Hearing this, Yuan Fang’s heart jumped in alarm. He hurriedly asked: “What happened to the Marquis?”

The cold wind this Wei soldier had inhaled along the way seemed to have pierced countless holes in his lungs. He spoke intermittently: “Today attacking the city, the Pei rebel feigned defeat and fled abandoning the city. The Young… Young Lord went to pursue the enemy and encountered danger. The Marquis personally went to save the Young Lord and fell into that rebel’s ambush…”

Yuan Fang instantly felt overwhelmed and somewhat regretted that, fearing Wen Yu would lead the Liang army too early and ruin Wei Qishan’s grand plan to seize Luodu, he had deliberately delayed when attacking Fengyang.

He urgently asked: “Where is the ambush location? How many troops does the Pei rebel lead?”

After that Wei soldier coughed up another mouthful of blood from his throat, he said with difficulty: “In the river valley twenty li south of Luodu. When the Pei rebel fled in defeat, the Pei troops he led numbered only about two thousand, but the Pei troops ambushing at the river valley should number thirty to fifty thousand…”

Hearing this number, Yuan Fang’s expression immediately changed drastically.

Pei Song had clearly come prepared. He looked nothing like someone who had been deceived into fleeing to Luodu for refuge by their earlier pretense of exposing their movements to attack Fengyang.

It was more like Pei Song clearly knew every step of their plan and had turned the tables to set a trap for them!

After realizing this, even in the bitter cold, Yuan Fang’s back actually broke out in cold sweat.

For this southern campaign, Wei Qishan had brought fifty thousand troops. Of these, twenty thousand were allocated to him to attack Fengyang, while the other thirty thousand he led himself to ambush Pei Song on the necessary route to Luodu.

Now that Pei Song had used Wei Pingzin as bait to trap Wei Qishan in the river valley, relying only on the less than twenty thousand troops remaining after taking Fengyang, trying to rescue the Wei father and son from Pei Song’s hands—there wasn’t much chance of success.

After ordering someone to carry that Wei soldier to a military physician for treatment, he quickly walked to the Liang camp’s formation. Outside the carriage, he cupped his fists earnestly to Wen Yu: “Princess, my Marquis rushed to Luodu to attack Pei Song and inadvertently fell into that Pei rebel’s treacherous scheme. He is now trapped in dire straits. This last general implores the Princess to deploy troops together to save my Marquis!”

The iron-wrapped carriage window was pushed half open. Inside the carriage, Wen Yu wore black palace robes of brocaded silk. Her dark hair was half-bound with a white jade crown about three inches long. Beyond this there was not a single hair ornament, yet it made one almost dare not look directly at her. Between her brows and eyes was a coldness even greater than the accumulated snow on the mountain ridges and tall trees beside the path.

Her brow furrowed slightly, as if confused: “Isn’t the Marquis of Shuobian leading a large army attacking Mozhou? How could he be trapped at Luodu?”

Yuan Fang’s face showed some embarrassment.

Northern Wei’s original plan naturally couldn’t be revealed in full to Wen Yu.

But even concealing the part about wanting the Liang army and Fengyang’s Pei army to fight to mutual devastation so their Wei army could reap the benefits, with Wei Qishan at Luodu and himself having previously blocked Wen Yu from rushing to Luodu while inviting her to jointly attack Fengyang—the purpose was already self-evident.

Yuan Fang could only bite the bullet and say: “Perhaps some change occurred in Mozhou, which led to the Marquis marching to Luodu.”

He maintained his cupped fists posture, bending at the waist again and again, saying awkwardly: “The situation is critical. I implore the Princess to consider the greater good and help our Northern Wei this once! If anything happens to the Marquis, the northern border will be in danger. When the barbarians break through Yanle Mountain and move south, all the common people within the border will suffer! After the Princess helps us rescue the Marquis, if the Princess wishes to rescue the Heir’s Consort and the County Princess, our Wei camp will certainly help with all our strength!”

Zhao Bai gripped the reins sitting on horseback. Her gaze toward Yuan Fang was extremely cold, also mixed with a few traces of not-very-obvious disgust.

Wei Qishan wanted to scheme against them first, but the Princess had used minimal force to break the Fengyang situation.

Now having fallen into Pei Song’s hands, he still had the face to shamelessly ask them for help!

When Zhao Bai’s emotions on her face could barely be restrained, she coldly turned her gaze away.

Inside the carriage, after hearing Yuan Fang’s words, Wen Yu raised her eyes slightly and said neither warmly nor coldly: “General Yuan’s words make it sound as if my Great Liang not deploying troops today means this Hanyang is heinously guilty. How could you forget that what the Marquis of Shuobian now wants to restore is Jin?”

“Moreover, the General seems to have forgotten that when inviting my Liang army to jointly attack Fengyang, you already promised that subsequently you would jointly attack Luodu with my Liang camp to help me rescue my sister-in-law. According to the General’s current words, all those previous promises seem to have been pretexts?”

Cold sweat slid down Yuan Fang’s temples. Before today, he had never so personally experienced what it felt like to have one’s back covered in thorns—clearly the woman inside the carriage spoke in a tone that could even be called gentle.

He hurriedly said: “It’s this last general’s clumsy tongue. In my desperation to save my Marquis, I lost my head and spoke improperly to the Princess. Please forgive me, Princess! The previous promise to jointly attack Luodu with the Liang army—this last general absolutely dares not go back on his word. As long as the Princess is willing to deploy troops to save my Marquis, the Princess may name any conditions. Even if this last general must offer up this body of flesh to be sliced alive for the Princess to vent her anger, that is acceptable!”

Wen Yu only said: “The General is loyal and brave.”

Yuan Fang said awkwardly and guiltily: “The Marquis has shown this last general the kindness of recognition and more than twenty years of cultivation. This last general dares not be disloyal!”

On the battlefield, there were plenty of open schemes and hidden plots. When interests aligned, as long as they weren’t mortal enemies with blood feuds, even competitors could briefly become allies.

With the transgression of the battle at Majialiang before, and with sister-in-law and A’Yin still not rescued, and Xiao Li currently still detained in their Northern Wei, Wen Yu had no intention of completely turning hostile with them because of the Wei camp’s schemes at Fengyang.

On this stage of power, there was never any magnanimity—everyone held their noses and pretended not to see those stains and blemishes, each taking what they needed to maintain a peaceful facade.

Wen Yu said: “The Marquis of Shuobian at least guarded the northern border for my Great Liang for over thirty years. Now although he has betrayed my Great Liang, to have him die at the hands of such a petty villain as Pei Song is indeed not something this Palace wishes to see. This Palace can deploy troops, but this Palace wants one person from your Wei camp—I wonder if the General has the authority to agree.”

Hearing this, Yuan Fang, recalling what Li Xun had said earlier, had already guessed that the person Wen Yu wanted was eighty or ninety percent likely Xiao Li.

Given Wei Qishan’s regard for Xiao Li, he wasn’t certain whether Wei Qishan would ultimately be willing to release him. But now it concerned the life and death of the Wei father and son—Yuan Fang had no choice but to agree. He said: “No matter who the Princess wants, this last general will do everything to persuade the Marquis to hand that person over to the Princess. If the Marquis refuses, this last general is willing to commit suicide to apologize to the Princess!”

He was one of Wei Qishan’s top generals, along with Liao Jiang forming Wei Qishan’s left and right hands.

If it truly reached the point where he threatened with his life, Wei Qishan might not refuse to release Xiao Li.

Wen Yu said: “The General’s loyalty and righteousness—this Palace admires it. Since the General guarantees thus, this Palace will dispatch troops to accompany the General.”

Yuan Fang hurriedly cupped his fists to her again with immense gratitude: “This last general thanks the Princess here.”

After he hurriedly left, Zhao Bai coldly uttered: “A pretentious type!”

Compared to Zhao Bai’s hostility toward the Wei camp people, Wen Yu’s expression appeared much more peaceful. She looked at Yuan Fang’s departing back and said: “All serve their own masters.”

—

In the river valley exposed by winter’s low water, the Wei soldiers forced into this desperate situation were each bathed in blood, backs to the outside, forming a protective circle with the Wei father and son protected in the very center.

Having fought too long, even the Wolf Cavalry who had withdrawn from the northern border battlefield all had eyes filled with numbness and exhaustion.

Pei Song had chosen this ambush location extremely cleverly. Both sides were sloping riverbeds exposed against mountains. Their Wolf Cavalry’s proud fine horses and horsemanship couldn’t be put to use at all.

The Pei soldiers guarding the high banks on both sides of the river valley aimed their bows and crossbows uniformly at the barrier of round shields erected in the very center of the Wei soldiers.

That was where the Wei father and son were located.

The Pei soldiers positioned further back used the swords in their hands to strike in unison against the rattan shields they carried, making intimidating shouts to frighten this Wei army surrounded in the river valley and wear down their morale.

“Father! Father! You must hold on!”

Where the personal guards held round shields up high, protecting the area tightly, Wei Pingzin knelt before the arrow-struck Wei Qishan, crying until he couldn’t form words: “It’s your son who is useless! All your son’s fault for being useless!”

He prostrated himself, painfully pounding the ground with his fist.

Where Wei Qishan’s armor had been broken through by the sharp arrow, blood was sticky and thick. The arrow shaft had been cut off, leaving only a small section of the arrow shaft still exposed outside. His lips were pale. His gaunt face was still as stern as always as he admonished: “Why cry? If I should leave today… from now on you will be Northern Wei’s lord, shouldering the sixteen provinces. How can you show such a weak demeanor?”

Because his voice was unsteady, these words landing thus didn’t sound as harsh as before, but rather carried some meaning of entrustment.

“No! I cannot bear it!” Wei Pingzin shook his head wildly, then used his equally blood-stained arm guard to messily wipe the tear tracks on his face, smearing the blood and grime on his face even more, choking as he cried: “You shouldn’t have come to save me, much less should you have blocked that arrow for me…”

Extreme grief almost made Wei Pingzin unable to breathe. He broke down crying: “I’ve always been worthless, making you lose all face, Father. This time I’ve even harmed you…”

“I shouldn’t have always tried to compare myself to elder brother, nor should I have sought glory and pursued Pei Song…”

“I’m sorry… Father, I’m sorry…”

Wei Pingzin pressed his head against the cold mud and sand on the ground, crying until his throat could barely form complete syllables.

On his hair soaked with sweat and melted snow, a broad, large hand came to rest.

Wei Pingzin raised a pair of eyes reddened from crying and saw his father looking at him with a gaze both complex and kind, saying: “You are a good child.”

He could be a good son, a good elder brother.

Just not suited to be the Young Lord who must bear the burden of the northern border’s sixteen provinces.

Perhaps he had been wrong from the start in his expectations for this child.

Hearing this, Wei Pingzin seemed stunned. Then the redness in his eyes intensified even more. Burying his head, he choked with sobs again.

While the father and son were so grieved here, the Wei soldiers around them still resisting the fierce attacks of Pei soldiers knew they couldn’t escape calamity today. Morale was extremely low.

Wei soldiers on the outer perimeter kept falling. The protective circle guarding the Wei father and son was constantly shrinking.

Yet looking down at this river valley from a high slope, Pei Yuan stood with Pei Song on the gentle slope, watching the battle situation below and saying: “The Wei father and son are hiding in their turtle shell. Why not deploy a few more catapults to smash their shield shell to smithereens!”

Pei Song had a cloak over his shoulders. Indifferently and mockingly he said: “Have you ever watched a cat toy with a mouse?”

Pei Yuan said: “Never.”

Pei Song pulled his lips watching the Wei army below whose casualties were becoming increasingly severe and protective circle growing smaller, saying: “Watching these Wolf Cavalry with their grand reputation being worn down in will, struggling like ants—isn’t that more interesting?”

Pei Yuan laughed heartily and praised: “The Lord understands refined pleasures better.”

His gaze fell back on the Wei army below, mocking: “In a moment when we overturn that turtle shell protecting the Wei father and son, we’ll probably even see Northern Wei’s Young Lord crying!”

As the words fell, the ground beneath their feet where snow remained transmitted tremors.

“Woo—”

“Woo—”

Deep horn sounds rang out from both sides of the river valley. Because they stood at a high position, at the mouth of a trumpet-shaped terrain, it seemed the entire river valley echoed with horn sounds.

When killing shouts were carried up the high cliffs on both banks by the cold wind, Pei Song watched reinforcements bearing Wei banners surging from one side’s heights and lows toward the river valley. As if feeling his plan had been disrupted, he frowned in displeasure: “That Wei army from Fengyang arrived this quickly?”

For the Liang army to take down Fengyang would take at least five days. For that Wei army outside the city to finish reaping benefits and then come over, they should only arrive in time to collect the Wei father and son’s corpses.

While he still had this doubt, he saw on the other riverbank another reinforcement army surging toward the river valley, bearing precisely Great Liang’s Wen clan’s Azure Dragon and Crimson Cloud banner.

Pei Yuan beside him looked as if he’d seen a ghost: “Have the Liang and Wei camps formed an alliance again?”

Pei Song seemed to sense something and suddenly raised his eyes to look toward the opposite cliff.

The cold wind howled, snow falling like scattered salt.

Atop that cliff with hundred-foot icicles hanging, an iron-wrapped carriage stopped at the mountain path’s end.

A young woman wearing a white fox fur cloak stood at the cliff’s edge like a bamboo in snow, with over ten guards in blue robes standing behind her.

Too far away to see that woman’s features clearly, but Pei Song knew the other party was looking at him.

The piercing north wind sweeping over from that cliff seemed to carry a suppressed yet magnificent killing intent cold as ice.

Inexplicably, Pei Song suddenly thought of that moonlit night when, after Xiao Huiniang’s death, Xiao Li had come alone to intercept and kill him.