Reinforcements charged down from the highlands on both sides of the river valley. The Pei forces, originally encircling from both riverbanks, suddenly found themselves in an unfavorable position.

Below, that Wei force at the end of its strength saw reinforcements arriving and regained its will to fight. No matter how fiercely the outer Pei forces attacked, they could not break through the protective circle shielding Wei Qishan and his son.

Pei Yuan looked toward Pei Song with an ugly expression and asked aloud, “My lord?”

Pei Song stared coldly at the military formation below engaged in fierce combat, watching the Wen family’s Azure Dragon Crimson Cloud banner surging together with the North Wei black flag. His brow seemed to hold hidden anger. Finally, he glanced back at the person on the opposite cliff, then said in a cold voice, “Sound the gongs to withdraw.”

Once his forces were completely driven into the river valley, the fate of the troops Wei Qishan and his son had brought would become their own fate.

Pei Yuan quickly went to relay the order.

“Clang—”

“Clang—”

The sound of gongs rang through the river valley. The Pei forces, gradually being surrounded by the Liang and Wei reinforcements, withdrew like a receding tide. Pei Song also turned and left that high slope, wearing his cloak.

On the opposite cliff, Wen Yu watched coldly as Pei Song rode away in the distance. Though Zhao Bai held an umbrella for her from behind, scattered snow flurries were still blown sideways by the wind onto her collar.

Tiny snowflakes fell on her long lashes, adding several degrees of frost to the cold eyes beneath.

This time last year, she had constantly been fleeing beneath these rivers and mountains shrouded in Pei Song’s shadow.

Today, the positions of offense and defense should be reversed.

–

The Wei camp suffered heavy losses this time. Before reinforcements arrived, they had been driven into the river valley and encircled by Pei forces for several hours. Nearly half of the Wolf Cavalry transferred from the northern border battlefield had been decimated in this battle, with thirty thousand troops reduced to less than ten thousand.

After the Pei forces withdrew, the Liang and Wei camps each dispatched ten thousand troops to pursue the enemy. However, fearing Pei Song would use the same trick again, they dared not pursue too far, to prevent him from finding suitable terrain and turning to bite back at them.

Yuan Fang led his soldiers below, practically wading through bloody water to turn over each corpse lying in the muddy snow, searching for any survivors.

After Wei Qishan was carried up on a stretcher, military physicians gave his wounds simple bandaging. But whether due to the severe cold combined with his serious injuries or excessive blood loss, his entire face had taken on an ominous dark gray color.

Wen Yu descended from the carriage with Zhao Bai’s support. Tong Que followed half a step behind, holding an umbrella to shield her from the heavy snow falling like drifting sea clouds.

“The name of the Marquis of Wei resounds like thunder. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation as the pillar of the northern border.” Wen Yu stopped five paces from Wei Qishan’s stretcher and spoke warmly.

Wei Qishan seemed to want to rise, but his injuries were severe and the coarse cloth on the stretcher offered no leverage. Yuan Fang, standing beside him, quickly helped him sit up.

After a violent coughing fit, Wei Qishan swallowed the bloody taste in his throat. Though currently in a wretched state, the gaze he directed at Wen Yu showed no sign of weakness. He spoke with some difficulty, “Is Your Highness mocking this old man?”

Without waiting for Wen Yu to respond, he covered his mouth and coughed softly again, “Your Highness came to our aid—Wei is grateful. Regarding the conditions Your Highness proposed, Wei has heard from his beloved general. No matter whom Your Highness wishes to take from the Wei camp, as long as they are willing to go with Your Highness, Wei will never obstruct.”

Wen Yu gazed at Wei Qishan for a moment, then responded peacefully, “The Marquis uses troops like a god. Not long ago, your main forces were still in Mozhou, yet now you’ve pressed to Luodu, catching Pei Song completely off guard. If not for your desperate concern to save your son, you surely wouldn’t have been driven to such dire straits. Hanyang’s words were sincere praise for the Marquis.”

These words were difficult to decipher.

She pointed out that North Wei’s main forces had started in Mozhou but suddenly appeared in Luodu, making it even harder to tell whether she truly meant praise or was hinting that she had known of the Wei camp’s original plan all along, telling them not to play dumb with her.

She continued, “Though I previously obtained such a promise from General Yuan, General Yuan’s loyalty to the Marquis of Wei truly moves me to admiration. That the Marquis is willing to honor this promise for his loyal general also moves me. Today’s deployment to your aid can be considered settling accounts for the Majialiang incident. Dou Jianliang’s defection to Pei’s camp was completely unknown to the Liang camp, and we suffered greatly from it as well. But your North Wei ultimately formed a temporary alliance with South Chen on my account, and I owe North Wei an apology for the twenty thousand soldiers who died due to this betrayal.”

“After today, the Liang camp owes the Wei camp nothing more. Since the Marquis has betrayed Great Liang to restore Jin, in my eyes you are a traitorous minister. When we meet on future battlefields, I will show no mercy. As for the person I wish to claim from the Marquis, it is precisely Xiao Li, whom the Marquis previously took as an adopted son and who is now imprisoned.”

Wen Yu met Wei Qishan’s gaze, her eyes clear, deep, warm and calm, “The Liang army has already conquered Fengyang together with General Yuan. Next we will attack Luodu. Aside from my elder sister-in-law and her daughter, and the common people in the cities willing to go south with me, I can hand both cities over to you. Does the Marquis find these conditions sufficient?”

Whether Fengyang or Luodu, attacking either with the Wei camp’s forces alone, combined with barbarians occasionally raiding the northern border, would surely not go smoothly.

Wen Yu’s willingness to deploy joint forces had the reason of rescuing Jiang Yichu’s mother and daughter in it, but the Wei camp certainly had its own designs. The cities conquered by the two armies together should rightfully be divided in half.

This had been written in black and white and sealed by both sides when the Liang and Wei forces temporarily formed their alliance at Fengyang.

At that time, Yuan Fang had perhaps thought that by the time they reached Luodu, Wei Qishan would have successfully eliminated Pei Song and taken the city, at which point the Wei camp’s forces from two directions could pincer attack her Liang forces, and all agreements could be nullified.

However, Wen Yu did not believe the Wei camp’s prospects would be so optimistic. First, Pei Song was cunning—facing Wei Qishan, he wouldn’t necessarily lose. Second, if the barbarians attacked the northern border, Wei Qishan could not attend to both fronts.

At that time, continuing the alliance with her Liang camp would be the best strategy.

Great Liang’s main forces were not currently in the northern border. Even if they took the cities, they couldn’t hold them, so regarding North Wei’s territories, they would need to claim an additional share of resources.

Wen Yu also did not fear the Wei camp turning against them. If both sides engaged in all-out warfare, it would only allow Pei Song to reap the benefits.

Having gains was always better than fighting to the death with her Liang camp, then having Pei Song cheaply take everything they had obtained.

Anyone in the Wei camp with any brains could calculate this clearly.

She used this battle to settle the Liang camp’s past transgressions against the Wei camp. Henceforth, the Wei camp should not bring up the Majialiang incident again.

When the Liang camp attacked North Wei in the future, it would also be justified and proper.

This was another purpose of Wen Yu’s journey north.

Using the resources the Liang camp should rightfully receive after the war from both cities to exchange for Xiao Li—these conditions could not be called anything but generous.

Hearing this, Wei Qishan’s aged eyes gazed at Wen Yu for a long time, as if seeing through her to view some past opponent.

The dignity and coldness on his face had not diminished in the slightest, but it could not intimidate Wen Yu one bit.

The woman before him had a form that could even be called slender, yet what emanated from her through this snow-filled sky was the tolerance and benevolence of the vast heavens and the thick earth beneath their feet, as well as the thunderous might that could split the firmament and birth all things.

Wei Qishan understood very clearly that compared to his still young and hot-blooded self thirty-five years ago, the current him—aside from his physical condition being inferior to those days—should far surpass his former self in all other respects.

He had trained invincible Wolf Cavalry, cultivated many trusted generals who could stand alone, and gained unprecedented prestige among the common people.

He should be the one to win.

Yet at this moment, he seemed to see all too clearly his own impending defeat in the near future.

Was it that the rebels who rose up thirty-five years later were more difficult to deal with than before? Or was this slender young woman before him far superior to Wen Shian?

Wei Qishan did not dwell further on that answer. He only suddenly realized that wanting to use today to verify another answer from thirty-five years ago seemed fundamentally wrong.

He just gazed at Wen Yu like that, not answering for a long time. Wen Yu frowned slightly.

Yuan Fang beside him, seeing this, called out, “My lord?”

Wei Qishan seemed to return to his senses somewhat. After covering his mouth and coughing violently for a while, he said, “My son Huaijin is currently leading the Wolf Cavalry at Mount Yanle, guarding the northern border for this old man. Since Your Highness wants him, this old man repeats: if he is willing to go with Your Highness, this old man will absolutely not obstruct.”

Battle reports from the northern border were sent directly to Wei Qishan. Yuan Fang did not know about Xiao Li going to help guard Mount Yanle.

Hearing Wei Qishan say this now, a strange expression briefly crossed his face.

But Wei Qishan’s coughing was severe. Though he had been forcibly suppressing it, he could no longer hold back the bloody taste in his throat and coughed up blood.

Seeing this, Wei Pingzin’s heart felt as if pierced by knives. After calling out “Father,” he glared fiercely at everyone through a face covered in blood and roared, “All of you, move aside! Quickly carry my father back to the carriage!”

“Military physician! Where is the military physician! Take my father’s pulse again!”

He had now become a mad dog that barked at anyone. Seeing him glaring fiercely at Wen Yu, his wave of anger seemingly directed at her, Zhao Bai’s expression turned displeased and he was about to step forward when Wen Yu softly called “Ah Zhao” to stop him.

Wei Qishan’s condition was not good, but after coughing, he still raised his hand to signal the Wei camp members rushing about trying to carry him away to stop. He looked at Wen Yu and asked, “What does Your Highness think?”

Wen Yu frowned and asked, “Huaijin?”

Wei Qishan wiped away the blood traces from his lips, assuming that when Xiao Li had worked in the Liang camp, Wen Yu had not been close to him and thus did not know his courtesy name. Feeling somewhat relieved, he said, “It is my son Xiao Li’s courtesy name.”

Wen Yu seemed to be thinking about something. She lowered her eyes, then after a moment said, “Acceptable.”

“However…” She raised her eyes, the expression in them like a mass of icy mist, preventing exploration, “Whether he is willing or not, he must come tell me himself. During this time, I trouble General Yuan to be a guest in the Liang camp to discuss the grand plan of jointly attacking Luodu.”

This meant keeping Yuan Fang in the Liang camp as a hostage.

Wei Qishan’s aged eyes scrutinized her.

So young, yet her scheming and methods were already so composed and practiced.

After coughing a few times, he said, “As Your Highness says.”

His subordinates quickly carried him back to the carriage.

In the midst of the chaos, Yuan Fang still observed proper etiquette, clasping his hands toward Wen Yu in salute. Following Wei Qishan’s words, he stayed in the Liang camp for now.

Wen Yu watched the Wei camp’s chaotic crowd and said calmly, “Let’s return.”

After boarding the carriage and out of Yuan Fang’s presence, Tong Que said, “This servant feels that General Xiao serving North Wei again must involve some hidden circumstances. Perhaps the Marquis of Shuobian is even lying to deceive Your Highness!”

Wen Yu lowered her long lashes and said, “So I am having him come see me in person.”

–

Mount Yanle.

Snow was the only color in this vast heaven and earth, but in this gradually darkening light, flowing through the trampled muddy snow was also the red of blood overflowing from corpses covering the entire shallow stream bed.

This fierce battle lasting several days was nearing its end.

Xiao Li tripped the barbarian army’s main general—who stood half a head taller than him with a form as solid as a mountain—into the shallow stream frozen with thin ice. Before his long blade could thrust down, the other man gulped water and grabbed one of his legs, throwing him also into this stream mixed with blood. He fumbled out a dagger hidden in his military boots and was about to slash it across his throat.

Xiao Li could not dodge aside. Using his arm guards made of refined steel to block the descending dagger, his other arm swung a fist that smashed into the other’s temple.

Though they had been fighting for two days and a night and everyone was exhausted beyond measure, that punch still sent the barbarian main general staggering back heavily into the rushing stream, water splashing everywhere.

His head dizzy, water entering his mouth and nose, choking into his lungs like countless icy steel needles.

When the barbarian main general struggled to get up, his movements were a beat slower. Xiao Li seized this opening. Without even retrieving the long blade that had fallen into the stream, he pushed off the ground, rising to pounce directly, hand gripping the other’s throat, continuing to press the man into that patch of deep water.

Blood and grime on his face fell together with the icy stream water from his jaw and hair tips. He gasped heavily, his gaze more fierce than a wolf’s.

On the shore, the corpses of fallen soldiers formed another kind of beach stone—some barbarian troops, some righteous troops, and some Wolf Cavalry.

This battle was unprecedentedly brutal.

After Wei Qishan withdrew troops to deploy south, Mount Yanle’s defenses were weak. The barbarian troops attacked with full force this time. Midway through Wei Ang’s journey back to Weizhou for reinforcements, Mount Yanle’s defensive line had already been completely overrun.

Liao Jiang’s head was hung before this barbarian general’s horse, carried into the mountain villages they had slaughtered.

Thirty thousand righteous troops poured in, combined with the scattered Wolf Cavalry that had regrouped, fought fiercely for several days, and only just drove the main barbarian forces back to this snow-covered Mount Yanle.

Countless small scattered barbarian forces were still running amok throughout the northern border. Just like when Pei Song withdrew from the northern border in the past, they looted and killed wherever they went.

The entire northern border was already in chaos.

Wei Ang had no time to send word requesting instructions from Wei Qishan. He ordered the blockade of all key routes and commanded garrison troops from all provinces to deploy and eliminate the barbarian forces within their territories.

As long as they could repel this main barbarian force, once North Wei recovered its strength to clean up those scattered barbarian bands roaming nearby provinces, it would be like closing the door to beat the dog.

But just to reverse the defeat and repel these barbarian troops, the price already paid was heavy enough.

The barbarian main general’s hands thrashed about on the water’s surface twice, grasping the hand Xiao Li had locked around his throat. But no matter how hard he tried to pry it away using the great strength he had always prided himself on, gouging at the wound previously cut where the armor joints connected on the other’s arm, his fingertips nearly embedded in the other’s flesh, he still could not budge the arm pressing on his neck even slightly.

As if… it had become a mountain more insurmountable than Mount Yanle itself.

The icy water continuously seeping into his mouth and nose brought the suffocating sensation of approaching death.

At this moment, the barbarian main general didn’t even feel unwilling or angry.

He had already far surpassed his forebears, leading the barbarian warriors across Mount Yanle that had been guarded by the northern border Wei clan for over thirty years. Yet he and his warriors below had still been driven back step by step.

The one who had fought him this time was a true alpha wolf—young, fierce, fighting to the death without rest.

That vast land beyond Mount Yanle had a new guardian deity.

The rushing current carried away the barbarian main general’s loosened hair. The hands gripping Xiao Li’s arms lost their strength.

At the wound on Xiao Li’s inner arm, two bloody holes had been gouged out by force. His chest heaved. He drew his blade to sever the other’s head, waded through the stream dyed red with fresh blood to shore, and raised his palm to close the eyes of the righteous army soldier lying on the shore with a gaping hole in his chest cavity, still wide-eyed in death.

Ahead came the urgent sound of hoofbeats. Wei Ang and Song Qin arrived with reinforcements equally drenched in blood.

The fresh blood newly splattered on Wei Ang’s face had already re-congealed into blood frost in the cold wind during the journey. He dismounted, and seeing what Xiao Li handed over, received it with choking sobs, “Thank you!”

Then he raised his arm high toward the Wolf Cavalry behind him, “General Liao’s vengeance is avenged!”