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

The power of that arrow still shakes him to this day.

He whirled around and shouted, "Guards! Any news on that young man outside the city I ordered you to investigate? Who is he?!"

The imperial guards behind him hurriedly stepped forward, clasped their hands, and reported: "Your Highness, it has been confirmed! That person is from Li Jing's household, and is engaged to the Divine Might General Li Yingge..."

"What?!" Li Chengqian's pupils contracted, and he blurted out, "He's the Li family's son-in-law?!"

His voice was filled with disbelief.

The Imperial Guards bowed their heads in silence—the facts were undeniable and could not be changed.

Li Chengqian was stunned.

He had assumed the man was mysterious, perhaps a reclusive master or a prodigy in the martial arts world.

But who would have thought that he was a commoner who married into the Li family?

Such dazzling brilliance, such imposing presence... and he was just a live-in son-in-law?

He frowned, remained silent for a moment, and then said in a cold voice:

"Go and invite him up."

"I'll tell him... I'll wait for him on the city wall."

The imperial guard hesitated for a moment, his voice tightening: "Your Highness, this humble general has already sent men to investigate. That person just left the Li residence, and currently... his whereabouts are unknown."

"Leave the Li residence?!"

Li Chengqian suddenly looked up, his pupils contracted sharply, and his voice changed tone.

Are you crazy?!

At this critical juncture, with danger raging outside and bloodshed imminent, how dare he leave the manor alone? Does he even know that Chang'an is on the verge of collapse?!

He clenched his fists so tightly that he didn't feel any pain even when his nails dug into his palms.

That boy who amazed him for half his life... how did he end up being the son-in-law of the Li family?

Absurd! It's an absolute joke!

But at this very moment—

Beneath the city walls, the entire city of Chang'an seemed to have fallen into an ice cave.

The gray sky pressed down on the bluestone streets and alleys, and even the wind smelled of rust.

The common people crowded the streets and alleys, and the officials stood in front of the court, all holding their breath, waiting for news, waiting for a way out.

Han Ye's little maid, Xiao Tuan, was already waiting at the city gate, her face pale, her fingers gripping the door frame tightly.

She doesn't believe it!

How could her master, Han Ye, be some kind of live-in son-in-law? They weren't even married! She knew this better than anyone else—

Her young master is no ordinary man.

He is a hero! He is like a sword hidden in its sheath, waiting for the wind and clouds to stir up the heavens and shatter the sky!

"Report—!!"

"Report—!!!"

A sudden roar tore through the sky!

Dust billowed outside the city, and scouts galloped wildly on horseback, like ghosts crawling out of hell!

The entire city of Chang'an instantly erupted in excitement!

Li Chengqian abruptly stood up, his eyes blazing with fury: "Quickly! Let him in! Now!"

In an instant, all was silent.

The entire city felt as if it had been choked, and their heartbeats were louder than war drums.

"Report—!"

The scout rushed to the city walls, tumbled off his horse, his knees hitting the ground, and his voice was hoarse as if tearing silk.

"A crushing defeat at the front! His Majesty's feint has been exposed! Khan Jieli personally led 200,000 cavalry, charging straight at the central army! Our army has retreated thirty li—!!"

boom--!!

This sound was like a thunderclap piercing through the clouds!

The people of the city turned pale; some collapsed to their knees, while others covered their faces and wept bitterly.

"Defeated? The Tang Dynasty...defeated?!"

"Heaven has no eyes! Heaven is going to destroy my Great Tang Dynasty!!"

A wail arose from all sides, and even the imperial guards on the city wall began to waver, their spears trembling slightly.

"What's the panic?!"

Li Chengqian roared, his voice echoing across the land, his eyes bloodshot: "Wait! There are more military reports to follow! I refuse to believe my father will be defeated! I refuse to believe the Tang Dynasty will perish!"

His words, each one sharp and forceful, were like carving stone with a knife, resounding deep into the bone.

But no one saw that his fingertips had already drawn blood, and the taste of blood was rising in his throat.

He was the crown prince, but also a young man who had barely reached adulthood.

At this moment, he could only grit his teeth and use all his strength to hold up the crumbling city.

But fate did not give him any hope.

Another scout galloped in!

"Report! The Divine Might General's surprise attack has failed! The ambush has been exposed! Jieli personally led his army to crush our flank—the entire army has been annihilated!!"

Before they could catch their breath, the third rider arrived!

"Report! General Qin Shubao, to protect His Majesty, single-handedly held off a thousand troops! He was struck by seven arrows and died from exhaustion—his body...has not been returned!!"

boom!!!

This time, it was people's hearts that were shattered.

"Impossible!!" someone roared in despair. "How could General Qin be dead?! He was the backbone of our Great Tang!"

The fourth rider followed closely behind, his blood-stained cloak fluttering in the wind.

"Report—!! The outer defense line has completely collapsed! The refugee camp has fought to the death, all sacrificing their lives! Lord Fang is seriously injured and unconscious, Changsun Wuji is alive despite losing an arm, General Li and the Divine Might General are both severely wounded—our army... has retreated to the south bank of the Wei River!!"

Each military report felt like a knife cutting into flesh.

Chang'an City sank little by little into the abyss.

The crowd surrounded the scout, their eyes red with anger, demanding, "What did you say?! Say it again?!"

The scout knelt on the ground, tears mingling with blood streaming down his face, and cried out hoarsely, "It's true... The old general was still ill, and His Majesty forbade him to go into battle, but he donned his armor, mounted his horse, and said, 'I'd rather die on the battlefield'... In the end... in the end, he fell over the corpses of the enemy—!!!"

The city was deathly silent.

The wind stopped, the clouds condensed, and even time seemed to be frozen in this moment.

Heroes fall, and the land loses its color.

And that once proud Tang Dynasty iron army...

Is it really coming to an end?

Upon hearing this, the entire city fell into a deathly silence, as if even the wind had frozen.

real? !

The battle situation at the front... has deteriorated to this extent?!

Even General Qin Shubao—the old general who once stood shoulder to shoulder with His Majesty through thick and thin, the loyal minister who shielded the Li family from three arrows on the night of Xuanwu Gate…

He died in battle too?!

"My father...is dead?!"

On the city wall, Qin Huaiyu, clad in heavy armor, suddenly swayed, his knees buckled, and he almost knelt down.

He gripped the cracks in the city wall bricks so tightly that his fingertips cracked and bled, but his voice was as soft as a dream, like a madman unwilling to wake up.

Li Chengqian's eyes suddenly turned bloodshot, his eye sockets bursting with blood vessels, and before his tears could fall, they were burned into steaming mist by his anger.

He whirled around, grabbed Li Junxian's armor, and let out a beast-like growl: "Li Junxian! Do you think I can still command you now?!"

Li Junxian was silent for a moment, then suddenly knelt on one knee, pounded his chest with his fist, and shouted, "My life is His Highness the Crown Prince's weapon! I will obey your orders without hesitation, even at the cost of my life!"

"good!"

Li Chengqian roared to the sky, his voice tearing through the heavens:

"Order! All Imperial Guards to assemble immediately, don their armor and weapons, and stand ready for battle! All officials' residences and personal guards, regardless of rank, are to be dispatched! A city-wide announcement is issued—anyone wishing to leave must depart within one day! Otherwise—"

He paused, his voice hoarse as if scraping bone with a dull knife, each word dripping with blood:

"Chang'an, fight to the death! Not an inch will be yielded!"

boom--!

The order was like a thunderclap, shaking the entire city.

Li Junxian was stunned.

He looked up at the crown prince before him, who had once been indecisive, patient, and ridiculed by court officials as a "ruler who only maintained the status quo," and suddenly smiled.

He laughed until tears of blood welled in his eyes, and his chest heaved violently.

"Your Highness..." he choked, his voice trembling, "You...you've finally stood up."

Li Chengqian did not turn around, but slowly raised his bloodstained hand, looking towards the Wei River, each word as sharp as if carved in stone:

"If my father falls, I will surely order Khagan Jieli to fill Chang'an with his life!"

Li Junxian kowtowed deeply, then rose and leaped down from the city tower. His figure was as swift as lightning as he rushed in all directions to deliver orders.

Scouts at the front lines are returning in disarray one after another, and letters written in blood are frequently being sent—the Great Tang Dynasty is in grave danger!

On the banks of the Wei River, corpses littered the fields. The Tang army suffered repeated defeats, with seven camps falling, flags toppled, and commanders killed!

Chang'an has become the last line of defense.

At this moment, Li Chengqian's gaze sharpened as he fixed it on Qin Huaiyu, and he hissed as he demanded:

"Qin Huaiyu! Are you leaving?!"

Qin Huaiyu stood on the city wall, gazing at the blood-red expanse at the end of the Wei River, his teeth clenched so tightly that his lips cracked and bled.

He slowly removed his helmet, letting the cold wind tousle his hair, his eyes bloodshot and burning:

"My father died at the hands of the enemy; his blood is not yet cold, and the revenge is yet to be taken… Does Your Highness think I would turn and run for my life?!"

"I'm not leaving!"

"If the Turks dare to set foot in Chang'an, I will draw my sword and meet them there! The city stands, we stand; the city falls, we fall! Blood debts can only be repaid with blood!"

"Hahaha—!" Li Chengqian laughed wildly, his laughter filled with sorrow and determination. "Good! Fight to the death! Blood for blood!"

Before the words were even finished, the entire city of Chang'an had already awakened like a giant beast.

The imperial guards thundered with their iron hooves, the palace guards were all clad in armor, the gates of the officials' residences were wide open, and their personal guards, armed with blades, marched out in formation!

Chang'an, full preparation for war!

Meanwhile, the people in the city spread the news with great joy.

"The Crown Prince has decreed: Those who wish to leave must depart the city within one day! Those who fail to do so—will all guard Chang'an!"

The news spread, and everyone returned home.

Do you think they were packing their valuables and preparing to escape?

wrong!

They returned to the kitchen, the storeroom, and the ancestral hall!

Someone dug out the broken knife left by their grandfather and sharpened it until it gleamed coldly.

Someone removed the door latch, tied an iron head to it, and used it as a spear;

The old farmer shouldered his hoe, the scholar pulled out his paperweight, and the woman tied the scissors to a wooden stick...

The entire Zhuque Avenue was lined with people on both sides.

Men, women, young and old, none of them flinched; their eyes were bloodshot, and they remained as silent as mountains.

Suddenly, a low murmur arose:

"How can you say we have no clothes? We share the same robes with you."

The king has raised an army; let us prepare our spears and shields, and fight together against this common enemy!

A white-haired scholar stood leaning on a cane, his voice as sharp as tearing silk.

Then, a second person, a third person… millions joined in the singing, the sound like a tidal wave, sweeping across the heavens:

"How can it be said that we have no clothes? We will share the same garments with you."

The king is raising an army; let us prepare our spears and halberds! Let us fight together!

"How can it be said that we have no clothes? We will share our garments with you."

The king is raising an army; let us prepare our armor and weapons.

"Let's walk together!"

The song was mournful and powerful, piercing through the clouds and splitting the moon.

No one escaped.

No one survived.

Every pair of eyes burned with the light of facing death.

"We swear to live and die with Chang'an!"

"We swear to live and die with Chang'an!"

The roar was like thunder, shaking the city walls and causing dust to fall.

The people looked up at Li Chengqian on the city wall, and then looked towards the Wei River.

They knew that this battle was not just the Battle of Chang'an.

This is a battle for the survival of the Han bloodline!

Even General Qin died on the battlefield, so what makes them think they can escape?!

Why shouldn't we go to war?!

Deep within the palace, the historian wields his pen, his ink flowing like blood:

"In the ninth year of the Wude era, His Majesty personally led an expedition to the Wei River, but suffered repeated defeats, and Chang'an was in grave danger."

"Yet not a single person in the city abandoned the city and fled."

Not a single person surrendered or sought to survive.

"The entire city is mobilized for war, and we are determined to fight to the death."

"This is what is meant by—the spirit of Tang! The bones of Han!"

Chang'an City was as silent as an iron curtain.

As news of repeated defeats in the Wei River region spread, morale plummeted.

But amidst this deathly silence, a raging inferno was quietly rising.