Chapter 1291: A Single General's Fame, Ten Thousand Bones Withered

The setting sun hung like blood in the western sky, forming the most striking backdrop to Jinzhou city together with the vast, rugged mountains of western Liaoning. The fierce cries of battle that had lasted nearly the entire day gradually faded; the boiling flames and the stinging stench of blood—this canvas painted by the blood of tens of thousands of soldiers from both Han and Liao—had lost its grandeur. Amid the thick smoke of war, the battered city of Jinzhou seemed to speak of boundless desolation...

Outside the city, atop the tall watchtower, ** stood together with Zhao Kuangyin. From the moment the assault began, the two had remained aloft observing the battle, never once descending to rest, not even sitting down for a moment.

While the soldiers fought desperately at the front, as commanders of the great army, they too were competing in willpower and endurance. It had been no easy task—this obstacle that had devoured countless lives had finally been moved aside by the Han army.

All around, over a hundred ox-hide war drums beat the advance, never ceasing. Several shifts of drummers had rotated through, and by now nearly all were spent of strength. Yet the triumphant melody played by the assaulting soldiers was enough to bring relief and joy to everyone.

"Your Highness, Duke Rong, the Liao army has utterly collapsed! Generals Liu Guangyi, Ma Renyu, Li Hanqiong and others are leading troops in pursuit, mopping up the remnants! General Ma requests instructions—a considerable number of Liao troops have fled eastward, and he recommends dispatching cavalry to chase them down!" Murong Defeng, appointed by ** to serve as a liaison officer in the army, hurried up the tower to report the latest battle situation. Having run up and down more than ten times, his handsome face could not hide its fatigue, yet it bore a smile.

"Excellent!" Even with **'s composure, he could not help but feel excited, clapping his hands vigorously.

Throughout this day, his emotions had risen and fallen like waves. Having spent so long in the army, he naturally understood the strategic importance of Jinzhou and its significance to this northern expedition.

Because it was crucial, it was valued. When the breach was successfully blasted open and the Han army poured in, he was especially elated. But when word came that the Liao army refused to retreat and resisted tenaciously, he could not help but feel his heart sink. That the Liao troops in Jinzhou would be difficult to deal with was a consensus among the Han army's high command. When the fierce fighting in the city reached a stalemate, ** had even felt a stirring of anxiety.

Zhao Kuangyin, however, remained steady throughout, adjusting in time, directing calmly, and supporting the operations. Upon hearing the report now, though his expression relaxed, he still kept his composure.

Looking at the Crown Prince, ** noticed his calm expression and quickly adjusted his own mindset, saying, "Duke Rong, you need only give the orders!"

"Yes!" This was where Zhao Kuangyin knew how to conduct himself. Though he held great power, he always deferred to **, even though His Highness the Crown Prince had long since displayed his magnanimity.

After brief consideration, Zhao Kuangyin directly instructed: "Pass the order to all units in the city—finish mopping up the remnants as quickly as possible, secure all gates of Jinzhou, and stabilize the situation within the city. At the same time, clear a passage. The imperial cavalry and border cavalry are to launch a full sortie to pursue and annihilate the fleeing enemy. Tell the soldiers: prioritize killing. It's getting late—limit the pursuit to thirty li!"

"Yes!" Murong Defeng acknowledged the order.

"The fire in the city is growing larger!" Zhao Kuangyin pointed at Jinzhou city, seeming puzzled. The blazing flames had dyed nearly the entire sky red.

Murong Defeng said: "To report to Duke Rong, the Liao army had stockpiled large amounts of grain and fodder in the inner city. Before their defeat, they set it ablaze, and the fire spread to the surrounding houses!"

"This Yelu Xiuge—decisive and ruthless indeed! Young in years, little known in reputation, though he lost Jinzhou, this battle has made his name..." Though he did not wish to praise an enemy who had caused him no small trouble, now that the fruits of victory were in hand, Zhao Kuangyin could not help but sigh in reflection.

"Pass the order—have Zhang Yongde lead men to fight the fire and extinguish it as quickly as possible!" Zhao Kuangyin instructed.

"Duke Rong, though Jinzhou has fallen, our soldiers' casualties are heavy! Today's battle was especially fierce—who knows how many soldiers fell to the Liao army's counterattacks!" ** had fully recovered his composure by now. He stepped forward two paces, gripped the railing that still looked fairly sturdy, gazed at the war-ravaged city of Jinzhou in the distance, and sighed.

This hard bone of Jinzhou had been gnawed through, but the price paid seemed rather heavy—and what had been taken was nearly a ruin!

Seeing ** looking deeply moved, Zhao Kuangyin stood beside him, chin raised, his curly beard flaring wantonly in the summer breeze. He said in a low voice: "Your Highness, this is war. Some costs must be paid, some sacrifices are necessary—there is no room for bargaining!"

"I understand as well!" ** said: "Since the founding of the Great Han, we have endured several hundred battles large and small. Over more than twenty years, how many soldiers and commoners have been lost!"

Hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin looked at ** and said: "Your Highness, the Zhaolie Temple in the Eastern Capital holds memorial rites every year. The inscriptions on the steles record all of it, to be venerated by posterity forever!"

"I wonder how many more valiant spirits from this northern expedition will return to the Zhaolie Temple..." **'s expression grew increasingly grave.

Seeing this, Zhao Kuangyin's brow furrowed slightly. He clasped his hands to ** and spoke with some severity: "Your Highness, forgive me for speaking plainly—the northern expedition is far from over. Though the battle of Jinzhou was fierce and the sacrifices great, it may not be the most brutal engagement. More savage battles, greater sacrifices, may still lie ahead. Your benevolence is a blessing to the realm, but as commander of the northern expedition, you must face these casualties and sacrifices squarely!"

Hearing Zhao Kuangyin's heartfelt words, ** felt a surge of emotion. Setting aside that trace of reluctance, he turned and returned the bow: "It is I who was soft-hearted. Thank you for your guidance, Duke Rong—I shall keep it in mind!"

Having said this, ** added: "I wish to go into the city and have a look!"

At this moment, Jinzhou city still echoed with considerable noise and commotion. The Han army's mopping-up of the remaining defenders was still ongoing, but the main force had already been routed. The few remnants, fighting like cornered beasts, were not far from being wiped out.

However, though ** wished to go, Zhao Kuangyin would not permit it—the risk was far greater than watching from above. He advised: "Your Highness, better to wait until the city is fully cleared before going in! The overall situation is decided, and there's no fear of mishap. You must be hungry and thirsty by now—rest for a while first!"

Faced with Zhao Kuangyin's dissuasion, ** was somewhat reluctant but still gave him face. Only toward evening, as the remaining enemies in the city were killed, captured, or surrendered, did **, under the protection of the Fengchen Camp soldiers, walk into Jinzhou city and step onto the blood-soaked ground.

At this time, Jinzhou city was nearly a ruin—especially the western and southern outer walls, where the Han army had launched its main assault, which suffered the most severe damage. On several streets near the outer walls, all the houses had been demolished. That had been done by Yelu Xiuge when defensive supplies ran low, tearing them down for defense—though not a few had also been burned by the Han army's fire-oil bombs.

The smell of smoke and blood intermingled, saturating the air and refusing to dissipate. ** went specifically to look at the breach site. Bodies of Han and Liao soldiers lay strewn everywhere, piled layer upon layer, some trampled into bloody pulp—a sight that shocked the eyes and heart.

With a face full of gravity and heavy steps, ** went to look at the inner city as well. This was where Yelu Xiuge had planned to make his final stand, but the city had fallen so suddenly that it was never used—and in the end, it was set ablaze...

The northern quarter of Jinzhou was comparatively dry ground amid the city-wide devastation, temporarily used as a place to treat the wounded. When ** arrived, it was a scene of bustle—wounded were constantly being carried in, and not a few soldiers died for lack of timely treatment.

"Your Highness!" Zhang Qiong, who had fought desperately in the assault on the city, was carried up on a stretcher.

Seeing this, ** hurriedly crouched down, tightly gripping his rough hand, and asked with concern: "In this battle to breach the city, you hold the greatest merit, General. How are your wounds?"

His heavy armor had already been removed. Zhang Qiong bore many wounds—seven visible bandages from hand to foot—but he could still manage to speak, showing a pale smile: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. They're all just flesh wounds—nothing serious!"

"This officer was lucky!" Zhang Qiong pointed at a fearsome graze below his neck and laughed: "Had this arrow been a bit off, I'd have died! A pity that Yelu Xiuge got away. As for the soldiers who charged the city with me, I don't know how many are left..."

"Rest well, General!" Listening to his rambling, ** felt not a trace of annoyance—instead, he developed a measure of fondness for this rough-and-ready warrior. A fierce general who was loyal, brave, daring to fight and charge—who wouldn't like such a man, even if his mind was a bit simple?