Tang Dynasty: Starting with 3,000 elite cavalry, a bloody battle to retake the city.

He charged forward with his knife, its cold light gleaming, aiming straight for Lou Yuanbo's neck!

None of the other Turks tried to stop them; instead, they all retreated, revealing bloodthirsty grins.

Lou Yuanbo did not dodge.

Instead of dodging, he stood tall and proud, neck stiff, and sneered at the blade: "I am a Han Chinese, and I have no regrets even in death!"

boom--!

These words were like a thunderbolt striking the silent night sky.

The remaining Tang prisoners were suddenly shocked, their pupils contracted sharply, and then they all laughed loudly, their voices like tearing silk!

"I am a Han Chinese, and I have no regrets even if I die!"

"I am a Han Chinese, and I have no regrets even if I die!"

"I am a Han Chinese, and I have no regrets even if I die!!"

The roar soared to the sky, echoing through the ruins.

Tragic! Heroic! Unyielding!

They stood on the edge of death, without kneeling or begging for mercy, their spines straight and their blood boiling like magma!

"court death!"

The Turkic leader roared, his blade flashing as it struck, its cold light already touching Lou Yuanbo's brow.

At this critical moment!

"boom--!"

In the distance, a blinding golden light suddenly exploded, tearing through the long night, so fast that even a shadow could not be caught!

The next moment—

"Whoosh!!!"

A long spear came flying through the air, tearing through the air and emitting a sharp whistling sound that made one's scalp tingle!

"Pfft—!"

The spear tip pierced through the skull, like smashing rotten melon pulp, blood splattering everywhere! The Turk who had wielded the knife was pinned to the stone wall behind him, his brains mixed with blood slowly sliding down the spear shaft.

One shot, one kill—clean and efficient!

The entire room fell silent.

Time seemed to stand still.

Whether it was the dying Tang soldiers or the ferocious Turkic barbarians, they all froze, their pupils shrinking to pinpoints.

until--

"Tap...tap tap...tap tap tap..."

The sound of horses' hooves rose.

Approaching from afar, its steady, cold, and hellish rhythm shatters the silence of the night.

In the depths of darkness, shadowy figures slowly emerged.

Armored like iron, warhorses silent, everyone's face covered with ferocious ghost masks, the killing intent solidified into a tangible force, making it hard to breathe!

The Turk's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his legs went weak.

Then, they saw it clearly—

Three thousand iron cavalry!

Three thousand heavily armored cavalrymen wearing ghost masks emerged from the darkness like a legion of the underworld!

The leader, clad in black armor that gleamed coldly, wielded a Azure Dragon Spear and sat astride a jet-black warhorse, resembling a demon emerging from hell.

It was Han Ye.

When did such a terrifying iron army begin to lurk within the city of Youzhou?!

Three thousand elite cavalrymen appeared silently, as if they had materialized out of thin air!

The Turk's teeth chattered, and his voice trembled: "Who...who are you?!"

"Bang!"

Han Ye spurred his horse forward, the iron hooves of the warhorse pounding the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.

He slowly raised the Azure Dragon Spear, blood dripping from its tip. His eyes, still tinged with crimson, seemed to retain the anger and resentment he had felt as he fought his way through the battlefield.

He arrived too late... Lou Yuanbo almost died.

At this moment, he looked down at the trembling Turks, a slight smile playing on his lips, and uttered three words, cold as frost:

"I am a Han Chinese."

boom!!!

These three words exploded in everyone's ears like thunder!

The Turks' faces changed drastically; they were terrified!

Han Chinese?!

These are the "two-legged sheep" they call them? These are the "untouchables" they can slaughter at will?

They actually... possess three thousand masked iron cavalry?!

How is that possible?!

Fear overwhelmed my heart like a tidal wave.

Some people turned around and wanted to run away, but their legs were too weak to take a step.

"Run—!" someone finally shouted, their voice shrill and mournful like a ghost's wail.

It's too late.

Han Ye pointed his spear, and three thousand iron cavalrymen simultaneously drew their swords, their cold light like the moon illuminating the night sky.

An aura of killing intent surged into the sky!

They roared and turned to flee, not even wanting to fight.

Han Ye merely smiled coldly, his eyes sharp as knives.

Immediately—

He waved his sleeve!

boom!!!

Three thousand Tiger and Leopard Iron Cavalry suddenly sprang up, like a Shura army bursting from the ground, tearing through the night and shooting out like arrows!

escape?

Where else can you run to?!

……

"kill--!!"

A roar resounded through the sky as Han Ye rode ahead, his armor fluttering and his killing intent soaring to the heavens!

The three thousand iron cavalry behind him responded and charged out, their hooves thundering and the earth trembling, as if the entire Youzhou was shaking!

What does this scene resemble?

It's like fate has been reversed, and the way of heaven has gone against the current!

The Turkic barbarians who once roamed the Central Plains are now trapped like turtles in a jar, fleeing in disarray within the city like lambs being herded, their faces filled with terror, excrement and urine flowing freely!

And behind them—

Three thousand fierce cavalrymen, their eyes bloodshot, charged in like demons crawling out of hell!

The murderous aura solidified, making it hard for people to breathe!

No announcement was made!

No surrender offered!

Only the three most basic words remain: Kill! Kill! Kill!

We'll kill you until your soul is shattered! We'll kill you until you kneel and beg for mercy, and no one will answer!

"No—!"

"Help! General! There are Han soldiers here! There are living people—!"

"Help me! I don't want to die—!!"

"Pfft!"

"Pfft!"

"Pfft!"

The sounds of blades piercing flesh rang out one after another, blood mist gushed out, and limbs flew everywhere.

Several Turkic cavalrymen had just turned around when they were pierced through the chest by spears, pinned to the wall like wild beasts strung together, convulsing and dying.

They screamed, cried, and begged for mercy, but all they got in return was a series of blood-dripping steel knives that came crashing down from above their heads!

One by one, they fell.

None survived.

Blood stained the blue bricks, and corpses lay strewn everywhere.

This scene left Lou Yuanbo, the surviving Tang soldiers, and the little girl named Nannan completely dumbfounded.

My mind went completely blank.

They had no idea what was happening.

Who are these people?!

Wearing a mask and black armor, he looked like a ghost or a demon, and with one move he slaughtered all the fierce Turkic bandits!

It wasn't until Han Ye uttered the word "Han people" that a glimmer of light suddenly flashed in Lou Yuanbo's cloudy eyes.

Fellow countrymen!

They are our soldiers!

They are from the Tang Dynasty!

In an instant, everyone's eyes turned red, their throats tightened, and they almost burst into tears.

Han Ye had already dismounted and quickly stepped forward to cut the ropes.

Lou Yuanbo was too badly injured. He was covered in blood, his breath was weak, and several of his bones were broken.

Han Ye squatted down beside him, his voice low and deep: "Can you still stand up?"

Lou Yuanbo gave a bitter smile and shook his head: "I... won't get up."

I'm so tired."

He was panting heavily as he struggled to pull a bronze token from his robes. It was covered in blood, but he gripped it tightly.

That is—the seal of the Commandant of Youzhou!

It symbolizes his lifelong duty and loyalty.

"General... I don't know who you are... but since you are a son of the Han people... then... I beg you..."

His hand trembled slightly as he handed over the token.

Han Ye silently accepted it, his fingertips touching the warm blood.

At that moment, a tremendous burden quietly settled on my shoulders.

Lou Yuanbo gazed up at the starry sky, his eyes gradually unfocusing, and murmured, "What a pity... I won't be able to see the day we decisively defeated the Turks..."

Before he could finish speaking...

His arm loosened, and he slammed heavily to the ground.

There was no more sound.

"Captain—!!!"

"Captain—!!!"

The remaining Tang soldiers knelt on the ground, crying out in anguish, tears streaming down their faces.

Lou Yuanbo, the Commandant of Youzhou in the Great Tang Dynasty, died tonight, sacrificing himself for his country!

Han Ye stood beside the corpse, his fingers tightly gripping the token, his knuckles turning white.

He looked up at the sky, his voice hoarse yet thunderous:

You'll see.

"You will see the day when we trample the grasslands and behead all the Turkic dogs!"

"That day is not far away!"

This was his promise to the heroes, and also his oath to this land.

The next instant, he whirled around, his gaze sweeping over the remaining soldiers, his voice as firm as iron:

"Can we still fight?!"

In the dead silence.

One person stood up.

Another person gritted their teeth and stepped forward.

Finally, everyone stood at attention in unison, and roared like a tidal wave:

"able--!!!"

"Alright!" Han Ye mounted his horse, his black armor gleaming in the moonlight, exuding a chilling aura. "Grab your weapons! Follow me! Starting from Youzhou, we'll let the Turks know—"

"What do you mean by 'blood for blood'?"

Clang—!

The sword is drawn, the spear is raised to the sky.

A cold wind swept through the ruined city, and battle flags fluttered in the wind.

The road to revenge begins here.

……

At the same time.

Dust billowed and horses' hooves thundered on the official road leading from Chang'an to Youzhou.

The mighty female general Li Yingge galloped on her horse, her silver armor gleaming, her red tassels fluttering, her heroic figure as if a goddess from the heavens had descended!

"Report—!!"

A scout rode up on horseback, tumbled off the saddle, and knelt on one knee:

"General! Fifty miles ahead, towards Youzhou... there are sounds of fighting! The air is thick with the stench of blood!"

Just then, a scout galloped in on horseback. He dismounted, his voice trembling: "General! I've investigated thoroughly—Youzhou...has completely fallen! The Turkic army is massacring the city; blood is flowing like rivers!"

"What?!"

Li Yingge's pupils constricted sharply, as if struck by lightning!

"Damn it! Han Ye... that guy couldn't possibly have died so easily, could he?!"

She gripped the reins tightly with her fingers, her knuckles turning white.

His brow furrowed into a cold, sharp line.

She didn't want to marry him, but the debt the Li family owed the Han family was as heavy as a mountain!

Even if it's just for the sake of morality, he must live!

In an instant, her eyes flashed like lightning, cold as frost, and she issued a stern order: "Pass on my military command—the entire army must accelerate and advance at full speed! Youzhou, not a moment's delay!"

"promise!!"

The command thundered, and ten thousand armored soldiers rose up, raising clouds of dust, heading straight for Youzhou.

The war drums have not yet ceased, and the killing intent has already reached the heavens!

……

At this moment, Youzhou had already become a living hell.

Corpses lay strewn across the field, and thick smoke obscured the sun.

Amidst the ruins, flames soared into the sky, and cries of agony filled the air.

Han Ye was leading his remaining troops, charging left and right through the city, his blades dripping with blood. Every move was a life-or-death struggle, and wherever he went, the heads of the Turkic barbarians rolled down like rain.

But right there on that blood-stained execution platform in the heart of the city—

Forty or fifty Tang Dynasty citizens were bound with thick hemp ropes like livestock and pushed and shoved onto the high platform.

They are neither soldiers nor generals.

They were scholars, Confucian scholars who wrote history.

Are scholars useless? But when the city fell and countless people fled in all directions, only these scholars, who were powerless to even kill a chicken, stood tall and vowed to live and die with Youzhou!

Now, they stand on the edge of death, with the blood of their compatriots beneath their feet and the sinister smiles of their enemies overhead.

"All of you, get up there!"

"You worthless piece of trash dare to block the way? We'll slaughter them all and feed them to the dogs!"

"Slaughter the city! Slaughter the city! Leave no one alive!"

"Hahaha! The two-legged sheep of the Tang Dynasty are nothing but a bunch of lowly commoners at the mercy of their captors!"

"Hurry up and climb! What are you dawdling for?!"

The Turkic soldiers brandished their blood-dripping scimitars, laughing wildly as they drove them away.

But these scholars neither cried out nor begged for mercy.

At the very front, the white-haired old scholar stood tall, his robes covered in dust, yet he remained ramrod straight, like a hard bone piercing the sky.

He whirled around, his gaze sweeping over every student behind him, and his voice boomed: "Where are the Han Chinese?!"

"exist!!"

A furious roar tore through the sky!

Immediately afterwards, a mournful yet powerful song erupted from the pool of blood—

"How can we say we have no clothes? We share the same robes! The king is raising an army; let us prepare our spears and shields, and fight together against this common enemy!"

"How can we say we have no clothes? We will share our garments with you! The king is raising an army; let us prepare our spears and halberds, and fight alongside you!"

"How can you say we have no clothes? We will share our garments with you! The king is raising an army; let us prepare our armor and weapons, and march with you!"

Each word, each sound, struck like a war drum beating against the heart, like a raging fire burning the soul!

The Master laughed loudly, tears streaming down his face, yet his laughter was manic and proud!

He knew that he could not escape death today.

He also knew that his disciples would all follow him to the underworld.

But so what?

He is Han Chinese!

His students were also Han Chinese!

"Still so arrogant even when death is imminent?" The Turkic general's face darkened as he roared, "Execute them! Leave no one alive!"

"Splash—!"

Dozens of curved swords were raised at the same time, their blades flashing like snow, reflecting the setting sun and those indomitable faces.

But at this critical moment—

Suddenly, the Master laughed wildly again, his laughter like a knife, piercing the deathly silence!

"Hahaha...hahaha!!"

The Turk was stunned, then glared at him angrily: "What are you laughing at?!"

Blood trickled from the corner of the Master's mouth, but his eyes burned with fury: "I laugh at your stupidity! Stupidity beyond redemption!"

"Do you think that holding a knife to their throats will make the Han people bow their heads?"

"You'll never understand—"

He spoke each word slowly and deliberately, his voice resounding through the heavens:

"We Han Chinese would rather die standing than live on our knees!!"

"Hahaha--!!!"

Before the laughter had even subsided, a blade flashed!

"Pfft!"

One by one, heads flew into the air, their hot blood gushing out like a rainbow.

Some students were still smiling as they died, their lips upturned and their eyes sparkling.

"Pfft!"

It was the Master's turn.

The blade rose, but the head was not severed!

The scimitar got stuck in the neck bone, creating a notch!

"Hiss—how can these Han people have such tough bones?!"

The Turkic soldiers gasped in astonishment and tried to draw their swords, but they didn't budge.

At that moment, the headless body still stood firm, like a silent monument, nailed to the blood-red twilight.

What an incredibly tough bone this is!

Little did he know, he wasn't the only one who was hard-pressed!

The backbone of the entire Han Chinese people is made of iron!

The Master's consciousness was like a candle about to go out, his vision was gradually swallowed by darkness, and his soul sank little by little into the abyss.

He knew he was about to die.

But just as life was about to end—

Suddenly, the corners of his mouth turned up, and he actually smiled.

His smile was gentle, yet it carried an unyielding pride.

The final thought in his heart, like a spark igniting a prairie fire: "No regrets in this life, to be born in China..."

I have no regrets in this life; I have lived an upright and honest life.

He had no regrets about being a teacher, for every student he taught was just like him.

We would rather break than bend, and die for our country!

The only regret is... he can't see.

I cannot see the scene of the Turkic barbarians being slaughtered by the mighty Tang army on that day, crying out for their fathers and mothers and fleeing in a sorry state.

That was the last scene he longed to see.

It's a pity... we won't be able to see it.

"kill!!"

"How can we say we have no clothes? We share the same robes! The king is raising an army; let us prepare our spears and shields, and fight together against this common enemy!"