[{"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-228":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},2289063,4475,"Chapter 228: Returning Is a Death Sentence","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-228",228,"\u003Cp>Two days later, at dawn, Zhang Jiaqi rushed into Jiang Mingyu’s room, her face glowing with excitement. “Big Brother Jiang, good news! The scouts are back—they say Hamasterlen was utterly crushed by Tukuslo and Goudan, with fewer than a thousand men escaping. They’re now just ten li outside the city—let’s go welcome them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu couldn’t help but smile. He patted Zhang Jiaqi’s shoulder and said, “Good. Tukuslo lived up to expectations—he shattered Hamasterlen. Jiaqi, come with me to the city wall. Let Hamasterlen see our strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last year, trapped in Shangmu City for half a year, they had faced Xixia’s daily sieges and taunts. Now, finally, they had a chance to strike back—his spirits soared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten li outside Yingchang City, Hamasterlen led a ragged band of survivors toward the city. His body was covered in wounds and dried blood, his hair and beard a tangled mess. Anger and fear filled his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, we’ve been royally screwed this time,” he cursed. “I thought taking Zhangwu County would be easy, but that Tukuslo suddenly appeared behind us with twenty thousand men. They caught us off guard, slaughtered us by the thousands. If I hadn’t been quick, I’d already be dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Worse still, Jiang Mingyu didn’t go to rescue Zhangwu County—he took advantage of our absence to ambush Yingchang City. Now we’ve lost our escape route entirely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of his soldiers ventured cautiously, “General, has Jiang Mingyu already captured Yingchang City?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hamasterlen shook his head. “Impossible. Yingchang is a key Xixia stronghold in Guanzhong, defended by ten thousand elite troops. Even if Jiang Mingyu is capable, he couldn’t take it in such a short time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then do we still have hope?” the soldier asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course,” Hamasterlen said. “If we can enter Yingchang City, we’ll join forces with the garrison and fight Jiang Mingyu again. Then I’ll make him regret ever crossing me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s move!” the soldier urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right,” Hamasterlen said. “Tell the men behind to hurry—we must get inside the city as soon as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he cracked his whip and spurred his horse forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, they reached the foot of Yingchang City. Hamasterlen looked up—the gates were tightly shut, the walls empty of any movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on? Are all the men inside dead?” he muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouted loudly, “Brothers on the wall, open the gates! I’m Hamasterlen—I’ve returned with over a thousand men!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he spoken than a young voice rang out from the city tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hamasterlen, you’ve finally come. Jiang Mou has been waiting for you a long time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the voice echoed, a bright red banner slowly rose, emblazoned with a massive “Jiang” character. On the flagpole hung a severed head—He Tianhong, the Xixia deputy general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hamasterlen’s eyes widened in horror as if struck by lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-you… are Jiang Mingyu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared in disbelief at the young man on the wall. The youth smiled warmly, holding a long sword, flanked by soldiers clad in Xixia uniforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct. It’s Jiang Mou,” Jiang Mingyu said. “You’ve always wanted revenge against Jiang Mou, haven’t you? Today, Jiang Mou is right here waiting for you. Isn’t this fate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-you… how are you here?” Hamasterlen stammered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really need to ask?” Jiang Mingyu said. “I came to attack Yingchang City. Did you think I’d be foolish enough to rush to rescue Zhangwu County? Tukuslo and Goudan are already there—I had no need to worry. All I had to do was strike while you were distracted, seize the garrison and supplies here in one blow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You never imagined returning here would be your death path, did you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-you’re too cunning!” Hamasterlen snarled through gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh. That’s called strategy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You Xixia people always boast of your cleverness. Today, let you taste what it’s like to be outwitted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Jiang Mingyu waved his hand, signaling the soldiers on the wall to fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh!” Hamasterlen cried out, diving for cover—but it was too late. His remaining men were instantly pierced by a storm of arrows, turning into porcupines of steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run! Run!” Hamasterlen whipped his horse desperately. He only wanted to escape, to flee back to Xixia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t know—he had no escape. Just as he turned, a sharp long sword flew through the air, piercing straight for his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh!” Hamasterlen screamed again. He instinctively tried to dodge—but it was too late. The sword sliced through his chest like a blade through tofu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A searing pain surged through him—and then he knew nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>",757,"2026-06-20T03:28:18.279Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b9362183d527ff16f473a7255ac9566e0522ecda0629a290ca4133154a660306","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-229","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-227",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]