Nearly half a shichen after the messenger soldiers left camp, they still hadn’t sent back any news. Instead, scouts from the Wolf Cavalry brought back new intelligence: “My lord, that Western Ling army continues marching toward Tiger Gorge Pass!”

Xiao Li, standing with arms folded beneath the shade of a tree, opened his eyes and looked toward Nilu, who was tied up tightly and thrown on the sandy ground to be exposed under the scorching sun.

Nilu’s lips had cracked from the sun exposure. He had roughly understood what was happening. Though he felt deep resentment, he still put on an air of complete nonchalance, laughing mockingly: “What did I say earlier?”

He licked his dry, cracked, and pale lips, calling out to Xiao Li: “Make it quick—finish this old man with one stroke!”

The Western Ling commanders who had been ordered to halt at one arrow’s distance away all urgently shouted: “No! You cannot!”

One Western Ling junior officer even retreated while speaking, taking his horse and saying: “This subordinate will personally pursue the Prince Consort’s party and report this matter!”

Xiao Li glanced at the sun, then said coldly: “All of you retreat fifty li.”

The Western Ling commanders in the distance exchanged glances, none daring to respond.

Xiao Li slightly raised his chin. Two personal guards immediately stepped forward, lifted Nilu from where he’d been exposed on the sandy ground, and pressed their blades against the part of his neck where a piece of flesh had been sliced off earlier.

The wound that had dried under the scorching sun was pressed again by the blade. The pain was unbearable. Though Nilu still clenched his teeth without making a sound, his face had already twisted from the agony.

Xiao Li stared at the hesitating Western Ling commanders across from him: “If you don’t want another piece of flesh carved from your general, do as told.”

The Western Ling commanders didn’t dare take the risk. After exchanging glances, they finally gave the order: “Retreat fifty li!”

The Western Ling army broke camp and withdrew. The commanders, bringing their personal guards, retreated while constantly looking back in this direction.

Xiao Li paid them no heed. He placed his index finger to his lips and blew a long whistle. The horse that had been chewing dry grass in the distance immediately galloped over.

Xiao Li gripped the saddle leather, mounted his horse in one fluid motion, and said: “Bring him along. We’re going after Pei Song!”

The Wolf Cavalry below instantly understood his intention.

If they let the Western Ling side send people to intercept Pei Song, who knew how much time would be wasted going back and forth. Moreover, if Pei Song was determined not to care about Nilu’s life or death, sending this message would be pointless anyway.

Better for them to bring Nilu themselves and personally intercept the large army that Pei Song led.

Among the accompanying Western Ling commanders, there were bound to be those who recognized Nilu.

During these days of harassing and delaying these thirty thousand Western Ling troops, Xiao Li had long since had them investigate the commanding general. This Nilu was an important Western Ling general and a trusted confidant of Western Ling’s Princess Heyi.

Since Heyi had him lead troops along, it was obvious she hadn’t completely trusted Pei Song yet. When Xiao Li had earlier tricked that Western Ling junior officer into bringing back news related to Pei Song, the other party had immediately become evasive and stopped asking questions—this also verified that point.

Pei Song’s time within the Western Ling army was still short. He didn’t yet have the ability to make all Western Ling soldiers obey him.

The group seized the bound Nilu, mounted war horses they’d seized from the Western Ling side, and rode off with whips flying.

After galloping some distance, a Wolf Cavalry soldier noticed movement behind them. He spurred his horse to catch up to Xiao Li: “My lord, there are Western Ling scouts following behind. Should we eliminate them?”

Xiao Li glanced back while galloping at full speed, merely saying: “No need to bother.”

With Nilu captured alive, his subordinate officers naturally couldn’t completely ignore Nilu after being required to retreat fifty li.

Xiao Li had them retreat to prevent the Wolf Cavalry from being attacked from both front and rear once they caught up with the Western Ling army in Pei Song’s hands while bringing Nilu.

With the time delay created by these dozens of li of distance, even if the Western Ling army learned of their movements through scouts in time, it would be too late for them to encircle them when the moment came.

—

By noon, the sun grew increasingly vicious. Among the Western Ling infantry pushing forward with supply trains, some soldiers even fainted from sun exposure.

The accompanying soldiers were also exhausted from the high temperatures and prolonged marching. Seeing their companion collapse, they quickly called out: “General! General! Someone has fainted from the sun!”

The junior officer supervising the column wore armor but was also drenched in sweat. He spurred his horse over and shouted: “Give him some water!”

The soldiers below took out water flasks to give the collapsed soldier water, but even when they turned the entire leather flask upside down, they couldn’t shake out more than a few drops. The soldier licked his dry, cracked lips: “General, we’ve run out of water too.”

The junior officer looked at the soldiers who were all leaning on their long spears to keep from collapsing. He hesitated, then took down the water pouch from his horse’s back that still had a little left, and tossed it to that soldier. He turned his horse around and shouted: “I’ll go report to the Prince Consort!”

Only then did the soldiers who had been marching for several shichen under the scorching sun see hope, their faces all showing expectant expressions.

—

“…Moon Beach is just ahead. There’s a water source and a small oasis. If the army can reach this place before evening, we can make camp here tonight.” The Hawk Dog held a map, riding alongside Pei Song to show him the map.

Sunlight shone on the boundless desert. The surroundings seemed to have become a bright white expanse floating with heat waves, extremely glaring. Pei Song slightly squinted and asked: “How far is Wusai City from there?”

The Hawk Dog looked at the map: “We still need to march thirty li north.”

Pei Song held the reins and immediately made a decision: “March at full speed. We’ll rest at Wusai City tonight.”

The Hawk Dog looked at the map as if wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words. He only gave orders to the rear: “Pass down the order—march at full speed. We’ll rest at Wusai City tonight!”

The messenger soldiers were about to spur their horses and gallop toward the rear to relay the military order when the junior officer from earlier had already caught up on horseback, pleading earnestly: “Prince Consort, let’s rest here for a while. The soldiers have been marching for several shichen, their water pouches are empty, they really can’t go on. Some soldiers in the rear have already fainted from heatstroke!”

Pei Song looked askance at that Western Ling junior officer, saying indifferently: “Who will bear the responsibility if this obstructs military progress and delays the strategic opportunity?”

The junior officer, under Pei Song’s gaze, placed his left arm across his chest while on horseback. Angry but not daring to speak, he was about to depart dejectedly when a voice came from behind: “This general will bear it!”

The junior officer turned to see it was Vice General Nuge’er and was overjoyed: “General!”

Nuge’er made a gesture, indicating the junior officer should return. Staring at Pei Song, his words were directed at that junior officer: “Order the three armies to rest in place!”

The junior officer immediately moved to gallop away but was blocked by the Hawk Dogs from behind.

Nuge’er remained unmoved. The personal guards and trusted junior officers who had come with him also rode out of formation, confronting the Hawk Dogs.

Pei Song squinted on horseback, saying lightly: “The Vice General repeatedly obstructs the march, intending to ruin the Princess’s grand plan. This really makes this Prince Consort doubt the Vice General’s intentions!”

Nuge’er shouted: “You’re clearly pursuing selfish desires, disregarding the lives of our Western Ling sons!”

“Oh, what selfish desires does this Prince Consort have?”

Pei Song looked at Nuge’er with perfect composure, his tone still relaxed: “Is attacking Tiger Gorge Pass on the Princess’s orders a selfish desire, or is marching at full speed to reach Tiger Gorge Pass before the Xiao bandits according to General Nilu’s orders a selfish desire?”

Nuge’er wasn’t skilled in verbal disputes. He was once again left flushed and speechless by Pei Song’s retort, angrily saying: “You ignored the call for aid from General Nilu’s side…”

“May I ask the Vice General, how can just over a thousand troops defeat the fifteen thousand strong army in General Nilu’s hands? In the Vice General’s eyes, is General Nilu the kind of reckless fool with courage but no strategy?” Pei Song’s squinted eyes appeared even more narrow and long.

Before the confronting forces could determine a victor, scouts urgently galloped from behind to report: “Report—a cavalry unit of our forces has appeared five li away!”

Nuge’er immediately shouted: “It must be sent by General Nilu. Follow me to see what’s happening!”

He was about to leave with his troops when Pei Song’s voice came from behind: “Wait.”

When Nuge’er turned back while suppressing his anger, Pei Song said unhurriedly: “The Vice General’s concern has clouded his judgment. In case of deception, this Prince Consort will go take a look as well.”

Since the scouts had reported that cavalry unit numbered only just over a thousand, Pei Song’s group only selected five thousand elite cavalry to go investigate. The main army remained behind awaiting orders.

When the two forces met at a distance of two arrows’ length, Nuge’er signaled his flag officer to signal with flags.

Unexpectedly, when that cavalry unit across from them saw the flag signals, they didn’t respond with flag signals. Instead, they brought a bound person to the front of their formation and shouted in Western Ling language: “Your commanding general is here. Immediately withdraw your troops back to Western Ling!”

Seeing Nilu bound and displayed at the front of the formation, Nuge’er was shocked and alarmed: “It’s General Nilu!”

The junior officers who had come with him also changed expressions, but only Pei Song squinted again, his entire aura suddenly becoming cold and heavy.

His gaze locked tightly on one person across from them—not Nilu, but Xiao Li, who wore the tattered uniform of a Western Ling common soldier yet still exuded tremendous oppressive force.

He had nearly lost his life at this person’s hands. Everything he had painstakingly built had been destroyed in one stroke by him working together with that Liang woman.

Pei Song felt that emotion tearing at him from deep within—the emotion called hatred—something he hadn’t experienced in a long while.

His hatred for that person across from him was no less than his hatred toward the Wen Dynasty when the entire Qin family had been wrongly imprisoned years ago.

Nuge’er shouted loudly for the other side to release Nilu, but Pei Song took this opportunity to give his Hawk Dogs behind him a meaningful look with his eyes.

The sunlight, bright to the point of whiteness, was blinding. Facing the incomprehensible shouting from the Western Ling side, Xiao Li sat high on horseback. Before his patience ran out, he only coldly repeated two words: “Withdraw troops!”

Before Nuge’er could shout again, Pei Song stopped him. Facing Nuge’er’s furious glare, he suddenly said with exceptional good temper: “Even if we report to the Princess, withdrawing troops is impossible. If the Vice General wants to save General Nilu, why not have them propose other conditions?”

Nuge’er understood all too well. When he shouted again, Xiao Li also noticed Pei Song, who was offering him counsel.

In that instant, he seemed to smile slightly. His five fingers gripped the reins with great force. After Nuge’er proposed they could offer other conditions, he said coldly and fiercely: “Fine! Then this Marquis wants your Prince Consort’s head!”

The situation once again fell into deadlock.

Trading Pei Song for Nilu—privately, Nuge’er was certainly willing. But for this attack on Tiger Gorge Pass, they still needed Pei Song’s assistance as an insider. If Pei Song died, they would lose their internal support at Tiger Gorge Pass.

Pei Song naturally knew what his greatest trump card was. He simply looked ahead, smiling faintly as he said to Nuge’er: “Has the General thought it through? Once Nilu dies, after successfully capturing Tiger Gorge Pass, his position will be yours, General. With the merit of opening the gateway to Great Liang, the Princess won’t blame you excessively.”

He changed tack: “But if Song dies, the General will lose the key to breaking into Tiger Gorge Pass. When the Princess blames you then, does the General think General Nilu will, out of gratitude for today’s favor, take all the blame before the Princess to protect you, General?”

He looked at Nuge’er very gently: “After the previous disagreement with Song, the General still didn’t independently lead troops back in withdrawal—don’t you have the same plan as Song?”

The latter’s face had long lost its previous hostility. Instead, like someone whose secret thoughts had been exposed, he showed both guilt and shock-fury.

But Pei Song only continued smiling gently: “Song can take full responsibility before the Princess for General Nilu’s death.”

Nuge’er slowly shifted his gaze to the opposite side, as if having made some decision. His eyes became ruthless as he shouted: “That General Nilu in their hands is fake! They dare deceive this general with such tricks! Shoot them dead with arrows!”

The junior officers who recognized Nilu suddenly looked at each other uncertainly, but since Nuge’er had given the order, they instantly realized this was already a matter of choosing sides and making a choice.

Nilu, bound and displayed before the Wolf Cavalry formation, had clearly become the loser.

Pei Song gazed at Xiao Li from afar, his lips curved in a smile: “Petty scoundrels of Liang, kill them!”

The Hawk Dogs behind him charged forward first. Those Western Ling junior officers also made their choice in this brief moment, spurring their horses with battle cries and leading their cavalry in attack.

Bound at the front of the formation, Nilu witnessed firsthand how he fell from power. Though he was prepared to die, he still couldn’t help but spit out a curse: “Sons of bitches!”

The Wolf Cavalry also hadn’t expected this Western Ling army would actually disown their own commanding general. They hurriedly looked toward Xiao Li: “My lord?”

Xiao Li’s gaze still locked tightly on Pei Song across from him. Murderous intent swirled around his entire body, cold and lethal.

He said: “Withdraw!”

But he himself suddenly squeezed his horse’s flanks with force, spurring his mount forward in this manner. It seemed he intended to take Pei Song’s head before the assembled armies!