Chapter 44: Canglang (III)

Outside the walls of Nan City, Commander He Gan Chengji let out a hysterical roar.
“Kill them! Kill all those Tang invaders!”
Furious, He Gan Chengji’s troops had already reached the foot of Suiyang. Just as they were about to scale the city walls, they were stopped by a Tang army officer who hurled huge stones at them. The soldiers climbing on the ladders were helpless against these deadly weapons and were smashed back down. He Gan Chengji snatched the horn from his bodyguard and blew it fiercely.
“Woo—woo-woo-woo—woo-woo!”
The Yan army’s horns emitted a mournful sound—a signal meaning “advance only, never retreat.”
Better to die in battle than to live in shame and retreat!
This was the iron rule of the Great Yan army, the true reason for their invincibility.
They were a group of iron men!
The rebel soldiers, who had started to retreat halfway up, gritted their teeth and continued climbing toward the city walls. Behind them stood a squad of soldiers armed with broadswords—anyone who retreated would be executed on the spot! It was better to fight their way up the ladders than to be beheaded by the executioners!
There was still a chance of survival—either they died or they conquered!
Under their commander’s fierce urging, the rebels’ fearless spirit was fully unleashed. While dodging the rolling logs and stones, they gritted their teeth and climbed higher toward the southern walls of Suiyang…
Xu Yuan watched the growing number of rebel soldiers, his eyes red with anger. Frowning, he said to his deputy general beside him, “This won’t work. The rolling logs are running out, but there are still some stones. Is the boiling water and tung oil ready?”
The deputy general bowed respectfully to Xu Yuan and replied, “I and Brother Chen ordered our soldiers to light ten large pots over high flames. The first pot will be hot in no time!”
His attitude toward Xu Yuan had changed drastically, just like many other soldiers in the army. The reason for this change was simple: it was because of Xu Yuan’s act of slaying a Hu general with his sword that day.
A civil official, a scholar, who could show such courage, willing to sacrifice everything for his country—everyone admired him greatly.
That day, Xu Yuan had won the respect of all the soldiers with just a long sword!
“Good!”
Xu Yuan was overjoyed and ordered, “Take the first batch of boiling water and hot oil to the city walls. Pour it down from the battlements. I refuse to believe they can’t be burned to death!”
“Ah!”
The deputy general was stunned and stammered, “What… what did you just say?”
Xu Yuan glared at him and said, “I said, ‘I’! What’s so strange about that? I’ve suffered all my life—can’t I enjoy myself even before dying?’”
“Ah, yes, of course!”

The deputy general was deeply moved, and the last barrier between him and Xu Yuan in terms of status was completely removed.
“Your orders, sir!” The deputy general clasped his fists, ready to pass on the orders, but as he turned, he heard Xu Yuan say, “We are Tang people. Nothing can make us lower our noble heads—neither the Turks nor the Xi people, nor the Tongluo people!”
“Ah, just wait and see. We definitely won’t let the rebels take a single step forward!”
Under the deputy general’s command, the first batch of ten pots of boiling water and hot oil was quickly delivered to the top of the city walls.
Chen Chong, the officer in charge of guarding the walls, hurriedly ordered his soldiers to take the large pots and pour the contents down from the top of the walls.
There were simply too many rebel soldiers. Even though the Tang army used numerous stones and rolling logs to block them, nearly a hundred of the invaders managed to climb up to the top of the Suiyang city walls using ladders.
They roared loudly, as if they would soon be able to reach the top of the walls and raise the military flag of the Great Yan Empire.
Led by a captain, they set up simple wooden ladders and launched their final assault on the city. But after climbing just four or five steps, they found streams of bright yellow liquid pouring down from above.
When the liquid touched their skin, they realized it wasn’t fine wine or buttered tea—it was boiling oil!
“Ah!”
As the boiling oil hit their skin, the rebels felt excruciating pain. Steam rose from their flesh, and the smell of burning flesh spread far and wide.
One of the Tongluo soldiers climbed a few steps before feeling severe pain on top of his head. He looked up to check, but everything went dark before his eyes—his eyes were instantly blinded by the hot oil! The soldier cried out in pain and fell off the ladder.
“Great! Damn them!”
The deputy general was overjoyed, shouting and jumping. Now that things had come to this, killing one more rebel meant gaining one more ally for himself—there was no need to hesitate or regret!…
The night was dark, and a heavy rain poured down.
To the north of the city, there was a bloody melee.
“Up!”
At Nan Jiyun’s command, more than a hundred soldiers raised their halberds beside their shoulders.
“Forward!”
With each command, they stepped forward steadily, as firm as rock.
“Sweep!”
At the next command, the gleaming halberds slashed down at the advancing rebel soldiers. The halberds easily pierced chainmail, shattered shoulder blades, and cut through flesh and blood.

A Tongluo soldier stared in horror as the massive, monstrous sword sliced into his right shoulder and emerged from his left side. Bones cracked with a terrifying crunching sound, and intestines spilled out of his abdomen. His eyes were wide with fear of death. He wasn’t dead yet; half of his body writhed on the ground, leaving behind a trail of blood.
“Kill him!”
Nan Jiyun shouted, urging a recruit beside him. The recruit hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. The Tongluo soldier could no longer speak, only making whining sounds, his eyes filled with pleading. The recruit closed his eyes and swung the sword down with all his strength, ending the soldier’s life.
“You must learn to kill. If you don’t, they’ll kill you!”
Nan Jiyun’s voice rang in the recruit’s ears. This was a duel where failure was not an option—real, cruel, yet fair. Real cruelty, fair brutality. There was no room for mercy on the battlefield.
“Advance!”
Ignoring this minor incident, Nan Jiyun roared loudly. Rain pattered against the bluestone ground, producing a constant buzzing sound.
This was ultimately a night without sleep—only the victors would see the sun of tomorrow.
“Swing!”
Short and forceful. Nan Jiyun repeated these two commands simply. There was no need to be careful now. The entire wall was filled with rebels; he only needed to order people to swing and cut, splitting them in two and turning them into meat paste.
“Haha, haha!”
Nan Jiyun led his Mo Dao troops, pushing the front line forward relentlessly.
Thunder rumbled, and lightning illuminated his cheeks. Blood, sweat, and rain streamed down his neck.
“For the Tang Dynasty!”
Nan Jiyun roared loudly, swinging his Mo Dao with force and instantly beheading a Turkic officer.
“For the Tang Dynasty!”
“For the Tang Dynasty!”