On the grasslands.
Lu Zhuo led thirty thousand Divine Martial Army troops and fifty thousand imperial guards from Yu City to successfully encircle and eliminate a Wuda army, killing over twenty thousand enemy soldiers and forcing the remaining Wuda forces to retreat in disarray.
As dusk fell, Lu Zhuo ordered his troops to set up camp.
"That was a satisfying battle! General Lu's foresight is remarkable—truly, heroes emerge from among the young," exclaimed Zheng, a deputy general of the Yu City army, as he approached with a jar of wine, his voice booming.
"Thanks to your familiarity with the terrain, we were able to defeat the enemy repeatedly through our joint efforts," Lu Zhuo replied modestly.
Zheng greatly admired Lu Zhuo's temperament—capable in battle yet humble, treating local commanders with respect. Unlike Han Liao of the Soaring Dragon Army, who was unbearably arrogant, Zheng felt fortunate to be serving under Lu Zhuo during this joint campaign between the Yu City imperial guards and two elite imperial armies.
Zheng poured wine for Lu Zhuo.
When the bowl was barely filled, Lu Zhuo stopped him, smiling. "A small sip is enough. The Wuda cavalry are skilled in guerrilla tactics and may launch a night raid at any moment."
Zheng nodded repeatedly. "You're absolutely right, General Lu. Your consideration is thorough."
Lu Zhuo clinked bowls with him, drank the small amount of strong liquor, and continued studying the topographical map hanging in the main tent.
He and Han Liao each commanded eighty thousand troops, advancing deep into Wuda territory in two separate routes. They had agreed to rendezvous at Listening Wind Ridge in three days. The Marquis of Xiting, Qin Min—the chief commander of Yu City—and Lu Zhuo's cousin led another eighty thousand troops providing support from the rear. Though Lu Zhuo was wary of the Marquis of Xiting, Qin Min's loyalty to the court was unwavering. With his cousin by Qin Min's side, Lu Zhuo had no concerns about his rear.
Zheng approached him and gazed at the map. "These Wuda people are like wolves. No matter how many times we defeat them, we can't tame them. Only by completely exterminating them can we eradicate their wolfish ambitions."
Lu Zhuo did not respond.
Although Emperor Yuanjia had ordered the annihilation of the Wuda, it was an impossible task. Even if the Wuda capital were captured, their tribes could swiftly migrate northward on horseback with their livestock. The imperial army could not pursue them indefinitely, and once the troops withdrew, the Wuda tribes would quickly regroup and return.
They were a pack of wolves—impossible to eradicate. The only option was to repeatedly blunt their momentum, making them think twice before venturing south.
At the same time, Han Liao's eighty thousand troops were also setting up camp.
As night fell, a shadowy figure slipped quietly out of Han Liao's camp and stealthily crossed the river to the Wuda encampment on the opposite bank.
The Wuda commander in charge read the secret letter delivered by the black-clad figure and sneered, "Why should I believe this isn't a trap set by your side?"
The masked figure replied in a low, grim voice, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Wuda cannot be wiped out, and even if it were, it would bring no benefit to our general. If this plan succeeds, our general loses a rival, and you remove a major obstacle to your southward expansion. What is there to lose?"
The Wuda commander asked, "Aren't you afraid that once the Divine Martial Army falls, the Wuda cavalry will sweep south and destroy your general's nation?"
The black-clad figure laughed. "That will depend on whether you have the capability."Two days later, just as Lu Zhuo and Adjutant Zheng had finished ambushing a small Wuda squad and were about to head for Listening Wind Ridge, a messenger from the Divine Martial Army rushed over in haste. Before his horse even came to a full stop, the messenger tumbled down clumsily, scrambling on his knees to Lu Zhuo and presenting a letter with both hands. Gasping for breath, he reported, "Young Lord, two hours ago, the Second Young Master led a team to scout the enemy's situation but unfortunately encountered an ambush by the main Wuda force. Five thousand Divine Martial Army troops were forced into Iron Scorpion Ridge. The Wuda army numbers sixty thousand and holds the advantageous terrain. The Marquis and General Qin attempted a rescue but couldn't break through the Wuda blockade. The Second Young Master is trapped and his fate is unknown!"
Lu Zhuo's face turned pale with shock. He snapped sharply, "Didn't I order him to stay close to the main army and not act recklessly?"
The messenger wept bitterly, "I don't know, I was left guarding the camp, I only..."
He had no idea why the Second Young Master had suddenly decided to personally scout the enemy. By the time he found out, the Second Young Master had already departed. He wasn't even aware of what instructions the Young Lord had given him.
Lu Zhuo's chest heaved with anger, but fury was useless now. He immediately ordered his eighty thousand troops to march with him toward Iron Scorpion Ridge.
Iron Scorpion Ridge was a long, narrow mountain range. Its southern side split into two winding ridges resembling pincers, enclosing a valley. After entering the valley, the path narrowed progressively northward, allowing only two or three people to walk abreast. From a distance, it merged into a slender range resembling a scorpion's body, hence its name.
At this moment, the sixty thousand Wuda troops were divided into three forces. Five thousand guarded the narrow northern entrance of Iron Scorpion Ridge, leveraging the natural chokepoint—where one soldier could hold off ten thousand—combined with an arrow formation, effortlessly blocking the ten thousand troops sent by the Marquis of Xiting to break through.
Another ten thousand Wuda troops entered the valley to encircle and suppress Lu Ya's five thousand Divine Martial Army soldiers. Outside the valley, forty-five thousand Wuda cavalry, relying on their elite skills, managed to hold their own against the seventy thousand troops led by the Marquis of Xiting and others.
Both sides awaited reinforcements; victory would depend on whose reinforcements arrived first.
Amidst flying hooves and swirling dust, Lu Zhuo's eighty thousand troops and the Wuda's seventy thousand reinforcements arrived almost simultaneously.
The two armies immediately engaged in a bloody battle at Iron Scorpion Ridge.
Leaving the overall command to Adjutant Zheng, Lu Zhuo personally led twenty thousand Divine Martial Army soldiers in a charge toward the Wuda forces guarding the southern entrance of Iron Scorpion Ridge.
Clad in crimson armor, the Divine Martial Army surged forward like a fiery dragon. The Wuda army, prepared, had initially formed an iron-clad defense but now intentionally opened a passage to let the Divine Martial Army through.
Seeing this, Qin Min's eyes widened in fury. He shouted to Lu Zhuo at the forefront, "Young Lord, turn back! Don't fall into their trap!"
How could Lu Zhuo not know this was a Wuda trap?
The Lu Family's Divine Martial Army had long-standing enmity with the Wuda. If the Wuda army could annihilate the Divine Martial Army, it would boost their morale more than defeating two hundred thousand other troops.
But trapped inside was his cousin—Lu Zhuo could not stand by and watch him die.
Moreover, the imperial troops held a numerical advantage. With Qin Min and Adjutant Zheng in command, the Marquis of Xiting wouldn't dare scheme. If the Divine Martial Army fought from within and the Yu City Army attacked from outside, coordinating internally and externally, there was still a chance of survival.
In the blink of an eye, Lu Zhuo had penetrated deep into Iron Scorpion Ridge.
Lu Ya's five thousand Divine Martial Army troops had been reduced to just over eight hundred. Lu Ya's warhorse had long since been shot and fallen. The eight hundred survivors gathered together, each drenched in blood from the fierce fighting.Seeing the crimson troops charging in and his elder brother at the forefront, Lu Ya’s eyes welled up with tears, overwhelmed by regret and self-reproach.
He had always prided himself on being steady and composed. Among the seven cousins in the family, excluding the younger sixth and seventh brothers, he was second only to his eldest brother, with the third, fourth, and fifth brothers all deferring to him. But on the battlefield, especially during this campaign against Wuda, his eldest brother had shouldered all the dangerous tasks, leaving Lu Ya to follow the main army as a rearguard. Lu Ya knew his brother was trying to protect him, but he too yearned to achieve glory and make a name for himself—to prove that Lu Ya was a force to be reckoned with.
Lu Ya had never intended to compete with his brother for the position of the next commander of the Divine Martial Army. The Lu brothers did not engage in internal strife. Yet he could not always hide under his brother’s wing. He wanted to become a right-hand man to his uncle, just like his late father, and to show the world that every son of the Lu Family was a hero—not just his eldest brother.
It was this deeply buried pride that had made him susceptible to provocation today. Ignoring the objections of his trusted aides and General Qin, he had seized the mission to scout the enemy’s movements.
Little did he expect to encounter the main Wuda forces in this single mission and be driven into such a perilous situation.
“Brother, I…”
“Save it for later. Follow me out first.” Lu Zhuo pulled Lu Ya onto his horse, immediately turned the steed around, and plunged into the fray.
However, as they became trapped in the valley, the Wuda army, outnumbering them several times over, closed in on them.
Lu Zhuo glanced back at the depths of the mountain path, suddenly leaped off Flying Ink, and seized a riderless horse. Once mounted, he pointed toward the rear path and said, “There are fewer enemies behind us. Take five thousand men and break through from the back.”
The rear path was too narrow. If everyone rushed that way, their speed would slow drastically, allowing Wuda to redirect troops to block their escape. Only by leading the main force of the Divine Martial Army in a frontal assault could Lu Zhuo buy time for Lu Ya.
“I won’t go! I’ll stay here. You retreat from the rear!” Lu Ya cried, his eyes red.
Lu Zhuo laughed at him. “If you stay, neither of us will make it out.”
Lu Ya froze, tears suddenly streaming down his face.
Lu Zhuo deflected an arrow and struck Lu Ya’s back with the shaft of his spear, urging him, “Hurry! There are still twenty thousand Divine Martial Army troops outside. Bring them all back.”
Lu Ya wept uncontrollably.
Lu Zhuo looked at Flying Ink and suddenly let out a sharp whistle.
Flying Ink reared up, letting out a mournful whinny as if unwilling to leave. Lu Zhuo abruptly lashed the horse with his whip, and only then did Flying Ink charge toward the narrow mountain path, carrying Lu Ya away.
Lu Zhuo assigned five thousand men to follow Lu Ya, then continued leading the charge forward.
The two armies were locked in a fierce stalemate, fighting relentlessly throughout the day. As dusk approached, a sudden cry rang out from within Iron Scorpion Ridge: “Lu Zhuo is dead!”
Outside Iron Scorpion Ridge, the remaining ten thousand or so Divine Martial Army soldiers, who had been fighting desperately, shuddered at the news—then redoubled their ferocity.
In this battle, both the imperial forces and the Wuda cavalry suffered heavy losses. The Marquis of Xiting had led the charge to rescue Lu Zhuo, and upon hearing of his death, he suddenly clutched his chest, spat blood, and cried out to the heavens, “Old friend Lu, I have no face to see you!”
With that, the Marquis of Xiting’s vision went black, and he fell from his horse.
With their commander unconscious, the Han family’s Soaring Dragon Army fell into chaos.
Seeing this, Qin Min had no choice but to order a retreat.
The Yucheng Army and the Soaring Dragon Army quickly regrouped, but the ten thousand-plus Divine Martial Army soldiers, driven mad with grief, still fought desperately to charge forward.
Qin Min personally rode back and shouted at the soldiers, “Lu Zhuo is dead! If you stay, you’ll only add to Wuda’s glory. If you have the guts, follow me back, and one day we will bathe Wuda’s capital in blood!”
No one listened to him.Deputy General Zheng, being more familiar with the Divine Martial Army, roared at this moment: "Charge then! The more of you die here, the weaker the Divine Martial Army's prestige becomes. If you truly wish to make the Divine Martial Army a laughingstock, then charge right in! Let your general be restless even as a ghost!"
The wind scattered his words, carrying them to the ears of the Divine Martial Army officers and soldiers.
At this point, the over ten thousand Divine Martial Army troops finally regained their senses. One by one, they cast one last reluctant glance at Iron Scorpion Ridge and began to withdraw with the main force.
The news of the court's defeat on the grasslands first reached the border towns.
Wei Rao had just arrived at Yu City with five hundred garrison troops and settled in for two nights when, the next day, rumors spread throughout the entire city: the Divine Martial Army was trapped at Iron Scorpion Ridge, and both Lu Zhuo and Lu Ya had died in battle.
Zhao Bai was the first to catch wind of this. He ordered others to keep it from the princess and went personally to inquire with the Yu City garrison commander. There, the news was confirmed: the Marquis of Xiting and others were still encamped on the grasslands but had already sent a memorial to the palace.
Zhao Bai's eyes welled with tears. Riding on horseback, he nearly fell off several times, returning to the residence Wei Rao had rented in a daze.
"Princess, the news I just heard... the Young Lord and the Second Young Master were trapped at Iron Scorpion Ridge yesterday, unable to break through... they, they both... sacrificed..."
Wei Rao stood on the steps, watching Zhao Bai's voice grow increasingly choked, watching his hot tears fall onto the stone slabs. All she felt was a roaring in her mind.
Sacrificed...
Dead?
Lu Zhuo was dead?
Wei Rao refused to believe it.
This was Lu Zhuo—the man who had held back 250,000 Western Qiang troops. Would he fear the divided Udai cavalry? He had led 50,000 Divine Martial Army soldiers, with support from the Yu City garrison. Even if he couldn't destroy Udai, it was impossible for him to die so easily.
She brushed her fingertips across the corners of her eyes, then turned and went back to her room. Moments later, she emerged in riding attire, walking straight out as if she hadn't seen Zhao Bai or the others.
"Princess, Princess, please don't do this." Zhao Bai knelt and blocked Wei Rao's path.
Wei Rao didn't want to look at him. Because Zhao Bai was kneeling, looking at him would require her to lower her head. And if she lowered her head, she wouldn't be able to hold back her tears.
"The battlefield is ever-changing. What you heard might be false rumors spread by Udai, aimed at unsettling our troops."
"What does the Princess intend to do?"
"Go to the grasslands. To see the Young Lord."
Afraid of distracting Lu Zhuo, Wei Rao had always chosen to wait for him in the border city. But now, she didn't want to wait any longer.
It was Lu Zhuo who had unsettled her heart first, so why should she still listen to him and wait obediently?
She would go anyway. If he was alive, Wei Rao would fight Udai by his side. If he was dead, Wei Rao would accompany him home.
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