Chapter Thirty-One: Moonlit Flight

  "Young master, my 5,000 troops have not lost a single man, only more than 40 people are slightly injured, all of whom are fine and can continue to fight at any time." Zhao Cheng has reported the situation of each team to me.

  I was shocked after hearing it, although I launched a surprise attack first. In this small-scale annihilation battle with 5,000 against 5,000, our side didn't lose a single person... It's really exhilarating.

  But... the soldiers under Han's command won't all be so weak, will they? If that's really the case, then Father's defeat was too humiliating! Is Father much weaker than him?

  "Sound the assembly, rush to Jincheng!" I flipped onto my horse and pointed my spear southward. "Zhao Cheng, order our brothers to rest for a moment. After half an hour, we'll charge towards Jincheng with all our might and quickly make contact with Father!"

  Zhao Cheng hastily accepted the order and went down to make arrangements.

  After a brief pause to catch our breath, Ma Dai and I urged on our horses and led the entire army in a swift exit from the eastern gate.

  According to Pang Rou's investigation, Jincheng was the place where Li Kan was stationed, and it was less than 100 miles away from both Zhiyang and Yunwu. At this time, a fast horse could still arrive before nightfall.

  The night grew darker and darker.

  On the late spring evening, the chill still pierces to the bone. I clearly feel the coolness of the reins and the velvet on the lion's helmet fluttering in the wind. I miss my mother again.

  Daughter, wait patiently for two more days, your son will definitely avenge you!

  With all my might I urged the horse on, and my brain seemed to be frozen by this biting cold, so that it was a complete blank, only urging the horse on, until I felt my spirits somewhat calmer, when I saw the enemy's grey tents, and the dying embers of their camp fires.

  "Big brother, shall we charge in?" Ma Dai's small face was flushed red as he looked at me and then at the two thousand cavalrymen behind him. I also turned around to look at them, their young faces were also reddened by the cold wind of Xiliang.

  "Alright, kill Li Kan and rest for two hours!" I still didn't forget to shout loudly, "Do your best to minimize losses, do not disturb the civilians!"

  The cavalry behind me let out a low, unified roar, and I charged into the camp with Ma Dai.

  The night watchmen were all stunned, and when they hastily sounded the alarm, they had already been trampled to pieces by the cavalry. The soldiers in the tent had rushed out of the camp with swords and knives, but were also knocked to the ground by the iron riders. Although on the surface it seemed like a 5,000-strong army against another 5,000-strong army, the cavalry took advantage of their momentum to launch a surprise attack, instantly breaching the enemy's camp.

  Five thousand cavalrymen galloped among the five thousand chaotic troops, trampling and crushing lives at will. At this moment, I couldn't help but think that these iron riders who came down without even having time to let out a miserable cry might be just like me, perhaps they too were helpless.

  Five thousand enemy troops, we just went back and forth three times, and not a single living person could resist again. I didn't even use my gun, but just trampled and charged, and defeated the five thousand men.

  Inside and outside the camp were a mess of flesh and blood, I didn't want to look at these anymore. I spurred my horse to jump over the corpses that blocked my way and rushed towards Li Kan's mansion.

  These small broken cities all look the same, Li Kan's mansion and Cheng Yin's mansion are likely to be designed by a construction company in Xi Lian, looking exactly the same. The guards at the gate of Li Kan's mansion are also the same as those at the gate of Cheng Yin's mansion, all dozing off under the stone lions in front of the gate.

  I rode forward on horseback, **the fierce horse suddenly sprang up, its hooves trampling the large gate with a loud crash. With another long whinny, the warhorse had already entered through the gate, and the many cavalrymen behind me let out a loud shout as they poured in one after another.

  Li Kan was dragged out from the backyard, at this time he was about to reach the climax of his love affair with a concubine, but was kicked open by a soldier, then stripped naked and pulled down from the bed, directly thrown into the outer courtyard. After experiencing such a shock, he was indeed frightened - his lower body, which had been full of vigor and ambition, was now limp and spiritless, probably he would never have the chance to lift his head again.

  I am still slowly approaching him, silently staring at him.

  Just then he stammered: "G- General... why must you destroy my Golden City?"

  These people are all familiar with me! I've never met them before, except for that day when Ma came to my house.

  "It's not me who wants to break your golden city," I said in a low voice, "but it's my dad who wants to ask you something..."

  "What's going on?!"

  "General Li, I don't know if you still remember, in Wuwei four years ago, those people who could have lived until today?" I lowered my head and looked at my boots.

  Li Kan's face was ashen, and he still wanted to say something. The woman next to him, who seemed to be his legitimate wife, had already burst into loud wailing: "You old scoundrel, I told you early on not to mess with General Ma's woman! You just wouldn't listen, always thinking of ways to scheme against other people's wives, and even inciting that old rascal Han Xi. I've tolerated your having seven or eight concubines already, but you're still not satisfied, spending every day frolicking in the brothels... Look, now our son has grown up and come to take revenge!..." As she scolded, she gesticulated wildly, wanting to go over and punch and kick her husband. She was held back by a nearby servant, but managed to spit out a mouthful of saliva with great force.

  Li Kan still had a wooden face, but in my heart it was getting colder and colder: Not just one old thief Han Sui?!

  The long knife in his hand had slashed out at an angle, Li Kan didn't dodge at all, and his entire head along with half of his shoulder was cut off by the sharp blade. It spun around in mid-air before landing straight into his wife's embrace. His wife perhaps hadn't expected the ferocity of my strike, and she let out a shrill cry as she fainted on the spot.

  I waved my hand, and Ma Dai understood, directing his men to kill all 27 members of Li Kan's family, old and young, and then gather them together and throw them into the fire pit. Half a time later, they had already turned into a pile of powder.

  "General, two thousand cavalrymen have no casualties." The leaders of each team had counted the results of casualties and reported that it was another zero casualty.

  "Pass down the order, each team leaves someone on duty at night, rest for three shifts, and advance to Jincheng after dawn!"

  I watched the backs of several leaders going down to convey instructions, and I couldn't help but sigh in my heart. The enemy was annihilated quite smoothly, I wonder how things are going on Father's side, hoping he won't tarnish the reputation of Xiliang Iron Cavalry too much, otherwise - if there is an otherwise - I won't let him lead the army alone again - if there are other capable people.

  The night grew darker.

  The moonlight became even brighter.

  The pitch-black sky, can't find a single star.

  Daughter, tomorrow son will join forces with old dad to attack Han Wei this old thief. Although I don't quite believe in ghosts and gods, please, in the spirit of heaven, bless me and old dad, let us smoothly take down the old thief's head and place it outside your tomb in Guzang City, avenging you and Uncle Pang's grievances.

  Han Sui, tomorrow's next year, next year's tomorrow, is your old man's memorial day.