A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 258 A Traitor to the Nation

As dawn broke, three cannon shots rang out from in front of the Song army camp, followed by the sounding of 120 large horns and 300 war drums, their booming sounds spreading far and wide.

Upon hearing this sound, the Song soldiers' blood and qi were stirred by the drumbeats, and their fighting spirit soared. Led by their respective officers, they rushed out of the camp and headed towards the majestic city gate where the Liao army was stationed.

Cannons and catapults with sufficient range had already bombarded the city walls, creating a series of thunderous explosions, billowing smoke, and causing the walls to tremble incessantly.

By the time the entire section of the city wall facing the Song army was covered in smoke and the cannon fire had subsided slightly, the vanguard of the attacking army had just arrived.

The towering siege engines, like monsters made of steel, were surrounded by soldiers.

The most common type is called "Sky Ladder Cloud Cart," which is made of iron and wood joined together to form a ladder fifty or sixty feet long, which is then transported by a long array of wheels.

At the front of the cloud chariot are intersecting, overlapping copper and iron supports. Once the incantation is recited, the intersecting supports arch upwards, forming hollow rhombuses, which can raise the front of the long ladder to a height almost equal to that of the city wall.

The attacking soldiers ran up the long ladders at great speed, saving a lot of effort. Even skilled horsemen could ride their magical steeds and gallop up these ladders to attack the city and directly reach the city walls.

The use of these siege weapons could almost completely negate the Liao soldiers' advantage in defending the city, turning the battle of attacking and defending the city into a simple, straightforward confrontation.

However, after a series of battles from the border river all the way here, the Liao army had long been wary of this tactic of the Song army.

At the front of each celestial ladder and cloud chariot, there must be a valiant general guarding the front, with a large amount of oil prepared. They would try to splash the oil while fighting, ignite a fire, and then use magic to create wind so that the flames would burn down the celestial ladder to block the Song army.

The siege was raging fiercely.

Many large birds flew up from the Song army camp. They looked as if they were cast in brass, with deer heads and bird bodies. They were called Dragon Sparrows.

This dragon-bird has a groove on its back that can accommodate ten soldiers sitting in the groove. Five soldiers face left and five face right, holding specially made poisoned arrows, and fly towards the Liao army guarding the city, hovering uncertainly.

When the bowstring twangs, the arrows fly like streaks of fire, shooting far away. Once they land, they explode in flames covering an area of ​​three zhang in radius, displaying astonishing power. Whether it's heavily armored soldiers or archers on the city walls, they can only passively take hits when facing these elite Dragon Sparrow soldiers.

However, the Liao army was not without a way to deal with it. As soon as the dragon sparrow took flight, hundreds of lotus flowers rose up in the city's formidable pass.

The lotus flowers are either iron-like and silvery-white or reddish-copper in color, with Buddhist scriptures engraved on their surfaces, giving them the power to levitate. Each lotus flower is over nine feet tall, and it is impossible to tell how many people are hidden inside.

But after the lotus flew into the sky, as its petals gently spun, two silver shuttles, each about two feet long and pointed at both ends, were scattered outwards.

A single lotus flower can only shoot out eight flying shuttles, which will not explode, and their range is not as good as the Dragon Sparrow Feather Arrow, and far less powerful than the Dragon Sparrow Archer's arrow rain.

However, the lotus and the shuttle are made of unique materials and have been refined by Buddhist mantras, containing changes in their primordial magnetic field. After being launched, they can be retrieved on their own and move freely within a three-mile radius of the lotus.

From a distance, the lotus could only passively take the hits, exploding into bursts of fire, with petals trembling and shattering from time to time, tilting and falling.

As they got closer, the archers on the dragon's back could not protect everyone. Some were inevitably killed by the flying shuttles, or, seriously wounded, fell off the dragon's back, screaming as they landed on the vast battlefield.

The fighting between the two sides was extremely fierce, no less so than the battles on the ground.

On the side of the battlefield, amidst the distant, layered mountain ranges, Dai Zong squatted under a pine tree atop a mountain, holding wild peaches he had picked from the mountains. He roughly washed them with spring water and ate them, the juices overflowing.

Although these peaches are wild and not fully ripe, with only a hint of red at the tip, they taste exceptionally crisp, refreshing, and sweet, offering a unique flavor compared to ripe peaches.

However, Dai Zong was focused on the battlefield, and he ate peaches only to quench his thirst and hunger. He was so tense that he couldn't taste much sweetness.

Yesterday, when he did not receive a definite letter from Han Shizhong, he saw the five-colored clouds that represented the emperor's fortune. He quickly hid away, carefully concealing himself, and secretly observing, preparing to see the actual movements of the border troops before returning to report.

Unexpectedly, he witnessed such a great battle early in the morning, which filled Dai Zong with emotion and made him even more awe-inspiring.

Since the resurgence of the demonic path, the border army has become increasingly formidable. Compared to Chen Xizhen and Yun Tianbiao's troops, the border army's average equipment and resources may not actually be superior, but their fighting spirit is completely different.

Chen Xizhen's troops had been living in the heart of the Song Dynasty for several years, where the people were as insignificant as weeds, and before the Liangshan uprising, there had never been any effective resistance.

People like Chen Xizhen, Yun Tianbiao, Gou Ying, and Liu Guang have all been promoted to high positions. Although they have not stopped their cultivation progress and have been diligently practicing every day, they have not paid much attention to the training of the soldiers below them.

On the other hand, the soldiers here in the border army, under the management of Han Shizhong and his generals, have never been lazy. When it comes to fighting, they are all battle-hardened.

"The border troops are brave and fierce, but the Liao army has suffered repeated defeats and has been forced to show its killing intent. It will not be easy to take this city."

As Dai Zongzheng was pondering, a bright red thread suddenly appeared from his Taoist robe, extending from the collar to his face.

"Wait! What are you doing?"

Dai Zong gasped and hurriedly wiped his face, trying to pull away the silk threads.

He knew that this seemingly ordinary Taoist robe was actually the source of the divine Gu poison beside Guan Luoyang. Along the way, he used the robe to help him travel and deeply felt the ferocity hidden within it.

However, this garment was very obedient to Guan Luoyang, like a big cat that was pretending to sleep. When it was by Dai Zong's side, it ignored Dai Zong and did not cause any trouble. Now, it suddenly made a move, catching people off guard.

As the red threads seeped into Dai Zong's eyes, his eyes suddenly felt hot, and everything he saw became much clearer. The red threads also twisted his neck, making him look towards the side of the Liao Kingdom's city gate.

This formidable pass of the Liao Kingdom was built against the mountain, with undulating hills on both sides, ancient trees and dense forests, hiding countless poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, man-eating demon flowers, and miasma that lingers year-round, making it a natural and perilous pass.

But at this moment, Dai Zong's gaze pierced through the miasma and through the obstruction of branches and leaves, and he could vaguely see indistinct human figures, hiding and moving among the wild jungle.

"So the frontal attack was a feint!"

Dai Zong was shocked. "From what I've seen along the way, Han Shizhong's army has mostly used benevolent means to conquer cities and seize strongholds. This time, however, they've actually resorted to stratagems."

This plan can be described as extremely simple, merely the most common feint attack.

However, even an outsider like Dai Zong couldn't see through it and had to rely on the mysterious instincts of the divine garment to guess a thing or two.

Those involved were blinded by their own perspective, and the Liao army, engaged in fierce fighting, were probably even more surprised.

Dai Zong stared wide-eyed at the scene, but he still couldn't make out how many of the hidden Song soldiers there were. However, as his gaze swept back and forth, he did manage to discern some other clues.

The poisonous insects and miasma in those wild jungles, the strange flowers and trees, and the growth patterns in the valleys do not seem to be entirely savage growth, but rather form an orderly pattern, like a huge array.

After the Liao Dynasty built its city, people regularly transplanted trees and guided poisonous insects and mists over the years. In any case, the Liao Dynasty's sorcerers also needed to use those poisonous insects and miasma to cultivate their magic. The Liao Dynasty sent troops to protect them and took the opportunity to explore various places, transplanting and arranging trees. It was a win-win situation.

"By the way, the previous Southern Court King Yelü Yixin of the Liao Kingdom was ambitious, and the current Southern Court King Wuyan Guang is no ordinary man either."

"The Liao Kingdom's formidable passes, which they built up, allowed them to confidently garrison the front while only sending a small number of troops to defend the flanks. This confidence was not solely due to the natural terrain, but rather to the mountainous and poisonous formations that had been built up over generations."

"But this Song army seems to have some understanding of the poisonous miasma formation, as they're advancing with such ease..."

The recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and other former territories of the Han and Tang dynasties can be regarded as the great wish of the Chinese people for a century. Since Han Shizhong led his troops to garrison at the border river, although he has never received the imperial edict to start the war, he has not become discouraged.

Besides diligently training his troops, over the years he sent countless small groups of soldiers in disguise into Liao territory to scout out strategic passes and fortified positions in various places.

This formidable pass before us was the largest barrier before the Song army could advance directly to Youzhou City. Han Shizhong even personally left the camp for ten days to secretly survey the terrain, draw up battle formations, and collect poisonous insects and miasma. After returning, he ordered his men to develop a method to avoid the poison.

Dai Zong naturally didn't know the details, but he could guess a bit about it, and he couldn't help but feel excited.

Even though the strength of the border army might not be all good news for Liangshan, he could not suppress his excitement and anticipation.

The entire army is united in its determination to recover lost territory, and this is within reach. As descendants of the Han and Tang dynasties, how can we not be thrilled by this?!

The army that had been lurking in the jungle had begun its operation.

The leader leaped onto the city wall, swept across the defending troops, and swung his sword downwards. The sword energy pierced through layers of bricks and stones, and smashed through the city gate. It was Han Shizhong who took the lead and went into danger.

Dai Zong couldn't help but clench the peach pit in his hand. Without the help of the divine clothing fibers, his eyes were already wide open, his heart was pounding wildly, and his head was feeling hot.

Okay! Okay! Great!

He screamed and shouted in his heart, wishing he could be one of them.

Suddenly, another unusual thing made him unconsciously glance in that direction.

He was stunned by that glance.

The army that had been launching a frontal assault had slowed down. Instead of coordinating with Han Shizhong to break through the city in one fell swoop, it showed signs of retreating.

"What's going on? What kind of tactic is this, a clever plan I don't understand? Could it be that they miscalculated the timing, thinking Han Shizhong hadn't succeeded, and therefore retreated first?"

Dai Zonghu stood up abruptly, took a few quick steps forward, and craned his neck to look over.

Within the Song army camp, colorful clouds swirled and flowed, and messenger flags carrying messages were dispatched one after another from the central camp.

The soldiers inside and outside the camp immediately became agitated. One of the cavalry generals, who was leading the charge, threw down his command flag and was about to lead his men to continue the charge.

However, as the command flag fell, his aura plummeted, and in the blink of an eye, he was stripped of his power and demoted, becoming a criminal. Immediately, someone seized the opportunity to capture him.

Some brave generals, upon receiving the order, cried out in shock and anger, feeling their luck completely stripped away. Despite this, they still charged forward, only to see a golden light fly out from the camp, killing them and their horses on the spot.

A young general, wielding the ancestral Dingri Bow of the Huzhuo family, strode quickly toward the central command tent.

"Pengju, what are you going to do?"

"General Han is in grave danger, victory is imminent. To withdraw troops now would be tantamount to disastrous consequences for the country! I must remonstrate with the Emperor to the death!"

"Die-hard remonstrance my ass! Haven't you realized? Those who did remonstrate really died."

The people around him grabbed the young man and some hurriedly covered his mouth.

Yang Zhi struck the man on the head with the back of his knife, knocking the young general unconscious. However, his own face was so gloomy that it looked like it could drip blood, and the blue birthmark on his face looked particularly ferocious due to the twitching of his face.

He glanced at the main tent through gritted teeth, then quickly looked away and ordered, "We cannot let Pengju have a chance to see the emperor, otherwise any rash action will surely lead to his death. Tie him up first, and find an opportunity to send him away."

The commotion in the camp gradually subsided, and the retreat was called.

At this moment, Han Shizhong, who led his troops into the city, was ambushed and killed in the area between the outer and inner city.

Countless fire pots were buried here beforehand. The first time they stepped over them, there was nothing unusual. But when they wanted to retreat, the spell was activated and they all exploded. The Song soldiers were caught in the fire and felt that there was almost no empty space around them that was not covered by the flames.

The Liao Kingdom seemed to have foreseen this, having already laid an ambush with a large force, ready to launch a surprise attack at the opportune moment.

With nearly 20,000 soldiers around Han Shizhong suffering heavy casualties, his heart was also in turmoil, but he was still able to calmly roar and command the retreat. He swung out a five-foot-long pure black sword, as dark as the night, determined to carve out a path for his men to survive.

Wuyan Guang personally intervened, wielding a pair of gleaming silver maces. The handles were engraved with the image of Indra, the leader of the Eight Legions. With each swing, there was a surging, thunderous force.

In the blink of an eye, he received 180 slashes from Han Shizhong. His double maces were covered with countless crisscrossing knife marks, and his arms went numb and sore. He hurriedly retreated, almost having his nose severed by a knife.

Many Liao soldiers rushed forward, but Han Shizhong spun around and sent them all flying, blasting them back.

Those with weaker skills were blasted into blood mist by the sword energy in mid-air, while the stronger ones couldn't stop their backward flight and were embedded in the city wall.

At this moment, on the inner city wall, a man with an iron-gray face and extremely high cheekbones, carrying a long spear, leaped down from mid-air and thrust it down.

That long spear, infused with vast and indescribable demonic power, suddenly expanded in size at its tip as thick smoke billowed out.

The part held in that man's hand was still of normal thickness, but it grew thicker towards the front, like a pillar pressing down among the remaining Song soldiers. It plowed a bloody path, sweeping towards Han Shizhong.

Han Shizhong blocked with his sword, but Wuyan Guang attacked again. At the same time, the surging golden light on Han Shizhong's body peeled away layer by layer.

In the Song army camp outside the city, the Emperor Tianming personally drafted an imperial edict to dismiss and demote Han Shizhong. He was surprised to feel the imperial fortune being painstakingly detached from Han Shizhong.

"How could the border general's fortune have become so firmly established in him?"

Looking at the imperial edict, the emperor remained silent for a moment. "Zhao Kuangyin is right. Such a person should not be allowed to live if he shows even the slightest sign of disobedience."

The emperor rolled up the imperial edict, stepped out of the main tent, and ascended to a height of a hundred feet in the sky to overlook the scenery of the city and witness Han Shizhong's bloody battle amidst the siege.

The black knife in his hand had developed many chips, and he kept coughing up blood.

Just as the long spear was about to pierce him again, a group of female soldiers suddenly rushed in from the side, surrounding him and charging out of the city.

The Song army in the city had been almost completely wiped out. The few hundred remaining soldiers were covered in blood, their armor tattered, some with severed arms and bleeding profusely, yet they still staggered and charged forward.

They roared, all looking straight ahead, unaware that several people might disappear or fall down around them, never to have a chance to get back up.

It's also possible that what's missing is oneself.

Han Shizhong's body was engulfed in demonic fire, and his essence and blood rapidly depleted, flowing into the blade and creating a slanted black blade.

The city wall that stood there was like a block of tofu, sliced ​​open by a huge blade, collapsing in large sections and turning into a forest of rocks.

This strike continued unabated, rolling along the ground and transforming into a surging tide of black sword energy that forced back the surrounding Liao soldiers and generals.

Only the iron-gray man stood still, his move piercing through the black blade energy, heading straight for Han Shizhong.

Suddenly, the white robe flashed.

The grizzled man's eyes sharpened.

The emperor, his face paling in the distance, roared, "Seal Luoyang!!"

The emperor was almost about to make a move, but the white robe simply swirled and unfurled, sweeping away the survivors before fleeing swiftly, showing no intention of engaging them in combat.

On the contrary, the emperor and the iron-gray man, because they were on high alert, had a gap in their preparations before making their move, which allowed the man in white robes to escape successfully.

Dai Zong only managed to rescue about thirty people. After leading them a hundred miles away, he was exhausted and hid in a secluded mountain ravine.

After landing, Han Shizhong stood motionless, like a clay or wooden sculpture, leaning on his knife, unresponsive to the anxious inquiries of those around him.

Liang Hongyu could neither hear his heartbeat nor sense his breath. She smiled sadly and tears streamed down her face.

Han Shizhong suddenly shuddered, coughed up blood, and cried out.

"Zhao Huan!!!!"

His blade broke, and he collapsed to his knees, blood streaming down his body, roaring like a madman towards the mountains, "Are you not a king...?"

"A national traitor!!"

(End of this chapter)