Chapter 74: Breaking the Qin Ranks

After a prolonged battle, the Wei army was already beginning to collapse; the portion of the city wall they controlled grew smaller and smaller. The Qin army held certain victory, and Zhai Quan was even considering how he should handle Wei Wuji afterward.

“Though I cannot kill you, I can certainly make you lose all face for Wei,” Zhai Quan thought to himself, his confidence swelling as he continued to press the attack. Now, he needed only to consider how to destroy the Wei army’s provisions in the coming days.

“Soldiers, press forward and drive the Wei from the walls! Capture the Prince of Wei alive!” Zhai Quan shouted, raising his sword.

“Kill! Capture the Prince of Wei alive!” The Qin soldiers roared, brimming with excitement, victory within reach, and the prince of Wei trapped like a fish in a barrel.

To further spur his men, Zhai Quan cried, “Whoever captures the Prince of Wei alive will be rewarded with a thousand gold coins and a thousand acres of land!”

Such a generous reward sent the Qin soldiers into a frenzy. If they had been fighting desperately before, now they were fighting for their very lives. A thousand gold was enough to sustain a captain’s unit for half a year—a fortune in any era. Men die for wealth, and the Qin soldiers were no different, many of them impoverished; their desire was palpable.

“Kill!” The Qin soldiers bellowed, attacking fiercely at the position where Wei Wuji stood.

“Protect the prince!” the Wei soldiers shouted in response.

Iron Forest City was lost, but their prince must not be allowed to suffer humiliation at the hands of the Qin, unless the enemy stepped over their corpses. This was the thought that arose in all the Wei soldiers’ minds—Wei Wuji was worth such devotion.

The Qin army’s assault was relentless, forcing the Wei back, their formation tightening with every step.

Just as the Wei soldiers were about to be pushed off the wall, a thunderous roar of battle erupted from the distance.

Everyone on the wall was wholly absorbed in the fight, but as they finally sensed something amiss, the world outside Iron Forest City had become utter chaos.

“Reinforcements have arrived!” Wei Wuji shouted, his voice rising above the din. He had been hopeless, but now he yearned fiercely to live.

That cry was more potent than any stimulant; imagine a drowning man clutching at a lifeline—that was the mood among the Wei soldiers.

Fatigue could not suppress their fighting spirit; exhaustion could not prevent them from summoning strength. When hope appeared in the midst of despair, how could they not fight with all they had?

“Kill!” It was the most powerful, most unforgettable cry the Wei soldiers uttered since the battle began.

The Qin, who had been smug and certain of victory, now faltered and lost their composure.

They saw that the Qin unit stationed below was being pressed hard by the reinforcements—these were the same Qin troops who had earlier fought and retreated to the lower ground.

Now, their defeat was inevitable.

Zhai Quan was like a withered eggplant, caught in a dilemma. He was so close to capturing Iron Forest City and taking the Prince of Wei alive, but the arrival of Wei’s reinforcements nearly made him spit blood in rage.

Seeing the Wei troops on the walls, Zhai Quan knew it would be difficult to rout them quickly, and the situation below was clear: the Qin would be defeated.

If he continued to attack Iron Forest City, he risked being caught between two forces.

Moreover, casualties among the Qin on the walls were already high; they could not endure much longer.

The word “retreat” flashed through Zhai Quan’s mind.

To stay was to die, and the mission to destroy Wei’s provisions was utterly impossible. He had failed, but he would not perish here.

“Retreat!” Zhai Quan decided instantly; if they were to flee, it must be now.

The Qin soldiers, already unsettled, responded to Zhai Quan’s order by turning and scrambling down the walls.

War is strange; when you believe you will win, your courage grows. When you sense defeat and danger, your resolve collapses instantly.

The Qin soldiers, who had moments ago been eager to capture Wei Wuji and ravage Iron Forest City, were now panic-stricken.

Such a dramatic shift occurred in the blink of an eye.

Conversely, the Wei soldiers’ rekindled spirit and explosive vigor made Wei Wuji take notice.

With hope—hope for survival—nothing could inspire greater fighting strength.

With each defense, Qin soldiers fled swiftly down the walls.

Climbing up was difficult, but getting down was simple—the three-meter-high walls could be jumped without much trouble.

Soon, Zhai Quan and his men abandoned the walls, fleeing northward toward the mountain forests, where they could hide.

A military officer asked Zhai Quan, “General, Commissary Wei is still over there. Shouldn't we rescue them?”

Zhai Quan glanced at the Qin soldiers already surrounded by Wei reinforcements, then turned away, leading his men further from the battlefield.

“If we try to save them, none of us will escape,” Zhai Quan replied, suppressing his fury.

Nearly four thousand men had besieged this little Iron Forest City, only to meet such a fate—Zhai Quan’s frustration was immense.

His hatred for Wei Wuji grew stronger; if he ever captured him again, he would not hesitate to kill him.

Thus, Zhai Quan led a battered force of more than a thousand into the northern mountains.

On the walls, the exhausted Wei soldiers finally had a chance to rest, all sitting and gasping for breath.

With the crisis passed, fatigue and pain swept over them.

“Prince, are we just going to let the Qin escape?” Liu Xuanba asked, unwilling to accept it.

Wei Wuji, no longer caring about his appearance, sat on the ground, leaning against the wall to stretch his body.

“My troops are exhausted; how can we pursue the Qin?” Wei Wuji replied, his voice weak.

He had narrowly escaped death in today's battle, and fear still lingered.

Yet, Wei Wuji felt a sense of pride—he had fought personally, cut down the enemy, endured the blood and chaos, lived days where life hung by a thread. Few could claim such experience, not even his brother Wei Chengze, who had held high office and commanded thirty thousand troops, but had never fought in person.

Returning to the matter at hand, since pursuit was impossible, Wei Wuji settled down to rest.

No need to worry about the ongoing battle outside Iron Forest City—the outcome was already decided.

Soon, the Wei army outside finished the fight; apart from small groups of Qin who escaped, the rest were annihilated.

After dealing with the enemy, the reinforcements marched to Iron Forest City, appearing ready to enter.

“Your servant Luan Hong has arrived late to the rescue—please punish me, Prince!” The commander of the reinforcements removed his helmet and knelt.

The memory of the earlier moment still frightened him; if things had been a little different, Iron Forest City would have fallen. Such a grave consequence was more than he could bear.

Now, although the Qin had been repelled, the prince had suffered a fright, and Luan Hong knew he must consider his anger.

Yet Wei Wuji voiced no displeasure, instead telling Liu Xuanba, “Send someone to open the gates and welcome them in.”

“Yes!” Liu Xuanba replied, saluting.

At that moment, another marching force appeared in the distance.

When Wei Wuji saw them, he smiled bitterly—these reinforcements had arrived even more timely.