“General, the scouts report that the Yongzhou army has learned of our plan to attack Mount Tianju and is showing signs of panic.”

Subordinate General Nie Lingu lay prostrate on the cliff edge, his eyes revealing a measure of smugness. “They absolutely won’t abandon Mount Tianju. If we ambush them here, we can definitely inflict heavy damage on Qin Jixun!”

To reach Mount Tianju, one had to pass through Qiaoqing Valley’s narrow path. Shi Monu’s attack on Mount Tianju was false; luring Qin Jixun to lead troops out of the city was true. As long as they severely damaged the Yongzhou army, Mount Tianju would be theirs for the taking.

“Are you certain that our warriors destroyed those two sections of the bird path on Mount Tianju that the Yongzhou army uses for advance and retreat?” Shi Monu’s face was tense, his sharp eyes constantly observing the situation below.

“Yes. That bird path hangs on the cliff face and has long been in disrepair. The warriors of the scout battalion used iron chains to climb up before dawn. By the time the Qi people discovered them, it was too late. Though our warriors suffered considerable losses under the rain of arrows, they still managed to damage their bird path and trap those damned Qi people on the cliff.”

Of the hundred-plus warriors Nie Lingu had sent from the scout battalion, only the dozen or so who had stayed below as lookouts survived.

“If that Qin Jixun dares come—”

Shi Monu’s stubble-covered cheeks were rough and rugged. “Today I’ll kill to my heart’s content, then cut off the heads of those Qi defenders on Mount Tianju to accompany our scout battalion’s warriors in death!”

Blazing sunlight illuminated this lush, verdant valley. The distant mountain ranges hidden in mist were dotted with unmelted snow. The barbarian soldiers in pitch-black armor used the rugged terrain above the valley to conceal their bodies, all motionlessly staring at that narrow path below.

The wind howled. The barbarian soldiers faintly heard some movement. The soldiers gripping crossbows immediately became alert. Poison-tipped arrows were nocked on bowstrings, their bodies tensing in unison, like leopards crouching in the shadows, waiting only for prey to appear before they would pounce without hesitation to tear at flesh and blood.

The most prominent jagged rock face below blocked Nie Lingu’s view. He stared intently, hearing hoofbeats drawing closer and closer, but the sound seemed very thin.

That wasn’t the noise an army should make.

Soon, Nie Lingu saw them round the protruding rock face and enter the valley’s narrow path—only about twenty-plus men. Once they entered the narrow path, they moved slowly while looking around in all directions. Seeing this, Nie Lingu immediately said to Shi Monu beside him, “General, they’re Yongzhou army scouts. It appears they’ve come first to investigate whether Qiaoqing Valley has any ambush.”

Shi Monu said nothing, only staring at that small squad of Qi scouts below. Qin Jixun’s main army hadn’t entered the trap yet—he naturally couldn’t kill these people first.

The barbarian soldiers patiently lay in wait, pairs of eyes watching as those Qi scouts investigated while riding their horses toward the end of the winding narrow path.

Once they finished investigating this section of road, they would turn back to report to Qin Jixun.

Shi Monu watched their figures disappear around the bend. After a moment, his expression turned severe. “This is bad.”

“General!”

A barbarian scout ran up panting. “They didn’t turn back at all! As soon as they left Qiaoqing Valley, they suddenly began galloping at full speed!”

Shi Monu stood up. “Nie Lingu! Send men to intercept them for me!”

“Yes!”

Nie Lingu received the order and immediately went to arrange cavalry pursuit.

But in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, just as Nie Lingu returned to Shi Monu’s side, they heard a sound. Both simultaneously looked up to see a whistling arrow shoot into the distant sky.

Shi Monu’s expression darkened. “Cunning Qi people!”

Those Qi scouts would see his army wasn’t actually there when they ran near Mount Tianju. Now that the whistling arrow had been released, Qin Jixun would know there was deception involved.

They shouldn’t have let those damned Qi people pass!

“General, aren’t they afraid we’ll truly attack Mount Tianju? If they lose Mount Tianju, Yongzhou City will be an isolated city!”

Nie Lingu counseled, “Unable to wait for the Qi emperor’s reinforcements, the morale in Yongzhou City will collapse first! If you take Mount Tianju, it will surely be a great achievement!”

As Nie Lingu said, Qin Jixun was now in a dilemma. Even if his scouts released a whistling arrow, so what? Even if he knew something was amiss in Qiaoqing Valley, so what? If Qin Jixun didn’t come, Shi Monu could go straight for Mount Tianju. For Shi Monu, this had never been a losing proposition.

Suddenly a bird cry sounded, seeming distant and prolonged in this mountain valley. Just as Shi Monu was about to give an order, he looked up to see his own hunting falcon flying toward him with spread wings.

He extended his arm, and the falcon landed on his elbow.

Shi Monu removed the copper tube from the falcon’s body and extracted a slip of paper from within. The Danqiu script was sparse. Shi Monu only glanced at it before his expression changed. “Qin Jixun has gone to our encampment!”

Nie Lingu’s heart jolted: “What?!”

Qin Jixun wasn’t relieving the trapped Mount Tianju defenders but was heading straight for Shi Monu’s encampment. Nie Lingu immediately realized—Qin Jixun was going after their provisions!

“That Qin Jixun! I’ve long hoped these cowardly Qi people would come out to fight. This works out perfectly!” Shi Monu said through gritted teeth.

Nie Lingu’s nephew was left guarding the encampment, but if the Qi army came out in full force, his nephew absolutely couldn’t withstand them. They had crossed Ru Mountain with difficulty to get here—provisions were the army’s lifeblood. If the provisions were cut off, how could they hold out against the Yongzhou army until the Nanyan tribe’s reinforcements arrived?

Mount Tianju couldn’t be attacked for now. Without hesitation, Shi Monu led his troops straight toward the encampment.

Almost immediately after the scouts sent by Nie Lingu’s nephew Sasuo discovered the Yongzhou army heading straight for the encampment, just after Sasuo released his hunting falcon, Wei Dechang led troops to break through the chevaux de frise. Qi soldiers wielding divine arm crossbows charged at the front, and behind them, mounted archers on horseback systematically released arrows burning with flames.

“Warriors of Danqiu, kill these Qi people!” Sasuo immediately commanded the barbarian soldiers to form up, some holding golden swords, some holding long spears, cavalry in front and infantry behind, following Sasuo as they rushed at the Yongzhou army.

The two sides engaged in battle, flesh and blood flying everywhere. Earth-shaking roars and hoofbeats merged into one continuous sound. The barbarian cavalry charged with incomparable ferocity, breaking through the Yongzhou army’s formation, using the absolute advantage of battle-hardened elite cavalry to carry out fierce slaughter against the Yongzhou army.

At this time, Yongzhou City seemed very quiet. Qin Jixun wore armor, both hands braced on his knees, his expression extremely tense. Ni Su lay on the felt carpet—clearly very tired but unable to sleep no matter what. She had originally thought he would leave the city, but unexpectedly he had rapidly formulated a battle plan with Qin Jixun right in this simple felt tent, changing the original plan to reinforce Mount Tianju and instead launching a sneak attack on Shi Monu’s encampment.

The originally passive situation had now been transformed by him into an active strike.

“Young Master Ni, I really have no mind for this chess game.” Shen Tongchuan’s heart was anxious. He could barely look at the board anymore. Holding a chess piece in his hand, he never placed it down.

The felt tent flap was lifted open. Sunlight filled the entire tent. Xu Hexue looked up at the outside and roughly estimated the time in his mind. Qin Jixun also calculated in his heart, then fixed his gaze on Xu Hexue. “It’s time.”

“Duan Rong! Have the scouts leave the city and release whistling arrows for Commander Wei and Commander Yang!”

Qin Jixun immediately stood up and went out.

Yongzhou’s city gate opened and closed. Scouts rode out of the city, galloping to the vicinity of the barbarian encampment, and immediately released whistling arrows. Wei Dechang, fighting the barbarians in the midst of battle, and Yang Tianzhe, supervising the battle from the rear, almost simultaneously looked up through the crowd, then met each other’s eyes.

“Shi Monu has returned so quickly! Sworn brother, he must have detected our intentions early!” Wei Dechang feigned great alarm.

Yang Tianzhe’s voice was rough and gruff. “This is bad! We’ve fallen into a trap! You and I are both here—Shi Monu will definitely seize this opportunity to take Yongzhou City! Dechang, we must retreat quickly!”

The Yongzhou army’s banners embroidered with the characters “Qin” and “Wei” danced wildly in the wind. Amid the swirling dust, Sasuo squinted his eyes to look at that person surrounded and protected by numerous soldiers in the rear—wearing a general’s armor and holding a pine-pattern precious sword.

Sasuo, stationed here, hadn’t participated in the siege and didn’t know what Qin Jixun looked like, but he knew about that pine-pattern precious sword personally bestowed by the Qi emperor.

That should be Qin Jixun.

“But sworn brother! We don’t have enough grain left in the city! How many soldiers are enduring hunger, unable to even hold their weapons steady? If not for this, why would we two brothers risk losing Mount Tianju to come here and seize grain!”

Wei Dechang refused to retreat. While cutting down barbarian cavalry, he said, “Without grain, we’ll die anyway. Sworn brother, you go back to Yongzhou City first to take charge of the overall situation! Otherwise chaos will surely break out in the city!”

“Wei Dechang! Follow my military order—retreat!”

Yang Tianzhe roared angrily.

Though Wei Dechang was unwilling, he had no choice but to obey the military order. Seeing the two Qi main generals from Yongzhou City retreating, Sasuo didn’t even think twice: “Warriors, pursue!”

If Sasuo could trap both of Yongzhou City’s main generals here, the defenders in Yongzhou City would surely fall into chaos. At that time, if General Shi Monu took advantage to attack the city, wouldn’t that achieve twice the result with half the effort?

The more he thought this way, the more relentlessly Sasuo pursued.

Passing through the poplar forest, hooves trampling loose yellow earth, Sasuo’s eyes had almost turned red with killing. The golden sword in his hand was covered in blood. Just as he was about to launch another assault on the Qi army’s rear, suddenly the warhorses reared up with sharp neighing, bodies tilting sideways as countless barbarian cavalry fell heavily from their mounts.

The instant Sasuo landed on his side, something sharp savagely embedded itself in his arm. Grimacing in pain, he immediately pulled it out. Blood flowed all over his hand. His face turned iron blue as he looked at that iron caltrop.

Beneath the loose dust, once the slack ropes were pulled taut, they became exposed—ropes tied densely with iron caltrops and even sharp axes, halberds, swords, and spears.

The warhorses lay on the ground unable to rise. Qi soldiers who had been hiding on the hills for a long time came charging down with shouts, surrounding Sasuo and his barbarian soldiers.

Sasuo roared and stood up, running toward Wei Dechang.

At this moment, Yang Tianzhe and Wei Dechang exchanged glances and nodded. They immediately divided their forces and turned back toward the barbarian encampment.

The barbarian encampment’s felt tents were set ablaze by arrows soaked in fierce fire oil, becoming a sky-reaching sea of flames. Just as Sasuo was locked in combat with Wei Dechang, he turned back and saw that distant firelight. His attention wavered, and Wei Dechang’s blade immediately pierced his chest.

Eyes losing focus, Sasuo fell into a pool of blood.

Wei Dechang immediately took out a slip of paper with Danqiu script he’d prepared in advance, crouched down to dab some blood from Sasuo’s body, then called someone over to bring the barbarians’ falcon handler, pressing a blade to his throat: “Either I gouge out your eyes, or you release your hunting falcon!”

The Qi scouts observing the battle immediately rode back toward Yongzhou’s city gate, releasing another whistling arrow from horseback.

“General, Young Master Ni! The whistling arrow has sounded!”

Duan Rong immediately entered the felt tent.

“General Qin, assemble the army and prepare for battle.”

Pale white steam rose from the tea bowl. Xu Hexue lifted his eyes slightly.

Shi Monu had just reached Agate Lake when he saw from afar what seemed to be continuous firelight at the edge of the poplar forest. In the fierce wind, he could seemingly still hear earth-shaking roars and the “Qin” and “Wei” banners fluttering back and forth.

A hunting falcon dove down. Nie Lingu immediately caught it, removed the copper tube, and unfolded the blood-stained slip of paper—”Wei is here, Yongzhou City has no grain.”

“General! It seems Wei Dechang has already burned our provisions!” Nie Lingu couldn’t help worrying about his own nephew Sasuo.

“We cut off Yongzhou City’s grain route, and as expected they couldn’t hold back.” Shi Monu looked at that vaguely flickering firelight and immediately ordered: “Nie Lingu, you and I will divide our forces. You go rescue Sasuo and kill Wei Dechang! I’ll take advantage of their insufficient defenses to attack the city!”

“Yes!”

Nie Lingu immediately received the order.

Shi Monu led troops galloping to the outside of Yongzhou’s city gate. Indeed, he saw that the parapets on the city tower had fewer defenses. From horseback, he shouted: “Qin Jixun! If you don’t come out and fight me, I’ll immediately go kill your sworn brother Wei Dechang!”

Horns sounded. Qi soldiers ran back and forth atop the city tower, showing scattered and panicked disarray.

“So it really is Shi Monu who’s come to attack the city.”

Shen Tongchuan’s heart was alarmed. On the day they killed Song Song, he had already witnessed this Young Master Ni’s combat skills on the battlefield, but he hadn’t expected that off the battlefield, this person could also plan strategies meticulously without a single flaw.

If it was Shi Monu attacking the city, that meant the troops he led were the elite of the elite. Having his provisions completely burned had aroused boundless rage in him. Toward the “poorly defended” Yongzhou City, he no longer held the attitude that he could attack or not attack—having suffered such humiliation, he urgently needed to settle accounts with this isolated city.

“Most of the fire weapons in the city have been given to Commander Wei.”

Xu Hexue’s expression was calm. “As long as we can hold Shi Monu here, Commander Wei and Commander Yang will definitely be able to withstand Nie Lingu alone and return safely.”

“Good!”

Qin Jixun was full of energy. As long as they endured today, without provisions, Shi Monu would be like a grasshopper after autumn.

Shen Tongchuan followed Qin Jixun out of the felt tent first. Ni Su and Xu Hexue stood up almost simultaneously. She met his gaze. “It’s time to brew the medicine. I must go. You go too.”

The two separated at the base of the city wall. Ni Su watched Xu Hexue ascend the stone steps. She remained below, rolling up her sleeves and calling to Nanny Zhong to bring the medicinal herbs from the bamboo sieve.

The barbarians’ catapults continuously hurled stones at the city wall. The monks from Qingyuan Temple also directed soldiers atop the wall to hurl stones below. The city gate slowly opened. Qin Jixun and Duan Rong rode out leading the Yongzhou army.

The great gate closed. The two armies arrayed their formations on the broad plain. Golden swords and silver light flashed and interweaved. Infantry in front, cavalry behind, arrows continuously flew back and forth, dense as a net.

Shi Monu was no fool. The wagon formation Wei Dechang had used before no longer had the same good effect when used against him again. He had infantry packed densely in front advancing, almost preventing the wagon formation from maintaining a cohesive formation. Under the cover of barbarian mounted archers, cavalry wielding golden swords immediately charged forward to break through the wagon formation.

Qin Jixun calmly commanded the Yongzhou army to form a new array, using infantry on both flanks to raise shields and protect the crossbow carts behind, ensuring continuous arrow fire, while using central cavalry to resist the barbarian cavalry, attempting to tear open a gap in the barbarians’ center.

From blazing daylight to sunset scorching the entire sky above the plain, the distant sounds of fire weapons exploding continuously rang out. Black smoke slowly rose.

Shi Monu was protected by his personal guards in the center. Watching that young officer beside Qin Jixun rush out and slash open a barbarian soldier’s throat, blood spurting everywhere, Shi Monu looked back at the distance, his heart growing anxious. He immediately spurred his horse forward, raising his golden sword to hack at Duan Rong.

Duan Rong hastily blocked his blade, but hadn’t anticipated Shi Monu’s tremendous strength, which made both his wrists tremble. One knee pressed heavily into the ground.

Shi Monu’s moves were incomparably fierce. After taking several strikes, Duan Rong found it somewhat difficult. Reluctantly, he staggered back several steps, but Shi Monu didn’t give him a moment to catch his breath. A blade swung forward, cold light flashing, leaving an extremely deep gash on Duan Rong’s arm. Just as he was about to strike again, Qin Jixun cut down several barbarian cavalry from their horses. Seeing this, he immediately leaped forward to block Shi Monu’s blade.

The barbarian cavalry were ultimately far stronger than the Qi cavalry. If they continued fighting like this, though the Yongzhou army wouldn’t necessarily lose, they would waste much strength for nothing. Standing on the city tower, Xu Hexue said to Shen Tongchuan: “Magistrate Shen, it’s time.”

Shen Tongchuan immediately ordered the soldiers beside him.

The drumbeats became denser. Qin Jixun below immediately shouted: “Retreat!”

The city gate opened in response. The Qi defenders showing themselves atop the city tower were sparse and scattered. Seeing Qin Jixun leading troops in hasty retreat, Shi Monu immediately ordered: “Charge!”

The barbarian cavalry gathered like black clouds amid the chaotic Yongzhou army, fighting while charging toward the city gate with unstoppable momentum.

They charged inside only to discover that within the city gate, another gate had somehow been built, and surrounding them on all sides—the barbarian officer leading them turned pale: “Not good, it’s a trap!”

But it was too late. Inside the barbican, ten thousand arrows were released simultaneously from the inner city wall, piercing through their chests. The warhorses’ neighing continued unabated. The barbarian troops behind didn’t dare charge further inside.

“Retreat!”

Shi Monu made the decisive call and turned his horse around.

Shen Tongchuan had just breathed a sigh of relief when unexpectedly, Xu Hexue beside him suddenly reached out to draw the sword he held in his hand for self-defense. Left holding only the scabbard, before Shen Tongchuan could cry out, he saw the person beside him already gripping the sword and leaping down using the climbing rope the barbarians had put up.

“Young Master Ni!”

Shen Tongchuan stretched out his neck.

Xu Hexue’s feet braced against the city wall as he rapidly descended using the rope. The city gate hadn’t yet closed. Qin Jixun looked back and seeing this, immediately shouted: “Duan Rong!”

The Yongzhou army, which had originally retreated into the barbican and entered the inner city gate, charged out again.

Amid the chaotic army, Xu Hexue stepped on the barbarian soldiers’ shoulders and backs, sword in hand, heading for Shi Monu. As Shi Monu turned back, he immediately countered with his golden sword.

Wind howling sharply, Shi Monu met the cold eyes of this long-scarf-masked young man.

Qin Jixun came galloping on horseback, engaging Shi Monu’s personal guards. Xu Hexue thrust his sword through the abdomen of a barbarian cavalryman approaching, then landed on his horse’s back, crossing blades with Shi Monu on horseback.

Shi Monu was accustomed to wielding his blade. His strikes carried the force of a thousand pounds. Xu Hexue’s sword techniques were nimble and swift. Dodging his horizontal slash, he spun upward and landed behind Shi Monu.

Shi Monu suddenly felt cold at his back. He immediately turned, golden sword raised high, slashing back at him.

—”Clang.”

Blade and sword met.

Xu Hexue landed back on the original horse. Shi Monu saw that his garment front had somehow become stained with mottled bloodstains. He couldn’t help glancing at his own golden sword.

When had he wounded this person?

No time for further thought. He saw that masked young Qi man raise his sword toward him again. His expression turned severe as he immediately met him, but unexpectedly, the tiger’s mouth of his hand was struck heavily by the sword hilt.

The pain made him nearly lose his grip.

At that moment, Xu Hexue rose. The silvery-white, cold-gleaming blade flashed as it met Shi Monu’s golden sword. His wrist turned, the sword edge circling around the golden blade. At the closest distance to Shi Monu’s garment and abdomen, he seized this opportunity with near-perfect precision.

The sword body scraped against the golden blade, sparking faint sparks amid ear-piercing sound.

Shi Monu’s eyes widened. Belatedly realizing, he looked down to see the sword edge had already pierced his side, blood flowing freely.

He raised his head again—

In the remaining rays of sunset, he saw that person’s hand gripping the sword, sleeve fallen back, revealing scar after scar—savage, blood-red wounds.

Crimson blood droplets hung from his pale wrist, about to fall yet not falling.