The Ji soldiers attacking the city looked up at the walls, their eyes filled with disbelief and barely restrained fury.
Bian Huai, mounted at the rear, narrowed his eyes. “Is that—that’s the Grand Chanyu?!”
He was the highest-ranking commander stationed near Wenxia City, as well as the Ji army’s great general.
Shi Ju’s pupils contracted as well. “It’s our Grand Chanyu!”
Bian Huai’s expression darkened. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and roared, “The Jinyang Army!”
Shi Ju suppressed his anger. “General, what should we do?”
Bian Huai remained silent for a long while before shouting an order: “Withdraw!”
As the sound of retreating drums spread across the battlefield, the Ji army gradually fell back.
Ji Cang galloped over. “What happened? Why are we retreating?”
He had been attacking the west gate and was unaware of what had happened here.
Bian Huai closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were clear and cold. “Look at who they’ve hung from the city wall.”
Following his gaze, Ji Cang stared for a long moment before finally realizing what he was seeing. His eyes widened. “The Grand Chanyu?!”
His face flushed with rage, and he could not help cursing. “The Jinyang Army is despicable! This is outrageous!”
He was about to spur his horse forward when Bian Huai immediately stopped him. “If you still want the Grand Chanyu to live, don’t act recklessly.”
Ji Cang was furious. “Are we just supposed to stand by and watch the Grand Chanyu be humiliated?”
Shi Ju shook his head. “Let’s first see what the Jinyang Army wants.”
He sighed. “From the looks of it, aside from the Grand Chanyu, there should still be quite a few civil and military officials, as well as Ji tribesmen, alive inside the city.”
Bian Huai nodded. “Come on. Let’s go meet the Jinyang Army.”
With that, he led the way toward the city gate.
Shi Ju said anxiously, “General, be careful. It could be a trap.”
The main concern was the Jinyang Army’s repeating crossbows. Their range was astonishingly long. Once they entered the enemy’s firing range, they would have little choice but to take the punishment.
Bian Huai did not underestimate the danger. After a moment’s thought, he ordered, “Shield-bearers, prepare yourselves and provide cover from the front.”
Although the enemy’s bolts—especially the larger ones—could shoot through shields, they still offered some protection. Besides, Bian Huai himself was no weakling.
Jiang Jin watched the slowly approaching formation and smiled.
After some time, the formation stopped several dozen paces from the city gate.
“Who goes there?” Nan Wen shouted from atop the wall.
Bian Huai ignored him and instead looked toward Jiang Jin.
They were too far apart to see one another clearly, but he knew at a glance that this woman could only be Princess Jinyang, the ruler of the Jinyang Army.
How bold of her to travel all the way from Fengzhou to Wenxia City in person.
He gave a signal to the deputy commander beside him.
The deputy commander immediately shouted toward the city wall, “This is the Ji army’s great general! Who are you, and why have you occupied our Ji tribesmen’s Wenxia City?”
Nan Wen sneered. “Your Ji tribesmen’s Wenxia City? That’s a pretty thick face you have there. Does this place belong to your Ji tribe? It’s clearly Han territory!”
Bian Huai had no desire to argue over that point. He raised his voice and asked, “Why have you humiliated our Grand Chanyu like this? Are you seeking a war between our two armies? Aren’t you afraid that the Ji cavalry will trample your Fengzhou flat?”
Nan Wen let out a laugh. “Then by all means, give it a try. Let’s see whether your Ji army is stronger or our Jinyang Army is superior. You—”
Shuangjiang wore a solemn expression, but the corners of her mouth twitched slightly as she lowered her voice. “Commander Nan isn’t very good at trash talk. Listening to him is making me sleepy.”
Xia Chanyi nodded in agreement. “Mm. It’s painfully ordinary. Unfortunately, the people who are good at trash talk aren’t here, so we’ll have to make do.”
Though neither of them was good at cursing out an opponent, they had listened to Dong Si, Xie Nanxiao, and the others deliver enough “stunning” insults to develop a certain level of appreciation.
Wei Tai, who was standing nearby, could not help twitching at the corner of his eye. Was this really the appropriate time to discuss such things?
Besides, wasn’t that what trash talk was supposed to sound like?
That was how the northwestern army did it, and he thought it sounded perfectly satisfying.
Even the wound on his arm seemed to hurt less.
Nan Wen had no idea he was being criticized. Within the Jinyang Army, he rarely had the chance to engage in verbal warfare.
Now that he had finally found an opportunity, he believed he was performing excellently and smoothly reached his conclusion. “If you have the guts, come and attack us!”
As he spoke, he pointed provocatively at Ji Duoyan, who was still gagged as he hung from the city wall. The gesture was utterly humiliating.
Bian Huai was enraged. “You insolent wretch! Do you truly think we don’t dare attack?”
Nan Wen threw his head back and laughed. “Of course you dare. You just can’t take the city, can you? Why don’t you try again?”
“But this time, swords and arrows have no eyes. If your Grand Chanyu is injured, don’t blame us.”
Bian Huai ground his back teeth together and stopped arguing with him. Instead, he looked toward Jiang Jin. “Princess Jinyang?”
Jiang Jin’s lips curved upward. “That’s right.”
A ruthless glint flashed through Bian Huai’s eyes, though his voice remained calm. “Why did you suddenly attack Chongzhou? The Ji army and the Jinyang Army have always coexisted peacefully. We even cooperated in the past. Do you intend to betray your word?”
Jiang Jin’s voice was equally composed. “First, Chongzhou is Han territory. Second, you call it peace when you humiliate our Han generals?”
Bian Huai frowned, understanding that she was referring to Chu Qing and the others. He let out a cold laugh. “What Han generals? They are nothing more than prisoners under the Ji army. The fact that we have spared their lives is already an act of mercy.”
Jiang Jin did not get angry. “Then now, your Ji Grand Chanyu is likewise a prisoner of the Jinyang Army. The fact that I have spared his life is also an act of mercy.”
Bian Huai was momentarily speechless. Only after a while did he say, “What would it take for Princess Jinyang to release our Grand Chanyu and the Ji tribespeople in the city?”
Jiang Jin smiled faintly. “Before we discuss that, I think we need to talk about the bodies.”
Bian Huai was puzzled. “What bodies?”
“The bodies of the Ji soldiers in Wenxia City, of course. What? Are you going to abandon the soldiers who fought and died for the honor of the Ji tribe?”
Bian Huai’s pupils contracted, and he instantly understood what she meant. His expression turned grim.
It was common to leave soldiers’ bodies behind on a battlefield, especially for the defeated side. When their own lives were at stake, who had the time to worry about corpses?
However, when circumstances allowed, an army would generally take proper care of its dead. After all, any one of those bodies might one day be theirs. No one wanted to lie exposed in the wilderness after death.
Now, the Jinyang Army had openly brought up the bodies of the soldiers in the city. In doing so, they had placed a difficult choice directly in his hands.
If he ignored the soldiers’ bodies, he would naturally chill the hearts of the troops.
But if he dealt with them, he would be allowing the Jinyang Army to lead him around by the nose.
He stared darkly at Jiang Jin atop the city wall. “What do you want?”
Jiang Jin replied unhurriedly, “Ten taels of silver per soldier. How does that sound?”
Bian Huai was so furious that he actually laughed. “Why don’t you just rob us? Impossible!”
Whenever money came up, his teeth ached with rage. More than half of the wealth they had looted from Chongzhou and stored in Wenxia City had now fallen into the hands of the Jinyang Army.
Jiang Jin frowned. “But apart from money and provisions, there’s nothing else I’m interested in. What do you suggest?”
Bian Huai clenched his teeth. “There’s nothing to discuss. Return the bodies to us, and we’ll handle them ourselves.”
Jiang Jin raised an eyebrow. “Then I’ll have no choice but to turn your Ji soldiers into lamp oil. The city is running short.”
“You dare!” Bian Huai roared, so furious he nearly spat blood.
This was his first time dealing with someone who refused to play by the rules. Since when had corpses become a business?
Jiang Jin smiled. “I attacked Wenxia City, and I captured Ji Duoyan. What makes you think there’s anything I wouldn’t dare to do?”
Bian Huai clenched his fists, swallowing his indignation after a long moment. “Five hundred copper coins per soldier, no more.”
