Chapter 475 Counterattack

Chapter 475: The Counteroffensive

After Du Zhong left, Leng Xing hesitated for a moment with the medicine in her hand.

Studying the unconscious Zhufeng, Leng Xing tried to pry open his mouth and push the medicine in, then tipped in some water before lifting his chin firmly.

Water trickled from the corner of Zhufeng’s lips.

He was too deeply unconscious to swallow—this approach wasn’t working.

Wiping the water from Zhufeng’s mouth with a handkerchief, Leng Xing peeked at the tent entrance, guessing no one would come in. She then took a sip of water from the cup and leaned down close to Zhufeng.

The medicine was already in Zhufeng’s mouth—she just needed to pass the water mouth-to-mouth so the medicine could follow it down his throat.

Clenching her hands nervously, Leng Xing pressed her lips shyly against Zhufeng’s, terrified someone might walk in.

Zhufeng remained oblivious, his breath barely there.

Leng Xing held his hand and spoke awkwardly, "I really like the silver hairpin you gave me. I’ll never take it off."

"If you wake up, I won’t be angry with you anymore. And... I’ll buy you a drink..."

Leng Xing struggled with words, and after saying these few sentences, she didn’t know what else to say.

But she believed these were the words Zhufeng most wanted to hear, so she kept repeating them.

By the time the sun had fully risen, the battle outside the camp was nearing its end.

Victory was certain—the Nanyan soldiers were merely making a futile last stand.

After leaving a portion of the troops to finish clearing the field, the rest returned to camp for a meal.

"Husband, brother-in-law, are either of you hurt?" Jiang Shu entered the main tent with breakfast, her stomach clenched at the sight of blood staining their clothes and armor.

Seeing Jiang Shu’s reddened eyes, Yu Zheng knew she had been crying. He pulled her to sit beside him and reassured her, "We’re unharmed. No need to fret."

"It’s all the enemy’s blood," Zhou Boxu added before picking up his chopsticks to eat.

Time was short—they needed to prepare the troops to storm the city.

Jiang Shu also knew they had urgent matters to attend to, so she said nothing more and pressed Yu Zheng to eat.

"I’ll go assemble the troops," Zhou Boxu said, finishing first and leaving.

Yu Zheng nodded and quickened his pace. Once he finished his meal, he set down his chopsticks and stood.

Jiang Shu knew he was about to leave. Biting back her fear, she softly reminded him, "Be careful, husband. I’ll be waiting for your victorious return."

"Alright," Yu Zheng agreed. Then, seeing the sorrow on Jiang Shu’s face, he added, "Ren Dong’s death was an accident. No one wanted it."

"I know," Jiang Shu nodded, her throat tightening at the thought of Ren Dong. "I just feel so sad and regretful. Such a kind soul... She hadn’t even seen Shang Jing yet..."

Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she couldn’t continue.

Yu Zheng wiped the moisture from her cheek and said, "We’ll avenge her. Her death won’t go unanswered."

There was no undoing it—all they could do now was protect those still alive.

Jiang Shu nodded again and walked out of the tent with Yu Zheng, hanging back as she watched him and Zhou Boxu lead the troops out of the camp.

Jiang Shu only turned away to make arrangements for Ren Dong's burial after the army had marched far out of sight.

Though Ren Dong had come to serve her, she wasn't a servant but a civilian. Their time together had been brief, yet Jiang Shu had come to deeply admire the optimistic and resilient girl.

That same smiling face she had seen that morning now lay cold and pale, never to smile at her again.

With a heavy heart, Jiang Shu had Ren Dong's body sent back to Yicheng, leaving the funeral arrangements to Lian Qiao.

When the guards lifted Ren Dong onto the carriage, Da Bai flew up as well.

When a guard tried to shoo the goose away, it pecked him.

Jiang Shu sighed. "Leave him be. Let Da Bai stay with his master."

With the Nanyan Beastmasters dead and their beast forces wiped out, the geese had become unnecessary. Moreover, there was no one left to command them.

Thinking this, Jiang Shu ordered another carriage prepared to send all the geese back to Yicheng, to be properly looked after.

These geese had proven themselves in battle and were no longer ordinary poultry—they deserved proper treatment.

After going to see Zhufeng, Jiang Shu returned to the rear camp to work.

Under the warm sun, the Left Wing General grew uneasy when the cavalry failed to return despite the high noon. Knowing something was wrong, he paced restlessly in his tent.

"Report!" A scout rushed in.

The Left Wing General halted. "Speak."

"Our cavalry and beast forces have been wiped out. The Daizhao troops are already advancing on Shuncheng," the scout said urgently.

The general staggered but steadied himself. "Prepare the troops to defend the city!"

With only twenty thousand infantry left in Shuncheng, they were no match for the Daizhao forces. Yet they had no choice but to fight—there was no retreat.

Strapping on his armor and gripping his sword, the Left Wing General led the infantry swiftly toward the city gates.

Upon reaching the walls, he saw the massive Daizhao forces advancing, already at their doorstep.

Battle was about to begin.

A deep horn blast sounded as the Daizhao soldiers, morale soaring, roared and charged toward the city.

"Archers, ready!" the Left Wing General commanded.

Knowing his forces were vastly outnumbered, he chose not to engage immediately but to whittle down the enemy's numbers first to buy time.

Yu Zheng saw through the tactic and signaled his men.

The front ranks swiftly parted, allowing the rear troops to bring forward over a hundred captives.

Bound at the wrists with chains, the prisoners—all wounded—stood shackled together, their faces twisted in fear as they gazed pleadingly at the city walls.

"General, they're our men!" a commander on the wall gritted his teeth.

The Daizhao were ruthless, using their own as shields.

"General..." The archers hesitated, awaiting orders.

The Left Wing General stared at the captured Nanyan cavalry, his expression pained. Then, steeling himself, he commanded, "Fire!"

"Whizz—" A hail of arrows rained down, striking the Nanyan cavalry.

A hundred men dropped at once, screams of pain erupting.

The Daizhao soldiers raised their shields high, shielding the rams as they advanced toward the city walls and gates.

"Roll the boulders!" the Left Wing General commanded coldly.

"Retreat!" The Daizhao men braced, swiftly pulling back as the boulders crashed down.

Once the boulders ceased, they pressed forward again.

After half an hour of this back-and-forth, the Left Wing General received urgent news.

"General, the north and south gates are under attack—reinforcements are desperately needed!"

The Left Wing General's heart sank like a stone, his head pounding.

He had anticipated Daizhao's attack from multiple fronts and stationed five thousand troops at each of the south and north gates. Now, with only ten thousand left at the west gate, there were no reinforcements to send.

"Stand your ground, no matter what—we must last until the prince returns!" the Left Wing General ordered grimly.

He knew full well that diverting troops would prompt Yu Zheng to launch a full-scale assault on the west gate.

For now, their only option was to stall for time.

The Left Wing General glanced up at the sun, praying it would hurry.

Xingyi City had forty thousand soldiers—while no match for Daizhao head-on, digging in could make Shun City hard to take.

Now, they were like trapped animals, fully aware of their disadvantage yet resolved to fight to the death.

Once the boulders were exhausted, the Daizhao army launched a fierce assault, the impacts making the walls tremble.

Left with no choice, the Left Wing General ordered his troops to charge out to meet the enemy.

Five thousand soldiers marched out of the city, prepared to die where they stood.

"The gates are open," Yu Zheng said, his voice cold, face grim.

This was the moment they'd been waiting for.