[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-171":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289006,4475,"Chapter 171: Shock","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-171",171,"\u003Cp>Soon, all returned to silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu rushed down the wall to check Tukesulu’s wounds; he saw countless injuries, a pale face, yet the man was still barely standing—Jiang Mingyu finally breathed easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks to Your Excellency’s foresight, you shot the arrow that saved my life!” Tukesulu smiled weakly; Jiang Mingyu let out a long sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The danger was overwhelming—we nearly lost the entire army! Fortunately, Tukesulu fought to the death and repelled the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This victory let Jiang Mingyu breathe easier; he immediately ordered his men to shoot arrows and kill the remaining struggling enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hissing storm of arrows rained down like hail, piercing the ground until it bristled like a hedgehog’s back; fallen enemies were speared with arrows from head to toe, blood splattering in wide crimson blooms, filling the air with a nauseating stench of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu glanced once and felt the world spin—he gagged and vomited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Tukesulu grabbed a dead enemy’s corpse as a shield, gasping as he crouched to dodge arrows. Jiang Mingyu reiterated his order to the archers to keep firing; soon, over a thousand more enemies fell like withered crops in a field, littering the ground in chaotic heaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Tukesulu steadied his breath, raised his blade, leapt high like a fierce lion, and roared, “Come on, brothers, charge with me!” His Shangmu troops answered with thunderous shouts; the remaining enemy soldiers, seeing all was lost, abandoned armor and weapons and fled like rabbits, clutching their fragile lives with desperate urgency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu shouted urgently for Tukesulu to stop, not to pursue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tukesulu finally calmed, his blade hovering uselessly, then staggered and collapsed into the blood-stained snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu rushed over to check his wounds; seeing Tukesulu’s bloody face, his heart felt as if slashed by a knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man, to protect him, had risked his own life and fought the enemy to the death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For every wound on his body, Jiang Mingyu felt a corresponding gratitude—he was his savior, his comrade, his brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu recalled the battle and still felt dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, though gravely wounded, Tukesulu still lived—Jiang Mingyu finally relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately ordered his men to count casualties and handle aftermath, evacuating the wounded back into the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, the casualty report was ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The subordinate reported: “Your Excellency, in this battle, our forces suffered 872 dead and wounded; the Dongping rebels were annihilated, and over 1,200 Luoxie soldiers died.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant Tukesulu had single-handedly slain over two hundred men in half an hour—he was a killing machine!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu ordered grimly: “Send men to hunt down every last rebel remnant in the city—kill them all before nightfall, no lingering threats. Notify Yasimo Regional Military Commissioner: have Li Goudan send another thousand troops to garrison Dongping.” The round trip would take two days, but the enemy was nearing Yasimo’s gates—Jiang Mingyu was frantic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, sending a thousand men meant Yasimo’s garrison shrank by another thousand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weak as he was, Tukesulu spoke up: “Your Excellency, what if we keep our two thousand here to prepare for revenge against Hao Wang of Luoxie?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed: “Whether it’s enough is uncertain, but right now, we can only muster these few thousand. You know Yasimo’s situation—Ruan Chen has a hundred thousand troops; every extra thousand means another chance at victory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yulong, listening nearby, was stunned—he never imagined Jiang Mingyu, seemingly at the height of power, was in such dire straits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now he was bound to Jiang Mingyu; if Prince Qi found out he’d secretly handed over the county seal to Jiang Mingyu, the consequences would be unthinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hurriedly said: “My Lord, please don’t worry—though Luoxie has slightly more men, they’re no more than forty or fifty thousand, just defeated and bloodied—they won’t dare trouble us soon. Please, don’t lose heart!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked into Shen Yulong’s eyes and nodded: “Thank you for the reminder—I must have been too pessimistic. With you here, I no longer worry about my rear—I feel much more at ease.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yulong added: “Your Excellency, leave some money and grain—I’ll recruit more troops for contingencies.” Jiang Mingyu had planned to transport all supplies back to Yasimo; now he could only sigh: “All our garrison stays in Dongping—I’d love to take supplies back, but I can’t. Very well—handle recruitment yourself. When Tukesulu recovers, we’ll return to Yasimo and prepare to confront Ruan Chen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he finished speaking, a snow-covered soldier burst in, gasping: “My Lord—disaster!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s heart clenched: “Has Ruan Chen attacked the city?” The soldier nodded urgently: “My Lord, Zhang’s intelligence was wrong! Before I left, Ruan Chen’s army was already fifty li from the city! I’ve ridden nonstop for a day and night—Ruan Chen’s forces may already have surrounded Yasimo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu felt the sky collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Chen’s hundred thousand troops had nearly reached Yasimo—how was this possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they grown wings to fly here? Did they possess some secret artifact enabling instant teleportation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu demanded urgently: “Are you certain you didn’t misread? Ruan Chen’s army is truly only fifty li away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier nodded frantically: “I didn’t mistake it—I saw Ruan Chen’s banners and iron cavalry with my own eyes. They chased me from behind—I barely escaped detection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s heart sank—this was dire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d assumed Ruan Chen’s army still had time to reach Yasimo, which is why he dared to split forces and strike Dongping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never imagined they’d arrived half a month early—this was beyond his wildest fears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu immediately thought of Zhuge Yu and Li Goudan in Yasimo, and Liu Yifei, Liu Ximen, and the Zhang Junhao family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were his kin, his brothers, his pillars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What disaster would befall them if Ruan Chen breached Yasimo?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu dared not imagine—he felt a cold dread rise from his core, shaking him to his bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked again at Tukesulu’s frail form, his heart ached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man had risked his life to protect him, and now he must still march with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu said: “Tukesulu, rest here for now. I’ll go to Dingtao to find Murong Yunhai and Jiani—they may have already taken Dingtao City. This war has reached its critical moment—we cannot delay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Jiang Mingyu rose to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Tukesulu grabbed Jiang Mingyu’s sleeve and shook his head fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gritted his teeth, struggling to speak: “Your Excellency, we cannot split up. Yasimo is our home, our foundation—we cannot let Ruan Chen win. If we hurry back, we still have a chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he struggled to his feet, leaning on the messenger’s shoulder, and limped toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His steps were unsteady, but his gaze was unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu watched his back, deeply moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu sighed, no longer urging him to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew Tukesulu’s nature—once decided, he would never waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu said to Shen Yulong: “Shen County Magistrate, you remain in Dongping to hold the city. This is our rear base—you must defend it carefully. I’ll leave you money and grain, but I must take some to recruit more troops for contingencies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yulong nodded urgently: “My Lord, rest assured—I’ll do my utmost. May Your Lordship have a safe journey and crush the rebellion soon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shen County Magistrate, we shall meet again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Jiang Mingyu, Tukesulu, and a thousand elite troops departed Dongping City at once, heading for Dingtao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavy snow outside had ceased, but deep drifts still blanketed the ground; their horses galloped through it, kicking up clouds of white powder. The biting wind lashed their faces, reminding them of life’s fragility and impermanence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet they had no thought of rest—they knew time was critical; every extra minute could decide Yasimo’s fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They rode hard, leaving deep hoofprints across the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>",1292,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","111ab976d4aa518cf6a29a99830a3846f57ed1e2ad29ab63c7a187124c7670f4","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-172","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-170",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]