Liu Kun, who had been standing on the city tower whistling and watching the Xiongnu army retreat, trembled all over. His eyes widened as he stopped and turned his ear to listen. He asked those around him, “Did you hear that? Someone below is singing along.”
Those around him also pricked up their ears to listen. They faintly heard something. “It might be refugees below the city who heard the music and were moved, so they sang a few lines along with it.”
Liu Kun listened carefully for a while, becoming increasingly excited. “I didn’t expect that among the refugees there would be such a talented person. Quickly open the city gate and invite this person in.”
Linghu Sheng was guarding the city gate. He had just been shocked by Liu Kun’s feat of using the Hujia to repel the enemy, and his reason immediately returned upon hearing this. He stopped Liu Kun and said, “My lord, although the Xiongnu army has retreated, they’ve certainly left eyes and ears behind. How do we know this isn’t a diversionary tactic? Once the city gate opens, if the Xiongnu counterattack, given the speed of their cavalry, if the gate doesn’t close in time, Jinyang will be in danger.”
Liu Kun was very insistent. “They’ve already retreated, completely lacking the will to fight. How could they counterattack? I used the Hujia to repel the enemy precisely because I wanted to open the city gate and let the refugees in.”
Linghu Sheng said, “Even so, they must retreat a sufficient distance before we can open the city gate. We also need to send out troops to establish checkpoints to prevent them from launching a surprise counterattack. We must be fully prepared before we can open the gate to let the refugees in.”
Liu Kun’s expression darkened slightly. “Then when will that be? Will we still be able to find this person by then?”
Linghu Sheng took a deep breath. “My lord, Jinyang is of utmost importance.”
“Of course I know Jinyang is of utmost importance,” Liu Kun found himself an excuse. “But kindred spirits are hard to find. This person only listened to the music a few times and could create such harmonious lyrics with such profound meaning. This shows their talent. Perhaps they have a way to help us repel the enemy?”
He continued, “You should know that this melody was given to me by Commissioner Zhao. When I first performed it, I was amazed beyond words. I really didn’t expect that there would be a third person in this world who could create such beautiful lyrics in response to the music. If this isn’t a kindred spirit, what is?”
Linghu Sheng was slightly taken aback and quickly asked, “This melody is the one Commissioner Zhao gave you?”
Liu Kun looked at him with resentment. “General Linghu, I’ve invited you to listen so many times, yet you didn’t recognize it?”
Linghu Sheng felt somewhat embarrassed. He wasn’t interested in music—every time he heard it, he wanted to sleep. How could he possibly remember the melody?
However…
Linghu Sheng’s eyes lit up brightly. He said to Liu Kun, “I’ll have someone quietly open the small gate to go out and find this person.”
He didn’t understand music, but he knew how extraordinary this melody was. When Liu Kun first received the musical score, he not only invited all the officials and scholars in the city to listen, but also traveled a great distance to invite the Xianbei leader Tuoba Yilu to come and listen.
To this day, Linghu Sheng still couldn’t understand traveling such a great distance just to listen to a melody.
But he believed in the governor’s musical taste and believed this melody was an exceptionally rare piece in the world. If it was so rare, how could just any random person be able to sing along with it?
Linghu Sheng stared intently at the pitch-black area below the city tower. The singing voice was coming from there.
Calculating the time, they hadn’t received news from the Central Plains for half a month. But the last time they did receive news, it was that Shi Lei had surrendered to Commissioner Zhao.
Could it be that Commissioner Zhao had sent people to rescue them and break the siege?
Linghu Sheng wasn’t familiar with music, but he was well-versed in military strategy. Moreover, he had long admired Commissioner Zhao. Putting himself in her position, if he wanted to notify people in the city without alerting the Xiongnu, using song would be the best method—especially since Jinyang City had a governor who loved music.
Linghu Sheng personally selected ten soldiers and had them quietly open the East City Gate under cover of darkness.
There was no choice—the area outside the South City Gate was completely covered with refugees lying and sitting everywhere. The East City Gate had refugees at a slightly greater distance. As long as they moved quickly, the refugees definitely wouldn’t be able to squeeze in, and might not even notice.
Ming Yu and his group had done this intentionally, so naturally they were watching for movement at the small gates on both sides. They vaguely saw the small gate at the East City Gate seem to open and close, and immediately moved closer…
At this time, Zhao Hanzhang and her group had just finished mobilizing their respective troops and were standing halfway up the mountain waiting quietly.
The Xiongnu army had retreated, but it was the middle of the night, so they couldn’t go far. It was just to soothe the soldiers’ emotions and let them walk back a ways when they were desperately homesick.
Liu Sheng believed that as long as they walked a distance and vented their emotions, and got away from the music on the city tower, everyone would come to their senses. Then, with some encouragement, their fighting spirit would return and they could attack the city again.
So Liu Sheng was in no hurry.
The twenty thousand troops were in low spirits. The music from the city tower could no longer be heard. Around them there was only the sound of armor clashing, accompanied by the chirping of insects and croaking of frogs from the surrounding fields. Everyone’s reason gradually returned.
Before they could fully collect themselves, a rush of urgent hoofbeats exploded in their ears. The colonel of the rear army tensed, then immediately shouted loudly, “Enemy attack! Enemy attack! There’s an ambush—”
Before he could finish, Zhao Hanzhang, gripping a long spear, led a hundred cavalry and charged into the Xiongnu forces first. Following the sound, she found him and thrust her spear. He instinctively dodged, but was still pierced in the shoulder. Before he could react, Zhao Hanzhang had already withdrawn the spear tip and slashed again. All he could see in the end was a sky full of stars.
How strange—just moments ago there was only a crescent moon. When did so many stars appear?
Zhao Hanzhang charged into the Xiongnu forces with two thousand elite troops following behind her. They thrust in, and the Xiongnu army’s rear guard became the front guard, turning back to block and kill. But before they could complete their formation change, another large army emerged from the side.
Shi Lei personally led troops charging from the south, directly cutting through the waist of the Xiongnu army, preventing them from connecting head to tail.
After fighting for nearly two quarters of an hour, Zhao Hanzhang and Shi Lei converged at the center point. The two armies merged into one and charged directly north.
The depth was too great. If they continued charging forward, they would easily fall into the Xiongnu’s encirclement. They could only break through to the north.
Liu Sheng was with the front army. By the time he finally changed formation and killed his way back, Zhao Hanzhang and her forces were about to break through. Naturally, he was unwilling to let them escape just like that.
Moreover, judging by appearances, although their troops were elite, their numbers were small. Liu Sheng felt he couldn’t fail so miserably—he had to kill more enemies no matter what.
So he deployed his troops, methodically surrounding Zhao Hanzhang and Shi Lei. Before they could close the encirclement, Zhao Hanzhang charged out at the head of her cavalry. Seeing Shi Lei trapped in the middle, Zhao Hanzhang didn’t hesitate. She turned her horse around and led Zeng Yue and others back in, converged with Shi Lei, then together fought their way out.
Shi Lei turned to glance at her, just about to say a word of thanks, when he heard earth-shaking battle cries.
He and Zhao Hanzhang both looked up together.
Seeing the approaching large army and their banners, Zhao Hanzhang laughed heartily. “The Jinyang army has arrived! We have nothing to worry about!”
Linghu Ni, son of Linghu Sheng, charged at the head of his cavalry and reached Zhao Hanzhang’s side. His eyes shining brightly as he looked at her, he said, “Lady, are you Commissioner Zhao? My father—no, Governor Liu has ordered me to come and meet you.”
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him and nodded. The two armies converged and fought until the Xiongnu abandoned their helmets and armor in flight.
—