The Battle of Bei Xi River in Yunzhou.
This great battle lasted for a full month. The demon race dispatched eight camps with a force of 1.6 million, while the devil race sent out a hundred thousand cavalry. With an absolute advantage in numbers, they clashed fiercely with the two hundred thousand Yunzhou cavalry. In this war, the entire Bei Xi River was almost dyed red with blood. The fertile plains and snowy forests of Yunzhou became battlegrounds everywhere, littered with corpses.
A month later, the human race suffered a crushing defeat.
...
In the early morning, clouds shrouded the outskirts of the towns in Yunzhou. Almost every day, young wives would stand at the town gates, eagerly awaiting the return of their husbands. However, for a month now, there had been no news.
Yet, on this day, as the young women gazed into the distance from the town entrance, figures emerged from the mist. They were warhorses from the Yunzhou battlefield, riderless, their saddles adorned with blood-stained red scarves that fluttered in the early spring wind.
These warhorses appeared in groups, each returning to its hometown.
Alas, while the old horses knew the way home, their beloved riders had not returned.
For a time, throughout the territory of Yunzhou, the cries of newly wed wives echoed everywhere, as if overnight, all the men of Yunzhou had perished.
Soon after, the news spread: Yunzhou had been utterly defeated, and the two hundred thousand Yunzhou cavalry sent to guard the borders had been annihilated!
All of Yunzhou plunged into grief.
Lin Zhao's mind drifted with the wind. Watching the young wives weep silently, he couldn't help but feel a pang of self-reproach. The fall of Yunzhou was a highly probable outcome in his plans; they were merely pawns in this prolonged war. Lin Zhao had envisioned this scene, but witnessing it firsthand left him feeling an unusual and stifling weight in his heart.
He could bear to watch no longer and flew towards the Bei Xi River.
At this moment, the Bei Xi River was a scene of scattered corpses, with snow falling endlessly. After a hard-won victory against the hastily assembled two hundred thousand Yunzhou cavalry, the demon and devil races' high command ordered a return to Shanhai Pass to rest for three days before resuming their assault. However, as they marched north, a powerful force emerged from the west. Chen Xi personally led tens of thousands of recently rested Cangnan cavalry in an ambush.
The demon race's camps suffered heavy losses. In a single battle, Chen Xi annihilated nearly one hundred and twenty thousand demon soldiers. Afterward, Chen Xi led her troops through the devil cavalry, killing nearly ten thousand devil cavalry. Finally, she returned to Yunzhou with the remnants of the Cangnan cavalry. Along the way, Chen Xi issued orders: the granaries in every county town were set ablaze, and all armies and civilians were ordered to migrate south, leaving no provisions for the demon and devil races.
...
Shanhai Pass.
Amidst the ruins, the demon race had erected a temporary grand tent. The Demon Ancestor had already returned to the ancestral mountains with great demons like Ji An and Chen Feng for rest. Sitting in command of the帅帐 (shuài zhàng - command tent) were Yu Zhi, Liu Bai, Long Zheng, and Feng Quan.
"It's been a month."
Feng Quan frowned and said, "Our demon race's three armies have been fighting fiercely for over a month. Our food supplies are almost completely depleted. We've had to survive on human corpses and warhorses. Just yesterday, thousands of frail soldiers collapsed and died from hunger and cold."
Liu Bai rested his jade-green whip on his leg and said indifferently, "The demon race has always lived by the law of the jungle. Those who cannot endure hunger and cold die. Why should Lord Feng Quan concern himself with it?"
"..."
Feng Quan frowned, looking at Liu Bai. If his strength allowed, he would have loved to strike down this arrogant beast with a single sword blow.
Shi Jun Gang, seeing this, and fearing that Feng Quan might get angry and act rashly, said with a smile, "Lord Feng Quan's care for his subordinates is understandable, but Liu Bai's words have some truth to them."
Feng Quan continued, "Furthermore, things have taken a turn for the worse. Not long ago, we received military intelligence from the rear: our demon race's grain supply camp in the Jizi Forest area was ambushed by a force of human cavalry. The twenty thousand demon soldiers left to guard the camp were completely unable to resist, being swept away in less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Afterward, the human cavalry set fire to the grain and plundered a significant amount."
He sighed, "If nothing unexpected happens, the supplies that were supposed to arrive in three days are now out of the question. Our demon soldiers will have to continue fighting on empty stomachs."
"Hmph!"
Yu Zhi's beautiful face was shrouded in frost. "The grain reserves at Shanhai Pass were burned to ashes. The human armies are retreating steadily on the frontal line, yet they resort to this delaying tactic to starve us out within human territory? What about Neon Silk Realm? Can Su Chan allocate any provisions?"
"Difficult."
Feng Quan shook his head. "Several supply points established by the devil race in Dongwu Kingdom have also been harassed by human cavalry, with many granaries burned. Especially the fodder needed for warhorses, it's almost gone. The devil race is in a worse situation than us. I've even heard that morale in the devil army is wavering, with many already wishing to retreat and return to Neon Silk Realm to sleep warmly with their wives."
"A bunch of useless brutes!"
Yu Zhi frowned. "Who exactly is this human cavalry?"
"Yu Zhi, they are from the Snow Domain Celestial Lake."
Shi Jun Gang, with a beautiful face like Wang Yue, still veiled in black, said softly, "That cavalry force is about thirty thousand strong, led by Fu Zhi, who has fallen to the Nascent Soul realm. She hasn't appeared for years; she must have been planning this army. Furthermore, Yu Wan Ning, who is in the Rebirth realm, is also present. This is why our twenty thousand demon warriors were annihilated in an instant."
Immediately, Yu Zhi couldn't help but gasp, "Scorched earth tactics, coupled with the deployment of Fu Zhi and Yu Wan Ning in the northern territories, and the human armies refusing to yield any fortified cities, it seems that Lin Baiyi, even before his death, had already laid out this grand strategy. He never intended for a swift victory from the beginning; instead, he aimed to exhaust our demon race's luck through a war of attrition."
"Tch!"
Liu Bai slapped the table, his face full of hatred. "Lin Baiyi has been dead for nearly ten years, and his so-called strategy is still causing trouble. What a pity! I should have smashed his head to pieces with my whip back then!"
Yu Zhi glanced at Liu Bai, her disappointment evident. If the demon ancestral mountains were filled with such reckless and foolish individuals, then the fate of the demon race was truly sealed.
"Senior Sister Shi."
Yu Zhi said calmly, "If you were in command of our demon army at this moment, how would you proceed?"
"Strike fast and strike hard."
Shi Jun Gang frowned. "After a brief rest, we should immediately march south and capture Yunzhou City, then continue south into Jizhou. I refuse to believe that the Great Shang Dynasty, having lost White Emperor City, will still have the strength to contend with us."
"Good!"
Yu Zhi raised her eyebrows slightly. "Someone, send a Flying Fish Scroll to Marshal Su Chan. Since they have been unable to capture Lanxi City for half a year, have them dispatch two hundred thousand cavalry to advance eastward and join our demon race's main force in attacking Yunzhou City. We must capture Yunzhou City within a month, and then advance south, crushing the Great Shang Dynasty!"
"Yes!"
...
Several days later, Tianji City, the capital of Yunzhou.
On the city walls, Chen Xi, clad in dark blue armor, leaned on her sword hilt, her beautiful eyes gazing northward. Behind her stood a group of Yunzhou generals. She frowned and said, "The demon race has issued a military order to march south. They will arrive soon. To make matters worse, twenty thousand devil cavalry from Yanzhou will also enter Yunzhou, joining forces with the demon race to besiege Yunzhou City."
"Commander."
A general said gravely, "Yunzhou City has ample provisions, we can fight!"
"Yes, Commander!"
An old general, wielding a battle saber, frowned. "Currently, we still have one hundred thousand Cangnan cavalry within Yunzhou City. The brothers have completed their preparations and are waiting to fight the demon race to the death. In addition, there are fifty thousand patrol guards in Yunzhou City, plus local troops from various prefectures and counties. Our total force is still over two hundred thousand. Defending Yunzhou City is more than enough!"
"Mm."
Chen Xi nodded gently. "By the way, are there any remaining civilians in the city who have not evacuated? If so, immediately have them evacuate through the south gate and head south. There is still a slim chance of survival if they leave now."
"Yes, your subordinate has already sent people to handle it. Besides the civilian laborers and artisans accompanying the army, almost all civilians have evacuated Yunzhou."
"That is good."
...
Within the city, Yun Xiang Tower.
Outside the tower, the sound of horses' hooves was dense. The Madam, dressed in a fur coat, was constantly instructing her retinue and servants to pack their belongings. She glanced up at the building, where the lights were still on. She hurried upstairs and, seeing Shi Hanyin, who showed no signs of movement, frowned. "I say, girl, if you don't leave now, it will be too late. Although Yunzhou City is personally defended by Chen Xi, the demon and devil races are formidable. Even Shanhai Pass could not hold them, let alone Yunzhou City!"
"Madam."
Shi Hanyin turned to the woman she had known for many years. "I am not leaving. I, Hanyin, am but a duckweed in this chaotic world. Where would I find a home? Hanyin likes this Yunzhou City and wishes to stay here."
"You!"
The Madam gritted her teeth. "You are the courtesan of Yun Xiang Tower. Such matters of life and death cannot be decided by you!"
Shi Hanyin gently pushed a brocade box forward on the table. When opened, it gleamed with golden light, filled with Jin Zi Qian (金鲻钱 - a type of currency) that even those on the heavenly mountain would dream of. She frowned and said, "Madam, this is 500 Jin Zi Qian. Hanyin wishes to redeem herself. I hope Madam will grant my request."
"You..."
The Madam, hearing the sound of horses' hooves outside, grew flustered and no longer hesitated. She snatched the brocade box and tucked it into her embrace. After taking a few steps, she turned back to Shi Hanyin. "Although we women of pleasure are like duckweed, girl, I know you have feelings for that Lin Baiyi. However, he has been dead for many years. Madam advises you, it is better to live than to die. Even an ignorant person like Madam knows that a lingering life is better than a good death."
"I understand, Madam. Hanyin bids you farewell."
The Madam left, clutching the brocade box.
Shi Hanyin looked into the mirror, and tears welled up in her eyes.
If the Madam hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have thought that Lin Zhao had been gone for so many years. But precisely because of it... Shi Hanyin felt as if Lin Zhao was still alive somewhere far away.
She wiped away her tears and turned, "Young Master Qin Cheng, you are a celestial being from the ancestral home of the Mohists. Hanyin has something to entrust to you."