Sweep Yuan

Chapter 225 A Sudden Turn in the Situation at Tongcheng

Tongcheng.

It was late November, and the land of Huaixi was already desolate, with a bone-chilling cold. The stench of blood mingled with the frigid air above and below the city walls, stinging the lungs when inhaled. Dark red bloodstains, the marks of the fierce battle of the previous days, clung to the damaged battlements.

Zhao Pusheng, the commander of the Anqing front of the Xu Song regime, leaned against the cold brick wall and looked at the Yuan army troops slowly retreating like a tide below the city wall. He exhaled a long breath of turbid air with white mist.

He knew that today, this crumbling city had once again been saved by sheer luck.

"quick!"

Due to the long hours of fighting, Zhao Pusheng's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"The first wing should hurry to check and treat the wounded, and the laborers should repair the breaches in the city wall. The fourth wing should take advantage of the daylight to go out of the city and collect any arrows and weapons that can be retrieved."

The order was quickly relayed, and the surviving soldiers on the city wall, dragging their weary bodies, began to get to work. Each face bore a mixture of relief at surviving the ordeal, exhaustion, and uncertainty about their fate tomorrow.

Although Yu Que single-handedly entered the besieged city of Huaining and single-handedly supported the Yuan army in suppressing the rebellion in Anqing Road, he ultimately had the support of the Yuan court behind him. He held an official title from the court, making his actions legitimate and his popularity and morale were high.

Ultimately, Xu Song's navy was unable to blockade the long Yangtze River waterway. Yu Que was still able to obtain a small amount of supplies through shipping, and more importantly, he was able to obtain the latest information and intelligence.

Since Zhao Pusheng's troops were cut off by Yu Que in Qianshan County, they lost contact with Peng Yingyu and other rebel forces. Like a kite with a broken string, they were isolated behind enemy lines, without any external support.

Every battle depletes the already meager resources; every wounded soldier may die due to lack of medical care; every arrow shot means a reduction in the city's defensive strength.

More importantly, the lack of communication, the complete lack of understanding of what was happening in the outside world, was the most demoralizing factor.

When Zhao Pusheng attempted to break out of Qianshan, he actually had two options: one was to head southwest, trying to cross Taihu and Susong counties, and eventually retreat to Huangmei County in Qizhou Road. That was one of the core controlled areas of the Xu Song regime, and theoretically, it should have been a better destination.

However, this route required traversing the heart of two counties still under Yuan control, and the path was mostly rugged and difficult to navigate. Small elite units might be able to sneak through, but his several thousand men, once they moved, would have no way to conceal their whereabouts.

The Yuan army didn't even need to leave the city to fight them. They only needed to harass them along the way, and with Yu Que's main force pursuing from behind, Zhao Pusheng's troops would likely have completely collapsed on the way.

Another option was to retreat northeast into Tongcheng County, located at the northeast corner of Anqing Road. Tongcheng was indefensible, consisting of gently rolling hills, but it was right next to Lujiang County—Zhao Pusheng's hometown.

We should occupy Tongcheng first, and if things don't go well, we can retreat into Lujiang.

There, one knows many familiar faces and fellow villagers, making it easier to gather provisions and build up strength. This is far better than fleeing alone into the factional-ridden Qizhou Road, where one has to rely on others and act according to their whims.

Therefore, Zhao Pusheng chose Tongcheng.

What happened next was beyond Zhao Pusheng's expectations—Shishan led his troops south, first taking Chaoxian, and then conquering Lujiang.

Subsequently, the Red Flag Battalion built numerous fortified villages and beacon towers at the border of Lujiang and Tongcheng, adopting a strict defensive posture.

Zhao Pusheng was unaware that Shi Shan had made this arrangement because he did not believe the Xu Song regime could last long.

This move was a precautionary measure to prevent the "Peng Zu family" forces within Anqing Road from being completely defeated by the Yuan army, which would lead to a large influx of defeated soldiers and pursuing Yuan troops into Luzhou, thus destroying the Red Flag Camp's most important grain production base.

From Zhao Pusheng's perspective, he believes that Shishan's actions were aimed at him, a native of Lujiang who had once caused a great disturbance on Luzhou Road.

In fact, he did have the idea that if things didn't go well, he could choose another place to start an uprising in Luzhou Road. If all else failed, retreating to Chaohu Lake would also be a viable option.

Therefore, even when he was later trapped in an isolated city, and his army expanded rapidly again due to the gathering of defeated soldiers and refugees, and food supplies were scarce, Zhao Pusheng never thought of sending people across the border into Lujiang to try to contact the nominally "anti-Yuan friendly army" Red Flag Battalion.

But now, Tongcheng has been besieged for several days, with no food or supplies inside and no reinforcements outside, and the morale of the army and the people has been shaken to the extreme.

Today, the Yuan army's offensive was exceptionally fierce, and Yu Que's psychological warfare tactics were beginning to take effect. Zhao Pusheng touched the cold, rough bricks of the wall, knowing he had to make a new choice. For the sake of his brothers who followed him, his personal pride might have to be temporarily set aside.

"Commander."

A deep voice sounded beside him. Zhao Pusheng didn't need to turn around to know it was his trusted confidant, He Da. Taking advantage of the gap in the ranks as they dispersed to carry out their orders, He Da leaned closer, his voice even lower, filled with barely concealed anxiety:
“Those Tartars are too vicious! They sent cavalry to burn our crops during the autumn harvest, and now they're attacking the city while spreading rumors! The people in the city are panicking. If this continues... I'm afraid we won't be able to hold out for long. Commander, we need to think of a way out as soon as possible.”

He Da refers to the fact that before the attack on the city, Yu Que ordered the Yuan army to shout to persuade them to surrender, claiming that the Peng and Xiang allied forces had suffered a crushing defeat in Hangzhou, that Master Peng had died on the battlefield, and that "Big Brother" Li Pusheng, who was left to guard Chizhou, had also been defeated and committed suicide by jumping into the river.

They claimed that the Xu and Song dynasties were doomed and advised the Tongcheng garrison to stop their futile resistance and surrender immediately.

Zhao Pusheng didn't believe Yu Que's nonsense at all.

Master has survived countless desperate situations, how could he possibly die in battle so easily? Senior Brother Li Pusheng is of a fierce character. Even if all his troops are wiped out, he will fight to the last man. He would never choose such a cowardly way to die by drowning himself in the river.

But even though he didn't believe it himself, he couldn't stop the rumors from spreading in the military.

This had little to do with whether the soldiers' faith in the White Lotus Sect was firm or not, but rather the overwhelming pressure of the realities they faced.

They had been trapped in the isolated city for months, completely unaware of the outside world, and even unaware that Master Peng and Xiang Pulue had once reached the outskirts of the prosperous city of Hangzhou.

With no food supplies inside and no reinforcements outside, facing the daily threat of death and hunger, the fact that the soldiers have managed to hold on until now without immediately collapsing is itself a testament to their extremely firm faith.

At this moment, rumors are like poison, seeping into the already fragile psychological defenses.

"Ah."

Zhao Pusheng responded heavily, his face grave as he turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged battlefield below the city walls and landing in the northeast towards Lujiang, the area controlled by the Red Flag Battalion. His eyes were complex, filled with struggle and resentment, but ultimately condensed into a barely perceptible sigh.

"Tonight... take a few reliable brothers and rappel down the city walls. Find a way to get to Lujiang and find the Red Flag Battalion."

He paused, made up his mind, and said in a dry voice:
"If... if Marshal Shi is willing to send troops to rescue Tongcheng and lift this siege... I, Zhao Pusheng, am willing to go to Haozhou alone as a hostage after the siege is lifted! As long as he can save the lives of my thousands of brothers and give you a way out!"

Due to the lack of information, Zhao Pusheng was unaware that Shishan had already taken over Luzhou Road and moved his town to Hefei.

"Commander! No!"

He was shocked and paled, and said urgently:
"If you go, wouldn't that be..."

Zhao Pusheng raised his hand to interrupt him, a bitter yet resolute smile on his face, and said:
“I cannot betray my master and serve another. But Shi Shan is a powerful figure of our time. If I want him to send troops to save Tongcheng, I have to offer something of substance. Right now, in Tongcheng, besides my life, what else could possibly catch Marshal Shi’s eye?”

"Hey!"

He Da sighed deeply, knowing that Zhao Pusheng was telling the truth, and that this was currently the only possible way to save their lives. He stamped his foot heavily and said:

"Even if it costs me my life, I will find a way to see Marshal Shi and persuade him to send troops!"

That very night, He Da and his men used ropes to lower themselves down the city wall under the cover of darkness.

The night was dark and the wind was biting cold. They dared not light torches and could only grope their way forward in the darkness, moving very slowly. Only when they were completely out of the range of the Yuan army's scouts did they find a sheltered hut in the grass, curl up to rest, and recover their strength.

As dawn broke, the group hurried northeastward at full speed. They had only reached the border of Lujiang County when they were spotted by the Red Flag Battalion's beacon tower guards.

"We are...we are envoys from the Great Song Dynasty! We have urgent military intelligence and need to see your commander!"

He Da was worried that the soldiers guarding the beacon tower might not take his identity seriously and delay important matters, so in desperation he fabricated a fake identity as an "envoy of Xu and Song".

What he didn't know was that it wasn't necessary at all.

Tongcheng is the only land route from Anqing Road to Luzhou Road, making it strategically important. Shishan has been closely monitoring developments in this area for some time.

He had already learned through various channels that Peng Yingyu's attack on Huaining County had failed, and that a force of "Peng Zu's family" was still holding out in Tongcheng County. He also knew that the defending general was Zhao Pusheng.

However, the relationship between the Red Flag Battalion and the "Peng Zu Family" is very delicate. Zhao Pusheng is extremely loyal to Peng Yingyu and it is absolutely impossible for him to switch sides to the Red Flag Battalion at this stage.

Therefore, Shishan did not take the initiative to contact them rashly, so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

He merely instructed Wu Liujin, the commander of the Fenwu Guard stationed in Lujiang County, to closely monitor the movements in the Tongcheng direction and, if necessary, to provide some support to Zhao Pusheng's troops, provided that the fighting was not brought into Luzhou on a large scale and that local stability was ensured.

Yu Que has been besieging Tongcheng for six days. During this time, the Yuan army sent small groups of troops to forcibly raid surrounding villages and communities and plunder grain and fodder. Some refugees then poured into Lujiang County, bringing with them news that the Yuan army was launching a fierce attack on Tongcheng.

Wu Liujin knew that once Tongcheng fell to the Yuan army, Lujiang County would be directly exposed to their might, the border pressure would increase dramatically, and agricultural production within the county would be severely threatened. He resolved to take the offensive instead of the defensive, sending a rapid message to Hefei while simultaneously mustering his troops and marching towards Tongcheng.

He Da and the others were quickly brought before Bian Yuanheng, the commander of the Eighth Battalion of the Fenwu Guard. Bian Yuanheng acted decisively; after listening to the messenger's anxious account, he asked directly:
"How many soldiers are still capable of fighting in the city? How many Yuan dogs are besieging the city?"

“The Yuan dogs mobilized nearly eight thousand men, while we…we still have nearly two thousand brothers who can wield knives and guns.”

He Da answered truthfully, a hint of shame on his face. After all, two thousand men defending the city theoretically had a good chance of repelling an attacking force of eight thousand. Worried that Bian Yuanheng might misunderstand Zhao Pusheng's intention to drag the Red Flag Battalion into the fray, he quickly added:
"But we're short of food! The brothers are only getting two meals of thin porridge a day, and we're completely cut off from our retreat. Morale is low... If this drags on any longer, the city might... might start to panic! Commander Bian, please, for the sake of us fellow anti-Yuan rebels, help our two thousand brothers out!"

"Don't worry, Brother He!"

Bian Yuanheng knew that morale was indeed key to defending the city, and that a lack of supplies could crush even the strongest will. He immediately reassured Zhao Pusheng's envoy, saying:

"Our mission this time is to relieve the siege of Tongcheng! You leave two brothers behind to guide us, and you come with me to see Commander Geng!"

Wu Liujin's vanguard this time consisted of the 7th Battalion led by Geng Zaicheng (who also served as the garrison commander) and the 8th Battalion led by Bian Yuanheng.

Bian Yuanheng immediately took the envoy to see Geng Zaicheng, reiterated the urgent military situation in Tongcheng, and suggested:
"Speed ​​is of the essence in war! The Yuan army will certainly not have expected our army to move out so quickly. I suggest that the vanguard speed up the march and try to reach the walls of Tongcheng today, so as to catch the Yuan army off guard and perhaps break the siege in one fell swoop!"

Although Bian Yuanheng is not highly experienced, he is skilled in both civil and military affairs, and adept at leading troops. He has already earned the recognition of the entire Fenwu Guard through his actions. This analysis is reasonable and hits the nail on the head. After a moment's thought, Geng Zaicheng made the decision:

"Alright! We'll do as you say!"

Although a plan to accelerate the attack was set, the vanguard still needed to request permission from Commander Wu Liujin to obtain the support of the main force before acting alone.

Fortunately, the central army was only about four miles away from the vanguard. Geng Zaicheng led He Da on horseback to the central army to report the military situation and the vanguard's battle plan.

The vanguard soldiers used this brief time to quickly adjust their formation, secure their equipment, and prepare for a rapid march. Wu Liujin keenly recognized the rarity of this opportunity and immediately approved Bian Yuanheng's battle plan, ordering the main force to accelerate its march.

Meanwhile, in Tongcheng, the siege battle reached its climax that day.

Relying on his superior numbers, Yu Que ordered his troops to take turns attacking relentlessly, intending to continuously deplete the defenders' already limited arrows and energy, giving Zhao Pusheng no chance to catch his breath or recover his morale.

He also astutely observed that the defenders on the southern city wall had the weakest will to resist, so he adopted a feint attack strategy:

He ordered the main force to launch a fierce attack on the north city wall in order to draw away a large number of the defending troops and Zhao Pusheng's attention; at the same time, he secretly tried to persuade the defending troops on the south city wall to surrender, threatening them that if they did not surrender the city voluntarily, they would be "left without mercy" after the city fell!
This is not empty talk or intimidation.

The Huainan Province is currently engulfed in flames and is in dire need of troops, money, and provisions, so its support for Anqing Road is extremely limited.

Even with his military talent, Yu Que couldn't boost morale with mere words. Allowing his soldiers to loot and punish after the city fell was a cruel way to boost morale and also an effective deterrent to those civilians who dared to side with the "rebels."

The Tongcheng garrison was already filled with a large number of weak-willed new recruits and forced laborers. Besieged in the isolated city, suffering from hunger and cold, they had long lost hope. Sure enough, the Yuan army's psychological warfare tactics caused panic among the troops, and the defense line began to falter.

Zhao Pusheng was fighting fiercely on the north city wall, cutting down a Yuan soldier who had scaled the wall, when he suddenly heard a loud and chaotic shouting and screaming coming from the south. His heart sank.

The soldiers guarding the city walls heard this too, their faces turning deathly pale. One of them immediately cried out in alarm:

"The Tartars have breached the city! Commander, we must break through!"

At this point, there was no point in continuing to hold out; it would only lead to the annihilation of the entire army. Zhao Pusheng no longer hesitated. He cleaved a Yuan soldier who was attempting to ambush him with a single blow, roaring furiously:
"Brothers who can still move, retreat with me!"

Although he was surrounded by enemies on all sides, he was a skilled strategist and always maintained a reserve force of about 500 men under the city walls. This force, along with nearly 300 remnants of soldiers who had hastily retreated from the north city wall, brought the total to 800 men.

Suddenly, the city gate opened, and Zhao Pusheng, wielding two swords, charged ahead, slashing left and right like a mad tiger, unstoppable. He managed to tear a gap in the Yuan army's encirclement and successfully disperse the Yuan infantry who were attacking the city.

But since Yu Que had managed to breach the city using a stratagem, he had naturally anticipated that Zhao Pusheng might attempt a breakout and escape. He had been observing the battle from a high vantage point in the rear, and seeing that Zhao Pusheng indeed led his elite troops in a breakout, he immediately gave the order:
"Commander Yue! Quickly lead your cavalry to pursue the routed enemy! Do not let the bandit leader escape again!"

"Understood!" A Yuan cavalry general with a full beard and a burly build stepped forward and loudly accepted the order.

Huaining is located in a water-rich area, backed by mountains and facing water, which is not conducive to large-scale cavalry operations. In addition, the city has always been short of food and fodder, so it cannot raise too many warhorses.

Yue Qianhu's cavalry numbered only about three hundred, but that was more than enough to pursue Zhao Pusheng and his infantry, who were making a hasty breakout and lacking formation.

Iron hooves trampled the cold ground with a dull, thunderous sound as they pursued the rebel army attempting to break through the encirclement.

Zhao Pusheng had just broken through the encirclement and counted his soldiers. There were less than 500 men left, and most of them were wounded. His heart was bleeding.

But as the dust billowed behind him and the Yuan cavalry drew ever closer, he had no choice but to harden his heart and order a trusted confidant to lead two hundred brothers to stay behind and cover their retreat, while he himself led the rest of the men to continue fleeing northeast.

However, this drastic measure had limited effect. After a brief entanglement with the rearguard, the Yuan cavalry decisively split up their forces.

Less than five miles after escaping, Zhao Pusheng's remaining troops were overtaken again by the Yuan cavalry. The cold iron hooves flanked them from both sides, surrounding their exhausted force in a wide-open wasteland.

Zhao Pusheng, his eyes bloodshot, gave the order in a hoarse voice:

"Form a circular formation! Spearmen on the outside! Archers on the inside! Let's fight these damned Tartars!"

Seeing that Zhao Pusheng's troops had stopped fleeing and formed a defensive formation, Commander Yue was not in a hurry. He still had two hundred cavalrymen under his command, giving him an absolute advantage against the three hundred routed soldiers.

As long as these people are kept occupied and time is delayed until the main infantry force arrives, or as darkness falls, the cavalry's mobility can be used to harass and attack continuously, which will be enough to completely annihilate this remnant force.

"One incompetent general can tire out the entire army!"

Zhao Pusheng saw through Yue Qianhu's intention, and a look of sorrow and self-reproach appeared on his face. He turned to a trusted confidant beside him and said:

"Sixth Brother, I'm sorry to the brothers for leading us to this desperate situation. When it gets a little darker, I'll lead a counterattack to draw the Tartars' attention. You... you take the opportunity to lead the remaining old brothers and break through separately."

Marshal Shi is a man of importance; he should... he should take you in. His voice was filled with exhaustion and despair.

The leader, nicknamed Liu Zi, still had several wounds bleeding, but upon hearing this, he shook his head violently and said urgently:

"Last year in Hanshan, if it weren't for the commander risking his life to save me, I would have died long ago! My life belongs to the commander! If we're going to cover the retreat, it should be me. You take your men and leave!"

Just as the two were arguing about who should stay and die, a row of moving black dots suddenly appeared on the northern horizon. Then, a crimson flag came into view, standing out against the vast winter plains.

"The Red Flag Battalion?! They've really come?!"

As Yu Que's trusted general, Commander Yue naturally knew that the reason why General Yu launched such a large-scale attack on Tongcheng despite the lack of funds and supplies was to eliminate Zhao Pusheng, a thorn in his side, before the Lujiang Red Flag Camp could react.

Upon seeing the Red Flag Battalion's banner, Commander Yue felt a chill run down his spine, realizing something was amiss, and his first thought was to retreat immediately.

But then he realized that what appeared to be a few hundred infantrymen was a disorganized and elongated formation due to the long and rapid march, and they looked exhausted.

Commander Yue's courage swelled again, and he immediately had an idea, saying:

"Commander Qian! You stay behind with a hundred cavalry and continue to hold off these bandits. Don't let them escape! The rest of you, come with me! Let's go and deal with these reckless Red Flag Battalion infantry! Let them know how many eyes Lord Ma has!"

He wanted to first defeat this seemingly exhausted infantry vanguard to save face for the cavalry, and then turn around and deal with Zhao Pusheng.

"stop!"

Bian Yuanheng saw the approaching Yuan cavalry in the distance, and looking at his panting and sweating soldiers beside him, he decisively gave the order:
"Halt! Form ranks on the spot! Pikemen in front, archers ready!"

In order to reach Tongcheng as quickly as possible, the soldiers of the Eighth Battalion advanced lightly equipped and without heavy armor, making them less able to defend against cavalry charges.

But the approaching cavalry appeared to number only about a hundred, and Bian Yuanheng showed no fear.

Their troops were well-trained, and despite their exhaustion, they quickly formed a tight circular formation according to orders, with their spears pointing outwards like a forest.

Bian Yuanheng leaped onto the warhorse led by his personal guard and stood in the center of the formation. Seeing the Yuan cavalry charging towards him and entering firing range, he calmly gave the order:
"Fire arrows!"

The range and power of the foot bow far exceeded that of the horse bow. A dense volley of arrows was unleashed, and the Yuan cavalrymen charging in front were immediately thrown off their horses, with at least seven or eight riders screaming as they fell from their horses.

The Yuan army's harassment was momentarily halted. Some cavalrymen instinctively turned their horses to avoid the arrows and swept past the outside of the circular formation. Bian Yuanheng seized the opportunity, spurred his horse, and leaped out of the formation on horseback.

Just as Commander Yue turned his horse around, dodging the rain of arrows, he hesitated whether to continue the attack or retreat temporarily, when he saw the Red Flag Battalion commander charging towards him alone. Overjoyed, he shouted:

"Perfect timing! Come closer, and I'll kill him! Whoever takes his head will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver!"

More than ten personal guards quickly gathered around him, howling as they rushed toward Bian Yuanheng.

Suddenly, Bian Yuanheng hooked his spear onto the Victory Hook, then reached behind him and pulled out a powerful bow. He nocked an arrow and fired, the bowstring twanging in rapid succession – an extremely rare technique of rapid-fire archery! In a very short time, three sharp arrows shot out like meteors chasing the moon!
Commander Yue heard three screams in succession beside him, and three cavalrymen who were charging at the front fell from their horses. Such accurate, swift and powerful archery skills made him pale with horror!
Fortunately, the two sides were already very close, and after Bian Yuanheng fired three arrows, he switched back to his spear.

"kill!"

Suppressing his fear, Yue Qianhu shouted to bolster his courage and thrust his spear straight at Bian Yuanheng's face, expecting the other to block or dodge. In that case, Yue Qianhu could use his numerical advantage to kill the villain.

Bian Yuanheng, however, neither dodged nor evaded. His spear, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, stabbed out at an even more cunning angle, striking first despite being the one who attacked later!
Yue Qianhu only felt a flash of cold light before his eyes, followed by an indescribable pain and coldness on his face, and his consciousness instantly blurred.

—His face had been pierced by Bian Yuanheng's spear, and the spear in his hand hung limply, its tip only half an inch away from Bian Yuanheng's chest, but it could not go any further.

Yue Qianhu's body swayed, then fell straight off his horse.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Before Yue Qianhu's personal guards could even react from their shock, Bian Yuanheng had already withdrawn his spear and then unleashed a flurry of thrusts like a storm! The speed was dazzling.

Two of the cavalrymen managed to parry Bian Yuanheng's spear with their swords and lances, but they felt an immense weight from the weapon, as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer. Their hands instantly snapped, the weapon flew out of their grasp, and they were stabbed off their horses the next second.

In a single exchange, from a barrage of arrows to a swift, lightning-fast spear thrust, seven Yuan cavalrymen fell instantly, including their commander, Commander Yue. They hadn't even touched the hem of Bian Yuanheng's robe. The charging Yuan cavalry, terrified by this seemingly superhuman bravery, let out a cry:

"Commander Yue is dead! Run!" Their fighting spirit vanished instantly, and they turned their horses around and fled in all directions.

Without pausing, Bian Yuanheng shouted "Follow me!" to the deputy commander in the formation, then spurred his horse to pursue the fleeing Yuan army and expand the victory.

In the distance, Zhao Pusheng, who had been plunged into despair, witnessed this shocking scene. A surge of heroic spirit rushed to his head, and he suddenly raised his slightly dulled steel knife, shouting with all his might:

"Brothers! Reinforcements have arrived! Kill the Tartars! Don't let a single one escape!"

Qian, the Yuan army commander in charge of holding them off, saw his commander killed instantly and his cavalry routed. Seeing Zhao Pusheng's troops launching a counterattack as if they had been injected with chicken blood, he dared not linger in battle and immediately turned his horse and fled.

Before long, Bian Yuanheng reunited with the remnants of Zhao Pusheng's forces.

"Thank you for your righteous help, Commander Bian!"

Upon seeing the words "Commander Bian" on the banner of Bian Yuanheng's troops, Zhao Pusheng guessed the man's identity. Although the commanders of the two armies were not the same person, he still clasped his hands in a respectful salute and said:
"I will never forget your life-saving grace!"

"Commander Zhao, you flatter me! It's just my duty, nothing to brag about!"

Bian Yuanheng returned the salute from his horse, having already confirmed Zhao Pusheng's identity from the guide. He glanced back at his main force rapidly advancing and the Seventh Battalion already appearing in the distance, then turned to look towards Tongcheng, where black smoke rose and the sounds of battle could be faintly heard.

He looked sharply at Zhao Pusheng and said:
"Commander Zhao, do you still have the strength to fight again?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Pusheng's spirits soared even higher. He knew that Bian Yuanheng intended to launch a surprise attack before the Yuan army had fully established its foothold in the city. How could he back down? He immediately responded loudly:

"I am willing to lead the way for Commander Bian!"

"it is good!"

(End of this chapter)