The sudden arrival of reinforcements startled all the barbarians. They had come after hearing that Wuzhou City had only about twenty thousand defenders. With just fifty thousand troops of their own, they had launched a fierce assault outside the city walls all night, already suffering losses. Now, faced with countless additional enemy soldiers, the barbarians were thrown into disarray!
Yan Chi had led seventy thousand troops, originally expecting a five-day journey. But fearing Wuzhou City might not hold out, they rested very little along the way, pressing forward day and night and taking many perilous but shorter routes. Thus, they arrived a day early.
When they were still thirty li from Wuzhou, Yan Chi learned of the city’s situation and immediately made arrangements during the march. Yu Qi led thirty thousand troops to attack from the southwest, while Xiao Cheng took twenty thousand to flank the other side of Wuzhou City. With both forces closing in from two directions, even the most arrogant barbarians dared not continue their assault. In this way, the immediate threat to the city was lifted. As the two sides clashed, sharp-eyed defenders recognized the Northwest Frontier Army, and instantly, all the Rong and Man tribes were alarmed. The Rong commander, upon hearing that the Northwest Frontier Army had arrived, immediately ordered a retreat!
Within two hours, not a trace of the Rong or Man tribes remained on the plains before Wuzhou City.
Standing atop the city wall, Yang Jia spotted a large banner bearing a wolf emblem in the distance. His initial shock quickly turned to elation!
He recognized Yan Chi’s arrival. But with Wuzhou City on the brink of destruction, he had no time to entertain thoughts of rebellion. He immediately ordered the defenders below to open the city gates and welcome Yan Chi and his men inside. After Yu Qi and Xiao Cheng regrouped and the main force of seventy thousand troops arrived outside the city, they marched imposingly toward the gates. To the soldiers and civilians of Wuzhou, the sight of the Northwest Frontier Army was nothing short of a godsend.
As the gates swung open, Yan Chi rode at the forefront with Yu Qi and others. Just as they reached the entrance, they saw Yang Jia, covered in blood, kneeling with a crowd of wounded and unwounded soldiers behind him. When the most imposing figure in the procession approached, Yang Jia was certain it was Yan Chi and promptly kowtowed in a grand salute.
“This humble general, Yang Jia, along with the soldiers and civilians of Wuzhou, respectfully welcomes Your Highness, Prince Rui!”
At his words, those behind him followed suit in paying homage. Yan Chi reined in his horse, his gaze darkening as he surveyed the scene within the city.
“We pressed on day and night, yet we still arrived too late.”
Yang Jia hurriedly replied, “No, no, no! Your Highness arrived just in time! Were it not for you, Wuzhou City would have already fallen. By now, it would have suffered the same fate as Cangzhou—utterly slaughtered. Your Highness, you are our savior…”
For a moment, the cries of “savior” from the elderly, women, and children behind him rose in a moving chorus.
Yan Chi responded, “Please rise, everyone. Holding Wuzhou is your achievement. Today, I have come with troops to lend you a hand. From this day forward, the Northwest Frontier Army will stand with you to defend Wuzhou, and we will not allow the Rong and Man tribes to advance southward one step.”
Yang Jia stood up, and the others followed suit. But then Yang Jia paused, puzzled, and asked, “Your Highness, why did you say Rong… and Man tribes?”
Yan Chi explained, “This invasion was a joint effort by the Rong and Man tribes—not just the Man alone.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Jia suddenly understood. “No wonder! No wonder there were so many of them this time!”Yan Chi surveyed the surroundings and said, "This is no place for discussion. Commander Yang, first arrange for officers to treat the wounded soldiers, then lead us to a suitable campsite. Once we’re settled, we can discuss how to repel the Rong barbarians. Although they’ve temporarily retreated, they will surely return—we don’t have much time."
Upon hearing this, Yang Jia immediately set aside his sentimental reflections and directed personnel to clear the battlefield. He personally escorted Yan Chi and the others to their accommodations. The soldiers were stationed in the western part of the city, while Yan Chi and the central command were housed in a guard station office there. The office was at least better than military tents, and being close to the camp, Yan Chi and Qin Guan were able to stay in proper buildings. The army had arrived at dawn, and by the time everyone was settled, dusk had fallen. Fortunately, the Rong barbarians did not attack again that day.
After a simple evening meal, the Wu Zhou city commanders, including Yang Jia, and the Northwest Frontier Army officers gathered to discuss countermeasures.
In the spacious main hall, Yan Chi sat in the central seat, while the others stood in two rows on either side. The Wu Zhou commanders, mostly junior officers, felt somewhat inferior standing alongside the battle-hardened veterans of the Northwest Frontier Army. Noticing this, Yan Chi placed Yang Jia in charge of coordinating them.
"Our scouts reported earlier that the force attacking Wu Zhou numbers only fifty thousand, currently camped forty li north of the city. Learning of the Northwest Frontier Army’s arrival, they will surely send word to Feng Zhou for reinforcements. Having clashed with our army multiple times, the Rong tribes are well aware of our reputation and will likely wait for backup before engaging again."
Pausing briefly, Yan Chi continued, "But while they may wish to wait, we cannot afford to give them the chance. The Rong barbarians are a fierce and courageous people, surpassing the Zhou in ferocity. If we delay until their reinforcements arrive, we will be at a disadvantage. Therefore, I propose we take the initiative and launch an attack tomorrow."
Yang Jia hesitated at this, and those behind him showed signs of trepidation. These troops were not accustomed to frequent warfare, having at most dealt with bandits. Defending against barbarians at their doorstep was one thing, but the thought of proactively engaging them was daunting.
Yan Chi looked at Yang Jia. "Commander Yang, do you disagree?"
Yang Jia quickly shook his head. "No, no. It’s just that we lack experience and know how ruthless the Rong barbarians are, so we’re somewhat concerned."
Yan Chi replied, "There’s no need to fear. If you’re willing to join the battle, your troops can be positioned on the flanks. If not, you may remain in the city."
Yang Jia flushed with embarrassment. Yan Chi had come to their aid—how could they stay behind while the Northwest Frontier Army fought? He hurriedly said, "No, no! We will certainly send troops. Of the twenty thousand men in the city, about five thousand were casualties last night, leaving fifteen thousand ready to follow you into battle, Your Highness. Please command us as you see fit—we will obey your orders entirely!"
Yan Chi nodded, ordered a map to be prepared, and called upon Yu Qi and others to discuss tactics.
As an inexperienced commander, Yang Jia could only watch from the sidelines. Though he couldn’t contribute much strategically, he understood the discussions clearly. In no time, he was filled with profound admiration for Yan Chi and his group. The others dared not speak out of turn, willing not only to venture out and fight but even to lead suicide squads if needed.With the arrival of the Northwest Frontier Army, the entire Wuzhou City felt at ease. However, after Qin Guan entered the city with Yan Chi, she began to feel unwell.
Four days of hurried travel had exhausted even the soldiers, let alone them. Even Baiying was so tired that her steps were unsteady.
Upon reaching the city, Qin Guan’s first priority was to rest and sleep. It was only by evening that she regained some of her energy. Hearing that Yan Chi was in a meeting, she took Baiying and left the government office. The city gate was in the east, where the previous night’s battlefield had been, and the temporary field hospital for the wounded was also in that direction. Without a word, Qin Guan headed straight for the field hospital and began helping with medical treatment as soon as she arrived. Wuzhou City was already short of doctors, so Qin Guan’s arrival was a great help. In no time, she set up a pulse diagnosis station and began treating patients. She prescribed medicine and worked with efficiency and decisiveness. Since she was in the field hospital, she had dressed as a man. At first, no one knew who this fair-faced young gentleman was, but when they learned it was the princess consort of Prince Rui, word spread like wildfire, and Qin Guan’s reputation quickly grew throughout the army. Before long, the title "Little Medicine Immortal" resurfaced.
When Yan Chi finished his meeting and returned to the inner courtyard, he found Qin Guan missing. Upon inquiry, he learned she had gone out. Riding his horse to the field hospital, Yan Chi saw Qin Guan surrounded by a large group of injured soldiers under the bright torchlight. Since they had never seen such a handsome young gentleman, they all crowded around to watch Qin Guan diagnose and treat the wounded.
Seeing this from afar, Yan Chi frowned.
Yang Jia, who had accompanied Yan Chi, quickly shooed the onlookers back to their places.
Once the crowd dispersed, only three or four patients remained in front of Qin Guan. Yan Chi then approached.
"Keep the wound dry. Avoid practicing martial arts or wielding weapons these days."
"But, Your Highness, the war is intense now. I’m afraid we can’t afford to delay."
Qin Guan smiled reassuringly. "With the Northwest Frontier Army here, you don’t need to live in fear as before. A few days of rest for recovery is manageable. If you fight while injured, there will be more casualties. Prince Rui would never allow it."
Someone nearby asked, "Everyone says Prince Rui is a god of war, fierce and intimidating. How is Your Highness so approachable?"
Qin Guan chuckled. "Who says Prince Rui is fierce? He is only fierce to the barbarians. To his own people, he is nothing but kind. Otherwise, why would so many willingly follow him? Besides, as a military leader, how could he command thousands of troops without a commanding presence?"
Her words were met with nods of agreement. Suddenly, everyone fell silent.
After bandaging a soldier’s wound, Qin Guan noticed the quiet and looked up to see Yan Chi standing under a nearby torch.
Her eyes lit up. "Well, take a look. Does Prince Rui seem fierce to you?"
At her words, all the soldiers stood up, saluted, and scattered like startled birds.
"Hey... you all... Are you that afraid?"
Qin Guan sighed helplessly. As she tidied up the cotton cloth beside her, Yan Chi walked over.
"You didn’t rest much longer. I heard you’ve been out here for over two hours."
Yan Chi’s tone carried a hint of reproach. Qin Guan laughed. "I’m not tired at all. See, talking with them is quite enjoyable. But you—the moment you arrived, they all ran off. I don’t think you’re that intimidating. They’re just too timid!"Yan Chi shook his head, took off his cloak and draped it over Qin Guan, then led her outside. Seeing that Qin Guan had ridden a horse here, he simply shared the saddle with her.
Once mounted, he whispered in her ear, "It's not that I'm not fearsome—it's that I'm not fearsome to you."
A sweet warmth blossomed in Qin Guan's heart as she smiled and said, "Even if you were a ferocious demon, I wouldn't be afraid."
The two rode back to the magistrate's office together. Upon returning to the inner courtyard, Yan Chi had food brought over. Though simple, it was far better than the cold rations they'd eaten on the road. After the meal, they washed up briefly and retired to bed. No sooner had Qin Guan lain down than Yan Chi pulled aside the brocade quilt covering her.
She wore only a thin inner garment and stared in surprise as Yan Chi produced a jar of ointment and reached to remove her trousers.
Her face flushed crimson as she clutched the waistband. "What are you doing?"
Yan Chi chuckled. "Why resist? It's not like I haven't seen before."
After some futile struggling, Qin Guan finally relented. When her trousers were removed, Yan Chi parted her legs and began applying ointment to her inner thighs.
Blushing fiercely, Qin Guan heard him say, "Unless one is accustomed to riding, anyone would suffer chafing—especially someone like you."
Days of horseback travel had raised small blisters along Qin Guan's inner thighs. Though she'd never complained, Yan Chi had noticed, leading to this moment. The position was undeniably provocative, stirring Yan Chi's desires, but he restrained himself knowing she was uncomfortable. After applying the medicine, he helped her dress properly, then lifted one of her legs across his lap. Before Qin Guan could question him, he began massaging her leg muscles.
"If we don't loosen them, you'll remain sore for days. As a healer, you understand this principle."
His hands worked with firm pressure, bringing some discomfort yet quickly easing the ache. Combined with his warm palms, Qin Guan soon found herself humming with pleasure. "I know the theory, but I never let Baiying do this for me either. I grew lazy and let it be."
"Have you forgotten about me then?" Yan Chi murmured before pressing a kiss to her calf.
Qin Guan's eyes flew open, her cheeks burning hotter. "How could I let Prince Rui perform such tasks?"
Yan Chi laughed softly, increasing the pressure of his massage until Qin Guan cried out involuntarily. Her sounds nearly broke his restraint. When the massage ended, he guided her hand to relieve his own tension twice over. In the heat of passion she hadn't noticed, but now Qin Guan realized Yan Chi's formidable stamina. By nighttime, she felt shortchanged—having experienced no pleasure herself while her hand grew sore and numb.
Early the next morning, Yan Chi rose for official duties, instructing Baiying not to wake Qin Guan.
That day, plans were made to attack barbarian tribes forty li away. After multiple discussions, Yan Chi decided on a night assault.
Though the barbarians had fifty thousand troops, Yan Chi dispatched an equal force—not for direct confrontation, but for a different objective.In the council hall, Yan Chi pointed at the map and said, "The Rong barbarians are fierce and brave. Though they lack the tactical strategies of the Northwest Frontier Army, they still understand the most fundamental Paths. Moreover, being naturally warlike, they will inevitably pursue a fleeing enemy. This time, we will feign an attack to lure them into the Falling Leaves Ridge to the northeast, where we will ambush them. The terrain of Falling Leaves Ridge is higher in the northeast, so our troops will lie in ambush there..."
After finalizing the tactics, Yan Chi declared, "For this first battle, I will personally lead the troops. Feigning an attack to lure the enemy requires the utmost skill, and we are bound to suffer casualties. Therefore, I will command the five thousand troops tasked with luring the enemy. The rest of you, fulfill your respective duties."
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