rush towards the relatively weak eastern side of the southern desert, attempting to break through in the chaos.

However, he had barely rushed a short distance when he was intercepted by the elite troops of the Northern Desert Palace Army led by Shili Xuehu, who had been ordered to patrol the perimeter. Before the battle had even fully begun, Yelü Lage was captured alive in a sorry state. He then tried to beg for his life from Shuliduo, but Shili Xuehu coldly informed him, on the Empress Dowager's orders, that his crimes were unforgivable, and ordered him to be beheaded and sent to Xiao Yan's army.

Night fell quickly, but tens of thousands of troops, searching the mountains and seas, surrounded Li Cunxu like a net, chasing him all night until dawn. During the chase, they not only captured Xia Luqi and Liu Zhiyuan, who were covering Li Cunxu's retreat, but also captured several fake Princes of Jin who were impersonating Li Cunxu to attract attention.

As dawn broke, hundreds of surviving soldiers, exhausted and disarmed, arrived at the foot of Baideng Mountain in northeastern Yunzhou. Li Cunxu, surrounded by his personal guards, mechanically spurred his horse forward, his face expressionless, as if his soul had been ripped away. Li Cunli, Gao Xingzhou, and others were also covered in wounds, their armor stained with blood.

Li Cunli attempted to head towards Weizhou at night, hoping that there were still some non-Han tribes there who had not yet submitted to Xiao Yan and could provide some cover. However, he was caught by the enemy, who gathered troops and pursued him relentlessly. As a result, he had no choice but to flee westward.

The few hundred survivors who rushed into Baideng Mountain knew that this mountain was a dead end. Yunzhou had fallen, and they were surrounded on all sides, leaving them with absolutely no way to go up to heaven or down to earth.

Li Cunxu, who had lost several generals and officers during the night and whose whereabouts were unknown, struggled to his feet and looked around from his horse.

However, amidst the rolling hills surrounding Baideng Mountain, Shili Qixiang led a contingent of palace cavalry to block the passage to the north; Gongyang Zuo led three hundred Qin King's followers, patrolling the south towards Yingzhou; dozens of miles to the west lay Yunzhou City, occupied by Zhao Siwen; and Wang Yanzhang, after breaking through Huan'erzui, had already dispatched a contingent of troops that swept in like a whirlwind, pressing in from the east.

Further away, there was the imperial army banner personally overseen by Shuliduo, and the banners of the Yinshan tribes' auxiliary army leaders who had been summoned by Xiao Yan, forming a forest.

The area was completely surrounded by iron walls, leaving no room for escape.

Li Cunxu's remaining few hundred men were thus heavily besieged on a hill at the foot of Baideng Mountain. Although the hill offered no natural defenses, its high vantage point and expansive view made it a fine spot for sightseeing.

The remaining soldiers collapsed to the ground, all wounded and panting heavily. Most of their warhorses had died, their swords and spears were dulled, and their quivers were empty. As for the war god who had saved Li Cunxu from danger several times, he had been surrounded in the most critical battle of the previous night and was left on the wasteland by Li Maozhen, Zhu Youwen, Ying Gou, Hou Qing, and Hanba.

The rising sun slowly ascended from the eastern horizon, painting the sky with a bright rosy glow. The sun shone brightly over the Baideng Mountain, illuminating the boundless, forest-like army below, their golden light shimmering, a scene both solemn and magnificent.

Xiao Yan rode his horse up a high slope overlooking the entire battlefield. The surrendered officials and Shuliduo followed slightly behind him. Generals such as Wang Yanzhang, Li Maozhen, Yuan Xingqin, Zhu Youwen, and Sun He, as well as tribal leaders from the northern deserts and Yinshan who had come to witness the ceremony, surrounded him like stars around the moon.

The Qin king's banner fluttered in the morning sun, its silent pressure like a tangible tide, surging towards the lone remnants of the Jin army on the hill.

The surrendered minister looked at Xiao Yan's back as he was surrounded by the crowd, his eyes filled with complex and unfathomable emotions. All his previous stubbornness seemed so insignificant in front of this man.

Shuliduo squinted slightly, seemingly savoring this historic moment.

On the hill, Li Cunxu looked around again. Li Cunli, Gao Xingzhou, and the hundreds of personal guards who had followed him there. Each of them was covered in wounds and blood, their armor tattered, and even the weapons in their hands seemed too heavy to lift.

Li Cunxu's gaze finally passed over the layers of enemy troops and landed on Xiao Yan, who was surrounded by people on the high slope. A great sense of sorrow and relief welled up in his heart at the same time.

He gave a bitter smile, then slowly raised his hand and carefully adjusted his armor. Then, he turned to Li Cunli and the others, saying, "Things have come to this point, dying in vain is pointless. Xiao Yan desires only me. You are all outstanding talents of Hedong, you should preserve your lives to be of use."

He glanced at Li Cunli, Gao Xingzhou, and the hundreds of other generals and soldiers around him, and smiled: "After I die, you will all surrender."

"Your Majesty!" Li Cunli cried out in grief, his knees buckling as he knelt on the ground. "Your subject will follow you to the death!"

"We are willing to fight alongside the King to the last moment!" A large group of personal guards around them all knelt down on one knee, their voices filled with grief and indignation.

Gao Xingzhou's lips moved, but in the end he only lowered his head deeply, his shoulders trembling slightly. How could he and the others not know that Li Cunxu was trying to find a way out for them? But as ruler and subject, after Li Cunxu's years of victories in the north and south, how could they easily sever this loyalty and indignation?

Li Cunxu simply shook his head: "No need for further words. This is the king's decree."

Having said that, he stopped looking at them and gestured for his personal guards to come forward and help him remove the armor that symbolized his more than ten years of military glory, which was now riddled with holes.

After removing his armor, Li Cunxu was left in only a plain, blood-stained inner robe, making him appear even more desolate. He took a deep breath, as if to inhale the air of the frontier one last time, and then calmly walked to a warhorse brought by a personal guard, mounted it, and rode on.

He rode slowly to the foot of the hill, then reined in his horse a hundred paces away from the Liang army's formation. He surveyed the enemy's imposing army, his eyes sometimes filled with longing, sometimes with excitement, but ultimately settling into a calm.

After a brief commotion in the Liang army formation, a rider in black armor galloped out and stopped about ten paces away from Li Cunxu, shouting sharply, "What does the Prince of Jin mean?"

Li Cunxu calmly looked at the other party and simply said, "Please convey to the King of Qin that Li Cunxu is willing to give his own life to save the lives of the Jin soldiers behind him. And on his deathbed, he begs the King of Qin to meet him on the battlefield."

The righteous man did not reply, but turned his horse and rode away.

The news quickly reached Gaopo, and the generals discussed it amongst themselves. Zhu Youwen, however, remained silent, saying that Li Cunxu should just die if he wanted to, and there was no need to say anything more.

Xiao Yan remained silent, merely flicking the reins as he rode unhurriedly toward the front of the formation. Since he gave no orders, no one around dared to move rashly; everyone held their breath, their eyes following the figure as he calmly departed, as if attending an ordinary meeting.

On the battlefield, tens of thousands of eyes were focused on one point. The battlefield was eerily silent, with only the howling of the wind.

Xiao Yan reined in his horse a dozen paces away from Li Cunxu. On this ancient battlefield that had witnessed the siege of Emperor Gaozu of Han, under the rising sun, he faced Li Cunxu for the third and last time.

Li Cunxu looked at Xiao Yan. The man was clad in gleaming armor, possessed a composed demeanor, and was young and in the prime of his life. In contrast, he himself was covered in blood, emaciated, with graying temples, and at the end of his rope.

He smiled, shook his head, and when he looked up again, he was as calm as possible.

"Xiao Yan, the elite troops of Hedong have all perished at your hands. I have lost, and I am utterly convinced of my defeat. This vast land of the northern frontier is yours."

Xiao Yan gripped the reins tightly, squinted at Li Cunxu for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Li Cunxu, in the struggle for supremacy on the battlefield, everyone has their own path. If we're talking about genuine admiration, who would willingly be second to him? However, your military strategy truly makes me dare not slacken in the slightest. On the banks of the Gaoliang River and before the Wild Fox Ridge, you are formidable opponents. I suppose that without the help of favorable circumstances, the outcome would still be uncertain."

Li Cunxu shook his head with a wry smile: "How can a defeated general speak of fortune? The King of Qin's military strategy is profound, and he understands people's hearts. I... am not as good as him."

His gaze swept openly over the surrounding army and the tribal leaders watching the ceremony. "The victor is king, the loser is villain; this is an age-old truth. I have no other request but that the King of Qin, in consideration of these soldiers' years of loyalty and bravery, spare their lives. I... offer my life in exchange for the King of Qin's promise."

Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment. His gaze passed over Li Cunxu and fell upon the hundreds of Jin soldiers on the hill who, before their end, looked at him with complex expressions. He then nodded slightly.

"I grant your request. All those who lay down their weapons will be spared the death penalty and properly settled."

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxu showed a relieved expression, as if completing this task would atone for his countless mistakes.

After that, his gaze suddenly turned to the direction of the high slope, and he scanned the crowd behind Xiao Yan, accurately finding that familiar figure.

“…Thirteenth Sister.” His voice was much gentler as he called out loudly, “Come closer.”

Seeing that Xiao Yan did not stop him, Li Cunren suppressed his tears, spurred his horse forward swiftly from the formation, and stopped a few steps in front of Li Cunxu's horse. Then, looking at the figure of his brother and lord, who was now so dejected, he choked with sobs and could not speak: "Brother..."

Li Cunxu stared directly at Thirteen Sister, who never liked to interact with outsiders. Although she was still dressed the same and wearing the same mask, she suddenly seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

His eyes were filled with complex emotions, a mixture of guilt and a final, persistent desire. He asked, "What exactly were the contents of Father's dying wish? Now that things have come to this, I, as his elder brother, must finally understand."

Li Cunren could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down her face. She sobbed uncontrollably, choking out, "My father instructed me to give the tiger tally and seal to my elder brother, and to convey his last words—"

She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice clear as a sentence: "'The affairs of the world, though five-tenths are in the hands of the King of Qin, also have three-tenths. The remaining two-tenths, one in Jiangnan and the other in the grasslands, can both be aided. I hope my son will forge an alliance with the Qin, endure hardship and bide his time, and not tarnish the name of the Second Prince... to strengthen the great cause of the Shatuo!'"

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxu was momentarily dazed, then murmured Li Cunren's last words, his body trembling violently. He raised his head, no longer asking him any further questions, but simply looked up at the sky and let out a long, sorrowful laugh:
"Hahaha... Hahaha... We forged an alliance and endured hardship to achieve our goal! Father! Father! I have failed you in your efforts! If I hadn't acted rashly, our beautiful land and tens of thousands of loyal soldiers would not have been lost..."

His laughter was mournful and desolate, filled with self-reproach, regret, and a sense of tragic fate, echoing at the foot of Baideng Mountain, which saddened Li Cunli and the other Jin soldiers.

Xiao Yan simply held the reins, listening calmly with a serene expression, yet possessing a magnanimous spirit that embraces all things.

Li Cunxu laughed and laughed, but tears mixed with the blood on his face streamed down his cheeks. After a long while, his laughter finally stopped.

Li Cunxu looked at Li Cunren with a gentle smile on his face and simply waved.

"Thirteenth Sister, come closer."

Li Cunren, not understanding why, followed the instructions and rode a few steps closer.

As she approached, Li Cunxu unfastened the sword that had accompanied him in battle for many years from his waist and handed it to Li Cunren with earnest eyes.

"Thirteenth Sister, come here, take this sword, take my head, and present it to the King of Qin."

Li Cunren's expression immediately changed drastically.

Li Cunxu smiled as before: "We are siblings, but your incompetence has brought ruin to the country. This gift is the only one I can give to my thirteenth sister, so that she may have a foothold under the King of Qin."

Li Cunren was struck dumb. Looking at the sword thrust before him, he shook his head frantically and spurred his horse backward, tears streaming down his face. "Brother, I would rather die than... I cannot..."

Seeing her reaction, Li Cunxu didn't press the matter. He sheathed his sword, no longer looking at Li Cunren, and turned to Xiao Yan. He straightened his back, his face showing a complex expression, but in the end, he simply asked in a loud voice, "Prince Qin, I... I, Li Cunxu, am worthy of being called your opponent today?"

Xiao Yan stared at Li Cunxu, then let out a hearty laugh. The loud laughter was nothing more than respect for his opponent and unparalleled self-confidence. After laughing, he raised his voice and replied, "The Prince of Jin's ambition and strategy are unmatched in this world. He is my lifelong rival! The only heroes of this era are you and Xiao Yan!"

"Good! Good! Good!" Li Cunxu exclaimed three times, then looked around at the surrounding landscape, laughed loudly, and said, "To receive such words from the King of Qin, I have no regrets in this life!"

Before he finished speaking, under the gaze of tens of thousands of eyes and the magnificent sunrise, Li Cunxu suddenly held the sword that symbolized his life's glory and conquests across his neck and then slashed it forcefully.

Fresh blood burst forth, spurting out under the rising sun.

The once-powerful Prince Li Cunxu, swayed on his horse before crashing to the ground.

The world was utterly silent. Only the north wind from beyond the Great Wall howled as it swept across Baideng Mountain, swirling up a few withered grasses—that was all.

Xiao Yan stared at the corpse on the ground, pausing for a moment in silence, his gaze deep, as if he were reminiscing or pondering something.

"Your Majesty!!!"

On the hilltop, hundreds of people wept in grief, while Li Cunli, in a moment of stunned silence, suddenly drew his soft sword from his waist and prepared to slash his own neck.

But a burst of energy suddenly arrived, knocking the longsword out of his hand.

Li Cunli's movements suddenly froze, and his bloodshot eyes stared blankly at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan squinted at Li Cunli and asked, "Was it you who sent a secret envoy to warn me of the danger at Yinshan a few days ago?"

Li Cunli was taken aback at first, then his face showed a mixture of grief and absurdity. He gritted his teeth and said, "No, I have only been dedicated to protecting Your Majesty from beginning to end, never leaving your side! When have I ever sent a messenger to tell you anything else?!"

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes, and he understood. He didn't press further, turned his horse and rode away, leaving only the faint echo of his voice.

"Considering your loyalty and righteousness, I, the King, hereby pardon you all. Li Cunxu has fulfilled his promise, and you should also keep yours. Li Cunxu's body shall be buried with royal honors, and an envoy shall be sent to escort it back to Taiyuan for burial. The Jin soldiers who wish to surrender shall be incorporated into the army. Those who do not wish to surrender shall be relocated to Youzhou after this war is over, and given land and houses. Anyone who dares to harm a surrendered soldier shall be punished according to military law."

Li Cunli stared blankly at Xiao Yan's back, then looked down at Li Cunxu's body in the pool of blood, and then at his comrades who had survived the ordeal and were at a loss. Finally, the soft sword in his hand fell limply to the ground, and he collapsed to the ground and wept bitterly.

A hundred paces away, the surrendered minister silently watched all this, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She seemed to have understood something, yet it was as if something had been quietly put down.

Below the high slope, the tribal chiefs of the northern deserts and Yinshan Mountains, as Xiao Yan returned on horseback, all prostrated themselves deeply, not daring to raise their heads, showing reverence as if facing a god.

Xiao Yanle rode his horse forward, his gaze sweeping over the prostrate heroes and the vast army of ten thousand men before him, then he looked around to the south.

"Wang Yanzhang and Li Maozhen."

"The general is here!"

"We must organize our troops and station them in Yunzhou to appease the people and take inventory of the treasury."

"Yuan Xingqin".

"The general is here!"

"Purge the remaining enemies of the Jin state in Yun, Shuo, and Wei prefectures and maintain order in the region. Anyone who dares to cause trouble during the chaos shall be executed without mercy."

"Furthermore, an edict was issued to the tribes of Li Ting, Feng Dao, Li Si'an, Tian Daocheng, and Xie Yanzhang. It was stated that the Prince of Jin had passed away and the northern border was now pacified. Under these circumstances, all tribes were to temporarily cease their offensive. Han Yanhui was ordered to send an envoy to Taiyuan to demand their surrender, clearly stating the deadline, and not to say that I had not warned them."

Wang Yanzhang, Li Maozhen, Yuan Xingqin and other generals solemnly accepted the order.

After the orders were given, Xiao Yan suddenly drew the Taiping Sword from his waist. The sword was like autumn water, flowing with unparalleled sharpness and cold light under the morning sun. He squinted at the cross on the sword that read "Holding the sword to suppress mountains and rivers, and folding hands to bring peace", but suddenly raised the long sword horizontally, pointing it straight at the south.

"A proclamation is issued to the world: Prince Li Cunxu of Jin has passed away; Yehuling and Baideng Mountain have been pacified; the lands of Yunshuo are now entirely restored to royal rule. From this day forward, north and south of Yinshan, weapons are stored away, horses graze freely in the southern mountains, and there will be no more war. All tribes shall remain peaceful and diligently guard their borders. Anyone who dares to provoke conflict on the border shall be executed!"

On the high slope, Shuliduo watched Xiao Yan's composed and commanding figure, and then glanced at the surrendered minister beside her, who seemed to be dazzled and completely impressed by his demeanor. Her eyes were filled with a momentary sense of melancholy.

At Xiao Yan's command, the nearly ten thousand soldiers and generals in front of him fell silent for a moment, then countless swords were drawn, pointing straight to the sky, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Immediately afterward, the tribespeople and their chieftains, still in shock, erupted like a wildfire, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" in unison.

The sound reverberated across the wilderness and shook the Yinshan Mountains.

(End of this chapter)