Chapter 81 The little brat gets stabbed by my grandma!
They were less than a day away from arriving in Qingzhou during their march.
"Your Highness, look who's here." Xue Lang entered the main tent with a rare smile on his face.
"Oh, who is it?" Yuan Yan was busy studying the terrain of Qingzhou and the situation between the enemy and himself, so he didn't look up and answered casually.
[Host, look up quickly.]
Someone has arrived, and even the system is urging Yuan Yan to look quickly.
Yuan Yan finally raised her eyes and saw a person stride out from behind Xue Lang, who knelt down and kowtowed to her without saying a word.
"Your subordinate Zhang Aman greets Your Majesty."
When they met again, Ah Man had changed a lot.
Her skin was darker, her whole body tanned black, but her eyes were bright and piercing. Her manners and speech had become more proper and she was more confident.
"Ah Man, it's you." Yuan Yan looked her over. "You've changed quite a bit since I last saw you."
Yuan Yan showed no surprise. Before setting off, she had sent a message to her aunt, Lin Tai, asking her to bring Aman to help her.
"I haven't changed, I'm just a little darker. I'm still the same Ah Man," Ah Man said with a simple smile.
Yuan Yan nodded: "He's gotten darker, but he's also gotten stronger."
"System, check Aman's current attributes," she said in her mind.
"Okay, host, I'll show you now." The system said, bringing up the panel.
[General Card]
Name: Aman
Wisdom: 51
Strength: 79 (Can be improved)
Ambition: 12
Loyalty: 89
Commander: 60 (Can be upgraded)
...
[Host, this general's martial prowess has increased the most, growing by 16 points in one go.] System summary.
Yuan Yan glanced over and saw that A Man's martial arts and leadership skills had both improved to varying degrees. Her martial arts skills were just a little short of breaking through the eighty mark, which was quite an improvement.
It seems that Aman has gained a lot of experience while serving in the border army during this period.
Yu Liu looked at A Man's strong and upright figure, circled around her, and patted her on the shoulder. "A Man, you look pretty good now. I wonder who would win if we had a contest?"
“I don’t think you can compare to Aman,” Xue Lang said.
Aman smiled sheepishly and clasped her hands in greeting to Yuan Yan.
“Your Highness, my brute strength is the most useful thing I have. Commander Lin said that Your Highness should treat me as the vanguard, and I will certainly not disappoint Your Highness,” she said.
"Very well, since Aman has said so, then I shall see what you are capable of."
After Yuan Yan finished speaking, he appointed A Man as his deputy general and ordered her to take the small contingent of troops that she had been given from her aunt to rest for the time being.
She then ordered her soldiers to send a message first, instructing them to hold Qingzhou until she arrived.
...
Nighttime, inside the central command tent.
Reinforcements from various prefectures have converged. Yuan Yan's mother-in-law, Yang Hongshu, the governor of Yanzhou, even dispatched her capable deputy general Huang Gao with elite troops to provide support.
The generals stood on either side of the sand table, looking at the small black flags representing the enemy, which seemed like dark clouds pressing down, with the enemy approaching Qingzhou and besieging Yidu. Their faces were all solemn.
“Yidu has been besieged for a long time now, and with the city’s garrison and supplies, I’m afraid it won’t last much longer,” Yuan Yan said.
"The enemy has divided their forces in Qingzhou and Youzhou. Although there are more than 70,000 troops outside Yidu, they will be exhausted from a long-distance attack. With reinforcements from the two prefectures, we have 50,000 troops, which is enough to face the enemy head-on," the veteran general Liang Yijiong analyzed.
"Your Highness, this humble general is willing to lead the charge and fight against the Wu army." Since joining Yuan Yan's service, Yuan Shi has not yet made any contributions, and eager to prove himself, he volunteered to be the first to go.
However, Yuan Yan said, "I am prepared to personally take to the battlefield, so all you generals should refrain from competing with me."
"Your Highness, let General Liang lead the first battle," the supervising officer He Hanwu advised, worried that Yuan Yan would be the first to charge into battle.
Huang Gao and others shared the same idea.
Yuan Yan: "My actions are not out of a show of strength, but because I have other important tasks to entrust to several generals."
"Your Highness, what important mission is it?" The generals looked at each other, and couldn't help but ask.
*
At this time, Yidu was shrouded in night.
The city gates were tightly shut, and the soldiers were exhausted, yet they still dared not close their eyes.
The sobbing in the middle of the night might be the howling of the cold wind, or perhaps the cries of a wounded soldier. The doctor had long since run out of herbs, and the wounded soldier could only endure the pain.
In the distance, enemy camps burned continuously, a sight that sent chills down one's spine; one wondered when the enemy would launch another night attack on the city.
"Waaah..."
A crying sound came from a house in the town. It turned out that an infant was too hungry to sleep at night and was crying weakly.
The child's cat-like cries broke the hearts of his parents, who wished they could conjure up some food on the spot so he could have a good meal.
But there was really no food left in the house, and they even ate the last grain of millet in the earthenware jar.
The man had no choice. Seeing that there was still a little bit of liquid left in the bowl of porridge he had been given during the day, he carefully scraped it off with his fingers and put it in the child's mouth, letting her suck on it. This finally managed to stop the faint crying.
"How many more days can the city's remaining grain last?" Governor He Mingyi asked his subordinates.
The subordinate said worriedly, "Sir, it will be less than three days..."
Although she had already received the message that the King of Qin had led reinforcements to arrive overnight.
But it's uncertain how long it will take for reinforcements to lift the siege of Yidu. The remaining grain must be prioritized for the garrison to ensure they remain combat-ready and can withstand the enemy's frequent attacks... I really don't know how much longer we can hold out.
He Mingyi felt a chill in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face.
She was the governor of Qingzhou, and even if Yidu fell, she had to hold out until the very last moment. She absolutely could not show any weakness and shake the morale of the army.
"It will be soon. The King of Qin is wise and resourceful, and he will surely be able to relieve the siege of Yidu quickly." He Mingyi said this both to comfort his subordinates and to reassure himself.
The Prince of Qin was an extraordinary figure who revised laws and rectified the court's atmosphere. Even though He Mingyi was far away in Qingzhou, he had heard of the Prince of Qin's many accomplished deeds.
His Majesty sent the Prince of Qin because he believed she was capable of relieving the siege of Yidu.
Everything depends on reinforcements.
...
The following day, Yuan Yan stood before the army, giving his final mobilization speech before the battle.
"The enemy has besieged Yidu, intending to seize our land, slaughter our people, and destroy our homes! How can the women of our Phoenix Kingdom tolerate such wolves' rampage?"
"We now have 50,000 elite troops here. With the combined efforts of myself and my generals, I will surely make the enemy's blood stain the earth, and they will never return. We will avenge the soldiers of Yan Pass!"
The soldiers shouted in unison, "Victory is certain in this battle!"
The sound was resounding, and the determination was unwavering.
[Host, keep going! You must win!] The system also secretly cheered for Yuan Yan.
When the enemy general Kuang Chenglin learned that the commander of the Phoenix Kingdom's reinforcements was Qin King Yuan Yan, he did not take it seriously.
"A mere child, who has never fought a single battle, yet she dares to challenge me. I wonder what the Emperor of Phoenix Kingdom sent her here for... If there are truly no generals to be found in the army, why not just surrender?" Kuang Chenglin laughed heartily, his words filled with disdain.
So she sent her vanguard, Yuchi Qi, to meet the enemy.
Yuan Yan, clad in armor and riding the steed Jingxue, led his troops in an attack.
"This humble girl, take this!" Yu Chi Qi went there with the intention of capturing Yuan Yan alive. With a loud shout, she thrust her spear straight at Yuan Yan's vital point. The spear's edge flashed with a chilling light in mid-air, hurtling towards him with immense force.
He thought that this one spear thrust would be enough to knock down the King of Qin.
To everyone's surprise, Yuan Yan did not dodge or yield in the face of this fierce attack, but instead turned his spear to meet it head-on.
The next moment, the weapons clashed, vibrating and clanging. Yu Chi Qi was so shocked by the impact that his hands went numb, and his arms felt heavy. He was immediately startled.
"How can the King of Qin be so strong?"
She fought Yuan Yan for more than ten rounds without being able to determine a winner. Instead, she felt her strength gradually waning and her anxiety growing.
Just then, Yuan Yan deliberately created an opening, slightly shifting his spear technique and exposing the gap on his right.
Having fought for a long time without success, Yuchi Qi was already burning with impatience. Now, seeing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, how could he let it slip by? Without thinking twice, he was overjoyed and immediately gave chase.
With a shout, he channeled all his strength into the tip of his spear and eagerly thrust it at Yuan Yan.
Yuan Yan had been waiting for this attack.
Just as Yuchi Qi launched his full-force attack, Yuan Yan twisted his waist sharply, turned around and swung his spear back. The spear tip, carrying immense force, pierced Yuchi Qi's chest like lightning.
Yuchi Qi's heart was pierced, and before the expression on his face had faded and his eyes still held a trace of surprise, he was already knocked off his horse by Yuan Yan.
He was shot through the heart and died from the gunshot wound.
"Your Highness, what excellent marksmanship!" Xue Lang couldn't help but exclaim.
Seeing that the enemy vanguard was dead, the Phoenix Kingdom's army was greatly encouraged and shouted.
They pressed their advantage and immediately routed the Wu Kingdom soldiers who had lost their commander.
Kuang Chenglin was furious upon seeing this, "That scoundrel Yuchi Qi is utterly useless! He was actually killed by that brat! He has completely disgraced our army!"
She ordered her men to fetch weapons, donned armor, and led her army into battle, personally engaging the enemy.
This is the moment Yuan Yan has been waiting for.
Just as the two armies were locked in fierce combat, a sudden drumbeat rang out. Liang Yijiong and Huang Gao led their main forces to break through from the left and right flanks of the Wu army, respectively. The unexpected attack immediately disrupted the Wu army's formation.
At the same time, Aman, Yu Liu, and others quietly advanced, leading another small force to circle around to the enemy's rear and suddenly attack, causing a commotion among the enemy.
"Take this from my grandma!" Ah Man swung her knife at anyone she saw, cutting down anyone as easily as chopping melons and vegetables. One slash was all it took to take a life. Her fierce appearance was comparable to that of a bandit.
It was too late when Kuang Chenglin realized that the army behind him was in chaos.
"Quickly, return to the capital immediately!" Kuang Chenglin urgently ordered.
However, given that things had come to this point, how could Yuan Yan possibly let her leave?
"Don't turn back. Stay and fight with me to the very end!" Yuan Yan turned his horse around, took out his bow and arrow, aimed at Kuang Chenglin, and said leisurely.
The arrow pierced the air in the next instant.
"General, be careful!"
Kuang Chenglin's personal guards reacted swiftly, rushing forward to shield him with their bodies. A bowstring twanged, and the guard was struck in the chest by an arrow, falling from his horse.
The soldiers present were all shocked. If their personal guards hadn't protected them in time, their general would likely have been in grave danger.
Before they could react, Yuan Yan drew her bow again, this time with three long arrows between her fingers, aiming at Kuang Chenglin and her guards on either side, ready to shoot.
Yuan Yan could actually shoot a series of shots?
Seeing this, Kuang Chenglin was horrified. Without a second thought, he immediately spurred his horse and fled under the cover of his guards.
But she clearly underestimated the capabilities of Yuan Yan's subordinates. Xue Lang, Che Ju, and others led the elite troops of the Ruijian Battalion in pursuit, cutting through the soldiers surrounding Kuang Chenglin.
With three sharp sounds, Yuan Yan shot down two of Kuang Chenglin's personal guards.
The final sound caused Kuang Chenglin's horse to collapse.
Xue Lang and his men caught up immediately and were about to capture Kuang Chenglin alive.
"Don't even think about it! The Kuang family will never be taken captive!"
Kuang Chenglin's eyes were bloodshot. He saw that the situation was hopeless and that he was surrounded and would have no way to escape.
Unwilling to be captured, she immediately turned and swung her sword, ending her own life before Yuan Yan and the others could.
Upon hearing the shouts of the Phoenix Army, the morale of the Wu Army collapsed, and they were utterly defeated.
"What a pity, we couldn't capture this general alive." Yuan Yan didn't have time to stop Kuang Chenglin from committing suicide, and a slight regret showed in his eyes.
The system was stunned by her display of skill and was speechless.
[Host, you've already won a resounding victory, so whether you capture them alive or not doesn't really matter anymore...]
"Your Highness, in this battle we have beheaded thousands and captured countless enemy prisoners." When Huang Gao came to report, he looked delighted and his eyes were filled with reverence as he looked at Yuan Yan, clearly showing his deep respect for her.
“Alright, General Huang, pass down the order to let the army rest briefly before entering Yidu,” Yuan Yan said.
...
Inside Yidu City.
The people hid in their houses in fear and unease, awaiting the outcome of the battle between the two armies.
He Mingyi: "How's the battle going?"
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