Chapter 626
Chapter 626
“Kill! Kill!” Huang Xin was fighting on his last legs. He did not know how many men he has cut down as he no longer had the strength to count. The number of people on his side also decreased a lot. Initially, there were several hundred men. Now, there were only a few dozen left.
“Xiaotian. Has Dai Yun and the others escaped?” Huang Xin’s body was full of wounds. He face was pale and he felt dizzy as a result from losing too much blood. He wanted to sleep but he did not dare to do so as he knew that the sleep would be eternal.
“General Dai have already escaped!” Ye Xiaotian replied. He was pretty much still a child. Names like his that has three characters were usually lowly names unless it has a special name. This is because their parents named them as they wished. Ye Xiaotian lost his parents at a young age so he survived from charity and got his name from relying on the Heavens.
Xiaotian was sixteen years old. He was at the age where he should be going to school in the modern era. Unfortunately, in this chaotic era, Xiaotian was a seasoned veteran. His hands was full of calluses from training and he has already killed many people.
Originally, Liu Mang wanted Xiaotian to stop being a soldier and go and study instead. However, it didn’t happen as Xiaotian lost his parents at a young age so the soldiers were his family. On top of that, moving him to the classroom would end up affecting other children’s studies because of his bloodthirst.
“That’s good.” Huang Xin gave a rare smile as he spoke. As long as Dai Yun and the others escaped, then they would not be completely routed.
“Xiaotian. Why did you not leave with them?” Huang Xin asked.
“Leave with General Dai?” Xiaotian thought to himself. He was still young so naturally he too wanted to survive. But then he quickly shook his head. “I want to accompany you. General Hao already said that I must protect the deputy general!” Xiaotian replied earnestly.
“Protect me? Haha!” Huang Xin shook his head helplessly. He was originally not a general but a scholar. He studied the classics thinking of becoming an official. Unfortunately, the whole country ended up in rebellion and Huang Xin had to escape. He then ended up at Yangzhou. When the King of Shu recruited people, he also went and tried to get a job. Unlike other armies where the deputy generals were warriors, the deputy generals in the Yangzhou Army were civil officials. If Hao Shao’s job was to lead the troops, then it was his job to speak to the soldiers so that they stay loyal.
Huang Xin initially treated his job with disdain. Rather than speak to the soldiers it was better to just give them money. However, he later learned that he was wrong. The soldiers were generally simple-minded. They did not know any major principles but they knew how to repay kindness. The King of Shu, Liu Mang, had given them food, land and shelter. Naturally, they were willing to sacrifice their lives for him.
None of these soldiers were truly willing to kill or fight. They were simply forced into that position just like Xiaotian. Though he was just a child, his blade has already felled more than ten men.
The Yangzhou Army’s cooperation between a warrior and a scholar caused the defection rate to be low. This is especially true for the frontline troops. They could fight to the last man and still refuse to defect. This is because they know why they were fighting.
Ye Xiaotian was one of the guards Hao Shao and placed by Huang Xin’s side to protect him.
“Xiaotian. Do you know that if my son was still alive, he would be about your age!” Huang Xin said as he patted Xiaotian’s head. All he managed to accomplish was make Xiaotian’s hair bloody.
“Really?” Xiaotian smiled shyly.
“Yes.” Huang Xin felt a pain in his heart as he looked at Xiaotian. His son died due to the chaos of war. Huang Xin followed Liu Mang as he believed that Liu Mang would be able to bring peace to the land.
“What is his name?” Xiaotian asked.
“His name is Huang Lei.” Huang Xin named his son that in hopes that his son would be firm like a pile of rocks.
“It is great to have a father.” Xiaotian said.
“Hm?” Huang Xin then remembered that Xiaotian was an orphan. “Xiaotian. If you do not mind, how about you be my son.”
“Your son?” Xiaotian was dumbstruck by Huang Xin’s offer.
“Are you not willing?”
“I can call you father?” Xiaotian asked with a mixture of doubt and hope.
“Of course.” Huang Xin replied. They were both soldiers and they both lost family due to the war. Huang Xin lost his son while Xiaotian lost his parents.
“Father!” Xiaotian called out.
“Hey.” Huang Xin greeted in response.
The two then kept greeting with a smile. The other soldiers that saw this also started to laugh.
At that moment, the war drums started to beat again. Huang Xin looked towards the sunset. “I never expect to get such a good son at death’s door. Men! Do not fear death! Kill one and we break even! Kill two and we profit! Let us show these Jingzhou women that we are not cowards! We fight to the death!”
“We fight to the death!” Huang Xin and his men numbered less than two hundred. Yet they all shouted with such ferocity that the enemy soldiers climbing the ladder could not help but tremble in fear.
“Fight to the death?” Liu Pan’s expression turned dark. He did not expect Huang Xin to be such a resolute individual. “Since you want to fight to the death, then go and die!”
There weren’t many men left on the walls. Yangzhou’s soldiers were all about to die.
“Pass down my orders! Capture the naval camp!”
“Yes!” Jingzhou’s Army started to move again.
Huang Xin then heard a loud crack. It was the sound of the gates being broken through. The South Gate had already been blocked up and could not be opened. The only gate that could make this sound was the North Gate.
“Haha! Looks like I will die here. Xiaotian, let us parent and child meet again at the Hall of Heroes!”
“Kill!” Huang Xin shouted as he dragged his exhausted body. His sword was sent flying, his armor was broken, and he had no strength left. Huang Xin fell to the ground and muttered. “Milord. I will leave you here.” As Huang Xin slowly closed his eyes, he heard Ye Xiaotian shout out towards him.
Meanwhile, Liu Pan’s deputy advisor was giving him a report. “Military Advisor, listen! The North Gate is being broken through! Congratulations on the success! With this, the capture of Xinye would be imminent!”
“Hahaha! This is all because of everyone’s contribution! Otherwise, we would not be able to accomplish this!” Liu Pan modestly replied.
“The Military Advisor is modest. It is the Military Advisor that planned this strategy. The rest of us are just following orders. That is why the Military Advisor is the most meritorious. The Lord would surely reward you greatly when he finds out about this.” The officers all flattered Liu Pan as there was no better time to do so. After capturing Xinye, Jingzhou would have some reputation.
After all, Jingzhou was in a pessimistic state after fighting against Yangzhou. Not only did they lose, they even lost so many of their troops and even Jiangling and Jiangxia. If Liu Pan achieves a victory here, he could say that famous generals like Huang Zu and Wen Pin are no match for him. Liu Pan would be a winner.
After all, when Liu Pan took over as Military Advisor, there were plenty of people who opposed it. Many said he did not have the qualifications while Wen Pin and Huang Zu had more outstanding military service. If Liu Pan wins here, those voices opposing him would stop.
“Hahaha! The credit for this belongs to everyone! I will speak to the Lord on everyone’s behalf!” Liu Pan who was flattered naturally had to give some benefits to his subordinates.
“In that case, we will have to thank the Military Advisor!”
“Military Advisor. The strong wind here is not good. How about you go to the Yangtze River’s naval camp!” One officer said. This is clearly a flattering statement since no one said anything when Liu Pan had been standing on the flagship for hours. To go to the naval camp now means to declare his victory. The naval camp was their spoils of war. There is nothing better than to celebrate there.
“Good! Good! I am sure everyone has been standing in the wind for too long! We should take shelter! Pass down my orders! Let us advance to the naval camp!”
“Understood!”
Liu Pan’s orders was quickly transmitted. The North Gate had already been breached and the Jingzhou Navy was advancing. At that moment, Liu Pan noted that the fire at the naval camp was still lit. He was about to order someone to put out the fires when he received bad news.
“It’s a disaster!” A messenger shouted. At that moment, a dozen of Jingzhou’s ship had already arrived at the naval camp. Liu Pan’s flagship was also almost inside the naval camp.
“What is going on for you to be so impatient?” Liu Pan’s deputy general berated the messenger. Everyone was in a celebratory mood and here the messenger was shouting about a disaster. What kind of disaster could there be?
“What happened?” Liu Pan asked.
“Military Advisor! Our army of twenty thousand was wiped out!”
“Wiped out?”
“Report! Military Advisor! The naval camp…!” Another messenger reported
“What happened at the naval camp?” Liu Pan had a bad premonition.
“The Yangzhou Army has appeared in the naval camp!”
“What’s the problem here? The naval camp originally belonged to the Yangzhou Army. Just send a few thousand men to wipe out the remnants and there would be no problems.” Another officer scolded the messenger. To them, they had already breached the gate and won. All that is left are the remnants of Yangzhou’s army.
“No! That’s not…!”
“Report! General Zuo Cheng is requesting reinforcements!” Another messenger arrived and shouted.
“Reinforcements? He has five thousand men and he did not even participate in the siege. Why would he need reinforcements?” Zuo Cheng was the general of one of the warships that already entered the naval camp. He commanded twelve warships and five thousand men.
“Kill! Kill! Kill!” The voices continued to shout from within the naval camp.
“Can someone tell me what is going on here?” Liu Pan shouted angrily and impatiently. “Are you saying Yangzhou has hidden units within the naval camp?”
Of course not. If Yangzhou had troops to hide, they would not have suffered so much in the first place.
“Lord Huang! Wake up! You must not sleep!” One officer called out to Huang Xin.
“Father! Do not die!” Xiaotian also called out.
“Father?” Dai Yun was confused. Since when did Huang Xin’s bodyguard Ye Xiaotian become Huang Xin’s son? Someone then explained to him that the two became parent and child after Dai Yun had escaped in order to not have regrets.
“Father! You must not die! You said you will become my father!” Xiaotian cried. He never had parents so he did not want someone who had just become his father to die immediately after. Huang Xin was already cold and pale. His breathing have also slowed down a lot.
Dai Yun was surprised to see Xiaotian’s tears as the boy was usually very tough. Dai Yun had once saw Xiaotian break his arm after falling off a horse and yet did not make a single weep. Xiaotian had simply gritted his teeth and walked back while holding his broken arm.
Yet, the tough Ye Xiaotian was now crying. It was the first time Xiaotian cried in many years. The tears of sorrow fell onto Huang Xin’s face. This caused Huang Xin to stir.
“Father!” Xiaotian called out excitedly. Huang Xin who still had a desire to live heard Xiaotian call out to him and managed to open his eyes.
“Xiaotian!” Huang Xin said when he saw Xiaotian’s face.
“Father!” Xiaotian cried tears of joy.
“Lord Huang! It is great that you are alright!” Dai Yun also said excitedly.
“Dai Yun? So you are dead too?” Huang Xin sighed. ‘General. I have failed to live up to your expectations.’
“Dead?” Dai Yun was confused for a moment since he was still alive. He then laughed. “Lord Huang. I am not dead! None of us are dead! We are all still alive!”
“We’re not dead?” Huang Xin tried to move and felt pain. His joy then turned to anger. “Why have you all come back? Who told you to come back? Aren’t you supposed to go find the General? Do you want us who covered your escape to die in vain?”
“Lord Huang, do not get angry. It is not me who told them to come back.”
“Then who?”
“It is me!” A man in gold armor said coldly.
“L, Lord Marquis Wen"