The wartime status of Yongjing City started the day after Champion Marquis captured Qingzhou.
The city gate is tightly closed, only going out but not entering.
Every ten steps on the city wall stood a soldier with his bow strung and his sword unsheathed.
Most of the pedestrians on the street have disappeared, many shops have been closed, and even the storytellers in the teahouses have shut up.
City Defense Army changed from three shifts to two shifts, and from two shifts to full-time duty.
The soldiers' eyes were all red, not because they stayed up late, but because they were nervous.
Imperial City hasn't fought in a war for more than fifty years.
Many of them are new recruits to the industry.
Emperor Xianwu issued three decrees:
First, mobilize troops from surrounding states to rush to support Yongjing.
Second, Taiwei Huangfu Song led his army north to meet Champion Marquis's main force.
Third, the capital is under martial law and no one is allowed to enter or leave without the emperor's order.
Fourth, the city gates should be strictly guarded, mobilize guards in the city, and ensure that Foundation Establishment Late Stage is patrolling each city gate.
Huangfu Song After receiving the order, he led five thousand elite troops out of the city that day.
When he left, Zhou Qi stood on the steps at the door of Yao Residence, watching the team passing by the end of the street from a distance.
The sound of horse hooves was as dense as a drum, and dust rose up, covering half of the street.
Five thousand people, fully armed and murderous.
But Zhou Qi knew that these five thousand people could not stop Champion Marquis's 100,000 army, and this was extremely dangerous.
Once surrounded by a large army, even if Huangfu Song is very powerful, he will not be able to escape death.
But Huangfu Song's mission is not to win, but to delay.
He can fight guerrilla warfare.
Reinforcements dragged to surrounding state capitals arrived, dragging Yongjing City until the wall turned into an iron walnut that could not be chewed.
Zhou Qi withdrew his gaze and turned back to the yard.
However, Champion Marquis really has great wisdom in leading.
Less than a day after Huangfu Song set off, something happened outside Nanan Gate.
That afternoon, Zhou Qi was practicing Cultivation Method indoors.
Suddenly there were rapid footsteps outside the door.
The boy ran in crawling on the ground, his face was as white as paper, and his voice was shrill and hoarse. "Mr. Zhou... Mr. Zhou! Nanan Gate! Cavalry! So many cavalry!"
Zhou Qi closed his fist and frowned. "Speak clearly."
The boy was out of breath. "I don't know how many cavalry! They are just outside Nanan Gate! The siege has begun!"
Cavalry?
Zhou Qi felt something in his heart.
The main force of Champion Marquis is still in the southwest. Huangfu Song has only set out for a day. How could the cavalry hit Nanan Gate so quickly?
Unless, this cavalry does not come from the west.
Is it coming from the east or south?
To the east and south of Yongjing are Qingling Mountains.
Zhou Qi reminds Qingling Mountain of those bandits.
It suddenly dawned on me.
After Huangfu Song was strangled, he quickly evacuated and secretly hid again.
Champion Marquis has already placed chess pieces around Yongjing, waiting for Huangfu Song to leave the city, and then stab him in the back.
Nanan Gate Outside, smoke and dust cover the sun.
Thousands of cavalry lined up in the wilderness outside the city, all black horses with black armor, and the golden word "Qin" embroidered on the flags.
The horses' hooves plowed the ground, and dust flew up, like a moving black ocean.
On the city wall, arrows from the defenders fell like rain, but the cavalry were well-trained, holding their shields high, and the arrows were nailed to the shield, making a clanging sound.
The leader was a middle-aged general, riding on a black horse, holding a long spear, and his aura was unabashedly released.
Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer.
On the city wall, the guard Zhao Hu looked ashen.
He is only Foundation Establishment, Third Layer, and he has 1,200 soldiers, which is more than enough to defend the city in normal times.
But the momentum of the man at the foot of the city made it difficult for him to breathe even from a distance of dozens of feet.
That's Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer.
It was a height he could never reach in his life.
"Fire the arrow! Fire the arrow!" Zhao Hu shouted, his voice already hoarse.
Another wave of arrows fell, and the cavalry under the city raised their shields to block it. The arrows bounced off the shields, making a clanging sound.
The Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer waved his hand, and Spiritual Qi overflowed, sweeping away the flying arrows.
Then he rode his horse forward a few steps, suddenly raised his spear, gathered Spiritual Power on the tip of the spear, and stabbed fiercely in the direction of the city gate.
A fierce gunfire Air-Breaking Slash came out and went straight to the city gate.
On the city wall, Zhao Hu's face changed drastically.
But the gun gas flew three feet in front of the city gate, and a pale golden light curtain suddenly appeared in the air.
The runes on the light screen flowed, creating a circle of ripples like water waves.
The gun gas hit the light screen, exploded with a bang, and dissipated without a trace.
City Gate Formation.
Although strong, it requires a large amount of spiritual stones to be activated each time.
Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer at the foot of the city obviously also knew this. He was not in a hurry to attack hard, but was wasting his energy.
One shot after another, the gun gas continued to hit the light screen, and the pale golden ripples spread out in circles, like someone throwing stones into the water.
At this moment, a figure jumped Upper City's head from the inside of the city wall and landed beside Zhao Hu.
The man was dressed in purple court clothes, with a sword on his waist. He had gray hair, but his back was straight.
Han Zhang.
He is fifty-two years old this year and has served in the army for thirty years, rising from a small soldier to the position of deputy capital commander.
His sword skills are not acquired through practice, but through killing.
With the arrival of Han Zhang, the morale of the city's military was determined.
Who is a soldier and doesn't know Han Zhang!
Han Zhang stood at the top of the city, looking at the monk Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer under the wall with a cold expression.
There is a small level difference between me and him, so it would be difficult to fight against him.
However, although the formation can resist, it cannot keep blocking forever. The spiritual stones are limited. Once they are exhausted, the city gate will become a piece of meat on the chopping board.
Someone has to go out and control it.
Han Zhang stared down closely and said, "I'm blocking him outside the city, and you guys are supporting him on the city wall. We can't let him waste away below the city. In the end, the spirit stones will be exhausted, and the morale of the army will be dispersed."
Zhao Hu opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but saw Han Zhang's livid face and swallowed the words back.
The city gate slowly opened.
Han Zhang unsheathed his sword, jumped down from the top of the city, and landed outside the city gate.
The cavalry formation below the city paused slightly.
The Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer general reined in his horse and looked at Han Zhang, the sneer on his lips turned into amusement.
"Han Zhang?" He spoke, his voice was not loud, but it was clearly conveyed to Upper City, "It's just Foundation Establishment, Eighth Layer, you dare to fight?"
Han Zhang did not answer the call.
He clenched the hilt of the sword, Spiritual Power surged wildly in his body, Foundation Establishment, Eighth Layer's aura suddenly released, and he pressed straight towards the man.
The man laughed.
With a flick of the spear, Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer's momentum came back like a huge wave.
The two momentums collided in mid-air, and the air seemed to be distorted for a moment.
Han Zhang turned pale and took half a step back. A thin crack opened in the bluestone slab under his feet.
There is a small difference, but the difference is more than a star and a half.
The man didn't give him a chance to breathe.
The spear thrust out, the tip of the spear was wrapped with a sharp Spiritual Power, and it went straight to Han Zhang's chest.
That shot was fast and fierce, carrying the spirit of decades of battlefield killing, leaving no room for error.
Han Zhang turned sideways and raised his sword to block.
"Qiang--!"
Jin Tie screamed, and sparks flew everywhere. Han Zhang was shaken so much that he took seven or eight steps back. The mouth of the sword he held cracked, and blood flowed down the hilt.
His face looked even worse.
Not an opponent.
He knew he was no match.
Foundation Establishment, Eighth Layer versus Foundation Establishment, Ninth Layer, the difference is not only Spiritual Power, but also the crushing level.
But he can't retreat.
Behind you is the city gate, and behind the city gate is Yongjing.
Han Zhang gritted his teeth and raised his sword again to face him.
He tried his best with every move, and was shaken back by every move.
His court uniform was torn open several times by gunfire, his left arm was scratched, and half of his sleeve was stained red with blood.