In the deep mountains perpetually shrouded in mist and clouds, even on ordinary days, sunlight rarely pierces through directly. Thus, in the mostly arid region of Western Liang, these mountains are an exceptionally rare haven of lush greenery and moisture.
At the entrance of the small courtyard, a delicate and pale young girl was stopped before she could even reach the gate. "Who goes there?"
Yang Xianya was startled and replied timidly, "I... I wanted to check on Ah Lin's injuries..." The guards at the courtyard entrance remained expressionless, seemingly unmoved by the fragile girl before them. "The young master has instructed that you rest well in the courtyard. That guard Lin will come to see you once he has recovered."
Yang Xianya bit her lip lightly and whispered, "But... I'm so worried. Wuwu... I don’t know anyone here. He’s the only one... Please, let me see him." Seeing the pitiful tears of the young girl, the two guards hesitated. After all, she was a distinguished guest brought back by their young master, whom they had been ordered to take good care of...
"Wait here, miss. We’ll report to the young master," the guards finally relented.
"What’s the matter?" Just as Yang Xianya was about to thank them, Zhu Ling's voice came from outside the gate. The guards quickly saluted and explained the situation regarding Yang Xianya’s request to see her guard.
Zhu Ling raised an eyebrow and studied the frail, slightly panicked girl before him, deep in thought.
Yang Xianya asked cautiously, "Young Master Zhu... How is Ah Lin’s condition? When can we set off back to the capital? I beg you to send someone to escort the two of us back. Once we return, both I and the Ling family will be deeply grateful to you."
Zhu Ling’s eyes flickered, and his expression softened further. He smiled faintly. "Miss Yang, you needn’t worry. Once you’ve both recovered, I’ll arrange for your return to the capital. However, that guard Lin is seriously injured and will need to rest for some time yet."
Yang Xianya sighed in relief and nodded. "Thank you, Young Master Zhu. As long as Ah Lin is alright... May I see him?"
Zhu Ling smiled. "You may look at him from the doorway, Miss Yang. His injuries aren’t pleasant to see up close. I’ve already sent a fast horse to the capital to inform Young Master Ling. It’s possible he’ll come personally to fetch you soon."
Hearing this, Yang Xianya’s face brightened with joy and relief. "That’s wonderful! Thank you, Young Master Zhu. You truly are a kind person..."
Zhu Ling chuckled lightly. "Not at all. Miss Yang is the descendant of a loyal martyr. These matters are but trifles for me."
After reassuring the worried Yang Xianya and escorting her back to her room, Zhu Ling left the small courtyard and headed toward the outer compound. Though the mountain-enveloped residence was simpler compared to urban estates, it still had inner and outer sections, with the study located in a corner of the outer courtyard.
Once inside the study, the guard following him spoke up. "Young Master, it seems Miss Yang is indeed the daughter of General Huwei. When you mentioned Young Master Ling’s imminent arrival, she showed no unusual reaction."
Zhu Ling nodded and sat wearily behind the desk. "These are extraordinary times. It’s best to remain cautious. Has that guard named Ah Lin woken up yet?"The guard nodded and said, "He just woke up not long ago. His injuries are too severe. The slash on his back nearly took his life. His account matches what Miss Yang said. When the Mo Family Army first entered Lili City, General Yang arranged for over a dozen men to escort Miss Yang back to the capital to seek refuge with the Ling family. However, no one expected the Mo Family Army to capture the city so quickly—Lili City fell shortly after they left. While disguised as commoners passing through a small county occupied by Zhang Qilan, they accidentally revealed their identities and were pursued by the Mo Family Army."
Zhu Ling frowned slightly and nodded. "It seems this Lin fellow is quite loyal. Tell the physician to use the best medicine and ensure his wounds heal as quickly as possible."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Any news from Grandfather?" Changing the subject, Zhu Ling inquired about more pressing matters. The guard's expression grew more troubled as he shook his head. "None. Ever since Bian City was besieged by the Mo Family Army, no messages have come from the old general. Zhang Qilan has the county tightly guarded, with strict inspections for anyone entering or leaving. It’s likely the old general can’t even send a message out. Young Master, are we just going to keep hiding here? Letting Zhang Qilan control the critical route in and out of Bian City? Although Bian City has ample supplies, if the siege drags on for a month or two, it might still become difficult."
Zhu Ling pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "No, Mo Xiuyao won’t do that. He’s in more of a hurry than we are. If he delays for a month or two, reinforcements from all over Western Liang will have enough time to reach Bian City. By then, even his elite force of 400,000 will be like a dragon stranded in shallow waters or a tiger on flat land—helpless."
"Young Master means…"
Zhu Ling frowned. "Mo Xiuyao’s forces are already stretched thin. At this point, he can still spare tens of thousands of troops to occupy a relatively small county. I suspect… he already knows of our presence." The guard was startled. "Prince Ding sent Zhang Qilan to guard Bian City to prevent us from reinforcing it and encircling him from both sides?"
Zhu Ling pressed his fingers to his temples. "I’m more inclined to think he wants Zhang Qilan to annihilate us."
"How is that possible?" The guard scoffed in disbelief. "Not only are we far more familiar with the terrain here than the Mo Family Army, but in terms of numbers, Zhang Qilan’s mere tens of thousands of troops are no match for us." Zhu Ling shook his head and sighed. "Mo Xiuyao doesn’t do things without purpose. Send men down the mountain again to gather more intelligence on Bian City and the Mo Family Army."
"Yes, Young Master."Two days later, Zhu Ling was sitting in his study playing chess with Yang Xianya. Over these past few days, the young girl had finally shed her initial fear and unease. Especially after learning that Zhu Ling was the grandson of the old general Zhu Yan, she had completely let her guard down. Though she was still young and had never met the old general, she had heard her grandfather and uncles speak of him. The Zhu and Ling families also shared some friendship. Freed from her anxieties, the girl gradually became more cheerful. Zhu Ling then discovered that unlike most women from Western Liang who were unskilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she was quite accomplished in calligraphy and painting. Though he hadn’t heard her play the zither, her chess skills were excellent—nothing like the so-called "tiger daughter of a military family." But then again, considering that General Yang’s wife was the daughter of Western Liang’s former Grand Preceptor, one of the most prestigious scholarly families in the region, it all made sense.
Though born into a military family, Zhu Ling had grown up in a place like Bian City. Dragon Mountain Academy, one of the three great academies of the time, was located in Bian City, and Zhu Ling had been tutored by renowned scholars since childhood. However, due to various circumstances, he had spent years confined to these remote mountains, surrounded by illiterate soldiers. Now, encountering someone of talent—even if it was a woman—was enough to make their conversations enjoyable.
"Reporting to the young master, I have urgent news," someone announced clearly outside the door.
Zhu Ling glanced at the girl across from him, who was deep in thought over the chessboard, and said calmly, "Enter."
The person outside hesitated slightly upon seeing Yang Xianya, but she tactfully stood up and said, "Since the young master has matters to attend to, I shall take my leave. We can continue the game another day. I’ll go check on Ah Lin." Zhu Ling’s gaze softened as he nodded. "That’s fine. Guard Lin will be able to leave his bed in a few days—no need to worry."
"I know. Thank you, young master." Yang Xianya bowed again before taking her leave.
Watching the girl’s slender figure disappear beyond the door, Zhu Ling lowered his eyes to the unfinished chessboard, lost in thought.
"Young master?" The guard before him called out uncertainly, snapping Zhu Ling back to reality. "What’s happened?" he asked.
The guard replied, "These past few days, the Mo Family Army has surrounded Bian City but hasn’t launched any large-scale attacks. Instead, they’ve only sent a few minor generals to taunt us beneath the walls, engaging in brief skirmishes before retreating. None of the Mo Family Army’s top commanders—from Mo Xiuyao down—have appeared on the battlefield. Additionally, during yesterday’s clash, the old general led seventy thousand troops out of the city, heading in our direction. It seems he intends to deal with Zhang Qilan first."
Zhu Ling frowned, his sharp brows knitting together. "None of the Mo Family Army’s main commanders have appeared on the battlefield? But… there’s only Zhang Qilan here. Where have the others gone?"
The guard said, "The Mo Family Army has secretly withdrawn troops from their camp. The old general suspects they’ve long known of our presence and are feigning a siege on Bian City while concentrating most of their forces against us. That’s likely why the old general is coming to assist us."
Zhu Ling closed his eyes briefly. "Who is defending Bian City?"
"General Longyang is also in Bian City.""That's good... No, wait, Mo Xiuyao isn't trying to deal with us—he's trying to lure Grandfather out of the city!" Suddenly realizing something, Zhu Ling's expression changed drastically as he stood up abruptly. "Mo Xiuyao hasn't appeared at the Mo Family Army camp, nor is he with Zhang Qilan. He must be hiding somewhere else! With the few troops he has, he wouldn't be able to find us if we don't show ourselves. He wants to draw Grandfather out of the city and slowly wear down Bian City's forces!"
The guard's face also paled upon hearing this. "Then... Young Master, what should we do?"
Zhu Ling said gravely, "Pass down the order: attack Zhang Qilan's forces! We must capture the county town by tomorrow morning to support Grandfather!"
"Understood!"
Late at night, the quiet mountains were unusually silent. From a courtyard hidden in the darkness, a slender figure swiftly slipped out. Evading the night patrols, the agile figure entered a secret study tucked away in a corner of the front courtyard.
Even tonight, when most of the troops had already left the mountains, the study remained heavily guarded. A shadow approached soundlessly, moving like a phantom. By the time the four guards outside the door reacted, three of them had already fallen to the ground.
"It's you!? You—"
"Whoosh—" A dagger flew out, embedding itself in the last guard's chest.
"Lin Han?" the shadow whispered. From under the eaves nearby, a tall and upright figure descended silently and approached, looking at the four corpses on the ground without a trace of emotion in his eyes. "Wang Fei," the newcomer said. It was none other than the supposedly bedridden guard from the Huwei General's residence, Ah Lin.
"Is your injury alright?" Yang Xianya—Ye Li—asked softly.
Lin Han replied in a low voice, "I avoided the vital spots. It's fine now—just looks worse than it is." Ye Li nodded. "Good. Keep watch while I go in and take a look."
"Yes."
Ye Li entered the study and soon emerged. Shortly after, the two figures vanished into the courtyard. Not long after, a dazzling firework pierced through the heavy mist and darkness, blooming in the night sky above the mountains...
As dawn approached, the battle for the small county town officially began. The town was far less fortified than a city like Bian City, with walls much shorter and thinner. Some areas even lacked walls entirely. Defending such a place was far more difficult than attacking it. Thus, Zhu Ling and his forces encountered little resistance as they stormed into the town, engaging in fierce combat with the Mo Family Army's general inside.
In a hidden corner of the town, Zhang Qilan and his subordinates stood atop a high vantage point, observing the battle below. A subordinate whispered a reminder, "General, the enemy has nearly a hundred thousand troops. We should retreat."
Zhang Qilan shook his head. "No. According to the intelligence from Wang Fei, they have at least one hundred and eighty thousand.""But this county town is simply too small, there's no room to maneuver with over a hundred thousand troops. The enemy couldn't possibly bring their entire force out," the subordinate officer reminded in a low voice. Zhang Qilan shot him an annoyed glance and said, "Of course this general knows that. Can't you see we're already squeezed tight with less than a hundred thousand men? Order the outer troops to withdraw covertly while those already engaged must fight! Hold them back—we must hold until Zhu Yan's forces arrive."
Hearing this, the officer said with a bitter expression, "If we do this, we'll truly have no way out." A hundred thousand troops were already overwhelming enough; with tens of thousands more and a battle-hardened veteran general added to the mix, how could they possibly survive? Zhang Qilan patted his subordinate's shoulder with a smile and said, "Scared? Don't be. Your general is here with you. Even if there's truly no way out, we can at least drag a renowned Western Liang general down with us. Not a bad deal."
The officer's eyes widened as he shouted, "Who's scared? I sure as hell won't be Zhu Yan's burial companion! I'm still following Wang Ye to conquer the world!" Zhang Qilan laughed. "That's the spirit! I like your courage. Haha..."
Just as they spoke, flames flickered to the east outside the city. Zhang Qilan took a deep breath and said, "They're here..."
Zhu Yan arrived with startling speed—no sooner had the torches been spotted than his troops were already charging toward the city gates. The small county's gates were no match for the assault, and the Mo Family Army lacked the manpower to defend the walls and towers. Before long, the eastern gate was breached by Western Liang soldiers. The Mo Family Army found themselves caught between enemy forces advancing from both west and east. Zhang Qilan glanced at the now fully brightened sky and sighed regretfully. "Time to withdraw!" At the sound of the retreat signal, the Mo Family Army disengaged cleanly without hesitation. The Western Liang soldiers, having endured days of frustration, were eager to chase the fleeing Mo Family Army but were stopped by Zhu Yan.
"Don't pursue. There may be traps ahead," Zhu Ling said.
Zhu Yan nodded. "True. The Mo Family Army's retreat may seem chaotic, but there's order in the chaos—this isn't the sign of a crushing defeat. Their actions are likely bait to lure us in."
After ordering their troops to clean up the battlefield, Zhu Ling and Zhu Yan finally had time to speak privately. Due to Zhu Yan's status and Zhu Ling's heavy responsibilities, which kept him secluded in the mountains year-round, the grandfather and grandson rarely saw each other—sometimes going a year or more between meetings. Their last encounter had been over half a year ago. Looking at his tall, resolute grandson, Zhu Yan nodded approvingly, though his heart ached with guilt. It was to command this army for him that Zhu Ling had to remain hidden away in the mountains, deprived of sunlight. This child was his only family, his most beloved descendant. Sometimes Zhu Yan wondered—was everything he had fought for truly worth it?
"Good child, you've worked hard," Zhu Yan finally murmured softly after a long pause.Zhu Ling smiled faintly and said, "Grandfather, you exaggerate. These are merely my duties. By the way, why have you led troops out of the city? What about Biancheng's defenses—" Zhu Yan waved his hand. "I know Mo Xiuyao's move was meant to lure me out. But with Longyang in Biancheng, my presence makes little difference. As for you... for some reason, I’ve been uneasy. Especially these past two days—every time I think of it, my heart races. Has anything happened on your side?"
Zhu Ling shook his head. "Everything is fine on my end, Grandfather. You’re worrying too much. I’ll be cautious in all matters. Since you’ve come out, it’s actually beneficial. Stationed here, we can coordinate with General Longyang and slow the Mo Family Army’s advance. Besides... combined, our forces exceed six hundred thousand. With Mo Xiuyao commanding less than four hundred thousand, why should we fear him?" Still, Zhu Ling did not dismiss his grandfather’s concern lightly. It wasn’t the baseless anxiety of an old man but the instinctive premonition of a veteran general who had spent half his life on the battlefield.
Zhu Yan patted his grandson’s shoulder approvingly. "Good child, you’ve grown up." Even someone as composed as Zhu Ling couldn’t help but smile at his grandfather’s praise. The two sat down to exchange views on the current state of the war, and Zhu Yan was further pleased by his grandson’s maturity. However, when Zhu Ling mentioned rescuing Yang Xianya, Zhu Yan frowned. "You said she’s the daughter of the late Tiger Might General? Are you certain?"
Zhu Ling was taken aback. "Of course. She had all the necessary tokens, including the waist tags of her guards. Moreover, I questioned her extensively about the Tiger Might General and the Ling family, and there were no inconsistencies." A sudden unease gripped him, and his expression darkened as he looked at Zhu Yan.
Zhu Yan’s brows knitted together. "You’re right—her temperament and appearance do resemble the Tiger Might General’s daughter. But... two years ago, when the general brought his wife and daughter to Licheng, they visited me in Bian. That girl was spoiled from childhood, and like her father, she had no interest in music, chess, or literature. Aside from decent needlework, she barely knew a few characters. As for chess, she understood nothing at all."
"Then—" Zhu Ling’s face turned grim. Though he had initially been wary of Yang Xianya and had never entrusted her with anything important, after several tests, he had genuinely believed her identity. Now, to learn it was all a deception—his fury was understandable.
"Grandfather... I must return at once. I fear—"
Zhu Yan’s expression also hardened. The sudden appearance of a mysterious woman claiming to be the Tiger Might General’s daughter was undeniably alarming. After a moment’s thought, he nodded. "Go, then. Be extremely careful."
"Yes, Grandfather. You too—""Old General, Young Master! We're surrounded by the Mo Family Army!" A soldier hurried in to report. In truth, Zhu Yan and Zhu Ling already knew before the report—before the soldier even finished speaking, the thunderous sound of war drums echoed from outside the city walls. The two rushed out and ascended the battlements, where they saw the enemy banners fluttering below. The Mo Family Army stood in solemn formation, weapons at the ready, not a trace of their disorganized retreat from an hour ago remaining.
At the forefront of the army, Zhang Qilan sat astride his horse, saber in hand, and laughed heartily: "Old General Zhu! Zhang Qilan, commander of the Eagle Division of the Mo Family Army, has long admired your reputation. I humbly request your guidance!"
Zhu Yan surveyed the scene—before him stretched a vast, dark mass of Mo Family troops numbering at least a hundred thousand. Zhang Qilan was no inexperienced young general like Yun Ting or Chen Yun. With a sweep of his black command flag, the Mo Family soldiers dispersed in what seemed like chaos, but upon closer inspection revealed intricate formations. Any ordinary commander who rashly charged into this Heaven-Encompassing Formation would need to sacrifice a significant number of troops before having any hope of breaking out again.
Zhu Ling's expression shifted slightly, clearly recognizing the brilliance of the formation. He turned to Zhu Yan: "Grandfather, let your grandson go test it."
Zhu Yan nodded and cautioned: "Zhang Qilan is a veteran of the Mo Family Army. Be extremely careful."
"Understood."
The city gates swung open, and Western Liang soldiers poured forth. The young man in moon-white robes—having no time to change into armor—leapt directly from the battlements onto a warhorse charging through the gates. Spurring his mount, he led the charge toward the Mo Family Army. With Zhu Ling at the spearhead, the Western Liang troops tore through the enemy ranks like a raging dragon, unstoppable in their advance. Yet no matter how they fought, they couldn't break free from the black net of the Mo Family Army's encirclement.
From his vantage point on horseback at the rear, Zhang Qilan stroked his chin with growing excitement and chuckled: "This kid's interesting."
A subordinate behind him cautioned: "General, you're no match for him."
Zhang Qilan's face darkened immediately. He wasn't a fool—warfare and single combat were entirely different matters. Having grown up in military camps, Zhang Qilan naturally understood there was always someone stronger. Losing to a younger opponent wasn't shameful, but having his subordinate point it out so bluntly was far from pleasant. He shot the man an annoyed glare. "Must you run your mouth?"
The subordinate rolled his eyes helplessly. Wasn't it because Wang Ye was afraid you'd charge forward in excitement that he asked me to remind you? What did I do to deserve this? It's tough being a subordinate these days, even tougher being one who has to worry about his superior!
"General? What do you think? Should we capture this brat?"
Zhang Qilan turned to look at him, "Who'll go? You?"
The subordinate waved his hand and pointed at someone watching the battle from the side.
Zhang Qilan glanced at the expressionless Qin Feng and immediately deflated, "Commander Qin, are you ever going to tell me where Wang Fei went? You know if anything happens to her, neither of us will get away with it!"
Qin Feng tilted his head to look at him and smiled, "Don't worry, General. I've already sent people to assist Wang Fei. There won't be any problems."
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