"And what about you?"
Facing the questioning from the four men, Yu Fan only smiled. Under the moonlight, his face was frighteningly pale.
"I have more important matters to attend to."
"After you return, tell the Princess that when the battle begins tomorrow, the soldiers charging at the front must hold shields to receive and protect the conscripted laborers forced to dig the trenches. We also need a dedicated team to disrupt the archers on the city walls who will be shooting at these laborers."
Shrouded in night, the four could barely make out Yu Fan's features, yet the scent of blood in the air grew increasingly thick.
"Master Yu, our mission on this trip is to bring you back to Daqi."
That was the military order.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I must stay. I am not a citizen of Dayue, but the other laborers are. As long as even one of them survives, they can stand up and denounce the Dayue imperial family's callous indifference. When that happens, what our Daqi will win is... the people's hearts."
What he wanted to win for Daqi was the people's hearts.
After capturing the city, if the common people revolt, should Daqi suppress them or not?
If they can smoothly make the people of Dayue submit, how many fewer Daqi soldiers would have to die?
Emotions flickered repeatedly in Yu Fan's eyes before settling back into calm.
"If I ultimately do not return alive to Daqi, tell my wife for me... I've chosen a name for our unborn child: A'Tuan."
Whether a boy or a girl, they would be called A'Tuan—the 'Tuan' for reunion.
The eyes of the four Daqi soldiers were bloodshot. Seeing this, Yu Fan straightened his clothes and bowed deeply to them.
"The journey ahead is fraught with peril. Please, by all means necessary, return alive to Daqi and deliver my message to the Princess."
Watching the four figures disappear into the distance, Yu Fan finally allowed his back to bend. Pain—a piercing, heart-wrenching pain—radiated from his back.
Yu Fan suddenly gave a wry smile.
During his time in Dayue, he had come to know simple, honest villagers and sworn brothers willing to lay down their lives for each other. So, he had arranged for the villagers' evacuation beforehand and urged his brothers to seek their own paths.
In any war, the ones at fault are never the common people.
Yu Fan rested on the spot for a quarter of an hour before heading towards the dilapidated hut. He needed to inform the laborers in advance, to prepare them for tomorrow.
......
Deep in the night, all was silent.
The gates of Stone City were pounded upon. As they opened, a soldier, looking like a man of blood, collapsed to the ground with a thud.
"Your Highness... Princess..."
Li Laoba rushed over, his eyes narrowing in shock. "Mao Lin, how are you so badly wounded?"
The young soldier called Mao Lin clutched Li Laoba's hand desperately. "See His Highness... and the Princess..."
Song Yu and Song Shihuan had run all the way there.
Upon seeing them, the young soldier swallowed the blood in his mouth. "Dayue has dug tunnels from the capital to Fog City. They plan to lure our troops into Fog City today and trap us in their encirclement."
"When the battle starts..."
The young soldier's eyes were already beginning to glaze over. He bit the tip of his tongue to stay conscious.
"...the front line of their charge will be the laborers who dug the tunnels. Master Yu is among them. The Dayue soldiers on the city walls will also shoot to kill these laborers... leaving no survivors."
"Master Yu wants to save them, to win the people's hearts... Tomorrow, use shields to receive them, disrupt... disrupt the archers..."
"The child... the child's name is A'Tuan... the 'Tuan' for reunion."
With that, the young soldier breathed his last.
He was the youngest, so the other three had covered his escape. Although he hadn't fulfilled the mission of bringing Master Yu back, he probably still... served some purpose.
Thud—
Li Laoba's fist slammed hard into the ground. Beside him, Gu Zheng's temples throbbed with bulging veins.
"He just got married this year... didn't even have a child yet."
Li Laoba's choked sob made the air grow even stiller. Song Shihuan reached out and closed the young soldier's eyes. "Record his military merits."
"Come with me to the command tent to arrange the battle formation."
It seemed Song Shihuan was the first to react.
But Song Yu, following behind her, clearly saw her hands trembling violently.
At this moment, only one thought filled Song Shihuan's mind: she must beat the Dayue imperial family down so thoroughly they could never stand straight again.
Avenge Daqi's brave sons.
It wasn't until the first light of dawn that everyone finally emerged from Song Shihuan's command tent.
"Everyone, go get some rest."
Gu Zheng, who had walked out, wiped his face and let the cool morning breeze wash over him. He wandered aimlessly. How could he possibly sleep?
They had just strategized so many ways to rescue the laborers, each one perilous and risky.
And Yu Fan, who insisted on protecting the laborers under such circumstances... did he still have any chance of survival?
Gu Zheng suddenly felt a terrible tightness in his throat.
If the worst really happened, how could he ever face Ming Liu?
"General Gu, the Princess summons you urgently."
Gu Zheng was taken aback. It hadn't even been a quarter of an hour. Why was the Princess summoning him?
......
The laborers arrived at Fog City amidst the ranks of soldiers. Seizing a lull while the army adjusted its formation, Yu Fan reminded everyone once more:
"Remember the posture I described last night?"
"Remember. We must bend low and stick close to the person behind us," one laborer spoke up. "And quickly take cover behind the Daqi soldiers' shields."
"But we are Dayue citizens. Why should Daqi protect us?"
Yu Fan smiled. "Survival is what matters."
"You always looked out for us while digging the tunnels, taking the lashes meant for us. You walk at the very front later. We'll protect you as we move."
Seeing everyone begin to agree, the smile on Yu Fan's face widened again. "The younger ones and those who are nimble, stand at the front. I'll bring up the rear."
"Those in the very last row must stay close to the Dayue soldiers, making it hard for those on the wall to take aim."
Seeing the worried looks directed at him, Yu Fan appeared rather nonchalant. "Don't worry. A master once told my fortune. My fate is exceptionally hardy."
Noon, the time when the sun was fiercest.
The Dayue soldiers in Fog City awaited Prince Rui's command. But suddenly, war drums sounded—it was Daqi choosing to take the initiative and attack at this very moment.
"Excellent! To think they'd deliver themselves to our doorstep. Proceed according to the original plan," Prince Rui laughed, as the beauty beside him fed a peeled grape into his mouth.
The gates of Fog City slowly opened. Just as Yu Fan had said, standing at the very front were laborers without even a scrap of armor.
Through the spyglass, Song Shihuan spotted Yu Fan at once, standing in the very last row of laborers.
Instantly, tears welled up in Song Shihuan's eyes.
At the very moment the battle horn sounded, a cry of pain also echoed from the Gu residence in the capital.
"Elder Sister, what's wrong?"
Gu Mingliu rushed in frantically, tripping over a chair and falling to the floor.
Gu Mingzhu's face was deathly pale and covered in sweat, yet she managed a reassuring smile for Gu Mingliu.
"I think... I think the baby is coming."
