With the arrival of the Black Cloud Cavalry, what had seemed like an easy victory gradually became difficult again. The Chu Capital, which had been on the verge of collapse, suddenly seemed to gain renewed strength. Although the Northern Army still outnumbered the Chu Capital’s forces more than tenfold, in the narrow city streets, superior numbers meant little when there was no room to maneuver. Moreover, the Chu soldiers defending the city knew its layout far better than these Northern barbarian troops. Even if they couldn’t drive the Northern Army out of the city, it would be impossible for the invaders to completely occupy the Chu Capital in such a short time.

Feng Zhiyao stood atop the city tower, surveying the battle raging in the distance. He gradually noticed that large contingents of the Northern Army were ignoring the defending Chu soldiers and frantically rushing toward the western part of the city. A cold smile appeared on his handsome face. “You want to take the West Gate? It won’t be that easy.”

Yun Ting, standing behind Feng Zhiyao with his arms crossed, watched the Northern troops swarming in the distance and said, “Are they trying to capture the West Gate first to cut off the Ink Army’s route into the city? Then deal with the defending forces inside?”

Feng Zhiyao smiled. “Don’t worry, the Prince gave me some interesting toys before he left. However…” He frowned in confusion, “These things seem quite dangerous. Using them inside the city might be…” But Yun Ting had no such reservations. “This is no time for such concerns. Once they charge in, our few men won’t even be enough for them to chew on.”

Feng Zhiyao rubbed his chin and nodded. “You’re right! I don’t even know exactly what these things can do! Hey you… take your equipment and block those guys.” He turned and waved, calling over a Qilin squad leader who had come with them. The Qilin warriors were naturally excited – they’d had these items for quite some time but never had a chance to use them. Upon receiving Feng Zhiyao’s order, the squad leader waved his hand and immediately led a squad of Qilin warriors, each carrying rectangular boxes, down from the city tower.

In the city, Northern soldiers following Ren Qining’s orders rushed en masse toward the West Gate tower. However, when they were still within sight of the West Gate on the main street, there was suddenly a deafening boom followed by a series of explosions. Before the Northern Army could understand what was happening, they were blasted senseless with flesh and blood flying everywhere. If they had been Central Plains people, they might have at least seen fireworks and firecrackers before. But in the barbaric Northern territories, before Ren Qining unified the North, they had lived lives only slightly better than primitive tribes – how could they have ever witnessed such earth-shattering explosions and destructive power? Many Northern soldiers were so terrified they thought they had offended the heavenly gods who had sent down divine thunder. Those who weren’t hit by the blasts – five or six out of ten – were so frightened they fell to their knees and dared not rise. Uncivilized peoples often feared natural forces more than those from the Central Plains.

After the round of explosions, the entire street was filled with the smell of gunpowder, and the ground was littered with soldiers whose bodies had been blasted into bloody pulp. On the distant tower, Yun Ting stared in shock, stammering, “Th-these things were given to you by the Prince?” This was far too terrifying. He had seen those Qilin warriors hiding something along the streets. As soon as the Northern forces entered, they ended up like this. If Ye Li had been present, she would have thought these effects rather unremarkable. The secret imperial tomb’s research of many years had produced results that couldn’t even match early hand grenades, let alone powerful explosives like TNT where one pound could demolish a six or seven-story building. As for the firearms developed in the imperial underground palace, Ye Li couldn’t even be bothered to bring them out. Whether in range or accuracy, they were inferior to bows and arrows. Better to wait for four or five more generations of improvements. But for people of this era who were still playing with fireworks and firecrackers, these effects were sufficiently horrifying.

Feng Zhiyao nodded woodenly, while also hiding his shock. In his heart, he couldn’t help but curse Mo Xiuyao – with such powerful weapons, why hadn’t he brought them out earlier?

This was quite unfair to Mo Xiuyao. These items were all handcrafted with no assembly line production. Making seven or eight in a month would be considered high output, and their killing power wasn’t particularly great. The devastating effect just now on the street had required the Qilin warriors to place no fewer than one hundred devices on both sides. Such inconvenient transport, high production costs, and devices that couldn’t even kill three people in the open ground when one was thrown – Mo Xiuyao truly hadn’t planned to widely employ them on the battlefield in the short term. The Northern soldiers were simply unfortunate, packed so tightly in these narrow streets – who else would they blast?

The Northerners weren’t completely mindless. Soon someone came to their senses and shouted fiercely, “This is a Central Plains trick, don’t be afraid. Charge in and kill them!” The Northerners were after all valiant – with someone taking the lead, they quickly got up and charged forward with battle cries. The Qilin warriors on the buildings to either side were unsurprised, grinning viciously as they hurled black objects down hard. The black spheres hit the ground and, after a moment of the Northern soldiers’ bewilderment, exploded violently, inevitably blasting those nearest flying.

Then another round of deafening explosions erupted in the street, mixed with the Northern soldiers’ wails. When the explosions stopped, the surviving Northern troops finally couldn’t take it anymore and fled in all directions, abandoning their weapons and armor.

The explosions from the west of the city were heard by everyone in Chu Capital, even Ren Qining outside the city. His eyes grew cold as he asked, “What’s happening?”

Soon someone came stumbling out from the city to report, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Ink Army has demonic objects. Our soldiers have suffered heavy casualties!”

Ren Qining’s face instantly turned iron-green with rage. “I want to know what demonic objects could be so powerful!”

The reporting soldier trembled as he said, “The soldiers couldn’t even see clearly what they were, they only heard heaven-shaking explosions. Then many people died covered in blood.”

“You’re saying you didn’t even see any Ink Army soldiers?” Ren Qining asked. The soldier thought for a moment, then nodded. They truly hadn’t seen any trace of Ink Army personnel.

“Nonsense! I don’t care what demonic objects the Ink Army has. You must capture the West Gate within one hour!”

The soldier hesitated before saying, “But… many soldiers are saying… saying this is divine punishment, that’s why heaven’s thunderstruck. They simply don’t dare to go forward…” Ren Qining gave a cold laugh. “Heaven’s thunder? Where would thunder come from in clear skies for thousands of miles? If there’s heaven’s thunder, let it strike me first. Send the order – any commander who fails to take the western city within one hour will present their head!”

“Yes!”

Watching the terrified messenger soldier leave, Ren Qining’s iron-green face twisted even more hideously. Heaven’s thunder?! Absurd! Mo Xiuyao… so you did obtain the treasures left by the ancestors? Unlike Tan Jizhi, Ren Qining had grown up in a truly hidden great family. Those who taught him were all former officials still loyal to the previous dynasty. Naturally, he had seen many records about the previous dynasty, even unique copies that didn’t exist elsewhere in the world. Among them were some personal letters from the founding emperor of the previous dynasty that obliquely mentioned certain things. Originally Ren Qining hadn’t paid attention – after all, the founding emperor hadn’t used such things when conquering the world. And later emperors had never seen any powerful mysterious weapons, so their existence was questionable. But now, thinking back to the events concerning the previous dynasty’s treasures in the northwestern borders some years ago, what was there for Ren Qining not to understand? At the time he had been busy suppressing various northern tribes that wouldn’t submit to him, but he had still sent people to monitor this matter in the northwest. Yet they hadn’t discovered any treasures, and the various forces trying to seize the treasures had all returned empty-handed. Who would have thought they had truly been secretly obtained by Mo Xiuyao?

“Well played, Mo Xiuyao! Let’s see just how formidable you are!” Ren Qining snorted coldly through gritted teeth.

The battle in the city continued from dusk until night. The capital, which should have been quiet by now, remained brilliantly lit with killing cries shaking the heavens. At the West Gate, Feng Zhiyao and Yun Ting also remained vigilantly prepared. Yun Ting looked at the distant fires in the city and frowned, “If the army can’t arrive soon, I’m afraid we won’t be able to hold much longer.” Feng Zhiyao furrowed his brow and said, “The Prince said he would arrive, there won’t be any problems. As long as the West Gate doesn’t fall to the North, once the Ink Army enters the city everything will be resolved.” Though he said this, Feng Zhiyao also knew the difficulties involved. They had faced nearly insane obstruction and attacks from the Northern Rong army along their way – being able to reach Chu Capital in such a short time was already remarkable. Moreover, the Black Cloud Cavalry’s speed was several times faster than infantry – it would be extremely difficult for the main army to arrive within an hour or two.

Yun Ting wasn’t one to worry needlessly. He let out a breath and said, “You’re right, whatever happens, we just need to hold the West Gate!”

“Feng San!” From not far away, Leng Haoyu rushed up in blood-stained clothes. The wounds on his body were several more than when he had left earlier. “When will the army finally arrive?!” he asked irritably as soon as he arrived. Feng Zhiyao rolled his eyes but still reached out to support him, saying, “They’ll arrive when they can naturally. Do you think our journey here was easy? That madman Yelü Ye gathered almost all the Northern Rong forces within Great Chu to intercept us.”

Leng Haoyu caught his breath, leaning against the city wall and sighing helplessly, “If the Prince doesn’t come soon we really won’t make it.”

“I know,” said Feng Zhiyao. If this dragged on another half day, forget about the defending forces in the city not making it. His position here might not hold either. Although the Northern soldiers feared the minefield laid out by the Qilin warriors in the streets, several waves had already tried to force their way through. Though they had been driven back, if another attack came, they would likely end up in close combat. The Qilin warriors had used up all the bombs they brought and had moved elsewhere to fight the enemy.

Yun Ting said, “Brother Leng, rest here for a while. I’ll go down.” As he spoke, he picked up his spear and was about to head down the tower. Leng Haoyu pulled him back, saying, “Don’t go, you need to guard the gate with Feng San. I still need to find someone.” Currently, fighting was raging throughout the city in complete chaos. Leng Huai and the others had long since been separated, and Chu Capital was not small – finding someone in these conditions would be extremely difficult. But Leng Haoyu had no choice but to go.

“But…” Yun Ting looked worriedly at Leng Haoyu’s wounds. Leng Haoyu patted his shoulder and smiled, “Just flesh wounds, don’t worry. I’m going…”

“Wait!” Feng Zhiyao stopped him, his face breaking into an ecstatic smile, “The army has arrived!”

Everyone turned to look together, and sure enough, they saw a dragon of fire rapidly moving in their direction. At first, it was only intermittently visible, but soon it became very clear. Not to mention the gradually approaching sound of hoofbeats. Feng Zhiyao called out in a clear voice, “The army has arrived, open the gates!” Cheers immediately erupted from the tower.

The first to arrive was still the Black Cloud Cavalry clearing the way. In the night, the black-clad cavalry charged through the city gates, rushing into the city without pause to engage the Northern soldiers in deadly combat. Soon, those on the tower saw Mo Xiuyao in white clothes and white hair riding among the army. “The Prince has come! The Prince has come!” Red flares bloomed again in the night sky, and cheers and laughter finally joined the killing and bloodshed in Chu Capital.

On a street in the eastern city, Wei Lin and several soldiers were surrounded by a large contingent of Northern troops. The ground around them was already piled with enemy corpses, but even more enemies stood facing them. Blood had soaked through their black clothes, though it was invisible in the darkness. Wei Lin’s cold eyes swept over the glaring Northern soldiers, and he gave a cold laugh as his long sword flashed up, creating an arc of cold light that drew forth a spray of blood.

After fighting nonstop for an entire day, even Wei Lin was somewhat exhausted, not to mention the ordinary soldiers beside him. Soon, the few soldiers with Wei Lin had all fallen. Wei Lin’s eyes were bloodshot as he swung his sword rapidly, cutting into the enemy ranks. Just as these Northern soldiers were rejoicing that they would finally eliminate this extremely troublesome figure, a group of soldiers dressed entirely differently from both the Chu Capital and Northern armies charged toward them. The leader was tall and straight-backed, with handsome, stern features. The frost-blue treasured sword in his hand gleamed coldly, and Northern soldiers became spirits under his blade wherever he went.

With the addition of these fresh forces, the battle situation instantly reversed.

“Who are you?!” the Northern commander roared unwillingly.

The man on horseback swept him a proud glance and swung his sword without hesitation, “I am General He Su!”

“Big Brother…” Wei Lin looked in surprise at the armored man before him – wasn’t this Shadow One whom he hadn’t seen for many years? Shadow One – He Su strode forward to support Wei Lin, smiling, “Fourth Brother, it’s been so many years – have you all been well?” Wei Lin nodded, “We’ve all been fine, just that Big Brother was sent by the Princess Consort on a mission and never returned…” Though they knew Shadow One had been sent on a mission by the Princess Consort, they didn’t know exactly what mission. They had worried about him privately over these years but never expected that when they met again, he would have become a general leading troops in battle.

He Su smiled, “The Princess Consort said back then that I was more suited to leading troops in battle than anything else. So she had me anonymously join General Murong’s forces as a common soldier. Later I moved through various posts, and after all these years I’ve finally lived up to the Princess Consort’s expectations.”

“Congratulations, Big Brother.” As former shadow guards who had both served the Princess Consort as brothers, Wei Lin was naturally genuinely happy for He Su’s achievements.

He Su smiled, “I’ve heard about you all too – you’ve done well. The Prince has already led the army into the city. You’re badly wounded – go to the western city first to rest and recuperate.” Though Wei Lin wore black clothes that hid his injuries, He Su was no ordinary person and could naturally see that Wei Lin’s complexion was poor – his wounds were likely serious. He called some soldiers to escort Wei Lin to the western city, while He Su led his troops to continue clearing out Northern forces deeper into the city.

It wasn’t until daybreak that the sounds of killing in the city gradually subsided. But the fighting continued in some small areas. Ink Army soldiers still moved through the streets and alleys searching for remaining Northern soldiers and tending to the wounded of Chu Capital.

As light dawned, Mo Xiuyao stood with his generals on Chu Capital’s north tower, looking down at the distant Northern army camp. Though tens of thousands of Northern troops remained outside the city, the Ink Army paid them little mind. After this battle, not only had the Northern Army failed to take Chu Capital, but they had lost countless troops and commanders – forget about military strength, their morale alone had dropped by more than one level.

After such a bloody battle, it seemed even the heavens felt some pity. As soon as the day broke, fine snow began drifting down from the sky. Mo Xiuyao wore no cloak, still standing in his white clothes in the light snow on the tower – viewed from below, he seemed like a natural deity surveying the mortal world. Even across such a great distance, he still made Ren Qining and the Northern commanders feel an ineffable pressure.

“Prince, we’ve found the Duke of Hua!” a guard hurriedly reported.

Mo Xiuyao turned and asked, “Where?”

The guard hesitated, then said, “The Duke is in the southern city, gravely wounded. I’m afraid…” Everyone’s hearts sank, naturally understanding what the guard meant. Mo Xiuyao was silent for a moment before saying, “I’ll go see him. General Lü, I leave this to you.” Lü Songxian said nothing, merely nodding silently.

The Duke of Hua was in an alley in the southern city. When the Ink Army soldiers found him, he was already gravely wounded and unable to move. The corpses of Northern and Great Chu soldiers lay nearby. The Duke had taken a sword wound, with the blade still unremoved. He sat alone on a stone stool not far from the alley entrance to rest. Chu Capital’s winter nights were not much warmer than the northwest, and the Duke was already over seventy, nearly eighty years old. With such grave wounds, his face had already begun turning blue.

“Old Duke!” Mo Xiuyao stepped forward to support the Duke of Hua. Glancing at the military doctor before him, he asked, “What’s going on, why haven’t you treated the Duke’s wounds?”

The Duke of Hua raised his hand to stop Mo Xiuyao, shaking his head, “No need, I know my wounds. It’s hopeless…”

Mo Xiuyao lowered his head to examine the sword wound, his expression darkening. The Duke’s wound was in a vital spot – if he had been in his prime there might have been a thirty percent chance, but in the Duke’s current state, he would likely die the moment the sword was removed. Closing his eyes briefly, Mo Xiuyao said softly, “Old Duke, we came too late.”

The Duke shook his head, looking at Mo Xiuyao and forcing a smile, “I know it wasn’t easy for you either. Being able… being able to arrive in time, not letting Chu Capital fall to the Northerners… that’s good…”

Mo Xiuyao lowered his brow in thought, one hand supporting the Duke’s shoulder to channel vital energy to sustain his life while ordering, “Go find the Hua family.” The guard beside him hurriedly reported, “We’ve already gone – if the Hua family members are alright, they should arrive very soon.”

Hearing Mo Xiuyao’s words, a smile appeared at the corners of the Duke’s lips as he asked softly, “How are Tianxiang and the others?”

Mo Xiuyao replied solemnly, “They are well. Tianxiang is to marry Qingfeng in a few months. Qingfeng, come here!”

Xu Qingfeng hurriedly came forward and said respectfully, “Old Duke…” The Duke of Hua raised his head with difficulty to look at him and smiled, “The children of the Xu family… are all good. Very good, though this old man won’t see your wedding. In the future… in the future, treat Tianxiang well.” Xu Qingfeng’s eyes reddened as he nodded repeatedly, “Yes, Old Duke… Grandfather…”

“Good child…”

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the alley as a young man rushed over, “Grandfather! Grandfather…”

The Duke of Hua raised his head to look at him, a trace of contentment flashing in his eyes before he slowly closed them.

“Grandfather?!” The young man arrived just in time to see the Duke close his eyes with a smile. He fell to his knees before him and began sobbing loudly. Beside them, a shadow of grief flashed through Mo Xiuyao’s eyes as he slowly withdrew his hand from the Duke’s shoulder. He commanded solemnly, “The Duke of Hua died serving his country, fighting to the end. Issue the order – he is to be buried with the honors of a prince, and posthumously titled ‘Marquis of Loyalty and Faith.'”

“Your servant obeys.”

Throughout the capital, many places witnessed similarly sorrowful scenes. In this battle, countless people had died. Not only Chu Capital’s defending forces, but also Black Cloud Cavalry and Ink Army soldiers – not only common soldiers, but also many high-ranking commanders. In another location, Leng Haoyu supported his gravely wounded body as he looked at the person lying on the ground before him, his eyes holding a complexity that no one could understand. Leng Huai knelt on the ground, holding the already cold body of his eldest son. When they found Leng Qingyu, he was already dead, shot through the heart by an arrow that struck a vital point. This proud, cold man who had never been willing to acknowledge that his concubine-born brother was more capable than himself had finally died silently on the streets of Chu Capital, leaving not a word behind.

Leng Huai held his son’s cold body and wept freely – no matter what, this was still his most beloved son with whom he had once placed the most hope. The pain of losing a son was more painful than dying himself.

Leng Haoyu silently came forward, crouching beside Leng Huai to say softly, “Father, let’s take Big Brother home first.” At last, the equally proud Leng Haoyu finally acknowledged this man as his elder brother.

Leng Huai turned to look at Leng Haoyu, his gaze falling on the wound on his chest as he asked, “How badly are you hurt?”

Leng Haoyu said, “Just flesh wounds. Father, let’s go home.”

Leng Huai nodded, laboriously lifting Leng Qingyu as he walked with Leng Haoyu toward the Leng family residence.