In Shuozhou City, Xiao Yan tilted his head back and drained the wine from his bowl when a small green bird suddenly perched beside him, tilting its head to observe him curiously. Xiao Yan reached out his hand, but the little bird showed no fear, refusing to fly away, simply staring at him intently.
Little Red muttered to herself, "This place reeks of alcohol the most. After searching everywhere, this one’s barely tolerable. Where are the handsome men? Maybe I should just settle for him? Ugh, better keep looking." After a moment of hesitation, she blinked her doubtful beady eyes and flapped her wings, flying off again.
Leng Yue opened the window, gazing absentmindedly at the crescent moon in the sky. After sending out the provisions and wine, his heart felt much lighter. Remembering the liquor left on the table by that rowdy soldier, he poured himself a cup. Suddenly, a small bird landed on his windowsill.
Watching the flames engulf Qianchi Valley, Xiao Zheng patted the horse behind him. "Let’s go!"
The moon hid stealthily behind the clouds, the tranquil borderlands concealing deadly peril.
An arrow sliced through the darkness, shattering the quiet of the night.
"The gates of Shuozhou… they’re open?!"
Forty thousand soldiers from the Northwest Army charged toward the watchtower, leaving only collapsed wooden frames in their wake.
The Tatars, who had just ceased hostilities, were caught off guard by this sudden assault. The Fourth Prince glared furiously ahead. "Mount up, all of you!! Anyone who retreats—I’ll cut them down first!"
The Northwest Marquis tightened his grip on his spear, veins bulging on his hands, his gaze as sharp as an eagle’s, locking onto the Fourth Prince, Chi Na. Though separated by a hundred meters, their eyes clashed. In the next instant, the Northwest Marquis moved.
His warhorse surged through the sea of soldiers, the clash of blades and spears ringing loudly. Chi Na’s hands went numb from the impact, but he sneered coldly. "The Marquis’s skills haven’t dulled with age!"
The Northwest Marquis yanked the reins, eyeing his twenty-year-old opponent before spurring his horse forward once more, spear raised. "Brat! Prepare to die!"
On the other flank, Xiao Zheng lifted a fire crossbow, aiming at the enemy tents. Three arrows streaked like meteors, instantly igniting the land.
As if a switch had been flipped, thousands of flaming arrows rained down in unison upon the enemy camp.
"General!! The rear’s on fire!! We’re under attack!"
"Save the provisions first!"
The Tatar soldiers roared in fury as they turned to see the thick smoke behind them.
Panicked soldiers scrambled to extinguish the flames, but the inferno raged on, screams piercing the air.
"Damn it! The Yuan forces have reinforcements!"
Amid the blazing chaos, Xiao Zheng charged into battle, a greatsword in hand. Their objective was clear—burn the enemy’s provisions to ashes.
"Brothers!!! Charge!!!"
Meanwhile, Nuo Lan fled with the remnants of his troops. Lu Chao grabbed Zhang Qing, whose eyes were bloodshot with battle-lust.
"We don’t know this terrain well enough. Don’t pursue! Secure the battlefield and deliver the provisions to Shuozhou!"
Zhang Qing stamped his foot. "Sir!! This is a rare opportunity!!"
Lu Chao pulled out a token. "Will you obey orders or not?"
Zhou Qingyuan smacked him on the head. "Stop being reckless!! A rare opportunity? More like a one-way trip to your grave!"
Zhang Qing’s head buzzed from the blow, and he reluctantly directed the soldiers to clear the battlefield.
Late into the night, news of their victory spread, and the people of Mingxiang County poured into the streets, cheering as they welcomed the soldiers.
Lu Chao raised an eyebrow at the sea of heads before him.
"Listen up!! We’ve driven the Tatars into retreat!! They’ve fled to Yanmen Pass. Now, we march to Shuozhou to reinforce the Northwest Army! We need hands to transport provisions—any volunteers will be paid three hundred coins each!"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Shuozhou’s under siege, isn’t it? Aren’t we just walking to our deaths?"
Lu Chao shook his head.
"Shuozhou’s forces have already broken the Tatar encampment and pushed them to Yanmen Pass. Our troops will lead the way—you’ll follow a mile behind. If danger arises, turn back immediately. The cover of night makes it easy to hide. Once the delivery’s done, you can return!"
Many young men grew restless, raising their hands eagerly.
Three hundred coins! Enough to feed a family for a month!
Lu Chao handed a stack of silver notes to County Magistrate Yang.
"Magistrate Yang, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. If the Xiao Army fails to drive the Tatars beyond Yanmen Pass tonight, Mingxiang County will soon meet the same fate as Yang Cheng County! I entrust these provisions to you and the city guards!"
Zhou Qingyuan moved to stop him—handing over such critical supplies so casually?
"The odds in Shuozhou are dire. We must hurry to reinforce them. A long convoy like this, moving under the cover of night—doesn’t it look convincing?"
With only Xiao Zheng’s two thousand men, their ruse would be exposed within half an hour. They couldn’t afford to hold out much longer.
"Magistrate Lu! I’ll accompany you on this mission! The Northwest Army is locked in battle with the Tatars—every bit of provisions we deliver counts. It’s been years since we’ve fought so fiercely! I trust you!"
Lu Chao clasped his fists in gratitude. "Thank you, Magistrate Yang!"
"Zhang Qing, lead the troops to Shuozhou!"
Zhang Qing couldn’t make sense of Lu Chao’s strategy—it all seemed too reckless!
Remembering the prince’s words before their departure, he cast a pained glance at the provisions they’d guarded so diligently and resignedly mounted his horse.
"All troops, advance to Shuozhou!"
……
Chi Na surveyed the flames devouring his rear lines and cracked his neck.
"Warriors!! These weaklings have burned our provisions!! We have no retreat!! Kill them all!! At dawn, we feast and drink in Shuozhou!!!"
The panicked Tatar soldiers snapped out of their fear, their faces twisting with savagery as they charged the Northwest Army, forcing the Yuan soldiers into retreat.
Chi Na smirked coldly at the Northwest Marquis.
"Marquis, this is your so-called reinforcement? Pathetic."
With a sudden lunge, the two clashed again on horseback. Chi Na, a true Tatar warrior, fought with unmatched ferocity, his movements wild and relentless. The Northwest Marquis, aged and fatigued from prolonged combat, faltered—just as Chi Na’s blade swept toward his face, a spear shot out, deflecting the strike.
"Marquis, are you all right?"
Xiao Zheng shielded his grandfather, glancing sideways.
Chi Na’s eyes gleamed with bloodlust as he recognized the slender figure.
"It’s you?"
Xiao Zheng twirled his silver spear, its crimson tassel soaked in blood. With a flick, droplets scattered.
Clang! Blade and spear collided once more.
Their horses galloped over withered grass, racing toward the torchlight. Passing Shuozhou’s gates, Lu Chao glanced up—the city walls flickered with torches, revealing archers, civilians armed with stones and hoes, and at the center, noblewomen in embroidered robes brandishing swords, their expressions wary.
Lu Chao waved at the city gates, raising a flag emblazoned with the character "Yuan," its fabric snapping in the wind. Without pause, they rode toward the distant glow.
On the ramparts, Madam Xiao clasped Second Madam’s hand, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Reinforcements! They’ve come!"
"My lady! Look! There’s a supply convoy behind them!! Provisions!! They’ve brought provisions!!"
Madam Xiao wiped her cheeks and pressed her palms together, gazing skyward in silent prayer.
"Brother Yi, watch over Father from the heavens, protect Second Brother, the children, and our Xiao family."
As they drew closer to the battlefield, Lu Chao gave Zhang Qing a firm nod.
"Sound the drums!"
"Make the noise thunderous! Rouse the chaos!"
"Zhang Qing! This is where you earn your military glory! All that training—now it’s time to prove yourself! Men! Show these barbarians what true formation warfare looks like!"
Zhou Qingyuan’s blood burned with fervor, his fists clenched so tightly he could barely contain himself. He nearly wished he could strap Lu Chao to his back and charge into the fray to cut down a few enemies himself.
"Raise the banners! Form the ranks!"
"Tail moves—strike the serpent’s head! Encircle!"
"Head moves—strike the serpent’s tail! Bite!"
"Body sweeps—head and tail converge! Crush them!"
After years of studying mechanical formations, this was Lu Chao’s first real test. Watching the eerie precision and devastating power of their maneuvers, even he was stunned. The old man hadn’t lied—this truly worked wonders!
