One Man, One Sword: I Guarded a Lonely City for Seventy Years

A lone soldier in a remote city, white-haired and alone, for whom does the Qiang flute play its melody? In the desolate tent, I dreamt of the willows of Qin Chuan; in the morning frost, I saw a lone flag fluttering over the western camp. Xuan Ge guarded the land, a land of great importance; his bones were buried in the yellow sand, a death that seemed too light for him. I wonder if the Holy Emperor of Chang'an remembers the name of this lone loyalist in this remote region?

Thoughts on Linping Years have passed, turning my hair white; I no longer perch on the branches along the road. In broad daylight, I am lost and alone, and I can only sigh at the fleeting beauty of nature. The sword is gone, hair has turned white; a lifetime of fame and glory, half a lifetime of wandering, all gone with the eastward flowing river.

Po Zhen Zi • Anxi Smoke and dust billowed, pressing in on the border; thunderous sounds echoed across the northern desert. The enemy army besieged the city, yet they refused to retreat; three thousand soldiers, their robes tattered, faced death together, as the setting sun reflected on a lone wild goose. Enemy blood stains the sword's edge, a lone figure in white stands guard at the border.

I just read it and some parts seem a bit illogical. For example, in city defense, experience is only gained from killing enemies inside the city, not outside... Generally, city defense is fought outside the city, and street fighting is usually only used as a last resort, like guerrilla warfare...

It failed to capture the feeling of thousands of troops fleeing from the white-robed warrior; it's a variant of a power-up/satisfying novel.

Scene When feudal lords vied for supremacy and heroes rose up, the people of Jing united and could move mountains. Two armies marched to attack Liang and Tang, and amidst the smoke and fire, Anxi was defeated. The elite warriors have suffered only one defeat in a hundred battles, making the vast desert seem like a flat road. In the past, you treated the barbaric wilderness with disdain; now, you reign supreme over the Central Plains as if you were a king!

Wind, Guoyang, Wangtang The flames of war rise, weapons are laid bare, my heart is broken with sorrow, my iron armor cannot conceal my white hair. The lonely city is silent, spears and lances gleam; the sound of Qin opera fills the air; though the Tang banners are old, the heart remains wild.

Without the word "I" in the title, the imagery is much more profound. Adding it makes it sound like the author thinks they're incredibly capable—is defending a city by oneself really that strong? It only makes the protagonist seem unpopular and unappreciated, lacking the support and recognition of others.

When the author initially chose the empress route, I felt they had chosen a difficult path. Male-oriented authors are extremely rare in writing female characters well, let alone an empress. Most empresses in male-oriented novels are just brainless, decorative figures with a harem. In short, it's toxic! (It's not that I dislike the author, it's just genuinely difficult to write.)

Clad in white robes and wielding bronze swords, they guard Anxi amidst overgrown vegetation and mournful rain. When Jingjun slaughters Beiting, how dare he lead thousands of troops?