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Chapter 99: The Past

"Charge!" Su Lianxian brandished his sword and shouted ahead.

"Charge!" The army echoed in unison, swiftly transporting siege ladders and traction trebuchets towards the opposite bank. Although the soldiers were shaking on the rafts, they managed to charge across, carrying siege equipment towards the enemy\'s walls.

"Release arrows!" Zhongshan spoke lightly from atop the city wall.

Beside him, Yinglan swiftly waved a red flag. The soldiers on the wall had already prepared a barrage of arrows, and as soon as the red flag was waved, a deluge of arrows rained down on the soldiers who had just landed ashore.

Countless soldiers were killed or injured in an instant, with many falling dead as soon as they crossed the river.

On the battlefield, there was no retreat. The army relentlessly charged across the moat, transforming into corpses strewn across the blood-soaked ground. It was a scene of brutality, with blood flowing like rivers and bodies littering the field. Yet, the army continued to charge towards the opposite bank, continuously transporting siege equipment, including the traction trebuchets.

Some soldiers even took out bows and arrows after crossing the river, shooting towards the defenders on the city walls. However, the force behind their arrows was nothing compared to those shot from the top of the wall. Although some unfortunate defenders were hit, the casualties were far fewer than those below.

Zhongshan coldly observed the carnage on both sides. Despite his side having the advantage of higher ground, their numbers were too few compared to the enemy\'s overwhelming force. It was inevitable that the enemy would eventually breach the city walls using human lives, but Zhongshan wasn\'t concerned.

His gaze locked onto Su Lianxian in the distance, the only person among the army whom Zhongshan regarded highly. It was Su Lianxian who, years ago, had made a pact with him, ensuring that he remained uninvolved in the politics of the Great Kun Nation for so many years.

Su Lianxian was a capable man.

Reminiscing about the past, after Kui\'er was killed by the Crown Prince Li Tian, Zhongshan fell into a period of deep despair. He became like a ghost, wandering aimlessly. Eventually, he disappeared from the public eye and enlisted in the border army. Despite being a supremely respected figure in the business world, Zhongshan quickly demonstrated his talent for warfare. With his mastery of strategy and tactics, Zhongshan became a formidable warrior. However, there was another formidable warrior at the time: Su Lianxian.

Su Lianxian, though of princely status, also hid his identity and started from the ranks of common soldiers. On the battlefield, he and Zhongshan fought side by side, facing enemy forces from all directions. Yet, despite his skill, Su Lianxian always fell slightly short compared to Zhongshan. Still, he managed to catch Zhongshan\'s attention.

As Zhongshan struggled with his grief, he encountered the second woman who would capture his heart: Bao\'er. Bao\'er\'s gentleness and care gradually pulled Zhongshan out of his anguish. However, Su Lianxian also set his eyes on Bao\'er.

Using all his abilities, Su Lianxian pursued Bao\'er relentlessly. Despite Zhongshan\'s efforts, Su Lianxian revealed his true identity as the Crown Prince, wielding his authority to pressure those close to Bao\'er. But could Zhongshan allow Su Lianxian to succeed?

Though Zhongshan\'s military career was relatively short, his prestige was immense. When Zhongshan asserted himself, even seasoned generals rallied behind him. In fact, there were moments when it seemed the entire border army would rebel in support of Zhongshan\'s bid for power.

Realizing his defeat, Su Lianxian nevertheless held the lifeline of Bao\'er\'s loved ones. He pushed Bao\'er to the brink of exhaustion. Eventually, Zhongshan and Su Lianxian sat down to negotiate. Zhongshan agreed to retire from military and political affairs, leaving Su Lianxian free to pursue commerce, and Bao\'er was finally released from her ordeal.

Now, two formidable figures found themselves at odds once again, tearing apart their fragile truce. After an hour, tens of thousands lay dead on the opposing side, rivers of blood staining the earth. Yet, the enemy continued their relentless assault.

Finally, the siege engines breached the enemy\'s defenses. After the loss of twenty thousand soldiers, the true battle had only just begun.

"Attack the city!" Su Lianxian roared from across the river.

The soldiers echoed his cry, their determination unwavering. With ladders in hand, they stormed the walls, relentless in their advance. Despite the rain of arrows from above, they pressed on. The battle was reaching its climax, the outcome hanging in the balance. If the enemy breached the walls, the defense would collapse entirely.

At that moment, a blue flag unfurled atop the city tower, signaling a change. With a wave, the archers retreated, leaving the enemy momentarily elated.

Then, a thunderous sound filled the air.

As if summoned from the heavens, cascades of golden liquid rained down.

"Ah~" The soldiers cried out as the golden liquid touched them. Though not forceful, it seemed more effective than arrows. Each soldier touched by the golden liquid clutched their bodies and fell from the ladders. This oil, boiling and rolling, had been strategically prepared by Yinglan atop the city walls. Poured from pots onto the ladders below, it caused agony and devastation. Every drop that touched a soldier\'s skin erupted into a wound, blood bursting forth in torrents. The boiling oil was more terrifying than any weapon.

Yet, the enemy army pressed on. Shielded by their shields, they risked their lives climbing toward the city walls. The edge of the ladders seemed to catch fire suddenly, flames licking at the wood, aiming to destroy them and force the attackers back. It was a brutal and desperate scene.

But for a leader, casualties were a secondary concern. Su Lianxian had planned for sacrifices.

The true weapon wasn\'t these foot soldiers—they were merely distractions for the defenders of Xuan City.

The true weapon lay in the 120 eight-ox crossbows.

After nearly forty thousand casualties and countless bodies littering the ground, the crossbows were finally positioned.

"Fire!" Su Lianxian\'s voice boomed with seriousness.

At his command, all 120 crossbows released their bolts simultaneously. The massive arrows hurtled toward the city gates, their combined force capable of piercing even a small fortress wall.

"Boom!" A deafening roar shook the entire city tower. A cloud of smoke descended, and the walls trembled under the impact. The force was staggering.

However, the southern gate of Xuan City remained intact, albeit now pierced by 120 giant arrows. It still stood closed.

Even the preeminent masters of the martial world, including the venerable ancestors of the Su family, were astonished. How was it possible that 120 arrows failed to breach the city gate?

"Fire again!" Only Su Lianxian remained composed, issuing the order to continue.

In the distance, the siege continued unabated, and the soldiers manning the eight-ox crossbows continued to load giant arrows. However, the immense force of these bows required thirty men to draw them simultaneously, slowing the process considerably.

With each passing moment, more lives were lost.

"Lianxian, are these the famed eight-ox crossbows? How is it that none of the 120 arrows pierced the city gate?" The venerable ancestor of the Su family exclaimed in disbelief.

"These are indeed the finest military-grade eight-ox crossbows. The failure to breach the gate is due to its construction—it\'s made entirely of thick bronze," Su Lianxian explained solemnly, indicating that he had thoroughly studied the gate beforehand.

"What shall we do then?" The Su family ancestor asked with concern.

"Don\'t worry. At most, three attempts. With the eight-ox crossbows, three volleys will breach the gate, and then we can storm into Xuan City and claim Zhongshan\'s head," Su Lianxian declared solemnly.

"Understood," the others nodded, recognizing that this was the only course of action, even if it meant more casualties.

On the city wall, Zhongshan watched the distant eight-ox crossbows with a cold smirk. Indeed, with 120 bolts, three volleys could breach the gate. But each volley required considerable time, during which your soldiers would be demoralized by the specter of death.

Half an hour later...

"Boom!" The second volley of eight-ox crossbow bolts struck the city gate, causing the tower to tremble once more. At that moment, the gate began to buckle inward, deformed by the impact. One more volley, and the gate would be breached.

The martial masters cheered in excitement. One more volley, and victory would be theirs. Su Lianxian had proven himself a master of siege warfare. Yet, Su Lianxian himself showed no hint of satisfaction; instead, he became even more solemn.