Two days later, Gu Huilong led his great army and arrived early at Shunyang.

However, he was still one step too late.

What greeted him was a fallen city and Li Mu’s army arrayed in battle formation on the opposite bank of the great river.

Gu Huilong flew into a rage and immediately ordered ships to be gathered for a forced river crossing attack. But he was dissuaded by one of his advisors.

The advisor said that Li Mu already had a reputation for skillful warfare, and this time he had seized the initiative by capturing Shunyang, now waiting fresh while the enemy was tired. Though the Emperor’s great army outnumbered Li Mu’s forces, they had rushed here on a long forced march to relieve Shunyang. Now the troops were exhausted above and below, with constant complaints – not an opportune time for battle. If they attacked head-on immediately, they would certainly face Li Mu’s strong resistance. Far from reaching the opposite shore, whether they could even successfully force the crossing was questionable. Better to camp on the north bank first, let the soldiers recover, then adapt to circumstances and seek battle opportunities.

Though Gu Huilong had a violent temperament and was vengeful, he wasn’t brainless. Otherwise, when he hadn’t yet gained power, he wouldn’t have been able to cause Hou Ding to lose his wife and nearly lose his kingdom.

Calming down, he knew the advisor spoke reasonably, so he adopted the suggestion. While ordering preparations of ships, he commanded soldiers to camp and rest, awaiting battle opportunities.

The river was broad. Where the two armies faced each other, though separated by dozens of zhang, on clear days they could faintly see each other’s movements.

What he hadn’t expected was that just as he finished giving orders, before soldiers even had time to properly set up camp, the opposite shore quickly assembled large numbers of troops. Boats were deployed, soldiers boarded vessels, and archers lined up along the river in formation.

In an instant, arrows fell like rain, whistling across the river. Countless stone projectiles also launched with the arrows, falling on the north bank riverside, splashing up great sprays of water.

The foremost soldiers along the shore couldn’t dodge in time. Some were hit by stray arrows, others struck by stone projectiles. For a time there was wailing and crying, the scene in complete chaos.

Clearly, Li Mu intended to take advantage of his tired army and launch a river-crossing attack.

Gu Huilong flew into rage again, immediately commanding his army to form ranks and quickly mobilizing large numbers of archers and catapults to counterattack the opposite shore.

Under the counterattack of arrow formations and stone projectiles, those boats that had already entered the water all turned back, with soldiers returning to shore.

Seeing the enemy’s momentum finally suppressed, Gu Huilong’s soldiers cheered, spitting toward the opposite side and cursing loudly.

Before Gu Huilong could catch his breath, soldiers reported again that just now, they had discovered another large Southern Dynasty army crossing at a narrow stretch of river a dozen li away, apparently intending to land there.

Gu Huilong raged again, hastily deploying troops to intercept.

On both banks north and south, they shot arrows and hurled stones at each other while cursing endlessly, fighting fiercely. Then came another report saying Southern Dynasty troops had again been discovered assembling for a river crossing at another ferry.

That entire day, Gu Huilong was thus led around by Li Mu’s mobile army units, running back and forth, utterly exhausted. When darkness finally fell and they could temporarily rest, unexpectedly the opposite shore still wouldn’t quiet down.

That night, just as the extremely weary Xijin soldiers had fallen into deep sleep, the great river’s opposite bank suddenly lit up with scattered torches. Southern Dynasty troops, taking advantage of night cover, ran about on the opposite side, with voices clamoring, horses neighing constantly, horn sounds rising and falling, creating a clamor as if preparing to force a night crossing attack.

The Xijin soldiers, who had rushed for many days and been exhausted all day, were startled awake from their dreams and had to continue summoning their spirits to respond to attacks.

For three consecutive days and nights it was thus. Not only were the Xijin officers and men utterly exhausted with complaints everywhere, but even Gu Huilong himself could barely endure it.

He also understood that Li Mu was deliberately commanding his army to maneuver in different directions, creating the appearance of forced river crossings to wear down his great army.

His advisor also suggested they couldn’t continue being led around by the nose like this. Since they temporarily couldn’t gather enough ferry boats, better to concentrate the great army, choose suitable ground to camp and rest properly, then dispatch small squads of soldiers to establish posts along the river for close monitoring and reconnaissance of enemy movements on the opposite shore. When anything unusual was discovered, they could act accordingly.

Gu Huilong accepted the advisor’s words.

In the following days, as the Southern Dynasty army continued constant harassment and the Xijin soldiers gradually paid no attention, they received news from scouts saying that Li Mu’s army was nominally seventy thousand, but thirty thousand of them were Hou Ding’s men from Chouci. Their commander Hou Li was determined on revenge, eager to seize this opportunity when Xijin was exhausted above and below, wanting to force a river crossing attack. But Li Mu wouldn’t adopt this, preferring first to maintain the standoff, using this method to enrage Gu Huilong until he completely lost patience and launched an active attack, then Li Mu would wait fresh for the tired enemy. The two were arguing and at odds.

After two days, the Xijin soldiers on the north bank could faintly see that the Han army and Chouci army on the south bank had indeed separated into different camps, each camping separately. This confirmed the scouts’ intelligence, so they completely relaxed and paid no more attention. Seeing the opposite shore still making empty displays, they all mocked and ridiculed, cursing the Southern Dynasty people as “shrinking turtles.”

Li Mu’s army seemed completely unmoved. Day and night, they never failed to harass several times, but never once actually crossed the river.

Until seven or eight days later, on a deeply foggy night, he sent soldiers to continue clamoring on the south bank to cover sounds, while actually quietly moving all main forces and boats that had been gradually dispersed daily to a pre-selected ferry dozens of li upstream.

At the fifth watch, before dawn, taking advantage of fog that hadn’t yet dispersed, at his command, large numbers of boats hidden in riverside reeds quickly assembled, carrying soldiers in rapid river crossing.

Xijin sentries discovered unusual activity on the opposite shore and reported it up.

Previously, this ferry had also frequently seen large numbers of Southern Dynasty soldiers feigning river crossings day and night at all hours, even crossing halfway then returning.

The leader assigned here had long become indifferent to such news. Though hearing sentries say this time’s scale seemed larger than before, thinking it was probably another diversion tactic, and considering that in recent days the Emperor had been extremely irritable, constantly berating people, and just the day before had killed a Tuyuhun officer who led fighting over supply disputes that killed two men – if he summoned large forces now only to discover they’d been toyed with again, he might face severe consequences. So he had people continue watching to determine the enemy’s intentions before deciding, without immediately alarming the Emperor.

It was this “continue watching” that missed the crucial moment.

When daylight grew faint and fog dispersed, the north bank finally saw clearly that this time the south bank wasn’t making empty shows but was real – countless boats loaded with Southern Dynasty soldiers were rowing toward them. Only then did they panic and try to report – but it was too late.

Large numbers of Southern Dynasty soldiers landed and easily annihilated this several-hundred-man detachment. Under dawn’s cover, the army advanced in great force toward Gu Huilong’s main army camp.

Simultaneously, the remaining forces that had been waiting on the south bank also quickly used boats to construct a pontoon bridge.

All seventy thousand troops thus crossed the great river without obstruction within moments, charging toward the Xijin main camp still lost in dreams.

Gu Huilong was startled awake from sleep. Without time to don armor, he hurriedly rushed from his tent, wanting to command army assembly for battle. However, the enemy would no longer give him such opportunity.

Camps caught fire in succession, orders were ineffective. Large numbers of Xijin soldiers were awakened from dreams by battle cries. Far from following orders to assemble in formation, they couldn’t even find their complete armor and weapons. Facing Southern Dynasty soldiers charging from all directions, how could they resist? Those who took up weapons could only struggle briefly before following the crowd in scattered flight.

Looking in all directions, enemies were everywhere. Gu Huilong saw the general situation was lost and knew he couldn’t linger. He abandoned the camp and under protection of his personal guards broke through encirclement, leading the flight north, intending to escape to Pingxing Commandery which had stronger city defenses. But the forward path was blocked by cavalry that had circled around in advance. With no choice, he was forced to flee west in panic to a military garrison a hundred li from Shunyang, where he briefly caught his breath and assembled remnants.

Of the hundred thousand troops he’d brought out, less than half still followed him now – the rest dead or scattered.

Gu Huilong was so enraged he nearly vomited blood. He swore to dismember Li Mu and immediately sent word to Chang’an, ordering his imperial brother Gu Huilong stationed there to quickly dispatch troops for rescue.

His message had just been sent when Li Mu’s great army followed in pursuit, surrounded the garrison, and launched fierce attacks.

The garrison was just a small city with walls less than two zhang high, built on earthen foundations. Long neglected and inherently weak, how could it withstand Li Mu’s great army’s siege?

In just two days, the walls collapsed.

Gu Huilong’s army had long lost fighting spirit. Having also lost the walls’ protection, they scattered like birds and beasts. Gu Huilong fled again, intending first to return to his ancestral home of Qin City before planning revenge, but was surrounded and killed by Xianbei Tuyuhun soldiers who had long harbored resentment against him. They took his head during the chaos. The Tuyuhun then supported their own tribal leader and fled to Qin City, deciding to occupy it and change dynasties.

Previously, after Gu Huilong captured Chang’an and stationed his imperial brother Gu Huilong there while leading troops south to attack Li Mu, he hadn’t expected that at the height of his power, seemingly unstoppable, he would suffer such catastrophic defeat. Not only did he lose a hundred thousand troops, but he was also beheaded by rebellious forces, his head severed from his body.

News quickly reached Chang’an.

At this time, Li Mu’s army was continuing north toward Chang’an with unstoppable momentum. Along the way, places like Pingxing and Weixing submitted at the mere sight of them. The great army was only seven or eight days’ march from Chang’an.

While Gu Huilong was terrified, he also received reports that the Tuyuhun forces that killed his brother were now heading toward Qin City, apparently harboring treacherous intentions.

That was the Gu Hui clan’s rear base and also Xijin’s capital.

Losing Chang’an was merely painful.

If Qin City were lost, even their nest would be completely taken.

Gu Huilong quickly decided to abandon Chang’an, leading his army back to Qin City to crush the Tuyuhun rebellion.

But having already obtained such a large piece of meat, how could he willingly hand it over for nothing?

As Gu Huilong led troops fleeing Chang’an, he left behind a five-thousand-man army with orders to massacre all city residents and burn the city before Li Mu’s arrival.

Many years ago, when Chang’an was still Dayu’s western capital, its population once exceeded five hundred thousand, with thriving commerce and incomparable prosperity.

Decades ago, when the Xiao house moved south, Chang’an fell into barbarian hands and experienced a terrible disaster. In three days, tens of thousands of residents were slaughtered, houses burned, the entire city wounded and devastated beyond description.

After Beixia established its dynasty, to increase tax revenue and maintain huge military expenses and expenditures to stabilize the imperial dynasty, they gradually restrained their brutality. Over decades, Chang’an’s population slowly multiplied again, now becoming a massive city with nearly over one hundred thousand residents.

Just months ago, when Xijin attacked Chang’an and Beixia retreated in defeat, the city had already suffered tribulation with thousands of residents dead. After falling into Gu Huilong’s hands, these few months had also seen cruel treatment – not only were people robbed until destitute with even kitchen knives confiscated, but seizure of wives and daughters was commonplace. All four city gates remained closed day and night, with Xijin allowing no residents to leave the city.

In a city of over a hundred thousand people, even during daytime the streets were empty. Everyone lived in fear. Except for those conscripted for labor service, no one dared venture onto streets casually, fearing disaster from heaven and unexpected calamity.

But the greatest misfortune still descended.

This day, above Chang’an hung bloody winds and rains, mournful clouds and tragic mists.

Gu Huilong abandoned the city, leaving troops to implement massacre before departing.

Terror spread wildly through the city with the news. People dragged children and elderly, fleeing everywhere seeking hiding places. But in this vast world, where could they hide?

The east, west, and north gates were all blocked with huge stones, leaving only the south gate open. Massacre and burning also began from the south gate.

In firelight, unarmed citizens fled their homes from the city’s southern section, pursued by five thousand wolf-like Xianbei soldiers.

Heart-rending cries and screams filled the entire city.

Just as another horrific massacre was about to descend again on this disaster-plagued ancient city of Chang’an, earth-shaking battle cries suddenly came from outside all four city gates.

Sun Fangzhi and Gao Huan, leading the Fierce Martial team and two thousand cavalry, appeared at Chang’an.

Li Mu had long anticipated that Gu Huilong would very likely abandon the city and flee west. Given barbarian cruelty and inhumanity, massacre before leaving wasn’t impossible. Though his great army couldn’t arrive in time, while still at Shunyang on the day he launched the surprise attack and greatly defeated Gu Huilong, as a precaution he had dispatched Sun Fangzhi with Gao Huan, leading the Fierce Martial team and two thousand light cavalry, to advance toward Chang’an.

This force had traveled day and night, arriving the day before yesterday and hiding outside. Today, seeing Gu Huilong leading troops west and fires appearing in the city, they knew Li Mu’s prediction was correct – soldiers had been left to massacre the city. They immediately split into diversionary forces, rushing separately to outside the east, west, and north gates, driving horses back and forth over the yellow earth to raise flying dust, spreading pre-brought banners everywhere while maintaining constant battle cries, creating the appearance of army assault.

Simultaneously, Gao Huan led a hundred cavalry and in the dust clouds raised by horse hooves, charged near the open south gate. With his soldiers, using Xianbei language he had learned, they shouted in unison: “Li Mu’s great army has arrived and surrounded the entire city – flee for your lives!”

The Xianbei soldiers in the city already harbored fear of Southern Dynasty man Li Mu. While carrying out orders to hunt down citizens, they suddenly heard faintly in their ears calls to flee in their tribal language. Not knowing if it was real or false, thinking it was warnings from companions, they were shocked and alarmed. Who still cared about killing people now when their own lives were at stake? They all turned back and surged toward the south gate.

When all five thousand had poured out the city gate competing to flee, Sun Fangzhi, who had been lying in ambush nearby, led his subordinates in a sideways charge to intercept them.

Gao Huan had men guard the city gate while he himself led remaining cavalry to join his companions in the pursuit and killing.

Though this battle couldn’t compare with previous large battles based on tens of thousands, in brutality it exceeded them.

Previously in Jiankang, Gao Huan had also heard of barbarian cruelty. But his nature was gentle and merciful. Coming to Yicheng and participating in battles multiple times, when sometimes encountering his brother-in-law’s orders to execute all surrendering barbarian soldiers on the spot, he sometimes felt unbearable in his heart, even being mocked by Sun Fangzhi as soft-hearted like a woman.

Only today, witnessing with his own eyes how these Xianbei soldiers, who in his view were also ordinary people, had become so devoid of humanity under war’s crushing force, actually raising butcher knives against innocent old and young in the city, did his eyes finally turn red with only one thought remaining in his heart.

An eye for an eye, blood for blood.

Born in chaotic times when Heaven’s way was dead and human life cheap as pigs and dogs. The sage books he’d read since childhood, the moral teachings in those books, and all those famous scholars and romantics throughout Jiankang city with their elegant demeanor and reputation spanning the six regions.

Before city massacre, all were jokes!

Fight war with war, suppress violence with violence!

Only when the violence in one’s hands could one day become strong enough to strangle all other violence could morality revive and the world achieve peace!

Evil grew in his heart as he charged forward, cutting down anyone he saw, appearing mad and showing no mercy.

The other Fierce Martial companions with him were all the same.

One after another Xianbei butchers were cut down, corpses piled up, blood flowed across the ground. Stepping down splashed up blood flowers.

He caught up with the last fleeing Xianbei soldier.

The man fell before him, looking at him with fearful, pleading eyes, begging for mercy.

Gao Huan didn’t hesitate for a moment – one stroke down.

A stream of hot liquid suddenly sprayed onto his face, completely dyeing his features blood red!

Holding his rolled-blade sword inverted in hand, he closed his eyes, letting that fishy blood drip drop by drop down his face.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and slowly turned his face toward that ancient, majestic city that had stood on this land for over a thousand years behind him.

The two gates covered with countless sword cuts, axe chops, fire burns and battering ram scars slowly opened before him.

After Li Mu led the allied army north, all of Yicheng began waiting.

In those first days after he left, the entire city’s atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

In the Governor’s residence, children’s reading voices still rang clearly each morning, but in the afternoon, that open space in front of the residence that normally attracted many children to gather and play became quiet, no longer echoing with children’s laughter. Those children had all received parental instructions not to go there anymore, fearing they might disturb the Governor’s wife’s peace.

Everyone knew the Governor’s wife was waiting for battle news. In this city, probably no one could be more anxious than her.

Though on the surface, she appeared no different from usual.

Gradually, news finally began returning.

One after another, all good news.

First the great army captured Shunyang and by the great river defeated the fierce incoming Xijin army.

Even Xijin Emperor Gu Huilong had died in the chaotic battle.

Then another piece of news that probably no one had dared imagine before also arrived.

Chang’an – this ancient city that had witnessed China’s majesty since ancient times, after suffering under foreign iron hooves taking turns trampling it, wounded and sunk for many years – today had been reclaimed.

Li Mu had taken Chang’an!

It was said that on the day his great army reached Chang’an, the entire city erupted in celebration. People sprinkled water to clear roads, supporting old and carrying young, going several li outside the city to kneel and welcome his arrival.

After the news spread, all of Yicheng also erupted.

That day, almost all citizens surged from all directions to outside the Governor’s residence.

Li Mu wasn’t there.

But those people knelt toward the empty gates in gratitude. The foremost several white-haired elders even wept openly, kneeling and refusing to rise.

They had all once been Chang’an natives. When it fell years ago, they had been fortunate to escape the slaughter and since then drifted like duckweed, barely surviving to the present.

When they left, they were children with yellow mouths and drooping hair, but now they were old with gray temples. Their homeland and old city had become so distant they wouldn’t even remember it in dreams, yet they hadn’t expected that in their lifetimes, they would actually hear news of its return.

Luoshen couldn’t empathize with them in the same way. But when she witnessed this scene with her own eyes, she too was deeply moved, her heart surging with emotion, even moved to tears.

She began secretly longing for her husband’s return, counting on her fingers, waiting for him day after day, each day feeling like a year.

Finally, a month after news of Chang’an’s return arrived, when Luoshen felt as if she had waited a long three hundred years, this evening Li Mu returned.

This was originally just another ordinary late spring evening. The setting sun cast its remaining light on the quiet crenellations atop the city walls, dyeing the blue-black walls a dusky red. Beyond the walls, the endless plains were covered in green grass. Half a setting sun hung over distant mountains, and burning clouds and evening glow blazed across the sky, reflecting people’s faces in rosy red.

Luoshen had thought he wouldn’t arrive for several more days.

Both his message to Jiang Tao and his private letter to her had said so.

Suddenly, on this evening of burning clouds in late spring, a scout rode into the city and rushed to the Governor’s residence, bringing her news that the Governor had returned early and was already outside the city.

She had just finished bathing, lazily combing her hair and loosely dressed. Hearing the news, she rushed from her room to the courtyard entrance, where A’Ju behind her forcibly called her to stop.

“My little mistress, look at yourself…”

Luoshen ran back to her room, calling loudly for maids to come comb her hair and change clothes, urging them while not forgetting to check the mirror.

Finally with hair combed and clothes changed, she climbed into her small carriage and urged them toward the city gate.

No one yet knew of the Governor’s return.

In the city, cooking smoke curled up. Farmers finishing their day’s labor carried hoes home from the fields. Women called to children outside their doors, but the children were reluctant to leave the last rays of daylight, still playing and laughing, responding while running even farther. Recognizing the mistress’s small carriage heading hurriedly toward the city gate, the shy ones stopped by the roadside watching curiously, while the bold ones followed behind, also running toward the gate.

The soldiers at the city gate patrolled as usual. Suddenly seeing the mistress arrive and step down from her carriage – her skin radiant and features exceptionally beautiful – they dared not look much, bowing their heads in greeting before secretly watching her quickly ascend the city wall, all showing puzzled expressions.

Luoshen climbed the city wall in one breath, standing where she had once watched him pledge and march north, opening her eyes wide to gaze at the highway outside the city gate that seemed to extend to the horizon’s end.

Li Mu didn’t keep his little wife waiting long.

Standing atop the city wall in the brilliant evening glow, Luoshen saw in the distance the appearance of a line of people and horses galloping toward them.

Battle dress and war horses, rolling dust clouds.

Gradually approaching. Not only she, but soldiers near the city gate and citizens returning to the city also finally discovered them.

“The Governor returns—”

Excited shouts rose one after another. Word spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred. Soon the originally somewhat quiet city gate suddenly became lively as a marketplace.

Luoshen flew down from the city tower and under the escort of those behind her, exited the city gate to meet Li Mu who was coming this way.

He rode toward them, his figure becoming clearer and clearer.

Soon Luoshen could see his features clearly.

With so many people beside her, his gaze seemed to immediately find her.

Behind them, more and more people poured from the city gate, their cheers welcoming his return endless.

Luoshen’s heart suddenly raced. She stopped, standing on the road, watching him ride toward her, coming closer and closer.

Wuzhui finally brought him before her.

Li Mu stopped his horse, slightly lowering his head to look at her upturned face reddened by the evening glow, suddenly extending a large hand toward her.

Luoshen’s heart raced faster. After hesitating, she also slowly extended her hand toward him.

He leaned forward slightly, grasped her hand, and gently lifted. She was pulled up onto the horse’s back, sitting before him.

Brief silence surrounded them, then another burst of new cheers erupted.

“A’Mi, Chang’an as betrothal gift – are you satisfied?”

By her ear came the man’s low whisper.

Thus Luoshen, with that man behind her who had taken Chang’an as her betrothal gift, under the welcoming calls of more and more citizens emerging from the roadside, rode together from the city gate back to the Governor’s residence.

Gu Huilong’s death and Li Mu’s capture of Chang’an in this battle again shocked the world with the Southern Dynasty man Li Mu’s reputation.

Countless northern Han people came seeking to join his army.

In just one short month, his forces rapidly expanded.

Li Mu left Sun Fangzhi, Gao Huan and others to garrison Chang’an and train new troops, while he returned to Yicheng with Hou Li’s Chouci forces and twenty thousand troops.

That night, the Governor’s residence was brightly lit, with celebratory laughter throughout the city. Li Mu delegated reward matters to Jiang Tao and returned early to the rear courtyard, never emerging again.

Not until the next afternoon, after Jiang Tao had waited long in the front hall, did he finally see Li Mu appear.

Jiang Tao presented an imperial edict.

The edict came from Jiankang Palace, with imperial brush and jade seal, delivered last night.

Learning that he had reclaimed the western capital for the court, the Emperor was greatly pleased. To show his favor and honor, he announced to the world that Li Mu should immediately return to court for imperial audience to receive titles and rewards.