The Blood Crown - Chapter 23

In the end, Liang Huiyong returned to Guangning with just over two hundred soldiers, but Hu Bacheng and his three hundred death squad members perished. The scouts reported that the Jin army had lost more than half of its provisions, and their cattle and sheep scattered in disarray due to the chaos and extreme cold, resulting in hundreds of them freezing to death or suffering injuries.

The Jin army’s morale was severely damaged, and they had no strength left to continue the siege. They were expected to withdraw soon. Almost on the same day, reinforcements of twenty thousand large Sheng troops from Shùn Tiān Prefecture reached Guangning. Without resting, they immediately set off to chase down Zhuoletai.

The crisis in Guangning was finally lifted. The entire city was filled with the joy of survival, even in the midst of the harsh winter.

Yuan Mao led the troops on a victory parade through the streets, celebrating with the townspeople.

“Master Yuan, it’s Master Yuan!”

“Master Yuan, you saved Guangning, you saved all of us!”

“Master Yuan!”

The townspeople were overjoyed and celebrated Yuan Mao as if he were their savior. People began to kneel to express their gratitude. The streets were filled with residents, and as more people knelt and offered thanks, the crowd gathered around Yuan Mao, creating a spectacular scene.

“Thank you, Master Yuan, for saving our lives.”

“Thank you, Master Yuan, for saving our lives.” These heartfelt words echoed through every corner of Guangning.

“Please rise quickly,” Yuan Mao assisted an elderly man to his feet and then spoke loudly, “The victory in the Battle of Guangning is not my accomplishment alone but the result of the unity and determination of the city’s soldiers and citizens. Our people of Liaodong are resilient, standing firm against the enemy, even when faced with an enemy twenty times our strength. We faced the Jin forces’ siege, fought without retreat, and defended our Liaodong gateway, safeguarding our Sheng nation. It is not my merit but the collective effort of all of you. I express my gratitude to you all!” With these words, he bowed and knelt halfway to the ground, saluting the people. “I thank you all!”

“Master Yuan! Master Yuan, our hero!”

“Master Yuan, a true hero!” The cheering resounded through the city, echoing for a long time.

Watching from a corner, Yuan Nanyu clapped his hands excitedly. “Elder Brother, they’re calling Father a hero!”

Yuan Sikong’s heart shook along with the cheers. He said with genuine happiness, “Father is a true hero!”

“Elder Brother, you’re a hero too.” Yuan Nanyu bumped Yuan Sikong with his elbow and winked. “The plan to defeat the enemy was your idea, and you deserve a lot of credit. It’s just that they don’t know.”

“No, Guangning’s survival is because of Father.” Yuan Sikong looked at the radiant figure in the crowd who seemed to be shining with valor. He showed his pride, which he couldn’t hide.

Yuan Shaoxu gave a light cough, “In any case, Father led us to defend Guangning, which is truly a miracle. Zhuoletai brought a massive army of seventy thousand, while we had just three thousand soldiers.”

“Yes, Father is truly amazing!” Yuan Nanyu glanced at Yuan Sikong, “Of course, your plans were also brilliant, Elder Brother.”

Yuan Mao laughed, “Sikong indeed made significant contributions.”

Yuan Sikong put down his chopsticks and pursed his lips.

Yuan Sikong hastily said, “I only did what I could, Father is the undisputed hero of this battle.”

Yuan Mao picked up a wine jug and poured two cups, handing one to Yuan Shaoxu and one to Yuan Sikong, “Shaoxu, Shàokōng, both of you have made substantial contributions in this battle. You’re both so young, yet you faced danger without fear of death. You’re not only good sons to me but also excellent heirs of the Sheng dynasty.”

Only then did Yuan Shaoxu relax his expression. He raised his wine cup and said, “Father, I want to be like you, to serve the country with my life, and defend the Sheng nation with unwavering determination.”

“Very well!” Yuan Mao drank the wine from his cup in one go, and his two sons followed suit.

Yuan Sikong took his first sip of alcohol, and the spiciness made him stick out his tongue, crumpling his delicate face.

Yuan Mao refilled their cups and smiled at Yuan Weiling and Yuan Nanyu, “You two, a daughter and a son, one of you is a young lady, and the other just recovered from a leg injury, yet you’ve contributed a lot. Well done! You’re all my good children. A toast to all of you.”

“Since we’re good children, I want a drink too!” Yuan Nanyu went for a wine cup.

Yuan Mao tapped his hand with a chopstick, “You can skip this one.”

Yuan Nanyu pouted, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

The flickering lanterns, the fragrant food, and the warmth of family made the house cozier than the extreme cold of Liaodong, warming everyone’s hearts.

A few days later, the reinforcements returned to Guangning, having chased Zhuoletai for a hundred miles and killed four thousand enemies. The commanding general, Zhào Fùyì, highly esteemed Yuan Mao, promising to report his achievements to the emperor, ensuring a substantial reward. However, they did not stay in Guangning for long and promptly returned to the capital.

The Battle of Guangning, where a small force triumphed over a much larger one, demonstrated the indomitable spirit of the defenders, and Yuan Mao’s leadership. Recognized for his achievements, Yuan Mao was bound to receive additional rewards. However, he dared not take sole credit for the victory, as he had already compiled a detailed list of all the individuals who had contributed to the battle and the names of those who had sacrificed their lives. He would present these to the emperor, while he continued to rebuild Guangning and awaited the emperor’s rewards in the coming days.

After experiencing the intense and thrilling battle, Yuan Sikong’s life gradually returned to normal. He continued to study and practice martial arts every day, helping out at the horse racing field in his free time. However, the battle scenes continued to replay in his mind, leaving a profound impression.

“Second Brother!” Yuan Nanyu suddenly shouted near Yuan Sikong’s ear.

Yuan Sikong jumped and gave Yuan Nanyu a light punch. “You scared me!”

“I’ve been calling you for a while. What’s wrong with you lately? You’re daydreaming so much. Are you still scared?”

“I’m not scared of anything.”

“Don’t pretend. You were trembling on the city wall.”

Yuan Sikong was annoyed, “So, you weren’t scared?”

“I was,” Yuan Nanyu said casually, “but I admit it. Unlike you, who’s scared and won’t admit it.”

“You’re so annoying.”

Yuan Nanyu chuckled, “I won’t make fun of you. Being scared this time means you won’t be scared next time. You were scared as a child, but as you grow up, you won’t be scared.”

Yuan Sikong nodded, and even though he wouldn’t describe it as fear, he was indeed deeply impressed. Moreover, even if he was scared, he would never back down.

“Second Brother…” Yuan Nanyu’s gaze lowered, “You’ve not only been daydreaming a lot lately but also carrying that dagger.”

Yuan Sikong looked at the dagger hanging from his waist, “When did I carry it? I just… just hold it sometimes.”

“That dagger is really beautiful.” Yuan Nanyu reached out his hand.

Yuan Sikong removed the dagger and handed it to him.

Yuan Nanyu carefully felt the intricate and exquisite patterns on the scabbard and the precious gem on it, “If you sold this gem, you could probably get a lot of money.”

“Why would I sell it?”

“This is a keepsake. If many years pass, and we meet again but don’t remember each other’s faces, we can use this item to recognize each other,” Yuan Sikong smiled. “We don’t know if we’ll meet again in this lifetime.”

Yuan Nanyu shrugged, “Who knows? The world is vast. It’s hard to say.”

“You think, has news of the Battle of Guangning reached Datong Prefecture now?”

Yuan Sikong nodded thoughtfully, “It’s bound to have. The victory at Guangning is already famous throughout the land. I’ve heard that there’s conflict in Datong Prefecture now, and I hope they can successfully repel the enemy like we did.”

“With General JìngYuan leading the troops, he’ll surely handle it much better than us. Don’t worry.” Yuan Nanyu tossed the dagger back to Yuan Sikong, “Second Brother, it’s time to sleep.”

“Oh…”