Chapter 144

Chapter 144

As dusk approached, Xiao Zhen, Qiao Changshun, and Sun Dian's army of over ten thousand soldiers set up camp two miles outside Yin City.

From a distance, the walls of Yin City towered high, far more impressive than those of Wei County.

Qiao Changshun asked, "Second Brother, have you thought about how to attack?"

With Second Brother around, he didn't bother to think too hard; no matter what plan he came up with, it wouldn't be as ingenious as Second Brother's.

Sun Dian used to be the one in Lingshui Village who most resented Xiao Zhen, but after experiencing various events over the past year, he now submitted to Xiao Zhen without resistance.

Xiao Zhen smiled and said, "I have a plan that can achieve victory without spilling blood, but its success depends on the two of you."

Sun Dian grunted loudly, "If you have a plan, just say it. You always make us ask."

Xiao Zhen replied, "Calm down, let's first see if we can lure them out of the city."

Siege battles were notoriously difficult, and this led to the development of various strategies to entice the enemy out of their fortifications. Insulting the defenders for their cowardice was one of the simplest and easiest methods, though it was also the easiest to see through, depending entirely on the defender's temperament.

Shi Jinhu had an even shorter temper than Shi Guanglei, but Shi Yi had specifically sent Military Advisor Deng to keep him in check. With Qi Yun fully supporting Deng, Shi Jinhu could only suppress his anger.

Deng soothed him, "Prince, think about it. Xiao Er is deliberately provoking you because he knows a direct assault won't work. If you go out, you'll fall into his trap. By not falling for it, you'll make Xiao Er anxious and sleepless, suffering far more than you would from a few empty words."

This made sense, and Shi Jinhu was willing to listen.

He drank some wine before bed and called for two beauties to attend him, ensuring a good night's sleep. The next morning, he went back to the city wall to see if there were any new developments from the Xiao family.

There were indeed some today. Over ten thousand of the Xiao family's soldiers were lined up outside, but they did not insult the defenders.

Then, three men rode out from the army. The one in the middle, clad in armor, looked dignified and stern. The man in white on the left had a handsome face and a smile like a fox. The man in black on the right, with a scar above his eye, was a towering and muscular figure, resembling a fierce demon.

The three rode up to the base of the wall, within range of the archers.

Seeing the enemy generals brave enough to come, Shi Jinhu did not order the archers to shoot. Instead, he mocked them from above, "What, seeing that we won't fall for your tricks, you've decided to change your tactics to lure me out today?"

The armored man was naturally the commander, Xiao Zhen.

He looked up at the group on the wall and, recognizing Military Advisor Deng, realized, "So Mr. Deng is here. No wonder the defenders are so composed. I apologize for our rudeness."

Deng smiled slightly, noticing Shi Jinhu's change in expression, and quickly reassured him, "Prince, don't listen to Xiao Er's provocations. This man is as cunning as I am. Let's hear what he has to say."

Shi Jinhu snorted, "Xiao Er, stop talking nonsense. Are you here to surrender?"

Qiao Changshun replied, "If we submit to the Prince now, will the Prince and His Highness still agree to marry their daughter to me, Qiao Changshun?"

Shi Jinhu's face darkened, and he glared at him, "You're the one who insulted my sister, Qiao Changshun?"

Qiao Changshun laughed, "That's right, but you misunderstand. Look at me, so refined and charming. Wanting to marry a beautiful and virtuous wife is only natural. How can it be considered an insult?"

The Qiao brothers were naturally handsome and cheerful, and today Qiao Changshun had dressed up especially, wearing white and riding a white horse. His self-description as "refined and charming" was not an exaggeration.

Deng saw that the visitors were not friendly and interjected before Shi Jinhu could act, "If you're just here to cause trouble, I'll order the archers to shoot!"

Xiao Zhen frowned and scolded Qiao Changshun, "Do not be disrespectful in front of Mr. Deng."

Qiao Changshun pretended to bow apologetically to the wall.

Xiao Zhen then addressed Deng, "Mr. Deng, I dare not hide anything from you. To be honest, Yin City is formidable and well-fortified, and I have no confidence in breaching its walls. However, I am here under General Han's orders. If I retreat without a fight, the Xiao family's reputation will be tarnished. Therefore, I propose sending two of my best generals to challenge you in single combat. If you can defeat both, it will prove that we are inferior, and I will immediately withdraw, giving General Han a satisfactory report."

Deng smiled, "Last year, Li Zhong and five other generals failed to defeat Xiao Er. Why do you think you can trick us into a duel?"

Defeating Xiao Zhen was impossible, and losing would further demoralize the already low morale of the defenders.

Xiao Zhen said, "Mr. Deng, you worry too much. I will not participate myself."

Sun Dian boasted, "Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Qiao Changshun and I alone can make you cry for your mother!"

Shi Jinhu shouted, "Bullshit!"

Sun Dian retorted, "My mother is human and only farts like a human. Your mother must fart like a dog, which is why you talk like this."

Shi Jinhu: "..."

Without another word, he picked up a nearby spear and moved to charge down.

Deng quickly ordered Qi Yun and two guards to hold Shi Jinhu back, trying to reason with him.

Qiao Changshun taunted from below, "Shi Jinhu, are you really that afraid? My Second Brother is already letting you off easy. If your family can claim kingship, why are you afraid to face a nobody like me?"

Sun Dian added, "What skills does he have? He's hiding in the city like a turtle. In my opinion, your family's title as king is less convincing than Li Gang's. At least Li Gang dares to fight us, even if he loses once, he tries again!"

Qiao Changshun continued, "Second Brother, even the son of the Prince fears us. Imagine what kind of soldiers he commands. I think you're being too cautious. Just order the army to attack. Finish the son first, then the father, and take their heads to General Han!"

Enraged, Shi Jinhu pushed Qi Yun and the others away, rushing to the wall and pointing at Sun Dian, "If you're a man, don't run. Let's fight!"

Sun Dian replied, "I won't run. I'm just afraid you don't have the guts to come!"

Deng held Shi Jinhu tightly, "Prince, don't fall for their trap!"

Shi Jinhu grabbed Deng's thin arm and sneered, "Do you really think I'm a fool? It's just a duel. Even if I can't beat Sun, I can still return alive. Once the gates are closed, we still hold the city. If we win, Xiao Er will have a reason to retreat, and we will regain our honor and boost morale, no longer hiding like cowards."

Deng protested, "But..."

Shi Jinhu glared at Qi Yun, "I'll fight Sun. You fight the pretty boy. Dare you?"

Qi Yun hesitated.

Shi Jinhu added, "If you're scared, I'll pick someone else!"

Qi Yun, seeing that he was determined to accept the Xiao family's challenge, could only say, "Alright, I will accompany the Young Master into battle."

At this point, Military Advisor Deng, a weak scholar, had no more means to dissuade the two.

The first match was between Sun Dian and Shi Jinhu, while Xiao Zhen and Qiao Changshun rode back to the front of their formation first.

Both armies drummed to cheer for their respective generals.

Sun Dian and Shi Jinhu were both skilled with spears, galloping on their steeds, exchanging over a dozen rounds in the blink of an eye.

Qiao Changshun, worried about Sun Dian, asked Xiao Zhen, "Second Brother, if Sun Dian loses, I'm not sure I can beat that Qi fellow either. Are we really going to retreat?"

He was confident in his martial arts, but today's stakes were too high, making him nervous.

Xiao Zhen replied, "We'll retreat. We'll attack Lu County and have Fourth Younger Brother and the others take on Yin City."

Qiao Changshun: "..."

Under the city gate, Sun Dian and Shi Jinhu fought fiercely, the outcome uncertain.

Military Advisor Deng watched with blurred vision and asked Qi Yun, "Who do you think will win?"

Qi Yun couldn't tell; both men were fierce. Although Shi Jinhu was rash, even he dared not claim he could surely win against such spear skills.

What they didn't know was that Sun Dian, though rough in appearance and speech, had not become the head constable of Wei County solely because of his martial prowess.

While fighting Shi Jinhu, he continuously insulted him, at one moment scolding Shi Jinhu for being too obedient to Military Advisor Deng, and the next mocking him for having a golden exterior but being less capable than another pretty face on the city wall, suggesting he should have chosen to challenge Qi Yun instead.

Shi Jinhu was furious, yet unable to immediately defeat Sun Dian. The angrier he became, the more anxious he grew, and anxiety led to mistakes. Seizing the opportunity, Sun Dian used the tip of his spear to push off the ground, leaped from his horse, and kicked Shi Jinhu in the chest with both feet, knocking him off his mount.

Shi Jinhu rolled twice on the ground, just managing to turn over when Sun Dian's spear tip pressed against his throat.

At that moment, Military Advisor Deng, who had been watching nervously, nearly fainted.

Sun Dian merely smiled, retracted his spear, and shouted, "Shi Jinhu, Shi Jinhu, named a tiger but truly a dog. I disdain taking your dog life, goodbye!"

He spurred his horse back to the camp, leaving Shi Jinhu so enraged that he punched the ground, his fist bleeding.

When Shi Jinhu returned to the city, Qiao Changshun rode forward and said to Military Advisor Deng, "Mr. Deng, you saw it all. Your Young Master couldn't even beat Sun Dian from Lingshui Village. My Second Brother and I were personally trained by our old man. Sun Dian is my defeated opponent. Do we really need to fight the second round?"

Military Advisor Deng did not want to continue, but since Qi Yun had already accepted the challenge, backing out now would undermine his authority over the city's defenders.

Unable to stop him, Deng turned to Shi Jinhu for help.

Shi Jinhu, having just lost face, wanted to prove it wasn't his fault but rather the strength of the Xiao family's generals. He was eager for Qi Yun to lose as well, so they could share the humiliation.

Thus, Shi Jinhu only warned Qi Yun not to underestimate his opponent.

Soon, Qi Yun rode out of the city. Though not dressed in white, his handsome features rivaled those of Qiao Changshun.

Qi Yun's weapon was a long saber, its hilt carved in the shape of a roaring lion.

Qiao Changshun couldn't resist taunting, "I heard your family performs lion dances. When we capture Yin City, why don't you dance a lion for me?"

Qi Yun remained unmoved, focusing on each strike with increasing ferocity.

Gradually, Qiao Changshun stopped talking.

After half an hour of intense combat, Qi Yun suddenly leaped onto his horse and charged at Qiao Changshun like a fierce tiger.

Qiao Changshun raised his spear to block, but the force of the blow made his horse kneel down.

Qiao Changshun rolled off the ground, grabbing a handful of sand and throwing it backward.

Caught off guard, Qi Yun dodged, giving Qiao Changshun the chance to leap onto his horse and flee in panic.

The soldiers on the city walls, witnessing this, beat their drums even harder, celebrating Qi Yun's victory.

Not just them, all the defending soldiers cheered.

At this moment, Xiao Zhen ordered his troops to shout, "Prince Shun's son has excellent saber skills, we bow in admiration. We will retreat thirty miles as a sign of respect."

With these words, the Xiao family's army indeed retreated.

Only Qi Yun, on his horse, frowned at Qiao Changshun's retreating white figure, sensing that Qiao Changshun still had the strength to fight.

Soon after the battle ended, two voices emerged among the forty thousand defending soldiers in Yin City. Those loyal to Prince Shun praised Qi Yun's valor, while some of Prince Dai's troops either kept quiet or, resentful of Prince Shun's arrogance, went to complain to Shi Jinhu.

Even without complaints, Shi Jinhu had been brooding over the matter.

Having lost to Sun Dian, and according to Qiao Changshun, Sun Dian was his defeated opponent, which meant Shi Jinhu must be weaker than Qi Yun.

When a soldier came to complain, Shi Jinhu was drinking alone. Learning he had become a laughingstock, he grabbed his spear and went to find Qi Yun.

Seeing Shi Jinhu's aggressive approach, Qi Yun confirmed his suspicions, realizing they had fallen for Xiao Zhen's divide-and-conquer strategy.

However, he did not explain immediately, knowing Shi Jinhu wouldn't listen.

Instead, Qi Yun cooperated in a fight with Shi Jinhu, intentionally creating an opening during the bout.

Shi Jinhu, though rash, was not foolish, especially in combat. He refused to take the bait, instead scolding Qi Yun, "Do I need your mercy? Show me your best moves!"

Qi Yun had no choice but to continue the fight.

Shi Jinhu attacked with lethal intent, forcing Qi Yun to give his all.

Military Advisor Deng rushed to the scene, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as the two continued their deadly duel.

In such a life-or-death struggle, Qi Yun gradually lost his composure.

Shi Yi wielded great power, half-coercing and half-enticing the Qi family to form an alliance. His father, Qi Heng, fearing Shi Yi, ignored his objections and agreed to marry his seventeen-year-old sister to the forty-year-old Shi Yi.

When Han Zongping suddenly launched an attack, Shi Yi further incited his father to abandon their homeland and seek refuge in Shuozhou. Qi Yun had already made every effort to cooperate with Shi Jinhu, yet Shi Jinhu harbored such hatred over a single contest that he wanted to take his life!

"Qi Yun, stop!"

A sharp cry pierced the air, and Qi Yun came to his senses, only to realize that Shi Jinhu's spear had slipped from his hand, and his blade was perilously close to Shi Jinhu's throat...

Qi Yun promptly reined in his blade, suppressing the surging blood in his chest, and bowed to Shi Jinhu, saying, "I yield."

Shi Jinhu stormed off in anger.

That night, Shi Jinhu, claiming that Qi Yun intended to murder him, led his troops to surround Qi Yun's residence. To his surprise, Qi Yun was well-prepared, having arranged a dense array of archers on the roof.

Standing in the courtyard, Shi Jinhu sneered up at Qi Yun on the roof, "So you really did want to kill me!"

Qi Yun: "...Spare the fool, exterminate the rest."

Yin City was in turmoil all night, while thirty miles away, the ten thousand troops of the Xiao family slept soundly.

The next morning, as dawn broke, all the soldiers heard the rapid clatter of hooves.

Qiao Changshun and Sun Dian galloped out of the camp and saw several dozen fast horses approaching from the distance, with Qi Yun leading them.

Qiao Changshun ordered the archers on either side to lower their bows and let Qi Yun and his men enter.

Qi Yun's face was as cold as frost. He threw Shi Jinhu, who was tied to his horse, before Qiao Changshun and said coldly, "I've long heard of the extraordinary wisdom of Second Master Xiao. Today, I have personally experienced it."

Another man also tossed Deng the Strategist to the ground.

Qiao Changshun glanced at the hog-tied Shi Jinhu and Deng the Strategist and laughed heartily, "My second brother is indeed formidable, but if I hadn't feigned defeat, would this foolish tiger have taken the bait?"

Qi Yun, holding the reins in one hand and raising his sword with the other, asked, "Since it was a feigned defeat, shall we have another match?"

Qiao Changshun chuckled, "We're all family now; there will be plenty of opportunities for contests. Come, I'll take you to meet my second brother. The good wine and food were prepared last night, just waiting for your arrival to start the feast!"