Cheng Huaili watched the situation below and remained seated with composure.
Chen Baoxiang’s forces were insufficient — they could hold on for a while, but couldn’t break through. The longer the two sides were deadlocked, the more advantageous it was for him.
But a subordinate came rushing up, pale as ash: “General, the western flank of Mokou Town is also under heavy assault.”
The western flank?
“Trouble — this front here is probably just a feint.” Song Juqing said. “I said something seemed off with how few people they brought. They were heading for the western flank all along.”
They had concentrated their main forces at the town entrance today in anticipation of the enemy, leaving the western flank extremely vulnerable.
“Master, if they seize that terrain advantage, I’m afraid……”
Cheng Huaili turned to look at him: “Are you secretly hoping she captures Mokou Town so she can drag me off to be executed by a thousand cuts?”
“Of course not.” Song Juqing lowered his gaze. “I naturally stand on Master’s side.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming in that head of yours.” Cheng Huaili gave a cold laugh. “If I hadn’t come looking for you, you’d probably be sleeping easy right now.”
Song Juqing bowed his head and listened, barely disputing anything, his expression appearing quite respectful.
Yet down below, that seemingly impregnable cavalry camp was, in the blink of an eye, torn open by Chen Baoxiang.
“Master, run.” Meng Tianxing said through gritted teeth. “This is no place to linger.”
Cheng Huaili was lifted and carried down from the watchtower. With over a thousand soldiers still blocking the way ahead, as long as he could make it into the town before Chen Baoxiang cut through, he would be safe.
However, Chen Baoxiang seemed to sense something.
Amid the thousand-strong melee, she suddenly lifted her head, drawing her bow to a full draw.
The sound of a feathered arrow cleaving the air arrived like a sharp crack.
Cheng Huaili was being carried by two men and, even having seen that ice-cold arrowhead, could not move.
On instinct, he grabbed one of the men carrying him to use as a shield.
One arrow through the chest — the soldier collapsed dead, and the hands gripping the wheelchair suddenly went limp.
“Master!” Meng Tianxing was horrified, struggling and clutching the railing to look down.
Cheng Huaili tumbled down the steps along with his wheelchair, jolting and crashing, and landed sprawled in the dirt.
The remaining soldiers scrambled forward to help him up.
A second feathered arrow arrived without warning, piercing straight through Cheng Huaili’s raised palm and pinning his right hand to the tower wall behind him.
Blood splattered in all directions. A howl of agony erupted.
Meng Tianxing broke out in goosebumps all over.
He recalled the terrifying look in Chen Baoxiang’s eyes when she had smashed his leg, and the head he had stretched out quickly retracted.
“Senior Brother Song.” He asked, trembling with fear. “With all the troops we have, we can’t actually lose to Chen Baoxiang, can we?”
Song Juqing gave a lazy yawn: “She’s quite formidable.”
“Then what do we do? If we fall into her hands again, both Master and I are dead for certain!”
“Is that so.” Song Juqing looked down with an air of indifference.
After firing her two arrows, Chen Baoxiang had been pulled away by close-quarters attackers and had not been able to loose any more shots at Cheng Huaili.
A bit of a pity.
Still, the woman remained as reckless as ever — even with nothing but black-armored cavalry in front of her, she still dared to charge ahead with her head down.
At this rate, Mokou Town would fall within five days.
He didn’t mind helping her shave two days off that estimate.
“General, Cheng Huaili has flown into a rage below and demands you bring your men into the town to meet with him immediately.” A soldier came to report.
Song Juqing acknowledged this and, after a good long while, strolled leisurely downward.
·
Xu Buran discovered that Chen Baoxiang was remarkably skilled at siege warfare.
Many deployments that he couldn’t quite comprehend while watching proved to be remarkably smooth in execution, not only effectively compensating for the disparity in their forces, but also using clever ingenuity to solve the problem of Mokou Town’s difficult terrain.
On the third day of their push, Mokou Town was breached from within and without.
Charging into the town alongside her, Xu Buran finally understood why so many people were utterly devoted to her.
Who wouldn’t love a leader who could carry you to victory and always shared the rewards?
But this battle seemed somewhat different from the ones before. He sensed an agitation emanating from Chen Baoxiang.
Even during the siege on Tianning Mountain, this woman had never shown such a feeling. Now, with victory within reach and their momentum unstoppable, she seemed unable even to steady her breathing, and her hands were ever so slightly trembling.
Was it nerves? No, that wasn’t it. Sorrow? That didn’t seem right either.
Xu Buran wanted to ask, but Chen Baoxiang was charging straight ahead with singular focus and gave him no opportunity.
“Baoxiang, he’s escaped — he took a secret passage.” Zhao Huaizhu said urgently.
Chen Baoxiang went over to examine the entrance to the hidden tunnel.