Chapter Forty-Two: Your Highness, Even in My Next Life, I Would Still Wish to Lead Your Horse

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The Helan Mountains.

Hu Xu lay atop a heap of grass, covered in wounds, his face smeared with blood.

Scattered around him lay several soldiers of the Divine Strategy Army, along with Guan Xingsheng and Wu Weichen.

Two days earlier, Hu Xu had secretly used his connections through the merchants’ guild to purchase vast quantities of grain and cold-weather supplies from several nearby prefectures.

Such large-scale buying had quickly attracted unwanted attention.

Yet Hu Xu knew he had no other choice. As long as they could secure the grain and supplies, he had nothing to fear even if the Great Qi court discovered what he was doing.

What he had never anticipated was that, just after he, Guan Xingsheng, and Wu Weichen had reunited near the Helan Mountains, a cavalry force twenty thousand strong had suddenly descended upon them.

With no alternative, Hu Xu had ordered his men to transport all the supplies into the depths of the mountains first.

During the process, soldiers of the Divine Strategy Army had sacrificed themselves one after another in a desperate effort to hold back the enemy.

But fortune had favored them in the midst of misfortune. After fleeing into the mountains, they had unexpectedly discovered a mountain stronghold.

The stronghold had once belonged to some band of bandits in the Helan Mountains, but for reasons unknown, it had later been abandoned. That had given Hu Xu and the others a temporary refuge in which to cling to life.

“These cavalrymen only dare to bully us because we don’t have enough men. On a proper battlefield, I’d make sure not a single one of them went home.”

Guan Xingsheng’s left arm was injured, and blood had long since soaked through his padded coat.

Wu Weichen forced a weary smile. “Old Guan, that’s nonsense!”

“On a real battlefield, whether those ruffians would even have the courage to fight our Divine Strategy Army is another question entirely.”

“Damn it all! When the tiger leaves the mountain, even dogs dare to bully it!”

Guan Xingsheng cursed, only to aggravate his wound and draw a sharp breath through his teeth.

Hu Xu alone remained silent, resting quietly.

“Old Hu, say something, so I know you’re still breathing.”

Guan Xingsheng laboriously turned his head and called out. Hu Xu merely lifted an arm slightly to show that he was still alive.

“You scared me half to death! I thought you were already dead. If you were, I’d have no idea how to explain it to the prince when he arrives.” Guan Xingsheng grinned broadly, as if the Great Qi troops gradually closing in below the stronghold did not exist.

At last, Hu Xu opened his eyes and said weakly, “You with the surname Guan, can’t you be quiet for a while? I want to save some strength for killing the enemy.”

“Hahaha! That’s the spirit!”

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Guan Xingsheng struggled to his feet and glanced around, his heart filled with bitterness.

When they had set out to resolve the grain shortage, they had brought only two thousand soldiers of the Divine Strategy Army in order to avoid attracting attention. When they entered the city, the soldiers had first concealed themselves in the forests outside its walls.

Even so, they had still ended up surrounded.

Looking back, it was clear that the enemy had prepared in advance, deliberately waiting until they had spent their money and purchased the supplies before making their move.

Now, of the two thousand soldiers of the Divine Strategy Army, fewer than two hundred remained.

Outside the stronghold, at least ten thousand Great Qi soldiers had already entered the mountains.

Two hundred wounded men against ten thousand elite troops— even the usually audacious Guan Xingsheng felt that this battle offered no hope.

“I’m going to take the watch for our brother.”

Guan Xingsheng slapped his own face hard, then slowly walked toward the stronghold’s crude watchtower.

But after he had taken only a few steps, the sound of something cleaving through the air suddenly rang out. The Divine Strategy soldier stationed atop the tower silently toppled from it.

A sharp arrow had pierced straight through his shoulder, and the tremendous fall left him lifeless the moment he struck the ground.

Guan Xingsheng’s eyes turned blood-red. Like a madman, he roared, “Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

No one had expected the Great Qi soldiers to arrive so quickly. Many of the Divine Strategy soldiers had not yet recovered their strength, but they were forced to grit their teeth and rise once more.

All of them summoned the last of their strength and rushed to the stronghold’s gate, bracing it shut with massive wooden beams.

The stronghold had been built on elevated ground. Its walls were high, making it easy to defend and difficult to assault, while the gate was its only entrance.

But the place had been abandoned for many years, and the gate was far from sturdy.

Moreover, the Great Qi army numbered ten thousand. With fewer than two hundred soldiers of the Divine Strategy Army, they could hold out for no more than a brief moment.

“Brothers, prepare to kill. Killing one means we lose nothing; killing two means we come out ahead.”

By then, Guan Xingsheng had climbed atop the watchtower. He raised his bow and loosed an arrow.

A Great Qi soldier who had been attempting to creep closer was struck at once and fell to the ground with a scream.

But Guan Xingsheng was only one man. Even with every arrow finding its mark, he could not stop the Great Qi army from advancing below.

By then, Hu Xu and the others had already seen a trace of resolve in one another’s eyes. The moment the stronghold’s gate was breached, they would draw the long blades at their waists and perish together with the Great Qi army.

“Remember to burn all the provisions before we die.”

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Hu Xu bared his teeth in a smile more painful to behold than tears. Wu Weichen nodded faintly and said mockingly, “Old Hu, I’m not bold enough to burn the provisions. You should stay alive until the end and do it yourself!”

“Get lost!”

Hu Xu’s heart swelled with emotion. Wu Weichen wanted to die before him, because only the one who remained alive could burn all the provisions.

The Divine Strategy Army might be defeated, but it would never surrender— and it certainly would not leave the hard-won provisions at the mercy of the Great Qi army.

Outside the stronghold, a great mass of Great Qi soldiers had already surged up to the gate.

“What are you all standing around for? Smash down this rotten gate!”

A voice brimming with savagery rang out. The Great Qi soldiers surrounding the gate immediately obeyed, quickly sending dozens of men to chop down trees.

Had Qin Xuan been there, he would have recognized the commander at a glance: it was none other than Liu Zhizhong.

For this campaign, all the Great Qi troops Liu Zhizhong had brought were cavalry, so they naturally carried no siege equipment.

But this was deep in the mountains, where trees thick enough for two men to encircle stood everywhere. They could simply use whatever materials they found on hand.

“Those inside, listen carefully! If you know what’s good for you, open the gate obediently and I may spare your lives. Otherwise, once I smash this gate apart, I’ll have every one of you cut into a thousand pieces!”

Liu Zhizhong shouted his offer of surrender from outside the stronghold.

But the instant he finished speaking, Guan Xingsheng’s arrow nearly pierced his head.

Liu Zhizhong’s face went white with terror. He hurriedly retreated to the rear and snarled, “Loose the arrows! Fire!”

A storm of arrows immediately poured down. Several Divine Strategy soldiers who failed to take cover in time were struck where they stood and died on the spot.

Even Guan Xingsheng was forced to hide inside the watchtower, unable to show himself for the moment.

“It seems the prince won’t make it in time to save us.”

Wu Weichen sighed with faint disappointment, though a smile remained on his face. He remembered the days when he had first joined the Divine Strategy Army and followed Qin Xuan across the battlefields.

“My prince, I suppose I’ll have to serve you in my next life,” he said with a dry laugh.

Hu Xu laughed along with him. “You certainly think highly of yourself. If there truly is another life, I’d still like to lead our prince’s horse once more. I’m really not ready to die.”