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

The thunderous sound of hooves echoed behind them, raising clouds of dust as a rider galloped up, neighing loudly:

"Report! Great victory! Your Highness, open the city gates immediately! The Wei River has been won!!"

The sound tore through the sky, like a thunderclap splitting the gloom.

"The Ghost-Faced General charged into the enemy lines alone, slaying Khagan Jieli amidst the chaos! The Turkic army collapsed instantly, and His Majesty personally led his iron cavalry in a counterattack—a resounding victory!! Bloodshed stretched for miles, corpses littered the fields!!"

Before the words were even finished, the second rider had already sped up, his voice trembling:

"Report! The Ghost-Faced General single-handedly fought against ten thousand, holding off the main force of the Turks! His Majesty seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, beheading countless enemies, turning the Wei River red with blood—Our Great Tang has won!!"

Immediately afterwards, a third rider came hurtling in, dismounting with a tumble, his voice booming like a bell:

"His Majesty's decree—The Battle of the Wei River is over! Although our army suffered heavy casualties, we have ultimately achieved a complete victory!! The hundreds of thousands of Turkic troops were reduced to less than one-tenth, utterly routed! General Ghost Face fought to the last moment, but was surrounded and his fate is unknown… His Majesty has ordered—to set up camp on the spot for ten days to rest and reorganize the troops, and then return to the capital in ten days!!"

boom--!!

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

Just moments before, the city was deathly still, filled with mournful sounds, and Crown Prince Li Chengqian had even prepared his will, ready to perish with the city.

But now, one victory after another is spreading like wildfire, burning away all the gloom!

Cheers erupted from the city gates and quickly swept across the entire city!

"We won!! We won!!"

"Hahaha! I knew it! When has His Majesty ever been defeated!?"

"The Ghost-Faced General! He's still alive!! God bless the Tang Dynasty—!!"

The people rushed into the streets, burying their faces in their hands and weeping bitterly, then laughing wildly to the sky.

Children ran through the streets, elderly people knelt and burned incense, and deafening shouts erupted from restaurants and teahouses:

"Great Tang Dynasty—Victory!! Victory!! Victory!!!"

Beneath the city wall, Xiao Tuan stood at the edge of the crowd, her red-rimmed eyes finally breaking into a smile.

Her tightly clenched fingers slowly loosened, her fingertips still damp with the cold sweat of fear.

But now, tears streamed down her face again, these were tears of joy.

"Young Master...you really did it..." she murmured, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes burning with undisguised pride. "You've never disappointed anyone..."

On the city wall, Qin Huaiyu's hand holding the knife trembled slightly.

His knuckles turned white, the hilt of his sword loosened and tightened repeatedly, until finally he tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and a single hot tear slid down his cheek and landed on his armor.

"General Ghost Face..." His voice was hoarse, almost choked with sobs, "The revenge for my father... today, it has finally been avenged..."

The wind whips the battle flags, making them flutter and rustle, as if it too is softly mourning the heroic souls.

Inside the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Li Chengqian could no longer contain himself; his eyes gleamed with excitement as he paced back and forth in the hall.

"We've won! The Tang Dynasty has won!!" He slammed his hand on the table, overjoyed. "And... General Ghost Face is back!!"

That was the being he had revered as a god since his youth! Back when Han Ye entered Chang'an, wasn't what he imitated day and night the invincible figure wearing a ghost mask, wielding a long spear, and dominating the battlefield?!

Now, the idol has returned, having accomplished unparalleled feats—

How could he remain calm?!

He immediately turned and ordered, "Li Junxian! Convey my order—on the day of Father Emperor's triumphant return, I will personally go ten miles outside the city to welcome him!!"

Li Junxian knelt on one knee, his blood boiling: "Yes, sir!!"

But neither of them realized it—

That ghostly figure they had been eagerly awaiting might never be able to return home.

Meanwhile, outside the city gate.

The Tibetan merchants who had previously slunk away shamelessly returned, all smiles, and coughed twice:

"Oh my, congratulations! The might of the Tang soldiers is truly astounding, they really scared us, hahaha..."

"I was blind before and offended you greatly, please forgive me..."

The men's smiles were stiff, their eyes darting around, making them look like a group of thieves who had just stolen something and had been caught again.

But who cares about them anymore?

At this moment, Chang'an belongs to victory, to passion, to—

That legendary general who wore a ghost mask and returned treading on blood.

However, at this moment, Chang'an City was already boiling over with cheers resounding throughout the streets. Who would even glance at these few Tibetans?

The sons of the Han people have an inherent sense of pride!

When down on his luck, he would rather break than bend; he would kneel to heaven and earth but not to the powerful and wealthy. When in dire straits, he would not ask for charity, but only believe that the sword and spear in his hand could carve out a way to survive!

But now—

They won this national war with blood and fire. Those opportunists from Tibet, do they really think they can use this victory to curry favor? Dream on!

Crown Prince Li Chengqian stood atop the city wall, his gaze icy, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "Guards, throw these Tibetan scoundrels out! If they dare set foot in Chang'an again, break their legs and throw them into the Wei River to feed the fish!"

He stood with his hands behind his back, his tone stern: "My father's triumphant return is imminent, and I will not allow these vile creatures to spoil the festive atmosphere of Chang'an—humph!"

The order was given like a landslide; the Imperial Guards moved in unison, and several Tibetan merchants were roughly dragged away, tumbling and crawling as they were driven out of the city gate.

"Alas... I regret it so much, I regret it so much!"

One by one, the Tibetan merchants staggered, looked up at the sky and sighed, their eyes filled with despair.

Their accumulated wealth in Chang'an vanished overnight!

Had they known the Tang Dynasty would win, they would have risked their lives to stay in the city and observe the situation. How could they have ended up in this predicament today?!

to be honest--

They made the wrong bet, they gambled their lives on the wrong outcome!

They gambled on the destruction of the Tang Dynasty, but what was the result? The Tang banners fluttered, conquering the northern frontier, and their triumphant songs soared into the sky!

Those who lose will eventually pay the price.

But this little disturbance is nothing more than a speck of dust in the midst of Chang'an's revelry.

At this moment, Chang'an was already overwhelmed with ecstasy.

Taverns were packed, markets stayed open all night, people spread the news, and children rode on each other's shoulders shouting.

Everyone had only one thought burning in their minds:

Wait!

We await His Majesty's return!

Wait for the Ghost-Faced General to return to the city!

Waiting for all the brave men of the Tang Dynasty who fought on the battlefield...

Come back home!

……

Meanwhile, along the banks of the Wei River, corpses littered the ground.

The last order given by Li Shimin before he fainted that day has been carried out to the end by the soldiers—to set up camp on the spot and prepare for further orders.

However, there was no place to stand on the banks of the Wei River.

Although the heavy rain washed over the battlefield, it could not wash away the dark red seeping from the depths of the earth.

The soil was muddy and smelled foul, as if it had been soaked in blood for a thousand years, and stepping on it seemed to groan.

Tragic! Heroic!

Li Shimin remained unconscious for a full day and did not open his eyes.

Those who survived have begun to clean up this hell on earth.

Han Ye's Azure Dragon Spear lay quietly in the blood and mud, and was picked up by Li Yingge herself.

She sat on the hillside, draped in a scarlet cloak and her armor stained with blood, staring blankly at the spear, her voice as soft as the wind: "Are you... really him?"

This gun looks so familiar.

That is the soul of the Ghost-Faced General, the Asura weapon he used to take the enemy's head amidst a vast army!

A general who never abandons his weapon is like a tiger that never loses its claws and teeth.

But now, the Azure Dragon Spear lies alone on the battlefield—

This means that in that battle, he fought to the point of exhaustion, to the brink of life and death, to the point that he could no longer even hold his weapon!

Li Yingge's fingertips traced the gun's shaft, the cold glint reflecting the trembling in her eyes.

The Azure Dragon Spear was as heavy as a thousand pounds and its sharpness was overwhelming. Even when it was still, it seemed to emit a low roar of a dragon, which was awe-inspiring.

This is a divine weapon, and even more so, a deadly weapon.

But the more she felt this way, the heavier her heart became.

The weapons are lost, but what about the man? Surrounded and critically wounded... will he be able to come back alive?

What made her heart tighten and almost suffocate was—

If the Ghost-Faced General really is Han Ye...

All those feelings she suppressed over the years, the tears she hid, the countless midnight cries she uttered...

Where should we put it?!

She stood on the hillside, gazing at the vast sky, her brow furrowed, as if trying to find an answer in the wind.

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

Footsteps came from behind, heavy and slow, mixed with suppressed coughs.

It's Li Jing who has arrived.

The commander-in-chief, with his arm wrapped in bandages and his face pale, still stood as straight as a pine tree.

He saw his daughter sitting alone on the hillside, looking strange, so he slowly walked closer.

After standing still, he glanced at the ravaged battlefield below, remained silent for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh: "Your Majesty is right... This battle was won tragically."

Too many people have died.

Especially the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, whose corpses piled up and whose blood stained the Wei River.

Veteran general Qin Shubao also died on the battlefield!

If this news were to reach Chang'an, it would surely be like a thunderclap, shaking the court and the public.

Li Jing's eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly noticed the gun in Li Ying's hand.

He reached out and took it, giving it a gentle shake—

hum!

The spear tip sliced ​​through the air, a flash of cold light appearing, as if a phantom of a blue dragon had streaked across the sky.

Li Jing's eyes lit up: "What a fine spear! A true peerless weapon!"

He stared at it for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Is this the weapon of that Ghost-Faced General?"

Li Yingge bit her lip and slowly nodded, her voice slightly hoarse: "Father... I think I know who he is."

"Um?!"

Li Jing's ears twitched violently, as if struck by thunder.

His gaze sharpened abruptly, and his voice, so deep it seemed to crush the air, cried out: "Who?!"

Li Yingge stood in the wind, her eyes darting about, her expression complex and unspoken. She parted her lips slightly and uttered two words—

"Han Ye".

boom--!

These two words struck Li Jing's mind like a thunderbolt.

His pupils suddenly contracted, his heart trembled violently, and he felt as if he had been electrocuted.

Han Ye?!

The young man who was about to marry his daughter... could he really be the legendary Ghost-Faced General?!

Absurd! Utterly ridiculous!

He had doubted Han Ye's background and secretly investigated why he was able to easily defeat Li Yingge.

But he never dreamed that the Ghost-Faced General, whom even emperors revered as a god and who struck fear into the hearts of enemy troops, was actually hiding in his future son-in-law!

This dramatic shift in status is brutal!

Li Jing's expression changed drastically, his breathing became erratic, and he grabbed Li Yingge's shoulder: "Are you sure?!"

Li Yingge shook her head, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her gaze unfocused: "I can't be 100% sure... but it's probably him."

Li Jing felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly.

Han Ye is the Ghost-Faced General.

One is a gentle and refined young master from a prestigious family who writes poetry; the other is a blood-soaked war god who single-handedly covers the rear.

These two shadows can't be pieced together no matter how hard you try!

not to mention……

His brow furrowed deeply, and he uttered a low whisper: "It'd better not be... otherwise..."

He kept his words stuck in his throat, not daring to utter them.

But he remembered clearly what it looked like when the masked soldiers carried the heavily wounded general away that day.

Covered in blood, with broken bones and tendons, his cloak torn to shreds, and his armor dented and deformed, he could barely sit up and had to be carried by Gongsun Zan on a white horse.

Those were wounds no one should have to endure; they were miracles of survival.