The Blessed (Book 5)

1195 - 1210

1195. Border Crisis; Arriving! (1)
Translator: Guy Gone Bad

The junction among the Dong Kingdom, Xi Kingdom, Qing Kingdom and the northern barbarians was located in the extreme west of Qing. Compared to the developed sea and canal transportation criss-crossing, there were indeed few rivers on the border, and the vast expanse was covered with green grassland. In winter, it was covered with heavy snow, leaving only desolation. The closest city to the border was called Buming City. It was said that it got such a name because all chickens, be it cocks or hens, all crowed. Usually, the troops would be stationed in there. About 20 li away, the northern barbarians set up a market. When there was no war, merchants from the three kingdoms would exchange their own things for things at the market, or directly buy things with money. All businessmen called it the Exchange City, but in fact, there was no city walls at all there.

About 20 days ago, the northern barbarians selected a group of women and children to form a caravan and went to Buming City under the lead of two or three men. The soldiers naturally lowered their guard as most were women and kids. Who knew that at that night, those women and children took advantage of the weakest defense at the city gate to give a surprise attack and opened the city gate wide. When General Ye, who had been stationed at the border, found out, the northern barbarians' iron cavalry had already rushed in. General Ye had no choice but to personally lead soldiers to stop them while ordering his daughter Ye Ruyun and future son-in-law Ling Jingpeng to lead most of the soldiers to assist the fleeing civilians to retreat to Yelan City. The two armies fought in the city for a whole day and night, and finally ended with General Ye being wounded and several personal guards having to take him away. As a result, Buming City fell into the hands of the northern barbarians.

The northern barbarians who occupied Buming City began a bloody massacre the next day. The civilians who had not time to run away were all killed. They even had people send the bodies to the foot of Yelan City. General Ye, who was seriously wounded, immediately fainted in anger. Most of the soldiers came from ordinary families. Seeing the suffering of the civilians in Buming City, the general fell down again, and the morale of the army immediately fell apart. The civilians who evacuated from Buming City were on tenterhooks, and some even began to question the soldiers. Under all kinds of unfavorable circumstances, Ye Ruyun stood out and vowed that they would live or die with Yelan City!

Under her leadership, the remaining generals also vowed. The turmoil thus subsided, and the low morale gradually got resumed. At the same time, Ling Jingpeng wrote to the generals of nearby cities as the younger brother of Crown Princess Sheng, hoping that they could send troops to help.

Unfortunately, those cities did have massive forces stationed, but without Highness Sheng's tiger token for troop deployment, no one dare leave their posts easily, even if the person asking for help was Crown Princess Sheng's younger brother. What if the enemy sneaked attack right after they went for reinforcement?

"Ruyun, take some rest. The battle report has been sent back for more than 20 days. I think Brother Rui and my big brother should be arriving soon."

Once again, seeing Ye Ruyun coming in from outside, covered in blood with her back bent, Ling Jingpeng quickly took a hot cloth towel and went forward. On the night when Buming City was attacked, they sent a letter back to the imperial capital overnight. Since then, they had been resisting the enemy's attacks. From the initial 20,000 people to the current thousands of people, 20 days had passed, they got less and less people. Even some civilians with hot blood volunteered to join the ranks of defending the city.

Unfortunately, they gradually lost their strength. At first, they could still go out to fight, but now they could only shut the gates and passively resist the enemy's attacks.