The sun hid behind the clouds as the wind rustled the reeds on either side of the gentle slope. Their pale yellow tassels drooped low while the figure of a young girl in riding attire grew smaller and smaller amidst the undulating sea of reeds across the mountain wilderness, eventually becoming nothing more than a tiny russet speck.
Xie Zheng remained astride his horse, the strands of hair at his forehead swaying gently in the breeze. Beneath those loose strands lay eyes so bloodshot they seemed veined with crimson spiderwebs.
That distant russet speck finally vanished into the depths of his blood-streaked pupils.
Yet his face betrayed no emotion whatsoever. When he tugged the reins to turn his horse around, he even uttered a casual "Hyah!" as if it meant nothing. The warhorse began trotting in the opposite direction.
But the hand gripping the reins bulged with veins, and upon closer inspection, the reins themselves were stained a faint rouge hue—clearly, his palm had long been pierced by his own fingernails.
Fan Changyu whipped her horse into a frenzied gallop, not stopping until there was no trace of anyone behind or ahead of her.
The weather was neither cold nor hot, the wind so quiet that only the fine down from the reed tassels danced lightly in the air.
Seated atop her horse, she lifted her gaze to the vast, boundless sky and took deep, heaving breaths. Her chest felt as if filled with lead, so heavy she could barely breathe.
Never had she felt so helpless—not even when her parents had passed away.
Her grandfather was a man reviled by the world for seventeen years as a criminal. If this injustice could not be cleared, he might remain condemned for eternity.
The father she had once revered most turned out to be Wei Yan's man—even his marriage to her mother might have been part of a scheme.
Chengde Crown Prince, General Xie, and the tens of thousands of soldiers had all perished miserably in Jinzhou after the city fell, with reinforcements and provisions never arriving.
The weight of these countless lives pressed down on Fan Changyu until her mind grew hazy.
Of course, she believed her father could never have committed such folly. But without concrete evidence, her blind faith was meaningless.
Faced with such an eternal, monumental crime, how could she not tremble with fear?
Even with her head raised, tears spilled uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, trailing down her cheeks before falling onto the desolate wilderness.
She knew she shouldn’t blame Xie Zheng for not believing her, but the sorrow was unbearable.
Fan Changyu raised a hand to clumsily wipe her face, only to let out a choked sob in the end.
Her warhorse seemed to understand her anguish in that moment and did not move forward. Horse and rider stood motionless amidst the undulating reeds, with only her hoarse weeping left in the silence.
By the time Fan Changyu returned to the military camp, the only trace of her tears was a faint redness beneath her eyelids.
Xie Wu waited anxiously at the camp’s main gate. Spotting Fan Changyu’s return, he hesitated briefly before stepping forward as he always had to take her horse, cautiously calling out, "Squad Leader."
Fan Changyu dismounted and walked toward the camp as if nothing were amiss. Only once they were far from the sentry post did she ask, "Did he leave you behind?"
Her voice was slightly hoarse, but otherwise, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Xie Wu immediately guessed that she must have caught up with Xie Zheng. "When the Marquis ordered me and A-Qi to follow you to Chongzhou, we were never meant to return."
Fan Changyu paused mid-step. Xie Wu explained, "To the Marquis, once something—or someone—is given away, it’s never taken back."He looked at Fan Changyu with some embarrassment and said, "If the squad leader doesn't want to keep Xie Qi and me either, we'll have no choice but to rejoin the army as foot soldiers."
Fan Changyu lowered her eyes, and no one could tell what she was thinking at that moment. After a long pause, she finally said, "Then you two can stay."
After a brief hesitation, she added, "As long as I have wealth and status, you won't be left out."
Xie Wu quickly clasped his hands in salute. "Fighting alongside the squad leader on the battlefield to protect the people is our aspiration."
Fan Changyu patted his shoulder but said nothing more.
The bandages on her hands were thinner now, allowing her to move them slightly.
Xie Wu's words completely dispelled any thought she had of sending him and Xie Qi away.
So far, she hadn't found any personal guards in the army who could match Xie Wu and Xie Qi. Having served under Xie Zheng for years, they were well-versed in military affairs. Driving them away and training new personal guards would be a lengthy and troublesome process.
With so many urgent matters at hand and a pressing need for capable people, Fan Changyu didn't want to create unnecessary trouble for herself just to prove a point.
Besides, with Xie Qi keeping an eye on Changning, she felt more at ease.
When she returned to her quarters, Fan Changyu found not only Guo Baihu waiting but also several unfamiliar hundred-household officers who had brought gifts.
Looking at the table piled with pastries, wine, tonics, and the warm smiles on their faces, she finally realized they had come to visit her.
Yet among them were some leaning on crutches or with arms in slings, which puzzled her.
She didn't recall having any close ties with these people, and some seemed even more severely injured than her. Had they really come all this way just to see her?
Noticing her strange expression as she silently surveyed the crowd, Guo Baihu—still technically her superior and the most familiar with her in the room—spoke up first: "You returned from the battlefield and were unconscious for two days and nights. Everyone was very worried. When we heard you'd woken up today, we decided to come together to check on you."
Fan Changyu replied politely, "Changyu thanks all of you for your concern."
The group quickly waved off her formality, saying she was being too polite.
Fan Changyu thought to herself that apart from Guo Baihu, most of these people had probably met her no more than three times before today. How could they claim such familiarity?
Outwardly, she still invited them to sit. "All of you are injured. Please don't stand on ceremony—have a seat."
They smiled warmly but had little to say once seated.
Since there weren't enough stools in her tent, Xie Wu had to borrow a few from neighboring tents.
The atmosphere in the tent felt oddly strained. Everyone seemed uncomfortable yet was trying hard to appear friendly with her.
Only Guo Baihu showed genuine interest in a jar of wine someone had brought for Fan Changyu. He said bluntly, "Squad Leader Fan, since everyone's here, why not open this jar of wine?"
In the military, camaraderie was forged not only on the battlefield but also over drinks. A shared jar of wine could turn strangers into confidants in no time.
Seeing Guo Butcher still with his head wrapped in white bandages, Fan Changyu hesitated. "But everyone here is injured..."The group of soldiers, likely sensing the awkward atmosphere, all chimed in that it was nothing. One of them said, "Back when we held victory feasts, weren't we all covered in wounds? If we really had to avoid certain foods, we wouldn't be able to drink or eat meat at all!"
This drew hearty laughter from the rest.
Some sharper individuals noticed Fan Changyu's injured hand and remembered she was a woman. They said, "The brothers can fool around all they want, but let's not drag Squad Leader Fan into it. Her injuries must be serious—best not to urge her to drink."
The quicker-witted ones immediately caught on and added, "Right, right! We brothers are just craving a drink, joking around out of habit. Squad Leader Fan shouldn't take it seriously."
The baihu who had brought the wine to Fan Changyu seized the moment: "You bastards! This is the fine Dukang wine I've been saving for ages. So thirsty for alcohol you'd even pester Squad Leader Fan for it?"
Even someone as socially inexperienced as Fan Changyu could tell they were flattering her.
After brief consideration, she understood the reason.
The battle beneath Chongzhou's walls had made her famous. Everyone in the army probably knew she was due for a promotion. During the past two days while she was unconscious, no one could visit to curry favor. Now that she'd just woken up and was summoned by He Jingyuan, anyone could see she had gained his favor.
This promotion might not be just one or two ranks up.
For lower-ranking officers like Guo Baihu, if they didn't establish connections with her before the official rewards were announced, they might not even get a chance to speak with her later.
The words Grand Tutor Tao had asked her in the carriage when she first joined the army still echoed in her ears.
Did she want an empty title with no capable subordinates, or to start from the bottom and cultivate her own reliable team?
After being appointed squad leader, she'd focused entirely on selecting capable people from her few dozen subordinates. Only now did she truly grasp the meaning behind Grand Tutor Tao's words.
The truly useful people would come from here, after her promotion.
Suddenly, she understood why Guo Baihu had suggested she treat everyone to drinks.
Fan Changyu turned to Xie Wu. "Go fetch drinking bowls. I'll pour for these gentlemen myself!"
Xie Wu was momentarily stunned, then quickly grasped her intention. He hurried out and returned with a stack of bowls, arranging them on the table.
Some still tried to decline, but Fan Changyu said, "Getting drunk together isn't possible, but let this serve to satisfy your craving."
With things put this way, no one wanted to spoil the mood.
Her palm injury made bending difficult, so Xie Wu helped remove the red cloth sealing the wine jar. She then personally filled each bowl.
When all the baihu had their bowls raised, Fan Changyu lifted hers and addressed them solemnly: "Changyu is new to the army. I thank you all for your care these days, and hope to share more jars of wine with you in the future!"
Regardless of how much sincerity was in her words, she threw her head back and drained the bowl in one go.
Today she toasts those in this tent; tomorrow, others will be toasting her.
The baihu raised their bowls in response: "Squad Leader Fan flatters us! We too hope to drink with you again!"
They likewise drank their bowls dry.
When setting down their bowls, the baihu were visibly more cheerful and relaxed than when they'd arrived.
This shared drink represented, for them, an unspoken declaration of allegiance and alliance.Military merits on the battlefield aren't easily earned, especially for those who've already reached the position of Baihu. Common soldiers who've served for a decade and reached this rank without meeting influential patrons or possessing extraordinary talent have basically hit their ceiling.
They took the initiative to show goodwill to Fan Changyu because they understood that her recent promotion through military achievements left her short of capable subordinates. If she could promote them even slightly, they'd consider themselves fortunate to have met their benefactor.
It was clear now that Fan Changyu had accepted their gesture.
After finishing their drinks and some casual conversation, the group gradually dispersed.
Guo Baihu was the last to leave. When the barracks were empty, Fan Changyu stood and gave him a solemn salute: "Thank you for your guidance earlier, Lord Guo."
Guo Baihu, being straightforward, didn't mince words: "Enough with the 'Lord' this and that—it grates on my ears. That wasn't guidance anyway. Even if you hadn't drunk with those roughnecks today, they'd still be willing to seek your favor when you're short on people."
He glanced at Fan Changyu: "But they're all old foxes from the barracks. Even if they seem to obey you on the surface, they might not truly respect you. Refusing to share a drink with them would be seen as looking down on them. That's the unwritten rule of the military camp."
Fan Changyu replied, "I'll remember that."
She added earnestly, "If I encounter anything else I don't understand, I'll come straight to you, Guo Baihu. I hope you won't find it troublesome."
This was already a subtle attempt at forming an alliance.
Guo Baihu responded candidly, "Right now, my rank's still higher than yours, so I won't stand on ceremony. When you get promoted, as long as you need me, I'll follow you. I misjudged you at first, thinking you were just another one of those here for easy military honors. After all these years of fighting, I've never had such a satisfying battle. I thought being a Baihu was as far as I'd go, but now I'm thinking of earning myself a general's title!"
After Guo Baihu left, Xie Wu said to Fan Changyu, "Congratulations, Squad leader!"
With her promotion, she now had a group of people she could truly call her own.
Fan Changyu, however, rubbed her temples wearily and said, "This skill of speaking differently to different people isn't something just anyone can master."
Xie Wu simply smiled: "The squad leader has figured out how to build connections in the military camp."
Fan Changyu lifted her gaze to him: "What I said to you when I returned to camp wasn't just politeness. You and Xiao Qi will both be assigned as my personal guards."
Without waiting for his response, she instructed, "I have a headache. You may leave now."
Xie Wu glanced at her and eventually withdrew.
Sitting alone, Fan Changyu lost herself in thought for a while. She could vaguely see that what lay ahead for her would be even more complex.
But to uncover the truth of what happened back then, she needed to move closer to the center of power.
Her peripheral vision caught the Horse-Cutting Sword on the weapon rack, and Xie Wu's words—"Once the Marquis gives something, he never takes it back"—flashed through her mind, stirring a tumult of emotions.
If she hadn't noticed and chased after him that day, he might have truly left without a word.
Did Xie Wu say that because he was afraid she'd return everything he'd given her?
The bitterness she'd managed to suppress on the way back began to spread through her heart once more.Fan Changyu didn't want to wallow in those terrible emotions any longer. Her head was indeed throbbing from absorbing too much explosive information, so she decided to take a short nap.
When she accidentally touched the broken silver under her pillow, she remembered the soldier in her squad who had given her all his pay before the expedition. Instantly, her drowsiness vanished.
Earlier when she woke up, Xie Zheng, disguised as Xiao Wu, had told her that thirteen men from their squad had died in battle, with seventeen severely wounded.
She had intended to visit the men she led then, but unfortunately, He Jingyuan sent someone to summon her, delaying her plans due to the subsequent events.
Fan Changyu directly called for Xie Wu and, bringing along the pastries and tonics sent by the hundred-household officers, went to the lower barracks.
The soldiers weren't as well-informed as Guo Baihu and the others, but they knew that once the official rewards were announced, Fan Changyu would likely be promoted to general.
It wasn't that they didn't want to curry favor, but Fan Changyu had been unconscious for the past two days. Today, after waking up, she was immediately called away by He Jingyuan. By the time she returned, the hundred-household officers had already rushed to fawn over her, leaving no opportunity for the ordinary soldiers.
Thus, when they saw Fan Changyu arrive, they were all quite surprised, stammering, "Squad... Squad leader."
These large military tents had communal bedding, with each tent housing twenty-five men. It was cramped, but given wartime conditions, there wasn't much choice.
A few beds were empty—clearly those of the fallen soldiers.
There were no tables in the tent; the only place to put things was on the military beds. The items Fan Changyu brought were placed on one of the empty beds.
Fan Changyu asked, "Whose bed was this?"
A soldier nearby with a bandaged arm and head instantly reddened his eyes, grinning as he replied, "Squad leader, it was Ge Mazi's. My fellow villager. He... he was probably trampled to pieces on the battlefield. I searched for two days but couldn't find his body."
By the end, the soldier wiped his eyes with his good arm, his voice trembling with sobs.
Fan Changyu asked, "Who does he have left in his family?"
The soldier answered, "His old mother and younger sister."
Fan Changyu said, "Once the official rewards and compensation are issued, a portion of my reward will be set aside and sent to his family."
She looked at the other soldiers in the tent and promised, "The same goes for all of you here. In the future, if anyone dies, their parents, siblings—they become our parents and siblings. We'll take care of them together."
These words brought tears to many soldiers' eyes, and they roared hoarsely, "Yes!"
Perhaps the heart-protecting mirror she had given him had played a role, but the soldier who had entrusted her with his pay before the expedition had indeed returned alive, suffering only minor injuries.
Fan Changyu returned the broken silver to him, saying, "You don't have to worry about your parents going unsupported anymore."
The soldier took the silver, grinning sheepishly with reddened eyes as he agreed. He then tried to return the heart-protecting mirror to Fan Changyu.
Fan Changyu said, "Keep it. I have no use for it."
The soldier thanked her again and, under the envious gazes of his comrades, carefully stored the mirror like a treasure.
One bolder soldier asked eagerly, "Squad leader, after you're promoted, can we still follow you?"
Fan Changyu replied, "Of course you'll stay with me."
Though they had won this battle against the Chongzhou army, it had been a narrow victory.He Jingyuan was struck by a stray arrow, and rumors spread by the rebels in Chongzhou falsely claimed he had died in battle, severely shaking the morale of the Jizhou Army. The losses were devastating.
If not for the fortunate slaying of Changxin Wang, which turned the tide against the Chongzhou rebels, the outcome of that day would have been uncertain.
Her ability to stab Changxin Wang when he was off guard was largely due to his contempt upon discovering she was a woman—he hadn’t taken her seriously at all.
After the rebels retreated in disarray and barricaded themselves inside the city, they had kept their gates tightly shut for the past two days. It was said that Changxin Wang’s eldest son had temporarily taken control within the city.
He Jingyuan did not press the advantage and order an immediate assault for two reasons: first, his injuries were truly severe, and second, while the Jizhou Army’s situation was slightly better than that of the rebels in Chongzhou, they were still in dire straits, having suffered heavy casualties. Both sides needed time to recuperate.
Under these circumstances, troops were in short supply. Even if Fan Changyu were promoted, she wouldn’t be given a separate unit. More likely, she would take over the duties of a higher-ranking officer within their current army.
With Fan Changyu’s firm reassurance, the soldiers visibly relaxed, as if following her into battle no longer seemed so terrifying.
Fan Changyu’s heart was a tumult of emotions. She meticulously inquired about the condition of every wounded soldier under her command and solemnly committed the names of each fallen comrade to memory.
Stepping out of the barracks, she exhaled slowly, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon, growing ever more resolute.
The more she understood the brutality of war and the hardships of low-ranking soldiers, the less she could tolerate the idea that the Battle of Jinzhou seventeen years ago had been a conspiracy.
Even now, Crown Prince Chengde and General Xie’s reputations remained highly praised among the people.
The tragic deaths of this heir apparent and a pillar of the state were deeply mourned, but the soldiers who had perished unjustly on the battlefield that year also had families waiting for their return.
The truth should not be buried beneath the schemes and machinations of those in power—
Kang City.
Dark clouds loomed over the city, heralding a storm.
A cold wind whipped the banners atop the battlements, making the solitary walls appear even more fragile beneath the rolling thunderheads.
Fine droplets of rain stung her face, the chill deepening.
The deputy general, peering through the crenellations at the vast, ominous ranks of the Yanzhou Xie Family Army below—their presence as formidable as the storm itself—began to tremble. “Y-Young Master… news from Chongzhou says the prince has fallen. The city will likely fall soon. If Wu’an Marquis is mobilizing his forces to attack now, he undoubtedly means to take Kang City…”
“If he attacks, we defend.”
The voice beside him was flat, devoid of inflection. A pale jawline, exposed to the cold wind and drizzle, carried an almost frost-like detachment.
It was impossible to tell whether the speaker had resigned himself to fate or was brimming with confidence.
Compared to the last time, Sui Yuanqing seemed even thinner, the shadows beneath his eyes darker, the whites of his eyes streaked with red veins.
The deputy knew that attacking during a storm put the aggressors at a disadvantage, but with Wu’an Marquis commanding the opposing forces, he couldn’t shake his unease.
Wu’an Marquis was infamous for his unorthodox tactics—he never followed conventional military strategies. Rumors even claimed that if one compiled all the tactics he had employed in battle, they could fill an entirely new military manual.
Cautiously, the deputy peered through the crenellations again, only to see that the Yanzhou Army below hadn’t even brought siege ladders.The iron-black army stretched out beyond the range of the city wall's archers, with crossbowmen leading the charge. These crossbows required extraordinary strength to draw—ordinary men couldn't manage it. The crossbowmen had to lie on the ground, using the force of their waists and legs to cock the weapons while their assistants loaded three arrows into the grooves. When fired in unison, the bolts flew toward the battlements like a sudden storm of shooting stars.
The defenders at the city wall's crenellations didn't even have time to react before being pierced through—arrows and all.
Though it couldn't compare to the devastating power of a ballista that could pierce through city walls, within this range, its striking force far surpassed ordinary arrows.
The deputy general's face turned pale with fright. He pulled at Sui Yuanqing, nearly scrambling for cover atop the battlements, and cried in panic, "Young Master, this is bad! The Wu'an Marquis intends to launch a full-scale assault!"
Below the city walls, positioned behind the crossbow formations and ahead of the cavalry, stood a war chariot.
Gongsun Yin, emulating the ancients, held a feathered fan. His white robes billowed wildly in the battlefield's fierce winds, giving him an almost divine appearance.
He glanced at the thick, dark storm clouds gathering across half the sky, then at the man beside him—whose very presence, from man to horse, exuded a chilling, murderous aura—and asked in bewilderment, "A heavy rain is coming. If we're to take Kang City, there's no need to rush these one or two days. Why insist on pressing forward and launching the attack now?"
Xie Zheng's Ferghana Black-Hoofed warhorse stomped restlessly beneath him. Gripping his halberd in one hand, Xie Zheng's palm was wrapped in a thin layer of gauze. Raindrops traced faint, glistening trails along the dark iron blade.
His cold gaze fixed on the distant battlements of Kang City, dozens of zhang away. The ferocious Canthus Beast Head adorning his shoulder armor only deepened the ruthless intensity in his brow. "Before the storm arrives," he said, "Kang City will already be ours."
Gongsun Yin couldn't help but study him again. He had always known this man was arrogant, but he hadn't expected such sheer audacity.
Recalling Xie Zheng's behavior since returning from Chongzhou—outwardly unchanged, yet subtly unsettling in every action—Gongsun Yin suddenly frowned. "It almost feels," he mused, "like you're fighting this war just to vent."
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