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There are poems from predecessors praising Ma Chao of Western Liang, or some say Ma Mengqi of Western Zhou, whose reputation shook the Central Plains. His bravery was well-known, and Guan Zhang could stand alongside him. Weiqiao fought six battles, securing peace in Shu with great success. Cao Cao heard the news and was filled with fear, his fame spreading far and wide.
Later generations also praised the young warrior in a silver helmet and jade face, with eyes like stars and a body like a wolf. He was arrogant and vengeful, seeking revenge against Western Liang. In six battles at Weishui, he pressed towards Tongguan, leading iron cavalry and wielding a golden spear.
In the battle near Songzhou City, Princess Jinyang saw a White Robed God Gun Officer amidst the chaos. He charged left and right, unstoppable; wherever he passed, blood flowed like rivers, comparable to Ma Chao of Western Shu. She felt admiration and sent Zhou Cang to inquire about him. Upon hearing the name Xue Rengui, her heart was filled with joy.
Princess Jinyang loved reading history and admired famous generals. She had heard tales of Xue Rengui in performances of Say Tang's storytelling, which spoke of his origins from the He Dong Xue Clan. At the end of the Zhenguan era, he joined the army and fought for decades, achieving great victories over Tiele, subduing Goguryeo, defeating Turkic forces, and leaving behind stories such as "Three Arrows Settle the Heavenly Mountain," "Divine Valor in Liaodong," "Benevolent Rule of Goryeo," "Loving the People of Xiangzhou City," and "Defeating Thousands by Removing One's Hat."
Though these tales may be exaggerated, Xue Rengui indeed hailed from the He Dong Xue Clan, one of the ten great families of Sui-Tang and one of the six major surnames in Guanshi (Wei, Pei, Liu, Xue, Yang, Du). His ancestors were often noblemen; however, his father Xue Gui died early, leading to a decline in their family fortune.
In his youth, Xue Rengui lived in poverty and held a low status. He had to work as a farmer and married Liu, a wise and virtuous woman who did not want her husband’s martial talents to go to waste. When she heard that the emperor was about to lead an expedition to Liaodong to recruit brave generals, she encouraged Xue Rengui to join the army.
At that time, Xue Rengui was already thirty years old. After enlisting in the army, he was not immediately assigned to Yingzhou but first accompanied the troops to Songzhou. Due to a lack of military engagements, his talents went unnoticed; he only served as a Flag Officer thanks to his family's reputation. However, today’s battle caught Princess Jinyang's attention.
Zhou Cang also loved heroes and fought alongside Xue Rengui with great spirit. It felt like a contest of strength on this battlefield of life and death; they quickly formed a bond through mutual respect.
With such a fierce general charging into battle and a powerful army overwhelming them, the Tubo Army was no match for them. The fighting erupted like a storm and ceased like sudden rain; the Tang army advanced like a hot knife through butter. Han Wei led defectors to join them as they successfully captured Songzhou City!
Han Wei felt ashamed yet determined; he saved his life this time while persuading hundreds of Tubo soldiers to surrender. Returning to Songzhou City allowed him to regain some face. Although he still suffered from injuries, he was deeply grateful to Princess Jinyang. Generals like Niu Jinda achieved great victories as well; Tuguhun fled hastily, leaving behind much equipment stored in the city treasury. This battle could be deemed a resounding success; everyone rejoiced without harboring any resentment towards Princess Jinyang.
Li Daozong happily entered the city with many soldiers while being welcomed by the people of Songzhou. The Tubo people were barbaric and oppressive; the citizens had suffered greatly under their rule. With the arrival of the Tang army, they rejoiced loudly.
However, someone felt troubled amidst this joy—Li Wushuang followed behind the army, gazing at the battlefield littered with corpses with tears welling up in her eyes.
She had wanted to contribute to this battle but Li Daozong was protective of her daughter and would not allow her to fight; she remained by his side as an observer. Initially eager to prove herself in battle, her heart grew heavier upon witnessing the brutal deaths inflicted upon the Tubo Army.
Both sides of the Soldiers were born to parents, some with wives and children waiting for their return, others with relatives longing for them, yet they had no personal grudges and were forced to fight to the death. Anyone brave enough to step onto this battlefield deserves respect.
She witnessed a young Tubo Soldier, barely in his twenties, lying in a pool of blood, his armor shattered, his body unrecognizable, still bearing an expression of terror even in death. At such a young age, when life should be blossoming, he met a tragic end on the battlefield. How could one find peace in such a sight?
If it weren't for her reluctance to marry into the Tuguhun clan, this war would not have occurred. Although Li Wushuang usually acted spoiled and willful, deep down she was a sensitive girl who couldn't bear the guilt. She blamed herself for the deaths of both sides' Soldiers. In that moment, she realized that if sacrificing her own marriage could prevent the deaths of thousands, then what was her life worth?
Zhang Suling saw Li Wushuang's sorrow and could only accompany her in silence. After some time, they managed to gather themselves and settled into the city.
The Governor's Office was originally a grand residence belonging to Han Wei, but now with Li Daozong as the Chief of Military Operations, it was necessary to vacate the premises. Other Soldiers stationed at various gates camped outside the city without infringing upon the civilians.
Although the Tubo Army fled northward, fearing lingering ambitions, the Tang army was determined to pursue them relentlessly and drive them out completely. That night at the Governor's Office, Li Daozong ordered rewards for the Soldiers, and various generals celebrated with a feast in the residence.
The Xu Zhen was a key contributor to this victory; people cast aside their prejudices against her. Niu Jinda and Liu Lan were reckless but straightforward; they raised their glasses in apology to clear past grievances. The Xu Zhen was magnanimous and forgiving; it was truly a case of not knowing each other until they fought together. The hall was filled with laughter and joy as everyone celebrated.
With reconciliation achieved, the soldiers poured their hearts into drinking. The Xu Zhen could not refuse their hospitality and ended up drinking excessively. Seeking an excuse to leave, she claimed she needed to relieve herself and exited the banquet hall.
At that moment, the night was deepening, with cool breezes blowing and low-hanging clouds filling the air with fresh moisture. It seemed that spring rain was about to arrive. The gentle mist enveloped her face, refreshing her and making her feel as though the effects of alcohol were fading.
After calming down for a while, the Xu Zhen regained her strength and wandered around the residence before preparing to return for more drinks. However, she noticed Li Wushuang walking out with her head downcast and an expression full of sorrow.
Tonight was a celebration for both military and civilians; even Soldiers had relaxed their guard. With Li Wushuang being skilled in martial arts, the Xu Zhen did not think much of it. Although she noticed something unusual about Li Wushuang's complexion, she assumed it was due to her aversion to bloodshed and did not pursue her.
It seemed it was Li Wushuang's fate; having witnessed the gruesome deaths of the Tubo Army during the day left her shaken with guilt. She didn't even participate in the banquet but let Zhang Suling enjoy herself while she remained locked in her room, unable to dispel her thoughts. Wanting to take a walk outside for some fresh air, she unexpectedly encountered danger!
Murong Hanzhu had withdrawn his troops, but in order to gather information within the city, he left behind his six Death Warriors hidden among the populace. They were outside the Governor's Office, trying to gather intelligence and find a way to leave the city. Just as they were racking their brains for a solution, fate brought Li Daozong's daughter right to them.
They did not initially know Li Wushuang's identity, but after some nighttime reconnaissance, they learned that anyone residing in the main courtyard must be a close relative of the leader. Thus, when they saw Li Wushuang exit through a side door, they quickly surrounded her. One of them attempted a sneak attack from behind, but Li Wushuang was preoccupied with her own worries and was caught off guard, having her mouth and nose covered.
However, she was a trained fighter, and the Death Warriors underestimated her. Before they could react, Li Wushuang broke one of their fingers and delivered an elbow strike that knocked the wind out of him. Just as she was about to scream, she found herself besieged by the other Death Warriors, unable to make a sound.
These Death Warriors were ruthless and showed no mercy. One of them kicked from the side, striking Li Wushuang's left leg. The pain caused her movements to falter, and several others seized her arms, pulling them back.
"Help...!" Li Wushuang managed to utter a sound before her mouth was covered again. In desperation, she attempted to kick back at one of the Death Warriors, but they were relentless; a short blade plunged into her thigh.
"Ugh!" The pain pierced through her heart and lungs, yet she could not cry out as six Death Warriors held her captive and began dragging her towards the north gate.
At that moment, a glimmer of cold light flashed in the darkness. One of the Death Warriors felt a sudden sharp pain in his back and stumbled forward onto one knee, revealing a finely crafted throwing knife embedded deep into his back.
"Someone's here!" The remaining Death Warriors became alert, drawing their weapons to guard themselves while dragging their injured comrade and holding onto Li Wushuang as they moved outside.
The owner of the throwing knife was none other than Xu Zhen!
She had intended to return to the banquet hall when she heard a faint noise from the side door. Initially indifferent, curiosity compelled her to stop and listen. Upon hearing Li Wushuang's brief cry for help, she rushed over and saw Li Wushuang bleeding profusely from her thigh as she was being dragged away. Without hesitation, she threw her knife to save her.
"Damn it! I couldn't kill him!" Xu Zhen cursed under her breath, feeling frustrated. Due to the banquet, she wasn't wearing armor; her close-range sword was left behind in the banquet hall, leaving only the throwing knife at her disposal.
Having managed to injure one Death Warrior by surprise was already fortunate; now that the remaining Death Warriors were on high alert, it would be much more difficult for her to launch another sneak attack.
His flying daggers never missed, but at this moment, the enemy was already on guard, using Li Wushuang as a shield in front of them. He had no choice but to follow slowly, waiting for an opportunity to act, while being careful not to expose himself.
In such a situation, even when they reached the city gate, Garrison was wary of Li Wushuang's safety and could only let the Death Warriors pass. Realizing this, Xu Zhen gritted her teeth, took out her flying daggers, and ran swiftly from behind!
"Thief! Thief!"
As Xu Zhen ran, she shouted. However, the night watch in the city had not yet been lifted, and soldiers were celebrating outside the camp. The guards at the four gates were sparse, the streets were empty, and residents did not dare to open their doors to help. Xu Zhen quickly realized that calling for help was a foolish act.
The Death Warriors were bold individuals; seeing Xu Zhen come alone ignited their fighting spirit. They swung their short blades to attack. Xu Zhen could only brace herself to respond. However, as the saying goes, "an inch longer is an inch stronger," and "an inch shorter is an inch more dangerous." Using several inches of daggers against two Death Warriors was indeed quite challenging. In a moment of carelessness, she was slashed once, and blood gushed from her left arm!
If it weren't for her flexible and agile body gained from daily practice of Yoga Techniques, allowing her to frequently dodge fatal attacks, Xu Zhen would have already fallen victim to the enemy's blades!
Li Wushuang saw Xu Zhen risking her life to save him and felt anxious but couldn't call out. Xu Zhen held her breath and focused while using her daggers to strike back. However, in close combat, she couldn't extend her arms for long; there was simply no way to launch her daggers effectively. Before long, she was hit again and in pain was pinned down by the enemy's blade!
These people did not know that Li Wushuang was the daughter of the General of the Tang Army; they thought she was just an ordinary relative. They worried about whether they could force open the city gate. Now that they had captured Xu Zhen, they recognized who she was!
"This is a major achievement!" Many Death Warriors rejoiced upon capturing Xu Zhen; this truly felt like a great fortune falling from the sky!
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