“Feng Ting, gather one thousand scouts and divide them into five teams for independent strikes. Use your familiarity with the terrain to conduct guerrilla warfare against the enemy’s reinforcements. Do your utmost to harass the enemy’s supply convoys and delay them on the Helan Mountain side for at least two days.”
The young commander in military attire nodded and replied, “Yes!”
“Murong, take the newly recruited two thousand militia and set up an ambush at Hundred-Zhang Cliff. Stockpile boulders and logs. Wait until two days later when the supply troops break through Feng Ting’s blockade. At that time, Old Mu will join you and direct your subsequent actions.”
The two soldiers answered in unison, “Yes, Commander!”
With a swift motion, she unfolded a map. The young woman’s fingers were long and fair as she drew a line along the southeast region and said in a deep voice, “Wudan Yu, take five hundred archers and hide in Pine Leaf Forest. Use your bows to harass the enemy’s flanks. Once the enemy launches an attack, withdraw immediately. You must not engage the enemy head-on, understand?”
The young and handsome Wudan Yu responded solemnly. He was not part of the original Southwest Garrison Forces but a soldier recruited later by He Xiao and others. He had once been a notorious bandit in the Helan Mountain region.
“My Lady, if possible, I could also find a way to lure the enemy toward Thousand Ice Pond. I know the terrain well—once they enter, I guarantee they won’t return!”
Chu Qiao thought for a moment, then looked up and said, “Use your judgment. If the opportunity arises, I give you full authority.”
Wudan Yu smiled, “Thank you, My Lady!”
“He Qi led the third team to defend the north wall. During the battle, fully coordinate with the first team to guard Chidu. He Xiao is in command. I entrust the entire Chidu city wall to you, brothers. All of Yan Bei will be standing behind you, watching.”
He Xiao’s eyes immediately sharpened. He performed a standard military salute alongside his brother, and they both declared loudly, “We will not fail Your Ladyship’s expectations!”
“The focus of this battle is not to annihilate the enemy forces, but to continuously carry out small-scale attacks to disrupt the enemy’s morale, harass their supply lines, and strike at their fighting spirit. We must force them to scramble in response, delaying their assault on Chidu. Everyone, time, and endurance are our only weapons. As long as we can hold out for seven days, His Highness’s reinforcements will arrive!”
Chu Qiao raised her head. The candlelight illuminated her face, giving her an otherworldly beauty. The young soldiers gazed at her with determined eyes, earnestly looking at this girl who was much younger than any of them. The room was small and brightly lit. Chu Qiao slowly extended her hand, hovering it before her chest, and spoke in a low, solemn tone, “The great battle is imminent, and we can no longer hesitate. When the nation faces peril, people must maintain loyalty and righteousness. As soldiers, we must uphold our duty to defend our land and protect our people. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, we will not shame the land of Yan Bei, nor our conscience, nor the military flag above our heads! Life or death, victory or defeat—it all depends on this battle. Take care, all of you!”
“Take care, My Lady!”
More than ten hands clasped together. Outside the door, the north wind howled. Inside, the firelight blazed. Not far beyond the city walls, the enemy was already sharpening their swords. At Chu Qiao’s command, the warriors turned and strode through the door to their respective battlefields. After this, who knew who would return, who would survive?
Chu Qiao’s slender figure stood in the dim light, the massive map laid out before her. It showed countless ravines and ridges, every mountain range and river—all the terrain of Yan Bei. Chu Qiao took a slow, deep breath, then donned her great fur coat and stepped outside. A small figure suddenly ran up and asked in a crisp voice, “Where are you going, My Lady?”
Du Ping’an carried a lantern, wearing an oversized military coat. His face was red from the cold. Chu Qiao looked at him silently, then said in a deep voice, “To the military supply factory!”
Although Chidu City had few defenders, it occupied an advantageous position along the Red Water, with convenient water transportation routes. The city was fairly prosperous, with a population of over one hundred thousand. After sending away the women and children, about forty thousand newly recruited militia remained in the city. Sending these inexperienced recruits against the Great Xia army would be suicide. Chu Qiao had no hope of relying on them to defend Chidu. Rather than the battlefield, she had found more suitable places for them.
At this moment, the military supply factory was filled with clanging sounds. Though it was deep into the night, countless torches were tied to the walls. Huge copper furnaces were everywhere. Men were sweating profusely, each attending to their duties, pushing carts back and forth.
“My Lady, what is this place?” the child asked with wide eyes.
Chu Qiao’s gaze was profound, her face showing traces of regret as she slowly said, “This is the hope for Yan Bei’s revival. If only we had more time, why would we fear mere Xia soldiers?”
Someone inside noticed Chu Qiao and quickly notified others. Soon, a middle-aged man in his forties hurried forward. Two days ago, he had been an ordinary blacksmith in the city. Now, he had become the chief commander of the Southwest Garrison Forces’ Weapon Forging Division.
“My Lady, coming here so late—do you have any instructions?”
Chu Qiao shook her head, “I’m just here to look around.”
“Would you like to go inside, My Lady?”
“No,” Chu Qiao shook her head, staring steadily ahead. The blacksmith was covered in sweat, his clothes wrinkled and bearing burn marks. He looked at this young female officer and was slightly dazed.
This commander was different from any he had seen before. Though young, looking into her eyes, he felt none of the impulsiveness or superficiality typical of youth. She seemed to have seen too much, experienced too much, and had become calm and composed, yet profound as the sea—impossible to fathom. He wondered: this commander must have suffered greatly; otherwise, how could she possess such eyes?
The night wind blew against Chu Qiao’s face, ice-cold. She wore a dark blue fur coat, with fox fur around the collar framing her fair face.
“Go back to your work. I’ll be leaving now.”
“Ah? Oh, farewell, My Lady!”
The old blacksmith still used his customary manner when facing officials, bowing so low that his head nearly touched his knees. When he raised his head again, he found that she had already walked far away.
The war began that very night. The original defenders of Chidu were trembling with fear. However, the initial fighting was not as intense as they had imagined. The enemy’s reserve forces seemed to be held up, forcing them to send large numbers of troops back to defend their rear. Their formation became chaotic, with small-scale skirmishes breaking out from time to time.
Chu Qiao knew this was Feng Ting’s sniping around Helan Mountain taking effect. The Xia army was in unfamiliar territory, and at this stage of the war, they had received no news from Yan Xun and the Second Army. With Zhao Yang’s caution, he would certainly be wary. The purpose of her dispatching five guerrilla forces was to create both real and imagined concerns and constraints for the enemy.
However, Zhao Yang was indeed an excellent commander. Although Feng Ting had sworn a military oath, and Chu Qiao had made meticulous plans for strategic offense, defense, and transfer, the offensive at Helan Mountain collapsed on the second morning. The planned two-day defense didn’t even last one day—in just one night, the thousand Southwest Garrison Forces were completely wiped out, with not a single survivor.
Due to Feng Ting’s defeat, Murong and Amu encountered the full force of Great Xia’s attack ahead of schedule. The battle began at breakfast time and only gradually subsided by noon. Amu’s younger brother escaped back via a small path, announcing the end and failure of the battle. Two thousand militia suffered heavy casualties, and the remainder were scattered, their whereabouts unknown.
The Great Xia army surged forward with overwhelming momentum, charging full force at Chidu’s gates. However, they encountered unexpected resistance near Pine Leaf Forest. A fierce troop, like a sharp knife, pierced the flank of the Xia army. With just five hundred men, they used the forest’s advantageous terrain to make three full passes through the Xia army’s flank as if entering unguarded territory. They burned the central flag and set fire to the Xia army’s central tent. Their young commander shot an arrow that pierced the temple of the army’s vice-commander; the arrow carried a rope, and when pulled back, it took half of the commander’s head with it.
The Xia army was in an uproar. The slain commander’s guard gave chase before Zhao Yang could stop them. Thus, that day, Great Xia lost eight thousand elite guards, all drowned or frozen in the icy waters of Thousand Ice Pond.
Attacking with an army of two hundred thousand, yet suffering such a defeat! The Xia army was furious. Even Zhao Yang could not control the voices calling for revenge in his ranks. Under pressure, he had to slow his advance and direct his forces against these guerrilla troops outside the city. However, Wudan Yu had fewer men and greater mobility and was thoroughly familiar with the local terrain and environment. He led his five hundred men in guerrilla warfare for two days despite the Xia army’s carpet-bombing tactics, still maintaining combat effectiveness and winning precious time for Chidu’s defenses.
After two days, however, Zhao Yang suddenly withdrew all offensive operations. While the Yan Bei army was puzzled, the Xia army suddenly ordered all troops to fall trees. Two hundred thousand men set to work, and within half a day, the vast Pine Leaf Forest was completely cleared. Wudan Yu’s five hundred guerrilla fighters were fully exposed to the enemy.
Chu Qiao stood on the high city wall, watching helplessly as Wudan Yu led his five hundred men, like a pebble swallowed by the gray ocean of the Xia army. With the rumble of hooves, just one charge extinguished that small splash of resistance.
“Fight for freedom!”
The distant battle cry traveled faintly to their ears. The entire Chidu city wall fell deathly silent. Warriors removed their helmets, gazing at their comrades fighting outside the city. Many veteran soldiers silently shed tears.
The sunset blazed like fire. After three full days, the Xia army finally completed its first encirclement of Chidu. Situ Jing stood beside Zhao Yang, respectfully reporting, “Your Highness, the Fourteenth Prince, we have learned from captured civilians that the defending forces in the city are traitors to the Empire—the Southwest Garrison Forces. Their commander is a woman, also a traitor to the Empire, named Chu Qiao.”
“Chu Qiao?”
These two words fell calmly from his lips. Zhao Yang slowly narrowed his eyes. He suddenly recalled a rainy evening long ago: green rocks and red tiles, winding corridors, an accidental collision, scattered books. The stubborn prince, mocked and insulted by his brothers, knelt stiffly in the corridor. From afar came the fragrance of books and ink. A young woman in blue clothes climbed onto the roof, fixed the leaking tiles, and the gentle wind blew past her thin figure, her skirt fluttering, her hair black as ink, white embroidered shoes slightly stained with pale moss…
Though barely a year had passed, Zhao Yang felt as if it had been so long ago. He still remembered what Zhao Che had said that night when Yan Xun escaped from Zhenhuan, pointing at that figure. His seventh brother, for all his brilliant talents, did not understand the ways of flexibility or the art of scheming. Such a person could establish a formidable foundation in chaotic times but would never have a foothold in the imperial court. Nevertheless, he had to admit that Zhao Che’s insight was excellent. His words that day had proven prophetic, culminating in the present situation.
“Your Highness? Your Highness?”
Situ Jing said softly, “Please issue the military order.”
The journey had been difficult. Through years at court, no one had ever been willing to lend him a hand, even for a brief moment. The warmth and coldness of humanity, the fickleness of the world—he had seen too much, experienced too much.
The images in his memory gradually receded. Zhao Yang’s eyes grew deep as he slowly said, “Attack with full force. After breaking through Chidu, slaughter the city to consecrate our flag.”
With a “whoosh,” the wind suddenly raised the military flag, making it flutter fiercely in the cold air.
Zhao Yang leaned back quietly in the central military camp with its burned corner. In a daze, he recalled an oath he had made before departure:
“I swear, in this life, I will never again follow behind anyone else.”
Everything standing in the way—let it all roll aside! Cities, armies, enemies, kinship, weakness, hesitation, and… conscience!
Under the setting sun’s glow, the Xia army finally launched its first full-force attack on Chidu City. Thousands upon thousands of troops spread out across the plain, heads densely packed, countless beyond measure. Horse hooves thundered, howling and galloping. The cavalry units wore neat, uniform military attire, with gleaming spurs, fearsome swords, and armor flashing blood-red in the sunset. Yan Bei’s war eagles screeched in the sky. The cold wind cut like a knife, whipping up swirling snow, and creating a strange white mist across the land. The massive army hidden in the white mist appeared all the more terrifying!
“Kill the enemy!!!”
A battle cry that shook heaven and earth suddenly rang out. Great Xia’s horn players sounded the battle horns. The warriors of the First Cavalry Unit drew their battle swords and waved them overhead, charging like wolves and tigers toward the low city wall. The heavy cavalry followed closely behind, infantry distributed on both sides, and archers advanced under the protection of shield bearers, preparing to attack from the trenches. As far as the eye could see, there were enemy hooves and armor everywhere, blades stamped with the Great Xia Military Forge markings everywhere. Soldiers roared, and the earth trembled unceasingly. The mountains shook, and shouts merged into an ocean of sound.
Compared to the Xia soldiers’ roaring, Chidu’s city wall was deadly silent. The Southwest Garrison Forces’ warriors guarded the city wall, holding their weapons, quietly waiting for the attack order.
Commander He Xiao held his arrow, slowly drew his powerful crossbow, squinted one eye, pulled the bow into a full moon, and suddenly released!
With a “whoosh,” the foremost rider in the Xia cavalry was shot and fell from his horse, tumbling four or five times before coming to a stop.
The Xia army was momentarily stunned, shocked by He Xiao’s terrifying strength. But in an instant, they regained their composure—such men were one in ten thousand, and their courage for the charge immediately returned.
“Ready!” He Xiao shouted coldly, raising his hand. “Fire!”
The sunset seemed suddenly covered, the world darkening. The Xia cavalry felt as if in a dream. In mid-air, a dense rain of arrows like locusts swept down, covering the sky, and moving at an astonishing speed. The Empire’s invincible cavalry that had swept across the Western Meng Continent fell into an endless nightmare. The soldiers in front were pierced by a barrage of arrows, flying off their horses, crashing into three or four cavalrymen behind them. Horses tumbled, and a chorus of screams and wails rose. The cavalrymen became veritable targets and porcupines. Blood dyed the white snow on the ground a dazzling red.
Zhao Yang frowned deeply and urgently sent orders. Heavy cavalry and shield bearers rushed forward to protect the others. However, before they could get close, another round of arrows howled down. The Xia soldiers laughed loudly, the heavy armor soldiers waving their heavy iron armor, freely mocking the Yan Bei army’s presumption. But before their laughter ended, the arrows penetrated their armor with terrible force. In the fierce metal storm, they didn’t even have time to cry for help. Panicked men and horses trampled each other. Death, screams, blood, corpses—before such a sharp and terrible attack, no one dared advance, and the front ranks immediately collapsed. The Xia officers slashed more than a dozen men before barely controlling the soldiers’ retreat.
“Charge! Follow me!”
A commander on horseback vigorously tapped his iron breastplate with his war sword. However, before he could finish his rousing call, an arrow whistled through the air and pierced his head. Blood trickled down, flowing like a small stream along the pattern of his armor.
“Death to those who retreat! Death to those who retreat! The enemy has less than ten thousand men. Pass this ridge, and you’ll all be heroes of battle!”
The officers shouted hoarsely. The warriors, their fighting spirit ignited—after all, they were the Empire’s regular troops—maintained their charge despite the strong offensive, continuing to spur their horses forward. The massive formation surged forward like a flash flood, unstoppable.
He Xiao waved his hand again and again, directing the battle: “Shoot! Shoot! Shoot these bastards dead!”
“Commander! Commander!”
A messenger ran forward, shouting, “Orders from My Lady! Prepare the stone throwers!”
A row of stone-throwing machines, over three meters tall, was pushed onto the city wall. However, these were not ordinary battlefield catapults. They were larger, thicker, and more powerful, with three additional axle supports, driven by springs, rotating more than twenty times. Once fired, they could reach over four hundred paces—twice the distance of normal catapults.
Blacksmith Wang stood on the city wall, his forehead covered in sweat, his eyes filled with a kind of wild anticipation. He gripped a short knife, suddenly shouted, and cut through a rope.
The sound of the spring mechanism immediately arose, and the stone thrower suddenly rotated. A crackling sound followed. As everyone watched dumbfounded, a boulder the size of a millstone flew up from the city wall and, with a thunderous crash, smashed down on two cavalrymen. Screams rose to the heavens. Everyone looked back in panic to see that not only the cavalrymen but also their warhorses were crushed to a bloody pulp.
“Oh! Long live My Lady!”
On Chidu’s city wall, the crowd immediately erupted in terrible cheers. Since being besieged by the Xia army, this was the first time they had entertained the thought that they might win. Under such fearsome weapons, everyone trembled with fear. The Xia soldiers looked around, forgetting to charge. At that moment, the real nightmare finally began as numerous stone throwers activated simultaneously, thousands of boulders raining down from the sky.
The scene was too terrible. What the stone throwers launched were not ordinary rocks—some were household millstones, some were roof beams, and some were thousands of broken tiles. Just moments ago, more than a dozen soldiers were simultaneously crushed by a heavy object. Survivors on both sides looked carefully and saw that it was a majestic stone lion that had once stood in front of a mansion gate!
No armor or shield could withstand such weapons. Battle swords were crushed into scrap metal, spears were reduced to kindling. Flesh turned to mud, brains splattered everywhere. The Xia army fell like autumn wheat, collapsing into pools of blood!
Zhao Yang’s eyes burned red as he grabbed the collar of the Weapons Manufacturing Chief and shouted furiously, “What are those weapons? What kind of arrows? How can they shoot so far? Why are they so fast? Speak!”
The gray-haired chief turned deathly pale, gasping for breath, “Your Highness, forgive me! I truly don’t know!”
“Useless trash!”
“Your Highness! Let the soldiers retreat—we simply cannot get close!” Situ Jing approached with a mournful face.
“No retreat!” Zhao Yang’s gaze was resolute as he coldly said, “Anyone who dares retreat one step will be executed!”
“Kill the enemy!!!”
The Xia army let out desperate, death-like howls. Near were sharp arrows and far were rolling stones. Heaven and earth were vast and gray, filled with the screams of death. Boulders and arrows came like storms, covering the entire battlefield!
Chu Qiao sat in the central command, receiving an endless stream of battle reports like snowflakes.
“The enemy has suffered heavy casualties but continues their assault. They are now within two hundred paces of the city defense.”
“The First Division has eliminated nearly ten thousand enemies. Arrow supplies are critically low, less than three thousand bundles remain.”
“Boulder supplies are rapidly diminishing. Three stone-throwing machines have been damaged and are now broken.”
“The enemy has dispatched another forty thousand cavalry and three reserve legions. The left city defense is about to collapse.”
“The Third Team has begun taking casualties. Enemy arrows are fierce at the western defense.”
…
Chu Qiao’s expression remained calm as she quietly reviewed all the reports, responding to each one.
“Weapons Forging Division, immediately send all arrow reserves to support the First Division.”
“Quickly disassemble and repair damaged stone throwers. Move the second batch to the front lines.”
“Second Team, rapidly support the left enceinte. Ling Xiao will lead three thousand militia.”
“Transfer city defense to the Third Team. Hold the Western defense at all costs, die rather than retreat.”
“My Lady!” Footsteps suddenly sounded as the newly promoted Director Wang—the blacksmith—hurried in and asked earnestly, “My Lady, what do you need me for?”
Chu Qiao remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised her head. Her gaze was calm, her expression somewhat solemn as she slowly said, “Use the firebombs.”
Director Wang was startled, then his face immediately lit up with joy. He ran out at once. Chu Qiao slowly stood up and looked outside, her gaze gloomy, her emotions unreadable.
People of later generations would always wonder how the Xiuli Queen had managed to resist Great Xia’s two hundred thousand elite troops with just ten thousand mixed forces, even gaining the upper hand in the early stages. But only high-ranking military commanders within the Empire knew the reason. Though the Xiuli Queen was young at the time, the weapons used by the Southwest Garrison Forces were all revolutionary products: sky-reaching crossbows, stone-throwing machines, rolling wolf traps, thunder cannons, firebombs, and more. The internal structures of these weapons weren’t deciphered until many years later. As for the fire bombs, their mysterious veil wasn’t lifted until the Second Technological Revolution more than thirteen hundred years later.
These mysterious weapons made their debut in the Battle of Chidu and quickly spread throughout the Yan Bei army, playing an immeasurable role in several northern expeditions and later in the Western Meng Defense War. The man named Wang Deze, the Director of the Southwest Garrison Forces Weapons Forging Division, earned the honorable title “Father of Divine Weapons.” Yet throughout his life, this same man repeatedly claimed, “My wisdom doesn’t compare to even one ten-thousandth of His Highness’s.” And at the age of one hundred and seven, just before his death, he called out, “Long live His Highness!” before departing this world.
The future history had not yet arrived, and the great figures of future history were still trudging through the mud.
After suffering more than thirty thousand casualties, the Xia army finally reached the city walls with great difficulty. But at that moment, the arrows and boulders from the city wall suddenly ceased. After a brief silence, countless small silver-white objects were thrown down with a crackling sound.
The Xia army looked carefully and saw they were chunks of ice. Mockery immediately erupted from their ranks.
Had the Southwest Garrison Forces gone mad? Having run out of arrows and stones, did they think they could kill people with ice chips?
But just then, a “boom” suddenly rang out as a piece of ice exploded. The explosive force wasn’t very powerful, but ice fragments flew in all directions, embedding like knives into the soldiers’ bodies. Those struck in vital areas died instantly, while others who were wounded immediately lost their fighting capacity. At the foot of Chidu City, men and horses tumbled. On the city wall, the Southwest Garrison soldiers laughed loudly together. The firebombs were simple in construction and numerous, yet they were terrifying weapons for close-range attacks. In an instant, screams shook the heavens, a white mist of smoke spread everywhere, cries of anguish from Xia soldiers filled the air, horses neighed in pain, and crimson blood flowed freely. Whether infantry or cavalry, they clustered together like a pot of boiling water.
With a “splash,” large vats of boiling oil were poured down. As soon as they touched the ground, they were ignited by the sparks from the fire bombs, instantly setting off a great blaze at the foot of the city.
The snow melted. Above were raging flames; below was cold, forbidding snow. The Great Xia soldiers finally collapsed like a landslide. With a howl, they all retreated together!
The soldiers and civilians on Chidu’s city wall could hardly believe their eyes as they watched the Xia army retreat in disarray. The people of Chidu and the officers and soldiers of the Southwest Garrison embraced each other, weeping with joy.
“The Xia soldiers are retreating! The Xia soldiers are retreating!”
The great wave of news swept down from the city wall. Chu Qiao sat in the central command post, drafting attack orders when she suddenly heard the news from the front. The young woman, who hadn’t closed her eyes for three days and nights, was stunned. She sat there with her back straight as the sunset outside blazed like fire across the land. The blood-red light fell on her face, making her appear ethereal and unreal.
“My Lady! My Lady! The Xia soldiers have retreated! We’ve won!”
Ping’an, wearing a messenger’s uniform and wielding a battle sword half his height, rushed in excitedly but froze at the doorway. He saw the young woman sitting quietly at her desk, her expression calm, but a crystalline tear track rolled down her cheek.
“My Lady! My Lady!”
The Southwest Garrison officers and soldiers rushed in afterward. Chu Qiao quickly wiped away her tears and stood up, once again becoming the sharp and resolute military commander. She strode out the door, and a thunderous cheer immediately followed. Whether civilians or soldiers, all gathered around her, excitedly reporting the battle situation.
She didn’t blame them for being so excited, for such an achievement was indeed enough to make anyone proud: with ten thousand mixed troops, they had resisted an enemy force of two hundred thousand elite soldiers. Apart from the thirty-five hundred sent out earlier, less than two hundred had been killed or wounded in the army, while they had eliminated more than fifty thousand enemies and repelled seventeen attacks.
From this point on, the Southwest Garrison would be listed among the continent’s elite armies. The Battle of Chidu would be recorded in history as a great turning point in the First Northern Expedition War!
That night, the two armies temporarily ceased fighting. Chu Qiao was not as excited as the mid-level officers. She knew that Zhao Yang had lost to her today only because he was unfamiliar with her battle tactics and advanced attack techniques—he had been caught off guard. For tomorrow’s battle, he would certainly adjust his strategy. It would be impossible to win so easily again.
Moreover, Director Wang had reported to her that in today’s battle, three hundred sky-reaching crossbows had been damaged—a full three-quarters of their stock. Most of their arrows had been used up. Although the stone throwers could be repaired, the city was now a wasteland of rubble and scorched earth. The supply of boulders and logs was exhausted. Apart from the firebombs, few offensive materials remained.
Chu Qiao rubbed her temples, frowning as she studied the military map, repeatedly examining several defense plans. Ping’an quietly entered, replacing the teapot. Seeing that the charcoal fire in the room had gone out, he busied himself trying to replace it.
“Ping’an, what time is it now?”
The child looked up and answered, “It’s the second watch already, My Lady. You should rest. You haven’t slept for days.”
Chu Qiao’s eyes were bloodshot, and she felt she could barely keep them open. She lay down on her desk and said, “Wake me at the third watch.”
“I will.”
It seemed she had just fallen asleep when soldiers outside announced urgent documents. Ping’an impatiently whispered, “My Lady has just gone to sleep. What could be so important? Can’t it wait until dawn?”
“Ping’an, let them in.”
“Lady Chu!” Four young soldiers entered the room, led by Ping’an. The one in front stepped forward and said, “We are Lady Yu’s subordinates. Lady Yu received your letter and has a verbal message for us to deliver.”
“Lady Yu received my letter?” Chu Qiao was overjoyed. She stood up at once, her face full of pleasant surprise as she asked, “What did she say? When can she come to our aid? Are there detailed strategic deployments?”
“My Lady, the lady didn’t specify. She only said that you should go to Blue City immediately, as she has urgent matters to discuss with you.”
Chu Qiao frowned upon hearing this and slowly said, “What did you say?”
“My Lady, the lady said you should go to Blue City immediately, as she has urgent matters to discuss with you.” The soldier carefully repeated.
Chu Qiao nodded and asked, “Did she say anything else?”
The soldier replied, “No, My Lady.”
“Very well, then. Wait a moment while I gather some belongings.” Chu Qiao nodded and said to Ping’an, “Ping’an, come here. Bring me the fur coat from inside.”
Ping’an frowned slightly. The child was remarkably quick-witted and, without saying anything, turned and walked toward the inner room.
At that moment, one of the soldiers who had been kneeling on the ground suddenly grabbed the child’s hand and looked up, saying, “My Lady, no need to trouble yourself. We have everything prepared. Let’s go now.”
The cold light flashed. Moving with lightning speed, Chu Qiao flicked her wrist, and an inkstone flew through the air, striking the soldier’s wrist with a bang. With a crisp crack, the soldier’s wrist bone broke instantly. Remarkably, the soldier was a tough man who didn’t make a sound despite the injury. Ping’an was quick-witted, rolling on the ground to evade their attack and jumping out through the window!
“Catch her!”
Seeing that their cover was blown, the leader no longer concealed his intentions. Several men lunged at Chu Qiao, all skilled martial artists.
Chu Qiao moved quickly. A cold glint flashed from her hand as she shook her arm, and a dagger tied to her forearm slid down. A flash of cold light appeared in the lamplight, and a man let out a muffled groan. Thanks to his skillful movements, only his shoulder was cut. Chu Qiao braced her hands on the desk, sweeping her leg horizontally and kicking an assassin in the abdomen. The man flew backward, crashing into a bookshelf. Two vases shattered on the ground with a crackling sound.
At that moment, the door suddenly opened, and more than thirty guards rushed in, quickly subduing the intruders.
These men were personal guards left for Chu Qiao by Yan Xun, always responsible for her close protection. Song Qifeng, the guard captain, stepped forward and anxiously asked in a low voice, “My Lady, are you alright? Are you injured?”
“I’m fine,” Chu Qiao shook her head and said solemnly, “They weren’t trying to kill me.”
Chu Qiao stepped forward and looked at the assassin leader, asking, “Who sent you?”
The man smiled bitterly, “I knew My Lady was skilled, but seeing it today, you truly are extraordinary.”
“Tell me honestly, and I’ll spare your life.”
“My Lady, everything I said was true. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do.”
Chu Qiao frowned slightly as chaotic thoughts flashed through her mind, too quickly for her to grasp. She turned to Song Qifeng and asked, “Who let them into the city?”
Song Qifeng’s expression was strange as he said softly, “I don’t know, My Lady.”
Chu Qiao looked around and suddenly asked, “Where is Ping’an?”
“Ping’an,” Song Qifeng answered, “I didn’t see him.”
“You didn’t see him?” Chu Qiao’s gaze was piercing as she stared at Song Qifeng. Suddenly, she smiled gently and said, “Oh, he probably went to get help. He should have gone to the Southwest Garrison and missed you. Let’s go outside and look.”
With a swish, more than ten gleaming blades were suddenly at Chu Qiao’s throat. Song Qifeng smiled bitterly and said, “Since My Lady has already guessed, I need not pretend anymore.”
Chu Qiao’s face was like ice as she watched Song Qifeng release the ropes binding the four men. Her gaze was like a cold arrow.
“My Lady, I’m sorry. Qifeng is following orders. Please forgive any offense.”
Chu Qiao’s expression remained calm as she coldly asked, “Whom do you serve? The Great Unity Guild? Or Great Xia?”
Song Qifeng bowed respectfully and said, “When we arrive at our destination, My Lady will know.”
The man stepped forward, “I know My Lady is highly skilled. We had no choice. Please cooperate.”
With that, he bound Chu Qiao tightly, covering her eyes and mouth.
“Go!”
Song Qifeng gave the order, and everyone left the room. Soon, a carriage arrived. Chu Qiao was loaded onto it, and the carriage quickly drove north.
“Halt! Who goes there?”
Song Qifeng sat on horseback and said, “I am My Lady’s personal guard captain. This is a messenger from Lady Yu of Blue City. We must leave for Blue City immediately. Here is My Lady’s command arrow.”
Seeing it was Song Qifeng, the soldier immediately said politely, “So it’s Lord Song. Wait here, I’ll open the city gate right away.”
The north gate was not a battlefield, and the gatekeepers were the original guards of Chidu City. Song Qifeng asked, “Aren’t you going to check the command arrow?”
“Lord Song, your presence is command enough. Why bother with that?”
“Ha ha, thank you, brother.”
Chu Qiao’s last glimmer of hope was extinguished. The horses galloped away. The wind beyond the Great Wall was icy cold. Chu Qiao felt a deep desolation in her heart, like a knife stabbing into her, causing intense pain. Without her, what would become of Chidu City? Would the officers and men of the Southwest Garrison think they had been abandoned once again? And what of the civilians throughout the city who trusted her—where would they go?
The sky gradually lightened. The long night was ending. At dawn, Chu Qiao was helped out of the carriage and led into a sheltered tent. After her bonds were removed, she tore off the blindfold from her eyes and was startled to see Lady Yu standing gently before her, offering a warm towel and saying softly, “Wipe your face. You’ve had a difficult journey through the night.”
“Lady Yu?”
Lady Yu wore a white cotton robe. Her face was thin, her eye sockets deep, with faint crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes. “Yes, it’s me.”
Chu Qiao’s expression changed from shock to disbelief. She frowned and asked gravely, “Why?”
“This is not a safe place. North Shuo’s time is running out. Without you there, Chidu may not even last the day. Come with me first, and I’ll explain everything properly on the way.”
“Tell me first, why?”
Chu Qiao’s gaze was icy as she coldly looked at this ace figure of Yan Bei’s armed forces and said word by word, “You knew about the situation in North Shuo all along? You knew what kind of chaos was happening in there?”
Lady Yu nodded and said calmly, “Yes, I knew.”
“Then you knew that Great Xia divided their forces into two routes, one to attack Helan Mountain and one to attack Chidu City?”
“I knew,” Lady Yu said calmly.
“In North Shuo, Cao Mengtong was extensively conscripting troops, using civilians as cannon fodder, greatly harming the people of Yan Bei.”
“I knew.”
“The people of Chidu left their homes for Blue City’s fortress, and countless froze or starved to death on the way.”
“I knew.”
“Once Great Xia breaks through Chidu, they can attack North Shuo from two directions. The million soldiers and civilians in North Shuo will have nowhere to be buried! The entire eastern territory of Yan Bei will fall into Great Xia’s hands. Great Xia’s forces will directly threaten Yan Bei’s interior, and all civilians east of Sunset Mountain will be slaughtered by the Xia army!”
“I knew.”
From beginning to end, Lady Yu’s expression remained calm. She listened quietly as if they were discussing mere trifles of daily weather, her expression unwavering, without a hint of surprise or fluctuation.
Chu Qiao’s chest heaved as she clenched her fists and frowned, asking in a deep voice, “Why? Since you knew everything, why didn’t you stop it? Why did you watch with open eyes as the good situation deteriorated into war?”
Lady Yu quietly looked at Chu Qiao, her gaze gentle and wise, her tone calm as a stream as she slowly said, “A-Chu, don’t you understand yet?”
Chu Qiao was stunned as a terrible thought slowly rose from the depths of her heart, cutting like a butcher’s knife into her fragile nerves.
Lady Yu smiled faintly, “Blue City currently has not a single soldier. All forces from the Sunset Mountain range have been withdrawn and relocated. Not just Blue City—there are currently no soldiers in the entire interior of Yan Bei. The interior is now an open field. If any Xia soldiers break in, they win. I have no power to stop General Cao, nor am I authorized to do so. My only task here is to bring you away. Beyond that, I have received no orders for any action.”
As if suddenly thrown into an icy wasteland, Chu Qiao stumbled, nearly falling. Her heart contracted painfully as if encased in solid ice, each beat bringing bloody agony. She breathed deeply but felt her chest was blocked. She opened her mouth and frowned as all the clues gradually connected, forming a terrifying picture.
“Yan Xun…”
“His Highness is not at Meilin Pass either.”
Those brief words instantly shattered all of Chu Qiao’s beliefs. All her thoughts turned into barbed arrows, piercing into her flesh, causing pain so intense she could neither open her mouth nor make a sound. She swayed and grabbed the tent pole for support, her chest heaving as she gasped for breath, wanting to speak but unable to utter a word.
Lady Yu quietly said, “Before leaving, His Highness instructed me to bring you away. I waited for you at Blue City for a long time but didn’t see you. Later, I learned there was trouble on the road, and the North Shuo army was causing havoc. I had no choice but to use this method to bring you here. Please don’t blame me.”
“You’ve all gone mad!” The low voice slowly came forth, accompanied by beast-like heavy gasps. Chu Qiao bent over and raised her head, her eyes bloodshot, coldly staring at Lady Yu, shaking her head repeatedly, saying, “This is too insane!”
“Although insane, it’s effective. His Highness’s army has now broken through Changting Province. More than thirty provinces and prefectures in the northwest have submitted. The old Batu family has become history. Now, Great Xia’s main forces are all gathered within Yan Bei’s borders, while several border defense armies are concentrated at the borders of Biantang and Huaisong. Their internal forces are frighteningly sparse. Huaisong is currently cooperating with us, conducting several large-scale military exercises at the Great Xia border to attract the attention of the Xia soldiers. At this moment, if we can lure Great Xia’s forces into Yan Bei territory and cut off their information channels with scouts amid the heavy snow, speed is of the essence. Within half a month, we can break into Zhenhuan City! Even if the Northern Expedition Army realizes what’s happening afterward, most of Great Xia will already be in our hands. By then, if they want to counterattack, they will be stopped outside the Yan Bei Pass!”
Lady Yu stepped forward and gently brushed the stray hair from Chu Qiao’s forehead, quietly saying, “A-Chu, His Highness knew you wouldn’t agree with this proposal, so he kept it from you, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t trust you. Great Xia attacked with the force of their entire country. We can resist once, but not a second time. Yan Bei’s territory is bitterly cold, greatly limiting our development. No matter how hard we try, we cannot compete with Great Xia’s interior, especially with our inherent weakness—the constant border raids by the Quanrong people. Therefore, only by launching an unexpected counterattack and reversing positions can we establish an invincible position and completely turn the situation around! You are his closest person—you should understand him.”
“Just for this complete strategic shift, you would use hundreds of thousands of Yan Bei soldiers and civilians as your bait and cannon fodder?”
Chu Qiao’s voice was cold and weary as she slowly raised her head, her bloodshot eyes reflecting how her days of hard work and hope had instantly crumbled into rubble.
She had suspected it before—suspected that Yan Xun’s attack on Meilin Pass was meant to wear down the Second Army’s main force and consolidate his position in Yan Bei. But she never imagined that Yan Xun’s ambitions weren’t in Yan Bei at all. He had used a million Yan Bei soldiers and civilians as bait, setting up a giant trap in North Shuo to attract all of Great Xia’s forces. Then, in a move that defied all convention, he took the First Army and the elite troops from Blue City and Sunset Mountain, striking into Great Xia’s heartland with lightning speed, cutting off communications with snow and swift scouts, forcefully penetrating Great Xia’s interior and occupying its lands.
Heh, what an outlandish and insane plan—equivalent to Iraq abandoning its homeland to occupy America while America was attacking Iraq so that when the American expeditionary force declared victory and turned back, they would find their homeland completely fallen. Such an opportunity was truly once in a thousand years.
No wonder he had insisted on dividing forces to attack Meilin Pass before the great battle. No wonder he hadn’t kept her by his side. No wonder he had arranged for a fool like Cao Mengtong to guard North Shuo and supported Cao’s suicidal hoarding of troops and conscription—all because he needed to create the appearance that Yan Bei was mounting a full counteroffensive to attract Great Xia’s attention. No wonder, no wonder her pleas for help had sunk like stones, no wonder all her guards were Yan Xun’s confidants, and no wonder Blue City had voiced no opposition to North Shuo’s chaos!
Such deep scheming, such unfathomable calculation, such a terrifying yet meticulous plan—he had arranged everything without a single omission. Such a detailed battle plan, such imaginative thinking, such tight organization, each step connected and fortified, with ruthless execution. Even she, a senior commander with a modern military education, couldn’t have imagined it. Yan Xun was truly formidable.
“Lady Yu, do you remember what you said to me when we first met?”
Lady Yu’s expression froze. Her face paled, but she still said slowly, “I said I hoped that one day, Yan Bei would have no more orphans like you.”
“Yes,” Chu Qiao smiled bitterly. “You’ve done well. Once this battle is won, Yan Bei will indeed have no more orphans like me—because all the people of Yan Bei will be dead.”
The woman in white’s eyes darkened. She pondered for a long time before finally saying softly, “For a nation to achieve freedom, sacrifices must be made.”
Chu Qiao looked at her with disgust and said coldly, “Very well. All the people of Yan Bei will die, and you’ll gain wealth and power, ascending to supreme authority. This is the price the people of Yan Bei must pay for the freedom you desire!”
“A-Chu!” Lady Yu grabbed Chu Qiao’s arm, saying urgently, “Don’t be so extreme! Strategically, there’s nothing wrong with this plan. It’s a heroic feat—can’t you see? Great Xia’s gates will be opened, and the Sacred Golden Palace will tremble before Yan Bei’s iron cavalry!”
“Don’t touch me!” Chu Qiao snapped coldly, her gaze sharp as a freezing blade. “Strategically, there may be nothing wrong, but you’ve abandoned the people who supported you! Abandoned the civilians who steadfastly protected and supported you in your most difficult times! You’ve betrayed the people’s expectations, deceived the trust of millions, and pushed them into a fire pit! For your wealth and glory, for your selfish interests, you would let millions die!”
“Lady Yu!” Chu Qiao’s eyes burned red, tears streaming down her face. She bit her lower lip and said slowly, “Why? What’s happened to all of you? Have you forgotten everything you once said? These days, no matter how difficult the circumstances, no matter how hard the situation, I always believed you would come to save me. Even rebel forces like the Southwest Garrison knew to return and protect the people at such a time—why would you abandon them? Do you know? In every household in Chidu City, they enshrine tablets for you and Mr. Wu. They burn three incense sticks morning and evening, praying for your long life. They say you are the guardian deities of Yan Bei, that as long as you’re here, Yan Bei still has hope. They fled their homes for Blue City, unable to bring even food, yet they still remembered to carry their tablets. Look at how many candles have been lit for you along this road—can you face them with a clear conscience?”
Lady Yu took a deep breath, her delicate eyebrows tightly knit together as she said with difficulty, “I do this for the Great Unity of all under heaven.”
“Heh,” Chu Qiao laughed coldly, turning away, her figure weary and thin. “You can’t even protect one region of people, yet you speak of Great Unity for all under heaven? How laughable.”
Chu Qiao lifted the tent flap and turned to leave. Lady Yu frowned, hurriedly following her out, saying gravely, “Chu Qiao, you’re leaving?”
“Yan Bei is not my homeland, but it has always been my life’s belief. If you don’t want it, I do. If you abandon it, I will protect it. Tell Yan Xun that if Chu Qiao dies, he needn’t avenge her. She didn’t die by another’s hand—she died by his.”
“Stop!” Lady Yu commanded sternly. “I won’t let you leave!”
Chu Qiao turned back, smiling coldly. “You can kill me. Except for my corpse, Chu Qiao will never step one foot outside Yan Bei.”
She pulled a dagger from her boot and held it across her neck, smiling bleakly as she walked toward a horse and mounted it.
“The great mistake is not yet made. There’s still time to turn back. Pulling back from the precipice is not too late. Tell him I’ll be waiting for him on the walls of North Shuo! Hyah!”
The young woman’s fur coat billowed as her horse’s hooves trampled the snow, disappearing in an instant.
Song Qifeng approached, anxiously saying, “My Lady, how could you let Lady Chu leave? His Highness specifically instructed not to tell her about this…”
Lady Yu smiled quietly, a detached smile. She slowly raised her head. The morning sunlight shone on her face, which was as pale as paper, almost transparent.
My beloved Yan Bei, Zhong Yu is powerless. This is all I can do.
“Send a message to His Highness: North Shuo is in danger. Lady Chu is holding Chidu, supporting North Shuo. If aid doesn’t arrive within five days, Yan Bei will surely fall, and no one will escape disaster.”
—*—*—*—*—*—
At this moment, Chidu City was deathly silent. People had searched the entire city but couldn’t find Lady Chu. Finally, they learned from the guards at the North Gate that last night, a carriage escorted by the lady’s guards had left the city.
A desperate thought flashed through everyone’s mind. A soldier in tattered clothes stood in the heavy snow, shivering as he said, “Has the lady abandoned us?”
Before he could finish, he was kicked down by officers and soldiers of the Southwest Garrison! He Qi, Xiao’s brother, said coldly, “The lady would never abandon us! Back in Zhenhuan City, she didn’t give up on us even in those circumstances. She won’t now either!”
“Then where did she go?” A supply guard from Chidu City cried with a choked voice, “All officials are the same!”
The Chidu militia also began to riot, with some echoing, “It must be so! She saw we were going to lose and secretly ran away!”
“I always said you can’t trust officials, especially a woman!”
“Heaven! Has the lady abandoned us? What should we do?”
The crowd grew increasingly tumultuous. Some began to weep in despair. The horizon rolled with dark clouds, and the wind blew the accumulated snow on the ground, like funeral paper money before a grave.
“What are you all standing here for? The enemy is about to break in!”
Commander He Xiao suddenly strode forward, his face grim as he shouted sternly.
“Commander He!” Someone ran up and said, “The lady has abandoned us and fled!”
“Impossible!” He Xiao coldly interrupted, saying gravely, “I don’t believe it. None of the Southwest Garrison soldiers would believe it. The lady is not that kind of person.”
“But…”
“I only want to hear this once. If I hear anyone else slandering the lady and damaging her reputation, they will be enemies of the Southwest Garrison!”
The man drew his sword, the gleaming blade shining in the air.
“What are you standing around for? To the city walls!”
After a night’s rest, Great Xia’s army was no longer as reckless as the day before. The Southwest Garrison had also lost yesterday’s sharp offensive capability. Arrows and rolling stones were exhausted, and the firebombs were depleted by afternoon. At noon, Xia soldiers successively broke through the city wall. Great Xia’s army built human ladders, climbing up fearlessly. Archers shot densely to cover their troops. Arrows filled the sky like a downpour. The city wall was in disarray, with warriors occasionally falling from arrow wounds.
A young soldier was struck by more than ten arrows, all in vital spots. When his comrades tried to take him away, he leaned against the city wall and smiled innocently, his teeth white, his eyes bright. He waved to his comrades, smiling as he said, “When the lady returns, tell her for me that all the soldiers in our battalion secretly admire her.” With that, he leaped from the wall, using his body as a boulder to smash into the Xia army’s human ladder. A chorus of cries rose like a desperate battle song.
Close combat finally began. Large numbers of enemies climbed the towers. The first line of defense on the wall completely collapsed. Arrows flew chaotically in all directions. Everywhere was killing and shouting. The city wall was in crisis everywhere, corpses strewn about, a complete mess.
More and more Xia soldiers arrived. Blood dyed the entire city wall, staining every brick. By now, even the militia had rushed to the top of the wall. They no longer cowered and trembled. Death was before their eyes—put down the knife, die; pick up the knife, also die. But at least they could win a moment for their wives and children to escape. They hacked with knives, stabbed with swords, smashed with bricks, but with teeth—using every possible means. The brutality of war was fully displayed at this moment. Situ Jing stood at the foot of the city, watching from afar, then said to his subordinate with shocked eyes: Are you sure those up there are just militia?
That day, Chidu’s river thawed despite the deep winter. Layers of hot blood covered the ice, melting the surface water, though it soon froze again.
The world was blood-red, corpses scattered everywhere. A soldier’s legs were cut off, yet he didn’t even frown as he picked up his severed legs and threw them down at the approaching enemies. A Xia soldier about to climb the wall was frightened speechless, falling straight down onto the cold snowfield.
The entire Seventh Squad of the Southwest Garrison had perished, with only a messenger remaining. He stood on the wall using his brothers’ corpses as weapons, smashing them down on the Xia soldiers trying to climb up. When the bodies were gone, the young warrior, stabbed multiple times, shouted, “Long live the lady!” then embraced a Xia soldier and jumped down from the wall.
The wall was taken by the enemy several times and recaptured several times. He Xiao, wounded by multiple cuts, still fought tenaciously. Standing on the wall, he shouted, “Brothers! Don’t disgrace the lady! Even if we die here today, the lady will surely avenge us! Kill!”
The warriors’ fighting spirit was ignited. They suddenly stood up, their faltering bodies abruptly filled with strength again, wielding battle swords and engaging the enemy.
The world was a blur of darkness. The great wind carried swirling snow downward. The scent of blood filled the battlefield. Great Xia’s army continued to increase endlessly. The battle raged from dawn to noon, from noon to dusk. Zhao Yang stood on a high slope, gazing out, and couldn’t help but sigh, “The Southwest Garrison is truly a force of tigers and wolves!”
After the city wall fell once more, a sense of despair finally spread across Chidu. A young soldier swung his sword toward the enemy. He was already completely exhausted—this was purely a suicidal final strike. But at that moment, a flash of sword light suddenly appeared before his eyes. A sharp figure abruptly rushed forward, cutting off a Xia soldier’s head with one sword stroke. Blood splashed like a fountain.
The soldier seemed to be seeing things until the person in front turned and shouted angrily, “What are you standing there for? Charge with me!”
“My Lady?” The soldier’s throat produced an incredulous cry. “My Lady! The lady has returned!”
All the exhausted and dying Southwest Garrison officers and soldiers turned. Amid the chaotic crowd, they saw a young woman holding a sharp sword, her figure upright, her movements fierce—who else but Chu Qiao?
“The lady hasn’t abandoned us!”
No one knows who shouted first, but immediately the entire Chidu city wall erupted in jubilation. Warriors who had been at the end of their strength suddenly stood up invigorated, as if they had gained countless new energy.
The lady is still here. We will not lose!
This thought swept in like a tide. The Xia army was horrified to see these people transform in an instant, wielding battle swords and howling as they came, like wolves and tigers, with no trace of their former weariness.
“Brothers! Kill with me!” He Xiao roared, cutting off a Xia soldier’s head with one slash. “Long live the lady!”
“Long live the lady!”
“Long live the lady!!!”
Deafening cheers rose, filling the sky and earth. Watching the defeated soldiers retreat like water, Zhao Yang slowly raised his head, finally forced to acknowledge this terrible fact.
“Your Highness,” Situ Jing frowned and said, “If we can’t take this place, we’ll have a hard time explaining to the Third Prince.”
“Do you think I don’t want to take it?”
Zhao Yang sighed slowly. He looked at the low city of Chidu and suddenly felt that the city was so insurmountable.
“Chu Qiao…”
Night finally came. Great Xia’s forces gradually withdrew. Chu Qiao found Ping’an tied up in the grain storehouse. The little fellow had fallen asleep and woke up to shout with joy at seeing Chu Qiao.
Today’s battle had inflicted heavy losses on Chidu City. Over two thousand main force soldiers of the Southwest Garrison had died in battle. Adding the previous fifteen hundred, the Southwest Garrison now numbered less than three thousand, with fewer than two thousand still combat-effective. The militia suffered the greatest casualties, with over twenty thousand dead. The city wall was severely damaged—if the enemy had catapults or other large siege weapons, they could probably smash the entire wall in less than a day.
Blood and corpses were everywhere. The city’s medical supplies were exhausted. Wounded warriors could only get clean water and rough clothes. At night, terrible screams and cries of pain filled the air. On a side street slightly farther away, people lay motionless and silent—corpses arranged in neat rows, yellow burlap sacks covering the faces of the young warriors.
As she walked, Chu Qiao’s steps grew heavier. Above her was the pitch-black sky. Crows cried mournfully in the north wind, their voices chilling to the bone.
Never before in her life had she felt so isolated and helpless, so without support. All her hopes and dreams had shattered, yet she still had to stand tall for the warriors who depended on her, to tell them that their lady was still confident, still standing strong, and that she would lead them to find a way to survive.
The cold wind blew against her thin body. From afar came the soldiers’ low voices, like wind through pipes, carrying a taste of sorrow. Chu Qiao followed the singing and at the corner saw a young soldier with a severed leg. He was a very handsome young man without a beard yet, his delicate face looked like that of a scholar. One of his legs was gone, empty below the knee. He sat there without crying out in pain, instead smiling slightly, his eyes pure and bright, as if recalling some happy days. Smiling, he sang softly:
“Farewell, my dear girl, I will shoulder my gun to protect our homeland. The enemy’s blade hangs over our heads; I must protect you and our paradise. Perhaps I’ll never see your beautiful eyes again, perhaps I’ll never hear you sing in my ear, but please believe that I will always remember that place back home, where you stood amid the mountainous azaleas, smiling and waving to me, softly saying, ‘Come home soon…'”
Chu Qiao stood silently for a long time until the soldier’s voice gradually became softer and finally disappeared. Snowflakes fell slowly, landing on his face, not melting but accumulating bit by bit.
The wind blew her clothes, like swaying old dreams. The sky was desolate and vast. The world was so large, yet they seemed to have been abandoned by the entire world. Chu Qiao recalled many things—her youthful aspirations, her perseverance, her fervent expectations and hopes. She also recalled many years ago, in that cold, dark prison cell, when the boy had placed her hand in his warm embrace. Yan Xun’s eyes had been bright as he told her many things about Yan Bei: the snow here, the grass here, the herds of horses, the Fire Thunder Plains, the Huihui Mountains, the hardworking people, the kind residents—a place without warfare, peaceful and tranquil, like a paradise beyond this world.
Yan Bei, Yan Bei…
Chu Qiao slowly raised her head, a clear tear flowing from the corner of her eye. Her back was so straight, like a javelin. The snow fell, landing on her shoulders.
No one is left to protect you now. So let me protect you instead. We’ll wait together, wait for them to return.
—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—
No one expected that North Shuo City’s defeat would be so swift and unbearably tragic. In less than five days, North Shuo had been utterly defeated under Zhao Qi’s fierce offensive. Without the defensive tools Chu Qiao had left behind earlier, Great Xia’s golden dragon flag would surely have been planted on Yan Bei’s city walls by now.
At this moment, Cao Mengtong stood on the city wall, watching the Xia army swarming forward like locusts, feeling as though heaven and earth were trembling. He couldn’t understand where his million-strong army had gone. With such a strong fortress, how could they have been so thoroughly defeated? But at this moment, there was no time to consider these questions. Lu Zhi rushed up, shouting, “General, run quickly! If you don’t run now, the Xia army will be upon us!”
“Run?” Cao Mengtong turned around, asking somewhat vacantly, “Run?”
“Yes!” Lu Zhi shouted, “Xia An has already fled with the North Shuo army. I heard that Chidu City hasn’t fallen—that girl called Chu Qiao is still defending it with her troops. We can escape to Blue City through there. Sir, hurry, if we don’t leave now, it will be too late!”
“Run?” Cao Mengtong’s reaction was slow. In just a few days, his hair had turned completely white. He murmured, “No, I can’t run.”
“General! Even that old dog Xia An has run—he’s the city defense general of North Shuo! If even he has fled, what are we still doing here?”
Cao Mengtong sighed mournfully, his aged eyes looking at Lu Zhi as he said, “He can run, but I cannot. Lu Zhi, I am the commander-in-chief of Great Xia’s Northern Expedition Army. If I flee, North Shuo will be finished.”
“North Shuo will be finished even if you don’t leave. General, don’t be stubborn!”
Cao Mengtong shook his head. “No, Lu Zhi. If you want to leave, go ahead.”
Lu Zhi was startled, then cried, “Sir, you really won’t leave?”
Cao Mengtong said firmly, “I won’t.”
“Then I won’t leave either!” The rough man shouted. “It’s just death, isn’t it? Sir, you promoted me, and took care of me, like my own father. If we die, I’ll die in battle with you!”
Cao Mengtong was moved to tears. Patting Lu Zhi’s shoulder, he said, “True friendship is known in times of trouble. Lu Zhi, I have not misjudged you.”
“Sir, please give me twenty thousand troops. I want to break out of the city and fight the enemy to the death!”
“Good!” Cao Mengtong said heroically. “I give you my last personal guard. They are Yan Bei’s most loyal and the Second Army’s most elite troops. Lu Zhi, don’t disappoint me!”
“I will not fail the general’s trust!”
Half an hour later, the north gate opened wide. Lu Zhi, leading Cao Mengtong’s last personal guard, took the city’s gold, silver, and jewels and fled in panic. Cao Mengtong stood on the city tower watching his beloved general leave him. He spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed on the tower.
The Xia army’s next wave of attacks came again. The entire city was in an uproar. Everyone was running around in panic. The north gate was sealed by military law officials sent by Cao Mengtong, allowing no one else to escape.
Tumbling, roaring, shouting for kills—blood filled the entire city. The Great Xia army had reached within two hundred paces of the city. They had set up ladders and begun to climb. The sun gradually set, casting a blood-red glow across the land. This was the last assault of the day. The enemy sounded the charge, mobilizing soldiers to take North Shuo today!
“Surrender! Those who surrender will live!”
Great Xia sent more than three hundred loud-voiced soldiers to call out beneath the walls again and again. Occasionally, citizens of North Shuo tried to open the gates to surrender but were killed by military law officers. The screams and fighting grew closer and closer, so close that one could almost smell the bloody scent of the Xia soldiers.
“General! General! The Third Division needs reinforcements!”
A blood-covered officer scrambled up, rolling and crawling. Cao Mengtong looked at him and slowly shook his head. The aging general drew his sword, stepping forward with murderous intent. How many years had it been since he had gone into battle to kill enemies? For so many years, he had been ridiculed and called the “fleeing general.” But the one time in his life he tried to be brave, he made a catastrophic mistake. If only he had listened to that girl called Chu Qiao from the beginning—the thought arose involuntarily, but then he shook his head ridiculously. What use was thinking about this now? He smiled bitterly and slowly said, “I am the last reinforcement.”
“General!”
The officer was startled, suddenly bursting into tears. “To make a sixty-year-old general personally go into battle—it’s my incompetence!”
The old general shook his arm and slowly said, “Let’s die in battle together!”
“Yes!”
Just then, a sharp sound suddenly arose outside the city. Urgent drumbeats rang out in the Xia army camp. The Xia soldiers at the foot of the city heard the sound and all turned back at once, their faces filled with panic.
Cao Mengtong and the Third Division officer were also stunned. They raised their heads and saw a black shadow suddenly appearing on the distant horizon. Soon, that black shadow became a stream, expanding from a point to a plane, gradually growing larger. Suddenly, the Black Armor Army leaped over the horizon, thundering forward at lightning speed. A white flag with red clouds waved above their heads, like a raging fire!
“The reinforcements have arrived!”
North Shuo’s city wall suddenly erupted in deafening cheers. Warriors wept with joy, shouting.
“It’s our troops! Our reinforcements have arrived!”
“The Southwest Garrison! It’s Counselor Chu!”
“Lady Chu has arrived! We’re saved!”
In an instant, the Black Armor Cavalry let out an earth-shaking roar: “Fight for freedom!”
With neat formations and rapid assault speed, accompanied by a distant rumbling like thunder on the horizon, the ranks grew larger and more numerous—as many as twenty to thirty thousand, all fast cavalry. They held their battle swords at an angle, controlling their horses with just their legs. In the twilight glow, thousands upon thousands of warriors galloped forth in dense formation, sweeping in like a storm!
“The Southwest Garrison! It’s the rebel army of the Southwest Garrison!”
In contrast to the cheers on North Shuo’s city wall, a wave of wailing rose in the Xia army. Their formation was massive, and suddenly facing enemies at the rear, they had no time to turn their formation around. Moreover, the Southwest Army led by Zhao Qi’s fighting capacity was far inferior to the Northwest Army led by Zhao Yang. The Southwest Garrison’s reputation was formidable. In an instant, the rear collapsed like water, falling into chaos.
“Long live Lady Chu!”
The soldiers on North Shuo’s city wall cheered loudly. Many embraced, tears falling on the wall.
“My Lady!” He Xiao rushed forward, shouting, “The enemy forces far outnumber ours. We shouldn’t engage directly!”
Chu Qiao coldly shook her head and said gravely, “Our army is fresh, we must win by surprise, our momentum is overwhelming. The Xia army doesn’t know our true strength—this is a heaven-sent opportunity. If we don’t win this battle, we’ll never have another chance for victory!”
The army surged forward like an avalanche, powerful and fierce. The central camp’s orders hadn’t even reached the rear when nearly a hundred thousand troops at the rear were knocked over in disarray by the first assault. Chu Qiao ordered her forces to ignore the scattered soldiers and focus on the central camp, charging to destroy it!
The Xia army’s nightmare began. Though only a force of several ten thousand, they had clear banners, high morale, and came with incredible speed—fast as lightning, swords flashing, movements unbelievably agile and swift. Everywhere they passed was filled with panicked chaos.
“All troops maintain formation! Charge with me!”
He Xiao led from the front, with a flag-bearer holding the white flag with red clouds behind him. Chu Qiao commanded from within the ranks, galloping on horseback. The warriors fought without regard for their lives. The long-suppressed silence and frustration finally erupted. The army howled, like a flying dragon, sweeping across the entire Xia army formation.
“Counterattack! Reorganize the formation!” Zhao Qi shouted from horseback, trying his best to stabilize the army. Ignoring his personal guard’s dissuasion, he came to the edge of the battlefield. However, at that moment, an arrow shot toward him as if it had eyes. A guard selflessly rushed forward to block it, but the arrow pierced through his chest with a spray of blood. Zhao Qi was shocked and fell from his horse, narrowly escaping.
The army moved with extreme speed, charging through in an instant. Chu Qiao recognized Zhao Qi. With a fierce gaze, the young woman leaped from her horse, her sword flashing as she stomped on the man’s back. With a flash of silver light, before Zhao Qi could even cry out, she cut off his head!!!
“Zhao Qi is dead! Surrender immediately!”
“Boom!”
Like a thunderclap exploding on level ground, the protection of four hundred thousand troops scattered after a single assault. Chu Qiao, slender in build, sat high on horseback, holding up Zhao Qi’s head, her gaze sharp, her back straight.
Battle-proven across a hundred miles, silent as a shadow, swift as the wind, fierce as wolves, charging through enemy lines, breaking through directly, taking the enemy’s head amid tens of thousands—her daring was unparalleled, worthy of being called the foremost general of the age!
The Xia army immediately fell into chaos. Seeing this from the city tower, Cao Mengtong decisively shouted, “Open the gates! Open the gates! All troops charge!”
North Shuo’s gates finally opened wide. Soldiers who previously had no will to fight all rushed out at once. The Xia army’s defeat was now a certainty!
On the twenty-seventh day of the tenth month, Chu Qiao abandoned Chidu, burning the city to the ground. The fire blocked Zhao Yang’s advance—he could only watch as Chu Qiao led less than ten thousand troops away. On the road, Chu Qiao encountered General Lu Zhi, who had fled North Shuo and was rushing to Chidu. Upon learning that this general had deserted North Shuo, Cao Mengtong’s guard immediately mutinied, cutting Lu Zhi to pieces. The twenty thousand personal guards joined the Southwest Garrison’s ranks.
Subsequently, under Chu Qiao’s leadership, they circled behind enemy lines and launched a surprise attack on the Fire Thunder Plains before North Shuo’s gates, delivering a heavy blow to the previously invincible Xia army.
In this battle, over seventy thousand enemies were annihilated, most of whom died from being trampled by war horses while fleeing. Thirty thousand were captured. The Southwest Garrison’s commander, Chu Qiao, personally killed the enemy’s commander-in-chief, a powerful contender for the Great Xia throne, Third Prince Zhao Qi. The impact on the Xia army was immeasurable.
By now, it had been exactly eight years since the Battle of Fire Thunder Plains. Before all of Yan Bei, Great Xia paid a devastating price for their actions that day.
That night, the Fourteenth Prince of Great Xia, Zhao Yang, arrived with his troops, reorganizing the remnants of the Southwest Army. He deployed five hundred thousand troops, once again surrounding North Shuo City.
At this time, in Great Xia’s interior province of Menglai, Yan Xun finally received Lady Yu’s message from an eagle. After reading the letter, he gazed deeply at the now not-so-distant ancient capital of Zhenhuan, standing alone for a very long time. Finally, he returned to the central military tent and issued an order that shocked everyone.
“Break camp tonight. Return to aid North Shuo!”