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

When Crown Prince Li Chengqian's proclamation resounded throughout Chang'an—those who wished to leave could go within a day; he, Li Chengqian, vowed to defend the city to the death and fight to the bitter end!

In an instant, the entire city of Chang'an seemed to be set ablaze!

Not a single one of the million Han men in the city retreated!

Without blinking or skipping a beat, they gripped their weapons tightly and roared out the same sentence—

"We stand with you to defend Chang'an! We will fight to the death!"

Torches still burned in the streets and alleys, their light reflecting off the armor.

"Old Liu, aren't you leaving? Isn't your home in Yizhou? What are you doing here?" someone asked, patting him on the shoulder.

"Dechang, your youngest son is still back in your hometown. Aren't you leaving?"

"Hahaha!" Old Liu laughed, but his eyes burned with fire. "Leave? Where to go! His Majesty risked his life on the Wei River, and General Qin Shubao died on the battlefield. Am I, a commoner, afraid of death?!"

"Yeah, what are we afraid of, those Turks! If they dare come, I'll smash their heads in with a hoe!"

"We, the Chen family, have never knelt before any foreign race! We have strong bones, and even stronger hearts!"

The roars were like thunderclaps. In the streets and alleys, men and women pulled out their ancestral swords, hunting bows, pitchforks, and even farm tools, polishing them to a shine. They stood on the city walls and in front of the street corners, forming a Great Wall of flesh and blood!

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

The roar shook the heavens, and the earth trembled slightly.

No one escaped!

No one is coming down!

They were all Han Chinese, with fierce blood flowing in their veins! Even Li Shimin personally went to the Wei River, donned his armor, and fought until his robes were stained with blood; even an old general like Qin Qiong dared to charge into battle with his spear, dying on the battlefield—

What right do they have to escape?!

How dare they run away?!

Therefore, when Li Chengqian's edict spread throughout the city, not a single Han Chinese in Chang'an set off to leave.

On the contrary... several Tibetan merchants were so frightened that they were terrified, and their crotches were half wet.

"They've gone mad! They've all gone mad!"

"Have the people of the Tang Dynasty lost their minds? With Khan Jieli's army pressing in, Chang'an is on the verge of falling, and they're still shouting for war?!"

"Isn't this just waiting to die?! Stupid! Utterly foolish!"

Their hands trembled as they packed their bags. They couldn't wait a single day, not even an hour longer!

Just as they were leaving the city gate, a Tibetan merchant grabbed a middle-aged man and said urgently, "Old Hu! Don't be silly! Your emperor has been defeated, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go! As long as you're alive—"

"Living is the most important thing!"

"Living is the most important thing?" The man called Old Hu suddenly turned his head, a cold smile spreading across his face.

He gazed towards the Wei River, his voice like the clash of iron and stone: "You say living is the most important thing, but does that mean you can just stand by and watch your country crumble, your brothers die in battle, your wives and children be humiliated, and your homeland turn to ashes? And then cower and live your whole life as a dog, wagging its tail and begging for mercy?"

The Tibetans were taken aback.

Old Hu spoke slowly and deliberately, gritting his teeth: "You're wrong."

We Han people have been able to stand tall in the Central Plains for a thousand years, not because of longevity, but because of our integrity! We are our backbone!

"You can cut off my head, but you can't break my back!"

"You want us to kneel? Fine—break our bones first! Otherwise… sorry, we were born standing, and we'll die standing tall!"

boom--!

These words struck people like a heavy hammer blow!

The Tibetan's face turned ashen, his lips trembling: "You...you are utterly unreasonable! You're all dead, what's the point of talking about integrity?!"

Old Hu smiled faintly, his eyes piercing: "You just don't understand the Han people."

The surroundings were eerily quiet.

On both sides of the street, elderly people stood leaning on canes, women held their children silently, and the children, though small, had eyes that were frighteningly bright.

In those eyes, there was no fear, only determination.

Yes.

They understand.

Integrity is more important than life itself.

The spine is harder than the city wall.

The Tibetans, feeling uneasy and enraged by their stares, scoffed, "Stubborn fools! Let's go! Ignore these lunatics!"

"They're all courting death and yet they speak so righteously; it's utterly ridiculous!"

The group fled Chang'an in a panic, embarking on the official road, and looked back—

Chang'an City still stands majestically, its city walls like dragons and its pavilions like clouds. Sunlight shines on the bricks and stones, giving them a cold, iron-like luster.

But now, the city is no longer prosperous and peaceful.

It's like a tiger awakened from its slumber, its fangs bared, its murderous aura soaring to the heavens!

Behind every door, someone was sharpening a knife; on every section of the city wall, archers were crouching; children were handing out arrows; old men were cooking meat soup; and women were sewing battle robes…

The entire city has been transformed into a massive battlefield fortress!

The Tibetans looked at the city and suddenly felt a chill.

Someone murmured, "What a pity... such a magnificent city will be reduced to ruins in just a few days."

The person next to him nodded: "The Turks were ruthless; they massacred entire cities and burned houses, leaving nothing behind..."

But they didn't know that.

This very city, which they call the "dying city," is supporting the heavens and the earth with its immense strength.

Meanwhile, those Han Chinese in the city, whom they called "utterly foolish," were writing four words with their blood and souls—

We'd rather die than surrender!

No matter how majestic and towering Chang'an was, under the iron hooves of the Turkic barbarians, it could not escape a certain fate—

Massacre the city!

Then, it turned into scorched earth and ruins, where not a blade of grass could grow!

The Tibetans, however, had already adopted the posture of victors, as if they were certain that the Tang Dynasty would be defeated and Chang'an would fall.

They left with a cold laugh, like vultures sniffing at carrion.

Inside the city, all was quiet.

After the Tibetan delegation left, no one else entered or left Chang'an.

Li Chengqian personally slammed down the heavy gate, sending dust flying with a deafening roar.

He stood atop the city wall, his armor still on, his long sword drawn, its cold light reflecting off his stern face.

Those young yet unfathomable eyes stared directly at the northern front, their killing intent icy.

In that instant, a person flashed into his mind—

Ghost-Faced General!

That man, clad in black armor and wearing a bronze demon mask, ultimately died for his country, his blood staining the yellow sand!

"Young Master..." Li Chengqian murmured softly, his voice hoarse, "You said, as long as the mountains and rivers remain, I will live; if the city falls, I will die first."

A crimson flame suddenly ignited in his eyes, and he abruptly raised his sword, his voice shattering the heavens:

"Fight to the death! Blood for blood!"

"Fight to the death! Blood for blood!"

"Fight to the death! Blood for blood!"

Roars erupted from the city walls, converging into a raging torrent that swept across the entire capital.

Thousands of soldiers responded in unison, their swords and spears striking the ground, and the world seemed to change color.

No one in the entire city backed down.

They are all prepared to live and die with Chang'an!

Yet, amidst this somber atmosphere, a slender figure still stood at the city gate.

It's a small group.

Han Ye's personal maid.

She didn't leave.

I don't believe in any nonsense about "the Tang Dynasty is about to perish".

"Impossible...it can't be!" She bit her lip, her fingertips digging into her palm. "Young Master hasn't even returned yet, how could he possibly lose?"

"Young Master is so strong... He's destined for greatness!"

"There must be a chance... there must be more good news... he will definitely come back, he definitely will!"

She stared intently at the official road outside the city, her beautiful eyes bloodshot yet surprisingly bright.

Like waiting for a ray of light.

Waiting for that figure in black robes, carrying a sword, returning stained with blood.

Tap...tap...tap...

The sound of horses' hooves grew louder as they approached, as rapid as the beat of drums.

Not a dream.

Good news is rushing in from the banks of the Wei River!

That was Li Shimin's last secret order before he fell into a coma, ordering his men to deliver the results of the battle overnight.

But news of their previous defeats had already spread throughout the land. Could this one cavalryman turn the tide?

The scout was covered in blood, his battle robe torn, but his eyes burned with fire.

People along the way quickly gave way, and the horses' hooves kicked up mud, like thunder rolling across the earth.

Finally, the silhouette of Chang'an City came into view!

He mustered his last breath and roared out—

"Report!!"

Just one word!

Like a thunderbolt, it shook the entire city to its core!

Everyone held their breath, a chill running down their spines.

Another battle report?!

Last time it was a rout, the time before that it was a loss of territory, and this time... what terrible news will it be?

Li Chengqian's pupils constricted, and his teeth clenched until they bled: "Open the door! Let him in!"

Outside the city, Tibetan spies watched this scene from afar and burst into laughter:

"Look, another messenger! Probably another one bringing news of a funeral, isn't he?"

"Hahaha, maybe this time it's Li Shimin who's passed away! The Tang emperor's dead, we can go into the city and have a victory celebration!"

Laughter was rampant, and they were carried away with their triumph.

But the next moment—

The scout spurred his horse to the city walls, roared to the sky, and his voice shook the heavens:

"Report!! Victory!! Great victory at the Wei River!!"

"The Ghost-Faced General led three thousand elite soldiers in a surprise attack from behind enemy lines, breaching the central army of Jieli's personal guard and directly seizing the Khan's head!!"

"His Majesty personally led the army in a counterattack, beheading 100,000 enemy soldiers, and the enemy forces fled in complete disarray!! A great victory! A great victory indeed!!!"

boom--!!!

The entire city of Chang'an fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

It was as if time had stood still.

The next second, countless people widened their eyes, trembled all over, and could hardly believe their ears.

"What...what did you say?!"

"A...a victory?! Not a defeat?!"

"The Ghost-Faced General? He's still alive?! He's back?!"

Someone collapsed to the ground, wailing loudly.

Some people laughed wildly, laughing until they couldn't breathe and tears streamed down their faces.

In the streets and alleys, old men knelt and kowtowed, murmuring, "Heaven blesses the Tang Dynasty... Heaven will not forsake me..."

Xiao Tuan froze, then suddenly jumped up, clapping her hands and shouting wildly:

"I knew it! I knew it!! Young Master never loses—he's a hero! He's a war god!!"

She cried and laughed, laughed and cried, until her voice was hoarse.

The entire city of Chang'an leaped from the abyss of despair to the highest heavens!

It boiled! It exploded!

however--

Nobody noticed.

Dust and smoke rise again in the distance.

More scouts are galloping in on horseback, one after another!

The real storm has only just begun!

Outside Chang'an, several Tibetans who had fled in panic froze, their faces turning deathly pale.

"A great victory? Good news?!"

"What a joke! Weren't we suffering defeat after defeat along the Wei River... how could we possibly turn the tide?!"

"This...this is absolutely impossible!"

They looked at each other, their pupils contracted sharply, and their hearts sank—oh no!

Could it be... that they made the wrong bet?

The Tang Dynasty actually survived?!

A chill ran from their feet to their heads, and their expressions shifted between anger and regret.

If they had known this would happen, why did they leave the city in such a hurry? If the Tang Dynasty had really won, wouldn't their departure have made them a laughing stock?

At this moment, they were caught in a dilemma, and could only stay where they were, gritting their teeth and waiting for further news.

He tried to comfort himself: This good news is probably just a hoax. Let's wait and see. The scouts will definitely come again!

But fate, it seems, offered them no room for maneuver.

.