A deafening explosion sounded, first a cloud of thick smoke gushed out, followed by a huge impact force and explosion fragments flying in all directions.

The soldiers and horses close to the explosion point were hit hardest, while the lucky soldiers were only hit by sonic waves.

They covered their heads and ears one after another, and their bodies fell off their horses uncontrollably. The horses were frightened by the loud noise and neighed, struggling to escape into the distance.

Those who were unlucky were hit directly by gravel and lead bullets. Some were bleeding and screaming, while others were covered in blood and lost their lives.

The sounds of painful wails, the neighing of war horses, calls for help, inquiries, shouts, and cries mixed together, making the scene extremely chaotic.

Those far away from the explosion point were also affected. Fortunately, these soldiers and horses were already accustomed to the sound of artillery fire, and they resumed their formation after a slight adjustment.

"Oh my god, my grandma, what...what's going on?" A soldier covered his half-deaf ears, swallowing hard as he looked at the thick smoke in the distance.

"No... I don't know, it seems that the commander-in-chief's carriage exploded!"

"General, is the general all right?"

"He shouldn't be dead... Let's go and check it out!"

The soldiers outside the Iron Gate didn't know what happened. Some speculated that it was a cannon shot from the city, while others thought it was a strange sign from the sky. But no matter what happened, they all wanted to see the general's condition.

Nearly five thousand cavalrymen were on guard and gathering towards the place where the explosion occurred.

On the city wall.

Liu Wenyao stood up and pulled up the prince who was lying on top of him. "Your Highness, are you okay?"

Zhu Cilang brushed the dust off his clothes to show that he was fine. He walked towards the city wall impatiently, leaning on the battlements above and looking down.

The smoke and dust produced by the explosion have dissipated, leaving behind a huge deep pit at the scene!

The pit was ten feet in diameter and nearly ten feet deep. Scorched earth, rubble, and various debris were scattered all over the ground.

"General Liu, have you found Liu Zeqing?" Zhu Cilang asked.

Liu Wenyao looked again and again in the moonlight, and finally pointed at a wreckage in the distance of the deep pit and said, "He must be dead!"

Zhu Cilang heaved a long sigh of relief. He leaned half of his body against the parapet and said in a tired voice, "That's good, that's..."

Before Zhu Cilang could finish his words, something unexpected happened outside the city.

"Brothers! The general was killed by the imperial court! The general risked his life for the imperial court, but the imperial court repaid his kindness with hatred. Do you agree?"

"Will we end up like this one day?"

A soldier wearing dark armor sitting on his horse shouted loudly.

"Deputy General Li is right. The imperial court is blind and repays kindness with enmity!" Several soldiers shouted in unison.

"The imperial court is blind and repays kindness with hatred!"

"You are blind and repay kindness with hatred!"

As more and more people shouted, the voices became more and more uniform.

In a short moment, the voices of nearly five thousand cavalrymen were uniform, majestic, and frightening.

"The court doesn't give us money or food. We are able to hold on now only thanks to the general!"

"Today, he died! He was killed by the imperial court! We have received favors from the general, and we should repay his kindness!"

"Get on your horses, raise your weapons, and follow me into the Iron Gate Pass to avenge our lord commander!"

Lieutenant General Li raised his arm and called out, and all the cavalry responded.

Under his leadership, all the cavalry drew their weapons and surrounded the already small iron gate.

Nearly five thousand cavalrymen stood in silence, and the dark mass made it hard to breathe.

At the same time, Lieutenant General Li ordered someone to send a letter to the infantry in the rear, asking them to prepare to attack the city and avenge Liu Zeqing!

Attacking cities is the job of infantry. Cavalry is good at field battles but not good at attacking cities.

The defenders on the Tiemenguan city wall felt they were facing a powerful enemy.

They all picked up their weapons, drew their bows and arrows, unsheathed their swords, and loaded gunpowder into their chambers, waiting for their superiors' order to fight back.

Seeing this, Liu Wenyao hurriedly spoke out to stop them, "Generals, listen up, everyone put away your weapons."

Fortunately, no one fired. If the shell had been fired, it would have been too late to say anything.

There is still a way to stop it now. Once the two sides engage in war, they will not stop unless one side is completely killed.

No one wants to see such a result!

Liu Wenyao looked at the cavalry in the distance and knew it was time to fulfill his mission.

He ordered, "Come here, use a rope to take me down from the city wall."

Zhu Cilang was immediately shocked: "What is the governor going to do?"

"Your Highness, I will go there to act as a lobbyist and recruit them into my service."

"Just shout from the city wall, why do you have to go there in person?"

Liu Wenyao smiled faintly, pointed at the cavalry several hundred steps away and said, "They are afraid of being affected by the artillery fire from the city, so they have hidden away from the artillery range. Even if I shout here, they won't be able to hear me!"

"Captain, you can't do that! The situation outside the city is still unclear. If you go down alone, won't you be sending yourself to death?"

"Yes, Commander Liu, they are eager to avenge Liu Zeqing. Wouldn't it be like a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth if we go down now? It is better to wait for a while and see the situation first." The navy commander Huang Fei also began to persuade.

Liu Zeqing shook his head. He reached out and took out a scroll from his arms. "We can't wait any longer. They are waiting for the infantry. By the time the infantry arrives and starts attacking the city, it will be too late. Since His Majesty has given me the imperial edict, this is my mission!"

"Your Highness, if I fail, please disguise yourself as an ordinary soldier and sneak out of the city with General Huang after the enemy breaks through the city gate."

Zhu Cilang's nose was sore and he felt like crying. It would be fine if Liu Wenyao was not afraid of death, but at this time he was still concerned about his safety.

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