Chapter 241: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 241: Congratulations on the Great Revenge
The order rang out like a sword, cleaving mountains and seas, its aura sweeping the heavens and striking straight at the soul, awakening the long-buried instincts within Chang Kuo.
In an instant, he straightened his posture.
He had stopped breathing, unable to blink, only able to fix his gaze on the figure before him.
The army stirred up clouds of dust, and she stood there, no longer concealing her sharpness. Her brows and eyes exuded sword-like intent, cold and merciless, making it impossible to meet her gaze directly.
Even without prior signs, this single glance was enough for Chang Kuo to recognize the old companion.
Just by seeing this sword aura, he knew he was facing his former master.
His old master had grown from a small boy drenched in blood, shattered and neck broken, vanished from this world, traversing an incomprehensible path, and returned here…
Even though he had sensed something in recent days, confronting the one who had emerged from that mountain still delivered an indescribable shock.
This phenomenon, inexplicable by ordinary logic, made the girl seem infinitely mysterious, yet paradoxically noble.
Chang Kuo’s heart trembled; though standing straight, he felt his body quake.
He could not hold back the tears forming in his eyes.
Through these tears, he saw the departure of a girl, the return of a soul, and the continuation, passing, and rebirth of all that lay between.
His voice seemed sealed within him until the girl waved the battle flag in her hand, lowering it as she spoke:
“The five colors represent the vanguard, center, rear, left, and right armies—this is the order for the army to advance.”
“This is the order to scatter, to left and right.”
With two flags crossed in her hands: “This is the order to encircle the enemy.”
Chang Kuo’s gaze followed the flags, tears streaming.
Finally, the voice asked, “Do you still remember?”
Looking up, Chang Kuo let a trembling, hoarse yet resolute voice roll out from deep within his throat:
“One day… never forgotten!”
The white-haired general’s voice now carried a trace of tears.
“Good.”
Chang Suining handed over the flags: “Today you shall hold the flags and lead the formation, commanding the battle. The flags in your hand are both the sword that kills the enemy and the blood of the soldiers—observe carefully and act without error.”
Chang Kuo’s hands trembled as he took the flags, gripping them tightly.
Their eyes met, and he straightened further, red-eyed, saying slowly and deliberately: “…Chang Kuo will not disgrace this duty!”
A faint moisture glistened in Chang Suining’s eyes as she nodded, “Good.”
She picked up the spear beside her, turned, and rode out of the city gate.
Chang Kuo stood atop the city wall, facing the army, raising the flags, his voice roaring like a lion:
“Army, take the flags as orders—kill the enemy, defend the city!”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Fifty thousand soldiers raised their spears and swords, shouting in unison, their morale soaring.
Lowering a flag, Chang Kuo commanded the front army. The soldiers surged forward in perfect formation, with Chang Suining among them.
Seeing this disciplined, advancing army, Ge Zong frowned.
Over ten thousand troops had seemingly multiplied several times… truly unnatural!
Judging by the varied armor on some soldiers, many were city conscripts, yet their formation was impeccable, without a trace of chaos.
Ge Zong soon sneered, “Paper tigers… not even dry yet, and they dare to scare people!”
He drew his blade and charged: “Let’s see how brave these bloodless paper tigers really are!”
But empty threats were not enough—he needed to see real bloodshed.
Ji Xi glanced at Chang Kuo atop the city wall, then instinctively searched the enemy lines for the command flags.
He soon spotted Chang Kuo’s flag, raised high by a cavalryman, with a youthful, fair-faced figure leading it.
The one carrying the flag for Chang Kuo? Ji Xi realized it was likely the “little cavalryman” Ge Zong had cursed repeatedly.
But if this was merely a small cavalryman, how could they command obedience holding the general’s flag?
Ji Xi’s curiosity was piqued, though it did not distract him. He issued orders and led his troops forward.
Ge Zong soon recognized Chang Suining. Though she no longer disguised her skin tone, her eyes and aura betrayed her unmistakably.
During the clash, seeing the flag move with Chang Suining, Ge Zong laughed bitterly: “Seems Chang Kuo’s lost his mind, hiding while sending a blonde brat to fight!”
“That’s right, naturally,” the ‘blonde’ replied. “Taking up the fight for my father is only right.”
She commanded respect not just through reputation in the city, but also through her father’s name.
Ge Zong paused, then sneered: “I thought you were some random brat. Turns out, you have a name!”
So this was Chang Kuo’s child!
Excitement flashed in his eyes: “Good! I’ll kill you first, then your cowardly father hiding behind!”
“Wrong. I’ll kill you,” Chang Suining smiled coldly, eyes flashing with killing intent: “Last time I just scared you, now it’s real.”
With experience from the previous encounter, she had gauged Ge Zong’s habits and weaknesses: his best with a blade, strong but slow, easily excitable upon seeing blood, and his head… empty as a rat-eaten famine skull.
“Brazen! I’ll crush your head!” Ge Zong roared, swinging his blade.
Chang Suining dodged, spinning her spear to strike from the side.
They clashed dozens of times, Chang Suining relying on speed, agility, and misdirection to strike at Ge Zong’s left shoulder.
Blood gushed. Ge Zong quickly retreated, his bodyguards blocking her pursuit.
“General Ge!” a soldier shouted.
“Dogs don’t die!” Ge Zong gripped his bleeding shoulder, face flushed with rage.
Though minor, it was an ominous start.
Urged by his aides, he swore revenge and temporarily withdrew: “…Boy, just wait!”
“You better patch up quickly, don’t make me wait too long.”
A voice behind him made his face flush, blood rushing faster.
While tending his wound, he glimpsed the battlefield and realized the enemy’s formations were clever, compensating for their smaller numbers, advancing and retreating tactfully.
Ge Zong’s frown deepened: “…These Changs, old and young, are truly unnatural!”
The younger one seemed frail, lacking Chang Kuo’s robust build, yet struck fast, precise, and relentless.
Though his shoulder ached, he understood: he could no longer underestimate them.
For a long time, he found no chance to confront Chang Suining directly.
The sky darkened, a gray heaviness pressing down, suffocating.
Seeing his army stalled, Ge Zong grew more furious.
Above the wall, Chang Kuo crossed two flags.
The left and right squads surged, encircling Ge Zong.
He was trapped, using countless soldiers as shields, carving a bloody path to escape.
Anxiety and irritation gnawed at him.
His murderous gaze shifted toward the women warriors: “With these unlucky things here, the battlefield’s luck is truly cursed!”
They did not ride; their role was to guard formations with spears from the rear.
Ge Zong’s eyes went cold. He drew a crossbow, taking aim at a lagging woman.
She fell, struck by an arrow. Her companion cried out, “Sister Ping!” and rushed to help.
But another arrow flew, piercing her as well.
“Ding Jia’s elder sister!”
“Do not leave formation!” cried the lead, called Jucai Niangzi, commanding: “Hold your positions!”
She glanced at the two fallen comrades, turned her face away, biting back tears, moving with the formation without hesitation.
Snow began falling, half landing on the ground, half on soldiers.
Amid the crush of battle, white snow mixed with blood underfoot.
The snow intensified, the sky grew grayer, and formations became less orderly as fatigue set in.
Yun Hui fought at the front, bloodied.
Through the crimson haze, he saw someone approaching on horseback.
It was Ji Xi.
“Let me test you. Are you stronger or weaker than your father and brother?”
Yun Hui’s knuckles whitened on his sword, eyes dark, charging forward.
Clanging weapons, a murderous aura; though exhausted, Yun Hui fought more fiercely than before.
In the end, heavily wounded, he refused to yield, eyes radiating a willingness to die with his foe.
“Sharper than your father and brother,” Ji Xi said, wiping blood from his lips: “Your father and brother are too merciful. You’re good seed.”
Thus, he could not be left alive.
Ji Xi struck again, knocking the already injured youth from his horse.
Yun Hui scrambled up, seizing a spear, stabbing at the approaching horse’s neck.
Hot blood spurted, knocking him several steps away. Before the horse fell, Ji Xi leapt down, ready to finish him.
“Ah Hui!”
A woman’s voice rang out—his mother. In desperation, Madam Lou ran forward, shooting an arrow to stop the killer.
But Ji Xi easily deflected it.
She tried another shot, but an arrow struck her right leg first.
She collapsed, her bow falling.
Ge Zong seized the bow, grinning viciously: the widow was his to capture alive!
At the same moment, Ji Xi sensed a killing intent approaching from behind.
Though he had fought Yun Hui alone for some time, he remained vigilant; as a commander, he could not leave his rear exposed.
Yet now…
Through the youth’s eyes, he saw the approaching kill.
Yun Hui rose, grabbing the nearest spear, charging forward.
The spear’s tip appeared at Ji Xi’s heart from behind—a spear pierced through, blood dripping, snow falling across it.
Yun Hui had no strength left to withdraw the spear.
Ji Xi collapsed, vomiting blood.
The rear forces fell into disorder. Chang Suining seized the opportunity, charging past Yun Hui without pause:
“The great revenge is done. Congratulations.”
Yun Hui looked up, struggling, bloodied, forcing a smile: “Thank you…”
Then he heard someone panic, calling: “Madam!”
His mother!
His heart tightened as he struggled to look back.
Chang Suining had already raced ahead, holding the reins with both hands, upper body lowered to see through the snow, eyes cold.
Ge Zong had grabbed Madam Lou’s arm, dragging her along.
The arrow in her leg was broken, leaving a trail of blood.
The nearest women warriors rushed forward to rescue her.
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