The speculation about Mo Xiuyao’s intentions made Long Yang and Zhu Yan worried, and after receiving Lei Tengfeng’s news confirming that many Mo Army troops had indeed secretly left, these worries became a reality. Zhu Yan sat in his chair silent for a while, then sighed: “Good, worthy indeed of the Mo army!”

Seeing the old generals’ expressions, Lei Tengfeng knew something must have changed. He anxiously asked, “Elder General, what’s happened?”

Zhu Yan and Long Yang exchanged glances and finally explained everything. At this point, there was no meaning in keeping it secret anymore. Hearing Long Yang and Zhu Yan’s words, Lei Tengfeng was equally shocked, “General Zhu, you’re saying… you still have an elite force of over a hundred thousand!”

At this point, he couldn’t help but cast a dubious glance at Long Yang beside him. For twenty years, the Garrison South King’s mansion had been carefully monitoring Zhu Yan living in Bian City. In these twenty years, he had never contacted his old subordinates and even lived a rather secluded life in Bian City. Lei Tengfeng had almost completely let his guard down, yet never imagined the other party still quietly commanded an elite force of over a hundred thousand.

A hundred thousand troops might not seem significant among Western Ling’s nearly three million troops that could be increased at any time, but if used at a critical moment, it could be terrifying. For instance, in these twenty-plus years, his father had visited Bian City several times – if Zhu Yan had suddenly struck then… Lei Tengfeng shuddered and dared not think further, finally understanding why his father had always remained wary of these old generals. People say civil officials cause governmental chaos, but those who can truly change dynasties and usurp thrones are usually military commanders. Without military power, everything else is empty talk.

Seeming to understand what Lei Tengfeng was thinking, Long Yang gave a light snort and said, “This elite force was personally granted to Zhu Yan by the late emperor, even the current emperor has no right to take it back, why should the Garrison South King’s mansion know about it? Moreover… this force was prepared specifically to guard against the Established King’s mansion.”

Lei Tengfeng remained silent; he believed Long Yang’s words. But some things can’t be resolved just with belief. And now wasn’t the time to discuss this matter. A hundred thousand troops… would that be enough to contend with the Mo army?

“Fool!” Zhu Yan coldly snorted, “The late emperor was wise and intelligent, he understood early on that the Mo army was Western Ling’s greatest enemy. So he started preparing countermeasures against the Mo army early, if not for his sudden death, how could things have… And Lei Zhenying, when the Established King’s mansion was severely weakened, wasted a golden opportunity just to eliminate opposition. When you don’t kill the snake completely, you get the Mo army at your gates today!”

Lei Tengfeng had no response. When the Mo army was severely weakened and Mo Xiuyao was critically injured, it was when the royalist faction was most active within Western Ling’s borders. To strike at these people, his father had given up the perfect opportunity to attack Da Chu. But at that time, who believed Mo Xiuyao would have a day to rise again? Even though they weren’t involved in Mo Xiuyao’s poisoning and severe injury, it didn’t mean they knew nothing about it.

“Elder General, what should we do now?” Lei Tengfeng, seeing the atmosphere wasn’t right, quickly brought the topic back. Zhu Yan sighed and said, “Old Long, you assist the young duke in defending the city, I’ll go meet the world-renowned Lord Established King.”

“Zhu Yan…” Long Yang frowned. He was a few years older than Zhu Yan, but Zhu Yan himself wasn’t young either. Going out of the city personally was too dangerous. Zhu Yan waved his hand saying, “No matter, I can still move. You’re right, we can’t just watch Mo Xiuyao swallow up my hundred thousand elite troops!”

Long Yang knew this was the best choice, sighing, “Very well, be careful. I’ll tie down part of the Mo army here in the city.”

“Take care!”

“Take care.” The two white-haired old men faced each other, bidding a solemn farewell. As Zhu Yan turned to leave, his previously slightly trembling, stooped figure seemed to straighten in an instant. Long Yang watched his old friend’s departing figure and closed his eyes briefly, then ordered Lei Tengfeng beside him: “Go prepare, we’ll meet them in battle outside the city!”

This day was already noon on the third day. The Mo army below the city walls continued their insults, while the Western Ling defenders above weren’t idle either, returning the curses just as rudely. Since both countries shared the same origins, there were no cultural or customary differences, so they could curse at each other without any barriers. If it were cursing matches between South Zhao and North Rong, probably half the people wouldn’t understand.

Before the army, Yun Ting and Chen Yun stood together on horseback looking at the distant tower. Yun Ting said somewhat anxiously, “Aren’t Long Yang and Zhu Yan supposed to be Western Ling’s famous generals? Why are they hiding like turtles refusing to come out!” Chen Yun shrugged helplessly, how would he know?

“Could they be trying to drag things out with us? Until Lei Zhenying returns with reinforcements?” Chen Yun said uncertainly.

“Don’t joke around. Even if Lei Zhenying rushed back, it would take at least a month.” Yun Ting said. They only had three days, and now three days were almost up but they hadn’t even touched the edge of Bian City’s walls. These three days they had tried every method – frontal assault, stealth attacks, everything. Yet they had to admit there was some truth to the saying that one old general was worth two young ones. They simply couldn’t find any weakness in Bian City’s defenses. This blow made the young commanders’ faces grow darker day by day. Even now, Yun Ting looked pale. If Yun Ting knew that not just him, but even his lord and lady couldn’t find a weakness in Bian City’s defenses for the moment, he wouldn’t be so dejected.

“Look, are they coming out?” Chen Yun pointed to where banners were moving on the wall top, clearly showing troops moving urgently.

Yun Ting narrowed his eyes, a cold smile appearing on his young face, “Zhu Yan! Brothers, keep cursing!”

The Mo army soldiers behind him again loudly “greeted” Zhu Yan’s ancestors to the eighth generation and various relatives.

Long Yang appeared on the wall top with his men, squinting at the young people showing off below, and smiled, calling out, “Young man, state your name.”

Yun Ting said proudly, “Mo Army Eagle Force Ninth Division Deputy Commander Yun Ting!”

Long Yang started – this organization was different from normal armies made it difficult for him to immediately determine Yun Ting’s status, but from Yun Ting’s age he could guess somewhat. Such a young and spirited youth would probably not be the main commander of an army. He smiled at Yun Ting and said, “Where are the Mo army’s main commanders? Or has the Mo army run out of men?”

Yun Ting was displeased, raising his head to glare at the old man on the city tower, “I am the main commander! A mere Bian City isn’t worth troubling others. I’ll show you the capabilities of our Mo army!” Long Yang wasn’t angry, looking at him as if watching an ignorant child, and smiled, “Oh? Then let this old man see what the Mo army’s young general is capable of. Also… I’m not Zhu Yan.”

“Long Yang!” Yun Ting gritted his teeth.

Indeed, old ginger is spicier. Before they had even properly engaged in battle, just this casual exchange had already put Yun Ting at a disadvantage.

Below the city tower, the tightly closed city gates suddenly opened with a boom, and the drawbridge over the moat was lowered. The Western Ling soldiers who had been hiding in the city rushed out like a tide, charging toward the Mo army’s formation. These past few days, not only were the Mo army soldiers frustrated, but the reinforcement troops led by Lei Tengfeng were equally frustrated. Being freely insulted by the enemy yet unable to charge down and leave none alive was the greatest shame for soldiers. Now that they could finally leave the city, these soldiers naturally charged with bloodshot eyes toward the Mo army soldiers who had been showing off before them these days.

The battle erupted instantly, with war drums and battle cries reaching the clouds.

On the city tower, Long Yang calmly watched the melee below. Both the Mo army and Western Ling army could be said to have excellent fighting strength, so when these powerful forces met, the fighting was naturally especially fierce. Long Yang smiled looking at the young white-robed commander below and gave a faint smile. He raised his hand, waving the small red flag in his hand.

The Western Ling soldiers in grey military uniforms quickly changed formation following the flag’s guidance. Standing on the city tower provided a clear view of the entire battlefield. The black Mo army formation was quickly split and surrounded by the grey tide at extreme speed, then defeated piece by piece. Yun Ting’s reaction wasn’t slow, he also commanded and arranged formations at top speed. But he was always one step behind Long Yang, and as the Western Ling army changed formation again, they were like a grey dragon showing its teeth and claws, hunting freely among the Mo army.

Although the Mo army was valiant, battlefield situations couldn’t be resolved by individual soldier valor alone. When one Mo army soldier faced three Western Ling soldiers at once, when a small squad of Mo army soldiers was surrounded by a large unit of Western Ling soldiers, Yun Ting could only watch as the soldiers beside him fell one by one before him.

He suddenly turned back to look, seeing the white-haired old man in plain clothes on the city top, looking like an unremarkable country folk. However, the confidence and pride revealed in those aged eyes showed this old man’s extraordinariness. At such a distance, Yun Ting shouldn’t have been able to see the other’s expression. But Yun Ting distinctly felt that in the other’s eyes, he was as insignificant as an ant.

“Yun Ting! What are you doing? Get out!” Chen Yun kicked the dazed Yun Ting, as an arrow barely missed where Yun Ting had been standing. Chen Yun glared at him in exasperation, daydreaming on the battlefield, really asking for death!

Yun Ting finally came to his senses – at that moment, he had been so intimidated by Long Yang’s aura that he forgot he was on a battlefield. Dodging a sword slash beside him, Yun Ting broke out in a cold sweat – this was the true might of the Demon of the Western Regions!

The gong to withdraw sounded from behind, and the Mo army soldiers stopped fighting and broke through the Western Ling army’s encirclement to escape. But their final retreat showed some of the狼狈 that the Mo army hadn’t shown for many years. On the city tower, watching the Mo army withdraw, Long Yang also signaled to sound the withdrawal. Lei Tengfeng frowned and said, “General, why not pursue the victory?”

Long Yang said calmly, “Today was just a probe. It seems the Mo army has indeed split their forces. Just now when the Mo army was almost defeated, no one came to support them and instead they sounded the withdrawal.”

“Then…”

“Don’t rush, we’ll test them again tomorrow,” Long Yang said deeply.

Having suffered defeat, the dejected Yun Ting and his group returned to camp preparing to accept punishment from their lord and lady. However, they were informed by Zhuo Jing waiting outside the tent that the lord and lady had matters to attend to. All military affairs were temporarily entrusted to Chen Yun and Yun Ting to manage. Immediately, Yun Ting was so scared he almost collapsed to the ground, while Chen Yun behind him also turned ashen. Not to belittle themselves, but with their experience and qualifications they hadn’t even earned the right to independently command one army, yet now they were to command the entire Mo army camp? The two looked at each other, cold sweat streaming down. Yun Ting looked pleadingly at Zhuo Jing.

Zhuo Jing shrugged and helplessly patted Yun Ting’s shoulder saying, “If our lord has ordered this of you, it means he trusts in your abilities. Don’t worry.”

“But… but we just suffered a defeat…” Yun Ting said shamefully. He hadn’t completed the lord’s assigned task – he had thought he would be punished under military law. But now this situation was worse than being punished under military law!

Zhuo Jing smiled calmly, “Just now you almost lost, but you haven’t lost yet, right?” Giving them both a look that said ‘I believe in you’, Zhuo Jing turned and went back into the tent. Yun Ting wanted to cry but had no tears – if you hadn’t sounded the withdrawal just then, I might have died on the battlefield already!

A hundred li southwest of Bian City lay a small county town. The entire town’s area wasn’t even a tenth of Bian City’s, but its location was right on the official road between Western Ling’s imperial capital and Bian City. This meant that if troops from the west wanted to reach Bian City at the fastest speed, they would have to pass through here. Three days ago, Zhang Qilan, following Mo Xiuyao’s orders, led seventy thousand troops to occupy this small town. Since Western Ling focused their defenses on Bian City, such small towns naturally had weak forces. Zhang Qilan occupied the town with almost no effort.

Then the seventy thousand troops stationed themselves in this small town, seemingly idle. But Zhang Qilan knew that an elite force of over a hundred thousand was somewhere nearby. Even though the Mo army had deployed their most elite Qilin unit, they couldn’t find their exact location. But Zhang Qilan knew they were hidden in the mountains thirty li away. It would be unwise for Mo army forces to enter the mountains, so Zhang Qilan waited here. This force would have to pass before him to approach Bian City – he wasn’t in a hurry.

Not far outside the small town, on a side path off the official road, a unit of Mo army soldiers was pursuing a group of people. This group had only five people total – four men protecting a girl in plain clothes as they fought and retreated. Though these four men had good martial skills, they were overwhelmed by too many pursuers, and the Mo army soldiers were no ordinary fighters. The four were already covered in wounds but still didn’t forget to keep the girl protected in their midst.

“Miss, run quickly! We’ll hold them off! Go to the capital… go to the capital to find…” one of the men forcefully pushed the girl toward the narrow path ahead, shouting hoarsely. Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, he was stabbed in the abdomen and fell to the ground. The remaining three had no time to look at their fallen companion – one pulled the girl forward in a mad dash while the other two stayed behind to block the pursuing Mo army soldiers.

The two ran frantically, but unfortunately not far before the girl collapsed, gasping for breath. “I can’t go on… you should leave…”

“No! Miss, quickly run! You must return to the capital. Don’t forget… the General wants you to live well!” the guard said sternly, forcefully pulling the girl up and running toward the mountain forest by the road. Soon the sound of pursuing footsteps came from behind – the two guards who stayed behind had also fallen.

The two hid in thorny bushes in the forest. The pursuers who caught up lost their trail. After searching for nearly half an hour, stabbing and hacking at various bushes and thickets where people might hide, they finally failed to find the two and gradually left, taking the dead guards’ bodies back for rewards.

The forest gradually grew quiet. After a long while, the roadside bushes finally stirred, and a disheveled girl crawled out, pushing the person beside her, “Wake up! Please wake up…” Her delicate hands were covered in blood, and the girl suddenly cried out in fright. It turned out that during the soldiers’ search, the guard had used his body to block sword strikes aimed at the bushes. A long wound on his back kept seeping blood, and he had long since fallen unconscious. The pale girl looked at the desolate wilderness before her and her only remaining unconscious guard, and finally couldn’t help but break into sobs.

In her dizzy crying, she vaguely saw a moon-white figure appear before her. The girl raised her head with confused eyes, “Save me…”

The young man in moon-white clothes silently looked at the unconscious man and woman before him, his handsome face with sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed. Bending down to check the man’s wounds, the numerous injuries and the almost fatal slash on his back were enough to show the man had been through a bitter fight. Though the girl wore ordinary cloth clothes, her beautiful features and delicate jade-like hands were enough to show she should have been from a privileged background. Originally he could have saved them, even the several guards who died he could have saved. But his special status meant he had to think thrice before acting, so he had been watching in secret, watching several guards die one by one, watching the girl cry helplessly in the wilderness.

“Young Master, what should we do?” the attendant behind him asked softly.

The man was silent for a moment, then said, “Just now I heard that guard mention some general – whose daughter is she?”

The attendant shook his head saying, “This servant doesn’t know, presumably the daughter of some general defeated by the Mo army.” The man thought for a moment and said, “See if they have any identifying objects.” The attendant stepped forward, crouched down, and quickly found a waist tablet from the unconscious guard, then took a purple jade bracelet from the girl’s wrist and respectfully handed it to the upright young man in moon-white clothes.

The man took them and looked, frowning as he said, “This is Tiger Might General Yang Hu’s guard, and this purple jade bracelet… was a tribute from the Western Regions during the late emperor’s time. The late emperor bestowed it on then Grand Tutor Lord Ling. And Tiger Might General’s wife is Lord Ling’s daughter.”

The attendant said softly, “So this young lady is Tiger Might General’s daughter? Tiger Might General was defending Li City, he died in battle ten days ago. This young lady…”

The man pondered for a long while, finally speaking: “Take them back.”

In the hidden deep mountains, courtyards and houses were scattered about. Under the cover of dense forest and year-round clouds and mist, outsiders could hardly find any trace. In a simple room, the sleeping girl seemed to suddenly wake from a nightmare, abruptly sitting up. She saw a handsome young man sitting not far opposite her, “Ah?! Help…”

“Be quiet.” The young man said deeply.

The girl fearfully retreated to the innermost part of the bed, wrapping herself tightly in the blanket, “Who… who are you?”

The young man said deeply: “I should be asking you that, who are you?”

The girl lightly bit her red lips, unwilling to speak, “Where is A-Lin? Is he… is he…” The girl trembled, seeming afraid to ask further. The man calmly said: “He’s still alive if that’s what you want to know.” Hearing this, the girl finally relaxed, “That’s good, that’s good… Was it you who saved us?”

The man neither confirmed nor denied, calmly asking: “Who are you?”

“I, I am Yang Xian Ya. My father is Tiger Might General. My father… my father…” As she spoke, the girl’s eyes reddened. Crystal tears slid from her eyes as she slowly began to sob. The man slightly furrowed his brows, sighing as he said: “I know, Tiger Might General died for the country ten days ago. Did he have guards escort you to escape?”

The girl, Yang Xian Ya, nodded. Biting her lip corner she said softly: “Before Li City fell, Father had people escort me back to the capital. Originally, there were twelve people. But now… only A-Lin remains. Wuu wuu wuu…” The man frowned, thought for a moment, and asked: “Why is the Mo army so persistently hunting you? Though you’re Tiger Might General’s daughter, you’re not that important to the Mo army. Such relentless pursuit along the way seems very unreasonable.”

The girl confusedly shook her head saying: “I don’t know. Father only said to return to the capital to find my uncle.”

The man stood up saying: “I understand. Rest well for now. When your wounds are healed I’ll have people escort you back to the capital.” Having finished speaking he turned to walk outside.

“You… Xian Ya still doesn’t know the noble name of this young master… This life-saving grace, when I return to the capital I will certainly repay you.” The girl said softly.

The man’s footsteps paused, and he said flatly: “Zhu Ling.”

After the man left the room, the attendant was already waiting outside. Seeing him come out, he quickly came forward saying: “Young Master, we’ve investigated. The late Grand Tutor Ling’s daughter after marrying Tiger Might General indeed had only one daughter. General Yang and his wife extremely doted on this daughter, it’s no exaggeration to say she was pampered beyond measure. The current Lord Ling, who is Miss Yang’s uncle, also treats this niece like his own daughter. It’s said this Miss Yang is just seventeen this year and has been betrothed to her cousin, the Ling family’s eldest young master, since childhood. If not for the sudden Western Northern attack this time, in some days General Yang would have brought his daughter back to the capital to hold the wedding.”

The man nodded saying: “I just asked her as well, it’s the same as what you said.”

The attendant asked: “Then… can her words be trusted?”

Zhu Ling said: “Keep her here for now. Grandfather has quite good relations with the Ling family – if she really is the Ling family’s granddaughter, it wouldn’t be good to explain to the Ling family if we saw her die without help. Have people watch them well.”

“Yes, Young Master.”