Chapter 370: Northern Frontier Iron Wall

The autumn wind in the northern lands is far more biting than that of Bian Liang.

Carrying the desolation and grit of the frontier grasslands, it howled over the newly repaired crenellations of Heroic Prefecture's city walls, snapping the soldiers' battle robes.

The air still faintly reeked of a trace of blood and burnt smoke, reminding people of the grim battle that had taken place over a month ago.

General Who Pacifies the North, Marquis of Liang Shi Dun, stood like an iron-cast statue before the enemy tower at Heroic Prefecture's north gate.

He wore no full armor, only a light leather jerkin for ease of movement beneath his battle robe, yet the fierce aura forged through countless battles and mountains of corpses pressed harder than any plate.

His gaze, like a hawk soaring the horizon, swept sharply over the vast, desolate battlefield below the city and the distant colossal light curtain that stretched across heaven and earth, warping light.

The False Song army had retreated nearly two months ago, and a rare peace had settled along the border.

Shi Dun dared not relax in the slightest.

He knew well that the 'giant python' coiled along the horizon was merely dormant, not dead.

Zhao Guangyi had seized the throne, and internal power struggles within the False Song regime needed time to settle.

Once they recovered, the Northern Frontier would surely erupt in war again.

Moreover, the elusive troublemakers of the Iron Crow Army could stir up new mischief at any moment.

"Snap to attention, you lot!"

Shi Dun's voice boomed like a great bell as he shouted at the soldiers drilling on the walls.

"The walls are repaired—not for you to lounge in the sun!"

"Those False Song brats might sneak back any day! Think of the fallen General Han Tong, think of your comrades who fell beside you!"

"Heroic Prefecture cannot fall again!"

The soldiers answered with a roar, training with renewed vigor, their battle cries shaking heaven and earth.

Shi Dun nodded in satisfaction, then turned to his deputy and ordered:

"Issue the orders: starting today, each wall garrison shall implement the newly drilled Rotating Mutual Defense System."

"Outpost beacon towers: increase hidden sentries, equip signal arrows, and report any alarm immediately—no mistakes!"

"Also, have the Logistics Battalion lay out the newly delivered iron caltrops and horse‑trap pit templates within five hundred paces outside the city, especially in the depressions where enemies could sneak up under cover of night!"

"Received!" the deputy replied, clasping his fist, and immediately turned to convey the command.

Shi Dun's Rotating Mutual Defense System and those new defensive devices were among the military reforms he instituted after the bloody battle at Heroic Prefecture, combining his own experience with the emperor's guidance (via memorial) and refining them through reflection.

Their purpose was to overturn the old practice of troops holding fixed sectors without mobile reinforcement, strengthening the line's elasticity and its ability to respond to sudden attacks.

He wanted not only Heroic Prefecture's city to stand firm as rock, but the entire Northern Frontier line to become a three‑dimensional iron wall that the enemy could neither gnaw through nor bypass.

Just then, a group of riders entered the city and climbed the wall along the horse path.

Leading them was a youth in an apricot‑yellow dragon robe and a velvet cloak—none other than Crown Prince Chen Hong.

At his side followed the Eastern Palace Guards and a Ministry of War langzhong tasked with guiding and explaining.

Seeing this, Shi Dun strode forward, clasped his fist in salute, and his voice boomed like a great bell:

"Your servant Shi Dun pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Though he was a rough man, he knew propriety and understood well the weight this young prince held in the emperor's heart, and what he meant for the future of Great Chen.

Chen Hong clearly found Shi Dun's aura a little overwhelming; his small hand instinctively gripped the edge of his cloak, yet he strove to stay composed, mimicking an adult's gesture by raising his hand in a tentative support.

"No need for such ceremony, General Shi. I have come to the Northern Frontier to study military affairs by my father's command—thank you for your trouble, General."

His voice still held a childish tone, but his wording was already standard official speech.

Shi Dun rose to his full height, gazing at the delicately carved child who would bear the weight of the realm, and his rugged expression softened somewhat.

"Your Highness's visit is an honor to the troops."

He stepped aside to lead the way.

"Your Highness, please look—this is Heroic Prefecture's north wall. Over a month ago, the False Song's tens of thousands, together with the Iron Crow Army's monsters, were repelled here by the emperor and our soldiers working together."

He pointed to the sword‑ and axe‑cut scars still marring the wall and the gaps filled with new stone, his voice deep and heavy with the memory of blood and fire.

Chen Hong followed his gaze, observing and listening intently.

When Shi Dun described how the 'netherbone' monster defied blades and spears, its strength boundless, and how the emperor had unleashed divine power to help him sever its limb, Chen Hong's eyes widened with awe and reverence for his father.

"General Shi," Chen Hong asked, raising his head, curious.

"Did His Majesty really cough up blood back then? Does wielding that kind of power… hurt the body badly?"

Shi Dun hadn't expected the prince to ask that; he paused, saw the genuine worry in the child's eyes, sighed, and nodded.

"His Majesty… indeed paid a price."

He pointed southward.

"While we won here, several southern prefectures suffered drought, and the emperor fell ill for a long time afterward."

"So remember, Your Highness, war is not won by bravery alone; victory may also bring unforeseen costs."

"Governing and commanding troops both require balance and caution."

Chen Hong nodded as if half‑understanding, his young face growing a little graver.

Shi Dun brought him along to continue the inspection, explaining the wall's various defenses, how the beacon towers worked, and the preset defensive zones outside the city.

He also had the soldiers demonstrate an improved bed crossbow, using pulleys and counterweights for faster loading and firing, and how patrol squads equipped with the new Heartguard Talisman could detect abnormal spiritual fluctuations.

Chen Hong watched with keen interest, occasionally asking questions—though some seemed childish to Shi Dun, he answered them all patiently.

"General Shi, if the False Song again uses that 'shadow eclipse' that drives people mad, what should we do?" Chen Hong asked, recalling the case Master Wang Ru had told him about, worried.

"Have no fear, Your Highness!"

Shi Dun slapped his chest.

"The Minister of Works Zhao has improved the Heartguard Talisman—it now lasts longer and covers a wider area."

"We've issued them to every garrison and beacon tower; the soldiers take turns wearing them on duty."

"Moreover, Qian Gui's Office of Peace and Safety keeps a tight watch, never letting the False Song's spies get away easily!"

His words were full of confidence, an assurance that stemmed from trust in his own strength, his comrades' abilities, and the powerful dynasty behind him.

After inspecting the city walls, Shi Dun brought Chen Hong to the military camp outside the city to watch the troops drill a new combined attack formation and to learn about the logistics and provisions stockpile.

Only when the sun began to set did fatigue appear on Chen Hong's young face, and Shi Dun then ordered an end to today's itinerary.

"Your Highness, what you have seen today is merely the tip of the iceberg of the Northern Frontier's defenses."

Before seeing Chen Hong off back to his field headquarters, Shi Dun spoke solemnly.

"Guarding the nation is not a task of a single day; it requires perseverance, it requires the troops to give their all, it requires the Imperial Court's support, and above all… it requires successors."

"I hope Your Highness's journey today brings you some gain."

Although Chen Hong was tired, his eyes were brighter than when he arrived.

"I have benefited greatly today, thank you, General Shi, for your instruction."

He imitated the adults' gesture and clasped his hands.

"I will study diligently and not disappoint the Emperor's and the General's expectations."

Watching the Crown Prince's carriage depart, Shi Dun turned around and once again gazed toward the light curtain in the north.

The autumn wind brushed over his weather-beaten face, bringing a piercing chill.

He knew that this temporary peace would not last forever.

But he had confidence that, forged from flesh and blood, will, and continually innovating technology, the Northern Frontier Iron Wall would surely keep every invading enemy firmly outside the nation's gates.

For His Majesty, for the Crown Prince, and also for the countless common people behind him who need protection.