The color drained from Han Gaoyu's face, and his eyes filled with panic.

Ning Chen's gaze was icy. "Blood debts have to be repaid in blood. For the tens of thousands of lives lost in our Great Xuan's Xiguan City, you Xiliang people will pay it back double.

Han Gaoyu, I'd guess you made more than a few trips to Xiguan City to burn, kill and loot, didn't you?"

Han Gaoyu said nothing, because he had indeed gone there, even if it had been on the royal house's orders.

Ning Chen pressed down on his shoulder. "The blood debt of the people of our Great Xuan's Xiguan City starts with you!"

With that, Ning Chen gave him a light push!

Han Gaoyu let out a terrified scream and pitched headfirst off the wall, plunging to the ground below.

Thud!!!

At the dull impact, Ning Chen leaned out and looked down.

The fall had killed Han Gaoyu outright.

And he had died in full view of the three thousand Xiliang prisoners.

The three thousand captured archers went white as sheets and couldn't stop shaking.

Ning Chen's expression was indifferent. Of Xiguan City's hundred thousand people, only twenty thousand had lived. This was nothing. It was only the beginning.

In the small hours of the night, Ning Chen came to the city lord's residence.

In the hall, the brazier was burning bright.

Ning Chen sat beside it with a cup of tea in his hands, listening to Yuan Long and the others report on the battle.

Prince Wu was flushed with excitement. "What a great fight that was. It was no more trouble than blowing away ash."

The Xiliang army had surrendered with hardly any resistance.

Of the fifty-thousand-man garrison, ten thousand were killed or wounded, and every last one of the rest surrendered.

Yuan Long grinned. "Xiliang's done pretty well these past few years, but it only has so many people. Counting everything, it's lost a hundred and fifty thousand men this time... I wonder what face the King of Xiliang will make when he hears."

Pan Yucheng called out, "I…