The last checkpoint in the north is still covered with heavy snow even though it is already May. The howling north wind blew in gusts, blowing on people's faces like a cold knife.
"Let's go."
Zhao Che smiled at Wei Shuye, still full of confidence even in such a predicament.
Wei Shuye was thin. He looked up at Zhao Che, who was still full of confidence, and couldn't help feeling confused.
Yan Xun came madly to plunder food and supplies, and used human wave tactics to frantically consume their military strength. Because Zhao Yang did not spend much manpower in the battle against Yanbei, he was blinded by greed and attacked Zhao Che's rear army at this time, blocking Zhuge Yue's food supply, causing Zhao Che to fall into danger, suffer heavy losses in manpower, and lose thirteen provinces in the central part.
By the time they gathered troops and prepared to counterattack, they were already surrounded by enemies on all sides and were no longer able to recover.
That day, Zhao Che stood on the ruins in silence for a long time. The battle-hardened prince general put down his sword dejectedly, turned around and said to him: "We lost."
That day, all the generals who followed him cried. Even he, the young master of a powerful family who had always been high and mighty, shed tears of resentment.
It's not that there is no chance of victory, it's not that there is no strength to recover. They fought all the way, fighting in a decadent and depressed land. They have the determination and courage to die heroically at any time and anywhere.
But they still lost.
It was not a defeat on the enemy battlefield, but a defeat in the conspiracy among internal strife.
They encountered the most powerful enemy in history, but also faced the most declining homeland in a hundred years.
The young prince raised his head and his horse stamped its hooves nervously. The northern pass was covered in silver white, and the sky and the earth were covered with heavy snow. Once you pass this pass, it is no longer the land of Daxia. From then on, the wind and sand are rolling, and the outside of the pass is vast and boundless, and there is no longer the flag of Daxia.
He looked up at the sky and said quietly: "The Zhao family will never perish. As long as the sun rises, there will be descendants of the Zhao family."
He spurred his horse and whipped it, with thousands of troops following him. There were mountains and rivers thousands of miles long, and the snow was as white as silver.
Zhao Che's fists were as hard as iron, his eyes were as sharp as knives, his lips moved slightly, and he said silently but firmly: "I will come back——"
"Sir!" He Xiao suddenly yelled, his eyes red as he said, "I disagree."
"Commander He, this is an order." At the Tangjing Pass, Chu Qiao, dressed in armor, looked at her most trusted subordinate and spoke in a deep voice, enunciating each word.
"Sir, you go and escort Emperor Tang out of the city, and let me stay here."
The shouts of killing were right under their feet, and the thunderous sound of horse hooves rolled in. The subordinates led by Princess Jing'an had ten times more troops than theirs. Thousands of cavalrymen rushed forward and launched charges towards the Tang capital again and again. Like a mountain torrent or tsunami, it is unstoppable.
Chu Qiao said coldly: "Can you do it?"
He Xiao frowned and said loudly: "I swear to die..."
"Even if you die, you can't do it." Chu Qiao suddenly said sharply.
He Xiao's face turned pale when he heard this. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Chu Qiao say, "Tangjing is now surrounded on all sides, and there is a second layer of blockade by Yan Xun's hundreds of thousands of troops on the periphery. Bian Tang's army has been beaten and frightened, and no one will help us. I am the only punitive army in the country, and all the eyes of the enemy must be on me. As long as I am still on this tower, they dare not divide their troops to pursue, and once I leave, they will give up attacking Tangjing and chase after me with all their strength. By then, we will have no city to defend, with Yanbei Army in front and Jing'an Army behind, and we will die even more miserably!"
How could He Xiao not think of this? He listened with a frown, gritting his teeth, and said nothing.
"He Xiao, I beg you, take them and escape. I have been deeply indebted to Li Ce in my life, and I have no way to repay him. Today I cannot protect his country, but at least I can protect his bloodline."
He Xiao looked miserable, his eyes fixed on Chu Qiao, and suddenly said, "Sir, let others go, let me stay by your side to protect you."
Chu Qiao shook her head and said softly, "I don't trust others."
He Xiao looked at Chu Qiao, his eyes as hot as flaming lava.
They have shared life and death for so many years, and have been together for so many years. The time they have spent together is far more than anyone else. And the feelings that once sprouted gradually deteriorated with the passage of time, like the blood and milk of family members.
The woman before me is strong, brave, kind and sincere. Of course she would also be timid, confused, and would cry fragilely in his arms. They are comrades, friends, and relatives. She is both his master and his sister.
The blazing firelight reflected on their faces. He Xiao suddenly reached out and hugged her, his voice low, as if he was chewing blood: "Take care!"
"Take care of yourself too!"
The soldier turned over and jumped onto his horse. Li Xiuyi shouted to Chu Qiao: "Aunt! Aunt!"
He Xiao held the child in his arms, never looking at her again, and rushed out through the south side city gate with a group of elite troops. At the same time, the east and west gates were also opened wide, and a group of soldiers rushed out of the city gates and engaged in a melee with the enemy.
"Archers, get ready!" He Qi shouted, "Fire!"
The vast wasteland was like a meat grinder, ruthlessly sucking the lives of the warriors. Spears and sabers flashed with bloodthirsty light, and thousands of horse hooves rumbled like thunder, rolling between heaven and earth.
Chu Qiao stood on the city wall, watching this fatal battle, all the memories flashed in her mind one by one.
In her two lives, she has done many things and met many people. She did some things right and some things wrong. She missed some people and let some people down. But no matter what, no matter what the circumstances, she never betrayed her beliefs.
Life becomes clearer at this moment. She closed her eyes, and the figures who had passed by flashed one by one, the ones she had loved, hated, let down, and hurt, and finally, they condensed into a handsome figure. She stood at the bow, her clothes rustling, the cold rain lightly touching her. She turned her head indifferently, her eyes cold but filled with deep attachment.
"I love you." She said softly. The wind was so strong that it blew through her hair, and the whole sky and earth were blood red. Those surging weapons and armors came roaring and hit the ancient city gate again and again, making a deafening sound.
She placed her hand on her belly, which was already slightly bulging, carrying the hope of life, which had been supporting her and giving her the courage to stand here, not afraid or weak, but strong enough to be a mother.
It's such a long way, he must not be able to hear it.
She smiled and looked up at the clear sky, "I love you——"
But, I can't be with you after all.
The sky was so blue that it made her eyes sore. A line of tears flowed down the corners of her eyes, sinking into her cold helmet and soaking into her thick hair.
She drew her sword and all the enemy troops rushed in her direction. He Xiao's troops had already attacked from the flank. The deafening shouts of killing were like rumbling thunder. The white battle flag with red clouds was flying overhead. The bright red color was particularly eye-catching against the rolling yellow sand, like a red sun full of hope.
She turned around and glanced at the young warriors one by one.
These are the world-famous Xiu Li Army, but it is almost difficult to see those original faces now. Over the years, this iron-blooded army followed her in battles across the north and south, spanning the entire Simon continent. They followed her, never flinching or showing any fear.
The Battle of Zhenhuang, the Battle of Northwest, the Battle of Chidu, the Battle of Beishuo, the Battle of Qianzhang Lake, the Battle of Huoleiyuan, the Battle of Longyin Pass, the Battle of Tangjing, the Battle of Baizhi Pass, the Battle of Tiexian River...
For seven years, this army has demonstrated their loyalty to the entire Simon Continent with their brilliant achievements. Regardless of country or faction, they fight for no one but her and their own conscience.
Group after group of people fell down, but there were still more people struggling to move forward. Even if they do not have any deep feelings for the country they are protecting, even if their hometown is thousands of miles away, even if they have no idea what fate awaits them. However, just one reason is enough, just one person's order is enough, as long as that person stands in front, their loyalty will be like cold iron under a thousand-foot ice lake, even if the mountains and rivers collapse and the blood turns to ashes, it will not waver.
There was no inspiring speech, and no need to boost morale. The young woman took off her helmet, her long black hair flying, her eyes like morning stars, she smiled at her soldiers, and then raised the sword in her hand.
"Fight for freedom!" Two thousand Xiu Li Army soldiers shouted their slogan.
There was a dull rumbling sound, like thunder striking the earth, followed by countless people's crazy cheers.
The Tangjing city gate, which had stood for thousands of years, finally collapsed.
The enemy poured in like a tide.
A strong wind blew, and the sound of shouting and killing was close at hand. Chu Qiao said loudly: "Everyone go first, I will follow."
"Sir! I will go first!" A general jumped on his horse with a big laugh, brandished his sword, and shouted, "Fight for freedom!"
He raised his saber high and stepped forward. The soldiers of the Xiuli Army followed him and charged towards the huge enemy formation, like a baby less than a year old challenging a towering giant.
"kill!"
The shrill shouts of killing filled the entire world.
Sunset, wasteland, cavalry galloping across the land, swords and knives as high as mountains. The desolate wind blew, and the indomitable soldiers raised their sabers and rushed towards the rolling torrent one after another.
The entire city of Tangjing was shrouded in endless war. A hundred years ago, the rose flag of the Tang Dynasty once covered all the land on the continent. The world was unified and the territory was vast. The will of the Tang Dynasty once dominated the world. However, today, the battlefield is noisy, armor is broken, and battle flags are withered. The sky above the majestic palace is shrouded in layers of smoke, the breath of death engulfs the magnificent streets, and the ears are filled with the wailing of war horses and the cries of the people...
She looked up and saw a bright red sun slowly setting at the end of the west.
Those warriors who died heroically, those men whose blood never froze, those men whose names would never appear in the history books even after their death, all rest forever in this vast land. Although they tried their best, they still could not stop the decline of the empire.