Chu Qiao stood on a high city wall. The whole Beishuo City was in jubilation. Seeing the hope of victory, people rushed to the top of the city walls, erected simple catapults, and defended stubbornly and resolutely.
Black arrows shot out one after another, and the enemies fell down like wormwood. Chu Qiao was dressed in a white fur coat and had a blank expression on her face. Millions of people died in front of her. As long as she waved her hand, millions of heads would fall to the ground. The blood formed streams, rivers, lakes, and burst floods. Human life was like grass, like ants, like worthless waste paper. War was like a man-eating devil, opening its bloody mouth and swallowing from the front.
She gradually lost all feeling. She didn't feel scared, nauseous, or even tired. It was the war that made her numb. At this moment, her hands and feet were stiff and she just felt so cold.
The war was cruel. After two days, the arrows in the city ran out. After a day, all the boulders and wooden beams were used up. The Xia army paid the price of nearly 70,000 lives. On the vast battlefield, bloody corpses covered the ground, and dense broken swords and sharp arrows spread all the way to below the horizon. The soldiers and civilians of Beishu were exhausted, but before they could even take a bite of dinner, the dark shadows pounced on them again.
Chu Qiao sighed helplessly. Even though they had thrown away the last stone, shot the last arrow, and dealt such a heavy blow to the enemy, the enemy still regrouped and rushed up so quickly. She and Zhao Yang both knew that war was often a test of endurance, and whoever could hold on longer would be the final winner. The Xia army suffered such severe losses in its Northern Expedition that Zhao Yang was now determined to make a desperate attempt.
"My Lord, what shall we do?"
The subordinates rushed in hurriedly and looked at her with expectant eyes. In the past, this female general was always able to take out a powerful secret weapon to save the situation in critical moments, and the soldiers of the entire Second Army were full of love for her. But now, Chu Qiao shook her head and said calmly: "There is no other way, let's fight."
The close-range siege finally unfolded in full swing. The sky and the earth were filled with desolate and wailing sounds. The earth was shaking violently underfoot and the wailing of war horses filled the ears. The Daxia Army was like towering mountains, violently beating down the walls of Beishuo and rushing forward in waves. Due to the huge disparity in numbers, the battle became more brutal in the later stages. The city walls were lost several times and were recaptured several times by the soldiers with their blood. The soldiers of the Southwest Town Government displayed terrifying and amazing fighting power. With less than 3,000 people, they defended half of the city wall, while the other half had a total of 60,000 defenders. Despite this, the Southwest Town Envoy still had to lend them a helping hand again and again.
Two days later, Zhao Yang sent people to dig ditches under the east side of the city, causing a small landslide, and a small section of the city wall collapsed. Although Chu Qiao quickly took defensive measures, more than 2,000 people still rushed into the city. These people were all elite troops of Da Xia. The fighting lasted for more than two hours, and the corpses piled up into a small hill.
"General! The Third Battalion was completely wiped out. Under the leadership of the General, the Crossbow Battalion and the Fourth Militia Team attacked the city and forced back the Xia soldiers who were digging trenches under the city. All of them were killed. All of the Xiaolin Battalion died in battle, and all of the 11th Team died on the East First City Wall..."
"General, we can't hold on any longer. We only have two more hours. Retreat now!"
He Xiao also stepped forward. The young man was covered in wounds and blood. He said in a hoarse voice, "Sir, the Southwest Town Government has asked all officers and soldiers to withdraw. We will fight our way out for you from the west gate."
Yin Liangyu's face was pale. The civil servant, who was good at writing, was wearing a military uniform. He frowned and walked forward and said, "General, the reinforcements can't come. We don't have time. Please lead the Southwest Town Envoy and the women and children in the city to fight out. As long as we reach Lancheng and Miss Yu, we will have a chance to make a comeback. I am willing to stay and live and die with Beishuo."
Chu Qiao shook her head slowly. Where was the person in Lancheng? Even if we escape there, it would only lead Xia Bing to attack inland of Yanbei. She whispered, "I will not retreat."
"General, please put the overall situation first! This is not the time to act on impulse!"
Chu Qiao raised her head, looked into the distance with a determined look, and said slowly: "Reinforcements will arrive."
"Sir!" He Xiao said excitedly, "We can't wait any longer. Time is running out. If we don't leave now, it will be too late."
Chu Qiao still said the same thing, full of confidence, even crazy and paranoid, "Reinforcements will arrive."
Everyone retreated reluctantly, and then ordered the entire army to defend to the death. For a moment, the whole city was filled with crazy roars. Chu Qiao couldn't tell what emotion it was, anger, sadness, panic, bloodiness, fear, hatred, despair, or maybe it was nothing, just a cry before death.
The sky gradually darkened, the setting sun was blood red, and the battle was extremely fierce. The captain and cook of the Seventh Battalion of the Eighth Division took a pig-killing knife and roared as he charged towards the Xia army that had climbed up to the top of the city wall. More than a dozen Xia soldiers rushed up in a row, but the fat cook pounced on them and threw them into the fire. The fire quickly burned on them. The Xia soldiers slapped the flames on their bodies in panic, but the cook continued to pounce on others regardless, with a fierce momentum, not caring about the flames on his body at all. Xia Jun was in a panic. Wherever he went, everyone dodged to avoid him. Finally, the cook silently grabbed the rope ladder that Xia Jun used to climb up the city wall and slid all the way down. More than 20 soldiers who were climbing fell to their deaths on the rocks under the city wall with him, with blood splattering and brains bursting.
On this day, millions of people from both the enemy and our side witnessed the bravery of a cook.
"My lord! The Eighth Team has been completely wiped out!"
"Reinforcements will arrive."
"Sir, the second east wall collapsed, and more than 300 enemies rushed in. The 9th and 10th brigades went up to stop them."
"Reinforcements will arrive."
"My lord, let's go quickly, the last three reserves of Xia Bing have also joined the battle!"
"Reinforcements will arrive."
"Sir, it's too late if we don't leave now. No reinforcements will arrive. Give the order to retreat!"
"Reinforcements will arrive."
"grown ups……"
…
Everyone was in despair. They all thought Chu Qiao was determined to live and die with Beishuo. The battle became more and more brutal, with frantic screams everywhere. The soldiers of Yanbei went crazy and made a final desperate roar, rushing forward with swords waving to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy.
The commander of the central army should not participate in the war, but at this moment, Chu Qiao slowly drew out the sword from her waist. Even at this moment, there was a belief that was still clamoring wildly in her mind, and she had to hold on for a moment longer. She slowly walked out of the central military camp and came to the highest point of the city wall. Her sword was sharp, like a silver glow.
He Xiao suddenly rushed forward, his face horrified, his joy and anger unclear, and he shouted in panic, "Sir!"
"Stop talking!" Chu Qiao interrupted him and said in a deep voice, "I will not retreat. Reinforcements will definitely arrive."
"Sir," He Xiao licked his pale lips and said slowly, "The reinforcements have arrived."
Chu Qiao's body trembled, and she turned around suddenly following He Xiao's finger. On the horizon of the Fire Thunder Plain, a thin inky black line appeared faintly, with dust flying above the line. A shrill horn sounded from the Xia army, the sound was shrill, and it was not a sign of victory at all. The messengers ran back and forth, and the officers were shouting something at the top of their lungs, but no one could hear clearly. In panic, great panic, the Great Xia army retreated like a tide, and the Xia soldiers ran back in a daze following the sound of the bugle call, not knowing what was going on.
The earth is shaking, boom! Boom! Boom!
Everyone stopped moving. The Beishuo guards, who were ready to die in battle, raised their heads and looked towards the distant east. On a red field of fire and thunder, a long and narrow line gradually merged into a black river. Then, it was as if a black eagle suddenly leaped out from the end of the sky, with broad, majestic wings, turning into an endless black ocean!
Overwhelming! As powerful as a storm! The black battle flag fluttered above the black ocean. The war eagle looked ferocious, almost breaking through the flag. The soldiers controlled their horses with their legs, drew their swords and held them upright in front of them, roaring like thunder, "Fight for freedom!"
The deafening charge instantly resounded throughout the earth, and suddenly a huge cheer rose to the sky from the top of Beishuo City!
"The Black Eagle Flag! It's the Black Eagle Flag! Your Highness! It's Your Highness coming!"
"Our reinforcements are coming!"
The soldiers cheered and many shed tears on the city walls. In just a few days, this ancient city had experienced life and death. Now, facing the sudden hope, people cheered and hugged each other warmly.
The cheers from the top of Beishuo City were matched by the panicked roars from Daxia. Zhao Yang shouted in disbelief, "How could this happen? How did they get around to the back road?"
“Your Highness! Your Highness!” A messenger rushed forward in a hurry, wearing the military uniform of Zhenhuang City, his face covered with dust and frost, and shouted loudly, “The imperial capital has issued an order, ordering you to return to the mainland immediately to provide assistance. The villain Yan Xun led an army of 500,000 and invaded the interior of the empire, leaving the northwest a scorched earth. Now, he has returned to outflank the Northern Expedition Army!”
With a bang, Zhao Yang kicked the messenger off his horse and angrily yelled, "Why didn't you wait until he killed all our troops before reporting back?"
"I have traveled day and night, and all the brothers who delivered the message were intercepted and killed by the Yanbei Army. Only one of you is left. I have to be more careful..."
The man hurriedly defended himself, but before he could finish his words, he was kicked by Zhao Yang again. The fourteenth prince of Daxia hurriedly issued an order: "All legions must form a battle array on the spot and not flee. They must hold their ground to fight the enemy."
However, before he could finish his words, he saw the remaining troops of the Southwestern Army, the Northern Alliance and the Batuha Family all fleeing in disarray, leaving only the Northwestern Army forming a battle array on the spot to resist the approaching Yanbei army.
Zhao Yang closed his eyes in despair. Was it really God's will that Great Xia would be destroyed?
The Xia army's retreat was like a tide, and all resistance was torn apart by the Yanbei army with ease. The advantage in numbers, combat effectiveness, new morale, and the sudden attack all created the conditions for the Yanbei army to win. Two hours later, the Xia army escaped from the Fire Thunder Plain and fled in panic towards the Helan Mountains.
The Yanbei Army sent out 100,000 troops and chased after them!
This day was November 1st of the 775th year of the Bai Cang calendar. The Black Hawk Army, which had penetrated deep into the interior of Da Xia, suddenly returned to the mainland of Yanbei. Yan Xun strictly blocked the news along the way, rode at full speed, ate, drank and slept on horseback, and after returning, he did not rest at all and immediately engaged in battle.