Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

Although the Liaocheng camp had a total of 20,000 men, the commander was dead, leaving the camp leaderless and unable to coordinate effectively with each other.

They were overwhelmed and disoriented by Chen Shao and his eight hundred men.

It attracted most of the firepower.

The city's defenders were weak, and Liao Hua led nearly 40,000 troops to capture the city without bloodshed.

This is when his characteristics really came into play.

When no one else is available, it can unleash extraordinary abilities.

Liao Hua remained calm in the face of danger. He ordered his men to take full control of the city's defenses, close the city gates, and implement preventative measures before leading his men towards the enemy camp.

...

After a brief period of chaos in the camp, the Liaocheng army gradually came to their senses.

After all, they were the most elite troops in Hedong.

No matter how powerful the opponent is, they only have eight hundred people.

An old general mounted his horse and galloped back and forth through the chaotic army, sword in hand.

The sound pierced through the sounds of battle.

"Tripwire! Put a tripwire on me!"

"Drive him off the camel and surround him!"

The soldiers suddenly realized.

Several thick hemp ropes were pulled out of the supply wagon and began to be deployed in the direction Chen Shao was charging.

More Liaocheng defenders flanked from both sides, with shield bearers in front and spearmen behind, advancing step by step and gradually tightening the encirclement.

Although Chen Shao's camel was not afraid of tripping ropes, the eight hundred men behind him could not.

Although killing someone is simpler than killing a pig, the enemy troops no longer scattered and fled as before, but instead engaged in battle.

Human strength has its limits, and if things continue like this, it's hard to say what will happen.

Dian Wei was covered in blood. He had started by carrying two people, but now he was carrying only one.

Xing Daorong is temporarily unharmed, but his face is covered with large handprints.

Those soldiers, before they died, all slapped him...

"kill!"

Just as Chen Shao was eagerly awaiting reinforcements.

Liao Hua did not disappoint him.

He took the lead, leading a densely packed Iron Fist Army, rushing over like a flood bursting its banks.

The voice arrives before the person.

"Your Majesty! Your humble servant Liao Hua has arrived too late to rescue you!"

Chen Shao wiped the blood from his face and burst into laughter on the hunchback:

"Not too late! Perfect timing!"

"Liao Hua, seal off the surrounding area! Don't let a single one escape!"

The Iron Fist Army had a large number of soldiers, and they suddenly pressed forward. In addition, Liu Siyuan was already dead. Although the Liaocheng Army was elite, it was not a machine. They were immediately torn to pieces, and screams of agony filled the air.

Breaking out is not an option, and fighting back is outmatched.

This kind of despair is truly suffocating.

Before long, no one put up a fight anymore, and they abandoned their armor and began to surrender.

An hour or two later, the emperor's banners were planted all over Liaocheng.

......

Chen Shao launched a surprise attack on Liaocheng from afar, and then captured Liaocheng with lightning speed.

The two most important cities that the entire Hedong region relied on most were lost just like that.

The news shocked the world.

Northern Mang.

Helian Yunni was discussing matters with a group of tribal leaders in the royal tent.

The tent was filled with burly, strong men from the grasslands.

He wore animal skins and carried a curved sword.

They were all talking at once about Chen Shao's actions.

The conclusions were surprisingly consistent.

"Your Majesty, Chen Shao has personally led his troops to Hedong, leaving the capital vulnerable. This is the perfect opportunity to march south!"

"Now that we have a strong and well-equipped army, and have integrated the grassland tribes, we can easily raise an army of 200,000. If 50,000 could wipe them out, wouldn't 200,000 be invincible?"

Some of the younger generals, in particular, were eager to mount their horses and head south immediately.

Helian Yunni remained calm.

No matter how fiercely they argue, I'm not in a hurry.

It's a good thing that we can have discussions.

What I fear most is a lifeless atmosphere where everyone is secretly disrespectful to each other and constantly fighting amongst themselves.

After waiting for a while, she slowly spoke:

"I understand your desire to fight."

"But now is not the time for us to intervene. Let them fight a little longer."

"Wang Yuanji is no pushover. It won't be easy for Chen Shao to take over Hedong."

"If I am not mistaken, if Chen Shao cannot be captured quickly, he will be mired in a quagmire and find himself in a dilemma."

"That will be the best time for us to send troops."

"Of course, before heading south, we must first deal with Lulong, this major threat."

"The Song dynasty is not like Emperor Xiao Yan; he will not stand idly by if we march south."

"If we wait for the main army to set out, and he launches a surprise attack from the rear, cutting off our supply lines and retreat, the consequences will be unimaginable."

At this point, the Empress gave a cold laugh:

"If Chen Shao can launch a lightning attack, so can I. This time, I will personally lead the expedition to pull out this tooth."

......

Beijing.

Shen Qingci and the others remained kneeling outside the palace gates.

The officials had reached their physical limit, but once they knelt down, they could not get up again.

You can't just go back, have a meal, take a bath, have a nice sleep, and then come back the next day to check in and offer your condolences, can you?

That's not appropriate.

I feel dizzy and lightheaded, my knees are swollen, and I feel unsteady on my feet.

But he kept repeating to himself:

Your Majesty, I will give you my advice...

The palace gates remained tightly shut, and Bai Bingbing stood with her hand on her sword, cold and aloof.

No one is allowed to step inside.

A rapid sound of horses' hooves approached.

Yu Qi'an dismounted and strode towards the palace gate.

After many days of hard work, he had gotten even darker and looked more travel-worn, but his face still held an undisguised joy.

He saw civil and military officials kneeling in front of the palace gate.

Shouting at the top of his lungs:

"What are you all doing kneeling here?"

Shen Qingci instantly understood that this was a showdown.

It seems good news has come back from the front.

But if she was going to put on an act, she didn't want to be beaten up by the crowd.

He then let out a cold laugh:

"General Yu, you've finally arrived. You always act like a loyal minister, but you don't even show your face when it matters most. His Majesty is indulging in women and neglecting state affairs. Are you sleeping soundly in your residence?"

Yu Qi'an leaned closer and whispered:

"Lord Shen, please stop acting."

Then he faced the officials and said loudly:

"Gentlemen, His Majesty is no longer in the palace. According to the military report that just arrived, His Majesty personally led a large army through back roads and mountains to reach the outskirts of Hedong, capturing the two important towns of Liaocheng and Liaocheng in one fell swoop."

After Yu Qi'an finished speaking, he helped Shen Qingci up.

"Is Lord Shen alright?"

Shen Qingci was wearing knee pads and had plenty of food hidden in her arms, so there was naturally no problem.

She said calmly:

My knees feel slightly numb.

"But you're in trouble, Lord Yu."

Yu Qi'an was taken aback. What trouble am I in?

At this moment, all the officials looked at Yu Qi'an in astonishment.

"It seems Lord Yu already knew His Majesty was not in the palace?"

A man like Yu Qi'an dared to confront Han Cao, who held absolute power, in the court. If Your Majesty is like that, how could there not be others willing to die for your cause?

Looking at everyone's appearance, Yu Qi'an felt refreshed.

blurted out:

"Indeed, I already knew that."

Immediately, someone raised their arm and shouted, "Fellow colleagues, this scoundrel nearly killed us, and now he's making sarcastic remarks. If we don't strike now, when will we?"

Some people couldn't help but swear:

"Damn Yu Qi'an!"

Yu Qi'an then realized what Shen Qingci meant when she said he was in trouble.

He didn't care about anything else anymore and ran away.

"Don't let that bastard get away!"

"You can run away from the monk, but you can't run away from the temple."

As the sage said: "Spare the rod and spoil the child!"

............

Hongguo has a live-action adaptation of the same name; you can check it out if you're bored.