On the 23rd day of the fourth month in the fifth year of the Chengxi reign of the Hua Dynasty, an auspicious day according to the Yellow Calendar, all affairs were favorable.
At the Hour of the Ox, thick clouds obscured the moon, hiding all stars. On the western side of “One-Line Cliff,” over thirty li north of Niu Bi Mountain, Pei Yan stood on the rocks in his purple robe and silver armor, his left hand gripping the scabbard. He watched as five thousand elite soldiers of the Long Feng Cavalry skillfully set traps below and positioned blade nets above the exit of the cliff’s crevice. He turned his head with a slight smile and said, “San Lang, thank you.”
Wei Zhao wore plain robes without armor and a three-foot sword on his back. He leaned lazily against a green pine by the rock and drawled, “So Young Lord planned for me to be this military supervisor all along.”
Pei Yan laughed, “Don’t blame me, San Lang. Fighting alongside you has been a lifelong wish of mine.”
Wei Zhao silently looked down at the rock below, where the Long Feng Cavalry’s elite troops had finished their preparations and were swiftly hiding among the rocks and trees under Tong Min’s command. He then gazed at the smiling Pei Yan and said coolly, “Rest assured, Young Lord. Since I agreed to fight this battle with you, I’ve naturally given orders according to your wishes.”
Pei Yan bowed slightly, “I’m grateful for your efforts, San Lang.”
The thick clouds drifting across the crescent moon cast a faint lunar glow on the cliff top, making Pei Yan’s silver armor flash with cold light. Pei Yan and Wei Zhao turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes meeting as they nodded slightly. In a flash, the two vanished behind the rocks, their movements as light as wildcats.
Extremely soft footsteps echoed continuously from the eastern side of “One-Line Cliff.” Li Zong, the commander of Bo Army’s vanguard, led the way. He carefully stepped on the mud that had cascaded down from the cliff top due to the heavy rain days before, cautiously passing through the narrowest part of “One-Line Cliff.” He couldn’t help but turn back and chuckle softly, “Heaven truly favors our army.”
The deputy commander Liu behind him also laughed quietly, “If our vanguard can achieve great merit this time, Commander, you should request Lord Bo to grant us Jing Province. Let our brothers earn some wealth too.”
Li Zong laughed, “Naturally.”
Deputy Commander Liu, somewhat excited, waved his hand as they exited “One-Line Cliff,” “Hurry up, brothers!”
The vanguard, being the elite of the Bo Army, was well-trained and orderly. They passed through the “One-Line Cliff” in sequence. In the night, over five thousand men gathered on the western side of the cliff.
Li Zong breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that if these five thousand elite soldiers could pass through “One-Line Cliff,” half of the Lord’s grand attack plan would be successful. Yesterday, scouts returning from Yan Ming Mountain brought two pieces of great news: first, Pei Yan had been forced to reveal his true identity in Qing Mao Valley by Yi Han; second, on their way back, the scouts discovered that due to the mudslide after the heavy rain, the originally narrow and impassable section of “One-Line Cliff” had been filled with mud, allowing elite soldiers to cross the crevice by stepping on the mud and stones, directly outflanking the Long Feng Cavalry.
After much deliberation with Military Advisor Chunyu and other military leaders, the Lord decided to seize this rare opportunity to launch a general attack. He entrusted the vanguard with the crucial task of ambushing the Long Feng Cavalry’s camp and opening the gates. As the commander, he naturally had to lead by example and achieve this great merit.
Looking at the thousands of soldiers in the valley, he said in a deep voice, “The entire vanguard, advance at full speed. Upon arrival, follow my orders. First division, set fires. Second division, follow me to open the gates. Third division, led by Deputy Commander Liu, ambush the central army tent and capture Ning Jianyu alive!”
With a wave of his hand, thousands of men marched south in sequence.
Pei Yan, watching from the cliff, moved his lips slightly: “San Lang, this is our first battle together. Shall we take down Li Zong in three moves?”
“Why need three moves?!” Wei Zhao’s lips also moved slightly, his voice focused into a thin line.
“Li Zong is one of the three top experts of the Zhao Shan Sect, not weaker than Shi Xiuwu. Even with our combined efforts, it will take three moves.”
As they communicated, Bo Army’s vanguard had already advanced over a hundred paces, with the front few hundred men stepping onto level ground. Once these men entered the ambush circle, Tong Min, hidden behind the rocks, let out a whistle. The Long Feng Cavalry’s elite soldiers suddenly emerged from behind rocks and large trees, simultaneously raising their strong crossbows. Before the Bo Army could react, a rain of arrows enveloped them. The arrows shot from the strong crossbows were already powerful, and at such close range, over a thousand men fell without even a chance to cry out.
Li Zong quickly reacted, shouting urgently, “Retreat!” He turned first, rushing towards “One-Line Cliff.”
Wei Zhao suddenly stood straight, saying coldly, “If you ask me, one move is enough.” His right foot pushed off the giant rock behind him, and like a white giant eagle, he swooped down towards the rapidly approaching Li Zong, carrying a cold gleam.
Li Zong was exerting himself in his sprint when he suddenly sensed a flash of cold light before his eyes. In that split second, he realized the attacker’s sword strike left a wide-open central gate, clearly a move intended for mutual destruction. Focused on returning to the camp to inform his lord, he was unwilling to perish with the enemy, causing his internal momentum to weaken slightly. In his haste, he urgently raised his wrist, sending out a blade of energy from beneath his sleeve, barely parrying Wei Zhao’s long sword. However, to avoid Wei Zhao’s body lunging with the sword, he staggered a small step to the right. Before he could retract his thick-backed sword, Pei Yan’s silent sword tore through the night wind. Blood splattered as Li Zong’s eyes widened, clutching his right chest as he slowly fell.
Wei Zhao flicked his long sword back into its sheath, no longer looking at Pei Yan. He walked to a tree nearby, leaned against the trunk, and watched the scene of carnage below the cliff with a leisurely, self-satisfied smile on his face.
With the front troops fallen to arrows and Li Zong killed in one move, the soldiers of Bo Army’s vanguard were left leaderless and panicked. In their confusion, another thousand fell to the strong crossbows.
The remaining men were even more terrified, not knowing how many ambush troops were hidden in the mountains and forests. Someone started shouting, and the Bo Army soldiers scattered in flight, only to fall into various traps.
Deputy Commander Liu also lost his composure, leading over a hundred men in a rush towards “One-Line Cliff.” Just as they reached the front of the cliff, blade nets descended from above. The Long Feng Guards pulled tightly on the ropes, sending hundreds of gleaming sharp blades into the bodies of Liu and the hundred men behind him.
Below the cliff, the agonized cries of the Bo Army were intense yet muffled. Under the combined assault of strong crossbows, traps, and blade nets, in less than a quarter of an hour, all five thousand elite soldiers of Bo Army’s vanguard lay in pools of blood.
Pei Yan watched as the Long Feng Cavalry quickly changed into the uniforms of Bo Army’s vanguard and walked towards “One-Line Cliff” in sequence. He turned back to Wei Zhao with a smile, “After you, San Lang.”
“Young Lord, please,” replied Wei Zhao.
At the Hour of the Dragon, war drums thundered, and Bo Army finally mobilized its left, right, and central armies, gathering on the east side of the fortress.
On the fortress, Ning Jianyu helped Chen An put on the “Gold Thread Armor” and instructed, “Don’t fight Yi Liang to the death, just pretend to be entangled with him. Once I lower the iron plate to cut off Bo Army, you need to hold on until I come out to join you.”
Chen An smiled foolishly, “Don’t worry, Little An wouldn’t dare disobey the Marquis’s words even if he had several heads.”
On the west side of the fortress, Xu Jun stood holding his sword, looking at the elite soldiers hiding behind earthen walls with strong crossbows. He said in a deep voice, “Everyone remembers, act according to my command flag. We must ensure that the Bo Army troops who enter have no way out!”
Cui Liang stood beside him, smiling, “General Xu, this time you can’t let Zhang Zhicheng escape.”
Xu Jun chuckled, “That kid definitely won’t get away. We’ll catch him like a turtle in a jar.” He looked towards the quiet tents not far away, showing some admiration, “Military Advisor Cui, I truly admire you. If we can capture Zhang Zhicheng this time, I, Xu Jun, will do whatever you ask.”
Cui Liang smiled slightly and turned his head away.
Seeing more than ten Long Feng Cavalry soldiers who had been captured in recent days die under the sword of Bo Army’s right army general Yi Liang, Chen An let out an angry shout and led thirty thousand Long Feng Cavalry elite troops out of the fortress.
Soon, Chen An and Yi Liang were entangled in battle, sword lights flying across the sky. Yi Liang’s right army also firmly engaged these thirty thousand Long Feng Cavalry troops. Bo Yunshan’s face bore a smile as he turned to Chunyu Li, “It looks about right, doesn’t it?”
Chunyu Li looked at the sky, “We agreed with Commander Li on this time. We just need to wait for the fire to start over there, and once the gate opens, we can launch our general attack.”
Just as he finished speaking, flames shot up on the west side of the fortress, with billowing smoke. Chunyu Li clasped his hands together in joy, “It’s done!”
On the battlefield, Chen An seemed to panic, repeatedly trying to retreat but being firmly entangled by Yi Liang. The Long Feng Cavalry soldiers also frequently looked back towards the west side of the fortress, clearly distracted and their formation in disarray.
Soon, the great fire seemed to reach the drawbridge behind the fortress, and after a moment, the drawbridge crashed down with a thunderous sound.
Bo Yunshan’s excitement grew, his eyes taking on a bloodthirsty red tinge. He lowered his hand, and as the command flag fell, Zhang Zhicheng led twenty thousand left army troops and ten thousand central army troops, all shouting in unison. Their battle cries shook the heavens as they charged towards the fortress.
As the killing cries from the front pierced the clouds, in the rear camp of Bo Army’s military camp, about eight thousand Weizhou troops stood in groups of three to five, looking towards the fortress in the southwest.
The Weizhou troops had long been at odds with Bo Gong’s core Longzhou troops, but being far outnumbered, they had always been bullied. The conflict between the two sides had a long history, and yesterday it erupted into a dispute over military rations. Although the Weizhou troops had swallowed their anger out of fear of Yi Liang’s might, their morale was already scattered. After much consideration, Bo Gong adopted Chunyu Li’s suggestion. For today’s general attack, he did not use these Weizhou troops, only ordering them to guard the military camp as a precaution.
At this moment, every Weizhou soldier felt conflicted. They hoped for the Longzhou troops at the front to be victorious so that they wouldn’t become part of the defeated side; but deep in their hearts, they also feared that if the Longzhou troops achieved great merit, the Weizhou troops would never be able to hold their heads high again.
Deputy General Cheng strode over, shouting, “Stand up straight! What kind of appearance is this!”
Before his words faded, a large number of vanguard soldiers suddenly poured into the rear camp. Deputy General Cheng felt something was amiss and stepped forward, shouting, “What’s going on?!”
The leading man of the vanguard, his face hidden under his military hat, said nothing. With a swing of the long sword in his hand, the Weizhou troops only saw a flash of cold light before Deputy General Cheng’s head fell to the ground.
The Weizhou troops were stunned by this scene. Before they could draw their weapons, the Long Feng Cavalry disguised as vanguard soldiers swarmed forward, and several hundred more fell into pools of blood.
Amidst the chaos, someone shouted, “The Weizhou troops are rebelling! Bo Gong has ordered to execute them all on the spot!”
Upon hearing this, the Weizhou troops’ spirits completely shattered. With Deputy General Cheng dead by the sword and no leader, they fell into disarray. Just then, another voice called out, “Bo Gong is wronging us like this, why should we still fight for him? Everyone, disperse and flee for your lives!”
This sentence spread like wildfire. Over five thousand Weizhou troops scattered in an instant, with over five thousand of them seizing horses and fleeing towards Weizhou, following the highest-ranking military officer, General Zheng.
Barely half a mile out, a group of cavalry suddenly emerged from the dense forest on a small hill ahead, blocking the Weizhou troops’ path.
General Zheng, who had just regained his composure from the initial panic, took a closer look at the cavalry ahead. Seeing the handsome figure in purple robes and silver armor standing in front of the hill, he was shocked again and couldn’t help but call out, “Marquis!”
Pei Yan’s gaze swept over the wary-looking Weizhou troops, and he smiled slightly, “General Zheng, long time no see. How have you been?”
Bo Army had once joined forces with the Long Feng Cavalry to resist the Huan Army. General Zheng, having fought in many battles over the years, had seen Pei Yan several times. He was surprised that Pei Yan remembered a small general like himself and stammered, “Marquis, you—”
Earlier, he had been focused solely on escaping and hadn’t thought it through, but he wasn’t a fool. Suddenly, he realized that the Weizhou troops had fallen for Pei Yan’s scheme to sow discord. But upon further reflection, with Pei Yan appearing here, the situation no longer allowed him to return to Bo’s camp. He slowly turned his head, and most of the Weizhou troops had also come to their senses, looking at each other in bewilderment.
Pei Yan smiled, “General Zheng before I left the capital, I had already reported to His Majesty in detail about how the Weizhou troops were forced into rebellion by the traitor Bo, who threatened the lives of your families. His Majesty has shown understanding. Before my departure, there was an imperial edict stating that if the Weizhou troops could deeply understand loyalty and righteousness, surrender to the court, and assist the Long Feng Cavalry in eliminating the rebels, all past rebellious actions would not be pursued. Those who achieve military merits will even receive great rewards.”
General Zheng weighed his options repeatedly, still somewhat hesitant. Pei Yan gestured with his hand, “General Zheng, allow me to introduce you. This is the Imperial-appointed Military Supervisor and Commander of the Guangming Department, Wei Zhao.”
General Zheng looked towards Wei Zhao, whose handsome face was solemn as he took the Dragon-Coiled Treasure Sword from his back and presented it with both hands at chest level.
“This is the Dragon-Coiled Treasure Sword bestowed by His Majesty. Seeing the sword is like seeing the emperor himself. With Lord Wei using this sword as a guarantee, what doubts could you still have?” Pei Yan smiled.
General Zheng awakened to the situation, made up his mind, leaped off his steed, and knelt, lifting his robe: “Long live the Emperor! Long live, long live, long live!”
Following his lead, the Weizhou troops dismounted and knelt on the yellow earth.
Pei Yan and Wei Zhao exchanged smiles. Pei Yan stepped forward to help General Zheng up, his face bearing an extremely amiable smile. “General Zheng, I now promote you to Deputy Commander, leading the Weizhou troops. Proceed immediately to Weizhou and take charge of its defenses.”
“Yes, Marquis!”
“Also, I hear that Deputy Commander Zheng and Deputy Commander Zhu of Weizhou are brothers-in-law. Would Deputy Commander Zheng be willing to convey His Majesty’s will to Deputy Commander Zhu? Once the traitor Bo is eliminated, the defense of places like Weizhou and Weizhou will rely on Deputy Commander Zheng and Deputy Commander Zhu.”
General Zheng was overjoyed and stood straight, “Rest assured, Marquis. We Weizhou troops will eliminate the traitors for His Majesty, even at the cost of our lives!”
Pei Yan’s smile was like a spring breeze, “Very good. Now, may I ask the Weizhou troop brothers to lend their military uniforms to the Long Feng Cavalry for a moment?”
Watching the Weizhou troops leave, Wei Zhao’s lips curved slightly, “Young Lord’s strategy is excellent. Without any effort, you’ve reclaimed Weizhou and Weizhou. I’m impressed!”
Pei Yan watched as the Long Feng Cavalry changed into Weizhou military uniforms, smiling, “The success of this plan is largely due to San Lang’s great contribution. I’m truly grateful!”
Below the fortress, Yi Liang was still engaged in a life-and-death struggle with Chen An. Seeing thirty thousand Bo troops pouring over the drawbridge, Chen An shouted urgently. The Long Feng Cavalry outside the fortress wanted to counterattack and hold the drawbridge but were entangled with Yi Liang’s right army and couldn’t retreat to assist.
Seeing his thirty thousand troops charge into the fortress, with killing sounds and raging fires erupting on the west side of the fortress, Bo Yunshan felt the battle was decided. He spurred his horse and led the twenty thousand central army troops behind him, charging towards the fortress.
Just as they were about to reach the drawbridge, there was a thunderous boom. A huge iron plate suddenly fell from above the fortress gate, kicking up dust and cutting off the east and west sides of the fortress.
Bo Yunshan was stunned for a moment but quickly reacted. Hearing the wind-breaking sound, he knew something was amiss. He leaped from his saddle, his toes touching the saddle again to gain momentum as he floated back, avoiding the sudden rain of arrows shot from above the fortress.
His lightness skill was extraordinary, allowing him to avoid this round of arrows. However, the soldiers who had charged to the fortress with him didn’t have such ability. Agonized cries rose one after another, and in an instant, over a thousand people fell into pools of blood.
Bo Yunshan landed, and his guards quickly surrounded him for protection. He mounted his horse again and made a swift decision, leading his troops to turn and attack the thirty thousand Long Feng Cavalry that Chen An had previously led out of the fortress. With his extensive battle experience, he knew that passing through the fortress was hopeless. He might as well fight a bloody battle and eliminate Chen An’s troops first. As for his own thirty thousand men who had been lured to the west side of the fortress, they were likely in grave danger, and it was useless to think about them further.
His precious sword danced in his hands as he charged back and forth through the formation, forcing the Long Feng Cavalry to retreat step by step. Just as he was getting into the heat of battle, he suddenly heard killing sounds coming from the direction of the camp. As he maneuvered, he caught a glimpse of the Weizhou troops who had been guarding the camp, rushing towards the fortress with swords and blades.
He realized they had come to support seeing the unfavorable situation at the front, which slightly eased his mind. His side still had over thirty thousand troops on the east side of the fortress, while Chen An had only brought about thirty thousand. With the addition of these eight thousand Weizhou troops, the odds of victory were very high. Even if the thirty thousand who had entered the fortress were annihilated by Ning Jianyu, it would still be a draw.
Just as he was calculating in his mind, his sword techniques unceasing, the Weizhou troops had swarmed over. The Bo Army soldiers were fully engaged in a life-and-death struggle with the Long Feng Cavalry and didn’t notice anything different about the Weizhou troops.
The thousands of Long Feng Cavalry disguised as Weizhou troops rushed to the rear of the Bo Army, all removing their Weizhou military hats to reveal purple headbands. They attacked the Bo Army in unison.
Caught in a pincer attack, with fires suddenly rising from the distant tents, Bo Army was thrown into confusion, their formation becoming somewhat disorganized. However, being veterans of many battles, under the repeated angry shouts of Bo Yunshan and Yi Liang, they regained their morale and fought fiercely with the Long Feng Cavalry.
A drum sounded from above the fortress, and the iron plate was slowly hoisted up. Ning Jianyu, in a white robe with a silver spear, rode out on horseback. His spear danced like a swimming dragon, its cold light chilling. He thrust left and stabbed right, leading over ten thousand elite troops into the battlefield, unstoppable wherever they went. Soon, he joined forces with Chen An, and the Long Feng Cavalry under their command quickly gathered. Cui Liang appeared on top of the fortress holding a flag, the drum beats coordinating with the flag commands. The Long Feng Cavalry moved in perfect order, their dragon-snake formation stirring up a sky full of killing intent, cutting the tens of thousands of Bo Army troops into separate pieces.
Seeing Ning Jianyu charge out, Bo Yunshan knew that his thirty thousand troops who had previously entered the fortress had been annihilated. Just as he was feeling furious, Chunyu Li rode over, shouting, “My Lord, retreat first and make plans later!”
Before Bo Yunshan could make a decision, Ning Jianyu’s silver spear was already before his eyes. He had to lean back, raising his precious sword to block Ning Jianyu’s spear tip. With a thunderous shout, the two exchanged over ten moves. Horses neighed, sword light and spear shadows stirred up waves of chaos in the center of the formation.
Pei Yan and Wei Zhao stood on top of the small hill, watching Bo Yunshan and Ning Jianyu’s fierce battle from afar. Pei Yan smiled, “Lord Bo is still vigorous in his old age. I’m afraid Jianyu won’t be able to take him down quickly. San Lang, please excuse me for a moment.”
Wei Zhao bowed slightly, “As you wish, Young Lord.”
Pei Yan mounted his horse and with a clear shout, his steed galloped out like a streak of black smoke, instantly reaching the front of the battlefield. He raised his sword and leaped, his purple battle robe swirling like a purple cloud as he swept through the two armies. With a dragon’s roar, the cold sword, carrying majestic sword energy, along with this purple cloud, shot towards Bo Yunshan in the formation.
Bo Yunshan heard the sound of sword energy breaking through the air and knew it must be Pei Yan’s arrival. With Ning Jianyu’s silver spear in front and Pei Yan’s cold sword behind, it was the most critical moment of his life. He roared in anger, his eyes wide open, his back straight and shoulders broad, the armor on his body slightly cracking open from the intense true qi.
“Boom!” The sound of true qi colliding echoed through the formation. Bo Yunshan’s precious sword blocked Pei Yan’s killing strike, but his left ribs were hit by one of Ning Jianyu’s spears. However, he had just used a protective hard qi technique, so Ning Jianyu’s spear only penetrated three inches before being repelled by this qi, forcing him to withdraw his spear and retreat.
Pei Yan used the force to leap back, landing on the ground. With a loud laugh, his sword moved like the wind, attacking Bo Yunshan again.
Blood seeped from Bo Yunshan’s ribs, but in this life-and-death moment, his internal true qi reached its peak. His sword technique was unpredictable, his entire body seeming to be wrapped in sword light as he fought Pei Yan in a heart-stopping battle. Ning Jianyu couldn’t even find an opening to join in. Confident in his lord, he turned to attack Yi Liang, who was still fighting with Chen An.
On top of the fortress, Cui Liang observed the battle situation. With several changes in his flag commands, the Long Feng Cavalry surged forward like waves, killing the Bo Army troops into increasing disarray.
Chunyu Li suddenly shouted, “Our Lord is in danger! Those who aren’t afraid of death, follow me!” He spurred his horse towards the center of the formation.
His usual scholarly demeanor gone, this fearless action inspired Bo Yunshan’s guards to follow. Dozens of men crashed into the sword energy and blade light between Bo and Pei, falling into pools of blood, but more guards continued to surge forward. Pei Yan found himself struggling and retreated a few steps, soon surrounded by hundreds of Bo Army soldiers.
The rest of Bo Yunshan’s guards fought desperately, opening a bloody path. Chunyu Li raised his sword and stabbed the rump of Bo Yunshan’s warhorse. The horse neighed in pain, rearing up before galloping northward. Chunyu Li and several hundred personal guards quickly followed, fleeing north.
Bo Yunshan was still unwilling, about to pull the reins to turn back, when Chunyu Li shouted, “My Lord, return to Longzhou and plan our next move!”
Bo Yunshan knew the situation was lost. The veins on his hand gripping the precious sword bulged, his teeth gritting audibly, but he didn’t look back.
Surrounded by hundreds of fearless personal guards, Pei Yan couldn’t break free to chase Bo Yunshan. Seeing Bo Yunshan fleeing north on horseback, he let out an angry shout. His sword energy surged, sending those around him tumbling outward.
Bo Yunshan rode like the wind, just about to charge up the small hill when a white figure flew through the air, cold light gleaming. He instinctively raised his sword to block, the impact numbing his palm.
Wei Zhao followed with more than ten moves, which Bo Yunshan managed to block one by one. But the wound on his left ribs grew increasingly painful, blood continuously seeping out. Finally, Wei Zhao’s fierce sword moves forced him off his horse.
Seeing the situation turn dire, his guards attacked Wei Zhao recklessly. Chunyu Li rode over, shouting, “My Lord, quickly mount!” Bo Yunshan’s body spun vigorously, landing behind Chunyu Li. The two rode off towards the hill.
Killing intent surged in Wei Zhao’s eyes. His sword generated a howling wind as he cut down the personal guards, leaving corpses strewn everywhere, before chasing after Bo Yunshan again.
At this moment, a group of horsemen charged down from the small hill. One of them shouted, “My Lord, quickly go! We’ll cover your retreat!”
Bo Yunshan saw clearly that the person coming to their aid was A Liu. He led dozens of men to block Wei Zhao. Chunyu Li shouted repeatedly, spurring the horse up the hill, kicking up countless blades of grass as they galloped north.
The angry shouts of Wei Zhao behind them grew more distant. Bo Yunshan’s heart began to settle, but after fleeing for a while, he heard hoofbeats again. He turned back in alarm to see A Liu riding towards them.
A Liu caught up with Bo Yunshan and Chunyu Li, seemingly crying with joy, “My Lord!”
Even with his iron heart, Bo Yunshan felt somewhat moved at this moment. Just as he was about to speak, Chunyu Li urgently said, “My Lord, fleeing like this won’t work. Sooner or later, Pei Yan will catch up!”
Bo Yunshan knew his words were true. The journey from Niu Bi Mountain to Longzhou was long, and Pei Yan would surely pursue him with all his might. The Weizhou troops seemed to have turned against them, he was wounded, and their horses were not thousand-li steeds. As he hesitated, Chunyu Li said, “My Lord, we need to hide in the mountains for a while.”
Hearing distant hoofbeats, Bo Yunshan made a quick decision. He dismounted, and Chunyu Li and A Liu also leaped off their horses. They stabbed the horses’ rumps with their weapons, and the horses galloped away in pain, neighing sorrowfully.
The three quickly slipped into the dense forest by the road, making their way towards the mountaintop.
In front of the Niu Bi Mountain fortress, the fierce battle continued, but the Bo Army had lost its fighting spirit and was being routed by the Long Feng Cavalry.
Bo Yunshan’s guards were all skilled in martial arts. Pei Yan, having been surrounded, finally managed to cut them down after much effort. He seized a warhorse and hurriedly chased north. Arriving at the small hill, he saw Wei Zhao fighting dozens of men. He charged into the fray on horseback, joining forces with Wei Zhao to scatter these dozens of men.
Wei Zhao’s long sword slashed across the throat of the last man. He turned back with a smile, “Young Lord, thank you!”
Pei Yan looked north, “Where’s Bo Yunshan?”
“Unfortunately, he escaped!” Wei Zhao stood holding his sword, his face full of regret.
Pei Yan knew he couldn’t catch up with Bo Yunshan now, and the situation at the fortress was still unsettled. He had to turn his horse back. Hurrying back to the fortress, Ning Jianyu rode over, “Marquis, Yi Liang fled east with over ten thousand men. I sent Xu Jun with twenty thousand to pursue them. Another ten thousand or so fled towards Ming Shan Fu, and Chen An went after them.”
“What about the Bo Army troops at the camp?”
Ning Jianyu smiled, “With Ziming’s strong crossbows and the blade pits, they annihilated over ten thousand as soon as they entered. Zhang Zhicheng was captured alive, and the remaining ten thousand or so surrendered.”
Pei Yan felt relieved. Seeing about ten thousand Bo Army troops still stubbornly resisting in front of the fortress, he said, “Have someone announce that the court will not pursue treason charges against ordinary soldiers, only arresting officers of deputy commander rank and above.”
The sounds of killing gradually subsided, and the war drums fell silent.
In front of the fortress, corpses lay everywhere, banners soaked in pools of blood. Warhorses neighed softly, while the blazing sun in the sky silently watched this hellish scene below the heavens.
Cui Liang rode out from inside the fortress, exchanging smiles with Pei Yan. Pei Yan smiled, “Ziming’s brilliant plan, I never thought we could take down Bo Army so quickly. It’s a pity Bo Yunshan escaped.”
Cui Liang’s brow furrowed slightly, “Prime Minister, Bo Yunshan’s escape could be troublesome.”
“Yes, if he escapes back to Longzhou, we might still have problems here.” Pei Yan thought for a moment, then said to Tong Min, “Take the Long Feng Guards, head north, seal off all the roads, and search for Bo Yunshan.”
Then to Ning Jianyu, he said, “Leave ten thousand men to guard Niu Bi Mountain. Let—” He paused, his gaze passing over Cui Liang before settling on Ning Jianyu.
As Wei Zhao approached, he said, “Young Lord, we must return to aid Qing Mao Valley in four days at the latest. I’ll wait for you here.”
Pei Yan smiled, “Then I’ll trouble Wei Daren with the matters at Niu Bi Mountain.” He turned to face the Long Feng Cavalry troops and called out, “The rest of you, follow me to reclaim Ming Shan Prefecture!”
With mighty steeds and cold steel, Pei Yan’s purple battle robe billowed in the wind as he set off. Ning Jianyu and Cui Liang followed closely behind, leading the Long Feng Cavalry as they galloped northeast, leaving only dust in their wake.
On the twenty-third day of the fourth month in the fifth year of Cheng Xi’s reign of the Hua Dynasty, the Long Feng Cavalry engaged in a bloody battle with Bo’s army at Niu Bi Mountain. The Long Feng Cavalry achieved a great victory, slaying over thirty thousand enemy soldiers. Bo army’s general Zhang Zhicheng was captured, and Yi Liang was beheaded by the banks of Xiao Jing River.
That same day, the stationed troops in Wei Prefecture and Wei Prefecture pledged allegiance to the imperial court.
On the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month, Ning Jianyu led his troops to reclaim Ming Shan Prefecture. He then led an elite force, riding like the wind for hundreds of miles, reclaiming Qin Prefecture and Xin Commandery within two days. Upon hearing of the Bo army’s defeat, the people of Zheng Commandery persuaded the local stationed troops to defect, pledging allegiance to the Long Feng Cavalry.
Seeing that the situation was largely under control, Pei Yan ordered the experienced and steady Tong Min to lead twenty thousand Long Feng Cavalry troops, along with the defected forces from Wei Prefecture, Zheng Commandery, and other areas, to march north and surround Long Prefecture. He demanded that the garrison troops in Long Prefecture surrender and hand over the false emperor and Bo Yunshan’s family members.
With Long Prefecture surrounded, Tong Min had his men call out, promising amnesty for all officers below the rank of deputy commander. Seven days later, the gates of Long Prefecture opened wide. The garrison troops brought out the false emperor and Bo Yunshan’s family members in bonds. With this, the “Bo Army Rebellion” was finally quelled.
As the last rays of sunlight faded and darkness fell, Bo Yunshan breathed a sigh of relief. Enduring the sharp pain in his ribs, he leaned against the stone wall and closed his eyes to cultivate his Yuan Power.
Footsteps approached, and Bo Yunshan’s eyes snapped open. Chunyu Li offered him some wild fruits, saying, “My Lord, please eat something to stave off hunger. A Liu has gone to hunt for game.”
Bo Yunshan removed his helmet, his face dark with anger. He took the wild fruits but didn’t eat them for a while.
After consuming the fruits, his expression softened slightly. He mused, “I wonder how things are outside. If Yi Liang could return to Long Prefecture in time, there might still be a glimmer of hope.” He thought of his incompetent son left to guard Long Prefecture and felt irritated.
“Yes, General Zhang’s chances of survival are slim. We’re counting on General Yi to break through the encirclement and return to Long Prefecture. If we can hold Long Prefecture, we can still plan our next move,” Chunyu Li suddenly knelt before Bo Yunshan, his voice turning remorseful. “My Lord, I failed to judge people correctly. I let our spy be bought by Pei Yan, causing us to fall into his trap. Please punish me as you see fit.”
Bo Yunshan shook his head with a bitter smile. “Chang Hua, don’t blame yourself. Pei Yan is full of tricks and has planned this for a long time. I was the careless one.” He coughed several times, clutching his wounded ribs.
Chunyu Li stepped forward to support him, crying, “Please take care of yourself, My Lord. As long as we can return to Long Prefecture, there’s still hope.”
Bo Yunshan nodded, “Yes, but Pei Yan’s search is thorough now. We’ll have to hide here for a few more days. He needs to rush to aid the Hexi region. If we can endure these few days and Yi Liang can hold Long Prefecture, we’ll have a chance.”
A Liu slipped in, carrying a wild chicken. Chunyu Li helped Bo Yunshan up, and the three of them walked deeper into the cave.
It was near the end of the month, late at night. The crescent moon hung like a hook, appearing and disappearing. A Liu stood guard at the cave entrance. Hearing footsteps, he stood up and said, “Military Advisor.”
Chunyu Li stared at him for a moment, then patted his shoulder. “Young man, guard carefully. If we can get the Lord back, and our great cause succeeds, you’ll be a great merit.”
A Liu met his gaze, paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile. “A Liu will follow all orders from the Lord and the Military Advisor.”
Chunyu Li smiled slightly and turned back into the cave. Bo Yunshan opened his eyes as Chunyu Li approached and said, “My Lord, it’s been two days. I estimate Pei Yan should be in Zheng Commandery and nearby areas by now. I wonder if General Yi has managed to lead his troops back to Long Prefecture.”
Bo Yunshan remained silent. Chunyu Li cautiously suggested, “My Lord, shall I go out to gather some information?”
“You?” Bo Yunshan looked doubtful. “You have no martial arts skills. It’s too dangerous.”
“Precisely because I have no martial arts skills, My Lord. If I disguise myself as a weak scholar, Pei’s army won’t suspect me. The Long Feng Cavalry prides itself on not killing innocents, so there’s no danger for me to go down the mountain,” Chunyu Li explained. “My Lord’s wound urgently needs medicine. We can’t delay any longer. If I can notify General Yi to send people to escort you back to Long Prefecture, that would be ideal. At the very least, I must find some medicine to bring back.”
Bo Yunshan lowered his head for a moment, then said, “Alright, go quickly and return swiftly. Remember, military intelligence and medicine aren’t important. You must return safely. Chang Hua, when I rise again in the future, I can’t do without you.”
Bo Yunshan lay down for another half hour, then slowly stood up. He took several deep breaths, waiting for his Yuan Power to stabilize, then walked slowly towards the cave entrance.
A Liu was guarding the entrance. Seeing Bo Yunshan come out, he hurried over to support him. “My Lord!”
It was now dawn, with a hint of white in the eastern sky. Bo Yunshan’s dark face was gloomy as he looked at the distant mountains without saying a word.
A Liu timidly said, “My Lord, the Military Advisor said your injury is severe and you should rest more. The mountain wind is strong. You should go back inside to rest. A Liu will guard here and not let anyone harm you.”
Bo Yunshan gave a cold laugh and suddenly grabbed A Liu’s throat. A Liu’s eyes showed fear and confusion, but he didn’t resist at all, his hands gradually falling to his sides.
Bo Yunshan’s gaze wandered, and he slowly loosened his right hand. A Liu didn’t dare to cough loudly, suppressing it as he leaned against the stone wall, coughing softly.
Bo Yunshan stared at him for a moment longer, then said coldly, “Let’s go!” He strode out of the cave.
A Liu hurriedly followed, “My Lord, the Military Advisor hasn’t—”
“Enough!” Bo Yunshan walked towards a higher peak to the north. A Liu didn’t dare ask further, following him through the thickets. As dawn broke, the two finally found a secluded cave. A Liu cut down some shrubs to cover the entrance. Bo Yunshan, feeling relieved, leaned against the cave wall and closed his eyes to cultivate.
A Liu stood beside him, looking at his dark, deep face. The expression on his delicate face changed several times before finally settling into a peaceful smile.
When Bo Yunshan opened his eyes, A Liu untied the water pouch from his waist and took out some roasted wild chicken wrapped in leaves, offering them to Bo Yunshan with both hands. “My Lord.”
Bo Yunshan didn’t take them, just looking up at him. Understanding, A Liu tore off a piece of roasted chicken and put it in his mouth, chewing carefully. He then removed the wooden stopper from the water pouch and took several sips. Finally, Bo Yunshan showed a hint of a smile and accepted the water pouch and chicken.
Although the Long Feng Cavalry had won a splendid victory at Niu Bi Mountain, they still suffered casualties. From the Chen hour (7-9 am) of the twenty-third day of the fourth month, wounded soldiers were constantly being carried down from the frontier and sent to the medical tents in the rear. After a few more hours, as the number of wounded increased, the medical tents could no longer accommodate them all, and they were placed on the open grass outside.
Although they were well-prepared, with Xiao Tian and others having brought a batch of medical supplies from Jing Prefecture a few days ago, there was no shortage of medicines, but there was a clear lack of manpower. The military doctors and medical apprentices were so busy they couldn’t even find time to drink water all day.
After these days of learning, Jiang Ci had gained some experience, and Military Doctor Ling was quite satisfied with her, entrusting her with treating simple wounds. In one day, Jiang Ci treated over a hundred wounded soldiers, leaving her exhausted.
But seeing the wounded soldiers’ pain ease under her care and hearing their soft thanks made Jiang Ci feel content and energized. She worked tirelessly until midnight when Military Doctor Ling strictly ordered her to return to her tent to rest.
After sleeping for less than two hours, she remembered she needed to decoct medicine and returned to the medical tent. Military Doctor Ling was so tired he was dizzy, and he no longer tried to stop her, letting her busy herself.
Over the next two days, the ten thousand Long Feng Cavalry troops left to guard Niu Bi Mountain and took turns clearing the battlefield. As the weather was turning hot, Military Doctor Ling brewed mugwort water for the Long Feng Cavalry to drink, having them quickly bury the bodies on the battlefield. He also scattered quicklime widely near the battlefield to prevent epidemics.
During the battlefield cleanup, wounded soldiers were still occasionally found and brought to the medical tents. Because they were discovered late, most of these soldiers’ injuries were severe, and many couldn’t be saved. Even Military Doctor Ling felt somewhat helpless.
Jiang Ci watched all this anxiously, knowing that if the wounded soldiers were found earlier, they would have a better chance of survival. Seeing that the wounded under her care were stable, she proposed to Military Doctor Ling that she go to the battlefield to search for and treat the wounded. After some thought, Military Doctor Ling agreed to her request and gave Jiang Ci a set of silver needles, instructing her to immediately use acupuncture to protect the heart meridian when she found severely wounded soldiers, before having them carried back to the medical tents for treatment.
The sun blazed overhead, causing beads of sweat to form on Jiang Ci’s forehead. She didn’t dare remove her military cap or open her uniform like the Long Feng Cavalry around her, only enduring the heat as she followed them to clean up the battlefield near Niu Bi Mountain.
The fierce battle that day had turned both the east and west sides of Niu Bi Mountain into battlefields. Although most of Bo’s army had been annihilated, a small number had escaped to the nearby mountains and forests. The Long Feng Cavalry pursued them, resulting in casualties on both sides. New wounded and dead were constantly being found in the forests and by the streams.
The search area gradually extended to the northern mountains. At noon, Jiang Ci and over ten Long Feng Cavalry soldiers found a spot in a mountain forest. Under the trees lay dozens of Long Feng Cavalry and Bo army soldiers, clearly having pursued each other here and engaged in a fierce fight before all falling.
Jiang Ci examined them and found that several still had hope of being saved. Regardless of whether they were Long Feng Cavalry or Bo army soldiers, she inserted silver needles into their chests and asked the accompanying Long Feng Cavalry to carry them back to the camp.
As the Long Feng Cavalry left with the wounded, Jiang Ci, still not giving up, bent down to check several more times and finally found two more who still had breath. She tore open their military uniforms, located the acupoints, and inserted silver needles to protect their heart meridians. When she stood up, she realized there was no one to quickly take them down the mountain.
She tried to drag the more severely wounded one, but he was tall and sturdy, extremely heavy. After dragging him for a few dozen steps, Jiang Ci sat down exhausted.
Knowing she couldn’t take these two back to the camp by herself, she could only wait for the Long Feng Cavalry to return. She put him down on the ground, seeing his breath getting weaker and weaker. Anxious, she suddenly had an idea.
She stood up, smiled, cupped her hands around her mouth, and called out loudly, “Brother Xu!”
Her clear voice echoed in the mountains, but there was no response. Jiang Ci smiled and called again, “Long Feng Guard brother, come out! If you don’t come out, I’m going to run away!”
A man stepped out from behind a pine tree, smiling wryly. “Miss Jiang, Brother Xu is resting today.”
Jiang Ci tilted her head slightly and smiled, “Brother, what’s your name?”
“My humble surname is Zhou.”
“Nice to meet you, Brother Zhou.” Jiang Ci smiled, her eyes narrowing. “Brother Zhou, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to take this brother back to the camp for treatment.”
Zhou Mi didn’t move. Jiang Ci’s smile gradually faded. “Brother Zhou, these two are both your Long Feng Cavalry brothers. Can you bear to watch them die before your eyes?”
Seeing Zhou Mi still not moving, Jiang Ci sneered, “I’ve only heard that the heroes of the Long Feng Cavalry value brotherhood and loyalty greatly. It turns out it was all lies!”
Zhou Mi looked at the men on the ground, a flash of reluctance crossing his brow, but remembering his duties, he still hesitated. Jiang Ci thought for a moment and called out loudly, “Brother Guangming, you come out too.”
The branches of a pine tree at the edge of the forest shook slightly, and a man leaped down. Jiang Ci saw it was the man who had rescued her from the Hexi army camp that night. Feeling a sense of familiarity, she stepped forward smiling and asked, “Brother Guangming, what’s your surname?”
“Song.” Guangming Si Wei Song Jun couldn’t help but smile wryly.
Jiang Ci turned to Zhou Mi, “Brother Zhou, is it better for you to take them back, or for Brother Song to do it?”
Zhou Mi looked up at Song Jun, their eyes met, remembering how they had been following Jiang Ci these past few days, mutually wary. A hint of a smile flashed in their eyes.
Jiang Ci pointed at the wounded on the ground and urged, “Don’t dawdle, you two! His injury is more severe. One of you stays to guard me, the other quickly takes him back to the camp. If we delay any longer, he won’t survive. After taking him back, hurry back for the other one.”
Zhou Mi thought for a moment, looked at Song Jun again, and finally stepped forward to lift the wounded soldier onto his back before turning to head down the mountain.
Jiang Ci returned to the other wounded soldier, checked his breathing, and felt slightly relieved. She thought for a moment, then took off her water pouch, soaked a cloth strip with clean water, and gently moistened the soldier’s nearly dry lips, her movements gentle and her expression focused.
Song Jun watched Jiang Ci and suddenly smiled, “It seems the Long Feng Cavalry will have one more female military doctor.”
Jiang Ci didn’t turn her head, “Brother Song is teasing me. If I could become a military doctor, it would be my good fortune. Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. The more people I save, the more blessings I’ll accumulate.”
Song Jun chuckled lightly, about to respond, when his expression suddenly changed. He leaped towards a bush beside Jiang Ci. A cry of pain rang out as he pulled a young man out of the bushes.