Qiao Chu

"I know you were trying to let me get a good night's sleep."

Chu Zhao stood up, holding a chicken leg between two fingers and raising it before Xie Yanlai's eyes.

"But shouldn't you at least take this chicken leg away from me?"

Xie Yanlai raised an eyebrow. "You were eating it while crying, and you seemed to enjoy it so much. I thought if I took it away, you might not be able to sleep."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh first.

Chu Zhao pretended to be angry. "Insolence! A Le, drag him out and beat him."

A Le laughed. "I'm not strong enough to beat him." Then she suggested, "We could call Uncle Zhong to do it. I always see Uncle Zhong wanting to hit him."

Xie Yanlai snorted, while Chu Zhao burst into laughter.

"Alright," Xie Yanlai said after she finished laughing. "Now that Miss Chu has slept well, are you refreshed?"

Chu Zhao nodded.

Xie Yanlai continued, "Then please prepare for battle. The Army of Western Liang has gathered once again."

A Le clenched her hands, her expression tense.

Chu Zhao remained calm. She knew that repelling Western Liang once wouldn't end the conflict. Upon hearing of her father's death, the King of Xiliang would certainly return.

"General Xie," she declared, tossing the chicken leg aside, "fetch my armor!"

Although General Xie felt this command should have been given to her maid A Le, he didn't quibble over such details at this moment and responded affirmatively.

"At your service, Your Highness."

...

...

When Chu Zhao arrived at the central command tent, the deputy generals and staff officers were all present, gathered around the sand table in heated discussion.

"What's the current situation?" Chu Zhao asked.

Zhong Changrong reported, "It's the vanguard force of Western Liang's Chinu tribe. They launched a surprise attack on Chong Fort. We've already dispatched reinforcements."

Chu Zhao and Xie Yanlai examined the sand table.

Other officers pointed out positions to them.

"Your Highness need not worry. General Zuo's defensive deployments are thorough."

"Not only can we surround and eliminate this vanguard force, but we can also take the opportunity to dispatch troops to attack the main Chinu army."

"We'll make sure they come to stay, and return their own tactics upon them."

Chu Zhao nodded.

Xie Yanlai suddenly frowned, pointing at markers on the sand table. "Is the intelligence about the Chinu army's location confirmed?"

An officer glanced at it and nodded. "Three separate scouts from General Zuo's side reported this."

Xie Yanlai said, "Something's not right." He studied the sand table. "When the King of Xiliang's main force retreated earlier, I was on the left flank and personally saw the Chinu troops withdraw to join the royal army. In just two days, they couldn't possibly reach here. At most—"

He pointed to a spot on the sand table.

"—they could get here."

Zhong Changrong pushed him aside. "What do you know about marching speeds—move aside."

He bent over for a closer look, his expression growing increasingly grave. He suddenly slammed the table and swore through gritted teeth.

"What is Old Guo doing? He's not so old that his eyes should be failing him yet!"

Chu Zhao understood. "Is it a trap?"

Zhong Changrong said, "While we can't be certain yet, the left flank army might not necessarily win this battle."

Xie Yanlai sneered from the side. "Vice General Zhong is being too conservative. 'Might not necessarily win'? If we're lucky enough to have two or three survivors escape being completely surrounded, that would be an accomplishment."

Zhong Changrong's face flushed red.

But Xie Yanlai wasn't finished. He added, "If General Chu were here, would you dare say that to him?"

Zhong Changrong's face immediately turned ashen. He breathed heavily, wanting to refute but unable to form words—

When Xie Yanlai wanted to anger someone, he could truly drive them mad. Chu Zhao quickly interjected, "Uncle Zhong, let's not talk about that. We need to think of a way to salvage the situation."

Zhong Changrong exhaled heavily, looked at the sand table, and asked the staff officers and deputies, "How many troops do we need?"The officers gathered around the sand table. "We need at least two routes," they said, pointing. "One to reinforce the left vanguard, and another to flank the Chinu tribe from here. This way, we can not only relieve the left flank but also turn the tables unexpectedly."

Zhong Changrong looked at them. "Do we have enough troops to mobilize?"

The officers exchanged uneasy glances, reluctant and unwilling to answer.

"Only enough for one route," Chu Zhao said on their behalf, her eyes fixed on the sand table.

One officer murmured, "The Western Liang's strategy targets our entire force. The left vanguard has fallen into their trap. If we redeploy other defenses to rescue them, the Xiliang soldiers will seize the opportunity to breach our weakened lines—"

"But if we don’t rescue them with all our might, the left vanguard is doomed to suffer a defeat," another general whispered.

Victory and defeat were common on the battlefield, and a single loss was usually insignificant—but now...

"With my father newly deceased, a defeat at this moment would severely impact morale among the troops and the people, as well as the court," Chu Zhao said. "One route of troops will suffice."

She turned to Uncle Zhong.

"Uncle Zhong, arrange for the troops to attack the Chinu army. I will go to aid the left vanguard."

Zhong Changrong grew uneasy. "Miss, how will you go?"

Chu Zhao replied, "Uncle Zhong, I actually have a route of troops as well."

Zhong Changrong was taken aback, then understood what she meant. His face flushed with anger, and he clenched his fists, but in the end, he said nothing.

...

...

There were no towering mountains or dense forests here, only undulating ravines, scarred and pitted like a thousand wounds.

A sharp, unpleasant birdcall echoed over the ravines—rasping, harsh, and broken, as if the bird were being choked.

After the third or fourth call, a figure leaped out of the ravine like a startled deer.

"Ding Dachui!" Xiao Man cursed angrily. "What kind of awful noise are you making?"

Ding Dachui’s face lit up at the sight of her—he never thought he’d feel this way one day, but it didn’t matter now.

"Miss Xiao Man!" he shouted, rushing over, then sheepishly explained, "I still haven’t learned how to do it properly."

Xiao Man scowled. "If you can’t do it, don’t bother. You’re not one of us anymore. Get lost and go be the Empress’s guard."

Ding Dachui insisted, "Once a bandit, always a bandit—Miss Xiao Man, I need to see the boss."

Xiao Man sneered. "What for? To deliver orders from your Empress?"

Ding Dachui nodded. "Yes." Ignoring her cold expression, he shouted loudly, "Mu Mianhong—the Empress summons you—"

Xiao Man had never known this bandit could be so loud. Furious, she yelled, "Shut up!"

But even if Ding Dachui fell silent, someone had already emerged from the ravine behind him.

A woman in coarse clothing, a long whip coiled at her waist and a cloth covering her face, just as before.

"What does the Empress command?" Mu Mianhong asked softly.

Ding Dachui looked at her and sighed inwardly. The boss was still the boss—he could never replace her in the Empress’s eyes. Thankfully, he hadn’t reported her.

"Boss," he bowed respectfully, then rose and, following Chu Zhao’s instructions, bowed again. "Miss Chu says the battle is critical, the commander has just fallen, and her family’s troops are insufficient. She requests to borrow the great chieftain’s forces to join the fight and slay the enemy."

Xiao Man laughed coldly. "The Empress is too polite. How could we bandits be worthy of a 'borrow'? We are the thieves."

"Xiao Man," Mu Mianhong said, "it’s not the Empress borrowing from us."

That earlier call of "the Empress summons" was merely to request her presence.She came out upon receiving the summons. Ding Dachui performed two bows before her—the first as his own greeting to the leader, the second on behalf of Miss Chu.

Miss Chu explained that her household lacked sufficient troops and had come to borrow soldiers.

It was Miss Chu’s request, Miss Chu’s family affair.

Mu Mianhong said to Ding Dachui, "We are all neighbors in the Border Commandery—if the lips are gone, the teeth will feel the cold. Mu Mianhong will spare no effort."

Without another word, Ding Dachui cupped his hands in salute, turned, and sped away.

Xiao Man anxiously said, "Aunt, look at her—she wouldn’t even call you—"

"Call me mother?" Mu Mianhong replied, reaching out to stroke Xiao Man’s shoulder. "If she called me mother at this moment, it would be coercion."

Her daughter was a kind-hearted child.

She knew that whatever she asked for, Mu Mianhong would agree without hesitation.

But by making the request as head of the household, she allowed Mu Mianhong to act with both sentiment and righteousness.

Mu Mianhong lifted her head and emitted a birdcall—clear and sharp, far more piercing than Ding Dachui’s earlier sound. It swept through the scarred ravines, and countless birds rose in response, darkening the sky.

When neighbors face hardship, we protect our homes, ensure safety, and overcome difficulties together.