Dark clouds veiled the sun, casting a gloomy pall over the battlefield where the northern winds howled. The pale sunlight feebly illuminated the desolate scene.
Time dragged on interminably. The early autumn wind, carrying Yanbei's characteristic chill, swept across the vast wilderness. From dawn to noon, from noon to dusk, blood had soaked the entire Huolei Plain. The crimson fire cloud flowers bloomed wildly, their blood-stained petals dancing arrogantly like clusters of demonic red. Countless vibrant lives that had been full of energy in the morning now lay in vast stretches on the cold ground like uprooted wheat.
The earth had lost its original color. Vultures circled overhead, ready to swoop down and feast upon this rare banquet. Corpses piled up across the plain, while the wounded lay moaning pitifully amidst mountains of dead, their cries resembling lonely wolves who had lost their homes. But many could no longer even scream, lying on the ground like dead dogs, occasionally kicked by medics searching for survivors, only then emitting a grunt to prove they still lived.
As evening fell, a light rain began to fall, fine as ox hair, cooling as it soaked through clothing. Corpses in the trenches still smoldered, the raindrops hitting them and raising hissing clouds of white steam.
Cheng Yuan walked over stepping on corpses. Years of warfare had cast a bloody resilience over his somewhat delicate features. His thigh was wounded by a stray arrow, roughly bandaged with white cloth, causing him to limp as he walked.
Under the setting sun, a man in black stood straight beneath a poplar tree on a low slope. Yanbei's eagle flag fluttered gently above his head while withered yellow grass danced at his feet, occasionally swirling in eddies. His eyes were empty, as if seeing something, yet his gaze seemed to transcend the battlefield, the bloodshed, even the clouds on the horizon...
Cheng Yuan suddenly paused, standing quietly in place without approaching.
"Cheng Yuan? Come up."
Yan Xun didn't turn his head. His voice was calm, carrying a relaxed composure. Cheng Yuan bowed and walked up, kneeling on one knee as he said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the Xiuli Army has broken through the defense line of the Xuanyu Army from the southeast. General Xuanyu just arrived with the second-line troops and couldn't withstand Lord Chu's assault in their hasty formation. The Xiuli cavalry bypassed the imperial guards' frontal attack and directly penetrated General Xuanyu's forces. By the time we tried to intercept, it was too late. The Xiuli Army escaped from the left flank and is currently heading toward the northwest passage."
Yan Xun nodded quietly without speaking. Cheng Yuan licked his dry lips and continued, "I have sent messages to General Gao and General Lu, ordering them to intercept at the passage. The First Army will also deploy thirty thousand garrison troops to conduct phased sniping in the northwest region. Dragon's Roar Pass is prepared for battle, and the southern water route to Biantang is under our strict surveillance and control. Even if the Xiuli Army grew wings, we could still shoot them down."
Yan Xun remained silent, standing as if unaware of everything around him. Cheng Yuan grew nervous and tentatively asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty?"
"Continue.""Our forces have suffered heavy casualties. The Third and Seventh Regiments were completely annihilated. The commanders of the Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh Regiments have fallen in battle, with over half their soldiers dead or wounded. The Thirteenth Army led by General Du Ruolin refused to engage in combat. Although the senior officers have been detained and placed under control, the lower-ranking officers and soldiers still refuse to follow orders. Not only are they useless here, but we also have to allocate troops to guard them..."
Yan Xun slowly turned his head upon hearing this, his eyebrows slightly raised as he said in a low voice, "Refused to engage in combat?"
"Y-yes," Cheng Yuan swallowed his original words and adopted a milder tone. "The officers and soldiers of the Thirteenth Army are all from the Shangshen Plateau."
A cold wind blew, and fine rain dripped onto Yan Xun's nose bridge. He nodded slowly and fell silent.
"Your Majesty, intercepting the Xiuli Army again is only a matter of time. But this humble general has something to say, though I don't know if I should speak of it."
Yan Xun's expression remained impassive. "Speak."
"Yes. If our forces successfully surround Commander Chu, then may I ask, Your Majesty, what method of attack should we employ? A full assault or encirclement? Should we kill or capture her alive? I beg for Your Majesty's clear instruction."
The wind suddenly grew stronger beside his ears. He stood quietly as the cold breeze swept past him, rustling and fluttering his sleeves. In the distant battlefield, small flames still flickered. The day-long fierce battle had drained the soldiers' vigor; now they were exhausted, dispirited, and their clothes were torn. Twenty thousand imperial guards, along with three additional ten-thousand-strong reinforcement armies—though one withdrew midway—still suffered a crushing defeat before the Xiuli Army. Leading just nine thousand Xiuli troops, Chu Qiao had sliced through his encirclement like a sharp blade. What thirty thousand Huanyun troops failed to accomplish, she achieved with ease. Yan Xun had to admit that in military affairs, A Chu was a rare genius. Her grasp and control of the battlefield, her prestige and status within the army—even he could not compare.
He slowly exhaled, the weight in his heart surging over him like waves. At this moment, he didn't know whether to be relieved that she had ultimately escaped, having defeated him without emotional attachment or sentimental weakness, and fled to safety—or to grieve that she had completely left him, never to look back.
A sense of irony rose within him, making him instinctively want to sneer coldly. He gazed calmly at Cheng Yuan and suddenly spoke, "Cheng Yuan, do you know why, despite so many people advising me that you were unfit for great tasks, I still chose to reuse you?"
Cheng Yuan was startled upon hearing this and immediately knelt on both knees, kowtowing. "Your Majesty's profound favor is something this humble general could never repay, even with ten thousand deaths."
"Because you resemble who I used to be."
Cheng Yuan abruptly looked up, staring at Yan Xun in shock, but said nothing more.
"I know that all your parents and relatives died in the war. Your wife and sister were captured by the Daxia army and forced into military prostitution. Your brother was also a Datong commander but died in an internal assassination."
Cheng Yuan's eyes gradually turned red. He knelt on the ground, silent, his lips pale and bloodless.
"I know what you are thinking, just as I know what I am thinking."Yan Xun lifted his head, gazing as the blood-red sunset pierced through the gloomy clouds, casting a ghastly crimson glow. The corners of his lips curved slightly as he said quietly, "A person can have many aspirations, but one must first survive. If you die, then no aspiration can be fulfilled."
Cheng Yuan's eyes suddenly burned with heat, tears blurring his vision. The general, reviled by all of Yanbei as a despicable villain, clenched his fists tightly and bowed his head deeply.
A pale bird flew across the sky, passing through Yan Xun's line of sight. He watched it, his gaze distant, like a long thread that had lost its anchor, finally unable to find a focal point to gather. After a long silence, he said gravely, "The Xiuli Army's combat strength is too formidable; it's unwise to confront them head-on. Open the borders and leak the information to Zhao Yang and Wei Shu Ye. Winter is approaching—let A Chu open up this stalemated battlefield of Daxia for us."
Cheng Yuan was slightly startled. Even with his usual composure, he couldn't hide the shock on his face. After a long while, he whispered, "The forces Daxia has gathered at Wild Goose Cry Pass are all heavy armored troops, while Commander Chu leads only light cavalry. I fear Daxia may not be able to block Commander Chu's path in haste."
"Then slow her down."
Yan Xun turned and walked toward the towering Beishuo City, his black warhorse following beside him. The setting sun cast a long shadow behind him, and a low voice drifted over, like the wind that perpetually roams the grasslands.
"Notify the people of Beishuo, Shangshen, and Hui Hui that their Lady Xiuli is about to leave Yanbei."
The strong wind whipped the fluttering edges of his robes, and the sword at his waist glinted with a bloody light. The man's footsteps were heavy, step by step, slowly entering that dark, towering prison. In the Netherworld, it seemed as if golden shackles had locked him in place. Black smoke rose in the distance, and the sounds of screams and wails continuously drifted over. A deathly silence enveloped the Huolei Plain.
A Chu, I once said that everyone else could betray me, but you could not, because you are my only source of light, the sun that illuminates my dark sky.
Now, my sun has been extinguished.
When you are surrounded by enemies, attacked from all sides, isolated and helpless, with no way to escape, will you think of me?
A Chu, I am watching you from behind.
**
The battle came without warning. The various Yanbei armies maintained a transparent stance toward their arrival. Chu Qiao initially clung to the naive illusion that Yan Xun couldn't bear to harm her and was ultimately letting her leave. However, outside Dragon's Roar Pass, when she saw the people carrying bundles and dragging their children, her heart plunged into an abyss of ice, utterly despairing and lifeless.
In the morning light, the dense stream of people resembled a long dragon. Some pushed carts laden with large and small boxes, pots and pans clattering with each movement. Others cracked whips, driving their herds of cattle and sheep. Women held wailing children, sitting on stones and baring half their chests to nurse their infants in the cold wind. Still others carried shoulder poles filled with sweet potatoes and corn, stopping every so often to sit and eat.Fatigue, hardship, and panic—various expressions continuously appeared on the common people's faces. Yet when they spotted the Xiuli Army's banners, they all erupted in cheers simultaneously. The crowd surged forward, shouting toward the troops, "The Commander is here! The Commander is right here!"
An elderly man with white hair and beard, pulling his young grandson by the hand, squeezed to the front. The child's small face was flushed red from the cold, and they called out loudly to Chu Qiao, "Commander, where are we headed?"
"Yeah, Commander, where are we going?"
"No matter where, I'm sticking with you, Commander. We can't let you go off on your own."
"Commander, why didn't you give us a heads-up before leaving? My crops aren't even harvested yet. Luckily, I moved fast, or I'd never have caught up."
...
The soldiers of the Xiuli Army stood silently on the open plains, none of them speaking. They all turned in unison to look at Chu Qiao. The young woman, clad in a blue cloak, sat tall and straight on her horse, like a sharp spear. Her expression was composed, showing no trace of shock or panic, so the soldiers gradually relaxed: no need to worry, the Commander's brilliant strategies meant she must have planned everything in advance.
"Commander."
He Xiao urged his horse forward and called out softly near her ear.
Chu Qiao slowly turned her head. He Xiao was so close that he caught a fleeting glimpse of confusion and uncertainty in her gaze. A pang of sorrow and pity rose in his heart. Years of companionship had stripped away his earlier blind, unwavering faith in this young woman's abilities. Over the past two years, he had witnessed so much—her despondency, her tears, her vulnerability, her moments of doubt. She was not the undefeatable legend of folklore; more often, she was just a young woman stubbornly and foolishly bearing too much responsibility and pressure, even hiding her tears in secluded corners. Yet none of this diminished his loyalty to her; instead, it fostered a more complex sentiment within him. Like family, like an elder brother, like a subordinate, and even more like a confidant.
He reached out and gave her shoulder a firm but gentle squeeze, saying solemnly, "Commander, He Xiao is here."
Yes, He Xiao was still here, the Xiuli Army was still here—she was not alone and unsupported.
But soon, massive plumes of dust rose in the direction of Wild Goose Cry Pass. A scout hurried back and reported urgently, "Commander, twenty li ahead, Zhao Yang personally leads a hundred thousand troops advancing rapidly. If we leave Dragon's Roar Pass, we will surely be ambushed."
At that moment, Chu Qiao nearly laughed out loud.
Yan Xun, Yan Xun, what a cunning scheme you've devised!
Opening the pass to let us through without spending a single soldier; using the common people to delay us and cripple our cavalry's speed and mobility; leveraging Daxia's forces to block our path. Even if Daxia had doubts about this intelligence, they couldn't allow a key Yanbei military figure like Chu Qiao to lead the Xiuli Army into their territory. Even knowing Yan Xun had ulterior motives, this battle was unavoidable.
He had precisely gauged the sentiments of the Shangshen refugees, deciphered her, Chu Qiao's, mindset, and even read Zhao Yang's intentions perfectly.Perhaps in small-scale battles, she could still win a round or two through tactical application and brilliant command, but when it came to calculating human hearts and skillfully manipulating various forces, she fell far short of Yan Xun's profound cunning.
The common folk also noticed the rising dust clouds in the east, and a quiet panic began to spread through the crowd. Though they still tried to reassure themselves with thoughts like "The commander is here, there's no need to fear," the memory of Daxia's iron-blooded army and the Xiuli Army's meager force of fewer than five thousand soldiers made them hesitate.
He Xiao had already returned to the base of Dragon's Roar Pass. A soldier shouted loudly, "Guards on the wall, please open the gates and let the civilians enter!"
Only after three shouts did someone drawl lazily in response, "By the Emperor's command, if you wish to enter the city, the Xiuli Army must enter first."
"The Daxia Army will be here any moment! Please let the civilians enter first!"
"By the Emperor's command, the Xiuli Army must enter first!"
The monotonous reply echoed repeatedly. A strong wind suddenly swept through, whipping up dust and grass debris from the ground. Chu Qiao raised her head, gazing at the black hawk war banner fluttering over Dragon's Roar Pass, and clenched her fists tightly.
"Commander?"
A soldier called out softly beside her.
"Commander!"
The voices grew louder, and more people gathered around.
"Commander, what should we do?"
Panicked cries began to rise among the civilians. Children, frightened by the grim atmosphere, started wailing in terror. Countless voices clamored in her ears:
"Commander, what should we do?"
"Commander, the enemy is almost here."
"Commander, let's enter the city. It's better to take shelter."
"Commander, go apologize to His Majesty. He will forgive you."
"Commander, we'll fight to the death! Give the order!"
"Commander, commander, commander..."
Yan Xun, is this what you wanted?
Chu Qiao smiled coldly at the empty sky, the last trace of softness in her heart shattered by reality.
What do you hope to see? Me isolated and helpless? Me surrounded by enemies? Me becoming a stray dog, forced to flee back to Yanbei with my tail between my legs and beg for your mercy?
Yan Xun, you've underestimated me.
"Soldiers, you have witnessed everything that has happened these days."
Chu Qiao sat on her horse, raised her hand in a gesture for silence, and spoke in a low, measured voice:
"Our king, the Emperor of Yanbei, has abandoned his former vows and betrayed the promises we made to the land of Yanbei and the Hui Hui Snow Mountains. The bones of the people of Changqing are not yet cold, yet the executioner's blade loyal to the emperor now hangs over Datong's neck. Mr. Wu is dead, Miss Yu is dead, Princess Huanhuan is dead, General Xiaohe is dead, General Bian Cang, General Xi Rui, Lieutenant Adu—one by one, they have fallen at the hands of those obsessed with the empire's grand ambitions. Now, the blade is suspended above our heads. Soldiers, before you stand a hundred thousand troops of Daxia, sharpening their weapons and eager for us to walk into their trap. Behind us stands the corrupted Yanbei army, positioned to spit on our heads and mock us as worthless cowards. Beside us are our fellow countrymen, deceived and abandoned by their nation. Soldiers, where should we go from here?"The piercing echo reverberated coldly across the desolate plains. No one spoke; they all raised their heads, their eyes blazing as they stared at Chu Qiao.
Suddenly, Chu Qiao leaped down from her horse, pointed at the soldiers, and shouted sharply and fiercely, like a formidable War Eagle:
"Should we turn back to become the lackeys of a dictator, enduring the mockery of oath-breaking traitors? Or abandon our loved ones and flee for our lives alone? Or charge forward against an enemy twenty times our size, to claim the dignity and glory befitting a soldier?"
Chu Qiao threw her head back and roared: "Warriors! Do you want to live?"
"Yes!"
Both soldiers and civilians roared in unison, their voices piercing the clouds and startling the birds circling overhead.
"Do you want to be traitors?"
"No!"
"If you had to choose between death and betrayal, what would you choose?"
The crowd shouted wildly: "We would rather die than betray Datong!"
Standing against the wind, Chu Qiao cried out loudly: "Warriors, fellow countrymen, follow me, obey me, heed my commands! If we must die, let us use our blood to illuminate Datong's final glory! Our heads may be severed, our blood may flow, but our faith will never be extinguished! Long live Yanbei! Long live Datong! Long live our freedom!"
A thunderous roar erupted simultaneously, thousands of hands raised high: "Long live our leader!"
————Break————
Update tomorrow at 3 PM sharp.
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