“How go the investigations into the situation inside?” Feng Jiu’er turned her head toward Zhao Yusheng at her side.

“There are roughly a thousand men still left in the valley.” Zhao Yusheng took a sip of porridge and set his bowl on the ground.

“The enemy general’s intention is to surrender. However, the fighting in the north is pressing ever closer, and I do not recommend taking that risk.”

“Once the Crown Prince’s forces arrive, would those men willingly submit?”

Feng Jiu’er gave a small nod and turned aside to the plate she had been holding — the meat she had cut into small pieces — which she then poured into a bowl of porridge. She turned and passed it to Jian Yi.

“Starting today, eat some meat. Mixed into the porridge like this, it will be easier to digest.”

“Alright.” Jian Yi took the bowl from Feng Jiu’er’s hands.

Feng Jiu’er picked up another plate, casually cut a piece of meat for herself, straightened her posture, and continued slicing the meat on the plate into thin pieces one by one.

Every now and then she sent a slice into her mouth, then kept cutting the next.

However different her manner of eating was from the brothers’, everyone simply watched with mild curiosity and asked nothing.

“So what is your thinking?” Feng Jiu’er looked up at Zhao Yusheng and asked.

“Press the attack.” Zhao Yusheng answered quietly.

“If they are soldiers who are surrendering, pressing the attack anyway seems somewhat lacking in righteousness.” Huo Baixue joined the conversation between the two.

“That point has not escaped me.” Zhao Yusheng gave a small nod. “But the way things stand, this waiting is working against us.”

“If the Crown Prince’s forces truly break through and those men receive reinforcements, then mount another assault on our army — won’t we have gained nothing and lost everything?”

“That is—” Huo Baixue paused, composing herself. She had no rebuttal.

After a brief silence, she leaned forward, past Zhao Yusheng, and looked at Feng Jiu’er on his other side.

“Jiu’er, what is your read on this?”

“If we press the attack, we lose more of our own forces and delay the march north to provide support.”

“But if we do not fight, these are not our men, no matter how you look at it — getting them to follow orders would certainly not be easy.”

Feng Jiu’er nodded thoughtfully and slipped a piece of meat into her mouth.

She swallowed, then looked at Zhao Yusheng and asked: “On the march here, how did their forces treat the common people of Yamu City?”

“Not badly — they looted rather aggressively, but there was no indiscriminate killing of innocents.” Zhao Yusheng answered quietly.

“I have heard that the Crown Prince has always been known for compassion. That much I can see from the way the opposing army treated the innocent people of our city.”

“But Jiu’er, you must understand — on a battlefield there are no fathers and sons. Once fighting breaks out, who still puts compassion first?”

“Many of my brothers have been killed or wounded. That is a debt I have not forgotten.”

He had grown agitated for a moment. Zhao Yusheng let out a quiet sigh.

Feng Jiu’er gave Zhao Yusheng’s shoulder a light pat and passed him a plate of meat she had already cut.

“I understand your feelings very well. I also want to avenge your brothers — and the brothers and innocent people of Yamu City who died.”

Zhao Yusheng looked at the meat Feng Jiu’er had slid over to him, briefly taken aback.

Feng Jiu’er pressed the plate into his hands and pressed her lips together quietly.

“Eat. You have truly worked hard this whole time.”

Zhao Yusheng took the plate, picked up the chopsticks resting on it, and placed a piece of meat in his mouth.

“Zhao Yusheng, in truth, you and I are alike in many ways. This is the first time either of us has ever led troops into battle. Neither of us wants to see our brothers hurt, or even lose their lives.”

“But battle is this cruel. Since it cannot be avoided, we can only face it with courage — isn’t that right?”

Zhao Yusheng gazed at Feng Jiu’er without blinking, unable for a moment to find any words.

After a pause, he drew a slow breath and let it out.

“Jiu’er, I apologize. I should not have let myself get so emotional.”

“You owe me no apology.” Feng Jiu’er at that moment cut another piece of meat and set it on the plate in front of her to be dealt with.

“This matter is something I am not certain how to handle either, so I was going to ask Baixue or Yezhou for their thoughts.”

Huo Baixue heard Jiu’er call her name and leaned around from the other side of Zhao Yusheng, peering over.

“Jiu’er, for this one I think we should defer to Zhao Yusheng. After all, his forces have been in direct confrontation with the enemy the longest.”

Feng Jiu’er looked at her and gave a small nod.

Like Huo Baixue, her gaze came to rest on Zhao Yusheng.

“Baixue is right. This is your call. If you say we fight, we will not breathe a single word of complaint. Think it over carefully.”

“Exactly.” One brother’s firm, ringing voice cut in. “Whatever Young Chief Zhao decides, we follow.”

“That’s right, Young Chief Zhao — just give the order.” Another brother added.

The other brothers nodded in turn, expressing their agreement.

If their own general had already agreed, who else would disagree? All the more so since everyone could see how deeply Zhao Yusheng felt the loss of his brothers.

To serve under a commander who placed his brothers’ lives above all else was something every soldier in that army felt fortunate for.

Zhao Yusheng sent a look of gratitude to everyone, then returned his gaze to Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, a word in private.”

Feng Jiu’er met his gaze and gave a small nod.

“Alright.”

Zhao Yusheng dipped his head and stood. Feng Jiu’er set down what was in her hands and rose as well.

“Brothers, carry on — we will be right back.”

She swept a glance over everyone, then looked at Jian Yi, who was already moving to stand.

“You stay. I will be back shortly.”

Jian Yi paid no attention and rose anyway.

Feng Jiu’er was a touch exasperated, but she did not turn him away.

All three walked into the tent together. Zhao Yusheng lowered the tent flap behind him as he entered.

“Jiu’er, do you have a solution that could satisfy both sides?”

“If we press the attack now, it wastes our manpower and resources, and delays the march north to provide support. When you weigh it all up, the costs outweigh the gains.”

“But if we simply let them go, it is not only I who could not accept it — my brothers, and Nanmen Zhuo and his brothers, none of them would be able to accept it either.”

“I do have one method. I just do not know whether the other side’s people would be willing to cooperate.”

Feng Jiu’er sat down beside Jian Yi, then immediately reached for his hand and placed it in her own.

During this stretch of time, whenever an opportunity arose she would check Jian Yi’s pulse, fearing that some sudden complication might arise.

Watching Feng Jiu’er set down Jian Yi’s hand, Zhao Yusheng asked quietly: “Jiu’er, how is Jian Yi’s condition?”

“No immediate concern, but he still needs continued treatment for some time.”

Feng Jiu’er stood, went to find her black cloth sack, and drew out a packet of medicinal powder from within.

She brought the powder back, stepped in front of Zhao Yusheng, and held it out to him.

“This powder has much the same effect as the bone-softening powder, but its duration is far longer.”

“Anyone who inhales it — without the antidote, they will be completely weak all over for a full month, with no ability to fight.”

Zhao Yusheng took the powder as though receiving something of tremendous power.

“You mean we neutralize them first, then decide what to do with them afterward?” Zhao Yusheng looked at Feng Jiu’er with visible excitement.

“Yes.” Feng Jiu’er gave a small nod. “That way we need not waste manpower or resources, and it will not delay our timetable for heading north.”

“What is more, with prisoners in our hands, if we negotiate with the Crown Prince again at some point, we will not be in too passive a position.”