A hawk's cry pierced the deep night.
Some of the Xiongnu sleeping in the tents remained asleep, while others were startled awake. The latter merely grumbled before turning over and going back to sleep.
Hawks on the steppe were nothing unusual. Eagles like the Eurasian eagle-owl were nocturnal, and it was common for them to call out a few times when they pleased.
Yet, in the very next moment, deafening battle cries surged like a tidal wave.
"Kill—!"
"Kill—!"
The roars shook the heavens, as if a thousand-foot wave had crashed down upon the slumbering Xiongnu. Someone jolted fully awake and, without even bothering to dress properly, grabbed a scimitar and rushed out in panic.
A Xiongnu warrior had just emerged from his tent when a flash of firelight suddenly caught his eye in the distance. In his sharply constricting pupils, he saw torches being hurled onto their tents.
The tents, made of hemp cloth or sheepskin, caught fire instantly. Flames licked up the sides, quickly crowning them with a brilliant, blazing cap.
At one point, the firelight seemed to transform into water, flowing like a liquid from one place to another.
The light dispelled the darkness. By its glow, many Xiongnu saw the figures of black-clad riders. These invaders wore black armor, and even the horses they rode were black.
Had it not been for the firelight illuminating them, this army would have melted into the night like ghosts or demons, making their tracks impossible to discern.
But now, they were scarcely different from demons. Mounted on fine steeds and wielding ring-pommeled sabers, they charged into the camp, unleashing slaughter.
"Ah!"
"To horse! Mount up and face the enemy!"
"Where is Khan Wuji? Protect the Khan!"
"Put out the fires! Move the wagons... Ah!"
The outer perimeter of the Xiongnu camp descended into chaos. Those deeper inside heard the commotion and, greatly alarmed, hastily grabbed their weapons and mounted their horses to meet the enemy.
Khan Wuji jolted awake from his dream. He shoved aside a concubine who tried to ask what was happening, not bothering to dress properly, simply throwing on a garment before rushing out.
"Who attacks us? Has the allied force drawn near, or is it men from Khan Junchen's side?" Khan Wuji asked urgently.
"Neither, my Khan. Those attacking us are Han troops!" a Xiongnu who had ascertained the situation hurriedly reported.
Khan Wuji was shocked. "Han troops? It's actually the Han army. Could our previous actions have angered them..."
He had been driven south by the combined forces of Khan Tuqi and Khan Cheli, forced away from the fertile grasslands and waters where he once lived.
The resources here couldn't compare to his old territory. With over thirty thousand people under him, his followers still needed to eat and drink. So, he had set his sights on the Han people to the south.
"Face them first!" Khan Wuji had no time for further thought. The enemy was at their doorstep; engaging them was the priority.
He had thirty thousand men. The Han army was likely just conducting a lightning raid. Once his forces rallied, the enemy would probably withdraw. Khan Wuji said bitterly, "This time, we'll make sure they don't return."
Huo Tingshan led the Black Armored Cavalry charging inward. Behind him, Lan Zimu used a torch to set tent after tent ablaze.
The ring-pommeled sabers had drunk endless blood since being drawn, so much that every swing now flung off a string of blood droplets.
Wu Ye also reared, its iron hooves kicking aside a Xiongnu blocking the way. A horse's kick was no small matter; a single hoof strike shattered the man's internal organs.
The Black Armored Cavalry charged through like raging bulls, leaving the Xiongnu aghast wherever they passed. Seeing such a ferocious cavalry force, it was clear this was no mere hit-and-run raid by the Han army. They had come for annihilation.
"Fire! Separate the tents! Don't let them stay bunched together!"
"Send some men to drive the wagons away first."
A Xiongnu hurriedly pulled the pin securing the wheel of a wagon. As he straightened up, he froze. His outstretched fingers curled inward, his palm cupping slightly.
"No... why would the wind pick up now? Don't let it blow, please," he murmured.
The steppe was vast, and strong winds were common both day and night. As the wind began to howl, the hearts of both Khan Wuji and the ordinary Xiongnu sank to the depths.
Khan Wuji gritted his teeth. "Separate the wagons! Retreat!"
This army's attack was too sudden. Since it was clear they weren't here for a simple lightning strike, it was unwise to engage them head-on now.
Better to fight a delaying action while withdrawing.
Huo Tingshan led his troops deeper in. Before long, he spotted a tent distinct from the others—larger, more imposing, and with more guards around it.
The main tent had been found.
"Khan Wuji, come out and meet your death," Huo Tingshan challenged, a solitary rider at the forefront.
The Black Armored Cavalry behind Huo Tingshan echoed his cry, their combined challenges momentarily deafening within the camp.
The wind shifted the dark clouds in the sky, revealing the full moon hidden behind them.
Moonlight cascaded onto the earth, illuminating the tents engulfed in roaring flames, the headless Xiongnu riders and the unlucky horses caught in the fray, and also illuminating Huo Tingshan's face.
He wore a tiger-head helmet. The sides of the helmet curved inward toward the face, a design meant to cover vital points as much as possible, so the portion of his face exposed was not large.
Yet, Khan Wuji, not far away, recognized him nonetheless. His pupils contracted to pinpoints. In that instant, the night wind scraping against his skin felt like blades, especially at his neck, where a searing pain flared as if it had been snapped.
He had seen Huo Tingshan before.
Seven years ago, in that campaign, he had led his troops, summoned to gather at the royal court, and finally marched under the Left Wise King's orders to attack Great Chu.
And then...
They were defeated, utterly and completely routed.
They were beaten bloody by that general from Great Chu, even the Left Wise King's head was torn off.
For over half a year after that battle ended, Khan Wuji would still dream of the battlefield from time to time. On the grassland as the sun set, that man stood holding a ring-pommeled saber, drenched in blood, like a demon risen from hell.
The blade pointed downward, a continuous stream of blood flowing along its surface, finally pooling into a crimson puddle on the ground.
After seven years, he was seeing that demon again.
Huo Tingshan sat astride his horse, his narrow eyes sweeping the surroundings. By the moonlight and the spreading firelight, his gaze passed over the faces of the surrounding Xiongnu.
Suddenly, it locked onto a pair of terrified eyes.
The corner of Huo Tingshan's mouth lifted in a cold arc. "Khan Wuji, what's the point of hiding over there? Come out and fight me. I'll grant you a quick death."
Seeing the other man urge his horse forward, Khan Wuji knew this battle was unavoidable. He quickly took up his blade and vaulted onto his own fine steed. "Huo Tingshan, don't you dare be so arrogant!"
Among the Xiongnu, strength often spoke. That Khan Wuji could become a Khan meant he was a formidable fighter. He too stood over eight feet tall, the muscles on his arms, exposed outside his sheepskin coat, were sharply defined. He held a large scimitar, his aura fierce and imposing.
Huo Tingshan let out a soft, derisive snort and urged his horse forward.
"Clang—!"
The ring-pommeled saber met the large scimitar, producing a sound like cracking stone.
Khan Wuji's hand gripping the blade tightened abruptly. The joints of his five fingers clenched until they turned white, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged, throbbing wildly.
Huo Tingshan mocked, "Khan Wuji, you've grown old. Your strength is far from what it once was."
Veins bulged on Khan Wuji's forehead. "Save your breath."
After the first clash, their blades parted as their horses crossed paths, then both turned their steeds around. The first strike was a probe. On the next charge, neither Huo Tingshan nor Khan Wuji intended to merely pass by the other again.
The two men swung their blades once more. The huan shou dao was slender, while the great scimitar had a broad back—they seemed vastly different at a glance. Yet when they collided, it was like lions and tigers locked in combat, evenly matched. Every clash of steel stirred a fierce wind from the blades, howling through the air.
Amidst the firelight and the flashing of blades, the clanging of metal was incessant. The fierce generals on horseback traded blows—colliding, hacking, sweeping, pressing—their techniques shifting with lightning speed.
Fine sweat beaded on Khan Wuji's brow. After another fierce barrage of strikes from his opponent, the hand gripping his scimitar trembled uncontrollably. Cold sweat poured from his forehead, and he began to focus solely on defense.
"Clang—"
After another impact, the great scimitar flew from Khan Wuji's hand.
His heart sank. The moment he lost his weapon, he swiftly released the reins. As Huo Tingshan's huan shou dao swung towards him again, he rolled off his horse, narrowly avoiding the blow.
Seeing him unhorsed, the curve of Huo Tingshan's lips deepened. He spurred his horse in pursuit.
Khan Wuji, now weaponless and horseless, could only flee for his life. He couldn't outrun Wu Ye, and his clothes were no match for the huan shou dao in Huo Tingshan's hand.
The sharp blade edge sliced across his neck. Crimson blood soaked the blade, but the huan shou dao embedded in his neck did not stop. It continued forward with a force that could crush the rotten and wither the decayed.
"Crack." The neck bone was severed. Khan Wuji's head fell, and his body collapsed with a heavy thud.
Huo Tingshan pierced the head's eye socket with his blade tip, lifted it high, and roared, "Khan Wuji is dead!"
These words were in the Xiongnu language. Few among the Youzhou army spoke it, but that didn't stop them from echoing the cry in a chorus as soon as they saw the head raised by Huo Tingshan.
"Khan Wuji is dead!"
"Khan Wuji is dead!"
Centered on Huo Tingshan, these words spread outwards like a tidal wave.
On the Xiongnu side, every listener was struck with terror. The night raid had already come without warning. Now, hearing that Khan Wuji was dead, the last of their fighting spirit drained completely.
The remaining Xiongnu no longer fought with the same ferocity. They began to flee in all directions, some even abandoning their grain sacks in their desperate, frantic flight on horseback.
The wind howled, like invisible oil poured on the flames.
The great fire burned from the Hour of the Tiger until dawn. The battle involving tens of thousands also concluded after several hours. Corpses were scattered everywhere across the land. Fresh blood soaked the yellow earth, and fallen banners were half-buried in the sand.
Huo Tingshan shook his blade, then casually found a piece of Xiongnu sheepskin to wipe the blood clean.
Only after sheathing his blade did Huo Tingshan tear a strip of hemp cloth and wrap it roughly a couple of times around the wound on his right arm.
The battle was over. All that remained was clearing the battlefield.
It was no easy task. First came inspection: enemy soldiers clinging to their last breath had to be dispatched, while their own wounded needed urgent treatment.
Weapons, horses, armor, even unburned grain from the enemy camp—all these were spoils of war to be confiscated.
If the battlefield were near a city gate, the corpses would need quick burial or burning to prevent plague. Here, there was no need for such measures; they wouldn't be returning to this place after leaving.
Two hours later, Qin Yang reported: "Great General, this battle annihilated over twenty thousand Xiongnu. We captured over six thousand, with an unknown number having fled. Our side suffered over a thousand deaths and over three thousand wounded."
Khan Wuji's forces also had many elite troops, especially those residing deeper within the camp who were not initially affected, giving them some time to prepare.
Total casualties under four thousand, less than one-tenth of their force—it was a remarkable achievement.
"Keep only two male captives. Execute all the rest. Keep all the women," Huo Tingshan instructed. "Once the battlefield is cleared, take the captives and head south. Withdraw a hundred li and set up camp."
Qin Yang paused slightly. "Great General, the entire army returns?"
Huo Tingshan nodded. "Yes, the entire army returns. Compared to before, I now have a better method to deal with the northern territories."
...
After seeing Huo Tingshan off from the city, Pei Ying had thought it would be a long wait for news from the front lines. Unexpectedly, on the morning of the third day, Xiong Mao returned with a unit of black-armored cavalry.
Xiong Mao said, "Madam, the Great General sent us to fetch you. Please come with us."
Pei Ying was surprised. "How goes the situation at the front? Could it be that victory is already won?"
Speaking of the front, Xiong Mao couldn't contain his joy. "Our luck was exceptionally good. Not long after entering the northern territories, we found scattered troops sent by Khan Wuji. We followed the trail and later located their main camp, launching a night raid."
The Youzhou army had fifty thousand cavalry alone. Even if only cavalry were sent that night, they far outnumbered the enemy. Moreover, it was a night raid, and the Great General plunged deep into the enemy camp, cleanly taking Khan Wuji's head.
Pei Ying was happy for them, but she had other questions. "Was this campaign only against Khan Wuji? Will you not fight the others?"
Xiong Mao shook his head, indicating that wasn't the case, but when pressed further, he couldn't elaborate.
Very well, Pei Ying stopped asking. She had a carriage prepared and left the city with them, heading for the northern territories.
They traveled from the Hour of the Dragon until sunset. As the last golden rays of the sun bathed the earth, they finally reached the encampment.
Pei Ying was not unfamiliar with military camps, but upon entering this one, she found it vastly different from those in her memory.
To describe it, it had softened considerably.
With the carriage curtain rolled up, Pei Ying looked out the window and actually saw figures of women.
Looking closer, she wasn't mistaken—they truly were women. Judging by their attire, they were undoubtedly Xiongnu women.
Xiong Mao rode alongside. Noticing Pei Ying's gaze, he followed it. "Madam Pei, these are captives from the previous battle. The women were kept; the men were mostly executed. Oh, some Xiongnu women who refused to obey were also killed."
After executing the first batch of troublemakers, the remaining Xiongnu women became much more docile.
"I recall there were no camp followers in the army before. I assume there still aren't?" Pei Ying asked.
Xiong Mao nodded in agreement. "The Great General has ordered a ban on relations with women once battle commences. These female captives usually just help with odd jobs. They aren't allowed to do anything else. The Great General says they have other significant uses."
As they spoke, the main tent came into view.
Pei Ying alighted from the carriage. The setting sun stretched her shadow long. The curtain of the main tent hung down, with guards standing beside it. Pei Ying asked a guard softly, "Is the General inside?"
The guard replied, "Reporting to the Madam, he is. Mr. Gongsun and the others have just left. Madam may enter directly."
Pei Ying nodded and was about to lift the tent flap when, unexpectedly, it was pulled aside from within first.
A tall figure appeared before her. "My lady has arrived. Please, come in first."
Pei Ying lifted her head to look at him. After coming to the northern frontier, his life had become much rougher. His robe was dusty, his temples carried the grit of travel, and his beard had grown out somewhat, making him appear even more fierce and untamed.
Seeing Pei Ying merely looking at him without speaking, Huo Tingshan raised an eyebrow. "Has it only been a few days apart? Do you not recognize your husband?"
"I recognize you," Pei Ying said. "Huo Tingshan, I heard from Xiong Mao that you achieved a great victory against Khan Wuji. I haven't yet congratulated you on your triumphant success."
Huo Tingshan curled the corner of his mouth. "Think nothing of it. A mere Khan Wuji is hardly worth mentioning."
With that, he shifted to the side, gesturing for her to enter. After Pei Ying stepped inside, the man ordered a guard to fetch a meal from the kitchen unit.
There were two main tents; this one was for council. A massive sheepskin map hung in the very center, surrounded by low tables and small stools.
Pei Ying secretly sniffed the air, strangely finding the unpleasant odor not too strong. Not only was the smell inside the tent not heavy, but Huo Tingshan himself was the same, much better compared to that time he returned at night.
"Though the northern lands are short on water, Khan Wuji's camp had ample resources. We're not so hard-pressed as to lack water for bathing," came a lazy voice from beside her.
Pei Ying stiffened slightly, not expecting her small action to have been noticed. She turned her head. "I wasn't rejecting you."
"Is my lady protesting too much?" Huo Tingshan couldn't be bothered to argue with her.
Say she was easy to keep, and she was indeed easy at times—she wasn't picky about food. Say she wasn't easy to keep, and that was also true—if the smell was a bit strong, she would be picky.
Pei Ying softly said it wasn't like that. To prevent him from harping on it, she changed the subject. "Huo Tingshan, is the war about to end?"
In previous battles, he had always stationed her at the rear camp where provisions were stored. Only for this campaign into the northern frontier did he initially place her within Huhe County.
But three days later, he had her brought over.
This gave Pei Ying the illusion that he had already firmly grasped victory in this battle.
Sure enough, Pei Ying heard him say: "This battle won't last long. Two months at most, and the northern frontier will be pacified."
Pei Ying asked curiously, "I saw many female prisoners outside earlier. Xiong Mao said they have great use. What use is that?"
Huo Tingshan: "My lady, the Xiongnu value population no less than we Han people do. After a Xiongnu woman's husband dies, she can even marry his brothers, or even his sons from another wife, all for the purpose of increasing the population."
The Great Chu encouraged widows to remarry and widowers to take new wives, with the fundamental purpose of developing the population. However, Central Plains culture has always been more reserved, unable to be as uninhibited as the Xiongnu.
Pei Ying's delicate brows furrowed. She still didn't quite understand.
Was he trying to restrict the Xiongnu population?
But if he wanted to restrict it, he probably wouldn't keep those female prisoners.
"I recently heard news that Khan Huhanxie cannot control the four major khans under him. The royal court is already in chaos. The Khan Wuji I defeated not long ago was driven south by a joint effort from Khan Tuqi and Khan Cheli," Huo Tingshan said.
Pei Ying was stunned for a long moment. Following the train of thought Huo Tingshan laid out, a flash of insight suddenly struck her mind: "You intend to use these female prisoners as gifts to win over the remaining khan and form an alliance with him?"
"My lady is clever," Huo Tingshan said with a laugh. "I intend to support Khan Junchen to become the next Khan Huhanxie. If this succeeds, the border of Youzhou will have peace for at least twenty years."
Admiration shone in Pei Ying's eyes. She was just about to speak when she suddenly heard a guard report from outside the tent, "Great General, Physician Feng is here."
"Are you injured?" Pei Ying blurted out.
Huo Tingshan was unconcerned. "A minor injury."
Then he raised his voice to let Feng Yuzhu outside come in.
Upon entering and seeing Pei Ying there, Feng Yuzhu showed no surprise, clearly already aware she had been brought over. After paying his respects, he heard Pei Ying ask him, "Physician Feng, where is he injured?"
"The Lord has injuries on his right arm and left side of his back. But please rest assured, Madam, neither is a serious wound," Feng Yuzhu replied.
Seeing he had brought his medicine chest, Pei Ying said, "Please tend to his wounds and change his dressing first."
Feng Yuzhu nodded and went to Huo Tingshan's side.
Just then, the kitchen soldiers brought two servings of food. These past few days, they had been eating horse meat and mare's milk. The horse meat came from warhorses accidentally injured and destined not to survive, so Huo Tingshan simply had the kitchen unit process them.
Besides the horse meat, the evening meal also included beef jerky seized from Khan Wuji's supplies. It could be considered a sumptuous meal.
Huo Tingshan was only wearing a dark robe. His hand was already on his belt. Seeing Pei Ying staring at him, he said, "My lady, eat first."
"I'm in no hurry," Pei Ying said, still looking at him.
Huo Tingshan slowly pulled open his belt. "You don't usually show interest. Do you want to look today?"
Pei Ying's lotus-like face flushed crimson instantly. This man truly had no filter, saying whatever came to mind.
She quickly glanced at Feng Yuzhu, who seemed to be focusing entirely on fiddling with his medicine chest, eyes fixed on his own nose, perhaps not paying attention to what Huo Tingshan had just said.
Pei Ying couldn't help but shoot Huo Tingshan a glare, telling him to watch his mouth.
Huo Tingshan saw her jade-like face tinged with pink, her shifting gaze revealing a hint of bashfulness, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
He hadn't even said anything that outrageous. Her skin was still a bit too thin.
