Hearing Yan Dan's words, Yue Cheng was rendered speechless, a sense of darkness filling his heart. The Crown Prince is too stubborn and thinks everything will go just as he plans.

"Issue my command," Yan Dan ordered coldly. "Close the city gates and prepare for battle. I would like to see if this Zhao Feng really dares to attack and provoke a conflict between Yan and Qin."

Suddenly, the city gates were shut tight. The Yan Army soldiers in the city quickly ascended the walls, assuming a defensive posture.

Before long, 20,000 soldiers of the Qin Army gathered before the small city.

"The Qin Army has really come." Yue Cheng's expression turned extremely grave.

Yan Dan was foolishly self-confident, but Yue Cheng knew the strength of the Qin Army. Or rather, he was aware of the power of the Zhao Jun. Initially, when the Zhao Jun attacked his state of Yan, they were beaten so badly they had no capacity to fight back. Yan could only retreat continuously. If Qin hadn't intervened, the state of Yan might have already fallen, vanquished by the Zhao state.

"Qin Army," Yan Dan said coldly, staring out from the city wall, "I do not believe you dare to attack."

Battle formations were arranged before the city. Zhao Feng, astride his horse, stood at the head of his army. Behind him were the three generals: Tu Sui, Wei Quan, and Liu Wang. Having learned of the Yan Army's presence, Zhao Feng had marshaled 20,000 sharp warriors to confront them.

Although the Yan Army claimed to have mobilized 100,000 soldiers, their forces were already scattered, and not many remained in this city. Twenty thousand sharp warriors would be more than enough!

"General, this city has been seized by the Yan Army," Tu Sui said, glancing at the city wall before turning to Zhao Feng. "Those we sent back should have already communicated Qin's intentions, but they've shut the gates. Clearly, they don't plan to leave."

Zhao Feng didn't speak, but simply extended a hand. At his side, Zhang Ming immediately presented an arrow, respectfully handing it to him. A small piece of silk fabric was tied to its shaft.

"This is their final warning," Zhao Feng said coldly. "If they do not withdraw, we attack."

He then spurred his horse forward, closing to within a hundred zhang of the city. Zhao Feng raised his Profound Iron Bow, drew the string, and nocked the arrow.

WHOOSH!

The projectile sliced through the air, streaking towards the city tower.

In an instant—THUD! The arrow embedded itself fiercely in the wall of the tower.

The Yan Army soldiers on the wall were all shocked. "Is he even human?" they murmured. "To shoot an arrow from nearly a hundred zhang away..."

Yue Cheng hurriedly went to take a look. The arrow plunged deeply into the wall, from which cracks spread outwards, a testament to the tremendous force of the shot.

"Crown Prince! Shangjiangjun!" a Yan General called out as he stepped forward. "There's a letter on this arrow!"

"Take it down," Yue Cheng immediately ordered.

"Yes."

The Yan General stepped forward and tried to pull the arrow out. But no matter how hard he pulled, the arrow, buried deep in the wall, didn't move an inch. Shocked, he gave up on extracting it and instead untied the silk fabric from its shaft, respectfully handing it to Yan Dan.

Yan Dan took the silk, unfolded it, and read the message. His face immediately turned livid with rage. "What audacity! To dare threaten this Crown Prince!" he roared.

Yue Cheng leaned in to take a look. There was only one sentence written on the silk fabric.

"In the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, my army will attack. If the Yan Army dares to fight back, we will leave no one alive—kill without mercy! Retreat immediately, and you may be pardoned."

Upon seeing this, Yue Cheng immediately said, "Crown Prince, this Qin General Zhao Feng is serious. If we don't withdraw, he will attack! Remember, before we mobilized, the Great King expressly commanded that we must not, under any circumstances, clash with the Qin Army."

At the mention of the King of Yan, Yan Dan's heart sank. But then he looked at the meager 20,000 soldiers before the city, a force smaller than his own 30,000 to 40,000 troops within its walls. Combined with the fact that he had already captured this city, he was naturally unwilling to give it up. His current mindset was identical to that of Zhao Yan, who had stubbornly refused to withdraw his army from Yan. Yan Dan had finally gotten a chance to prove himself; how could he let it go?

"These cities were won through the valiant struggles of my Yan soldiers! This is the territory of Yan! How could we simply hand it over?" Yan Dan stated coldly.

It had to be said, Yan Dan was certainly shameless. Won by the valiant struggles of Yan's soldiers? What about the Daqin Elite Soldiers who had fought and bled before Handan City?

But in the end, it all came down to one thing: history is written by the victors.

"Shangjiangjun, prepare for battle," Yan Dan declared coldly. "If this Zhao Feng really dares to attack, we'll see if he has what it takes."

Yue Cheng's face changed drastically. "Crown Prince, do you truly intend to go to war with the Qin Army?"

"This is not a declaration of war. The Qin Army initiated the attack, so the fault lies with Qin, not with Yan," Yan Dan repeated stubbornly. "What? Is the Shangjiangjun unwilling to carry out my orders?" he asked coldly, his gaze fixed on Yue Cheng.

For this renegade who once betrayed Yan and surrendered to Zhao, I feel nothing but contempt. If Yan weren't so desperate for generals, he would never have become Shangjiangjun again.

"You should consider this matter carefully, Crown Prince," Yue Cheng stated directly, no longer holding back. "If we truly go to battle with the Qin Army, you will have to bear all the consequences."

Fighting the Qin Army is no small matter. I refuse to be the scapegoat for your decisions.

"I will bear all the consequences," Yan Dan said coldly. "But when we repel the Qin Army, the credit will have nothing to do with you, Shangjiangjun."

Looking at the mere 20,000 Qin soldiers before the city, Yan Dan was extremely confident.

"Zhao Feng is no simple adversary. If he were, Lian Po, Wei Wuji, and Pang Xuan would not have been defeated by his hands—two of them even losing their lives. You had better take this seriously, Crown Prince."

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