Chapter 211: Mule Hongzhen

"Your Highness, what exactly is this firearm, and why is its power so immense?"

The Northern Di army retreated to five miles outside the city walls to camp, showing no further intention to continue the siege.

The Yanguan generals now turned their attention to the firearm that had decided the outcome of this battle.

They came up to the Artillery, looking it over, stroking it, and even shamelessly asking the Artillerymen to explain how to use it.

After being refused by the Artillerymen, they ran over to implore Zhao Xu.

Chang Wei, Lv Chang, Chen Hu, and the other generals of the Prince's Personal Army saw the curious expressions on these Imperial Guard generals and wore traces of pride on their faces.

This Artillery belonged to the Prince's Personal Army; being envied, especially by the Yanguan Imperial Guard, made them feel very smug.

"This is called Artillery," Zhao Xu said.

To him, there was no need to hide the existence of the Artillery now.

Without a doubt, after this battle, the entire Great Song Dynasty would know that he possessed Artillery.

"Artillery!" Jiang Han and the Yanguan generals nodded, "The power is truly worthy of its name."

Then he revealed a pleading expression, "Your Highness, could you let us try it?"

Chang Wei and the others heard this and showed friendly smiles.

Seeing that the Yanguan soldiers also had longing looks in their eyes,

He said, "You may."

Being able to defeat the Northern Di this time was entirely due to the Yanguan generals fighting with blood and sweat.

It could be said that they had suffered the greatest casualties.

If not for them, he could not have achieved such results on his own.

He admitted that the current Great Song Dynasty court was foul and corrupt, but these simple generals and soldiers were worthy of respect.

There was no reason for him not to agree to this small request.

Upon receiving his permission, the Yanguan generals cheered.

Crowding around the Artillery, they were all eager to have a go.

Before long, the city walls once again emitted the "Boom, boom, boom" of thunderous sounds.

Five miles away.

As the faint thunderous sounds arrived, Bo'ertie's heart trembled slightly once more.

He had already sent men to the Khan Tent to deliver the news to their Khan, Mule Hongzhen.

However, to his surprise, the soldier who had gone to deliver the military report returned not long after setting off.

"Great Administrator, the Khan has arrived at Ning City," the soldier said.

He had encountered a Cavalry unit coming from the North Territory shortly after leaving the military formation.

From them, he learned that the Khan had left the Khan Court and arrived at Ning City, south of Ningjin Dusi.

"What? The Khan has arrived at Ning City?" Boketie repeated.

Enke and Lamu both looked troubled upon hearing this.

Originally, the Khan had intended to lead the expedition south in person, but he had been held up by the tribute matters of the Gaoli envoys.

He had assumed the Khan would not rush over, but would simply wait at the Khan Court for their news.

He had not expected him to come in person.

It was evident that the Khan, Mule Hongzhen, held great hopes for this campaign.

Perhaps he was already imagining himself standing atop the Yanguan City walls, looking down upon the lands of the southern Great Song.

Exchanging a glance, Boketie said, "Let us go together to beg the Khan for forgiveness."

Ning City was only a day and a half's journey from Yanguan.

He felt it necessary to personally report the battle to the Khan.

Enke and Lamu felt uneasy, but they still nodded.

Sa'erge was dead; never before had a Great King of the Royal Tent fallen in a war against the Great Song.

They could imagine how furious the Khan would be.

"Boom, boom, boom..." The thunderous sounds from the city walls continued incessantly.

Boketie glared resentfully toward the south, "Yan Wang, this is only the beginning; do not think you have won just yet."

Having said that, he left the camp and spurred his horse toward Ning City.

After more than a day, the three arrived at Ning City.

This was a city with thick walls and a vast area.

On the blue bricks used to build the city, one could still faintly see the characters of the Great Song.

According to the laws of the Great Song, specific craftsmen were responsible for the blue bricks used in building cities.

Therefore, every single blue brick bore the name seal of the craftsman.

This was to trace the responsibility for any substandard quality.

Stopping before Ning City, Boketie looked at the clear characters "Ning City" on the tall gate, sighed, and rode inside.

"Boketie, Enke, and Lamu pay respects to the Khan."

They arrived at the courtyard where Mule Hongzhen was temporarily residing.

The three were led into the inner courtyard.

Seeing Mule Hongzhen sitting upright on a rosewood chair, the three knelt down simultaneously.

Mule Hongzhen's complexion was like a withered yellow leaf in autumn.

His personal guards had brought back the news from the battlefield.

Sa'erge died in battle, with over forty thousand soldiers dead and over fifty thousand wounded.

Among them, the Black Iron Royal Tent lost nearly seventy percent of its military strength.

But none of this is important; what is important is that Yanguan is now as stable as a mountain.

The joy that filled him when he came to Ning City had vanished into thin air.

"Khan, please punish our sins," Boketie shouted, bowing his body low.

Mule Hongzhen suddenly stood up and came before the three of them, kicking Boketie and knocking him to the ground.

Then he kicked Lamu to the ground as well, and finally came before Enke, kicking him several times in a row.

"This is simply a supreme humiliation for our Northern Di; we have never lost so disgracefully in a war against Da Song," Mule Hongzhen said, furious beyond measure.

The military strength of four royal tents, plus the Yuan Family acting as insiders.

Such a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity to enter the pass was missed just like that; how could he not be angry?

"Khan, it is not that our soldiers were not brave, nor were we cowardly; it is that we had never encountered such firearms before. Our Warhorse trembled because of the loud noises, and our soldiers were slaughtered like cattle and sheep; they were terrified," Boketie recounted, sentence by sentence.

Lamu nodded, "Sa'erge was killed by that kind of firearm. They can shoot very heavy iron balls very far, and the soldiers' bodies were shattered. They have hundreds of such firearms."

"Khan, before the great battle, even the Yuan Family did not receive any news of this. This is a conspiracy that Yan Wang has been planning for a long time," Enke hurriedly explained.

Mule Hongzhen's chest rose and fell slightly.

The result of this failed expedition filled him with rage, and he could only vent it on the three of them.

But he had been pondering the situation the three of them reported in his heart.

He had to admit that the decision Boketie made was correct.

If attacking the city became a meaningless sacrifice.

There was no need for the war to continue.

The Northern Di people are brave, but never reckless; furthermore, he had previously received news of a similar situation in the Extreme North.

"I want to see the power of this kind of firearm for myself," Mule Hongzhen said.

The Extreme North is full of frozen earth and ice and snow, and going there is too dangerous.

But here, he could see it with his own eyes.

"Khan..." Boketie wanted to dissuade him, because it was too dangerous.

But seeing Mule Hongzhen's sharp gaze, he chose to hold his tongue.

Ordering his personal guards to prepare horses, Mule Hongzhen and the three men, including Boketie, set out from Ning City and, after a day's trek, arrived at the Yanguan battlefield.

Looking at the Yanguan City wall five miles away, Mule Hongzhen once again ordered the formation of Servant Soldiers to advance.

Like all Northern Di people, in their eyes, Servant Soldiers were nothing more than slaves.

There was not much difference between them dying and cattle or sheep dying.

"I'm not going, I'm not going..." Just as his order was issued, a clamor was heard.