Chapter 115: Besieging Wei to Rescue Zhao (Eighth Installment)

"Find someone to deliver his head to the Emperor of Western Xia. Tell him to wash his neck clean, for I shall come to claim it in a couple of days," Yang Weiguo commanded.

The soldier nearby acknowledged the order and departed.

This battle had been truly exhilarating. Over twenty thousand Western Xia soldiers were slaughtered, and their commander-in-chief was captured alive. It could be called a complete, resounding victory.

When the head of Yeli Wangrong was delivered to the Western Xia imperial court, the entire nation was shocked.

"What else did that man say?" Li Shunqian glared at the head of Yeli Wangrong, whose eyes remained wide open in death, and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Your Majesty... I... I dare not say," the messenger official stammered, trembling.

"Speak! I grant you immunity!" Li Shunqian shouted.

"He said to tell Your Majesty to wash your neck clean, for he is coming to take your head!" After saying this, the man hurriedly kowtowed and added, "Your Majesty, spare me! These were all that man's words."

With a sharp crack, Li Shunqian smashed his cup and roared, "A supreme humiliation! A supreme humiliation! Western Xia has never suffered such disgrace before. This is the first time, the very first time!"

The ministers stood in deathly silence; the wrath of the Son of Heaven was something none of them could endure.

After venting his fury in the grand hall, Li Shunqian finally quelled his rage and asked the Crown Prince, Li Qingdao, "Did you see clearly how many enemies there were?"

In truth, Li Qingdao had no idea how many enemy soldiers there were, but he could hardly admit that he had fled without even catching sight of them. He gathered his courage and replied, "Reporting to Your Imperial Father, the enemy came with a fierce momentum, covering the earth and sky. Based on my observations, there were at least fifty thousand of them."

A clamor broke out among the ministers.

Fifty thousand Song soldiers had infiltrated Western Xia territory without a sound, breached the city of Da'an, and were now pressing toward the capital, Xingqing Prefecture. The ministers were gripped by panic.

One must understand that the Western Xia army numbered only three hundred thousand in total. Of these, Fengren Duozhong had taken two hundred thousand away, local tribes held five thousand, and the capital guard originally consisted of fifty thousand. With Yeli Wangrong defeated and two thousand killed, the forces remaining within the capital were fewer than thirty thousand.

Three thousand against fifty thousand—theoretically, with its high walls and deep moats, Xingqing Prefecture should be secure, but the ministers dared not take that risk.

"The enemy has a mere fifty thousand, and you couldn't even hold out for a single night?" Li Shunqian stared at Li Qingdao, demanding an explanation.

Li Qingdao looked distressed. "Father, you do not know—the Song people used some form of sorcery to summon heavenly thunder, shattering the city gates. We simply could not withstand it."

The news of such a thing only deepened the fear of this mysterious army, which the people of Western Xia had begun to call the "Ghost Army." Hearing that they could summon thunder left the ministers even more terrified.

If the gates of Da'an could be blasted open by heavenly thunder, what of the capital's gates? Even if those of Xingqing Prefecture were thicker, they would not withstand such bombardment.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, since our domestic forces are depleted, we should immediately order Fengren Duozhong to lead the army back to ensure your safety," Li Zhengqi advised.

Li Shunqian took a deep breath. Only yesterday, he had received a report from Fengren Duozhong claiming that they were on the verge of annihilating the remaining ten thousand Song troops under Wu Jie. Could he really abandon such a favorable situation? He felt reluctant.

"Your Majesty, the safety of the capital is paramount. The campaign against the Song can be delayed, but please, I implore you to reconsider!" Li Zhengqi urged.

With Li Zhengqi leading the way, the other ministers followed suit. After all, they all lived in Xingqing Prefecture; if the capital fell, it would be a catastrophe for them.

Seeing the ministers pleading, Li Shunqian gritted his teeth and said, "Issue the order via an eight-hundred-mile express dispatch: command Fengren Duozhong to return to the capital immediately. There must be no delay."

When Fengren Duozhong received the imperial decree, his expression darkened.

"Did His Majesty leave any other instructions?" Fengren Duozhong asked the scout who delivered the order.

"Reporting to the General, His Majesty only urged you to hasten your return. There were no other instructions," the man replied.

"Has something happened within the country?" Fengren Duozhong wondered aloud. This recall was too sudden; he was caught off guard.

"General, a Song army suddenly appeared within our borders. They have already broken through Da'an and are threatening the capital. His Majesty is worried about the safety of the palace, which is why he issued this urgent recall," the man explained.

How could such a thing happen? Fengren Duozhong was stunned. "How many enemies are there?"

"Fifty thousand. General Yeli Wangrong led thirty thousand men to intercept them at Da'an, but he was defeated and killed. His head was delivered to the imperial court, and His Majesty is furious."

Yeli Wangrong was dead?

This was the hardest thing for Fengren Duozhong to accept. He knew Yeli Wangrong's capabilities well; although they were often rivals, he knew Yeli was no incompetent fool. For such a general to be defeated and captured while leading thirty thousand men, the enemy must have had at least fifty thousand.

But how had fifty thousand Song soldiers managed to slip past his own eyes and reach the heart of Western Xia? It was a mystery Fengren Duozhong felt he would never solve.

"General Fengren, I must offer you my congratulations!" At that moment, Li Changqi walked into the tent, unannounced and blunt.

Fengren Duozhong knew Li Changqi had come with ill intent. He ignored him and commanded, "Pass the order: the rear guard becomes the vanguard. The entire army is to withdraw!"

"The General certainly has a clever way of doing things," Li Changqi continued with a sinister sneer.

"Little Prince, what exactly do you mean by that?" Fengren Qimaili, lacking the patience of Fengren Duozhong, asked angrily.

"Is my meaning not clear? You delayed attacking the Song forces at Huangtian Dang precisely because you were waiting to be recalled, weren't you? If you ask me, that Song army that suddenly appeared in our country was also let through by you on purpose," Li Changqi said sarcastically.

"You... what nonsense are you spewing?" Fengren Qimaili was incensed. "Do not cast false accusations!"