Chapter 291

First Volume, Chapter 291: Ambush on the Road

According to the prearranged defense plan, once the Chariot and Cavalry General provided support, Qi Meng could rally the defending troops to fully fortify the front battlefield and buy time for the reinforcements to arrive.

But now, the Beidi forces were attacking the County City from all four sides, forcing Qi Meng to scatter his limited manpower across the entire City Wall, resulting in fires breaking out on all fronts.

At this point, the City Wall was no different from having fallen; Beidi soldiers had already breached the city and were slaughtering indiscriminately.

Had the Beidi soldiers not been so ruthless, leaving no survivors, forcing the yamen runners and civilian laborers inside the city to fight to the death with no other choice, the County City would have already been captured.

At that moment, a squad of Beidi soldiers, with clear intent, headed straight for the County Yamen.

Qin Cheng Clan, Lin Quqi, and a group of clerks and county officials were hiding in the Rear Residence, protected by seven or eight yamen runners who looked no different from civilian laborers.

Li Xiaolan sat alone atop the DaTang, watching the Beidi soldiers storming toward the Door, her expression utterly calm; her lips barely moved: "Military Masters, might you spare this servant's life?"

Seeing Li Xiaolan, who looked like a Celestial Immortal descending from heaven, the dozen or so Beidi soldiers instantly went dry-mouthed.

Having long been on campaign, they had forgotten when they last saw a woman; and now, to finally encounter one so beautiful—she was like a Celestial Immortal!

The lead Beidi Captain, sword in hand, strode boldly toward the DaTang, his eyes blazing with excitement: "This tiny Beixi County dares resist our Beidi army's iron hooves? Unless we sack the city, our soldiers' fury cannot be quelled. Spare your life? Impossible. But given your beauty, you shall die last of all."

Feeling the beastly hunger in the Beidi soldiers' gazes, Li Xiaolan showed no fear; she glanced down at the dagger she was idly playing with, her tone light as cloud: "If the Military Masters refuse to spare this servant's life, then this servant must kill you all."

The Beidi soldiers laughed as if hearing a joke.

The Beidi Captain couldn't help but chuckle: "Little beauty, how do you plan to kill us?"

Li Xiaolan's lips curled slightly: "Watch closely."

As her words ended, the dagger flew from her hand. No one expected her to act—panic set in, defenses were down—and the dagger struck the Beidi Captain squarely in the heart.

The Beidi Captain's steps halted. He looked down at the blood seeping from his chest, his expression slowly turning blank: "Little beauty… you truly have skills…"

Thud.

The Beidi Captain fell face-first to the ground.

The remaining Beidi soldiers, after a moment of stunned silence, replaced their lewd grins with savage rage and lunged at Li Xiaolan simultaneously.

Li Xiaolan pulled a rope from beneath the table, hurled it upward—it wrapped around the Roof Beam—and yanked hard, launching herself up onto the beam. She seized a hidden short bow, fired three arrows in rapid succession, and killed three men.

The Beidi soldiers were thrown into panic, raising their Small Leather Shields. Since these soldiers were assault pioneers, they carried only Sword and Shield, no Bow and Arrow; faced with Li Xiaolan, perched atop the beam and exploiting her advantage, they had no recourse but to shield themselves.

Li Xiaolan's archery was uncannily precise, and the Beidi soldiers' Small Leather Shields—designed for Close Combat—offered far less defense than a Great Shield, barely covering their upper torsos.

Their lower bodies, exposed to Li Xiaolan's aim, met inevitable fates: arrows pierced thighs or bellies.

In an instant, several more Beidi soldiers collapsed.

The remaining Beidi soldiers clustered together; though they roared threats to tear Li Xiaolan into pieces, they also moved with perfect coordination to retreat toward the Yamen's entrance.

Since they couldn't touch Li Xiaolan, they'd simply burn down the Yamen!

Just as the Beidi soldiers exited the Yamen, a scream erupted behind them.

The remaining seven or eight Beidi soldiers turned instantly—and turned pale. A ten-man Beidi Squad had been entirely slain by arrows, lying sprawled on the ground.

The arrows had come from above; looking up, they saw a Black-Clothed Man standing on the Eaves—it was Elder Fourth.

One Beidi soldier, face as white as paper, gritted his teeth: "What the hell is wrong with this damned County City? How many hidden experts does it harbor?!"

"These bastards' archery is deadlier than the last!"

A young soldier, overwhelmed by unprecedented pressure, screamed wildly at Elder Fourth: "If you've got guts, come down! Hiding and striking from ambush—is that real skill?!"

Elder Fourth showed no reaction. He raised his hand and fired one arrow—killing the young soldier instantly.

Just as the remaining Beidi soldiers prepared to retreat, Li Xiaolan, who had been hiding inside the Yamen, emerged to pursue them.

Facing the pincer attack of Elder Fourth and Li Xiaolan, the remaining Beidi soldiers fell one after another. The last soldier, terror-stricken, turned to flee—when two arrows struck simultaneously: one pierced his lower back, the other his nape.

Li Xiaolan stood at the Yamen's Door, staring at the arrows embedded in the Beidi soldier's body, her eyes darkening.

On the other side of the roof tiles, Elder Fourth, standing on the Eaves, let out a quiet hum. He paid no mind to the slain Beidi soldier, but turned his gaze toward the continuous screams rising from all around—more Beidi soldiers were pouring into the city, slaughter unfolding everywhere.

The city's fall was merely a matter of time.

Meanwhile, on the Official Road fifty li from Beixi County, Xu Mo led the First Battalion of the New Army, galloping at full speed.

Xu Mo gripped the Reins in one hand and whipped the horse's rump with the other, roaring at unsuspecting passersby: "Get the hell out of my way!"

The forward scout rode up alongside the column and shouted to Xu Mo: "General! The Beidi army has breached the city! Two additional battalions remain outside—Light Infantry and Light Cavalry!"

Xu Mo's eyes blazed. Earlier, at the Zhou Fu, the Prefect had warned him not to go to Beixi County—defending that crumbling city was meaningless. Had he not considered the greater picture, Xu Mo would have already beheaded the Prefect.

Meaningless?

Qin Cheng Clan and Li Xiaolan and others were still inside—was he to let them be slaughtered and violated by Beidi soldiers?

Moreover, Xu Mo had taken the Official Road to hasten his advance; along the way, he'd met a courier from Beixi County and knew the contents of the Beixi County War Report. By timing, the Chariot and Cavalry General should have already advanced to support Beixi County's Western Direction.

But the scout reported: the Chariot and Cavalry General hadn't moved at all.

The entire Shedynasty had abandoned Beixi County to its fate.

Overcome with grief and fury, Xu Mo was about to roar out his rage—when a cry rang out beside him: "General, watch out!"

Before Xu Mo could react, the Vice Commander beside him was struck by an arrow fired from the Cao Cong beside the road—he fell from his horse, dead on the spot.

Had the Vice Commander not taken that arrow for Xu Mo, Xu Mo would have been the one dead.