Chapter 189: Broken Walls

The second wave of General Sheng’s army emerged from the mountains like a dark tide, stretching across the valley until Ru Yi could barely see the ground beneath their feet.

The retreat of the first group had been nothing more than a brief pause, a calculated withdrawal that had given Sheng’s soldiers enough time to regroup while the defenders of Ashen Fortress were left staring at the enormous force gathering beyond their walls.

For several moments, nobody spoke. Then Qingyue’s voice rang from the southern battlement. "Close the gates!"

The remaining soldiers immediately rushed toward the broken entrance, dragging the heavy wooden beams into position while others carried stones and barrels toward the walls.

The courtyard that had been filled with confusion only moments earlier suddenly became a storm of movement, with everyone scrambling to obey orders before the next assault began.

Ru Yi looked toward Qingyue. She was standing on the battlement with her sword in hand, her hair whipping around her face as the mountain wind swept through the fortress. She looked small against the enormous army outside, yet somehow she appeared more commanding than anyone else in the entire fortress.

Lieyin climbed the stairs and joined her. "They’re bringing siege towers."

Qingyue’s gaze remained fixed on the enemy. "I see them."

"They’re going to attack all three walls."

"Then we’ll defend all three."

Lieyin looked at her sister. "You’re injured. This has to be the worst timing in history."

"If I leave the wall, everyone else will think we have already lost."

Lieyin’s expression tightened, but she didn’t argue.

Below them, Yexue was organizing the wounded while Officer Liang distributed weapons to anyone capable of holding one. Han Shuying had taken control of the archers, positioning them along the highest section of the western wall where they could fire directly into the valley.

Ru Yi stood near the center of the courtyard, watching everything unfold. Her eyes moved toward the storage building.

Food. Water. Medicine.

If the siege lasted long enough, those things would become more important than swords. She turned toward Shen Liang. "How much water do we have?"

He looked at her. "Enough for perhaps three days."

"And food?"

"Less."

Ru Yi frowned. "Then we’ll have to ration it now."

He hesitated. "Won’t that frighten everyone? They’ll think we already lost."

"It will be worse if we run out." She thought to the children in the castle. "We have to make it last for as long as it can."

Officer Liang nodded. "You’re right."

Ru Yi looked toward the wounded soldiers. "And make sure the injured receive food first. They need strength."

Officer Liang gave her a surprised look. Then he nodded. "I’ll handle it."

Ru Yi watched him leave. She hadn’t realized until that moment how much had changed. Yesterday, she had been thinking about how she could survive. Now she was thinking about how everyone else could.

A horn sounded outside and the second attack had begun. This time, the enemy didn’t rush toward a single section of the fortress. They attacked everywhere.

Arrows poured over the walls while soldiers carrying ladders rushed toward the eastern and western sides. Siege towers rolled slowly across the valley, protected by shields, while men carrying ropes and hooks followed behind them.

Lieyin raised her sword. "Fire!"

The archers released their arrows.

The sky darkened. Enemy soldiers fell, but there were too many. They kept advancing.

On the western wall, Yexue fought beside the soldiers, her movements precise despite the exhaustion beginning to show on her face. She had barely rested since the attack began, yet she continued to move from one section of the wall to another whenever someone needed help.

Ru Yi watched her for a moment before realizing Yexue was looking back at her. Their eyes met.

Yexue’s expression softened. Then she turned and drove her sword through another enemy soldier.

Ru Yi’s chest tightened. She wanted to run to her. Instead, she stayed where she was. Because Yexue had trusted her to stay alive.

Another explosion shook the fortress. The western wall trembled. Stone broke loose and crashed into the courtyard.

Someone screamed. "The wall!"

Ru Yi ran toward the sound. A section of the outer wall had collapsed. Enemy soldiers were already climbing through the opening.

"Get everyone inside!" Officer Liang shouted.

Ru Yi grabbed a young boy who had frozen near the courtyard and pulled him toward the castle. "Go!"

The boy stumbled after her.

Behind them, soldiers rushed toward the breach. Ru Yi turned just in time to see Yexue jump down from the wall.

"Yexue!"

Yexue landed hard but immediately rose. "Get everyone inside!"

Ru Yi’s voice was laced with concern, already noting the exhaustion that was evident on her face. "What about you?"

"I’ll hold them."

Ru Yi shook her head. "No."

Yexue gave her a fierce look. "Ru Yi, go."

For once, Ru Yi obeyed. She pulled the boy into the castle and returned moments later with several more civilians behind her.

Then she heard a cry. "Princess!"

Ru Yi turned. Qingyue had disappeared from the southern wall.

Lieyin was already running down the stairs. "Where is Qingyue?"

"She fell when the wall shook."

Ru Yi’s heart stopped. "Where?"

Lieyin pointed toward the damaged section.

Ru Yi ran.

"Ru Yi!"

She ignored the warning and climbed over the broken stone and found Qingyue beneath a fallen wooden beam, one hand pressed against her side.

"Qingyue!"

Qingyue looked up. "You shouldn’t be here."

Ru Yi dropped beside her. "Neither should you."

Despite the pain, Qingyue almost smiled. "Help me move this."

Together, they pushed against the beam. It barely moved. Ru Yi gritted her teeth and pushed harder until the beam shifted enough for Qingyue to crawl free.

Then a shadow appeared behind them.

An enemy soldier.

Ru Yi froze.

Qingyue immediately pulled her behind herself. The soldier raised his sword but Qingyue blocked the strike. The force drove her backward.

Ru Yi grabbed a fallen blade and attacked from the side. The soldier stumbled before Qingyue finished him.

For several seconds, they simply stared at each other.

The moment was broken by another explosion which made the entire fortress shake. Qingyue looked toward the valley.

Her expression turned deadly. "They’ve reached the inner gate."

Ru Yi’s heart sank. They hurried back toward the courtyard. Han Shuying was already waiting for them. Her face was grim.

"Sheng’s soldiers aren’t trying to take the fortress anymore."

Qingyue frowned. "What do you mean?"

"They’ve stopped attacking the main walls."

Lieyin looked toward the western corridor. "Then what are they doing?"

Han Shuying pointed. "They’re searching the abandoned castles."

Qingyue’s expression hardened. "For what?"

Han Shuying looked directly at her. "Your mother left something here."

Qingyue went still. "The relic?"

Han Shuying didn’t answer. Instead, she looked toward the old castle standing at the far end of the fortress. "They’re looking for something your mother hid before her death."

Ru Yi felt the blood drain from her face. And suddenly, General Sheng’s betrayal made sense. He hadn’t sent the sisters to Ashen Fortress because he wanted them to reclaim it. He had sent them here because he needed them to lead him to whatever their mother had hidden.

Before Qingyue could ask another question, a soldier came running through the courtyard. "Princess!"

Qingyue turned. "What?"

The soldier’s face was pale. "They’ve broken into the old eastern castle."

Han Shuying’s expression became deadly serious. "They found it."