Avoiding Wuyang, Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong went straight toward Yuancheng. To their surprise, Yuwen Huaji’s defeated troops also took the same retreat route. Moreover, along the way they wantonly looted, burned, killed and plundered Yuancheng, Shenxian, and Wushui, three cities north of Xucheng, as well as the neighboring villages, so that the common people were fleeing toward the Great River or running away toward the mountain area. Unfortunately another snowstorm hit, so that not a few refugees froze to death along the way; dead bodies filled the wilderness, making it unbearable to watch.

When they came across the straggling disbanded soldiers who burned the village and robbed the grains, the two boys showed no mercy; they made their move to wipe them out, and confiscated their money and valuables to be used entirely to aid the refugees, with the hope that they could have a good life outside the Wei border. Therefore, by the time they were outside of the city of Xucheng, the two were without a wen to their name.

Kou Zhong did not shy away from his ‘Divine Doctor’ nature; he took out the nine needles given by Sha Shijing, and with Xu Ziling’s assistance, he used the Secret to Long Life qi to treat the refugees who suffered from illnesses that were cold in nature.

The big snow temporarily alleviated the Wei Army’s plight, since the Tang Army was unable to pursue relentlessly at their tail. However, everybody knew that Yuwen Huaji’s great momentum has gone; otherwise, how could he let his own troops to cruelly oppress local cities and villages, and thus distancing themselves from the heart of the people – and not subjecting the soldiers to military discipline, repeating the heinous atrocity of the Sui army in the past that made one’s hair stand up in anger?

Based on their observation, the two boys knew that when the Wei Army was retreating in defeat back to Xucheng, along the way more and more of them were leaving their posts to flee and plunder. Those who were able to follow Yuwen Huaji returning to Xucheng were perhaps only the remainder of Yuwen Huaji’s disciples and personal guards.

The two boys came to the top of a hill, overlooking the Wei capital, Xucheng, on the east. Of all the cities they saw along the way, this city was the biggest in scale, the city walls were tall and thick, with a moat around it. Although it could not be compared to Luoyang, Chang’an, those kinds of big cities, it still served a certain defensive function.

From time to time, the Wei Army was going back and forth on the official road leading into Xucheng, but they no longer saw any fleeing refugees; naturally there were no traveling merchants or tourists even more.

The sky overhead was covered densely in dark clouds, apparently another big snow was coming. The two were hiding behind an underbrush, quietly waiting for the night. With his eyes fixed on Xucheng, Kou Zhong spoke heavily, “As soon as we are inside the city, we must look for Old Hou. As long as we could clearly grasp Yuwen Huagu’s whereabouts, we’ll watch for an opportunity to go all-out to kill him, and then we’ll find a place to drink to celebrate.”

Shaking his head, Xu Ziling said, “I really don’t understand what Yuwen Huagu is thinking in his thick head. Before, after assassinating Emperor Yang, when he was leading his troops returning to the north, he was also looting along the way, making himself infamous, not enjoying popular support. And now he is getting worse. I wonder if his true character makes it so, or is there another reason?”

Recalling the dismal, cold tragic situation he was witnessing along the way, Kou Zhong said dejectedly, “Yuwen Huagu directly inherited Yang Guang’s army, also directly inherited the old Sui Army’s ruthlessness and violence, who made brutality toward common people to fatten themselves a common practice. If Yuwen Huagu came out as the victor in his war against Li Mi, he might use this prestige to consolidate his troops, yet clearly Laotianye did not look with favor at him, and did not give him this opportunity. It was after the battle with Li Mi that he came to attack our Liangdu and suffered big defeat, Yuwen Huagu practically did not have any chance to turn his luck around.”

And then he said, “You see, forget about this kind of city cannot compare to Chang’an or Luoyang, even Liangdu is superior to it. Since he already lost popular support while also lacks favorable location, how long do you think he can last?”

Xu Ziling only sighed.

Astonished, Kou Zhong asked, “What are you thinking?”

Smiling ruefully, Xu Ziling said, “Have you ever thought that such day will come to Yuwen Huagu?”

His remark provoked emotional stirring in Kou Zhong’s mind. He nodded and said, “You are right. Whether it was him chasing to kill us and Niang in the past, or later on him committing the crime of murdering his superior by assassinating Emperor Yang, his arrogance soared to the heavens, acting as if he considers himself unexcelled in the world; I’m afraid even he himself never thought that such the-path-exhausted, the-end-of-the-road day would come. Although avenging Niang is something that we must do, I always feel a bit disgusted as well.”

The two boys were outstanding heroes who were accustomed to deal with power and evil forces; but taking advantage of somebody’s precarious position, throwing stones at somebody who fell down a well like this, this would be the first time that they were trying to do. Were it not for Fu Junchuo’s blood debt must be avenged, perhaps they would turn on their heels.

Xu Ziling’s pair of eyes was flashing with sharp light, he spoke heavily, “There’s no limit to the bad things that Yuwen Huagu has done; today he is strung through and filled with evil, his death should not be begrudged! Don’t forget that Yan Laoda also died because of him. I don’t know how many people in Yangzhou were harmed by him. Killing him, the Wei State will melt like ice and break like tiles; perhaps we can even prevent common people from receiving the suffering of war. Ay! This is just my wishful thinking.”

Kou Zhong only needed to think about the tree fallen, the monkeys scattered, the dreadful situation of the troops roaming all over the place, burning and looting, and he understood Xu Ziling’s feeling immediately.

Suddenly a group of Wei Army soldiers, approximately two hundred men, came out from the open city gate. Just by looking at how they were dressed, it was obvious that these soldiers were going on a long-distance journey, heading to the west.

“They must be going west to check the Tang Army’s situation,” Kou Zhong said.

“Do you recognize any of them?” Xu Ziling asked.

Focusing his eyes, Kou Zhong looked, and then said, “Turns out the leader is Yuwen Shiji. Shall we block their way and ambush them in surprise attack, to give them forewarning that the lion and the leopard hunting the sheep are going to honor them with our presence?”

Sneering, Xu Ziling responded, “Are you confident that you can deal with two-hundred-strong cavalry in the wilderness?”

Smiling wryly, Kou Zhong said, “Just let them go then!”

“Huh?” Xu Ziling exclaimed. He saw Yuwen Shiji’s troops suddenly deviated from the official road. Bypassing their hill, they turned north from the other side.

Shaken, Kou Zhong said, “Yuwen Huagu sends Yuwen Shiji to surrender to Dou Jiande! Otherwise, why didn’t they go out of the city via the northern gate? It is precisely to fool the people’s eyes and ears.”

Xu Ziling nodded in agreement. As the former great general of the Sui, the first time Li Yuan entered Chang’an, he still supported the old Sui’s imperial clan; although he directly suppressed Yuwen Huaji’s military banner, both in terms of feeling and reason, it was still difficult to accept Yuwen Huaji’s surrender. But Dou Jiande did not have this psychological barrier; this was Yuwen Huaji’s only way to survive.

Xu Ziling spoke heavily, “We must, before Dou Jiande’s main force moving south, slaughter Yuwen Huagu first.”

The sky gradually darkened, dots of snowflakes started to drop from the sky.

The two boys were about to move, but while the city gate was still wide open, the suspension bridge had not been raised, four or five men were rushing out. The guards on the tower immediately released arrows. The escapees had not crossed the hanging bridge when they were already shot and fell down like the victims of murder tragedy. Watching this, the two boys’ eyes were about to split, yet they were clearly in no position to help.

And then some of the guards rushed out and tossed the dead bodies into the moat. Afterwards, as if nothing had happened, they returned into the city and raised the bridge and closed the gate.

Kou Zhong spoke heavily, “Let’s go to demand repayment!”

Xucheng was grim; nine out of ten houses were empty. The shops closed their doors; the barely remaining inhabitants were also hiding inside their houses. Not only there was no pedestrian on the street, even patrolling troops were scarce. No one cleaned the streets from snow. In the side streets and narrow alleys, the lanterns were dark, and the fire was black even more. Some residential houses and commercial shops showed the sign of being robbed and looted.

The two entered the city by jumping over the wall. They leaped onto the top of the roof of a residential building to watch the situation.

Sweeping his gaze around, Kou Zhong spoke in low voice, “In the Weixian battle, Yuwen Huagu’s troops must be broken and suffered serious damage, resulting in not enough manpower to guard their capital, otherwise, merely entering the city, we would have to go through a lot of trouble.”

Xu Ziling’s eyes fell onto the river course passing through the heart of the city, with its gentle twists and turns. The houses and bridges were built on both sides, following the curve of the approximately three-zhang wide river course. Under the snowflakes flying in the air, there were only a few dots of light; it was quite lifeless. He mused inwardly that during the flourishing days of peace and security, this city must have its unique charm, but now it only looked like a seriously ill person on his deathbed, struggling to survive until his last breath.

He sighed lightly and said, “Basically the morale is lacking, there is no will to fight at all. Those who are willing to stay with Yuwen Huagu in life or death are only Yuwen Clan’s younger generations, disciples and soldiers.”

Kou Zhong said, “Ling Shao, please wait here for a moment, Xiaodi will be back soon.”

Quickly flipped down from the roof, he disappeared into the long dark street.

This side of the street was lined with pine trees. Under the rain of snow, plus the quiet-like-ghost-domain long street, it looked indescribably bleak, wretched, and desolate. The snow accumulation on the pine branches looked like it was skewered by the pine needles, looking exactly like a bunch of white thorns trying to climb up the tree.

Xu Ziling could not help thinking back to the touching scene in the past, where he was rushing along on the snowy ground side-by-side with Shi Feixuan, hurrying to rescue Lei Jiuzhi. And then his memory brought him to the moment after Shi Zhixuan snatched the Demonic Emperor Relics, her remark toward the two boys was brimming with severing-all-relations-with-them overtone, before she simply left without paying them any attention.

He took a deep breath, sucking in the cold air into his lungs, while cont