Flames soared into the sky from the Commander's Mansion. Fang Gang's severed head was impaled on a long halberd by a Youzhou soldier, who thrust it into the stump of the neck. The soldier then mounted a swift horse and rapidly exited the mansion grounds.
Galloping all the way, the soldier continuously shouted at the top of his lungs: "Fang Gang is dead! Youzhou does not kill those who surrender!"
"Fang Gang is dead! Youzhou does not kill those who surrender!"
"Fang Gang is dead! Youzhou does not kill those who surrender!"
...
The Youzhou soldier's voice was like a tolling bell, and his tone was quite distinctive. His shouts spread out like tidal waves, carrying far into the distance.
The Jingzhou garrison troops still locked in combat with the Youzhou soldiers were all startled upon hearing this.
Commander Fang is dead?
Is this true or false? Could it be a trick?
Yet the next moment, a bright glow suddenly rose from the direction of the Commander's Mansion. Many initially thought it was lanterns being lit, but upon closer look, it was no ordinary lighting of lamps—clearly, a pavilion was on fire.
Thick smoke billowed, and flames shot toward the sky.
The Jingzhou troops, who had been only half-convinced, could no longer remain calm.
The Commander's Mansion is on fire? Then Commander Fang must be...
In contrast to the despondent Jingzhou soldiers, morale on the Youzhou side soared.
Lan Zimu, who had already pushed the battle line a mile into the city, turned in shock. His eyes, reflecting the firelight, narrowed slightly.
Did the Grand General really succeed?
Qin Yang, after clearing the soldiers from the city wall towers, had been advancing the line alongside Lan Zimu. Seeing his comrade—who had joined their ranks less than two years ago—dumbfounded, he couldn't help but laugh. "See? You should believe me now."
Lan Zimu murmured, "But wasn't Fang Gang reputed to have the courage of a hundred men?"
Qin Yang chuckled. "Reputation is spread by word of mouth. And compared to personal prowess, the Grand General values prestige more."
Being able to fight one against ten, or even one against a hundred, only spreads tales of individual brute strength upon being heard. Such men are suited to be the blade, not the one who wields it.
"Clang."
Someone dropped their weapon first, and where one led, others followed. The sound of weapons hitting the ground rang out one after another.
Commander's Mansion.
After completely securing the entire Commander's Mansion, Huo Tingshan sheathed his ring-pommeled sword and headed for Fang Gang's study.
"Bang!" The sturdy study door was kicked open by the man, its hinges groaning under the strain.
Guo Dajiang, holding a torch, entered from the side and quickly lit all the lamps in the room. Huo Tingshan began rummaging through chests and cabinets. Soon, letters bearing official seals were retrieved.
Some of these letters were between Fang Gang and Cong Liuqi, others between Fang Gang and Li Xiaotian.
Huo Tingshan read each letter in turn, then called Guo Dajiang's name. "Fang Gang is dead, and the Jingzhou troops in the city are no longer a threat. The city should be pacified before sunrise tomorrow. Tomorrow, post notices to reassure the people. Then take men to set up public bulletins in the city and post these, and these two letters together. Also order the guards to read them aloud every other hour."
By publicizing the news of the alliance between Jingzhou and Sizhou, a reason to attack Sizhou would naturally be established.
After giving instructions about the bulletins, Huo Tingshan addressed other matters with Guo Dajiang. "Have people clean the main residential quarters of the Commander's Mansion inside and out. Throw away what needs to be thrown away, replace what needs to be replaced. Get rid of all inauspicious items. Have it done before noon tomorrow."
Guo Dajiang cupped his hands and accepted the orders.
Huo Tingshan kept the letters to be posted and stuffed all the others into his robe to take with him.
Wu Ye had already been led into the Commander's Mansion. Huo Tingshan nimbly mounted the horse and, without taking anyone else, rode alone out of the mansion grounds.
Dark clouds shifted in the sky, obscuring the bright, full moon. It was just past the hour of Zi, the night as dark as black inkstone.
After leaving the mansion alone on horseback, Huo Tingshan crossed the long street and headed straight for the northern gate of Chenyuan Road. Along the way, the streets were in disarray, corpses lay strewn about, and pools of blood on the ground resembled cinnabar randomly splashed, spreading in one place after another.
Huo Tingshan cast a brief glance over the scene, accustomed to such sights, his gaze calm and unmoved.
The city gate soon came into view. The original Jingzhou gate guards had long been replaced by Youzhou forces.
Seeing Huo Tingshan traveling alone and wanting to exit the city, the soldiers opened the gate to let him pass. At the same time, they did not forget to send word of this to Qin Yang and Lan Zimu.
Compared to Qin Yang's composure, Lan Zimu calculated the distance from Chenyuan Road's gate to their Youzhou army camp and fell silent for a moment. "It would take the better part of an hour to return. If it were me, I wouldn't dare travel the night road alone."
Qin Yang chuckled, recalling a past event. "I remember about ten years ago. Elder Lord Huo was still alive then, but his health was failing due to old hidden injuries. The position of Governor of Youzhou was coveted by many, all seeing it as theirs for the taking. Those involved included court officials and local powerful families in Youzhou. One day, the Grand General was sent on official business to another county. As luck would have it, on a certain day after he left Xuantu Commandery, he received word late at night that Elder Lord Huo was critically ill. The Grand General disregarded everything else and rushed back through the night."
Lan Zimu drew a sharp breath. "Were there ambushes on the road? What happened to the Grand General later?"
Qin Yang nodded. "Indeed there were ambushes. The court wanted him dead and joined forces with other powers in Youzhou to intercept and kill him on his return journey. However..."
At this point, Qin Yang smiled. "At that time, a vast net was cast. The city gates, official roads, ferry crossings—all were manned by their people. Even disguised merchants were countless. They spent untold resources and manpower, yet they simply couldn't catch him. Three days later, the Grand General appeared within Xuantu Commandery."
Lan Zimu was astonished. "How did the Grand General get back? Entering any city required a travel pass. Even a forged pass wouldn't work. They arrested all tall, well-built men for individual screening; he would have been exposed."
"That's true. Therefore, the Grand General avoided the cities altogether on that journey. He deliberately bypassed towns, camped in the wild, entered mountains and forests. The woods were full of trees, ideal for hiding." As he spoke, Qin Yang's face couldn't help but show respect.
The forests held wolf packs, tigers, venomous snakes, and even the encircling assassins who had followed him.
Yet despite all this, the Grand General completed in less than three days a journey that normally took four. He returned to Xuantu Commandery swiftly, catching everyone off guard.
As for this short stretch of night road that worried Lan Zimu, Qin Yang wasn't concerned in the slightest.
Meanwhile.
Huo Tingshan rode at full speed back to the main camp and immediately began reorganizing the army.
The 150,000-strong Youzhou army had previously been divided into three parts by him. The first part, led by him, attacked Chenyuan Road. The second part was given to Huo Zhizhang, ordering him to lead it to swallow up the three thousand Sizhou troops on the flank.
The remaining fifty thousand stayed to guard the base.
After completing his task, Huo Zhizhang led his fifty thousand soldiers back to the main camp. Merging with the garrison troops, their numbers increased to one hundred thousand.
"It is now the second hour of Chou. Relay my order: the Eastern and Western Garrisons and the Black Armored Cavalry will follow me north in two quarters of an hour," Huo Tingshan commanded in a deep voice.
Chenyuan Pass was breached. Pressing their advantage, they quietly caught them off guard before Sizhou could even receive the news.
...
In her sleep, Pei Ying faintly heard the clamor of troops being deployed. She rolled over, a hazy thought drifting through her mind that perhaps Huo Tingshan had returned, but in the next instant, she fell back into a deep slumber.
It was a sound sleep. By the time Pei Ying woke up, the sun was already hanging high in the sky.
"Madam, many people are missing from the military camp. I went to inquire and found out that the Great General returned last night, and then left again with an army of seventy thousand," Xin Jin said as she attended to Pei Ying's morning wash.
Pei Ying secretly thought that the man was excessively energetic, fighting battles everywhere, striking here and there, and going a whole night without sleep as if it were nothing.
Pei Ying asked, "Which military officer remained in the camp?"
Xin Jin replied, "Squad Leader Sha."
Pei Ying recalled Huo Tingshan telling her last night that he would take her into the pass at noon today, and she highly doubted the truth of those words.
He probably wouldn't be able to make it back in time.
Well, there was no rush to enter the pass anyway.
"Mother." Meng Ling'er came to join Pei Ying for breakfast.
Spring had passed, and as summer gradually approached, the weather slowly warmed up. Meng Ling'er had changed into a light and thin silk dress. The pale yellow color of the garment was fresh and tender, perfectly matching her blooming youth.
People of the time mostly tied embroidered pouches and jade pendants to their waists, and Meng Ling'er used to do the same. Today, however, Pei Ying noticed a small woven grass ball hanging at her daughter's waist.
The little thing was quite a bit larger than a ping-pong ball, woven from grass vines of various thicknesses. It had a semi-hollow design, and since the vines seemed to have been specially chosen for the small flowers attached to them, it looked quite unique and beautiful when worn.
Noticing Pei Ying's gaze, Meng Ling'er flicked the little grass ball with her fair fingers. "Mother, does this look pretty?"
"Very unique." Pei Ying first nodded, then asked her daughter, "Did you make it yourself, Nannan?"
The young girl coughed lightly. "Half and half, I suppose. Not entirely."
Pei Ying was curious. "Why did you suddenly want to make this, Nannan?"
No one knows a child better than their mother, and she considered herself to know her daughter quite well. When the war broke out, her teacher didn't have the time to give her lessons, so the young girl would practice calligraphy or read books on her own, rarely fiddling with flowers and plants.
Meng Ling'er lowered her head, idly flicking the little grass ball at her waist. "Just... just had some free time. Besides, it's very pretty. If I put some fireflies inside at night, it becomes a little lantern..."
Pei Ying's brow twitched slightly, keenly sensing something else. She had arrived in this unfamiliar era in the autumn of the year before last. At that time, her daughter was only fifteen, and before she knew it, her daughter was already seventeen.
The young girl had grown slim and graceful, her slowly maturing face possessing more of a maiden's charm than before.
Pei Ying deliberately played along. "You're so clever, Nannan. How did you think of putting fireflies inside to make a little lantern?"
"I didn't think of it, it was..." Meng Ling'er trailed off.
Pei Ying patted the seat next to her. "Come here, Nannan. Let's chat for a bit while we have a little time before breakfast."
Meng Ling'er inexplicably felt a bit anxious, but without knowing why, she obediently walked over.
The mother and daughter sat side by side.
"That grass ball, you made it together with Commandant Chen, didn't you?" Pei Ying's tone was very gentle.
Meng Ling'er subconsciously looked at her mother, but seeing only gentleness on her face and nothing else, her heart settled down a bit.
"Mhm." The young girl nodded lightly. "There was a lot of commotion outside last night. I was woken up and kept tossing and turning, unable to sleep. So I decided to go out and take a look, and then I ran into Commandant Chen, who seemed to be returning to the camp to fetch something."
Pei Ying's expression changed slightly. "Did he take you to the small grove?"
"No." Her daughter shook her head. "He escorted me back to my tent."
Pei Ying coughed lightly. "Commandant Chen is a proper man."
She had truly been corrupted by Huo Tingshan. Thinking back to when that man returned from a campaign and directly scooped her up and took her to the lake, it made her subconsciously feel that his soldiers were also unreliable in certain aspects.
Meng Ling'er went on to talk about what happened next.
She still couldn't sleep. Chen Yuan left for a moment and came back. When he returned, he brought a few grass vines, wove an exquisite little grass ball for her, and then, like a magic trick, put a bag of fireflies inside.
They glowed like starlight, absolutely beautiful.
Afterwards, he wove half an unfinished grass ball for her and left the rest for her to tinker with in her tent. She didn't wander outside anymore after that.
After hearing this, Pei Ying sighed inwardly.
Why was there such a large age gap between them? It still wasn't appropriate.
"Nannan, you are seventeen this year. Do you have a man of your heart?" Pei Ying changed the subject.
In fact, the mother and daughter had discussed this question before, back when they first set off to follow the army south to conquer Jing. Pei Ying remembered it very clearly. At that time, her daughter's answer was: she wanted to find a strong and sturdy husband, older was fine, but he absolutely had to be dependable.
She still remembered that when her daughter said these words, her face showed only earnestness and nothing else.
However, bringing up this topic again today, Pei Ying clearly saw a fleeting moment of realization on her daughter's face, followed by the young girl's evasive gaze.
It was impossible to be angry at her precious daughter. Aside from his age, there was nothing wrong with Chen Yuan. After pondering it over, Pei Ying's anger ultimately shifted toward Chen Yuan's superior.
"I... I don't have a man of my heart. Besides, matters of marriage have always been dictated by the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers. It's best if you and father decide for me." Towards the end, Meng Ling'er's voice trailed off.
The orders of parents and the words of matchmakers—this was the concept she had known for many years. In the past, the young ladies in the neighborhood who got married all followed their families' arrangements, and she figured she would be no exception.
She owed her current status and treatment entirely to the protection of her parents, so naturally, her marriage should also be decided by them.
Pei Ying immediately said, "Before your father and I got married, I made an agreement with him that he would not interfere in your marriage. Therefore, Nannan, you don't need to worry about marrying some young man you've only seen a few times, or perhaps never even met."
Meng Ling'er was stunned, then slowly blinked her eyes. "Does Mother mean that I can choose my own husband?"
Pei Ying caught the glimmer of light in her eyes and her brow twitched. "Of course you can choose him yourself, but I have to approve. I certainly don't want my daughter marrying a scoundrel, or someone who is merely good-looking but empty inside."
"Madam, Young Miss." At this moment, Xin Jin brought in the breakfast.
Their previous conversation ended there, and the mother and daughter had their breakfast. After the meal, perhaps because the earlier topic had made her feel embarrassed, Meng Ling'er uncharacteristically excused herself and went back to her own tent.
Pei Ying sat in the tent in a daze.
Time slowly ticked by, when suddenly a clamor arose outside, with someone shouting, "The General has returned!"
Sitting by the window curtain, Pei Ying didn't move, not even blinking an eye. A long while later, the tent flap rustled open, and a tall figure strode inside.
"My wife, hurry and follow your husband through the pass." His voice was laced with amusement.
Pei Ying turned her head, tiny sparks of anger dancing in her almond eyes.
Huo Tingshan raised an eyebrow slightly. "Are you annoyed from the wait?"
Pei Ying replied expressionlessly, "Yes, quite annoyed."
