Opportunities must not be missed.

Fully armored, Xu Chu led over a thousand fresh troops and, after joining forces with Liao Hua and others, immediately formed a triangular assault formation. Xu Chu was at the front, roaring with rage, his massive broadsword—weighing dozens of pounds—spinning like a windmill, sweeping forward like a sudden gale. Any enemy in his path was either cut down or retreated in terror.

Zhou Cang, Zhang Baiqi, and the Wolf Howl Guards followed closely, widening the bloody path Xu Chu opened, tearing an even larger gap with brute force. Behind them, the well-equipped Han Restoration Iron Cavalry, led by Liao Hua, slaughtered the already terrified and disordered Xianbei cavalry, spreading like a sweeping tide.

Thousands of Xianbei horsemen, whose hearts were no longer in the fight, originally formed the right-wing assault formation, but it lasted barely a quarter of an hour before Xu Chu and his men split it in two, causing heavy casualties. The survivors were shoved left and right, unable to decide whether to advance or retreat, and had no further will to confront the Han Restoration infantry breaking through the shield wall.

The Han Restoration army lost only a few dozen riders. After smashing through the enemy's right flank, they didn't pause to wipe the blood from their weapons; without a moment's hesitation, they spurred their horses to follow Xu Chu and the Wolf Howl Guard generals, accelerating in an arc and, with thunderous force, charged into the rear of the tens of thousands of Xianbei cavalry already locked in desperate battle on the verge of collapse.

The Xianbei cavalry at the front had been fighting the Han Restoration troops the longest. Tireless, indifferent to gore, the unfamiliar sword soldiers, supported by Han Restoration crossbowmen and pikemen, had already crossed the shield wall paved with blood and stacked with mangled limbs, advancing a dozen steps with wild ferocity. Their blades swept through the dense enemy ranks, cutting down two or three layers of Xianbei cavalry like harvesting wheat.

Before them, the blood-red unfamiliar swords drew ever closer; above, a hail of arrows whistled down. The tens of thousands of Xianbei riders, once proud of their ability to gallop and cut down foes, had already lost their former swagger. Now, facing the well-trained and well-equipped Han Restoration infantry, even their height advantage from horseback had vanished. Soon, under heavy casualties, their fighting spirit was shattered; they began to retreat in terror. If not for their leaders shouting and the nearby supervisors glaring with raised blades, the army would have already collapsed.

Suddenly, a murderous group of Han Restoration iron cavalry attacked from behind. Some sharp-eyed Xianbei riders cursed and turned their horses to meet the threat, but chaos reigned. The supervisors, seeing the situation, gritted their teeth and charged ahead, hoping to buy time for their army to regroup, preserving at least some dignity for their tribal leaders.

But hope and courage were admirable, yet their effect was despairing. The few hundred supervisors who met the attack were scattered instantly by Xu Chu, Liao Hua, and the Wolf Howl Guards, offering no resistance to the charging Han Restoration cavalry.

The still-disorganized Xianbei cavalry, seeing their once-proud bodyguards slaughtered so easily, could no longer suppress their fear. After a strange cry, they turned and fled for their lives. The junior officers left behind stared in shock until the thunder of hooves and the grinning Han Restoration soldiers jolted them awake. Abandoning all thought of bravery or honor, they followed the fleeing troops out of the city.

These last few hundred Han Restoration iron cavalry were the straw that broke the camel's back, turning the stalemated battlefield into a rout. Xianbei defeat began on the front right and soon spread like a flood, engulfing all.

On the city walls of Yunzhong, Budugen watched helplessly, fury and anxiety overwhelming him, and spat a mouthful of blood before fainting in his guards’ arms.

The battle, lasting less than an hour, ended with the Han Restoration cavalry in relentless pursuit. Xu Chu and Zhou Cang, eager to press their advantage, considered pursuing the fleeing Xianbei into Yunzhong City, but the defenders, seeing their own routed troops at the gates, panicked and not only refused to open the gates, but ordered arrows fired at their own men. Xu Chu could only curse the city tower and withdraw in frustration.

With victory secured, Wang Bo, pleased with his troops’ performance, ordered the logistics soldiers to set up camp. He was about to comfort the wounded when Liao Hua rode up and said, "Master! The Xianbei have just been defeated; tens of thousands of their cavalry are scattered in terror. The defenders within Yunzhong are surely insufficient! Our army’s morale is high—why not seize this opportunity to take Yunzhong in one stroke and secure the grand strategy?"

Wang Bo was moved, shading his eyes to check the time, but frowned as he looked at the exhausted sword soldiers lying motionless on the ground. He replied with concern, "I observed the enemy defenders in Yunzhong to be very vigilant, with no opportunity to exploit. Moreover, our troops are fresh from battle and must be fatigued. If we rest for the night and attack tomorrow, what say you?"

Liao Hua replied urgently, "There is still time before sunset. Though our troops are somewhat fatigued, the battle lasted less than an hour and most have not yet exerted themselves—they are fit for another fight! The enemy cavalry is scattered, but most remain; Budugen will surely regroup them. If we wait until tomorrow to attack the city, the difficulty will increase and casualties will be greater... Master, now is the time!"

Hearing Liao Hua’s analysis, Wang Bo was startled: Indeed, though the Xianbei cavalry were slaughtered in droves, less than ten thousand were killed—two or three times that escaped. They have four legs, after all. If Budugen regroups them before nightfall and they defend Yunzhong, waiting for reinforcements, that would be troublesome...

With urgency, Wang Bo leapt up, ordering logistics troops to prepare siege equipment at once. Xu Chu was sent with most of the Red Tiger cavalry to patrol the other gates, dispersing any Xianbei attempting to enter Yunzhong. Wang Bo then ordered the whole army: Attack Yunzhong in one hour, and take it in one stroke!

Yunzhong, an old city dating back to Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han, had changed hands many times between the Western Qiang and Xiongnu, eventually falling to the Xianbei. After countless battles, its defenses were already dilapidated. The Xianbei, focused on hunting and herding, never repaired it; the once formidable fortress had become rundown, its walls low and broken, the moat nearly dry. For convenience, the Xianbei had even built stone and earth ramps at every gate.

Upon inspecting the city, Wang Bo shook his head with a wry smile: Truly, self-inflicted disaster!

An hour later, three tall horse-drawn siege towers were erected under the anxious gaze of countless defenders atop Yunzhong’s walls. A dozen makeshift catapults lined up, while logistics troops unloaded huge timbers and planted two powerful “ballistae.”

Once preparations were complete, Wang Bo made a decisive downward gesture with his right hand, and the assault began.

First, catapults and ballistae, operated skillfully by logistics troops, launched huge stones and whirling chain balls at the walls, flying with terrifying momentum. After correcting the first volley’s range, the second wave struck the city walls and parapets amid screams and panic, sending dirt and stone flying, dust swirling, and a chorus of wails mingling with the thunderous impact.

Xianbei soldiers atop the walls, already lacking fighting spirit, scattered in chaos, seeking what they thought were safe spots to hide. Budugen’s renewed fainting left the Xianbei leaders headless and divided, unable to coordinate, retreating behind the heavy gatehouse to rally their panicked troops.

They knew the Han Restoration army would bring siege towers and ladders closer, but few dared approach the walls to resist, huddling with their heads down, trembling at the constant bombardment and the screams of their comrades.

Fortunately, the logistics troops had brought limited stone for speed. Wang Bo ordered all to be used, sustaining only five or six volleys.

When the barrage ceased, the siege towers had rolled to within forty paces of the walls. The Han Restoration’s long-range weapons stopped, and the order to assault echoed at Yunzhong’s east gate.

Thousands of archers, shielded by heavy shield bearers, divided into three waves, loosing volley after volley at the chosen section of the wall. Niu Da organized several dozen expert marksmen to target any Xianbei who dared show themselves. Meanwhile, blade-and-shield troops rushed forward with ladders, shouting as they approached the wall. Behind the siege towers, unfamiliar sword warriors marched, their heads down and steps heavy.

Hearing the roar from below, the Xianbei soldiers atop Yunzhong, shivering with fear, were driven by their leaders to muster courage, hastily readying bows and running to the wall.

But before they could reach it, they were met with a rain of arrows, screams rising as poorly armored Xianbei were struck. Yet their warrior instincts drove them to return fire, ignoring casualties, swiftly nocking arrows at the advancing enemy below, some even shooting from where they stood.

All Xianbei soldiers were skilled archers, and though accuracy suffered in haste, their numbers inflicted dozens of casualties on the Han Restoration troops below, most wounded in limbs rather than fatally.

Nevertheless, the Xianbei only managed two rounds of arrows before the siege towers and ladders reached the walls. Blade-and-shield troops shouted as they placed ladders, knives held in their mouths, shields raised, climbing with all their strength. Around the siege towers, Han Restoration soldiers pulled ropes and fixed supports as Xianbei arrows clattered off the huge towers with little effect.

From atop the wall, Xianbei dropped stones and heavy objects to hinder the attackers, while their leaders, driven frantic, hacked down slow-moving soldiers to rally the rest in a desperate defense.

Seeing the blade-and-shield troops climbing rapidly, Han Restoration crossbowmen and archers ceased firing, except for a few sharpshooters clearing the way for those on the ladders.

The Wolf Howl Guard armored squad, following the middle siege tower, didn’t wait for it to be fully secured. They climbed the rear wooden ladder as the tower rose higher. Once at the right height, Zhou Cang and Pei Yuan-shao exchanged glances, cut the ropes securing the boarding plank, raised shields to cover the opening facing the wall, while others fired their repeating crossbows through the loopholes.

With a resounding crash, the iron-bound plank slammed onto Yunzhong’s parapet, sending dust flying and crushing two unfortunate souls. In the haze, a deadly rain of arrows swept away stunned Xianbei soldiers, clearing a small space.

Within moments, their crossbows spent, Zhou Cang tapped his shield and, with a roar, charged onto the plank, followed by Pei Yuan-shao, Zhang Baiqi, Ping Han, and Li Damu.

The siege tower’s plank, less than twenty feet long, was crossed in seconds. The dust at the far end hadn’t settled before the surrounding Xianbei realized the danger, but these fierce, roaring warriors, monstrous in appearance and stature, plunged the defenders into chaos, limbs flying, blood splattering wherever they went.

The Xianbei, lacking strong organization, showed their warrior spirit but could not match the disciplined ferocity of Zhou Cang and his men. In less than a quarter of an hour, the Wolf Howl Guard-led Han Restoration troops carved out a sizable foothold, rapidly expanding as more unfamiliar sword warriors joined.

Amid the triumphant cheers of the Han Restoration army, the blood-soaked Wolf Howl Guard turned to sweep along the parapet, opening the way for more troops to climb up.

Most Xianbei had now discarded their bows, and under their leaders’ shouts, fought bravely, but their nomadic background left them weak in foot combat. Even the occasional valiant fighter was cut down by Han Restoration’s coordinated spear and sword tactics, driving the main force of Xianbei steadily back.

More and more Han Restoration troops surged up the towers and ladders, forming ranks and advancing, driving the increasingly panicked Xianbei toward the city interior. Zhang Baiqi and Li Damu, seeing the outcome assured, exchanged a glance and rushed toward the gatehouse where bugles and shouts echoed. With a roar, the Wolf Howl Guard generals grinned ferociously, charging toward those whose attire distinguished them from ordinary Xianbei soldiers.

The tribal leaders, watching these deadly warriors closely, instantly realized their intent, hurriedly ordering their bodyguards to intercept. But the Wolf Howl Guard’s powerful charge could not be easily stopped. As they drew closer, several elder leaders exchanged fearful glances and fled toward the city.

The saying goes: the general is the soldiers’ courage. The leaders’ retreat triggered a chain reaction—the Xianbei soldiers, already reluctant, saw their chiefs fleeing and lost all will to resist. No longer caring whether spear or blade threatened from behind, they fled headlong into the city…

And so, the last several hundred Han Restoration iron cavalry proved the final straw, turning the battle for the city into a rout. With the Xianbei resistance shattered, the conquest of Yunzhong was only a matter of time.