Outside an unremarkable mansion in the western part of Bian City, a middle-aged man in military attire knocked on the tightly closed main gate. Soon, someone came to answer – a young servant boy poked his head out, and seeing the person at the door, he froze and asked, “Excuse me… which general are you looking for?”

Lei Tengfeng clasped his hands and smiled, “I am Lei Tengfeng, here to pay respects to General Jing Tian. I hope the general will grant me an audience.”

Unexpectedly, the servant’s face darkened, “What General Jing Tian? We don’t have such a person here. General, you’ve come to the wrong place!” Without waiting for Lei Tengfeng’s reaction, he pulled his head back and slammed the door shut with a bang. Looking at the door that had just crashed closed before him, Lei Tengfeng helplessly rubbed his nose and gave a bitter smile. The grudge between his father and the old generals ran too deep, mainly because his father, being a renowned general himself, never needed to rely on the three generals’ abilities. Moreover, the three generals had been obstacles to his father’s power at court, which was why they were so deeply offended. Lei Tengfeng already felt lucky that Zhu Yan merely refused to see him instead of setting dogs on him.

While Lei Tengfeng could accept such treatment, the commanders and attendants behind him could not. They were all people raised and promoted by the Garrison South King. Their loyalty to the Garrison South King’s mansion exceeded their loyalty to the Western Ling court. Though they had all heard of the reputation of the Three Great Generals, these three were now just old men near death. Moreover, no matter how brilliant their military achievements were, weren’t they all still defeated by their lord? What right did they have to be so arrogant?

“Young Master, let us break down the door!” a commander behind Lei Tengfeng said.

Lei Tengfeng waved his hand, “Stand down, show respect!”

After waiting outside for a while longer, there was no further movement from inside. Lei Tengfeng thought for a moment, then gathered his internal energy and called out clearly, “Junior Lei Tengfeng of the Garrison South King’s mansion requests to see Elder General Zhu!”

Inside the Zhu mansion, two white-haired old men sat in the main hall, facing off over a game of chess. Lei Tengfeng’s voice, carried by his internal energy, reached their ears without hindrance. One of them, wearing a deep blue robe embroidered with the character of “fortune,” smiled while stroking his beard. He looked less like a battlefield general and more like a kindly immortal, “Lei Zhenying has been arrogant all his life, this son of his… I’m afraid he falls short.”

The other old man was thin in build but had bright, sharp eyes. He wore plain white cloth clothing, and if not for those eyes, he would have looked more like an ordinary old man from the mountains. “They say tigers don’t breed dogs, but when a father is too outstanding, it’s hard for the son not to be overshadowed by the father’s brilliance. How many can be like the one from the Established King’s mansion? Moreover, if not for Mo Liufang and Mo Xiuwen’s successive deaths within those few short years, and the Established King’s mansion suffering such a great blow, Mo Xiuyao might not have achieved his current prominence – he might have been just a renowned general.”

Yet now, the Established King’s prestige and reputation had surpassed not only his father and brothers but all ancestors since Mo Lanyun.

The blue-robed elder sighed, “Well said. A sharp sword is forged through grinding, plum blossoms gain their fragrance from the bitter cold. Lei Zhenying’s son, when all is said and done, hasn’t been tempered enough.”

The white-robed elder smiled, “This youngster… compared to Lei Zhenying, he shows more tolerance for others.” Over these decades, it wasn’t just Da Chu and the Established Nation Prince’s mansion that had suffered various blows. When Emperor Xuanwen passed away and Lei Zhenying took power, he similarly purged those who opposed him, killing or exiling large numbers of famous ministers and generals. If Emperor Xuanwen could have lived twenty more years, Western Ling would be in a completely different situation now. Unfortunately, Emperor Xuanwen, despite his lifetime of glory, chose a weak-natured son as emperor. More importantly, he also left behind a son like Lei Zhenying who was superior to the emperor in every way. How could Western Ling not fall into chaos?

“Tolerance for others?” The blue-robed elder dropped a chess piece and said flatly, “Now we can only say he knows how to read the situation. With his experience of barely seeing any battles, thinking he can stop Mo Xiuyao is simply wishful thinking.”

At this point, both old men fell silent. They had been away from the battlefield for over twenty years now – they were old. Not to mention Lei Tengfeng, even whether they could stop the Mo family army’s advance was still uncertain.

“Mo Liufang not only has a good son but also a good daughter-in-law. I hear that Established King’s wife is also joining the campaign this time?” the blue-robed elder said conversationally. The two battle-hardened old generals wouldn’t dare underestimate the Established King’s wife who had once defeated Lei Zhenying. For a woman to defeat, even almost destroy, an enemy force while not having the advantage in numbers was not something to be taken lightly.

“Perhaps this time we’ll get to meet this remarkable lady warrior.”

“General Zhu! Bian City faces imminent danger. I beg the general to set aside old grievances and grant me an audience for the sake of Western Ling’s safety!” Lei Tengfeng’s voice came from outside again.

The blue-robed elder, General Jing Tian Zhu Yan, couldn’t help but smile, “This youngster really can keep his composure.”

Long Yang also smiled, “If you don’t see him, he probably won’t leave. Besides… could we just watch indifferently as Bian City falls?”

“Very well, let him in.”

Lei Tengfeng left his people outside and entered the Zhu mansion alone. He believed that even though Zhu Yan had deep grievances with his father, he wouldn’t harm him at this time. And by entering alone, he was also showing his sincerity to the old general.

Entering the main hall, he saw two white-haired old men sitting and drinking tea. Lei Tengfeng was quite surprised – when the three generals were stripped of their military authority, he had been around ten years old. Royal family members were naturally precocious, so he still had some impression of these generals.

“Junior Lei Tengfeng pays respects to General Zhu and General Long.”

Long Yang looked at him with an ambiguous smile, “We dare not accept such courtesy, Garrison South King’s heir, Duke Rui. We are just common folk from the countryside, unworthy of the young duke’s military title.” Lei Tengfeng smiled helplessly and raised his head to look at Long Yang sincerely, “As a junior, I dare not speak much of past grievances, but now that Mo’s army has invaded our borders and besieged Bian City, Western Ling faces an imminent crisis. I beg both generals to consider His Late Majesty’s honor and give this junior some guidance.”

“His Late Majesty’s honor?” Long Yang gave a cold laugh, “When Lei Zhenying was purging his opponents, why didn’t he consider His Late Majesty’s honor? Feng Ao is still missing to this day. Back then, why didn’t Lei Zhenying think about how those people were all pillars of Western Ling, His Late Majesty’s subjects?”

Lei Tengfeng was at a loss for words; he couldn’t refute Long Yang’s accusations. Their standpoints were different – even though Lei Tengfeng didn’t completely agree with his father’s actions, he had to admit that those harsh measures were necessary for the development of the Garrison South King’s mansion. Without removing those officials who were loyal to the late emperor and current imperial uncle, the Garrison South King’s mansion would never have achieved its current power. But in these old officials’ eyes, his father’s actions were no different from disrupting the government and bringing disaster to the country. The only saving grace was that Western Ling had remained strong under his father’s hand these years; otherwise, they wouldn’t have needed Mo’s army to invade – those old officials would have risen against them already.

Smiling bitterly, “Now Bian City faces an immediate crisis. I beg both elder generals to lend their assistance.”

Zhu Yan remained silent, and Long Yang just gave a cold snort. But Lei Tengfeng understood this meant they had agreed, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The next day, the Mo army’s siege wasn’t as smooth as in previous days. The Western Ling soldiers defending the city seemed to have suddenly come to their senses. Facing the murderous Mo army, they no longer showed the panic and fear of the beginning. The defense on the city walls was precise and organized, making the entire Bian City seem as impenetrable as an iron bucket. The siege continued for an entire morning, but Bian City’s defenses showed no signs of weakening. This undoubtedly caused some anxiety among the Mo army commanders, who had been successful since the beginning of the campaign. To make matters worse, their lord and lady hadn’t appeared at the frontline. It wasn’t until nearly afternoon that the Mo army, having achieved nothing, finally sounded the gong to withdraw.

In the main tent, Mo Xiuyao looked at the dust-covered commanders below in a rather good mood, showing no displeasure or anger at the military setback, “Generals, how was it? Was today’s battle easy?”

Several young commanders couldn’t help but blush – they had been the ones boasting the most yesterday. Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly, “No need to be embarrassed, I won’t blame you. If you young people who’ve barely fought any battles could easily take Bian City, Long Yang, and Zhu Yan wouldn’t deserve to be called Western Ling’s Three Great Generals. Although they’re old now, remember, like ginger and cinnamon, they only get spicier with age.”

The young commanders looked at each other, then pushed one forward to report, “Your Highness, Bian City is completely different from the other cities we’ve attacked before. Not only are the city walls solid and easy to defend but hard to attack, even the defending soldiers are completely different from previous defenders. Bian City’s defenders are more valiant and composed. We were too complacent before – this is the Western Ling army’s true fighting capability.”

Mo Xiuyao nodded with satisfaction, “Good that you understand. No need to rush… I’ll give you three more days. Can you open Bian City’s gates or not?”

The young commanders hesitated. They were all young leaders carefully trained by the Mo army. Although they didn’t have much battle experience, once they set aside their previous overconfidence, they could still clearly see their position and abilities. So while they were naturally happy that their lord would entrust them with such an important task, they still hesitated to definitively claim they could take Bian City within three days.

Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow, “What? Yesterday you were all clamoring to trample Bian City, today after just one battle your courage is broken?”

“No! We can do it!” the young commanders blushed and shouted.

“We accept the mission!”

Mo Xiuyao relaxed against his chair back, nodding with satisfaction and smiling, “Very good. In three days… I want to see Bian City’s gates open. Also… the siege is now in your hands. General Lü and the others have other matters… they’re no longer in camp.” Everyone was stunned, only now realizing that the more experienced, older commanders were all gone, and almost everyone standing in the main tent was under thirty years old. How were they supposed to handle this? They couldn’t even find someone to ask for advice.

After these dazed young commanders had withdrawn, Ye Li, who had been sitting to the side reading, looked up and asked, “Can these young people handle it?”

Zhuo Jing and Qin Feng, standing not far away, exchanged glances and couldn’t help but smile while lowering their heads. Every time they heard the lady refer to these young commanders, it was particularly amusing. Indeed, these young leaders could be called young commanders under any circumstances, but even so, most of them were still two years older than the lady. Especially since the lady looked even younger than her actual age, it was particularly strange for a woman in her early twenties to refer to a group of men in their twenties as young people.

Mo Xiuyao said lazily, “A famous sword must go through thousands of temperings before it can take shape. They’re still too green – taking some hits isn’t a bad thing.”

“Isn’t this hit too hard?” Not just these young people, but Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao were also studying Bian City’s defenses. Even Mo Xiuyao himself couldn’t say he could open Bian City’s gates with a direct assault. Moreover, such a war of attrition wasn’t suitable for them with their limited forces deep in Western Ling territory.

Mo Xiuyao remained unconcerned, “Ah… once they can endure this blow, they’ll be able to withstand most future blows.” Western Ling’s two famous generals’ pressure was enough, and it would also let him see if these two had grown old or not.

And so, the Mo army led by several young commanders began their daily attacks on Bian City. But Bian City’s watertight defense showed no signs of being shaken. By the last two days, the defenders on the city walls simply ignored the provocations below. As long as there was no attack on the gates or attempts to scale the walls, the defenders mostly went about their business as usual. Faced with this situation, the young commanders felt contempt for the enemy forces. The opponent wasn’t afraid of them but simply deemed them unworthy of attention. This was unbearable for the hot-blooded young commanders, who ended up having their men take turns hurling insults below the city, even cursing Long Yang and Zhu Yan’s ancestors to the eighth generation. Mo Xiuyao, watching them from the rear, laughed so hard he nearly fell over.

At the same time, the two old generals in Bian City were equally amused, “Haha… these youngsters are interesting, I like them!”

They might have enjoyed it, but others couldn’t share their amusement. Even Lei Tengfeng couldn’t help but anxiously say, “General Long, General Zhu, are we going to let this continue? Just let them curse like this?” Long Yang said calmly, “A few curses won’t take any flesh off, and it’s not your saliva being wasted, so why are you anxious?”

But those kids are cursing so crudely! The commanders present thought silently.

“Letting them be so arrogant like this, won’t it damage our troops’ morale?” Lei Tengfeng asked with furrowed brows. Zhu Yan gave a cold laugh, “If being cursed at affects morale, what business do you have fighting wars? Besides, when people curse at you, can’t you curse back?”

Everyone was stunned – they were here to fight a war, not engage in a war of words.

Long Yang shook his head and sighed, asking, “How do you rate the Mo army’s combat strength?”

Lei Tengfeng frowned, saying somewhat puzzled, “The Mo army is indeed valiant, but… they’re not as formidable as rumored. Moreover, while their commanders’ level seems decent, it doesn’t feel particularly outstanding. Could it be… they’re hiding their strength to make us lower our guard?” Long Yang said, “These past days, those leading the siege are all commanders under thirty. What are the Mo army’s main commanders doing? Lounging in their tents?”

Hearing Long Yang’s words, Lei Tengfeng became even more uneasy. He had indeed noticed that those attacking the city these days were all unfamiliar young faces. Forget Mo Xiuyao, even well-known figures like Lü Jinxian and Feng Zhiyao hadn’t shown their faces at all. “What are they planning? General, please enlighten me.”

Long Yang and Zhu Yan sighed, saying, “Quickly have someone find out if Mo Xiuyao and Lü Jinxian are still in the Mo army’s main camp!” Not just Lei Tengfeng, even they couldn’t figure out what Mo Xiuyao was planning. If Mo Xiuyao had time to slowly face off against them, that would be impossible. Even though the Mo army had been victorious all the way, this was still Western Ling territory. Once the battle dragged on too long, forget Lei Zhenying returning with reinforcements, aid from other regions would gradually arrive. Then the Mo army would find itself surrounded by a million Western Ling troops.

Therefore, the Mo army absolutely couldn’t afford to drag things out. If there were any other shortcuts, that would be equally impossible – leaving aside others, Zhu Yan had lived in Bian City for over twenty years, and no one knew the surroundings better than him. The area around Bian City was flat open ground, with a moat surrounding the city. There was no way except a frontal assault, and trying to bypass Bian City was impossible – Bian City sat on the east-west thoroughfare, without taking it, even if the Mo army could bypass it, their supply lines would face the constant threat of being cut off.

Lei Tengfeng’s heart tightened, and he quickly responded, “Yes, I’ll have people investigate immediately.”

Waving everyone else away, Zhu Yan sighed somewhat wearily, “We’re old, so old…” Long Yang looked at him and smiled, “How does this Mo Xiuyao compare to Mo Liufang?” Zhu Yan shook his head, “Hard to say, at least this Mo Xiuyao is better at hiding his intentions than his father. Back then I could at least guess five parts of Mo Liufang’s thoughts, but now… I really can’t figure out what Mo Xiuyao is planning. Truly, we can’t help but admit we’re getting old.” As he spoke, there was a touch of desolation in his voice. A general with white hair and an aged face – isn’t that the most sorrowful thing in the world?

Hearing this, Long Yang also couldn’t help but grow somber. If it were the Long Yang of his youth, he definitely wouldn’t be sitting here chatting today – the former Demon of the Western Regions had always specialized in taking the initiative to attack rather than passively defending a city. But now, could they even mount a horse?

“Old Long, can we… hold Bian City?” Looking out through the battlements to the distance where black banners flew thick with murderous air, and the young people below shouting challenges may have been inexperienced but were full of vigor and fighting spirit that they no longer had. If they weren’t opponents, he couldn’t help but admire such an elite force. For the first time in his life, Zhu Yan asked with uncertainty.

Long Yang smiled faintly, “Live with loyalty, die with duty. We’ll do our best. Zhu Yan, this is the first time I’ve heard you so lacking in confidence.”

Zhu Yan shook his head and smiled bitterly, “Perhaps it has been too many years since we’ve been on the battlefield. Well… being able to face off against the Established King’s descendants in my lifetime is enough satisfaction.”

“Don’t sound so dejected, don’t think I don’t know you still have an elite force hidden away. Even if Bian City can’t be held, those troops will be enough to give the Mo army a hard time,” Long Yang glanced at him and said calmly. After Zhu Yan was stripped of his military authority, he didn’t go into seclusion in the mountains like Long Yang, nor disappeared without a trace like Feng Ao, but instead chose to settle in a prosperous place like Bian City, even willing to be monitored by the Garrison South King’s mansion. This was because he still had an elite force that others didn’t know about. Even the Garrison South King didn’t know, but Long Yang, who had been as close to Emperor Xuanwen as Zhu Yan, did know. Because he had been present when Emperor Xuanwen had entrusted this elite force to Zhu Yan. And this elite force’s most important responsibility was to guard against the Established King’s mansion. The late emperor’s foresight was admirable in every way except for his inability to choose an excellent successor.

Zhu Yan started, his graying eyebrows gradually furrowing. Suddenly he said in a deep voice, “This is bad!”

“What?” Long Yang asked, puzzled.

Zhu Yan said, “The Established King’s mansion must already know about that elite force!”

“How could that be?” Long Yang’s face also darkened; this force was Western Ling’s most secret troops. Even the Garrison South King who constantly monitored Zhu Yan didn’t know about it, how could the Established King’s mansion know? Zhu Yan closed his eyes and said, “The Mo army’s attack on Western Ling this time isn’t spontaneous, I’m afraid Mo Xiuyao had planned it all along. If he had made up his mind early on, how could he not have sent people to investigate secretly?”

“You mean…”

“Six years ago, we both thought the Established King would attack Western Ling, but in the end, nothing happened.”

Long Yang’s expression changed, “You mean to say, from that time on Mo Xiuyao was already calculating how to take Western Ling. He stopped then only because he wasn’t ready?”

Zhu Yan nodded, sighing, “Now, he’s ready. Even before Lei Tengfeng arrived, he didn’t know you were in Bian City, but you heard earlier? Those young people included you in their curses. This shows they knew you were in Bian City all along.”

Long Yang’s wrinkled face also grew pale, “Mo Xiuyao has no intention of attacking Bian City now at all. He’s surrounding Bian City just to eliminate your elite force first!”

“So.”

“Then now…”

Zhu Yan shook his head, “Now neither of us can leave, we can only accept fate.”

The room was silent for a moment, then Long Yang suddenly slammed the table with a bang, shouting angrily, “Accept fate my ass! I’ve fought all my life – if I had accepted fate, my bones would have rotted long ago! Mo Xiuyao wants to trap us? I want to see just who these youngsters can trap! I refuse to believe… that with merely 400,000 troops he thinks he can use them as if they were a million!” No matter how elite the Mo army was, they only had 400,000 troops, while Bian City now had 500,000 troops, plus the hidden force of over 100,000 elite soldiers, far exceeding the Mo army’s numbers. If they could still be trapped to death in Bian City this way, they might as well cut their throats and be done with it!

A glint flashed in Zhu Yan’s eyes, “You’re right. Someone come, invite the Garrison South King’s heir!”