A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1124: Why Are You Screaming Over Just Ten Thousand People?

A chilling cold settled in his heart, fueling his burgeoning anger.

This fellow, Hai Geli, had truly orchestrated a massacre within the city.

The suffering endured by those outside was immense, and the devastation within the city walls meant almost all its inhabitants were now dead.

A wave of deep regret washed over Xia Tingfeng.

He questioned why he hadn't led the army directly into the city then, consequences be damned, and commenced the attack, crushing the enemy utterly.

Would so many lives have been spared if he had acted differently?

Alas, at that time...

Chaos had engulfed both the city's interior and exterior, and the citizens outside were also in desperate need of rescue.

Furthermore, Hai Geli was notoriously cunning.

If he had attempted a prisoner exchange, drawing them into the city only to trap them like turtles in a jar.

Not only would the citizens be doomed, but everyone would have faced utter annihilation!

It was said that a soldier's primary duty was to protect the civilians.

However, war was not a trivial matter; he had to consider the broader strategic picture.

He had to prevent sacrificing the greater good for a minor gain, or the many for the few.

If sacrifices were unavoidable, one had to steel their heart to preserve the majority of their strength.

Sacrifice was an unfortunate, yet inevitable, part of war, wasn't it?!

In truth, ever since Yinshan City became a target for Western Xia, this dire outcome had been sealed!

Xia Tingfeng felt an intense pain in his heart.

Yet, he still grappled with the regret of not storming the city to save the citizens!

Rational thought was one thing, but emotions were entirely another!

He managed to overcome the logical hurdle, but the emotional one remained insurmountable.

He found himself trapped in a vortex of self-recrimination, unable to break free.

As dawn began to break and the sky lightened, Xia Tingfeng made his return from the outside.

The mountain air was frigid, and the dew was biting cold.

His garments were soaked through, strands of hair clung stubbornly to his stark, cold jawline, his gaze was piercing and sharp, and the aura surrounding him was as icy as if he had emerged from the hellish realms of Asura after a brutal slaughter.

"Uncle!"

Zhao Qichen, looking utterly worn out, his exhaustion evident from staying awake all night, called out to him.

The address snapped Xia Tingfeng back to immediate reality, causing him to swiftly mask the intense sharpness in his eyes.

The frigid, hardened atmosphere enveloping him gradually dissipated, replaced by a somber dejection.

"They're almost all dead. Let's prepare the attack!"

A flash of worry and urgency crossed Zhao Qichen's eyes, which then turned cold.

As the Crown Prince of the Chu Dynasty.

He had devoured countless books and honed his martial arts skills relentlessly since the tender age of three, never slacking in his training.

But the realization that his hard-won skills were of no use in this situation.

Caused his spirit to falter significantly; he longed to apply all his knowledge, hoping to find a way to spare the people from the ravages of war and displacement.

Yet, alas, nothing he possessed could achieve such a feat!

"Understood!" Zhao Qichen nodded in agreement.

The two men entered the command tent and issued the orders for a full-scale assault on Yinshan City.

The soldiers, upon receiving the command, immediately went to make their preparations.

Within the tent, the two stood back-to-back, silently donning their battle armor.

Not a word was spoken between them; the only sounds echoing within the tent were the metallic clinks and rustles of the silver and copper battle armor being put on.

...

When the very first ray of sunlight managed to pierce through the lingering mist, officially illuminating Yinshan City.

The scenes that had been obscured by the darkness of night were instantly laid bare under the clear sunlight.

The streets were a horrifying tableau, choked with the lifeless bodies of the fallen.

Men lay dead, their eyes wide open in a final, unfulfilled defiance.

Women were found stripped bare, their dignity stolen even in death.

Children were discovered dismembered, their small bodies brutally torn in half.

Elders were found with limbs brutally severed...

Every single one had met a gruesome end, their deaths unavenged.

Remnants of their desperate struggle for survival were still visible: a cooking pot overturned at a street vendor's stall, skewers of sugar-coated hawthorn, and a bamboo steamer once used for bean buns remained in place.

It was as if a moment ago, the area had been teeming with bustling life and vibrant activity.

The next moment, it had transformed into the eighteenth level of hell, as if demons had rampaged through the streets.

Fueled by the stimulus of the gruesome sights and the overwhelming tide of righteous fury.

Ten thousand elite soldiers were rapidly assembled, poised and ready to march!

Xia Tingfeng surveyed the meticulously arrayed troops with a look of grim satisfaction, their valor palpable.

Casting a glance towards the faintly visible silhouette of Yinshan City in the distance, he bellowed.

"Brothers, advance!"

"Even if we cannot conquer it today, we must hold the line, let them march in boldly, only to be carried out lying down!"

"Hooah!"

The warriors, who had long been eager for battle, responded with earth-shattering cheers, their roars reverberating through the surroundings, causing the very ground to tremble.

...

Inside Yinshan City, Hai Geli was engaged in entertaining a beautiful courtesan with wine when an intelligence report reached him.

"The Chu Dynasty's army is approaching, it seems they intend to breach the city walls!"

Hai Geli was visibly startled, he callously pushed aside the woman obstructing his view and strode forward, his voice booming.

"An army? How many troops are there?"

"Approximately ten thousand!" the informant replied without any hesitation.

"Damn it!"

Hai Geli cursed under his breath.

"Only ten thousand, why are you making such a fuss about it!"

"Who is leading them? Did you manage to find out? Report their names!"

The informant shook his head.

"Your subordinate does not recognize them, but I saw two young generals among them; one appeared to be no more than a child..."

"A child???"

Hai Geli was utterly dumbfounded!

"Are the Chu Dynasty mad? Sending a mere child to lead troops into battle?"

"Is this person looking down on me or what?"

If he were to boast to other generals about who had defeated him in this battle, he certainly couldn't admit it was a child! Such a shameful incident was not to be spoken of aloud!

"A child... a child... This is the utmost insult!"

Hai Geli roared in fury, smashing the table before him into pieces with his hammer-like fist.

"Damn it all!"

"No matter how many assail us, we must hold Yinshan City tightly!"

"Yes, Commander!"

Subordinates received the command and hurried out.

Hai Geli then lifted the little beauty, resumed the feast, and continued to feed her, lip to lip.

The little beauty, wanting to please the general and ensure her survival, quickly uttered words of flattery.

"Facing ten thousand, General Hai, you are truly brave and invincible!"

Upon finishing, she feigned an exaggerated display of admiration.

Hai Geli was quite pleased. After all, boasting about defeating a large force with a meager one was indeed a worthy tale.

He erupted into hearty laughter.

"Fear not, my dear beauty. As for those losers from the Chu Dynasty, even if twenty thousand came, I would not be afraid!"

Yinshan City commanded a strategic position, overlooking the surrounding terrain, making it easy to defend and difficult to assault.

This was further bolstered by its sturdy city gates.

As long as these gates remained firmly guarded, the enemy would be unable to breach them, regardless of their strength.

The little beauty continued her flattering praise.

"General, you are indeed the most courageous and invincible person I have ever encountered!"

"Following you is the greatest fortune of my entire life!"

Swollen with pride from the beauty's sweet words, Hai Geli was overjoyed.

After a few more gulps of wine, he could no longer restrain himself. He dragged the little beauty to his bed and they began to embrace.

One was a towering giant, nine feet tall.

The other was a petite singing girl from the Chu Dynasty.

Although she had previously entertained men of various sizes, both large and small, such a colossal dimension was something she had never witnessed before. Her eyes widened, and a growing sense of fear bloomed within her.

Before she could even process her fear.

The immense giant already had her pinned down on the bed.

A violent pain surged through her, as if she were being torn asunder in an instant.

The singing girl could no longer suppress her agony and let out a loud scream.

"Ah!"

"Ah ah!!"

"Ah... ah..."

Her cries were intermittent and filled with misery!

Hai Geli became more excited by her screams.

Feeling an unprecedented enveloping heat, he lost control and moved frantically.