Chapter 10, The Beacon Fire on Qingyun Mountain

Do not pay attention to that madman

Amidst the thunderous cheers of the soldiers of the 4th Division, Meng Hu reined in his horse once more, then raised his great spear high towards the central army of the Mingyue Empire, the spear tip swaying left and right. This gesture carried a special significance, representing disdain, mockery, and contempt. In the Middle-earth world, few could endure such an insult

Fierce Tiger

Zheng Kezhong nodded emphatically and replied: "If it were not for the invasion of the Mingyue army, how would Leiming dare to light the beacon fires?"

Zhao Qinghan did not pay attention to Wu Junyi; she had already begun to discern the underlying meaning. Although Meng Hu's words initially sounded crude, they were quite popular among the soldiers below. The atmosphere, which had originally seemed somewhat serious, was instantly lightened by a few remarks from Meng Hu, and even the faces of those new recruits began to show smiles

"Kid, where is your knife? When the enemy comes to attack the city, are you planning to bite them with your teeth or poke them with your eggs if you can't find your knife?"

In front of the two armies, Meng Hu fiercely pulled on the reins, and the warhorse beneath him suddenly reared up with a mournful neigh. Its iron hooves kicked the air twice before landing, and then it galloped swiftly to the left. Instantly, a cloud of dust rose in the wilderness, just as the red sun was rising in the east, dyeing both Meng Hu and his steed in a vivid crimson, as if wrapped in a layer of blood-soaked armor, a sight so fierce it sent shivers down one's spine

The thunderous sound of war drums suddenly echoed from beyond the pass without warning. Amidst the passionate and high-pitched beats of the drums, the dark and imposing Mingyue army formed a neat formation, shouting in unison as they began to advance slowly. Meng Hu abruptly turned around, his eyes revealing a burning intent to kill. Is the attack finally about to begin

Xiling, Governor's Office

Zhao Yue's concerns were precisely those of Zheng Ke and Tu Shu. At that moment, Zheng Ke wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said in a low voice: "My lord, we must quickly dispatch reinforcements, otherwise it will be too late"

The sound of horns and drums had long ceased, leaving the battlefield in utter silence. In an instant, Meng Hu raised the dark spear high in his hand and let out a long howl towards the sky. The fierce northern wind stirred the disheveled hair cascading behind Meng Hu, causing it to ripple and sway like waves in the wind. An endless wildness and fervor quietly spread and surged through the heavens and the earth.

... ...

The sound of the flute... ...

... ...

The only fortunate aspect is that the Hexi Fortress is built against the mountains, providing an inexhaustible supply of stones. Since taking residence in the fortress, Meng Hu has begun preparing the stones for catapults, ready to defend against the Mingyue army's incursions at any time. As the saying goes, preparedness ensures safety. Today, these stones are finally going to be put to use

In front of the fortress, under the bright moon, the central army stands.

Tuoba Tao's lips twitched violently, and his heart was already in turmoil. He truly wanted to disregard everything and rush forward to bring down that arrogant man, but he could not do so. As the commander of the Third Division of the Qingzhou Army, he bore the safety of tens of thousands of soldiers on his shoulders, and he could not take such a risk

In Zhao Yue's eyes, the Hexi Fortress is merely a large "beacon tower". Its purpose is simply to light the signal fire to report news during the large-scale invasion of the Mingyue Empire, nothing more. Otherwise, Zhao Yue would not have entrusted this fortress to a newly formed light infantry brigade

When they were about two hundred steps away from the fortress, the Mingyue army finally halted its advance. The supply troops began to nervously assemble siege ladders and battering rams. This distance was just beyond the range of arrows. Although large catapults could launch projectiles over four to five hundred steps, Tuoba Tao had already received intelligence that there were no catapults in the Hexi fortress, which made him feel quite secure.

Tuoba Tao's cold voice seemed to burst forth from between his teeth, "The entire army, in attack formation, advance forward!"

Roar

Not far away, Wu Junyi pouted and said softly, "Sister Qinghan, who are these people? They are truly vulgar"

The Central Army of the Mingyue Empire

Dunzi, what are you dawdling about? Hurry and bring those two perforated large stones over here!

Provocation, this is a blatant provocation against the Mingyue Army

Indeed, there is some courage, daring to challenge a myriad of troops alone on horseback

When they were just an arrow's distance away from the vanguard of the Mingyue army, Meng Hu reined in his horse and came to a stop

Before the Fifth Regiment was stationed at the Hexi Fortress, only a battalion of the Second Division was garrisoned here

Upon waking early in the morning, Zhao Yue felt a sense of unease. Just as he was preparing to practice swordsmanship in the backyard, his trusted aide Zheng Ke hurriedly entered, his expression anxious, and said urgently: "My lord, something has happened!"

Zhao Yue has always regarded Zhao Qinghan as his treasured jewel, truly holding her in his palm for fear of her falling, and cherishing her in his mouth for fear of her melting. Concerned that Zhao Qinghan might suffer any grievances, Zhao Yue, after the death of his first wife, has not remarried. Given his esteemed position as a governor and one of the four great dukes of the empire, this is quite unimaginable. Just look at other powerful figures; which one does not have numerous wives and concubines, and a multitude of children

Knock knock knock

Hexi Corridor

Fierce Tiger

Oh no! Zhao Yue suddenly remembered something, his expression changing drastically, "Qinghan is currently hunting on Qingyun Mountain. She wouldn't run into the Mingyue army, would she?"

Fierce Tiger

Yes, I will convey the order immediately

Bang

Meng Hu was patrolling back and forth on the wall, scolding and reprimanding people as he did so. Those unfortunate new recruits, regardless of whether they were at fault or not, could not escape a round of harsh criticism whenever they crossed paths with him. However, the scolded recruits seemed completely unfazed, each one grinning as if they actually enjoyed being berated.

Roar! ! !

Roar! !

... ...

This is a man who can single-handedly turn the tide

You rascal, are you slacking off again and bullying the new recruits

Seeing the recruits who had just been trembling with anxiety suddenly become high-spirited and filled with confidence, a trace of inexplicable meaning flickered in Zhao Qinghan's beautiful eyes. All of this was solely because of that man, ... it was that man who made these recruits no longer anxious, no longer desperate

The cheers of the soldiers of the Fourth Division suddenly grew even more intense, with each one nearly shouting their voices hoarse, the earlier tension having long since vanished. In contrast, the soldiers of the Mingyue Empire lowered their proud heads, their faces revealing expressions of humiliation; such an insult was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the warriors of the Mingyue Empire

... ...

Tuoba Tao's pupils instantly constricted, fixating like a wolf on the wild man in front of him who was howling at the sky. Is this the fierce tiger that killed Situ Biao at the front line?

There are indeed no catapults in the Hexi fortress, nor are there even archers.

In her heart, Zhao Qinghan defined Meng Hu in this way: he was self-restrained, as seen on the website www.hetushu.com

Human beings are ultimately made of flesh and blood, and an individual's physical strength is inevitably limited

Fierce Tiger

It was precisely because of this that upon hearing that Zhao Qinghan might be in danger, Zhao Yue immediately panicked

He is truly a very, very special man; not only can he single-handedly turn the tide, but he can also influence everyone around him, causing others to involuntarily feel anger, joy, and excitement due to his will. Unbeknownst to her, Zhao Qinghan has added a new remark about Meng Hu.

Zheng Ke responded with a sound and turned to leave

If struck by an archer's arrow or pierced by a thrown spear, Meng Hu would meet the same fate; he may slay the enemy general on the battlefield, yet it is impossible for him to annihilate the countless troops of the enemy.

As Meng Hu galloped swiftly on horseback, he continuously waved the large spear in his hand, engaging in the utmost provocation. On the city wall, the veterans who had come from the Fierce Tiger Squad immediately began to cheer.

... ...

What are we waiting for! Zhao Yue was so anxious that he was almost jumping up and down; his usual calm and composure had long since vanished. At this moment, Zhao Yue was just an ordinary father worried about his daughter's safety, shouting, "Quickly let Zhan Ying lead the cavalry regiment to set off first, and then have Li Mingfeng and Wu Qida immediately lead the army to advance towards the Hexi Fortress!"

It is evident that Meng Huzheng is motivating these new recruits in his unique way, and this approach is highly effective

Zheng Ke took a deep breath of cold air and said: "The beacon on Qingyun Mountain has been lit!"

With a single command from Tuoba Tao, the well-prepared Mingyue army began to advance slowly forward, like a rolling tide of iron carrying an unstoppable momentum, gradually crushing towards the Menghe, the Tiger, and the Hexi fortress. Menghu had no choice but to turn his horse back and gallop into the pass; the objective of boosting the morale of the troops had already been achieved, and there was no longer any need to continue the battle.

If another general were in charge here, it would be absolutely impossible to achieve this, nor could these new recruits be relieved from the tense atmosphere before the battle

In an instant, the fierce battle intent ignited in Tuoba Tao's eyes. Had it not been for Situ Rui's repeated strict orders, Tuoba Tao would have already mounted his horse and charged into battle!

On the wall, several female soldiers of the Qingyi Guard suddenly had flushed faces, their eyes revealing a watery tenderness

Knock knock

... ...

"The beacon fire on Qingyun Mountain?" Zhao Yue's eyes instantly narrowed as he said sharply, "Are you implying that the Mingyue army is invading?"

Meng Hu rode back and forth, yet within the Mingyue army, no one dared to engage in battle. The cheers from the spectators gradually rose in intensity.

Hexi Fortress, atop the towering city walls

Initially, it was the veterans from the Tiger Brigade who joined in, followed by the new recruits from the Fifth Regiment. In the end, even Zhao Qinghan and the female soldiers of the Qingyi Guard could not help but start shouting as well. The chaotic shouts gradually converged into a unified rhythm, each wave rising higher than the last, ultimately culminating in a roar akin to a landslide or tsunami of cheers

"Grinder, stop idly chatting with the girls and quickly take people to check the winch three times. If any issues arise during the city defense later, I will crush your eggs!"

Although Situ Biao is known as the number one general of the Mingyue Empire, Tuoba Tao has never believed that his martial skills are inferior to his.

... ...

Zhao Yue's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and he forced himself to remain calm as he said: "Take your time and tell me, what happened?"

Meng Hu firmly believes that he cannot defeat the entire Mingyue army by relying solely on his own strength

Fierce Tiger

Fierce Tiger