Now!
"call out--"
The crossbow bolt left the bowstring, not in a straight line, but in a strange arc, bypassing the shoulders of the two soldiers who were fighting, and accurately piercing Wang Hu's right neck, which was slightly exposed due to the exertion of force!
Blood spurted out.
Wang Hu's charge came to an abrupt halt, and the curved knife in his hand clattered to the ground.
He clutched his neck, turned his head in disbelief, trying to see where the arrow had come from, but ultimately could only collapse to the ground with resentment.
"Wang Hu is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed!"
Tang Yanhai's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the chilling quality unique to scouts, piercing through the clamor of the battlefield.
The Xijing army at the North Gate was thrown into chaos instantly.
Almost at the same time that Tang Yanhai fired his arrow, Zhao Muyun's cavalry surge crashed into the enemy formation at the north gate.
His sword flashed, and wherever it passed, men and horses fell.
Like a mad tiger, Shi Yong vented the hatred of his three thousand soldiers on the Xijing army in front of him.
He wielded his embroidered spring knife with such skill that it was impenetrable, specifically targeting and killing junior officers of the Xijing Army.
The accompanying cavalry also used thunderclaps to clear a path, tearing a bloody gash through the dense enemy ranks.
"Lord Zhang! Hold on!" Zhao Muyun's voice pierced through the chaotic battlefield.
Covered in blood, Zhang Zan was greatly encouraged. He pointed his sword at the rout of the enemy army: "The Grand Commander has arrived! Slaughter the enemy and defend Liangzhou! Kill!"
The defending troops were in high spirits and unleashed astonishing fighting power. Working together with the cavalry that had entered the city, they routed the leaderless Xijing army at the North Gate, leaving corpses strewn all over the ground.
Soon, Zhao Muyun's four thousand reinforcements joined forces with the four thousand cavalrymen who had left the city. After a fierce battle, they entered Liangzhou City unharmed.
The morale of the other three gates was high, and the fierce fire oil and thunderbolts brought by Zhao Muyun were quickly delivered to Liu Yi's Divine Machine Battalion.
With the Thunderclap Bomb, the Divine Machine Battalion was instantly empowered.
They threw second-generation Thunderclap Bombs into the densely packed crowd, causing enormous damage.
The attacking Xijing army saw a dark, iron lump fall on their heads.
Then came a deafening roar, and blood and flesh flew everywhere. Twenty or thirty of their companions fell to the ground, their legs trembling with fear.
Although they had heard before that the Hedong Army possessed such "great weapons," they only realized the fear when it actually fell on their own heads.
Fear spread like a virus, and morale plummeted.
The offensive also came to a standstill.
On the high platform in the distance, Yang Yan took in the sudden change at the North Gate and the situation at the other three gates, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
The advisor beside him replied in a trembling voice, "Prime Minister, the north gate has already fallen, and the enemy forces at the west gate are also tied down by cavalry, so their offensive has slowed down. Zhao Muyun's move not only lifted the siege of Liangzhou, but also put our attacking forces in a precarious position, attacked from both sides..."
Yang Yan stared intently at the large "Zhao" banner fluttering amidst the chaos of the army, and the figure wielding power beneath it, his chest heaving violently.
After a long silence, he finally managed to squeeze out a command through clenched teeth:
"Sound the retreat! Withdraw!"
"Order the vanguard to become the rearguard, providing alternating cover, and retreat back to the main camp!"
"Send another fast horse to investigate the swamp! I need to know how Zhao Muyun flew here, and where Li Hu is now!"
The clanging of gongs rang out sharply, startling the Xijing army that was fiercely attacking the east and south gates, and their offensive stalled.
Meanwhile, a deafening cheer erupted from the city walls of Liangzhou, a city teeming with survivors.
Zhao Muyun reined in his warhorse, pointed his sword diagonally at the sky, and stopped his subordinates from giving chase.
He coldly watched the Xijing army recede like a tide, his gaze finally settling on the central banner that represented Yang Yan.
"Clean up the battlefield, reinforce the city's defenses, and treat the wounded."
His voice was hoarse from the fierce battle, yet as steady as a mountain. "Shi Yong, take your men and be on alert. Lao Tang, send out more scouts and keep a close eye on Yang Yan's camp."
"Understood!"
The men obeyed and left. Zhao Muyun then dismounted and quickly walked to Zhang Zan, who was being supported by his personal guards.
"Grand Commander... you have lived up to your mission; Liangzhou has not been lost!"
Zhang Zan tried to bow, but the movement aggravated his wound, and he almost fell.
Zhao Muyun steadied him, her eyes welling up as she looked at his left arm, almost soaked in blood with the bone barely visible, and the multiple wounds on his chest and back.
"Lord Zhang, you've worked hard! The defense of Liangzhou is largely thanks to your great contribution!"
He immediately summoned the military doctor, "Save every effort to cure General Zhang!"
After settling Zhang Zan in, Zhao Muyun, surrounded by Shi Yong, Tang Yanhai, and others, ascended the North Gate tower.
The setting sun, like blood, made the scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood on and around the city walls even more tragic and poignant.
Outside the city, the Xijing army was retreating in an orderly manner. Although their flags were in disarray, they had not completely lost their organizational structure.
"After this battle, Yang Yan should be unable to organize such an intense siege in the short term."
Zhao Muyun said slowly, "But he will never be satisfied and will probably make another move."
Tang Yanhai nodded: "The Grand Commander's concerns are very valid. Although our army won, it was a Pyrrhic victory, with heavy losses in manpower, and we urgently need to rest and regroup. Next, we must be even more careful of Yang Yan's schemes."
Just then, a scout, covered in mud and wounded, was helped up the city wall: "Report—Grand Commander! Li Hu's force of over four thousand men was ambushed by Tangut cavalry at the edge of the swamp and has retreated towards Chiling!"
Zhao Muyun and Tang Yanhai exchanged a glance, their eyes showing no surprise.
"They are Tanguts..."
Zhang Zan murmured, "Grand Commander, how did you persuade those fence-sitters?"
Zhao Muyun's gaze turned to the swampy area shrouded in twilight to the east, his eyes deep: "It wasn't me who persuaded us. Someone paved the way for us."
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