Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Chapter 2057 Advancing with the Dragon Banner!

Feng Mulan said in a deep voice to the generals around her, "The Tang army's central army was attacked by General Zhao Yu. He must be anxious and eager to achieve quick success."

"Our army only needs to hold its ground!"

"Pass down the order to all soldiers: hold on! General Zhao Yu's iron cavalry will surely be the first to break through Li Jing's command tent!"

"Victory will surely belong to the Great Chu!"

"Victory! Victory!" The soldiers' roars echoed through the night sky once again.

Just as Feng Mulan had predicted.

After Wang Zhongsi retreated to his main camp, he immediately commanded his troops to launch several offensives, but he lost the initial do-or-die spirit.

Although the offensive was still fierce, it seemed to lack momentum and was more like an offensive for the sake of offensive.

The Vermilion Bird Legion, with its solid formation and high morale, tenaciously withstood one attack after another.

The battle thus entered an even more brutal stalemate.

The Tang army was unable to defeat the seemingly insurmountable Vermilion Bird Legion and thus failed to achieve its strategic objectives.

With its forces outnumbered, the Vermilion Bird Legion was also unable to launch an effective counterattack to repel the Tang army.

On this dark battlefield, the soldiers on both sides fought endlessly, driven by will and instinct, with lives being lost every moment.

However, everyone could sense that the key to victory or defeat was no longer with them, but deep within the Tang army camp, beneath the banner bearing the character "Li".

Time seemed to slow down incredibly at this moment, yet it also felt incredibly urgent.

Inside Zhennanguan, the lights were on.

Chu Ning stood alone atop the city wall, gazing silently in the direction of the Vermilion Bird Legion.

The flickering lights stretched his tall figure long, casting it onto the mottled city wall, as if he had become one with this battle-hardened pass.

In the distance, smoke could be faintly seen rising, and the air was filled with the mingled scents of gunpowder and blood—the unique smell of the battlefield, a reminder of the cruelty of this war.

His hand gripped the sword hilt tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Those deep eyes were churning with complex emotions that were hard to describe.

There was worry about the battle at the front, concern for the safety of the soldiers, and even more so, deep concern for the woman who was fighting amidst the flames of war.

Feng Anguo's hurried footsteps broke the silence of the city tower.

The usually composed veteran was now walking in a panic, his armor covered in dust, and his face etched with anxiety.

"His Majesty!"

Feng Anguo's voice was urgent, and he didn't even have time to give a full salute: "News has just come that Wang Zhongsi has personally led the main force of the Tang army to launch a general offensive against the Zhuque Legion!"

Chu Ning turned around abruptly, his gaze sharp as lightning: "How is the battle going?"

"Although the Vermilion Bird Legion temporarily blocked the Tang army's first wave of attack, it suffered heavy losses!"

Feng Anguo's voice trembled uncontrollably: "The Tang army's strength far exceeds that of the Vermilion Bird Legion, and Wang Zhongsi is personally leading the charge. If this continues, the Vermilion Bird Legion will be wiped out sooner or later!"

Chu Ning frowned, her gaze once again fixed on the distance.

There, he had his most trusted elite troops.

More importantly, there she was—the figure who stood proudly amidst a sea of ​​soldiers.

"What are your thoughts, Lord Feng?" Chu Ning's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

Feng Anguo knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, please lend me your three thousand personal guards! I am willing to go and rescue my daughter myself!"

After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the ground.

This usually dignified and composed general was now just a father worried about his daughter's safety.

Looking at the old minister before him, whose temples were already streaked with gray, Chu Ning felt a surge of complex emotions.

Feng Anguo dedicated his life to fighting for his country. His sons had died on the battlefield in his early years, and now the only one left by his side was his daughter, who was just as capable as any man.

However, Chu Ning's answer took Feng Anguo by surprise:

"I will go myself!"

These five words, like a thunderclap, exploded in the twilight. Feng Anguo looked up abruptly, his face filled with horror:

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not! Your life is of paramount importance, and the safety of the entire Great Chu is at stake!"

"The battlefield is dangerous, and swords have no eyes. If anything goes wrong, I will die ten thousand times over!"

Chu Ning raised her hand to stop him from continuing, her gaze as firm as iron:

"Mulan is not only your daughter, but also my beloved concubine. How can I stand idly by while she is in trouble?"

“But Your Majesty…” Feng Anguo wanted to persuade him further.

Chu Ning strode up the steps of the city wall, his voice echoing in the darkness: "Now that the battle is at a stalemate, morale is the most crucial factor."

"If I personally go to the front lines, the soldiers' morale will surely be greatly boosted. This battle is not only to save Mulan, but also to break the stalemate and turn the tide of the entire war!"

His words revealed an unquestionable determination, the demeanor and responsibility of a true king.

"Send the order!"

Chu Ning's voice resounded throughout the city tower: "The dragon banner is moving towards the Vermilion Bird Legion! Personal Guards, follow me into battle!"

The sound of the horn immediately resounded throughout Zhennanguan, its deep and powerful sound seeming to awaken a sleeping lion.

Chu Ning strode down the city wall, where his personal guards were already fully equipped and ready to go.

They were the most elite warriors of the Great Chu, each one a hero chosen from among hundreds. Now, standing in formation before the emperor, their imposing aura was palpable.

"Open the city gates!" Chu Ning mounted his horse, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the torchlight.

The heavy city gates slowly opened, revealing a road leading to the battlefield—a journey where life and death were uncertain.

Feng Anguo quickly followed, wanting to offer one last piece of advice: "Your Majesty, please reconsider! If anything were to happen to you, Great Chu would be plunged into utter ruin!"

Chu Ning reined in his horse, glanced back at Feng Anguo, and his eyes held understanding, gratitude, but above all, an unwavering resolve:

"General Feng, do you know why I was able to sweep across the six kingdoms?"

Before Feng Anguo could answer, he continued, "It's not because we have strong passes, nor because we have elite troops."

"It's because whenever there's a crisis, there are always people willing to step forward and take responsibility."

"If I were to cower behind this pass today, watching my beloved concubine and soldiers fight valiantly, what right would I have to be the emperor of Great Chu? What face would I have to face the people of the world?"

These words struck the hearts of every soldier like a heavy hammer.

Someone in the personal guards shouted first: "We swear to follow His Majesty to the death!"

Immediately afterwards, three thousand people shouted in unison, their voices shaking the surrounding fields, and even the distant smoke of war seemed to tremble.

Chu Ning smiled slightly, a smile that contained both the majesty of an emperor and the resolve of a warrior.

He drew his sword from his waist and pointed it forward: "Let's go!"

Three thousand iron cavalrymen, like arrows released from a bow, rushed out of Zhennan Pass and sped towards the battlefield engulfed in flames.