The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

Yuwen Zhi was speechless after Qin An's words, and pointed at his nose, cursing, "You, Qin An, how dare you talk back to me! When I get back, I will definitely..."

"Enough!" Zhang Xu interrupted sharply. "Lord Yuwen, this is a war, not a place to throw tantrums! General Qin is right, a direct attack won't work, we need to find another way."

He pondered for a moment, then said to Qin An, "Take three thousand cavalry and launch a feigned attack on the south city to draw the rebels' attention."

"Yes!" Qin An accepted the order and turned to leave.

Yuwen Zhi persisted, "General Zhang, how could you listen to him? He just doesn't want to put in the effort..."

Zhang Xu ignored him and turned his gaze back to the battlefield. On the south side of the city, Qin An's cavalry raised clouds of yellow sand, pretending to attack the city. Sure enough, the rebel army on the city wall sent a portion of its forces over there.

"Now!" Zhang Xu shouted. "Luo Kai, Cheng Zhiyuan, launch a full-scale attack on the city!"

Luo Kai and Cheng Zhiyuan seized the opportunity and led their soldiers in a fierce charge.

This time, several dozen soldiers finally climbed the city wall and engaged in close combat with the rebels.

"Kill!" Shan Tong roared, drew his long sword from his waist, and personally rushed up the city wall, cleaving a government soldier in two with a single stroke.

His wound reopened, and blood stained half of his shoulder, but he was oblivious, his eyes filled only with a frenzied fighting spirit.

The fighting on the city walls grew increasingly fierce, with soldiers from both sides entangled in a chaotic melee, and amidst the flashing swords, men continued to fall from the walls.

Luo Kai also climbed onto the city wall and fought with Shan Tong.

Taking advantage of Shan Tong's injury, Luo Kai fought desperately, and for a time, the two were evenly matched.

"Good! Well done!" Yuwen Zhi, watching from under the canopy, was filled with excitement and clapped his hands in approval. "General Zhang, send some more men up there and behead that ringleader of the rebels!"

Zhang Xu ignored him, his gaze fixed on the eastern city, where the rebel forces seemed to be weak.

A thought struck him, and he said to the messenger, "Have the reserves launch a surprise attack from the east side of the city!"

This was a contingency plan he had laid long ago, just waiting for the rebels to divide their forces.

As expected, the defenses of the eastern city were weak, and the reserve force quickly broke through the outer perimeter and began to set up ladders.

Seeing this scene from the city wall, Li Mi's expression changed slightly: "Mr. Xu, the eastern city is under attack!"

Xu Mao remained calm: "My lord, don't panic. That's bait. Pass down the order to let them in."

He had already laid three traps behind the east city wall and hidden five hundred axemen.

As soon as the reserve troops of the government army climbed the city wall, they heard a loud "boom." The soldiers in front fell into a pit, and those behind were hacked down by swordsmen and axemen, their screams echoing everywhere.

"Hahaha..." Xu Mao stood on the city wall, looking at the tragic scene below, and clapped his hands and laughed. "Zhang Xu, you're still too green."

The battle lasted a full day, from dawn till dusk.

The government troops attacked the city walls three times, but were repelled by the rebels each time.

The corpses piled up like mountains beneath the city walls, and blood flowed like rivers, even staining the moat red.

Luo Kai was hit by an arrow and was carried off by soldiers; Cheng Zhiyuan was slashed in the arm, but he continued to command at the front line.

The rebels were also in bad shape; Shan Tong collapsed from exhaustion and was carried off the city wall.

Wang Dang defended the western city to the death, sustaining seven or eight wounds on his body.

With more than half of the arrow towers and rolling stones used up, many soldiers were so exhausted that they collapsed on the city walls.

As the sun set, Zhang Xu, seeing that his soldiers could no longer advance, finally ordered the retreat.

The government troops slowly retreated, leaving behind corpses and weapons scattered all over the ground.

The walls of Xinyang still stand, but the bloodstains and arrowheads on them silently testify to the ferocity of the battle.

Back at the camp, Zhang Xu took off his blood-stained armor and sat wearily at his desk.

The tent was deathly silent, and the generals all wore sorrowful expressions.

In this battle, the government troops lost nearly four thousand men, yet they couldn't even reach the city gates of Xinyang.

Yuwen Zhi, however, was still yelling, "Why did you stop now? We could have taken the city if we had attacked a little longer! Zhang Xu, are you doing this on purpose?"

Zhang Xu abruptly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse yet filled with murderous intent: "Lord Yuwen, if you dare to say another word, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Yuwen Zhi shuddered at his gaze and reluctantly shut his mouth, cursing inwardly.

Looking at the atmosphere in the tent, Qin An said in a deep voice, "General, although we lost this battle, we have learned about the strengths and weaknesses of the rebels. Their main force is in the west city, the east city is a trap, and the south city is poorly defended."

"Tomorrow we can concentrate our forces to attack the south city, while sending a detachment to feign an attack on the west city to divert their attention."

Cheng Zhiyuan nodded: "General Qin is right, but our casualties are too great, I'm afraid..."

"No matter how heavy the casualties, we must fight." Zhang Xu interrupted him, his tone resolute. "Lord Yuwen is here, and the eyes of the court are here. We cannot afford to lose."

He looked at everyone and said, "Go and rest. We will continue the siege at dawn tomorrow."

The generals left silently, leaving only Zhang Xu and Yuwen Zhi inside the tent.

Zhang Xu looked at the map, his expression complex.

He knew that if the fighting continued like this, his 40,000-strong army would eventually be exhausted at the gates of Xinyang.

But he had no choice; that good-for-nothing was right behind him, like a sword hanging over his head, forcing him to keep moving forward.

Meanwhile, inside Xinyang City, Li Mi was taking stock of the casualties.

The rebels suffered nearly two thousand casualties, fewer than the government troops, but given their already smaller numbers, they were in a precarious situation.

"My lord, the government troops have suffered heavy casualties and may not attack again tomorrow," Wang Dang said.

"No, they will come." Li Mi shook his head. "With Yuwen Zhi there, Zhang Xu wouldn't dare not attack. But... can our men hold out?"

He was genuinely worried. Many of the rebels' elite troops had been lost at Yangkou Warehouse, and another 5,000 had been lost to Shan Tong.

Although there are quite a few people left, not many of them are actually of any use.

This can be seen from the fact that the siege battle only managed a 1:2 casualty ratio.

Xu Mao pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, rest assured, we can definitely hold the line. We might even be able to take this opportunity to train another batch of elite troops."

Xu Mao's eyes flickered as he said this.

The reason he was so eager to force the government troops to attack the city was twofold: first, he wanted to take advantage of the terrain to deplete the government troops' strength.

As for the two of them, he also had the intention of training soldiers.

Elite troops are forged in battle, so this is a good opportunity to train them.

As a renowned commander, he knew all too well that no matter how many rabble there were, they could never compare to an elite force.

If we can truly seize this opportunity to bring about a qualitative transformation in the rebel army within the city, then even paying a price will be worthwhile.

Li Mi had actually guessed Xu Mao's thoughts, but he didn't intend to object.

Despite being in adversity, he remains remarkably wise and capable.

"General Xu, since you are confident, then go ahead and do it. I will fully support you no matter what." Li Mi looked at Xu Mao with trust and gave him a lot of authority.

"Yes."

After Xu Mao left, Li Mi walked to the window, looked at the lights of the government army camp outside the city, and sighed softly: "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand soldiers. At this time, there is no room for the slightest mercy."

……

When Qin An returned to his tent, Shan Bing was sitting in a corner, lost in thought.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her eyes sparkling against her dark face.

"You're back?" Her voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of barely perceptible concern.

Qin An hummed in agreement, took off his cloak, which was stained with the smell of blood.

"Was today... a fierce battle?" Shan Bing asked in a low voice.

"Yes." Qin An walked over and sat down next to her. "Many people have died."

Dan Bing lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the cloth: "My brother... is he alright?"

Qin An glanced at her: "Shan Tong is quite capable in combat. He took several stabs but didn't die."

Dan Bing breathed a sigh of relief, but her eyes reddened.

She hated Qin An, but she didn't want her brother to die either.

This conflicting feeling made her restless.

Qin An remained silent, staring blankly at the candlelight. He recalled Shan Tong's crazed gaze from the city wall, the moment Luo Kai fell, struck by an arrow, and the screams of the soldiers who had fallen into the pits…

This battle was truly an unexpected disaster for the government troops.

However, Qin An also understood that even without Yuwen Zhi's presence, a fight was inevitable.

The frontline troops cannot remain in a siege indefinitely without making any moves.

Otherwise, the imperial court would also find it unacceptable.

This is also an explanation to the imperial court.

"Luckily, I'm not that new recruit anymore, otherwise I probably would have died in this pointless siege!" Qin An thought to himself.

Despite his grief and indignation over the battle, he wasn't too saddened.

Just as many thoughts were flashing through Qin An's mind, Shan Bing suddenly looked up and asked, "Are you still going tomorrow?"

"I am the cavalry commander, stationed outside the city," Qin An said. "However, General Zhang said that we will attack the south city tomorrow, and I'm afraid many more people will die."

Dan Bing remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Can't you... just withdraw your troops?"

Qin An sneered: "Withdraw the troops? Would Yuwen Zhi agree to that? Would the imperial court agree to that? Shan Bing, after everything you've been through, are you still so brainless and all looks?"

Hearing Qin An scold her again, Shan Bing's spoiled princess temper flared up a bit.

She was about to retort when Qin An glared at her fiercely, and she instinctively shrank back.

But the next moment, her face turned an unnatural flush.

Then, completely unfazed by Qin An's intimidation, he stubbornly said, "Qin An, don't be too arrogant. My brother will definitely avenge me. He will definitely kill you and make you run for your life."

As she said this, her eyes shone with anticipation.

Qin An, who had originally intended to rest, paused, giving Shan Bing a strange look: "Is she... deliberately provoking me? Is she... a little addicted?"

After realizing the other party's purpose, Qin An did not consider refusing.

He also wanted to tame Shan Bing as soon as possible so that he could send her away sooner.

Although Qin An did enjoy having women around him to some extent, he also understood that the military was ultimately not a place for women.

He never intended to remain unconventional forever.

With the intention of taming Shan Bing as soon as possible, Qin An walked towards her with a sinister grin: "I think you're itching for a beating again?"

Faced with Qin An's approach, Shan Bing was not afraid at all, but instead provoked him, saying, "I'm itchy, I'm not afraid of you. No matter how much you whip me, you can't make me submit."

This time, although she was still struggling and resisting, it was clear that her strength was much less.