Zhao You quickly rode to Yan Chi’s side. Having already learned from scouts about the Shuoxi Army being betrayed, he felt profound grief at the scene before him.
“Your Highness, please accept my condolences. There must be a reason for this. Once we investigate, we certainly won’t spare those responsible.”
Zhao You’s hair had turned completely white, his wrinkled face weathered with age. Hearing these words, Yan Chi composed himself and asked, “How fares the Northern Manor Army?”
Zhao You hurriedly replied, “When we sensed something was wrong, we moved southwest. Halfway there, we encountered the Rong barbarians retreating north. After engaging them, they showed signs of defeat. The remaining twenty thousand headed toward Cangzhou. We were about to pursue when we saw your scouts.”
Yan Chi nodded. The rain hadn’t ceased, making the scorched corpses scattered across the plains appear even more tragic.
Yan Chi said, “We of the Shuoxi Army have done all we could.”
Zhao You didn’t know how to comfort Yan Chi, but then saw him suddenly turn toward the burnt corpses and issue a command: “Xiao Cheng, keep ten thousand infantry here to clear the battlefield and prepare to send our brothers home. The rest, follow me!”
Xiao Cheng choked back emotions and shouted, “Yes! I won’t leave a single one behind!”
Yan Chi looked at Chu Fei Sheng, who raised his sword and called out, “Your Highness! Let’s avenge our brothers!”
As his words fell, the entire Shuoxi Army joined in the cry!
“Revenge! Avenge our brothers—”
Though the thunderous rain was deafening, the Shuoxi Army’s roars were even more soul-stirring.
Nearby, seeing this scene, Zhao You’s brows furrowed deeper. The Shuoxi Army’s misfortune must have been deliberately orchestrated, and whoever targeted them might also move against the Northern Manor Army. Thinking of Zhao Shu Hua and others still in the main camp, his heart rose with anxiety.
Just then, Zhao Xing rushed up from behind, “Father! Something’s happened at the main camp!”
Zhao Xing’s voice wasn’t low, drawing the attention of the Shuoxi Army. He rode straight to Zhao You and said, “Father! Last night someone ambushed the main camp, trying to capture Elder Sister and the Crown Prince. They fled the camp, half the forces were shot dead, and Elder Sister, the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince’s wife got separated—we don’t know where they are!”
As his fears became reality, Zhao You felt his vision darken!
“How could this be! Indeed! They didn’t target only the Shuoxi Army…”
Zhao You turned to Yan Chi, “Prince Rui, the Northern Manor Army has also been ambushed. Given this, we must part ways now!”
Yan Chi wasn’t surprised by this news and nodded, clasping his hands in farewell.
Zhao You tightened his reins, turned his horse, and galloped away. Watching Zhao You’s group disappear into the distance, Yan Chi turned around as Chu Fei Sheng said, “Your Highness, where do we go now?! This matter… must be connected to the Jinzhou Army! Let’s strike Wei County immediately!”
Before he finished speaking, another group appeared from the southwest—it was Bai Feng returning.
Bai Feng rode up quickly and reported, “Your Highness! The Northern Manor Army has also been attacked—”
Bai Feng had come from the southwest—how did he know?
Yan Chi immediately frowned, “How do you know?”
Bai Feng turned and pointed to someone beside him, “Your Highness, this is a messenger from the Princess Consort. I encountered him while investigating the oil matter… Your Highness, Gu Ling, and the others…”
At this point, Bai Feng’s expression changed, noticing everyone staring in one direction. Following their gaze, he immediately understood Gu Ling’s fate. Yan Chi ignored Bai Feng and looked directly at the messenger, who dismounted, bowed, and reported, “Your Highness, an hour ago, the deposed Crown Prince brought the deposed Empress and Crown Prince’s wife to our camp seeking help. The deposed Empress was severely wounded. They said their camp was attacked, and they had no choice but to seek refuge with us!”
Yan Chi’s brows immediately locked together. After a moment, he looked at the scouts who had just headed north, “Quickly catch up with the Northern Manor Army and inform General Zhao of this.”
Several scouts mounted their horses and departed. Yan Chi then asked the messenger, “How is the Princess Consort?”
“The Princess Consort is well, though likely busy treating the deposed Empress—”
Yan Chi nodded, while Xiao Cheng was already directing soldiers to collect the remains of their fallen comrades from the plains ahead.
The rain seemed to be lessening, and the previously gloomy sky was clearing. Yan Chi didn’t immediately order an attack on the city. He merely gazed at the endless scorched plains in contemplation. These charred remains were all warriors who had followed him for years. This battle should have been a certain victory, yet they had lost over ten thousand troops.
Cold light flickered in Yan Chi’s eyes. Beyond grief and anger, a deeper rage emanated from his very bones.
He stared fixedly at the sky above, gripping his spear so tightly his knuckles turned white as if he might throw it up to pierce the heavens at any moment!
After a long silence, Yan Chi suddenly twirled his spear and put it away.
Sitting straight in his saddle, he looked at Chu Fei Sheng and said, “Withdraw the troops, return to camp first!”
Chu Fei Sheng was slightly startled but didn’t question it, going to organize the troops. After a pause, Yan Chi looked at the messenger from Qin Wan and said, “Return to camp immediately and tell the Princess Consort and Xia Xu to prepare the army for my return!”
The soldier accepted the order and rode off like an arrow leaving its string!
Soon, Chu Fei Sheng had organized the troops, and just then, Zhao You, having received the news, returned!
Seeing the Shuoxi Army preparing to return to camp, Zhao You hurried forward and asked, “What does Your Highness plan to do? Is Shu’er really in the Shuoxi Army camp?”
Yan Chi wasn’t particularly warm toward Zhao You, merely saying, “If the General doesn’t believe it, you may go see for yourself. If you wish to see the Empress, then follow!”
With that, he turned his horse toward the Shuoxi Army’s main camp in the southwest!
As the Shuoxi Army moved out in formation, Zhao You hesitated briefly before instructing Zhao Xing, “I’ll take five hundred light cavalry and follow Prince Rui. You lead the main force but don’t approach the Shuoxi Army camp—wait for us two li away—”
Hearing this, Zhao Xing frowned, “This… Father, could it be a trap?!”
Zhao You shook his head, looking toward where Yan Chi had gone, then at Xiao Cheng and others collecting the remains, “A commander like this wouldn’t set traps.”
With that, he spurred his horse forward, following the Shuoxi Army.
…
Qin Wan waited anxiously in camp, with no sign of Yan Chi’s return. Finally, as daylight fully broke, the messenger she had sent returned.
The man rode into camp and came straight to Qin Wan, “Princess Consort, there were complications in last night’s battle. His Highness orders you and Commander Xia to prepare the army for his return!”
Hearing this, Qin Wan’s heart leaped to her throat, “Is His Highness well?”
The messenger immediately nodded, “His Highness is fine, but… casualties were extremely heavy. You’ll understand when His Highness returns!”
Qin Wan bit her lip hard to maintain composure. Though Yan Chi was unharmed, she grieved for every loss. Taking a deep breath, she immediately had Bai Ying summon Xia Xu. Upon hearing the military orders, Xia Xu was also shocked but dared not delay, immediately preparing the troops.
The commotion was significant, and Yan Che and Qin Chao Yu, who had been attending to Zhao Shu Hua, immediately came out. Qin Chao Yu approached and asked, “What’s happened?”
Qin Wan’s heart was too unsettled to deal with them properly, and she simply said, “There were complications in the Shuoxi Army’s battle last night. We must prepare the army now.”
As she finished speaking, Qin Wan turned and saw Yue Ning standing frozen in place.
Yue Ning seemed to have guessed something, her expression turning quite unpleasant. Qin Wan stepped forward and said, “What’s wrong? Don’t overthink. Yan Chi wants to mobilize the army, likely planning to go somewhere immediately. We should prepare…”
Yue Ning took a deep breath to compose herself. “Alright, I understand.”
With that, they each went to their tents. Qin Wan brought nothing but a cloak and then had her small white horse brought over. She mounted and rode to the camp gate, where Xia Xu had already assembled the twenty thousand troops. Everyone was lined up neatly at the gate, waiting for Yan Chi’s return.
After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, a dark tide-like shadow appeared on the horizon—it was the returning Shuoxi Army with their banners flying.
When Yan Chi had left, he took fifty thousand troops, but now only just over twenty thousand returned. Even Qin Wan could see this stark difference in numbers, let alone the battle-hardened soldiers. Everyone’s hearts sank.
Qin Wan pressed her lips tightly together and, seeing Yan Chi leading the return, immediately rode forward to meet him.
When they met, the closer view revealed everything.
On the surface, Yan Chi appeared unchanged, his eyes still dark and unfathomable as an abyss. But only Qin Wan could see the heart-piercing pain within them. Her heart ached, making it difficult to breathe. She hurried forward, wanting to say something, but found her throat too tight to speak.
Seeing her state, Yan Chi understood her desire to comfort him. He pulled at his lips slightly and said, “We won.”
These words should have brought joy, but as Yan Chi spoke them now, they were filled with profound pain and sorrow. That slight tremor of bitterness could only be detected by Qin Wan.
Instantly, Qin Wan felt her nose sting. She knew this must be the most tragic “victory” Yan Chi had ever declared in his life.
Forcing herself not to look toward the end of the formation, she turned her horse and rode beside Yan Chi toward the camp gate. At the gate, Yan Chi saw Xia Xu waiting with the remaining twenty thousand troops, all eagerly looking at him and then toward the back of the formation.
Yan Chi’s gaze swept over everyone as he spoke in a deep voice, “You must be wondering why Gu Ling, Yu Qi, Xiao Cheng, and others haven’t returned. You’re also wondering why some of your brothers aren’t back… In this battle, our Shuoxi Army was victorious, but…”
Yan Chi’s voice suddenly broke, “But Gu Ling and Yu Qi will never return. Xiao Cheng is now leading ten thousand brothers to collect their remains.”
His voice lowered only briefly before suddenly rising, “Last night’s fierce battle should have been a certain victory, but during the engagement, traitors set a wildfire that split our Shuoxi Army in two, ultimately leading to the destruction of the ten thousand troops led by Gu Ling and Yu Qi.”
Yan Chi continued without pause, “As the army’s commander, I bear this responsibility!”
At this point, Chu Fei Sheng spurred his horse forward and addressed the twenty thousand troops who hadn’t fought: “This isn’t His Highness’s fault! That fire was set by those despicable traitors to harm us. His Highness led us in fierce combat to attempt a rescue, but by the time we drove back the Rong barbarians, it was too late…”
Chu Fei Sheng, over forty and a military elder on par with Yan Lin, spoke with a trembling, choked voice!
“They set the great fire on the plains to kill us all! We all know we’re fighting under the banner of rebels now. This was to be our final battle, and true to the ancient saying ‘when the cunning hare dies, the hunting dog is cooked,’ not just us—last night, the Northern Manor Army was also ambushed…”
Even without Chu Fei Sheng’s words, everyone could see the dark red blood caked on Yan Chi’s body.
Despite the downpour, the blood still stained him deeply, showing just how brutal last night’s battle must have been!
The soldiers following Yan Chi all looked as if they had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!
Xia Xu, one of the main commanders who had joined around the same time as Yu Qi and Gu Ling, immediately reddened his eyes upon learning of their deaths!
He stepped forward abruptly, “Your Highness! How did it come to this?! Who—”
Yan Chi looked at Xia Xu, then at the soldiers behind him, “The Rong barbarians’ invasion and stopping them wasn’t our responsibility, but for the land beneath our feet, for the Zhou blood flowing in our veins, we came. For days we fought, our Shuoxi sons never retreating. Yet this is our reward. Can you accept this?!”
“No!” Xia Xu roared.
Immediately, all soldiers joined in, “No! We cannot accept this!”
Yan Chi’s gaze swept over everyone. He nodded, “Good, very good. I had you prepare early because I want to lead you immediately to find those responsible for our fallen brothers’ deaths. I, Yan Chi, if I cannot avenge our wrongfully killed brothers, am not worthy to be the Shuoxi Army’s commander!”
His resounding words echoed throughout the camp, instantly arousing everyone’s shared indignation.
Yan Chi pointed his spear toward Wei County, “March on Wei County—”
At this command, the entire Shuoxi Army began to move. Zhao You and his men, who had just arrived, saw this momentum and though they had intended to greet Yan Chi before entering the camp, were now intimidated by his murderous appearance and could only wait for the army to pass.
Zhao Xing, watching this scene, asked, “Father, are they going to battle?”
Zhao You narrowed his eyes and smiled coldly, “I suspect we’ll soon be marching on Wei County as well—”
After the Shuoxi Army passed, Zhao You immediately rode toward the camp. Just as he reached the gate, he saw Yan Che and his companions.
Yan Chi led his army majestically toward Wei County. Being nearby, they arrived in less than half an hour. The sentries of Wei County had long spotted Yan Chi’s approach and naturally reported to Yue Rong, who had just returned to the city.
Yue Rong had spent the previous night entangled in a battle with over ten thousand Rong barbarians at Luofeng Slope. After the battle, when he sent scouts, they discovered the barbarians had fled north. Having just returned, he was unaware of what had happened to the Shuoxi and Northern Manor armies. Upon hearing that Yan Chi had brought his army, Yue Rong immediately rode out to welcome them—
Just as he emerged from the city gate, Yan Chi’s forces arrived.
Before Yue Rong could speak, Yan Chi raised his spear, its gleaming tip pointing at him, and commanded fiercely, ‘Seize Marquis An Yang!’