The attack and defense battle at Yangjia Fort ultimately ended with a tragic victory for Yangjia Fort.
It wasn't until they were counting the bodies that the people of Yangjia Fort realized that this probably couldn't be considered an ordinary barbarian raid. There were over two hundred barbarian corpses in the Dock Fortress alone, including armored generals wielding fierce blades as vanguard.
With such a fierce configuration, it was more than enough for a small-scale battle, and against a small village like Yangjia Fort, it could wipe out the entire place.
Fortunately, it was all over now.
From the moment the Armored Hu General was slain with a single strike, the young men of Yangjia Fort rallied for a final counterattack. Even though it was uncoordinated, more like a desperate struggle of beasts, the courage that erupted in the face of death, combined with Du Chengfeng who was tirelessly swinging his broadsword to take lives, was enough to scare the remaining barbarians into fleeing in panic, never daring to look back.
"Thanks to you all, Yangjia Fort was able to survive this crisis!"
Gazing at the more than thirty young survivors of Yangjia Fort, the aged Yang Xuan couldn't help but shed tears.
"Brave warriors, please accept my bow!"
"Hmm..."
The thirty-odd youths, leaning on their spears, remained silent.
They truly had no words to say, considering they weren't the main contributors to the killing. If going by the record of over two hundred, their group's kill count would barely account for the remnants.
As for the initial two hundred, that was all due to Du Chengfeng.
Thinking of this, these young men turned their gaze towards the corpse mound where Du Chengfeng stood.
"Those corpses? Indeed."
Noticing the direction of their gaze, Yang Xuan sighed.
"Although we should reward you all, I ask you to muster your last bit of strength to collect the bodies in the Dock Fortress to prevent a possible outbreak, and to give the fallen warriors a proper burial."
And so, despite dragging their exhausted bodies, these young men busied themselves again. Fortunately, they were not alone in this task; the elderly, women, and children who had been hiding also came out to help.
Occasionally, upon seeing their dead, unseeing relatives and friends or even their own family among the corpses, some couldn't help but shed tears.
Then, gritting their teeth, they continued to carry the bodies of their loved ones to the open area outside the Dock Fortress.
The young men who died in this battle, whether Yang family members or refugees, were buried in the Yang family cemetery. Although some Yang family members were unhappy about this, feeling it inappropriate to bury outsiders in their ancestral land, Yang Xuan merely shook his head in response.
"Look at the blood on the ground, all spilled from those warriors. Can you separate it, distinguishing between Yang family and outsiders?"
Upon hearing this, those Yang family members with complaints were left speechless.
Be they Yang clan or outsiders, after that night, their blood had indeed mingled together.
Of course, the bodies of their own needed to be buried, but as for the enemies, that was another matter.
One by one, the barbarian corpses were carried out, to be burned. The ashes would be scattered into the fields according to ancestral traditions, supposedly ensuring these damned barbarians would never find peace. More importantly, it was said to make the crops grow better.
With the last barbarian body removed, the most troublesome issue that Yangjia Fort didn't wish to face finally confronted everyone.
"Ah..."
Looking at Du Chengfeng who had collapsed on the ground, the aged Yang Xuan felt a headache coming on.
"Hey, what's your name, old Li, right? How did you stop him just now?"
"I..."
Called over, the carpenter Li stammered, unsure of how to respond.
He himself had no idea how he managed to stop Du Chengfeng, considering he was nearly scared to death at the time. But upon seeing Du Chengfeng, who had killed all the barbarians, about to continue slaughtering the Yangjia Fort youth, he had scrambled down from the corner tower, standing in front of him.
As to why he did it, knowing he might be killed, the carpenter Li really didn't know; he just hadn't thought too much about it then.
Perhaps it was because he felt the young man who often helped with his work was kindhearted, educated, and hardworking, so he couldn't be an indiscriminate murderer?
"Uncle, I think we can't keep him alive."
As the carpenter Li was still in a daze, Yang Sanlang, who had changed his pants, came over and pushed him aside.
"He's unconscious now, yes, but it's just from exhaustion. If he wakes up, and decides to kill the Yang clan, can we really fight back then?"
"You..."
Yang Xuan frowned deeply.
Rationally, Yang Sanlang's worries weren't unfounded; if not for the carpenter Li's inexplicable intervention, Yangjia Fort would likely have faced complete slaughter. However, no matter what, Du Chengfeng had ultimately saved the whole of Yangjia Fort from the barbarians. To kill him now while he's defenseless seemed a bit too...
"Uncle, I know it's wrong, but for Yangjia Fort, I'm willing to be the villain."
So saying, Yang Sanlang picked up a spear from the ground.
Inverted spear in hand, Yang Sanlang twisted his waist and swung his arm, hurling the bloodstained spear toward Du Chengfeng's heart.
This was Yang Sanlang's famed skill, his powerful spear throw could pin someone to the ground, and Du Chengfeng, unconscious and defenseless, was the target.
But at that moment, an arc of light sliced through the air.
The powerful spear silently broke into two, falling to the ground.
Yang Sanlang saw the knife.
Even with Du Chengfeng unconscious on the ground, the ancestral knife, which should have belonged to the Yang clan, pointed at Yang Sanlang's throat.
With that broadsword pointed at him, he felt just like a bound pig ready for slaughter.
"Ah!!!"
The sharp scent of blood hit him, causing Yang Sanlang to scream and fall back onto the ground in fright.
He would have to change his pants once again.