Chapter 72: The Bloodied Young Lord

The Qin army's offensive resumed swiftly, giving the Wei forces no chance to catch their breath.

Majestic and endless, another full thousand Qin soldiers surged forth, making it impossible to feel that they had already lost over a thousand men. Commander Zhai Quan of the Qin army led his troops forward toward Tielin City, determined to personally oversee the assault this time.

Atop the city walls, Wei officers and soldiers braced themselves, watching as the Qin men advanced step by step.

Looking at the seemingly inexhaustible Qin soldiers, Wei Wuji felt a wave of helplessness rise within him. He even doubted whether the earlier battles had made any difference at all.

Though all the Wei troops were now stationed on the city walls, facing the renewed Qin assault did not grant Wei Wuji any sense of security.

His men were physically and mentally exhausted, barely able to continue fighting.

The previous battle had just ended, and now they were forced into combat once more, making the Wei army’s disadvantages increasingly apparent.

“Blades and arrows know no mercy. Your lordship, your life is beyond price; please, retreat at once,” Wang Xiu hurried to Wei Wuji’s side, bowing with difficulty.

“Please, my lord, withdraw immediately!” This time, all the officers—Liu Xuanba, Zhou Changyun, and the others—spoke together, earnestly urging him.

Wei Wuji remained silent, simply watching his subordinates. This time, he resolved not to withdraw.

Judging by the situation, this might be their last defense. If Tielin fell, he had no idea what fate awaited him—perhaps a death too dreadful to imagine.

In that case, it would be better to take up his sword and fight the Qin with his own hands. Even if he died, he would die with dignity, not in vain after coming to this Warring States era.

When he still didn’t move, the soldiers fell to their knees, pleading, “My lord, please retreat at once!”

Looking at the weary faces of these men, their bodies stained with blood and dirt, Wei Wuji was filled with guilt. In a sense, they were fighting to protect him.

In earlier battles, he had always watched from the rear, offering only a few empty words of encouragement to get by.

Ever since he arrived in this world, Wei Wuji realized he had never set foot on the battlefield himself—always staying safely behind the lines.

It was said that a noble son should not risk his life under the eaves, but now, was there much difference between the top and the foot of the city wall?

“I have often spoken of living and dying alongside you, but never once have I truly done so,” he said, glancing around at his men.

“Not only are you all the brave warriors of Wei, but I am not a coward either,” he continued.

Turning his gaze toward the oncoming Qin army, Wei Wuji sneered, “They are just Qin men. I want to see if I can’t cut down a few myself.”

His words stirred the soldiers’ spirits. Their exhausted minds felt a sudden surge of pride.

For the battered Wei soldiers, this was nothing short of a miracle.

Wang Xiu felt this miracle and could not comprehend why Wei Wuji possessed such charisma. Was it his kindness and approachability in daily life? Surely, those things alone could not suffice—otherwise, famous generals would be worth little.

“My lord, the battlefield is perilous beyond measure. You must not put yourself at such risk!” Wang Xiu continued to plead.

Though their position was dire, all was not yet lost. If anything happened to Wei Wuji, however, disaster would be complete.

Wei Wuji ignored Wang Xiu’s words entirely. He had seen through it—this time, he would likely have to meet his end here.

Tielin was such a tiny place; where could he hide? And this was Chen, enemy territory, where many wished for the death of the “great executioner.”

“Enough. I swear to live and die with our position,” Wei Wuji declared, sweeping his sleeve to silence Liu Xuanba and the others who would still advise him.

“If you keep wasting time, the Qin will be on the walls!” he said coldly.

Seeing there was no way to persuade their lord, Liu Xuanba and the others gave up, gritting their teeth and returning to organize the defense.

Still, as a noble, Wei Wuji received special treatment: a squad of Wei soldiers was assigned to guard him closely.

It seemed that personally charging into battle would be impossible after all! Wei Wuji shook his head. One’s status determined so much—some things could not be changed.

“Archers, loose!” Liu Xuanba’s voice rang out atop the wall. The Qin soldiers had entered arrow range.

On the ground, the charging Qin men let out wolfish howls.

Arrows whistled through the air—Wei’s iron-tipped shafts blotting out the sky like a swarm of locusts.

The Qin soldiers immediately raised their hastily made shields to defend against the deadly rain, but these offered little protection. As the arrows fell, dozens of Qin men perished.

This time, the Wei army fought with everything they had. The archers loosed without holding back in the slightest.

Under such a fierce assault, Qin casualties mounted rapidly. By the time they reached the base of the walls, they had already lost two hundred men.

Atop the battlements, every soldier—regardless of their branch—now wielded a longsword, the weapon of close combat.

The shouting and slaughter shook the heavens. The Qin soldiers began to climb the walls, their morale high, for their general watched from behind.

More than thirty siege ladders were set against the walls, expanding the scope of the attack.

Soon, Qin soldiers began to appear atop the battlements, though they were quickly cut down.

Though the Wei outnumbered their foes, the narrow walls made it hard to bring their numbers to bear. The fight was a test of strength, courage, and will.

Before long, more Qin soldiers crowded the walls, and a brutal tug-of-war began with the Wei.

This back-and-forth of slaughter and massacre played out again and again in the tiny Tielin City—a level of ferocity rarely seen even in great battles.

Why did the Qin fight so desperately? Because they were deep in enemy territory; defeat meant death.

As for the Wei, their motive was obvious—defeat meant death for them as well.

Both sides were driven to the brink; they had no choice but to fight with all they had.

The Qin’s momentum remained strong, but the Wei grew ever more fatigued. The walls began to fall in sections.

This is a disaster! Wei Wuji thought, alarmed as he watched the situation turn dire. At this rate, the line would collapse in no time.

Surrounded by his guards, Wei Wuji grew impatient.

I must raise the men’s spirits at once! he told himself.

Climbing to a high point, Wei Wuji drew his sword and shouted with all his strength, “Soldiers! Your wives, your parents, and your honor await your triumphant return! Cut down the Qin dogs before you! Victory and glory will be yours!”

He finished with a furious roar: “Grip your swords and kill for me! Let the enemy’s blood soak our chests!”

“Kill!” the Wei soldiers bellowed in response.

Stirred by Wei Wuji’s unceasing exhortations, the Wei army felt a spark of renewed determination and managed to stem the tide, if only briefly.

In this way, Wei Wuji gave the Wei army a momentary reprieve.

In the distance, Zhai Quan watched the scene and sneered.

“Send word—bring up Captain Yu Shan’s unit,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir!” a messenger replied, hurrying off.

Soon, another seven or eight hundred Qin soldiers moved forward to join the fight.

When they scaled the walls, the situation, which had momentarily improved for the Wei, took a sharp turn for the worse. The Wei were pressed back, barely able to raise their heads.

With this fresh force, the Qin seized section after section of the wall, and the Wei retreat became ever more desperate. The situation grew increasingly untenable.

Soon, the Qin’s spearhead reached Wei Wuji’s position.

“Protect the lord!” the guards around Wei Wuji shouted.

But this very cry drew the Qin’s attention.

The Prince of Wei is here? Capturing him alive would be a tremendous achievement!

The pressure on Wei Wuji’s position mounted instantly, and his guards struggled to protect him.

As they moved him along the battlements, a Qin soldier—already felled at Wei Wuji’s feet—suddenly struggled to rise.

With a terrified scream, Wei Wuji instinctively slashed down, sending the man’s head flying.

Blood splattered across Wei Wuji’s face, turning his whole world crimson.

It was his first kill, the ending of a life. The headless corpse still spurted blood.

A nameless sense of guilt welled up within him—regret, a deep and inexpressible sense of loss and confusion.

When a sword swung toward him, Wei Wuji snapped awake.

This was a world that consumed men—a battlefield cold and merciless, he realized.

He raised his sword and deflected the blow. The Qin soldier was then hacked to pieces by the surrounding Wei.

This was war—kill or be killed.

For the first time, Wei Wuji truly understood what war was.