Leng Yue opened the door and saw a young man clad in heavy armor, his face covered in dust. The boy had thick brows and sharp eyes, his gaze brimming with a fierce, battle-hardened intensity—clearly someone who had survived the brutality of war.
"Lu Chao sent me to find a shopkeeper named Leng Yue."
Xiao Zheng pursed his lips after speaking. The rich aroma of alcohol wafting through the air seemed to clear his foggy, sleep-deprived mind. He almost laughed at himself—how foolish to pin his hopes on a boy he hadn’t seen in years.
"I am Leng Yue. Come in. If you hadn’t come looking for me, I would have sought you out."
Leng Yue glanced at Zhang Hu trailing behind Xiao Zheng and stepped aside to let them enter.
Zhang Hu, usually brash and unrestrained, suddenly felt awkward. Damn, is this kid actually a woman in disguise?! She’s too damn pretty!
Leng Yue warily scanned the street outside before carefully shutting the door.
As they moved further inside, the scent of liquor grew stronger.
Growl… growl.
The untimely sound of empty stomachs echoed from Xiao Zheng and Zhang Hu.
Both men clutched their bellies, embarrassed, and offered Leng Yue an awkward smile.
"Please, have a seat first."
Leng Yue gave them a reassuring smile before disappearing into the kitchen.
Soon after, she returned with two bowls of plain noodles.
Zhang Hu stared at Leng Yue’s pale, delicate hands, then at his own rough, bloodstained ones, feeling self-conscious for the first time.
"Eat up, soldiers. Fill your stomachs."
Xiao Zheng pushed his bowl toward Leng Yue.
"Food is scarce these days. We still have rations in the army. You should keep this for yourself."
Seeing them hesitate, Leng Yue chuckled.
"You’re a friend of our master. It’s only right that I offer you a meal in his stead."
Lu Chao had written to her earlier, instructing her to stockpile food in the cellar. Thankfully, she had obeyed. Now, with Shuozhou under siege, her master’s foresight had proven true.
"You came to me because you’re running out of supplies, aren’t you?"
Xiao Zheng nodded. There was no point denying it.
"My cellar is fully stocked. Come back tonight with men to haul it away."
At this, even Xiao Zheng’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"That much? And you’re just… giving it to us?"
Leng Yue stood to fetch the keys.
"After you finish eating, I’ll show you the cellar. Last month, my master wrote to warn me of possible war in Shuozhou. He told me to prepare supplies and assist if Yingge came seeking help. Even if you hadn’t come, he ordered me to offer the provisions to the army."
Xiao Zheng’s mind flashed to the blurred memory of Lu Chao’s childhood face. So many years had passed that she could barely recall his features. As a child, she remembered feeling safe just following him. Later, when she was stationed at the border, they exchanged letters—he complained about his studies, and she described the endless yellow sands of the northwest.
Now, it struck her—their friendship had spanned thousands of miles. Apart from family, he was the one she trusted most. A swell of gratitude pressed heavily against her chest.
"Why?"
"My master said, ‘When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.’ If Shuozhou falls to the Tartars, hoarding these supplies would be pointless. Take the food and liquor. We can’t let soldiers fight on empty stomachs."
"Thank you for your generosity!"
Xiao Zheng clasped her fists and bowed deeply.
Leng Yue sidestepped, unwilling to accept the gesture.
"Don’t thank me. Thank my master."
"Your master’s a damn saint! There aren’t many people I respect, but your master’s one of them. If he ever needs me, Zhang Hu, I’ll go through hell and back for him!"
Zhang Hu unilaterally declared that Lu Chao, though they’d never met, was now his sworn brother.
After leaving the tavern, Xiao Zheng marveled. Truly, like master, like servant. Despite having ample provisions, Leng Yue showed no greed. She had even given them noodles while keeping half a coarse-grain bun for herself.
"Tell the men to keep an eye on this tavern."
Zhang Hu thumped his chest.
"Damn right! We’re not the kind to forget a favor!"
The supplies Lu Chao had prepared would last them another three days. Three days were enough.
That night, Xiao Zheng led two thousand soldiers through a tunnel dug beneath Shuozhou’s walls.
Meanwhile, Lu Chao and Zhou Qingyuan trekked across mountains and rivers, finally delivering provisions to Mingxiang County, a hundred li from Shuozhou, before halting.
News of Yang Cheng County’s fall to the north had County Magistrate Yang on edge. Though Mingxiang and Yang Cheng were on opposite ends of Shuozhou, neither was far from the city. The Tartars might turn their sights here if Shuozhou proved too difficult. When Lu Chao arrived with troops, the magistrate initially thought reinforcements had come—only to sigh in disappointment at the mere five thousand men.
"Magistrate Yang, stay calm. Let’s see if we can contact the Northwest Marquis first."
Lu Chao studied the county map, which only roughly outlined the area within a hundred li.
If they could coordinate from within and outside, they could trick the Tartars into thinking Yingzhou had sent reinforcements—then they might slip the provisions into Shuozhou.
She wondered how Xiao Huan was faring. His group should have arrived two days ago. If he could persuade the Hedong military governor to send troops, the Rakshasa army would receive word by tomorrow.
Tsk. This era’s lack of communication made her miss her old, broken phone.
"Chao-ge, the enemy’s set up watchtowers around Shuozhou. What now?"
Zhou Qingyuan frowned. If those beasts caught wind of the supplies, he’d rather burn them than let them be taken.
"Only Little Red can try first."
Of the trained bluebirds, Little Red had the sharpest sense of smell. Delivering messages was its specialty.
"Little Red! Smell this liquor—it’s our best-selling brew. Find Leng Yue and give her this letter, okay?"
She didn’t know anyone in the northwest army, so Leng Yue would have to relay the message.
The little bird staggered from the strong scent, its tiny claws nearly slipping from her clothes. Its beady eyes brimmed with doubt.
"You birds don’t drink, so you wouldn’t know. Humans love this stuff. Leng Yue’s slender, pale, and beautiful—she’ll be in the tavern. Go on, and be careful!"
With a skeptical look, Little Red flapped its wings and soared into the sky.
After emerging from the tunnel, Xiao Zheng and her soldiers crawled through the grass, eliminating the sentries at the southern watchtower before leading the two thousand troops into the southern mountains.
"Zheng-ge, without horses, how do we fight?"
After their last ambush, the enemy had tightened security—guard posts every few steps. The city gates were even more heavily guarded. If not for the hidden tunnel, they’d never have escaped.
"Isn’t there a county to the south?"
Zhang Hu nodded.
"Yeah! I think it’s called Mingxiang County."
Even small border counties had a few hundred soldiers and at least two hundred horses. They’d borrow them for now.
"Men, heed my order!! Advance toward Mingxiang County at full speed!"
Ever since Lu Chao and his men arrived in Mingxiang County, County Magistrate Yang, who had been staying up for several nights, finally thought he could get a proper night's sleep.
The sense of security between two hundred soldiers and five thousand was entirely different. Whether the Tatars came or not, he couldn’t hold out any longer—he absolutely had to meet the Duke of Zhou in his dreams!
No sooner had he lain down and begun snoring than he was abruptly shaken awake by a servant, his face blank with confusion.
"My lord!! Reports from the front—thousands of armored soldiers are marching toward our Mingxiang County!"
Magistrate Yang’s head buzzed with alarm.
"Quickly, quickly!! Close the gates!! And inform young Lord Lu Chao at once!!"
Good heavens! Were they really under attack!? Couldn’t they let him sleep just once?!
By the time Xiao Zheng reached the gates of Mingxiang County, he found himself staring at a wall of arrows aimed directly at him.
"Everyone!! I am Xiao Zheng, a captain under the Northwest Marquis’ command! We’re allies!!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Lu Chao raised his hand, and the soldiers lowered their arrows in unison.
Xiao Zheng looked up to see a tousled head peeking out from atop the city wall.
The two locked eyes for a moment.
