Far away on the western border of the Yu Empire, the sun blazed down as if trying to burn the world beneath it.
Standing atop the high city walls, soldiers clad in bronze armor stood motionless. Their bodies were covered in dust, their lips chapped from days without water, and some were on the verge of collapse.
Inside one of the tents, a group of men stood gathered around a sand table.
A young man in silver armor stared down at the map with a grim expression. His handsome face was pale and bloodless, yet he stood tall, like a lone pine atop a snowy mountain.
Noticing his bad complexion, the military doctor, Yan Bingyang, stepped forward and said, "Great General, your wounds are infected again. You must rest, or your body won't be able to recover."
Once tall and strong, the Great General now looked gaunt, left with only skin and bones.
Seeing that he remained silent, one of the generals, Zhan Qi, opened his cracked lips and said, "Great General, we have been without water for three days. We ate our last rations five days ago. Without food or water, we can't hold on much longer."
Zhan Qi's voice was hoarse, but his will to survive could be seen clearly in his eyes.
Hearing this, Feng Xiyan clenched his fists. His eyes were bloodshot, his throat scorched from thirst, but still, he didn't say anything.
After a long silence, he finally said, "Out of 150,000 soldiers, only less than 20,000 are left. If I run now, how can I face the 130,000 brothers who sacrificed their lives to protect this city? How could I face the ancestors of the Feng family?"
The tent fell into somber silence as the generals bowed their heads.
For generations, the Feng family had produced countless brave generals who died on the battlefield to protect the common people and the empire. But as their reputation grew, so did the emperor's suspicion.
After the previous emperor died of illness and the young emperor ascended the throne three years ago, he began suppressing the Feng family and other loyal clans who had supported the founding emperor in the past.
Backed by the Empress Dowager, Prime Minister Wen colluded with other treacherous ministers and took control of the imperial court. Under their influence, the young emperor suddenly sought to seize the Feng family's military power.
To protect his subordinates and the common people from the Wen family's greed, the old Great General Feng refused to relinquish his military power. As a result, he was beheaded by the young emperor two years ago.
To preserve the Feng Army and protect the people, Feng Xiyan had no choice but to remain at the western border, powerless as the young emperor executed his father and over 200 members of the Feng family in one day.
With the grudge between the Fengs and the Wens, Prime Minister Wen had cut off supplies to the border for over a year.
If not for other loyal families selling their estates and secretly sending food and fodder to the Feng Army, they would have perished during the Yuezhi Tribe invasion two years ago.
Even so, of the original 150,000 troops, only 20,000 remained—and they were on the brink of starvation.
When misfortune strikes, even drinking water can make one choke.
Such was the Feng Army's current situation.
The western border was scorching hot, with no rain for over a year. The ground had cracked from drought, temperatures soared by the day, and crops could no longer grow.
The Yuezhi Tribe had blocked all main routes within hundreds of miles of Xiqiang City, surrounding it with layers of troops and turning it into a dead city.
The city had suffered famine for more than six months. Of the original 500,000 citizens, less than 60,000 remained.
The people dug up grass and roots, ate Guanyin soil, and died from thirst and starvation. The horrifying practice of exchanging one's children for food had become a common occurrence.
Seeing Feng Xiyan still unwilling to leave, one of the generals said, "Great General, please listen to us. The Yuezhi Tribe has 400,000 troops surrounding this city. They intend to trap us until we die. You are the last member of the Feng family. Only if you live can the Feng Army survive."
Ding Zhenshun nodded in agreement at Xue Ruhong's words. "General Xue is right. That dog emperor isn't worth it."
Listening to them, Feng Xiyan just stood there silently.
Finally, the oldest general, Tan Pengtai, couldn't hold back anymore. He knelt down and said, "Great General, please lead the army in breaking out of the city!"
One after another, the others followed suit, all kneeling in unison, "Great General, please break out of the city!"
As he looked at his subordinates—kneeling with reddened eyes—Feng Xiyan closed his eyes.
He wanted to lead them to survival, but he couldn't abandon the citizens of Xiqiang City. If the Feng Army retreated from Xiqiang City, the Yuezhi Tribe would have a clear path to the imperial capital city.
And when that happened, it wouldn't just be the imperial family that died—millions of innocent people would perish under the Yuezhi Tribe's brutality.
As the last member of the Feng family, Feng Xiyan would not become the one who sullied their legacy.
Having made up his mind, he opened his eyes and said hoarsely, "The Yuezhi Tribe is ruthless and immoral. If they take this city, the common people will become their food reserves."
Clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white, he added firmly, "I can't and won't abandon them."
The generals were devastated when they heard his decision.
If they stayed, they would die. If they left, they might survive—but Feng Xiyan refused to forsake the common people.
They couldn't last much longer without food and water. It was as if Heaven itself wanted them dead.
Just as the atmosphere in the tent grew heavy with despair, Feng Xiyan suddenly heard the sound of water.
Seeing the change in Feng Xiyan's expression, Yan Bingyang worriedly asked, "Great General, what is wrong?"
Feng Xiyan didn't answer. Instead, he followed the sound of water and scanned the tent. After searching for a moment, his eyes fell on the mirror placed on the display cabinet in the corner.
The next second, water suddenly gushed out from it, stunning everyone present.
Whoosh!