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Conditions inside Xiangling City were not much better than outside its walls. The only thing that could be praised was that at least Xiangling still had provisions, still had normal food for people to eat.
They had truly reached the final stage. The only contest now was who could withstand the other's death throes.
If Xiangling could hold on, the White Wave Army below the walls would be utterly defeated.
But if the White Wave Army could take Xiangling, it would mean widespread slaughter and suffering within the city.
Wang Yi grabbed a piece of coarse grain flatbread and shoved it into his mouth, not minding the various stains and blood on his fingers. He chewed it a few times and then swallowed it down with a gulp of water.
"Gongming, how do you view the current situation?" Wang Yi asked the young man beside him.
That day, after Fei Qian burned the White Wave Army's provisions, Xu Huang had crossed the Lüliang Mountains, traversing ridge after ridge to return to the Yang Clan village. He then gathered more men and hurried to Xiangling to lend assistance.
These men were originally village guards and able-bodied men from the surrounding settlements. When Wang Yi first began fighting the White Wave Army, they had been unwilling to come, uncertain of who would win or lose, hesitant to make a commitment. But after Xu Huang returned and clearly explained the current predicament, they came.
Anyone can add flowers to brocade, but what leaves a deeper impression than delivering charcoal in snowy weather?
Xu Huang brought not only some of his own Xu clan members but also men from other surnames of the Yang settlement—nearly three hundred strong, able-bodied men in total. The infusion of this fresh blood immediately boosted the fighting strength of Wang Yi's Xiangling defense force and simultaneously steadied the hearts of Xiangling's soldiers and commoners.
Wang Yi was naturally immensely grateful. He immediately offered to appoint Xu Huang to the position of "Assistant Officer." However, Xu Huang temporarily declined on the grounds that "the bandits have not yet retreated; it is not appropriate to accept an appointment." These were extraordinary times; accepting an appointment wouldn't have been a big deal. But to some extent, it might have seemed like Wang Yi was merely grateful for Xu Huang's men, not appointing him based on genuine military merit. Therefore, Xu Huang preferred to wait until after the battle, when appointments could be made according to actual contributions, leaving no room for idle gossip.
Xu Huang's stance made Wang Yi appreciate and respect him even more. Consequently, Wang Yi now actively sought his opinion on both major and minor matters.
"Do not worry, Governor Wang," Xu Huang replied, his voice loud and resonant, intentionally speaking up. "This is merely their death throes. The enemy army has no provisions. In no more than three days, they will certainly collapse."
Wang Yi inwardly praised him. He, too, made an effort to project his voice, despite his hoarse throat, and laughed heartily, "Gongming speaks wisely! The enemy is certain to be defeated! We are certain to prevail! After this battle, the fallen will be generously compensated for; the survivors will be rewarded with a thousand gold coins and promoted three ranks!"
The soldiers near them heard their conversation. Bolstered by their confidence and the promise of heavy rewards, they shouted along with Wang Yi, their spirits lifted, "Certain victory! Certain victory!"
For a time, the momentum on Xiangling's walls soared. Every man stared down at the White Wave Army forming up for the siege below, unafraid, simply waiting for the moment of fierce combat to arrive...
×××××××××××××
Compared to Xiangling, the situation in Pingyang was far worse.
The sky had just brightened when Yang Feng ordered campfires lit and food prepared. By the time the sun had just climbed above the treetops, the White Wave Army was already forming up below Pingyang City...
The fighting entered a white-hot state from the very beginning. Yang Feng made it clear he intended to use sheer numbers to overwhelm Pingyang that very day. He attacked not only the large breach in the western wall but also selected a position to the south of the city, launching assaults simultaneously on both fronts.
Jia Qu, his hair disheveled and wild, no longer cared about his appearance. Leading the remaining heavy-armored soldiers, he rushed from one crisis point to another, shouting, "Don't panic! Hold the line! Hold!"
Suddenly, chaos erupted on the western section. White Wave bandits breached the defensive line. Instantly, they swarmed upwards like a horde of hornets, frantically converging on the gap...
Jia Qu didn't dare employ the strategy of luring the enemy deep that Fei Qian had used before. Morale was already dangerously low. If control was lost even slightly, the entire defense would crumble. Therefore, they could only desperately hold the line at the top of the wall, which still offered some geographical advantage, and fight to the death.
Seeing the White Wave bandits break through, Jia Qu led the heavy-armored soldiers to put out the fire. Although these soldiers had armor for protection, there were still vulnerable points. Over these past few days of battle, nearly twenty of the original thirty soldiers had unfortunately perished.
Fortunately, these heavy-armored soldiers had worn demonic face masks from the start. So when the soldier inside fell, Jia Qu would select another relatively robust soldier to don the armor...
It was precisely this tactic of Jia Qu's that, in the eyes of the unaware White Wave soldiers, made these thirty soldiers seem like genuine demons from hell, impossible to kill. They had seen them struck down, yet the next day the count remained the same! Even though their commanders and the "superior envoys" from the Taiyi Sect kept explaining, many White Wave soldiers remained fearful...
Moreover, the frontal defense of this heavy armor was remarkably strong. To kill just one of these soldiers often required sacrificing a dozen or twenty men. Therefore, the White Wave bandits dared not face them alone. When they saw Jia Qu leading the heavy-armored soldiers forward, cutting down the White Wave troops at the front like farmers harvesting crops, crack-crack, they shouted out in alarm and scattered like hornets, retreating down the walls!
Jia Qu grabbed the platoon commander responsible for defending that section of the wall. Disregarding their height difference, he roared in his face, "If you don't want to die, fight with everything you've got! Think of the White Wave we buried alive in the mountains! We'll end up just the same if we fall into their hands! If you retreat one more step, I'll execute you by military law!"
He shoved the commander aside, then turned and shouted at the soldiers, "In three more days! Lord Fei will bring troops to rescue us! Just three more days! Anyone who doesn't want to die, fight with all your strength!"
Below the walls, Yang Feng had also seized the minor commander who had led the failed siege charge. He beheaded him on the spot as a warning, decreeing that anyone who dared retreat from the siege without orders would be summarily executed!
Seeing the fearful expressions on the surrounding soldiers' faces, Yang Feng coldly ordered the next wave of assault troops to prepare...
Just then, sudden commotion erupted north of the main camp. Ma Yue, leading a hundred-some cavalry, had taken advantage of the White Wave Army's focus on Pingyang's walls to launch a surprise attack. They broke into the camp and set several fires in the rear sections...
Yang Feng's expression changed instantly. He hurriedly called for soldiers to block and intercept at the rear camp.
On Pingyang's walls, cheers erupted!
Meanwhile, inside the Xiongnu camp, the man in the black robe, his face drastically changed, rushed towards Yu Fuluo's large tent but was stopped by Huchuquan, who claimed the Chanyu was ill and not receiving visitors!
Enraged, the black-robed man barged into the tent regardless. There, he found Yu Fuluo indeed appeared feverish, his face flushed, his whole body drenched in sweat—the picture of a sudden, severe illness. For a moment, he was at a loss for words...
But upon hearing about the incident, Yu Fuluo, seemingly disregarding his grave condition, struggled to get up and lead troops to encircle Ma Yue. Huchuquan, however, held him back desperately, refusing to let him leave the tent no matter what. After the two performed a dramatic show of fraternal affection and conflict, Yu Fuluo suddenly remembered he could send Huchuquan with troops to intercept.
But...
By the time Huchuquan mustered the troops, opened the camp gates, and prepared to charge out with great ferocity, they found Ma Yue and his hundred-some cavalry had long since withdrawn from the scene, galloping far, far away...