CHAPTER 613: CHAPTER 613: SAVED MY LIFE ONCE AGAIN

"Yes, General!"

With that, the surrounding soldiers immediately closed in, each holding a brightly flaming torch.

Xia Tingfeng cursed inwardly:

Motherfuckers, even the imperial decree can’t calm you down!

This old bastard is definitely up to no good!

Then, he quickly stuffed the imperial decree into his bosom and with a swift leap—

He was light as a swallow, his movements sharp as lightning; in the blink of an eye, he broke out of the encirclement.

With a neat flip, his graceful form landed steadily atop a high wall like a flying swallow.

He drew his long sword from his waist and pointed it straight at Fan You.

"General Fan, the Emperor’s decree is here, and yet you dare to ignore it outright. Are you trying to defy the imperial order?"

Fan You let out a hearty laugh.

"Imperial decree?"

"Commander Xia! I am a first-rank general of the Imperial Court!"

"If the Emperor wishes to issue a decree to me, he would naturally send someone in person to deliver it!"

"What need is there for a mere commander of the Imperial Forest Army to deliver it! Who do you think you are!"

Having said that, he bellowed a command over his shoulder.

"Archers, get ready!"

"Commander Xia!" he continued, "You break into the camp and falsely transmit the imperial decree; you are a traitor committing heinous crimes."

"Once I capture you and personally present you to the Emperor, I will demonstrate the Fan Family’s undying loyalty!"

After speaking, he waved his hand grandly.

"Archers, fire! Make sure to capture this treacherous villain!"

Xia Tingfeng stood atop the high wall, squinting his eyes, fearless.

However, inwardly, he was quite astounded.

For the first time in his life, he had encountered someone even more shameless than himself.

It was truly an eye-opening experience!

SWOOSH!

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

One after another, sharp arrows tore through the air towards him.

He deflected them effortlessly with his sword, left and right!

While fending off the arrows, he was also contemplating how to deal with this old fox once he caught him.

Standing not far away, Fan You’s mouth suddenly curved into a cruel, sinister smile.

"Commander Xia, now that you’re here, don’t even think about leaving!"

"You know too much. How could I possibly let you leave alive!"

Muttering to himself, he suddenly looked down and whispered a few words into the shadows beside him.

Several men instantly disappeared from the darkness.

Half an incense stick later, the archers’ assault in front began to weaken.

Xia Tingfeng, having finished his thoughts, came back to his senses and realized something was amiss.

Not good, that crafty old fox is playing tricks again!

He quickly turned around.

Sure enough, several men in black were standing right behind him.

Each one held a gleaming broadsword.

Under the moonlight, the blades emitted a cold, bluish gleam, looking especially sharp.

They were gradually closing in on him.

Xia Tingfeng swerved and immediately dodged a fair distance away.

The men in black also seized the moment, rushing forward and flipping as they chased after him.

Xia Tingfeng couldn’t dodge in time and was forced to fight them.

They were clearly assassins Fan You had hired for a hefty sum.

Unlike ordinary soldiers, their moves were insidious and deadly, each strike aiming directly for vital points.

Xia Tingfeng’s mouth curled into a mocking smile. "Heh, so eager to kill someone, are you?"

With archers in front and assassins behind, both groups numerous, he was caught in a pincer attack.

Even with Xia Tingfeng’s exceptional martial arts, he was beginning to be overwhelmed.

However, even if he was at a disadvantage, Xia Tingfeng wasn’t someone to be easily harmed.

He was merely unable to attack, barely capable of defending himself.

Fan You stood at a distance, watching him with satisfaction.

"Commander Xia indeed has remarkable skills, truly worthy of someone raised by the Emperor!"

"Sigh... It’s a pity to kill you; even I find it regrettable!"

"But... who asked you to be so meddlesome? You brought this on yourself!"

Having finished speaking, he then instructed the soldiers around him carrying torches, "Quickly apprehend this despicable wretch! Don’t let him escape, go!"

"Yes!"

The crowd complied, closing in.

The archers began a new round of shooting.

The black-clad assassins in front grew increasingly ruthless with their moves.

Soldiers were also approaching from not far away, ready to attack.

Xia Tingfeng’s responses gradually became strained.

After a quarter of an hour, Xia Tingfeng’s strength waned, and he was on the verge of being overpowered.

Just then, there was a sudden disturbance beyond the high walls not far off.

"Big Brother!"

This distinct, familiar voice filled Xia Tingfeng with boundless hope.

He was human too; when facing death, he felt fear.

In that instant, that crisp "Big Brother!" shattered his fear.

This moment felt as unbearable as the darkness before dawn.

Ye Tang, come quickly!

Whether he admitted it or not, however aloof and unruly he usually was, at this moment, his heart truly felt this way.

Ye Tang led a troop of soldiers, impressively scaling the wall.

Several highly skilled vice-commanders from the Three Great Camps had also arrived on the other side.

The scene, for a moment, became incredibly thrilling and lively.

Xia Tingfeng found renewed motivation.

He no longer engaged in prolonged combat; with a few quick moves, he extricated himself and returned to his main forces.

Back among his people.

Leading them was Ye Tang.

Seeing Xia Tingfeng return safely, Ye Tang was delighted.

"Big Brother, are you alright?"

Xia Tingfeng nodded. "I’m fine! Why have you come?"

Ye Tang shook his head. "Big Brother, you abandoned your little brother to act alone, and now you ask this?"

Xia Tingfeng was taken aback for a moment, but his expression quickly softened.

He smirked wryly and sighed softly. "Fine! I won’t ask!"

"Let’s go! To slay the enemy!"

Ye Tang didn’t hesitate. "Alright! Let’s go, Big Brother!"

「That night, inside Yanguan City.」

Fan You was successfully captured, and the hundreds of members of the Fan Family were placed under house arrest.

Yanguan City fell under the control of Commander Xia, dispatched by the Emperor.

「Five days later.」

Commander Xia, together with the elite soldiers from the Three Great Camps outside the city, confronted the foreign enemies.

The Grassland Tribes, mostly composed of burly warriors, did not focus much on strategy.

The Han People of the Central Plains, on the contrary, did.

Lacking brute force, they had to rely on their clever minds to devise one brilliant stratagem after another.

The tribal leaders of the Grassland Tribes often found themselves in disarray due to the sudden and unexpected battles.

Sometimes their food supplies would catch fire in the middle of the night.

Sometimes, during rain, their tents would be flooded.

Sometimes, the entire army’s rations were spiked with laxatives, causing everyone from generals to soldiers to suffer from vomiting and diarrhea.

In short, all is fair in war!

Xia Tingfeng devised many seemingly ’underhanded’ but effective tactics.

In a few days, he had those people running in circles.

After five or six days, the Grassland Tribes began to experience internal strife.

Xia Tingfeng heard this, his lips curving slightly, but he said nothing.

「A few more days passed.」

Xia Tingfeng led his soldiers and wiped out all the Grassland Tribes in one fell swoop.

Their opposition, originally less than twenty thousand strong, had fewer than five thousand escape?

Never mind. Let the rest go and multiply.

The warfare in the Northwest thus came to an end.

「At the small victory celebration in the tent.」

Xia Tingfeng frequently toasted Ye Tang.

"Brother Ye, you’ve saved my life... again!"