Ashilan just glanced at Longcheng and the team that had assembled behind him.

Then he turned around and went back to his tent to sleep.

Last night, Ashilan was exhausted from comforting those women who had just lost their husbands. He felt that his waist was about to break. If he didn't have a good rest, he would be unworthy of his status as a prince.

Ashilan thought to herself, "No wonder the ancients said that heroes are often tempted by beautiful women. As a great hero, there are simply too many women around me who need my comfort.

…

Just after noon, Zhang Wuji's army had already arrived at the foot of Jiuquan City.

Jiuquan is located in a remote area with few people. Most of the terrain is flat, which is perfect for launching an army and fighting. However, the Jiuquan defenders had already closed the city gates and had no intention of taking advantage of the Mongolian cavalry.

Zhang Wuji looked at the city in front of him, and after a moment, he burst into laughter: "Sure enough, the commander guarding the city is also a waste."

Zhao Linger quickly said: "My caravan passed by Jiuquan on the way back from the Western Regions."

The Jiuquan defender, Borkin, was brutal and cruel, and the people in the city had long wanted to grind him to ashes.

In this attack on Jiuquan, we have the right time, place and people on our side. The troops behind us are several times larger than the Jiuquan defenders. This battle should be over before dark.

Zhang Wuji smiled and nodded, then he drew the long sword from his waist.

He shouted to the soldiers behind him: "Soldiers, take down the city in front of us and spend the night here."

The Mingjiao soldiers behind him shouted hurriedly: "Okay, kill all the Mongols in the city while we're at it."

Zhang Wuji laughed heartily: "Okay, I'll do whatever you say, but there is one thing. After we take this city, the people in the city are not allowed to be harmed in any way. Anyone who disobeys my order will be executed."

After Zhang Wuji captured Xianyang, he spent some time recruiting soldiers and the team behind him had expanded to 60,000 men, not counting the troops he left behind in various cities.

If his 60,000-strong army fought to the death, they could capture the city in one battle.

Zhang Wuji was well versed in the art of war, and he knew the principle that the second attack would weaken the enemy, and the third attack would lead to exhaustion.

At this time, his troops had been running for nearly a hundred miles. At this moment, there was no time to delay and they had to win the battle in one go. Otherwise, they would have to wait until tomorrow.

But just when Zhang Wuji was about to give the order to attack the city, the city gate not far away quietly opened a crack.

Then, more than twenty beautiful women walked out from the gap.

Although those twenty or so beautiful women were dressed in fancy clothes, they were crying like pear blossoms in the rain.

They hurried to Zhang Wuji.

"Sir, sir, please withdraw your troops. Our parents are still in the city. If you don't withdraw your troops, the Yuan soldiers in the city will kill them all."

Before Zhang Wuji could reply, Zhao Linger had already drawn the two scimitars from her waist.

She dismounted and walked up to one of the girls.

Zhao Linger placed the scimitar in her hand against the beauty's chin.

She said in a cold tone: "What do you mean? My young master came thousands of miles to rescue the people of Jiuquan, so that you would not be oppressed by the Mongols again. How could he retreat when the army is here?"

Before the beauty kneeling on the ground could reply, a fat man wearing armor and looking ferocious stood up from the top of the Jiuquan city wall.

The fat man shouted loudly: "Master Zhang, I have heard of your great name for a long time. My Jiuquan City is small and cannot accommodate a big Buddha like you. Listen to my advice, withdraw your troops, and take away the beauties in front of you. I will consider it my gift to you."

"I, Borkin, know that I am no match for you, but if you dare to attack the city, I swear that I will kill all the Han people in the city before you break into it. Even if you capture Jiuquan, all you will get is a dead city."

Zhang Wuji sighed helplessly and shouted at Bolkin: "You are not a manly person by doing this. Aren't you afraid of losing face for your ancestors?"

Bolkin on the city wall laughed loudly: "The face of our ancestors, the face of our ancestors, has been lost at the hands of my father's generation. It is not my turn to lose it yet."

"The choice is before you. Either retreat or get a dead city. It's your choice."

Zhang Wuji didn't say anything, he just stared at Bolkin on the top of the city wall.

But at this moment, Zhao Linger, who was standing beside her, became a little anxious.

The most critical moment has come to unify the three provinces of Hexi.

If Zhang Wuji felt sorry for the people in the city and was unwilling to attack the city, all the efforts made before would be in vain.

Not only Zhao Linger, but even Zhou Zhiruo had the same idea.

Zhou Zhiruo hurriedly said: "Zhang Wuji, do you still remember what I said to you on Guangmingding before you attacked Xuzhou?"

"The world has become so chaotic that there are no innocent people anymore."

Zhao Linger agreed, "Yes, sir, don't forget that you will fight for the world in the future. If you are too soft-hearted, they will use the same method when you fight with others in the future. No matter you are a general or a king, you cannot be so soft-hearted."

"Not to mention the people in the city, even if Zhou Zhiruo and I were tied to the top of the city wall, you can't have the slightest hesitation."

Zhou Zhiruo has always liked to contradict Zhao Linger, but at this moment, she rarely makes Zhao Linger stand on the same side with her.

Zhou Zhiruo continued, "Zhang Wuji, you can't hesitate. Look at the army behind you. If you hesitate, what will happen to them? The soldiers behind you will accompany you to fight for the world."

The two peerless beauties were trying their best to get Zhang Wuji to order an attack on the city.

But the twenty or so beauties kneeling on the ground were crying heart-wrenchingly.

One of the beauties grabbed Zhao Linger's ankle and said while crying, "Sister, you, you can't be so cruel. My parents are in the city. They, they are all innocent people."

Zhao Linger was furious: "Shut up, you little girl. If you dare to say another word, I will chop off your head first."

As she spoke, Zhao Linger actually waved the scimitar in her hand.

The beautiful woman kneeling on the ground was almost frightened to death, but the knife did not hit her head, but only cut off a strand of hair on her head.

Bolkin on the top of the city wall sneered and continued to shout: "Zhang Wuji, I have heard that you are a benevolent and righteous king, and I believe that you will not do things that hurt the people. Listen to my advice and withdraw your troops. The twenty or so beauties in front of you are the most beautiful women in Jiuquan."

"Take all these women away and you will be happy."