An Jiu had been buried in studying the boxing manual for several days and had just begun to grasp some of its essence when she suddenly received a mission assigned from above—to assist the Song army on the battlefield!
This time, the entire team was mobilized under the leadership of Gao Dazhuang. Given the long distance, the round trip would take at least three to five months, making it impossible for He Cai and the others to follow.
As soon as He Cai received the news, he immediately relayed it to Chu Dingjiang.
On An Jiu’s side, except for Lou Mingyue, whose mission was still incomplete, the rest of the team had already set off overnight.
They rode swiftly under the starry sky.
By sunrise, they were already dozens of miles away from Bianjing.
The further north they went, the more they felt the lingering chill of early spring. While Bianjing had long shed its heavy winter attire, the withered leaves here were still covered in thick frost in the morning.
Gao Dazhuang tied up his horse and grumbled, "We must’ve been schemed against to get this mission!"
Li Qingzhi, a man of fiery spirit, immediately retorted, "What’s wrong with it? Lending a hand on the battlefield is far better than killing unidentified targets all day!"
"What do you know?" Gao Dazhuang pinched his fingers together and jabbed at Li Qingzhi’s broad chest. "You’ve never seen how utterly useless our Song army is—you can’t even begin to imagine it!"
Hearing this, Sui Yunzhu said, "Lord Gao, could it be that you…"
Gao Dazhuang’s voice sounded effeminate, inevitably making people think of eunuchs, though no one dared to ask outright.
To An Jiu’s surprise, Gao Dazhuang didn’t get angry. Instead, he sighed deeply. "Back then, I saw those cowards flee the battlefield with my own eyes. It was disgraceful."
An Jiu interjected coldly, "I always thought eunuchs serving as military supervisors were the real reason the Song army was ruined."
"..."
A gentle spring breeze blew past, leaving the scene in dead silence.
Gao Dazhuang suddenly erupted, one hand on his hip and the other pointing at her. "What do you know?! Eunuchs may be missing a leg, but not their brains! Don’t think just because Lord Chu protects you, you can go around slapping labels on people!"
An Jiu looked at him calmly. "I won’t argue with a disabled person like you."
Gao Dazhuang didn’t catch much of what she said, but the word "disabled" rang loud and clear. He immediately rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight. "You little runt, you tiny stump! Explain yourself—who’s disabled?!"
"My lord, please calm down." Sui Yunzhu blocked his incoming swipe. "Mei Niangzi speaks her mind bluntly but means no insult. As a magnanimous man, please forgive her this once. The mission must come first!"
Internal strife before even reaching the destination would result in punishment within the Crane Control Army.
Reminded of the consequences, Gao Dazhuang found a way to back down. He waved his hand dismissively. "Fine! Anyway, I’m not a eunuch!"
The others thought to themselves, We can’t tell what part of you doesn’t resemble a eunuch , but they could only sigh helplessly. If you’re not a eunuch, why get so worked up about it?
"My lord, could you elaborate on the battlefield situation?" Li Qingzhi had once dreamed of joining the army before entering the Crane Control Army. His greatest aspiration was to lead troops in repelling the Liao invasion, so he was particularly invested in this mission.Gao Dazhuang noticed everyone looked interested. Clearing his throat, he began, "Eight years ago, I was in the Crane Control Army, sent to assist the Song troops in battle. Back then, I was just sixteen or seventeen, full of passion like you big oafs, throwing caution to the wind. I fought harder than in any other mission! I remember risking our lives to infiltrate the enemy camp, gathering crucial intelligence. The Song generals were brimming with confidence, but when the Liao armored cavalry charged with overwhelming force—ha!—our soldiers were so terrified they pissed themselves. One deserter led the way, and the rest fled like a swarm. Standing on that slope, the sight was spectacular! Before the cavalry even reached us, the Song army trampled each other to death."
"By the time the Song forces retreated, the vast battlefield held only the Liao troops and one eunuch." Recalling that scene, Gao Dazhuang still felt moved. "I heard that eunuch shout 'Long live the Emperor!' as he grabbed a sword and charged alone at the Liao army. It was astonishing."
Later, the eunuch was riddled with arrows, but the Liao army showed him enough respect not to desecrate his body. Gao Dazhuang personally wrapped the corpse and buried him.
"That eunuch had been castrated at six or seven, raised deep in the palace with no real knowledge—just barely literate, skilled only at reading faces. What kind of military supervisor was he?" Gao Dazhuang sighed. "But he was decent—ignorant but didn’t meddle. We all treated him as invisible, beneath contempt. Yet in the end, he proved the most loyal, the bravest."
The group fell into silence.
Over the past decade, the Song army had rarely reported victories against the Liao. Merely holding the borders and preventing the Liao from advancing was already considered a miracle. For those heading to the battlefield, the situation was far from optimistic.
After a long silence, Li Qingzhi couldn’t help asking, "What’s the latest from the front?"
"The Liao troops are burning, killing, and looting," Sui Yunzhu replied. "After a long winter, their supplies are depleted, so they’re reaching into Song territory."
Sun Dixian added, "I heard the Liao emperor is on his deathbed. Is it true?"
"Probably. Liao emperors don’t tend to live long," Sui Yunzhu said.
"Tch! With all the atrocities they commit, no wonder they die young!" Gao Dazhuang sneered.
No one responded.
By dawn, the group took a narrow path forward, their earlier enthusiasm or ease now gone.
An Jiu wasn’t new to large-scale battles, and the memories left scars. Now, she told herself to move forward—even if history repeated, she wouldn’t walk the same path. Often, one’s mindset determined success or failure.
The group marched urgently. On the second day, Lou Mingyue caught up after completing his mission.
Half a month later, they finally reached Hejian Prefecture, the largest city in the northern Song territory.
The shadow unit dispatched by the Crane Control Army answered to the general but also took orders from the military supervisor. If the supervisor questioned the general’s commands, they were exempt from following them—an absurd rule they had no choice but to obey.
Upon arriving in Hejian, Gao Dazhuang led the group to pay respects to the legendary supervisor. This time, it wasn’t a eunuch but a civil official.The silver moonlight streamed into the hall.
The flickering lamplight danced in the wind as the fair-skinned, bearded middle-aged man seated in the host's chair gently set down his teacup. "Since you've been sent by the court, you may stay here for the time being so you can be summoned at any moment."
"No need," Gao Dazhuang refused bluntly. "We came under The Emperor's orders to receive our duties, not to enjoy comforts. If you have any tasks for us, simply clear your throat three times in the courtyard—we'll be ready at all times." (To be continued...)
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