Crown Prince of the Empire, I quit!

He looked up at the gloomy sky to the west. The direction the defeated Qiang troops were fleeing was Liangzhou. Once a vital city on the western frontier of the empire, it now fell to the enemy, and the banners on the city walls were changed. However, after this battle, the main force of the Qiang had been annihilated, and Liangzhou's defenses must be weak.

"Orders." His voice pierced the rain, calm and unwavering. "Organize the central army. The infantry must clear the battlefield, treat the wounded, and count the spoils. Collect the heads of all Qiang chieftains above the rank of thousand-man commander and hang them at the gate."

"Yes!" The messenger beside him was covered in blood, but he still straightened his back, responded in a stern voice, turned his horse's head and galloped away.

Qin Ming rode his horse slowly down the pile of corpses, his hooves treading over shattered armor and stiffened limbs with a teeth-grinding crunch. Teams of Qian soldiers, under the command of their officers, began methodically clearing the battlefield. The finishing blow fell, ending the agony of the dying enemy; the remains of their comrades were carefully unearthed and neatly arranged; captured weapons, flags, and horses were quickly gathered. Their efficiency was astonishing, as if the bloody massacre had just been a necessary task.

Soon, several generals escorted a Qiang general, his arms bound behind his back and covered in mud and blood, to Qin Ming's horse. His helmet was missing, his braids were disheveled, and a deep knife wound on his face revealed the bone. Yet, he struggled on, his eyes burning with resentment.

"Your Majesty, we have captured a Qiang leader, who is the captain of Wudun's personal guard." Li Gan reported with a bow, his voice tired but unable to hide his excitement.

The captain suddenly raised his head, stared at Qin Ming, and roared in stiff Chinese: "Qin Ming! Don't be so proud! The Khan... The Khan will definitely avenge us! The eagle of the grassland..."

"Where did Wu Dun escape to?" Qin Ming interrupted him. His voice was calm, but it carried an invisible pressure that stopped the roar of the captain of ten thousand men abruptly.

The captain's lips trembled, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood foam: "Bah! Don't even think about taking it from my mouth..."

A flash of cold light!

Qin Ming didn't unsheathe his black iron sword, but instead struck the captain in the abdomen with the end of the scabbard. The force was so great that the sturdy Qiang general instantly doubled over, his face pale, and vomit mixed with blood gushed out of his mouth, unable to utter a single sound.

"Take him away. Pry open his mouth." Qin Ming didn't even glance at him, his voice still cold, "I want to know Wu Dun's exact whereabouts and the strength of Liangzhou City."

"Yes!" Immediately, guards as ferocious as wolves and tigers stepped forward and dragged the limp commander away.

The rain gradually subsided, and the sky grew darker. The battlefield cleanup was nearing completion. The bodies of the fallen soldiers were cremated en masse. Black smoke, tinged with the stench of grease and burnt flesh, rose into the air, blending with the lingering smoke of gunpowder, creating a uniquely melancholic and solemn atmosphere of war. The bodies of the Qiang were buried in deep pits dug on the spot to prevent the spread of disease.

A clerk stepped forward quickly, presenting a preliminary tally, his voice trembling with excitement. "Your Majesty, a preliminary count shows that approximately 37,000 heads were beheaded in this battle, and approximately 5,000 severely wounded and intact prisoners were captured. The number of those who fled is incalculable. Over 10,000 intact war horses were seized, along with countless weapons, armor, and flags... Over 4,000 of our soldiers were killed in action, and nearly 10,000 were wounded..."

Qin Ming listened silently, his eyes glancing over the cold figures on the document, his face expressionless. Behind this great victory lay an equally great sacrifice. But he knew full well that this was the price that had to be paid for peace.

"Register the fallen soldiers and provide generous compensation to their families. Provide all possible medical care for the wounded." He closed the document and handed it back to the clerk. "Does General Meng Zhi have any military reports?"

"Report!" As he spoke, a galloping horse broke through the rain and came galloping. The knight dismounted and knelt on one knee, panting but speaking rapidly, "Your Majesty! General Meng Zhi has an urgent report! We have captured the remnants of Wudun's army, and they are fleeing towards Liangzhou! General, please advise whether we should continue the pursuit all the way to the city walls of Liangzhou?"

Qin Ming's eyes flashed with coldness. Wudun's defeated army was terrified, and the Liangzhou defenders, upon learning their main force had been annihilated, were bound to suffer a morale collapse. Now was the perfect time to recapture Liangzhou and completely pacify the western frontier!

"Send a message to Meng Zhi, and give him a relentless pursuit! I will personally lead the main force of the central army, break camp immediately, and rush to their aid overnight! Tell him that I want to see Wu Dun's head at the foot of Liangzhou City!"

"Here!"

The military order was as firm as a mountain. The Qian army camp, fresh from a bloody battle, sprang into action once again. Torches were lit, forming a dancing sea of ​​light in the fading twilight and drizzling rain. The weary soldiers devoured their rations, sorted their bloodstained armor and weapons, and after the wounded were properly tended, the troops began to assemble, ready to embark on a new expedition.

Qin Ming reined in his horse and stood at the camp gate, looking back for one last time at the blood- and fire-soaked Falling Eagle Stream. The bodies had been disposed of, the bloodstains being washed away by the rain, but the thick odor of death and rust would probably linger for a long time.

Countless lives were buried here, and the foundation of the empire's hegemony in the western frontier was laid.

He turned his horse and faced west, which was the direction of Liangzhou, the direction where the remaining enemies fled, and the direction of final victory.

"Set off."

At a command, the black torrent surged again, carrying the spirit of victory and lingering murderous intent, stepping on the muddy road, rolling towards the direction where the last rays of sunset sank.

Military reports from the front streamed in like snowflakes. Like the sharpest hunting dogs, Meng Zhi's cavalry relentlessly pursued Wudun's defeated guards and remnants, launching relentless, deadly raids from the rear, eroding the Qiang's remaining strength. The defeated soldiers, already terrified, fled for their lives, unable to muster any effective resistance. A trail of discarded armor, flags, and even the bodies of their wounded comrades marked their hasty retreat.

Qin Ming's central army followed closely behind, receiving captives and spoils sent back by Meng Zhi along the way, while also witnessing the devastation wrought by the rout. Black smoke rose from the villages pillaged by the fleeing soldiers, and the fields were trampled. Occasionally, the bodies of Qiang soldiers or civilians who had fallen by the roadside could be seen. All this further strengthened the soldiers' resolve to pursue the enemy to the end and eradicate the scourge once and for all.

By dusk on the third day, the vanguard of the army could already see the towering yet slightly dilapidated outline of Liangzhou City in the distance. The setting sun stained this isolated and majestic city in the western frontier with a bloody hue, and the Qiang tribe's wolf-head banner fluttered feebly in the wind from the city walls.

A messenger sent by Meng Zhi arrived on horseback, bearing the latest military information: "Your Majesty! The remnants of Wudun's army have fled into Liang Province! However, their forces have been severely damaged, and the defenders within the city number less than a few thousand. The people are in a state of panic! I have led my troops to the city gates and have set up camp to block the four gates. Your Majesty, please give your instructions!"

Qin Ming reined in his horse and gazed out at Liangzhou City. On the city walls, figures could be seen running frantically. The defending Qiang soldiers were sparse in number, their morale clearly low. Wudun's escape into this city would be tantamount to a desperate situation.

"Send a message to Meng Zhi: surround the city without attacking, and block all exits. Display plenty of flags and light torches at night to confuse the enemy and create a false impression. This will confuse them and frighten them." Qin Ming said in a cold voice. "Also, select men with loud voices to march around the city and announce: Those who surrender will be spared, but those who resist will be wiped out when the city is captured!"