Chapter Eighteen: The Desolate Ruins of the City!

The dignified Thirteenth Princess of the Great Qian Empire had actually been abducted? Was this the work of Northern Wu?

Lin Qian’s brow furrowed instantly. He leaped off his horse and rushed forward, grabbing Chuntuo by the collar. "What exactly happened? Tell me at once!"

Perhaps due to extreme exhaustion, or perhaps the toll of the relentless war over the past few days, Chuntuo’s vision blurred, and he fainted on the spot. With no other choice, Lin Qian led his armored soldiers into Chunping City.

Upon entering, the scene was harrowing. Of the thirty thousand White Staff Infantry, fewer than a few thousand remained, and the vast majority were severely wounded. Even more devastating was the toll on the civilians; the city was in ruins, houses were shattered, and the streets were pitted with craters.

How... how could a battle be so brutal as to reduce a major frontier military stronghold to such a state? The thirty thousand White Staff soldiers led by Ye Huang were seasoned veterans, famous throughout the land for their ferocity and fearlessness in the heat of battle. What kind of force could inflict such heavy losses upon them?

Judging by the number of remaining defenders and the extent of the city’s destruction, the enemy must have fielded at least 150,000 troops—perhaps even more.

Lin Qian distributed his own supplies to the surviving townspeople and ordered his men to repair the walls and prepare defensive materials, bracing for a potential return of the enemy.

That night, when Chuntuo finally regained consciousness, Lin Qian rushed into the tent the moment he heard the news. "What happened? Who abducted the Thirteenth Princess?"

Seeing the familiar face of Lin Qian, Chuntuo tearfully recounted the truth. The young prince of the Northern Wu Empire had launched a surprise attack on Chunping City without any warning; not even the outposts at the Blackwater Fortress had spotted them. It was said that after hunting on the steppes, this young prince had led a massive cavalry force, roaming the grasslands, conquering tribes and slaying their leaders. Everyone had assumed he was merely training his troops and boosting his military record against minor tribes. No one expected them to bypass the Blackwater outposts and strike directly at Chunping.

At the time, the city was in the middle of the autumn harvest, and many soldiers had been dispatched to help with the crops. That night, the young prince intended to slaughter the entire population and pillage the city. To save the people and prevent the total annihilation of her troops, Ye Huang had surrendered herself as a hostage, accompanying the young prince, Ashina Yanyun, back to Northern Wu.

This was the second day since Ye Huang had been taken.

"Are you saying Ye Huang is currently with that young prince’s hundred-thousand-strong cavalry, heading toward Northern Wu?"

Chuntuo could not bear to admit it, but the tears in his eyes betrayed him. Northern Wu was a nation founded on nomadic roots. While they had attempted to emulate the cultural institutions of the Central Plains, their inherent brutality remained unchanged. Anyone who fell into their hands was destined to be humiliated and killed. What did it matter if she was a princess of the Great Qian? In the eyes of the Northern Wu, she was merely a "two-legged sheep" of higher value.

"How many capable soldiers are left among the White Staff?"

Chuntuo’s eyes widened. He understood exactly what Lin Qian was planning. He wiped his tears and stammered, "There are... fewer than four thousand combat-ready soldiers left!"

"Four thousand? I will take two thousand, combined with my own three thousand, that will be enough!"

Chuntuo was stunned, tumbling from his bed to the floor. "Your Highness, are... are you planning to pursue them?"

Lin Qian sighed deeply. "Our Princess has been abducted. How could I not pursue them?"

Fear flickered in Chuntuo’s eyes. The Northern Wu cavalry that had come to Chunping were not ordinary soldiers. They possessed a destructive, overwhelming power; they took cities without hesitation. They didn't even need siege ladders; they used human walls and shields to allow their warhorses to charge right up the city walls as if on flat ground. Their mounts were superior, their armor impenetrable, and their weapons were different from the standard scimitars of Northern Wu.

"They... they are like demons!" Chuntuo whispered. "They devour people without leaving a bone, and yet, no one can truly kill them."

At this, Lin Qian offered a self-deprecating smile. He held a secret that no one knew: his true origin. When Sun Ye had found him on that snowy night years ago, his memories had already begun to awaken. The real Lin Qian was a man from a future era, having crossed over into this world as a mere infant. Those memories of the future had never faded. What kind of weaponry had he not seen? What "demons" were there that he could not understand?

"Someone, come! Prepare these things for me." A glint appeared in Lin Qian’s eyes. Even if the enemy was fully armored, he knew the perfect counter—something that could neutralize both their armor and their highly mobile cavalry.

"Post notices! Sound the gongs every hour to summon every laborer and craftsman in the city. The more, the better!" Lin Qian emptied his pockets, throwing all his travel funds to his men. "There is enough for everyone! Tonight, they answer to me! Go!"

The area surrounding Chunping City was filled with jagged mountains. There were salt flats and even hot springs. While the conditions were harsh, the terrain was strategically excellent. In the capital, Lin Qian might not have been able to procure sulfur and saltpeter easily, but in Chunping, it was a simple matter. Furthermore, charcoal was readily available.

Tonight, he would create something that could ignite and explode—something to intimidate Prince Ashina Yanyun. If he could bring Princess Ye Huang back unscathed, that would be the best outcome.

That night, a strange odor permeated the air above Chunping, accompanied by the occasional thunderous sound. Yet, because of Lin Qian’s arrival, the townspeople finally slept soundly, knowing three thousand elite troops of the Great Qian stood guard.

The next morning, Lin Qian squinted, gazing toward the direction of Northern Wu. Calculating the pace of the cavalry, he estimated that in these past two days and one night, the young prince had already traveled at least two thousand li. How could he possibly catch up?