Wife, you didn't really drug me, did you?

"King Han!"

Chen Xiaohu turned around and bowed to Chen Jie. Upon seeing this, Chen Jie put on a stern face and said, "When no one is around, why call him King Han? Call him Brother Jiu Si."

"Hehe, Brother Jiu Si."

With a simple, honest smile on his face, Chen Xiaohu was greeted by Chen Jie, who patted the chair next to him and said, "Come sit down."

Chen Xiaohu sat down, and Chen Jie looked at him and said, "Are you regretting not being appointed commander-in-chief this time?"

"Pity!"

Chen Xiaohu didn't shy away from the topic at all, and Chen Jie, upon hearing this, said, "You're still as straightforward as ever."

“Brother Jiu Si, I’m not stupid. How could I not regret such an opportunity to go down in history? But Brother Jiu Si, I know that we need people and I need to avoid risks. I am your cousin. If I take this job now, there will be criticism in the future, which will be detrimental to the country. So it’s okay to give this position to Lao Zhang and the others.”

"As long as it benefits the country and you, Brother Jiu Si, I don't feel like I'm losing out. We're already very satisfied with what we have today. If it weren't for you leading me all the way, Brother Jiu Si, I'd still be weaving baskets with my dad at home. We wouldn't even dare to dream of becoming the Commander. We're quite content, hehe..."

Chen Xiaohu said with a smile.

Chen Jie looked at Chen Xiaohu and said, "Sigh, I'm sorry to have put you through this."

Chen Xiaohu waved his hand and said, "I'm not wronged. I'm already very satisfied. But Brother Jiu Si, I'm quite worried about you. That Phasiba is a hundred-year-old monster who has been in the Land Immortal Realm for decades. You've only just entered the Land Immortal Realm. This..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jie chuckled and said, "Hehe, a longer time doesn't necessarily mean greater power. The so-called terrestrial immortals are nothing more than fifth-stage Fusion Gods."

"Ok?"

Chen Xiaohu looked at Chen Jie in confusion and said, "But the fifth level of the Fusion God realm seems to be much weaker than a terrestrial immortal!"

Chen Jiedao said, "The fifth level of the Fusion God realm is already the limit of this world. The reason why we can reach the Land Immortal realm is because we have mastered a law of this world. Phagpa has mastered the law of Buddhism here, Zhang Laodao has learned the law of Tao, and I have learned the law of the Human Emperor."

"What we are competing against each other is our understanding of the laws."

Chen paused here, then said, "Alright, you wouldn't understand any of this anyway. Why don't you have a couple of drinks with your brother?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaohu said, "Alright, it's been a long time since I've had a drink with you, brother. But aren't you supposed to be trying to comprehend the laws of heaven and earth?"

Chen Jie laughed and said, "Drinking is also a way of contemplating the universe."

After saying that, Chen Jie took out a jar of wine and handed it to Chen Xiaohu, saying, "There will be a big battle tomorrow, so let's not drink too much today. One jar each."

Chen Xiaohu chuckled and said, "Great! It's been so long since I've had your fine wine, Fourth Brother."

"Dry……"

……

The next morning, the army set off and marched towards Dadu.

Banners blotted out the sun, and warhorses neighed. Zhang Ding stood on a high slope, his black iron armor gleaming coldly in the setting sun. He squinted, gazing at the giant northern city.

The city walls of Dadu were over four zhang high, their crenellations resembling the fangs of a giant beast, exuding a sinister aura in the twilight. Atop the walls, large banners bearing the character "Qian" fluttered in the wind, and the guards stood densely packed, their arrows gleaming coldly.

“Dadu.” Zhang Ding murmured these two words, his voice filled with undisguised longing and solemnity.

Behind him, an army of 180,000 stretched out like a black tide at the foot of Yanshan Mountain, but faced with this city that had been impregnable since the time of Emperor Shizu, the tide seemed powerless.

"General, the three armies are in position as planned," a messenger rushed in to report.

Zhang Dingbian didn't turn around, but asked, "What's the situation with the Prince of Zhai?"

"Reporting to the general, this morning King Zhai climbed the city wall to inspect it, throwing wine and meat down to the city walls, saying that our army has come from afar and is tired, and that it would be better to retreat early to avoid being buried in a foreign land." The messenger's voice trailed off.

A cold smile flickered across Zhang Dingbian's lips. The Prince of Zhai, a direct descendant of the Heavenly Khan, had reigned in Dadu for ten years, surviving numerous rebellions; he had every reason to be arrogant. But this time, Zhang Dingbian had brought more than just 180,000 troops.

"Issue the order: according to the original plan, the three armies will launch a joint attack at dawn tomorrow."

Late at night, the Han army camp was brightly lit by torches.

Inside the central command tent, Zhang Dingbian, having removed his armor and wearing only a single layer of clothing, was bent over a sheepskin map. The flickering candlelight cast deep shadows on his sharply defined face. The tent flap was lifted, and two figures entered one after the other.

The leader, clad in soft, green scale armor, possessed a lithe and agile physique. Though a woman, her every step carried the chilling aura unique to the battlefield. She had a beautiful face, but a pair of sharp, eagle-like eyes—she was none other than Golden Swallow, the commander of the Azure Dragon Army.

“Dingbian, a scout reports that King Zhai has burned down all the villages within thirty li outside the city and filled in the wells. He’s trying to force us to fight quickly.” Jin Yanzi’s voice was cold as she walked straight to the map and pointed to the west side of Dadu. “I observed the city’s defenses today. The garrison on the west side is moving a little slowly. Perhaps we can find a weakness here.”

Next to enter the tent was a burly man, dressed in a gray monk's robe covered by simple leather armor, with a large Buddhist rosary hanging around his neck; this was Ding Pulang. His Buddhist soldiers all came from various temples in the Central Plains and were skilled in siege warfare.

"Commander Zhang, my Buddhist soldiers have prepared siege equipment, including a hundred ladders and twenty battering rams, and are just waiting for your command. However," Ding Pulang paused, his thick eyebrows furrowed, "the walls of Dadu are extraordinary, and the casualties from a direct assault would be difficult to estimate."

Zhang Dingbian straightened up and glanced at the two men: "You are both right. A direct attack will inevitably result in heavy losses, but dragging it out will lead to a shortage of supplies, and King Zhai is hoping we will become impatient." He pressed his finger heavily on the south gate of Dadu on the map, "Therefore, I want you to launch a full-scale attack on the south and west gates tomorrow."

"Will Ximen also fight?"

Ding Pulang was taken aback. Zhang Dingbian said, "Disperse their forces, and when attacking, we must go all out."

"Full power?" Golden Swallow raised an eyebrow. "No reserves?"

“That’s right. We need to convince King Zhai that we have no other choice but to fight to the death.” Zhang Dingbian’s eyes flashed with a sharp light. “Once his main force is drawn to you, I will have my own way to break through the city.”

Ding Pulang and Jin Yanzi exchanged a glance. Although they still had doubts, seeing Zhang Dingbian's resolute expression, they both knew that he had already made up his mind, so they did not ask any more questions.

"Your subordinate obeys," the two replied in unison.

“Remember,” Zhang Dingbian added as they turned away, “the offensive must be fierce and genuine, and we must make King Zhai believe that this is all our strength.”

At dawn the next day, the war drums shook the heavens.

First came a rain of arrows, darkening the sky and swarming the walls of Dadu like locusts. Then came shouts of battle, erupting from three sides simultaneously, as the Han army surged towards the walls like a tidal wave.

Golden Swallow personally led the Azure Dragon Army to attack the West Gate.

She didn't use ladders; her elite troops were all equipped with grappling hooks. Under the cover of a rain of arrows, dozens of dark figures scaled the wall like nimble apes.

Golden Swallow took the lead, her swallow darts in hand, and fired three in quick succession, felling three Qian soldiers at the crenellation. Using the momentum, she leaped onto the city wall, her twin green scale swords unsheathed, transforming into a streak of green light, spraying blood wherever they passed.

"Stop that female thief!" Qianjun's centurion roared as he led his men to surround her.

Golden Swallow sneered, her figure swirling like a swallow, her blades weaving a net of death, and five more people fell to the ground in an instant.

But the Qian army was simply too numerous, surging forward in layers, and the Qinglong soldiers around her fell one after another. By noon, the corpses on the west city wall were piled up like mountains. Jin Yanzi was shot in the left shoulder with an arrow, gritted her teeth, broke the arrow shaft, and continued to fight.

At the south gate, Ding Pulang's Buddhist soldiers pushed battering rams, chanting Buddhist prayers as they charged towards the city gate. Arrows rained down, and the monks formed ranks with their shields raised, their chanting mingling strangely with their battle cries. The battering rams crashed heavily against the iron-clad city gate, producing a deafening roar. The gate shook violently, but it did not break.

"Bump it again!" Ding Pulang, shirtless, stepped in and personally pushed the car.

From the city walls, rolling stones and logs rained down, crushing more than a dozen monk soldiers into a bloody pulp. Ding Pulang's eyes were bloodshot, yet he did not stop. After three rounds of ramming, cracks finally appeared in the city gate. However, at that moment, molten gold poured down from the city walls, and amidst screams, the attacking force suffered heavy casualties. "General, retreat! Too many brothers have died!" the lieutenant shouted hoarsely.

Ding Pulang stared at the mangled corpses of the Buddhist soldiers scattered on the ground, his eyes bloodshot. But remembering Zhang Dingbian's instructions, he gritted his teeth and said, "Don't retreat! Keep attacking!"

On the city tower, King Zhai, clad in golden armor, looked down at the battlefield with a smug expression.

He was nearly forty, his long beard streaked with gray, but he was a robust man with a piercing glint in his eyes. Seeing the Han soldiers lying dead beneath the city walls, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Your Highness's strategy is brilliant; the Han army indeed launched a hasty and aggressive attack," the advisor beside him complimented.

King Zhai stroked his beard and said, "Zhang Dingbian, Chen Jiu Si's number one general, is nothing more than this. He has come from afar with insufficient supplies. What can he do besides a direct assault? Issue the order to transfer reserve troops to support the south and west gates. Today, we will ensure that these 180,000 Han soldiers do not return!"

"Your Highness is wise!"

By nightfall, the Han army had suffered over ten thousand casualties, with the corpses piled up beneath the city walls almost as high as the walls themselves, yet their offensive showed no signs of abating.

Both Jin Yanzi and Ding Pulang were wounded multiple times, yet they continued to fight to the death. Seeing this, the last trace of doubt in King Zhai's heart dissipated—the Han army was determined to fight to the death.

"It seems Zhang Dingbian is getting desperate," Zhai Wang sneered. "Strengthen our defenses tonight. If they don't retreat by tomorrow, launch a counterattack and annihilate them in one fell swoop!"

However, King Zhai was unaware that while the battle raged at the South and West Gates, Zhang Dingbian's Beggars' Army remained inactive, launching only a feint attack. He was also unaware that thirty miles away, a special force was slowly moving towards the northern suburbs of Dadu under the cover of night.

Late at night, in the central command tent of the Han army.

Golden Swallow and Ding Pulang entered the tent covered in blood, both of them badly wounded. Golden Swallow's arrow wound on her left shoulder had been bandaged, but blood was still seeping through the bandage; Ding Pulang had a deep knife wound on his forehead, so deep that the bone was visible.

"Today, our army suffered 10,000 dead and countless wounded." Jin Yanzi's voice was hoarse, her eyes bloodshot. "Zhang Dingbian, if your 'method for breaching the city' doesn't appear soon, the casualties will be even greater tomorrow."

Ding Pulang also said in a deep voice: "The Buddhist soldiers have suffered heavy casualties, many of whom are my fellow disciples from Shaolin. Commander Zhang, if there is no turning point tomorrow, I am afraid I will be unable to continue the offensive."

Zhang Dingbian silently poured a bowl of wine for each of them, drank it all himself, and then said, "The brothers who fought today will not have died in vain. Look." He led the two to the back of the tent and lifted the curtain.

Outside the tent, in the open space, there was a dark mass of strange objects covered with oilcloth, from which a faint metallic gleam could be seen. Jin Yanzi and Ding Pulang approached for a closer look and gasped in shock.

Those were cannons, two hundred cast iron cannons, each with a pile of dark iron balls next to it.

"These cannons were given by the King of Han?" Ding Pulang, though a martial monk, had heard of firearms.

“That’s right, I’ll name it ‘Divine Might General Cannon’.” Zhang Dingbian stroked the cool cannon barrel: “We’ll wear down the enemy for two days, and tomorrow one shot will decide the fate of the world!”

Golden Swallow's pupils contracted: "You want to bombard the city walls?"

“Excellent.” Zhang Dingbian’s eyes blazed with fire. “Although the walls of Dadu are sturdy, they are ultimately made of bricks and stones. I have already surveyed the area. The north wall was damaged in last year’s earthquake, and although it has been repaired, it is still a weak point. Tomorrow, when King Zhai’s main force is concentrated at the south and west gates, all two hundred cannons will bombard it at once. Even the most impregnable wall will be reduced to ashes!”

"But," Ding Pulang still had doubts, "once the cannons roar, King Zhai will surely send troops to reinforce us. If we cannot break through quickly..."

“Therefore, you two need to fight hard for another half day.” Zhang Dingbian looked at the two men, his eyes blazing. “Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), you two will launch another fierce attack, making a last-ditch effort. When King Zhai sees this, he will surely think victory is in his grasp and will throw his last preparations into the battlefield. When my artillery appears, it will be too late for him to defend.”

Golden Swallow and Ding Pulang looked at each other, seeing the shock in each other's eyes, and also seeing a glimmer of hope.

“If this plan succeeds, the capital can be destroyed,” Jin Yanzi said slowly.

"If it fails, I, Zhang Dingbian, will commit suicide to atone for the deaths of the soldiers who died today," Zhang Dingbian declared resolutely.

On the third day, the morning mist was thick.

The war drums sounded again, more urgently than the previous two days. The Han army, dragging their weary bodies, launched another attack. Jin Yanzi and Ding Pulang both led from the front, their offensive appearing fierce, but in reality, they had been secretly controlling the pace, merely to buy time.

King Zhai watched the battle from the city tower and was overjoyed to see that the Han army's morale was not as high as before: "The enemy army is exhausted! Order the cavalry in the garrison to prepare to launch a counterattack at noon!"

"Your Highness, are there too many guards at the West Gate? Why not move them to the South Gate?" a lieutenant suggested.

King Zhai waved his hand: "The terrain outside the West Gate is open. Although there is no main force of the Han army there, we still need to be cautious. Leaving 20,000 men is enough."

Unbeknownst to him, two hundred cannons had already been quietly positioned five miles north of Dadu. Zhang Dingbian personally went to the front lines, watching the gunners nervously adjust the firing angles and load gunpowder. Behind each cannon, five gunners performed their duties, the atmosphere so tense that only the howling north wind could be heard.

"General, everything is ready," the artillery commander reported in a low voice.

Zhang Dingbian looked up at the sky; the sun was rising higher, and it was past Chenshi (7-9 AM). He listened intently; the sounds of battle shouts from the south were deafening, clearly indicating that Jin Yanzi and Ding Pulang had firmly pinned down the main force of the Qian army.

"Fire the cannons precisely at noon," Zhang Dingbian ordered.

The longest wait was in the long wait. Zhang Dingbian stood with his sword in hand. The land that the Han dynasty had not recovered for four hundred years, today I, Zhang Dingbian, will restore. This battle will surely be won!
……

"General, it's 3:45 noon!" the commander's voice rang out.

Zhang Dingbian suddenly opened his eyes, drew his long sword, and pointed it at the north wall of Dadu: "Fire!"

Two hundred cannons roared simultaneously, their sound echoing for miles around.

At that moment, the world changed color. Two hundred tongues of fire erupted, and two hundred iron projectiles tore through the air, crashing towards the northern city wall of Dadu like a meteor shower.

The first salvo shook the city wall, sending bricks and stones flying; the second salvo caused cracks to spread like a spider web; the third salvo caused the section of the city wall that had been repaired last year to collapse, revealing a gap three zhang wide.

The Qian soldiers on the city wall were stunned, they had never seen such destructive power. Some knelt down and prayed, thinking it was divine punishment; others abandoned their armor and fled in all directions.

"What happened?!" On the south gate tower, King Zhai felt the ground shake and was shocked.

"Your Highness! The West City Wall has collapsed!" The messenger came scrambling in, his face ashen.

"What?!" King Zhai grabbed his collar. "How did it collapse? What kind of sorcery did the Han army use?"

"Yes, yes, cannons! Countless cannons! The entire northern suburbs are filled with Zhang Dingbian's artillery units!"

King Zhai was struck dumb, staggering back several steps. He lunged to the edge of the battlements and looked north. He saw smoke and dust billowing into the sky from the north city wall, and further away, the black banners of the Han army moved like a forest, pointing directly at the breach.

"We've fallen into their trap!" Zhai Wang's face turned pale. He finally realized that the three days of bloody battles were all a feint, and he had been manipulated by Zhang Dingbian like a fool.

"Quickly! Send troops back to defend the west gate!" King Zhai shouted the order, but it was too late.

Outside the south gate, Jin Yanzi and Ding Pulang saw smoke rising from the north city wall and knew their plan had succeeded. They immediately led their troops in a fierce attack. The Qian army was already exhausted, and upon hearing that the west city wall had fallen, their morale collapsed and they scattered in an instant.

Zhang Dingbian led the charge, his Qihuo army surging into Dadu through the breach. Iron hooves shattered the rubble, and with long swords pointing, the Qian army retreated in disarray. He looked up and saw the outline of the imperial city faintly visible through the smoke and dust, while further away, the Zhai King's banner was slowly being lowered from the city wall.

Three days of bloody battle, two hundred cannons, and eighteen thousand soldiers finally won this moment.

"Your Majesty, I have breached the city for you," Zhang Dingbian murmured to himself, brandishing his sword and commanding, "All troops, heed my order! March straight for the imperial city!"

"kill!"

At a single command, the army charged forward with frenzied fury! (End of Chapter)