Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Outside Yong'an City at the hour of Mao, thick fog was like gauze, shrouding the entire city in a hazy atmosphere.

The morning dew in early autumn condensed on the grass leaves, sparkling with tiny rays of light in the faint morning light.

The torches on the city wall had burned out, leaving only a few wisps of blue smoke rising up and merging with the morning mist.

The Han army soldiers guarding the city were lying in a mess, leaning against the battlements and taking a nap.

After standing guard all night, the soldiers were already exhausted.

A young soldier opened his eyes drowsily and saw a dark shadow swaying in the fog in the distance, but sleepiness came over him again. He muttered "Damn it" and fell into a deep sleep again.

Three hundred steps outside the city, Chu Ning reined in his horse and raised his hand to signal the entire army to stop.

Three thousand white horse cavalrymen stood still in the thick fog like ghosts. Their war horses were all bridle-harnessed and their hooves were wrapped in cloth, making no sound at all.

The morning breeze blew Chu Ning's cloak, revealing the armor shining coldly underneath.

"His Majesty!"

Zhao Yu lowered his voice and traced his finger across the city wall. "The spies have already found out that there are 5,000 county soldiers in the city."

"There are about a thousand men at the four gates on the city wall now, and the rest are fast asleep in the barracks."

Chu Ning narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze penetrating the thick fog as he looked at the defenses of this small town.

The city wall is about three meters high, with mottled bricks and stones, obviously in disrepair.

There were several obvious cracks in the city wall in the northeast corner, which was the breakthrough point they chose.

"In that case," Chu Ning's voice was as cold as iron, "then you will lead your men into the city quietly and open the gates. I will lead the army to attack later."

Zhao Yu clasped his fists and accepted the order, then immediately selected a hundred elite soldiers.

Each of these soldiers is agile and is the best among the soldiers in the army.

They took off their armor and wore only light night clothes, with daggers on their waists and flying claw ropes on their backs.

The thick fog became the best cover. Zhao Yu led the hundred people and sneaked to the northeast corner of the city wall like a ghost.

He looked up at the city wall, took out the flying claw from his waist, swung it a few times in his hand, and then threw it out suddenly.

The iron claw was accurately stuck in the gap of the battlement. Zhao Yu pulled it hard and after confirming that it was firm, he put the spear behind his back, climbed the rope with both hands alternately, and climbed up as agilely as a monkey.

The defenders on the city wall were completely unaware of the approaching danger. One fat soldier even started snoring with saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth.

Zhao Yu quietly climbed up the city wall and squatted in the shadows to observe. There were five or six county soldiers sleeping soundly nearby, with their weapons casually thrown aside.

He pulled out his dagger, and with a flash of cold light, the nearest county soldier died in his sleep.

Zhao Yu moved extremely quickly, like a gust of death wind passing by, and in just a few breaths he eliminated all the defenders on this section of the city wall.

Blood flowed through the cracks in the bricks of the city wall, appearing a strange dark red in the morning light.

Zhao Yu gestured towards the city, the rope swayed gently, and the second group of soldiers began to climb.

Everything went smoothly, and in a blink of an eye, more than sixty people had climbed onto the city wall.

The soldiers dispersed tacitly and took control of this section of the city wall.

Just then, an accident happened.

A Han soldier who got up to relieve himself at night walked out of the corner tower rubbing his eyes. When he saw the sudden black shadow on the city wall, he immediately lost all sleepiness.

He rubbed his eyes hard, and when he saw the bloody daggers in the hands of the men in black, his face turned pale instantly.

"Oh no! There are enemies..."

Before he could even shout, the dagger in Zhao Yu's hand flew out like lightning and hit his throat.

But that brief cry had already alarmed the nearby defenders.

"We've been discovered!" Zhao Yu said in a deep voice, "Leave some people to guard the retreat route, and the rest of you follow me to the capstan!"

More than sixty elite Chu troops were immediately divided into two teams.

One team, led by Zhao Yu himself, headed straight for the winch that controlled the drawbridge, while the other team seized the nearby arrow tower to suppress any possible reinforcements.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The alarm bell finally sounded, and the sleeping city walls suddenly exploded.

The ragged Han soldiers hurriedly grabbed their weapons, but it was too late.

Zhao Yu took the lead, his spear like a dragon, and knocked down the defenders who blocked the way to the city one by one.

Five Chu soldiers swung their swords to cut the winch rope, and the heavy suspension bridge fell down with a deafening roar, hitting the ground.

Outside the city, Chu Ning heard the alarm bell and a cold light flashed in his eyes: "Shoot! Cover General Zhao!"

Three thousand cavalrymen drew their bows and arrows at the same time, and a dense rain of arrows flew over the city wall, turning the Han army that came to reinforce into hedgehogs.

Screams rang out one after another, and the city wall was in chaos.

Zhao Yu seized the opportunity and led his men to charge down the city wall and head straight for the city gate.

"follow me!"

He shouted loudly and swept his spear across, and the three Han soldiers guarding the gate fell to the ground.

The Chu soldiers rushed forward, cut off the bolts, and pushed open the heavy city gate together.

"Kill!" Chu Ning waved his spear, and three thousand white horse cavalrymen rushed into the city gate like a tide.

The iron hooves stepped on the bluestone slabs, making a thunderous sound.

The sleeping Yong'an City was instantly awakened by the shouts and screams. The people closed their doors and windows and hid under their beds trembling.

In the military camp inside the city, defending general Zhou Yi woke up from his sleep.

"What's going on?" He grabbed the personal guard who rushed in in panic.

"General, the Chu army... the Chu army is coming!"

Zhou Yi's face changed drastically. He didn't even bother putting on his armor. He grabbed his sword and rushed out: "Gather the troops! Quick!"

But it was too late.

When he rushed to the main street with more than 2,000 hastily assembled soldiers, the scene before him made him terrified - on the wide street, the Chu cavalry surged like a torrent, and their sharp sabers flashed the light of death in the morning light.

"Stop them!" Zhou Yi shouted at the top of his lungs, brandishing his knife and rushing towards Chu Ning, the leader.

Chu Ning sneered: "If you block my way, you will die!"

The spear in his hand was like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue, instantly piercing the chests of three Han soldiers.

The blood splattered on his cold face, adding a bit of murderous aura.

Zhou Yi rushed forward with a roar, and the big knife slashed towards Chu Ning's head with a whistling sound.

Chu Ning did not dodge or evade. He raised his spear and accurately blocked the blade, causing sparks to fly.

The two men passed each other on horseback. Zhou Yi turned around to attack again, but Chu Ning made a beautiful counter-attack and pierced his throat. He fell off his horse with his eyes wide open.

The main general was killed in battle, and the Han army was thrown into chaos.

The Chu cavalry seized the opportunity to charge, and blood and flesh flew everywhere in the streets.

The well-trained Han army tried to form a battle formation to resist, but was quickly defeated by the repeated cavalry charges.

The battle lasted less than an hour.

When the morning sun rose fully, most of the 5,000 Han army soldiers had been killed or wounded, and the rest fled in all directions.

The Chu army took control of the entire city.

"Your Majesty," Zhao Yu said, wiping the blood off his face as he approached. "Our army suffered fewer than 300 casualties, which can be considered a resounding victory."

Chu Ning nodded and was about to speak when a spy came running over: "Report! A large group of cavalry, about 5,000 men, were spotted 20 miles outside the city, rapidly approaching us!"

The generals' faces suddenly changed.

Having just experienced a fierce battle, the soldiers were already exhausted. If they were to fight another 5,000 fresh troops...

A hint of determination flashed in Chu Ning's eyes: "Send the order, gather food and grass, in two quarters of an hour..."

He paused, his eyes sweeping across the Han Dynasty city: "Set the city on fire!"

Zhao Yu gasped: "Your Majesty, this..."

"Only fire can stop the pursuers." Chu Ning said coldly: "Follow the order!"

Soon, teams of Chu soldiers began to pile up flammable materials everywhere in the city.

All important buildings, including granaries, stables, and government offices, were doused with kerosene.

When the last group of soldiers withdrew from the city gate, Chu Ning personally took the torch and threw it towards the city gate tower behind him without hesitation.

With a loud "boom", flames shot up into the sky and thick smoke billowed into the sky.

Yong'an City turned into a sea of fire, and the scorching flames even forced the pursuers to stop a few miles away.

Chu Ning stood on his horse, looking back at the burning city, the flames reflected on his resolute face.

"Liu Che!" he whispered to himself, "This is just the beginning."

Three thousand white horse cavalrymen marched farther and farther away under the morning sun, leaving behind only flames rising into the sky behind them, dyeing half of the sky blood red.