Behind her, Xie Nanxiao and Hua Ruo were both brimming with excitement. “Yes, ma’am!”
Each swiftly departed with their respective subordinates.
Jiang Jin looked at Yun Chengxuan, who was sleeping sprawled against a tree trunk like a koala. “Let’s go.”
Yun Chengxuan yawned, wiped at the nonexistent drool at the corner of his mouth, and dropped from the tree with a thud. “Auntie, sleeping in this tree was so comfortable. I almost want to chop it down and drag it home.”
Jiang Jin ignored him and led her people toward the grain convoy that Quzhao had concealed in the Western Spirit Mountains.
She intended not only to take the King of Anwu’s people away amid the chaos, but also to seize Quzhao’s grain supplies.
That was why Jiang Jin had arranged for information to be “passed along” to the Anwu army: she needed to buy enough time to accomplish all of this.
After all, given Quzhao’s current determination to fight to the death and their combat strength, if Anwu City’s gates were opened, how could this battle possibly continue?
The King of Anwu’s troops were inferior to Quzhao’s in both numbers and fighting ability. Without the protection of city walls, and caught completely off guard by a surprise attack, they would not be able to hold out for long.
Yun Chengxuan did not mind his auntie ignoring him. As he walked, he uncapped his waterskin. Inside was sweet porridge that had been simmered to perfection. Though it only made him thirstier with every sip, it was truly delicious.
In a relatively level mountain hollow in the Western Spirit Mountains, cart after cart stood laden with grain. Under the sun, the sacks gleamed white.
Tie Yu stood beneath a large tree, dappled shadows falling across his faintly worried face.
His deputy tried to reassure him. “The Grand Chanyu and the others will definitely take Anwu County. Don’t worry.”
Tie Yu shook his head. “It will be fine if the plan proceeds smoothly. I’m only afraid that it may be seen through.”
He sighed. “If we have to attack head-on, we will pay an enormous price.”
He firmly believed that even in a direct clash, Quzhao would be able to capture Anwu City—but at a considerable cost.
Quzhao’s forces were already severely depleted. They could not afford to suffer repeated losses.
His deputy consoled him, “We made it through perilous mountains like the Western Spirit Mountains. It’s only a siege. There won’t be any problem.”
Tie Yu gave a low hum. “That’s true. The King of Anwu is nothing but a coward. He did not even dare face the Jiao Army. How could he possibly be a match for the warriors of Quzhao?”
“Once we take Anwu County, Quzhao can claim the grain they have grown and gain tens of thousands of Han slaves. We will surely be able to recover and rise again.”
He looked in the direction of Anwu County. All of Quzhao’s main force was there, committed to taking Anwu County as quickly as possible.
A gust of wind swept past, carrying a faint chill.
His nose twitched slightly. “The smell of blood?”
His pupils abruptly contracted. “Not good! Enemy attack! Quickly—enemy attack!”
Jiang Jin frowned slightly. What a dog’s nose.
Her bloodstained dagger slashed down, and blood instantly burst from the Quzhao soldier’s throat.
“Kill!”
The Dragon Shadow Guards, who had been silently dispatching enemies from their hiding places, sprang into action at once. They drew the Dragon-Feather Crossbows from their backs and fired upon the Quzhao soldiers guarding the grain.
“Ah! It’s the Jinyang Army!” a Quzhao noble cried in terror, fleeing into the distance under the protection of the servants around him.
Besides the grain and the Han laborers transporting it, there were also Quzhao’s civil officials and nobles, as well as the families of Quzhao’s generals.
Dongzhi shouted, “Han people, crouch down and do not move! We are the Jinyang Army!”
Amid the shouts, the mountain hollow descended into complete chaos. Some fled in every direction, some hid, and some fought back desperately.
Under the cover of his adjutant and soldiers, Tie Yu took shelter behind a large tree. His eyes were wide with fury as he roared, “Don’t panic! Fight back! Archers, get ready! Protect the supplies! Protect the supplies!”
These were Quzhao’s only remaining provisions. If they were lost, he did not dare imagine the consequences.
Even as he shouted, warm blood sprayed across his face. Tie Yu stood there with his mouth open, abruptly struck speechless. When he turned his head, he saw that his adjutant had already been cleaved in two.
Standing before him was a tall youth whose face still carried traces of boyishness.
The boy flashed him a grin, baring teeth so white they were almost dazzling. Then Tie Yu saw the bloodstained blade coming down...
Anwu County, Wangshan Village.
Liu Xiaomei was at home tending to her father when she heard screams in the distance. Her hand trembled, and she immediately thought the soldiers had come to seize people again.
But the more she listened, the more wrong the sounds seemed. Hunched over, she cautiously slipped outside and looked from afar. A group of people were slaughtering the King of Anwu’s soldiers who had been quartered at the village head’s home.
Liu Xiaomei’s face went pale with shock. Before she could make sense of what was happening, two unfamiliar women approached her.
Frightened out of her wits, Liu Xiaomei turned to run back inside. Before she could move, however, a gentle voice called out, “Are you from this village?”
Liu Xiaomei froze. Only then did she notice that the two women wore matching uniforms. They looked like... female soldiers?
Seeing the women watching her, Liu Xiaomei was too frightened to move or speak.
One of the female soldiers smiled. “We are the Jinyang Army. The Quzhao Army is attacking the city. If you don’t want to be buried with it, come with us. We’re going to Fengzhou, to territory controlled by the Jinyang Army.”
Liu Xiaomei started. “The... the Jinyang Army?”
The woman nodded. “That’s right.”
She pointed toward the village head’s house. “Our comrades are over there wiping out the Anwu soldiers who have been abusing you. Don’t worry. We’re good people.”
Following the direction of her finger, Liu Xiaomei finally saw that the people there appeared to be female soldiers as well. One of them in particular, a commander wielding twin blades, took one head with every swing. Blood rained through the air.
Having just cut down two more men, Hua Ruo sensed someone looking at her and turned around, her face smeared with blood.
Liu Xiaomei nearly jumped out of her skin and hurriedly lowered her head. The woman killed with such clean, decisive strikes. Though she was cutting down bad men, the sight of blood spurting from headless bodies was still brutally savage and gruesome.
The female soldier had no idea that her regiment commander had frightened the girl. “See? We’re all good people.”
Liu Xiaomei: “...”
Just as she hesitated, her neighbor emerged carrying a bundle. “Sir—ah, ma’am soldier, we’re ready. But my son is still working in the fields. What should we do?”
The female soldier reassured her, “Don’t worry. We have people in the fields too. We’re responsible for the village; everyone, gather quickly. We’ll be leaving soon.”
Seeing someone she knew, Liu Xiaomei finally calmed down a little. She hurriedly asked, “Aunt Zhang, y-you’re going with them?”
Aunt Zhang had a child of four or five strapped to her back—her eldest grandson, whom she had kept hidden away. “Of course I’m going. Why wouldn’t I? There’s no way to survive here anymore.”
If she didn’t leave now, then even if she managed to hide her grandson, she would eventually starve to death.
She had wanted to leave long ago, but the village had been under the constant guard of the Anwu Army. The villagers were treated like slaves, forced to work for the soldiers, and escape was impossible.
Liu Xiaomei froze. Then, remembering her father’s condition, she gritted her teeth. “I’m coming too. Wait for me—I’ll be quick.”
Her father had refused to eat for a long time and had recently slipped into a semiconscious, unresponsive state. At least now, they could force a little soup down him.
While Liu Xiaomei hurried home to gather their belongings, quite a few villagers gradually began to assemble.
By the time she emerged with her father on her back and two bundles in her hands, everyone in the village had gathered.
When Aunt Zhang saw how much weight Liu’s father had lost in the short time since she had last seen him—he was now little more than skin and bones, carried on Liu Xiaomei’s back—her heart ached.
Liu’s father had once been a tall, strong man, just like her own husband, and one of the best workers in the fields. Unfortunately, her husband had once accidentally offended a soldier in the village and been beaten.
He never recovered from his illness afterward. With no money for treatment, he had died looking just like Liu’s father now—reduced to little more than skin and bones.
