I Became a Sugar Mama to an Ancient General during a Famine! - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Those Who Invade Great Qi Territory Shall Face Death

The enemy casualties mounted relentlessly, bodies piling like mountains until they nearly reached the height of the city walls.

Blood flowed in streams, seeping through the city gates.

Corpses lay scattered across the walls, their blood soaking into the stone beneath.

The Zhan family’s heavily armored soldiers rendered the climbing enemy forces helpless, cutting them down one by one as they reached the walls.

This battle had grown exceptionally fierce and grueling!

As night fell, the Zhan army launched their fire attack!

They had somehow acquired a large quantity of potent, flammable oil, using it to incinerate all dozen siege engines!

Countless enemy soldiers burned to death.

The bodies piled at the wall’s base erupted into a massive inferno when doused with oil!

This kept the attacking forces at bay!

Seeing no hope for the siege, Ling Xiaofeng fell into despair…

He hadn’t even had the chance to face Zhan Tianyi in battle, yet had been thoroughly humiliated by his son.

He refused to accept defeat!

The emperor of Great Yong, terrified by the successive explosions, was shaken to his core.

He wanted to retreat.

General Yue Hong calculated that in half a day, Great Qi had already lost sixty thousand soldiers.

Their death toll exceeded that of Chu.

If they continued fighting without breaching Zhen Guan, Yong’s casualties would surpass one hundred thousand.

From three hundred and fifty thousand troops, only a hundred thousand would remain.

Great Yong’s national strength would be severely diminished.

Then not just Chu, but Yan and Yu would seize their chance.

Losing a battle wasn’t critical – preserving strength allowed for future revenge.

“Your Majesty, shall we withdraw?”

Countless solar lanterns illuminated the blood-stained walls.

Zhan Chengyin drew his crossbow, aiming at the Great Qi Emperor.

This young, arrogant emperor trembled in fear.

He shouted to Yue Hong: “Protect me! Quickly protect me!”

“Yue Hong, retreat! Withdraw immediately!”

Losing a battle wasn’t shameful.

Losing one’s life was truly disgraceful!

At Yue Hong’s command: “Retreat…”

The Yong army withdrew in disarray, soldiers supporting each other as they fled.

Though Yong retreated, Chu had not withdrawn.

Ling Xiaofeng still ordered the assault.

But Chu’s soldiers began to waver in their resolve.

If Yong couldn’t succeed, how could Chu hope to crack this fortress?

The Zhan army numbered only tens of thousands, but their equipment far surpassed Chu’s by several levels.

These warriors in black uniforms and helmets were impenetrable.

They couldn’t break through – how could they continue fighting?

Moreover, those Mo Dao weapons were terrifyingly sharp, able to slice through their weapons in direct combat!

What could they possibly fight with?

Ling Yunzhe and Ling Shichen urged their Father: “Father, let’s withdraw!”

“Continuing will only result in more Great Chu casualties.”

But how could Ling Xiaofeng accept defeat?

He had spent his life on battlefields and had never suffered such a devastating loss!

His eyes widened in shock, bloodshot and filled with fury, his armor covered in blood, yet he wouldn’t step back.

“I, Ling Xiaofeng, have never lost in my life, and you want me to admit defeat?”

“Father, what’s the point of continuing? Can we break through Zhan Chengyin’s defenses?”

“We can’t even pierce their soldiers’ armor, how can we take the city?”

“He has only fifty thousand men, yet their real combat strength equals hundred and fifty thousand, and their weapons cut through our army like paper!”

Whether it was the crossbows, Mo Dao, or black armour…

Zhan Chengyin had shocked them enough to last a lifetime!

They never knew Great Qi’s military equipment had advanced to where one could match ten!

Over the past half year, Zhan Chengyin had nearly lost the city to barbarians several times – but that was mere luck on their part.

If they were to face the barbarians again, they would be thoroughly routed.

Zhen Guan needed to be taken.

But they would need to forge better weapons and equipment first.

And that explosive powder that killed so many…

They must develop it too.

Otherwise, they would have no chance against Zhan Chengyin.

This time, their failure to take the city with 350,000 men was due to their carelessness.

It wasn’t that Zhan Chengyin was particularly brave or a military genius.

He simply had superior equipment and weapons.

Nothing extraordinary about that!

Losing to him wasn’t shameful!

“Father, we’ll take back samples of the powder, some Mo Dao blades, and arrows… everything to study.”

“Losing once doesn’t matter. We’ll station ourselves a hundred li away, develop new weapons, then return to kill him. Who will remember today’s humiliation then!”

“History is written by the victors, Father!”

Finally convinced by his eldest son, Ling Xiaofeng, his eyes bloodshot, called out in bitter anguish: “Retreat!”

The Chu soldiers withdrew, moving even faster than the Yong forces.

They abandoned their wounded comrades in their flight.

Seeing this, Ling Xiaofeng flew into a rage: “Carry the wounded! Those who disobey will face military punishment!”

The Chu army then carried their wounded, retreating until they were a hundred li away.

Zhan Chengyin stood blood-soaked atop the city wall, watching the two fleeing armies.

His hand tightened on the Mo Dao.

They retreated.

Both Chu and Yong had finally withdrawn!

They had finally won this battle!

Chen Kui shouted excitedly until his voice grew hoarse: “Chu and Yong have retreated, we’ve won!”

Countless soldiers cheered, their faces and bodies covered in blood, some completely exhausted.

Before their general called the retreat, they had held on by sheer willpower.

Now that the enemy had withdrawn, that last breath of strength left them.

Mo Dao blades clattered to the ground as they sat among the corpses and blood, their hands trembling uncontrollably.

Victory.

The Zhan army had truly won.

They had held Zhen Guan!

Ah~

Many broke into tears.

This battle had been incredibly difficult.

The soldiers of Chu and Qi had shown tremendous tenacity and willpower.

They had charged to their deaths despite knowing they would die.

Such battles were the most grueling.

But finally, they had endured.

They had won!

Zhan Chengyin’s eyes reddened as he called out to the defending soldiers:

“Men of the Zhan family army, you’ve done well!”

“This victory marks our beginning! In future, when Chu, Yong, and the barbarians attack Zhen Guan together, we will still cut them down at our walls!”

“Those who invade Great Qi’s territory shall be executed!”

The soldiers cheered!

Even though Chu and Yong were so powerful!

They could only retreat in defeat before the Zhan family army!

The Zhan army was the strongest, the most valiant!

Zhan Chengyin continued: “For today’s defense, each man receives two bags of rice and one bag of flour. For the fallen, their families receive four bags of rice and two bags of flour!”

“First clean the battlefield, collect weapons and money pouches, strip the enemy armor.”

“Burn the enemy corpses in pits.”

“For our fallen, build tombs, write their names, and pay respects every year!”

“After completion, line up to receive your rice and flour!”

After resting briefly, all soldiers went to clean the battlefield.

The civilians of Zhen Guan had waited below the city walls, ready to step in if needed.

Now with victory achieved, they brought water flasks and hot porridge to the soldiers at the wall’s base.

More civilians voluntarily helped clean the battlefield.

The men went outside the city, digging pits two or three li away to burn the corpses with oil.

The women on the walls helped carry away the fallen Zhan family soldiers for burial.

All cleanup work proceeded in an orderly manner.

*

Ye Mumu waited until ten at night, unable to hold back any longer, and wrote to Zhan Chengyin:

「How did it go?」

「Did you win or lose?」

「I never expected that batch of fake wine would be confiscated, and the purchasing procedures would be so troublesome. If I had sent it earlier, would it have helped?」

「Zhan Chengyin, why aren’t you responding to me? Did you lose? Has Zhen Guan fallen?」

「Zhan Chengyin, you promised me you would live! You must live!」

「Zhan Chengyin, Zhan Chengyin… say something! What happened to you?」

She was so worried.

Afraid Zhan Chengyin had died.

Just as the unofficial histories wrote, dying at twenty-one!

Still so young.

She hadn’t even gotten to see him once, to see what he looked like…

He absolutely couldn’t die.

She would be heartbroken, she would cry!