Chapter 72: An Old Warhorse in the Stable

Wusun King Lie Jiaomi saw that his scheme to drive a wedge between Emperor Wu of Han and Liu Ju had failed; the surge of his defeated anger, like rising magma, instantly exploded.

His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulged on his forehead, and his face was full of a ferocious expression.

At this moment, the Han Army occupied his royal city ahead, while Liu Ju's great army pursued him from behind; he knew he had no retreat, and only a desperate fight might offer a sliver of hope.

"If that's the case, then let's fight to the death and break the nets!"

Lie Jiaomi gritted his teeth and roared angrily, his voice filled with resolve and madness.

He quickly gathered the remnants of his troops, relying on his years of prestige and influence in Wusun, and reorganized the army.

Although this army was no longer as strong as before, at this moment they were driven by the desire to survive and the fury of revenge, and they actually exuded a fierce aura.

Lie Jiaomi stood at the front of the troops, waving his long sword, and shouted loudly: "Wusun warriors, we have nowhere left to retreat! This is our land, and we cannot let the Han Army take it! Today, let us wash away our shame with the blood of our enemies!"

The Wusun warriors were ignited by his words, and they all let out earth-shaking shouts; morale instantly rose.

At the same time, the Xiongnu Chanyu Er was not to be outdone; he rode his warhorse, waving his whip, and urged the Xiongnu soldiers:

"Xiongnu warriors, when have we ever feared? Follow me in the charge, and let the Han Army know our might!"

The Xiongnu cavalry let out waves of wild howls, their warhorses neighed, and the whole force surged like a black torrent toward the Wusun royal city.

On the Wusun royal city side, Li Guang had been doing his best to set up defenses, but time was pressing and the fortifications were not yet fully ready.

However, at this moment, seeing the late emperor's unmatched aura and fearless bearing, the soldiers were all inspired, and their fighting spirit was also high.

"The thousands of miles of the Western Regions rightfully belong to Han territory, lads—fight to the death and do not retreat!"

Li Guang led from the front, nocked his bow and shot an arrow, and immediately a Xiongnu cavalryman fell.

"Fight to the death and do not retreat!"

The Han Army soldiers shouted hoarsely.

When the two armies clashed, after the first round, Lie Jiaomi, relying on his familiarity with the terrain, skillfully avoided some weak defensive points and led his troops to approach swiftly like ghosts.

Melee combat erupted instantly, with cries of battle, wails, and the clashing of weapons intertwining, echoing through the heavens.

The Wusun and Xiongnu soldiers, like starving wolves, madly charged toward the armies of Li Guang and Liuche.

They flung their weapons without reservation, each attack carrying the determination to break the cauldrons and sink the boats.

Li Guang led from the front, holding a long spear, and bravely slew the enemy at the front lines.

His gaze was firm and sharp; each thrust of his spear struck the enemy with precision.

However, the Wusun and Xiongnu offensives were too fierce, wave after wave of enemies surging like a tide, leaving him gradually feeling overwhelmed.

"Soldiers, hold fast! We cannot retreat!"

Li Guang shouted loudly to boost morale while desperately fending off the enemy's attacks.

But the enemy was simply too numerous; a stray arrow took advantage of his lapse and struck his left arm.

Li Guang grunted, but did not stop his movements; he tore a piece of his battle robe, simply bandaged the wound, and continued fighting.

Emperor Wu of Han, Liuche, also personally stood on the watchtower, directing the battle.

His eyes bore dignity and calm as he shouted loudly: "Soldiers, we are the army of the Great Han; we cannot shrink before the enemy! For the glory of the Great Han, fight to the end!"

He even personally took up weapons and fought the Wusun warriors in close combat.

Hearing the late emperor's encouragement, the soldiers' morale soared, and they stubbornly resisted the enemy's assault.

However, Lie Jiaomi's army attacked with such ferocity that Li Guang and Liuche's forces gradually fell into difficulty. The Wusun and Xiongnu soldiers, using their familiarity with the terrain, continually broke through the defenses, and the Han Army's casualties mounted.

"Your Majesty, the enemy is too fierce; we can barely hold them back!"

A commander anxiously reported to Liuche.

Liuche frowned, a flicker of worry crossing his eyes, but he quickly steadied himself and said: "Killing these barbarians is at worst a life for a life; I've lived long enough these past few decades!"

At that moment, a stray arrow suddenly came flying.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

Li Guang shouted anxiously.

However, he and Liuche were separated by a distance, clearly beyond his reach.

An arrow struck Liuche's arm, and blood immediately poured out.

Liuche merely gritted his teeth and bellowed: "Don't mind me; kill all these barbarians!"

Li Guang and Liuche both suffered wounds, and the surrounding soldiers also incurred casualties.

Boom—

At that moment, with a tremendous crash, the originally not-so-tall and sturdy city gate was instantly breached.

Li Guang grabbed Liuche and said: "Your Majesty, first retreat to the palace."

Having said that, he ignored Liuche's objections, pulled him onto a horse, and simultaneously ordered the defenses to contract, retreating toward the Wusun palace.

"Kill them!"

Lie Jiaomi and the Xiongnu Chanyu Er led their troops, pursuing like ferocious wolves, and in no time surrounded the palace on all sides.

"Li Guang, Liuche, you cannot escape today even if you grew wings! Surrender obediently, and perhaps I will spare your lives!"

Lie Jiaomi stood before the palace, a smug smile on his face.

Inside the palace, Li Guang and Liuche gazed at the enemy outside, surging like a tide; their eyes showed a hint of panic, but not the slightest fear.

Liuche pressed his sword wound on his arm, then suddenly laughed and said: "Old general, I never imagined that our first time fighting side by side would be so embarrassing, but you are still as imposing as ever!"

Li Guang, though wounded, cared nothing for it, and declared loudly: "I am old now; back in my prime, these few dogs would not be a match for me in a single bout!"

Hahaha!

The Emperor of Han suddenly burst into a happy laugh; the pain in his arm intensified, yet he seemed oblivious to it.

"Old general, the one thing I feel most ashamed of toward you is that I once favored the Wei and Huo families, distancing myself from you, but I too had my difficulties."

Liuche looked at Li Guang with an apologetic gaze, recalling the past, and felt a deep sense of sorrow.

Li Guang remained silent.

Liuche continued: "But I never imagined that the one who would stay with me to the end would actually be you, whom I was initially most estranged from!"

Li Guang, deeply moved, raised his head and looked at Liuche, saying: "Your Majesty, if it weren't for the Son of Heaven, this old subject and the Li clan would long ago have become rotting bones in the grave, infamous!"

Liuche, stroking his wounded arm, bowed slightly and said earnestly: "It is I who am ashamed before the Li clan, ashamed before my beloved subject; I am foolish and incapable! But my debt to you, I fear, can never be repaid in this lifetime!"

Li Guang suddenly let out a long sigh, his eye sockets slightly reddening, hurriedly stepped forward, extended his hand to support Liuche, and said: "Your Majesty, the events of the past are already like passing clouds; your mistake, the Son of Heaven has already made up for!"

"Your Majesty, do not utter such defeatist words again; although we are trapped in danger, even if we die we must drag a few down with us—settle the score before we go!"

Liuche straightened up, tightly grasping Li Guang's hand, his eyes filled with a complex emotion of moving and guilt intertwined, and slowly said:

"Good, old general, with these words of yours, the knot in my heart over these years is considered untied. I also finally understand why you were so loyal to him; he is fine, better than me!"

Meanwhile, outside, the enemy army's shouts of killing grew ever fiercer, as if they would break through the palace gate.

A flash of resolve crossed Liuche's eyes; he released Li Guang's hand, drew his sword, and the blade gleamed with cold light.

"The old general is right! Today, let us join hands and fight once more for the honor of the Great Han!"

Li Guang fixed his gaze firmly toward the palace gate and loudly said: "Your Majesty, I will stand with you and slaughter them, leaving not a single piece of armor!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The earth-shaking shouts of killing drew near again; only to see Lie Jiaomi and Er Chanyu, leading their subordinates, tightly surrounding the palace, gazing tiger-like at the Han troops inside, as if looking at lambs awaiting slaughter.

Li Guang's and Liuche's attacks were quickly repelled, and both suffered fresh wounds.

Meanwhile, the soldiers around them, although still fighting to the death without retreat, now all showed signs of despair.