When they finally caught sight of the reinforcement banner led by Tang Peiyi, Fan Changyu and the weary soldiers behind her felt a renewed hope of breaking through.
Many soldiers became excited, fighting with increased vigor.
Guo Baihu exclaimed joyfully, “I almost thought I’d be leaving my life here!”
Tang Peiyi also spotted Fan Changyu’s vanguard flag and led his reinforcements towards them. Seeing that encircling them was no longer possible, the rebels’ signal officer rode around on horseback, rapidly waving flag signals.
The rebels pursuing Fan Changyu and her group eased their pressure, and they soon joined with Tang Peiyi’s reinforcements.
Tang Peiyi, seated on his horse, looked at Fan Changyu with surprise and said, “So you’re the one who adapted to the battlefield situation and led the right-wing forces as vanguard into the enemy formation?”
Fan Changyu was in a sorry state. Her helmet had long since been lost, though the small bun atop her head remained intact. Her face was covered in blood and dust, with only her eyes still dark and piercing, like a fierce tiger descending from the mountains.
She was exhausted, leaning on her mo dao to stand steady. She was about to salute in response, but Tang Peiyi, noticing their group’s exhaustion, raised his hand to indicate it wasn’t necessary. He said, “The right-wing forces have rendered great service in this battle. Once it’s over, I’ll personally request commendations for you from General He!”
The weary soldiers behind Fan Changyu perked up at these words, their joy evident on their faces.
At that moment, a commotion erupted on the battlefield ahead. Through the mass of figures, Fan Changyu and her group couldn’t see what was happening, but Tang Peiyi, looking back from his horse, quickly grew serious. He ordered, “The rebels are trying to surround General He. Follow me to provide support!”
This time, with Tang Peiyi’s forces clearing the way, Fan Changyu and the right-wing troops followed behind, finally able to catch their breath.
Tang Peiyi led his cavalry to open a path through the rebels surrounding He Jingyuan’s five thousand troops, quickly creating an opening.
Fan Changyu then led the right-wing forces through this gap, engaging the rebel soldiers on both sides to widen it, making it easier for the Jizhou forces trapped in the formation to retreat if necessary.
This time, with Tang Peiyi, He Jingyuan, and other senior officers attracting the main rebel forces, they only needed to clear the surrounding foot soldiers, which was much easier than before.
However, Tang Peiyi’s cavalry formation suddenly became chaotic for unknown reasons, even allowing rebels attacking from both flanks to penetrate their ranks.
Fan Changyu and her group couldn’t help but look towards the center of the formation, but the mass of figures obscured their view.
Guo Baihu cursed, “Damn it, what’s happening up there?”
Someone on the rebel side shouted, “He Jingyuan is dead!”
As this cry spread, the rebels became instantly excited.
Among the Jizhou forces, both Tang Peiyi’s cavalry and the right-wing troops led by Fan Changyu showed momentary shock and dismay.
With He Jingyuan, the commander of this Chongzhou campaign, dead, how could they continue the battle?
Fan Changyu pressed her cracked lips together, glancing at the chaotic battlefield ahead. She turned to the surviving soldiers in her small squad and said, “Stay here to protect Baihu Guo. You don’t need to follow me anymore!”
With that, she charged towards the direction of the commotion on the battlefield.
Xie Zheng had once told her that He Jingyuan was an old friend of her parents.
She had been in Chongzhou for so long, staying dutifully in the military camp, never using Tao Taifu or Xie Zheng’s names to directly approach He Jingyuan with questions. She wanted to rise through the ranks on her merit, to be qualified to meet He Jingyuan and then ask about her parents.
She wanted to avenge her parents by her abilities, not relying too much on Tao Taifu and Xie Zheng in this matter.
Who would have thought that in this first major battle, while she was unharmed, the commander He Jingyuan would die?
Regardless, she wanted to fight her way to the front to see for herself.
Xie Wu followed her without a word. Some loyal soldiers who saw this also wanted to follow with their weapons, but they were stopped by Guo Baihu, who had just decapitated a rebel. His beard nearly askew with anger, he berated them, “Are your heads sitting too comfortably on your necks?”
One soldier, startled by the shout, began crying with snot and tears, “General He is dead. Squad Leader Fan must be going in to find him. I want to go in and retrieve General He’s body too.”
He Jingyuan was known for loving his people and soldiers like his own children and was greatly admired by both the military and civilians in Jizhou.
Hearing the sudden news of his death on the battlefield caused the lower-ranking soldiers to lose their composure.
Guo Baihu slapped the soldier’s face, cursing, “It’s not your place to play hero! Don’t you know your limits? Guard this gap for me!”
Fan Changyu fought her way forward, seizing a horse from the rebels to better observe the battle ahead.
She didn’t recognize He Jingyuan, but seeing Tang Peiyi engaged with a Chongzhou general, she spurred her horse towards them.
Tang Peiyi, turning his horse, spotted Fan Changyu and shouted, “Quickly, save General He back to camp!”
Hearing Tang Peiyi’s words, Fan Changyu felt greatly relieved.
He Jingyuan wasn’t dead!
The earlier news was likely spread by the rebels to disrupt their morale.
She scanned the area and saw a Jizhou officer who had fallen from his horse, struggling against rebel officers nearby. She quickly cut through rebel soldiers to reach him, shouting hoarsely, “Are you General He?”
The old general looked up. Even with his beard stained red from coughed-up blood and his face covered in gore, Fan Changyu immediately recognized him as the general who had previously instructed her in swordsmanship.
Her heart pounded, and many thoughts flashed through her mind, but given the dangers of the battlefield, she had to suppress them for now. She swung her mo dao, cutting a bloody path to the old general, and extended a hand, saying, “General, this subordinate will lead you out!”
He Jingyuan, having just cut down a rebel soldier, could barely stand, supporting himself with his long sword. He raised his tired, aged eyes to examine Fan Changyu, a faint look of satisfaction in them. “It’s you… cough cough cough…”
He covered his mouth as he coughed violently, and despite his efforts to conceal it, blood seeped through his fingers.
Fan Changyu realized He Jingyuan’s condition was likely dire. Her gaze lowered, and she saw an arrow with its tail cut off embedded in He Jingyuan’s chest armor, the surrounding area stained red with blood.
Seeing more rebel officers circling like hyenas, and He Jingyuan too severely wounded to wield his sword, she acted without hesitation. With a shout, she leaped from her horse and charged at them with her blade.
When Xie Wu arrived, Fan Changyu yelled at him, “Quickly, take General He away!”
He Jingyuan recognized Xie Wu and understood that his presence on the battlefield was likely due to Xie Zheng’s orders to protect Fan Changyu.
Perhaps sensing his impending doom, He Jingyuan thought of the entanglement between the Xie and Fan families in the previous generation. Watching Fan Changyu engage several Chongzhou officers to cover his retreat, he felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
Xie Wu helped He Jingyuan onto a horse. Fan Changyu fought while retreating, striving not to be trapped within the rebels’ encirclement.
Meanwhile, Tang Peiyi was finally overpowered by Prince Changxin, knocked from his horse by a staff blow. He rolled on the ground, barely avoiding the thrusting spears of the foot soldiers.
Seeing He Jingyuan being rescued, Prince Changxin spurred his horse in pursuit, shouting, “Where do you think you’re going, Wei family dog!”
He thrust out his lion-headed spear. Xie Wu tried to parry with his weapon but was forced to one knee by Prince Changxin’s strike, his kneecap sinking into the yellow earth. The back of his blade pressed against his shoulder, nearly drawing blood through his armor.
Xie Wu bit down so hard he tasted blood, his knuckles white as he gripped his sword hilt, yet he couldn’t raise the lion-headed spear resting on his blade even slightly.
Prince Changxin applied more force, causing Xie Wu to cough up blood, but he still didn’t let go, his eyes fixed on Prince Changxin.
Prince Changxin laughed heartily, “Good lad! For a mere foot soldier to have such skill, you’re truly wasted in Jizhou. How about coming to serve under me?”
Xie Wu spat viciously in response.
Prince Changxin’s expression turned cold. “You don’t know what’s good for you!” he barked.
As his lion-headed spear moved to take Xie Wu’s life, He Jingyuan, still on horseback, managed to deflect it with his spear.
He Jingyuan not only had an arrow wound but also severe internal injuries. The exertion caused him to cough uncontrollably, feeling as if his internal organs were about to shatter.
After blocking that single strike, he collapsed on his horse, coughing incessantly. He urged Xie Wu, “Don’t worry about me, save yourself!”
Prince Changxin sneered, “What are you afraid of? None of you will escape today!”
He swung his lion-headed spear in a wide arc, thrusting at Xie Wu again, but a black iron long sword suddenly extended to parry his weapon.
The force of the clash numbed Prince Changxin’s palm. He looked at the unexpected newcomer in surprise.
The opponent wore tattered Jizhou soldier’s armor, face covered in blood and dust. Though slight in build for a man, he stood there holding a long sword with an air of “one man guarding the pass, ten thousand unable to break through.”
Prince Changxin mused, “How strange. Today, these Jizhou foot soldiers seem to be getting more formidable one after another.”
Fan Changyu growled, “We foot soldiers are more than enough to kill a traitorous rebel like you!”
Her voice was extremely hoarse, sounding like that of a young man, which didn’t arouse Prince Changxin’s suspicions about her identity.
Prince Changxin sneered, “Arrogant brat! Taste my spear!”
He urged his horse forward, his lion-headed spear delivering a series of rapid thrusts. Fan Changyu parried and dodged, but this was her first time facing such a formidable general aside from Xie Zheng and He Jingyuan. Her opponent’s attacks were fierce and from tricky angles, leaving Fan Changyu in a particularly difficult position.
Seeing Fan Changyu at a disadvantage and knowing Prince Changxin’s ruthlessness, Xie Wu felt his heart burning with anxiety. When Tang Peiyi finally fought his way through the group of foot soldiers, Xie Wu told him to escort He Jingyuan to safety while he went to help Fan Changyu.
Tang Peiyi, concerned for both Fan Changyu and He Jingyuan’s condition, retreated with He Jingyuan to the Jizhou lines. Seeing He Jingyuan’s lips turning pale, he cursed, “That dog Prince Changxin! What kind of warrior attacks treacherously during a duel? If not for this arrow wound, you might not have been his match.”
He Jingyuan’s face turned ashen as he recalled the circumstances of his arrow wound.
While being hit by a stray arrow on the battlefield wasn’t uncommon, he had a sinking feeling about who had truly intended for him to die by Prince Changxin’s blade.
Was the Chancellor so eager to eliminate him because he feared He Jingyuan would reveal the truth about the Fan couple?
Was Wei Qilin truly innocent in the grain transport mishap from years ago?
He suddenly grasped Tang Peiyi’s hand and said with difficulty, “Go, bring that child out.”
Tang Peiyi was momentarily stunned, then guessed He Jingyuan was referring to Fan Changyu. He was also reluctant to let such a promising talent die at Prince Changxin’s hands, so he quickly said, “I’ll go help her right away. Sir, please return to camp for medical treatment first!”
Fan Changyu and Xie Wu fought together but still struggled greatly against Prince Changxin’s attacks.
Her swordsmanship had improved, but compared to a veteran like Prince Changxin who had fought on battlefields for decades, she was still too inexperienced. Moreover, her body was exhausted, and her attacks were much weaker than before.
Prince Changxin, recognizing her fighting style, looked at Fan Changyu and suddenly asked, “What is He Jingyuan to you?”
Fan Changyu, leaning on her mo dao and panting, shouted, “He is the commander of our Jizhou army!”
Prince Changxin sneered, “This swordsmanship was created jointly by the two Wei tiger generals, He Jingyuan and his sworn brother. His sworn brother passed away years ago, and now only He Jingyuan knows this style. How did a mere foot soldier receive his true teachings?”
Fan Changyu was stunned by these words.
This swordsmanship was taught to her by her father, and when He Jingyuan had instructed her that day, he was particularly familiar with it.
Could her father have been He Jingyuan’s sworn brother from years ago?
Before she could process this, Prince Changxin’s spear tip had already turned, and he charged straight at her on horseback: “Let this prince capture you and use you to negotiate with He Jingyuan while he still clings to life!”
Fan Changyu wasn’t foolish enough to meet this mounted attack head-on. As Xie Wu called out a warning, she had already dodged aside.
Just then, Tang Peiyi returned on horseback to assist them. As he engaged Prince Changxin, Fan Changyu, taking advantage of her mo dao’s length, swung at Prince Changxin’s horse’s hind legs.
The warhorse stumbled sideways. Prince Changxin planted his spear tip on the ground and leaped up, avoiding a fall. He landed and assumed an attacking stance, his tiger-like eyes fierce and imposing.
Tang Peiyi’s charge having failed, he turned his horse around and roared, “Rebel, surrender your life!”
However, in the moment of close combat, Prince Changxin imitated Fan Changyu’s earlier move, turning to make a stabbing thrust that wounded Tang Peiyi’s mount.
The injured horse panicked and bolted across the battlefield. Tang Peiyi hurriedly abandoned his mount, jumping down and rolling several times to dissipate the force of his fall.
By this point in the battle, Fan Changyu and Xie Wu were not only exhausted but also covered in various wounds. Xie Wu, in particular, had suffered internal injuries when blocking Prince Changxin’s earlier attack and was now barely holding on.
Fan Changyu understood that even if she and Tang Peiyi joined forces, they were no match for Prince Changxin.
She was utterly exhausted, barely able to swing her mo dao. If this continued, Prince Changxin would surely overpower them.
Her gaze fell on a Chongzhou officer riding to assist Prince Changxin. She suddenly charged at him.
The officer, noticing Fan Changyu’s intent, quickly thrust his spear at her, but she grabbed the spear shaft and pulled him from his horse. Fan Changyu clung to the saddle with one hand and, as the horse galloped, swung herself onto its back. Taking advantage of Prince Changxin’s focus on Tang Peiyi, she swung her blade at him.
Prince Changxin barely dodged and tried to pursue Fan Changyu, but his two legs couldn’t match the horse’s four. Tang Peiyi, catching Fan Changyu’s eye signal, also quickly retreated.
As other Chongzhou officers arrived to assist, Prince Changxin seized a horse and gave chase.
Fan Changyu lay flat on her horse’s back, not engaging in combat, merely leading Prince Changxin on a chase.
She was panting harder than the galloping warhorse beneath her, trying to lead Prince Changxin in circles to regain some strength before fighting again.
Prince Changxin seemed to realize her intention and took up the great bow from his saddle, nocking a white-feathered arrow and shooting at Fan Changyu.
Feeling the arrow whiz past her scalp, Fan Changyu truly felt she might lose her life here today and could only try to keep her body as low as possible.
Unable to hit her, Prince Changxin turned to shoot at Fan Changyu’s horse.
When an arrow struck the horse’s leg, it neighed in pain and collapsed. Fan Changyu was thrown to the ground, her mo dao falling nearby. She could only gasp for breath, seemingly without the strength to resist further.
Prince Changxin pressed his lion-headed spear against Fan Changyu’s neck. Not seeing an Adam’s apple, he frowned deeply: “A woman?”
Fan Changyu, her face showing extreme fatigue, remained silent.
He thrust his spear tip through Fan Changyu’s chest armor from below her ribs, seemingly intending to lift her onto his horse.
However, as he grabbed Fan Changyu’s collar to hang her upside down on his saddle, she suddenly attacked. She drew the boning knife hidden under her arm guard and plunged it into Prince Changxin’s unarmored armpit.
Thanks to her butchering experience, she knew exactly where the bones, fascia, and cartilage were located in the armpit.
That knife went into the hilt without encountering any resistance.
“You…” Prince Changxin looked at his sleeve, instantly soaked with blood, then back at Fan Changyu, almost speechless.
He tightly pressed his lips against the blood surging in his throat and drew a short sword to stab at Fan Changyu’s neck.
Fan Changyu’s chest armor was still impaled on Prince Changxin’s lion-headed spear, leaving her unable to dodge. She could only grab the sharp blade with her bare hands, gripping tightly to prevent Prince Changxin from pressing it down towards her neck.
It became a desperate gamble – would Prince Changxin die first from the knife in his side, or would she lose her grip due to exhaustion and pain, dying by his sword?
Fan Changyu’s vision was blurring from the intense pain and blood loss. Sweat streamed down her temples. Just as she was about to lose her grip, Prince Changxin suddenly shuddered, and the blood he had been holding back in his throat spurted out.
A white-feathered arrow had pierced through his chest, its triangular arrowhead even breaking through his mountain-patterned armor in the front, revealing a bloody tip.
As Prince Changxin fell from his horse, Fan Changyu, her chest armor still impaled on his lion-headed spear and her hands in agony from the sword cuts, couldn’t free herself in time and was pulled down with him.
In that moment of falling, she caught sight of the archer on horseback in the distance.
The man had a fierce scar running from his nose bridge across his left cheek, his right eye covered, as if the scar extended up to his right eye.
Fan Changyu recognized him – he was the one who had saved her when she had nearly drowned in the icy lake at the hands of mountain bandits.
As she fell, the man was already spurring his horse towards her. Though the battlefield was filled with fighting, everything around seemed to freeze, with only the dust kicked up by his galloping horse visible.
A blade flashed across her chest armor, the lion-headed spear fell to the ground, and she was swept up onto horseback.
As her back pressed against the man’s chest, Fan Changyu called out his name: “Yan Zheng?”
But she didn’t hear his response. As she smelled his familiar scent, the tension in Fan Changyu’s mind relaxed, and she fainted from exhaustion and blood loss.
So she didn’t know how tightly he held her, his arms even trembling slightly-
Fan Changyu woke up two days later.
It wasn’t that her injuries were particularly severe; she was simply exhausted.
When she opened her eyes and found herself in her military tent, she let out a big sigh of relief. She tried to get up but was shocked to find her entire body aching, and both her hands wrapped up like zongzi.
She took a shallow breath, recalling the person she had seen before losing consciousness, unsure if it had been real or a hallucination.
She habitually called out, “Xiao Wu?”
Hearing no response, she remembered that Xie Wu had also been injured by Prince Changxin on the battlefield and was probably still recovering in the wounded soldiers’ tent.
She tried to slowly get up, supporting herself with her hands wrapped like two balls, when the tent flap was lifted.
Xie Wu entered, carrying a steaming bowl of medicine: “Did Squad Leader call for me? I was just outside brewing medicine for you.”
Fan Changyu quickly asked, “How are your injuries?”
Xie Wu replied, “Just some minor wounds, they’re almost healed.”
His voice was the same as before, but his entire demeanor seemed much more subdued, making Fan Changyu feel something was off.
She looked at him curiously, noticing he seemed to have grown taller.
Fan Changyu asked, puzzled, “Xiao Wu, how old are you this year?”
Xie Wu answered, “Seventeen.”
Fan Changyu nodded in sudden realization: “No wonder you look much taller than before. You’re still growing.”
She extended her hands, wrapped like two balls, to take the medicine bowl from Xie Wu. He hesitated and said, “Squad Leader’s hands are injured. Let me feed you the medicine.”
Fan Changyu gave him an even stranger look.
Xie Wu lowered his eyes and explained, “The military doctor said Squad Leader’s meridians in both hands were injured. Without proper care, it might be difficult to wield weapons in the future.”
Fan Changyu looked at her tightly wrapped hands, “I didn’t realize my injuries were so severe.”
Her tone showed no particular concern. She only asked, “How are the casualties in our squad?”
Xie Wu replied, “Thirteen were killed in action, seventeen were severely wounded, and the rest have minor injuries.”
Sensing that Fan Changyu, being new to the military, might not be familiar with typical battle casualties, he added, “Total annihilation of the vanguard is common. Having over half survive is fortunate. Squad Leader need not blame herself too much.”
Despite these words, Fan Changyu’s heart grew heavy. She said, “When the military compensation comes, send it along with my reward money to their families.”
Xie Wu looked at Fan Changyu and said, “Squad Leader killed Prince Changxin, achieving the greatest merit in this battle. The reward should be at least a thousand taels.”
Fan Changyu was stunned: “I killed him?”
Xie Wu nodded.
Fan Changyu carefully recalled the events before she lost consciousness. She remembered stabbing Prince Changxin, but it was Xie Zheng who had finished him off with an arrow.
She frowned and asked Xie Wu, “Didn’t he… come to the camp? I remember seeing him on the battlefield. He shot Prince Changxin with an arrow and saved me.”
Xie Wu’s eyes were unexpectedly somber, as dark as the depths of an ocean that hadn’t seen sunlight for millennia. He said, “The Grand Tutor was ambushed on his way to the capital and has disappeared. The Marquis, worried about the Grand Tutor’s safety, has gone to investigate those who abducted him. He hasn’t been in Chongzhou.”
Hearing this, Fan Changyu’s face immediately changed: “Foster Father!”
In her agitation, she tried to get up but fell back due to her aching muscles. Xie Wu quickly supported her, noticing the teeth marks on his index finger, and instantly withdrew his hand.
Fan Changyu, her mind occupied with too many concerns, didn’t notice Xie Wu’s momentary oddness. She muttered to herself, “Why did Foster Father suddenly go to the capital when he was fine here?”
Thinking of Prince Changxin’s death, she said with certainty, “I only stabbed Prince Changxin in the armpit. That arrow in his body wasn’t shot by me. Someone helped me, a scarred man with one eye…”
She wanted to say that person should have been Xie Zheng.
Xie Wu interrupted her, saying, “When General Tang and I caught up, Squad Leader had fallen from the horse, still gripping a broken arrow. It was undoubtedly the Squad Leader who killed Prince Changxin. Could Squad Leader be having nightmares from the battlefield?”
Hearing this, Fan Changyu’s face showed a moment of confusion.
Could it be that she had been unclear-minded and remembered wrongly? Had she stabbed Prince Changxin with an arrow herself but subconsciously believed she had been rescued?
While she was still in a daze, someone approached from outside the tent, asking gruffly, “Is Squad Leader Fan staying here?”
Xie Wu lifted the tent flap and replied, “Yes, may I ask why this brother is looking for our Squad Leader?”
The person said, “General He has summoned Squad Leader Fan.”