Chapter 15: Enemy Attack

“How could there be such a raging blizzard?”
Xu Sheng strained to make out the distant Fishing Fortress across the river, but a vast expanse of white greeted him—nothing else was visible.
The intelligence they had received indicated that Di Luoxi would attack in three days, but this was already the sixth day, and still there was no sign of an assault.
The blizzard had sealed the great river in ice. Xu Sheng knew Di Luoxi might launch an attack across the frozen surface.
He picked up a stone weighing several dozen pounds and hurled it with all his might. The rock arced through the air and struck the ice, but the crash was swallowed by the wind, and there was no splash of snow to be seen.
“All of you, keep your eyes wide open! Beware of an Eastern Zhou ambush!”
Xu Sheng shouted harshly.
Weather like this was perfect for a surprise attack, and as a seasoned veteran, he was ever alert.
The soldiers shivered in the cold, barely managing a few responses.
Just as Xu Sheng was about to descend to warm himself by the fire, a sudden crossbow bolt shot up from below, nearly striking him between the eyes.
With a ripping sound, the bolt tore through his cloak, missing his throat by a hair’s breadth.
“Enemy attack!”
Xu Sheng roared. The war drums thundered atop the city walls as the soldiers, forgetting the biting cold, began cranking the catapults and crossbows to retaliate.
Through the dim, swirling blizzard, the Eastern Zhou army appeared at the base of the city. Towering siege ships, propelled by the wind, drew swiftly near.
These ships had flat bottoms, lashed to enormous sled-like runners. Great sails billowed above, harnessing the storm’s force to glide faster over ice than they ever could on water.
On each ship, siege ladders stood ready; as soon as the ships reached the wall, soldiers could swarm up.
The sight of these vessels sent a chill down Xu Sheng’s spine.
Never had he imagined Di Luoxi would devise such siege ships.
He had always believed Eastern Zhou would attack by water, and if they did, the city’s catapults and massive crossbows could perfectly counter them.
But now, with the storm blanketing the river in ice and no ships able to sail, he had figured the enemy would have to cross on foot.
He had never anticipated Di Luoxi would construct sled-ships that, driven by the blizzard, sped across the ice with alarming haste.
“Inform General Shangguan, now!”
Xu Sheng, flustered, grabbed a soldier and barked the order.
The man hurried down from the wall to summon Shangguan Xiu.
Eastern Zhou soldiers, standing atop their ships, unleashed volleys of arrows, carried by the wind up to the city’s parapets.
On the flagship, Di Luoxi stood resplendent in a white ermine cloak, armor shining beneath, a great spear in hand, the head carved with a plum blossom motif.
Li Xiannian put away her crossbow, shaking her head in regret. “Pity—the wind was too strong, I missed.”
She had fired that arrow herself. Though she was rough of appearance, her marksmanship was usually impeccable.
Snow clung to Di Luoxi’s long lashes, and a red plume on her helmet was dusted with frost. Dressed in white, spear upright at the prow, she looked almost sculpted from jade.
“At such distance, your aim was true enough,” Di Luoxi replied.

All around, dozens of the sled-ships surged forward. The soldiers poised to storm the walls sheltered behind their shields.
From Limjiang City, arrows began to rain down in reply.
Wu Jian, standing behind Di Luoxi and gazing at the rapidly approaching city, remarked, “Commander, the Princess’s strategy is brilliant.”
The blizzard had played perfectly into Di Luoxi’s hands.
The greatest obstacle in attacking Limjiang City was the river, spanning several kilometers, granting the defenders a supreme advantage.
But with the blizzard’s sudden descent, the river had frozen over. Di Luoxi had immediately assembled the prepared sled-ships and seized the moment to attack.
It had to be said—Di Luoxi was a general of rare talent, reversing the advantage by exploiting the weather, granting Eastern Zhou both favorable conditions and terrain.
Long Chen nodded. “Indeed. Even I didn’t expect the Princess to make such a move. It’s a pity...”
As the ships drew near, Li Xiannian herself beat the war drum.
The deep booming carried through the blizzard, echoing across the battlefield.
Archers on the ships sent a relentless hail of arrows; soldiers of Southern Liang atop the walls fell one after another.
The city’s catapults hurled stones onto the ships, crushing many attackers. The massive bolts of the city’s crossbows pierced shields with ease. Ordinary arrows were now nearly useless—the blizzard sapped their force.
Soon, the ships rammed up against the city walls.
“Attack!” Di Luoxi commanded coldly.
Li Xiannian hefted her great hammer, leading the charge up the siege ladders.
“Kill!”
With a single swing, Li Xiannian smashed through a defender’s chest.
Her soldiers surged after her, and the wall erupted into close combat.
Captain Xu Sheng, seeing Li Xiannian charging up, rushed forward with his broadsword.
With a roar, he swung at the back of her head, but Li Xiannian spun and brought her hammer crashing down on his blade.
The impact split Xu Sheng’s palm; the blood froze as soon as it welled up.
He knew Li Xiannian’s cultivation was at the peak of King-tier, while he himself was only at the initial stage—a direct contest would be suicide, but he had no choice.
“I missed you with that arrow just now. This time, I’ll send you to your grave!”
Li Xiannian pursued Xu Sheng relentlessly, hammer in hand, forcing him to retreat again and again.
Within the city, a soldier burst into the command mansion, stumbling and shouting, “Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”
Shangguan Xiu had been asleep, an entertainer in his arms. At the alarm, he leapt up, donned his armor in a few swift movements, drew his broadsword, and rushed out, shouting, “Follow me!”
Two young officers immediately joined him on the wall.
Shangguan Xiu had suspected Di Luoxi might use the blizzard for a surprise attack, but he thought it unlikely.
The reason was simple—the great river was frozen, the siege ships couldn’t move. If Di Luoxi attacked, she would have to do so on foot.

And Limjiang City’s walls soared thirty meters high, faced with blue stone and impossible to climb—anyone who tried would be a target.
So Shangguan Xiu had felt at ease, sleeping soundly with an entertainer in his arms.
“Could it be just as Long Ye warned?” he muttered under his breath.
Bang!
Reaching the wall, Shangguan Xiu saw Xu Sheng struck by Li Xiannian’s hammer and sent flying toward him.
He caught Xu Sheng by his cloak and hauled him to safety.
“General!”
Xu Sheng coughed up a mouthful of blood, the force of the blow injuring him internally.
“You go down, I’ll handle this!”
With a cold glare, Shangguan Xiu pointed his sword at Li Xiannian. “Looking for death, are you?”
Li Xiannian laughed heartily. “Shangguan Xiu, I’ve long desired your head. Come, hand it over!”
She charged with her hammer, while Shangguan Xiu sneered and met her with his broadsword.
Shangguan Xiu’s cultivation was at the Martial Emperor level, higher than Li Xiannian’s, so he had no fear.
As the two clashed, the young officers joined in, besieging Li Xiannian.
At that moment, Xuan Yi and Qingyue arrived, swords drawn. “Shameless!” they shouted, splitting off to engage the young officers in their own duels.
On the siege ship, Di Luoxi walked calmly toward the city tower.
Long Chen’s gaze was icy as he looked at Limjiang City—the city he himself had built.
And this time, he would destroy it with his own hands.
“Commander, we’re not going up there,” Wu Jian whispered.
He feared Long Chen might recklessly join the battle.
Long Chen now possessed only Martial-level cultivation, no match even for ordinary officers.
“It’s fine. To destroy the Southern Liang Dynasty, I don’t mind waiting a little longer.”
A petty man’s vengeance is taken in five steps of blood; a true man’s revenge can annihilate families and kingdoms. Long Chen could wait.