Hearing Wang Jian's words, both Wang Ben and Yang Duanhe nodded in agreement.
Back during the Battle of Wu'an City, Zhao Feng had effortlessly breached the city and claimed the honor of a great victory over the Zhao forces. Although they hadn't witnessed it firsthand, this time, in the Battle of Handan, they saw everything with their own eyes.
Under Pang Nuan's heavily fortified defenses, they believed it would take an immense toll on casualties and time to break through Handan.
Yet, against all odds, Zhao Feng led his army to capture the city in just three days. Now, he had already stormed into the inner city of Handan.
"Relay my orders," Wang Jian commanded without hesitation.
"The army will enter the city and support Zhao Feng in continuing the assault."
"Yes!" Wang Ben and Yang Duanhe immediately responded.
"I hope we can completely conquer Handan before His Majesty arrives," Wang Jian thought to himself, filled with expectation.
The slaughter within Handan City continued.
By midday, Zhao Feng had led his forces to breach the inner defenses of Handan. Pressing forward, his target was clear the royal palace of Zhao.
After three days and nights of relentless battle, the Zhao army's morale had been utterly crushed by Zhao Feng. Capturing the Zhao palace and subduing King Zhao Yan would signify the complete collapse of the Zhao forces within the city.
"Capture the king to secure victory!"
Zhao Feng led his troops, charging like a razor-sharp blade cutting through everything in its path. The elite soldiers followed closely behind.
At this moment, as they advanced through the city streets, Zhao Feng addressed his troops:
"Brothers! Ahead lies the Zhao central army! General Pang Nuan is stationed there. If we slay Pang Nuan, the city will be ours!"
When Zhao Feng spotted the Zhao banners fluttering in the distance, he immediately recognized their significance.
"We've finally reached this point."
At the Zhao central command, Pang Nuan stood atop his chariot, his face marked by bitterness as he gazed at the approaching Qin army and the Zhao forces struggling to resist.
"Your Majesty, I have failed. I could not protect Handan, nor could I save the state of Zhao," Pang Nuan lamented.
He had given everything he had, but it was futile.
Thirty thousand soldiers defeated.
"Lian Po… I am not your equal. If you were still here, perhaps Handan could have been defended," he muttered bitterly.
At that moment, he thought of Lian Po, the general he had always sought to surpass. Today, he finally conceded defeat.
Back when Qin forces attacked Handan with even greater numbers, Lian Po had held the city with just 200,000 soldiers. Back then, Handan was united, ready to live and die with their homeland.
But now, that unity was gone.
As the Qin army drew closer, Pang Nuan unsheathed his sword. His aged eyes burned not with fear, but with a final, unyielding pride. Pointing his blade at the Qin soldiers, he roared:
"Soldiers of Zhao! Today, I, Pang Nuan, shall fight alongside you! Zhao shall endure forever! Kill!"
With a mighty shout, the commander of Pang Nuan's guard spurred his horse forward, leading Pang Nuan's chariot into battle.
"Follow the general!"
"Kill!"
Pang Nuan's charge inspired the Zhao forces to rally for one last stand. Tens of thousands of soldiers surged forward, following Pang Nuan to meet the Qin forces head-on.
This was the pivotal battle to decide Handan's fate.
"Pang Nuan!" Zhao Feng immediately spotted the chariot surging toward him and the figure standing upon it, sword raised.
"Your life… is mine!" Zhao Feng declared in his heart, gripping his blade as he moved to confront his foe.
Arrows rained down from both sides as the two armies clashed.
When the distance between them shrank to mere yards, Zhao Feng leaped high into the air. With a powerful downward slash, he killed the Zhao soldier driving the chariot and landed squarely on Pang Nuan's vehicle.
Pang Nuan's expression hardened as he swung his sword toward Zhao Feng.
But Zhao Feng did not evade. With his fingers infused with energy, he easily caught Pang Nuan's blade.
"How… is this possible?" Pang Nuan's face was filled with shock and disbelief.
Without hesitation, Zhao Feng's blood-stained blade thrust forward, piercing Pang Nuan's chest.
A surge of pain overwhelmed Pang Nuan. His trembling hands lost their grip, and his sword fell to the ground.
"Back in Wu'an City, I let you escape. This time, you won't get away," Zhao Feng said coldly.
"Who… who are you?" Pang Nuan asked with his final breath.
"Qin General Zhao Feng," he replied.
"Zhao Feng…" Pang Nuan's eyes widened in shock. He had heard that name many times during the Qin-Zhao War.
The first time was when Zhao Feng led the campaign to destroy Han and capture its king.
The second time was his defense of Wei, defeating Wei Wujie.
The third time was when Zhao Feng slew Lian Po.
And now, it was the last time Zhao Feng had taken his life.
"It's over," Zhao Feng said calmly. With a swift motion, he pulled his sword free and, in one final strike, decapitated Pang Nuan.
A system notification appeared:
"Zhao General Pang Nuan has been slain. Gained 30 attribute points."
Another notification followed:
"Congratulations, host! All attributes have surpassed 5000. Awarded a Tier-1 Treasure Chest."
As his inner energy surged and his strength broke past new limits, Zhao Feng wasted no time with celebrations.
Holding Pang Nuan's severed head high, he shouted:
"Pang Nuan is dead! Surrender your arms and kneel, and you will be spared!"
"General mighty!"
"General mighty!"
The Qin soldiers echoed Zhao Feng's words, shouting:
"Our general has slain Pang Nuan! Lay down your weapons, and you shall live!"
Hearing this, the Zhao soldiers turned their eyes to Zhao Feng, standing atop the chariot and holding Pang Nuan's head aloft.
At that moment, all morale was shattered.
"Spare us!"
"We surrender!"
"Run! Retreat!"
"The general is dead we've lost!"
Chaos erupted. Some Zhao soldiers dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender, while others fled in panic.
Zhao Feng tied Pang Nuan's head to his waist and jumped off the chariot. Glaring at the fleeing soldiers and the direction of the Zhao palace, he declared:
"Brothers! The Zhao army has collapsed. The fall of Handan is inevitable. The glory of capturing the Zhao king shall be ours!"
"Follow me charge the Zhao palace!"
Fueled by renewed vigor from his rising strength, Zhao Feng surged forward once more.
"Follow the general!"
"Charge!"
"Take the Zhao king!"
With a resounding battle cry, the Qin soldiers pressed on, seeing the dawn of their victory over Handan.
Inside the Zhao palace, the sounds of battle drew closer and closer. The Zhao guards, palace maids, and attendants could hear the Qin army advancing.
In the royal chambers, King Zhao Yan also heard the commotion.
"Someone! Someone!" he shouted, his voice filled with panic.
A eunuch rushed in and knelt before him.
"Your Majesty!"
"Why does it sound like the fighting is getting closer? What is happening out there?" King Zhao Yan demanded, his face etched with worry.
"Your Majesty," the eunuch stammered, trembling. "The chancellor sent word half an hour ago General Pang Nuan has achieved victory and is holding the Qin forces outside the city."
"Then why do the battle cries grow louder?" King Zhao Yan's frown deepened, his unease growing.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Guo Kai, but under the deafening sounds of battle, he could hear it clearly there was no deceiving anyone now.
"Shall I send someone to inquire of the Chancellor again?" the eunuch asked tentatively.
"Go, quickly," Zhao Yan waved him off.
"Understood, Your Majesty," the eunuch bowed and retreated quickly.
At that moment, Zhao Yan spoke again: "Are the officials still within the Longtai Palace?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the eunuch replied immediately, "all officials remain in Longtai Palace."
"Good," Zhao Yan nodded in relief.
Previously, to secure the city's defense and prevent the Zhao court officials from defecting, Pang Nuan had advised Zhao Yan to confine all officials within Longtai Palace, allowing them to leave only after the battle was over.
However, Pang Nuan overestimated himself, underestimated the Qin army, and entirely overlooked Guo Kai's betrayal Guo Kai had already defected to Qin.
Now, if the Zhao court officials in the palace didn't flee, they would be captured by the Qin army like fish in a barrel.
Inside Longtai Palace
"Why do the sounds of battle outside seem to be getting closer?"
"Could it be that the Qin army has already breached the city?" an official asked nervously.
"Impossible!"
"The Chancellor's men reported earlier that General Pang was still defending in an orderly manner, holding the Qin army outside the city," another official responded gravely.
"Even so, why does the sound of battle feel so near? It sounds like it's right outside the palace!"
"Indeed, the sounds seem to be coming from the palace gates," someone echoed.
"Could the Qin army truly have reached the palace?"
A wave of unease spread among the Zhao officials, who began to murmur among themselves. The increasingly close sounds of killing couldn't be ignored.
At that moment
"Report!"
"The commander of the palace guards has news," a palace guard rushed into Longtai Palace and shouted, "The Qin army has reached the palace gates, accompanied by large numbers of retreating Zhao soldiers. As soon as the remnants surrender, the Qin army will begin attacking the palace!"
"What?!"
"How could this happen?"
"Didn't they say the Qin army was being held outside the city?!"
"Why have they reached the palace already?"
"How could this have happened?"
"What should we do?"
"The Qin army couldn't have breached the city in a single day why didn't the General report this sooner?"
"We're trapped in the palace! This is a death sentence!"
"Quick, petition His Majesty! We must evacuate the palace immediately!"
"Hurry!"
Upon hearing that the Qin army had reached the palace, all the officials panicked. What order had been maintained earlier quickly dissolved into chaos as they rushed toward the palace doors?
Some shouted about notifying King Zhao, but faced with the immediate threat to their lives, self-preservation took precedence. They weren't mere commoners they were officials of the Zhao court, and if captured by the Qin army, their fate would undoubtedly be grim.
Among them, the only one who remained composed was Zhao Yi.
As he surveyed the chaos, Zhao Yi glanced around before quietly slipping away through a side hall of Longtai Palace. He had his plans.
Inside the Sleeping Quarters
The increasingly loud sounds of killing outside made Zhao Yan uneasy, even though he had already sent servants to confirm the situation. His heart was in turmoil.
"Report!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Grave news!"
"The Qin army has reached the palace gates!"
The eunuch who had gone to investigate stumbled back into the room, falling to his knees and crying out.
"W-What?!"
Zhao Yan's face turned deathly pale.
"That's impossible!"
"How could the Qin army have reached the palace so suddenly?"
"Why wasn't there any prior warning?" Zhao Yan stammered in fear, his expression full of terror.
"Your Majesty," the eunuch pleaded, "this is no time to question why. The immediate priority is to evacuate the palace. The palace guard numbers only ten thousand there's no way they can hold off the Qin army!"
"Yes, yes, evacuate! Evacuate the palace!"
"We'll retreat to Dai!"
"Quick order everyone to evacuate!" Zhao Yan nodded frantically and rushed out of his quarters, his steps unsteady and his fear palpable.
Outside the Palace
The ground was littered with corpses, most of them Zhao soldiers.
While palace guards on the walls continued to fire arrows in defense, their morale was broken. They were no longer fighting with conviction.
At the gates of the palace, Zhao Feng took the lead. Raising the Dragon Spring Sword, he slashed downward, sending a sharp burst of sword energy forward.
With a thunderous crash, the palace gates were instantly destroyed.
If the towering gates of Handan could be shattered by Zhao Feng's sword, these palace gates stood no chance.
"Brothers!" Zhao Feng turned to the troops behind him and shouted, "Once we take the palace, everything in it except for the royal treasury is yours for the taking!"
"Take as much as you can carry! This is the glory our King bestows upon you!"
"Follow General Zhao to the death!"
"Kill!"
Upon hearing Zhao Feng's words, the soldiers' spirits soared.
To live in this world, wealth was essential. As soldiers, they fought for wages, honor, and the hope of wealth and status. Now, presented with the opportunity to loot a royal palace an unimaginable fortune they could hardly contain their excitement.
Satisfied with their renewed vigor, Zhao Feng charged into the palace.
For Zhao Feng, the more enemies he killed, the more attributes he could collect, and the more life force he could gain. He would never tire of this cycle.
As for using loot as motivation, it wasn't something Zhao Feng had invented it was common in this era and would be even more so in later times.
In future eras, the aftermath of a breached city would often be far more brutal, with looting, killing, and even wholesale massacres becoming the norm.
"Kill!"
"Kill them all!"
The Qin soldiers roared as they stormed the palace, cutting down Zhao palace guards who tried to resist.
The overwhelmed Zhao guards could only retreat in the face of the relentless Qin assault.
For the first time since the founding of the Zhao state, the royal palace of Handan was drenched in blood.
"Lay down your weapons and surrender, and you will be spared!"
"Kneel and surrender, and you will be spared!"
Having breached the palace, Zhao Feng declared victory.
"Those who surrender will be spared! Those who resist will be killed!"
The Qin soldiers echoed his cries as they continued their assault.
With tens of thousands of troops surging forward like a tidal wave, the Zhao palace guards had no chance. Anyone who didn't drop their weapons and kneel was hunted down and killed whether they were soldiers or palace servants.
In war, there was no room for mercy, especially against enemies in foreign lands.
"Divide into units and take control of the palace!" Zhao Feng ordered.
"Yes, General!" Tu Sui and Zhang Han immediately led their troops to split up and advance.
Time passed.
The sounds of slaughter and screams echoed throughout the palace.
Bloodshed enveloped the royal palace.
"Run! Run quickly!"
"The Qin army has arrived!"
"Hurry..."
"Our great Zhao is finished."
"It's all over..."
Throughout the palace, the Zhao Royal Guards and palace servants fled in all directions, gripped by terror.
Facing the bloodthirsty Qin soldiers, every single person was filled with dread.
On the square in front of the Longtai Palace, the Qin army's relentless assault left the once-majestic grounds covered in corpses and drenched in blood.
By this point, Zhao Feng no longer felt any urgency. He strode leisurely across the square, surrounded by his fierce warriors still locked in combat. Step by step, Zhao Feng ascended the highest steps of the once-revered palace.
"Longtai Palace," he muttered.
"The great council hall of Zhao. It shares the same ancestral roots as our Qin's Shangtai Palace."
Zhao Feng looked up at the grand hall before him, a faint smile curling his lips.
With his knowledge of history, he was well aware that Zhao and Qin shared the same ancestry both descended from the Ying clan of Zhao lineage.
"General," a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Only a few elderly ministers remain in the hall. The other Zhao officials have already fled," reported Tu Sui, hurrying out of the hall toward Zhao Feng.
"Understood," Zhao Feng nodded and walked into the grand Longtai Palace.
As expected, the vast council chamber was nearly empty. Originally a place where hundreds of officials gathered, it now housed only six elderly Zhao ministers.
When they saw Zhao Feng enter, the aged ministers cast him cold, defiant glances, showing not the slightest hint of fear.
"Where is the King of Zhao?" Zhao Feng asked them.
"Traitor!"
"Don't even think about finding our king!"
"The Great Zhao will never fall!"
"If you want to kill me, then do it. I will die with my country and never cower before you!"
"Come on, Qin scum. Kill me!"
The elderly ministers, one after another, shouted their defiance, their eyes burning with hatred as they glared at Zhao Feng.
In every era, in every nation, there were always those who remained loyal to their country.
Just as there were traitors, there were also those who would defend their homeland to the death. These ministers before Zhao Feng were the loyalists of Zhao, determined to live and die with their country.
Zhao Feng gazed at them with an impassive expression, his emotions unreadable. With a wave of his hand, he turned and walked out of the hall.
"Kill them," Tu Sui commanded, his voice cold and unwavering.
Having followed Zhao Feng for so long, Tu Sui knew his general's intent without needing explicit instructions. Zhao Feng was granting these loyalists the dignity of dying with their country, as they had so desired.
"Long live the great Zhao!"
"The Great Zhao will never fall!"
The elderly ministers shouted their final cries before being swiftly executed by the fierce warriors, their blood staining the steps of Longtai Palace.
"General," Tu Sui said urgently.
"The King of Zhao has escaped. What should we do?"
"They won't get far," Zhao Feng replied calmly.
He then turned and shouted, "Zhang Ming!"
"Present!" Zhang Ming responded immediately.
"Gather six hundred personal guards and follow me to pursue the King of Zhao," Zhao Feng ordered.
"Understood!" Zhang Ming responded swiftly.
"Tu Sui, you and Zhang Han will take control of the palace," Zhao Feng continued.
"Pay special attention to the royal treasury."
The royal treasury was too important to overlook. Zhao Feng intended to seize a substantial share of its wealth, especially since his storage space was now far larger than before.
"Understood," Tu Sui nodded.
"General," Tu Sui added, "the battle in the city isn't completely over yet. Should we send troops to assist the other two battalions in eliminating the remaining Zhao forces?"
"Our fourth battalion has already achieved the greatest victory in this battle and suffered the heaviest losses. Leave the rest to Yang Duanhe and Wang Ben," Zhao Feng replied firmly.
"Understood," Tu Sui acknowledged.
"Let's move out!" Zhao Feng commanded.
"We're going after the King of Zhao. If he escapes, our achievements in this battle will be diminished."
With that, Zhao Feng strode toward the rear gate of the palace, not the main entrance where his troops had stormed in.
The King of Zhao would not flee through the heavily besieged main gate; he would escape through the back, likely heading for the rear city gates of Handan.
Meanwhile, outside the city, Wang Jian was stationed with the central army.
Since the siege of Handan began, five days and nights had passed. In all that time, Wang Jian had barely slept for two hours.
"Report!"
"General, urgent news from the city!"
"General Pang Nuan has been slain by General Zhao Feng, and the Zhao army has been routed!"
A messenger rushed to Wang Jian, excitement evident in his voice.
"Is that true?" Wang Jian's face lit up with joy.
"Absolutely," the messenger confirmed.
"General Zhao Feng is already advancing on the royal palace. By the end of the day, he will likely have taken it."
"Excellent!" Wang Jian laughed heartily, unable to contain his delight.
"This son-in-law of mine is truly a gift from the heavens! With him, our Qin is truly blessed!"
"You are right, General," the messenger said excitedly.
"With General Zhao Feng, Qin is indeed fortunate. To conquer a fortress as strong as Handan in just five days no one else in the world could have achieved such a feat!"
This battle was undoubtedly historic.
"Send orders to Wang Ben and Yang Duanhe," Wang Jian commanded.
"Have them lead their troops to swiftly eliminate the remaining Zhao forces in the city. The king will arrive soon."
"Understood," the messenger replied before hurrying off to deliver the orders.
Shortly after, another report arrived.
"General, urgent news!"
"The king is now only five li from Handan. He will arrive within the hour."
Hearing this, Wang Jian's expression grew solemn.
"Quickly, send out orders to prepare for the king's arrival," Wang Jian commanded.
"Also, have the battle reports ready for submission."
The King of Qin was coming, and Wang Jian dared not take the matter lightly.
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