Tang Dynasty: Starting with 3,000 elite cavalry, a bloody battle to retake the city.

The army is already arrayed outside the city.

The armored vehicles stood imposingly, and the banners fluttered in the wind.

Cheng Yaojin, clad in heavy armor, Qin Shubao, mace in hand, stood on horseback, Changsun Wuji, holding a command flag, stood solemnly, and Fang Xuanling, holding a military register, concentrated intently—civil and military officials alike, all donned their armor and set off for battle!

"The Great General has arrived!"

The moment Li Jing appeared, a thousand troops roared in unison, their voices soaring into the sky!

In today's battle, Li Shimin personally led the expedition, but the one who commanded the three armies was none other than Li Jing!

Li Yingge will lead three thousand elite troops as a surprise attack, directly penetrating the enemy's heartland!

In this battle, the Tang Dynasty placed its fate on the shoulders of the Li family father and daughter!

Li Jing remained expressionless and asked in a cold voice, "Where is His Majesty?"

Fang Xuanling cupped his hands in greeting: "I will arrive immediately!"

Before the words were finished—

Bells and drums resounded throughout Chang'an City, and the people knelt in submission!

A silver light slowly emerged from the depths of the imperial city.

Li Shimin has arrived!

He rode a white dragon steed, clad in silver-scaled armor, his brows sharp as blades and his eyes flashing like lightning.

The Emperor's Sword hung at his waist; though unsheathed, it already exuded a chilling aura.

Behind him, a hundred imperial guards carried a dark red coffin, their steps steady as they walked out of the city gate!

boom--!

The entire room fell silent.

The next instant, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami erupted:

"May Your Majesty be victorious!"

"May Your Majesty be victorious!"

The people were not forced to kneel—they voluntarily prostrated themselves on the ground, tears streaming down their faces, shouting hoarsely!

Because they know—

That coffin was prepared by Li Shimin for himself!

Carrying the emperor's coffin into battle was not a mere formality; it was a testament to their unwavering resolve to never return!

And atop the city wall, unnoticed by anyone...

A figure reclines on the blue bricks, white robes fluttering, hair swaying gently in the wind.

Han Ye.

He once again silently ascended to this place, like a cloud, quietly overlooking the imperial capital that was about to embark on an expedition.

He gazed at Li Shimin, at Li Yingge, at the heavy red coffin, and murmured softly:

"Finally... it's started."

The sound was soft, yet it carried immense weight.

Beneath the city walls, the imperial coffin fell to the ground—

"Bang!"

A muffled thud shook the earth slightly.

Li Shimin dismounted and drew his sword!

"Clang!"

The sword light slashed through the sky, chilling the eyes of thousands!

He surveyed the three armies, his gaze fiery, and each word he uttered struck a chord in everyone's hearts:

"Today, I, Li Shimin, will fight the Turks to the death!"

"The winner lives, the loser dies!"

"How dare these barbarians trample upon the glorious might of our Great Tang Dynasty?!"

"The frontier fell, the people were slaughtered, the soldiers died in blood, and the masked general used his body as a shield—these screams echo in my ears day and night!"

He suddenly raised his hand, pointing his sword at the sky, his voice like thunder:

"I hereby swear—"

"If I cannot sweep away the Turks and annihilate them, I, Li Shimin, will surely die beneath the yellow sands of the border and be buried in this coffin!"

"If I cannot kill Khagan Jieli, I will die on the border!"

"If I cannot reclaim my Great Tang Dynasty, I will still die on the battlefield!"

boom--!

His voice was like a thunderclap, shaking the bricks and stones of the city tower.

The next instant, amidst the stunned gazes of thousands of soldiers, Li Shimin suddenly drew his Emperor's Sword, a flash of cold light, and the blade had already sliced ​​through his palm!

Blood gushed out, dripping down the sword's edge, each drop hitting the yellow earth like a fuse igniting the flames of war.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice boomed like thunder: "I swear in blood that from this day forward, I will sever Jieli's head and hang it on the gates of Chang'an—"

"kill--!"

"kill--!"

"kill--!"

Three roars, like dragons howling in the heavens, echoed as the 100,000-strong army roared in unison, their battle flags fluttering and their killing intent soaring to the sky!

The earth was trembling!

In an instant, a torrent of armored vehicles rose from the ground, and amidst the billowing dust, Li Shimin mounted his horse and charged straight towards the banks of the Wei River!

The massive army pressed in like a dark cloud, and every soldier's eyes burned with the scorching fire that would burn the enemy to ashes!

Right now—

Li Shimin suddenly reined in his horse and turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning, aiming at the high point of the city wall.

That glance landed on Han Ye.

He paused, then a very faint yet profound smile appeared on his lips.

The wind whipped his battle robes, and he murmured as if in a sigh, "Young man, wait for my return..."

"If I am able to return alive, I will sit with you through the long night, discussing the world over wine."

The sound dissipated in the wind, never to return.

He rode away, his back resolute, but a barely perceptible crimson stain slid down his cheek—was it blood, or a tear?

Li Yingge looked up and her heart skipped a beat.

She was stunned.

In that instant, she clearly saw... Han Ye standing on the city wall?!

But in the blink of an eye, the figure had vanished.

Was it my imagination? Or... did I really see it?

Before she could think it through, her heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by something.

Because at this moment—

The real storm has only just begun!

Nation war begins!

Li Shimin personally led a large army on the expedition, and the entire city of Chang'an was deserted as people knelt to see the emperor off as he left the city.

Even Han Ye paused for a moment on the city wall.

But he only glanced at it before turning and leaving.

Therefore, Li Yingge ultimately saw nothing.

She felt a void in her heart, as if she had missed a crucial moment.

And now-

They will be facing the Khagan Jieli, who will come from all directions!

And then there were the hundreds of thousands of Turkic cavalry, their numbers blotting out the sky!

This is the most ruthless opponent the Tang Dynasty has ever faced!

On the other side, the Turkic camp.

Li Shimin was leading his army at breakneck speed, while Jieli Khan, with his torrent of death, was also approaching the Wei River step by step.

A fierce wind whipped up the wolf flag, and horses' hooves trampled the withered grass.

And that grassland overlord was no longer the mighty figure he once was—

His left eye was hollow, wrapped with blood-stained strips of cloth.

That arrow was the mark Han Ye left on him!

From that day on, he couldn't sleep at night, and his dreams were filled with that ghostly figure!

"Report—!"

The scout knelt and kowtowed, his voice trembling: "Reporting to the Khan, we still... cannot find any trace of the Ghost-Faced General!"

"Um?!"

Jieli Khan's only remaining right eye instantly became bloodshot, and he roared like a wild beast:

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash! Hundreds of thousands of people, and you couldn't even find a single seriously injured person. What use are you all alive?!"

He kicked the scout over, his anger blazing, and roared like thunder.

Everyone lay prostrate on the ground, too afraid to move.

Only the strategist spoke in a deep voice: "Khan, that masked general was severely injured that day, and perhaps... he has already died in the chaos of battle."

"snort!"

Jieli sneered, forcing out two words through gritted teeth: "Dream on!"

He slowly stood up, his voice as cold as a knife: "That person... how could he die so easily?"

"To escape from an army of 500,000, to lose an eye of mine with a single arrow, to appear and disappear like a ghost—you're saying he's dead?"

"Who do you think you are to judge his life or death?!"

His eyes flickered like will-o'-the-wisps: "I know better than anyone... that masked general isn't human! He's a harbinger of death! A demon! A grim reaper living in the shadows!"

The strategist remained silent, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

After a moment, he whispered his advice: "Khan, even so... Emperor Li Shimin of Tang has already gathered his troops at the Wei River. If we confront him head-on in this battle, we may suffer heavy losses and the odds of victory are uncertain."

Why not... use force to pressure them and force them to back down?

Before he finished speaking, Jieli already understood his meaning.

It would be best not to fight, but to scare Li Shimin away and force him to beg for peace!

Actually, he knew it too.

He was absolutely certain of success in invading the borders and looting.

But to destroy the Tang Dynasty? Easier said than done!

The Central Plains are vast, but the people are not yet convinced. Once a stalemate ensues, it will lead to an abyss!

Can--

He suddenly grinned maliciously, his teeth grinding together: "Fine... if Li Shimin knows what's good for him and hands over the Ghost-Faced General's head, this Khan... might show him mercy!"

"otherwise--"

He suddenly drew his sword and cleaved the flagpole beside him in two!

"The Wei River will surely be dyed red!"

"If the Tang Emperor doesn't hand over the prisoners, I will raze Chang'an to the ground, wash the Wei River in blood, and slaughter every soldier in the city! At worst, I'll slaughter my way through the entire Tang Dynasty, cut off Li Shimin's head, and then return to my Turkic steppes to offer it as a sacrifice to the heavens!"

Khagan Jieli gritted his teeth, each word like a knife scraping bone, his eyes surging with ferocity, as if he wanted to burn the entire city of Chang'an to ashes.

But he had no idea—

At this point, it was no longer a question of whether the Turks wanted to negotiate peace.

Instead... the Tang Dynasty had already nailed the word "peace negotiation" to its very grave!

In the imperial court, the imperial edict has been issued: Anyone who dares to propose peace again will be executed! Immediately! Decree!

A single imperial edict cut off all escape routes.

Now, throughout the Tang Dynasty, from the emperor to the soldiers, everyone is determined to die, and they are lined up on the banks of the Wei River with their backs to the river, waiting for the final battle!

The strategist beside him frowned slightly upon hearing these words.

This Khan Jieli... his hatred for that masked general has become twisted into a demon!

That wasn't just ordinary hatred; it was a raging fury that wished to grind him to dust and send his soul to hell!

But for some reason, the strategist's heart suddenly sank, as if dark clouds were pressing down, and a chilling premonition crept up his spine—

Something's wrong...something's really wrong...

……

Chang'an City, Li Jing's residence.

Deep in the courtyard, bamboo shadows sway gently.

Han Ye picked up his brush and copied the calligraphy; the ink was not yet dry, and the verses flowed slowly:

"If only the Flying General of Longcheng were here, the barbarian horses would never dare to cross the Yin Mountains..."

The sound was as light as the wind, yet as heavy as iron.

He was simply practicing calligraphy and calming his mind.

But everyone knows that these poems were not written by him—he was just a time traveler, a plagiarist who stole the souls of literature from a thousand years ago.

But at this moment, every word that falls from the pen is like a blade.

"Young Master—Young Master! Are you hungry?"

"Are you thirsty...? Would you like some pear soup?"

"It's so lively outside! Shall we go out and take a look?"

"I heard wild boars have been spotted in the western suburbs. Shall we go hunting?"

Outside the courtyard, Xiao Tuan's voice chattered like a cheerful little sparrow, hopping around incessantly.

She knows what day it is today.

That's why she kept running over, her eyes sparkling as she peered inside, afraid that the young master would disappear in the blink of an eye.

Han Ye gripped the pen, his lips twitching slightly, and gave a helpless smile: "Alright, alright, that's enough... I'm not leaving, okay? Stop following me around like a tail."

"Pfft—" Xiao Tuan burst out laughing upon hearing this, covering her mouth and bending over. "But who can I watch if I don't keep an eye on you, Young Master, you're the 'Ghost-Faced General'?"

She tiptoed into the yard, blinking her eyes, and said, "It's a promise, you're not allowed to leave!"

"Young Master, are you done?"

"Young Master?!"

Before he finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent.

The brush rests beside the inkstone, the ink on the paper still damp.

But the person is gone.

The courtyard was empty, with only fallen leaves swept by the wind, brushing against the stone table and blue bricks.

Xiao Tuan rushed in, staggering, looking around blankly.

On the desk, the half-finished poem still lay quietly.

Below that, a newly written text appeared—

The country is broken, but the mountains and rivers remain; spring has come to the city, but the grass and trees grow deep.