Chapter 114 God of War: "Whose corpse are you going to collect?"
Whose body are you going to collect?
The arrow pierced the sky, carrying a sharp sword wind as it passed through the wall of fire. Before anyone could react, the burning feather struck the deputy general beside Hulü Guang. A shrill scream was heard, followed by the dull thud of the man being shot off his horse.
The wall of fire, originally forged by raging flames, had trapped the Xia army within, and the flickering flames were eroding the hopes of those inside. But then an arrow from behind broke through the wall of fire, and the Xia army all turned to look behind them.
As midnight fell, the sky, once pitch black, was illuminated by the ring of raging fire. Following the firelight, they saw a gap appear behind the area previously engulfed in flames. A large troop of cavalry, stepping over the burning debris, was slowly but powerfully approaching them. The closer they got, the clearer their figures became—
The cavalry leader was clad in full-body golden armor, each piece resembling a golden dragon's scales, reflecting a dazzling light in the firelight. The crimson battle robe fluttering behind him shone even brighter in the firelight. His composed posture on horseback was as calming as a god descending from heaven.
"It's...it's His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Someone in the army shouted, and with this shout, the eyes of Xia Jun, who had lost all hope, were rekindled. More and more people helped each other to their feet, their expressions filled with excitement as they looked at Jiang Chen.
Liu Ziyue also saw it. His eyes first showed disbelief, astonished that the Crown Prince had led his army so quickly. Then, that surprise was overwhelmed by a deep gloom. With the Crown Prince's arrival, the Northern Frontier Camp no longer had any say in the matter. He and Qi Mao could no longer use the Emperor to command the feudal lords.
The true emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty has arrived.
"Excellent archery skills! I wonder who the archer is?"
Through a blurry, flickering curtain of fire, Hulü Guang asked loudly.
"General Huli, it's been a long time."
As this greeting fell, it was as if a stone had stirred up a thousand waves. The long-silent Xia army suddenly boiled over. Compared to the excitement of seeing the crown prince earlier, they felt an unprecedented surge of excitement upon hearing this familiar voice.
"General He! It's our General He who's back!"
Jiang Chen stood before the wall of fire, and the figure that had been hidden behind him gradually appeared. He Zhiju was dressed in silver armor, holding a longbow, and his sharp eyes swept across the entire scene. His arrival not only excited Xia Jun, but also surprised Hulü Guang on the opposite side.
He Zhiju, the young wolf king of the northern frontier and the renowned general of the Great Xia Dynasty who left a great name throughout the northern kingdoms.
Ever since he returned to the capital two years ago, rumors have circulated in the Northern Region that this young General He has become the new favorite of the Great Xia Emperor, often accompanying the Crown Prince and being highly valued by the heir apparent. He is said to be able to rise rapidly in rank once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, and will never return to this remote and desolate Northern Frontier.
But today he not only saw He Zhiju in the northern frontier, but he was also followed by an army. The cavalry he led was probably the heavy cavalry battalion that made all the tribes in the northern region tremble with fear.
Huli Guang's eyes flickered, and a delightful smile appeared on his face, which was illuminated by the firelight. With He Zhiju joining the battle in the northern frontier, it was no wonder that he had personally led his troops here.
"General Ziwang, it's been a long time."
The greetings transmitted through the wall of fire carried an unusual air of respect. Liu Ziyue, standing to the side, was surprised, and then his grip on the spear tightened.
Having lived in the capital for so long, he naturally didn't know what the name Ziwang meant to the entire northern frontier compared to the He family descendants, the Crown Prince's brother-in-law, or the so-called Little General He in the court that they knew.
This is an opponent that commands the respect and attention of enemy generals.
"The one who can have General Ziwang assist him on the front lines must be His Highness the Crown Prince of Great Xia?"
Jiang Chen's horse trotted twice, and he tightened the reins, replying in a deep voice, "Since we meet under such circumstances, I will not greet General Huli. I apologize for making you laugh today. We will have plenty of opportunities to communicate on the battlefield in the future."
"Your Highness, what you say is ridiculous. The Xia army was invincible tonight, so how could I be expected to laugh at them? Besides, since Your Highness is already at the front lines, why wait until another day to inquire?"
"Hmm," Jiang Chen's lips curled up, unable to suppress a sneer, "I thought I should be polite before resorting to force when I first met General Huli, but I never expected that the general would truly live up to the spirit of a Northern Di man. It seems that I will not be able to easily take my men back tonight?"
“Your Highness, General Ziwang killed my deputy with a single arrow. I thought Your Highness’s attitude was clear enough, which is why I did not stand on ceremony with you.”
“Alright,” Jiang Chen glanced at He Zhiju upon hearing this, and the two smiled at each other: “Then…as General Huli wishes.”
"Put out the fire!"
With a command given, the curtain of fire, which had been burning fiercely just moments before, fell away at an astonishing speed visible to the naked eye. From the gap behind, the wall of fire quickly disappeared from everyone's sight, and the two armies could now clearly see the situation on opposite sides.
The moment Huli Guang saw Jiang Chen, he was stunned. It was not for anything else but the golden armor that shimmered all over his body. Looking up, he saw an exceptionally handsome face. It was hard to imagine that this unknown new crown prince of the Great Xia was such a noble and beautiful young man.
But Hulü Guang was not fooled by this stunning face. He looked at the flames that had been extinguished and raised an eyebrow at the other person: "Your Highness, you are indeed unexpected."
Jiang Chen understood what he meant, looked around, and then said with feigned modesty, "I don't like to waste time chatting with the general. There's really no need to keep the whole army waiting."
While Xia Jun and Di Jun were focused on the dialogue on the front lines, Jiang Chen's personal guards had already swiftly extinguished the outer flames. On the surface, the wall of fire still stood firm, but in reality, only a thin layer remained. With just a final touch of water and soil, this barrier would vanish completely.
Hulü Guang nodded, then shook his head: "Originally, I planned to give you a handicap in our first encounter, but now it seems that I underestimated His Highness the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen returned a polite smile. The two faced each other across the empty wasteland. A faint smell of burning could still be smelled in the air. The soldiers of both armies were in a state of high tension. Excessive courtesy was not courtesy; it was as if both sides were waiting for a moment.
A moment when you can make a move.
"Click—"
It was unclear which side's soldiers were too tense, but a sharp crack was heard from a dry branch, followed by the sound of swords clashing together.
Unlike the battles of the past few days, the current confrontation between the two sides is not about the overwhelming difference in troop types. The Xia army's heavy cavalry battalion is facing off against the Northern Di iron cavalry. In addition to the sound of clashing weapons, the most tragic sound is the mournful neighing of warhorses. At this moment, the battlefield of the Northern Frontier is truly a scene of clashing swords and iron horses.
Amidst such chaos, Hulü Guang felt an unprecedented sense of bewilderment. As he wielded his scimitar to reap the heads of Xia soldiers, he looked at the Great Xia Crown Prince, who was sitting firmly on his horse, with a puzzled expression.
Who was his teacher? How could he have such strong confidence in his martial arts skills? Even though the battlefield was already engulfed in flames, he still stood there on his horse, completely unmoved.
Hulü Guang was not one to speculate, so when doubts arose, he sought answers. He turned to one of his generals, and with just a glance, the general understood instantly. He spurred his horse and charged forward, heading straight for the Crown Prince of Great Xia.
100 meters, 50 meters, 10 meters. Just as the Northern Di general's long sword was about to pierce the chest of the Great Xia Crown Prince, Jiang Chen remained motionless. At that moment, the doubts in the hearts of Hulü Guang and the Northern Di general who made the move reached their peak. Fortunately, Jiang Chen quickly provided the answer.
"Bang--"
A deafening roar from a firearm stunned all the Northern Di soldiers who were using melee weapons. They instinctively looked in the direction of the explosion, forgetting that they were on a battlefield where life and death hung in the balance. But in that moment of distraction, they were killed by the Xia soldiers beside them.
Watching his men fall before him, Hulü Guang's sword-wielding hand went numb for a moment. It was because his mind was numb but his body was still tearing apart as he fought. His mind was perfectly clear, but his brain was blank—what was that!
Jiang Chen acted swiftly and decisively. Unlike the musketeer cavalrymen who still needed to aim before pulling the trigger, he was almost always right where he pointed. Wherever his arm was raised and pointed, a Di soldier would fall. His speed was astonishing. And because it was dark now, without the light of the fire, the Di soldiers couldn't even see what he was holding.
The terrifying gunfire mingled with the falling corpses. Without even thinking, Hulü Guang raised his arm and shouted, "Retreat!"
Every Northern Di soldier on the battlefield awaited his command. The Crown Prince of Great Xia seemed to have divine soldiers at his command; even from a great distance, without engaging in battle, they would perish before him. Even the fierce and mighty Northern Di cavalry had no choice but to retreat.
How can a mortal compare to a god!
Watching the Northern Di army flee in panic, Jiang Chen remained unmoved. He subtly concealed the musket barrel under his cloak and waved his other hand in the direction where Hulü Guang turned to look.
Goodbye, and best of luck.
A war that the Xia army was destined to lose was reversed in an unprecedented way because of the arrival of the Crown Prince's army. For the first time tonight, Liu Ziyue's spear slipped from his hand, the heavy spear sinking deep into the soil. His eyes showed understanding, but also bewilderment.
No wonder the Crown Prince was so confident in personally leading the army; the muskets he saw at the end of the year could now unleash such power! How did the Crown Prince manage to do that?
The long, silent nights of northern Xinjiang are an answer that can never be known.
"Thump—" The long sword made a dull sound as it was placed on the table. Jiang Chen sat in the main seat with his legs crossed, tapping the table with his fingertips. His gaze swept over everyone in the room.
"Isn't there anyone who can explain what happened tonight to me?"
The Crown Prince sat at one end of the table, with He Zhiju standing beside him. At the other end of the table stood all the generals leading the troops from the Northern Frontier. Led by Qi Mao and Liu Ziyue, everyone fell into silence.
What can be said? What is there to say? Should we say that they stubbornly pursued the enemy but ended up being surrounded and annihilated instead? Or should we say that they used their status as maternal relatives to coerce the prince into taking command of the military? For the first time, both Qi Mao and Liu Ziyue were so resistant to facing the crown prince directly.
The north wind howled, and the candlelight flickered on everyone's faces. The shadow of their crushing defeat against the wall of fire seemed to stretch endlessly. The Crown Prince appeared to be extremely patient, and even though none of the people in front of him spoke, he did not urge them on.
The room remained silent until the King of Wu stumbled in, breaking the silence.
"Fifth Brother! Help...help me!"
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