The Lu Family Army Ran, a Man's Heart Is Iron Until Death

Kun Void Realm, Hulao Pass

Atop the southern gate tower stood a middle-aged general, proud and upright. He was Xue Hai, the banner of the Hexi Rebel Army, with more than six thousand men under his command, a figure counted among the finest even within the rebel forces.

His ancestor had been the Wave-Subduing General whose name had shaken the four directions at the founding of Great Qing. His family was loyal and martyr-spirited, and three generations of grandfather and grandson had all earned military merit.

At this moment, Xue Hai's gaze pierced through layer upon layer of beacon fire.

Below the city, the cries of killing shook the heavens. The pass would be breached within half a day.

"We can't hold on anymore!"

Xue Hai's heart was heavy.

"The Lu Family Army, why have they still not arrived?"

"What about the others?"

He murmured to himself, worry seeping through his voice.

Without timely support from reinforcements, Hulao Pass would likely be impossible to preserve.

Standing behind Xue Hai was his only son, Xue Zhen. Panic and fear were written all over his young face.

"Father, could Lu Jiaxuan already have..." Xue Zhen's voice trembled somewhat. He did not dare utter the word "fled."

Xue Hai turned around and fixed his eyes on his son.

"Impossible." He shook his head.

"I have been friends with Lu Jiaxuan for many years and know well what kind of man he is. Even if he died, he would certainly die on the battlefield. He could never abandon the city and flee."

However.

Below the walls, the North Wind Army surged in like a tide, dense, packed figures climbing the city wall like locusts.

Every charge from the siege troops below made the sturdy city gate tremble slightly, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Witnessing this scene, the panic in Xue Zhen's heart was ignited, growing harder and harder to control.

He clenched both fists tightly, his voice carrying a tremor and a hint of sobbing. "Father, are we... are we really going to stay here and wait for death? I'm not even twenty-five yet!"

His eyes were full of fear and unwillingness.

Xue Hai fell silent for a moment.

He was already over fifty, already considered advanced in age. He had weathered countless storms and wars, and had long since put life and death aside.

However.

Facing his son's eyes.

As a father, his heart was bitter.

"Zhen'er." Xue Hai looked at Xue Zhen kneeling on the ground, his tone filled with helplessness.

"Father, I have yet to start a family or establish my career. If I lose my life here, the Xue Clan will have no descendants. How could we face the Xue Clan's ancestors?"

"By now, we have already done our utmost. Hulao Pass's allotted fate may truly be exhausted..." Xue Zhen continued.

"Those several rebel armies from Pohu Lake have long since planned to retreat. There is no need for us to be buried here together with Wang Yang."

Xue Hai's originally straightened back seemed to be crushed down.

"But the Xue Clan's reputation of a hundred years cannot be stained. The Xue Clan cannot have deserters, do you understand?"

"Father, don't worry. No one will know. Once Wang Yang dies in battle, who will still investigate where we went?"

Xue Zhen said urgently, "In these chaotic times, there are only kings who succeed and bandits who fail."

"As long as we survive, there is hope to start again. Leave the green mountains standing—as long as we can rise again from the eastern mountain, later generations will naturally have great scholars debate the scriptures and restore our name."

Xue Hai let out a long sigh, as if he had aged greatly in an instant.

With difficulty, he spat out.

"Fine."

With his father's agreement, Xue Zhen's face showed a relieved smile.

He hurriedly stood up and looked beyond Hulao Pass.

On the battlefield, corpses were piled up like mountains, and blood flowed in rivers.

A strong surge of unwillingness and resentment welled up in Xue Zhen's heart.

He was originally the son of an aristocratic family, born with a mountain of treasure, raised amid brocade and splendor, wandering through prosperity.

He should have had the company of lovely wives and beautiful concubines, enjoying all the prosperity and beauty of the world.

How could he be buried in the wind and sand of the north?

He was unwilling to accompany these so-called "mud-legged peasants" in being buried here.

Just then.

At this moment, the western city gate suddenly opened wide, the heavy iron doors rumbling thunderously.

It made the guards at the southern gate cry out in alarm.

This sudden change also made the North Wind soldiers who were attacking fiercely freeze on the spot, their offensive slowing for a moment.

At the southern gate, Xue Zhen saw this scene and could not help bursting into loud laughter.

"Father, do you see? Lu Jiaxuan's Lu Family Army is nothing more than this."

"Aren't they running too?"

The Lu family had produced jinshi in two dynasties and were local tyrants. Xue Zhen did not believe the Lu family would give up such glory, wealth, and honor.

"Let's go, Father," Xue Zhen urged.

Xue Hai still did not dare believe it. Lu Jiaxuan was absolutely not that kind of person.

But the city gate was wide open!

The facts were right before his eyes. The Lu Family Army had actually run.

One stone stirred up a thousand layers of waves.

When the news came, defending general Wang Yang could not believe it.

"No, he wouldn't?"

He had suspected Xue Hai, suspected everyone, but had never once suspected Lu Jiaxuan.

This news was an enormous blow to him, and Wang Yang nearly could not remain standing.

Who would have thought!

The first to flee was actually the Lu Family Army.

The other rebel armies in several other places were also greatly shocked and turned pale. Some were endlessly furious, and some sneered again and again.

But without exception, they were all shocked and baffled by the Lu Family Army's flight.

This act directly set the morale at several city gates wavering.

Even!

Tuoba Shuyi, who was commanding from afar, felt surprised. They had chosen to make their main attack on the southern gate and feint at the western gate precisely because the Lu Family Army at the western gate was fierce and unafraid of death, with the strongest fighting power.

They were the hardest bone to gnaw.

The southern gate had the most rebel troops and was the easiest place to break through, with the weakest will.

Unexpectedly!

The western gate opened wide, and the Lu Family Army was the first to abandon the city and flee.

In Tuoba Shuyi's eyes, Lu Jiaxuan was a man who regarded death as homecoming.

After the last time he had lured the enemy, he had once again exceeded his expectations.

Inside the great tent, the original atmosphere was shattered, and mocking voices rose one after another.

"What Lu Family Army? They're nothing but craven rats who cling to life and fear death."

"Hahaha, the Qing people really are soft-boned."

Tuoba Shuyi stood up, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.

"No." He said in a deep voice.

Only to see!

Outside the western gate, the Lu Family Army was beginning to deploy its troops, an aura of grim killing intent spreading out.

Eight thousand Lu Family Army soldiers surged out like a torrent, their banners snapping in the cold wind.

The banner fluttered, openly and uprightly embroidered with the character Lu.

Three riders leaped out.

Lu Jiaxuan was in the center, with Lu Yu and Lu Chen beside him.

Lu Jiaxuan sat on horseback and looked back at the eight thousand soldiers. Every face was filled with staunchness, without the slightest fear.

"Good!"

They were all fine men who feared neither life nor death.

He shouted:

"Brothers, the time to earn merit and establish our careers has come!"

"Twenty years of humiliation and downfall, twenty years of broken mountains and rivers."

"A man's heart is iron until death. I, Lu Jiaxuan, will not retreat again."

The eight thousand Lu Family Army soldiers responded in unison, their might shaking the heavens.

Seeing this scene, all doubt vanished from Tuoba Shuyi's heart.

He shook his head inwardly.

Inside the tent came jeering voices again.

"Lu Jiaxuan is just a mediocre fool. Infantry leaving the city to face our grassland sons, and the Iron Pagoda Cavalry personally trained by Your Highness besides?"

"Isn't this just courting death? Leaving the city undefended, hahaha."

Tuoba Shuyi flicked his horsewhip.

"Iron Pagoda Cavalry, hear my command. Begin the charge from the western gate."

"It is time to end this. Take Hulao Pass, then go south and seize the dragon."

Cheers rang out inside the tent, and everyone's eyes shone with blazing light.

Going south to seize the dragon—this was the highest honor of North Wind men.

They still remembered vividly how the capital had been broken twenty years ago. Now, they too would go south like their fathers.

To the water towns of Jiangnan, to savor gentle women.

"Has Lu Jiaxuan gone mad? Isn't this just sending himself to death!" Xue Hai said in anger.

Xue Hai could not help looking toward the grand and surging eight thousand Lu Family Army soldiers, his eyes shaking.

The Lu family had actually left the city to meet the enemy!

The North Wind's Iron Pagoda Cavalry was simply not something human strength could resist.

Xue Hai sneered and said, "This Lu Jiaxuan, with such conduct, is no different from bringing destruction upon himself."

Xue Zhen said in a low voice, "Father, this is a heaven-sent chance. We can take this opportunity to leave."

Xue Hai sighed again.

Lu Yu stared ahead at the Iron Pagoda Cavalry surging like a black iron tide.

His gaze turned again toward Hulao Pass's southern gate.

Only to see!

The Xue Clan rebel army was fleeing in panic, and quite a few people were also taking this chance to flee the battlefield.

"Brother, you really do foresee things like a god. These rebel armies can't be relied on."

Lu Yu nodded slightly. "No matter. It is only eight thousand against one hundred thousand!"