White Horse, Silver Spear, Grand Commandant Gao

Yuan Xingqin and Gao Xingzhou fought eight battles in one day, igniting the fighting spirit of both armies. Many brave and valiant men emerged from Youyan, Hedong, and Daibei, their shouts rising and falling in waves, shaking the heavens and the earth.

Due to military discipline, the soldiers could only shout encouragement, while the generals couldn't help but swear and spew profanities.

"Go! Kill him!"

"That's a good move, let's see if we can kill him."

"Sigh, too bad it got dodged."

"Damn, it can block that?"

"You should at least aim carefully before you poke, you do that in bed too, kid?"

Li Congke, engrossed in the game, exclaimed excitedly, "Godfather, I didn't expect this kid to be so skilled! We fought all day and were still evenly matched, it was no less than the battle with Xia Luqi!"

The young man, who appeared to be in his early twenties and had a cold expression, reminded him, "Father-in-law, it's getting late. We need to decide whether to continue fighting or call it a day."

Li Siyuan nodded, stroked his beard, and exclaimed, "Yuan Xingqin is famous for his martial prowess, and Gao Xingzhou's family has a long tradition of martial arts. The two are evenly matched. I'd like to watch a little longer."

Both fighters were slightly out of breath, their warhorses were drenched in sweat, and their armor was covered in numerous crisscrossing scratches—the marks left when they dodged at the last second, their opponents' weapons grazing past them, demonstrating the intensity and danger of the battle.

With both guns wielded simultaneously, they engaged in a fierce and relentless battle, like a giant python churning a river or a dragon emerging from the sea, exchanging blows several times in the blink of an eye.

Hooves kicked up dust, covering Gao Xingzhou's white robes and silver armor with a layer of dust. He had changed his warhorse several times, and it was no longer the original white dragon steed.

No one expected this duel to drag on for so long that even the best-trained and accustomed horses were insufficient to sustain it. Li Congke chose a warhorse for Gao Xingzhou, a tall and strong horse in its prime.

After another round of fierce fighting, the two distanced themselves, took a short break to catch their breath, and prepared to clash again.

Gao Xingzhou lightly flicked the silver spear in his hand, and the superiority of each other was already clear. Yuan Xingqin had the advantage in strength and courage, while he himself had the advantage in exquisite spear technique.

Before each round begins, a brief interval is used to strategize against the enemy. Once the horse starts charging, one can only rely on instinct to make judgments in an instant, to counter and counter the opponent's moves.

For example, in the previous round, Gao Xingzhou held his spear in one hand and pretended to stab, luring Yuan Xingqin to block with all his might. In reality, he secretly controlled the speed of his warhorse, causing Yuan Xingqin to miscalculate the distance and miss his attack, thus revealing an opening.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Xingqin reacted quickly. After his attack missed, he managed to raise his spear and fight to the death. Gao Xingzhou had no choice but to change his moves and wait for the next opportunity.

The soldiers of both armies watching from afar only saw the two horses charging at each other, sometimes breaking apart in an instant, sometimes locked in close combat. Little did they know that in the blink of an eye, they had already switched tactics multiple times.

A worthy opponent, a match of equals, this duel seems destined to continue indefinitely.

Just when everyone thought so, a sudden change occurred.

Gao Xingzhou urged his horse forward. The warhorse that Li Congke had chosen was fast and responsive, living up to its reputation as a fine steed of the Daibei region.

Unexpectedly, the horse beneath him suddenly went weak in the legs and nearly fell forward.

Gao Xingzhou swayed slightly, but he remained calm and reacted quickly, extending his spear to brace against the ground. With this support, the warhorse did not fall in a mess.

However, in that very moment, he had already lost the initiative.

His horse stumbled, and the very thing a military general dreads most in a one-on-one duel happened to him.

Gao Xingzhou looked at his opponent, Yuan Xingqin, who was approaching. Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his spear and thrust it forward.

Even if they were enemies who respected each other, it's not too late to remember them after they've been killed. Besides, Yuan Xingqin was a ruthless killer, so why would he show mercy?

In battle, life and death are determined by fate, and luck is also a part of strength.

At the critical moment of life and death, Gao Xingzhou did not complain about fate or sit idly by and wait for death: his father's revenge was not yet complete, and Wang Yanzhang was still wielding power in the world, so how could he die like this?

The warhorse struggled to its feet, but it was too late to dismount. Gao Xingzhou held his gun in one hand and reached for his waist.

Besides their marksmanship, the Gao family also possesses two other unique skills: the throwing knife that cleaves generals and the tiger-palm golden hammer. Gao Xingzhou is an upright man who believes in fair and square duels and disdains using underhanded methods. However, in this situation, to save his own life, he can't care about such things anymore.

Facing an opponent charging forward at full speed, the disadvantage was undeniable. Would Yuan Xingqin's spear pierce him first, or would the throwing knife strike him and knock him off his horse first?

Before Gao Xingzhou could make a move, a rider leaped out and blocked Yuan Xingqin's path.

The horseman wielded a three-foot-long weapon called an iron mace, the front of which was a lump of iron the size of a baby's fist. He would swing it and smash it when he got close.

Gao Xingzhou thought to himself that this man was truly courageous. He must have seen that he was in a critical situation and rushed to his rescue without even taking out a long weapon. He felt grateful and worried for him.

If Yuan Xingqin changes his target, he will be stronger with every inch longer, and how can he resist with only short weapons?

Yuan Xingqin had not expected the newcomer to be so decisive and swift. Caught off guard, he was unable to defend himself and was struck hard in the chest by the iron mace.

clang!

The breastplate immediately dented, and Yuan Xingqin swayed, almost falling off his horse.

He was extremely robust, and although he had taken a heavy blow, he quickly recovered and sat up straight in the saddle.

Seeing that the rider had already run away, Yuan Xingqin took a bow from his quiver, drew an arrow from his quiver, drew the bowstring taut like a full moon, aimed at the rider, and shot.

In the blink of an eye, Gao Xingzhou realized that it was actually Li Siyuan, the commander-in-chief of the entire army, who had come to his rescue!

As Yuan Xingqin fired the arrow, his heart leaped into his throat: If Li Siyuan was shot and killed while trying to rescue him, how would this battle end?

In the blink of an eye, the arrow flew like a meteor, instantly striking Li Siyuan's skirt armor. The sharp arrowhead tore through the armor plates and pierced his thigh. The arrow's momentum continued, penetrating the leather saddle and pinning his leg firmly in place!

This injury is quite serious! If not treated properly, it could even be life-threatening. Even if it heals, it could leave a permanent disability, making it difficult for the person to walk.

Li Siyuan had been on the battlefield for over thirty years and had been wounded countless times, but he didn't care about this at all. He reached out, grabbed the arrow fletching, and pulled hard, managing to pull the arrow out of the wound.

Blood was everywhere.

He remained expressionless, as if he felt no pain. He discarded the bow, took the strong bow, nocked the blood-stained arrow, and shot it back!

With one arrow shot, Li Siyuan opened the lid of Hu Lu, took out six arrows in succession, drew the bow and controlled the string without pausing, and fired seven arrows in one go, shooting towards Yuan Xingqin!

Gao Xingzhou and Yuan Xingqin are fighting each other again.

Suddenly, Yuan Xingqin's body trembled violently. Although his hands did not stop, his body stiffened for a moment.

Gao Xingzhou reacted differently, failing to capitalize on this obvious opening and missing the opportunity to kill the enemy general.

The two horses passed each other, and Yuan Xingqin was seen with a long arrow stuck in his back, blood gushing out from the tear in his armor.

Gao Xingzhou should have taken advantage of the situation to pursue and kill the enemy general, but he turned his horse around and looked back at his own camp, where he could no longer see the figure.

When Li Siyuan went into battle, his personal cavalry was too hasty to keep up. When he was hit by an arrow, they rushed to catch up and surrounded him to protect him.

Yuan Xingqin was exceptionally fierce, still locked in a fierce battle despite the blood splatter, while Gao Xingzhou seemed somewhat distracted, merely parrying and responding to each move without any intention of defeating his formidable opponent in one fell swoop.

As night fell, the Jin army's commander-in-chief was wounded, and Yuan Xingqin was also injured. Neither side had the will to fight for long, so they withdrew their troops and returned to their camps.

Back at the camp, Li Congke and the young man flanked Li Siyuan, carefully helping him dismount and summoning a physician to stop the bleeding and treat his wounds.

When Gao Xingzhou returned to the command tent to report, Li Siyuan had already removed his armor and changed into a loose robe, his expression indifferent as if nothing had happened.

Gao Xingzhou was filled with mixed feelings. He could hardly imagine that the commander-in-chief of an army of 30,000 would disregard his own safety and resolutely ride out into battle alone just to protect a young general who had only recently joined the army.

When Li Siyuan inquired about the progress of the battle, the young man calmly reported: "The enemy is exhausted and has retreated to their camp to hold out. Our army has surrounded them on all sides and will surely capture their general alive, behead him, and avenge our commander-in-chief."

"Such a brave man, wouldn't it be a pity to kill him?"

Li Siyuan laughed heartily, shook his head repeatedly, and ordered, "Someone, convey my message to Yuan Xingqin."

Without considering his words, he said directly, "We are both generals, so there is no need for formalities. The situation is now clear, so come and see me quickly, and I will surely secure your honor."

Li Congke knew his commander-in-chief's temperament well, and his words were full of helplessness: "Father, you are broad-minded and don't hold a grudge even after being shot with an arrow. If Yuan Xingqin doesn't appreciate this, then there's nothing we can do."

Li Siyuan laughed heartily and waved his hand, ordering them to quickly go and persuade them to surrender.

At this moment, Gao Xingzhou stepped forward, bowed, and apologized: "The commander-in-chief was injured; it is my fault."

Li Siyuan did not respond or offer any words of comfort. Instead, he ordered someone to bring warm wine, filled a cup, and held it in his hand.

He shook off the two people who tried to help him up, and limped over to Gao Xingzhou, handing him the wine cup.

Gao Xingzhou took the drink and downed it in one gulp. The spicy liquor went down his throat, and his internal organs felt a burning sensation.

Li Siyuan clapped his hands and laughed: "When Yuan Xingqin comes to surrender tomorrow, we should also drink this wine with him. This wine will not only cleanse my wounds, but also reward my brave generals and welcome our valiant warriors. Is this not a fortunate thing?"

Moved by his heroic spirit, Gao Xingzhou knelt down and prostrated himself on the ground—to serve such a lord, he would have no regrets even in death.

Stepping out of the command tent, Li Congke put his arm around his shoulder and said with a grin, "Want to go for a drink? I'm sure you won't hold it against me for that beastly horse I picked that tripped and fell."

At that moment, Gao Xingzhou forgot his identity as a hostage who had surrendered.

The next day, Yuan Xingqin, exhausted and desperate, surrendered with his hands bound. Li Siyuan, as expected, disregarded past grievances, poured wine to welcome him, adopted him as his son, and patted him on the back, saying, "My son, you are a brave man!" (Note 1)