Chapter Forty-Nine

Yongzhou.

Under the blazing sun, the horse trading market of Yongzhou was a cloud of yellow dust. Neighing horses and shouting men echoed continuously, with the cries of merchants rising one after another.

Sima Xi, dressed in a simple plain robe, paced slowly among the horses, his gaze burning like a torch. Behind him stood his daughter Sima Jiannan and his adopted daughter Gui Fufu. Ever since receiving the imperial edict for the northern expedition, both Sima Xi and Qi Guang had submitted memorials to the court requesting to join the campaign. However, more than a month had passed since the memorials were submitted, and the court had yet to issue a reply. The very first thing Sima Jiannan and Gui Fufu thought of upon seeing the edict was warhorses. The primary requirement for going to battle was having a fine steed! Consequently, both of them had asked Sima Xi to select warhorses for them. Although Sima Xi served as the Imperial Censor of Tea and Horses in Yongzhou, always wearing a deep cyan official robe in his office, adorned with a wild goose embroidery insignia on his chest, a grass belt and fish bag at his waist, and a stiff-winged official hat on his head, he never wore his official attire when entering the horse market, choosing instead a plain robe. Everyone in the horse market was completely unaware that he was a high-ranking imperial official.

For the past few months, Sima Xi had spent every day immersed in the horse market. Yesterday, he purchased several hundred muscular transport horses, stating they were to be sent to the mud lake female soldiers' camp in the Jingnan region. Today, his task was to continue selecting small, agile, and alert riding and archery horses suitable for cavalry combat, destined for the Cavalry Command in the southern outskirts of the capital. Sima Xi had already supplied nearly one hundred thousand such mounts to the court, yet the reigning emperor still considered it too few, issuing an imperial decree commanding Sima Xi to continue his purchases. Sima Xi also wished to select warhorses for himself, his daughter, and his son-in-law, but he had yet to encounter any that truly satisfied him.

Neither Sima Jiannan nor Gui Fufu knew anything about horses. The market was filled with warhorses everywhere, and as long as a horse had a fine coat color, Sima Jiannan and Gui Fufu deemed it a good one.

"Old man, come and look at this brown horse; its coat is so slick..."

"Old man, listen to the neigh of this white horse; how resonant it is!"

"Old man, look at this one: so plump and robust..."

Sima Xi dismissed them all without a glance, continuing his slow pacing among the horses.

In front of a gaunt, skin-and-bones old horse, Sima Xi finally stopped. He examined the aged, skinny creature: its coat was dull and grayish, its ribs were clearly visible, its horseshoes were worn down, and its breathing was as heavy as thunder.

Sima Xi leaned in close and began to inspect it carefully. He remembered what his master had taught him years ago: "Axi, when examining a horse, you must gently stroke its neck with your fingertips, just as a physician feels a pulse..."

Sima Xi extended his right hand, following Master Lou's instruction, and gently stroked the old horse's neck with his fingertips.

"Neigh—!"

The gaunt old horse suddenly raised its head and neighed, its voice piercing the clouds and startling everyone nearby into hastily retreating.

Sima Xi quickly soothed, "Hehe, I know! I know you now! Hehe..."

The old horse quieted down.

Sima Xi asked the owner of the horse, "How much for this steed?"

The owner answered in astonishment, "This beast is old and thin, with hardly an ounce of meat on its bones; the butchers have repeatedly refused it. If the noble judge fancies it, just toss this old man a few fragments of silver and lead it away."

Sima Xi turned to Sima Jiannan and said, "Little girl, this is the mount your old man has chosen for you. Please pay the owner one hundred liang of silver!" The onlookers scoffed at Sima Xi, calling him a fool.

Sima Jiannan cast a cold glance at the crowd, produced one hundred liang of silver, and handed it to the owner of the old horse.

While stroking the horse's neck, Sima Xi said to the owner, "Old man, one hundred liang of silver is far too little for this horse! But all our funds have been donated to the court to purchase warhorses, so we are rather strapped for cash at the moment..."

The owner hastily stuffed the silver into his bosom, pressing down tightly with both hands, and said, "A deal is a deal, no backing out! The silver is safely in my pockets, and you can lead the horse away!"

Sima Xi: "..."

A month later, at dusk, the evening glow dyed the eaves of the stables at the Yongzhou Prefectural Office.

Sima Jiannan, dressed in a plain gauze skirt, walked into the stables carrying a celadon bowl in her arms. The celadon bowl contained freshly cut alfalfa mixed with corn. She was coming to feed the horses once again.

The horse secured by an iron chain was the gaunt old steed her father had purchased in the horse market for one hundred liang of silver a month ago. After more than a month of meticulous care and feeding, the old horse was no longer thin. Its entire body shone with a brilliant, fiery red coat and an oily, glossy mane that looked like a burning flame in the twilight. Its head was held high, its contours as sharp as if carved by a knife, and a pair of amber eyes beamed with brilliance, seemingly able to pierce through the distant dust and wind.

Sima Jiannan approached the trough, pressed her slender fingers lightly against its edge, and slowly poured the fodder from the celadon bowl into it.

Tomorrow, this horse and several hundred transport horses were to be sent to the mud lake female soldiers' camp in Jingnan. Sima Jiannan felt a deep sense of reluctance in her heart.

A few days ago, the court's reply to the memorials submitted by Sima Xi and Qi Guang arrived: the reigning emperor refused to allow Sima Xi, Qi Guang, Sima Jiannan, and Gui Fufu to go to the battlefield! The court further decreed: first, Sima Xi was reinstated to his post at Bashu Houguan Street; second, Qi Guang was appointed as the Administration Commissioner of the Southern Province concurrently as the Prefect of Yongzhou; third, Sima Jiannan was ennobled as the Princess of Bashu; fourth, Gui Fufu was ennobled as the Princess of Qingshen. All four were to remain in Yongzhou to continue selecting and transporting warhorses.

Through more than a month of constant companionship, Sima Jiannan and the old horse had achieved a meeting of minds. Yet, since she could not go to the battlefield herself, this horse had to be given to someone who was going. To whom should she give it? Sima Jiannan finally decided to give it to her mother, Zhao Zhuoyun. She knew her mother was heading to the front lines.

The horse seemed to sense the impending parting and lowered its head, letting out a soft whinny. Sima Jiannan took out a mulberry leaf soaked in honey water from her sleeve and said softly, "Old horse, taste this. This is the last time Sima Jiannan will feed you honeyed mulberry leaves!"

The old horse hesitated for a moment, then finally lowered its head to catch the mulberry leaf and slowly chewed.

Sima Jiannan stroked the horse's neck with her slender fingers and said, "Old horse, do not be sad! Your new owner is my own dear mother! She will love you just as I do." She pressed her cheek against the horse's neck. "Old horse, promise me one thing: when you are by her side, you must obey her and be a good horse, alright? Tell my mother that Jiannan misses her dearly and loves her very much! Swords and spears have no eyes on the battlefield, so please ask her to take care of her safety!"

The old horse suddenly raised its head, its glass-like eyes reflecting Sima Jiannan's tear-filled gaze. Tears were also welling up in the corners of its eyes.

Reflected in the horse's clear eyes were also the figures of Sima Xi, Qi Guang, Gui Fufu, Qi You and his sister, and the senior maids Chunhua and Qiuyue, standing behind Sima Jiannan. Tears streamed down all of their faces.

Sima Xi said to Sima Jiannan, "Our little Jiannan, do not cry! When your mother knows this horse was a gift from you, she will surely be moved for days! She might even petition the emperor to appoint you as a general!"

Sima Jiannan replied, "Old man, this little child only wants her mother to return safely!"

The reigning emperor appointed Gu Yuren as the Marshal of the Northern Expedition, and the Princess of Bashu, Zhao Zhuoyun, as the Military Supervisor and Quartermaster in charge of grain transport, commanding six hundred thousand troops and five hundred generals.

The army was divided into three divisions: vanguard, center, and rear.

The vanguard was further divided into three routes. The central vanguard general Jie An led one hundred thousand troops, with Guan Yi leading five thousand elite cavalry to clear the path ahead; the left-flank vanguard general Qi Qiongyiong led fifty thousand troops, with Duan Zhaoyue leading three thousand elite cavalry ahead; the right-flank vanguard general Qi Yaoqiang led fifty thousand troops, with Gu Yuru leading three thousand elite cavalry ahead. Having resumed her true name, Gu Yuru had been appointed as the Right Cavalry General. These eleven thousand elite cavalrymen had all been imported from the Kingdom of Dali—steadfast, enduring, suited for long-distance charging, and growing more spirited the further they ran.

Gu Yuren led twenty-five thousand powerful troops as the center army, while Deputy Supervisor Ding and General Yang Wenzhong led fifty thousand troops as the rear guard. Who was Deputy Supervisor Ding? He was none other than Ding Heming, the Censor-Inspector who had made a night visit to the military camp when Xiao Guimu was suppressing the rebellion at Peach Blossom Fortress, now holding the rank of Assistant Manager of State Affairs. And who was Yang Wenzhong? He was a descendant of Yang Fei, the renowned general of the early Southern Han dynasty who had rendered meritorious service in founding the Southern Han regime. Yang Wenzhong stood eight feet tall and had practiced martial arts since childhood alongside his younger brother Yang Wenhua. Not only had he mastered the spear techniques passed down by his ancestors, but he had also surpassed them. Yang Wenhua was born with supernatural strength and peerless valor. Over twenty years ago, when the Northern Zhen invaded Southern Han, he single-handedly fought the four most illustrious marshals of Northern Zhen, killing each of them with a single spear thrust. Yang Wenzhong now served as the General of Vigorous Martial Valor, while Yang Wenhua served as the General of Loyal Martial Valor concurrently as the Minister of War.

The war drums of the northern expedition finally sounded. This was the fourth month.

Six hundred thousand soldiers, high-spirited and formidable, crossed the Yangtze River and charged northward against Northern Zhen.

Perhaps due to the grand principle that the world, after long division, must unite, Marshal Gu Yuren led the six hundred thousand northern expeditionary troops in a magnificent northward advance, sweeping away all resistance. Wherever the northern expeditionary army went, the local populace not only offered no resistance but lined the roads to welcome them. This was likely because the people had suffered under the Northern Zhen dynasty for far too long!

In less than half a year since setting out, the northern expeditionary army had recovered several hundred cities and towns of various sizes.

Border officials of Northern Zhen sent urgent reports flying to the Northern Zhen imperial palace.

The young Emperor Silu panicked at the sight of the snowstorm of "eight-hundred-li urgent" dispatches. He wept to Chief Councilor Xiang Renwan, saying, "Old Minister, we have just enjoyed a few days of peace, and now sixty thousand—no, six hundred thousand Southern Han northern expeditionary troops have invaded! It seems I am doomed this time!"

Xiang Renwan hurriedly comforted the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, do not be alarmed! As the saying goes: soldiers are met with shields, water with earth! Although the Southern Han army comes aggressively and claims six hundred thousand men, they are merely a mob of villagers who have just washed the mud off their feet and left their fields. Look at them: their grand marshal, Gu Yuren, is a scholar who has never seen a battlefield; the five hundred generals under his command are either newly graduated scholars and provincial graduates who only know how to talk on paper, or hereditary nobles relying on their ancestors' fortunes, mostly mediocre and incompetent! The vanguard generals under his command are also inexperienced youths, and moreover, mostly women. What is there to fear about women? Look at our Northern Zhen army: our various forces have fierce generals like clouds, our troops and horses are strong, and all have participated in suppressing internal rebellions. Our morale is soaring! This old minister dares to guarantee that if the Southern Han people dare to besiege our capital, we will annihilate them completely, leaving not a single suit of armor behind and none to return!"

Emperor Silu turned his sorrow into joy, wiped his tears, and said, "Hearing what the old minister says, Your Majesty can rest easy!"

Xiang Renwan replied, "With this old minister here, Your Majesty can rest assured!"

The young emperor asked again, "Um, may I ask the old minister, which martial general is it proper to appoint as commander to repel the enemy?"

Xiang Renwan memorialized, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Meng'an Dan Xinglian, the general guarding the borders, has performed outstandingly in suppressing the internal rebellions and has achieved brilliant military exploits!"

The young Emperor Silu widened his naive eyes and said, "Old Minister, are you speaking of that... wait, no, no, no... are you speaking of General Meng'an Dan Xinglian, the one who pierced and killed the second imperial brother with a single spear?"

Xiang Renwan said, "Precisely. He is the one who led troops to lift the siege of the capital."

The young emperor said happily, "I have met him. The pair of 'Great General' crickets I have were a gift from him."

Xiang Renwan said, "General Meng'an Dan Xinglian is utterly loyal to Your Majesty. Your Majesty may appoint him as Grand Commander to lead the various armies to resist the enemy!"

***

The young emperor was overjoyed and said, "Good! Everything shall be done according to the old minister's wishes."

This Meng'an Dan Xinglian was none other than the notorious "Three-Good" general mentioned earlier—good at making money, good at womanizing, and good at flattery. His martial arts on horseback were mediocre, but his flattery skills were extraordinary. He was Xiang Renwan's confidant and utterly loyal to him. When the second imperial prince, Tongxi, besieged the capital, it was he who led troops from the borderlands to lift the siege. Consequently, he won the favor of the young Emperor Silu. However, being inherently greedy and lustful, his bad habits were hard to break. Now that he had become the Grand Commander, he grew even more unbridled; under the guise of resisting the enemy, he acted arbitrarily, harmed the common people, placed gathering wealth first, and resisting the enemy second.

On this day, the "Three-Good General" was drinking and making merry in the Grand Commander's mansion with a group of like-minded scoundrels. Someone reported that Aheida, the garrison commander of Yitian Pass, had sent men to collect grain and military supplies. Meng'an Dan Xinglian cursed, "What a buzzkill!" There were three strategic passes to the south of the Northern Zhen capital: the first was Yitian Pass, the second was Tongcheng, and the third was Qingshakou. Meng'an Dan Xinglian knew the strategic importance of these three passes and therefore stationed heavy troops to guard them. Guarding Yitian Pass was Aheida, the fiercest warrior of Northern Zhen. He was a member of the imperial clan, possessing a tiger's body and bear's waist with peerless martial arts. When the second imperial prince, Tongxi, besieged the Northern Zhen capital under the pretext of "clearing the emperor's side," it was Aheida who, at the critical moment, pierced and killed Tongxi with a sword to lift the siege of the capital, not Meng'an Dan Xinglian. Yet Aheida was naturally arrogant and looked down upon everyone. Normally, he did not even regard Chief Councilor Xiang Renwan with respect, let alone Grand Commander Meng'an Dan Xinglian, whom he had never once deigned to look at properly.

The garrison commander of Tongcheng was named Gu Aishi. He was originally a Southern Han person. Before the fall of the Southern Han capital, both he and his younger brother Gu Keshi were imperial bodyguards under Gu Datong. Gu Aishi was overbearing and lustful, frequently bullying men and women and engaging in petty thievery. On one occasion, he actually stole something belonging to Gu Datong and was caught red-handed. Gu Datong originally intended to report him to the authorities, but Lou Mingxian learned of the matter and came to mediate. Out of consideration for their years as colleagues, Gu Datong refrained from reporting him. Not long after, the Northern Zhen people invaded Southern Han, and Gu Aishi, together with his brother Gu Keshi, defected to the Northern Zhen people, becoming their running dogs. Now he held the rank of a second-rank general, responsible for guarding Tongcheng; his younger brother was also a second-rank general, serving as the commander of the Southern Gate of the Northern Zhen imperial city.

Guarding Qingshakou was the resourceful Northern Zhen general Ruan Yanshu. This man was full of stratagems and wiles, having read extensively in military books since childhood, being well-versed in warfare, and having experienced numerous battles. He had a deputy general named Xiao Ai, who was also a man of peerless bravery.

Hearing that Aheida had arrived, Meng'an Dan Xinglian cursed "What a buzzkill!" in his mouth, but his body had already flown to the outer gates. Greeting Aheida, he said, "General Aheida, please come in! This subordinate has just prepared some wine in the back courtyard and respectfully invites the general to drink and make merry together."

Aheida was, after all, a subordinate, and seeing his superior being so courteous, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Drinking is unnecessary. Please have the Grand Commander hand over the grain and military supplies for Yitian Pass to this general."

It was the first time Meng'an Dan Xinglian had heard Aheida use the word "please" when speaking to him. Overjoyed, he curried favor with a smile: "The grain and supplies have long been prepared for the general."

Aheida still narrowed his eyes and said, "Prepared is good! They wouldn't be short-measured or inferior goods passed off as quality ones, would they?"

Meng'an Dan Xinglian instantly turned red in the face and laughed awkwardly, "Who would dare to tamper with goods allocated by the court to General Aheida?"

Aheida said, "As long as there is no tampering, it is fine!" With that, he leaped onto his horse and went to collect the grain and military supplies.

Watching Aheida's departing back, Meng'an Dan Xinglian cursed, "Keep strutting! This Grand Commander needs you to strut! If you don't strut, who will act as a shield for this Grand Commander in the front?"

By March of the following year, the northern expeditionary army had recovered nearly all the prefectures south of the Great Wall.

After a winter of recuperation, the northern expeditionary army was full of high spirits and soaring morale. In mid-March, Marshal Gu Yuren ordered the more than sixty thousand troops to gather at the foot of the Great Wall.

The Great Wall, also known as the Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wall, was an ancient military defense work—a tall, solid, and continuous long wall. People often said the Great Wall was built by Qin Shihuang, but that was not entirely correct. The construction of the Great Wall actually began as early as the Zhou dynasty. At that time, nomadic tribes from the north frequently harassed the people living on the borders of Huaxia, so the Zhou dynasty built many earthen walls and earthen fortresses along the border to fend off foreign invasions. The story of King You of Zhou igniting the beacon towers to amuse Baosi and tricking the feudal lords took place during the Zhou dynasty.

Originally built by the southern Huaxia regimes as a defensive system to isolate northern enemy cavalry, the Great Wall now served in reverse as a barrier that the Northern Zhen people hated, blocking the advance of the northern expeditionary army.

At the hour of noon that day, the central vanguard generals Jie An and Guan Yi were leading five thousand elite cavalry and one hundred thousand infantry as they approached Tongcheng at the foot of the Great Wall.

Scouts had long since flown to report this to Gu Aishi, the garrison commander of Tongcheng. On one hand, Gu Aishi dispatched a mounted messenger to report to Grand Commander Meng'an Dan Xinglian, requesting troop reinforcements; on the other hand, he ordered his deputy general Wang Nan to lead troops out of the city to meet the enemy.

Wang Nan was Gu Aishi's disciple and also a Southern Han person who had followed Gu Aishi to Northern Zhen back then. He said to Gu Aishi, "Master, the northern expeditionary army comes with overwhelming momentum; it seems Tongcheng cannot be held! Why not surrender and yield the city? You and I are both Southern Han people, and surrendering will allow us to return to our homeland!"

Hearing this, Gu Aishi flew into a rage and cursed, "Ungrateful disciple, put that thought out of your mind! You know your master betrayed the Southern Han court long ago, and the road back to our homeland is forever cut off!"

Wang Nan retorted, "You are the one who betrayed the Southern Han court, not I!"

Driven mad with anger, Gu Aishi cursed, "Ungrateful wretch, a teacher for a day is a father for life. If the father is a traitor, the son is a traitor too! You and I have only the path of dying in battle."

Tears welling in his eyes, Wang Nan said, "I truly regret becoming your disciple in the first place!" With that, he led his troops out of the city.

Guan Yi, holding a long spear and sitting atop a red-maned fierce steed, saw the city gates open and a deputy general leading a troop of men emerge. Taking a look at the deputy general wearing a bronze helmet and recognizing him as Wang Nan, Guan Yi said to Jie An, "Husband, Wang Nan is Gu Aishi's primary disciple. Your wife will settle him first to give Gu Aishi a taste of our might!"

Knowing his wife's prowess, Jie An agreed, "Alright."

Guan Yi urged her horse forward with spear leveled and shouted, "Our six hundred thousand Southern Han troops have marched all the way north, sweeping everything before us like broken bamboo! Now my husband and I have received orders from Marshal Gu Yuren to capture the traitor Gu Aishi and recover Tongcheng! Who are you to dare obstruct us?"

Wang Nan shouted back in abuse, "Harridan! I am Wang Nan, deputy general under General Gu Aishi. If you want to capture General Gu and recover Tongcheng, defeat me first!"

Guan Yi urged her steed forward with her spear straight at Wang Nan. Wang Nan raised his spear to meet her. Before three clashes had passed, Guan Yi let out a great shout and pierced Wang Nan, striking him dead beneath his horse. The defeated troops fled in all directions, and Guan Yi ordered the five thousand elite cavalry to pursue and slaughter them.

Seeing that the situation was turning bad from the city tower, Gu Aishi hurriedly ordered the city gates to be closed, awaited reinforcements, and dispatched a written plea for emergency help.

Jie An was just preparing to attack the city when he suddenly received a document sent by Marshal Gu Yuren's messenger: "Do not attack the city immediately; surround it first."

Jie An accordingly ordered the one hundred thousand infantry to surround Tongcheng so tightly not even water could leak through.

When Meng'an Dan Xinglian received Gu Aishi's first plea for help, he remarked, "This Gu Aishi is truly worthless; he starts crying for rescue before even engaging in battle." With that, he tore the plea for help into fragments.

When Meng'an Dan Xinglian received Gu Aishi's second plea for help, he cursed, "What a useless dog! He has cost our Northern Zhen several great generals in the very first battle!" Having said this, he hurled the plea fiercely onto the ground.

Following the orders of Marshal Gu Yuren, the right-flank vanguard generals Qi Yaoyao and Gu Yuru led three thousand elite cavalry and fifty thousand soldiers in a magnificent march toward Qingshakou Pass.

Qingshakou was an important strategic pass leading to the northern deserts; capturing Qingshakou meant being able to gallop across the northern deserts at will! Although there were mountains on both sides of Qingshakou, their slopes were relatively gentle. With gentle terrain, defense became extremely difficult. Consequently, the Great Wall here was built exceptionally tall and thick. Qingshakou Pass featured four sturdy border walls, two deep and dangerous trenches, and three conspicuous beacon towers. It was said that Wang Zhaojun, one of the four ancient beauties whose "geese fell from the sky" when she went beyond the frontier to marry a nomad chieftain, had passed through Qingshakou Pass upon leaving the frontier.

Qingshakou had since ancient times been a battleground for strategists, frequently plagued by war—a battlefield of flashing swords and gleaming blades. Ever since the Northern Zhen people carved out their own isolated regime, they had attached immense importance to Qingshakou Pass. Not only did they station heavy troops to guard it, but they also remodeled the pass. Originally, the opening for people to ascend the city wall stairs at Qingshakou Pass was on the southern side; the Northern Zhen people blocked the southern opening and reopened the staircase access on the northern side, while continually reinforcing, raising, and thickening the city walls. For the Northern Zhen dynasty knew that the Southern Han court would sooner or later launch a northern expedition, and for the sake of the unification of the Huaxia nation, they would eventually come to attack the pass.

On this day, the force of over fifty thousand men led by Qi Yaoyao and Gu Yuru finally arrived at Qingshakou Pass.

Qi Yaoyao ordered the troops to pitch camp on the flat ground twenty li in front of the pass. Qi Yaoyao's commands and camp-pitching were extraordinary: each camp was to be arranged and fortified strictly according to her requirements.

Scouts had long since flown to report this to Ruan Yanshu, the chief commander of Qingshakou. Ruan Yanshu ordered the pass gates to be closed swiftly and the wolf-smoke on the beacon towers to be ignited. Though he was a resourceful strategist, upon hearing of the northern expeditionary army's arrival, he still summoned Xiao Ai and others to deliberate on defense strategies for the pass.

Xiao Ai said, "Taking the initiative to attack is the best defense! The Southern Han people have traveled far and their soldiers are fatigued. Please, Chief Commander, allocate three thousand men to this subordinate; I will lead them out of the pass tonight under cover of darkness to raid their camp."

Ruan Yanshu replied, "Although General Xiao's suggestion is good, everyone knows that 'if an army travels far and is fatigued, defend against camp raids'! Do not be fooled just because they are led by two female generals. Earlier, I observed carefully from the city tower: the enemy formations are uniform and orderly, and every single soldier looks fierce and valiant, showing no signs of fatigue. Look at how peculiarly they have pitched their camp! Do you want to raid the camp? Do you know where to go in and where to come out?"

Xiao Ai shook his head.

Ruan Yanshu said, "Our current task is to defend the pass; holding Qingshakou gives us a chance to hold the capital. Once Qingshakou is broken, the capital will fall sooner or later. Furthermore, regarding a camp raid, you taking a few thousand men to raid a camp of tens of thousands—even if successful tonight, it would merely cause a temporary commotion and could not alter the overall situation at all!"

Xiao Ai and the others quickly cupped their fists in salute and said, "Many thanks to the Chief Commander for your instruction and reminder. What shall our next step be?"

Ruan Yanshu said, "Concentrate our forces on defense."

"We will strictly obey the Chief Commander's orders."

After ordering her soldiers to pitch camp twenty li away from the pass, Qi Yaoyao commanded the various camps to quickly boil water and cook meals.

Gu Yuru rode over on horseback and asked, "Second Sister-in-law, will the Northern Zhen people come to raid our camp tonight?"

Qi Yaoyao replied, "This vanguard general made preparations long ago! Go and take a look at what kind of camp we have set up!"

Gu Yuru rode around the various camps and returned, saying, "Second Sister-in-law, this camp setup is indeed quite ingenious! What is it called?"

Qi Yaoyao smiled triumphantly, "It is called the Labyrinth Camp."

Gu Yuru said in surprise, "I heard our mother is most skilled at setting up Labyrinth Camps, and you know it too? Who taught it to you?"

Qi Yaoyao answered, "Naturally, it was Mother-in-law!"

Gu Yuru shook her head and said, "That's not right! I remember you and I both met Mother only once—on the way to the capital when we returned with Brother Tongwen to the ancient coastal town to visit Mother!"

Qi Yaoyao said, "Your memory is good! It was that very night in the ancient town when Mother took me to the beach and imparted her method and layout for the Labyrinth Camp to me."

Gu Yuru said in astonishment, "I remember now! The two of you were out there for a long time that night and didn't return until midnight! So that was it... Second Sister-in-law, Mother really dotes on you!"

***

Qi Yaoyao smiled triumphantly and said, "Of course! I am her old lady's second daughter-in-law! I've already set up this Labyrinth Camp before, and it works wonderfully against surprise camp raids!"

Gu Yuru realized, "You've set it up before? Where?"

Qi Yaoyao replied, "During our campaign to attack Dongping City."

Gu Yuru realized, "I remember! The day we arrived on the outskirts of Dongping City and had just pitched camp, Borei, the chief commander of Dongping City, came to raid our camp at night. He dashed around inside the camp left and right, and ended up being captured alive by us!"

Qi Yaoyao said, "Exactly."

Gu Yuru said happily, "It seems Mother's Labyrinth Camp lives up to its reputation! I wonder which general from Qingshakou will come to raid our camp tonight? Looks like he is destined for bad luck!"

Qi Yaoyao said, "It is likely we are wasting our efforts. My guess is they will not come to raid our camp tonight."

Gu Yuru asked, "On what grounds?"

Qi Yaoyao replied, "On the grounds that the chief commander of Qingshakou is Ruan Yanshu! That old fellow has some sense; he knows what is essential and won't act rashly!"

Gu Yuru nodded and said, "Second Sister-in-law, it seems we have encountered a formidable enemy this time!"

Qi Yaoyao also nodded and said, "Yes! But no matter what, tomorrow we shall go to the front of the pass to issue a challenge, test the waters, and then discuss our strategy for attacking the pass."

Gu Yuru said, "I'll listen to Second Sister-in-law."

Qi Yaoyao guessed correctly. Ruan Yanshu indeed sent no one to raid the camp that night.

The next day, Qi Yaoyao and Gu Yuru led fifty thousand main troops and three thousand elite cavalry to the front of the pass.

Gu Yuru urged her horse to the front of the pass and shouted loudly, "Tell Ruan Yanshu to come out and do battle!"

Xiao Ai stood on the city tower and shouted, "Southern Han female general, are you blind? We have hung our 'No-Battle' placard right on the pass wall!"

Gu Yuru cursed, "Hanging out a 'No-Battle' placard before even fighting! If you don't come out to fight, we will attack the pass!"

Xiao Ai chuckled and said, "Female General, attack if you want! What are you rushing for? From your physiognomy, you don't look like an impatient person; why are you more impatient than me, Xiao Ai? Take a look at what we've piled up here: all rolling logs and tumbling stones! Just waiting to entertain you lot."

Gu Yuru turned her horse and returned to the formation.

Qi Yaoyao ordered an attack on the city.

Instantly, arrows rained down like a storm from the pass wall, and rolling logs and tumbling stones cascaded toward the ground like a broken dam.

Qi Yaoyao beat the gongs to withdraw the troops and retreated back to the Labyrinth Camp.

The next day, Qi Yaoyao went to the front of the pass herself to issue a challenge. Although Ruan Yanshu showed his face on the city wall and exchanged words with Qi Yaoyao, he still hung out the "No-Battle" placard. Qi Yaoyao ordered an attack on the pass once more, but the arrows rained down from the city wall just the same, and boulders and logs poured down like collapsing mountains. Qi Yaoyao stamped her feet and cursed, "Where on earth does this old Ruan get so many arrows, stones, and logs?"

Thus the two sides remained at a stalemate for a full month.

Gu Yuru suggested, "Shall we dig tunnels to enter and launch an attack?"

Qi Yaoyao said, "Many people have used tunneling to attack cities from ancient times to the present! There have been successes and failures. The key is to achieve the unexpected. Ruan Yanshu is an old fox; I expect he will have made preparations against this long ago."

Gu Yuru said, "We can give it a try."

Qi Yaoyao said, "Trying is fine."

That night, Qi Yaoyao ordered ten thousand soldiers to each carry an extra Luoyang shovel, guided by Gu Yuru, to dig tunnels at multiple points near the foot of the city wall.

Ruan Yanshu had already discovered this and commanded his soldiers to shout loudly from the top of the city wall, "Listen well, Southern Han vanguard general Qi Yaoyao: our General Ruan Yanshu has already seen through your tunneling scheme, so please don't waste your efforts!"

Hearing this, Qi Yaoyao bit her lip and ordered the tunneling soldiers to withdraw.

On a morning in early July, the sky was filled with a thin layer of mist. A few days later at noon, the sky gradually grew overcast.

At this moment, Qi Yaoyao was pacing back and forth inside the main tent, her steps heavy—she was racking her brains in deep thought to seek a strategy for breaching the pass.

Suddenly, Gu Yuru led an old man into the tent and said happily, "Second Sister-in-law, we have found a way to break the pass!"

Qi Yaoyao asked pleasantly surprised, "What method is it?"

Gu Yuru pointed at the old man and said, "This elder knows."

As it turned out, during this period, in order to seek a brilliant strategy to break the pass, Gu Yuru had visited prominent figures around Qingshakou. Introduced by an old scholar, she had made the acquaintance of an elderly man surnamed Liao. The old man's surname was Liao, given name Liang; he was a local native who had once passed the provincial imperial examinations. In conversation, it became clear that Elder Liao Liang deeply resented the perverse policies and brutality of the Northern Zhen dynasty toward ordinary people. Upon inquiring about strategies to breach the pass, Elder Liao Liang analyzed the situation with thorough clarity.

Gu Yuru excitedly grasped Elder Liao Liang's hands and said, "Please let Elder Liao meet our General Qi."

Liao Liang agreed, "Very well."

As soon as Gu Yuru finished the introduction, Qi Yaoyao stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Qi Yaoyao, vanguard general of the right wing of the northern expeditionary army, pays her respects to Elder Liao Liang."

Elder Liao Liang said, "Please rise quickly, Female General! I, Liao Liang, am merely a man of the grass-roots, and dare not accept a kneeling bow from the General!"

Qi Yaoyao said, "You are an elder, and this subordinate is a junior. For a junior to bow to an elder is only right and proper!"

Pleasantries concluded, they took their seats according to host and guest. Attendants served tea, and after tea was finished,

Qi Yaoyao tactfully asked, "Can Elder Liang share the method to breach the pass with this junior?"

Elder Liao Liang picked up his tea bowl, blew on it, took a sip, and then expounded leisurely: "This Qingshakou Pass is quite special and has one fatal flaw: it relies on Tangzi Mountain to the east and Dahu Mountain to the west, with Qingshakou Pass built in the wide valley of Chuangtou River between the two mountains. And right on the western side of the pass is Chuangtou River; a bridge connects the city walls on both sides across the river. In the past, this bridge was frequently washed away by floods. Once this bridge breaks, it blocks Chuangtou River, and when floods come, hundreds of *li* of walls are destroyed... Right now it is July, which is precisely the rainy season. Observing the weather these past few days, this old commoner predicts that a heavy rainstorm is about to arrive. The mudslides cascading down from Tangzi Mountain and Dahu Mountain will once again submerge some fertile fields."

Qi Yaoyao was already thrilled, cupping her fists in salute: "Many thanks to Elder for the brilliant strategy to breach the pass!" With that, she ordered a deputy general to prepare ten thousand wooden boards; she ordered another deputy general to prepare three thousand bamboo rafts; and she ordered a commander to prepare twenty thousand sacks filled with earth and sand.

Qi Yaoyao hosted a banquet to entertain Liao Liang.

During the drinking, Qi Yaoyao asked once more, "Elder Liao Liang, according to your prediction, when will this heavy rainstorm arrive?"

Liao Liang replied, "Matters of the heavens are ever-changing! If I have calculated correctly, this heavy rainstorm will arrive precisely half a month from now."

Qi Yaoyao repeated the question: "Half a month from now?"

Liao Liang said, "Yes."

After seeing Liao Liang off, Qi Yaoyao wrote a letter, handed it to Gu Yuru, and instructed, "Time is pressing; please deliver this swiftly to Marshal Gu."

Gu Yuru asked, "What letter is this?"

Qi Yaoyao said, "A plea for reinforcements." Gu Yuru concealed the letter securely, took one hundred swift horses, and departed under the stars.