At the tender age of eight, he was hastily dragged out and made emperor!

A kind heart cannot command an army, and righteousness cannot manage finances. If a person in a certain position is soft-hearted, hesitant, and indecisive, he is destined to fail.

This is especially true on the battlefield.

Everyone knows the cruelty of war. Those who crave war the most are not the seasoned warriors and soldiers, but rather those who lack an understanding of its cruelty.

Having experienced many wars, and seeing your comrades-in-arms either killed or maimed, can make you indifferent and cause your heart to close itself off.

Because I can't accept this cruel reality!!

After a great battle, the victors are the ones who survive and become heroes. Those who stand out are rewarded and promoted, and even receive countless praises and cheers. But who remembers those who died in battle?

Just because they died, do they not deserve praise and cheers? Do they not deserve to be called heroes?

Reality is often this cruel.

People only remember what they hear and see, while other things are ruthlessly forgotten. But for those who experience it firsthand, it is an unforgettable experience for a lifetime.

sunset.

The city of Mielu was bathed in golden light.

The banners erected on the city wall fluttered in the wind.

"I wonder how things are on the Grand Commander's side? How many troops has the Northern Barbarians sent to reinforce Lankun City?"

"Is there any need to say more? The Grand Commander is such a figure that the mere Northern barbarians are no match for him."

"That's right! Let alone the six fierce generals of the Northern Barbarians in the Southern Courtyard, even if the Northern Barbarian Southern Courtyard King Murong Gu himself came, he would definitely not be a match for the Grand Commander!!"

"The best news is that there is no news. If someone were to come to Mielu City, my heart would be in my throat."

"What do you think will happen to Tuowu City? Will any of those noble sons who are training in the Southern Army die on the battlefield?"

"Who can say for sure? Swords have no eyes on the battlefield. I actually hope they don't die in battle. In fact, Li Bin and the others are not cowards."

"That's right, they're all a bit arrogant, but they're actually pretty good people..."

On the north wall of Mielu City, some soldiers of the Yulin Army's Beiwei Battalion, who were on duty, couldn't help but start discussing as they watched the setting sun.

These past few days have felt like a dream to them.

They fought a fierce battle on the front lines and returned, but all the armies and units that had conquered the city had left. Now, apart from their Imperial Guards, only the elderly, weak, women, and children remained in the city.

In addition to their main forces, the Shanglin and Mielu armies mobilized this time also recruited many able-bodied men from within the city. More than 10,000 men accompanied the Shanglin army to Lankun City to escort grain, supplies, and other necessities to the rear of the Shanglin army. More than 8,000 men followed the Mielu army to Tuowu City... It was clear that they would not be able to return for a short time.

When war actually breaks out, it is undoubtedly the most agonizing time for the groups living near the front lines, whether soldiers or civilians. After all, even they have little knowledge of the actual situation on the front lines unless news is sent from there.

Whether they won or lost, whether a fight actually broke out, all sorts of thoughts will constantly surface in this tense and oppressive atmosphere.

It would be better to go to the front lines; at least then I wouldn't have to overthink things, nor would I have the time or energy to do so.

"you……"

"Alright, let them have a chat."

At the city steps, seeing his soldiers chatting idly, Qu Guangsheng, the commander of the Beiwei Camp, frowned and was about to walk forward when Huang Long reached out and grabbed him.

"It's good to talk, at least I won't think about anything else."

Huang Long's expression was solemn, and he frowned slightly as he said, "They've all had it tough too."

"General."

Qu Guangsheng was at a loss for words.

The Imperial Guards achieved remarkable results in this battle, not only destroying the Northern Barbarians' supply depot but also killing many of them. For the Imperial Guards, who were on the battlefield for the first time, this was a very impressive achievement.

But when they returned to Mielu City from the front lines, few people in the Imperial Guard talked about these things. Most of them remained silent. But what were they thinking beneath that silence?

His comrades-in-arms, with whom he had spent every day, had died in battle or gone missing.

Even among the comrades who returned with them, dozens of the severely wounded and disabled had died, a situation that was both devastating and oppressive.

I brought it back, but it still died!

The Imperial Guards that were ordered to go north this time numbered only 15,000, but it wasn't just the Imperial Guards who went north; there were also female soldiers, specifically the Fifth Colonel's Division, which was in charge of battlefield emergency rescue.

Upon learning that the army was heading north, the Shanglin army rushed to Lankun City, and the Mielu army went to Tuowu City. Leng Hui, the captain of the Fifth Colonel's Division, volunteered to fight and wanted to follow the Shanglin and Mielu armies northward.

Sun Bin agreed.

Currently, in the city of Mielu, there is only one commandant's unit, while the remaining four have been separated and have gone to the battlefield with the Shanglin Army and the Mielu Army respectively.

Leng Hui, the fifth female colonel, personally led a team to the most dangerous city of Lankun.

What men can do, women can do too!

"Beep——"

The piercing whistle rang out, prompting Huang Long and Qu Guangsheng to run forward quickly. In contrast, some of the Beiwei Battalion soldiers on duty at the North City became agitated.

"It's them!!"

"Still alive!!"

"I saw Wu Zi and the others!!"

Amidst excited shouts and the afterglow of the setting sun, a dozen or so cavalrymen, some on horseback and some lying on their horses, moved slowly forward in a loose formation.

Just being alive is good enough!

Huang Long clenched his fists and slammed them against the parapet. In his emotional state, he felt no pain. These were his comrades who had gone missing on the battlefield.

"Quickly!! Tell Wu Liang to go out of the city to greet them!!"

Huang Long's voice was deep and resonant.

"Yes!!"

Qu Guangsheng immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute and shouted, then grabbed one of the men and yelled, "What the hell are you standing there for? Go and pass on the order!!"

Upon hearing this, the man immediately ran towards the city walls.

"General!"

Qu Guangsheng, unable to hide his excitement, looked at Huang Long and said, "Should we...?"

"Wait for them to come back."

Before Qu Guangsheng could finish speaking, Huang Long waved his hand to interrupt, "Let's find out the situation first."

In the past, Huang Long would have given the order without hesitation to send his troops out to search for his missing comrades.

But it's different now.

The heavy responsibility of guarding the city of Mielu fell on his shoulders, which placed a great burden on Huanglong. He could not allow any threat or hidden danger to the city of Mielu because of personal feelings.

"what!!!!"

"I'm still alive!!"

"what--"

Just then, a roar rang out from outside the city. Although it was already very faint when it came, Huang Long and the others all had their eyes slightly redden when they heard it.

Even more surprisingly, some shed tears.

These young men were not afraid of death on the battlefield, but at this moment, seeing their comrades-in-arms return, their emotions were different...