[{"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-60":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},2288895,4475,"Chapter 60: Barbarians Attack","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-60",60,"\u003Cp>Inside the Qi Prince’s palace, the Qi Prince gently stroked his thick beard, smiling broadly at Xiao Sanzi and praising, “I never realized you were such a talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This idea is excellent. As you said, even if Jiang Mingyu finds out, he can only stare helplessly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, the Qi Prince rose from his golden silkwood chair, sized up Xiao Sanzi from head to toe, then nodded in satisfaction, striding to the window and ordering, “Tomorrow I shall lead the border troops on field exercises. Three days from now, we shall mobilize and blockade Qinglong Zhai !”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the sun blazed brightly, the sky clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the county yamen’s main hall, Jiang Mingyu frowned deeply, his expression grim as he stared at Murong Yunhai, who was panting and drenched in sweat. “Brother Murong, weren’t you supposed to be guarding the coal mine? Why have you come back here alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai’s face was pale, his expression anxious. “Xingqiu brother, disaster has struck—the barbarians are attacking!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu froze, gasped sharply, his voice trembling. “What did you say? The barbarian army has arrived?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai, still struggling to catch his breath, stammered, “Yes! From high up at Qinglong Zhai , I saw clearly—a vast sea of cavalry, all clad in animal hides, armed with spears and bows, roaring like beasts. Exactly like the barbarians we’ve faced before!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of barbarians, Jiang Mingyu sensed a thick aura of killing intent radiating from Murong Yunhai; his hands clenched involuntarily, as if recalling some terrible past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu pressed urgently: “Have all the civilians working the coal mines safely evacuated back home? If the barbarians capture them as hostages, it’ll be disastrous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai steadied his breathing. “I immediately sent word to Master Tu. He escorted the villagers down the mountain at full speed—they’ve all reached the city and returned safely to their homes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now the people have barred their doors tightly, and the northern gate has been reinforced. For now, we should be safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu finally exhaled slightly, his furrowed brows relaxing a little. “Good. Where are Gou Dan and Xiao Er?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai’s ragged breathing gradually calmed; sweat dripped quietly from his forehead. “Xiao Er is with Master Tu, calming the townsfolk’s panic. Gou Dan has gone to the city defense camp to deploy soldiers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current situation still seemed temporarily orderly. Jiang Mingyu exhaled softly and analyzed calmly: “Don’t panic. It’s nothing too serious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Barbarian attacks were inevitable—it’s just that I didn’t expect them to come so suddenly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They must be starving and frozen, their supplies exhausted, their march difficult—so they’ve taken the desperate risk of crossing the border over the mountains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fortunately, we’ve already repaired and reinforced the city walls and gates, and our guards have been strengthened. As long as we wait for the Qi Prince to send troops, we should hold against the enemy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he finished speaking, Li Gou Dan staggered into the hall, pale-faced, shouting: “My lord! A major disaster!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s brow tightened. “What happened? Have the barbarian troops broken through our city walls?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Gou Dan’s voice trembled violently: “No—the city defense camp just reported that the Qi Prince led his troops out for training this morning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With no commander, the city guards, hearing the barbarian army is coming, panicked, abandoned their weapons, and fled in all directions. The city’s defenses are now empty—this is critical!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, the barbarians will be at our gates any moment—what do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu clenched his brows, suppressing his rage: “I understand. The more desperate the situation, the more we must stay rational and calm...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his face remained calm, inside he had cursed the Qi Prince countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already cursed the Qi Prince in his heart—always annoying, always meddling, yet at the critical moment, he sent no reinforcements and caused his own troops to scatter. It was adding insult to injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Jiang Mingyu could finish, Wu Xiaoer burst in, panting heavily: “My lord! The barbarians have reached the northern gate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They demand you appear before them. They’ve given you one quarter-hour—if you don’t show up by then, they’ll storm the city!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu calmly brushed his wide sleeves. “Very well. I’ll go see for myself whether these legendary barbarians are truly so fearsome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Mingyu moved to leave, Murong Yunhai rushed forward to block him. “My lord, you cannot go! The Qi Prince holds the troops but does nothing. If you risk yourself alone and something happens, what will Shangmu do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly. “As an imperial envoy, defending Shangmu is my duty—no excuse. If I don’t go, they’ll attack immediately. Better to go out, assess the enemy, know them and know myself—then I can win every battle. Time waits for no one. Come with me to the city wall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai still protested: “But now we’re the only ones left in the city! Even if we learn their strength, what can we do? My lord, the barbarian army looms outside, the city is empty, no reinforcements—Shangmu is already doomed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words “doomed” froze Li Gou Dan and Wu Xiaoer in place, their faces grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shangmu had just begun to show a glimmer of hope—how could it now face annihilation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing death, Jiang Mingyu remained calm: “Doomed? So what? Stick your head out, you die. Pull it back, you still die. Might as well fight. No soldiers? We have ten thousand civilians. We have the pride of being subjects of the Da Feng Empire. Think you can swallow me whole? See if you’ve got the teeth for it.” On the northern city tower, Jiang Mingyu looked out and couldn’t help a bitter smile: “Heaven hasn’t abandoned me yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing high on the city tower, Jiang Mingyu wore a simple blue robe, the northern wind whipping his sleeves fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brows knitted tightly as he stared fixedly at the wasteland below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, scattered across the barren plain, were fewer than a hundred barbarian stragglers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each was massive, dark-skinned, with wild hair and faces brimming with killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They held curved swords, some carried long lances, their waists bound with belts of animal bone, dressed roughly—as if they’d stepped out from the edge of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu had expected a vast, unstoppable barbarian army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he saw only a ragtag band of lonely stragglers. Though few in number, their demeanor suggested they wouldn’t be easy to defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, truthfully, the only person under his command who could truly fight was Tu Kesiluo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu realized he’d need to think carefully to handle even these hundred stragglers—never underestimate them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Wu Xiaoer and whispered: “Go prepare...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiaoer was baffled, thinking Jiang Mingyu had lost his mind. “My lord, what are you planning?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu spoke calmly: “I have my plan. Go prepare quickly—delay and it’ll be too late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though confused, Wu Xiaoer sighed and hurried down the tower to carry out Jiang Mingyu’s orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a burly barbarian on horseback below shouted up to Jiang Mingyu. His face was covered in beard, his hair wild, a long blade in hand, his aura fierce: “Are you the official in charge of Shangmu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu answered calmly: “Indeed, sir. You’ve traveled far—I offer my respects.” He bowed politely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barbarian snapped: “Listen well! Our army is starving—we’ve come to borrow food. Open the gate, hand over the grain, and we might spare you. Hesitate, and when we storm the city, you’ll be the first to die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu visibly flinched, his voice trembling: “If we open the gate, you’ll really spare our lives?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barbarian grinned triumphantly: “A true man’s word is binding! Give us what we want, and we’ll let you live.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu beamed with joy, nodding rapidly: “Good, good! As long as we live, that’s enough! No need to die! Men, open the gate! Welcome the barbarian army into the city!”\u003C\u002Fp>",1320,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c1732e0e2c66763ab78f26db77c4ffe02397350bfa9d96f8f60d1d6b9b043dc8","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-61","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-59",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]