On the grasslands.

Lu Zhuo led thirty thousand Shenwu Army troops and fifty thousand Yucheng Imperial Guards in successfully annihilating a Wuda military unit, killing over twenty thousand enemies and forcing that Wuda division to flee in embarrassment.

As evening approached, Lu Zhuo led his men to set up camp.

“This battle was exhilarating! General Lu’s foresight is divine – truly a hero emerges from youth!” Vice General Zheng of the Yucheng army brought over a wine jar, saying in a booming voice.

“Thanks to the General’s familiarity with the grassland terrain, our combined forces have been able to continuously defeat the enemy,” Lu Zhuo said modestly.

Vice General Zheng liked Lu Zhuo’s temperament – capable in battle yet not arrogant about his achievements, very humble toward local generals like them. Unlike Han Liao of the Longxiang Army, whose eyes practically reached the sky. This time, when Yucheng Imperial Guards combined with two of the four armies, Vice General Zheng was most grateful to have followed Lu Zhuo.

Vice General Zheng poured wine for Lu Zhuo.

When wine filled the bottom of a bowl, Lu Zhuo pressed down on the wine jar and smiled: “Light drinking is sufficient. Wuda cavalry excels at guerrilla tactics and might launch night raids at any time.”

Vice General Zheng nodded repeatedly: “Right, right, right. General Lu is still most thoughtful.”

Lu Zhuo clinked bowls with him and drank the bottom of the bowl of strong liquor, then continued observing the topographical map hanging in the main tent.

He and Han Liao each led eighty thousand troops, advancing into Wuda via two routes, agreeing to combine forces at Tingfeng Ridge in three days. Marquis Xiting, Yucheng’s main general Qin Min, and his cousin led eighty thousand troops as rear support. Lu Zhuo was wary of Marquis Xiting, but Qin Min was utterly loyal to the court. With his cousin by his side, Lu Zhuo had no worries about his rear.

Vice General Zheng walked to his side and said while looking at the map: “These Wuda people are wolves. No matter how many times we defeat them, we can’t tame them. Only by destroying them can we eliminate their wolfish ambitions.”

Lu Zhuo didn’t respond.

Although Emperor Yuanjia had ordered them to destroy Wuda, Wuda couldn’t be eliminated. Even if they captured Wuda’s capital, the Wuda tribes could quickly mount their warhorses, drive their cattle and sheep, and continue migrating north. The court forces couldn’t pursue endlessly, and once the court withdrew troops, the Wuda tribes could immediately return.

This was a pack of wolves – they couldn’t be eliminated, only repeatedly crushed in spirit to prevent them from easily venturing south.

At the same moment, Han Liao’s eighty thousand troops were also setting up camp.

When night fell, a ghostly shadow suddenly left Han Liao’s main camp quietly, arriving undetected at the Wuda main camp across the river.

The Wuda general, leading the army, looked at the secret message delivered by the black-clothed man and sneered: “Why should I believe this isn’t a trap you’ve set?”

The black-clothed man, face covered, said in a sinister voice: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend. If Wuda can’t be destroyed, even destroying it brings no benefit to our general. If this plan succeeds, our general loses an enemy, and you lose a major threat blocking your southern advance. Why not?”

The Wuda general said, “Aren’t you afraid that after the Shenwu Army falls, when Wuda cavalry advances south in the future, your general will also face national destruction?”

The black-clothed man laughed: “That depends on whether you have that capability.”

Two days later, Lu Zhuo and Vice General Zheng had just finished intercepting a small Wuda unit and were about to depart for Tingfeng Ridge when a Shenwu Army messenger suddenly rushed over urgently. Before his horse even stopped, the messenger tumbled down embarrassingly and crawled on his knees before Lu Zhuo, presenting a letter with both hands while gasping: “Your Lordship, two hours ago, the Second Young Master led men to scout enemy positions but unfortunately encountered a Wuda army ambush. All five thousand Shenwu Army troops were forced into Iron Scorpion Ridge. That Wuda force has sixty thousand troops and occupies advantageous terrain. The Marquis and General Qin led troops attempting a rescue, but couldn’t break through Wuda’s blockade. The Second Young Master is trapped in the encirclement, his life or death currently unknown!”

Lu Zhuo’s expression changed dramatically as he shouted sternly: “Didn’t I tell him to stay close to the main army and not act without authorization?”

The messenger wept bitterly: “This subordinate doesn’t know. This subordinate remained at the main camp, only…”

He also didn’t know why the Second Young Master had suddenly decided to personally scout enemy positions. By the time he learned of it, the Second Young Master had already departed. He didn’t even know what Your Lordship had instructed the Second Young Master.

Lu Zhuo’s chest heaved, but getting angry now was useless. He immediately ordered his eighty thousand troops to follow him to Iron Scorpion Ridge.

Iron Scorpion Ridge was a narrow, elongated mountain range. The southern side of the ridge split into two winding mountain chains like pincers, enclosing a valley. After entering the valley and heading north, the mountain path grew increasingly narrow, only wide enough for two or three people to walk side by side. From a distance, it looked like it merged into a single narrow mountain range shaped like a scorpion’s body, hence the name Iron Scorpion Ridge.

At this moment, sixty thousand Wuda troops were divided into three routes. Five thousand troops guarded the narrow northern entrance of Iron Scorpion Ridge, occupying the natural barrier where one man could hold off ten thousand, cooperating with arrow formations to easily block the ten thousand troops Marquis Xiting had sent to break through.

Wuda then split off ten thousand more troops to enter the valley and hunt down Lu Ya’s five thousand Shenwu Army troops, while positioning forty-five thousand troops outside the valley. With the elite nature of the Wuda cavalry, they matched the seventy thousand troops of Marquis Xiting and others.

Both sides had reinforcements – it depended on which one arrived first.

Hoofbeats thundered and sand flew as Lu Zhuo’s eighty thousand troops and Wuda’s seventy thousand reinforcements arrived almost simultaneously.

Both armies immediately engaged in bloody battle at Iron Scorpion Ridge.

Leaving the overall situation to Vice General Zheng, Lu Zhuo personally led twenty thousand Shenwu Army troops charging toward the Wuda army guarding Iron Scorpion Ridge’s southern entrance.

The Shenwu Army all wore crimson armor, like a fire dragon rushing forward. The Wuda army was prepared – previously, they had formed an iron barrel formation, but now they deliberately opened a passage, letting the Shenwu Army enter.

Seeing this, Qin Min’s eyes blazed with fury as he shouted to Lu Zhuo at the front: “Your Lordship, come back! Don’t fall into their trap!”

How could Lu Zhuo not know this was a Wuda trap?

The Lu family’s Shenwu Army and Wuda had long-standing grievances. If Wuda forces could annihilate the Shenwu Army, it would boost morale more than defeating two hundred thousand other troops.

But trapped inside was his cousin, Lu Zhuo couldn’t stand by and watch him die.

Moreover, the court forces had a numerical advantage. With Qin Min and Vice General Zheng present, Marquis Xiting wouldn’t dare play tricks. When the time came, with their Shenwu Army inside and Yucheng army outside, attacking from within and without, there might be no chance of survival.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Zhuo had already penetrated deep into Iron Scorpion Ridge.

Lu Ya’s five thousand Shenwu Army troops had been reduced to just over eight hundred men. Lu Ya’s warhorse had also been shot down long ago. The eight hundred men clustered together, each one covered in blood from fighting.

Seeing the crimson force charging in, seeing his elder brother at the front, Lu Ya’s eyes welled with tears, filled with regret.

He prided himself on being steady. Among the seven cousin brothers in the family, not counting the young Sixth and Seventh, he was only inferior to his elder brother. Third, Fourth, and Fifth all respected him. But on the battlefield, especially this time fighting Wuda, his elder brother took all the dangerous tasks upon himself, only having him follow the main army at the rear. Lu Ya knew his elder brother wanted to protect him, but he also wanted to achieve merit and establish his reputation as Lu Ya.

Lu Ya had never thought of competing with his elder brother for the next generation leadership of the Shenwu Army – the Lu family brothers wouldn’t fight internally. But he couldn’t always hide under his elder brother’s protection. He wanted to become like his deceased father, his uncle’s right-hand man. He wanted outsiders to see that the Lu family men were all heroes, not just his elder brother.

Because of this deep-seated pride, today he had been easily manipulated, ignoring the objections of his confidants and General Qin to seize the task of scouting enemy positions.

Unexpectedly, this time he encountered the main Wuda army and was forced into such a perilous situation.

“Elder brother, I…”

“Save your words for when we return. First, follow me out.” Lu Zhuo pulled Lu Ya onto his horse’s back and immediately turned around to begin fighting.

However, as they were trapped in the valley, the Wuda forces blocked them several times their numbers.

Lu Zhuo looked back toward the depths of the mountain path, suddenly jumped down from Fei Mo, seized an ownerless horse, and after mounting, pointed to the mountain path behind: “There are fewer people in the rear. You take five thousand troops and charge out from behind.”

The rear path was too narrow – if everyone charged through together, their speed would slow dramatically. Then Wuda could easily redeploy troops to the rear for blockade. Only by having Lu Zhuo lead the main Shenwu Army force fighting from the front could he buy time for Lu Ya.

“I won’t leave. I’ll stay here. Elder brother retreat from the rear!” Lu Ya said with red eyes.

Lu Zhuo laughed at him: “If you stay, neither of us brothers will get out.”

Lu Ya was startled, tears suddenly rolling down.

Lu Zhuo blocked an arrow and swept his spear across Lu Ya’s back, urging: “Go quickly. There are still twenty thousand Shenwu Army troops outside – bring them all back.”

Lu Ya wept like rain.

Lu Zhuo looked toward Fei Mo and suddenly whistled.

Fei Mo reared on his front legs and let out a mournful cry, seeming unwilling to leave. Lu Zhuo suddenly lashed Fei Mo with his whip, and only then did Fei Mo carry Lu Ya toward the narrow mountain path.

Lu Zhuo selected five thousand troops to follow, then continued leading men charging forward.

The two armies were locked in a stalemate, fighting for a full day. As evening approached, someone suddenly shouted from within Iron Scorpion Ridge: “Lu Zhuo is dead!”

Outside Iron Scorpion Ridge, the Shenwu Army troops, who had been fighting most desperately and were reduced to just over ten thousand, all shuddered upon hearing this, then fought even more fiercely.

In this battle, both the court forces and the Wuda cavalry suffered heavy losses. Marquis Xiting led his men in desperate fighting to rescue Lu Zhuo. Now hearing that Lu Zhuo was dead, Marquis Xiting suddenly clutched his chest and spat out blood, crying to the heavens: “Brother Lu, I have no face to meet you!”

After speaking, Marquis Xiting’s eyes went black, and he fell from his horse.

With the main general unconscious, the Han family’s Longxiang Army fell into chaos.

Seeing this, Qin Min had no choice but to order the army to withdraw.

The Yucheng army and Longxiang Army quickly regrouped, but those ten thousand-plus Shenwu Army soldiers still charged inward like madmen.

Qin Min personally rushed back and shouted at those ten thousand-plus soldiers: “Lu Zhuo is dead! If you stay, you’ll only bring glory to Wuda. If you have guts, follow me back and someday we’ll wash Wuda’s capital in blood!”

No one listened to him.

Vice General Zheng, more familiar with the Shenwu Army, also roared: “Charge ahead! The more of you who die here, the weaker the Shenwu Army’s reputation becomes. If you want to make the Shenwu Army a laughingstock, go ahead and charge in! Make your general restless even as a ghost!”

The wind scattered his voice, carrying it to those Shenwu Army soldiers’ ears.

At this point, those ten thousand-plus Shenwu Army soldiers finally regained their reason. Each unwillingly took one last look at Iron Scorpion Ridge before beginning to withdraw with the main army.

The court had suffered defeat on the grasslands, and news first reached the border towns.

Wei Rao had just arrived in Yucheng with her five hundred household soldiers and had only been settled for two nights when the entire city spread the word the next day, saying the Shenwu Army was trapped at Iron Scorpion Ridge and both Lu Zhuo and Lu Ya brothers had died in battle.

Zhao Bai was the first to hear the rumors. He had people conceal it from the Princess first while he went to find Yucheng’s garrison commander to inquire about the news, but received confirmation there. Marquis Xiting and others were still camped on the grasslands but had already sent someone to deliver a memorial to the palace.

Zhao Bai’s tiger eyes filled with tears. Riding his horse, he nearly fell several times, returning to Wei Rao’s rented residence in a daze.

“Princess, I just inquired about the news. His Lordship and Second Master were trapped at Iron Scorpion Ridge yesterday, unable to break through, and both sacrificed…”

Wei Rao stood on the steps, watching Zhao Bai become increasingly incoherent, watching Zhao Bai’s hot tears hitting the stone slabs, feeling only a roaring in her mind.

Sacrificed…

Dead?

Lu Zhuo was dead?

Wei Rao didn’t believe it.

He was Lu Zhuo – he could block even two hundred fifty thousand Western Qiang troops. Would he fear the divided Wuda cavalry? He had fifty thousand Shenwu Army troops plus Yucheng army support. Even if he couldn’t destroy Wuda as a nation, he couldn’t die so easily.

Her fingertip swept across the corner of her eye. Wei Rao returned to her room. Shortly after, she emerged in riding attire and walked straight outside, as if she hadn’t seen Zhao Bai and the others.

“Princess, Princess, don’t be like this.” Zhao Bai knelt and blocked Wei Rao’s path.

Wei Rao didn’t want to look at him because, with Zhao Bai kneeling, she would have to lower her head to see him, and if she lowered her head, she wouldn’t be able to control those tears.

“Battlefield situations change rapidly. What you heard might be false news spread by Wuda to disrupt our army’s morale.”

“What does the Princess want to do?”

“Go to the grasslands, go see His Lordship.”

Fearing she would distract Lu Zhuo, Wei Rao had always chosen to stay in border cities, waiting for him. Now, Wei Rao didn’t want to wait anymore.

It was Lu Zhuo who first disrupted her heart, so why should she still listen to his words and obediently wait for him?

She insisted on going. If he were alive, Wei Rao would accompany him in fighting Wuda. If he were dead, Wei Rao would accompany him home.