Chapter 145 Mo Yuan is in danger

The dungeon of the Tuoba tribe was cold and damp. Ashina was chained to the stone wall with his arms spread out like an eagle spreading its wings. For three days, there was no food, only a bowl of smelly muddy water every day. His lips were cracked and bleeding, his shoulders were dislocated from being hung for so long, and every breath brought sharp pain in his ribs - they were broken by the interrogator's kick.

The iron door of the dungeon creaked open, and the light from the torch stung Ashina's eyes, which had already adapted to the darkness. Two strong men dragged him out of the dungeon and up the stone steps. The blinding sunlight made his eyes go white, and then the smell of the grassland hit him in the face - the smell of hay, horse manure and distant smoke.

He was thrown in front of a totem pole, which was carved with patterns of wolves, eagles and horses. It had been dyed dark red by the blood of countless victims. Twelve tribal elders sat around him, their indifferent eyes were as if they were looking at an animal to be slaughtered.

"Still refusing to speak?" The chief's voice came from above.

Ashina looked up with difficulty. On the tiger-skin chair in front of the golden-roofed tent, the great chief was holding a golden cup, with Helian Bo standing next to him. A vicious light flashed in the one eye of the Wuhuan chief, and there was a new necklace of human teeth around his neck - probably a testimony to the recent spoils of war.

"I...have nothing to say." Ashina's voice was as hoarse as sandpaper.

Helian Bo strode over and grabbed Ashina's hair. "You little brat, do you think you can get away with it by pretending to be a tough guy? Tell me! How many troops did Pei Yan deploy at Baishui Pass? Where are the Longxiang and Huben armies?"

The smell of blood spread in Ashina's mouth. He grinned, revealing his red teeth: "Uncle Helian...if you want to know so much...why don't you go and see for yourself?"

A heavy punch hit his abdomen, and Ashina arched his body, with gastric juice mixed with blood spraying onto the ground.

"Enough!" The chief suddenly shouted, "He is my son after all."

Helian Bobo sneered: "Your son? Chief, don't forget how he contradicted you in public and spoke for the Emperor of Wei!" He drew the dagger from his waist, "I want to see how hard his bones are!"

The cold blade touched Ashina's left little finger. Helian Bo's breath sprayed on his face, carrying the stench of rotten meat and strong liquor: "One last time, what is Pei Yan's military deployment?"

Ashina closed his eyes. He remembered Pei Yan pointing to the distance on the wall of Baishui Pass and saying, "After the opening of the trade, the people here no longer have to worry about war." He remembered Mo Yuan, who always threw him a pot of good wine after training despite his cold face. He remembered the smiling faces of ordinary soldiers in the Wei army camp when they talked about their hometowns...

"I, Ashina Tuoba," he opened his eyes and spoke word by word, "I will never betray a friend."

The pain came suddenly and sharply; Ashina's screams echoed throughout the camp, startling countless birds. His little finger fell to the ground like a withered branch.

"Take him away!" The chief's voice seemed to come from far away, "Keep him until after the decisive battle!"

At the last moment before he fainted, Ashina heard Helian Bo's proud declaration: "At dawn tomorrow, the coalition forces will launch a general attack on Baishui Pass! The Tiele cavalry will lead the charge, and let the people of Wei see the true power of the grassland!"

The darkness swallowed him.

At the same time, on the city wall of Baishui Pass, Pei Yan stared at the endless bonfires of enemy camps on the northern horizon. For three days, the Tiele cavalry surrounded the city but did not attack. They only sent small groups of troops to harass the city walls and test the defenses every day. This abnormal calm made people feel uneasy.

"Your Majesty, you should rest." Mo Yuan handed over a cup of hot tea. "If the Tiele people attack the city, I will wake you up immediately."

Pei Yan shook his head, took the teacup but did not drink it: "Something is wrong, Helian Bo is not a patient person, and the Tiele tribe is known for its swiftness, what are they waiting for?"

The night wind brought the sound of horns from the enemy camp in the distance. Strangely, the sound did not come from the Tiele camp in the north, but from the northwest.

Mo Yuan frowned: "Strange, the Tiele camp is in the north, why is the horn sound coming from the northwest?"

Pei Yan suddenly put down his teacup and walked to the battlements of the city wall: "Map!"

The guard quickly unfolded the sheepskin map, and Pei Yan's finger moved quickly on it: "Thirty miles northwest is... the Black Pine Forest! There is an abandoned ancient road there that can lead to the back of Baishui Pass!"

Mo Yuan sucked in a breath of cold air: "Helian Bo openly repaired the plank road, but secretly attacked Chencang! The Tiele army in front is a cover, the real main force will take the ancient road to launch a surprise attack!"

"Pass the order!" Pei Yan's voice was as sharp as a knife. "The Tiger Guards will immediately move to the southern entrance of the Black Pine Forest and set up an ambush for the enemy! The Dragon Guards will divide their forces into 5,000 to strengthen the defense of the west gate. The rest of you... wait!"

His eyes suddenly locked onto the foot of the city wall - a dark shadow was crawling along the base of the wall, like a ghost.

Mo Yuan immediately drew his bow and arrow, but the shadow suddenly raised a piece of white cloth and shook it, shouting in stiff Chinese: "Don't shoot! Murong Chui... send me!"

A quarter of an hour later, the muddy Xianbei man was brought before Pei Yan. He took out a small piece of parchment from the sole of his shoe. On it was Murong Chui's handwriting:

"Helian Bo has persuaded the Uighurs and Kyrgyz to join the alliance. The total force exceeds 100,000 and will attack in three directions. The main force will take the Black Pine Forest Ancient Road. The general attack will be launched at dawn tomorrow. The Tiele tribe has a special arrow formation, so be careful. Murong Chuibi."

Pei Yan and Mo Yuan looked at each other, both of them were shocked. The situation was worse than they had imagined - there were not three tribes, but five! One hundred thousand troops!

"Your Majesty, we must adjust our deployment immediately!" Mo Yuan said urgently, "There are 100,000 enemy troops. Even with the Dragon and Huben armies, we only have 40,000..."

Pei Yan stared at the last line of words on the parchment: "The Tiele tribe has a special arrow formation... What kind of arrow formation can make Murong Chui specifically remind you?"

As if to answer his question, a strange horn sounded suddenly outside the city, different from the tune of any grassland tribe before. Then came the whistling sound of arrows breaking through the air - hundreds of arrows flew in from the darkness, actually drawing arcs in the air, bypassing the battlements of the city wall, and heading straight for the defenders' faces!

"Raise your shield!" Mo Yuan yelled, but it was too late.

Arrows rained down, and screams suddenly rang out on the city wall. These arrows are different from ordinary arrows. They have small holes on the arrowheads and make a shrill whistling sound when flying, which is disturbing. What’s even more terrifying is that they don’t fly in a straight line, but instead rotate and change direction, making them difficult to defend against.

Pei Yan swung his sword to block several arrows, but a stray arrow grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody mark. Mo Yuan was also hit in the shoulder by an arrow, and blood quickly dyed his battle robe red.

The Xianbei envoy said in horror: "The arrow can turn!"

The rain of arrows came and went quickly, as if it was just a warning. Dozens of wounded soldiers were lying on the city wall, and medical officers rushed to rescue them.

Pei Yan wiped the blood off his face, his eyes as cold as ice: "Pass the order down, make new shields overnight, in an arc shape, that can protect the whole body, and prepare wet blankets to hang on the inside of the city wall to absorb the impact of arrows."

Mo Yuan reluctantly pulled out the arrow from his shoulder: "Your Majesty, this arrow formation is too weird."

"Where there is a spear, there must be a shield." Pei Yan interrupted him, his eyes flashing with the light of a chess player who sees through his opponent's moves, "The Tiele people rely on special arrows and special techniques. The arrows fly in a rotating manner, and the trajectory is unpredictable, but the range is bound to be shortened. Order the archers to concentrate their shooting at the enemies 300 steps away, and don't give them a chance to get close."

He turned to the Xianbei envoy and said, "Go back and tell Murong Chui that I thank him for his intelligence. If we win this battle, the Xianbei will get double the trade share."

After the messenger bowed and left, Mo Yuan whispered, "Your Majesty, Murong Chui is fickle, can this information be trusted?"

Pei Yan looked at the fire in the enemy camp outside the city and said: "It's half true and half false. Helian Bo did unite more tribes, but Murong Chui's report at this time is nothing more than a bet on both sides. If our army wins, he will be credited; if Helian Bo wins, he can be said to be forced to report."

"What about Ashina?" Mo Yuan suddenly asked, "It's been three days, no news, and now..."

Pei Yan was silent for a long time before he slowly said, "A true prairie wolf would rather starve to death than eat carrion, and would rather die in battle than surrender." Pei Yan's voice was very soft, but it carried unquestionable power, "Ashina is such a wolf. If he chooses to stand on the side of his people, it must be because he believes that it is right, not because he is betraying me."

Mo Yuan was about to retort when suddenly drums sounded outside the city and countless torches lit up in the Tiele camp, illuminating half the sky. The sounds of trumpets, shouts, and horses neighing mixed together, shaking the city walls slightly.

"They are going to attack!" someone on the city wall exclaimed.

Pei Yan gripped the hilt tightly, his eyes sharp as a torch: "No, this is a feint, the real main force is still in the Black Pine Forest." He turned to the messenger, "Tell General Huben to set up an ambush as planned, the enemy will definitely take the ancient road!"

As if to confirm his judgment, the Tiele cavalry in front of them only rushed halfway and then turned back, leaving behind a cloud of dust and mocking shouts. And from the northwest, the sound of horse hooves could be faintly heard - not a few hundred, but thousands, like rumbling thunder.

“Your Majesty!” A soldier rushed up to the city. “A large army has been spotted in the direction of the Black Pine Forest! The flags of the three tribes, Wuhuan, Uighur, and Kyrgyz, number over 50,000!”

Pei Yan raised his lips slightly: "As expected." He turned to Mo Yuan, "You guard Baishui Pass and make sure to stop the Tiele tribe's arrow formation. I will go to meet Helian Bo's main force in person!"

Mo Yuan knelt on one knee and said, "Your Majesty, no! You are the ruler of a country, how can you take risks yourself? Let me go!"

Pei Yan helped him up, his eyes flashing with fighting spirit: "Mo Yuan, do you still remember the battle of Sunset Plain? What did I say to you at that time?"

Mo Yuan was startled, then said solemnly: "As a general, you should share the joys and sorrows with your soldiers; as a king, you should lead by example."

"That's right." Pei Yan had already put on his armor. "Pass on my order. Baishui Pass will be under the full command of Zhenbei Hou Mo Yuan. The personal guard battalion will follow me out of the city to fight Helian Bo!"

The sound of horns resounded throughout Baishui Pass, and the city gate opened quietly. Pei Yan personally led three thousand elite troops out of the city quietly, and under the cover of night, they galloped towards the black pine forest.

The war horses were galloping, but Pei Yan's heart was unusually calm. He knew that this battle not only concerned the safety of the border, but would also determine the pattern of the grassland for the next fifty years.

If he wins, the Wei Dynasty will completely control the northern border; if he loses... no, he will not lose. If he could defeat them six years ago, he can do it today as well!

In the distance, the outline of the black pine forest looked like a crawling beast in the moonlight. At the entrance of the ancient path in the forest, the Tiger and Ben troops had already set up an ambush, waiting for the enemy to fall into the trap.

Pei Yan reined in his horse and raised his right hand. The entire army stopped immediately, and there was complete silence. In the night wind, the sound of enemy horse hooves was getting closer and closer, accompanied by rough shouts - Helian Bo was indeed leading the team himself, and his hoarse voice was particularly harsh in the night.

"Get ready." Pei Yan ordered in a low voice, "Wait for the vanguard to pass and intercept the middle army."

The soldiers silently drew their weapons and strung their arrows. The moonlight shone on the sharp blades, and dots of cold light appeared like stars falling to the ground.

Suddenly, a wolf howl came from the depths of the black pine forest, so shrill and long that Pei Yan's heart was shocked - this howl was too familiar. Six years ago, the young man who was covered in blood but refused to surrender on the Sunset Plain had also made such a howl when he was captured.

Ashina? Is he here?

Before Pei Yan could think about it, the enemy's vanguard had already rushed out of the ancient road. The black flag of the Wuhuan cavalry was particularly eye-catching under the moonlight, followed by the Gray Wolf Flag of the Uighur Tribe and the Black Eagle Flag of the Kyrgyz... It was vast and boundless.

Pei Yan took a deep breath, raised his hand and swung it down suddenly——

"kill!"

Three thousand elite soldiers attacked the enemy's waist from the flank like arrows. At the same time, the Huben troops ambushed on both sides of the ancient road also launched an attack, with rolling logs and stones falling like rain and arrows covering the sky.

Helian Bo's main force suddenly fell into chaos, war horses neighed, soldiers screamed, and the originally neat team fell apart in an instant.

Pei Yan took the lead, unsheathed the Dingkun sword, and wherever the cold light flashed, the enemy chief surrendered. He specifically selected the enemy's flag bearers and command soldiers to attack, and quickly disintegrated the enemy's command system.

“Pei Yan!” A roar came from the chaos. Helian Bo’s tall figure appeared in the moonlight, his one eye bloodshot and his scimitar dripping with blood. “Little Emperor, you finally showed up!”

Pei Yan sneered: "Helian Bo, isn't the lesson from six years ago enough?"

The space between the two men was cleared in an instant, and both the Wei soldiers and the barbarian warriors automatically made way for the battlefield. This is the rule on the grassland - the duel between the leaders determines the winner.

Helian Bo took the lead in attacking, and his crescent-shaped scimitar slashed towards Pei Yan's neck with a whistling sound. Pei Yan dodged sideways, and the Dingkun sword slashed upward, leaving a bloody mark on Helian Bo's arm.

"The first sword is for the dead defenders at Baishui Pass." Pei Yan's voice was as cold as ice.

Helian Bo roared and pounced again. This time his sword was more powerful and with greater force. Pei Yan did not take it head-on, but used the force of the sword to counter it. The tip of the sword passed along the scimitar and went straight for Helian Bo's throat. The Wuhuan leader retreated in embarrassment, but there was still a cut on his neck.

"The second sword, betraying your ally Murong Chui for you."

Helian Bo opened his one eye wide, and suddenly pulled out a short axe from his waist and threw it at Pei Yan's face! Pei Yan turned his head to avoid it, but gave Helian Bo a chance to catch his breath. The Wuhuan leader blew the horn, and a team of guards immediately rushed to protect their master.

"Coward!" Pei Yan sneered.

Helian Bo grinned: "The rule of the grassland is that the winner is the king! My men, kill the Emperor of Wei and you will be rewarded with a thousand gold coins and be made the captain of ten thousand men!"

Dozens of elite Wuhuan cavalry rushed towards Pei Yan, and the personal guard battalion immediately stepped forward to protect him, and a fierce battle broke out between the two sides.

When the battle was at a stalemate, a strange horn sounded suddenly from the black pine forest - it was not the Wuhuan or the Tiele, but the golden wolf horn of the Tuoba tribe!

Immediately afterwards, a cavalry group rushed out from the forest and attacked the back of the Wuhuan army. The leading knight held up the golden wolf flag, and it was...Ashina!

With a blood-stained cloth wrapped around his left hand and a scimitar in his right hand, he rushed into the enemy camp like a whirlwind. The Tuoba cavalry followed closely behind him, catching the Wuhuan army off guard.

"Ashina!" Helian Bo was shocked and angry, "The great leader Tuoba has betrayed us!"

Ashina rushed to Pei Yan's side, and the two faced the enemy back to back: "Your Majesty, I'm sorry for being late."

Pei Yan glanced at his missing little finger, and the coldness in his eyes intensified: "Did Helian Bo do it?"

Ashina grinned, revealing his bloody teeth: "It's just a minor injury, father... No, the chief locked me up in the dungeon, and it was Bater who secretly released me."

The situation on the battlefield was reversed in an instant. Seeing that the situation was not good, Helian Bo turned his horse around and was about to flee. Ashina bent his bow and shot an arrow at Helian Bo's mount. The Wuhuan leader fell off his horse, and before he could get up, the tip of Pei Yan's sword was pressed against his throat.

"Surrender, Helian Bobo." Pei Yan said coldly, "Your coalition is finished."

Helian Bo's one eye was bloodshot, but he suddenly grinned: "Do you think this is the end? You haven't seen the true strength of the Tiele cavalry! Baishui Pass is probably now..."

Before he could finish his words, there was a sudden earth-shaking explosion from the direction of Baishui Pass, followed by flames shooting up into the sky, lighting up half the night sky red.

Pei Yan's face suddenly changed - Mo Yuan was in danger