Chapter 262

Seeing the scout depart on orders, Jiang Mingyu continued:

"Go, and notify Zhuge Yu and Jiaqi—have them immediately lead all available troops to secretly march and concentrate on Jingzhou."

"By the time we take Taoyang City, Zhuge Yu and Jiaqi's armies will already be ready."

Saying this, Jiang Mingyu furrowed his brows slightly, his tone resolute:

"That will be the moment we face off against Fei Hou—we strike decisively to seize Jingzhou and confront Fei Hou in a final, mutual annihilation!"

After the scout departed, Jiang Mingyu silently recited the coming battle in his heart. He knew this would be the most grueling fight of his life.

Two days later, the army finally arrived outside Taoyang City. Gazing at the towering walls, Tukesiluo said coldly: "Here we are—Taoyang City lies ahead!"

Jiang Mingyu's gaze was steady. "Our plan is set, and so far it has proceeded perfectly. Take thirty-five thousand men and ambush to the city's left; Fang Hang, encircle from the right. Let's see if Liu Jiayi bites."

Tukesiluo and Fang Hang departed on orders. Jiang Mingyu led his remaining thirty thousand troops in a circling display before the city, aiming to lure Liu Jiayi into attacking.

Jiang Mingyu glanced at the sky and quietly ordered his men to prepare siege weapons. Zhang Jiaqi commanded the female soldiers to dirty their clothes, transforming the once proud army into a pitiful, defeated mess. Even Zhang Jiaqi, who loved beauty, willingly smeared herself—she would die for Jiang Mingyu.

Once all preparations were complete, Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction and ordered the army forward. Soon, the "defeated" force reached the foot of Taoyang City. Zhang Jiaqi feigned gasping for breath, shouting loudly: "Defenders of the city, listen! My lord Jiang Mingyu's army has come to storm your walls! Open the gates and surrender one hundred thousand shi of grain, and I'll spare your lives—otherwise, I'll execute your commander Liu Jiayi on the spot!"

The defenders on the walls stared in shock. "Impossible—Jiang Mingyu was defeated in Taizhou and turned back! How could he still have strength to attack us?" They hurried to report to Liu Jiayi.

After a quarter-hour, Liu Jiayi climbed the ramparts, his face filled with disbelief. Seeing the Jiang Army's wretched state, he sneered: "Jiang Mingyu, you're stubbornly alive—escaped the Emperor's encirclement! You should've crawled into the deep forests to survive, yet here you are, throwing yourself at death again! I know your student Zhuge Yu was crushed in Taizhou—do you really think this pitiful rabble can storm a city? Ridiculous!"

Jiang Mingyu feigned surprise. "How do you know about the battle in Taizhou?"

Liu Jiayi laughed coldly. "When I cut off your head and send it to the Emperor, you'll understand in the netherworld. Today, I'll kill you and present your head as proof of my merit. Then you and Zhuge Yu, the failed master and pupil, can reunite on the path to the underworld!"

Jiang Mingyu's face grew grave as he feigned pleading: "General Liu, have mercy! Spare us our lives! Look—we're spent, broken. Even if you let us go, we can't fight again."

Liu Jiayi burst into laughter. Turning to his deputy, he ordered: "Take eight thousand men to hold the city. The rest, follow me to exterminate Jiang Mingyu! Brothers—the moment for glory has come!"

Heaven does not take what is offered, and one will suffer the consequence! Liu Jiayi thought. Killing Jiang Mingyu himself meant controlling half of Da Feng's territory. This single feat alone would earn him the rank of Grand General from Fei Hou.

Watching the Jiang Army's pitiful retreat, Jiang Mingyu smirked inwardly: "Liu Jiayi, you've taken the bait."

Soon, Liu Jiayi led his main force out from behind the city walls. He glanced at Zhang Jiaqi, grimy and disheveled, and sneered: "Little woman, you were bold just now? I'll start with you!"

He swung his three-pronged blade and slashed toward Zhang Jiaqi's face.

Zhang Jiaqi's lips curled. "Then die!"

She hated being called "little woman." In an instant, her sword flashed from its scabbard. Amid swirling dust, Liu Jiayi had no time to react—he was flung backward, severed.

Seeing this, Jiang Mingyu's face turned fierce. He roared: "Leave none alive—attack!"

As Jiang Mingyu's troops instantly transformed from beggars into ferocious warriors, Liu Jiayi's fifty thousand men panicked, thrown into chaos.

"Bad! The commander's dead! Run! Retreat to the city!" The entire army collapsed.

With Liu Jiayi dead and fear of Jiang Mingyu's reputation spreading, the enemy's morale shattered. Seeing them flee left and right, Zhang Jiaqi raised her sword. "Shoot! Hold the rear—don't let them reach the city!"

Jiang Mingyu smirked, flicking his hand lightly. A dense rain of arrows fell from the sky. Enemy soldiers and horses tumbled, cries echoing everywhere.

As the enemy scattered in all directions, Fang Hang and Tukesiluo, long hidden nearby, simultaneously led seventy thousand troops forward—attacking from left and right.

"All of you—leave none alive!" Jiang Mingyu roared. Beside him, Tukesiluo had already severed the head of a fleeing enemy. The trapped troops fell back step by step, casualties mounting, their escape growing frantic.

Just as the enemy remnants neared the moat and the city gate, Fang Hang had already blocked the entrance. "Think you can run? Not a chance!" He charged down with his men.

The enemy deputy on the walls, terrified, shouted: "Shoot! Fire arrows down!"

But Zhang Jiaqi had timed it perfectly. As the enemy's arrow rain descended, she ordered: "Shields forward! Block the arrows—counterattack!"

The two armies erupted into a fierce exchange of arrows. Amid heavy casualties, Tukesiluo casually bent down, picked up a two-zhang-long spear, flicked his wrist—and the spear shot toward the ramparts.

A sharp *whoosh*—the spear pierced through the storm of arrows and struck the enemy deputy's chest with perfect accuracy. Before he could scream, he collapsed backward, eyes wide open in death.

*Thud. The deputy's corpse tumbled from the five-zhang-high wall, crushed into a bloody pulp. The watching enemy soldiers stood frozen—what they'd just seen defied belief. A spear had pierced through five zhang of stone and air—Tukesiluo's strength must be several times that of an ox!

"Is... is this even human strength?!"

"This guy's no ordinary man—run!"

Seeing their deputy killed instantly, the defenders on the walls were gripped by icy dread. Almost all forgot to fight; their legs trembled, they stumbled backward, too terrified to stand their ground.

Zhang Jiaqi, seeing the enemy break, ordered: "Shoot! Kill every remaining enemy on the walls—leave none alive!"

After a few volleys of arrows, the once noisy ramparts fell silent—not a single enemy remained standing.

Jiang Mingyu seized the moment. "What are you waiting for? Break the gate—storm the city!"

Opportunity vanishes in an instant. They must seize this rare chance—otherwise, if the remaining enemy regroups and climbs the walls, the tide will turn again.

Fang Hang roared to his men: "Hurry! Use the wooden battering ram!" Soldiers united, heaving thick logs against the gate.

At that moment, the remaining enemy inside the city regrouped in desperation and surged onto the walls to counterattack.

"Hold Taoyang City! We cannot let it fall!" the enemy cried.

Zhang Jiaqi had watched the ramparts closely. She ordered instantly: "Shoot! Kill every enemy who climbs the wall—leave none alive!"

Another torrent of arrows rained down, felling fifty-six more enemy soldiers—but reinforcements kept coming. Then—*BOOM! —the gate shattered, and our troops stormed inside!

Tukesiluo raised his sword and roared: "Sister-in-law, hold the gate! Fang Hang and I will enter and wipe out the remnants!" Before his words ended, he charged into the city.

As waves of sword qi surged, enemy soldiers fell one after another. Fang Hang followed close behind, engaging in desperate hand-to-hand combat.

The few thousand remaining defenders, seeing the tide turn, panicked. Who cared about Taoyang City anymore? Survival was all that mattered!