The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 8 The Duan Family Father and Son
Duan Xiaoqi's vision grew increasingly blurry as blood continued to flood his eyes, but his movements showed no sign of slowing down.

Arrows rained down, piercing through armor and tearing flesh, but Duan Xiaoqi showed no fear in his eyes.

At this moment, his mind was numb, and all his actions were driven by a strong sense of mission.

He no longer felt any pain, and just kept urging his horse forward, determined to bring his warhorse back to Wu Zimian's side.

Jiang Han stared in disbelief at the blood-stained figure, muttering to himself:
"What merit or ability does Wu Zimian possess to make such a brave warrior risk his life for him?"

Shao Yong, standing to the side, let out a long sigh:
“Lord Jiang, our servants have always been like this, loyal to their master and willing to risk their lives to save him.”

The battlefield seemed to freeze at that moment, everyone staring intently at the galloping warhorse and the blood-soaked cavalryman on its back, as if giving a salute.

The clatter of hooves echoed across the battlefield, striking the hearts of the onlookers like drumbeats.

The soldiers surrounding the battle formation, whether intimidated by the approaching warhorses or impressed by Duan Xiaoqi's loyalty and bravery, were unsure.

They unconsciously lowered their swords and spears, silently making way for Duan Xiaoqi to charge straight into the army formation.

The Northwest Frontier Army values ​​only the loyal and brave!
At this moment, within the tightly surrounded army formation, Wu Zimian's servants suddenly spotted a small path appearing in the crowd and immediately became alert:

"Sir, someone's coming!"

"who!?"

Wu Zimian scrambled to his feet in a disheveled state and peered out through the gaps in the military formation.

Outside, a warhorse was parked, and on its back lay a person covered in arrows and blood.

"Lord Wu, it's Xiao Qi! Xiao Qi has brought the horse back!"

Duan Rong, the head of the household servants, recognized his son at a glance and quickly reminded him loudly.

Upon hearing this, Wu Zimian was overjoyed and immediately ordered the swordsmen and shieldmen to open an opening so that Xiao Qi could come in.

Duan Rong rushed forward, pulled his warhorse into the formation, and carefully lifted Duan Xiaoqi off the horse.

Wu Zimian stepped forward and saw that Duan Xiaoqi's face was covered in blood, his breathing was rapid, his body was riddled with arrows, and he was trembling incessantly.

"Lord Wu."

Duan Xiaoqi was panting heavily, barely opening her eyes, her voice broken and intermittent.
"I have successfully completed my mission and brought the horse back."

Wu Zimian nodded, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes:
"Well done, Xiao Qi! I will remember your contribution!"

Without the slightest hesitation, he turned to Duan Rong beside him and gave the order:

"Duan Rong! You hold off the pursuers here. I will go to Pingshan County to request reinforcements!"

After giving his orders, Wu Zimian eagerly leaped onto his warhorse, cracked his whip to urge it on, and without giving Duan Xiaoqi another glance, galloped off from the rear of the army formation without looking back.

Duan Rong, unusually, did not respond to Wu Zimian, but instead looked at Duan Xiaoqi, who was bleeding profusely in his arms, with eyes full of heartache, his voice choked with emotion:

"Son, hold on, wait for Lord Wu to bring reinforcements."

Duan Xiaoqi, lying on the ground, was also completely exhausted. He shook his head slightly and managed to speak:
"Father, Lord Wu. I have repaid Lord Wu's life-saving grace on your behalf. Please surrender."

Duan Xiaoqi knew that his father, Duan Rong, had the greatest wish in his life: to one day repay the General for saving his life.

Now, Duan Xiaoqi is risking his life, hoping to fulfill his father's wish, let his father put down his burden, and perhaps find another way to survive.

Duan Rong fell silent, helplessly wiping the blood from his son's face, his eyes filled with pain and despair.

Jiang Han, standing outside the army formation, was unaware of all this. He only saw Wu Zimian riding away on horseback from the rear of the army formation, and he stamped his feet in frustration. He gritted his teeth and ordered another strong attack, but to no avail. The iron-clad tortoise shell remained standing, unshaken.

Just as Jiang Han was at his wit's end, Hei Zi's eyes suddenly lit up, and he shouted excitedly:

"Chief, Zhu Zi is here!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Han abruptly pushed through the crowd and roared as he charged backward:
"Zhu Zi, what the hell have you been doing, going to a brothel?! Taking this long to tow a cannon cart?! Wu Zimian's already run off!"

Dong Erzhu, pulling the carriage, replied breathlessly:
"Here I am, here I am, Second Brother Han!"

Jiang Han looked at Dong Erzhu and roared:

"Where's the cannon?! Pillar, where the hell is your crouching tiger cannon?! Pull it up for me!"

Dong Erzhu quickly led his men to unload the tiger-squatting cannons from the vehicle and swiftly aimed the cannons at the army formation in front.

"Blast that turtle shell open!"

At Jiang Han's command, cannons roared, and the tight military formation was instantly blasted open in several places. The sturdy shields were blown to pieces, flying everywhere like countless torn pieces of cloth.

Wu Zimian's servants collapsed to the ground, wailing in agony, their blood instantly staining the earth red.

The soldiers who had been waiting for a long time swarmed forward and quickly finished off the seriously wounded servants one by one, swiftly and decisively.

But when it was the last person's turn, everyone stopped in unison, lowering their weapons and halting their advance.

This man was Duan Rong. At this moment, he was sitting on the ground, holding his son Duan Xiaoqi's corpse, his eyes vacant and silent.

The soldiers around them did not step forward or make a move. Instead, they silently formed a circle around the father and son, as if seeing them off.

Although they were complete strangers and even enemies, it did not diminish the border troops' respect for Duan Xiaoqi.

Duan Rong looked around and realized that if he refused to surrender, he would surely die today.

But there was not a trace of retreat in his eyes; instead, they were filled with fierce determination.

They say a tiger father begets no dog son.

Duan Rong picked up his son's sword, held it to his chest, and kept his eyes straight ahead.

"My son is loyal and brave; how can I, as his father, be afraid of death?!"

Having said that, he suddenly swung his knife and charged into the crowd with a death-defying spirit, gradually disappearing into it.

Jiang Han stared at the corpses of the father and son on the ground in silence for a long time, then sighed deeply:
"Regardless of their stance, they were all loyal and brave men; let them be buried together."

The battle formation was about to break, but Hei Zi looked worried and anxiously at Jiang Han:
"Chief, despite all our planning, Wu Zimian still managed to escape on horseback. What are we going to do?"

Jiang Han pondered for a moment, shook his head, led over several warhorses, and leaped onto one of them:
"That's not necessarily true. I saw it clearly; that horse was injured and certainly couldn't go far!"

"We'll ride off first! The rest of you follow on foot!"

At this moment, Wu Zimian was lying on the back of his horse, the whip cracking loudly, galloping wildly towards Pingshan County.

But the warhorse beneath him ran slower and slower, its heavy panting sound as grating as a broken bellows.

Wu Zimian looked down and saw that the wound on the warhorse's thigh was gushing blood, staining the saddle red.

He looked at the injured warhorse, his brow furrowed, and cursed under his breath:
"That good-for-nothing Duan Xiaoqi! Why did he send me a lame horse!"

　Dear readers, please add this to your favorites and keep reading!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)