The war drum sounded, and the general commanded the troops. The frontier was quiet, and the barbarian flutes played, while the sand shone like silk.
"Woooo... Woooo... Woooo..."
The haunting sound of barbarian flutes, the continuous blast of horns, horses neighing, and the wind howling, an army camp stretched in rows. The Xiongnu Great Chieftain, Duo Yongjian, was returning from a campaign. He had set up a large camp at Xiongzha, in Toutouman City. The camp was a maze of smaller tents within larger ones, with armed cavalry constantly patrolling outside and within. The defenses were formidable, giving an impression of absolute order and might.
However, this was merely an illusion.
Duo Yongjian had led a hundred thousand troops south to attack Xue Lincheng and two other passes, intending to break through and gallop into the heartland of China. But he was held back by the veteran frontier general Hu Yan Sheng of the Yan border, and with Zhou Fugui harassing the Xiongnu royal court, Duo Yongjian returned defeated. Although the Yan border army did not pursue in large numbers, Duo Yongjian's forces suffered considerable losses. Crucially, the morale of the Xiongnu army was severely dampened, and Duo Yongjian desperately needed something to lift their spirits.
Like a timely rain after a long drought, a stroke of good fortune arrived: Zhou Fugui's forces were defeated by the Lin Yue army, and Zhou Fugui and his men were captured. They were to be presented to Duo Yongjian today.
The capture of Zhou Fugui and his White Tiger Battalion was a godsend for Duo Yongjian, who was overjoyed. He planned to use this event to boost morale and dispel the pervasive gloom in the army.
At this time, Duo Yongjian had an agreement with Hu Yan Sheng: Duo Yongjian would not kill Zhou Fugui. In exchange, Hu Yan Sheng would turn a blind eye. However, "not killing" did not mean "not tormenting." Chopping off Zhou Fugui's limbs and sending him back would not constitute a breach of their agreement.
Moreover, for Duo Yongjian, this was not even a verbal promise, but less than a piece of scrap paper.
"Great Chieftain, beware of a trap!"
On this day, Duo Yongjian, in high spirits, had prepared a grand "welcome ceremony" for the Lin Yue army's presentation of captives. Zuo Guli King Bai Chang, with evident concern, said to Duo Yongjian, "A trap? You think that slut would dare to deceive me?" Duo Yongjian pondered for a moment before ordering, "Hu Jue'er, you will not leave my side today."
Hu Jue did not reply, but instead slammed his seven-eighty-pound crescent moon shovel onto the ground, which served as his answer.
Hu Jue was a barbarian monk, broad-chested and strong, capable of uprooting mountains and possessing unparalleled bravery. With bushy eyebrows, large eyes, a prominent nose, and a wide mouth, along with large hands and feet, he bore a resemblance to a great ape. He was Duo Yongjian's foremost general and his sworn adopted son. With him guarding Duo Yongjian, there would be no possibility of failure.
Duo Yongjian was indeed wary of the Lin Yue army setting a trap; he was merely being more cautious now.
However, in his heart, Duo Yongjian did not believe the Lin Yue army would set a trap. The reason was that the Lin Yue army had no need to do so; they would not antagonize Duo Yongjian over a mere Yan general.
"Dong... Dong... Dong..."
As they were speaking, the victory drums sounded. Lin Yue, leading over ten thousand slave soldiers, had arrived at Duo Yongjian's camp, escorting nearly a thousand Yan captives, including Zhou Fugui.
"Halt!"
A Xiongnu general rode forward and loudly commanded. The main Lin Yue army was ordered to remain outside the camp, with only Lin Yue, Zhun Jin, and over a thousand slave soldiers with the Yan captives allowed to enter. The suspicion was evident.
Thus, Lin Yue and over a thousand slave soldiers escorted Zhou Fugui and the other Yan captives directly to Duo Yongjian's main tent.
"Great Chieftain!" Lin Yue walked slowly to Duo Yongjian after glancing at Zhou Fugui among the Yan captives and said, "Lin Yue was ordered to capture the rebels Zhou Fugui and others and has not disgraced the mission. Today, I present them to the Great Chieftain, but..."
Lin Yue and Zhou Fugui were trapped in Huolieg Valley in Wild Wolf Mountain, but escaped within a few days.
With the help of wolves and with Zhun Jin ordering his men to search desperately, Lin Yue and Zhou Fugui were able to escape from Huolie Drum.
"Haha, Princess Consort, you have worked hard..." Duo Yongjian burst into laughter, his corpulent body shaking with the plates of his thick armor, making a "hua hua" sound. "What do you wish to say, Princess Consort? Do you wish to plead for these rebels?"
Today, Zhou Fugui would die, and Lin Yue would also die. It was Zhou Fugui's death day, and Lin Yue's death day as well. However, Lin Yue was so intelligent and capable that Duo Yongjian was somewhat reluctant to kill her, especially now.
Today, Lin Yue appeared exceptionally beautiful and radiant, like a blooming peony, different from her usual appearance.
Up to this point, Duo Yongjian still regretted bestowing Lin Yue upon his son.
"Indeed!" Lin Yue nodded. "Great Chieftain, a general is hard to come by. Why not keep such a life and let him serve the Great Chieftain, thus demonstrating the Great Chieftain's magnanimity to the world."
"Hmm..." Duo Yongjian was somewhat moved by Lin Yue's words. He walked to a mighty looking man, examined him, and asked, "Are you the Yan general Zhou Fugui?"
"I am your grandfather, you fat pig. What is it? Do you want to invite me for a drink? A drink without food is no good. How about I cut off your fat and use it as a snack?" the "Zhou Fugui" with a full beard and a rough face grinned and asked.
"You..." Duo Yongjian's nose was almost bent out of shape by anger. He pointed at "Zhou Fugui" and angrily shouted, "You are facing death, yet you remain so stubborn! Guards, seize this scoundrel and tear him apart by horses!"
The guards responded with a roar and stepped forward with their spears to drag the mighty man away.
"Puff! Puff!"
Just as two Xiongnu soldiers were about to touch "Zhou Fugui," two red lights flashed. Blood splattered, covering "Zhou Fugui" from head to toe. The two Xiongnu soldiers were cut in half, then into four pieces, with flesh and organs scattered all over the ground.
The scene instantly became extremely bloody and terrifying.
"Brothers, kill! Let's slaughter the pig and eat its meat!" The mighty "Zhou Fugui," who was originally bound, somehow broke free. He pulled out a long-handled ring-pommel sword from who knows where, chopped down two Xiongnu soldiers, wiped the blood from his face, and roared, charging at Duo Yongjian with his sword.
"Kill! Kill!"
"Slaughter the pig and eat its meat!"
The Yan captives and Lin Yue's subordinates simultaneously erupted in shouts, brandishing their weapons and charging at Duo Yongjian and his guards.
Caught off guard, Duo Yongjian was almost struck by the mighty "Zhou Fugui's" sword. The great saber descended, whistling through the air, and grazed past Duo Yongjian's head. Although it did not hit his head, it sliced off one of his pig ears.
Duo Yongjian cried out in pain and stumbled back several steps, falling to the ground. Due to his extreme obesity, he even made a shallow crater in the ground.
The sudden outburst of the Yan captives and Lin Yue's subordinates, coupled with their ferocity, caught Duo Yongjian's guards off guard, and many were cut down.
"Clang!"
The mighty man, missing his target, lunged forward and swung his sword at Duo Yongjian again. At this moment, the barbarian monk Hu Jue arrived and blocked the fatal blow with his crescent moon shovel.
The clash of the two weapons sent a shower of sparks. Hu Jue's strength was immense, numbing the mighty man's hand and almost making him drop the ring-pommel sword.
"Ouch, you bald donkey are fierce! Hey, you, that bald donkey, come here quickly, let's kill this bald donkey together, and then slaughter the pig and eat its meat!" The mighty man leaped back a few steps, temporarily avoiding the锋芒 (fēng máng - sharp edge), and shouted back.
Since both were monks, it was unclear which one he was calling...
"I'm here!" another "bald donkey" roared, rushing forward with his sword, and began to fight Hu Jue alongside the mighty man.
Hu Jue, undeterred, swung his crescent moon shovel and fought the two, not giving an inch.
A mighty man and two bald monks, three burly figures engaged in a fierce battle, their roars like thunder, shaking the earth.
"Bitch, how dare you collude with rebels and betray me? Seize them quickly, don't let them escape!" Duo Yongjian, supported by two guards, retreated while roaring furiously.
Duo Yongjian was simply furious.
He had joyfully prepared to accept the surrender, then publicly humiliate Zhou Fugui and the other Yan captives, and then capture Lin Yue to boost his army's morale. But how could he have expected such a turn of events? Lin Yue had led her men in a public rebellion. Duo Yongjian had lost all face, felt immense fear, and suffered a great blow. How could he not be enraged?
Lin Yue and the White Tiger Battalion were few in number, while Duo Yongjian had many. Therefore, despite the slave soldiers and the White Tiger Battalion fighting valiantly, they were outnumbered. Duo Yongjian's forces, after the initial panic, began to surround the slave soldiers and the White Tiger Battalion.
Lin Yue's situation was precarious. Duo Yongjian, watching from a distance, was overjoyed. He dispatched troops and ordered his men to continue their encirclement, while cursing, "The slut colluded with rebels, it is hateful! I will have her die in the women's barracks!"
The "women's barracks" referred to the camp prostitutes, whose lives were worse than death.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Duo Yongjian is cruel and inhumane, treating us like beasts. We have rebelled!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
While the majority of Duo Yongjian's forces were distracted by the slave soldiers and the White Tiger Battalion, behind Duo Yongjian, a roar like a mountain collapsing erupted, followed by chaos. A contingent of soldiers broke out from the rear, charging at Duo Yongjian.
A general, wielding a Zhen Tian Long Shuo (a type of halberd), charged directly at Duo Yongjian on his horse. Who else could it be but Zhou Fugui?
This was a stratagem devised by the strategist Ye Guan Ting for Zhou Fugui and Lin Yue: create a diversion in front and achieve victory through surprise. Lin Yue presented a false Zhou Fugui to attract Duo Yongjian's attention, while Zhou Fugui led the elite forces of the slave army and the White Tiger Battalion in a surprise attack from the rear.
Of course, Zhou Fugui and his men alone could not have infiltrated Duo Yongjian's rear guard or his personal retinue.
Zhou Fugui's success was due to the Xiongnu Shaman High Priest Qin Dunni and Duo Yongjian's personal guard commander, Cen Can, a thousand-man commander.
"Commander Cen Can, at this point, is there any room for turning back?" Zhou Fugui saw that Cen Can was still hesitant. He tapped him with his halberd and asked coldly.
"Kill! Charge through! Kill Duo Yongjian! If he doesn't die today, we all die." Cen Can suddenly understood, glared at Zhou Fugui, gritted his teeth, raised his saber high, and ordered his men to charge.
Zhou Fugui was absolutely right. Although Cen Can was coerced, at this critical juncture, if Duo Yongjian did not die, Cen Can would certainly seek revenge and cruelly execute Cen Can and his men, regardless of whether they were coerced.