You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

After passing through the First Line Gorge and traveling for about ten miles, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a sheltered hilly valley.

As dusk approached, the setting sun, like blood, gilded the withered grass and sparse trees with a dark gold.

Liang Hongyu ordered the troops to set up camp here for a temporary rest, to treat the wounded, to take stock of the losses, and to allow the troops, who had just experienced a fierce battle and were on edge, to catch their breath.

One by one, campfires were lit, and wisps of smoke rose, carrying with them the bitter smell of medicine.

Without any hesitation, Hong Qigong found the warmest spot by the fire, took out an oil paper package from his pocket containing several cold, hard steamed buns, and began to chew them heartily, accompanied by hot water respectfully offered by his personal guards.

Huang Yaoshi stood alone on a protruding rock not far away, his blue robe fluttering slightly in the wind, gazing at the heavy twilight in the direction of Dading Prefecture, lost in thought.

Liang Hongyu had no time to rest. Although the wound on her left arm had been treated with Jiuhua Yulu Pills and was no longer a problem, the heavy sense of urgency in her heart had not diminished at all.

She was discussing the next route and contacting Geng Jing's rebel army with several leaders when an old soldier in charge of interrogating prisoners rushed over, his face filled with barely concealed excitement and tension. He even forgot to salute and said in a low voice:

"Madam! We've gotten the answer!"

"Those barbarian dogs couldn't withstand the torture and revealed something very important!"

"Oh?" Liang Hongyu's eyes narrowed, and she waved for the other leaders to step back. "Speak!"

The old soldier stepped closer, his breathing becoming rapid: "According to the separate accounts of those prisoners, which corroborate each other, the Jin army, numbering in the hundreds of thousands and consuming a huge amount of food and supplies, has amassed in Dading Prefecture."

"The large amount of grain and fodder they mobilized from Zhongjing, Xijing and other places could not be fully transported into the city of Dading because our army suddenly launched a northern expedition a few days earlier and the offensive was too fierce."

"Currently, a very large quantity of grain is temporarily stored in a small town called 'New City,' about three hundred miles to the northwest!"

"That place was originally just a transit point, with a garrison of... well, only about two thousand men!"

"What?!"

Liang Hongyu suddenly stood up, the movement aggravating her wounds and causing her brows to furrow slightly, but her eyes already blazed with a burning light.

"New city...supplies...2,000 garrison..."

Her heart pounded wildly; as an experienced general, she knew all too well what this meant!

An army marches on its stomach.

If the main force of the Jin army in Dading Prefecture were to run out of food, not to mention 250,000, even an army of 500,000 would collapse without a fight!

This is the true Achilles' heel!

"Is the news accurate?!" she asked, suppressing her excitement.

"Through repeated questioning and separate verification, every detail matched up."

"Those prisoners were originally military spies responsible for contacting and escorting that group of 'guest ministers.' They had traveled back and forth to Xincheng and knew the location of the grain depots and the garrison strength there like the back of their hand."

"Judging from his appearance, it doesn't seem like he's faking it!" the old soldier said confidently.

Liang Hongyu took a deep breath, the cold air making her mind even clearer.

opportunity!

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

His Majesty and Commander Han devised a surprise attack strategy, intending to flank and harass the enemy or cut off reinforcements at a crucial moment in the decisive battle.

However, if the enemy's vital supply base could be destroyed, the effect would be far better than killing tens of thousands of Jin soldiers on the battlefield!

This could even directly determine the outcome of the entire Northern Expedition!

But the risks are equally enormous.

Although the new city is small and the garrison is small, it still has city walls to defend it. Moreover, it is only 300 li away from the main force of Dading Prefecture, which is not far. Once it is discovered, the Jin army's light cavalry can rush to its aid in a day and a night.

Our team suffered over a hundred casualties in the fierce battle at the First Gorge, and its members were of mixed backgrounds, not elite troops specializing in siege warfare.

To go or not to go?

Almost instantly, Liang Hongyu made her decision. Her gaze swept over her tired but determined subordinates in the camp, then towards Hong Qigong, who was eating a pancake by the fire, and the green shadow on the rock.

"Senior Hong, Island Master Huang, please come over for a chat. I have important matters to discuss!" she called out.

Hong Qigong clapped the crumbs off his hands and sauntered over: "What is it, Madam Han? Have you found out anything?"

Huang Yaoshi also silently floated down nearby.

Liang Hongyu briefly and concisely told the two what she had learned from the interrogation, and then said in a deep voice, "This is a godsend opportunity, and also a situation where victory is achieved amidst danger."

"Hongyu has made up her mind. She should lead her elite light cavalry to raid the new city and burn its supplies!"

"However, this journey is perilous, and I dare not trouble you two seniors to take the risk."

"Please lead the remaining brothers and the supply wagons along the original route to the designated location to rendezvous with Geng Jing's troops, and promptly report this information to His Majesty and Commander Han."

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong's eyes widened, and he slapped his thigh: "Burn the grain supplies?"

"Great idea!"

"Strike straight at the heart of the enemy, severing the Jin dogs' lifeline!"

"How could this lively event be complete without the old beggar?"

"Madam Han, you're injured and yet you have to command troops. This old beggar may not have any other skills, but he's good at fighting and arson!"

"I'll go with you!"

Huang Yaoshi pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "Food and supplies are the lifeblood of an army, so defenses must be strict. Even with a small number of soldiers, there must be precautions."

"A direct assault is not advisable; a surprise attack or fire attack is the better option."

"I may do my best in matters of gunpowder and machinery."

This means that you have agreed to go.

Although he was proud and aloof, he knew that this matter was of great importance and disdained to back down at the last minute.

Liang Hongyu felt a warmth in her heart and gained more confidence. She clasped her hands in a fist and said, "Thank you both for your kindness!"

"In that case, let's act without delay!"

She immediately summoned all the leaders and quickly made arrangements.

"Foreman Liu, Master Wang!"

She named two martial arts leaders who were highly respected among the Jianghuai rebels, saying, "You two will lead all the fishermen, wounded brothers, and all the grain carts and packhorses, guided by ten veterans familiar with the route, to continue to Black Stone Valley and reunite with General Geng Jing!"

"Be extremely careful and stay hidden throughout the journey, hiding during the day and traveling at night!"

"Yes, sir!" The two solemnly accepted the order.

"The rest of the able-bodied brothers, including all the light cavalry and those skilled on foot, immediately check their weapons, flint and steel, and oil. Carry only three days' worth of dry rations and water, and travel light!"

Liang Hongyu's gaze was sharp as a knife: "Senior Hong, Island Master Huang, please follow me to raid the new city!"

"Yes, sir!"

The nearly 1,500 selected elites roared in unison, their fatigue vanishing and replaced by excitement and determination.

Most of them were northerners or heroes from the Jianghuai region who had a deep-seated hatred for the Jurchens, and they were well aware of the significance of this trip.

A moment later, the group split into two.

The brigade, carrying provisions and wounded soldiers, turned northeast in the twilight and silently disappeared into the mountains and forests.

Meanwhile, Liang Hongyu, Hong Qigong, and Huang Yaoshi led 1,500 selected daredevils, like arrows released from a bow, changing direction and heading towards the new city 300 miles to the northwest, beginning a race against time.

……

Two days later, late at night.

There were no stars or moon, and the autumn wind was bleak.

Xincheng, a low-walled earthen city located in a hilly area, resembled a sleeping giant under the pitch-black night. Only a few sparse torches on the city walls flickered in the wind, illuminating the listless figures of the night patrol soldiers with their necks hunched over.

Inside the city, on a large open space near the west gate, densely packed, mountain-like stacks of hay and grain silos covered with tarpaulins stood out heavily in the darkness, the air filled with the distinctive smell of grain and hay.

After two days and two nights of almost non-stop forced marching, Liang Hongyu's troops were exhausted, but a fire burned in everyone's eyes.

They lay in ambush in a grove of dead trees three miles outside the city, munching on cold, dry rations, silently recovering their strength and checking their equipment.

The warhorse was fitted with a bit and its hooves were wrapped in coarse cloth.

Liang Hongyu's left arm wound was throbbing, but she remained highly focused.

She, along with Hong Qigong, Huang Yaoshi, and several leaders skilled in night raids and climbing, used the dim light of day to finally confirm the new city's defense map, which they had extracted from the prisoners.

"The west city wall is the shortest, and there is an old gap that has not been properly repaired, making it the easiest place to sneak in."

"After entering the city, the grain stores are concentrated in this area, with four guard towers, each with five people, and two night patrol teams, each with ten people, patrolling every half hour..." Liang Hongyu repeated in a low voice, her fingers moving over the rough sketch.

Hong Qigong grinned: "The security isn't that tight. It seems Jin Gou really didn't expect anyone to be able to sneak in here."

"The old beggar will play around with those watchtowers."

Huang Yaoshi took out several fist-sized, dark, round balls and a few packets of medicinal powder from his bosom, and said calmly, "These are improved 'Thunderbolt Fireballs.' They are quite powerful, with amazing sound and light effects, and are best used to create chaos and start fires."

"This 'Wind-Intoxicated' powder, when scattered by the wind, can make ordinary people feel weak in their limbs and drowsy, with the effect lasting about fifteen minutes."

Everyone's spirits lifted. With the help of these two unparalleled masters and these extraordinary methods, their chances of success increased even further.

The third quarter of the hour of Zi (11:45 PM) is the time when people are most tired during the day.

"Action!" Liang Hongyu ordered in a low voice, her eyes flashing with a cold light.

Dozens of the most agile and skilled climbers, with knives in their mouths, stealthily crept to the foot of the west city wall like cats. Using grappling hooks and human ladders, they quickly scaled the poorly repaired gap, dealt with the two dozing sentries on the wall, and lowered ropes. Immediately afterward, more soldiers filed in.

Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi took it even simpler, directly using their unparalleled lightness skills to leap onto the city wall like two wisps of green smoke, without alerting the guards on another watchtower in the distance.

As planned, Hong Qigong chuckled and, with a swaying motion, pounced on the nearest granary watchtower. The Jin soldiers on the tower were yawning, clutching their spears, when suddenly a strong gust of wind hit their faces. Before they could even see clearly, they were knocked unconscious by a powerful palm strike.

In just a few moves, the visible sentries on the four watchtowers were silently removed by Hong Qigong.

At the same time, Huang Yaoshi appeared upwind of a patrol team's usual route.

With a gentle flick of his sleeve, the colorless and odorless "Drunken in the Wind" powder was scattered in the wind.

The ten Jin soldiers felt a strange fragrance wafting towards them, and then they became dizzy, their limbs went weak, and they collapsed to the ground without even uttering a sound.

"Enemy...!" Another patrol squad happened to turn the corner and witnessed their comrade fall to the ground. Just as an alert Jin soldier was about to cry out, a green shadow flashed by and his throat was struck, silencing him abruptly.

Huang Yaoshi moved like a ghost, weaving among the remaining nine Jin soldiers. With a flick of his flute, he knocked them all to the ground in an instant.

"Got it! Quick! Pour oil on it! Set it on fire!" The leader who had entered the city first shouted upon seeing this.

The rebel soldiers who had infiltrated the city immediately split into groups and rushed towards the huge stacks of grain and granaries, frantically pouring kerosene from their leather bags and bamboo tubes onto them. Others held flint and steel, preparing to ignite the fire.

However, just as the first spark was about to ignite!

"Clang clang clang clang—!"

Suddenly, a sharp, piercing alarm rang out from the direction of the military camp inside the city! This was followed by chaotic shouts and footsteps!

"A spy set the fire!"

"Grain depot! In the direction of the grain depot!"

"Quick! Put out the fire! Catch the spies!"

Oh no! We've been discovered!

Liang Hongyu's heart sank.

It seems the Jin army wasn't entirely unprepared; perhaps they had hidden sentries, or perhaps Huang Yaoshi made a commotion when he dealt with the second patrol.

"Don't panic! Ignite! Force ignition!"

Liang Hongyu acted decisively, issuing a stern order while simultaneously mounting the warhorse brought by her personal guards, her twin swords drawn: "Take as many as you can!"

"Archers, take up the high ground and repel the enemy!"

"The rest of you, follow me and hold off the oncoming Jin soldiers!"

"Sizzle—!"

"boom!"

The flint and steel struck together, igniting the oil-soaked hay. Flames shot up and spread rapidly!

One place, two places, three places... The towering flames instantly illuminated the night sky of the new city!

"Release the arrows!"

The rebel archers, who occupied the rooftops and walls surrounding the granary area, unleashed a volley of arrows at the Jin soldiers who rushed in upon hearing the alarm, instantly felling dozens of men at the forefront.

However, the Jin soldiers outnumbered the Jin troops, and this was their key grain depot; if it were lost, everyone would lose their heads. Under the officers' roars and urging, more Jin soldiers poured in from the camps, the city walls, and all parts of the city, rushing towards the grain depot area like a tidal wave.

"kill!!"

Liang Hongyu took the lead, leading hundreds of elite troops in a wedge formation, and crashed into the oncoming Jin army!

Amidst the flashing blades and flying flesh, screams, roars, and the clash of weapons filled the air.

Liang Hongyu wielded her twin swords, slashing left and right, and wherever she passed, Jin soldiers fell to the ground. However, the wound on her left arm reopened, and blood seeped out, but she seemed oblivious to it.

Upon seeing this, Hong Qigong roared, "You dog Tartars, cease your arrogance!"

He leaped down from the watchtower like a tiger among sheep, unleashing his Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Wherever his palm wind passed, Jin soldiers fell and horses were thrown about, their tendons and bones broken. He carved a bloody path through the dense enemy ranks and reunited with Liang Hongyu.

Huang Yaoshi frowned slightly. He preferred to use his wisdom rather than his strength, but the current situation did not allow for any shortcuts.

His figure moved swiftly, landing on top of the highest grain bin in the granary area, and he brought the jade flute to his lips.

"Woo-woo-chirp!"

A strange, sharp, and shrill sound, sometimes high and sometimes low, that seemed to penetrate one's brain suddenly rang out!

The sound wasn't particularly loud, but it was extremely penetrating and could be clearly heard amidst the shouts of battle.

Upon hearing this sound, the Jin soldiers who were at the forefront, fighting the rebel army, felt their blood surging, their internal energy disordered, and their heads spinning. Their movements slowed down, and they made numerous mistakes.

Although the rebel soldiers also felt a slight unease, they were relatively far away, and Huang Yaoshi's flute music was mainly directed at the Jin soldiers, so the impact was much smaller.

With this shift in momentum, they quickly regained their footing.

Huang Yaoshi's other hand was not idle either. He flicked his fingers and shot "Thunderbolt Fireballs" one after another towards the grain stacks where Jin soldiers were gathered in the distance and had not yet been affected by the flames.

"boom!"

"Boom!"

The fire bomb exploded, bursting into flames with a deafening roar. It not only ignited the grain supplies but also blasted the surrounding Jin soldiers into a bloody mess, causing them to cry out in agony. The tremendous sound and flash of light further exacerbated the chaos among the Jin troops.

"Burn! Burn it now!"

Taking advantage of the brief advantage created by the two masters, Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi, the rebel soldiers desperately threw more torches and oil canisters at the grain storage. Fueled by the wind, and amplified by the wind, the grain storage area on the west side of the new city was instantly transformed into a raging inferno!

The towering flames dyed half the sky dark red, and the scorching heat was so intense it could be seen from miles away.

"My provisions! My provisions!" A Jin general stared at the sea of ​​fire and cried out in despair, almost fainting.

"Retreat! Retreat through the west gate according to the predetermined route!" Seeing that the main objective had been achieved and that the Jin soldiers were gathering in increasing numbers, and that her own casualties were also beginning to rise, Liang Hongyu dared not linger in battle and immediately gave the order.

"Trying to escape? Not so easy! Surround them!" The Jin army officer roared, his eyes red, as he ordered his soldiers to encircle them.

"Those who block my way shall die!" Hong Qigong's beard and hair bristled as he unleashed a flurry of palm strikes, his unparalleled palm power clearing a blank space in front of him.

Liang Hongyu led her troops in close pursuit, charging desperately outwards. Huang Yaoshi's flute music suddenly turned high-pitched and sharp, like the clash of metal, piercing the eardrums of nearby Jin soldiers, causing them to bleed and scream in agony.

At the same time, he moved with lightning speed, landing at the rear of the column like a ghost, and from time to time, stones and gold needles shot out from his sleeves, knocking down the closest Jin soldiers.

The righteous soldiers knew they were facing a life-or-death situation, and they fought like ten men against one, battling fiercely.

Finally, after suffering over a hundred casualties, the suicide squad successfully broke through the not-yet-fully-closed encirclement and surged out from the gap they controlled at the west gate, disappearing into the boundless darkness outside the city.

Behind them were towering flames that illuminated the night sky and devoured the lives of hundreds of thousands of Jin soldiers, as well as the desperate roars of the Jin soldiers who were furious but dared not pursue them into the darkness.

After galloping for several miles and confirming that she had shaken off her pursuers, Liang Hongyu reined in her horse. Looking back at the firelight that illuminated the sky in the direction of the new city, a weary smile of relief finally appeared on her pale face. She murmured, "It's done..."

Hong Qigong wiped the sweat and blood stains from his face, and laughed heartily: "That was satisfying!"

"This is going to be a real problem for Jin Gou!"