The swirling smoke looked particularly eerie under the dim light.
Upon seeing Chen Qingwan, the soldiers struggled to stand up and salute.
But Chen Qingwan simply nodded slightly, indicating that they didn't need to be so polite.
She was extremely anxious at the moment, and only wanted to get to the city tower as soon as possible. She had no time to think about anything else.
She strode across the street, her eyes scanning everything around her.
It felt as if a huge boulder was pressing down on my heart, so heavy that I could hardly breathe.
Beneath the city wall, rows of corpses lay neatly arranged, silently testifying to the cruelty of war.
These are soldiers who bravely sacrificed their lives to defend this city and their homes.
Xia Shanhu was directing his soldiers to lift the fallen soldiers onto carts, cover them with white cloths, and prepare to transport them outside the city for burial.
His expression was solemn, and his movements were heavy as he observed a moment of silence for the lives lost.
Not far away, from a makeshift tent, the cries of a seriously wounded soldier could be heard continuously.
Each piercing scream was like a sharp knife stabbing into Chen Qingwan's eardrums, causing her heart to ache.
The sound was particularly mournful in the silent night, sending chills down one's spine.
Upon seeing Chen Qingwan, Xia Shanhu immediately knelt down on one knee to pay his respects.
"Your Highness, this humble servant greets you!"
"Mountain Tiger, where is Li Mu?"
Chen Qingwan asked directly, her tone tinged with anxiety, and even her brows furrowed slightly.
"General Li was hit by a rocket and is currently recuperating in the camp over there."
Xia Shanhu pointed to the largest tent not far away, his expression solemn.
Chen Qingwan nodded and walked quickly toward the tent where Li Mu was.
As soon as the tent flap was lifted, a strong smell of blood and herbs wafted out.
She saw Li Mu lying pale on the simple hospital bed, his face covered in blood and gore.
These are all wounds inflicted by the rocket, and they look shocking.
Several pieces of charred flesh were stuck to fragments of armor, a sight too painful to look at.
"Your Highness, this humble servant pays his respects..."
Li Mu struggled to get up and bow, but Chen Qingwan pressed him down.
"No need for formalities!"
Chen Qingwan asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
"It looks scary, but it's all just superficial injuries."
Li Mu smiled, trying to sound relaxed, but his voice was weak.
"Thanks to this armor, if it hadn't blocked it, that arrow would have taken my life."
Chen Qingwan carefully examined Li Mu's injuries and saw that the wounds looked terrible.
But since no vital organs were damaged, he breathed a sigh of relief and said:
"You all get some rest. I'll keep watch tonight!"
After saying that, he climbed onto the city wall.
Qiao'er, the personal maid, followed closely behind. She didn't need anyone to tell her; she just looked at the horrific scene of the city wall, riddled with craters from the bombing.
The mountains of corpses piled up outside the city showed just how brutal the daytime siege had been.
"Rest first, then stay up with me tonight to keep watch!"
Chen Qingwan leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes wearily.
Qiao'er stood silently to the side, not saying a word, just watching her quietly.
Chen Qingwan said nothing and rested against a pillar on the city wall.
On the city wall, the wind howled, stirring up dust and the stench of blood that made one want to vomit.
In the distance, the enemy camp was brightly lit, like a beast lurking in the darkness, ready to launch an attack at any moment.
Night fell, the stars and moon were nowhere to be seen, and on the silent city walls, only the howling wind and the faint chirping of insects in the distance could be heard.
Suddenly, a deep horn sound broke the silence of the night.
Immediately afterwards, deafening shouts of battle came from afar, gradually growing stronger, like a surging tide sweeping in.
The enemy launched their first feint attack.
Countless torches lit up in the enemy camp, like twinkling stars in the night sky.
The towering flames turned half the sky blood red, as if the end of the world had arrived, sending chills down one's spine.
The earth began to tremble as the enemy's vast army surged toward the city walls to the rhythm of war drums.
Dust billowed, obscuring the sky, and the sounds of battle cries, hoofbeats, and clashing weapons created a chaotic scene.
Chen Qingwan suddenly opened her eyes, abruptly stood up, and loudly gave the order:
"Beat the drums! Prepare to meet the enemy!"
The sound was crisp and powerful, clearly audible amidst the noisy battlefield, instantly igniting the fighting spirit of the defending soldiers.
On the city wall, the war drums thundered, their stirring beats striking the hearts of every soldier and igniting their passion.
The archers held their breath, drew their bows taut, and aimed their arrows at the enemy troops surging below the city.
The swordsmen gripped their shields tightly, the shields clanging against each other with a metallic sound.
The musketeers pointed their muskets down at the city walls, the dark muzzles poised to unleash deadly flames at any moment.
On the city wall, Chen Qingwan's eyes were like torches as she watched the enemy army surging in like a tide below.
She was calm and composed, giving precise and decisive commands.
However, just as the enemy troops were about to reach the city wall, they suddenly stopped.
Enemy soldiers shouted and hurled insults at the defenders on the city walls with vulgar slang.
They tried to provoke the defenders and make them lose their composure.
Their voices were full of provocation and contempt, and were nauseating.
But the soldiers defending the city were not provoked by the enemy's provocation.
They remain highly vigilant and on high alert.
After a while, the enemy made no further attacking moves and instead began to slowly retreat.
The flames gradually disappeared into the night, and the shouts of battle faded into the distance.
The earth returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.
"Your Highness, what is the enemy's intention?"
Qiao'er stood beside Chen Qingwan and asked, puzzled.
Chen Qingwan gazed at the departing enemy troops, her eyes deep, and said in a solemn tone:
"They are testing us, probing our strength and weakness."
She paused for a moment, then continued:
"The real attack is yet to come."
Sure enough, an hour later, the second feint attack began.
This time, the enemy even used siege ladders, with a dark mass of people clinging to them.
"Release the arrows!"
At Chen Qingwan's command, a rain of arrows poured down from the city wall like locusts.
Screams rose and fell as some enemy soldiers were struck by arrows and tumbled down the siege ladders.
"Damn it! How can there be so many arrows!"
The roar of the enemy general echoed from below the city.
But they retreated halfway up the mountain in order to test the strength of the city's defenses.
"They want to wear us down with arrows and exhaustion."
Chen Qingwan said in a deep voice.
"Pass down the order to let the soldiers take turns resting to conserve their energy."
The third feint attack occurred before dawn, and the enemy used the same tactic again.
It was another case of much ado about nothing.
Chen Qingwan was exhausted.
But she still dared not relax, knowing that the real test was yet to come.
"Your Highness, please rest for a while. Qiao'er will keep watch here."
"Qiao'er said with heartache."
“No need,” Chen Qingwan shook her head.
"I must stay alert and not give them any opportunity to take advantage."
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