Chapter 34: In the Hour of Crisis, Zhu Zheng Takes the Field!

The deafening roar of the artillery fire brought with it an indescribable sense of intimidation. The power of firearms was already enough to turn the tide of the battle.

"Brothers!"

"Charge!"

"Breach the pass, and you shall receive promotions and titles!"

Chen Heng brandished his sword, roaring from the rear to urge the army forward. Meanwhile, his personal guards acted as executioners, standing in a line; any soldier who retreated was to be beheaded on the spot. The vanguard army charged wave after wave.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Thousands of soldiers braved the relentless artillery fire, storming forward with reckless abandon. On the ramparts, the cannons thundered continuously. Each strike landing amidst the charging Yan army claimed a dozen lives or more. As the Yan troops entered effective range, Wu Jun roared:

"Archers, fire!"

"Leave not one rebel alive!"

From atop the pass, thousands of archers unleashed a torrent of arrows, raining down infinite slaughter. Under the hail of arrows, Yan soldiers fell with every breath. Even with shield-bearers pushing forward, the combination of the pre-positioned arrow rain and the devastating artillery fire on Juyong Pass caused heavy casualties among the advancing Yan forces.

But once a battle of this scale began, there was no turning back. This was only the first vanguard division; if they failed to breach the pass, another division would be sent to take their place, and so on, until the pass was broken.

For the fifty thousand men of the Yan army, and for generals like Qiu Fu, there was no choice. Failing to take the pass meant certain death. They had no other option.

Charge! Keep charging through the endless rain of arrows! As the shield-bearers neared the pass, under their cover, nearly a thousand soldiers carrying scaling ladders rushed to the walls, set them up, and began to climb with blades clenched in their teeth. Below, the battering ram struck the gate with thunderous force.

"Fire!"

"Kill the rebels!"

"Pour the boiling oil!"

"Burn these cursed rebels to death!"

"Kill!"

Wu Jun commanded the defenders, his voice hoarse with shouting. At this moment, the arrow rain from the ramparts grew even more terrifying. The boiling oil poured down, leaving many Yan soldiers on the ground and ladders with their skin scorched and flesh torn. The cruelty of this siege was enough to make one’s scalp tingle and limbs tremble.

"Advance!"

"Breach the gate!"

"Invade the city, and you shall be rewarded!"

"Archers, move up!"

"Return fire!"

"Kill!"

Chen Heng stood at the rear of the vanguard, overseeing the assault. Thousands of Yan archers moved closer to the pass to return fire, but being at the foot of the walls, they were naturally at a disadvantage against the defenders above.

As time passed, the defense atop the walls seemed flawless. Many Yan soldiers who managed to climb the ramparts were quickly surrounded and slaughtered, and the gate withstood countless impacts without yielding. Outside Juyong Pass, the Yan army suffered heavy casualties. The ground was littered with bodies—some dead in pools of blood, others struggling in their final moments. It was utterly gruesome.

"Attack, attack!" Chen Heng moved closer, sword and shield in hand, striving to direct the assault. But it was clear to any observer that this would not break the pass.

In the rear, Qiu Fu’s expression was grim. "Song Zhong’s defense is even more solid than I anticipated. It seems he is determined to hold Juyong Pass at all costs, waiting for the Yuan army to suppress us," Qiu Fu muttered to himself. He understood Song Zhong’s strategy perfectly.

Yet, neither Qiu Fu nor Zhu Di had any way out. There was no path but to break the pass. Zhu Di’s rebellion was a gamble with a slim chance of survival, primarily because the disparity in strength was too vast. It was not even ten percent. They had no choice but to fight to the death.

"Pass my orders," Qiu Fu commanded. "The vanguard is to withdraw gradually; the second echelon is to move up. Maintain discipline—do not let the ranks fall into chaos."

He could see the state of the battle. Although Chen Heng’s troops had attacked fiercely, their morale was shattered, and continuing as they were would change nothing. Sending in the second army was the only prudent choice.

"Sound the retreat," one of Qiu Fu’s guards shouted. Soon, the sound of the gong echoed outside Juyong Pass.

At this moment, Zhang Wu, commander of the First Qian-Shi Battalion of the Beiping Army, stood ready, his eyes full of caution.

"It is time."

"Later, Zhu Xu, you shall lead the shield-bearers with me to charge. Do not get bogged down in fighting on the ladders; charge the gate directly with me," Zhu Zheng said, his voice low and his expression grave.

"Commander," Tan Yuan said solemnly, "even the vanguard’s assault failed to breach the gate or take the walls. The enemy’s defense is too tight. Breaking the gate is nearly impossible."

"Forget all that. Leave the gate to me," Zhu Zheng said with firm authority. "You just follow me and charge."

Zhu Zheng had recently acquired the peerless Heaven-Slaying Sword, and combined with his immense strength, he was confident he could shatter the gate.

"Understood." Seeing Zhu Zheng’s solemn confidence, Tan Yuan was surprised, but he believed him. Zhu Gaoxu, for his part, never doubted him for a moment.

As Chen Heng led his troops back in an orderly fashion, Zhang Wu shouted: "First Qian-Shi Battalion of Beiping, charge!"

As the commander of the First Battalion, Zhu Zheng led the charge. "Brothers of the First Battalion! Follow me, kill!"

Zhu Zheng did not hesitate. With a shield in his left hand and his sword drawn in his right, he let out a roar like thunder that echoed across the field. He surged forward, moving with the speed of a sprinting deer, taking the lead.

For the soldiers who had previously served under Zhu Zheng, this scene was familiar. But for the men of the battalion he had just taken command of, they were completely stunned. It was the first time they had seen a commander charge at the very front.

"Men of the battalion!" Zhu Zheng roared, his voice filled with indomitable courage. "I, Zhu Zheng, lead by example, charging at the front. When a general does not fear death, his soldiers will not fear the fight! A victorious army! Follow me and kill!"

This display was an indescribable inspiration to his men.

"The commander is mighty!"

"We follow the commander to the death!"

"Charge!"

Two thousand soldiers roared, following in Zhu Zheng’s footsteps as they rushed into the fray.