Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 386 Training

Baidi City was once the capital of Gongsun Shu.

Because white mist rose from the Baihe Ancient Well in the city, resembling a white dragon, Gongsun Shu believed it to be an auspicious omen of a "white dragon presenting good fortune," indicating the imminent arrival of a new emperor. Therefore, he called himself the "White Emperor."

At this very moment, beneath Baidi City lay countless wrecked warships.

A banner bearing the character "Shu" stained with blood lay fallen in the mud, surrounded by the corpses of Shu soldiers, which floated up and down like dead fish as the river washed over them.

Half of the country had turned black and red, emitting a nauseating stench.

On the Yangtze River, the Jin army's warships had firmly grasped the initiative and controlled the river channel.

This cut Baidi City into an isolated city.

Yong'an made several attempts to break through the Jin army's blockade, but all of them ended in failure.

After a three-month siege, the city's food supplies were exhausted, but Huan Zhenning, the general defending Baidi City, refused to surrender and was willing to use his own body as food in order to resist to the very end.

Liu Yixing, dressed in the armor of an ordinary Tiger Guard soldier, stood below the city.

Countless soldiers and volunteers braved the rain of arrows and rolling stones raining down from the city walls as they climbed up.

Many people had their heads smashed open, with red and white blood splattered all over the ground.

The deaths were gruesome, but the soldiers who followed showed no fear whatsoever.

"Young master, I am about to go and make my mark!" Deng Xian, the captain of the left battalion of the Tiger Guard Army, said respectfully.

After arriving in Baidi City, Liu Yixing did not stay in the central command tent. Instead, out of youthful curiosity and a desire to witness the battlefield firsthand, he volunteered to go to the front lines.

However, the real battlefield is far more brutal than imagined.

Hundreds and thousands of people rushed forward, but before they could even touch the base of the city wall, they were shot into pincushions or smashed to pieces by rolling stones.

The overwhelming stench of blood constantly assaulted his nostrils.

These scenes are nothing compared to what's truly brutal. The fallen soldiers from both sides would be hooked up by the defenders on the city walls, dismembered in public, and then cooked and eaten...

Although such records are common in historical books, what you read in books and what you see with your own eyes are two completely different things.

"Aren't you afraid of dying?" In just two or three months, the childishness on Liu Yixing's face was rapidly fading.

"Who is not afraid of death? But if you want to make something of yourself, you have to take a gamble. Before the General of Chariots and Cavalry came, we didn't even have the chance to take a gamble. Even if we die in battle, we can still get the title of a righteous man, and my three sons will never have to worry about anything for the rest of their lives."

Deng Xian donned his armor, carried a shield in his left hand, and put the knife in his mouth with his right.

The other five people in the same row followed Deng Xian and strode forward.

After taking a few steps, he turned back, removed the long knife from his mouth, and smiled at Liu Yixing, saying, "When I receive my reward, I'll treat you to a hearty drink, young master!"

"It's a deal!" Liu Yixing said solemnly.

"Brothers, let's go!" Deng Xian laughed loudly and joined the attacking army with his fellow soldiers.

The enemy's resistance on the city wall grew increasingly fierce. Although the rain of arrows gradually decreased, the number of stones increased.

The screams soared into the sky.

Liu Yixing stared intently at Deng Xian's column of soldiers. Just as he rushed to the foot of the city wall, two of them were hit by rolling stones and turned into a pool of blood and mud.

Deng Xian was a veteran of the Western Army. He was agile and used both his hands and feet to climb the long ladder in no time.

They dodged rolling stones and arrows in succession.

Just as he was about to climb the city wall, three long spears suddenly shot out from behind the battlements. Deng Xian twisted his body, dodging two of them, and used his shield to block the last one.

"Great!" Liu Yixing was as excited as if he were attacking a city, his hands clenched tightly and his face flushed.

Deng Xian, standing on the long ladder, stepped onto the battlements and leaped up, thrusting his long sword at the enemy soldiers.

However, at that moment, a sudden change occurred. A giant axe came slashing diagonally from the side. Deng Xian raised his shield to block, but it was too late. The axe struck his shoulder, and Deng Xian was cut in two like a piece of dry twig, from his left shoulder to his right waist...

"Deng Xian!" Liu Yixing's eyes were bloodshot with rage.

When Deng Xian was stationed in Xiangyang, he served as a guard at the General's residence and thus became acquainted with him, and they got along quite well.

He was so full of vigor just a moment ago, but in the blink of an eye, he's gone.

"Kill!" After all, he was a descendant of the Liu family of Pengcheng. His eyes turned red at this moment. He picked up his sword and shield and charged forward. Before he could take two steps, he was stopped by three cavalrymen.

"As expected of the Liu family of Pengcheng, it's their fate to die on the battlefield." Duan Hong's face was full of praise.

A twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, on his first battlefield encounter with such a brutal battle, was not frightened into helplessness. Instead, he drew his sword to avenge his comrades. This courage is truly admirable.

"I will kill that enemy general to avenge Deng Xian!"

With a "snap," Duan Hong's whip lashed at him, startling all the soldiers around him. Although Liu Daogui had said before the expedition that he would be punished if necessary, he hadn't actually done so.

Liu Yixing was also stunned by the whip, staring blankly at the general of the Duan clan, who was of Xianbei origin.

"I won't stop you from going to your death now, but if you die, do you know how many people you will kill? As a monarch, you must not act rashly. Your battlefield is not here!"

Every word Duan Hong spoke was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, resounding and powerful.

Even the noise of the battlefield was drowned out, and it made Liu Yixing feel a jolt of shock. After calming down, he bowed deeply to Duan Hong.

Duan Hong said earnestly, "The Great General's ambition lies in the Northern Expedition to restore China. You should also aspire to conquer the world, not this place!"

When Liu Daogui entrusted Liu Yixing to him, it was more than just a superior-subordinate relationship.

Duan Hong was not known for his military prowess in Southern Yan, but rather for his virtue, which made him comparable to Murong Zhong. He was suspected by Murong Chao and wandered around before finally joining Liu Daogui's forces.

This is one of the reasons why Liu Daogui entrusted his son to him.

"General's words are wise, I will remember them." Liu Yixing could hear the elder's expectation in his words.

"Mount up!" Duan Hong reached out and pulled Liu Yixing onto his warhorse.

While patrolling the edge of the battlefield, he explained to them the troop deployments, terrain, and the situation of Qiao Shu and Yao Qin.

These things, spoken by a veteran general, were naturally quite different from what was written in military books, giving Liu Yixing a fresh perspective and broadening his horizons considerably.

Just then, cheers erupted from the east side of the city: "The city has fallen! The city has fallen!"

Liu Yixing looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the eastern wall of Baidi City had been breached, the barbican gates were open, and a large number of Tiger Guard soldiers rushed into the city to continue fighting with the Shu army.

The reason why the Shu army has been able to hold out until now is entirely due to the strategic importance of Baidi City. Now that the city has been breached, the people inside are fighting like cornered beasts.

The fighting lasted all night, the firelight as bright as day.

Liu Yixing also did not sleep all night. At dawn the next day, the Shu army's resistance finally stopped. The city was already a river of blood, with severed limbs and internal organs everywhere.

Along the long street, Shu soldiers were constantly being brought out and their heads were cut off.

Liu Yixing was still somewhat unaccustomed to the scene, feeling helpless amidst the bloodshed. After all, it was his first time on the battlefield and experiencing such a scene.

"Come here!" Duan Hong handed him a long sword and pointed to an enemy soldier being escorted forward by the soldiers. "A true man must never show the mercy of a woman!"

"Jin dog, do you recognize Qiao Longzi?" The Shu general struggled and shouted hysterically, revealing his ferocious nature.

Liu Yixing stared at the man, but hesitated to strike.

Duan Hongdao said, "Think about the soldiers who died on the battlefield, think about Deng Xian who died in battle. If you fall into his hands, it will be difficult for you to die!"

“Come on, stab me in the heart. If your delicate skin falls into my hands, hehe…” Qiao Longzi laughed in an extremely lewd manner.

Liu Yixing stepped forward with his knife and, without the slightest hesitation, slashed fiercely at his neck.

It was his first time killing someone, and he hadn't controlled his strength well. The blade got stuck in his neck, and Qiao Longzi spat a mouthful of blood onto his face. He struggled even more violently.

"Again!" Duan Hong watched coldly from the sidelines.

Liu Yixing took a deep breath, kicked Qiao Longzi in the stomach, used the force to pull out his long sword, and swung it out again.

Qiao Longzi's struggles came to an abrupt end, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

Liu Yixing gripped the knife, a hint of confusion and panic flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

Duan Hong nodded approvingly, "When I first went into battle, I wasn't as quick as you to collect the remains of our fallen brothers."

"Yes."

Having experienced war and death firsthand, Liu Yixing became much more composed and reserved.

(End of this chapter)