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

"Stand up your shield!"

"Spear, thrust!"

"Crossbowmen, fire!"

The commands are concise and powerful, and their execution is even more precise and ruthless.

In an instant, the sounds of metal clashing, blades piercing flesh, dying screams, and angry roars mingled together, creating a bloody and cruel symphony of death.

The rebel army's charge crashed heavily against the Chu army's solid defenses, leaving them battered and bruised!

Rebel soldiers were constantly being pierced through the chest by sharp spears, felled to the ground by heavy swords, and riddled with arrows.

Blood instantly stained the long street paved with bluestone slabs, and corpses piled up in layers, almost blocking the road.

The Chu soldiers had cold eyes, like efficient killing machines.

With their superior equipment, disciplined formation, and indomitable fighting spirit, they managed to contain the numerically superior rebel offensive within a mile of the area inside Zhengyang Gate!

Although the rebels were frenzied, they suffered heavy casualties and their advance was completely halted by the Chu army's orderly and meat-grind-like defense and counterattack.

Their numerical advantage could not be fully utilized in the narrow street environment, and the gap in individual soldier quality and tactical coordination was exposed at this moment.

For a time, the battle situation was locked in a brutal stalemate!

The rebels could not advance any further, and the Chu army was powerless to drive out the enemy, who outnumbered them several times over, in a short period of time.

The two sides were engaged in a fierce tug-of-war in this small area, and the struggle for every inch of land was accompanied by the loss of countless lives.

Upon receiving the battle report from the front, Li Bi breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his heart sank even deeper.

A stalemate means wasting time.

He only had 10,000 soldiers available for battle, while the rebel army outside the city seemed to be pouring in continuously.

This battle to defend the city has turned into a desperate war of attrition.

He stood on the high point of the mansion, gazing at the firelight that illuminated the night sky in the direction of Zhengyang Gate, listening to the incessant sounds of fighting, his fists clenched tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms.

Inside Chang'an City, the battle centered around Zhengyang Gate has entered its most brutal stalemate phase.

Relying on its superior equipment, tight formation, and rich combat experience, the Chu army stood firm like a solid reef, stubbornly resisting the rebel army's raging onslaught.

On the long street, corpses lay strewn about, and blood flowed like a river; soldiers on both sides were exhausting their strength and lives.

Every clash of weapons could mean the end of a life.

Shouts of battle, screams of agony, the sound of war drums, and the blaring of horns mingled together, soaring into the sky and turning this ancient capital into a giant meat grinder.

Li Bi was extremely anxious in the capital. Although he had received news that the front lines had temporarily stabilized, he knew that this was only temporary.

Even the most elite Chu army numbered only 10,000. Facing an enemy several times their size who was still pouring in, the physical and mental strain was staggering.

If a defensive line is breached, or morale falters, the consequences could be dire.

He kept urging the rear to send some of the more usable reserves and new recruits to the front lines, but it was still a drop in the ocean.

Just as the battle within the city reached its limit, and everyone's attention was focused on the bloody tug-of-war inside Zhengyang Gate, no one noticed that in the darkness outside Chang'an City, another decisive force was quietly approaching like a ghost.

Less than two miles behind the rebels outside Zhengyang Gate, a cavalry unit stood silently in the night.

There were about five thousand people, all wearing black armor and robes. Their warhorses were gagged and their hooves were covered with thick cloth. Apart from the occasional restless snorting of the warhorses and the very slight scraping of the metal armor plates, there was almost no sound.

They were like lurking beasts, blending into the pitch-black night, with only their eyes, gleaming with a bloodthirsty cold light in the darkness, revealing a terrifying killing intent.

The leading general was as tall and imposing as a mountain, and even when riding a warhorse, he appeared exceptionally tall and mighty.

He was also covered in black armor, with thick shoulder armor and a ferocious appearance.

Most strikingly, he was not wearing a helmet; his large bald head gleamed with a glossy, fierce sheen in the firelight of the distant city gate.

Who else could it be but Ran Ming, Chu Ning's top general?!

Ran Ming's leopard-like eyes were fixed on the chaotic battlefield in the direction of Zhengyang Gate.

Watching the remnants of the Han Chinese army desperately trying to squeeze into the city like headless flies, their ranks congested and chaotic due to the narrow city gate, a cruel and excited smile slowly spread across his rugged face, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

"hey-hey……"

He let out a low, hoarse chuckle, the sound carrying a chilling undertone despite its short distance in the quiet night air.

"His Majesty was right! Sure enough, there are still these remnants of the Han Dynasty who won't admit their mistakes until they're faced with the truth, hiding their true intentions and refusing to give up!"

He recalled the secret order Chu Ning had given him privately in the army before he left.

At that time, His Majesty remained calm, as if he were just mentioning it casually: "Ranming, I will lead the main force ahead. You will take five thousand elite cavalry, hiding by day and moving out by night, sneaking around and staying far behind the main army."

"If there is nothing happening in Chang'an City, then come quietly to meet me."

"If... there are any blind rats from the previous dynasty who think they can stir up trouble just because I'm gone..."

Chu Ning didn't finish speaking, but gave Ran Ming a meaningful look. Ran Ming instantly understood the coldness and killing intent in his eyes.

Looking at the "lively" scene before him, Ran Ming felt even more admiration for His Majesty.

"His Majesty deliberately rushed to leave Chang'an City this time, creating the appearance of a vulnerable rear, in order to lure these rats hiding in the gutter into making their move!"

He licked his chapped lips, his eyes flashing with a fierce light:

"When they see His Majesty's army leave, they must feel that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to retake Chang'an and restore their dead Han dynasty."

He suddenly pulled on the reins, and the warhorse, sensing its master's murderous intent, nervously pawed at its front hooves.

"Little did they know, this was all part of His Majesty's scheme to lure the snakes out of their holes! His aim was to wipe out all of you scum in one fell swoop and eliminate any future trouble!"

He suddenly drew the heavy, door-like saber from his waist, its blade slicing a cold arc in the night.

He no longer suppressed his voice; a thunderous roar instantly resounded through the night sky, filled with boundless domineering power and a bloodlust.

"My lords! His Majesty's strategy is brilliant; these traitors are now completely trapped! I will lead you here, and tonight—not one of them will escape!"

He pointed his saber forward, his target being the rear guard of the rebel army who had their backs to them, were completely unprepared, and were desperately trying to squeeze into the city gate!

"Order! All troops, charge!"

"Kill! Slaughter all these remaining burly men, leave no one alive! Let their blood stain the walls of Chang'an!"