"Bang!" With a loud noise, a crude ladder was placed on the dirt wall. Soldiers of the White Tiger Camp, biting their weapons, advanced in single file, braving the enemy's rain of arrows.
Immediately after, one crude ladder after another was placed on the walls of White Wolf City. Countless soldiers of the White Tiger Camp climbed up, and after reaching the city wall, they engaged in desperate combat with the defending Xiongnu.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Ten thousand victories! Ten thousand victories! Ten thousand victories!"
"Those who kneel will be spared, those who stand will be slain!"
The gate of White Wolf City was also smashed. Squadrons of White Tiger Camp cavalry, raising their sabers high, charged into the city like the wind.
White Wolf City thus fell.
White Wolf City was a dirt city built by the Xiongnu. Rather than a city, it was more like a large fort. It had north and south gates, and its walls were constructed of stone and rammed earth. The walls were no more than ten feet high and three feet thick. Therefore, Zhou Fugui led his army to open the city gates through a ruse by the surrendered soldiers, and then led his troops in a single charge, conquering Qiwu Han's territory and White Wolf City.
Qiwu Han had led his troops to suppress Zhou Fugui's unit, almost all the young and able-bodied men in the city had been taken away. Thus, the Xiongnu army defending the city at this time consisted only of the old, weak, and infirm, and even some women. When Zhou Fugui's army broke through, it was easy to capture White Wolf City.
After this, Zhou Fugui pressed on, capturing several more cities or forts of the Xiongnu royal court in succession. This shook the world, and the fame of Zhou Fugui and his White Tiger Camp spread throughout the grasslands and the world. Of course, this was after Zhou Fugui's army had captured White Wolf City.
"Camp Commander!"
The commander of the White Tiger Camp, General of Great Yan, Zhou Fugui, rode his horse with a spear, beneath the soaring banner of the White Tiger Camp and the four banners inscribed with "No Killing, No Lewdness, No Plundering, No Cruelty." He entered White Wolf City, and his White Tiger Camp soldiers, upon seeing him, bowed as if he were a god.
After this battle, Zhou Fugui's fame grew daily. Within the White Tiger Camp, he possessed absolute prestige among all the soldiers, and his commands were obeyed without question.
He cultivated virtue and garnered popular support. Therefore, after the city was captured, Zhou Fugui did not let his soldiers burn, kill, ravish, or plunder. Instead, he did his best to restrain his troops, striving not to harass ordinary civilians, merchants, and others. He posted notices to stabilize the populace. Of course, he turned a blind eye to the homes of some Xiongnu nobles.
The soldiers who captured White Wolf City were, after all, entitled to some spoils. This was considered Zhou Fugui's reward to his White Tiger Camp soldiers. However, Zhou Fugui also spared Qiwu Han's family, because Zhou Fugui had other plans or intentions.
"This can even be called a city?" Zhou Fugui, astride his horse with his spear, entered the center of White Wolf City, Qiwu Han's residence. Looking at the situation in the city, he laughed as he looked around.
White Wolf City also had shops, handicraft workshops, and trading posts, but the houses were scattered, covered in dust, and appeared dilapidated. Once the rain washed over it, it became muddy and impassable.
"Yes, Camp Commander..." Xu Mancang also laughed, "It's not even as good as our Lu Ming Village."
"Clang!" Zhou Fugui struck Xu Mancang's iron armor with his Sky-Shaking Dragon Spear, producing a clear sound. He then laughed, "What is there to brag about in your dilapidated hometown?"
My hometown is still your hometown, Xu Mancang muttered to himself.
"Mancang, go and collect the granaries," Zhou Fugui then instructed Xu Mancang.
Xu Mancang was lecherous. Giving him something to do would prevent him from harming women, especially those from ordinary families. Furthermore, assigning him the task of clearing out the granaries was also a reward for his bravery and for being the first to charge into White Wolf City.
Xu Mancang was overjoyed. With his heart full of delight, he led his men away.
Xu Mancang and Zhou Fugui were childhood friends, and he understood Zhou Fugui's intentions. The granaries would surely be piled high with treasures. Besides that, there might even be women hidden there...
"Dacheng, Xiucai, please be responsible for all matters in the city for now," Zhou Fugui then instructed Su Dacheng and Li Qing.
"My Lord, what are your plans?" Ye Guanteng asked with some surprise.
"Me..." Zhou Fugui thought for a moment and then replied with a smile, "I just want to sleep soundly and have a good dream."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
A military commander, whose orders were obeyed without question, seemed impressive. In reality, it was not easy. When others slept, you had to be awake. When others lay down, you had to stand. You didn't even have time to eat a proper meal.
During this period, Zhou Fugui had been extremely stressed and physically and mentally exhausted. Now that White Wolf City had been captured, he could finally sleep soundly. However, he could only sleep for one or two nights at most, for reasons that were self-evident.
And tonight, his place of rest would naturally be Qiwu Han's residence.
"Xinghong, what happened?" As Zhou Fugui, surrounded by everyone, walked towards Qiwu Han's residence, he noticed Yang Xinhong looking dispirited and asked.
"Camp Commander..." Yang Xinhong replied in a low voice, bowing his head, "Brother Mancang brought up Lu Ming Village..."
"Homesick?" Zhou Fugui immediately understood. He patted Yang Xinhong on the shoulder and said, "I miss home too. We all miss home. We are all wanderers, unable to forget our homeland's affections. Xinghong, one day, we will return to our homes."
More than the affections of home, it was the people of home that were even harder to forget. Home had one's family and friends, so how could one not miss them?
Mother, Xiaoqing, elder sister-in-law, younger sister, nephew, how were they doing? And his beloved Murong Huiying, how was she? Had she been forced to marry someone else? Zhou Fugui's homesickness was also stirred by Xu Mancang and Yang Xinhong.
"White Wolf City is not large, but the residence of the Left Great Steward is not bad," Ye Guanteng said as they arrived at the residence of the Xiongnu's Left Great Steward, Qiwu Han. Seeing Zhou Fugui lost in thought, he interjected.
The residence of the Left Great Steward Qiwu Han was built like a Han-style palace, albeit a small one. However, even a sparrow has all its organs. It had a central hall, east and west halls, and partitions, as well as east and west walls. There were even stone lions and incense burners.
This showed Qiwu Han's extravagant lifestyle, while most of the nomads on the grasslands suffered from hunger and cold.
Qiwu Han's residence had been captured by the White Tiger Camp, led by Agudamu.
Agudamu and his men guarded the entrance, awaiting Zhou Fugui's arrival.
"General!" Agudamu saluted Zhou Fugui with one hand over his chest as he approached.
Zhou Fugui dismounted and glanced at the palace-like residence of Qiwu Han before asking, "What is the situation?"
"General, my men have captured Qiwu Han's entire family, old and young, and they are locked in the backyard. As you ordered, no one was harmed, but..." Agudamu said with some reluctance.
"But what?" Zhou Fugui asked.
"These people deserve to die. General, why...?" Agudamu replied.
Zhou Fugui smiled and said, "There are too many wicked people in the world, countless. Are we to kill them all? Agudamu, sometimes, not killing is better than killing. Not killing may save more people."
While Agudamu was still in a daze, Zhou Fugui entered Qiwu Han's residence.
...
A warm fireplace, smooth and soft furs, gilded wooden furniture, and various inlays of bronze, ivory, silver, brass, bone, seashell, lapis lazuli, obsidian, marble, rhinoceros horn, various gold and silver vessels, as well as delicious food and fine wine.
As a Xiongnu noble, Qiwu Han's life was naturally extremely luxurious. However, Zhou Fugui had not expected such luxury in this harsh northern land. His residence was not only like a palace on the outside but also on the inside, and it was a fusion of Eastern and Western styles... It was truly astonishing and dumbfounding.
However, all of Qiwu Han's current luxury was now enjoyed by Zhou Fugui...
Zhou Fugui had been in the army for several years, rarely sleeping in houses, mostly sleeping in tents, or even outdoors wrapped in a thick coat. Now, Zhou Fugui wanted to sleep soundly in such a luxurious room, resplendent and fragrant.
Besides delicious food and fine wine, there were also beauties. Inside the room, besides Abiyas attending to him, there were two young female slaves. Abiyas was of course willing to serve Zhou Fugui, but the two young female slaves were forced to serve him under threat from Agudamu's sharp blade.
In times of chaos, under the rule of the strong, facing fierce soldiers, what could two weak women do? They could only submit, compromise, and survive by any means necessary.
In times of chaos, the most pitiful were women and children, treated like mere grass.
However, this young general, from wherever he came, did not seem very fierce. He was tall and imposing, with a broad chest. His chiseled face revealed a gentle smile, his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes radiated a sharp glint. The two female slaves could not help but look at him a few times, which drew angry glares from Abiyas...
Most importantly, after the young general entered the room, he did not, like a wolf or a monkey, immediately "ravish" the two young and beautiful female slaves. Nor did he scold or abuse them. Instead, he sat down imposingly in a chair by the fireplace, smiled as he surveyed everything in the room, appearing refined and polite.
"You all may go," Zhou Fugui said gently to the two female slaves as he sat on the Hu chair.
It's just sleeping, is it necessary to have so many women serving me? Zhou Fugui thought to himself.
And what Zhou Fugui did not know was that when noble lords slept, they were usually served by a dozen or even a hundred female slaves, with all sorts of absurdities occurring.
The great general had given the order, and although the two young female slaves were somewhat taken aback, they still withdrew. Abiyas, on the other hand, looked pleased.
"You may go too," Zhou Fugui said with a smile after glancing at Abiyas.
"Why?" Abiyas asked in surprise.
"I'm going to sleep, what are you doing here?" Zhou Fugui laughed.
"You sleep, and I sleep. It's not like I haven't seen it before," Abiyas pouted and said.
That day, she had called her brother Agudamu over, but Zhou Fugui had slept so soundly that he was unaware of anything. To this day, Abiyas still felt resentful.