Finest Servant

Chapter 532 Tragic and Majestic

The city of Bayanhot, situated on the vast and flat grasslands, originally stood as a simple mound of earth towering over the open fields. After the establishment of the Turkic Khanate, due to their need for expansion, they built temporary walls and erected sturdy gates around the mound. Bayanhot thus became a transit station between the grasslands and the great desert and a vital logistical hub for the Turks' incursions into the Great Hua Empire. For the nomads, nearly all their war horses and provisions came from here. Its importance to the Turks was self-evident.

The moment they set foot in Bayanhot, a wave of fervent, tragic yet heroic emotion surged through the hearts of all Great Hua soldiers. They were here precisely for this city. Since the moment they had severed the sky-high ropes on the Helan Mountains, everyone knew they had no path of retreat left. The road ahead was bound to be perilous, offering little more than a slim chance of survival. The grasslands would be their final resting place, yet not a single man chose to withdraw.

Generals can die on the battlefield; as the sharp blade thrust into the heart of the nomads by the Great Hua Empire, they would make the fierce Turks tremble. As General Lin had said, the names of each and every one of them would be inscribed in the annals of Great Hua's history.

"Is this Bayanhot?" Gao Qiu, walking beside Lin Wanrong, entered the city and couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the crude walls, scattered tents, galloping war horses, and towering stacks of grain. "The Turks sure talk big. Calling this a 'city,' let alone the 'city of the grasslands'? By this standard, our Cangzhou County office might as well be a celestial palace."

Indeed, what was dubbed as the 'city of the grasslands' looked laughable to Gao Qiu and his men. Apart from the short walls and sturdy gates, Bayanhot was nothing more than a common pasture enclosed by low walls. To put it bluntly, it was inferior even to the most remote county offices in Great Hua. Yet it was this unimposing, enclosed patch of grassland that held sway over the lives of countless people in Helan Mountain and Xingqing Prefecture.

Lin Wanrong patted Gao Qiu's shoulder and sighed slightly. "Brother Gao, often times, the strength of a nation isn't measured by its massive walls and towering buildings. While we can build grand and expansive county offices in Great Hua, many of our common folk live in abject poverty, struggling to feed themselves. What's the point of such ostentatious grandeur built on the suffering of ordinary people? In contrast, these nomads seem more straightforward. No grand offices, no heavy taxes; whether one's an officer or a commoner, everyone rides horses and lives in tents. The conditions might be tough, but at least they're fair. It's no wonder they are so united."

Although Gao Qiu was a palace guard, he was of humble origins. Hearing this, he nodded repeatedly. Hu Bugui had tears in his eyes as he declared loudly, "General, based on your words today, I'd entrust my life to you. If all the civil and military officials of Great Hua shared your perspective and breadth of mind, what couldn't we achieve? And how could we be humiliated by these foreign nomads?"

Lin Wanrong just smiled without saying anything. Ahead, thousands of war horses had already thundered into the city, followed by several thousand soldiers. With the arrival of this massive cavalry, the city of Bayanhot erupted into chaos, filled with the sounds of galloping horses and their resounding neighs.

"Stop! Stop right now!" Came the furious shout from Labuli ahead. "Sheng Dan, what is going on here? Why haven't you properly controlled your war horses? Why are they running wild in Bayanhot? If anything happens, it's on you!"

Labuli had somehow descended from the city walls, his face flushed with anger. Yelling loudly, he swung a rope, lassoing it around the neck of a galloping war horse. Behind him, dozens of cavalrymen mimicked his actions. These Turkic men were natural-born riders; their expertise in taming horses was exceptional. The ropes found their marks with precision, and within moments, five or six runaway horses were restrained. Halted by the lasso around their necks, the horses reared up, front hooves kicking, and let out a skyward roar, unable to run any further.

The soldiers from Great Hua who were escorting the herd had already entered the city—almost a thousand of them. To avoid arousing the Turks' suspicion, the remaining warriors lay in ambush a few miles away, waiting for a signal from the front. Seeing the Turks slowly closing the city gate, Lin Wanrong signaled Li Wuling with a glance. Little Li understood, nodding his head as he slowed his horse, leading several hundred men to trail at a moderate distance from the city gate.

As the war horses galloped like the wind, Labuli and his warriors acted swiftly. Within moments, more than a dozen horses had been tamed. Lin Wanrong's eyes sparkled, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "This Labuli chap is quite the expert with a lasso. Brother Hu, can we figure out a way to lure him over here—"

He drew a hand across his neck, mimicking a beheading motion. Gao Qiu’s eyes lit up instantly; he repeatedly rubbed his broadsword against the sole of his boot, his mouth practically watering.

"Very well," said Hu Bugui, suppressing his excitement. Pretending to be furious, he bellowed at Labuli in the distance, "Barıp anañdı sïpa! Labuli, all this mess is your doing. My ten thousand prized horses have traveled thousands of miles from the royal court to get here. We've been on the move for days to reach Bayanhot, and you close the city gates, leaving all the war horses outside with no food or water. If they didn’t run wild, that would be strange! I’ll report this to the Khan and have you and your tribe decapitated, while taking all your women for ourselves!"

In the tribal plains, stealing women and insulting one’s tribe were the most vicious curses—sins washed only by blood. Having come this far, Hu Bugui had completely torn off any pretenses. Labuli's face turned a dark shade of green; lifting his spiked iron club, he urged his horse to charge like the wind. A howl rang out, echoing through the city on the plains, "In the name of the warriors, you mongrel Sheng Dan, I, Labuli, will skin you alive!"

Furious, Labuli was a whirlwind of motion, his steed extraordinarily agile. With a long neigh, it carved a path through the thousands of war horses and charged back. His piercing blue eyes were clearly visible.

Without waiting for Lin Wanrong’s command, Gao Qiu was already rubbing his hands together, his eyes locked onto the approaching Labuli. Li Wuling and several hundred horsemen lagged further and further behind, slowly closing in on the few Turks who were in the process of shutting the city gate.

Labuli drew closer and closer—fifty feet, forty feet… Even the felt hat on his head was now clearly visible. Lin Wanrong's grip tightened around the hilt of his war blade, sweat soaking his palms. The atmosphere was so tense it felt as though it could explode at any moment.

"Joq! (No!)" Several shouts erupted from behind the horsemen, accompanied by a deafening scream: "Ulu Hua Atly Askar (Great Hua Cavalry)—Ah!"

Lin Wanrong turned his head to see what was going on. It turned out that Li Wuling and his men had drawn too close to the city gate and were discovered by the Turkic guards. Little Li roared and charged ferociously toward the Turkic guards with a force like thunder. Amidst a spray of blood, the guard who had discovered their secret was quickly cut down under his horse.

It was too late. Labuli, who was galloping along, had already heard the warning cries. With a sudden pull on the reins, his Turkic horse reared up and let out a long neigh.

"Ulu Hua Atly Askar (Great Hua Cavalry)—Kahar (Damn it)!" Labuli roared furiously. As he stood up in his saddle, he hurled his iron mace with incredible force. The weapon shot out like a bolt of lightning, accompanied by a whistling sound, aimed directly at Lin Wanrong's face.

"Brother Lin, watch out!" Gao Qiu yelled, slashing his blade out fiercely. With a loud clang, the blade and mace collided, sending out a shower of sparks that nearly hit Lin Wanrong's face.

The iron mace fell heavily to the ground. Gao Qiu's war blade had suffered a big nick, and his arm felt numb. He couldn't help but exclaim, "What incredible strength!"

"Exactly, I am Lin San, sent by Great Hua Empire!" Lin Wanrong, realizing that his cover was blown, yanked off his felt hat and threw it to the ground. He roared, filled with murderous intent, his voice tinged with tragic grandeur: "Only the blood of the Turks can wash away a century of Great Hua's shame! My brave brothers, for our families, for our siblings, charge with me—kill all the Turks!"

His eyes were bloodshot, and his shiny war blade danced through the air, creating streaks of brilliant silver. The steed beneath him darted forward like a shooting star, outpacing even Gao Qiu. The Great Hua soldiers were fired up; they too removed their felt hats, revealing their yellow skin and black hair—proud faces of Great Hua.

"Kill all the Turks!" This unprecedented slogan represented Great Hua's resolve and courage, as well as the first roar of anger from Great Hua in a century of weakness. On this battlefield of blood and fire, that battle cry ignited the soldiers' blood and passion. They let out sky-shaking roars, spurred on their warhorses, and brandished their war blade, following Lin Wanrong like a fierce torrent, charging directly into battle.

The boundless war cries instantly drove tens of thousands of warhorses into a frenzy. The Turkic horses neighed and scattered in all directions, like a chaotic cloud of black flies. They spread through Bayanhot City, knocking over tents and sending debris flying. Turkic soldiers who were slow to dodge were trampled under the hooves.

For Great Hua's cavalry to penetrate deep into the grasslands and assault a walled city was an unprecedented event. The psychological impact on the Turks far outweighed the physical. Many Turkic soldiers didn't even have time to figure out who was attacking before they were overwhelmed by the horses. Bayanhot City plunged into utter chaos.

Li Wuling and several hundred soldiers had successfully slain over a dozen nomads, working in perfect harmony. Slowly, they pushed open the massive gate, awaiting the arrival of the hidden reinforcements outside the city. The Turks were also clearly aware of the gate's significance; once the reinforcements from Great Hua entered, the city of Bayanhot would be undoubtedly breached. Labuli abruptly turned his horse, mounted the city gate, and with a swing of his battle blade, roared, "Release the arrows!"

Hundreds of arrows, like a swarm of locusts, flew furiously toward the city gate. The soldiers of Great Hua, who were in the process of opening the gate, had nowhere to hide. Screams erupted as more than ten soldiers were pierced by arrows, slowly falling to the ground.

"Let’s butcher these sons of—” Seeing his comrades falling one by one, Lin Wanrong was livid. With a long bellow, he turned his horse and charged toward the city.

His face was fierce, as if aided by divine power. His fast horse led the way; his blade swished left and right, cleaving through any Turkic men he encountered. Blood stained his war robe, and his brutal methods seemed even more ruthless than those of the Turks.

Seeing the cavalry of Great Hua charging up the slope toward the city, a deluge of arrows rained down from the Turks, buzzing like a disturbed hornet’s nest. Some arrows even skimmed Lin Wanrong's scalp. The Turks were skilled archers; their simple-looking bows had great force, and their arrow attacks abruptly dampened Lin Wanrong's momentum.

Lin Wanrong managed to deflect a few arrows, looked at the fallen brothers near the city gate, and roared, "Gao Qiu, Hu Bugui, follow me!"

Both Gao Qiu and Hu Bugui cleaved through several arrows and followed suit. The three of them, blades swinging incessantly, dashed toward the city. The soldiers behind them were also in a battle frenzy, furiously following their leader. A ceaseless rain of arrows struck them, and soldiers fell silently, but not a single one let out a cry.

The ground shook with the sound of galloping horses, and dust clouds billowed. The soldiers of Great Hua, who had been lying in ambush, finally arrived. In an instant, they had reached the base of the city, their yellow skin and black hair clearly visible.

Seeing the surging cavalry of Great Hua, Labuli became frantic. He wildly gestured toward the city gate and let out several furious roars, his expression incredibly fierce. All Turkic archers immediately redirected their aim, and countless arrows, screaming as they flew, targeted Li Wuling and his men at the city gate.

The oppressive rain of arrows above mysteriously ceased, and Lin Wanrong looked into the distance. His heart almost shattered.

Li Wuling, the youngest among them, let out a long cry, his voice slightly juvenile. Yet the sense of steadfastness and pride shot straight into the sky: "In this vast Great Hua, as a man standing seven feet tall, what is there to fear? Even if my body perishes, my spirit will never die! I call upon my brothers, all of you, join me! Let's go together!"

With that shout, Li Wuling clenched his fist and ran toward the city gate.

"Let’s go! Let’s go!" Hundreds of brave men roared in unison, their flesh and blood bodies standing resolutely, seemingly oblivious to the flying arrows. Led by Li Wuling, they all joined forces to slowly push open that massive gate.

A scene unfolded that left countless Turks trembling in fear!

Even from a distance, the sound of arrows piercing the warriors' chests could be heard—arrows so forceful that they penetrated the chests entirely, pinning the soldiers directly onto the city gates. Blood gushed from their mouths and chests, and though some had already died, not a single one fell to the ground.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Hundreds of brave men, their eyes wide open, roared with diminishing volume. Their steps grew slower and more hesitant until, at last, the battlefield fell silent. Countless volleys of arrows had been loosed; it was impossible to say how many had been used up. The Turks' arms were numbed from the repeated shooting.

The upright soldiers who had been struck by countless arrows appeared, from a distance, like a tragically beautiful blossom of "blood-wolf flowers" blooming at the grand gateway to the grasslands. Despite their ordeal, the city gates continued to open, slowly but steadily.

All the Turks were stunned. Even though they claimed to be the bravest warriors on the grasslands, none dared believe what they were seeing. Who were these men, so fearless even in the face of death? What more could possibly intimidate them?

Such a heroic feat could only be achieved by the yellow-skinned, black-haired people of Great Hua.

"Damn you Turks! To hell with your ancestors! Kill, kill, kill—" A lone cry of bloody rage broke the battlefield's silence. So stark, so heart-wrenching was the shout that everyone present froze.

A figure, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, tore open his robe, his eyes filled with bloody tears and his face flushed red as fire. Like a frenzied wolf, he brandished his blood-soaked longsword and charged alone into the enemy ranks.

"General Lin—"

"Brother Lin—"

Witnessing Lin Wanrong's mad actions, Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu were the first to snap out of their trance. "Kill the Turks!" Both, tears streaming down their faces, madly rushed toward the city tower.

"Kill the Turks!" At this moment, when life and death had become inconsequential, the Great Hua soldiers who had witnessed this extraordinary scene were filled with boundless killing intent and unparalleled fighting spirit. Like a flood of savage beasts, they charged onto the city walls.

In Lin Wanrong's vision, the faces of hundreds appeared and disappeared, but he could think of nothing. His blood boiled like scalding oil, as if he were on the verge of explosion.

With a clang, weapons clashed, sparking an extraordinary flash of light. Lin Wanrong's face was emotionless, his eyes lifeless, as he dropped his blade.

The Turkic warrior, Labuli, who had come to meet him, had his pupils dilate in an instant. His weapon trembled above his head. A faint, neat line of blood appeared on his forehead, slowly widening. Drops of fresh blood trickled down, and his mace fell to the ground with a clatter, breaking neatly in two.

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