Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Moreover… a deeper calculation flashed in Murong Xuepo's eyes. This Han army had been battling Kobe Neng for years, and was already at the end of its strength. If he could completely destroy Kobe Neng with the help of the Han army, and wait until their forces were depleted and exhausted, he could then advance and defeat this Han army as well. Then, he would be both the "new master" who ended the old royal court and the "guardian of the grasslands" who repelled the Han. His prestige would be at its peak, and no one on the grassland would dare to question his rule.

The wind blew grass dust across his face. Murong Xuepo raised his hand to the scimitar at his waist, his knuckles turning slightly white. He never sought a corner of peace, but the submission of the entire grassland. Kobe Neng and Ma Chao were merely necessary steps on his way to the summit. As long as he could achieve his goal, what did it matter if he temporarily feigned complicity with the Han army?

Behind them came the sound of a large army breaking camp. The clatter of horses' hooves and the rustle of armor blended into a cacophony of determined victories. Murong Xuepo turned and mounted her horse, her silver robe rustling in the wind. "Order the entire army, hasten! We cannot be late for the battle of Ordo City."

His voice betrayed no emotion, only a resolute determination to prevail. On this vast and brutal grassland, only the one who laughs last can truly reign supreme. And he was steadily approaching that position.

At the foot of Ordo City, the desolate sound of a horn finally shattered the silence, echoing across the grasslands like the roar of a great beast. Ma Chao stood atop a high slope, pointing his spear forward. He said in a deep voice, "Send orders to Zhang Liao and Zhang Xiu, each leading their troops to charge west and south of the city, respectively!"

As soon as the military order was given, the two generals immediately mounted their horses. The Han cavalry behind them were like two torrents, stirring up a cloud of dust and rushing towards the Ordo City.

Although this Ordo City was known as the Xianbei royal court, it hardly qualified as a "city" in the eyes of the Han. It lacked the towering brick buildings and sturdy urn walls of the Central Plains cities. It was merely a ring of stone walls, less than two meters high at its highest point, riddled with cracks and lacking even decent arrow embrasures. Within the walls, numerous tents lay scattered, though they were larger than those of ordinary tribes. Those embroidered with golden wolf totems housed the royal family, while the rest were the tents of the nobility. The Xianbei were a people who lived wherever they moved. Kobe's survival here was entirely due to tributes from the surrounding tribes. The city was primarily inhabited by Xianbei nobles, with few commoners, so they didn't have to migrate with the seasons like ordinary tribes.

But ever since Left Wise King Tarim led his troops to retreat here, this already modest "city" had completely changed its appearance. Tents, large and small, filled every inch of space within the city walls like pins. Worn felt blankets, scattered weapons, emaciated women and children... the place looked more like a makeshift refugee camp, a chaotic atmosphere permeated with despair.

The Xianbei were not adept at defending cities, and now their lives depended on that simple stone wall. Atop the walls, Ulanda roared, scimitar in hand, commanding his soldiers to hurl stones and brandish spears. Tarim, along with a group of the elderly and weak, maneuvered arrows behind the walls. From time to time, someone would be struck by an arrow fired from below, sending them tumbling down the ramparts with a scream.

Zhang Liao's cavalry had already reached the city walls. Shieldbearers formed a square formation to protect the center, while archers drew their bows and drew their arrows from the rear. A hail of arrows swept across the stone walls like locusts, and the Xianbei soldiers on the top of the city walls fell to the ground one after another. Zhang Xiu led his troops to set up crude ladders. The brave Han soldiers climbed the shaky wooden ladders, but as soon as they emerged, they were struck by the Xianbei's scimitars. Blood flowed down the steps, and in a blink of an eye, they were trampled under the feet of the soldiers behind them.

Lacking sophisticated defensive equipment or a tight defensive formation, the Xianbei could only fill the gaps in their defenses with their own flesh and blood. When one soldier fell, another would immediately take his place. The stone walls were soon filled with corpses, and the smell of blood mixed with dust filled the air.

Ma Chao, perched high on the slope, watched the tragic scene unfold without wavering. He knew this was the only way to conquer Ordos City and the final battle to end Kobe's reign.

Xu Shu stood beside Ma Chao, gazing at the stalemate below. His brow furrowed slightly, he leaned in closer and whispered, "My lord, Ordo City isn't a fortified city to begin with, and its interior is mostly filled with tents. Now, with the influx of Zuo Xianwang's troops, the population is even more dense. Their stone walls are rudimentary, and their defenses are weak. It would be better to have the cavalry prepare rockets and launch them in from a distance."

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Most tents are made of felt, which will catch fire and will undoubtedly cause unrest in the city. The Xianbei will be overwhelmed and might be forced out of the city to fight a decisive battle with our army. This would not only break the deadlock, but also reduce our losses during the siege."

Ma Chao's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he nodded, saying, "Sir, this makes a lot of sense." He then turned back and shouted, "Xu Huang!"

Xu Huang was suppressing the urge to charge, but upon hearing this, he immediately stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said, "I am here!"

"Lead your troops and immediately prepare rockets," Ma Chao said solemnly. "Go around to the north and east of the city, approach in a circuitous manner, and fire them at the densely packed camps inside. Make sure to disrupt their formation and force Kobe to leave the city to fight!"

"I obey your command!" Xu Huang responded loudly, turned around and went to mobilize troops. Soon, the sounds of cutting bamboo and wood, and melting glue to make arrows came from outside the tent.

Ma Chao then looked at the Qiang leader Shao Ge standing nearby and ordered, "You will immediately go as an envoy to Murong Xuepo's camp and urge him to launch an attack immediately. Tell him that our army has suffered setbacks in the siege, suffered heavy casualties, and is on the verge of collapse. Request him to send troops to relieve our pressure immediately."

Shao Ge bowed and accepted the order: "As you command!"

Xu Shu watched Ma Chao's series of deployments, stroked his beard and nodded, "My lord, this move kills two birds with one stone. The rockets disturb the enemy and disrupt their morale; showing weakness to encourage the troops can both test Murong Xuepo's sincerity and allow him to share the burden of the attack. If he does make any unusual moves, our army will be able to prepare early."

Ma Chao looked at the fierce fighting still going on below the city and said coldly, "Kobe is already a trapped beast. If Murong Xuepo had any sense, he would know what to do now. If he dares to delay, once I capture the city, he will be next."

The wind blew smoke across the battlefield. Sporadic flames could be vaguely seen in Ordo City, and on the distant skyline, the flags of Murong Xuepo's army were slowly moving. A bigger storm was brewing deep in the grassland.

Shao Ge galloped to the outskirts of Murong Xuepo's camp. When he dismounted, his armor still caked with battlefield dust, he rushed into the central military tent and spoke anxiously, "Captain Murong, my master has sent me here to tell you that the fighting outside Ordo City is at a stalemate. Our casualties are mounting, and we are struggling. I request you to attack immediately to relieve the pressure on our army!"

Murong Xuepo was sitting at a desk, slowly polishing his scimitar. Hearing this, he raised his eyes and smiled faintly, speaking calmly, "Don't worry, General Shaoge. My troops have already accelerated their march. We are only ten miles away from Ordo City and will be there in a moment."

Shao Ge frowned and took a step forward. "Captain Murong, we can't delay the attack on the city wall! Our soldiers are bleeding under the city walls, and our brothers are falling every moment. Please..."

"I understand General Tian's difficulties." Murong Xuepo put down his scimitar, stood up, and glanced at the scorched face of the burned-out general. "But our army has come a long way and needs some preparation to avoid being dragged down by a hasty attack. Go back and report to General Tian. In half an hour, I will personally lead the cavalry to attack the city. I will not let the Han army bear the pressure alone."

Despite his words, his eyes didn't radiate any anxiety; instead, they held a hint of scrutiny. Shao Ge, though disgruntled, couldn't press the issue any further. He clasped his fists and said, "Since that's the case, I hope you'll keep your word, Chief! I'll return and report!" With that, he turned and hurried away.

Inside the tent, the leader of the personal guards whispered, "Your Majesty, do you really want to attack the city in half an hour?"

Murong Xuepo walked outside the tent and gazed towards the distant Ordo City, where the sounds of fighting could be heard faintly. A sneer curled his lips. "What's the rush? Let Ma Chao expend some more energy. Once they and Kobe are both severely damaged, we can strike and take advantage."

He jumped on his horse and shouted, "Pass the order down, all the troops, march slowly, and form up in battle array east of the city in half an hour!"

The sound of horse hooves slowly filled the air as Murong Xuepo's army, like a serpent, slowly and steadily moved towards Ordo City. He knew in his heart that in this battle, he didn't want a quick victory, but rather a chance to reap the benefits.

Shao Ge, breathless, rushed back to the battlefront and reported Murong Xuepo's response. Ma Chao's eyes flashed coldly, and a sneer curled his lips. He looked up at Ordos City, where rockets had set several tents ablaze. Thick smoke billowed, and chaotic shouts could be heard faintly, indicating that civil unrest had broken out. Glancing to his left and right, Zhang Liao and Zhang Xiu's forces, in their hasty attack, had lost many soldiers, and their lines were already weakening.

"Sound the horn to retreat!" Ma Chao shouted the order, and his voice was clearly transmitted to each camp through the noise.

The guards around him were stunned: "My lord, the city is in chaos right now, it's a good opportunity to break into the city..."

"A good opportunity?" Ma Chao interrupted, his gaze sweeping in the direction Murong Xuepo's army was heading. "Kobe's hiding behind is simply a way to wear us down. Since Murong Xuepo wants to reap the benefits, then let him do it. Pass the order down; the entire army retreats three miles and sets up camp to rest and await further orders."

He paused, his tone firm, "Tell Zhang Liao and Zhang Xiu to conserve their strength. Kobe can defend an isolated city, but he's running low on food and grass; Murong Xuepo's army is out in the open, and they'll get impatient if they wait too long. Let's just wait and see who loses their temper first!"

The sound of gongs echoed, and the Han army retreated in an orderly fashion, leaving behind a fading, yet still tightly shut, Ordos city. Ma Chao reined in his horse and stood on the high slope, gazing at the shadowy figures within the city, then glancing toward the rising dust in the distance, his smile deepening.

Gripping the broken spear shaft of his father's legacy, Mori Wolf strode into Ma Chao's central camp, the blood still wet on his armor. He dropped to his knees, his young face flushed with excitement. His voice, still childish, pierced with ruthlessness: "My king! Why are you calling off the battle? My men are huddled together, unable to contain themselves. We are ready to die for you!"

Ma Chao, bent over a map, turned upon hearing this, his gaze fixed on his sweat-drenched forehead and clenched teeth. The boy was only fourteen or fifteen, his features still tinged with the youthful innocence of youth, yet he had already followed his father's example and donned his armor for battle. The armor seemed a little too large for him, making his thin frame appear even more pronounced.