NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1114: Witness
But whether it was the bows and arrows or the crossbows in the hands of the Huoyun Army... given their low position, they were absolutely unable to fully realize their potential, and even when used, their effectiveness was greatly reduced.
The Huoyun Army was indeed brave, fearlessly sacrificing themselves as they continually charged the city wall, with bodies piling up at the entrance to the stairs leading up to the wall. They used their own bodies to shield their comrades from the rain of arrows, even if it meant taking one more step forward, even if just one of them could reach the Zhou Huying Camp, even if... they could only manage to kill one Zhou soldier.
But how could the soldiers of the Huying Army allow these impostors to advance any further? Their Zhou Emperor... their majesty was right there on the wall!
Though Bai Qingyan was now pregnant and unable to fight on the front lines as she used to, their Emperor was right there with them on the frontline of this battlefield!
If they were to fall, the danger would then reach their Zhou Emperor.
"The Huoyun Army soldiers' bravery... is indeed commendable!" Shen Liangyu felt admiration for these Huoyun Army soldiers who continued to fight despite being trapped, and no longer held the anger he once harbored because they were imitating the Huying Camp, rather his fighting spirit was ignited, "His Majesty wants the Huying Army to engage them head-on!"
"Our soldiers are precious! We already hold the advantage, a decisive victory is at hand, there's no need to sacrifice our soldiers' lives! However... I will do my utmost to preserve the lives of these Huoyun Army soldiers that you respect!"
Bai Qingyan drew out her arrow, aiming at the shields that connected seamlessly like a turtle's shell. As long as she found a gap and shot Yun Lingzhi, this slaughter would end!
Unity across the world; the Xiliang Army was as much the Zhou Army, and Bai Qingyan did not wish for excessive losses.
Therefore, Bai Qingyan did not allow the Huying Camp to use fire. If they had used oil, the battle would have ended quickly, but then the people within Pingyang City and their houses might also suffer misfortune.
Just a slight gap is enough for her to see...
The wind sounded fiercely in Bai Qingyan's ears as she watched keenly at the shields that connected with almost no gap, waiting for her opportunity.
The chaotic battle at the east gate of Pingyang City continued, while the Governor's mansion was already flowing with rivers of blood. The Huying Army cleaned up the corpses of the Huoyun Army, and someone asked the squad leader if they should proceed to support the east gate where the sounds of battle were deafening.
"We follow orders, conclude this battle and await orders here!" said the Huying Camp squad leader.
Soon, under the ferocious assault of arrow rain, the shield-bearers holding the topmost shields were clearly exhausted, with blood making the ground slippery beneath them. Every step was a sliding step; the man was gritting his teeth, trying hard to hold on, but had already begun to stagger, exposing weaknesses and gaps several times over.
Bai Qingyan gently exhaled a white mist, gazing at the direction the mist was dispersed by the wind, subtly noticing the sway in the shields, steadying her aim, releasing her arrow, then another arrow drawn to the bow...
As a warrior, a natural sense for danger heightened more than ordinary soldiers, Yun Lingzhi suddenly turned around, grasping the arm of the Huoyun Army soldier who couldn't hold steady, just closed the gap when an arrow pierced through it, another arrow followed shooting straight into Yun Lingzhi's right eye, yet another penetrating arrow shot into the tail of the arrow embedded in Lingzhi's right eye, piercing through Yun Lingzhi's right eye, straight into the leg bone of a shield bearer clad in rain of arrows, accompanied by a chilling bloody eyeball.
The once whole turtle-shell shield formation was immediately thrown into disarray...
On the battlefield, exposing a flaw is certain death!
With arrows raining down, the shield soldiers of the Huoyun Army almost shielded Yun Poxing's grandson, Yun Tianao, using their own bodies to protect Yun Lingzhi... but no one realized at this moment that Yun Lingzhi had already fallen lifeless into the pool of blood.
Shen Liangyu felt a surge of heat within his blood, taking a torch from a soldier and leaping onto the wall, his voice resounding powerfully like a bell, "Stop the rain of arrows! The Xiliang commander is dead! Huoyun Army lay down your arms and you shall not be killed!"
Yun Tianao, holding Yun Lingzhi's lifeless body, looked up and saw Bai Qingyan, his eyes widened instantly: "Bai Qingyan!"
Initially, Yun Tianao had hoped the elite of the Huoyun Army would capture Bai Qingyan to relieve their current predicament, but upon seeing Bai Qingyan here, Yun Tianao felt all hope was lost!
Indeed, from the start, this had been a trap, Bai Qingyan had lured them into a trap, so how could she obediently stay at the Governor's mansion waiting for their elites to capture her!
But where did Bai Qingyan get these troops from? Clearly King Yan's intelligence reported that Pingyang City had already been mobilized in full force!
Moreover, Zhou had also sent troops to raid their base in coming Ansan, trying to capture their majesty Li Tianjiao!
Thinking of Li Tianjiao, Yun Tianao immediately thought of his grandfather Yun Poxing who had gone back to aid and rescue, his face changed drastically... so whether the assault on the majesty was also just Bai Qingyan's trick to lure his grandfather to return and then ambush him halfway?
No! It couldn't be...
Grandfather was cautious by nature, before leading the troops, he had already ordered a search, there were simply no ambushers!
At least, grandfather could lead half of the Huoyun Army back to protect the majesty as he escapes, as long as the majesty is still alive, Xiliang will not fall!
Shen Liangyu heard Yun Tianao directly calling Bai Qingyan by name, and simply shouted again loudly, "Empress of Zhou is here! Lay down your arms and you shall not be killed, resist and you die!"
The wavering torchlight caused Bai Qingyan's features to appear clear then shadowed, her extremely exquisite features cold and indifferent, especially those eyes looking at this mountain of corpses in a sea of blood, without the slightest ripple.
When she had received the military records, Bai Qingyan knew Yun Poxing had colluded with Liu Huanzhang to exploit King Xin's foolishness, forcing the Bai family army into a canyon, Yun Poxing had used such means to occupy the high ground and rain waves of arrows to slaughter the Bai family army, surrounding the Bai family army alongside her grandfather, uncle, and her younger brothers.
If Bai Qingyan's heart had been hardened, she would undoubtedly retour the suffering of her Bai family army brothers and grandfather that Xiliang had exacted upon them, hundreds times over.
Yet... she yearned revenge, unwilling to indulge in killing.
With Shen Liangyu's words, the already aware Huoyun Army realized they had been entangled and trapped, and fear of battle arose in their hearts, coupled with Yun Tianao's sad and hysterical shout for Yun Lingzhi just moments ago, and seeing the Zhou Emperor upon the wall caused the Huoyun Army's battle spirit and morale to dissipate entirely.
Shen Liangyu watched as, one after another, the Huoyun Army ceased resistance, dropping their weapons to surrender, then turned to look at Bai Qingyan...
"Leave men to clear up the aftermath, firstly confine these captives, and take Yun Lingzhi and Yun Tianao with us to see if General Cheng has already beheaded Yun Poxing!" Bai Qingyan said, turning away, heading down the city wall.
Yun Poxing's death, she must witness!
Even if not for her grandfather who died honorably on the battlefield, it must be for the sake of the younger brother she had lost... seeing Yun Poxing's death by her own eyes.