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

The Turkic cavalrymen were already feeling a chill in their hearts and were considering retreating, wanting only to escape this blood-soaked battlefield as soon as possible!

"Pfft!"

"Pfft!"

However, how could Han Ye let them escape so easily? The sword flashes never ceased, and the slaughter continued!

At this moment, he was covered in blood, his robes were stained dark red, and it was impossible to tell whether it was his own blood or the enemy's blood.

A foul stench filled the air, and the armor was frosty, making them look like demons crawling out of hell.

But when he looked at the hastily retreating Turkic army, a chilling smile crept onto his lips:

"You slaughtered my Han people, trampled on my Youzhou land, and now you want to leave?"

"You—you dare to challenge me?!"

……

This Turkic army before us marched south from the north, burning, killing, and looting. They regarded the Han people as two-legged sheep, eating their flesh and drinking their blood, committing all sorts of atrocities!

Now that they have their troops at Youzhou, if they succeed, the entire city will become their granary!

But they just happened to run into Han Ye!

So he turned and ran away.

But this is the territory of the Han Dynasty, not their hunting ground where they can come and go as they please!

Come and go as you please?

dream!

Han Ye's eyes flashed like knives as he coldly swept over the fleeing enemy troops, then he suddenly shouted in a deep voice:

"Xiahou Dun, bring the bow!"

"Whoosh—"

In the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, Xiahou Dun unhesitatingly untied the longbow from his back and threw it into the air!

"Buzz—"

Han Ye caught the arrow, instantly drew his bow to its fullest extent, and pointed the arrow directly at the enemy commander!

For a fleeting moment, the world seemed to fall silent.

A chilling aura surged forth like a tidal wave, sweeping across the battlefield!

The Turkic general shuddered, a sudden premonition of death rising in his heart, as if a ferocious beast had its eyes on its prey, and a chill ran down his spine!

"Who?!"

He suddenly turned around—

He met Han Ye's icy gaze and the long, black arrow already nocked on the bowstring!

He was startled at first, then let out a sinister laugh:

"Hahaha! Two hundred paces away? You dare shoot at me?! Do you think you're a god?!"

Before the words were finished—

"boom!!"

The bowstring snapped, like thunder tearing through the sky!

The black arrow shot out of the sky, so fast it almost tore through sight, as if it pierced even time itself!

The Turkic general's pupils constricted sharply; he had no time to react.

I only saw a black light flash before my eyes!

"puff--!!"

The arrow pierced through and sank deep into his body. The immense impact threw him off his horse, his corpse crashing into the mud like a rag doll, then pinned to the ground by the arrow. He twitched twice and then remained motionless.

The entire room fell silent.

Even the wind has stopped.

The Turkic soldier's eyes widened, his throat tightened, and he even forgot to breathe.

Their general... just died like that?

Shot dead on the spot by an arrow from two hundred paces away?!

"General...?!"

"The general is dead!!"

"The general is dead!!"

The morale of the troops collapsed instantly, and fear spread like a plague!

The general who was nailed to the ground was still alive!

With an arrow piercing his eye, blood gushed out; he gasped for breath, his voice hoarse like a whetstone.

"Run...run fast...go back and tell the Khan...this masked general...must be eliminated...otherwise...the consequences will be dire..."

Every single word was written with a vengeance.

He finally understood—

This is not just a general.

This is a jinx!

It was a nightmare!

……

"All troops, attack!"

"Leave no one alive! Kill them all!!"

Han Ye roared, raised his sword high, and the three thousand masked iron cavalry spurred their horses forward, their iron hooves thundering across the ground!

Jiang Wen and the others' expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly stepped forward to stop them:

"General, you mustn't! Don't pursue a desperate enemy! Further pursuit would mean penetrating deep into enemy lines and potentially running into the main force of the Turkic Khan!"

"Main force?" Han Ye sneered, his eyes filled with utter disdain. "These beasts, they dare call themselves 'desperate bandits'?"

His gaze swept over the panicked figures fleeing from the road, his tone chilling:

"They marched south, eating people, slaughtering villages and destroying cities, their hands stained with the blood of my Han people."

"Now that things are going badly, you want to run away?"

"How dare these barbarian dogs run wild and leave our land?"

"Today—not one of them will leave alive!"

Han Ye did not respond to Jiang Wen's advice, but simply spoke softly, his voice as light as a snowflake falling into a deep valley: "Youzhou has been recovered."

You... can go home now.

boom--!

These words struck Jiang Wen like a thunderbolt. He looked up abruptly, his eyes suddenly bloodshot, staring intently at Han Ye, his throat tightening, almost unable to believe his ears.

What?!

Youzhou...has it been recovered?!

But when they escaped, the city gates collapsed, flames raged, and the Turkic barbarians, like wolves among sheep, stained the streets with their swords! The reason Jiang Wen led the breakout was precisely to preserve the last bloodline of these people!

And now—

That city, which had long been reduced to hell, was actually recaptured?!

These people, who were displaced and thought they would never have a place to return to, actually... were able to set foot on their homeland again?

Jiang Wen's eyes burned, tears welled up, but he stubbornly held them back, only looking at Han Ye with a trembling voice, as if confirming whether a dream was real.

"drive!!!"

Just then, Han Ye suddenly roared, his warhorse neighed, and its iron hooves kicked up dust like waves.

Three thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, arrayed like dragons, their iron armor clanging, surged past the crowd like a black tide, heading straight for the remaining enemy forces in the north!

The wind whipped the flags apart, and a murderous aura soared to the heavens.

Jiang Wen stood frozen in place until the deafening sound of hooves faded into the distance, at which point he finally came to his senses and roared to the sky, "General! If we go and never return—"

In the distance, the wind tore at the battle flag, and a resolute reply could be faintly heard:

"Then we'll never come back!"

In that instant, the world fell silent.

Everyone stood there, stunned, their eyes burning. Some choked up, some grinned, their expressions a mixture of crying and laughing, but no one uttered a sound.

Youzhou...it's really back!

They can go home now!

But the figure wearing a ghost mask and a white robe didn't look back, treading the blood-stained path and rushing into the deeper darkness.

"If I go and never return..."

"Then we'll go and never come back."

There were no grand pronouncements, no parting words, only a resolute and resounding statement.

Knowing full well that he was facing a massive army and a deadly predicament, he still rode his horse into the fray.

At that moment, everyone felt as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer, their hearts churning with bitterness, their throats tightening—this was no ordinary general; he was risking his life to carve a path home for them!

"Young...Young Master?!"

Among the former servants of the Han family, someone called out softly, their voice trembling.

The maids, servants, and old stewards all had red eyes, their lips trembling as they watched the departing figure, almost kneeling down.

They couldn't see the face beneath the mask, but the figure... looked so much like it!

It's so visceral, it makes your very soul tremble!

Like the "Young Master" that they blurted out, carrying twenty years of loyalty and longing, tearing through the wind and sand.

……

Han Ye is gone.

Clad in white robes stained with blood, masked, he led three thousand iron cavalry, like a thunderbolt tearing through the night, once again charging into the depths of the northern border.

He saved them, but without stopping, he turned and rushed to an even more brutal battlefield.

As everyone watched the direction he had gone, a tightness gripped their chests, as if someone were squeezing their breath.

They all knew that the road ahead was not to pursue the remnants of the army, but to face the 100,000-strong army of Jieli Khan!

That was the main force of the King of the Grasslands, with iron cavalry like clouds and scimitars like a forest.

Han Ye, on the other hand, only had three thousand men.

Three thousand against one hundred thousand?

This isn't chasing the enemy; this is going to one's death.

But then, he went.

To do something knowing it is impossible is the true meaning of righteousness.

He turned himself into a shield, and gave his life to light a lamp, illuminating the way home for the nation—this is the true hero of the country!

Jiang Wen stood there for a long time, and not a single person behind him left.

They watched the dark figure gradually disappear on the horizon, as if they were seeing it off, as if the person had not truly left as long as they remained.

"Whoosh—"

After a long while, Jiang Wen finally moved.

He carefully laid Xiao Liu's body flat, then slowly walked to the edge of the battlefield, where he picked up a piece of rag from among the rubble and blood.

It was a piece of white fabric, its edges soaked in dark red, clearly torn from Han Ye's shoulder, stained with his scalding blood.

Jiang Wen gripped the piece of cloth, his fingertips trembling, his voice hoarse as if grinding pebbles:

"So... my Great Tang Dynasty really has such a person."

He looked up at the sky, speaking each word slowly and deliberately, his voice as firm and resolute as iron:

"A peerless hero!"

"With such a man guarding the nation's borders, what is there to fear from barbarian invasions?!"

A wave of respect overwhelmed his entire heart.

Behind him, a little girl clung to her mother's shoulder, her eyes wide with confusion, and whispered, "Mommy, who was that brother just now? Why did he leave all by himself?"

The woman held the child, her voice hoarse yet gentle: "He is a hero."

Clad in white, fighting valiantly, his blood staining the stars red... He was killing for us, fighting to bring us home.

White-clad figures bathed in blood, their blood staining the starry sky.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, and then countless eyes welled up with tears.

Yes.

No one knew who was behind that mask, but everyone understood—

He is the light, the shield, and the name that should never be forgotten on this land.

"drive!"

"drive!"

"drive!"

Suddenly, the earth trembled again in the distance, and the sound of horses' hooves thundered in, dust obscuring the sun, and a murderous aura filled the air!

Jiang Wen and the others tensed instantly, like startled birds, and roared in unison, "Prepare for battle!!"

Swords were drawn, arrows were nocked, and everyone's pupils contracted, preparing for the final battle.

But when that fluttering banner came into view—

The character "Li" hangs high, its ink as black as an abyss!

Everyone felt a sense of relief; their weapons fell to the ground, and they nearly collapsed.

Not Turkic.

They are our people.

It was Li Yingge who personally led eight thousand elite troops and finally arrived.

Li Yingge's heart sank to the bottom once again.

She rode a thousand miles, her horse's hooves shattering the setting sun, and finally arrived in Youzhou.

What met the eye was not fluttering banners, nor the ceaseless war drums, but corpses lying on the ground like withered branches, blood and mud mixed with scorched earth, condensing into a dark red mist in the wind.

The battlefield has ended, and the smoke of battle has dissipated.

She was late again...

Before the blade was even drawn, the enemy had already been cut down.

This feeling is more suffocating than defeat.

"Damn it!"

She gripped the reins tightly, her knuckles white, gritted her teeth, dismounted, and her voice was as cold as an ice blade cleaving the night: "Speak! Where is the Turkic army? Who repelled them?!"

The crowd was silent.

Only the sound of the wind rustling through the broken flag could be heard.

Jiang Wen staggered to his feet, covered in blood, but with a bitter smile of relief on his face: "Reporting to the general... it was General Ghost Face."

He led his army to attack, and three thousand iron cavalry broke through the enemy lines like tearing silk. The Turks were routed, and we... were able to survive.

"The Ghost-Faced General..."

Li Yingge's pupils contracted, and a surge of anger exploded in her heart.

It is him again!

That elusive man with the ferocious mask once again tore through the enemy lines before her, stealing the merits and glory that should have belonged to her!

Her chest heaved violently, her fingertips almost digging into her palms.

Since she joined the army, when has she ever been so overshadowed?

If that masked man is allowed to escape again today, will Li Yingge's name still be worthy of being written on the border battle monument?

Her eyes narrowed, and she approached Jiang Wen step by step, her voice as cold as frost: "Where is he? Where has he gone now?!"

Jiang Wen raised his hand and pointed into the distance—

A journey stained with blood stretches straight to the sky.

"He led his troops in pursuit of the remnants of the Turkic forces, heading towards the Wei River... That road would pass through Dingzhou and directly threaten the main force of Khagan Jieli."

boom!

Li Yingge's mind went blank as if struck by lightning, and her beautiful eyes widened suddenly!

That was the territory occupied by hundreds of thousands of Turkic troops!

He actually dared to venture deep into enemy territory alone, leading three thousand cavalry against the current, and head-on into the enemy's central command?!

"Is he insane?!"

She blurted out, her red lips trembling slightly, her tone carrying a hint of incredulous rage, "Who gave him the guts? To risk his life for it?!"

Jiang Wen smiled wryly and remained silent.

Perhaps he really has gone mad.

But perhaps... this is the true epitome of bravery, a lone hero who dares to draw his sword and charge forward even knowing he faces certain death!

Just as he was about to speak—

"Young Master isn't crazy! You're the one who's crazy!"

A childish yet stubborn shout suddenly erupted from the crowd!

Everyone turned around in surprise.

A young maidservant emerged from the group of servants in the Han household, hands on her hips and chest puffed out. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were wide open, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

It was Xiao Tuan, a young maid in the Han household.

"Little group!"

Butler Afu's face changed drastically. He grabbed her sleeve, sweat beading on his forehead, and said urgently, "Don't talk nonsense! Quickly apologize to General Li!"

A group of people hurriedly pulled and tugged at her, trying to drag her back to the line.

But Xiao Tuan remained rooted to the ground, her cheeks puffed out like a cat with its fur standing on end, her eyes filled with defiant rage.

The wind swept across the fields, lifting a few strands of hair that brushed against Li Yingge's cheeks.

Her previously icy expression suddenly froze.

Then, a slow smile curved his lips—

Laughed.

It was a faint smile, yet sharp as a knife.

It was as if ice and snow had suddenly cracked, revealing a flash of cold light.

"interesting."

She whispered something, her gaze sharp as a hook, locking onto that small figure.

She immediately raised her hand to stop Afu's actions.

Then, she approached step by step, looking down at the small group, her voice as cold as frost falling on a jade plate:

"You just said... young master?"

"You mean, that masked general... is your young master?"

Each word was spoken slowly and deliberately, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure.

"good.

very good."

She narrowed her eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. "Tell me—who exactly is your young master?!"

A barrage of questions rained down like razor blades.

The little girl, Xiao Tuan, froze on the spot, her eyes almost frozen, her face turning deathly pale, as if she had been struck by lightning.

She suddenly realized—oh no, she let it slip!

"This...I...I...I don't know either..."

She stammered, her voice growing softer and softer, her head almost buried in her chest, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, wishing she could dig a hole and disappear right there and then.