The dust obscured people's vision, and fear spread through the crowd.
The rebel coalition has already besieged the city!
Chen Qingwan's coma threw the Jingzhou garrison into brief chaos.
Like a flock of sheep without its leader, the soldiers looked at each other, at a loss.
Some people began to whisper, and fear spread through the crowd. Without a leader, morale crumbled.
"What should we do? His Majesty has fainted. What should we do now?"
A young soldier asked, his voice trembling.
"Don't panic! We still have General Li!"
Another veteran tried to calm the troops, but his voice was also trembling.
"But... the enemy is coming in strong, can we hold them off?"
Panic spread rapidly like a plague, and the soldiers' morale plummeted to rock bottom.
At this critical moment, Li Mu stepped forward.
He drew the long sword from his waist, its blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
Like a ray of hope, it illuminated the soldiers' bewildered eyes.
"Send His Majesty to rest!"
Li Mu shouted loudly, his voice firm and powerful, like a stabilizing force, instantly calming the morale of the troops.
"Tiger Descending the Mountain, you beat the drum! All soldiers, heed my command, follow me to kill the enemy!"
Without saying a word, the tiger rushed to the war drum and grabbed the drumstick.
He took a deep breath, casting aside all his fear and worry, and then vigorously struck the war drum.
The resounding drumbeats echoed through the sky, one after another, heavy and powerful.
It was as if the sound struck the heart of every soldier, shattering the fear within them.
The drums thundered, deafeningly loud, stirring the blood of every soldier.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The tiger roared hoarsely, its voice filled with power and fighting spirit, infecting everyone around it.
The soldiers guarding the city wall then seemed to wake from a dream and picked up their weapons.
The fear gradually dissipated, replaced by a burning fighting spirit.
Their eyes rekindled their fighting spirit.
Outside the city, the rebel army swarmed in like locusts, densely packed and blotting out the sun.
Like a black tide, it was about to engulf everything.
They were dressed in rags, yet exuded a murderous aura, wielding various weapons—knives, spears, swords, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks.
It had everything, its cold light gleaming, chilling to the bone.
Shouts and insults rose and fell, deafeningly loud, threatening to drag the city into the abyss.
They stared greedily at the city walls, as if they saw wealth and power within easy reach.
His eyes gleamed with a beastly light, as if he couldn't wait to break through the city and enter.
The burning, killing, and looting turned this once prosperous city into a living hell.
Inside Jingzhou City, every household kept their doors and windows tightly shut, avoiding the approaching war.
The elderly prayed silently, asking the gods to protect them and let this catastrophe pass as soon as possible;
The women held their children tightly, tears streaming down their faces, unsure of what tomorrow would bring.
They could only use their own bodies to shield the child from fear;
The men, weapons in hand and solemn in expression, knew they bore the heavy responsibility of protecting their homeland.
Be ready to fight for your homeland at any time, even at the cost of your life.
On the city walls, the defending soldiers fought valiantly, building an iron wall with their flesh and blood to resist the rebels' frenzied attacks.
Arrows rained down, whistling through the air and drawing deadly arcs.
Blood flowed like a river on the city wall, and severed limbs were scattered all over the ground.
Screams, roars, and the clash of weapons intertwined to form a tragic war symphony that echoed between heaven and earth.
Li Mu led the charge, wielding a long sword like a tiger descending a mountain, charging left and right through the enemy ranks, invincible in his path.
His swordsmanship was incredibly sharp; each strike could kill an enemy.
Blood stained his battle robe, but he was oblivious, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
At this moment, he was like a war god, protecting the city and the people behind him.
As the tiger descended the mountain, he sat firmly on the city tower, commanding with composure, like a seasoned veteran, making the most of his limited forces.
He would sometimes beat the drum to encourage the troops; the drumbeats were like thunder, deafening, and boosted the morale of the defenders.
He would sometimes give loud commands, his voice loud and clear, reaching every soldier's ears even in the noisy battlefield.
The outcome of this war is a matter of life and death for this city, and also for the fate of countless people.
He must remain calm and make the right judgments in order to lead the defending troops to victory in this war.
...
The setting sun, like blood, reflected on Chen Qingwan's weary face.
She lay in bed, breathing evenly and deeply, sleeping soundly.
The room was quiet, with only Qiao'er's soft snoring occasionally breaking the silence. She was curled up on the footstool by the bed, fast asleep.
After an unknown amount of time, a series of urgent knocks broke the silence.
The sound grew louder and more urgent, "thump, thump, thump."
Chen Qingwan opened her eyes groggily, her vision blurred.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and gradually made out her surroundings.
It was completely dark inside, and a dim oil lamp was lit in the room, emitting a faint light.
"Qiao'er! Qiao'er!"
Chen Qingwan sat up abruptly and shouted loudly. Her voice was filled with panic and urgency.
Qiao'er woke up with a start from the ground, rubbing her sleepy eyes, and mumbled incoherently:
"Your Majesty, I am here."
How long did I sleep?
Chen Qingwan asked anxiously, while hurriedly putting on her armor.
The cool metallic touch instantly sobered her up.
She vaguely remembered that she fainted after witnessing the horrific battle around noon.
At that time, Li Mu and Xia Shanhu had just led their remaining troops back into the city.
The scene remains vivid in her mind, leaving her with lingering fear.
"Your Majesty, you have been asleep for nearly five hours."
Qiao'er quickly answered, while helping Chen Qingwan adjust the straps of her armor.
"The fighting outside has subsided, and the rebels have temporarily retreated."
Chen Qingwan felt a surge of resentment, realizing she had let her down at a crucial moment.
He fell into a coma and missed this crucial battle.
She gripped the knife handle tightly, her knuckles turning white, almost crushing it.
He was extremely anxious, wishing he could sprout wings and fly to the city wall to immediately learn the details of the battle.
She rushed out of the mansion, almost running, her skirt fluttering in the wind.
The city, shrouded in night, resembles a sleeping behemoth, its streets deserted and desolate.
Only a few lonely oil lamps flickered with a faint light, as if they could be swallowed by darkness at any moment.
Wounded soldiers could be seen everywhere along the streets, leaning against walls or eaves, their faces pale.
His breathing was weak, as if he might collapse at any moment.
Thick bandages were wrapped around their mutilated limbs, seeping out crimson blood, a shocking sight.
Some of the less seriously injured soldiers were puffing on cigarettes made in Shannan Prefecture.
They attempted to numb their nerves with the stimulation of nicotine to relieve the torment caused by the injury.
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