Chapter 5: Burning the Golden Sauce

The army marched steadily northward, braving wind and rain, sleeping under the open sky.

Half a month later, they finally reached the northern border.

Before even approaching Yanmen Pass, a pungent stench of blood drifted on the wind, so strong it almost made one retch.

The once-mighty Yanmen Pass no longer lived up to its name.

The city walls were scarred with marks from axes and blades; many breaches crudely patched with sandbags and rubble. The “Great Zhou” banners atop the walls were blackened by smoke and tattered, fluttering weakly in the cold wind.

Beneath the ramparts, piles of corpses lay heaped like mountains, vultures circling overhead, their shrill cries piercing the air.

The entire fortress resembled a giant, tortured and gasping for breath, barely clinging to life.

Zhao Yi reined in his horse, his expression grave.

This was war.

At that moment, the gate creaked open from within.

A middle-aged general, clad in battered armor and drenched in blood, staggered out.

Upon seeing Zhao Zhao’s standard, his eyes instantly turned red; with a heavy thud, he dropped to one knee, his voice hoarse and choked with tears.

“I am Ma Zhong, Governor of Yanmen, paying respects to the General of the Northern Garrison!”

“General! You have finally arrived!”

“Had you come even a day later… Yanmen Pass would have fallen!”

This towering man, standing over seven feet tall, ended his words in uncontrollable sobs.

Inside the command tower, the air was thick with despair.

“The northern barbarians have gone mad, recklessly attacking with no regard for casualties,” Ma Zhong said, pointing to a simple sand table, his face etched with exhaustion and hopelessness.

“We have exhausted our supply of rolling logs and stones; arrows are scarce. Our soldiers have not closed their eyes for three days and nights.”

Before he finished, a thunderous blast of horns echoed outside the walls.

“Woo—woo—”

A sentry came tumbling in, breathless.

“Report! The northern barbarians are attacking again!”

Zhao Zhao shot to his feet, drawing his sword.

“Relay my orders to the entire army—”

“Father, please calm yourself,” Zhao Yi interjected, cutting him off.

All eyes instantly turned to this young vanguard.

Zhao Zhao frowned, scolding, “The situation is dire. What nonsense do you have to say?”

Zhao Yi scanned the room, his face unnervingly calm, almost chilling.

“Governor Ma, tell me—what is the one thing the city is not lacking right now?”

Ma Zhong paused, instinctively answering, “It is… people, and… food, water, and… waste disposal…”

Suddenly, he shut his mouth, confused by Zhao Yi’s question.

A cold curve pulled at Zhao Yi’s lips.

“Send this order.”

His voice was low but clear enough for everyone to hear.

“All soldiers will relieve themselves on the spot. Collect all the excrement, boil it in large cauldrons until fully cooked.”

“This is the ‘Golden Brew.’”

The command tower erupted instantly.

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