The Southern Bank of the Nanping River.

Tang Pidi stood at a high vantage point, looking back toward the south. Prince Wu’s forces were not pressing the pursuit too aggressively — they simply trailed behind at a distance.

Tang Pidi could roughly surmise that Prince Wu harbored doubts and did not dare rashly engage again.

In this battle, though Prince Wu had routed Luo Jing’s forces and the Anyang Army could be counted as entirely annihilated, the sudden appearance of the Ning Army had forced Prince Wu to proceed with caution.

Because the Anyang Army had been entirely destroyed in this engagement, Prince Wu’s Chu Army had also suffered losses that were far from trivial.

In warfare of this scale, once the killing began, the casualties were not measured in mere thousands — not even in mere tens of thousands.

What was more, the Anyang Army had not been entirely slaughtered; much of it had simply scattered and fled.

More critically, Prince Wu knew nothing about the Ning Army — not its troop strength, not its commanding general. He would not take reckless risks.

“If you had given me the cavalry when I asked, I might well have been able to kill that old scoundrel.”

Luo Jing said this with some frustration.

Tang Pidi shook his head but offered no reply.

Luo Jing looked over at Tang Pidi. After a brief silence, he let out a long sigh. “Even if we couldn’t kill that old scoundrel, you could at least have let me take troops to recover Luo Zhijie’s body.”

Tang Pidi said, “Better to wait until we can kill Prince Wu with our own hands and take proper revenge.”

Luo Jing looked at Tang Pidi again. On the face of this composed young man, Luo Jing could detect not the slightest flicker of emotion.

“Do you not want to defeat Yang Jiju?”

Luo Jing said, “The Central Plains — whoever defeats that old scoundrel becomes the new God of War.”

Tang Pidi said, “Defeating someone takes many forms. This particular form is not what I want — and moreover, it is not certain we could even achieve it.”

“If I had led my forces into the fray at that moment, it would have been a mutual destruction scenario… so I would not have issued that order.”

Luo Jing said no more, but he found Tang Pidi excessively composed — composed to the point of seeming cold and unfeeling.

Yet on reflection, had Tang Pidi not come to his rescue, never mind being unable to recover Luo Zhijie’s body — even Luo Jing himself would have been buried on that battlefield.

“If I were alone, I might have ridden out with you and charged straight ahead.”

Tang Pidi spoke standing beside Luo Jing.

“But I am not. The Ning Army forces I command represent years of Li Chi’s painstaking effort — they are Jizhou’s shield. If I squander these troops here, Li Chi’s years of work go up in smoke, and Jizhou will fall into another’s hands.”

Tang Pidi gazed into the distance, where the Chu Army banners were dimly visible.

“You know how Prince Wu conducts warfare. So do I.”

Tang Pidi said, “If we both suffer severe losses, his ability to regroup will certainly be faster than ours.”

Luo Jing exhaled softly. “I know everything you’re saying is right. I simply…”

Tang Pidi said, “I understand your feelings as well.”

The two men looked at each other, and both fell silent.

Perhaps it was because Prince Wu could not gauge the full measure of the Ning Army, or perhaps because he observed that the Ning Army’s guard was rigorous and its movements disciplined.

In any case, Prince Wu did not attack while the Ning Army crossed the river — a remarkably restrained choice.

In truth, this was the most rational decision available. He understood nothing about his enemy, and he was in close proximity to Anyang City. Prince Wu would not gamble recklessly.

Even knowing, as he did, that the forces inside Anyang City were unlikely to send reinforcements to Luo Jing.

The Ning Army withdrew north of the Nanping River and arrived outside Anyang City.

Luo Jing said he would go knock the city gates open. Tang Pidi shook his head and said it would be pointless.

Luo Jing didn’t believe him, and led his men to the city gates, standing outside and shouting. He raged and cursed, demanding that the gates be opened.

The garrison soldiers on the city wall paid him no mind whatsoever, and no one moved to open the gates.

Shortly after, several officials ascended the wall and urged Luo Jing to leave, threatening to loose arrows at him if he refused.

Luo Jing raged, “You contemptible wretches — I am Anyang’s master, I gave you wealth and status, and now you dare block me from entering my own city! Are you not afraid that when I force my way in, I will exterminate your entire households?!”

From the wall, one official sneered back, “Pfah! You are nothing but a shameless thief who seized Anyang by trickery! We are officials of the court — reclaiming Anyang is an act of righteousness! If you wish to attack the city, come and attack!”

The air of righteous indignation he now displayed was utterly unrecognizable compared to the fawning obsequiousness he had shown in Luo Jing’s presence — like two completely different people.

Luo Jing was furious beyond measure. Thinking back on what Tang Pidi had told him beforehand only made his rage burn hotter.

Tang Pidi had told him: these civil officials who remained behind the walls were mostly local men from Anyang or from Yuzhou. A large portion of them took their cues from the Cao family, and the Cao family only held such sway because of Prince Wu. If you win this battle and return in triumph, naturally nothing will stand in your way — but if you suffer defeat, those men will bar the gates against you.

The fact that Tang Pidi had foreseen all of this made Luo Jing’s inner turmoil burn all the fiercer.

He returned to his troops in a foul temper. Tang Pidi, seeing his expression, could sense exactly how bitter Luo Jing felt.

“They are nothing but petty, contemptible opportunists. What great waves can they possibly stir?”

Tang Pidi said, “Although I did not agree to an attack on the Left Martial Guards earlier, if you now say the word to attack Anyang, I will immediately issue the order to storm the city.”

Luo Jing shook his head and sighed. “Forget it. If you attack the city, that old scoundrel Yang Jiju will strike you from behind. You’d be caught between two forces and would inevitably end up defeated.”

He let out a long breath and said, “It is all as heaven wills it.”

But what did any of this have to do with heaven’s will?

He had been in Anyang such a short time. Those officials, those noble families and powerful clans — how could they ever have been truly loyal to him?

When Gao Zhen had sent someone back to seek reinforcements, even he had anticipated this outcome — which was precisely why he had not dared let the returning messengers disclose that Luo Jing had been defeated. If no one had gone back to seek aid, Luo Jing might have been trapped and besieged to death; even if those officials still harbored some fear of Luo Jing, what good would that be? Yet the moment someone did go back, those men would immediately deduce that Luo Jing had suffered defeat.

They had always acted according to the Cao family’s wishes. Before Luo Jing came to Anyang, they were all lackeys of the Cao family. Now that Luo Jing had returned in defeat, if they had the means, they would not merely refuse to open the gates — they might well have sallied out to take Luo Jing’s head.

“Let us go.”

Luo Jing looked at Tang Pidi and said, “I may be furious, but I have not lost my mind entirely. This place — I will come back to raze it one day.”

Tang Pidi said, “Come back to Jizhou with me first. After Li Chi returns from the northwest, we will arrange to hand Youzhou back over to you.”

Luo Jing froze.

He looked at Tang Pidi, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“Li Chi and you — you will truly return Youzhou to me?”

“Truly.”

Tang Pidi said, “Youzhou is yours. You may return whenever you wish. So long as you live, you are Youzhou’s master.”

Luo Jing stood there, and for a moment found himself with nothing to say.

—

**On the southern bank of the river.**

Prince Wu Yang Jiju sat astride his warhorse, peering northward through his field telescope.

He spoke with some regret: “This battle, though we nearly annihilated Luo Jing’s forces and Anyang City has been reclaimed — the fact that Luo Jing himself escaped turns what would have been a great victory into a merely modest one.”

He continued staring northward and said, “That young man with the surname Tang — I have never heard of him before. Yet looking at the army he commands, I see disciplined movement and seamless coordination. And he himself possesses the martial ability to charge into the heart of ten thousand men… This man worries me even more than Luo Jing ever did.”

A subordinate laughed and said, “Jizhou’s forces are nothing but a band of brigands and rabble. These troops are probably all their elite soldiers combined — quite possibly just a detachment from what used to be Zeng Ling’s Jizhou Army.”

Prince Wu shook his head. “Find out this man’s name for me. By whatever means necessary. I have an ill feeling… This man may one day become a deep-seated threat to the imperial court.”

—

**At the same time, northwest of Jizhou, Dingxian County.**

Li Chi stood on the city wall looking out into the distance, his mind wholly occupied with how to truly resolve the popular unrest sweeping the northwest.

The common people placed their faith in the heretical cult because their hearts held no reverence, no true belief.

Destroying the cult was not the difficult part. The genuine challenge was giving the people something worthy of reverence and faith.

“Prince Ning.”

Just then, Cheng Wujie came up behind Li Chi.

Li Chi turned to look at him. “Old Cheng, what is it?”

Cheng Wujie bowed and said, “Your Highness, I wish to request your permission to do something.”

Li Chi looked him over and shook his head. “If you’re thinking of going over to the enemy camp to persuade your childhood friend, then forget it. He would never listen to you — in fact, he might well want to kill you.”

“That’s impossible!”

Cheng Wujie said with confidence, “He and I are the closest of friends, we grew up together from childhood. As long as I go to persuade him…”

Before he could finish, Li Chi said, “The world is changing, and so are people’s hearts. Old Cheng, your closest friend is no longer the man he once was.”

“He was once your fellow villager. Now he is a general in an enemy army. If you go to persuade him, he will see it as you standing in the way of his ambitions.”

Li Chi said, “I have already instructed Liu Ge and Dantai to do their best to spare your friend when next they engage the enemy forces in battle.”

“Your Highness, that is not what I mean.”

Cheng Wujie shook his head and said, “I am a rough and reckless man, impulsive by nature. But I am not someone who fails to distinguish right from wrong. Right now, two armies stand opposed, and he and I each serve different masters. Even as friends, we should not let that friendship interfere on the battlefield. But, Your Highness — I wish to try to persuade him. To persuade him to abandon the dark path and come over to our side, to serve Your Highness alongside me.”

Cheng Wujie said, “He is truly a formidable man — ten times, a hundred times more capable than I am.”

Li Chi still refused to give his consent.

Cheng Wujie had no choice but to descend from the city wall.

Back at his quarters, Cheng Wujie sat there brooding.

Xiao Liu said to him, “Boss, if you really want to go see Ekema, the two of us will go with you. Let’s sneak out tonight.”

Xiao Jiu gave a sly grin and said, “That fellow was closer to the both of us than anyone when we were all back in the village. Why would he ever chase us away?”

Cheng Wujie said, “Of course he wouldn’t. The care he showed you two back in the village was far greater than anything I ever gave you.”

Xiao Liu said, “Prince Ning is worried about you going because it might be dangerous. If we don’t tell Prince Ning, there’s nothing he can do.”

Xiao Jiu laughed and said, “Prince Ning doesn’t know how close we are to Ekema, which is why he’s worried.”

Cheng Wujie nodded. “Fine then. Tonight we sneak out. If we can persuade Ekema to come over to our side and serve Prince Ning together with us, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

That very night, the three of them quietly slipped out of the army camp — but had barely left the county seat before Liu Ge showed up with his men to block their path.

Liu Ge looked at the three of them with a grin. “His Highness knew the three of you would try to sneak away in the night. I’ve been waiting here for quite some time.”

Liu Ge smiled and said, “Head back. Prince Ning’s orders: under no circumstances are any of you to be allowed to go over to the enemy camp.”

Cheng Wujie and the others pleaded with Liu Ge to let them pass, trying every possible argument. Liu Ge naturally refused to be moved.

Cheng Wujie swore that he only wanted to go and try to reason with Ekema — whether it worked or not, they would return promptly.

Liu Ge told them plainly: Ekema was no longer the same familiar village friend they had known. The man’s temperament had turned cold and hard as iron, and there was no certainty he would even treat them as friends when they arrived.

With no way to get through, they had no choice but to return to the county seat.

But when dawn broke the following morning, the three of them managed to blend into a water-fetching party heading out of the city, slipped past the sentries Liu Ge had posted, and quietly made their way out.

The water-fetching party reached the riverbank, and the three of them quietly lowered themselves into the water.

Having grown up along the shores of Xiaoxian Lake, they were all strong swimmers. They slipped beneath the surface and swam out a distance before crossing the river.

The three of them reached the far bank and hid themselves in the reed beds for quite a while before daring to come out.

Xiao Liu watched the Ning Army’s water-fetching party head back to camp, then chuckled to himself and said, “They thought they could stop us — heh, as if it would be that easy.”

Xiao Jiu said, “Let’s be quick about this and get back fast. Maybe His Highness and the others won’t even know we were gone.”

Heads high with self-satisfaction, the three of them left the riverbank and made their way toward the enemy camp.

—