Chapter 58: Defending the Pass

Chapter 58: Guarding the Pass

"But how did you become a general?"

"Sigh, talent can't be hidden forever," Chen Xingqi said. "You know as well as I do that my research on firearms is deeper than anyone else's. As soon as I joined the Artillery Corps, the soldiers there were all in awe of me, and they immediately recommended me to become a junior officer of the Artillery Corps."

Meng Changqing let out a laugh. "What a load of nonsense."

"How can you talk like that!" He made a move to swat Meng Changqing, but was intercepted by Laicai, who was standing nearby. "You are not allowed to hit my young master."

Although Laicai was not as old as Chen Xingqi, he was bulkier, and combined with his stubborn temperament, Chen Xingqi never provoked him lightly.

"Can you really not guess the truth?" Chen Xingqi said, looking slightly embarrassed. "My father pulled a few strings."

"Your father only asked for that so you could research firearms within the Artillery Corps. He probably didn't expect you to come to the battlefield, did he?"

"Since I'm the one who modified them, I naturally want to see their power with my own eyes."

"You've had a hard journey coming from Weishan Pass. Go to the kitchen for something to eat, rest a bit, and then head back."

"No, I have to watch them explode."

"Do you have a death wish? When the Yan army besieges a city, do you think they'll only be a few hundred or a few thousand people?" Before Meng Changqing could finish, she heard Xiao Dai calling her from behind, "Lord Meng, the soldiers of the Hongjia Camp and Weishan Camp have passed the old city wall site."

"Look, our Great Liang soldiers have arrived too. Isn't the Yan army only formidable because of their cavalry?" Chen Xingqi said. "Once the Heaven-Shaking Thunder explodes their cavalry, what advantage will they have left?"

Meng Changqing couldn't be bothered with him. She wasn't even sure if she would survive; if Chen Xingqi wanted to seek death, she saw no need to stop him repeatedly.

The sky brightened completely, and the number of approaching Jiewan savages grew smaller.

This was not a good sign. Ordinarily, once the Tuozhou Pass fell, the number of incoming Jiewan savages should only increase.

When things are abnormal, there is usually something sinister afoot.

Meng Changqing ate her flatbread amidst the cold wind. Chen Xingqi had already fallen asleep waiting in a corner of the city wall; his Artillery Corps had transported the Heaven-Shaking Thunder through the night, and the high state of tension throughout the process had left them exhausted once they suddenly relaxed.

As a capital city young master who was willing to endure hardships at the border for the sake of a hobby, Meng Changqing admired such people, so she gave Chen Xingqi a kick.

Chen Xingqi jolted awake. "What? What happened?"

"Look where you are. Sleeping here, I think you've lived long enough," Meng Changqing said. "Go down and rest. I'll send someone to call you when the Yan army arrives."

"You should have said so earlier." Chen Xingqi stood up. "I'm going. Remember..."

"Report!" From a distance, the three scouts Meng Changqing had sent out galloped back on horseback.

After entering the city gate, the scouts dismounted and rushed to Meng Changqing. "The Yan army is lined up twenty-five li away, advancing this way. Their numbers should be around twenty thousand."

"How many cavalry do you estimate?" Meng Changqing asked.

"At least eight or nine thousand."

Meng Changqing gripped the sword at her waist. "Switch personnel, scout again. Wait—the Great Liang horses cannot outrun the Yan cavalry. There is no need to get close; just scout the distance."

"Yes!"

After the three left, Meng Changqing immediately ordered the soldiers of the two camps to exit the city and form battle lines.

Seeing this, Chen Xingqi decided not to leave. Twenty-five li would be reached by the Yan cavalry in no time; he would see what he wanted to see very soon.

The vast majority of the troops were deployed at the breach, with archers occupying the high ground on the city walls.

The scouts returned faster and faster—from twenty li, to ten li, until the massive, dark swarm of the Yan army appeared before Meng Changqing's eyes.

On Meng Changqing's side, the two camps had nearly thirty thousand soldiers, but only five thousand cavalry.

Though they outnumbered the enemy, they had no absolute guarantee of victory.

Seeing this massive formation, the civilians who were repairing the walls lost all interest in working. They all wanted to drop what they were holding and run, but they were forced to stay by the guards watching over them.

"What are you rushing for? There are so many soldiers blocking the way outside. Even if the Yan army attacks, they won't reach you directly. Get back to work! If you want to survive now, your only way out is to finish building these walls as quickly as possible."

The Yan leader stepped forward, said a string of words, and immediately began the attack.

Chen Xingqi gripped the city wall, leaning his head out to look. Laicai immediately pulled him back.

On Meng Changqing's side, the archers began firing first.

"Almost there, almost there!" Chen Xingqi stared at their distance, waiting for the Yan troops to step on the Heaven-Shaking Thunder he had buried.

"What's going on?" He remembered every position clearly, but one of the mines failed to react after being stepped on.

Before he could ask further, the other Heaven-Shaking Thunders began to detonate, causing instant chaos and heavy casualties among the Yan cavalry.

But they were thousands of cavalrymen after all; forty Heaven-Shaking Thunders could not kill them all.

Furthermore, since the front line had been blown up, those behind naturally halted.

The leader stepped forward and shouted something unintelligible. Meng Changqing couldn't understand it, but she knew they didn't intend to attack for the time being.

The Yan army retreated five li and set up camp.

"Our soldiers haven't even made a move and they've already retreated?" the general of the Hongjia Camp said. "That's impossible. The Yan army has seen Heaven-Shaking Thunder before. Only a few exploded; it shouldn't have scared them this much."

"I think the Yan army is up to something. I fear they have a trick up their sleeve waiting for us."

"Something is wrong, something is very wrong." At this moment, Chen Xingqi was more panicked than anyone on the wall; the explosion rate was far lower than he had estimated.

He pulled Meng Changqing aside and told her about it.

Meng Changqing only said: "No matter how low the explosion rate is, the Yan army might have already found a way to counter it. Get out of here, quickly!"

"What about you?" Chen Xingqi asked. "Are you coming with me?"

"If you keep rambling, I'll have someone tie you up and send you back to the capital."

Sure enough, one day later, the Yan army appeared again, but this time, a large group of civilians appeared before their lines.

Looking at those civilians, they did not look like Yan people; instead, they looked more like people from Great Liang.

"They are Tuozhou people!"

"Damn it! Those animals!" Zuo Datou jumped up in rage.

The Yan army used the Tuozhou people to trigger all the Heaven-Shaking Thunders. The cavalry suffered no damage. Because of this tactic, despite the two camps fighting desperately to block them, a breach was formed.

It looked as though the Yan army was about to massacre their way in.

Meng Changqing took off her padded coat and rode her horse toward the civilians.

"Everyone! The Yan army is upon us. The power of the Heaven-Shaking Thunder was insufficient, and the breach in the wall is too large. Our soldiers cannot defend every position, and it is inevitable that the Yan army will break through and reach us.

I know you are afraid and do not want to die here, but I will tell you a truth today: pick up your tools and face the enemy head-on if you want a chance at survival. Running away in terror will only lead to death under the Yan cavalry's hooves.

You are all men. Were you born inferior to the men of the Yan kingdom? Do you only dare to run with your tails between your legs when you see them?

If you run from Beishan County today, where will you run tomorrow?

If you fear them today and give up your land, tomorrow you will give up your homes, and the day after? Will you even give up your wives and children?"

"Men of my Great Liang!" Meng Changqing drew her precious sword and roared, "Those with blood in their veins, take up your hoes and rakes, and defend this pass with me!"