The Wolf Cavalry naturally didn’t dare simply withdraw. They blew their whistles to have the rear forces retreat first, while those at the front—Wolf Cavalry who were no different from Xiao Li’s personal guards—fiercely squeezed their horses’ flanks and pursued.

Arrows fell like a plague of locusts. Xiao Li and the Wolf Cavalry bent low over their horses’ backs, using their weapons to deflect the flying arrows while rapidly pressing forward.

Abandoned on the sandy ground, Nilu cursed viciously then rolled on the spot to dodge arrows. Within a few breaths, he was still pierced full of sharp arrows like a hedgehog.

Seeing Nilu struck by arrows, and Xiao Li’s group still charging this way despite being trapped in the arrow rain, the Hawk Dogs standing behind Pei Song hastily said: “Master, this place is dangerous. Let us subordinates escort you to safety first?”

Pei Song squinted, watching Xiao Li’s group being covered by arrow rain from the front while gradually being surrounded by Western Ling troops flanking from both sides. He said nothing.

Earlier, when that messenger soldier had caught up to report and ask them to return to rescue Nilu, Pei Song had already learned the details of how Nilu was captured alive.

Now Xiao Li probably wanted to repeat his old trick.

But when the two armies confronted each other, each occupied a gentle slope. When Xiao Li led his men charging over, the two armies were already extremely far apart, and there were archers blocking them with random arrows.

Whether Xiao Li would die first under the random arrows and encirclement, or whether he would be forced into a desperate battle with Xiao Li—clearly the former possibility was greater.

The cold gleam of weapons was extremely dazzling under the scorching sun. Pei Song shifted his gaze. Just as he was about to speak carelessly, he suddenly felt two gazes, cold as ice arrows, stabbing toward him from within the military formation engaged in combat below.

He looked back—it was indeed Xiao Li.

Many times, Pei Song extremely detested the gazes of him and that Wen woman.

Like now—the other party’s gaze was as fierce as that moonlit night when he had come alone on horseback to split the carriage with one slash and assassinate him, yet also carried the indifference and determination to succeed as when attacking Luodu and facing him beneath the city walls.

Though unwilling to admit it, from the time of being trapped in Luodu onward, he had constantly been avoiding the sharp edge of this lowborn and that Wen remnant.

Pei Song’s jaw unconsciously tightened. Chewing on those indescribable emotions pervading his heart, he suddenly felt a wave of unwillingness mixed with malice.

Not receiving Pei Song’s reply, the Hawk Dog spoke up to inquire again: “Master?”

A cold smile appeared at Pei Song’s lips: “Are you saying that this Minister of Works still needs to avoid this defeated dog?”

The Hawk Dog belatedly realized his words had touched Pei Song’s taboo. He hastily lowered his head, not daring to continue.

Pei Song still wore a smile at his lips, saying lightly: “Pass down the order—enemy attack. The entire army is to come here to resist the enemy.”

The Hawk Dog was startled. Their five thousand troops against the opposing thousand-plus was already foolproof. Now Pei Song wanted to summon the ten-thousand-strong army several li away to jointly annihilate this cavalry unit—the other side would have no way to escape.

The Hawk Dog quickly saluted and went to relay the order.

Only then did Pei Song spur his horse forward a few steps. Speaking to Nuge’er, who was observing the battle situation below: “Nilu is dead.”

Nuge’er looked at him. Pei Song’s gaze still fell on the battlefield below, only the corners of his lips slightly upturned, as if complimenting: “From now on, General Nuge’er will be the army’s commanding general.”

Nuge’er couldn’t discern his intention in saying this now, so remained silent.

Pei Song turned his head, smiling: “All those accompanying this expedition are the General’s trusted subordinate officers. They share glory and ruin together with the General. Silencing them won’t be difficult. But if that Xiao bandit escapes and later tells the Princess something, Song alone doesn’t matter if he perishes—but the General’s entire clan’s honor, disgrace, safety, and security all rest on the General’s shoulders.”

As if knowing what words Nuge’er would use to refute him, Pei Song’s eyes lowered slightly, saying quietly: “After all, the sovereign’s heart is difficult to fathom. With the General taking Nilu’s position, Princess Heyi’s side will always need to hold some leverage over the General to feel at ease.”

Nuge’er suddenly became furious: “It was clearly you who refused to return to rescue General Nilu!”

Earlier he had been enticed by Pei Song, unable to think too much in his mind, forced by circumstances to make that choice to protect himself. Now Pei Song was threatening him again.

That’s right—with Heyi’s temperament, once she wanted to eliminate him, how would she care whether what that Xiao person said was true or false? Even if it was false, wouldn’t it become a reason to eliminate him?

The secret unease in Nuge’er’s heart was now ignited together with his anger.

Compared to his loss of composure, Pei Song was much more composed. He only continued with a smile, saying quietly: “But didn’t the General also fail to turn back to rescue him? Even the military order to shoot General Nilu with random arrows was given by the General.”

The look Nuge’er gave Pei Song already carried a trace of ruthlessness. Only then did Pei Song show an amiable expression: “The General need not be tense. From beginning to end, Song has been in the same boat as the General.”

As he said this, Pei Song’s gaze had already returned to Xiao Li’s group charging through the military formation below.

Malice sparsely overflowed from beneath his lashes: “Telling the General these things is only to inform the General that that Xiao bandit’s group absolutely cannot be left alive.”

Western Ling troops flanked from both sides, wanting to completely seal off the Wolf Cavalry’s retreat. The retreating Wolf Cavalry blocked the junction where Western Ling troops from both sides were closing in, preventing them from completely surrounding Xiao Li’s group.

Xiao Li, one man on one horse, charged at the very front, using his long blade to deflect the densely flying arrows. Fortunately, this batch of Western Ling warhorses they’d seized also had iron armor covering them; otherwise, even if the people weren’t injured by stray arrows, the warhorses would have been shot dead by those dense arrows.

Over a hundred Wolf Cavalry followed closely behind. After breaking through the arrow rain blockade with him, they spurred their horses to crash hard into the crossbowmen who were about to shoot again, successfully smashing a large gap in the Western Ling army’s human wall.

The infantry wielding long spears from behind had just roared and charged forward with their spears when the Wolf Cavalry drew their curved sabers. With diagonal slashes cutting off the spear tips, they continued using the momentum of their horses to cluster around Xiao Li, charging toward where the commander’s flag stood below.

Even though Nuge’er was a veteran of many battles, watching this momentum made his teeth ache.

Thinking of Pei Song’s earlier words, and with absolute numerical advantage on his side, he still shouted an order: “Kill them! Whoever takes that bandit leader’s head will be rewarded with a thousand gold!”

The soldiers below roared and swarmed toward Xiao Li and those hundred-plus Wolf Cavalry. Nuge’er drew his long blade but didn’t spur his horse to personally enter the battlefield below.

With the precedent of Nilu being captured alive, and having witnessed firsthand how Xiao Li’s group had charged through while withstanding flying arrows, he didn’t dare be careless.

Xiao Li also discovered the Western Ling side’s intention. The Wolf Cavalry had already lost many men and horses charging through the arrow formation with him. The remaining ones, under siege by Western Ling soldiers swarming like ants, would soon show signs of exhaustion.

The other side wanted to use their numerical advantage to literally wear them to death.

Those Western Ling warhorses wrapped in iron armor hadn’t died in the arrow rain ahead, but ultimately couldn’t survive the long spears that Western Ling soldiers thrust at their chests and bellies.

Xiao Li didn’t know how long he had been fighting, but the Wolf Cavalry who had been providing support behind him were no longer visible.

Sweat fell from his eyelids. After abandoning his horse and cutting down a swath of Western Ling soldiers with one slash, he raised his eyes under the scorching sun to look toward the Western Ling commander’s flag standing on the high slope. That face, freshly stained with blood again, remained defiant and fierce.

“When Elder Brother sent me away from Luodu, he said he would come fetch me home.”

His ears suddenly rang with the last words Wen Yu had said to him on the day of departure.

Another Western Ling junior officer charged forward on horseback, only to be knocked down—both man and horse—by Xiao Li with a long lance he’d casually seized from a Western Ling soldier’s hands.

“Elder Brother broke his word.”

His shoulder and back were slashed with a cut. Xiao Li swung his blade with his other hand, and the neck of the person who had attacked him from behind instantly gushed crimson.

“After repelling the enemy at Tiger Gorge Pass, you come fetch me back to Great Liang.”

The long spears thrust at him in unison were pressed down by one arm. He raised his blade to cut off the spear heads. The Western Ling soldiers struggling to pull back their weapons suddenly fell in a heap, people piled on people.

“You cannot break your word.”

Xiao Li stood holding his blade in the sun’s shadow, breathing heavily. His gaze still looked toward Pei Song, who sat mounted beneath the commander’s flag. Blood-mixed sweat beads meandered down his face.

The many Western Ling soldiers still pointing spears at him looked at the corpses piled at his feet. For a moment they all became fearful, no longer daring to easily step forward to their deaths.

The scorching sun made Xiao Li squint. At his lips, a smile rarely seen appeared, carrying a blood-tainted savagery.

This was the first time in her life she had asked him for a promise—how could he break his word?

When the Western Ling soldiers, under Nuge’er’s shouted order, braced themselves to continue attacking him, the series of sharp shouts he roared out was like a tiger’s roar in mountain forests, earth-shattering and shocking. He tightened his grip on his long blade and pounced forward like a tiger or leopard released from its cage.

The Western Ling soldiers below were startled by his momentum. They once again shrank back, forced to retreat step by step.

On the gentle slope above, seeing Xiao Li fight with increasing courage, both Pei Song and Nuge’er showed some agitation and gloom between their brows.

The Hawk Dogs had suffered at Xiao Li’s hands before. Fearing some mishap and wanting to again advise Pei Song to temporarily avoid, yet also fearing touching Pei Song’s sore spot—while hesitating, he suddenly heard Pei Song say: “Bring me a crossbow!”

The Hawk Dog quickly brought a mechanical strong crossbow. After Pei Song received it, he adjusted the arrow chamber, then raised it to aim at Xiao Li. His eyes were full of killing intent so cold it was almost savage.

As the mechanism triggered, Xiao Li, surrounded and attacked by layers upon layers of soldiers, also glimpsed that poisonously cold gleam under the scorching sun. He used his long blade to deflect those short arrows shooting toward him like acupuncture needles. From the side, a junior officer who had received Nuge’er’s signal charged forward on horseback, swinging his blade down at him.

He rolled on the spot to avoid that slash. But in the gap as the warhorse galloped past, he severed the saddle leather strap and pulled hard. The Western Ling junior officer on the horse’s back tumbled down complete with saddle. Xiao Li grabbed the horse’s mane and flipped onto its back. At the same time, as his entire body rose up, he viciously kicked the long spear held in one soldier’s hands.

The short arrows in Pei Song’s mechanical crossbow had run out. Just as he was frantically about to open the arrow chamber to continue loading arrows, he suddenly felt fierce wind carrying bone-chilling killing intent approaching.

When he raised his eyes to look, a long spear was already approaching with unstoppable momentum.

Nuge’er shouted “Be careful” and lunged to rescue him, but it was already too late.

Without thinking, Pei Song grabbed one of the Hawk Dogs and used him as a shield.

The long spear instantly pierced through that Hawk Dog’s body, even having strength to spare as the complete spearhead and a small section of the shaft protruded from his back. The end of the long spear was grabbed and held by Nuge’er, preventing it from continuing forward.

Under the blazing sun, Pei Song’s complexion was somewhat pale. His hands and feet belatedly felt waves of cold intent. This was truly the first time he had experienced what it felt like to have every hair standing on end.

The Hawk Dogs below also felt lingering fear. They hastily advised: “Master, a gentleman does not stand beneath a tottering wall. Even for the sake of Master Gongsun, Master should avoid for now!”

If Gongsun Chou were still here, in such a situation, he would certainly have advised Pei Song.

Pei Song tensed his face in embarrassment, finally saying: “I still have the promise with Master to establish him as Imperial Tutor. Withdraw.”

That strike hadn’t been able to take Pei Song’s life. The cold ferocity on Xiao Li’s face became even more severe. But having fought fiercely to this point, he now showed some signs of exhaustion. Being trapped again by Western Ling soldiers like an ant tide, he truly couldn’t continue pursuing and killing Pei Song for the moment.

Horn sounds came from ahead. The yellow sand beneath his feet trembled. Xiao Li turned back on horseback to look and saw a dark mass of Western Ling reinforcements spreading from the north.

Seeing the large army, Nuge’er’s confidence instantly doubled. He shouted: “Follow me to annihilate this bandit leader!”

But from behind came another thunderous sound of horse hooves stampeding, mixing with the Western Ling reinforcements’ hoof sounds. The trembling yellow sand below couldn’t distinguish which side’s troops caused it. But from afar, one could see the yellow sand raised by the cavalry reinforcements coming from behind, obscuring heaven and earth. Looking at this momentum, who knew if the reinforcements numbered tens of thousands.

The Western Ling army still engaged in fierce combat and the newly arrived Western Ling reinforcements—the morale they had just mustered instantly deflated again.

Pei Song, withdrawing with the Hawk Dogs, saw the momentum of the rear reinforcements and squinted: “If the Xiao surname had this many troops, he couldn’t possibly take such risks. Send word to General Nuge’er—there’s definitely deception involved. Regardless of life or death, annihilating that Xiao surname is what matters!”

The Hawk Dog hastily spurred his horse back to relay the message. Nuge’er was just ordering the Western Ling army that had been surrounding Xiao Li layer by layer to immediately turn and engage that menacingly approaching cavalry force. Hearing this, he grabbed that Hawk Dog’s front lapel from horseback, saying viciously:

“Do I not know what schemes that Pei surname is plotting? He’s never regarded our Western Ling soldiers as people! Nothing more than wanting to use Western Ling’s strength to kill that cavalry bandit leader for him to avenge his private grudge!”

When the two sides’ strength was disparate, Nuge’er had no objection to sacrificing some soldiers to surround and kill Xiao Li. But now the opposing reinforcements’ strength looked no less than theirs—yet he still wanted him to only have his subordinates surround Xiao Li without dividing forces to resist the strong enemy. In Nuge’er’s view, this was seeking death.

After all, Nilu had died before the formation. He could replace Nilu. Even if that cavalry bandit leader died, who knew if there wasn’t someone in the cavalry who could replace that bandit leader?

When Xiao Li saw that sky-covering yellow sand, he knew it was Zheng Hu and the others.

The Western Ling army surrounding him diverted a large portion of troops to engage the “strong enemy.” The Western Ling reinforcements rushing over still needed some time to fill in. The Wolf Cavalry who had been holding the retreat gap at the rear blew sharp whistles—that was the signal to withdraw.

Assassinating Pei Song was now hopeless. Xiao Li didn’t hesitate. He spurred his horse and fought his way back.

After successfully breaking through the encirclement, the two cavalry forces merged and withdrew, leaving behind the Western Ling army still heading toward the battlefield.

Among the thirty thousand Western Ling troops, cavalry only numbered about five thousand. After this battle, they had lost quite a few more. Now seeing them withdraw, fearing they would create too great a distance from the infantry formation behind and fall into the enemy’s ambush without support, they didn’t dare pursue too closely.

When Xiao Li’s group successfully withdrew and Nuge’er and Pei Song led their forces in pursuit, looking at the sand thorns scattered all over the yellow sand, they couldn’t help but demand: “What is this?”

“Need you ask? Naturally objects used by those Liang petty scoundrels to bluff and bluster.”

Pei Song’s tone was full of sarcasm. Thinking that he had been just that close to surrounding and killing Xiao Li, his heart felt as if ten thousand sharp needles were stabbing it. His tone when speaking to Nuge’er became increasingly dissatisfied: “Did Song send word to the General to beware of deception? How did the General reply to Song?”

In front of so many subordinate officers, Nuge’er naturally couldn’t admit this was his mistake. Only constrained by Pei Song’s status, he said stiffly: “The Liang bandits’ reinforcements arrived suddenly. This one truly failed to consider thoroughly. Please have the Prince Consort convey punishment from the Princess.”

He brought up Heyi to tell Pei Song that he had no real power in the army.

Pei Song, originally in great anger, suddenly laughed aloud. Whether it was sarcasm or genuine praise, one couldn’t tell: “The General is truly responsible.”

Nuge’er lowered his head without speaking.

As Pei Song passed by his side, he said: “Now we’ve confirmed that cavalry unit exists to obstruct our march. Next time the opposing side harasses us, there’s no need to pay attention. After merging with the other fifteen thousand troops, march at full speed toward Tiger Gorge Pass.”

Hidden in the depths of his eyes was all ruthlessness and icy coldness.

With Nilu just dead, he still needed to use Nuge’er as a puppet to control the army. For now, he’d keep this fool a while longer.

—

After Xiao Li’s group shook off the pursuing soldiers, they spurred their horses nearly ten more li before stopping to rest briefly.

Zheng Hu poured water from his water flask over his head, relieving some of the heat. Gasping for breath, he said: “That was close! On our way here, we encountered another Western Ling army heading this way from ten li away. If we’d been cut off from both ends by them, today we truly don’t know if we’d still have our lives to break through the encirclement.”

Zhao Youcai collapsed in the shade, using his dirty, shiny sleeve to wipe sweat from his forehead: “The Lord Marquis today truly scared two of my three souls away! When Tiger Brother said the Lord Marquis had charged directly into the Western Ling main camp with just over a thousand brothers, I nearly got so scared I fell off my horse.”

His face pale, still shaken, he continued: “With great difficulty, Tiger Brother helped solve that Western Ling army. On the way back, we heard you’d captured that Western Ling general alive and gone after Pei Song. I whipped my horse until the whip was nearly a rotten duster, and we finally caught up, only to see the Lord Marquis deep within a formation of ten thousand troops. Fortunately, the Lord Marquis is so valiant, forcibly killing his way out from among ten thousand troops…”

Zhao Youcai wiped his face, saying miserably: “If I die some day, it’ll definitely be from being frightened too much today!”

“Enough, you’re the only one who can talk!” Zheng Hu laughed and cursed at him, then tossed him the remaining half flask of water. Zhao Youcai hastily caught it with both hands, thanking him.

Having survived disaster, Zheng Hu couldn’t help but be cheerful: “Though that Pei dog bandit escaped disaster again, Second Brother today in one stroke eliminated the opposing commander. That’s truly cause for congratulations!”

The Wolf Cavalry’s spirits rose accordingly. But Xiao Li, sitting to the side briefly treating the wounds on his body, said: “Pei Song has figured out our troop strength. Having failed to kill him today, on this road to Tiger Gorge Pass ahead, there will be no more possibility of intercepting and killing him.”

The joy on Zheng Hu’s face diminished. He immediately understood their secret was probably exposed from the sand thorn branches they’d severed from their horses’ tails during escape.

Previously, when they’d used this method to force Western Ling armies into ambush circles, after surrounding and killing those small Western Ling forces, they would always take the sand thorn branches and burn them somewhere. The purpose was to prevent the Western Ling side from figuring out exactly how many troops they had, thus creating fear and making it easier for fearful emotions to spread through the army.

Today, to avoid being caught up by the Western Ling army totaling nearly thirty thousand combining two forces, they had no choice but to sever the sand thorn branches dragging from their horses’ tails that swept up large clouds of dust.

With Pei Song having figured out their troop strength and learned the purpose of their repeated harassments, trying to continue intercepting the Western Ling army would likely no longer work.

Zheng Hu suddenly felt somewhat dejected. After brooding for a moment, he still consoled: “Second Brother, we’ve already done our best…”

“For some things, doing our best isn’t enough.” Xiao Li wrapped the bloodied gauze round and round on his hand, covering the wound. When he said this, he was very calm.

Zheng Hu naturally knew the importance to Great Liang of blocking Western Ling from attacking Tiger Gorge Pass. As if staking his life, he said: “What should we do next? Second Brother, just say it!”

Xiao Li used his teeth to bite the gauze and tied a knot on the back of his hand. The blood stain on the gauze dissolved between his lips and teeth—astringent and fishy.

That hand, freshly bandaged, gripped the long blade again. He said: “Reach Tiger Gorge Pass before Pei Song. Spread the news that Western Ling troops have arrived and that there’s an inside agent for Pei Song within the pass who will coordinate with Western Ling from inside and outside to attack the pass.”

Hearing this, Zhao Youcai immediately jumped up from the ground with a carp leap, slapping his thigh and shouting: “Brilliant! We can’t hold back the Western Ling army anymore, so sending the news to inside the pass in advance—regardless of whether Pei Song’s inside agent is Yang Shuo or not, once this news spreads, he’ll be the most suspected! If he’s not that inside agent, to prove his innocence, he’ll also strictly investigate to find that inside agent. If he is that inside agent, with the city’s common people all knowing an inside agent helped Pei Song attack Tiger Gorge Pass, once the city pass is broken, he Yang Shuo will carry the infamy of traitor to the nation for ten thousand generations—let’s see if he dares!”

This flattery from Zhao Youcai was rather lengthy. Xiao Li said nothing more, only looking once toward the southwest in the sunset’s afterglow.

He wondered how she was faring at the Royal Court.

—

Gele City.

Wen Yu sat in the council hall listening to Mu Youliang report recent military intelligence. Since rushing to this border, matters requiring her personal review and handling were as numerous as ox hairs. Military intelligence couldn’t be delayed for even a moment. Wen Yu had long gone without good sleep.

The fatigue accumulated over consecutive days piled between her brows. Only held in check by that icy imposing dignity, it wasn’t very obvious.

“…It hasn’t rained for a long time. Many small oases in the desert have dried up. This year Chenguo has been embroiled in continuous warfare. Local herdsmen migrating are all heading west. This year’s western border trade probably cannot be conducted…”

Before Mu Youliang finished speaking, Zhao Bai had already hastily entered from outside. Seeing important generals present, she only managed to nod at them to avoid being too impolite, then said to Wen Yu with an ugly expression: “Princess, Heyi has mobilized another fifty thousand troops from within Western Ling territory. One hundred twenty thousand troops surrounding the city—Gele City probably cannot hold much longer!”

Gu Xiyun, standing to the side listening to proceedings, also changed expression upon hearing this, losing composure as she shouted: “One hundred twenty thousand?”

Everyone looked at Wen Yu together. Only Wen Yu remained calm as before, even asking Mu Youliang: “The herdsmen have begun migrating west?”

Mu Youliang nodded respectfully, affirming this.

Wen Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. When she spoke again, she said: “Earlier than predicted. No need to hold for one month—but we must hold for twenty days!”