Once war began, it was like wild grass on the wasteland—catch a single spark, let the wind blow, and it would spread overwhelming across the sky, displaying a momentum that could set the entire prairie ablaze.
The war drums of a winter night’s cold darkness rang fierce as thunder!
They startled the Tartars from their dreams of preparation. Spears and sharp blades, swords staining blood into the frozen earth—when that pale dawn sun scattered its rays across the land, they reflected片 after 片 of stark crimson color.
The light cavalry advanced most swiftly. Crossbowmen concealed among the light infantry, protected by both flanks, sent waves of arrows raining down like the sky itself before the Tartar soldiers could even approach, shooting down countless cavalry and war horses in their formation.
Men tumbled from horses, horses neighed and collapsed to the ground.
Those coming after were either entangled by them, unable to avoid in time and crashing head-on, or reacted quickly, adjusting their formation toward both sides—yet inevitably, like an ant colony, they were scattered by this. The originally orderly formation was almost immediately torn open through the middle.
Yan Lin stood at the height of his war chariot observing, making swift decisions. He commanded the drummers to change the drum pattern, altering the military orders. The cavalry set out from both flanks, immediately encircling the enemy’s strike formation. The heavy infantry wielding swords and shields thrust like a long spear through the opponent’s already torn weak point. The archers’ arrows no longer flew in all directions but instead simultaneously provided cover for the heavy infantry advancing into the enemy formation!
For this attack on the Tartars, most of the selected troop types were fast-moving units. Combined with Yan Lin’s decisive, unhesitating commands, the sudden changes truly caught the Tartar side completely off guard.
By the time the opposing commanders realized this, it was already too late—
A section of four to five thousand men on the Tartar formation’s right flank watched helplessly as they were forcibly cut off in the encirclement by light cavalry and the thrust of heavy infantry, separated from the main army!
And Great Qian’s light infantry had long been waiting for them!
Shouts of battle suddenly arose!
With only four to five thousand men falling into heavy encirclement, even struggling with all their might and fighting endlessly, how could they withstand Great Qian’s advantages in numbers and troop types? Moreover, falling into enemy encirclement naturally caused panic. When fierce attacks came, it made the entire group collapse into disarray!
All victorious battles begin from an initial small advantage—seizing the opportunity and pushing forward like a rolling snowball.
Inch by inch, foot by foot.
Under circumstances of attacking the unprepared with preparation, the young general displayed astonishing composure and decisiveness, not slackening even slightly due to his existing advantages, not even greedily advancing recklessly.
Losing four to five thousand men in the first engagement was already a tremendous loss for the Tartars.
Though their formation changed several times afterward, they still couldn’t deliver a devastating blow to their opponents.
If at this point they still wanted to engage in a momentary bloody contest with Great Qian, it would undoubtedly mean fighting with reckless abandon, disregarding the overall situation. Therefore, after launching one swift charge, the Tartar side immediately sounded the gongs to withdraw troops, ordering all soldiers to retreat and defend their border fortresses.
Many of Great Qian’s commanders were extremely excited, almost able to see military merit before their eyes, imagining how they would be promoted and ennobled after trampling the Tartars flat. They immediately strongly recommended that Yan Lin pursue the victory, beat the drowning dog, and extinguish the Tartars’ arrogance in one decisive blow, letting them know that Great Qian was still that Great Qian, and Great Qian’s iron cavalry was what they should fear.
Who could have expected that Yan Lin would completely ignore this?
After several orders went out, without the slightest attachment to battle, he directly commanded the troops to withdraw and return to camp!
In the army, some inevitably voiced criticisms.
However, with victory before them, even if they had criticisms, they couldn’t obstruct Yan Lin’s suddenly surging prestige and momentum in the military. Moreover, the military provisions had long since been replaced with Lu Xian’s people, who obeyed Yan Lin’s every word. Others had no authority to speak or give orders at all.
Without provisions, what could they fight with?
Even if their bellies held a thousand or ten thousand grievances, they could only endure, gritting their teeth and swallowing them down. During council meetings in camp, they still had to bow their heads and listen submissively to this young commander!
The first battle, a surprise raid, passed as quickly as lightning.
The following days pushed this tactic to its extreme—constantly sending troops to harass, yet never pressing forward with the full army, but rather like an eagle hunting, pecking bit by bit at the opponent’s flesh and blood, again and again weakening their strength.
At the same time, urgently pressing for continued training of the remaining forces in camp.
The most painful thing is cutting meat with a dull knife.
After only three encounters, the Tartar side had already seen through their opponent’s intentions. By the fourth time, reinforcements came from the royal court—a full forty thousand soldiers gathered at the border pass, planning to deliver a crushing blow when Great Qian’s light cavalry tried the same trick again, ensuring their opponents would have no return!
However, when the day of battle truly arrived, what appeared before them was a frenzied tide of fifty thousand troops!
Among these fifty thousand, light cavalry occupied only a minority. Most were heavy cavalry, heavy crossbowmen, and heavy infantry!
Armored cavalry and iron horses, indestructible!
The moment battle was joined, they were like a massive black iron war chariot, with overwhelming momentum, grinding like a meat grinder over the Tartar battle formation, destroying their carefully laid plans!
The Tartar side could scarcely believe that Wang Cheng, the commander from Xinzhou, had become so formidable at leading troops in battle.
They successively sent three waves of scouts to investigate.
The first two waves met with complete defeat. Only the third wave managed to barely bring back news—
Where was there any Wang Cheng in the Xinzhou army?
The commander who had beaten them into scattered retreat and continuous withdrawal was surnamed Yan, given name Lin, with the single character “Hui”!
He had already arrived at his post a month ago and beheaded Wang Cheng with his blade, using the old commander’s fresh blood to complete his control over military authority, then with the fastest speed pushed forward to today’s bone-chilling battle!
The war had only proceeded for ten days, yet the Tartar side already felt they couldn’t bear it.
Even though Yanda flew into thunderous rage, he couldn’t single-handedly reverse this defeat that had been at a disadvantage from the very start. On the eleventh day, he sent an envoy to Yan Lin with a peace treaty, and in his words even mentioned that the princess was with child, about to give birth to bloodline of both nations, reproaching that the war should not continue.
Yan Lin cut down the envoy with his sword and sent the head back to the Tartar royal tent.
The so-called wolfish ambition cannot be eliminated in a single day.
If you want those with evil intentions to cease their mischief, relying solely on words and a paper treaty is truly insufficient. Only by severing their claws and fangs, extracting their sinews and bones, beating them until they hate, until they fear, until they have no strength left to fight back—only then can one obtain a day of peace!
Therefore, in what followed, he continued to attack without error!
Not only did he continue, he attacked even more fiercely than before!
Military morale is forged in battle.
All the way bloodied, all the way in battle, their momentum like a rainbow, sweeping away the previous state of defeat!
On the twenty-second of the eleventh month, Great Qian’s army, powerful as a yellow dragon, struck directly at the Tartar royal court. With troops at the city walls, Yan Lin’s war horse stopped before the royal tent. His three-foot blue blade reflected his young face as he spoke only one sentence to the Tartar royalty trembling all over the ground: “I, Yan, came here only to welcome the Princess back to court. After welcoming the Princess back, my army will leave. Please, everyone, do not panic.”
What a fine “only to welcome the Princess back to court”!
Hearing this in Tartar ears, it was simply like smiling while slapping their faces!
The opposing army had killed their way from within the Yan Gate Pass, captured their cities, killed their soldiers, and even the toppled royal banners were trampled by blood-stained iron hooves!
Slapping your face swollen again and again, then smiling and saying to you—
We just wanted to come pick up a person.
How utterly effortless it seemed, how coldly arrogant!
The border war raged intensely, troops breaking through like splitting bamboo—with such tremendous commotion, naturally the news couldn’t be suppressed. On the very day that Yan Lin led his army to flatten the Tartar royal court, news from the border, after experiencing countless obstacles, finally arrived in the capital amid ten thousand anxious hearts, passed through the countless palace gates of the Forbidden City, and reached the Emperor’s sleeping chambers.
At this time, it was still deep night.
The bronze water clock dripped steadily, sandalwood incense thick.
Xiao Shu hadn’t slept deeply. After serving Shen Lang with the Five Minerals Powder, though she also lay down on the dragon bed, she would wake at the slightest disturbance from outside.
The palace had heated floors, warm and cozy.
She rose wearing a thin robe like gauze, brushing aside the magnificent pearl curtain. Her distant mountain eyebrows lightly furrowed. Beyond her former bright and graceful elegance, she now possessed the dignified bearing that only a favored consort could have. Even now with her languid appearance, who in the six palaces didn’t know her methods? All who saw her bowed their heads.
Outside stood Zheng Bao.
Wang Xinyi had gradually aged over these years, and many matters were handed over to this disciple. Quick-handed and sharp-minded, he had obtained Wang Xinyi’s true teachings, deeply understanding the Emperor’s preferences, and thus gradually gained imperial favor.
However, Xiao Shu had never particularly cared for these eunuchs.
Fearing to disturb Shen Lang, she stepped outside before asking: “What’s the matter outside?”
Zheng Bao bowed: “Reporting to Your Highness, urgent report from the border.”
Xiao Shu’s eyebrows shot up: “Urgent report?”
After Zheng Bao quietly relayed the news from outside, her entire complexion changed. She turned abruptly and woke Shen Lang on the dragon bed.
Within a quarter hour, urgent imperial edicts were transmitted to the residences of all major ministers.
In the quiet night of the capital, suddenly there were sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking everywhere. Wealthy households and noble residences lit up brilliantly. One sedan chair after another, one carriage after another, converged toward the palace from all directions.
Shen Lang almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing: “Yan Lin raised troops, then where is Teacher Xie?”
The messenger trembled with fear: “According to reports, when Teacher Xie arrived at Xinzhou, that traitor had already falsely used imperial edicts to control military authority, sending people to restrain the Grand Mentor and keep strict watch over him. However, however…”
A vicious aura floated across Shen Lang’s face: “However what?”
The messenger immediately kowtowed vigorously: “However, there are also rumors among the people saying that Grand Tutor Xie harbors evil intentions, and after arriving at Xinzhou, he actually helped the traitor reorganize military affairs and also developed rebellious thoughts!”
“How dare you!”
Shen Lang had been taking Five Minerals Powder for nearly two years. The medicinal power from his earlier dose was at its peak, just when restless agitation was surging. Hearing these words, he felt a rush of blood surge to the top of his head, instantly reddening his eyes. He grabbed the inkstone from the table and hurled it down!
The finest Duan inkstone was extremely heavy.
The messenger was struck on the forehead, blood flowing profusely. The pain nearly caused him to faint, yet he didn’t dare wipe it even once, continuously kneeling and begging for mercy.
Quite a few court officials who had received urgent summons and rushed over, seeing this scene, hardly dared step into the hall.
One after another, they all knelt outside the hall.
Shen Lang’s gloomy voice, carrying thunderous fury, rolled out from the dark hall: “The national treasury hasn’t moved, the Ministry of Finance hasn’t acted. Since ancient times, when three armies go to war, the key lies in troops and provisions! Even if he has wolfish ambitions and holds military power, any campaign requires the entire nation’s resources to prepare. How could he gather enough money and grain in a short time to attack the Tartars?! Could it be that everyone in the Ministry of Finance is dead, able to deceive me right under my nose?!”
All the ministers had just heard the news of border chaos and hadn’t even organized their thoughts yet.
Originally, everyone had felt that with Xie Wei going, everything would naturally be handled properly.
Who could have imagined that even this current Imperial Tutor might now be helping the tyrant do evil, perhaps even being the true mastermind behind it all!
Hearing the Emperor’s interrogation at this moment, how would they dare speak out?
Inside and outside the great hall, instantly there was complete silence.
Shen Lang truly grew angrier the more he looked, wishing he could issue an order to drag these wine sacks and rice bags out and behead them all!
Xiao Shu had already donned her palace attire.
She stood quietly to the side watching for a long time. Seeing that the ministers made no sound, cold light couldn’t help but flash in her eyes. After considering for a moment, she actually spoke softly: “Your Majesty, the Yan traitor raising troops at the border yet first attacking the Tartars—this action is rather strange and doesn’t follow common sense. In this concubine’s humble opinion, there is still room for negotiation. As for the provisions needed for troops and horses, that is the most critical matter.”
Shen Lang’s voice was icy: “You have ideas then?”
Xiao Shu immediately prostrated herself on the ground, making herself display an attitude of absolute submission.
However, the words she spoke were rarely so clear: “Without provisions, the army cannot move. If we can investigate where the traitor’s money and grain for raising troops came from and cut off his foundation, then we can achieve the strategy of pulling firewood from under the cauldron. This concubine remembers there is one person who may know something.”
All the ministers looked at her in surprise.
Even Shen Lang couldn’t help but be shocked: “Who?”
Xiao Shu raised her eyes and declared decisively: “The Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhou Yinzhi!”
From the day that Yan Lin led his army to attack the Tartars, Jiang Xuening went outside the city to look every day. Day after day hearing reports of successive victories, yet for so long without news of Shen Zhiyi, when startled awake from dreams at night, she couldn’t help but always see that coffin escorted back by soldiers from her previous life.
That torturous waiting was like begging fate’s guillotine not to fall.
Living a second life, she had saved You Fangying, changed Yan Lin’s fate, even changed the trajectory of her own life—why couldn’t she now save Shen Zhiyi?
She had reason to harbor sufficient hope.
Day after day, she opened that box containing soil from the old homeland, looking at it again and again.
Finally, a swift horse carrying reports from the front line came galloping on a moonlit night after snow. The soldier, weary all over yet unable to conceal his excitement, crossed the gate and came before her room, using his hoarse voice to report to her: “Miss Ning the Second, by order of the General, the Tartar royal court has been broken, Her Highness the Princess is safe and sound. Tomorrow morning she will arrive at Yan Gate Pass. Please go there to welcome her!”
In that moment, Jiang Xuening rose abruptly, nearly overturning that box.
At the corner of the border city tower, moonlight illuminated silver snow, bright as day.
Xie Wei’s carriage waited quietly outside the city gate.
He sat inside the carriage, yet for some reason removed the blade from his wrist to examine it carefully. After a while, he asked: “She hasn’t come yet?”