Qing Xia saw that everyone had arrived. Her eyes swept over each person one by one, her gaze appearing lazy yet containing an indescribable sharpness. She set down the white jade button in her hand, cleared her throat, and said in a deep voice, “I just received news that Yan Hui has already accepted the northern Xiongnu. Now, the Xiongnu army has entered Xichuan territory and formed a united front with the Xichuan Yan family army.”

“What?” The military camp immediately erupted in commotion. These people had commanded troops for years and naturally understood what this meant. Lu Zhongyong remained relatively composed, frowning as he said, “I don’t know through what channels the Grand Governor received this news. Why hasn’t this subordinate gotten wind of it at all?”

Qing Xia naturally had her own intelligence channels, but if she directly revealed her relationship with Zhu Yuanqing, people would likely follow the trail and guess her identity. So she said, “When His Majesty left, he entrusted the secret network to me, which is why my information arrives faster than yours.”

An old general, about fifty years old with graying hair and beard, said, “The Xiongnu people are brutal. How could Yan Hui allow them into Xichuan? Isn’t this digging his own grave?”

Another military officer agreed, “General Bai is right. Though Yan Hui acts erratically, he’s not so brainless. Grand Governor, could there be an error in your intelligence?”

Qing Xia said solemnly, “I dare stake my life and fortune that the intelligence is absolutely accurate.”

Lu Zhongyong pondered for a long while, murmuring, “But even if the Xiongnu enter the pass, Grand Governor wouldn’t need to summon everyone here in the dead of night in such panic. The first to bear the brunt should be the Qin people. Could it be that this Xiongnu move is disadvantageous to our Great Chu?”

Qing Xia smiled slightly, shaking her head mysteriously, “You don’t understand Yan Hui. He never makes losing deals. The Xiongnu border with Great Qin. What difference is there between having the Xiongnu outside the pass restraining North Qin’s military forces, and having them enter the pass to confront North Qin at the Xichuan border? Since he’s letting the Xiongnu enter the pass, he absolutely has ulterior motives. Has everyone figured out what scheme he’s plotting?”

Everyone pondered silently. After a long while, a younger general in his early thirties with refined features and scholarly bearing changed color, “Could it be that he wants to use the Xiongnu’s hands against our Great Chu?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire gathering was shocked. Qing Xia nodded, “Exactly so. Yan Hui must have promised to restrain Great Qin in the north, then give our southeast to the Xiongnu as pastureland. He’s letting these simple-minded barbarians come take our Great Chu’s beautiful rivers and mountains.”

“How outrageous!”

The generals flew into a rage, cursing Yan Hui as worthless and a despicable villain. Some commanders even demanded to lead troops to decisive battle with the Xiongnu. Lu Zhongyong snorted coldly, “Everyone calm down and listen to the Grand Governor’s instructions.”

Only now did no one dare underestimate her. Qing Xia cleared her throat, “Between Xichuan and our Great Chu, there will inevitably be a battle sooner or later. Yan Hui must have seen this point, which is why he let the Xiongnu enter the pass – to strike first. The Xiongnu come with great momentum. The first to bear the brunt will be the Western Black Grasslands. I predict they will first assault Hanchao City, because the Xiongnu cavalry is fierce and valiant, while other places have mountains, marshes, and pools where horses cannot run. Moreover, His Majesty’s return route to the capital must pass through Western Black. This is currently the most urgent matter.”

“The Governor is right,” the scholarly general said. “At His Majesty’s traveling speed, even if we march urgently now, it would be difficult to catch up. And even if we did catch up, this battle would be unavoidable. Even if we won, we’d suffer heavy casualties and would hardly be able to interfere in Xichuan affairs again. Yan Hui must have calculated precisely this point.”

“Right, so we need to think of a way to avoid this battle.”

“Could it be,” General Bai said, “Could it be we should pursue His Majesty back? Or detour around Western Black and return by boat?”

Qing Xia shook her head, “Setting aside whether His Majesty would agree to such cowardly retreat, and what effect it would have on our army’s morale, just consider – if we did this, would we just allow the Xiongnu to drive straight in and reach our nation’s doorstep? If so, what difference would there be between resisting enemies at Hanchao City versus killing enemies at Western Black?”

“Then what should we do?” a bearded general shouted. “This won’t work, that won’t work. What if His Majesty really encounters the Xiongnu head-on?”

“Don’t worry yet, everyone. Since the Governor has come here, she must have excellent strategies to repel the enemy,” Lu Zhongyong said heavily, then turned to look at Qing Xia, his expression calm and revealing nothing.

Qing Xia smiled slightly and nodded, “I indeed have a plan to repel the enemy, but I don’t know if our Great Chu has brave warriors.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the bearded general stood up and shouted loudly, “I fear heaven and earth, but I don’t fear death! Governor, whatever brilliant plan you have, just speak it!”

Qing Xia smiled, “General, don’t speak too absolutely. Le Song, bring up the map.”

A huge map was immediately presented and spread in the central command tent. Qing Xia stood up and walked forward. The many generals all crowded around, waiting for Qing Xia to speak.

This was a map of the outer desert grasslands, drawn in great detail. Even the current army didn’t possess such a map. Lu Zhongyong looked at the rivers and tribes marked on it and couldn’t help but marvel, “I don’t know who drew this map. If it’s accurate, this is truly a treasure worth a thousand gold pieces.”

Qing Xia laughed, “I once lived in the great desert for several years. This is what I drew from memory – there won’t be any errors.” She pointed to the patterns on the map and said slowly, “The Xiongnu people are brutal, with strong combat effectiveness, fierce and difficult to train – every one is an elite soldier. But their grassland rear has no cities or fortresses, no walls for protection. When the great army goes to war, the desert grasslands are full of old, weak, women, and children with virtually no combat capability. I now have a strategy of removing the ladder and drawing salary from under the cauldron, but I don’t know if anyone has this kind of courage.”

“Grand Governor!” the bearded general shouted, “This subordinate Huang Biao is willing to go!”

The light-armored scholarly general also said, “This subordinate Du Guokai is willing to go!”

Subsequently, more than ten other generals expressed their willingness. Qing Xia nodded and smiled, “Since so many generals are interested, I’ll explain a bit for everyone to consider together. This mission is neither difficult nor simple – it mainly depends on everyone’s courage, perseverance, and ruthlessness.”

“I want a light force of only three thousand cavalry. I will give you no supplies – no grain, no war horses, no arrows, and certainly no reinforcements. In the desert, you will be isolated and helpless. To survive, you must learn the Xiongnu survival methods – burn, kill, and plunder, sustaining war through war. My requirement is that you forget you are soldiers and completely consider yourselves bandits. Don’t focus on killing – aim entirely at destruction. Burn their tribes, steal their grain, eat their cattle and sheep, destroy their grasslands, sweeping across the northern lands like wolf packs and locusts.”

“But don’t kill people. Just lead those old, weak, women and children to the Xichuan border, begging Yan Hui for charity of grain and relief for the northern Xiongnu people. On my side, I’ll spread news everywhere of the Xiongnu grasslands being plundered. I want the northern lands to have people starving to death, with plague running rampant. I want Yan Hui to destroy his own gates with no solution, and the Xiongnu to lose heart for battle and develop grudges with Xichuan, with half leaving before even reaching Western Black.”

“Only this way can we resolve our dynasty’s predicament. Which general dares to go?”

Everyone listened in stunned silence, all staring with wide eyes in disbelief at the handsome-faced Grand Governor who looked quite young. To think of such a method that injured heaven and harmony – no wonder she could leap to the position of Southeast Provincial Governor. Those generals who had previously shown her cold faces couldn’t help but feel their spines chill, unconsciously wanting to touch their necks. To think of such an extinction-level strategy – everyone couldn’t help but sigh that this person was truly a scoundrel among scholars, a bandit in the military camp, a rogue among civil officials.

Huang Biao suddenly laughed loudly, “Grand Governor, let me go! I guarantee I can rob those barbarians clean.”

Qing Xia smiled, “I heard that before General Huang pledged loyalty to His Majesty, he was a forest hero who ruled the mountains. Presumably returning to your old profession this time, you won’t disappoint me either.”

“Sir, I’m also willing to go together,” Du Guokai also said.

Qing Xia nodded, “Master Du has a Hanlin background and is steady in character. With you two going, half of the Western Black crisis is already resolved. I’ve already arranged ships. Tomorrow I’ll secretly send you north by water route. Tonight’s matters – everyone must control your mouths. Once news leaks out, not only will you gentlemen lose your heads, but Southern Chu’s century-long foundation will be destroyed in one day. Everyone must remember this in your hearts.”

“Yes!” All the generals immediately shouted loudly, “We respectfully follow the Grand Governor’s orders!”

In their voices, there was no longer any of the previous casualness, but instead full respect and conviction.

The next morning, under the supervision of Grand Governor Xia Qing, twenty huge ships secretly departed northward. On the surface they were salt transport teams, but they were filled with Southern Chu’s most elite light cavalry troops.

A earth-shaking conspiracy was secretly brewing, with winds and rain from all directions gradually gathering toward that land beyond the pass. Many historians of later generations liked to consider this battle the beginning of the Southern Chu Great Emperor’s first northern expedition. Though quite controversial, no one could deny that from this day forward, Southern Chu began actively preparing for war against the Xiongnu. Their reach extended very far, leaping over North Qin, leaping over Xichuan, directly inserting into the northern grasslands. Rivers flowed backward, blood mixed with mud, and Chu cavalry like locusts were about to gallop across the northern grasslands.

In the small bamboo grove, the young man in moon-white robes had a calm expression. On a huge map, he crossed out the northern Xiongnu with one stroke, then raised his hand and drew a circle with vermillion brush over Japan in the East Sea.

In the seventh month when osmanthus bloomed fragrantly, during the transition from spring to summer, the coast was warm with spring light shining everywhere. Among the contending birds, tourists wandered endlessly. On Mount Shuye, spring grass grew luxuriantly with fallen petals scattered everywhere – what a scene of natural beauty with lakes and mountains. The newly risen Great Chu noble, the current first-rank court official Grand Governor Xia Qing wore white robes with impressive bearing, golden dragon threads, noble character and outstanding temperament. Standing in the Floating Cloud Pavilion, she conversed and laughed naturally, responded fluently, was broadly learned and knowledgeable, conducted herself appropriately, spoke and acted generously, and was courteous and proper. She possessed both the noble elegance of a great family’s young master and the humble politeness of a commoner, without arrogance, without debauchery, without petty airs, and without haughty colors – truly perfect in demeanor with graceful bearing. Those nearby with marriageable daughters looked on with full admiration, while those without daughters envied her tremendously.