This is a magnificent land!

The sky was clear blue and pure, the air carried winds of freedom, the heavens high and distant. Snow-white eagles flapped their wings, circling and screeching overhead. Looking out, October’s tall grasses stretched endlessly toward the horizon. The wind was cold, blowing fiercely, lifting the flying fur cloaks of warriors. Heavy armor clattered against sword sheaths, creating crisp sounds. In the far distance stood Beishuo Pass, Yan Bei’s first military stronghold. This was the gateway from the Eastern Continent into Yan Bei. The towering city walls resembled a silent dragon, quietly coiled at the edge of the horizon.

Before Beishuo Pass lay the famous Fire Thunder Plain. It was on this land that the Lion King of Yan Bei, Yan Shicheng, and his sons had fought to the death against the Great Xia army, ultimately resting eternally with the soil of Yan Bei. The vast Fire Thunder Plain was covered everywhere with bright red fire cloud flowers. Legend had it that these flowers grew from decomposed flesh, typically only seen in graveyards and burial grounds—the more corpses piled up, the more brilliantly the flowers bloomed. Yet after that great battle years ago, the fire cloud flowers on Fire Thunder Plain had bloomed for nine consecutive years, crimson year after year, regardless of spring or summer, autumn or winter.

In that moment, Chu Qiao seemed to see that bloody and tragic war from many years ago.

Iron cavalry across the wilderness, vast earth, blood-red clouds, battle flags everywhere. On the boundless sea of grass, in the lush dense forests, on the solitary towering snow peaks, on the endless bloody sand seas—everywhere were warriors’ sabers and bloodthirsty roars. Brave soldiers in armor died in every corner of Yan Bei. Women and children also took up arms to defend their homeland. Everywhere were sorrowful dirges, everywhere the majestic Yan Bei ballads. A generation had perished, but their eyes had never closed. Their hearts yearning for freedom had never stopped beating. Their bloodlines still pulsed hot. They transformed into crimson flowers, blooming fiercely like blood on every inch of soil, using this method to remind and watch over the next generation of Yan Bei children, interpreting the sanctity of this land with hot blood and loyalty!

This was a magnificent land! No language could adequately describe even one ten-thousandth of it. Every blade of grass, every tree, every stone, every grain of sand here had witnessed the disasters of this place. More importantly, they had witnessed how, after each disaster, the people here had stubbornly and unyieldingly stood up again!

Yan Bei! Yan Bei!

During these nine years, how many times had she silently repeated these two words in her heart? She and Yan Xun had endured humiliation, survived several life-and-death situations, all for the sake of returning to Yan Bei on this day. Now, she finally stood on Yan Bei soil, breathing in the cold, dry wind, gazing at the herds of cattle, sheep, and horses. Suddenly, she began to cry.

…

…

She had always been so strong, no matter what difficult circumstances she faced. But at this moment, tears flowed freely like an unstoppable flood. Chu Qiao sat on horseback, wearing a snow-white fox fur cloak, head held high, back straight. She wasn’t sad, nor was she disappointed. Rather, too many complex emotions surged within her chest—the excitement of wishes fulfilled, the weariness of returning from countless battles, the stirring of mixed feelings. She knew that from now on, they would no longer live day to day in uncertainty, need to plan each step carefully, worry about losing their heads at any moment, and no longer need to guess the intentions behind everyone’s glances around them. No one could kill them arbitrarily anymore. No one could easily threaten them anymore. They finally didn’t have to take turns sleeping out of fear. They had finally escaped the fate of being manipulated and slaughtered at will. They had truly stood up!

Yan Bei, I’ve finally arrived!

A horse’s hoof slowly stepped forward. The man wore a black fur cloak, his sword-like eyebrows slanting upward.

He hadn’t spoken, just quietly stood behind her, leading the entire army, silently watching her—watching her remain silent, watching her tremble, watching her quietly shed tears.

In this world, only he could understand her. Only he knew what she was feeling now, because they were the same. When he first saw Beishuo Pass, he had also lost control in the same way. He hadn’t shed tears in front of Yan Bei’s people and army, but after returning to his tent, as soon as the curtain fell, his tears came down—silent but scalding, burning his face that had remained stoic for many years.

That day, for the first time in nine years, he allowed himself to get drunk. In his hazy state, he seemed to see his father again, his broad hand patting his shoulder forcefully, laughing loudly: “Brat, you’re almost as tall as your old man now!”

“This is Beishuo Pass.”

The man rode his horse to her side, pointing at the gray city walls under the setting sun, and spoke in a calm tone.

Chu Qiao turned her head, looking at Yan Xun with bright eyes.

The sun was setting, shedding golden light. The man sat on horseback, his gaze steady, his voice calm. He wore a black combat uniform—military clothes, boots, trousers, and an outer cloak of the same style as his soldiers’ black fur cloaks. He looked simple and sharp. He was only twenty years old—young, thin, straight-backed, handsome. His black eyes were full of contained brilliance, like a well whose depth couldn’t be discerned.

Years do not age people; experiences shape one’s maturity.

Looking at him, Chu Qiao suddenly recalled the young man who had missed his shot at the hunting grounds many years ago, the young lord strolling on Zhenhuang Street, and the youth smiling at her beside the shimmering Chishui Lake. Above his head had been a bright, clear moon, its light pure and misty. She also remembered the dark prison cell in the imperial city, cold snowflakes drifting in through the skylight, the north wind howling. Separated by a thick wall, two children’s hands clasped tightly together…

At that moment, looking at Yan Xun’s resolute profile, Chu Qiao seemed to relive the tumultuous eight years once more—a man slowly rising from mud and blood, moving his feet with difficulty, beginning his long and arduous journey.

The wind was so cold, the eagle flags above fluttered loudly. The Yan Bei plateau welcomed its new master. Chu Qiao’s blood gradually began to boil. She could almost foresee: one era had ended, and another era would begin from here!

She was very grateful that she would be the most direct witness to all this because she had always stood by that person’s side, never wavering!

Yan Xun turned his head, urged his horse forward a step, and said to Chu Qiao with a faint smile: “Achu, welcome home.”

An eagle’s cry suddenly rang out in the sky. From ahead came the sound of many horses’ hooves in unison. The ancient city gates of Beishuo slowly opened. Yan Xun raised his head slightly. The sunset shone on his forehead with a light like fresh blood.

The troops began to move. Chu Qiao gently urged her horse forward, staying one horse-length behind Yan Xun.

Let history remember this day. This day was the first day of the tenth month in the year 775 of the Baicang Calendar. On this day, the sound emanating from Beishuo city would shake the entire world.

Chu Qiao was escorted by guards to a luxuriously decorated room in the city lord’s mansion. Four young maids were kneeling nervously in the inner chamber. Seeing her enter, they hurriedly came forward to serve her.

The former city lord’s mansion now served as Beishuo’s wartime military command center. As soon as they entered the city, Yan Xun had hurriedly left, without even time for a word. The officials and commanders of Beishuo City were only superficially polite about Chu Qiao’s arrival, without excessive warmth or impolite coldness. But from their expressions and conversation, Chu Qiao could sense the tension in this city.

After a simple wash, Chu Qiao said to A Jing: “Take me to see His Highness.”

A Jing was startled and quickly said: “Miss has had a tiring journey. It’s better to rest first. The kitchen will soon send food, and I’ve already ordered hot water to be prepared for you…”

“If you can’t make this decision, you can ask for instructions first.”

A Jing immediately fell silent, then nodded: “His Highness instructed that everything should follow Miss’s directions. Since Miss insists, please follow me.”

Chu Qiao took the large fur cloak from the clothes rack and put it over her shoulders. The four maids hurriedly ran forward when they saw this. Chu Qiao waved her hand lightly, saying softly: “I’ll do it myself.”

The wind outside was strong, and Chu Qiao had to put on her hood. Although Beishuo City was known as the first major city on Yan Bei’s eastern defense line, Chu Qiao had to admit that she was very disappointed when she first saw the city. Not even comparing it to capital cities like Zhenhuang or Tang Jing, nor to important border cities like Xianyang or Baizhi Pass, even some second-tier small cities within Great Xia’s Bian Tang, such as Wupeng City, were far superior to Beishuo City.

The city walls were low and ancient, having endured too many battles. The place was a mess of ruins and dilapidation. Clearly, during these eight years, the Great Xia had not attached much importance to this desolate land, rarely even providing basic repairs. Several major breaches in the city wall showed signs of repair, but the materials used were mostly cheap mud bricks. It was foreseeable that if they went to war with Great Xia’s regular army, such walls might not even withstand a single hour of attack. Just one wave of catapults, and the city would crumble.

Moreover, there were few residents in the city. The original 300,000 permanent residents had secretly left Beishuo upon learning of Yan Xun’s return to Yan Bei. The better-off ones had moved to the inner regions of Yan Bei, while more had fled directly to Great Xia territory. So now within the city walls, apart from a few residents who were reluctant to leave or had lost the opportunity to leave, everyone else was part of Yan Bei’s army. The main streets were desolate, with withered yellow leaves and dry grass everywhere.

This was far too different from the peaceful, hopeful Yan Bei that Chu Qiao had imagined.

Inevitably, she felt somewhat discouraged. But quickly, she stabilized her emotions. After all, in the face of so-called national loyalty, most people first considered the lives of their own families. Beishuo was closest to Great Xia and had once been territory occupied by the Batuha family. Most residents here were merchants who had moved from inland areas, lacking a sense of belonging and loyalty to Yan Bei. Although they had once eagerly hoped for the Yan bloodline to return to Yan Bei, under the threatening blade of Great Xia, no one would consistently maintain such fervor. These people were, after all, ordinary civilians. How could one expect them to maintain such loyalty to the military?

Chu Qiao shook her head, casting those thoughts from her mind. She quickly integrated the intelligence she had gathered along the way, hoping to offer Yan Xun some advice later.

After all, in this seemingly not-so-powerful Beishuo City, they were not the only dominant force.

“Who goes there?”

A cold, harsh challenge suddenly came. A Jing stopped, gesturing for Chu Qiao to halt, and replied: “Imperial Guard Commander He Jing, seeking an audience with His Highness.”

“Today’s password.”

“Let Zhao Che eat shit.”

A Jing said with a straight face. Chu Qiao was slightly startled upon hearing this, not expecting Yan Xun to set such a password. She smiled inwardly—how mischievous. As soon as he returned to Yan Bei, his true character was gradually revealing itself.

Chu Qiao was wrongly blaming Yan Xun. Just before the meeting, when a soldier came to ask for today’s password, the Beishuo Infantry Deputy Commander had been briefing them about Great Xia’s intelligence. He happened to mention that recently, Great Xia’s envoys had come with diplomatic persuasions to surrender. Zhao Che, as Great Xia’s current military system representative, had addressed all citizens in Zhenhuang, saying that Great Xia was a peace-loving nation. For thousands of years, they had always faced the world with broad-minded generosity. Regarding Yan Bei’s repeated provocations, Great Xia had maintained a father-like tolerance, hoping this lost child would repent in time and return to the empire’s embrace. After hearing this, Yan Xun had contemptuously snorted, saying: “Let Zhao Che eat shit.”

The guard at the door, upon hearing this, had rashly taken the sentence as today’s password. By the time Yan Xun realized what had happened, this famous saying had already spread throughout the entire city.

The guard at the door heard the password and also inquired about A Jing’s unit number before allowing passage, not relaxing his vigilance despite A Jing’s identity.

As they walked past, Chu Qiao realized that the soldier was someone she knew. Back in Zhenhuang City, he had helped Lady Yu deliver messages multiple times. Originally from the capital, he had served as a guard in the imperial city. Later, when Yan Xun fled Zhenhuang, he followed all the way.

It felt good to see a familiar face. The soldier smiled at Chu Qiao, showing his white teeth, his young eyes full of vitality. He said with a smile: “Miss, it’s great to see you.”

Chu Qiao nodded and smiled: “Me too. Is His Highness inside?”

“Yes, His Highness is meeting with the generals.”

“Mmm, I’ll go in then. Thank you for your hard work.”

Gratitude immediately showed in the soldier’s eyes. He knew Chu Qiao’s status. For someone of her position to say so many words to an ordinary soldier like him was indeed a great honor. The soldier immediately stood at attention, gave a beautiful military salute, and said in a resonant tone: “Everything for Yan Bei!”

Chu Qiao smiled and walked in. She passed through a long corridor and arrived at the conference room door at the end. After explaining her purpose to the guard, the soldier carefully knocked on the door. After a moment, the soldier returned and said: “His Highness invites you in.”

“Thank you.”

The door opened a crack, and Chu Qiao walked in slowly. Immediately, several sharp gazes shot towards her. The large rectangular conference table was filled with Beishuo commanders wearing black uniforms. Unlike the systems of Great Xia and Bian Tang, where during meetings only the General would sit while other commanders stood on both sides. In the imperial city, Yan Xun had heard Chu Qiao talk about some modern military systems. Influenced by these advanced theories, today’s Yan Bei army displayed the brilliance of advanced military management everywhere.

“Achu, come here.”

Yan Xun sat at the head of the long table, wearing white gloves, beckoning to her.

Chu Qiao nodded slightly to the others and walked to Yan Xun’s side.

“Everyone, please allow me to formally introduce this person. This is Chu Qiao, who once led four thousand soldiers and officers to escape from Zhenhuang alone, resisted the strong forces of the Northwest, crossed nineteen provinces, and defeated forty-seven imperial allied armies. She is also my best partner and comrade.”

Yan Xun stood up and introduced her proudly. The commanders on both sides of the long table immediately rose, looking at Chu Qiao with various expressions. Their faces showed more or less surprise, although they all concealed it well. For a moment, the entire room was filled with voices saying “long admired.”

“Chu Qiao, this is General Xia An, the commander of the Beishuo army. He is a first-class elder of the Great Harmony Association, active in the Yan Bei continent for many years, leading the sons and daughters of Yan Bei to fight against the imperial armies, without pause for nine years. He is a meritorious official of our Yan Bei.”

“I’ve long heard General’s name. It’s my great fortune to meet you today.”

General Xia An was in his forties, with a short beard, looking very kind. He smiled warmly: “Miss Chu is the one with a widespread reputation, known as a first-class female general of our time, on par with Princess Huaisong Nalan Hongye. I just didn’t expect you to be so young. Truly, heroes emerge from the young!”

“General Xia flatters me. One fortunate victory can be attributed to three parts to the bravery of the soldiers, three parts to the strong support from all of you in the rear, three parts to His Highness winning the hearts of the people, and the remaining part to the fortune belonging to our Yan Bei. My achievements are not worth mentioning, and cannot be compared to the General’s years of dedicated service fighting in the Northwest.”

Chu Qiao stood beside Yan Xun, speaking with appropriate courtesy. Her words made General Xia An beam with joy, waving his hand saying: “You’re too kind, too kind, it’s nothing.” However, he was very pleased, showing that what Chu Qiao said was not so trivial after all, although just moments ago, Chu Qiao had never even heard of someone called Xia An.

“This is General Cheng Yuan, General Xia An’s deputy. He is the commander of the First Cavalry Corps and a loyal warrior of the Great Harmony Association.”

“This is Wei Dian, the Staff Guard Chief of the First Restoration Army. He is representing the First Restoration Army at this meeting.”

“This is Junior General Yu Xin, the deputy commander of the Second Restoration Army.”

“This is Deputy General Liu Ou, the logistics officer of Beishuo. He is in charge of the logistics, supplies, recruitment, and training of new soldiers in Beishuo camp. He is also a veteran member of the Great Harmony Association.”

“This is Deputy General Chen Xi, the commander of the Second Cavalry Corps…”

…

After introducing everyone, Yan Xun smiled and said, “Everyone should interact more in the future. From now on, we are comrades in the same trench, fighting side by side for the early restoration of Yan Bei and the free thought of Great Harmony.”

Everyone responded in unison: “Everything for Yan Bei!”

“Please sit down, don’t be so tense. Achu, you sit beside me. You’re not familiar with the military, so listen first and learn from the generals.”

Yan Xun said amicably. Chu Qiao nodded: “Yes.”

“Where were we just now? General Liu, it’s your turn, right?”

Chu Qiao sat behind Yan Xun. She saw that General Liu Ou stood up, cleared his throat slightly, and formed a half-fist with his right hand, placed it near his mouth, and lightly sniffed. It was a very simple action, but Chu Qiao keenly noticed that as he did this, he quickly glanced at General Xia An. The Beishuo army commander was drinking tea and didn’t even look at him, but his right ring finger tapped the table lightly.

As for Yan Xun, his expression was calm, unusually genial. Since Chu Qiao entered, the smile had never left his face, making him look just like an extremely amiable young man.

“Your Highness, the situation is not good. Our food reserves are almost depleted. The uprising in August did not go smoothly. Although the Xia army was defeated, they burned down the granary of the Northern Camp at a critical moment. The grain supplies in Baixi, Mohe, Anda, and other towns were also destroyed. Now, most of our grain has been sent to support General Wu Daoye of the First Restoration Army and General Cao Mengtong of the Second Restoration Army, as they must resist the main offensive from the Batuha family and the Xia soldiers holed up in Meiling Pass. But other army corps, such as Junior General Lu Jie of the Third Restoration Army, have urged several times, saying that if we don’t support them with grain, his troops will have to eat their trousers.”

“Yes,” Chen Xi of the Second Cavalry Corps stood up and said: “That’s indeed the case. Currently, we are severely short of grain. Medical supplies are almost exhausted. We have less than 30% of our arrows left, and most of them are broken. If we don’t replenish supplies soon, it will be difficult to face the upcoming eastern front battle.”

“Your Highness, I’ve received information that Great Xia has issued a statement. Several routes of the Northwest army have been prepared for battle. The entire old Batuha territory is on war footing. Provinces like Suolun have received battle preparation documents and are actively recruiting new soldiers. The Great Xia has recently completed its capital relocation. The next step will be to wage war against us soon. According to reliable sources, the Fourteenth Prince Zhao Ying has returned to Zhenhuang. The 100,000 troops under his command have completed their assembly and will merge with the Seventh Prince Zhao Che’s Xiao Qi Camp to become the main force of the northern expedition. It is not yet certain who will lead them, but the staff department predicts that this offensive will be unprecedentedly powerful. Perhaps tomorrow, or the day after, but certainly no later than November. This means that even if heaven favors us, we only have less than a month to prepare for war.”

Wei Dian from the First Restoration Army spoke with a gloomy expression. He was a young man in his twenties, still somewhat impulsive and passionate. Unlike the other corps commanders present, he displayed his concerns very clearly. With a worried face, he said: “Regarding how to meet this Xia army, please make adjustments promptly, Your Highness. Should we withdraw troops attacking Meiling Pass and gather them in Beishuo to await the Xia army?”

“No!” Junior General Yu Xin said decisively: “Our army has fought all the way to recover thirteen northern prefectures. If we withdraw now, all our previous efforts will be wasted, and it will give the Xia soldiers in Meiling Pass a chance to recover. Then when we fight Great Xia in the future, we will face a two-front battle.”

All eyes instantly focused on Yan Xun’s face. Yan Xun did not answer directly. He slightly contained his smile but did not appear particularly tense or worried. He turned his head slightly to look at Xia An and said: “General Xia, you have distinguished achievements and rich experience. Do you have any views or opinions on the current situation?”

Xia An smiled kindly. If he weren’t wearing a military uniform, Chu Qiao might have mistaken him for a gentle old village head teaching children to sing at the village entrance. He slowly said: “The current situation is perilous, but our determination to resist is firm. I think if we withdraw troops from Meiling, we will form a greater force. This way, we will have a better chance against the Xia army. If we don’t withdraw from Meiling, the Xia soldiers stubbornly resisting inside Meiling Pass will not survive this winter. In that case, next spring we won’t have to face such a two-front predicament. So, withdrawing has its benefits, and not withdrawing has its benefits. It’s truly difficult to decide. Your Highness is young and talented, victorious in battle after battle. Heaven has blessed Yan Bei with great talent. I believe you must have a method to defeat the enemy. Whatever Your Highness decides, I am willing to swear loyalty unto death, with no second thoughts.”

Yan Xun and Chu Qiao exchanged a glance, their eyes conveying the same message: “Old fox.”

This old fellow had rambled on for so long, but said nothing important. Everyone knew that the current two major military forces in Yan Bei were Wu Daoye of the First Restoration Army and Cao Mengtong of the Second Restoration Army, representing the new and old factions of the Great Harmony Association, respectively. Although the Third Restoration Army also had a military roster, they had fewer than 30,000 soldiers, mostly old and weak, mainly responsible for either escorting grain or transporting winter clothes. They weren’t even trusted with tasks like attacking the flanks to support operations. Xia An, though nominally the commander of a major city’s army corps, didn’t dare to easily offend the other two forces.

Chu Qiao frowned slightly. Her heart felt somewhat cold. It seemed her previous imagination was too simple. Wherever there are people, there are struggles. Even within the Great Harmony Association, there were various factions. The road to Yan Bei’s restoration was truly full of obstacles.

“I understand all your difficulties. Regarding the supplies and military provisions General Liu Ou mentioned, they will be resolved in the short term. There’s no need to worry.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. Even Xia An’s eyes flashed with a momentary gleam. Deputy General Cheng Yuan cautiously asked: “May I ask how Your Highness plans to resolve the grain supply issue, and how long is this ‘short term’? To be frank with Your Highness, we’ve already made the best preparations. If things don’t work out, we’ll have to slaughter our horse herds to survive the winter, because we simply cannot imagine who would support Yan Bei at this time.”

Yan Xun smiled slightly and said: “I’ve been in Zhenhuang for many years and still have some friends. Within ten days, grain, medicine, and weapons will all be resolved. We can move past this issue.”

Knowing that Yan Xun would not reveal the source, everyone stopped asking questions. However, they didn’t immediately express joy either. Only Wei Dian happily said: “That’s wonderful! I must immediately relay this news to Mr. Wu. The entire army will be encouraged. Your Highness, you’ve solved a major problem for us.”

The Yan Bei regime was hastily established. Although Wu Daoye was titled General, his subordinates were still accustomed to calling him Mr. Wu, unable to change their habits.

“Now, the next issue is how to prepare for war. Your Highness, we have a proposal.”

Yan Xun turned his head and saw it was Lei He, the Beishuo Army Chief of Staff, sitting at the end of the table. He was Xia An’s nephew, nearly thirty years old, with a scar on his face. He had remained silent throughout the meeting, appearing rather dull. Now he held a notebook, clearly prepared in advance, and read verbatim: “In light of the previous First Fire Thunder Plain Battle and the First Huihuizhe Battle, where our military fighting capacity was low—100,000 of our men were no match for 30,000 Great Xia troops—I propose that the army undergo reform.”

“Reform?”

Yan Xun’s gaze sharpened slightly. He said: “General Xia, why wasn’t this matter discussed with me?”

Xia An smiled: “It’s just a minor issue. Besides, Your Highness has not been in Yan Bei for a long time, and the military situation is tense, so we took the initiative. The main issue is that Yan Bei’s newly raised armies are composed of militia. They haven’t undergone formal military training, and their combat ability is extremely poor. So we hope Your Highness can extract a portion of troops from your Black Hawk Army and insert them into various other corps to boost military morale.”

Yan Xun’s smile became increasingly gentle as he said lightly: “In that case, would the Black Hawk Army have its designation canceled and be disbanded on the spot?”

“Of course not!” Xia An said righteously: “We will reorganize troops from elsewhere to replenish the Black Hawk Army. The Black Hawk Army is Your Highness’s guard and must maintain full strength to represent the glory and honor of our Yan Bei.”

Indeed, extracting, dividing, and reallocating these troops that had followed Yan Xun, then bringing in some elderly and infirm to form a “stronger” army—this way, Yan Xun would be like a toothless tiger, with the empty title of Yan Bei Prince but no real military power. Truly, it couldn’t be a better proposal.

Yan Xun’s eyebrows raised slightly, the smile at the corner of his mouth faint, carrying a hint of indescribable killing intent. These old fossils were becoming increasingly presumptuous. Yan Xun’s gaze grew cold, vaguely revealing some hostility.

“Yes, our military structure is large and cumbersome. Though numerous, our combat effectiveness is low. I agree with reorganizing the military structure!”

A crisp voice suddenly rang out. Everyone was stunned and turned their heads in unison. They saw Chu Qiao smile apologetically, stand up, and bow to apologize, saying with a smile: “I’m sorry for interrupting everyone.”

Having spent many years with Chu Qiao, Yan Xun knew her character well. Knowing she rarely offered opinions lightly, he immediately encouraged her: “Achu, if you have any good suggestions, please share them.”

“Yes, Your Highness, General Xia, various deputy generals, and chief of staff. I am insignificant and speak boldly. If there’s anything inappropriate, everyone can offer feedback.”

Seeing the young woman’s gentle smile, Xia An immediately felt some tension in his heart. His brows furrowed slightly, but he remained silent.

“General Xia is right. Our army’s combat capacity is poor. Most soldiers are militia or even of peasant origin, lacking combat experience. The military structure is bloated—large in numbers but weak in fighting capacity. Each focuses on its core forces. The army is huge and sluggish, with extremely poor efficiency. These are all reasons why our army has repeatedly been defeated by Xia troops that were numerically inferior to us.”

Chu Qiao stood up and spoke eloquently: “Moreover, such a large army puts tremendous pressure on logistics and supplies. From the August uprising until now, just two months, we’ve recruited one million soldiers, and the army continues to expand without limit. This number is terrifying—almost one-tenth of Yan Bei’s population. And the quality of troops varies greatly. Along the way, I even saw several white-haired old men in their sixties wearing uniforms and leaning on canes in the ranks. I wonder, I would like to ask General Liu Ou, since you are responsible for recruiting new soldiers, what use are such soldiers? They can neither lift nor carry, they need assistance even to run. Can they fight with sabers against the Great Xia? Or can they draw bows? Besides eating, what else can they do?”

Liu Ou was stunned. He hadn’t expected that Chu Qiao, who had just entered Yan Bei and barely had her footing, would dare to question him like this. He was momentarily at a loss, thinking for a long time but unable to come up with a decent excuse. With an ugly expression, he could only say: “The people’s enthusiasm is high. As a Yan Bei soldier, I…”

“That’s enough, General Liu, no need to say more. I’m sure everyone understands what you want to say. But the fact is this: we are forming an army to fight, not to go on a picnic. The common people can have enthusiasm, but we cannot accept their enthusiasm indiscriminately. If a three or four-year-old child waves his arms and shouts that he wants to join the army, should we also give him a battle sword and encourage him by saying: ‘Go! Everything for Yan Bei! Fight those Xia dogs to the death?”

Liu Ou’s expression turned ugly, while the others had various reactions. Yu Xin from the Second Restoration Army even laughed softly.

Chu Qiao continued earnestly: “The liberation of Yan Bei is a long-term war. From a long-term perspective, an excessively large army is a devastating disaster for us, especially since Yan Bei is not a grain-producing region. So, I agree with General Xia An’s proposal to reform the army, but the primary point is not to integrate the military structure, but to reduce troops!”

“Reduce troops?”

Cheng Yuan immediately exclaimed, his expression displeased: “With Xia troops about to invade, instead of actively recruiting new soldiers, we should reduce troops?”

“Yes,” Chu Qiao said calmly, “Facts prove that a hundred sheep are no match for one wolf. What we need is an army capable of fighting, not a mob of civilians. Our equipment is outdated, our combat effectiveness is poor, so in the past, we always adhered to human wave tactics against the enemy. After each battle, we suffered huge losses, so we drafted more civilians, resulting in even lower fighting capacity. This forms a vicious cycle that will eventually not only drag down Yan Bei’s economic system and exhaust our last resources but also turn our army into a complete peasant organization. Remember, our slogan is to liberate Yan Bei, to create a Great Harmony world for the common people, not to make them all die.”

Chen Xi’s brows furrowed tightly. He snorted coldly and said in a deep voice: “Is Miss Chu being overly alarmist? We’ve always fought this way in the past. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have had Yan Bei as a foothold under the pursuit of the entire Eastern Continent.”

These words were extremely impolite, but Chu Qiao merely smiled slightly and said: “Times have changed. Before, the Great Xia ruled Yan Bei, and you led the militia in guerrilla warfare. Of course, I greatly admire your courage to confront Xia troops carrying poles. But facts prove that relying on carrying-pole soldiers cannot contend with a regular military system. One charge from the opponent can completely disrupt your formation. An army must have an iron-blooded system and high-quality professional soldiers. We need men between eighteen and forty years old, not twelve or thirteen-year-old youngsters and men in their fifties and sixties.”

“Miss Chu is an expert in military matters, leading four thousand elite troops to repeatedly defeat strong enemies. No wonder she looks down on our primitive methods.”

Xia An chuckled and spoke slowly. His expression was very kind, but it instantly aroused the hostility of all the commanders present toward Chu Qiao. Even the representatives from the First and Second Restoration Armies showed unusual expressions.

Chu Qiao, however, paid no attention and continued: “General Xia overpraises me. But from a long-term perspective, troop reduction is imperative. We hold the geographical advantage in Yan Bei. Two hundred thousand elite standing troops are entirely sufficient to face the Great Xia. Yan Bei is our heartland; a scorched earth policy will only make Yan Bei increasingly weak. Now the common people support us only because we promised them a bright future. If they gradually discover that following us is no better than Great Xia’s rule, when their loved ones die one after another, and we lose the hearts of Yan Bei’s people, what else will we have to contend with Great Xia?”

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. They all knew what they relied on to be sitting here today. Though Chu Qiao’s words were somewhat exaggerated, they weren’t unreasonable.

“Moreover, the reduced troops don’t necessarily have to be disbanded on the spot. They can be sent back to their homes for food and livestock production. However, we can appropriately organize militia, establish local armed forces, set up urban and rural self-defense teams, and form small-scale guerrilla units to sweep the Xia troops entrenched in Yan Bei’s interior. This way, we not only solve the grain supply problem but also greatly enhance our combat capability, allowing militia to gain experience in actual combat for future contingencies.”

Chu Qiao mentioned several modern, high-quality dispersed combat methods. Everyone listened in astonishment, unable to interject for a moment.

“Second, regarding General Xia’s proposal to integrate the military structure, reorganize the Black Hawk Army, and place Black Hawk Army’s elite leaders in other corps to enhance military quality, I find it quite feasible. However, in terms of approach, a small adjustment is needed.”

Chu Qiao smiled slightly. Xia An suddenly felt his heart tremble. Then he heard Chu Qiao say: “The Black Hawk Army consists of battle-hardened excellent warriors with rich combat experience. I propose inserting them into the middle and upper leadership structures of various armies to help those corps with military training and integration. However, given the current tight troop situation, there’s no need to extract forces to fill the vacancies in the Black Hawk Army. Let’s do this instead: the military personnel dispatched from the Black Hawk Army will not change their designation. They will still be called core leaders of the Black Hawk Army. They will enter various corps as friendly forces. This way, not only can we save manpower, but we can also gain acceptance from lower-ranking soldiers by leveraging the title of His Highness’s guard. The work of Black Hawk Army soldiers will be more effective this way.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was dumbfounded. Xia An felt a stabbing pain in his heart, as if he had been cut with a knife. His fox-like eyes scrutinized Chu Qiao up and down, inwardly exclaiming “brilliant” several times.

Chu Qiao’s proposal seemed almost identical to Xia An’s on the surface, but upon careful examination, there was a fundamental difference.

According to Xia An’s proposal, the Black Hawk Army would be hollowed out, becoming a team of the old, weak, and infirm, and Yan Xun’s actual power would be further stripped away. Chu Qiao had merely slightly altered an organizational issue by not depriving the Black Hawk Army’s core soldiers of their designation. This way, they would be dispatched to the lower corps with the identity of His Highness’s guards. With this identity, they would essentially become Yan Xun’s eyes for monitoring and supervising below, possessing great authority and becoming Yan Xun’s important force within the military.

But these words precisely could not be spoken aloud. Xia An was so furious that he ground his teeth. He could almost imagine what kind of impeachment he would face from the elders when he returned to the Great Harmony Association. If this decree were implemented, Yan Xun would openly grasp the major supervisory power over all armies. Combined with his prestige in Yan Bei, how could the Association still control him?

Looking at the two young people before him, Xia An suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness. The organization had desperately brought him back, wholeheartedly cultivating and supporting him for years—was it correct? But he didn’t consider that without Yan Xun’s prestige, how could the Great Harmony Association establish itself on the Yan Bei plateau?

However, Chu Qiao naturally didn’t know his complex psychological state. She walked to the map and continued: “Additionally, I believe that apart from integrating the army, reducing forces, arranging logistics and supplies, and training an elite force, our primary task is to accelerate the end of the Meiling Pass campaign. Before Great Xia launches its attack, we should eliminate the enemies in the north, then concentrate our energy to fully confront the eastern front.”

“That’s impossible!” Deputy General Yu Xin flatly rejected: “Meiling Pass is the continent’s largest pass, mainly used to resist the northern Quanrong people. The walls are high and thick, a full twenty or thirty times the size of Beishuo Pass. Although there are only 20,000 rebel troops inside, to break through would require more than twenty times the military power. Even if we exhausted all our current forces, we wouldn’t have that many elite troops. So we can only choose to besiege them. As long as we get through this winter, everything will change.”

“But after this winter, perhaps the entire Yan Bei regime will have been destroyed by Great Xia.”

Chu Qiao coldly refuted, hitting the nail on the head: “Whether in terms of financial or human resources, we can’t fight on two fronts.”

“But Meiling Pass is the greatest pass under heaven…”

“Enough, Deputy General Yu Xin. Let’s not discuss whether Meiling is the greatest pass. Even if it is the greatest pass, it’s not unconquerable. Think about it—this year we have a poor harvest; what about the Quanrong side? Yan Bei is cold, but Quanrong is colder. I heard they’ve had several heavy snowfalls in a row, and all their sheep have frozen to death. How will they get through this winter?”

The young woman smiled slightly and continuously outlined her plan. The expressions of those present gradually changed from fear to stupefaction. They looked at each other, unable to interject. Chu Qiao kept producing strategic military theories one after another, leaving the Great Harmony Association members, who had risen from peasant soldiers, dumbfounded. Even Yan Xun raised his eyebrows slightly. He knew Achu was skilled, knew she was quick-witted, but didn’t know her military theory was so solid. For a moment, he was also somewhat stunned.

“Just like this, within twenty days, Meiling Pass will fall. Of course, that’s if they can survive twenty days.”

The young woman spoke with a charming smile. Seeing that there was no response from the crowd, she was slightly stunned and looked toward Yan Xun, asking: “Is there a problem with what I said?”

“No problem,” Yan Xun shook his head, forcibly suppressing the urge to burst into laughter, and gestured: “Continue.”

Chu Qiao cleared her throat and continued: “Additionally, we need to hurry to repair the Beishuo city walls. When I arrived, I saw them—are those even walls? A strong wind could probably blow them down. It’s foreseeable that within two months, Beishuo will become an important battlefield for Yan Bei. The rise and fall of Beishuo is related to the survival of the Yan Bei regime, so we must immediately reinforce Beishuo.”

Xia An finally found an opportunity to interject and quickly said: “Building city walls is not something that can be done overnight. We have been working on it recently, but Fire Thunder Plain lacks stone materials, and the soil structure is fragile, unsuitable for establishing major city walls.”

“I know, I know,” Chu Qiao rubbed her temples slightly and said slowly: “There should be a way. I know a method for building city walls that is very simple and effective. Most importantly, it’s fast enough. We have sufficient manpower. I estimate that in ten days, we should be able to renovate a city wall perimeter and raise it twenty meters high.”

“Ten days?”

Everyone exclaimed in unison. Quartermaster Liu Ou said loudly: “That’s impossible.”

“General Liu, please stop saying things like ‘impossible.’ Nothing in this world is impossible as long as you’re willing to open your eyes and do it.”

Yan Xun smiled faintly and said in a drawn-out tone: “If something like the merchants of Xianyang taking away Yan Bei’s entire annual tax revenue can happen, what else is impossible?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Ou was greatly shocked. Liu Ou was Beishuo’s quartermaster. When Elder Liu and others from Xianyang passed through here, he couldn’t have been completely unaware and must have taken some benefits. Now hearing Yan Xun mention it, how could he not be alarmed?

Yan Xun inwardly sneered, thinking he probably didn’t know about the Xianyang affair yet. Was this the so-called “Great Harmony”? Yan Xun smiled slightly. Because of Chu Qiao’s Black Hawk Army reorganization proposal, today’s meeting had already perfectly achieved its goal. He leaned back in his chair leisurely, his smile very calm.

Chu Qiao continued to speak eloquently for a full two hours. When she finished, the young woman immediately resumed her humble and cautious demeanor, saying softly: “I’m sorry for getting carried away. Just some shallow views, please forgive me.”

Everyone was silently wailing—if these were shallow views, it was truly cursing without obscenities.

Yan Xun smiled warmly: “Achu’s insights are truly brilliant, enlightening us all. I propose appointing Chu Qiao as the Assistant to the Director of the General Staff Office. Does anyone have any objections?”

Everyone looked at each other speechlessly. What exactly was this General Staff Office? They had never heard of it before.

Xia An’s forehead was covered in cold sweat as he asked quietly: “Your Highness, what kind of institution is this General Staff Office? And what position is the assistant? What affairs does it manage?”

“Well,” Yan Xun was taken aback. He had only heard Chu Qiao mention it before and couldn’t explain it well on the spot. So he said: “It’s a newly established institution, just for offering suggestions.”

Everyone immediately nodded, realizing it was just an advisory role, and agreed one after another.

Chu Qiao looked at them sympathetically. If they knew the specific powers of the General Staff Office, would they collectively drop dead tomorrow?

After the meeting, Xia An and others left dejectedly. Chu Qiao followed behind Yan Xun, returning to their room. As soon as the door closed, Yan Xun picked her up in his arms. Chu Qiao was startled, her cheeks immediately turning red as she exclaimed: “Ah! Put me down!”

Yan Xun laughed heartily, his eyes joyful, and set her down. He gave a thumbs up and said: “Achu, well done!”

Chu Qiao smiled shyly: “It was nothing.”

She then asked: “Yan Xun, why are all the major positions occupied by people from the Great Harmony Association? What exactly is your relationship with Great Harmony? Are they trying to marginalize you?”

Yan Xun smiled and said: “They wouldn’t dare.”

“Then they…”

“Don’t worry, I have it under control. I won’t be at a disadvantage. We’ve just returned, and it’s not yet appropriate to have major conflicts with them. After some time passes, we’ll deal with them one by one.”

Yan Xun’s smile was extremely cold. Chu Qiao felt a slight chill in her heart. She thought that she might have been redundant; Yan Xun likely had been prepared all along.

Just as she was about to speak, suddenly there was a commotion outside the door. It seemed to be the guards, along with a sharp female voice.

“Move aside! You dare to obstruct me? Who are you? Which army are you from? Who is your superior?”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. His Highness instructed that no one is to disturb him. You…”

“Move aside!”

The girl’s clear voice rang out fiercely. Yan Xun frowned, walked forward a few steps, and pulled open the door. A girl in military attire stood gracefully and spiritedly at the door, arguing angrily with the guard.

“His superior is me. What do you want?”

The girl saw Yan Xun and immediately brightened, exclaiming happily: “Brother! I heard you had returned, so I rushed over. You…”

Just as she said this, the girl caught sight of Chu Qiao standing behind Yan Xun. The girl’s voice stopped abruptly. Her gaze, sharp as a sword, shot over, carrying even a hint of hostility. Pointing at Chu Qiao, she asked in a deep voice: “Who is she?”