If the surrendered soldiers were spared, Zhao Feng's force of ten thousand surprise attackers would be rendered useless.
To ensure victory, the garrisoned Wei army in Shangwei City had to be annihilated.
"Follow orders to the letter."
The Qin soldiers responded in unison.
Under the leadership of Zhang Han and the various commanding officers, tens of thousands of soldiers charged towards different parts of Shangwei City.
The city wasn't large, but the shouts of battle engulfed it.
This city had been caught off guard by Zhao Feng's surprise assault, much like when they crossed the river previously.
Moreover, this time the attack occurred at night, making it nearly impossible to defend.
Zhao Feng led his army on a rampage, slaughtering his way through the city.
Wherever the warhorses passed, long spears harvested the lives of the Wei soldiers one by one.
In the darkness of the night, Zhao Feng unleashed his full strength without holding back.
With one hand, he swept through the enemy ranks with his spear. With the other, he unleashed his inner energy, blasting it into dense formations of Wei soldiers ahead.
One palm strike erupted with immense energy, instantly obliterating over a dozen Wei soldiers before him.
"Kill a Wei soldier, gain 5 points of strength."
"Kill a Wei soldier, gain 5 points of speed."
The constant notifications echoed in Zhao Feng's ears, spurring him to kill even more ferociously.
At this moment, he seemed to have transformed into a harbinger of death, madly claiming lives.
With his unchecked power unleashed, Zhao Feng alone was like an army of thousands. Wherever his horse galloped, a hellish scene of corpses was left behind.
Slaughter covered all of Shangwei City!
Xianyang, Royal Palace
"Report!"
"Urgent news from Yingchuan: Wei Wuji has deployed the Wei army's elite Wei Wu Zu to battle. Currently, the Wei Wu Zu are engaged in fierce combat with the garrison at Shangwei City."
"The battle situation is unclear." Wei Liao reported loudly.
"Wei Wu Zu."
"So, this is Wei Wuji's trump card," Ying Zheng said, a faint smile appearing on his face.
As the King of Qin, Ying Zheng controlled the Heibingtai intelligence agency and was well aware of the strength of the Wei Wu Zu.
However, given the continuous assaults that failed to breach Shangwei City, Wei Wuji had no choice but to deploy them here. This confirmed Ying Zheng's belief that Shangwei City's defenses were solid under Zhao Feng's command.
"The Wei Wu Zu are the elite of Wei's military."
"Their deployment here shows how formidable Shangwei City's defenses are."
"I trust that General Zhao Feng will not disappoint the King," Wei Liao said with a smile.
"Minister Wei, do not speak so prematurely," another voice interjected.
At that moment, Kuai Zhuang stepped forward, raising his court tablet high and declaring, "Your Majesty, I have received a confidential report concerning Shangwei City, which affects the safety of the entire Yingchuan Commandery."
"Speak."
Ying Zheng turned his gaze to Kuai Zhuang.
"Zhao Feng may no longer be in Shangwei City," Kuai Zhuang declared loudly.
As soon as these words fell, the entire court was stunned.
At such a critical moment when the Wei army was fiercely attacking, the commanding general not being in the city was a grave dereliction of duty.
On the high seat, Ying Zheng furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "If Zhao Feng is not in the city, then where is he?"
"This matter…"
"I do not know."
"The confidential report only confirms that Zhao Feng is indeed not in the city," Kuai Zhuang replied immediately.
Wei Liao stepped forward without hesitation: "Perhaps Kuai Zhuang is overthinking. Zhao Feng has been tasked with defending Shangwei City. All defensive strategies are under his purview, and he must have his reasons for his deployments."
"Your Majesty," Kuai Zhuang bowed deeply, "I am concerned that Zhao Feng has not only abandoned his post but may have betrayed us to the enemy. That is why I submitted this report."
"Right Minister, your words go too far," Ying Zheng rebuked, his tone tinged with reproach.
Kuai Zhuang immediately bowed again, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I may have spoken out of turn, but everything I do is for the sake of Qin."
His purpose in raising these concerns was not to directly accuse Zhao Feng but to lay the groundwork for future actions.
If Shangwei City were to fall, Zhao Feng could be charged with dereliction of duty or even face more severe accusations.
"Minister Wei, continue your report on the battlefield situation," Ying Zheng commanded, ignoring Kuai Zhuang and turning to Wei Liao.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Wei Liao replied, bowing.
"In the northern border region of Dai, General Meng Wu has already engaged in battle with Li Mu. However, he is fighting while retreating and avoiding confrontation. General Meng Wu has assured the court that the northern border is secure, and Li Mu will be effectively contained."
"As for the Zhao Kingdom, General Wang Jian has led an army to besiege Quyang City. However, Lian Po is a defense expert, making it difficult to take the city quickly."
Hearing this, Wei Liao showed a trace of helplessness, clearly expressing his frustration with Lian Po's tenacity.
Lian Po, renowned for his defensive strategies, was not an opponent easily subdued.
The report continued with Ying Zheng strategizing his plans for Zhao's annihilation, showcasing his determination for Qin's unification. Meanwhile, at Shangwei City, the battle raged on with unrelenting bloodshed.
From the rear, a series of rapid hoofbeats approached.
"Report!"
"Something major has happened!"
"Reporting to the Lord, something major has happened!"
A cavalry messenger charged into the ranks dismounted swiftly, and knelt directly before Wei Wuji's war chariot.
"What's going on?"
Looking at the messenger, Wei Wuji asked in surprise.
"The Qin… the Qin army has seized our Shangwei City! Our supply route has been cut off, and now the Qin army has reached our camp. I barely escaped to report this to you, my Lord," the messenger said, his face pale with fear.
As soon as these words fell, Wei Wuji's eyes widened with alarm. The composed general jumped down from his chariot and rushed to the messenger. His voice trembled as he asked, "What did you just say?"
"Shang… Shangwei City has been taken by the Qin army."
"Our supply route has been cut off by the Qin army."
"Now, the Qin army is already attacking the camp, engaging the troops stationed there," the messenger replied shakily.
"Where did these Qin soldiers come from?" Wei Wuji's voice trembled further.
The Qin army had seized Shangwei City, severing his army's supply line, but Wei Wuji couldn't fathom how this had happened.
The Wei River was heavily fortified with his troops, leaving no chance for a crossing.
Additionally, a force of ten thousand soldiers was stationed on the land route along the border. How could the Qin army bypass all this to attack one of his cities?
"Reporting to the Lord," the messenger said. "The Qin army crossed the Wei River at Hongze Ferry with a force of no less than ten thousand."
"Hongze Ferry!"
Wei Wuji's expression changed dramatically, his face turning ashen.
He had deployed large numbers of troops along all critical crossing points on the Wei River to prevent the Qin army from making a surprise attack. However, Hongze Ferry had the least defense.
Not without reason because crossing there was believed impossible.
The waters were swift and treacherous.
Even large ships risked capsizing, let alone smaller vessels.
But unexpectedly, Hongze Ferry had become a vulnerability.
"Shangwei City was defended by twenty thousand troops I stationed, with another ten thousand along the route.
"Even if the Qin army is strong, how could they capture the city so easily?"
A Wei general asked, visibly shaken.
"Even I didn't anticipate the Qin army would cross the Wei River for a surprise attack. How could the defenders of Shangwei City have predicted it?"
"Under the cover of night, dressed in our soldiers' armor and uniforms, they could easily deceive the guards and open the gates."
"Only in this way could they capture Shangwei City so swiftly and march back here in such a short time," Wei Wuji said, his face pale and voice weak.
This battle, which carried the weight of Wei's national fate, was now showing signs of defeat.
The supply route was cut.
The Wei army was doomed.
Most of their provisions were stored in Shangwei City. With the city lost, their lifeline was severed.
"Great Wei…"
"Our nation…"
"I… have lost!"
Wei Wuji's eyes glistened with unwillingness, bitterness evident on his face.
He had lost.
At that moment
Thump, thump.
Thump, thump, thump.
The sound of hoofbeats echoed from the distance behind the Wei army, like the rumble of a thousand galloping horses.
"My Lord!"
"The Qin army is here!"
"They are less than two li from our rear!"
A Wei scout rode in hastily, reporting in panic.
Hearing this, Wei Wuji's legs faltered.
"My Lord!"
Several Wei generals rushed forward to support him.
Wei Wuji turned his gaze toward the battlefield, where the Wei soldiers were still fiercely attacking. He looked at the breached city gates and the progress they had made. His aging eyes were filled with unwillingness and despair, his eyelids trembling. No one could understand the turmoil in his heart at that moment the sheer unwillingness, the anguish.
He had paid such a steep price, endured so many casualties, and finally breached the city gates, forcing his way into the city.
Victory was within grasp. With a bit more effort, they could have taken this critical Qin city, paving the way for an invasion into Han territory.
But now, the Qin army had arrived at his rear.
He had no choice but to order a retreat.
He was deeply reluctant.
Yet at this moment, there was no time for hesitation.
"Order a retreat. Break through the encirclement," Wei Wuji commanded weakly.
After giving the order, his strength seemed utterly drained.
"The Lord has ordered a retreat. Break through the encirclement!"
The Wei generals echoed the command.
The sound of the retreat signal echoed across the battlefield.
Woo!
Woo-woo!
The retreat signal resounded through the air, reverberating across Shangwei City.
Hearing this signal, the Wei soldiers paused collectively in disbelief.
They couldn't comprehend why, after days of relentless assaults and breaching the gates, the order to retreat had been given.
But the signal had sounded.
Though confused and reluctant, the Wei soldiers and their commanders began to withdraw.
"The Wei army is retreating."
Watching the Wei soldiers ebb away like a receding tide, Wei Quan and Tu Sui were stunned.
"Have they lost their minds?"
Shortly after, however, many Qin soldiers came to the same conclusion.
To them, it seemed irrational for the Wei army to retreat after seven days of ferocious assault, just as they had breached the city gates.
"It must be General Zhao Feng's surprise attack that cut off their supply line and struck their rear," Tu Sui said excitedly.
The surrounding officers were taken aback, puzzled.
Zhao Feng's plan to ambush the Wei army was known only to a select few confidants. It had been kept a tight secret.
Even the departure of the main Qin forces from Shangwei City had been carried out discreetly, without anyone noticing.
"Brothers!"
"We've endured being pressed by the Wei army for too long. The time for a counterattack is now!"
"All troops, hear my command!"
"Chase the Wei army! Kill!"
Tu Sui raised his blood-stained sword and shouted.
"All troops, hear the order!"
"Chase the Wei army! Kill!"
Simultaneously, Wei Quan, Liu Wang, and Zhuang Wei also shouted in unison.
The Qin soldiers, who had endured seven days of relentless assault, were weary but resolute. Now that the Wei army was retreating, they would not let them escape unscathed.
Following Zhao Feng's prior instructions, if the Wei army abruptly retreated despite holding an advantage, it meant his surprise attack had succeeded, and the troops could pursue.
"Kill!"
"Slaughter these bastards!"
"Kill them all…"
With suppressed rage, countless Qin soldiers roared and chased after the retreating Wei army. The archers, meanwhile, rained arrows down upon them, decimating the withdrawing troops.
On the other side of Shangwei City, near the Yingchuan border, 20,000 Qin troops were stationed less than five li away, positioned in formation.
"Reporting to the two generals!"
"The retreat signal has been heard from Shangwei City. The situation is unclear," a scout reported swiftly to Chen Tao and Zhao Tuo.
"The retreat signal?"
The two exchanged puzzled glances.
"Could it be that the Wei army is retreating?" Chen Tao asked in astonishment.
"Impossible," Zhao Tuo immediately refuted. "The Wei army has deployed their elite Wei Wu soldiers, relentlessly attacking for seven or eight days, and even breaching the city gates. There's no way they'd retreat now."
"The only explanation is that Tu Sui ordered the retreat."
"Let's hold our position."
"We'll wait for the defeated army to fall back, and then our moment of glory will arrive."
"We shall turn the tide and defend the borders of Qin!" Zhao Tuo said with an ambitious gleam in his eyes.
Hearing this, Chen Tao nodded. "Indeed."
"This time, Zhao Feng abandoned his post. No matter how many merits he's earned before, he'll lose his command at the very least, and might even be imprisoned," Zhao Tuo sneered, a trace of expectation in his voice.
Back at the rear of the Wei army
As large contingents of soldiers returned to Wei Wuji's side,
In the distance, a figure clad in black armor, mounted on a warhorse, and wielding a long spear, charged rapidly toward them.
Behind him followed thousands of black-armored Qin soldiers.
"Archers, ready!"
As they closed in, Zhao Feng raised his long spear.
This gesture was like a signal.
"Feng! Feng! Feng!"
The sound of arrows being loosed filled the air, thunderous and overwhelming.
Accompanying this command was a storm of arrows that rained down on the Wei troops, falling like a violent tempest.
In an instant, the retreating Wei army was decimated by the hail of arrows.
Zhao Feng had led a force of ten thousand, all equipped with bows and arrows in addition to their weapons, making them a formidable and versatile unit.
At this moment, Zhao Feng led an army of five thousand to attack. Inside Shangwei City, over four thousand soldiers remained stationed. Having successfully cut off the Wei army's supply line and their retreat, it was crucial to hold the line with a strong force.
However, Zhao Feng's troops were limited. Leaving behind four thousand men would be sufficient for defense.
"Charge!"
With a thunderous roar, Zhao Feng led the charge toward the Wei army's formation.
His spear surged forward, empowered by inner energy.
With a sweeping strike, the enhanced spear unleashed an invisible wave of energy, cutting through the air. In an instant, more than ten Wei soldiers were sent flying by the sweeping energy, their internal organs fatally shattered.
In the chaos of battle, Zhao Feng had no qualms about displaying his strength any who witnessed it would be swiftly killed.
"Defeated Wei soldier. Gained 5 Strength points."
"Defeated Wei soldier…"
A series of notifications echoed in Zhao Feng's mind as he continued his charge, pressing his legs tightly against his warhorse's flanks. The horse neighed loudly and galloped fiercely into the Wei army's ranks.
"Form up!"
"Archers, ready!"
Wei Bo shouted orders with urgency.
The front ranks of the Wei army immediately raised their shields, forming a long shield wall. Behind it, archers swiftly gathered.
But Zhao Feng remained undeterred. As he reached the shield wall, his spear swept forward with overwhelming force, enhanced by inner energy. The energy radiated outward, causing a cacophony of shattered shields and anguished cries as blood splattered into the air.
The shield wall of the Wei army was torn apart in an instant.
Behind Zhao Feng, the Qin army simultaneously fired arrows and charged forward.
Caught off guard, the Wei soldiers suffered heavy casualties.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Qin soldiers stationed in Shangwei City abandoned their defensive positions, storming out to pursue and slaughter the retreating Wei army.
Although Zhao Feng commanded only a few thousand troops, they managed to encircle the Wei forces.
"That must be Zhao Feng," Wei Wuji remarked, his gaze fixed on the fierce Qin general who had just broken through the shield wall.
"That seems to be him," another Wei general responded. "So young, wearing the armor of a Qin deputy general."
"Such a talented and young general in Qin… he will undoubtedly be a grave threat to our Wei Kingdom in the future," Wei Wuji sighed.
"Your Excellency," Wei Bo spoke up eagerly, "Zhao Feng has only a few thousand men at his command. I request permission to lead our forces to slay him."
Wei Bo's eyes burned with killing intent as he looked at Zhao Feng. After all, he had eagerly joined the campaign for a chance to prove himself, only for this opportunity to slip through his fingers.
Wei Wuji glanced at Wei Bo, then at Zhao Feng in the distance, his eyes revealing a trace of disappointment.
Having suffered defeat, Wei Wuji's heart was heavy with regret. If only someone like Zhao Feng had been nurtured within Wei, how different things might have been? What if such a talented individual had been his heir?
His nephew, on the other hand, lacked talent and was reckless unfit for great responsibilities.
"The failure of this campaign… it places our Wei Kingdom in grave peril for the future," Wei Wuji lamented inwardly. "I cannot die here. Without me, Wei will have no one capable of resisting Qin."
Resolving himself, Wei Wuji called out decisively, "Relay my orders: break through their front lines and retreat to Wei via land routes. The initiative is lost; we are defeated."
Wei Wuji climbed onto his war chariot.
"Wei's elite soldiers, protect His Excellency and ensure his retreat!"
The surrounding Wei generals barked orders, and the elite Wei soldiers quickly surrounded Wei Wuji's chariot, pushing forward to break through the enemy lines.
"The Wei forces are retreating!"
"Brothers, kill as many as you can!"
"Charge!"
Zhao Feng swung his spear with ferocity, cutting down enemies as he roared commands.
His eyes scanned the chaotic battlefield, searching for Wei Wuji. Slaying the commander of the Wei army would be a monumental achievement.
"There he is!"
Zhao Feng's gaze locked onto a chariot heavily guarded by Wei soldiers, moving toward his direction.
"Fortune favors the bold," Zhao Feng thought, urging his warhorse forward.
With a thunderous neigh, the horse surged ahead. Zhao Feng wielded his spear, pressing closer to Wei Wuji's position.
"Follow General Zhao!"
"Kill!"
Zhang Han shouted, his spear darting like lightning, felling one Wei soldier after another. With his mastery of inner energy at the sixth stage, Zhang Han was a formidable warrior capable of taking on dozens at once a true elite.
"Follow General Zhao!"
"Slay the enemy!"
The cries of thousands of Qin soldiers echoed as they charged, their movements swift and unified, like a sharp blade piercing the Wei army's formation.
Weapons clashed, blades tore through flesh, and blood painted the battlefield. The two armies were fully locked in combat.
Meanwhile, Qin reinforcements from Shangwei City continued their relentless pursuit, further decimating the retreating Wei forces.
Zhao Feng rampaged through the chaos.
Wherever his horse passed, none could withstand the strikes of his spear.
With his divine weapon and unmatched strength, he was unstoppable.
"Archers!"
"Kill him!"
Wei Bo's face darkened as he shouted orders. Around him, a group of Wei archers gathered, raising their bows and aiming at Zhao Feng.
Despite the disorder in the Wei army, their elite soldiers remained a formidable force.
A storm of arrows rained down on Zhao Feng.
"Protective energy shield!"
Zhao Feng channeled his inner energy to envelop his body in a protective barrier.
Simultaneously, he expanded his senses and twirled his spear. The arrows raining toward him were deflected mid-air, unable to penetrate his defense.
With a burst of energy, Zhao Feng sent the arrows within a yard of him flying away.
"Is he even human?"
"He deflected all those arrows?"
The Wei archers were stunned, their faces filled with fear.
But Zhao Feng paid no attention to their terror.
With a swing of his spear, he focused his gaze on Wei Bo and spurred his horse forward. His spear radiated energy as it swept across the battlefield, cutting down the Wei soldiers and archers in his path.
"Bo'er!"
"Retreat at once!"
From a distance, Wei Wuji's voice rang out, filled with urgency.
At that moment, fear flickered in Wei Bo's eyes. However, hearing Wei Wuji's shout, a surge of courage overcame him.
"Protect His Excellency's retreat!"
"The Wei Kingdom cannot be without him!"
Sitting on his warhorse, Wei Bo raised his spear and shouted.
Facing the fierce Zhao Feng, his gaze burned with determination. Pointing his spear directly at Zhao Feng, he bellowed, "I am Wei Bo, a member of the Wei royal family and nephew of Lord Xinling. I will not retreat, even in death!"
"Zhao Feng!"
"Do you dare face me in battle?"
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