When Fan Zhengguo arrived, he witnessed the scene before him.
Looking at the flustered eunuch and the blood-covered Tong Guan, the nameless rage in his chest suddenly calmed down.
The words he had prepared were swallowed back at that moment.
Glancing at Zhang Bangchang and the Crown Prince beside him, he suddenly seemed to understand why Yu Shen had suddenly dragged him into this.
Damn old fox!
After thinking everything through, and before the emperor could see him, Fan Zhengguo turned and walked towards the palace gate again.
Although he was upright, it did not mean he was foolish!
This was a critical juncture, and he could not lose his current position because of a moment of anger.
Several days had passed, and he was now anticipating what solution the young man would offer to break the deadlock.
After all, since he had known the young man, he had never once been disappointed.
When he had persuaded himself back then, hadn't he foreseen this day?
"Master, what are you doing?"
Seeing that Fan Zhengguo had reached the entrance of Fuling Hall and was turning back, the young eunuch Shunxi asked with some confusion.
"I forgot something important. I will come to see His Majesty later!"
Leaving behind a sentence, Fan Zhengguo left without looking back.
While the city of Bianliang was rife with intrigue, the main force of the Jin people finally arrived at the city of Taiyuan.
"Is this Taiyuan City?"
Looking at the city nestled among the distant mountains, Wanyan Zonghan's face was filled with complexity.
Although he was a staunch advocate for war, after seeing the terrain encountered along the way, his heart was filled with trepidation.
It was truly fortunate that Tan Zhen, that useless general, had his Yisheng Army!
If it weren't for those good-for-nothings who had willingly opened the city gates for them, they would have suffered heavy losses just conquering Daizhou City.
As for the more perilous Xizhou City and Shiling Pass, it would have been impossible to take them without losing thirty to fifty thousand men!
But now, with the help of those traitors in the Yisheng Army, they had inexplicably broken through Shiling Pass and arrived at the gates of Taiyuan!
"Marshal, shall we order the attack?"
As Wanyan Zonghan's emotions surged, the Jin generals under his command were already itching for battle.
"No rush. Didn't we capture so many siege engines? Tomorrow morning, let those Yisheng Army men go first, and let's see how the defending general of Taiyuan City is!"
Although they had achieved continuous victories along the way, Wanyan Zonghan's mind was still clear. Taiyuan City was not like other cities.
With its high walls, deep moats, and strategic location, unless they were willing to throw lives away without regard for cost, even an immortal would lose some flesh and blood!
Most of the men under his command were cavalry, the core of the Jin army. He was unwilling to let them be sacrificed in a siege.
"Yes!"
The next morning, as the sun just began to rise, the Song soldiers on the city wall were awakened by the Jin army's formation.
Looking at the troops assembling below the city walls, the soldiers of the Shengjie Army were fine, but the hastily conscripted militiamen showed signs of panic.
After all, those who had never seen battle could not help but be afraid when facing opponents several times their number!
If it weren't for this city wall, they would have already started to flee.
Er Hu, who had been shouting about killing the Jin dogs in the crowd last night, now felt his hands and feet go cold.
"Scared?"
Seeing Er Hu's pale face, Shanzhi, a soldier of the Shengjie Army standing beside him, suddenly asked with a smile.
"I, I, not, not scared!"
Although his body, hidden beneath the large leather armor, was trembling, Er Hu stubbornly replied.
"Bah, if you're not scared, why are you shaking? You look so pathetic. Have a drink!"
Shanzhi said, unbuckling a water skin from his waist.
"I, I'm not thirsty..."
His hidden fear exposed by Shanzhi, Er Hu stubbornly wanted to distance himself from him.
"This is good stuff. Once you drink it, you won't be afraid anymore!"
Seeing Er Hu's pretense, Shanzhi winked at him as he spoke.
Hearing this, Er Hu hesitantly took the water skin offered by Shanzhi.
"Cough—cough—cough—"
However, after just one sip, he felt a pungent, spicy taste surge to the top of his head, and he couldn't help but cough uncontrollably.
"Hehehehe, you rascal!"
Seeing his flushed face, Shanzhi couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"This, this is wine?"
Hearing Shanzhi's laughter, Er Hu's face turned even redder.
"Bah, it's water, water! Understand! Such good stuff, and you've wasted it!"
Putting a hand over Er Hu's mouth, Shanzhi took back his water skin.
This item was hard to come by, especially in Taiyuan City now. This less than half a jin of stock seemed even more precious.
"You, why are you in the army!"
"Shut up! What time is it? Saying less won't kill you!"
After glaring at him impatiently, Shanzhi carefully picked up the water skin, took a small sip, and slowly let the taste of the wine fill his mouth.
"Many people will die after this battle. You, my child, are truly like the child I had at home!"
After swallowing the wine and savoring it for a long time, Shanzhi whispered contentedly.
"My child is the same age as me?"
Hearing this, Er Hu seemed to have forgotten that he was on the battlefield.
"When he was five, there was a locust plague at home, and he starved to death with his mother. If he hadn't died, he would be seventeen this year!"
When Shanzhi said this, a rare gentleness appeared on his face, which was marked with two scars.
It was a pity that the slightly bitter smile, on such a face, only made it look more bitter.
"I'm sorry, I, I..."
At this point, Er Hu lowered his head awkwardly.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Did you learn what the squad leader taught you a few days ago?"
Secretly wiping his eyes, Shanzhi playfully patted Er Hu on the back of his head.
"I, I forgot..."
When asked this, Er Hu stammered.
"Watch closely, I'll teach you again. If we start fighting later, this will save your life!"
Taking a deep breath, Shanzhi, surprisingly, did not scold him but gestured for him to pick up the shield and hand knife in front of him.
"Dong—"
"Dong—"
"Dong—"