There was no food in Fengling City.
Yet, the Emperor still sent her there. She had initially wondered why the Emperor would so easily allow a woman to become a general. Now she realized that he never intended for her to be a commander at all. The true commander was Zhang Yun, while she was merely a flag, planted in Fengling to attract the Wei and Chu families to come to the rescue.
Even if the Wei and Chu families didn’t come, it was to let these twenty thousand people use their lives to hold Fengling. As for those things painstakingly created in Fengling? The Northern Di never intended to let Da Chu have them, which is why Fengling’s repeated attempts to send messages had failed. The Northern Di were simply buying time. During the period when Fengling was seeking help, although the Northern Di didn’t attack Fengling, they were constantly moving troops over.
Since Da Chu couldn’t have them, they might as well be consumed by the flames of war.
Chu Yu took a deep breath and turned to look at Liu Rong, “The Emperor gave you a death order, didn’t he?”
Liu Rong was slightly stunned, but Chu Yu understood, “If the city falls, none of you will survive, right?”
Liu Rong remained silent, but the man in blue spoke up, “If the blade cannot be used by our Da Chu, we’d rather destroy it than let it fall into others’ hands.”
So in her previous life, there wasn’t a single survivor in Fengling City.
So in her previous life, most of Fengling City was reduced to ashes.
Chu Yu looked at them calmly and said, “Have you never considered surrendering? The Northern Di is after what you have. If you surrender, your abilities, you will be treated with respect in Northern Di.”
“You want to surrender?!” Liu Rong exclaimed excitedly, then continued, “Absolutely not, absolutely not! Do you know how much effort I put into building Fengling City? You woman…”
“If we surrender, what of Da Chu?” The man in blue remained very calm, “Now the Emperor is muddleheaded and full of schemes, forcing soldiers to counter with political tactics everywhere. The ruler is not ruling, the ministers are not ministering. The Northern Di, with merely two hundred thousand iron cavalry, have taken half the country in less than half a year. If Fengling falls again, will Da Chu truly perish?”
The man in blue looked up, his eyes filled with hidden excitement, “We’ve been hiding our identities here for over a decade. Was it just to watch this country perish by our hands?”
“I understand,” Chu Yu nodded. She took a step back, bowed with her sleeves spread, “I apologize for my earlier offense, I hope the gentlemen can forgive me. Rest assured,” Chu Yu raised her head, speaking earnestly, “Chu Yu will protect this city with her life. As long as the city stands, we stand,” she continued, emphasizing each word with determination, “If the city falls, we fall.”
“Madam, rest assured, we will also do our utmost to assist you,” Liu Rong quickly spoke up, helping Chu Yu stand straight. Chu Yu turned to look at the man in blue beside her, “May I ask the gentleman’s surname?”
“Han,” the other party calmly replied, “Han Xiu.”
Chu Yu was stunned for a moment, then immediately asked, “Is your wife’s surname Li?”
The other party’s gaze flickered slightly, and he nodded.
“Your wife…”
“I saw earlier,” Han Xiu spoke calmly, his voice a bit hoarse, “All four of my children entered the city. She’s not here, which means she must be gone.”
Chu Yu didn’t know what to say for a moment. Han Xiu turned around and said, “The Northern Di should be preparing for a second wave of attacks soon. General Zhang said you’re the commander for this battle, so please make preparations.”
With that, Han Xiu walked out. Liu Rong stepped forward to smooth things over, “He’s always like this, please don’t mind him.”
“It’s alright,” Chu Yu shook her head, “Please trouble you to provide me with a count of the city’s population and food supplies. I’ll have the army count the horses. We may have to endure a siege for a while, and in critical moments, we might have to resort to eating the warhorses.”
Perhaps it wouldn’t just be a while, but a very long time.
Chu Yu didn’t say more.
In her previous life, Chu Linyang had held out for three months. Although the current situation was different, it was not wise for the Chu family or the Wei family to come to Fengling’s rescue now.
“Also, where does the city’s water come from?”
“You needn’t worry about that,” Liu Rong nodded, “Fengling City uses rainwater and groundwater. The river flows down from the mountain.”
Chu Yu acknowledged this. After familiarizing herself with all the places with Liu Rong, Han Xiu came to explain to her the several defense lines of Fengling Mountain.
As a military stronghold, Fengling Mountain’s defenses were excellent. Chu Yu led her troops to familiarize themselves with various defense mechanisms of Fengling Mountain overnight. She couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, “With so many good things, why didn’t Lord Han inform the military department?”
“The production cost is too high, knowing about them wouldn’t help,” Han Xiu spoke indifferently, “Moreover, compared to the Northern Di, Da Chu has always been skilled at defending cities. For so many years, the Northern Di have only been able to raid.”
Chu Yu frowned slightly, feeling somewhat strange. If all the things Fengling City had been producing for so long were impractical, non-generalizable items, why would the Emperor value Fengling so much?
What exactly were the Northern Di after? The Northern Di must know what’s in Fengling City.
However, since Han Xiu didn’t say, Chu Yu knew he wouldn’t answer her. After all, although they were currently on the same side, Han Xiu was still Emperor Chunde’s man.
Both harboring their thoughts, Han Xiu led Chu Yu to familiarize herself with Fengling Mountain. After that, Chu Yu finally went to rest.
She had barely slept for an hour when the horn sounded on Fengling Mountain.
The Northern Di’s second attack on the city!
This time, both sides were well-prepared. Chu Yu turned over, grabbed her sword, and rushed out of the room, leading Wan Yue and Chang Yue down the mountain.
Liu Rong stood on the city wall observing the overall situation. Han Xiu was in the back, commanding the city’s soldiers to operate the mechanisms. Chu Yu led the soldiers to guard the front line. Han Xiu first shot the first wave of arrows. There were too many Northern Di, and those who survived rushed up to face the second wave of mechanisms with nails and thorns laid out. Further ahead was Fengling Mountain, where they faced Chu Yu and her troops.
They had built a rampart with sandbags, creating a simple city wall to protect the archers in the back. Then Chu Yu’s group charged forward, engaging in close combat.
People surged up wave after wave. Chu Yu herself didn’t know how long she had been fighting. From the first ray of sunlight at dawn until nightfall, Chu Yu had been at the forefront. The sound of war drums never stopped. On the battlefield, they retreated when they heard the drums and didn’t advance when they heard the gong.
They couldn’t retreat, they couldn’t retreat.
Chu Yu was killed until her mind was numb. The people around her were replaced wave after wave, and new ones rushed up wave after wave.
A soldier fell at her feet. Chu Yu forced back the enemy rushing up with a sword, quickly retreated with the person, and threw him behind the sand rampart. A pair of fair hands caught the person. Chu Yu looked up and saw Chu Jin wearing a soldier’s clothes. Her face was covered in blood, her expression resolute. She nodded at Chu Yu, then caught the soldier and quickly pulled out a strip of cloth to bind the soldier’s wound.
Chu Yu was only stunned for a moment before quickly returning to the front line.
Before life and death, don’t ask about the past.
On the battlefield, don’t count gains and losses.
The Northern Di wanted to force a decisive battle. They had many people and strong troops, while Chu Yu and her people relied on natural defenses. For a time, the battle was fierce and evenly matched. The Northern Di launched a strong attack for two days and two nights but couldn’t advance an inch.
As a result, the Northern Di’s morale greatly decreased. On the eve of the third day, the Northern Di finally stopped for a rest. Chu Yu, who had killed until her eyes were red with blood, sat not far from the Northern Di, holding a knife and staring vigilantly at the soldiers.
Her sword had long since broken. She picked up whatever weapon she could find on the battlefield. Her hair was tied up high with a hair band, and her silver-white light armor gleamed coolly in the night.
When she spoke, her gaze was fixed on the Northern Di, like some wild beast facing its prey. The Northern Di dared not meet her gaze. She had killed too fiercely, and now the Northern Di felt chilled at the sight of her.
Liu Rong brought a pot of wine up to refresh her spirits. He squatted beside her and said in a low voice with a bitter face, “We can’t hold on if we keep fighting like this. The soldiers are all exhausted.”
“I know,” Chu Yu licked her dry lips and took a sip of wine.
“Don’t worry, they’ll retreat in at most two days.”
“How do you know?” Liu Rong was somewhat surprised. Chu Yu was silent for a moment. She took another sip of wine without speaking.
How could she not know?
The Emperor was now waiting for the Chu family or the Wei family to come to her rescue. As long as Wei Yun knew about the situation in Fengling, he would find a way to come no matter what.
Fengling City was two days away from Huajing. If Wei Yun knew the news, calculating the time, he should be here by now.
Chu Yu closed her eyes. The wine was a bit bitter.
Just then, the Northern Di’s military horn suddenly sounded! Chu Yu’s eyes snapped open to see the Northern Di troops retreating like a tide.
“They’re retreating…” Liu Rong’s voice trembled slightly. Chu Yu stood up and without hesitation, her toes touched the ground, and she quickly jumped to the treetop to look into the distance.
She saw a group of people in the distance, dressed in white clothes and silver armor, carrying high military flags with a large “Wei” character written on them.
They were charging towards Fengling City, while the Northern Di troops were surging towards them.
They formed a pointed formation, with a young man at the front of the formation, holding a long spear, his momentum like a rainbow, breaking through the military tide and leading the light cavalry behind him, galloping towards Fengling City.
They had pursuers behind them and enemies in front of them, like a small boat surrounded by seawater, speeding through the waves.
Chu Yu watched from afar, her body trembling slightly.
The Northern Di weren’t retreating; they were going to intercept the reinforcements!
The incoming troops weren’t many. They could have turned back, but they still came towards Chu Yu.
Chu Yu’s gaze fell on the person at the lead. He was getting closer and closer. Across millions of troops, Chu Yu could even see the young man raise his head, his gaze falling on her, then raising his eyebrows and smiling.
“Prepare the troops…” Chu Yu raised her voice, “Prepare to receive them!”
“Madam!” Liu Rong exclaimed in surprise, “There are too many people, we can’t save them.”
“All men who can still stand, rise!” Chu Yu called out, “The reinforcements have arrived, follow me to kill!”
After shouting, Chu Yu took the lead and charged out. Chang Yue and Wan Yue followed without a second thought. Then, one by one, people stood up. After fighting for two days, many had become accustomed to following Chu Yu.
At this time, Chu Jin was on the city wall, having just finished bandaging a soldier’s wound. She stood up and saw the figure leading people out one after another. Han Xiu stood on the city tower, his expression unreadable behind his white mask.
That figure led people into the army. Han Xiu still showed no emotion. Chu Jin bit her lip, suddenly rushed towards the war drum, grasped it, and struck it forcefully.
“What are you doing!” The soldiers standing nearby exclaimed in surprise, wanting to pull Chu Jin away. But Han Xiu suddenly raised his hand and calmly said, “Let her be.”
The drumsticks of the war drum were very heavy, completely different from the zither Chu Jin had played in the past. She struck the drum face loudly, and the soldiers still on the front line stood up with the drum sound, following Chu Yu as she charged out.
The drum sound was high and passionate, stirring the blood in people’s hearts. The Northern Di army had been fighting for two days, facing all kinds of strange weapons from Fengling City and soldiers who fought without regard for their lives. Their morale had long been worn down. Now, hearing the war drums behind them and the killing shouts shaking the heavens, they couldn’t help but lose their formation for a moment.
As the elite troops led by Wei Yun approached, the Northern Di soldiers between Chu Yu and Wei Yun suddenly fell into chaos, scattering in all directions.
Once the troops began to rout, they lost all cohesion. Wei Yun instantly met with no resistance. He looked up and saw the woman riding towards him on horseback.
Even with blood on her face and disheveled hair, her expression remained bright and dazzling, like moonlight in the night or sunlight after rain.
She galloped towards him through thousands of troops. At that moment, Wei Yun suddenly felt as if the world had lost all color, everything becoming quiet. She became the brightest hue in the world, her horse’s hooves seeming to trample on his heart, creating an earth-shattering sound.
He had always known she was beautiful, but it was on this battlefield that he truly realized for the first time how utterly captivating this person was!
Her horse brushed past him, leaving behind the words: “I’ll cover the rear!” before charging forward.
Wei Yun pursed his lips, suppressing a smile, and cleared the way for his troops, charging towards Mount Fengling.
Wei Yun’s army wasn’t large but moved extremely quickly. It didn’t take long for them to safely enter Mount Fengling. By this time, Chu Yu had also led her people back in a circuitous route.
There were too many Northern Di soldiers, with those fleeing and those pursuing all mixed in chaos. If Mount Fengling hadn’t been so depleted of usable troops, this would have been the perfect time for a counterattack.
Chu Yu looked at the battlefield with some regret, then heard someone beside her laugh and say, “Don’t look anymore. If you chase after them now, it’ll be like throwing a meat bun to a dog – gone without return.”
Chu Yu turned her head to see Wei Yun standing beside her, smiling.
He seemed to have been smiling from the moment he saw her. Chu Yu suddenly realized she hadn’t bathed in two days, and her body was covered in a foul mixture of blood and sweat. Wei Yun, on the other hand, was in much better shape. He hadn’t engaged in much direct combat, and although there was blood on his clothes, his hair ornament was undisturbed, and the blood on his face had been wiped clean. He still looked like a dashing young gentleman.
Meeting Wei Yun in such a disheveled state for the first time, Chu Yu felt inexplicably embarrassed. She coughed lightly and said, “Let’s go up the mountain first. I have something to tell you.”
“Mm,” Wei Yun nodded and turned to go up the mountain with Chu Yu. It was then that Chu Yu noticed large bags of grain placed beside the “wooden ladder.” Liu Rong was excitedly directing people to load the grain onto the wooden ladder.
Chu Yu’s eyes widened, and she turned back to Wei Yun, asking, “Where did this grain come from?!”
“I raided Su Cha’s provisions,” Wei Yun said casually, but Chu Yu knew the dangers involved. She looked at Wei Yun in astonishment as he calmly continued, “So Su Cha had his men chase me all the way here. Seeing nowhere else to hide, I decided to take refuge in Fengling.”
Chu Yu didn’t know whether to scold him or not. Seeing the young man’s nonchalant expression, she struggled for words before finally saying, “Why did you raid his provisions? Couldn’t you have just burned them?!”
Wei Yun said nothing, lowering his head.
Chu Yu’s heart sank, thinking Wei Yun couldn’t possibly have overlooked such an obvious solution.
However, Wei Yun couldn’t bring himself to speak the truth.
He had arrived a day early. According to the plan, with his small number of troops, burning the provisions would indeed have been better. But when he saw Chu Yu trapped from afar, watching Mount Fengling and the Northern Di locked in such a bloody battle, he finally couldn’t restrain himself.
He wanted to be by Chu Yu’s side, to defend the city together with her. He understood the emperor’s intentions – to use the Wei family to tie down the main Northern Di forces, allowing Yao Yong to attack their rear. In the end, Yao Yong would come to defeat the Northern Di, securing a complete victory.
This way, the empire would be protected, and imperial power would remain unchallenged.
But all the losses would be borne by the Wei family, while all the glory would go to Yao Yong. Now that the emperor had bound Liu Xueyang and sent Chu Yu to her death, it was clear that in the emperor’s mind, Wei Yun was no different from a traitor. If Yao Yong were to achieve the primary merit of repelling the Northern Di, in the post-war reckoning, even death by a thousand cuts might not be enough to satisfy the emperor’s anger.
Yet, he was still too young.
He couldn’t stand by and watch, couldn’t bear to see Chu Yu fighting alone on the battlefield. He desperately wanted to fight alongside her, even to stand in front of her, to be her pillar of strength, to conquer lands for her.
So he simply raided Su Cha’s provisions and came to Fengling City.
If they were to defend the city, then so be it.
Sometimes, he thought, if he could die by Chu Yu’s side, it wouldn’t be so bad.
But he dared not speak these words. The continuous battles had numbed his mind, and he couldn’t even comprehend the emotions behind the thought of dying by her side being acceptable.
He just followed beside Chu Yu, feeling a sense of peace in his heart.
Seeing his silence, Chu Yu considered that he was still young, and mistakes were normal. She smiled and said, “It’s alright. You bringing the provisions is already very good. Let’s go up first and decide on our next steps.”
Wei Yun nodded and accompanied Chu Yu up the mountain.
As soon as Chu Yu entered the city, she saw Chu Jin standing before her.
Her eyes held worry, but it stopped at her lips.
Chu Yu suddenly remembered the resolute look in this girl’s eyes as she took over from the soldiers on the battlefield. Chu Yu smiled, “Ajin.”
“Sister…” Chu Jin looked her over but couldn’t say anything. Chu Yu understood her meaning and nodded, saying, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”
“That’s good.” Chu Jin let out a sigh of relief. Chu Yu looked at her expression and smiled warmly, “Ajin has grown up.”
She had grown up too.
When she realized that she could now look at Chu Jin calmly and tenderly, even with a hint of admiration, she became aware that growth had come silently.
Wei Yun had been quietly watching her the whole time, his gaze never wavering for a moment. He walked beside Chu Yu, watching her greet people along the way into the city, then led him to her quarters.
Chang Yue and Wan Yue had come ahead to prepare bath water for her. To conserve resources, Chu Yu used cold water, quickly rinsing herself off. Wei Yun waited outside, and after a short while, he saw Chu Yu come out wrapped in a robe, sitting down beside him.
Food was scarce during wartime, but now that they had finally stopped, Chu Yu and Wei Yun slowly ate while talking.
Chu Yu shared the information she had obtained with Wei Yun, and Wei Yun told her about what had happened in the capital. After finishing, Chu Yu frowned, “You said Gu Chusheng told you this? How did he know information that even you didn’t?”
A chill ran through Chu Yu’s heart, but she was too tired to think much about it. She heard Wei Yun say, “He said the Princess told him.”
If the Princess knew, then it wasn’t so strange.
Chu Yu nodded, not asking further. She continued eating and said, “So he went to persuade people to defend Tianshouguan, and now you’re trapped in Fengling. What do you plan to do?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak for a moment, then slowly said, “Your brother should be able to adapt to the situation…”
Hearing such an aimless response, Chu Yu sighed, putting down her bowl, “Don’t speak like a child. When the opportunity comes, I’ll help you and your troops leave the city.”
Wei Yun pressed his lips together, “If you can help me leave the city, why not leave with me?”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Chu Yu put down her bowl and looked at Wei Yun. “I…”
“Don’t say these things yet,” Wei Yun interrupted her. “Get some sleep first. After you’ve rested well and thought it through, then tell me.”
Hearing this, Chu Yu looked at the young man’s tightly pressed lips. She felt somewhat helpless. They remained at an impasse for a while before Wei Yun finally said, “Just let me stay with you for one more day.”
From the moment he saw her until now had been the most peaceful time he had experienced in recent days.
He craved this gentleness, wanting to linger in this moment a little longer.
Listening to this, Chu Yu felt his words were extremely childish, yet a warmth welled up inside her.
Chu Lingyang and Chu Jianchang were not good at expressing emotions. In these two lifetimes combined, they had never expressed concern for her so directly. She understood Wei Yun’s dependence on her, and keeping this dependence and care in her heart, she wanted to reciprocate further.
She couldn’t refuse such a request, only sighing, “Then after eating, let’s sleep.”
Chu Yu finished her last bite of food and put down her bowl. Then she yawned, stood up, and said to Wei Yun, “After you finish eating, find a place to rest. I’m going to sleep first.”
With that, Chu Yu turned into her room and immediately lay down.
Wei Yun sat in the outer room, slowly eating.
He didn’t know why, but his eating became particularly slow. He ate for a long time, and only when he heard her breathing become steady did he put down his chopsticks.
He just sat in the main hall, listening to her breathing, feeling that this was the best place to rest.
He sat until midnight, eventually falling asleep on the rush mat. Chang Yue and Wan Yue had already gone to sleep, and others didn’t dare disturb Wei Yun. Instead, they brought a blanket, cleared the dining table, and let Wei Yun sleep on the floor.
Chu Yu slept until nearly dawn. She walked out groggily and saw Wei Yun sleeping on the ground.
Chu Yu was slightly startled. She hurriedly went over and saw Wei Yun’s sleeping face.
His face was at the intersection of adulthood and youth, handsome with a touch of childishness. His eyelashes were extremely long, making the color contrast of his eyes particularly striking. Even without any makeup, he gave off an air of alluring charm.
The future Wei Yun had once been evaluated as the most beautiful person of his time. Chu Yu had always known he was good-looking, but it was at this moment that she was truly struck by his beauty. She stood dumbfounded for a moment, her heart unconsciously beating faster.
She was so startled that she hastily stepped back, then found it amusing. She had been stunned by the appearance of a fifteen-year-old boy. She crouched down again, gently shook Wei Yun, and softly called, “Little Seven?”
Hearing her voice, Wei Yun opened his eyes groggily.
He must have been too tired. Come to think of it, he had arrived yesterday from the long journey between Huajing and Fengling, likely traveling without rest, then immediately raiding the provisions and fighting his way here. He had probably slept even less than she had.
Chu Yu felt a pang of sympathy. She saw Wei Yun shaking his head, trying to wake himself up, and slowly said, “Sister-in-law, I’m sorry, I was too tired yesterday…”
“Go get some sleep quickly,” Chu Yu waved her hand, urging him to rest. Wei Yun nodded and went to the door, but then asked, “Sister-in-law, do you know where I’m staying?”
Chu Yu was taken aback and looked towards the servants, “Didn’t Lord Liu make arrangements?”
The maid looked embarrassed, and Chu Yu immediately understood. After such a major battle, Liu Rong must have been overwhelmed, probably assuming she would handle small matters like arranging guest rooms.
At this point, the guest rooms likely weren’t even prepared.
Chu Yu felt somewhat helpless. Seeing the dark circles under Wei Yun’s eyes, she waved her hand and said, “You can sleep in my room for now.”
Wei Yun’s mind was a bit foggy. Chu Yu stood up and said, “Don’t mind it, just make do and sleep there. I’ll have someone prepare a room for you.”
Wei Yun stood there woodenly, not knowing whether he should go or not.
In the end, though, he did lie down on that bed. The bed still carried Chu Yu’s scent, the orchid fragrance he remembered.
He lay on the bed and suddenly became wide awake.
He abruptly got up, threw off the covers, hurriedly left the room, inquired about Wei Qiu’s room, and quickly went there, squeezing onto Wei Qiu’s hard couch.
When Chu Yu returned, Wei Yun had already left. She asked curiously, “Where is he?”
The maids shook their heads, only saying, “The young marquis suddenly got up and left.”
Chu Yu was a bit bewildered. She sent someone to look for him but was told that Wei Yun had gone to sleep in Wei Qiu’s room.
Chu Yu pondered for a moment, realizing that Wei Yun was indeed much more rule-abiding than her.
When daylight finally broke, Wei Yun finally awoke.
Chu Yu listened as Liu Rong reported the casualty numbers and remaining supplies in the city. After a short while, Wei Yun walked in.
Chu Yu invited him to enter. After getting a clear picture of the city’s situation from Liu Rong, she smiled at Wei Yun and said, “We couldn’t discuss it yesterday, but can we now plan for what’s ahead?”
Having slept through the night and calmed down considerably, Wei Yun nodded and uttered a soft “Mm.”
“Here’s what I’m thinking,” Chu Yu began.
A maidservant entered, carrying porridge which she placed on the table. With strict rationing in the city, thick porridge was already considered a luxury. Chu Yu sipped the porridge as she continued, “There must be something in Fengling City that Su Cha needs to obtain. The next time he attacks, he’ll undoubtedly give it his all. If we retreat a few steps, seeing us fall back, he’ll focus his attack on my position.
You can then take advantage of this to lead the troops out of the city and return to Huajing. Don’t send troops to help me; I’ll hold this position to keep Su Cha occupied. With Gu Chusheng’s abilities, he’ll surely convince the Northern Emperor to attack Tianshou Pass. By then, the pressure on my side will be greatly reduced. You can proceed with the original plan, holding Tianshou Pass to force His Majesty to execute Yao Yong, and then come to rescue me.”
Wei Yun remained silent, his gaze fixed on his porridge. Chu Yu, having rested for the night, was in high spirits. “The most severe problem in Fengling City is the lack of provisions. With the food you’ve brought in and our warhorses, we have more than enough to hold out for a month. You needn’t worry.”
Wei Yun still said nothing. Chu Yu hesitated before saying, “Is there something else troubling you? You’ve seen the city’s defenses…”
“What else should trouble me?” Wei Yun raised his head, looking steadily at Chu Yu. “What else do you think should trouble me?”
Chu Yu was slightly taken aback. The words were so blunt that even someone as obtuse as Chu Yu sensed something amiss.
Wei Yun continued to stare at her, saying, “You want to defend Fengling, but for how long? If you defend too fiercely, Su Cha will retreat. So you need to yield appropriately. But if you yield too much and he takes the city, what then? Moreover, as you drag him along, waiting for the Northern Di to be defeated on the battlefield, Su Cha will direct his anger toward you. When he then attacks the city with all his might, what will you do?”
“You intend to tie down the Northern Di’s main force with just twenty thousand troops? Do you think Su Cha is a pushover?”
Listening to Wei Yun’s analysis, Chu Yu realized she had considered all this as well.
“But what else can we do?” Chu Yu looked at him calmly. “Xiao Qi, if you stay here to defend with me, His Majesty’s goal will be achieved. Everything you’ve done will only benefit Yao Yong. Didn’t you prevent Song Shilan and my brother from engaging the enemy to force the Emperor to deal with Yao Yong after Tianshou Pass falls, so you could get the commander’s seal? But now that you’re here, with the Wei family troops, Yao Yong can freely sweep up the Northern Di’s remaining forces behind us. Once the war ends, it will be your death, and mine as well.”
“Your coming here was already a mistake. Staying here, isn’t that just acting on impulse? Do you still want this world, or not?”
“Then what would you have me do?!” Wei Yun suddenly raised his voice, looking up at her. He was like an enraged young beast, red-eyed, fierce yet vulnerable. “Watch you be surrounded here, die here? If I don’t come to save you, who will?”
“The world is important,” Wei Yun said hoarsely, “but aren’t you important too?”
At these words, Chu Yu was stunned. A subtle feeling emerged, and Wei Yun turned his head away, saying hoarsely, “I’ll stay with you to defend Fengling. When Yao Yong attacks, we’ll run.”
“Don’t be foolish,” Chu Yu couldn’t help but smile, knowing Wei Yun was speaking out of emotion. She sighed and said, “Let’s first invite Han Xiu here. I need to understand if Fengling City is truly worth Su Cha’s relentless attacks.”
With that, Chu Yu sent for Han Xiu.
When Han Xiu entered, he was leading a boy of about ten years old. Though he had changed clothes, Chu Yu still recognized him as the youth who had been arguing with Chu Jin earlier.
The boy respectfully greeted Chu Yu before sitting to one side. Han Xiu bowed to Wei Yun, then exchanged courtesies with Chu Yu before asking, “Madam Wei summoned me, may I inquire as to the reason?”
“I want the inventory of all weapons in the city,” Chu Yu said directly. “I want to understand everything you’ve developed here. I need to know to what extent Su Cha is determined to take this city.”
Hearing this, Han Xiu sipped his tea and nodded. “Please wait, Madam. I’ll send it over this afternoon.”
Chu Yu acknowledged, then turned to the boy beside Han Xiu and asked, “What was your name again?”
“This humble one is Han Min,” the boy turned to face Chu Yu directly, answering respectfully.
A hint of a smile appeared in Chu Yu’s eyes. Wei Yun turned his head to look at Chu Yu, and then his gaze fell on Han Min, carrying a hint of coldness.
After Han Xiu and Han Min left, Wei Yun slowly said, “I’ve noticed that Sister-in-law seems to have extra patience for young boys.”
“Mm,” Chu Yu smiled, “I like young men, they seem full of vigor.”
As soon as she said this, Chu Yu realized her mistake. She was only sixteen herself, how could she talk about vigor? She coughed lightly and quickly added, “Besides, young men are good-looking.”
Wei Yun didn’t respond. Chu Yu stood up and said, “I’m going to attend to other matters. Why don’t you check on the casualties among the men you brought?”
As Chu Yu walked out, Wei Yun suddenly said, “But he’s not that good-looking.”
Chu Yu paused and turned back, seeing Wei Yun sitting stiffly, staring straight ahead. “I don’t think Han Min is particularly handsome.”
Hearing this, Chu Yu burst out laughing, her eyes crinkling with mirth. “Yes, yes, our Xiao Qi is the most handsome.”
Wei Yun pressed his lips together, saying nothing. After she left, Wei Yun looked somewhat bewildered.
Wei Xia entered and respectfully said, “Young Marquis, shall we go check on the soldiers?”
“Mm,” Wei Yun responded, slowly standing up. As they walked along the corridor, Wei Yun suddenly spoke, “Wei Xia.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t like it when Sister-in-law praises other young men.” His expression was confused. “Am I wrong to feel this way?”
Wei Xia looked embarrassed. Wei Yun turned to look at him, pressing his lips together before asking, “Why do I feel this way?”
Unable and unwilling to answer, Wei Xia could only cough lightly and say, “Young Marquis, please don’t dwell on it. There’s much to be done.”
Wei Yun finished counting his troops. Having avoided direct engagement and only passed through the battlefield, his losses weren’t severe. However, due to the large number of men and Wei Yun’s meticulous counting, it was nightfall by the time he finished.
Upon returning to the manor, Wei Yun rushed to Chu Yu’s room. As soon as he entered, he saw Chu Yu poring over the ledgers Han Xiu had given her that afternoon.
Seeing her furrowed brow, Wei Yun knew she was perplexed. He approached and asked, “Does Sister-in-law have any concerns?”
“Mm.” Chu Yu nodded, tossing a ledger to Wei Yun. She frowned and said, “The items Han Xiu listed in this ledger are just minor improvements to small gadgets or things with production costs too high for widespread use. Do you think these alone are worth Su Cha’s efforts?”
“He wouldn’t reveal the crucial items to you,” Wei Yun said without even glancing at the ledger. “Su Cha was certainly lured here by the Emperor. He spent a fortune building Fengling Mountain; he won’t hand it over to the Northern Di. He must have given Han Xiu strict orders. If the city falls, Han Xiu won’t survive. A man who can accept such an order from His Majesty wouldn’t possibly give you the key information. Although you’re protecting him now, you’re still the Wei family’s Madam. If the information reaches your hands, it’s as good as reaching mine. How could he possibly give it to you?”
Chu Yu frowned. Without Han Xiu’s cooperation, she couldn’t know if her plan to tie down Su Cha was feasible, or to what extent.
As they were talking, they suddenly heard a young voice from outside saying, “Is Madam Wei present?”
Hearing this voice, Chu Yu and Wei Yun exchanged a glance. Wei Yun stood up and hid behind a screen as Chu Yu called out, “Enter.”
Han Min walked in. He first bowed respectfully to Chu Yu, then said, “This humble one has snuck here and cannot stay long. If there’s any disrespect, I hope Madam will forgive me. I’ve come tonight to ask if Madam wishes to know why the Northern Di are besieging Fengling City.”
“You know?” Chu Yu didn’t dare underestimate the boy before her. Despite being only ten years old, he spoke without a hint of nervousness or fear. Instead, he nodded calmly and said, “I do.”
“My father’s greatest pride in his life is developing something called gunpowder.” Han Min said, pulling out a cylindrical object from his robes. Chu Yu looked at it curiously, and Han Min explained, “This is the least powerful type. Please watch, Madam.”
With that, Han Min stood up, took a candle, walked to the courtyard, and dismissed everyone. He raised the candle flame to the fuse of the object, then threw it into the courtyard.
Moments later, a thunderous boom resounded, and flames erupted. In an instant, the entire courtyard was leveled.
Chu Yu stared at the device in astonishment. Han Min turned back and said, “This is the amount they use for testing formulas. The ones used on the battlefield are several times, even dozens of times more powerful. I believe this is what the Northern Di have come for.”
“This thing,” Chu Yu finally understood its terrifying power and its value on the battlefield, “if mass-produced, would it be expensive?”
“My father has already managed to control the production cost to be extremely low. It can be fully mass-produced for battlefield use,” Han Min said calmly.
Chu Yu’s eyes carried a cold light as she asked, “Then how much of this is currently in Fengling City?”
“You’re planning to use Fengling as bait to tie down the entire battlefield, aren’t you?” Han Min’s expression was eerily calm in the firelight, not at all like a ten-year-old child. Chu Yu didn’t respond, and Han Min slowly smiled.
“A lot, a lot. I think it’s enough for you to tie down their main force.”
Mini-Scene
Wei Yun: I don’t think Han Min is good-looking.
Chu Yu: Well, Gu Chusheng is quite handsome.
Wei Yun: I don’t think Gu Chusheng is good-looking either.
Chu Yu: Then… how about my brother?
Wei Yun: Mm… Big Brother-in-law is alright.
Chu Yu: What did you just call him?!
Wei Yun: I think, except for Big Brother-in-law, Second Brother-in-law, and your father, I’m the most handsome man in the world!!