He Yan smiled at her, “Am I considered a true hero just because I saved those prisoners?”

“A true hero sees what others cannot. Many men speak for men, and many women speak for women,” Qi Luo said, “but few men would speak up for women.”

He Yan looked at her serious expression and couldn’t help but feel bitter inside. After all, she wasn’t truly a man, so she couldn’t give Qi Luo what she wanted.

The world was such, and changing it wasn’t something that could happen overnight.

Seeing He Yan’s silence, Qi Luo seized the opportunity, “Young Lord He, after you left last night, many matrons in the city came asking about you. Even the Magistrate’s wife inquired. They all said if you returned alive, they would like to discuss their daughters with you. They need not become your wife; being your concubine would suffice.”

The conversation turned so abruptly that He Yan was caught off guard. Meeting Qi Luo’s hopeful gaze, He Yan could only resort to the usual excuse, “I appreciate everyone’s kindness, but I already have someone in my heart.”

“You already have someone?” Qi Luo’s disappointment quickly turned to curiosity. “Who is Young Lord He’s beloved? Is she beautiful? What kind of person is she?”

A slight smile graced He Yan’s lips. “Yes, very beautiful. Though appearing cold on the surface, they are a very gentle person.”

The youth who had always appeared calm and composed now truly showed the bashfulness and nervousness befitting their age.

More intrigued, Qi Luo asked, “From your description, this lady must be exceptional. Does she return your feelings?”

He Yan paused, then shook her head.

“She doesn’t?” Qi Luo exclaimed in shock. “Young Lord He has exceptional martial skills, handsome features, such a kind heart, and is even the Imperial-appointed Wu’an Lang. How could anyone not favor such a person?”

“Because he is outstanding and has better people around him than me,” He Yan shrugged. “Besides, I have my duties to fulfill and don’t wish to involve others.”

Qi Luo looked at him and burst into laughter. “Young Lord He, everything about you is admirable except this one thing. As long as your beloved remains unwed, nothing is final. You should fight for her! When the master was selecting concubines, there were dozens of us sisters in the courtyard. I would present myself before the master daily, always meticulously groomed. This position was his most favored concubine – I earned it through my efforts. If you truly care for that lady, don’t concern yourself with other matters. Those who seem superior might be too proud, and you might just prevail over them. A virtuous woman fears a persistent suitor – pursue her day and night, and that lady might fall for you someday.”

Amused to hear the phrase “a virtuous woman fears a persistent suitor” in this context, He Yan thought of Ji Yang’s earlier urgency. While Qi Luo enthusiastically continued offering advice on winning over one’s beloved, He Yan had to interrupt: “Miss Qi Luo, I appreciate your kind intentions, but we can barely protect ourselves now. If Rundou City holds and the Wuto people are driven back, I will follow your advice. But now… let’s leave it be.”

Hearing this, Qi Luo sighed. “You’re right.”

She suddenly grew melancholic, her previous cheerfulness gone. He Yan felt apologetic – this girl had arrived in high spirits, only to be dejected by her few words. Thinking this, she pulled out a preserved apricot from her bundle and offered it. “Don’t worry, we will defend the city.”

Qi Luo stared at the preserved fruit in He Yan’s hand, first startled, then delighted as she accepted it. “Young Lord He, you still have sweets?”

“Just grabbed some when leaving Liangzhou Wei,” He Yan said, scratching her head.

When departing Ji Yang, Cui Yuezhi had given her many local preserved fruits. Xiao Jue didn’t care for such treats and had moved them all to He Yan’s quarters. When they left, they mostly packed dried biscuits and provisions, with few such snacks, but He Yan had taken some, thinking they wouldn’t take up much space.

Qi Luo carefully licked the preserved apricot and happily told He Yan, “Thank you, Young Lord He. Since the Wuto people arrived, I’ve been having one meal some days, and none on others. We can’t even get regular meals, let alone sweets – we didn’t dare even dream of them. Thanks to Young Lord He’s kindness, I’m overjoyed.”

He Yan frowned. “No regular meals? Surely not? The Wuto have only besieged Rundou City for a month – how could things be so dire?”

She had been in Rundou City until now, eating the dried provisions brought from Liangzhou Wei with Wang Ba and the others. She knew Rundou City’s grain situation was tight, but that was meant to be for the soldiers defending the city. Being so busy these past days, she hadn’t even had time to tour the inner city. If Qi Luo hadn’t mentioned it, He Yan wouldn’t have known Rundou City’s situation was this severe.

If even Qi Luo couldn’t eat properly, the common people must be suffering even more.

Qi Luo bit into the preserved apricot, eyes wide as she explained, “Young Lord He doesn’t know – the Wuto army has besieged Rundou City for a month, but last year we suffered a snow disaster followed by famine. Even without the Wuto people coming, Rundou City’s people were struggling. Now with all routes out of the city blocked, and our already limited grain stores given to the military, the common people have been reduced to eating tree bark and grass roots. A few days ago, people started dying from starvation.”

“What?!” He Yan bolted upright. “Is this true?”

“I wouldn’t dare deceive Young Lord He,” Qi Luo replied. “Otherwise, given that Rundou City is famous for its grapes, why did we only offer Young Lord He that one bowl on your first day? That… that was Rundou City’s last bowl of grapes.”

The people’s famine was a serious matter, yet Li Kuang hadn’t told her about this!

If things were this bad, defending the city was meaningless. Li Kuang was waiting for He Runfei, who would never come, while Rundou City’s people waited only for endless despair and hunger – they were waiting for death.

He Yan’s expression darkened as she silently put on her shoes. Qi Luo asked, “What are you planning, Young Lord He?”

“I need to see Li Kuang.”

Li Kuang was reviewing yesterday’s battle reports in his chamber when He Yan suddenly strode in from outside. Surprised, he asked, “Weren’t you going to rest? Why are you back?”

He Yan sat in a nearby chair – she was indeed exhausted, and sitting would help. Looking at Li Kuang, she asked, “I came to ask about your plans now that we’ve burned the Wuto army’s provisions last night?”

At this, Li Kuang turned to He Yan and bowed sincerely. “Yesterday’s victory was thanks to Young Lord He. Now that the Wuto have lost their provisions, I plan to continue waiting for reinforcements. The Wuto must be more anxious than us without supplies. If they attempt a forceful siege… we’ll set traps. What does Young Lord He think?”

“I disagree,” He Yan stated.

Li Kuang frowned. “Why?”

He Yan met his eyes. “Commander Li plans to hold out against the Wuto, which normally would be fine, but how long can the city’s people last? Before reinforcements arrive, they might all starve to death. This year’s snow disaster left us with limited grain reserves – why did you hide this from me?”

Hearing this, Li Kuang didn’t answer He Yan’s question but instead asked, “Who told you this?”

“With so many people in Rundou City, did Commander Li think this could be kept secret?” He Yan’s gaze was sharp. “Even if you could hide it from one person, how could you conceal it when more and more people die of starvation?”

Last night, when she led Rundou City’s five hundred elite soldiers out, she had noticed their gaunt and weak condition but attributed it to the exhaustion of defending the city. Only after Qi Luo explained did she understand the true reason.

If even the military was in such a state, this was a grave danger in warfare. Defending a city until its people starved to death – history had recorded such instances. It was hell on earth, something too terrible to contemplate.

After a moment of silence, Li Kuang asked, “What do you suggest?”

“We can’t continue defending passively. You and I should lead Rundou City’s forces to face the Wuto army in a decisive battle outside the city.”

“Impossible!” Li Kuang replied without hesitation. “Taking the offensive is the worst strategy.”

“We already attacked last night.”

“That was with five hundred elite soldiers, but Rundou City has thirty thousand troops total – this is Rundou City’s last hope. If we follow your suggestion and fight a decisive battle with the Wuto, defeat means the city falls, and all citizens will fall into Wuto’s hands! Having faced the Wuto twice, you must know their brutality. These people falling into their hands would suffer fates worse than death. As Rundou City’s General, I’d rather have all citizens starve than die under Wuto’s torture!”

“Who says we’ll lose?” He Yan frowned. “The battle hasn’t been fought – anything could happen. We could be the victorious ones.”

“Thirty thousand against hundreds of thousands – how can we win?”

He Yan responded, “Didn’t the Battle of Ji Yang prove that the few can defeat the many?”

Li Kuang turned away, his voice cold. “I’m not the Right Army Commander, and you’re not the Flying Swan General. That kind of battle where the few defeat the many – I can’t fight it, and neither can you.”

“I can!”

Li Kuang turned back to look at her, as if regarding a child who didn’t understand the gravity of the situation, and shook his head. “Brother He, I admit you have some skill and a way of dealing with the Wuto, but war is cruel – it takes the lives of an entire city. I cannot risk a city’s worth of lives for your military glory. For us soldiers, death is just death – one life lost. But the city gates must not fall. I will not actively engage the Wuto army. If they attack, we defend. If they wait, we wait for reinforcements.”

This was exactly how Li Kuang had always been – extremely conservative in battle. He Yan knew this well. But back then, she had been a vice general commanding tens of thousands of Fuyu troops, but now…

“This is Rundou City. Even if you are the Wu’an Lang, Young Lord He, you cannot command Rundou City’s troops without my approval. So don’t waste your effort!” Li Kuang said coldly.

He Yan took a deep breath. This stubborn rock’s temper was as bad and unyielding as ever, unchanged after so many years. She asked, “Fine, but following Commander Li’s plan – no attack, just defense – the city has no food. Everyone will starve eventually. We both know the current state of Rundou City’s troops. Continuing like this, even if the citizens don’t starve to death, the soldiers will. For the Wuto, having so many Rundou City soldiers die without spending any troops – isn’t that too convenient for them?”

“The soldiers won’t starve,” Li Kuang’s face was grim. “I have my ways.”

He Yan pressed, “What ways?”

Li Kuang glanced at her and simply said, “You need not know.” With that, he turned and swept into the inner chamber, refusing to engage further with He Yan.

He Yan watched his retreating figure, feeling uneasy. Food wasn’t something that could be easily resolved, yet Li Kuang seemed confident. Could there be secret granaries within Rundou City? But if such provisions existed, why would Rundou City’s soldiers and citizens be suffering such hunger?

He Yan shook her head and was about to seek out Jiang Jiao’s group for discussion when, upon leaving, she ran into Rundou City’s Magistrate Zhao Shiming.

Magistrate Zhao wiped the sweat from his brow awkwardly, glanced inside the room, and said, “I-I was about to enter, but when I reached the door and heard you arguing with Commander Li, I thought better of it.” He studied He Yan’s expression and consoled her, “Young Lord He, please don’t take Commander Li’s words to heart. He’s just stubborn as a rock by nature. His intentions are good; he simply dares not gamble with Rundou City’s people’s lives. Coming from Liangzhou Wei, you might not fully understand – those of us who have always been in Rundou City… we truly dare not take such risks.”

“I’m not angry,” He Yan sighed. “I just think this approach is wrong.”

She looked at Zhao Shiming again. Previously, he had found craftsmen to make the straw effigies and masks, and as Magistrate, he seemed well-liked by the people. Now that Li Kuang was displeased with her, she couldn’t ask him for personnel, and Jiang Jiao’s group had been constantly by her side and couldn’t be divided further. This Zhao Shiming… should have some useful people at his disposal, though not many.

“Magistrate Zhao.” After some thought, she gave him a deep bow. “I have a favor to ask.”

Zhao Shiming started, saying, “Young Lord He, please speak freely.”

“Do you have any capable people at your disposal, like guards? I’d like to borrow two of them for a task. However,” she paused, “this matter must be kept from Commander Li. He cannot know about it.”

Zhao Shiming looked at the youth before him. Both officially and personally, he had known Li Kuang longer and shouldn’t help He Yan conceal things from him. But on the other hand, he believed this youth harbored no ill intentions and was one of the world’s rare, purely good people.

Otherwise, last night, there would have been no need to risk saving those women from the enemy camp.

Without much deliberation, Zhao Shiming replied, “Very well.”

…

Rundou City’s sky was gloomy as if it hadn’t seen sunlight in ages. The entire city was permeated with an atmosphere of decay and staleness.

In one household, two naked boys pushed out a corpse – presumably their grandfather, laid on a straw mat, his body so emaciated that every bone was visible… he had starved to death.

Such occurrences weren’t rare in Rundou City lately. Ying Xiang passed by, watching with a flash of pity in her eyes.

Their food supplies were running low too.

“Fourth Young Master, if we stay in Rundou City, we’ll end up like this too,” she reminded softly.

Chu Zhao remained silent, continuing to walk forward.

Minister Xu’s people had already left Rundou City. Staying here meant waiting for death; no one would voluntarily enter a city destined to fall. They couldn’t find Minister Xu’s people here, and even though he was the Fourth Young Master of the Chu family, when that day came, it wouldn’t make any difference.

Death was supremely fair – it wouldn’t show mercy based on status or nobility.

“We should…” Ying Xiang began.

“Wait longer,” Chu Zhao interrupted.

Wait for what? Ying Xiang fell silent before asking, “If the Fourth Young Master is truly concerned about Lady He, why not take her and leave together?”

“She didn’t even inform Xiao Huaijin before traveling thousands of miles alone to Rundou City, all to save its people. How could you think she would abandon an entire city to leave with me?” Chu Zhao smiled. Someone like He Yan, even after everything settled, would likely slip away quietly. The more dire the situation, the less likely she would leave alone.

He thought it foolish, yet sometimes he couldn’t help but want to watch further – to see what other extraordinary things this girl might accomplish, and to what extent she could go.

Ying Xiang walked with her head down, speaking softly, “Is Fourth Young Master unable to let her go?”

Chu Zhao smiled faintly, “I just… don’t want to see her die so easily.”

If she lived, the world would likely have more interesting things. If she died, the world’s women would all be of just one kind.

Just then, Ying Xiang suddenly said, “Fourth Young Master, Lady He…”

Chu Zhao followed her gaze to see He Yan standing at the street corner, lost in thought while watching a household. A woman sat at the doorway, digging in the dirt, trying to find edible grass roots and tree bark.

She stood quietly, her expression unreadable with lowered eyes. Chu Zhao walked over and said, “Brother He.”

Only then did He Yan notice them, responding, “Brother Chu, Miss Ying Xiang.”

Ying Xiang gave a slight bow. As they walked together, Chu Zhao asked, “Brother He, after last night’s fierce battle with the Wuto, shouldn’t you be resting well indoors?”

“It’s fine, I just came out for a walk,” He Yan replied.

Ying Xiang asked, “Has Young Lord He eaten? If not, I have some dried rations in my bundle.” She sighed, “In Rundou City’s current state, there’s no hot food anymore.”

He Yan shook her head, “Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”

She truly couldn’t eat.

After some thought, Chu Zhao spoke, “Brother He, are you troubled about Rundou City’s people? Is it because of the lack of food?”

He Yan looked at him, “Brother Chu knows about this too?”

“I arrived in Rundou City before you,” Chu Zhao smiled and shook his head, “and had plenty of time to see the condition of Rundou City’s people – they’re all like this.”

“If Brother Chu could persuade Minister Xu…” He Yan probed.

Regarding Chu Zhao’s identity, He Yan had always had doubts. Though Chu Zhao was Minister Xu’s student, he didn’t seem to work directly for him. Indeed, his favorable standing with Chu Lingfeng couldn’t be separated from Xu Jingfu’s influence. However, in many instances, Chu Zhao’s choices seemed to contradict Xu Jingfu’s original intentions.

Like the military defense map, he sent to Ji Yang.

He was a person with strong opinions, and it was best not to make an enemy of such a person if possible. Before he showed any hostility, one could only carefully navigate the relationship. Just as Chu Zhao wanted to use her, if she could use Chu Zhao to get closer to He Runfei, that might not be a bad thing. After all, the current He Runfei had gone mad to the point of losing his humanity.

If previously He Yan had hoped to advance under Xiao Jue, she had now changed her mind. She decided not to involve Xiao Jue, to stay far away from him, and to try to handle this matter herself as much as possible.

Hearing this, Chu Zhao’s smile faded slightly. After a moment, he shook his head and said, “Brother He, I’m not omnipotent, and Minister Xu… won’t listen to my opinions.”

These words seemed somewhat regretful.

He Yan raised an eyebrow – the relationship between Xu Jingfu and Chu Zhao seemed quite meaningful.

“I can’t help Rundou City’s people; all I can do is stay with them. However, what do you plan to do?” He looked at He Yan. “You know Rundou City can’t hold out much longer.”

A city without food could only struggle desperately. Li Kuang hadn’t informed her of the situation immediately, and now refused to confront the Wuto directly – this path seemed like a dead end no matter how you looked at it.

“Will you give up?” he asked.

The man’s gaze was gentle, like the warm wind of Shuojing in March, yet carried a hint of spring chill – clear-headed, with hidden expectations.

He Yan met his gaze straightforwardly, without evasion, “What would Brother Chu like me to do?”

Chu Zhao was momentarily stunned, then laughed, “Why are you asking me?”

He Yan walked forward slowly, “I thought Brother Chu already had an answer in mind.”

After a while, his voice came from beside her: “I’ve never seen anything that could block Brother He’s path, nor anything that could make Brother He lose hope.”

“You think too highly of my abilities.”

Chu Zhao said, “Not at all. Even with all your capabilities, you still can’t solve Rundou City’s urgent crisis, can you?”

He Yan fell silent.

Chu Zhao continued, “Does Brother He know that in the worst famines of the past, city dwellers would resort to exchanging and eating their children? Cannibalism is a terrifyingly real possibility. If Rundou City continues like this, such situations might not be far off.”

He Yan lowered her head, gave a soft laugh, and looked into the distance.

The streets were empty, shops long closed. Presumably, anything edible had been consumed. Despite it being the lively summer season, Rundou City appeared barren, even the roadside trees were bare – their leaves had been picked clean by starving people to fill their stomachs.

If not for the scorching sun, it wouldn’t look like summer at all, but winter. This wasn’t the Rundou City in He Yan’s memories – small but lively, with crystal-clear grapes and mellow wine.

War had changed everything.

She spoke softly, “Do you know what’s more frightening than eating one’s children?”

Chu Zhao was somewhat surprised, “What is it?”

He Yan remained silent, just looking at the lifeless city, feeling a helpless sorrow in her heart.

That kind of thing… if possible, she hoped it would never happen, never be seen in her lifetime.

That was truly hell on earth.