Clouds covered the sun, making the day gloomy. Pale, weak sunlight shone upon the battlefield swept by the northern wind.

Time passed with excruciating slowness. The early autumn wind carried the unique chill of Yan Bei, sweeping across the vast wilderness. From dawn to noon, from noon to dusk, blood had soaked the entire Huolei Plain. The scarlet fire cloud flowers bloomed rampantly, their blood-dyed petals dancing wildly, like demonic crimson blossoms. Countless lives that had been vibrant and active in the morning now lay like uprooted wheat, scattered in large swathes across the cold ground.

The earth had lost its original color. Eagles circled overhead, ready to dive down and feast on this rare banquet. Corpses filled the plain. The wounded lay in the sea of bodies piled as high as small hills, wailing mournfully, their voices like lone wolves who had lost their homes, howling sorrowfully. But many more could no longer even cry out in agony and could only lie on the ground like dead dogs, occasionally moaning when kicked by a medic searching for survivors, indicating they were still alive.

At dusk, a light rain began to fall. The fine raindrops were like ox hair, ice-cold as they poured down. The corpses in the trenches were still burning; the raindrops hitting them created a layer of hissing white mist.

Cheng Yuan walked over, stepping on corpses. Years of warfare had covered his somewhat delicate face with a layer of blood-colored, tenacious light. His thigh had been wounded by an arrow, roughly bandaged with white cloth, causing him to limp as he walked.

In the sunset, on a low mound, a man in black clothing stood straight beneath a poplar tree. The eagle flag of Yan Bei fluttered gently above his head, and dry yellow grass danced at his feet, occasionally spiraling upward. His eyes were vacant, as if he were looking at something, but his gaze seemed to pass beyond the battlefield, beyond the bloodshed, beyond the clouds on the horizon…

Cheng Yuan suddenly hesitated, standing still, not approaching.

“Is that you, Cheng Yuan? Come up.”

Yan Xun hadn’t turned his head. His voice was calm, with a relaxed composure. Cheng Yuan approached, bowing his body, kneeled on one knee, and said solemnly, “I report to Your Majesty, that the Xiuli Army has broken through the defense line of the Xuanyu Legion from the southeast. General Xuanyu just arrived with the second-line army corps and, hastily formed, couldn’t withstand Lady Chu’s attack. The Xiuli cavalry bypassed the frontal attack of the Imperial Guard and directly inserted themselves into General Xuanyu’s troops. By the time we tried to block them, it was already too late. The Xiulu Army fled from the left flank and is now heading toward the Yudao region in the northwest.”

Yan Xun nodded silently, saying nothing. Cheng Yuan licked his dry lips and continued, “This subordinate has already sent messages to General Gao and General Lu, ordering them to intercept at Yudao Pass. The First Legion will also dispatch thirty thousand garrison troops to ambush them in batches within the Greater Northwest territory. Longyin Pass has also prepared for battle. The southern waterway to Biantang is under our strict surveillance and guard. Even if the Xiuli Army grew wings, we could still shoot them down.”

Yan Xun remained silent, standing there as if oblivious to everything happening around him. Cheng Yuan grew nervous and probed softly, “Your Majesty?”

“Continue.”

“Our army has suffered heavy casualties. The Third and Seventh Divisions have been annihilated. The commanders of the Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh Divisions have perished, with more than half of their soldiers dead or wounded. General Du Ruolin’s Thirteenth Legion refuses to fight. The high-ranking officers have been detained and controlled, but the lower-ranking officers and soldiers still refuse to follow orders. Not only are they useless here, but we must also divert troops to guard them…”

Hearing this, Yan Xun slightly turned his head, raising his eyebrows, and said in a deep voice, “Refuse to fight?”

“Y-yes,” Cheng Yuan swallowed his original words and replaced them with a milder expression: “The officers and soldiers of the Thirteenth Legion are all from the Shangzhen Plateau.”

The cold wind blew, and fine rain hit Yan Xun’s nose bridge. He nodded slowly and said no more.

“Your Majesty, intercepting the Xiuli Army again is only a matter of time, but this subordinate has something to say, though I’m not sure if I should.”

Yan Xun’s face remained expressionless: “Speak.”

“Yes. If our army successfully surrounds Lady Chu, may I ask Your Majesty, in what manner should we attack? Full force assault or circuitous encirclement? Kill or capture alive? Please provide clear instructions.”

The wind suddenly grew stronger at his ear. He stood there silently as the cold wind blew through his body, lifting his fluttering sleeves. Small flames still burned on the distant battlefield. A full day of fierce fighting had sapped the soldiers’ morale. Now, they were exhausted, dejected, their clothes tattered. A full twenty thousand Imperial Guards, plus three reinforcement legions, had suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Xiuli Army, even though one legion had withdrawn from the battle midway. Chu Qiao led nine thousand Xiuli soldiers, cutting through his encirclement like a knife. What the thirty thousand Huoyun Army couldn’t accomplish, she did with ease. Yan Xun had to admit that, militarily, A Chu was a rare genius. Her grasp and control of the battlefield, her prestige, and her position within the army were unmatched even by himself.

He slowly exhaled, the heaviness in his heart layering like ocean waves. At this moment, he didn’t know whether to be glad that she had finally escaped, defeating him when he hadn’t allowed emotions or personal feelings to interfere, or to be saddened that she had finally completely left him, never to look back.

A sense of irony rose in his heart, making him want to laugh coldly. He looked calmly at Cheng Yuan and suddenly said, “Cheng Yuan, do you know why so many people advised me that you were unworthy of great responsibility, yet I still valued you highly?”

Cheng Yuan was startled and immediately knelt on both knees, kowtowing as he said, “Your Majesty’s favor is so great that this subordinate’s death would not be enough to repay it.”

“Because you are very much like I used to be.”

Cheng Yuan raised his head abruptly, looking at Yan Xun in shock, but said nothing more.

“I know that your parents and relatives all died in the fires of war. Your wife and sister were captured by Da Xia’s army and made into military prostitutes. Your brother was also a general of Da Tong but died from internal assassination.”

Cheng Yuan’s eyes gradually turned red. He knelt on the ground, not saying a word, his lips pale blue.

“I know what you’re thinking, just as I know what I’m thinking.”

Yan Xun raised his head, looking at the blood-red sunset piercing through the clouds on the horizon, casting a mournful redness. His lips curved slightly as he said quietly, “A person can have many wishes, but first one must survive. If one dies, no wish can be fulfilled.”

Cheng Yuan’s eyes suddenly grew hot, tears blurring his vision. The general, denounced by all of Yan Bei as a despicable villain, tightly clenched his fist and bowed his head deeply.

White birds flew overhead, crossing Yan Xun’s vision. He watched them, his gaze distant, like a long line that had lost its anchoring point and could no longer find focus. After a long silence, he finally said in a deep voice, “The Xiuli Army’s combat power is too formidable; it’s not advisable to directly block their advance. Open the border and leak information to Zhao Yao and Wei Shuye. Winter is coming soon. Let A Chu open up the stalemate on Da Xia’s battlefield for us.”

Cheng Yuan was slightly startled. Even with his composure, he couldn’t hide the shock on his face. After a while, he whispered, “Da Xia has stationed heavy-armored troops at Yanming Pass, while Lady Chu leads light cavalry. This subordinate fears Da Xia may not be able to block Lady Chu’s path on such short notice.”

“Then delay her steps.”

Yan Xun turned and walked toward the towering Beishuo City. The jet-black warhorse followed at his side. The sunset shone on him, casting a long shadow. A deep voice drifted over, like the wind that roams the grasslands year-round.

“Inform the people of Beishuo, Shangzhen, and Huihui that their Lady Xiuli is about to leave Yan Bei.”

The strong wind lifted his fluttering coat tails, the sword at his waist reflecting blood-red light. The man’s steps were so heavy, one by one, slowly walking into that black, towering cage. Somehow, it seemed as if golden shackles had locked his entire being. Black smoke rose slowly in the distance, and cries of agony continued to echo. A deathly silence blanketed the Huolei Plain.

A Chu, I once said that everyone could betray me except you, because you were my only light source, the sun illuminating my dark sky.

Now, my sun has been extinguished.

When you are surrounded, with enemies before and behind, isolated and without escape, will you think of me?

A Chu, I am watching you from behind.

The battle came without warning. The various armies of Yan Bei maintained a transparent stance toward their arrival. At first, Chu Qiao still harbored naive hopes, thinking Yan Xun couldn’t bear to harm her and ultimately would let her leave. However, outside Longyin Pass, upon seeing those civilians carrying bundles and dragging their children, her heart suddenly plunged into an icy abyss, completely despairing and lifeless.

In the morning light, the dense flow of people resembled a long dragon. Some pushed carts filled with large and small boxes, their pots and pans clattering. Others brandished whips, driving their herds of cattle and sheep. Women held wailing children, sitting on rocks, exposing half their chests to feed their babies in the cold wind. Some carried shoulder poles laden with sweet potatoes and corn, sitting down to eat after walking a certain distance.

Exhaustion, hardship, panic—various expressions continuously appeared on the faces of the common people. But when they saw the flag of the Xiuli Army, they all spontaneously began to cheer. The people crowded forward, shouting at the army: “The Lady is here! The Lady is here!”

An elderly man with white hair and beard squeezed to the front with his young grandson, whose little face was frozen red. They called out loudly to Chu Qiao: “Lady, where are we going?”

“Yes, Lady, where are we going?”

“No matter where, I’ll follow the Lady. We can’t let the Lady go alone.”

“Lady, why didn’t you tell us in advance that you were leaving? My crops haven’t been harvested yet. Fortunately, I left quickly, otherwise I couldn’t have caught up.”

…

The Xiuli soldiers stood silently on the open plains. No one spoke. They all turned their heads to look at Chu Qiao. The young woman wore a cyan cape, sitting straight on horseback, like a sharp spear. Her expression was composed, showing no sign of shock or panic. The soldiers felt reassured: Don’t worry, the Lady has calculated everything and surely has a plan.

“Lady.”

He Xiao rode forward, calling softly by her ear.

Chu Qiao slowly turned her head. He Xiao was so close to her that he noticed the momentary confusion and bewilderment in her eyes. His heart suddenly filled with sadness and pity. Years of companionship had made him no longer blindly believe in the young woman’s abilities as he once did. Over the past two years, he had seen so much: her depression, her tears, her weakness, her confusion. She was not the invincible legend of myth. More often, she was just a young woman, stubborn and foolishly bearing too much responsibility and pressure, even hiding to cry in corners where no one could see. But none of this affected his loyalty to her. Instead, it gave birth to more complex emotions. Like family, like an elder brother, like a subordinate, and more like a confidant.

He reached out and gripped her shoulder with moderate pressure, saying in a deep voice: “Lady, He Xiao is here.”

Yes, He Xiao was still here, the Xiuli Army was still here. She was not isolated without support.

But soon, large clouds of dust rose from the direction of Yanming Pass. A scout hurriedly returned and reported urgently: “Lady, twenty li ahead, Zhao Yao personally leads an army of one hundred thousand, approaching rapidly. Once we leave Longyin Pass, we will certainly be ambushed.”

At this moment, Chu Qiao almost wanted to laugh out loud.

Yan Xun, Yan Xun, what a clever strategy!

Opening the pass and clearing the way without spending a single soldier; using civilians to delay, destroying her cavalry’s high-speed mobility advantage; borrowing Da Xia’s hand to block her path forward. Even if Da Xia had doubts about this information, they couldn’t allow Chu Qiao, a Yan Bei military leader, to enter Da Xia’s territory with the Xiuli Army. Even knowing Yan Xun had other motives, this battle was inevitable.

He had precisely understood the hearts of the people of Shangzhen and Huihui, understood her, Chu Qiao’s heart, and even more so, Zhao Yao’s heart.

Perhaps on a small-scale battlefield, she could still defeat him once or twice through tactical use and superior command, but when it came to calculating people’s hearts and cleverly utilizing various forces, she was far inferior to Yan Xun’s deep scheming.

The civilians also noticed the flying dust in the east. Low panic spread through the crowd. Although everyone still confidently thought, “The Lady is here, no need to be afraid,” when they recalled Da Xia’s iron-blooded army and the Xiuli Army’s strength of less than five thousand, they couldn’t help but begin to hesitate.

He Xiao had already returned to the foot of Longyin Pass. A soldier shouted: “Guards on the wall, please open the gate and let the civilians in!”

After shouting three times, someone finally drawled slowly: “The Emperor commands that if anyone wishes to enter the city, the Xiuli soldiers must enter first.”

“Da Xia’s army will arrive at any moment. Please let the civilians enter the city first!”

“The Emperor commands that the Xiuli soldiers must enter first!”

The monotonous echo repeated again and again. A gust of wind blew up, raising dust and grass from the ground. Chu Qiao looked up at the black eagle battle flag flying on Longyin Pass and tightly clenched her fist.

“Lady?”

A soldier called softly beside her.

“Lady!”

The voice grew louder and louder, and more and more people gathered around.

“Lady, what should we do?”

Panic began to spread among the civilians. Children, seized by the cold atmosphere, cried in fear. Countless voices chaotically asked:

“Lady, what should we do?”

“Lady, the enemy is coming.”

“Lady, let’s go into the city. It’s better to take shelter for a while.”

“Lady, go back and apologize to His Majesty. He will forgive you.”

“Lady, we will fight to the death. Give us your orders!”

“Lady, Lady, Lady…”

Yan Xun, is this what you wanted?

Chu Qiao coldly smiled at the empty sky, the last bit of softness in her heart shattered by reality.

What did you hope to see? To see me isolated without support? To see me surrounded? To see me become a stray dog, forced to flee back to Yan Bei with my tail between my legs, begging for your mercy?

Yan Xun, you underestimate me.

“Soldiers, you have all seen everything that has happened these days.”

Chu Qiao sat on her horse, extending her hand in a gesture for silence, and spoke in a low voice:

“Our king, the Emperor of Yan Bei, has abandoned his former oath and betrayed the promises we made to the land of Yan Bei and the snow mountains of Huihui. The bodies of Changqing’s people are not yet cold, and the butcher’s knife loyal to the Emperor is already raised at Da Tong’s neck. Master Wu is dead, Lady Yu is dead, Princess Lingxi is dead, Little He General is dead, General Biancang, General Xirui, and Commander Adu—one by one, they have died at the hands of those ambitious fanatics dreaming of a great empire. Now, the blade hangs over our heads. Soldiers, before you are one hundred thousand troops of Da Xia. They are well-prepared and eager, waiting for us to deliver ourselves to them. Behind us is the already corrupted Yan Bei army. They are standing ready, prepared with their spittle, waiting to spit on our heads and then mock us as useless cowards. Beside us are our fellow countrymen who have been deceived and abandoned by the state. Soldiers, where should we go?”

The cold echo silently reverberated across the wilderness. No one spoke. They all looked up, their gazes burning as they watched Chu Qiao.

Chu Qiao suddenly jumped down from her horse, pointing at the soldiers and shouting, her voice sharp and fierce, like a mighty war eagle:

“Should we turn back to be the dictator’s lackeys, mocked by the traitor who betrayed his oath? Or abandon our loved ones and flee alone? Or charge toward the enemy twenty times our number, winning the dignity and glory a soldier deserves?”

Chu Qiao tilted her head back and roared: “Soldiers! Do you want to live?”

“Yes!”

Both soldiers and civilians shouted in unison, their voices penetrating the clouds, scattering the birds circling overhead.

“Do you want to be traitors?”

“No!”

“Between death and becoming traitors, what do you choose?”

The people shouted wildly: “We would rather die than betray Da Tong!”

Chu Qiao stood against the wind, calling out loudly: “Soldiers, countrymen, follow me, obey me, listen to my command. If we must die, let us use our blood to interpret Da Tong’s last glory! Our heads may be severed, our blood may flow, but our faith will never be extinguished! Long live Yan Bei! Long live Da Tong! Long live our freedom!”

The thunderous response rose simultaneously, thousands of hands raised in the air: “Long live the Lady!”