On that day, blood stained the yellow sand. The survivors among the captives were incorporated into the Eagle Lord’s army. Along with them, considerable weapons and provisions were confiscated. The Eagle Lord’s army rapidly expanded to ten thousand men. They charged out of the desert, traveling day and night toward the legendary Mo River basin where Huyin was said to be located, to rendezvous with her.

When Tie Ci left the desert, she looked back once at the endless yellow sand. Chen Tuntian had already returned. The price paid was promising to help Tie Ci once in the future.

Under serious injury and coercion by Tie Ci, he had helped Tie Ci counterattack the army he had cooperated with. Afterward, Tie Ci discovered that even with his acupoints sealed, he was still slowly recovering.

She couldn’t confirm what this person relied on for recovery—there were clearly no more scorpions. But she had tested it: leaving the desert, Chen Tuntian would gradually weaken. As long as there was desert, he wouldn’t die easily and would have opportunities to recover.

Therefore, Tie Ci abandoned the idea of coercing him to advance with them. Chen Tuntian away from the desert couldn’t control large sandstorms, his aura gradually weakened, and bringing him along would be a burden.

In any case, Chen Tuntian’s counterattack against his collaborators had already offended the eldest prince and Qiu Wujiu, so there was no fear of him turning around to oppose her again.

So she made a treaty under duress with Chen Tuntian. She released him, gave him the antidote, and even exchanged some insights about innate abilities with him. Chen Tuntian had always been quite envious of Guihai Sheng’s lightning abilities.

Chen Tuntian guaranteed to let bygones be bygones, allowing her and her people safe passage through the desert roads in the future, and to help her once when needed.

Tie Ci also asked Chen Tuntian where there were mineral deposits in the desert. Chen Tuntian was initially puzzled, until Tie Ci drew out the appearance of several types of mineral deposits for him. He pointed to one type of black mineral deposit, saying the scorpions had once discovered this—there was a lot underground, but the scorpions didn’t like to go there.

Tie Ci noticed his gaze swept over the gold ore and then avoided it. She had a good understanding of the richness of mineral deposits in this desert.

She also inquired about Chen Tuntian’s injuries and illness. Chen Tuntian was initially very secretive about this. Even when she said she had ways to help cure him completely, he refused to speak, until Feiyu prepared a table of dishes.

The old fellow was literally moved to tears by hunger. Feiyu promised to send him several servants who could cook in the future, and only then did the old man tell Tie Ci that his injury was from a duel years ago with the “Night Emperor,” who was also one of the Three Madmen and Five Emperors. He had been struck by the opponent’s palm, and since then developed a problem of uncontrollable muscle spasms throughout his body. Someone had given him a prescription for raising scorpions to treat injuries, and he had to live in dry places year-round, so he had been companions with scorpions and the desert ever since.

The opponent had also been bitten by his beloved pet at the time—a giant gecko from the desert, extremely rare in number, requiring various medicines for feeding and training using Gu-raising methods. Once trained, it carried multiple toxins on its body.

Tie Ci asked if being bitten would cause fear of water and wind. Chen Tuntian said that due to individual differences in constitution and the different toxicity levels in various parts of the giant gecko, he couldn’t measure the final consequences it would cause. But before the giant gecko was fully trained, it would bite many mad dogs to death, so it carried the most canine toxins.

Tie Ci asked about remedies and how to completely resolve the Night Emperor issue, but this time Chen Tuntian shook his head.

“I am the Night Emperor’s defeated opponent, not just once. The gecko biting him was luck, but it couldn’t kill him,” he said. “The Night Emperor is one of the top two strongest among the Three Madmen and Five Emperors. The person who has truly defeated him is in the southwest.”

When Tie Ci pressed further, he refused to say more, obviously quite wary of that person in the southwest. Anyone who could make this desert deity so fearful was obviously not easy to deal with.

Tie Ci thought of Yannan. However, when Chen Tuntian was leaving, probably wanting to get revenge for past events, he provided Tie Ci with a small secret.

But all that was for later steps. The urgent matter was still resolving Western Rong affairs and cutting off Qiu Wujiu’s ambitions.

To prevent Chen Tuntian from causing trouble before leaving, Feiyu personally escorted him back to the desert’s edge before returning.

The Eagle Lord’s army was marching, continuously taking in people who had lost their homes and were fleeing due to military chaos, growing ever stronger.

The Eagle Lord’s army had gained scale and was given a new name. It wasn’t some imposing title—just called “Oasis Soldiers.”

The oasis had once given him shelter, and he wished his army could also become an oasis where the people of Western Rong could catch their breath and survive.

On this day, she followed the army charging down a high slope and saw large black flags floating like a great dark cloud, with a fierce and imposing red tiger painted boldly on the banners.

She saw Huyin emerge from the crowd under the red tiger banners, wearing only tight leather armor, galloping toward them. She saw the Eagle Lord like a black line charging down the high slope, rushing toward Huyin.

She saw the two horses’ heads approaching, about to collide, with the Eagle Lord extending his arms to embrace Huyin. She saw Huyin shake her reins, her horse’s head swerved, brushing past the Eagle Lord and heading straight for Rong Pu, who was a step behind in the formation. She grabbed his reins and leaped onto his horse.

She saw the Eagle Lord’s hand freeze in mid-air. And the usually composed Rong Pu looked completely bewildered.

Tie Ci smiled slightly.

…

The situation within Western Rong territory was quite favorable, and Yongping Garrison was also peaceful on the surface. Although this peace was only superficial—the court had sent a supervising military officer, who was a smiling tiger. On the surface he got along splendidly with the commander, but always interfered with the commander’s decisions.

For example, the commander had stationed a batch of troops at the foot of Mount Fu, saying the mountain’s structure was loose with many cracks, fearing that Western Rong might tunnel through for a surprise attack. The supervising officer expressed that Mount Fu’s mountain range was continuous, and on the other side of Mount Fu was the Hanli Khan Desert. Even the Western Rong people rarely entered that desert—where would armies come from to travel thousands of miles across the desert to surprise attack Da Qian? This was too troublesome, unreasonable, and shouldn’t waste military strength in completely unnecessary places.

For example, Di Yiwei requested contracting the defensive line, deploying key military forces in areas facing Liaodong’s Xining Pass, Liaodong’s Left Garrison, and Western Rong’s Wanquan Grassland, to prevent Liaodong from attacking Da Qian jointly with Western Rong by water and land routes from the grassland.

The supervising officer, however, thought Di Yiwei was being paranoid and making a mountain out of a molehill. Based on merely some common border phenomena, she was wildly speculating that warfare was imminent. Not to mention why warfare would arise for no reason—just looking at Western Rong now, they were too busy with internal chaos to have energy left to wage war with Da Qian. Could Commander Di be falsely reporting military intelligence, harboring troops for personal power, or even using this as an excuse to embezzle military funds? You must know that the court tightens its belt every year to supply various armies. Even the Empress Dowager only has her century-old ginseng and bird’s nest porridge once a day now!

Regarding Commander Di’s speculations, not all the officers of Yongping Garrison agreed either. Deputy Commander Lou repeatedly advised the commander, saying Supervisor Huang was not without reason—it was unlikely for Liaodong and Western Rong to simultaneously wage war against Da Qian. Rather than consuming large amounts of military supplies preparing for war, it would be better to listen to the supervisor, guard Yongping Pass well, conduct daily drills properly, and let the soldiers rest and recover.

Deputy Commander Lou had always been loyal to Di Yiwei and had great prestige in the army. Now that he also held this opinion, it inevitably influenced the army’s view. For a time, Supervisor Huang walked with swagger, his attitude toward the soldiers became even more genial, often inviting groups of people to talk and laugh in his tent, with laughter carrying far.

In such a harmonious atmosphere, Di Yiwei sitting on the earthen slope smoking her pipe appeared somewhat lonely and desolate.

Vague sounds of conversation and laughter came from distant tents, mixed with words like “…Commander Di is like a woman, careful and fussy…”

Someone lifted the tent flap and came out—it was Deputy Commander Lou. He stood far away at the tent entrance, looking at Di Yiwei, just like every time before, focusing extremely intently only on her.

But he didn’t come over. After a moment, he ducked back inside. Footsteps sounded behind her, very light, just with a slight limp.

Di Yiwei lowered her eyelashes, appearing completely unaware. The footsteps stopped three feet behind her, and a man’s voice was soft and humble: “Commander, I’ve brought you some hot soup.”

Di Yiwei recognized it as the voice of the newly arrived student Cui Shi, and waved her pipe to indicate he should put the soup down.

Cui Shi placed the soup to one side but didn’t leave immediately, gently saying to Di Yiwei: “Commander, please drink it while it’s hot. Don’t take some things to heart. Everyone in the army, from top to bottom, has always admired you greatly…”

Di Yiwei turned her head, the pipe still between her lips, with faint amusement in her pale gray eyes: “Hmm? Are you comforting me?”

She spoke such gentle words, but the expression in her eyes clearly read “Are you teaching me how to do things?”

Cui Shi blushed deeply and hastily said: “This student wouldn’t dare. This student… this student…”

Di Yiwei said: “You’re a talent from the academy. Don’t always hover around the mess hall stoves. That’s too beneath you.”

Cui Shi hurriedly said: “I arrived a step too late. Most of my academy companions have gone out for training. With nothing to do, and knowing only a bit of cooking, I’ve been helping out in the kitchen.”

When Tie Ci and other academy students left, Di Yiwei had publicly announced they were sent out to execute tasks followed by secret training.

Di Yiwei picked up the steaming bowl of soup, pulled out a piece of beef jerky from her sleeve pocket to soak in the soup, took a sip, and said with satisfaction: “Beef King’s beef jerky really is extraordinary.”

Just the day before, the Tian family had sent people with a long convoy of donations, and the Tian family’s famous specially made beef jerky was part of it.

Di Yiwei enjoyed the soup as if no one else was there. Cui Shi couldn’t appropriately linger and respectfully took his leave.

After he left, a figure turned around—it was Chi Xue. She looked suspiciously at Cui Shi’s figure as he disappeared around the tent, frowning slightly.

The Crown Princess had said this person had once tried to harm her, and she had stabbed a hole in him. Later when they encountered the poison maniac, she hadn’t pursued this person’s whereabouts.

But all in all, this person was not a good sort. Chi Xue remembered making enemies with him the very first day they met. If he discovered her, he could then guess that the Crown Princess was here, and who knows what trouble that might cause.

But this person came with Huang Ming and seemed quite favored by him. Huang Ming’s identity was already sensitive—she couldn’t act rashly again, causing incidents that would bring trouble to the commander and the Crown Princess.

These past few days she had been avoiding him or observing him from afar. This person seemed quite well-behaved this time, only helping in the kitchen or staying by Huang Ming’s side, going nowhere else.

Chi Xue lowered her head, thinking that every time she observed Cui Shi, she always felt some doubt in her heart, but couldn’t clearly identify what that doubt was.

Di Yiwei looked back at her, and she immediately forgot this small question. Not far away, Cui Shi had already turned around the tent when he suddenly remembered something and looked back, seeing Chi Xue’s figure.

Chi Xue usually stayed in the miscellaneous duties camp while he was in the main camp—this was his first time seeing her. From a distance, he stared at Chi Xue’s profile.

This woman seemed to be the Crown Princess’s maid. Moreover, the night he killed his master, she and a man had been lurking in the grass. The two of them had wounded him together. He had been injured at the time with a somewhat muddled mind and hadn’t bothered to pursue and kill them—he hadn’t expected to encounter them here.

He wasn’t certain whether she could recognize him. But with this kind of thing, waiting until certain before acting would be too late.

…

Di Yiwei’s attitude toward women was always better than toward men. She beckoned Chi Xue to sit down and took out beef jerky for her to eat.

The beef jerky had already been partially distributed—every soldier had some, but they were only allowed to eat it during combat, as it was convenient to carry and good for replenishing energy.

Chi Xue’s portion was still saved, planning to eat it together with Dan Shuang when she returned. She sat down beside Di Yiwei, declining the commander’s kindness, as the commander’s portion was the same as any ordinary soldier’s.

She spoke directly: “Commander, please call my young master back.”

Di Yiwei squinted at her. “The current situation isn’t very good, and I’m worried,” Chi Xue said. “Supervisor Huang holds great power and harbors ill intentions. I’m concerned that his fundamental purpose is to eliminate you. Deputy Commander Lou also…”

Di Yiwei laughed and said: “You can suspect anyone, but you cannot suspect Old Lou. I’ve nearly died on the battlefield three times, and he carried me back each time.”

“Being able to entrust life and death doesn’t necessarily mean complete trustworthiness,” Chi Xue said gently. “Commander, please be cautious.”

There was something she didn’t say. She felt that Deputy Commander Lou’s way of looking at Commander Di always seemed somehow wrong.

Having grown up in the imperial palace, that place of hidden filth, she had seen everything. For example, the eunuch community was the most humble yet most scheming group. Having lost their manhood, darkness had taken root in their hearts instead. Many had no capacity for experiencing desire, yet possessed restless hearts.

She had seen powerful head eunuchs looking at beautiful palace maids. Full of gloomy possessiveness.

Deputy Commander Lou sometimes looked at the commander with that same expression.

Di Yiwei said nothing, chewing beef jerky and nodding: “You’re worried I can’t withstand Huang Ming’s pressure and will withdraw the garrison from Mount Fu, then Old Lou will block the return route behind my back?”

Chi Xue said frankly: “That’s one reason. Another reason is I always feel storm clouds are gathering. If my young master were here, he should be able to share your worries.”

Di Yiwei laughed and shook her head dismissively: “She’s just one person, after all.”

Chi Xue insisted: “Then I also hope you’ll send her a secret letter, clearly explaining the current situation within the pass, so she can be prepared and return early.”

Di Yiwei thought it over, nodded in agreement, and said: “Then I’ll write it later. You don’t need to deliver it—I’ll have a trusted person handle it.”

Chi Xue, having gained consent, didn’t persist further, thanked her, and stood to leave.

As she walked out of Di Yiwei’s sight, she looked up and encountered someone. That person smiled at her and asked: “Miss, would you like some soup?”

…

Author’s Note: My back problem flared up, so I couldn’t get up to set the chapter content. This was posted with help from an administrator, so the word count is relatively short. Please forgive me.