Traveling back to the Northern Song Dynasty: Picking up a princess as my wife

With swords clashing and horses galloping, and war clouds gathering, the Jin army's offensive was like a raging storm. To the rhythm of the war drums, they desperately attacked Tangyin City, each drumbeat striking the strongest line of defense in the hearts of the defending soldiers.

Faced with the overwhelming onslaught of the Jin army, the warriors on the walls of Tangyin stood firm amidst the smoke and fire, using all sorts of weapons to suppress the Jin troops.

The battle was exceptionally fierce. The Jin soldiers surged forward like a tide, only to be repeatedly repelled by the defenders' weapons. In less than half a day, the area outside Tangyin City was littered with corpses, and the lives of nearly three thousand Jin soldiers came to a tragic end on this scorched earth.

Their fall was mostly due to the barrage of arrows flying everywhere, each one like a whisper of death, precisely fired from the composite bows in the hands of the defenders, easily piercing through the enemy's armor and the line of death.

The single mortar, with its deafening roar, was awe-inspiring. Each shot was accompanied by the falling of hordes of enemies. However, its power was ultimately limited. The might of this single mortar lay more in its intimidating presence than in the sheer number of kills it produced.

Finally, the Jin army's siege ladders were erected on the walls of Tangyin City, and countless Jin soldiers climbed up with their knives tightly clenched in their teeth.

Li Zhen skillfully cocked his rifle and shouted to the soldiers beside him, "Soldiers, fight them off and defend Tangyin City!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!..."

Composite bows, semi-automatic rifles, double-barreled shotguns, steel-reinforced spears, steel-pipe machetes, and other weapons rained down on the Jin soldiers as they climbed the city. These Jin soldiers had all experienced the battle of Bianjing, and they felt that Tangyin City seemed even more difficult to conquer than Bianjing.

Yelü Shu was an undefeated general in the Jin army, known as the "Eagle of the Jin Army." He originally thought this campaign against Tangyin City would be an easy opportunity to make a fortune. Unexpectedly, the small city of Tangyin turned out to be like an impregnable fortress, swallowing the lives of countless warriors under his command, and proving to be even more difficult to conquer than Bianjing City of the Song Dynasty.

Seeing the situation on the battlefield, Yelü Shu was filled with rage. At his command, more golden-armored cavalry surged onto the battlefield like a tide, determined to break through the resilient city of Tangyin.

At this moment, south of Tangyin, the city walls stood tall and the city gates were tightly locked, becoming the core stage for the life-and-death struggle between the two armies.

As the number of Jin soldiers below Tangyin City increased, some of them had already stormed onto the city walls and were fighting with the defending soldiers. Just when Li Zhen felt that he was about to be overwhelmed, he saw Mr. Bu Liang leading a large group of laborers carrying jars and rushing up the wall.

The scoundrel shouted, "My lord, do not panic! I have men coming to your aid!"

As the last group of laborers and strong men, with unwavering resolve, stepped atop the city walls, the righteous leader's deep and decisive voice suddenly rang out, like the beating of war drums, stirring the hearts of all: "All troops, heed my command! Scatter them all!"

"Snap! Snap! Snap!..."

A series of crisp, rapid sounds intertwined to form a melody, the prelude to the shattering of the earthenware jar, each sound foreshadowing a turning point in fate. In an instant, a rich, yet not greasy, aroma of soybean oil, like the fragrance of the earth awakening in the morning light, filled the air, yet carried a hint of foreboding.

"ignition!"

The bad guy gave the order again, his voice like thunder, resounding through the sky, leaving no room for doubt.

Immediately, thousands of torches, like the brightest stars in the night sky, were thrown down from the city walls by determined hands, tracing brilliant and resolute paths.

The soybean oil flowing beneath the feet of the Jin soldiers seemed to come alive, greedily devouring the torchlight and transforming in an instant into a raging fire dragon that swept across the foundation of the city walls.

Flames raged, as if the gates of hell had been suddenly flung open, engulfing the entire base of the city wall and turning it into a sea of ​​fire. The heat was so intense that even Li Zhenzhan, who was atop the wall, could feel the scorching pain on his skin, as if the air itself was burning, and every breath was accompanied by scorching agony.

No matter how much the generals behind urged them, the Jin soldiers in front retreated one after another, and no one cared about the lives of the several hundred Jin soldiers who had been set on fire by soybean oil.

Li Zhen watched the retreating Jin soldiers and thought to himself, "When I go back next time, I'll definitely get a few machine guns and see how arrogant these Jin soldiers are then."

At this moment, the man with the bad posture lowered his body and resolutely knelt before Li Zhen, his tone filled with undisguised self-reproach: "My lord, please allow me to accept punishment. I acted without your permission and took the supplies from the grain and oil warehouse without your consent, which is a great act of disrespect."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhen's lips curled into a faint smile. He gently adjusted the sling of his semi-automatic rifle, which was slung across his back, and then slowly reached out, warmly and firmly helping the unruly man to his feet. His eyes were full of understanding and comfort for his subordinate.

“Punishment? How can you say that? Not only was your action without fault, but it was also a great achievement. How can a few barrels of soybean oil compare to the profound significance of your actions? Even if COFCO Oil Warehouse had a vast fortune, if it could be used for the greater good, I would regard it as nothing but fleeting clouds, not worth mentioning.”

At this moment, Li Zhen's voice pierced through the clamor of the battlefield, steady and powerful. He looked at Wang Changdao, his eyes flashing with unwavering determination: "Wang Changdao, quickly organize men to clean up the battlefield, especially those wounded warriors. Be sure to carefully carry them to the rear so that the healers can soothe their wounds. At the same time, send someone to urgently inform the kitchen to speed up the process and deliver hot meals to this place so that the soldiers who have fought so hard can have a full meal and a short rest. I suspect that the Jin army's iron hooves will not stop trampling because of a temporary setback. They will surely stir up trouble in the shadows and make a comeback."

Inside the towering Jin army camp, the flickering candlelight illuminated Yelü Shu's ashen face. He gripped the leather whip in his hand, a whip stained with the marks of time and authority. Each swing of the whip was accompanied by a tearing sound as it struck the two kneeling, ashen-faced generals.

"You scoundrels! You usually boast of your unparalleled bravery and invincibility, but today you are like stray dogs, so cowardly! Have you poured all your passion into women, forgetting the honor and responsibility of being generals? Four thousand elite troops, vanished in half a day! I, Yelü Shu, will use this whip today to seek justice for those fallen heroes!"

His voice was deep and filled with anger; each word struck like a heavy hammer, making the two commanders tremble involuntarily. Outside the tent, the night was deep, as if even the wind held its breath, awaiting the aftermath of this storm.

Yelü Shu's eyes were like ice, revealing an undeniable resolve: "Remember, on the battlefield, life and death are decided in an instant; it's either live or die, allowing no room for slackness or weakness. Your defeat is not only a desecration of your own lives but also a betrayal of the countless sacrifices of your warriors! I hope you will remember today's punishment and that you will wash away this shame in the future!"

After speaking, the whip finally fell, but it seemed to carry a warning and an encouragement rather than a simple punishment. The two generals lay prostrate on the ground, their bodies covered in wounds, but an indomitable flame gradually ignited in their eyes, vowing to redeem today's humiliation with blood and courage on the battlefield to come.