"Kill!"
With a furious roar from Zhao Feng, his killing intent surged to its peak.
Behind him, the elite soldiers were deeply inspired, their fighting spirit igniting like wildfire.
As Zhao Feng charged forward, leading the way, he embodied the spirit of a commander who fights at the forefront, inspiring his troops to give their all.
A commander who does not cling to life breeds soldiers unafraid of death such is the hallmark of an army that never loses.
"Archers, prepare!"
"Slay the invading Qin soldiers!"
On the walls of Handan, as soon as the Qin army launched its attack, Pang Nuan had already retreated into the city. Another Zhao general barked orders from the battlements.
The Zhao archers on the walls nocked their arrows and aimed, while simultaneously dodging the rain of arrows fired by the Qin forces. Bodies of Zhao soldiers fell under the relentless Qin barrage.
As Zhao Feng advanced step by step, he closed the distance to the gates only a few dozen paces away.
"Release the arrows!"
"Kill the Qin soldiers!" shouted the Zhao general atop the city walls.
The Zhao archers unleashed a volley of arrows, raining down on the advancing Qin army.
Zhao Feng raised his shield to deflect the arrows, maintaining his pace. Though his speed was reduced, he moved significantly faster than an ordinary soldier. His objective was clear: to break through the city gates.
Fortunately, this era's city defenses lacked moats, or Zhao Feng's approach to the gates would have been far more difficult.
Behind him, the vanguard forces charged with all their might, closely following their general.
Ladders and siege engines steadily approached the walls.
Ten thousand shield bearers advanced with their shields raised, yet under the intense volley from the Zhao defenders atop the walls, Qin soldiers fell in droves.
Pang Nuan, having learned from the fall of Wu'an, bolstered Handan's defenses with this ancient, fortified city. The Zhao army's defensive strategies were naturally far stronger.
Yet despite the fierce resistance, Zhao Feng's advance was unstoppable.
Amid the torrent of arrows raining down from above, Zhao Feng held his shield high, deflecting incoming projectiles. The Dragon Spring Sword in his hand slashed through the air, parrying and dodging most of the arrows aimed at him.
Breaking through the gates was a monumental task for anyone else but not for Zhao Feng.
With a single sword strike, Zhao Feng unleashed the true power of his Dragon Spring Sword.
Infused with the energy from his dantian, the blade glowed with an otherworldly force.
In a blur of rapid motion, Zhao Feng struck the gates with dozens of blows in an instant.
No matter how heavily fortified Pang Nuan had made the city gates, nor how they were constructed of reinforced iron, they crumbled like sand before the Dragon Spring Sword, its edge infused with true energy.
With a deafening crash, the massive gates shattered into dozens of pieces. Sword energy surged through the opening, cutting into the Zhao soldiers desperately defending the gates.
A chorus of anguished screams followed. The Zhao soldiers, trying to hold their ground, were flung back by the force. Many were directly pierced by the sword energy and died on the spot.
Zhao Feng wasted no time, stepping over the bodies of the fallen Zhao soldiers. Shield in hand, he blocked a spear thrust from the Zhao defenders and slashed forward with the Dragon Spring Sword.
"Kill Zhao soldiers and gain 1 day of lifespan."
"Kill Zhao soldiers and gain 1 day of lifespan."
"Kill Zhao soldiers and gain 1 point of strength..."
With each encounter, Zhao Feng's Dragon Spring Sword became a reaper's scythe, harvesting the lives of the Zhao soldiers before him.
The gates breached, and Zhao Feng stormed into the city, cutting down all who stood in his path. Behind him, Tu Sui led the elite troops as they charged into the city.
The scene mirrored the fall of Wu'an: bloodshed and chaos engulfed the battlefield.
"Follow the general! Kill!"
"Kill!"
The battle cries of the Qin soldiers echoed as they poured into the city and clashed with the Zhao forces.
Hundreds of siege ladders and engines reached the city walls. A flood of elite Qin soldiers began their ascent.
The bloody battle had reached its climax.
"General, the Qin soldiers have breached the gates!"
On the city walls, the Zhao defenders reported the dire news in panic.
"The Qin forces truly have a way of breaking through gates so quickly," a Zhao general muttered. "But this is not Wu'an. General Pang Nuan is guarding the inner city, and we have 200,000 troops defending the outer city, along with enforcement by the supervising troops. No matter how fierce the Qin are, they cannot take Handan."
"Relay my orders!"
"All troops on the walls are to focus on firing arrows to repel the Qin soldiers. As for the breach, our forces below will handle it. Do not let the Qin army set foot on our walls!" the Zhao general shouted.
Meanwhile, at the Qin army's rear.
Watching the gates fall, Wang Jian's eyes flickered with intrigue.
"What secret is Zhao Feng hiding? He shattered Handan's gates so effortlessly!"
"Could he truly possess divine or ghostly powers?"
Wang Jian couldn't suppress his astonishment. He had personally witnessed the gates of Wu'an, which had been similarly broken into countless pieces. What kind of weapon could achieve such a feat?
Even with the best blade, it seemed impossible to shatter such a thick gate so easily.
But regardless of his doubts, Zhao Feng became an even greater enigma in Wang Jian's mind.
Returning his focus to the battlefield, Wang Jian observed Zhao Feng leading the charge into the city.
Inside, the Zhao forces, unlike at Wu'an, were far better prepared for a breach.
Formations of long spear soldiers advanced to meet the Qin troops, while archers on rooftops unleashed volleys at the invaders. Qin soldiers fell in waves, their bodies piling up near the gates.
Seeing the heavy casualties and the formidable Zhao defensive lines, Zhao Feng's heart grew heavy.
After cutting down a few Zhao soldiers in front of him, he turned his gaze toward the rear lines of archers raining arrows down. Zhao Feng knew they needed to break the Zhao formations and scatter the archers.
"Stay close to me! Break through their lines!" Zhao Feng bellowed before surging forward once more.
"Follow the general to the death!"
"Kill!"
The elite troops roared as they charged alongside Zhao Feng.
For this charge, Zhao Feng refrained from using flashy techniques, relying instead on the Dragon Spring Sword's sharp edge and his formidable combat skills to carve a path through the Zhao formations.
Each slash of the Dragon Spring Sword emitted waves of energy, tearing through enemy ranks. Zhao Feng's relentless assault created gaps in the Zhao lines.
The blade itself cut through armor with ease, while Zhao Feng's body became drenched in the blood of his enemies.
Despite the Zhao forces' resolute defense, Zhao Feng, a warrior capable of facing thousands alone, continued to press forward.
Had he unleashed his full power, the Zhao formations would have crumbled like paper. But Zhao Feng held back, wary of exposing his true strength.
The Qin Empire was strong, its fortune immense.
If Zhao Feng displayed his inhuman abilities, it would inevitably draw unwanted attention.
Qin Shi Huang's historical obsession with immortality was well-known, and Zhao Feng doubted the emperor could resist acting against him.
Thus, Zhao Feng chose to grow stronger within the Qin Empire's shadow while biding his time for the chaos that would follow Qin's eventual downfall that was where his future lay.
"Follow the general! Kill!"
Under Zhao Feng's leadership, the Qin forces pressed deeper into Handan.
For them, Zhao Feng was their military soul. Even as their comrades-in-arms fell one by one, their onslaught never ceased.
Only by continuing the attack, only by annihilating the enemy forces, could they redeem the brothers who had fallen in battle.
Under Zhao Feng's leadership, the scene from Wuan City that day was re-enacted. The Zhao army's formation was forcibly broken, and Zhao Feng cut through to where the Zhao archers were stationed. Without a frontline to protect them, the archers became lambs to the slaughter.
The assault continued.
The slaughter continued.
As the Zhao army's defensive formation was torn apart further and further, the Qin army's foothold in the city grew larger and wider, allowing more Qin soldiers to flood in.
Facing such a ferocious Qin army, many Zhao soldiers could no longer hold their ground and began showing signs of retreat.
But this time, things were different from that day at Wuan City.
Every Zhao military unit had a detachment of overseers. When they saw routed soldiers retreating in chaos, the overseers sprang into action immediately.
"The Supreme General has ordered: anyone retreating will be executed!"
"Military orders are as immovable as mountains!"
"They must not be disobeyed!"
Seeing the retreating soldiers, the overseers showed no mercy and raised their blades without hesitation.
Perhaps they were cruel, but for them, it was also a forced choice. Their entire families' lives were under the Zhao King's control. If they failed to enforce discipline, they would escape punishment, but their families would not survive.
Under the overseers' deterrence, many retreating Zhao soldiers could only grit their teeth and rejoin the fight.
"Focus our forces at one point and maneuver to kill the enemy!"
"Try to clear out areas within the city so reinforcements can enter and join the battle!"
"Once the outer areas are cleared, immediately secure the city walls as strongholds!"
As he continued his assault, Zhao Feng issued commands to the loyal general Tu Sui, who followed closely behind him.
"I'll carry out the orders!" Tu Sui responded loudly.
Without delay, Tu Sui relayed the commands.
The army orderly split into divisions and began executing Zhao Feng's strategy.
Meanwhile, in the rear of the army outside the city:
"Supreme General," a commander reported, "the Zhao army is sending reinforcements from east of Handan to attack us. General Wang Ben has already led 50,000 elite soldiers to intercept them. The Zhao forces are about 30,000 strong, composed of cavalry armed with long spears and bows, employing Zhao's famous Hu-style mounted archery."
"Order Wang Ben to resist with all his strength. Under no circumstances must the Zhao cavalry disrupt our forces," Wang Jian commanded decisively.
"I will deliver the order immediately," the commander replied, leaving at once.
After giving his instructions, Wang Jian turned his gaze toward Handan City, where the fierce battle continued to rage.
"General Yang," Wang Jian called out.
"Awaiting orders, Supreme General," Yang Duanhe replied promptly.
"Order the archers to advance. Have them shoot as deep into Handan's center as possible to support our assault troops with arrow fire."
"In addition," Wang Jian continued, "urge your infantry to follow closely behind Zhao Feng's elite troops. The moment Zhao Feng's forces have fully entered the city, you are to launch a full-scale attack without hesitation."
"Understood!" Yang Duanhe saluted and rode off to command his troops.
"Let us hope Handan can be taken before the King arrives," Wang Jian sighed inwardly.
In siege warfare like this, all he could do, aside from directing the battle from his command post, was sacrifice soldiers' lives to storm the city. There was no other way.
After all, Handan was a fortified stronghold, a city directly connected to the Zhao Kingdom's rear territories. Circumventing it was simply impossible; it had to be taken by force.
In Longtai Palace, though separated by a great distance, the sounds of killing from the battlefield reached Zhao King Yan through the wind.
Despite having made preparations and having Bian Zuo, whom he trusted, oversee the defense, Zhao Yan was still extremely anxious.
"What's the situation in the city now?" Zhao Yan asked nervously.
Almost every half an hour, Zhao Yan would repeat the question.
"Your Majesty, an hour ago, Grand General Bian Zuo sent word assuring you to remain at ease. With the Grand General guarding the city, Handan will not fall," Guo Kai replied with a smile.
"Good, good," Zhao Yan said, but still appeared uneasy. "Surely the Qin army hasn't broken through the city walls yet?"
"That's unlikely," Guo Kai hesitated but replied nonetheless, "especially with Grand General Bian Zuo personally commanding the defense."
Even Guo Kai was unsure of the situation outside the city.
In truth, he was also feeling uneasy.
Ever since Bian Zuo was granted full military authority over Handan, even control over logistical supplies was handed to him. This left Guo Kai powerless, unable to assist Qin even if he wanted to. All he could do now was wait quietly in the city.
"Prime Minister, personally send someone to inform the Grand General that if there are any developments in the city, he must report to me immediately," Zhao Yan ordered solemnly.
Zhao Yan was more concerned about his safety than anything else.
If the city was truly breached, he wouldn't hesitate for a moment to abandon Handan and flee to Dai Prefecture.
If not for the lingering threat of Li Mu, Zhao Yan might have fled to Dai Prefecture long ago. But now that Li Mu was dealt with and the military power secured, Zhao Yan no longer had anything to fear.
Were it not for concerns about his court officials' reactions, Zhao Yan might have openly suggested having Bian Zuo defend the city while he retreated.
"As you command," Guo Kai replied, bowing deeply.
Time passed slowly.
One day passed.
Two days passed.
Three days passed.
The battle for Handan City had raged on for three full days and nights.
By now, the Qin army had seized control of the city walls, and 200,000 Qin soldiers had flooded into the city. The outer city of Handan was on the verge of falling.
Seeing that the outer city could no longer be defended, Bian Zuo immediately ordered a retreat to the inner city.
Even with the presence of overseers, true military defeat is like a landslide unstoppable in the face of despair. The overseers could no longer maintain order.
"Grand General," a Zhao officer reported, "the Qin army has temporarily halted their attack. After days of fierce fighting, they seem to be fatigued. Meanwhile, our border cavalry outside the city has suffered heavy losses. The Qin forces had long prepared archers and spearmen for defense."
"The Qin army's combat strength far surpasses ours. Our Zhao forces are no match for them," Bian Zuo sighed. The confidence he once conveyed to Zhao Yan was now replaced by a deep sense of defeat.
After three days of fighting, the outer city was lost.
This, despite all his prior preparations.
Against the Qin army's onslaught, Bian Zuo had done everything he could, but it wasn't enough.
Defeat had turned into an avalanche, and even the overseers couldn't reverse the tide.
"Grand General," the officer beside him asked with a tormented expression, "can we hold this city?"
"Back at Wuan City, we were all routed and fled for our lives," Bian Zuo replied with a bitter smile. "But now, this is the capital of Zhao. There's no retreat left for us."
"The King has been demanding updates on the battle every day, but we haven't reported the truth. If we truly cannot hold the city, should we…" The officer trailed off, his tone grim.
At this point, his intentions were very clear.
Hearing this, Pang Nuan let out a bitter laugh and said, "Indeed, as a loyal subject, how can I not protect the king?"
"His Majesty has placed such great trust in me, entrusting the entire 300,000-strong army of Handan into my hands. Yet, in the end, I have failed him."
"General Wu, please send someone to inform the Chancellor and have him petition the king. Advise His Majesty to take the crown prince, the royal family, and the court members and retreat to Dai to preserve the spark of Zhao."
"Dai is a flat plain, a land where our Zhao cavalry reign supreme. Even Qin's cavalry cannot match our Zhao's hu clothing and horseback archery. It will be enough to defend our state." Pang Nuan spoke resolutely.
"General, are you truly planning to hold out until the end?"
"As you said, we can preserve the state in Dai with our border forces. You could retreat with His Majesty and safeguard Zhao's foundation!" The Zhao general urged, reluctant to see Pang Nuan persist.
"I have already fled once I will not flee again."
"This time, let me give my final loyalty to the state of Zhao," Pang Nuan replied firmly.
He then waved his hand, signaling the surrounding generals to deliver the message.
"Relay my order: all soldiers, except for those standing guard, are to eat their fill and prepare for the next battle." Pang Nuan issued his command loudly.
"Understood," the surrounding Zhao generals replied one after another.
But their feeble voices revealed their dwindling morale, a sight that deepened the desolation in Pang Nuan's eyes.
"Chancellor!"
"General Pang Nuan has sent a report."
"The Qin army's assault is too intense. The inner city cannot hold for more than a few days."
"He requests the Chancellor to petition His Majesty to lead the royal family and court officials to retreat to Dai. General Pang Nuan is prepared to offer his final loyalty to His Majesty."
Hearing this, Guo Kai's heart filled with delight, but his face remained composed.
"I understand," Guo Kai nodded. "I will immediately petition His Majesty to make preparations."
"Understood. I shall take my leave." The Zhao general respectfully withdrew, placing full trust in the chancellor without any suspicion.
But he was gravely mistaken.
And so was Pang Nuan.
"The King of Qin harbors a deep-seated hatred for Zhao Yan."
"If Zhao Yan escapes, the King of Qin will surely be greatly disappointed."
"I cannot let him escape."
"I will suppress this report and keep Zhao Yan unaware of the current state of our defenses."
"By the time the Qin army reaches the royal palace, it will be too late for him to flee," Guo Kai thought with a cold smile.
Currently, the Zhao royal palace is guarded by 10,000 imperial guards. Without an edict from Zhao Yan, no one could communicate with the outside world. All court officials were confined within the palace, ostensibly to prevent them from leaking information to the Qin.
But no one could have imagined that Zhao's chancellor had already betrayed the state long ago.
At the outer city frontlines, Zhao Feng's armor, hair, and face were completely soaked in blood.
From the outside, he looked like a man who had emerged from a sea of blood.
Through countless battles, Zhao Feng had lost count of how many Zhao soldiers he had slain or how many defensive lines he had broken with his elite troops.
Now, the results were clear to see.
The outer city of Handan had been fully conquered. Only the inner city remained.
Compared to the Zhao army, the Qin army's morale remained high. The elite troops under Zhao Feng's command were especially emboldened.
"General," Tu Sui and Zhang Han approached Zhao Feng.
"The men have rested for an hour," Tu Sui reported.
"What are our casualties? Do you have an estimate?" Zhao Feng asked as he looked at the two generals.
"General," Tu Sui replied, his tone heavy, "this battle has been brutal."
"Our forces initially numbered over 80,000, but now we have less than 40,000 remaining. We've lost nearly half our troops."
"Additionally, two of our generals have fallen in battle," he said with sorrow in his voice.
"Who are they?" Zhao Feng's brow furrowed.
"Generals Liu Wang and Qi Sheng," Tu Sui replied through gritted teeth.
Hearing this, Zhao Feng fell silent for a moment. A glimmer of sorrow flickered in his blood-soaked eyes.
"Remember the promises we made to them."
"This battle will be won."
Zhao Feng's voice was calm yet resolute as he slowly stood up.
He gazed toward the inner city, his eyes fixed on the Zhao royal palace.
"The morale of the Zhao army has already collapsed."
"Our forces are well-fed and rested. We must seize this opportunity to press forward."
"This final battle our target is the Zhao royal palace."
"Capturing Zhao Yan will end the war."
"Generals, can you still fight?" Zhao Feng asked as he looked around at the surrounding soldiers and officers.
"We can fight!"
The soldiers, sitting on the ground with blood-stained weapons in hand, responded with fervent intensity as they stared at Zhao Feng with blazing eyes.
"Then let us decide the fate of this war in one final battle."
"Brothers, follow me and charge forward!"
Without hesitation, Zhao Feng once again led his forces in an assault on Handan's inner city.
The brief silence that had fallen over Handan was shattered once more by the sounds of slaughter.
Outside the city:
"Commander," a personal guard reported to Wang Jian, "General Zhao Feng has resumed the attack."
"Within days, Handan will fall," Wang Jian said, looking at the city with a faint, relieved smile.
This battle.
In the end, he had succeeded.
Thanks to his son-in-law.
If not for Zhao Feng, who could have imagined that this seemingly impregnable city of Handan would be breached in just four days?
Wang Jian couldn't have imagined it.
No one could have imagined it.
"News has just arrived," the personal guard continued.
"His Majesty is now less than 100 li (approximately 50 kilometers) from Handan. At the pace of the royal guard, he should arrive at Handan the day after tomorrow."
"Thanks to Zhao Feng, I can now face His Majesty with confidence," Wang Jian said with a smile.
Previously, Wang Jian had been anxious about the King of Qin's arrival. But with the capture of Handan imminent, he now felt entirely at ease.
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