Before the grand army set out, an order was given for the cookhouse camp to light the fires and prepare a meal, allowing the officers and soldiers to eat their fill.
Fan Changyu went to help slaughter the pigs. An old veteran from the cookhouse camp, still recounting her deeds, said to a new soldier transferred from elsewhere to help, "Miss Fan has the courage of Mulan!"
The new soldier, who was illiterate, scratched his head and asked, "Who's Mulan?"
The old veteran shot the newcomer a disdainful look. "You don't even know Hua Mulan? A great hero from the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Her father had no sons, and when he was old, he was conscripted by the court. Fearing her father would die on the battlefield, she disguised herself as a man and took his place in the army for eleven years, earning great military honors!"
The new soldier was astonished. "How could a woman blend into an army camp for eleven years without anyone finding out?"
This question clearly stumped the old veteran. He said impatiently, "That's how it's written in the plays. She just had the skill. In the end, she was even personally ennobled by the emperor!"
The speaker was casual, but the listener's heart was stirred.
From the moment Fan Changyu learned the grand army was to move out, her anxious heart had not been able to rest.
Now, hearing the old veteran's story of Hua Mulan, her hand, wiping the blood from the pig-slaughtering knife, paused. A bold idea faintly emerged in her mind.
She had previously noticed that Xiao Wu seemed quite close to Yan Zheng, and upon asking, she learned they had once been in the same squad. She knew Yan Zheng had a bad temper and worried he would offend people, leaving him without support on the battlefield. She had asked about the others in their squad, intending to help Yan Zheng manage his relationships with his comrades-in-arms, only to be told that everyone else had died, leaving just him and Xiao Wu.
This time, the entire army was being deployed, and he and Xiao Wu would have to be assigned to other battalions.
Reorganized into a new unit with no acquaintances, it would be even harder to find someone to watch his back on the battlefield.
With Yan Zheng's injuries, this campaign would likely be a one-way trip. If she went to fight this battle in his place, and Yan Zheng helped her by staying behind with Changning in the logistical train with the cookhouse camp, perhaps his life could be preserved to the greatest extent possible.
If she took his place on the battlefield, he wouldn't be considered a deserter. Besides, apart from Xiao Wu, no one in the new battalion knew Yan Zheng. Xiao Wu would surely keep the secret. Her taking his place on the battlefield would go completely unnoticed by others. When she returned, she would simply switch back with Yan Zheng.
Once this thought took root in her mind, it was impossible to suppress.
On this journey, she had lost too many relatives and friends. Just the thought of Yan Zheng being hacked to death on the battlefield made her chest feel as if it were being squeezed by something.
After leaving the cookhouse camp, Fan Changyu went straight to the wounded soldier camp.
The Army Doctor was not there. The half-grown boy was brewing medicine for the soldiers whose injuries were so severe they still couldn't get out of bed.
The boy was named Wu Sanjin. It was said that his mother had given birth to him while fleeing a famine. The adults were all skin and bones on the road, so what nutrition could there be for a child? He weighed only three jin at birth. His parents thought he wouldn't survive, but unexpectedly, he grew up healthy. So his parents named him Sanjin.
After he joined the army, he was assigned to the logistics corps because of his small stature.
Seeing Fan Changyu now, Wu Sanjin immediately greeted her warmly, "Sister Changyu, are you looking for Doctor Han? Doctor Han went out."
Doctor Han was the army doctor who had treated Xie Zheng.
Fan Changyu said, "I'm here to see you."
Wu Sanjin, holding a palm-leaf fan for stoking the fire, looked puzzled. "Me?"
When Fan Changyu was feeling guilty, her expression became all the more righteous and stern. She asked, "Do you know where the knockout powder is kept?"
Wu Sanjin had been doing odd jobs in the wounded soldier camp for days and knew exactly where the medicines were stored. He said, "I know. Sister Changyu, what do you need knockout powder for?"
Fan Changyu continued with a righteous face, "I want to hunt a few wild boars for the victory feast when the army returns triumphant. Mixing the knockout powder into coarse bran to make a trap will make them easier to hunt."
Wu Sanjin had no reason to doubt her and quickly went into the tent to retrieve a packet of powder, handing it to Fan Changyu. "This is enough to hunt ten wild boars."
Fan Changyu thanked him, tucked the powder into her robes, and left.
Inside the main tent, the personal guards who had been feigning illness for days had all donned their armor.
Xie Wu was reporting the frontline situation to Xie Zheng. "Our vanguard has intercepted the rebels. We're just waiting for the main force to encircle them. However, a scout reported that the rebels secretly withdrew some of their troops last night. Sui Yuanqing was among them."
Xie Zheng's eyes darkened. "Order Chen Liang to take a thousand elite cavalry in pursuit."
Xie Wu cupped his fist. "This subordinate will go relay the order now."
Xie Qi, who was standing guard outside the door, suddenly announced, "The lady is here!"
The expressions of Xie Zheng and all the personal guards in the tent changed slightly.
Fan Changyu entered the tent carrying a tureen of soup, only to find that all the "wounded soldiers" inside were neatly dressed, as if ready to return to their battalions at any moment.
After greeting Fan Changyu stiffly, they took their respective belongings and departed.
Xie Wu glanced at Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng, then also stood up. "I'll go back and get ready too."
Soon, only Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng were left in the tent. Fan Changyu placed the soup in her hands on the table and asked him, "Are your things ready?"
Xie Zheng found it amusing. "Besides a weapon, what else is there to prepare for the battlefield?"
Fan Changyu picked up the tattered set of armor hanging by his bed. Seeing its dilapidated state, she frowned. "How can you wear your armor when it's so torn? Let me mend it for you."
This set of common soldier's armor had been procured by Xie Wu earlier. The other wounded soldiers in the camp all kept their armor hanging by their bedsides. If they didn't have a set of armor by their bed, it would inevitably make Fan Changyu suspicious.
Xie Zheng had been pondering the battle situation. His gaze unintentionally fell upon Fan Changyu, and watching her thread the needle, he became lost in the sight.
The last time he had gone to war, he hadn't even had a proper farewell with Fan Changyu. This time, setting out on an expedition, he suddenly experienced the taste of heart-wrenching tenderness.
Neither of them spoke. Fan Changyu kept her eyes lowered, concentrating on mending the tattered armor. A stray lock of hair fell down, brushing against her fair cheek. Her small, lustrous white ear was partly visible amidst her dark hair. At this moment, her expression was gentle and serene.
Of course, if one looked at the stitches, they were neither very gentle nor very serene.
Unfortunately, Xie Zheng didn't see that. His gaze lingered for a long time on her earlobe, half-hidden by her dark hair. A savage beast seemed to be rampaging in his chest. As if possessed, he raised his hand to tuck the stray lock of hair behind her ear. When his fingertip touched her small, lustrous white ear, Fan Changyu looked up at him.
The wicked thought in his heart suddenly became irrepressible. The fingertip that should have moved away instead applied a bit of force, curling around to the back of her head.
He lowered his head and kissed her, gentle and not so gentle.
One hand plunged forcefully into Fan Changyu's hair. Because she didn't refuse him, when they parted, a vein stood out on his temple. His breath was scorching, and his eyes were tinged with red, like a savage wolf that longed to devour her whole but was forced to stop by the circumstances.
"Wait for me to come back," his clear, melodious voice was hoarse.
Fan Changyu's lips were a little numb and sore from his bite. She wanted to slap him but held back. She negotiated with him in all sincerity, "Yan Zheng, let me go to the battlefield for you?"
Xie Zheng's handsome brows furrowed almost immediately. "What nonsense are you talking?"
Fan Changyu said, "Your injuries haven't healed. What if you can't even swing your saber on the battlefield?"
Recalling the lie he had told earlier, Xie Zheng said with a slightly unnatural expression, "I'm a swordsman in the infantry formation. I'm only responsible for cleaning up the remnants of the enemy scattered by the vanguard. It's not dangerous."
Seeing his resolute attitude, Fan Changyu seemed somewhat disappointed. "Then be careful in all things."
She then asked, "Which battalion of swordsmen are you in, and which general do you follow?"
Xie Zheng hadn't expected that after just a few days in the army, Fan Changyu would have become familiar with the military's organization. He knew he shouldn't keep deceiving her, but with the arrow already on the bowstring, he had no choice but to spin another lie. "Under General Li Lian of the Left Guard Army's Third Battalion."
Fan Changyu secretly committed it to memory, then went to the table and brought over the tureen of chicken soup. "I caught a wild pheasant and secretly stewed this for you. Drink it and then go back to your battalion with Brother Xiao Wu."
Xie Zheng, suspecting nothing, drank the chicken soup in a few gulps.
Fan Changyu watched him, her expression somewhat complicated. She said, "While I'm gone, I'll have to trouble you to look after Changning for me."
The whole world began to spin. Xie Zheng finally realized something was wrong, and his face changed. "You..."
But his body had already gone limp in an instant. He had just taken a step when he collapsed. Fan Changyu caught him, whispering to the unconscious man, "I don't want you to die."
Fearing someone might check the roster of wounded soldiers and discover Xie Zheng's identity, Fan Changyu carried him on her back to the tent she shared with Changning first.
When Changning saw Xie Zheng on Fan Changyu's back, her face turned pale. "Elder Sister, is Brother-in-law going to die again?"
Fan Changyu choked slightly. "No, he's just temporarily fallen asleep. He should wake up in about half a shichen. Ning Niang, be a good girl and watch over your brother-in-law in the tent. If you run into danger and your brother-in-law isn't awake yet, use this needle to poke him awake."
Of the knockout powder Wu Sanjin had given her, she had used a dose sufficient to knock out a wild boar.
Mainly, Yan Zheng's willpower was stronger than that of an ordinary person, and she was afraid a normal dose wouldn't be enough to knock him out.
After handing Changning a needle, Fan Changyu untied the dagger from her calf and gave it to her. "Just in case, you take this dagger too. Remember, if you encounter danger, the first thing you do is poke your brother-in-law awake. Use the needle, not the dagger. Once he's awake, he can protect you."
Changning, clutching the embroidery needle in one hand and the dagger in the other, nodded vigorously, but couldn't help asking, "What about Elder Sister?"
Fan Changyu said, "Elder Sister is going to fight the bad guys who took Ning Niang and Bao'er. I'll be back after I've beaten them."
Changning grabbed a corner of Fan Changyu's clothes, her black grape-like eyes glistening with worry. "Then Elder Sister must be careful."
Fan Changyu patted her head. "Don't worry, Elder Sister is going to get revenge for you!"
After giving Changning her instructions, she took out her pig-slaughtering knife and bone-chopping cleaver, tucked them into her waist, and left the tent, heading for the Left Guard Army's camp. As luck would have it, she ran into Xie Wu on the way.
When Xie Wu saw her wearing the uniform of a Yanzhou soldier, a terrible guess had already formed in his mind. He stammered, "Miss... Miss Fan."
Fan Changyu asked in confusion, "Brother Xiao Wu hasn't returned to the battalion yet?"
Xie Wu said stiffly, "I... I was going to look for Big Brother Yan."
Fan Changyu glanced around, then grabbed Xie Wu and whispered, "Brother Xiao Wu knows as well that my husband's serious injuries haven't healed. For him to go to the battlefield is undoubtedly suicide. I will go on this expedition in my husband's place. Brother Xiao Wu, just pretend you don't know about this. When I return from this battle, I will switch back with my husband. No one will know."
How could no one know! Xie Wu thought.
Although the battle plan had been laid out long ago and the various armies were deploying down the mountain in an orderly fashion, it would be inexcusable if the Marquis never showed his face from beginning to end!
Yet, at this moment, he didn't dare take it upon himself to inform Fan Changyu of Xie Zheng's true identity. He could only try to persuade her, "Miss Fan, don't be foolish. This is a major taboo in the army, punishable by beheading!"
Fan Changyu looked at Xie Wu. Her roundish almond eyes were sincere and resolute, yet they also held a hint of the chill of a hunting leopard. She said, "I'm sorry, Brother Xiao Wu. I just don't want my husband to die a pointless death on the battlefield. If he weren't injured, I wouldn't resort to this. As it is, sending him to the battlefield, he'd be less effective at killing enemies than I would. This action won't bring any loss to the grand army. As for the punishment for violating military orders, I will bear it all myself when I return. My husband was drugged and knocked out by me. To avoid implicating you, Brother Xiao Wu, I might as well knock you out here too."
Seeing Fan Changyu already raising her hand, Xie Wu quickly said, "I'll keep Miss Fan's secret! We'll go kill the enemy together. At least we'll have each other's backs on the battlefield."
Fan Changyu didn't understand why he had changed his mind so quickly, but since he had said so, she lowered her hand. "Then let's return to the battalion."
Xie Wu let out a huge sigh of relief. If they had really come to blows, he would definitely be no match for this young woman.
For now, the only plan was to first send a message to the other personal guards to find Xie Zheng, while he himself followed Fan Changyu in order to protect her.
Xie Wu let out a few sharp whistles. Fan Changyu suddenly turned to look at him. "What are you whistling for?"
Xie Wu broke out in a cold sweat from the scare. Just then, a goshawk flew across the sky. He pointed at it and forced a smile. "I heard an old soldier in the camp say that falconers use this kind of whistle to give hawks instructions. I was seeing if it was true."
Fan Changyu asked, "Does it work on hawks that haven't been trained?"
Xie Wu pointed at the hawk in the sky and said stiffly, "I tried. It seems it doesn't."
Fan Changyu was greatly disappointed. She had been thinking that if it worked, she would learn how to do it later and catch another falcon for Changning.
The central army had already set out. Fan Changyu followed the banners and found the Left Guard Army's Third Battalion. When she and Xie Wu stood at the back of the formation, the squad leaders were counting the number of soldiers under their command.
The fully armored colonel stood at the front of the formation, looking majestic and imposing.
When the squad leader at the very back of the line counted Fan Changyu and Xie Wu, he shouted, "Which squad are you from? Why are you standing in my line?"
Xie Wu was not the least bit intimidated and replied loudly, "We were scattered from the infantry battalion and reassigned here."
He did this specifically to draw the Third Battalion's colonel, Li Lian, over.
Sure enough, Li Lian, seeing the commotion at the rear of the formation from his position at the front, strode over with his head held high and barked, "The army is about to move out, what's all the shouting about?"
The squad leader said, "General, there are two extra men in the line. They say they were reassigned from elsewhere."
Li Lian had also been in the personal guard unit in his early years. Later, when he became capable of holding his own, he was sent down to the Left Guard Army by Xie Zheng. He naturally recognized Xie Wu.
Those in the personal guard unit who were granted the surname Xie had all been martial assassins in the past, without names or surnames. They were also the group most loyal to Xie Zheng.
When Xie Wu shot Li Lian a look, Li Lian didn't ask any more questions about why he and another unfamiliar soldier had appeared in his ranks. Assuming he was on some secret mission, he just cursed the squad leader, "I lost so many men defending the mountain a few days ago! It took me great effort to get some men assigned over, and now you're complaining that I have too many people in my ranks, is that it?"
The squad leader, having been scolded, immediately fell silent.
The other soldiers, who had been craning their necks to size up Fan Changyu and Xie Wu, also quickly stood properly and dared not look around anymore.
It was a good thing that the soldiers Fan Changyu had interacted with before were all from the cookhouse and wounded soldier camps. People from other battalions had only heard her name but had never seen her.
At this moment, wearing tattered battle armor and standing in the ranks with her head lowered, the soldiers only thought this new kid was like a skinny monkey, and no one paid her much attention.
Li Lian clasped his hands behind his back and returned to the front of the formation. Seeing this, Xie Wu grew anxious. He was just about to give Li Lian a hint to find a way to kick him and Fan Changyu out of the line—after all, he couldn't really let Fan Changyu go onto the battlefield—when a commotion broke out in the military formation up ahead. A scout on a fast horse returned to report, "Shi Yue has led his men to tear an opening in the vanguard and is about to flee south! By order of the military strategist, the Left Guard Army is to immediately advance to support the vanguard!"
The Commandant of the Left Guard Army roared, "First three battalions of the Left Guard Army, full speed ahead!"
The military formation, which had been standing in neat ranks, immediately broke into a run, five men abreast, rushing towards the battlefield.
Xie Zheng's personal guard unit often used whistle sounds as secret signals to convey simple messages.
That kind of sharp and urgent whistle meant that Xie Zheng might be in danger.
The personal guards who heard Xie Wu's whistle instantly rushed to find Xie Zheng. Discovering he wasn't in the wounded soldier tent where he had been staying, they searched the surrounding area for clues and soon found the tent belonging to Fan Changyu and her sister.
Changning had been clutching the embroidery needle, guarding Xie Zheng's side. When she heard the rapid footsteps approaching the tent, she quickly poked Xie Zheng with the needle.
The unconscious man's eyes flew open almost instantly. The personal guard who lifted the tent flap was overjoyed to see Xie Zheng. He paid no mind to Changning's presence and called out, "Marquis!"
Xie Zheng's face was terrifyingly grim. He got up to walk out of the tent, but the knockout powder's effects hadn't worn off yet, and his body was completely drained of strength. He managed to steady himself by grabbing a bedpost in time.
A personal guard hurried over to support him. "Marquis, what's wrong with you?"
Xie Zheng spotted the dagger Changning had placed by the bed. He picked it up without hesitation and sliced it forcefully across his palm. Blood dripped from the tip of the dagger to the ground. Changning was so frightened she let out a short, low cry, her little face turning white.
The sharp pain clearly lessened the effects of the drug on Xie Zheng, but his expression grew even darker. He asked the personal guard, "Where are General Li Lian's troops of the Left Guard Army now?"
The personal guard replied, "Somehow, a fierce general has joined Shi Yue's ranks. He possesses superhuman strength and is unstoppable. Shi Yue is using this general to clear a path, and they have forcefully torn through our vanguard. The military strategist has ordered the Left Guard Army to plug the gap torn in the vanguard."
Xie Zheng could not sit still for another moment. He strode out of the tent and commanded coldly, "Bring me my battle armor! And assemble five hundred elite cavalry!"
The vanguard he had dispatched was one of the fiercest under his command. If even the vanguard couldn't stop Shi Yue, this battle was likely not looking optimistic.
Soon, a personal guard came forward, holding his set of heavy, black-scaled armor, and helped him put it on. Changning dazedly followed him out of the tent. Seeing Xie Zheng's icy expression, the "Brother-in-law" on the tip of her tongue was swallowed back down.
She had never seen her brother-in-law with such a frightening expression, as if he were about to swallow someone whole. He didn't seem like the brother-in-law in her memory at all.
And these people called her brother-in-law "Marquis." What was a Marquis?
A personal guard led Xie Zheng's warhorse over. He fastened his black cloak and gave a cold order to the personal guard beside him, "Send a message to Gongsun Yin. Tell him to tighten the pocket at the rear. There's no need to divert troops to the vanguard."
As he swung himself onto the horse, he glanced at Changning, who was standing like a little cabbage at the tent entrance, and said to Xie Qi, "Watch her."
Xie Qi cupped his fist in acknowledgment. Xie Zheng had already spurred his horse and galloped away, with a dozen personal guards instantly following him.
Tears welled up in Changning's eyes. She wanted to cry but didn't dare. Why had her brother-in-law become so fierce after waking up?
Xie Qi had no experience with children. He clumsily tried to soothe her. Changning, probably having determined that he was not someone who would be fierce with her, suddenly burst out crying, "I want Elder Sister—"
Xie Qi hadn't seen Fan Changyu and was also very puzzled. He asked her, "Then where did your elder sister go?"
Changning sobbed, "Elder Sister said she went to fight the bad guys."
Xie Qi's heart skipped a beat. He continued to ask, "How did the Marquis... I mean, your brother-in-law, get here?"
Changning hiccupped. "Elder Sister carried him back."
Xie Qi choked. He suddenly understood why his Marquis had that man-eating expression after waking up.
He looked at Changning and decided it was best to take the child away from this place of trouble first. He said, "Don't cry. How about I take you to see some wild pheasants?"
Changning continued to sob, scared. She kept muttering that she wanted her elder sister. Xie Qi listed all the wild animals he could think of on the mountain, from wild boars to wild oxen. When he mentioned seeing a falcon, Changning's sobs finally paused. She opened her big, tear-filled eyes and asked, "Falcon?"
Seeing a chance, Xie Qi quickly said, "A white-headed Gyrfalcon. When it spreads its wings, it's this big. Want to go see it?"
Changning looked at the size he was gesturing and nodded. "Yes."
To receive messages in the fastest time possible, the Gyrfalcon had been cared for by the personal guards in shifts these past few days. No matter day or night, whenever the Gyrfalcon returned with a letter, the guard on duty would present it to Xie Zheng.
It happened to be Xie Qi's turn on duty these two days. He figured that if he took the child over, he could watch both the person and the falcon at the same time, which would save him some trouble.
Fan Changyu didn't know where the battlefield for the two armies was located. She only felt that along the way, the mountainous terrain and green trees gave way to barren land where not a blade of grass grew, trampled flat. From a great distance, she could hear the deafening sounds of slaughter, like ocean tides, wave after wave.
The wind blowing over the mountain ridge carried with it the stench of blood.
This was Fan Changyu's first time truly participating in a large-scale battle. She herself didn't feel afraid, but her heart inexplicably quickened its pace, and a layer of goosebumps rose on her arms, which were tightly wrapped in vambraces.
She and Xiao Wu were positioned in the middle-rear of the formation and couldn't see the state of the battlefield ahead. They only heard some general or other shout himself hoarse, "Cavalry formation, charge!"
Then another wave of battle cries erupted, so loud it made one's eardrums ache. Tremors came from the mountain pass ahead, and the entire earth seemed to tremble along with it.
Fan Changyu noticed that Xiao Wu seemed even more nervous than she was. He said to her, "Miss Fan, once we're on the battlefield, stay close to me and don't take any risks!"
Fan Changyu responded with an affirmative, but the infantry formation ahead erupted into a deafening roar, instantly drowning out her voice. Everyone was drawing their swords and charging forward.
At this point, military commands were completely inaudible. It was almost a case of seeing what those in front were doing and following suit.
Fan Changyu's heartbeat pounded like a drum, her blood surging with tension to the point where she couldn't even feel the exhaustion from the long march. She followed the army as it poured into the battlefield like a flood.
The ground was littered with corpses—they were practically stepping over bodies as they charged forward. When they clashed with the rebel soldiers who had fought to the point of bloodlust, the roars that erupted served only to bolster their courage.
A soldier running ahead of Fan Changyu was impaled clean through by a rebel wielding a spear. The squad leader of that soldier—the same one who had previously questioned Fan Changyu and Xie Wu's identities—let out a furious roar, his face twisted in rage as he swung his ring-pommeled sword down at the rebel's face, sending blood spraying everywhere.
The remaining three soldiers in the squad, their eyes bloodshot, charged forward with their leader. When one was knocked down, the others worked together to rescue him.
At this moment, Fan Changyu suddenly understood Gongsun Yin's words from the day they seized the provisions more deeply.
Not only did generals consider the lives of their soldiers their responsibility, but even squad leaders and platoon leaders fought with everything they had to protect their men.
Facing living, breathing people, Fan Changyu still couldn't bring herself to strike fatal blows as if cutting melons or chopping vegetables. She aimed to avoid vital areas, ensuring only that her opponents lost their ability to fight.
When that squad leader nearly had his head taken off, Fan Changyu deflected the fatal strike for him. He glanced back at her but said nothing, his face covered in blood as he continued battling the rebels.
A rebel general on horseback charged into their midst, his spear stabbing and slashing with the momentum of his horse, killing many Yanzhou soldiers.
Even those not immediately killed were knocked down, only to be swarmed by Chongzhou soldiers who finished them off. The Yanzhou infantry was clearly at a disadvantage.
Xie Wu, being a seasoned soldier, grew furious at the sight. Seeing that Fan Changyu's martial skills were solid and none of the surrounding soldiers could harm her, he seized the moment when the rebel general charged past. Grabbing the saddle, he used the momentum to flip onto the horse, his long blade slashing downward.
The rebel on horseback hastily raised his spear to block, but Xie Wu had already landed firmly on the horse's back. The rebel's long weapon became a liability in close quarters, allowing Xie Wu to slit his throat with a dagger and shove him off the horse.
"You there—your life is forfeit!" Another rebel general, witnessing this, charged forward, his pair of spiked hammers whirling through the air with terrifying force. As he advanced, countless soldiers were sent flying under the crushing blows—clearly, this man possessed monstrous strength.
Xie Wu's fighting style emphasized agility, so he dared not engage directly. He quickly abandoned the horse and dodged away. Li Lian, seeing the rebel general slaughtering their soldiers with such brutality, moved to intercept him.
But when his lance clashed with the rebel's weapon, both man and horse were forced back several steps. The impact sent a sharp pain through Li Lian's hands, nearly making him lose his grip on his weapon. His expression instantly darkened.
The rebel general laughed heartily. "Pathetic! Your arms are as weak as noodles!"From afar, an unknown general spotted Li Lian engaging the rebel commander and shouted, "General Li, be careful! That brute has immense strength—even the Commandant was struck from his horse by him!"
Hearing this, Li Lian was horrified. As the rebel commander charged toward him with his hammers, Li Lian barely managed to exchange a few blows. He realized this man possessed monstrous strength—the pair of spiked hammers were not only heavy but also unnaturally agile in his hands. A single hit would mean certain death or severe injury.
When the rebel launched another fierce attack, Li Lian swiftly raised his lance to block, but he was no match for the other’s freakish strength. The spiked hammer struck him, sending him coughing up blood. Fortunately, most of the force had been deflected, sparing him from instant death.
"Not a single worthy opponent among you!" the rebel commander roared arrogantly. As he raised his hammer for a second strike, a rope suddenly flew out of nowhere, looping tightly around his neck. A powerful yank followed, but the rebel dug his feet into the stirrups, dropped one hammer, and gripped the rope with one hand, engaging in a tug-of-war to avoid being dragged off his horse.
He glanced sideways toward the source of the rope and was stunned to see a scrawny Yan Army soldier holding the other end.
Seizing the opportunity, Li Lian thrust his lance forward. The rebel blocked with his remaining spiked hammer, nearly knocking the weapon from Li Lian’s grasp. Realizing he stood no chance, Li Lian swiftly retreated.
The rebel commander, a mountain of a man astride his horse, glared murderously at Fan Changyu, his face twisted with malice. He gripped the rope with both hands and yanked hard, trying to drag the frail-looking Yan soldier toward him.
Caught off guard, Fan Changyu stumbled but quickly planted her feet firmly into the ground, as if rooted to the earth. No matter how hard the rebel pulled, she refused to budge.
Refusing to believe it, the rebel strained with all his might, his muscles bulging. Meanwhile, a rebel soldier seized the chance to thrust a spear at Fan Changyu. She timed it perfectly—releasing the rope and kicking the attacker away.
With the rope suddenly slack, the rebel commander lost his balance and toppled backward off his horse.
Quick-eyed Yan soldiers immediately lunged with their spears. Despite his bulk, the rebel was surprisingly agile—he rolled aside, grabbed a knife to sever the rope around his neck, then seized a soldier’s spear. Lifting both man and weapon, he swung them like a flail, forcing the surrounding Yan troops back before hurling the soldier into a densely packed group, sending them sprawling.
The Yan forces suffered heavy losses, and the soldiers’ initial fearless fervor visibly waned, replaced by hesitation.
The rebel commander retrieved his fallen spiked hammers, casually crushing Yan soldiers underfoot like ants as he strode straight toward Fan Changyu. Grinning savagely, he taunted, "You scrawny rat, you’ve got some strength in those arms. Let’s see how many of my hammer strikes you can take!"
Xie Wu, having just beheaded a rebel soldier, screamed hysterically at Fan Changyu, "Run!"
Fan Changyu wanted to flee, but as she watched the rebel commander swing his hammers with brutal efficiency—shattering skulls, splattering brains, and sending Yan soldiers flying like ragdolls—she found her feet rooted to the spot. Xie Wu, determined to cover her, charged recklessly at the rebel commander, leaving her no choice but to stand her ground.She discarded the ring-pommeled sword she had picked up earlier, drawing the black iron cleaver and bleeding knife from her waist. With a sharp scrape of the two blades—one long, one short—against each other, she charged toward the rebel general, her gaze as cold as the white lightning flashing through the storm.
Xie Wu, relying on his agility, managed to slash the rebel general once but was violently slammed to the ground, instantly losing sensation in half his body. As the spiked hammer descended toward his face, he braced for the impact that would splatter his brains, instinctively closing his eyes. Yet the fatal blow never came—only the grating screech of metal colliding.
Xie Wu cracked his eyes open to see Fan Changyu half-kneeling on the ground, her two black iron butcher knives crossed to block the rebel general’s hammer. Her teeth were clenched tight, and one knee had sunk into the dirt.
Xie Wu’s eyes burned with emotion. Through gritted teeth, Changyu spat out a single word: “Go!”
Without hesitation, Xie Wu rolled away from the hammer’s range, hurling a dagger at the rebel general as he retreated. The general, forced to deflect the dagger with his other hammer, gave Changyu the opening she needed.
Seizing the moment, she twisted her cleavers upward, pressing the blades down onto the back of the general’s hand and slicing a deep, bone-exposing wound. As the general roared in pain and swung his hammer horizontally, Changyu leaped back to evade the blow.
The rebel general glanced at his bleeding hand, his face contorted with rage. “You’re dead!” he bellowed, disregarding his injury as his hammer strikes grew even more vicious, aimed solely at taking Changyu’s life.
His spiked hammer was solid, weighing over eight hundred jin. When Changyu had intercepted the earlier blow to save Xie Wu, the impact had nearly torn her palms apart. Her butcher knives were too short and too light to match the hammer’s force.
Now, she avoided direct clashes, dodging whenever possible. The few times she had no choice but to block, the hammer’s force sent shocks through her arms, blood from her torn palms staining the knife handles. In another unavoidable clash, the bleeding knife was knocked from her grip.
The rebel general grinned savagely at the sight. “I’ll pound you into paste!”
Changyu kicked up a fallen broadsword to replace the lost knife, but the hammer’s next strike shattered it in two.
The Left Guard Colonel, wounded by the rebel general’s hammer and unable to remount, had been dragged to safety by his personal guards. Watching Changyu trade blows with the enemy, he remarked in surprise, “Which unit is that soldier from?”
His guards shook their heads, clueless.
After a closer look, the colonel said, “With the right weapon, he might stand a chance against that rebel. Someone, give him my Horse-Cutting Sword!”
As a guard hurried to fetch the long, ornate polearm, Xie Wu—frantic—rushed over and shouted, “Colonel Yan Yi of the Left Guard, where are you?”
Recognizing him as Xie Zheng’s personal guard, the colonel quickly responded despite his injuries, “At your service.”
Xie Wu, eyes bloodshot, pointed toward Changyu. “Send troops to save Madam, now!”
The colonel froze. “Madam?”Xie Wu could no longer afford to hesitate and blurted out, "The one fighting that rebel general is the Marquis's wife!"
The Left Guard Army captain instantly felt as though he had several heads to spare for the chopping block, but his injuries were so severe he could barely lift a weapon. He could only order a few junior officers to lead troops in reinforcement.
Xie Wu borrowed a horse from him and galloped back to support Fan Changyu. The Left Guard Army captain thrust a Horse-Cutting Sword into his hands: "Might come in handy!"
Xie Wu didn't have time to think. Wielding the Horse-Cutting Sword, he hacked his way through rebel soldiers toward Changyu.
Meanwhile, Changyu had picked up several broadswords, only for them to meet the same fate—shattered. When another hammer swing came her way, she failed to dodge in time. The spiked hammer scraped off her helmet, revealing her hair still tied up but unmistakably that of a woman.
The rebel general seemed stunned that the opponent who'd exchanged so many blows with him was a woman. Even in such disarray, her features remained striking. He roared with laughter: "A woman? Take her alive! Every soldier in Chongzhou can be a groom tonight!"
The Chongzhou troops erupted in raucous cheers, their battle fervor intensifying.
The rebel general no longer seemed intent on killing Changyu, focusing instead on capturing her alive. His hammer strikes lost their previous lethality but became more persistent.
Changyu's face was icy as she snatched a spear from a Chongzhou soldier to use as a weapon. With the longer reach, her attacks turned razor-sharp, her movements expansive and forceful, actually forcing the rebel general back several steps. But when he mustered his strength, the spear in her hands snapped clean in two.
The rebel general threw back his head and laughed mockingly.
A bloody scratch marred Changyu's face. She discarded the broken spear, her gaze fixed fiercely on the spiked hammer in the rebel general's right hand—his right arm bore a deep gash she'd inflicted, bone visible beneath. Disarming his right side would be easier.
Suddenly, a voice shouted from behind: "Catch!"
Changyu turned to see a long-handled Horse-Cutting Sword flying toward her.
She reached out to grab it, but the rebel general swung his hammer at her. If she continued reaching for the sword, his spiked hammer would crush her hand.
Instead, she feinted toward the sword while driving her foot hard into the rebel's armpit as he swung. The general howled in pain. Changyu's hand, which had pretended to catch the sword, now wrenched the spiked hammer from his grip. Without pause, she swung it viciously at him.
The rebel general hastily raised his own hammer to block. The two massive spiked hammers collided with a deafening metallic clang that left nearby soldiers momentarily deafened.
The spikes on one hammer flattened upon impact. The rebel general staggered back, nearly losing his grip on his weapon.
His jowls quivered as realization dawned—with a weapon matching his own, this woman might very well defeat him.
Changyu showed no signs of stopping. Her second hammer blow split the rebel general's palms open. Baring her teeth in a grin that mirrored his earlier mockery, she taunted: "Let me show you how to pound meat paste!"
With bloodied hands gripping the hammer's shaft, she delivered a crushing blow. The rebel general instinctively blocked with his own hammer, but the force sent both man and weapon flying backward.
One hammer embedded itself deep into his abdomen—truly hammered into flesh.He struggled to sit up, but only managed to spit out a mouthful of blood before collapsing with wide, lifeless eyes.
The vast battlefield seemed to fall into sudden silence.
The rebel soldiers who had been leering at Fan Changyu moments ago now scattered like frightened ghosts, their faces pale as they fled in panic.
Even their own allies looked at Fan Changyu with trepidation.
The soldiers gathered at a distance, too afraid to approach her.
Several severely wounded generals lay slumped on a distant slope, swallowing hard.
One of them said, "Truly worthy of being our Marquis's wife."
Another whispered, "Using the same tiger-tooth meteor hammer, how did Madam send that mountain of a man flying?"
The question left them all in stunned silence.
Was their lady even more monstrously strong than the rebel's prized champion?
After confirming the rebel commander's death, Xie Wu rushed to Fan Changyu's side. "Miss Fan, are you alright?"
Fan Changyu looked at him, her vision tinged red as if through a bloody veil. Waves of nausea washed over her—the world spun violently yet refused to let her faint.
Bracing her hands on her knees, she dry-heaved before managing to say, "I'm... fine."
Xie Wu quickly retrieved a waterskin from his horse and handed it to her. "Rinse your mouth, Miss Fan. It's common for new soldiers to have nightmares for weeks after their first battle."
After rinsing and drinking some water, the nausea subsided slightly.
She'd never witnessed such large-scale carnage before—it felt like her blades had been stabbing at something less than human.
But on the battlefield, you either killed or were killed.
As unrest still rippled through the remaining enemy troops, Xie Wu picked up a blade and approached the dead rebel commander.
Fan Changyu asked, "What are you doing?"
Xie Wu answered, "Taking his head to intimidate the remaining soldiers into surrendering."
Glancing at her butcher's knife lying nearby—the weapon that had been knocked from her grasp multiple times amid taunts—she said, "Let me."
Xie Wu, already poised to strike, stepped aside at her words.
Though she'd killed before, decapitation was new to her.
The black iron cleaver sliced cleanly through flesh and bone with a single stroke.
Since death had already claimed him, no blood sprayed from the severed neck.
Xie Wu lifted the head high and bellowed toward the remaining rebels, "Your general is dead! Lay down your arms and surrender, and your lives will be spared!"
The distant rebels exchanged glances before gradually lowering their weapons.
Then thunderous hoofbeats approached, forcing the exhausted Yanzhou Army to remain alert despite their fatigue.
A scout scrambled up the slope to identify the approaching banners before shouting down, "Allies!"
From generals to foot soldiers, everyone exhaled in relief.
Were it not for the sea of corpses and blood surrounding her, Fan Changyu would have collapsed to the ground then and there.
She was exhausted beyond anything she'd ever known—too spent to lift even a finger.
As the hoofbeats drew nearer, the setting sun bled across the sky like an open wound, while geese cried mournfully overhead.Fan Changyu looked toward the allied forces approaching in a cloud of yellow dust. They seemed to have just emerged from a fierce battle, with fresh blood staining their horses' legs, armor, and weapons. Even the wind blowing from their direction carried the scent of blood.
Her gaze swept over the general charging ahead on a sleek black steed. At first, it was just a casual glance, but then she suddenly snapped her attention back, narrowing her eyes. She pulled Xie Wu over and asked, "That general of yours wearing the Bright Light Armor with qilin shoulder ornaments, charging ahead on that tall horse—why does he look somewhat like my husband?"
Xie Wu stared at Fan Changyu, opening and closing his mouth, but not daring to utter a single word.
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