Hearing Yan Dan's words, Le Cheng was left speechless. His heart was filled with a sense of gloom. "The Crown Prince is too stubborn, imagining everything will go exactly as he wishes as if the world bends to his will."
"Pass my order," Yan Dan commanded. "Close the city gates and prepare for battle. I want to see if this Zhao Feng truly dares to attack, to provoke a conflict between Qin and our Yan State."
The city gates promptly slammed shut, and Yan soldiers swarmed onto the city walls, readying themselves in a defensive stance.
Not long after, an imposing Qin army of 20,000 soldiers gathered outside the small city.
"The Qin army has come," Le Cheng said with a deep frown, his expression heavy.
Yan Dan might be foolish and overconfident, but Le Cheng knew all too well how formidable the Qin forces were.
Or rather, he had firsthand experience with the strength of the Zhao army. Back when Zhao attacked Yan, their relentless assault had left the Yan State utterly powerless, forced into retreat after retreat. If not for Qin's intervention, the Yan State might have already fallen and been annexed by Zhao.
"Qin army," Yan Dan sneered, staring down from the city wall. "I don't believe you dare to attack."
Below, the Qin army was already arrayed in formation. Zhao Feng rode at the forefront of his troops on horseback, flanked by his trusted generals Tu Sui, Wei Quan, and Liu Wang.
After receiving intelligence on the presence of Yan troops, Zhao Feng quickly mobilized 20,000 elite soldiers to confront them.
Though the Yan army claimed to number 100,000, their forces were scattered. The number of troops stationed in this small city was far fewer, giving Zhao Feng confidence that his forces would suffice.
"General," Tu Sui said, glancing at the city walls before turning to Zhao Feng. "This city is already under Yan's control. The soldiers we released earlier should have delivered our message to them by now. Yet the city gates are shut they have no intention of withdrawing."
Zhao Feng didn't respond immediately. He extended his hand, and his aide, Zhang Ming, stepped forward, holding an arrow with a small cloth tied to it.
"This will be my final warning," Zhao Feng said coldly. "If they still refuse to retreat, we'll attack."
He spurred his horse forward, stopping just shy of a hundred paces from the city walls. Drawing his heavy iron bow, Zhao Feng nocked the arrow and let it fly.
With a sharp whistle, the arrow tore through the air and struck the city wall with a resounding thud.
The impact was so powerful that the arrow buried itself deep into the wall, cracks radiating outward from the point of impact.
"Is he even human?" one Yan soldier muttered in astonishment from atop the wall.
Slightly shaken, Le Cheng approached the wall and examined the arrow. He found it embedded so deeply that even his strongest soldiers couldn't budge it. Giving up, they instead removed the cloth tied to the arrow and presented it to Yan Dan.
Yan Dan unfurled the cloth. As he read its contents, his face darkened with rage.
"How dare he! This Zhao Feng dares to threaten me?" Yan Dan exclaimed furiously.
Le Cheng glanced at the message. The cloth bore only a single sentence:
"In half an incense stick's time, we will attack. If the Yan army dares to resist, we will show no mercy and leave no survivors. Withdraw immediately, and you may yet be spared."
Le Cheng's expression turned grim. "Crown Prince, this Zhao Feng means every word. If we don't retreat, he will attack."
Le Cheng continued, "Before we mobilized, His Majesty explicitly instructed us not to engage the Qin army under any circumstances."
At the mention of the Yan King, Yan Dan hesitated momentarily. Yet, as he gazed out at the Qin army just 20,000 strong compared to his own 30,000 to 40,000 troops fortified within the city, he found it impossible to swallow his pride.
How could he retreat after working so hard to seize these lands? How could he abandon this opportunity to prove himself?
"These cities were won through the blood and sweat of our Yan soldiers. They are the territory of Yan. How could I hand them over so easily?" Yan Dan said coldly.
To say Yan Dan was shameless would be an understatement. His soldiers had fought hard to take these cities. What of the Qin soldiers who bled and died in the siege of Handan?
But as always, history would be written by the victors.
"General," Yan Dan ordered. "Prepare for battle. If this Zhao Feng dares to attack, let's see if he can succeed."
Le Cheng's face turned pale. "Crown Prince, are you truly intent on engaging the Qin forces? This will undoubtedly provoke a war with Qin!"
"This isn't a war it's the Qin army attacking us. The fault lies with them, not Yan," Yan Dan insisted stubbornly.
"What's wrong, General? Do you refuse to follow my orders?" Yan Dan's gaze turned icy as he stared at Le Cheng.
Deep down, Yan Dan despised Le Cheng. To him, this former traitor who had once defected to Zhao was unworthy of respect.
If Yan hadn't been so short of capable generals, Le Cheng would never have been reinstated as Supreme Commander.
"Crown Prince, I urge you to reconsider. If we truly engage the Qin army, you alone must bear the consequences," Le Cheng warned directly, unable to hold back any longer.
If Yan engaged the Qin army, the responsibility would be immense. Le Cheng had no intention of becoming Yan Dan's scapegoat.
"I will take full responsibility for everything," Yan Dan said coldly. "But any credit for repelling the Qin army will have nothing to do with you."
Hearing this, Le Cheng's face darkened further, his heart sinking like a stone.
In front of the city walls, with no more than 20,000 Qin soldiers, Crown Prince Yan Dan was filled with confidence.
"Zhao Feng is no ordinary figure. If he were, then Lian Po, Wei Wuji, and Pang Nuan would not have lost to him two of them even perished. Your Highness, you should be prepared to face him properly."
"From now on, this battle is entirely up to you."
"I shall take my leave." Le Sheng bowed to Yan Dan, then turned and left the city wall.
Watching Le Sheng's retreating figure, Yan Dan's eyes were filled with cold disdain. "If not for Father having no one else to rely on, I would have killed you the moment you returned."
"Just wait."
"When I ascend the throne one day, you, this cowardly traitor, will be the first I execute."
Snapping back to reality, Yan Dan shook off his thoughts and called out loudly, "Soldiers! This city is a hard-won victory achieved through your valiant efforts. It is now part of Great Yan's territory. Now the Qin army dares to come and try to take our prize. Will you allow that?"
At these words, the soldiers atop the city walls exchanged uneasy glances. Yan Dan's proclamation left them feeling deflated.
Ever since they had entered Zhao territory, they had encountered little resistance from Zhao's troops. Those they did encounter either fled or surrendered. Their ten-thousand-strong army had essentially marched unimpeded.
Under such circumstances, even ordinary soldiers understood that the Zhao army had been utterly broken by the Qin forces. They were merely scavenging the remnants.
"What's wrong?" Yan Dan bellowed angrily when he saw the silence from the troops on the city wall. "Are you afraid?"
At this, a few of Yan Dan's trusted officers raised their weapons and shouted, "We swear to defend the territory of Great Yan! To protect its cities with our lives!"
Under their instigation, sparse shouts of agreement began to rise from the soldiers on the wall. However, the overall morale was visibly low.
It was no surprise. The soldiers had already been demoralized by previous defeats to Zhao's forces, nearly leading to the downfall of Yan. Now, facing the Qin army that had decimated Zhao, they were naturally filled with dread.
At this moment, Qin General Zhao Feng, standing outside the city, raised his Overlord Spear.
"Elite soldiers of Great Qin!"
As Zhao Feng raised his weapon, his voice thundered like a storm.
"Feng! Feng! Feng!"
The 20,000 Qin elite troops responded in unison, their war cry resounding like rolling thunder, shaking the heavens and filling the air with an overwhelming aura of bloodlust.
The stark contrast between the morale of the two sides was immediately evident.
"So, this is the Qin army?"
"What terrifying killing intent."
Even Yan Dan felt a chill as he listened to the thunderous cries and sensed the invisible killing aura in the air. A seed of doubt began to take root in his heart.
If he felt this way, the Yan soldiers on the walls were even worse off.
"The Zhao army was already so powerful, but the Qin army defeated them completely."
"And they look even more fearsome than the Zhao forces."
"We can't possibly be a match for them."
"What should we do?"
On the walls, the Yan soldiers were already in a state of panic.
"If it weren't for Qin's righteousness, responding to Yan's plea for help, Yan would not exist today!"
"But now, Yan repays kindness with betrayal, seeking to seize our victory!"
"This is intolerable!"
"Elite soldiers of Qin, heed my order!"
"Follow me, and break this city!"
"When the city falls, leave no prisoners!"
"Kill without mercy!"
Zhao Feng roared as he charged forward on horseback, with 600 personal guards close behind all mounted cavalry.
Taking this small city did not require much effort from Zhao Feng. His intelligence had revealed that the Yan army defending the city was poorly equipped and lacked defensive measures. Furthermore, this was just a small, low-walled town with a fragile gate.
As the cavalry charged, Tu Sui unsheathed his sword and bellowed, "Attack!"
"Elite soldiers of Qin, attack!"
The 20,000 elite troops roared in unison and spread out to begin their assault.
"This Zhao Feng is seeking his death!"
"He's attacking a city with cavalry?"
Yan Dan was momentarily stunned, then sneered mockingly. "It seems Zhao Feng's reputation is overblown."
"If he dares approach the city, he's just walking into a trap. Capturing him might give us leverage to negotiate with Qin."
With that thought, Yan Dan immediately ordered, "Archers, prepare! Release arrows when the Qin forces approach!"
"Great Yan's territory must not fall!"
Under Yan Dan's command, the archers on the walls drew their bows, aiming down at the approaching Qin cavalry.
However, Zhao Feng and his guards showed no signs of slowing, galloping straight toward the city gate.
"Release arrows!"
Yan Dan drew his sword and shouted the order.
A volley of arrows rained down from the walls.
Zhao Feng charged forward, spinning the Overlord Spear to swat the arrows aside. His guards followed suit, skillfully deflecting the incoming projectiles with their spears.
Each of Zhao Feng's guards was at least at the fourth level of postnatal martial arts. The sparse volley of arrows from the Yan soldiers posed no real threat to them.
In the blink of an eye, Zhao Feng reached the city gate.
"Break!"
The Overlord Spear, an extraordinary weapon of its class, was infused with a surge of qi as Zhao Feng struck. A devastating energy burst forth, smashing into the city gate with tremendous force.
With a thunderous crash, the gate shattered.
The Yan soldiers behind the gate panicked.
"Kill!"
Zhao Feng charged into the city, his Overlord Spear sweeping out to instantly slay several Yan soldiers. His horse galloped forward as he led the charge, carving a bloody path through the defenders.
His guards quickly followed, regrouping as they joined the fray. The battle instantly turned into a one-sided slaughter. The demoralized Yan soldiers, like lambs to the slaughter, were helpless against the onslaught.
"The gate has fallen."
"Follow the general!"
"Kill!"
Tu Sui roared as he urged his horse forward, followed by the 20,000 elite soldiers who stormed into the city.
"Impossible!"
"This can't be happening!"
"How did he break through the gate?"
Yan Dan was in complete shock. This was not the battle he had imagined.
Zhao Feng had shattered the city gate in an instant. How was that even possible?
Faced with Zhao Feng's relentless assault, the Yan army's already fragile defense crumbled entirely.
"The Qin army are monsters."
"Retreat! Run!"
"The gate has been breached. We're doomed!"
"It's a massacre... monsters... they're monsters!"
The Yan soldiers scattered in terror.
"Yan soldiers!"
"Leave no one alive!"
Zhao Feng's cold command echoed through the chaos as he continued his ruthless advance, cutting down enemies with ease.
"Kill one Yan soldier, gain one point of strength."
"Kill one Yan soldier, gain one day of life..."
Notifications of gained attributes flowed continuously as Zhao Feng and his guards slaughtered their way through the city.
Meanwhile, Tu Sui and the elite troops pressed on, their morale soaring as they followed their general's example.
"Your Highness!"
"The city is lost!"
"We can't hold it any longer!"
"Your Highness, the gate is breached. There's no way to escape!"
Desperate cries of alarm came from all directions as panicked Yan soldiers reported the grim situation to Yan Dan.
But by this point, it was far too late.
The confidence Yan Dan had displayed half an hour earlier now seemed utterly ridiculous.
"How can the Qin army be so powerful?"
"Why are my soldiers so weak in the face of them?"
Fear was etched across Yan Dan's face as he stared at the encroaching Qin forces. The proud facade he had held moments ago had crumbled into nothing.
"Kill! Kill them all!"
"Leave no one alive!"
The Qin soldiers charged up the city walls, their cries of battle filling the air. The Yan soldiers were overwhelmed, utterly defenseless against the ferocity of the Qin assault.
In no time, the remaining few thousand Yan soldiers on the walls were reduced to a few hundred, desperately clinging to life as they surrounded Yan Dan.
"Stop!"
"I am Crown Prince Yan Dan of Great Yan!"
"Bring Zhao Feng to me!"
Stepping forward, Yan Dan shouted, hoping his identity would buy him some time.
Hearing his declaration, the Qin soldiers paused, their gazes filled with greed as they stared at Yan Dan. None of them dared to make the first move, fearing they might inadvertently tear him apart.
"Spare Yan Dan."
"Kill everyone else."
"The one who captures Yan Dan will be promoted one rank in both office and nobility."
Zhao Feng's voice rang out across the city walls.
He had no intention of killing Yan Dan. Emperor Ying Zheng had specifically instructed him not to do so. Killing Yan Dan would bring no benefit to Qin; keeping him alive served a greater purpose.
After all, in Ying Zheng's eyes, having such a foolish crown prince in Yan State was beneficial for Qin.
Moreover, this might be Ying Zheng's last moment of consideration for the childhood bond they once shared.
"Zhao Feng, how dare you!"
"My Yan State has an alliance with Qin!"
Yan Dan's expression changed drastically as he shouted at Zhao Feng.
But no one paid him any attention.
"Kill."
"Kill them all..."
The sharp soldiers swarmed up, slaughtering the remaining Yan soldiers on the city wall.
It didn't take long.
The Yan soldiers on the wall were completely wiped out, leaving corpses strewn across the battlements.
Even Yan Dan was seized by two sharp soldiers working together.
"Zhao Feng."
"How dare you?"
"How dare you do this?" Yan Dan's face twisted in rage as he stared at Zhao Feng.
"I already gave you a chance," Zhao Feng said coldly as he walked toward Yan Dan step by step.
"Yan Dan, Crown Prince of Yan."
"Put away your so-called naivety. This is war a fight to the death."
"Go ahead and kill me!" Yan Dan roared.
For him, this defeat was a harsh slap in the face. He had sought to expand territory and prove himself through this battle, but everything he dreamed of was crushed in this one campaign.
The mere thought of facing his father, or even Ying Zheng, made Yan Dan feel that death might be a better fate.
"After all, you are a crown prince of a nation."
"If I kill you, how will I explain myself to His Majesty?" Zhao Feng chuckled coldly.
"General!"
"Many Yan soldiers in the city have surrendered. Should we accept them?" Tu Sui approached hastily to report.
"What did the war declaration I issued say?" Zhao Feng turned to him, frowning.
"No acceptance of surrenders. Leave none alive," Tu Sui immediately replied.
"Then why are you even asking?" Zhao Feng said coldly.
"Understood." Tu Sui retreated immediately.
"Zhao Feng."
"How can you be so ruthless?"
"They have already surrendered! Why must you slaughter them all?" Yan Dan questioned angrily.
"Crown Prince."
"You made this choice yourself."
"I already warned you."
"As long as you don't retreat, our Great Qin will consider you an enemy. And how we deal with enemies is none of your concern, Crown Prince."
"Take him away."
"Keep him under strict guard."
"Pursue the Yan army. Do not take prisoners. Drive them back beyond Zhao's borders."
"As for Yan Dan, send an urgent report to Xianyang and let His Majesty decide his fate," Zhao Feng commanded sternly.
"Understood."
Zhang Ming immediately acknowledged the order.
In Yan State, Ji City:
"What did you say?"
"Yan Dan has been captured by Qin General Zhao Feng? Of my 100,000 soldiers, fewer than 60,000 returned?"
"Didn't I say not to engage the Qin army? How did this happen?"
In the court of Yan, upon hearing the news of the Yan army from Zhao's territory, King Xi of Yan's face changed drastically.
"Your Majesty."
"General Yue Cheng reported that the Qin army issued two war declarations in succession, asking the Crown Prince to withdraw and leave. The Qin army promised peace if he retreated."
"But the Crown Prince refused to listen and insisted on occupying Zhao's cities. In the end, Qin General Zhao Feng was provoked to action, breached the Crown Prince's stronghold, and captured him."
"This is entirely due to the Crown Prince's obstinance," a military officer explained helplessly.
Hearing this, King Xi's face grew even colder, trembling with rage.
"Foolishness!"
"Disobedient child!"
"I clearly said that if the Qin army arrives, they must not be engaged and that they should retreat immediately. Yet this rebellious son dared to ignore my orders and fought the Qin army."
"Outrageous!" King Xi roared in fury.
At that moment, his anger reached its peak.
The Qin State!
This was a nation even stronger than Zhao.
To Yan State, Qin had shown benevolence. Their dispatch of troops to seize cities was already an act of ingratitude. King Xi had gambled, hoping Qin would not retaliate but he lost the gamble.
Hence, he had already instructed his troops: Do not engage the Qin army; retreat at once.
But he never expected his son to be so reckless.
"Your Majesty."
"The situation has already come to this."
"The Crown Prince has been captured. What should our Yan State do next?" a Yan minister asked cautiously.
"What can we do?"
"What else can I do?"
"Can I declare war on Qin to force them to release him?"
"That damned son let him die, for all I care."
"If he had died earlier, he wouldn't have created such a colossal mess for me," King Xi said angrily.
Faced with the King's outburst, the court ministers remained silent.
"Make amends. Apologize to Qin."
"As for that unworthy son, if Qin wants his life, so be it."
"Prime Minister, you will personally go to Qin as an envoy..."
As time passed, the cities in Zhao's territory were gradually taken over by Qin. Full control was only a matter of time.
In Xianyang:
"Reporting to Your Majesty, an envoy from Yan is requesting an audience."
Wang Wan stepped forward and reported loudly.
"They're finally here."
"I've been waiting for them long enough."
On his throne, Ying Zheng's face showed a faint smile.
News of Yan Dan's capture and the heavy defeat of the Yan army under Zhao Feng had already reached Xianyang.
Now, Ying Zheng was awaiting Yan's response. If they wanted to redeem Yan Dan and quell Qin's anger, they would have to pay a heavy price it wouldn't be as simple as just sending an envoy.
"Let him in," Ying Zheng commanded with authority.
"His Majesty has decreed."
"The Yan envoy is granted an audience," Zhao Gao announced loudly.
The announcement echoed through the halls.
An elderly official, dressed in the attire of a Yan envoy, slowly walked into Qin's grand court.
Upon entering the hall, he immediately knelt. "This humble servant, Jing Fu, envoy of Yan State, greets the King of Qin."
Ying Zheng coldly regarded the Yan envoy below and said icily, "Yan State."
"Breaking our alliance."
"How dare you attempt to snatch meat from Qin's jaws?"
"My general offered Yan a chance, but your state refused to appreciate it, instead sending troops to clash with my Great Qin."
"I am... deeply displeased!"
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