Southern front.

General Xuanwei Zhou Qing and Zhang Mi led their forces, breaking through two ambush points along the way in bloody battles, finally marching to Hengshan Commandery.

Counting from the day they set out with their troops, including the march and delays from combat, more than twenty days had passed.

Upon reaching this point, though Zhou Qing was eager to press forward and wished he could sprout wings to fly to Maple Leaf City, considering the terrain—even without his deputy Zhang Mi’s reminder—this Great Wei fierce general, who had always been renowned for his tremendous strength and valor, became cautious and dared not be careless.

Hengshan Commandery was named for its topography. Traveling north along the road, two mountains stood horizontally across the path, with a valley more than ten miles long between them.

To reach the Eight Tribes, within a radius of several hundred miles, this valley was the only passable route.

On this day, at dawn, when sunlight slanted down from above the valley, even the darkest gorges and corners within became bright. Yet under such sunlight, in a wilderness at the end of this valley, a brutal slaughter was unfolding.

This was the third battle fought in this location within two days. Wei and Di soldiers were once again locked in deadly combat.

This was also the third encounter between Great Wei’s General Xuanwei Zhou Qing and the Di Kingdom’s butcher Qin Long—a clash between two fierce generals.

Yesterday, just as Zhou Qing had previously anticipated, Di forces totaling approximately ten thousand had set up an interception here, occupying that broad fan-shaped area outside the valley mouth, firmly blocking the Wei army that was about to exit the valley within this narrow passage at the valley entrance.

Zhou Qing had to get his main force out of the valley mouth quickly. Otherwise, constrained by the terrain, each organized breakout attempt couldn’t deploy its full power. The soldiers were like ants trapped in a narrow-necked bottle—unable to all emerge from the bottle mouth at once, let alone form effective battle formations. The most likely outcome would be that each wave that charged out would be devoured by the Di army lying in wait.

The two charge attempts yesterday had both been repelled with significant casualties, totaling several hundred men. If this disadvantageous situation couldn’t be broken quickly, even if the army of tens of thousands behind him could eventually escape, he couldn’t afford the time.

Zhou Qing had understood this terrain beforehand. His original plan was to use his rare battlefield charging ability to kill into the enemy ranks and slay their leader. Once the enemy leader was dead, the rest would be simple.

In fact, on this march, the previous two obstacles encountered had been resolved exactly this way.

But what Zhou Qing hadn’t expected was that this time, the one commanding the opposing forces was Qin Long himself.

After yesterday’s encounter and two exchanges, Zhou Qing knew that this Di fierce general known as the butcher was indeed not gaining his reputation in vain.

It was said that the only defeat in this man’s entire life was years ago, after he had taken Yan Commandery from Jin hands, when he rode the momentum of victory to attack Wei’s Yanmen. Unexpectedly careless in battle, he was unhorsed by Jiang Zuwang and nearly lost his life. Except for that one time, this man had been invincible.

Zhou Qing was quite confident in his martial prowess. Under the Grand General’s command, he was among the top figures. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rashly volunteered for this mission that day.

But after encountering this Di general, he had to admit that his opponent was indeed the strongest adversary he had faced to date.

After a night’s rest, at this moment, Zhou Qing charged into battle for the third time. His hand gripped tightly the lance he used as a weapon, heading toward his target ahead.

His opponent wore black chainmail heavy armor, with a lance identical to his own across his chest. His neck was thick and powerful, eyes flashing with cruel light. This Di man was like a fierce beast mounted on horseback, charging through the ranks, slicing through like cutting vegetables, consecutively felling several Wei soldiers who rushed to meet him.

This man was Qin Long—Zhou Qing’s target, who must be slain in today’s battle. Also, his only target.

When he first saw this man appear here yesterday, his heart had jumped with alarm. But not from fear of his opponent.

What frightened him was why Qin Long, as the Di army’s commanding general, would appear here at this moment.

His first thought was whether Maple Leaf City had already fallen.

But his deputy Zhang Mi said it shouldn’t have come to that yet. At least, before Qin Long left Maple Leaf City, the city hadn’t fallen.

Zhang Mi analyzed that if the city had already fallen, Qin Long wouldn’t need to station excessive forces around Maple Leaf City anymore. Since he came here to intercept them, whatever his reasons, he would certainly bring the main force. Then the forces blocking them here shouldn’t be merely these ten thousand-plus Di troops—the numbers should at least match theirs.

Moreover, among these ten thousand-plus men, not one came from the Eight Tribes. This showed that this force should be the ambush troops originally waiting here.

In yesterday’s two probing charge battles, though Wei casualties were significant, the enemy hadn’t gained much advantage either. Having surrendered, foreign soldiers charged ahead was the Di people’s usual practice. This further indicated that the main force attacking Maple Leaf City should still be there. Since the main force remained, the city presumably hadn’t been breached either.

Zhang Mi’s analysis somewhat reassured Zhou Qing.

As a general who valued honor more than life, he would rather die in battle than suffer disgrace. He had volunteered for this mission himself—if in the end his army couldn’t even reach Maple Leaf City and was slaughtered halfway, what face would he have to meet the Grand General again?

Since he had encountered the Di army’s general early on this narrow path, any maneuvering or tactical flexibility was meaningless.

The only solution was to spare no cost and carve a bloody path forward for the army behind him.

In today’s battle, he would prepare to perish together with his enemy, swearing to strike down Qin Long. Once successful, the Di army would certainly lose formation. He ordered Zhang Mi to seize the opportunity to organize a charge—no matter what, they must break through the formation and continue toward Maple Leaf City.

Zhou Qing and Qin Long, who were also spurring their horses toward him, drew closer and closer.

Just when the distance between their horses’ heads was mere inches, both men raised their lances simultaneously, thrusting toward each other. In a flash of exchange as their mounts crossed, when one round was about to end, Zhou Qing deliberately showed an opening, exposing a gap before his body.

Qin Long immediately raised his lance, thrusting toward his opponent.

With Qin Long’s eyesight and experience, how could he not see that this was the Wei general’s lure? But he felt no fear whatsoever.

The initiative, whether at Maple Leaf City or here, was completely in his hands.

Yesterday’s two battles with this martially superior Wei general had completely aroused the hatred for the Wei people in his heart.

In his expectation, as he thrust toward his opponent’s abdomen, the Wei general would certainly raise his lance diagonally to block. At the moment their lances crossed, that should be when his opponent intended to scheme against him.

His entire body was already tense, eyes fixed intently on the Wei general opposite him. Even the slightest twitch of his opponent’s eyelid wouldn’t escape his notice. He would deliver a fatal blow before his opponent could attempt any scheme against him.

But Qin Long hadn’t expected that the Wei general wouldn’t use his lance to block horizontally. His opponent sat on horseback as if blind to the attack, actually allowing his lance point to pierce through his armor, penetrate his abdomen, and emerge from his back.

Qin Long’s eyes showed bewilderment. He paused, understanding in a flash.

At the same moment his lance point pierced through the Wei general’s body, he saw his opponent had already raised the lance in his hand, striking down toward his head.

He quickly dodged sideways while leaning backward. Though this desperate move barely saved his head, the lance blade scraped down along his face.

This lance strike, concentrated with Zhou Qing’s lifetime of power, first sliced away a piece of Qin Long’s facial skin, then struck his right chest.

As both men’s war horses moved at high speed simultaneously, the lance edge finally separated. But Qin Long’s iron armor was immediately split open, and all the protective iron rings on his chest broke.

When this round ended and both war horses stopped, the two combatants had instantly become bloody figures.

One had his abdomen pierced through, with a section of intestine faintly visible through his shattered armor.

The other was covered in blood like a demon, with a long, deep vertical gash torn open across his chest and several ribs severed.

But the difference was that Zhou Qing’s expression remained fierce and savage. Without a moment’s hesitation, he immediately spurred his horse again, charging toward Qin Long. Opposite him, Qin Long, who bore the title of butcher, showed incredulous surprise and pain in his eyes. He pressed the wound on his chest that was gushing copious amounts of blood, slowly straightening up, as if momentarily uncertain whether to continue fighting or temporarily avoid this maddened Wei general.

Zhou Qing had already spurred his horse close and thrust toward him again. Protected by a squad of personal guards who rushed to the scene, Qin Long dodged while retreating. Zhou Qing’s death warriors also quickly charged up behind him.

The two groups fell into a chaotic battle.

Just then, from the direction of the Di army’s rear camp outside the valley mouth, an officer came galloping at full speed, shouting continuously at Qin Long.

With the sounds of slaughter filling his ears, Zhou Qing couldn’t understand the Di language and didn’t know what the man was saying. But seeing Qin Long’s expression change drastically, seeming shocked and furious, he suddenly coughed up blood, then, as if completely resolved, he hastily departed under the protection of his men.

Zhou Qing, already battle-mad and fighting to the death, refused to let this end. He alone spurred his horse to pursue, but was stopped by his deputy Zhang Mi, who caught up from behind: “General! Don’t pursue further! It seems to be good news! They’re retreating!”

Zhou Qing held his lance, stopped on horseback, breathing heavily, and looked around in confusion. Indeed, he saw banners moving behind the enemy camp ahead, with officers on horseback rapidly moving around the position, using whistles to emit sharp calls.

Soon, except for nearby Di soldiers still unable to extricate themselves from combat, the rest retreated one after another. Like a receding tide, the wilderness outside the valley mouth gradually returned to emptiness, finally leaving only the dead and wounded scattered across the ground along with broken armor, arrows, and torn banners.

Zhou Qing slowly came to his senses, murmuring: “What’s happening—” Before he finished speaking, his vision darkened, and he toppled headfirst from his horse.

He regained consciousness that same day, finding himself lying in a cart with his abdomen bandaged. The army had already exited the valley and was continuing toward Maple Leaf City.

Zhang Mi, knowing he had awakened, immediately came to tell him news that shocked him greatly.

Naturally, it was good news.

Zhang Mi said that shortly after Qin Long’s retreat during the day, they too had received news from Maple Leaf City, finally understanding why Qin Long had departed so hastily.

General Changning had led a cavalry force, penetrating deep into Youzhou territory from the north like divine soldiers descending from heaven, reaching Maple Leaf City in less than half a month and joining forces with the Xiao father and son inside the city to break the siege.

Subsequently, the Zhongshan and Ziqiu tribes among the Eight Tribes, who had originally been wavering, learned of Great Wei’s relief efforts and voluntarily returned with provisions and troops.

General Changning and the others remained stationed in Maple Leaf City to guard against another Di army assault.

Finally, they awaited this southern relief force’s arrival, after which all sides would join together for combined operations.

The northern front’s actions required strict secrecy. Only learning of it now, Zhang Mi’s mood still carried excitement, and he couldn’t help sighing: “Truly unexpected! Changning’s troop movements this time were extraordinary—she truly has the Grand General’s style from years past! I won’t hide it from you—previously, when she retook Qingmu Plain, I was somewhat unconvinced, thinking she was young and reckless, just lucky to succeed in the end. Today I’m convinced. Not to mention her courage and combat ability, just this march route alone is enough to make me bow in admiration.”

Zhang Mi spoke from the heart, sighing for a while. Seeing Zhou Qing lying there initially silent, then slowly closing his eyes, thinking his injuries were severe and he was exhausted, he said no more, instructing his guards to care well for General Xuanwei while continuing to lead the troops forward.

The remaining stretch of road passed without incident.

There was one absurd thing, though—that Di force that had fought them at the valley mouth days ago was also marching day and night in the vicinity. Sometimes the two armies were only five or six miles apart. Standing on high ground, they could even see each other’s banners, yet they paid no attention to each other, just keeping their heads down and going their separate ways. Thus, in mid-August, this southern relief force arrived at Maple Leaf City on the final day of the month General Jiang Zuwang had specified, and the two sides met.

The Great He King was overjoyed, welcoming them into the city. Learning that Zhou Qing’s abdominal wound was serious, he arranged for his treatment and recovery.

By this time, the previously scattered forces had regrouped but dared not act rashly or approach, temporarily camping in border areas two hundred miles from Maple Leaf City. Qin Long had also returned there.

For half a month until early September, the Di camp showed no movement—neither retreating nor making any new moves.

Jiang Hanyuan speculated that after suffering such a major setback, Qin Long might be recovering from wounds while awaiting orders from the Southern Prince’s Manor. Naturally, they couldn’t rule out the possibility of the enemy launching new attacks at any time.

The two sides now appeared evenly matched in terms of forces, but the Di camp had Youzhou behind it with potential reinforcements at any time. Meanwhile, provisions remained tight at Maple Leaf City. The Xiao father and son had been busy with this matter daily. The enemy’s temporary inactivity was exactly what they hoped for.

On this day, Jiang Hanyuan personally led a team of men out of the city, patrolling the surrounding area on horseback, returning at dusk. After entering the city, she was about to visit the still-recovering Zhou Jing when she suddenly saw Yang Hu hurrying over with a smile, reporting that the southern army’s supply convoy had finally arrived, bringing a batch of provisions.

Though not large in quantity, even a fly’s leg was still meat—better than nothing.

“Also, they said they caught a suspicious youth following them on the road. He looked terrible, like a beggar. They initially thought he was a spy and wanted to kill him, but the youth claimed he was a nephew of the General’s relative’s family, saying he came to seek refuge with you, General. They didn’t believe him but feared it might be true, so they tied him up and brought him along. He’s now being held near the granary. They sent me to ask whether the General truly has a relative’s nephew coming to seek refuge?”