Chapter 7: The Famous Cities of the World

  In the sixth month of the year 753 of Sheng Long, Lun Yu Guan had fallen for three months and more than two months had passed since the great battle at Sheng Long River. The whole world was in a state of turmoil.

  The Hulan Empire has besieged the Holy Capital for nearly two months. The entire Central Plains, except for a few cities such as Jinzhou guarded by Lin Renshan and Hanling guarded by Shangguan Mingjing, have either been conquered by the Hulan army or surrendered. However, the armies of the four major families are still only defending their own territories, with no intention of engaging in a decisive battle with the powerful Hulan people.

  In the past, Lianyu Pass was known as the number one pass under heaven and was the frontline of the northern national defense of the Sacred Dragon Empire. Now it has become a rear base for the Hulan Empire, where large amounts of plundered wealth and robust men are constantly being gathered and then transported back to their home territory to enrich the treasury and support the war effort on the western front. The heavily guarded atmosphere of the past is now gone, replaced by the arrogance that comes from repeated victories and the psychology of dependence that comes from being stationed at the number one pass, coupled with the fact that their old country is right behind them, which makes the Hulan garrison not have a sense of being in enemy territory.

  No one expected that on the south side of Lianyu Pass, in the mountains and forests, the soldiers of the Autumn Wind Army were lying in ambush. Bai Qi looked at the row after row of Hulan Iron Cavalry coming out of Lianyu Pass and couldn't help but sigh, turning to ask Feng Yu: "General, how did you confirm that Hariqin would fall for such a simple trick of luring the tiger away from the mountain?"

  Feng Yu smiled calmly and said: "Because he is a famous general."

  Looking at the puzzled gaze of Bai Qi, Feng Yu continued to explain: "Firstly, our army, under the banner of General, continuously sent troops to harass and attack the escort teams near Lunyu Pass. In the minds of ordinary people, they would think that this is a plan to lure the tiger away from its lair; but Harike is a seasoned old general, in his heart he must have wondered why the great General Bai Qi, who is known for his divine military tactics, would use such a shallow trick? So, from the depths of his heart, he denied that this was a plan to lure the tiger away from its lair.

  Secondly, Hulan attaches great importance to military achievements. As a famous general, he is stationed in the rear, watching his colleagues fight and gain merits on the front line. His heart must be unbalanced. When he has the opportunity to show off, he will naturally seek it eagerly. Moreover, with enemies constantly harassing him near at hand, yet he remains indifferent, this is also something that a famous general's honor cannot tolerate.

  Again, as a famous general, he is not only extremely confident in his own strength, but also attaches great importance to an opponent like the General who has been fighting with him and is evenly matched; and being in a famous city like Lunyu Guan, it makes him naturally over-rely on the defensive power of the city. So he will definitely lead the main force to besiege the General, and because he firmly believes that the General cannot easily take Lunyu Guan, he will intentionally or unintentionally leave the defense of Lunyu Guan empty, who knows if he is now dreaming of capturing the Saint Dragon General under the city, while he himself launches a surprise attack from behind!

  Bai Qi couldn't help but laugh bitterly, it was too frightening. Both the enemy and our side, even the impregnable Lianyu Pass, had become tools for this refined and courteous young man to defeat his enemies with.

  The wind and rain did not care what Bai Qi was doing, all his energy was drawn to the city defense map in the hands of the thin old man in front of him.

  After arriving at Worry-Free Valley, Feng Yu realized that this place was not simple and could be said to be a hidden dragon and crouching tiger. Eugene's father was originally the Grand Councilor of the Imperial Court, but later retired to his hometown after offending the powerful and established Worry-Free Valley. Due to its proximity to Lianyu Pass, it had always received the support and care of the three successive guardians of Lianyu Pass: Gao Zhan, Zhuo Bufan, and Bai Qi; many eccentric and extraordinary individuals who could not be tolerated in the imperial court of the Holy Dragon Empire came here.

  The old man standing in the wind and rain is called Nan Tianmen. Although he doesn't look impressive, he was once the number one craftsman of the Holy Dragon Empire. However, after getting drunk and offending a noble concubine, he had to escape to Worry-Free Valley. It was him who oversaw the renovation of Lunyu Pass ten years ago.

  The wind and rain looked at the map in front of them, and couldn't help but sigh secretly. This Lianyu Pass was indeed a famous city under heaven, with its back against the mountains and its front facing the water, its terrain was treacherous; the thickness and height of the city walls were among the best in the current era; moreover, it consisted of three layers of outer city walls and two layers of inner city walls, with a watchtower every five steps and a barracks every ten steps, wide enough for five horses to gallop side by side, and also equipped with large-scale crossbows and catapults; the city occupied a vast area, with a population of several million, all kinds of industries were available, even farmland was set up, completely self-sufficient, not afraid of being besieged at all, it was like a country within a country. If Hulan hadn't used internal traitors, this city would have been impossible to break through.

  However, the current situation is reversed. With the help of a well-known and extremely familiar master craftsman in the city, and the call of General Bai Qi, who has a reputation for excellence; coupled with the fact that since the first month, people have been infiltrating the city under the cover of wind and rain to contact the slaves in the city and prepare for an uprising. The main force defending Hulan was also transferred away, leaving the city's defenses empty, and with internal and external responses, Lunyu Pass is almost within reach.

  Suddenly, a gust of wind and rain stirred in his heart, and he asked Bai Qi: "Who is it that has come up with a plan to seize the Lianyu Pass?"

  Bai Qi let out a sigh and said indignantly, "It's that great traitor Zhang Zhongjian again! Originally, Hulan was just a small country that paid tribute to our Heavenly Dynasty every year. It wasn't until the current Khan employed a group of willing slaves from our Sacred Dragon Empire that they became powerful today. The most famous one among them is precisely this Zhang Zhongjian."

  He was originally a jinshi of my dynasty, but because of his arrogant and violent personality, he actually killed the Taishi Linghu Xuancai at that time and escaped to Hulan. As a result, he was reused by Khan of Hulan as Guoshi and entrusted with military and political power.

  "This man was indeed very capable, under his rule, in ten years he destroyed seven countries and more than thirty tribes, unifying the vast grasslands; later he also led a western expedition to conquer the east, making Hulan the strongest country outside the pass. Unfortunately, he had talent but was willing to be used by a foreign tribe."

  The wind and rain have also heard a lot of feelings. The way to govern the country is first to use people, and the Holy Dragon Empire has always been a place where talents emerge in large numbers. Unfortunately, it only has talented people but cannot entrust them with important tasks, instead letting talents flow out to help other countries develop, and turning them into their own threats. This is probably the biggest failure of those in power.

  Of course, the wind and rain are not the same as Zhang Zhongjian's approach. Although he sympathizes with his misfortune and appreciates his quick revenge, he absolutely does not agree with him to harm his own nation in return. In any case, the only unfair thing is the imperial court. Since ancient times, there has never been an eternal imperial court. The imperial court can be overthrown and destroyed; but a nation, one's own nation, is eternal. A nation needs countless members to maintain it with heart, to cultivate it; to irrigate it with blood and sweat. The imperial court can disappear, but the nation must make every individual stand up to defend it. If one's own nation is destroyed, what else can one be proud of?

  Because of this, Feng Yu has never planned to be loyal to the monarch and report to the country. He would even make a fortune from national difficulties, but he will not introduce wolves into his home like Zhang Zhongjian, harming his own nation and compatriots. This is also why later, as an imperial subject, he repeatedly ignored the court's danger and did nothing, but when the nation reached a critical moment, he resolutely put aside personal grudges and used thunderous means to save the country from extinction, even if it meant fundamentally destroying other nations.

  Unconsciously, the sky darkened. One after another, soldiers bit their lips and grasped their reins tightly, wearing the uniforms of the captured Hulan army, quietly descending from the mountain ridge, throwing themselves into the battle to capture Lengyu Pass - the number one pass in the world.