The arrows came fast, slicing through the morning air. Li Wei rolled to the side, barely avoiding the next volley. Lin Mei crouched beside him, her hand gripping his arm tightly as her eyes darted toward the battlements.
"Archers on the west wall," she hissed. "Feng's trying to pick us off before we breach the inner gate."
Li Wei gritted his teeth, his mind racing. His soldiers were still pushing through the courtyard, but the hail of arrows was slowing their advance. He needed to neutralize the archers before the assault lost momentum.
"Lin Mei," he said, his voice low but urgent. "Take a detachment and flank the wall. Clear those archers. I'll keep the pressure on here."
Her eyes widened. "You're staying in the open like this? You'll be a pincushion!"
Li Wei gave her a faint smile, gripping his steel sword. "They'll aim for me. That's the point. If their focus is on me, you'll have a clear shot at the wall."
Lin Mei stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "You're too bold for your own good, Your Majesty. Don't die while I'm gone."
With that, she darted away, shouting orders to a small group of soldiers. Li Wei turned back to the fray, raising his sword high. His voice rang out across the courtyard.
"Forward! The crown does not retreat!"
His men roared in response, their morale surging. They charged toward the gate, shields raised to deflect the rain of arrows. Li Wei stayed at the forefront, cutting down enemy soldiers who tried to block their path. Every move he made was deliberate, calculated—an emperor who led not from behind but from the thick of battle.
Above, Feng watched from the battlements, his expression darkening. "He's drawing all the attention," Feng muttered to his lieutenant. "Fools. They think bravery will save them."
But Feng's smugness evaporated when Lin Mei's detachment reached the western wall. Scaling it with practiced efficiency, they caught the archers off guard, cutting through their ranks with ruthless precision. Within minutes, the west wall was clear, and the tide of battle shifted.
Li Wei seized the opportunity. "Breach the gate!" he shouted, his voice carrying above the clamor. "Break through and finish this!"
With a resounding crash, the imperial forces smashed through the inner gate, pouring into the courtyard. Feng's defenders faltered, their lines breaking under the relentless assault. Victory was within reach.
But just as Li Wei raised his sword to give the final command, a soldier ran toward him, panic etched across his face.
"Your Majesty! Reinforcements from the north—they've arrived!"
Li Wei's blood ran cold. "How many?"
"Three thousand, at least," the soldier gasped. "They're less than an hour away."