Hexi County

October!

The wind beyond the northern frontier carried a bone-scraping chill, like blades of cold steel flaying the flesh.

The battle at Anning Pass had ended. At Jubei Pass, the Northern Garrison Army was holding back three hundred thousand Xiongnu troops without yielding half a step, still fighting a bloody battle.

Qishan Fortress had been breached by the army led by the Xiongnu Right Worthy King. One hundred thousand Xiongnu iron riders had swept south, crushing the lands of Yan, Qi, and Deng Provinces beneath their hooves.

With the three provinces fallen, women were seized by the Xiongnu army. The old, weak, sick, and disabled were slaughtered in countless numbers, while able-bodied men were captured and made into slaves.

Great waves of refugees fled south. Countless stores of gold, silver, treasures, and grain were plundered by the Xiongnu army, leaving devastation as far as the eye could see.

The fall of the three provinces caused an uproar throughout the Great Wei Dynasty.

Countless scholars and students cursed loudly, condemning the court for doing nothing and denouncing the generals guarding the passes for fearing death and clinging to life.

Jin Daorong, the commander of Qishan Fortress's defending troops, was stripped of his post under the pressure of the world's unending condemnation.

The Second Prince, acting as regent, had not expected the situation to become so grave. The fall of three provinces brought enormous public criticism and pressure down upon him as well.

Left with no choice, the Second Prince could only issue an order for Marquis Li, Great General Li, to lead two hundred thousand troops north and drive out the Xiongnu.

The Second Prince's greatest pillar of support, Marquis Li, leading two hundred thousand troops north, made the political situation in Luojing even more treacherous and unpredictable. The Second Prince was gradually becoming exhausted from dealing with it all.

Now, throughout Luojing of Great Wei, princes, imperial sons, and ambitious schemers openly and secretly contended against one another, coming and going in a struggle they enjoyed immensely.

The changes in the capital also had no small impact on the frontier.

The compensation funds Yang Ye had submitted an application for had received no reply for a long time.

Marquis Zhenbei's request for the court to send reinforcements to Jubei Pass had likewise been shelved.

Having endured the baptism of war, the Anning Army was still recruiting soldiers, training its troops, and slowly recovering its strength.

That day, a letter requesting aid was delivered into Yang Ye's hands.

Two hundred li west of Anning Pass lay a county called Hexi.

The northwesternmost county of the Great Wei Dynasty, Hexi County lay northeast of the Hexi Grasslands. The grasslands had once been Great Wei's Hexi Prefecture before being seized by the Rong Di people. The sole remaining county seat had been named Hexi County.

The letter in Yang Ye's hand was a plea for aid from Hexi County.

Thirty thousand Rong Di troops were attacking the pass. Of Hexi County's two thousand defenders, half had already died in battle, and the situation was now hanging by a thread. The county magistrate of Hexi County requested the Anning Army to send troops in support.

Yang Ye handed the letter to the five Brigade Generals for review.

After reading it, the five Brigade Generals wore grave expressions.

"This truly is a season of troubles," Sun Hao sighed.

The entire northern frontier was ablaze with war. There was not a single peaceful place.

"The scouts report that the Left Virtuous King's army has withdrawn twenty kilometers. They have not led their troops back into the depths of the grasslands. I fear they are still unwilling to let this go and continue to eye Anning Pass like a tiger watching its prey," Li Daoru said.

Eighty or ninety percent of Anning Pass's forces were now recruits. If the Left Virtuous King returned in force, the pressure would only grow greater.

When frontier troops were unloved by grandmother and uncle alike, that was when things were hardest. On one side lay the duty to defend the land; on the other, neglect and abandonment by the court. They could not retreat, and could only stake their lives to hold the line.

At present, the Anning Army was deeply dissatisfied with the court and filled with resentment.

"Tell me, what should we do? Who should we send as reinforcements?" Yang Ye looked at the Brigade Generals under his command.

Zhao Yong'an, Sun Hao, and the others looked at one another.

They all had to remain behind to guard Anning Pass, so they could only send their subordinates.

Yet among their subordinates, there were very few who could stand on their own.

"How about sending that kid Sheng Huai'an? His strength is comparable to the Innate realm. He should be able to hold off the Rong Di tribe. After all, it isn't one of the major Rong Di tribes," Sun Hao suggested.

Among all the Colonels, Sheng Huai'an was now the strongest. He also had some skill in leading troops into battle.

"Agreed. I recommend Sheng Huai'an as well. That kid is a fine hand at warfare, and he's a battle-loving sort. If we send him, he'll definitely be willing," Zhao Yong'an nodded in agreement.

"Then we can only have him make the trip. Transfer soldiers to fill his ranks to full strength, and have him depart at once to reinforce Hexi County," Yang Ye immediately ordered.

Before long, Sheng Huai'an received the military order.

"What? Our battalion is to reinforce Hexi County?" Sheng Huai'an looked at the messenger, thinking he had misheard.

Their battalion only had three hundred men. It had not even been fully formed yet. Three hundred men to reinforce Hexi County?

What kind of joke was this?

"The general has ordered that your battalion be filled first. Colonel Sheng, you are to lead your troops out at once and reinforce Hexi County," the messenger said.

Only after hearing that his battalion would be brought up to full strength did Sheng Huai'an let out a sigh of relief.

If he really had been sent to reinforce them with only three hundred men, how would that have been any different from sending them to their deaths?

He immediately gave the order to assemble. The three hundred soldiers under his command quickly gathered.

"Colonel, this is an emergency assembly. Is there fighting?" Guo Xiaoping asked.

"Yes. Military orders have arrived. Hexi County is under attack from a Rong Di army, and General Yang Ye has ordered our unit to go reinforce it," Sheng Huai'an said loudly.

"Colonel, are you certain the order is correct?" Hu Bing's face was full of doubt.

Their battalion only had three hundred men. How were they supposed to provide reinforcements?

"There is no mistake. Another one thousand seven hundred men will be assigned to our battalion," Sheng Huai'an explained.

After hearing Sheng Huai'an's explanation, everyone's doubts finally faded.

"Move out!"

Sheng Huai'an led his unit to the parade ground, where Yang Ye had already assembled the troops: two thousand warhorses and one thousand seven hundred soldiers.

"Reporting to General, my unit has assembled as ordered." Sheng Huai'an stepped before Yang Ye.

Sun Hao and Zhao Yong'an stood behind Yang Ye.

Yang Ye looked at Sheng Huai'an. "Hexi County is in urgent danger. I have filled your ranks to two thousand soldiers. Take two thousand cavalrymen and hurry to reinforce them. We cannot allow the Rong Di to breach Hexi County and head south. Can you do it?"

"We swear to defend our land unto death and drive out the enemy invaders!" Sheng Huai'an shouted.

"Good. I'll await your good news!"

Yang Ye smiled and nodded.

"Mount up!" Sheng Huai'an immediately ordered.

The two thousand men mounted one after another. Sheng Huai'an held the battle flag and swung it forward.

"Move out!"

He led the two thousand cavalrymen out without delay.

Two thousand iron riders streamed mightily out of Anning Pass, galloping toward Hexi County.

Watching Sheng Huai'an lead his troops away, Yang Ye saw the unit off into the distance.

Now, neither he nor the several Brigade Generals could leave Anning Pass. They could only place their hopes of reinforcing Hexi County on Sheng Huai'an.

They also wanted to see whether Sheng Huai'an could create a miracle.

It was a move born of helplessness. They truly could not spare an elite force to reinforce Hexi County.

Among thirty thousand Rong Di troops, there would certainly be Innate experts.

For Sheng Huai'an, this was a challenge.

Moreover, there were one thousand seven hundred newly assigned recruits who had never trained or coordinated with one another. Sheng Huai'an himself was filled with unease.

But Hexi County had to be saved. Once the Rong Di breached Hexi County, Yong Province would also face the Rong Di iron riders.

If the Rong Di launched an attack from behind Anning Pass and coordinated with the Xiongnu army, it would be even more deadly.

Hexi County was now sealed behind its four tightly shut gates, with the Rong Di army at the foot of its walls.

Last night, the Rong Di army had launched a probing attack. They had sent only two thousand men to assault the city, yet the defenders inside had lost more than five hundred men.

In order to seek aid, the county magistrate and the Colonel defending the city had doubled the reported casualties.

Today, the Rong Di army continued its assault, with three thousand Rong Di troops relentlessly attacking the city.

The defending soldiers resisted stubbornly, pouring down stones, golden juice, and more to stop the Rong Di army from scaling the walls.

The county magistrate and Colonel of Hexi County both held swords as they climbed the walls to kill the enemy.

With the county magistrate and Colonel leading the way, Hexi County's two thousand County Soldiers did not retreat. They fought the enemy with fierce courage.

At the county magistrate's call, willing men and martial warriors within the city also climbed the walls one after another to help defend against the enemy.

"Soldiers, hold the line! Reinforcements from the Anning Army will arrive soon. Victory will surely belong to us!" County Magistrate Chen shouted, raising morale.

With thirty thousand Rong Di troops invading, they simply could not hold the city without reinforcements.

Watching the Wei troops stubbornly resist atop the walls, Yu Danjun's lips curled into a mocking smile, as though he were toying with prey.

"Young master, why not simply press the entire army forward, take Hexi County, and loot all its wealth?" an old man beside him asked.

"Uncle Xianyou, there is no pleasure in killing prey with a single strike. We must enjoy the process of pursuit and hunting.

Just as now, we must savor the Wei people's resistance as it slowly turns into despair. We must admire the expressions on their faces when they despair. Only then is there a sense of conquest," Yu Danjun said with a smile.

They belonged to the Xianyu Tribe of the Rong Di, one of the Rong Di's major tribes, occupying the Hexi Grasslands.

This time, Yu Danjun, the young Crown Prince of the Xianyu Tribe, had also wanted to take advantage of the chaos and make a quick profit. He had led thirty thousand troops south to attack Hexi County.

Seeing Yu Danjun speak this way, Xianyou said no more.

Otherwise, with so few defenders in Hexi County, he, an Innate expert, could have taken the county himself.

"Someone, send another three thousand men forward. I want these Wei people to feel what true despair is," Yu Danjun ordered again.