Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 183 Impatience is his consistent weakness

Gu Jinyan smiled slightly, patted Hongye's hand, and said softly, "With you here, I am no longer alone."

As night deepened, Gu Jinyan stood on the city wall, gazing at the scattered lights in the city.

In this late winter season, the cold wind howled, and a thin layer of mist hung over the Qingluan Mountains.

The biting wind cut like a knife against their faces, and the soldiers' cloaks fluttered in the wind.

The garrison of Hesha City watched the direction of the mountains warily from the city walls, their breath turning into a thin white mist in the air.

Their general, Xu Zhen, was standing on the city wall, his deep gaze fixed on the distance, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, in the Iron Barbarian camp, a low conversation echoed around the campfire.

Tie Man was a cunning general who fell into banditry due to corruption and abuse of power. At this moment, he was holding a map in one hand and pointing in the direction of the Qingluan Mountains with the other.

There was a sly gleam in his eyes.

He deliberately placed sentries on several paths and arranged for a cavalry unit to shuttle back and forth in the mountains, creating the illusion that a large army was gathering and preparing to launch a surprise attack on Hesha City.

"General, do you really think Xu Zhen will fall for it?" the lieutenant asked, frowning.

Tie Man smiled slightly and gently placed a Go stone-like pebble on a certain point on the map.

It was as if these pebbles were the troops hidden behind the fog.

"Although Xu Zhen is a young general, his impatience has always been his weakness."

Tie Man's voice was deep and confident, "He is currently worried about how to defend Hesha City before the harsh winter."

But we want him to know that we are preparing to seize his city before winter.

Once the garrison leaves the city and falls into our trap, their strength and will will be completely exhausted.

"Then, without losing a single soldier, we can easily take Hesha City."

The following morning, urgent reports came from the city walls of Hesha: "General! Enemy movement has been detected in the direction of Qingluan Mountain, and cavalry are approaching!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhen immediately walked towards the city wall and looked into the distance. He could vaguely see flags fluttering on the mountainside and cavalry moving about in the mountains, as if it were the prelude to the gathering of a large army.

Xu Zhen felt a chill run down his spine. Although the weather was cold, if Tie Man really intended to launch a surprise attack, this was the perfect time to strike.

When the cold wave arrives and the snow blocks the roads, it will be even more difficult to leave the city to meet the enemy.

"General, should we send troops?" the adjutant beside him asked hesitantly.

Xu Zhen remained silent for a moment, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

The terrain of the Qingluan Mountains is complex, and in the freezing cold, it would be extremely difficult to mobilize troops if they were attacked in the mountains.

However, the current situation is not optimistic. If the enemy's main force is indeed gathering, then once they have finished gathering and are attacking the city, Hesha City will be easily defeated.

"Issue the order to select five hundred elite troops to follow me out of the city and feign an attack."

As he spoke, he cast his gaze toward the distant mountains, his eyes sharp as a blade. “But we must be careful and not venture too far.”

Five hundred elite warriors donned heavy cloaks and embarked on this snow-covered mountain path.

In the cold wind, Xu Zhen stood at the front of the group, his eyes piercing, his fingers gripping the reins tightly.

He didn't really want to attack; he wanted to test the enemy's strengths and weaknesses.

Whatever Tie Man's plans may be, the mission of this elite force is to find out the enemy's intentions.

On a hillside not far away, Tie Man and his men were already waiting quietly.

As he watched Xu Zhen's troops come into view, a smug smile appeared on his face, and he muttered, "They really are eager to fight."

Although Xu Zhen was cautious, he was still unaware that he had stepped into the trap I had set.

As Xu Zhen led his troops deeper into the Qingluan Mountains, Tie Man commanded the soldiers lying in ambush on both sides to advance quietly, silently following behind the garrison of Hesha City.

Just as Xu Zhen's troops ventured deep into a narrow valley, Tie Man's army suddenly surged out from all sides, surrounding Hesha City's troops.

"retreat!"

Xu Zhen suddenly realized that he had been ambushed, his expression changed drastically, and he immediately ordered a retreat.

However, just as they embarked on their retreat, the shouts of the enemy could be heard from the mountain road behind them.

The sound of iron hooves pounding the ground mingled with the howling of wind and snow, instantly turning this narrow valley into chaos.

The soldiers gritted their teeth and fought off the enemy's attack while making a difficult retreat through the snow and ice.

The sounds of fighting in the cold wind gradually faded, as if only the cold desolation of white snow and the clanging of metal clashing remained in the world.

Xu Zhen was filled with regret and self-blame at this moment.

He was tricked by Tie Man's scheme and thus endangered the lives of these five hundred elite soldiers.

"General Xu Zhen, why not just surrender?"

Tie Man stood on high ground, coldly looking down at Xu Zhen's besieged troops. His voice echoed through the valley, carrying the arrogance and mockery of a victor.

Xu Zhen looked up, his eyes cold, the wind blowing through his disheveled hair, his hand gripping the long sword tightly, showing no sign of wavering.

If he chose to surrender now, he might be able to save his life, but he absolutely could not submit to the Iron Barbarians.

When the soldiers saw Xu Zhen's indomitable gaze, it was as if a flame had been ignited in the icy wilderness.

The morale of the crowd soared, and they shouted, "We swear to follow the general to the death, and we will fight to the death!"

Upon seeing this, Tie Man's expression darkened slightly, and he then waved his hand to signal the soldiers to continue approaching.

The two sides engaged in a fierce battle in the valley, and the snow was quickly stained red with blood.

Xu Zhen led his soldiers in a fighting retreat, doing his best to protect every soldier as they evacuated.

Amidst the cold wind and snow, the shouts and roars of the defenders echoed endlessly. Under Xu Zhen's command, they formed lines of defense, constantly blocking the Iron Barbarian Army's attack.

The battle was extremely difficult, but the warriors of Hesha City, led by Xu Zhen, fought tenaciously and finally broke through the siege.

They dragged their wounded bodies back to Hesha City through wind and snow, and Xu Zhen led this exhausted team back into the city.

As soon as he stepped through the city gate, he staggered and knelt down, gripping his long sword tightly in his hand. He was breathing heavily, but his eyes still showed a determined look.

Despite suffering heavy losses in the battle, he ultimately prevented Tie Man from succeeding.

As he watched the city gates slowly close, Xu Zhen knew that this victory was only temporary.

He must be extra cautious to avoid falling into Tie Man's trap again.

Gu Jinyan stood on a high point in the camp, his eyes slightly lowered, gazing in the direction where Xu Zhen led his team away.

It felt like a heavy stone was pressing on my heart, and I couldn't calm down for a long time.

At first, Gu Jinyan simply frowned, his hands behind his back, appearing deep and calm.

But as time passed and the sky gradually turned white, her face grew paler and paler.

The camp was filled with the soft murmurs of the soldiers, all waiting for news, waiting for their brothers to be alive, but no one dared to disturb Gu Jinyan's contemplation.

She appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, anxiety surged within her like a tide, repeatedly pounding against her heart and making her feel uneasy.

Hongye, who had been silently watching over Gu Jinyan, couldn't help but gently remind her, "Miss, the night breeze is cool. You should go back to your tent to rest."

Gu Jinyan shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the front, a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

She felt guilty and remorseful, and there was nowhere for her to escape.

She personally planned this operation and arranged for Xu Zhen to lead the team to carry it out.

However, the longer she waited for news, the more heavy a feeling of unease she felt.

As the sun began to rise, the sound of horses' hooves echoed around the camp.

Gu Jinyan turned around abruptly, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes. She quickly walked forward to meet them.

But when they saw the returning team, their hearts felt like they had been struck hard—of the dozens of people, less than half had returned, their clothes were disheveled, they were covered in blood, and their expressions were full of exhaustion.

Xu Zhen walked at the front, his eyes dull. When he saw Gu Jinyan, he nodded wearily.

Gu Jinyan's gaze swept over the exhausted soldiers, and the pain in his heart gradually intensified.

Her lips trembled slightly, but she forcibly suppressed the regret in her heart, and said in a low voice, "Xu Zhen, you've worked hard... the other brothers...?"

Xu Zhen was silent for a moment, then pain appeared in his eyes. He slowly said, "I failed to protect the entire team. Many people... did not return."

These words were like a sharp blade, piercing deeply into Gu Jinyan's heart.

Her hands clenched slightly, her face remaining calm, yet a deep sense of guilt overwhelmed her.

She nodded, trying not to show her emotions, and said in a low voice, "I understand... Let's go back to camp and rest."

Xu Zhen glanced at her with a slight hesitation, seemingly sensing the wavering in her heart, and hesitated to speak.

Seeing his hesitant expression, Gu Jinyan turned her head slightly, not wanting him to see the vulnerability in her eyes.

She gently waved her hand, signaling him to step back, her voice barely audible: "You've done your best; it was my oversight that prevented me from thinking things through."

Xu Zhen looked at her silently for a moment, then said nothing more and withdrew, accepting the order.

As Xu Zhen left, Gu Jinyan stood in the center of the camp, as if she were the only person left in the world.

She gazed in the direction of the battlefield, her hands hanging limply at her sides, her fingers trembling slightly, as if she were expressing her inner regret.

Guilt and wavering, invisible shackles, imprisoned her in place, making every step she took feel heavy.

After a while, Hongye quietly walked to her side and whispered, "Miss, although the team suffered some losses, it is fortunate that the main force was preserved."

Gu Jinyan's gaze remained unfocused as he stared blankly ahead, muttering, "But those soldiers, they shouldn't have sacrificed themselves in vain..."

It was my carelessness that led me to overlook the treacherous terrain and the enemy's counterattack.

Xu Zhen and the others trusted me, but I…

Her words caught in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She began to doubt her decision and whether she was truly capable of shouldering such a heavy responsibility.

Seeing this, Hongye reached out and gently grasped Gu Jinyan's hand, saying softly, "Miss, why blame yourself?"

They are willing to follow your decision in order to protect this homeland.

This is not only about victory or defeat on the battlefield, but also about the belief in protecting our homeland.

Gu Jinyan paused for a moment, then slowly lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

Hongye's words seemed to touch a deep corner of her heart, leaving her speechless for a moment.

She stared at the red page, as if searching for something, or perhaps questioning herself.

After a long silence, she sighed softly, her gaze gradually hardening: "Perhaps you're right..."

I cannot lose my way because of these things.

Because of their trust, I should shoulder this responsibility even more.

Even so, Gu Jinyan's heart remained unsettled.

That night, she stood alone outside the tent, quietly watching the night sky, where the stars twinkled, as if countless eyes were watching her.

She closed her eyes, recalling the soldiers who had followed her into battle, their shouts still echoing in her ears, filled with unwavering determination.

Deep inside, she seemed to see familiar faces staring at her, as if telling a story or questioning her.