When the commander’s army formation appeared on the land, the first thing to enter one’s vision was a mass of dark flags, with the commander’s banner most prominent.

Xie Yanlai gazed from horseback, looking at that character “Chu.”

There were actually no longer any commanding generals surnamed Chu in the commander’s camp.

Chu Ling was gone, and Chu Zhao was far away in the capital. However, the army still habitually kept the great banner with the character “Chu.” General Chu Ling had died on the battlefield repelling the Xi Liang King, and Chu Zhao as Empress had fought shoulder to shoulder with everyone, so the soldiers believed that General Chu and the Empress were still with them.

At first, Zhong Changrong had wanted to use only the banner with the character “Chu,” but Chu Zhao disagreed.

“When people are gone, no matter how capable they were, they can be replaced,” she said. “Only the living can hold on to everything.”

Hold on.

This girl seemed to always have an obsession—an obsession with holding on, as if she might lose everything at any moment.

Xie Yanlai pinched the sachet hanging at his waist. The apricot kernels inside had long been eaten. Now it held a letter Chu Zhao had sent a few days ago. The letter had none of an empress’s bearing, cursing this and that—

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but smile.

Xiao Shan, standing attendant beside him, saw this and immediately asked happily: “Young Master is so happy to see General Zhong!” Then he nodded. “It has been a long time. I miss him quite a bit too.”

Xie Yanlai said “Oh,” raised an eyebrow and glanced at him sideways: “You miss him? Then go with him this time.”

Xiao Shan was so frightened he shuddered, the smile on his face immediately turning to tears: “Young Master, my heart is entirely with you.”

Xie Yanlai ignored his protestations of loyalty and looked ahead.

The Empress’s recent confrontations with court officials could be seen through the court gazettes, and Zhong Changrong had also complained to him, saying the court officials were bullying A’Zhao—Zhong Changrong too, what business did he have sending letters to him? Mixing private correspondence with military orders—wasn’t he afraid someone would seize upon it and pin the accusation of forming a faction with the Xie clan on him?

Although from the court gazettes and letters it appeared the Empress wanted to monopolize power, he knew that what the girl wanted wasn’t power. She was simply afraid.

How pitiful—the more she possessed, the more terrified she became. Unlike him, who had nothing and therefore had nothing to lose.

Seeing Zhong Changrong appear in his line of sight, Xie Yanlai put away his wandering thoughts, spurred his horse forward, and called out loudly: “This general, Xie Yanlai, leading the Guerrilla Battalion, respectfully welcomes the Great General.”

Behind him, guards standing in dense formation shouted in unison: “We respectfully welcome the Great General!”

After inspecting the guards, Zhong Changrong led his deputy generals into the camp tent. He first glanced around the interior, seeing the ground covered in dust and scattered with weeds. He frowned and shouted: “Xie Yanlai, you’re not staying at Jiezi Pass and running around everywhere again!”

Xie Yanlai said: “General, rest assured. No matter where I run, I guard Jiezi Pass firmly.”

At this moment, everyone in the room was their own people. Zhong Changrong didn’t stand on ceremony and asked directly: “Have you been exploring Xi Liang territory again?”

Xie Yanlai smiled: “Xi Liang soldiers often come to explore our side. Naturally, I have to go look too.”

Zhong Changrong pointed at him and said: “You just love to act on your own initiative. If you die in Xi Liang, I won’t care. But if you lose Jiezi Pass, I’ll take your life.”

Xie Yanlai scoffed: “If Jiezi Pass could be lost, there would be no point in fighting this war.”

Zhong Changrong glared at him, not bothering with his arrogant words. He brushed the dust off a chair and sat down. The deputy generals called to Xiao Shan standing behind Xie Yanlai: “Quick, serve tea to the general.” “Xiao Shan, did you miss the general? It’s been so long since we’ve seen you.”

Hearing the first sentence, Xiao Shan turned his head as if he hadn’t heard. Hearing the second, he simply turned and left.

The deputy generals were all momentarily stunned: “Did he go out to prepare tea?”

“Who knows what he’s doing,” Xie Yanlai said, tossing his water pouch to Zhong Changrong. “Try this—it’s good tea my family sent.”

Zhong Changrong caught it. Seeing pearls adorning the pouch strap, he snorted coldly.

The other deputy generals didn’t think Xie Yanlai was exaggerating. He was a young master of the Xie family, after all—extravagant food and drink weren’t surprising.

At this moment, guards also brought tea to the others. Clearly Xiao Shan had given instructions, though he himself didn’t reappear. The deputy generals paid no mind, sitting down to rest, drink tea, and discuss matters.

“How exactly is Xi Liang going to fight this war?” one deputy general said.

Another deputy general corrected: “We should ask whether Xi Liang will even continue fighting.”

Xie Yanlai sat on the ground and said: “Haste makes waste. The Xi Liang King must think the same way, so there’s no need to rush.”

Then he smiled.

“The Xi Liang King has accumulated resources his entire life for this one great war. This is his only chance in this lifetime. He’ll fight to the death right here.”

“Then let him drag it out. We in Da Xia aren’t afraid to fight him—why would we fear him prolonging it?”

The deputy generals nodded: “We naturally understand.” “But some people will be anxious.” “The military supervisor believes that the longer the war drags on, the more we commanding officers covet merit.”

Xie Yanlai said: “Those who serve as supervisors are all like that. Don’t bother with him. If he didn’t say something after coming here, wouldn’t he be failing in his position? No matter what he says, we do what we should do. What can he do about it?” At this point, he smiled again. “If he really could do something, that wouldn’t be bad either. We could pin a big hat on him for coveting merit. Or be even harsher—say he harbors treasonous intentions, that he’s a Xi Liang spy or something—”

The deputy generals listened intently, some even nodding involuntarily: “Good—”

“Good what good!” Zhong Changrong had been listening to Xie Yanlai hold forth while watching the deputy generals nod repeatedly. Unable to listen any longer, he shouted: “I brought you here to inspect, not to listen to instruction.”

The deputy generals smiled, neither tense nor flustered. Zhong Changrong and Xie Yanlai always quarreled when together—they were all used to it. In fact, since Xie Yanlai had become a Guerrilla General commanding troops independently, they were somewhat unaccustomed to it.

“Look at your devious mind,” Zhong Changrong said, glaring at Xie Yanlai. “Is this how a commander should be? Is this how to be a commander?”

Xie Yanlai scoffed: “I’m not a commander! Why should I care how to be one? The unlucky one won’t be me anyway.”

Zhong Changrong spat, drained several gulps of tea from the water pouch, and stood up: “Let’s go. Continue inspecting.”

A commander’s inspection had to be quick—after all, he couldn’t be away from the central army for too long.

Xie Yanlai didn’t press him to stay and rose to see him off.

As Zhong Changrong stepped through the door, he hesitated, then finally said to Xie Yanlai: “I won’t confront Supervisor Fu. If he wants to make trouble, let him make it alone. What I want is to guard the border commandery and block Xi Liang. As long as I do that, no one can touch me.”

Xie Yanlai whistled: “General Zhong has made progress!”

Zhong Changrong glared at him, hung the unfinished pearl-adorned water pouch on himself, and strode outside.

Outside, the guards had already reformed their lines. Xie Yanlai personally escorted them on horseback.

“Tell me,” he suddenly thought of something and said quietly beside Zhong Changrong, “does the Xi Liang King want to negotiate peace?”

Zhong Changrong laughed coldly: “After fighting like this, he still wants to negotiate? Who would negotiate with him? What right does he have to negotiate!” At this point, he smiled again. “Of course, it’s not that we can’t negotiate. As long as the Xi Liang King comes here bearing thorns to apologize, kowtowing and begging for mercy. But that wouldn’t be called negotiation—it’s called victory. And the Xi Liang King would no longer be a great king, but a prisoner.”

Xie Yanlai clapped his hands in applause.

This gesture drew the attention of surrounding officers and soldiers.

Zhong Changrong’s dark face flushed slightly red. He glared at Xie Yanlai: “What madness is this!”

Xie Yanlai cupped his hands and said loudly: “General Zhong’s resolve is firm. I wish General Zhong steady command of the central army. We are fearless and invincible wherever we go.”

The guards arrayed behind him shouted in unison: “Fearless and invincible!”

Zhong Changrong was both annoyed and amused. What kind of general, what kind of soldiers—only at Xie Yanlai’s place would they shout such arrogant slogans.

He glanced at Xie Yanlai once more, then spurred his horse forward at full gallop.

From Jiezi Pass to Xinggu Pass took two days. When Zhong Changrong’s commander’s army saw the pass entrance, a dark mass of military formations was already lined up waiting there.

The young general at the front rode forth alone to greet them, surrounded by guards. His bearing was in no way inferior to Xie Yanlai’s—in fact, even more solemn than Xie Yanlai’s side.

“This general, Liang Qiang, respectfully welcomes the Great General.” The young general dismounted and bowed.

Zhong Changrong looked down at this young general from his high position. The Liang father and son truly enjoyed Deng Yi’s favor. After one trip to the capital, Liang Qiang was enfeoffed as Guerrilla General, and now Liang Ji wanted to enter his central army—

A’Zhao had written, worried that he would be sidelined and stripped of authority, telling him he must be careful. Zhong Changrong didn’t think A’Zhao was being overly dramatic, though there was no need to be too tense either. He now had troops, authority, and prestige. As long as he didn’t make any major mistakes, no one could replace him.

Of course, he would pay extra attention to the Liang father and son.

If he discovered they were unworthy of their reputation, he wouldn’t care how much Deng Yi favored them—he would definitely have them dismissed from office.

“General Liang has worked hard,” he said. “Allow this commander to inspect the camp.”

Liang Qiang quickly moved aside: “General, please.”

Zhong Changrong walked past the guards and inspected various parts of the pass. Standing on the city wall, he looked ahead into the distance where he could faintly see patches of apricot tree groves.

“This is Yunzhong Commandery’s smallest but also very important pass,” Zhong Changrong said. “General Liang must not be careless in the slightest.”

Liang Qiang answered affirmatively: “This general will not fail the Great General’s high expectations.”

Zhong Changrong said coolly: “This isn’t really this general’s high expectation. In this general’s view, you have more suitable places to go.”

These words were truly impolite. Liang Qiang lowered his eyes slightly and said: “Then this general even more cannot fail the Great General’s high expectations.”

The youngster spoke quite proudly too, but his pride was different from Xie Yanlai’s. When Xie Yanlai cursed you, he feared you wouldn’t understand. Young Master Liang was polite and courteous—Zhong Changrong snorted inwardly.

“Then this general will wait and see,” he said, then turned and strode away.

Liang Qiang followed, saying: “In the fortress ahead, soup, tea, and food have been prepared. Please, Great General, rest briefly.”

Zhong Changrong turned his head slightly and asked: “Do you have good tea from the capital?”

Liang Qiang was stunned. Good tea from the capital—how would he have that? Was Zhong Changrong hinting that the Empress’s rewards to him were abundant and her concern attentive?

“No,” he shook his head.

Zhong Changrong said: “Then I won’t drink. I still have to travel. Eating and drinking on the road is the same.”

With words like that, Liang Qiang didn’t press him to stay and bowed to see him off.

Behind him, guards lined up to watch Zhong Changrong’s group depart in a cloud of dust.

The commander’s inspection came hastily and left hastily, with no impact on the pass. Liang Qiang also resumed his day and night patrols.

Day fell, day rose, day fell again. Night shrouded the land. Standing on the outermost fortress of Xinggu Pass, the wind blowing from the valley brought a hint of cold even to the height of summer.

Even during wartime, the monotony of day-after-day guard duty was unavoidable, and everyone couldn’t help chatting and laughing privately.

“I heard Commander Zhong was wining and dining at General Xie’s place. He didn’t even stay a moment extra when he came here.”

“So you see, General Liang and Commander Zhong aren’t on the same side.”

“Say less. What do you mean ‘not on the same side’? Commander Zhong is the commander. Everyone is his subordinate.”

“Exactly. Commander Zhong did stay a day at Changping Pass, but he was punishing them for inadequate military supplies and even had the commanding general of Changping Pass beaten with the military rod.”

“If you put it that way, Commander Zhong and the Changping Pass general aren’t just not on the same side—they’re clearly enemies.”

The soldiers on guard duty on the fortress burst into laughter, dispelling the chill of the dark night.

A sound came from behind. A contingent of troops approached. The guards on duty thought it was the shift change, but when they drew near, they realized—

“General Liang!” they said in surprise, hurrying forward to greet him. “Why have you come?”

Liang Qiang looked at them and said: “I’ve finished my inspection. It’s too late—I won’t return to the city.”

The fortress where the general was garrisoned was some distance from here. It wasn’t strange that he didn’t want to travel at night.

“You all go down and rest,” Liang Qiang said. “Tonight I’ll stand guard.”

The guards were surprised and embarrassed: “How could we?” “We should do it. General, you go rest.”

Liang Qiang’s expression was impassive. He only said: “Go.”

General Liang was courteous and polite, but his words were crisp, making people dare not and unable to disobey. The guards didn’t dare insist further. They acknowledged and left.

“General Liang is truly good.”

“General Liang really takes care of soldiers. Everyone likes him very much. Look at the soldiers around him—they’re inseparable from him in life and death.”

“I heard General Liang saved them all on the battlefield.”

“I wish I could fight alongside General Liang too.”

Standing on the fortress, listening to the guards’ whispered conversations fade into the distance, the corners of Liang Qiang’s mouth twitched as if to smile, but he didn’t really smile. Because he had nothing to smile about.

Whether he was good or not wasn’t up to him to decide, just as his being here to guard the pass tonight wasn’t his own arrangement.

Liang Qiang stood on the earthen wall, looking at the dense black night ahead, as if turning to wood and stone.

He didn’t know how long had passed. The surroundings seemed to fall into slumber, but in Liang Qiang’s vision, lights and shadows flickered.

This was no illusion.

After fighting for so long, he had developed instinct.

The lights and shadows indeed grew larger and larger. He even felt faint tremors beneath his feet. This was troops.

A large force of troops.

In the dead of night, coming from the direction of Apricot Blossom Valley—this was definitely not Da Xia’s army—

Liang Qiang’s body tensed in an instant, but in the next moment, a guard’s hand pressed on his shoulder.

“General,” he said softly. “Don’t move.”