The horns of the expedition had not ceased since before dawn broke.
The military camp was like a giant beast awakening, stretching its body, arching its back and lowering its haunches, slowly stepping across the wilderness.
At the head of the beast stood banners reaching toward the sky, visible even to soldiers at the farthest positions.
However, this time was different from what the soldiers were accustomed to—besides General Chu’s great black banner, there was also an unfurled bright yellow flag.
“No matter how you look at it, that flag seems wrong,” A’Le said in a low voice.
She was no longer an inexperienced country maid—she was a maid who had participated in the Empress’s investiture ceremony and controlled the inner palace.
She had seen the ceremonial processions of the Emperor and Empress—
“Wrong is exactly right,” Xie Yanlai said beside her. “At a time like this, where would we find the proper one? Being able to find so many theater troupes nearby and gather enough flags from them to sew together is already good enough.”
Flags from the stage—A’Le laughed despite herself: “Will it work?”
“This is a border commandery, a military camp. How many people have actually seen the Empress’s phoenix banner?” Xie Yanlai said. “The flag doesn’t matter—as long as the person is real.”
As they spoke, hoofbeats sounded behind them. Imposing armored soldiers slowly approached, with Ding Dachui walking at the forefront, his expression solemn. His legs weren’t weak and his heart wasn’t panicked—this wasn’t his first time serving as the Empress’s guard.
“Her Majesty the Empress arrives—” Ding Dachui shouted with the voice he’d trained chasing prey in the mountains.
His shout echoed across the wilderness. All soldiers in the military formation turned to look as one, seeing the commander’s tall carriage slowly approaching. Atop it was not their familiar General Chu, but a woman.
The woman wore magnificent robes they had never seen before. The jeweled crown on her head shone brilliantly, as if a phoenix had flown down from heaven, landing among the black military formation as splendid as multicolored clouds.
This was the Empress.
Everyone knew the Empress had come. The Empress often rode through the camp on patrol, but all along, what they had seen was Miss Chu. Only now did they truly feel it—the Empress.
“Xi Liang took advantage of our great Da Xia nation’s court upheaval, the late Emperor’s passing, and the new Emperor’s youth to invade our border commanderies and harm our people. As Empress, I embody maternal virtue over all under heaven. All the people of the realm should be protected.”
From atop the commander’s tall carriage, Chu Zhao’s voice rang out clearly.
“I, Chu Zhao, personally come to the front lines. In the name of Da Xia’s Empress, I demand Xi Liang answer for their crimes. Those who violate our territory—kill them. Those who harm our people—kill them.”
“I ask all you officers and soldiers to kill the enemy together with me, help me kill the enemy, protect Da Xia’s territory, and guard Da Xia’s ten thousand people!”
Countless soldiers instantly shouted in unison: “Kill the enemy—”
Like the roar of fierce beasts.
Xie Yanlai raised his hand. War drums sounded together, command flags waved on all sides, and the fierce beasts leaped and ran wild across the earth.
……
……
Prince Xiliang’s royal army surged like tides, boundless and endless from all directions, and like mad serpents tearing and biting, ripping open gap after gap.
This was unprecedented combat—impossible to distinguish south from north, left from right. It disrupted the vanguard, scouts, cavalry, infantry, and battle formations.
From dawn to dusk, from dusk to dawn.
Listening to urgent report after urgent report, Chu Zhao sat in the commander’s carriage somewhat bewildered. Besides encouraging morale, she didn’t know how to command.
Although the four great generals were brave and skilled in battle, in combat on such a massive scale, besides each person’s individual valor, someone needed to maximize the deployment of their courage.
She didn’t know how to control the overall situation, how to make the subordinate generals as flexible as hands and eyes. Moreover, morale seemed wrong somehow.
“The Xi Liang military formation keeps shouting that Chu Ling is dead—” Ding Dachui said. “Although General Xie is defending in the rear support, more and more signs of retreat are appearing at the front—”
He didn’t think the officers and soldiers lacked courage at all. When hunting in the mountains, if people at the front kept shouting that the prey had escaped, that the prey had escaped, he too would panic and be unable to hold the trap—
When extremely focused, one became even more susceptible to panic.
What should she do?
She only regretted not learning warfare from her father.
“Guard General Chu Ling arrives—”
Behind her came a commotion, accompanied by shouting.
Chu Zhao froze, turning around in disbelief. A’Le had already jumped up, shouting: “It’s the General, it’s the General!” As she shouted, she began to cry.
Chu Zhao saw him too—Zhong Changrong leading a group of soldiers escorting a horse. On the tall black horse sat an armored man—it was Father.
Though he had lost much weight, wearing armor and gripping his long blade, Chu Ling still stood like a mountain.
Father had awakened!
Heaven had opened its eyes, heaven had eyes indeed!
Chu Zhao ran toward her father. She knew it—heaven had let her return to compensate her.
Chu Ling looked at his daughter with a smile and nodded: “Chu Zhao, you’ve done very well.”
Though he could see nothing, he could still sense his daughter’s bearing.
Chu Zhao hurried forward and helped Chu Ling onto the commander’s carriage together with Zhong Changrong.
As Chu Ling mounted the commander’s carriage, the war drums changed their rhythm, beating powerfully—this was the awakening drum for when the chief commander took his position.
Sure enough, gazes from all directions converged from the distance.
Chu Ling leaned back in his seat, his blade laid across his knees, looking at Chu Zhao: “Since the Empress is in the army, you must still obey this commander’s orders.”
Chu Zhao stood straight and responded loudly: “Yes.”
“I ask Her Majesty the Empress to serve as this commander’s guard,” Chu Ling said.
Chu Zhao again responded yes, turned and descended from the tall carriage. Ding Dachui had already brought over a horse. Chu Zhao mounted in one movement and accepted the long blade and bow that Ding Dachui handed her, with A’Le following close behind.
Chu Zhao looked back again and saw Chu Ling first gazing intently ahead, as if he could see everything, then listening to the deputy generals’ reports. After a moment, he gave his orders.
The war drums changed their rhythm once more. Command flags fluttered like dancing butterflies. Following order after order, the originally scattered army regrouped, chaotic yet orderly, like an eagle spreading its wings to swoop down on the writhing serpents—
Chu Zhao withdrew her gaze, raised her long blade, and spurred her horse forward.
A’Le, Ding Dachui, and the other members of the Empress’s ceremonial guard (filled by the mountain bandits) followed closely behind, arriving at the very front of the central military formation to guard Commander Chu Ling behind them.
……
……
This battle lasted three days.
During this time, Chu Zhao also received orders several times to lead troops charging to the forefront of combat, using bow and arrows to fight the Xi Liang soldiers within her line of sight.
More than killing enemies, her role was still to inspire morale. She was quickly ordered back, then would grip her blade and shoulder her arrows to go to new battle formations to assist in combat.
When new rays of sunlight illuminated the earth, a long horn sounded from the Xi Liang military formation, like Prince Xiliang’s sigh. The Xi Liang army retreated like an ebbing tide.
“The Xi Liang army has withdrawn!”
Chu Zhao wiped the grime from her face and watched A’Le bound over like a rabbit. The battlefield already rang with horns of victory. The exhausted soldiers seemed to gain boundless strength in an instant, jumping up one after another and shouting wildly.
But Chu Zhao didn’t celebrate with everyone else. She mounted her horse and galloped toward the central military formation, wanting to tell Father this good news—though Father already knew.
Returning to the central military formation, Chu Zhao jumped down before her horse had fully stopped. After running a few steps, she noticed something wasn’t right about the atmosphere.
The drummers were beating the victory drums, the flag bearers were waving the flags signaling withdrawal and reorganization, but the soldiers here had solemn expressions without any celebratory noise. When they saw her approach, some even lowered their gazes.
The central military formation naturally maintained stricter discipline—Chu Zhao thought this was nothing unusual, perfectly normal. She didn’t look around but hurried toward the commander’s war carriage. At a glance she saw Father sitting upright in the great chair.
“Father,” she called, walking forward.
Chu Ling wore a slight smile, gazing ahead, his long blade laid across his knees.
He had already passed away peacefully.