Chapter Fifty

Dusk was beginning to fall, and magpies flew toward the south.

Along the winding road leading to the Qingshakou Pass, a convoy transporting grain and provisions was making its arduous way forward. This road had originally been an official highway, but it had been severely damaged by the Beizhen court. Though the path had been hastily repaired, the soil remained loose. With continuous rain falling over the past few days, the road had turned into a mire of thick, sticky mud.

Hundreds of carts creaked in the mud, their wheels sinking deep into the rain-softened earth until, one by one, they ground to a halt, completely immobilized.

Quan Niannian urged her horse forward, reining it in atop an earthen mound by the roadside, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Quick! Unhitch the horses! Transfer the grain from the carts onto their backs! Two hemp sacks per horse..."

After the Northern Expeditionary War broke out, the maidens of the Sini Lake Women's Battalion were all incorporated into the grain transport corps, charged with the duty of escorting provisions. The transport corps was further divided into several detachments. Quan Niannian served as the captain and leader of the first detachment, responsible for delivering grain to the right wing of the vanguard—that is, the more than fifty thousand soldiers commanded by Qi Yaoyao and Gu Yuru. Mulan was the captain of the second detachment, tasked with supplying the center route of the vanguard—the more than one hundred thousand soldiers under Xie An and Guan Yi. Guihua was the captain of the third detachment, entrusted with supplying the left wing of the vanguard—the fifty thousand-plus troops under Qi Qiongyue and Duan Zhaoyue.

Quan Niannian had originally longed to join the combat troops. She remembered Zhao Chaoyun telling her once, "If you are to die, die on the battlefield!" But deep in her heart, Quan Niannian had always harbored a desire to enter the imperial palace; even if she were to perish in a cold, neglected palace, she would have done so willingly. She also deeply yearned for the reigning emperor to bestow upon her the title of a general. Guan Yi and she were both "chieftains" of the Sini Lake Water Fortress. Guan Yi was made a General of the Light Cavalry because she had saved the life of the emperor's aunt, Zhao Chaoyun, and possessed formidable martial arts skills; thus, that title was thoroughly well-deserved. Yet Quan Niannian's martial arts were by no means inferior; back at the Sini Lake Water Fortress, the two of them had even linked pinkies in a pact! What a stingy emperor he was, granting her only the rank of a captain—and a mere grain-transport captain at that!

As the packhorses were unhitched one by one, they were led onto firmer, drier ground. The laborers, barefooted, lifted the heavy hemp sacks of grain from the carts, heaved them onto their shoulders, and trudged toward the packhorses. Every single sack bore the official crimson seal of the government, and their heavy burdens bent the men's spines, sweat rolling down their temples and dripping onto the earth. Yet they dared not rest, for ahead the battle raged, and the soldiers could not afford to go hungry!

Every horse was laden with two sacks of provisions, bound tightly and securely.

Quan Niannian cried out loudly, "The vice-leaders and the maidens of the Sini Lake Women's Battalion will stay behind to guard the remaining grain on the carts! The rest will follow me to escort the packhorse grain train and advance toward the Qingshakou Pass!"

On the road leading to Tongcheng, Zhao Chaoyun, Mulan, and Guihua rode side by side. The horse Zhao Chaoyun rode was the old, lean steed sent to her by her daughter, Sima Jiannan. Zhao Chaoyun knew this was a thousand-li steed. She was deeply grateful to her daughter, and knowing the horse had been selected by Sima Xuan, she felt immense gratitude toward him as well. Behind them stretched thousands of grain carts, every single one filled to the brim with provisions, forming a grand and mighty procession. Flanking the cart convoy were two other special "columns" moving slowly forward. These were not part of the grain transport corps, but rather local commoners who had spontaneously organized themselves. Pushing single-wheeled barrows and carrying loads on shoulder poles, they were transporting their own meager, hoarded grain to the Northern Expeditionary forces at the front.

Zhao Chaoyun turned her head to look at the procession behind her and said to Mulan and Guihua, "Mulan, Guihua, do you now understand why His Majesty initiated the Northern Expedition?"

Mulan replied, "Elder Sister, all along our journey, we've seen that the local commoners here seem utterly disgusted with the officials of the Beizhen court, while welcoming our Northern Expeditionary army with open arms!"

Dai Guihua added, "Elder Sister, it also seems that the population here is terribly sparse!"

Zhao Chaoyun said, "Just think about it: the officials here have driven the commoners to death or forced them to flee. It is just like the relationship between a river and its fish; if the river runs dry, can fish and shrimp swim in it?"

That day, the two hundred and fifty thousand-strong center army led by Gu Yuren also arrived on the outskirts of Tongcheng. Xie An and Guan Yi, the primary and secondary vanguard commanders of the center route, warmly welcomed them into the encampment.

Seated in the commander's tent, Gu Yuren asked, "What is the current military situation?"

Xie An bowed and reported, "Reporting to the Marshal, when our army first arrived at Tongcheng, Gu Aishi, the garrison commander of Tongcheng, sent his deputy Wang Nan out to offer battle. Wang Nan was slain by Guan Yi. Since then, Gu Aishi has hung out the banner of truce. Just as our army was preparing to besiege the city, we received your order, Marshal, stating 'surround but do not attack'; therefore, we have yet to storm the city."

Gu Yuren said, "Very good! The center vanguard has rendered meritorious service in besieging the city and is worthy of commendation!"

Xie An said with a look of shame, "The city has not fallen, and we have not achieved even an inch of merit. How could we dare accept the Marshal's reward?"

Even as they spoke, a scout suddenly rushed in to report that Gu Yuru, the vice-commander of the right wing, had arrived.

Gu Yuren summoned her into the tent and asked, "Deputy Vanguard Commander Gu, you should be attacking the pass at Qingshakou; what brings you here?"

Gu Yuru bowed and replied, "Reporting to Marshal Gu, this subordinate has come to ask for reinforcements." With that, she presented Qi Yaoyao's written dispatch.

Upon reading Qi Yaoyao's letter, Gu Yuren was exceedingly pleased. He immediately dispatched the senior general Mu Hong, along with deputy generals Xue Chong, Niu Xiong, and Han Jizhong, leading a force of one hundred thousand troops to set forth immediately, accompanying Gu Yuru by night to race toward the Qingshakou Pass.

Since Qi Yaoyao's right wing already possessed more than fifty thousand soldiers, why did she request Gu Yuren to send another one hundred thousand troops in support?

As it turned out, with the successive victories of the Northern Expeditionary army, the Beizhen dynasty had become like a startled bird. The shrewd and calculating chief councilor Xiang Renwan had long known that the reunification of the north and south was an irresistible historical trend, yet he was a man struggling in his death throes. On one hand, he incited the young emperor Silu to send envoys to the Tatars to seek assistance; on the other hand, he adopted a strategy of retreating to the northeast, instructing the Meng'an Dan Xinglian to pull all troops south of the Great Wall back to the north of the wall in order to strengthen the defense line of the Great Wall, hoping to eventually "govern separately with the Great Wall as the boundary." Consequently, the troops currently entrenched around the Qingshakou Pass numbered as many as one hundred thousand, all under the command of Ruan Yanshu. Qi Yaoyao, guided by Old Father Liao Liang, had found a way to breach the pass, but amidst her joy, she also faced a dilemma. She thought to herself, "Ruan Yanshu has over one hundred thousand men, while I have only fifty thousand, leaving us at a numerical disadvantage. Even if the pass is breached, we will not be able to annihilate the one hundred thousand elite troops under Ruan Yanshu's command." Thus, assessing the situation and weighing her options, she sent a request to the Marshal for reinforcements and additional troops.

Gu Yuren carefully examined Qi Yaoyao's plan for breaching the pass, selected one hundred thousand elite soldiers from the center army for Gu Yuru to take away, and ordered that these one hundred thousand elite troops be placed under the unified command of Qi Yaoyao.

After seeing off Gu Yuru, General Mu Hong, and the others, Gu Yuren returned to the center tent and had just seated himself when a report came in: Military Supervisor Zhao Chaoyun had arrived with the maidens of the Sini Lake Women's Battalion, having successfully escorted the grain and provisions.

Marshal Gu Yuren was overjoyed and personally went out of the camp to welcome them.

Zhao Chaoyun asked, "Does Marshal Gu know the current positions of the two vanguard commanders of the left wing?"

Gu Yuren replied, "Reporting to the Military Supervisor, according to the latest intelligence just sent back by Qi Qiongyue and Duan Zhaoyue, they are about to reach the Yitian Pass."

Zhao Chaoyun remarked, "The Yitian Pass is a tough bone to crack; it will give those two vanguard commanders all they can handle!"

Gu Yuren said, "Reporting to the Military Supervisor, at present, every single pass along the Great Wall is a tough bone, and all of them are hard to crack!"

Zhao Chaoyun sighed, "Who can say otherwise?"

Gu Yuren and Zhao Chaoyun entered the tent, and Zhao Chaoyun asked, "Does my son-in-law know that Qiong'er and Yue'er are both approaching their terms of childbirth?"

Gu Yuren grinned and said, "Thanks to the immense blessings of Your Ladyship, in a little over a month, our old Gu family will be adding new members once again!"

The Princess of Bashu gave Gu Yuren a sideways glance and scolded playfully, "You rascal only care that your old Gu family is adding new members! You have not a shred of sympathy for the suffering women endure in childbirth!"

Gu Yuren hurriedly accompanied her with a smile and said, "Mother-in-law is entirely right in her scolding! But the Northern Expedition is underway right now, and they are both combat generals; how could one show consideration for that?"

Zhao Chaoyun nodded and said, "We have completed our mission of transporting this batch of grain and provisions. His Majesty has already issued an imperial decree stating that henceforth, the provisions for the Northern Expeditionary army shall be procured by the officials of the newly recovered prefectures and delivered directly to the encampments. Thus, I, this grain-transport official, no longer need to escort supplies! Since idleness breeds listlessness, why shouldn't I take the maidens of the Sini Lake Women's Battalion to support the left wing in attacking the Yitian Pass? Would that be acceptable?"

Gu Yuren replied, "Although Mother-in-law has been relieved of her duties as the grain-transport officer, you are still the Military Supervisor and cannot abandon your post."

Zhao Chaoyun gave Gu Yuren another sideways glance and said, "Marshal Gu, this Military Supervisor going to the Yitian Pass is likewise reporting to her post."

At noon that day, Qi Qiongyue and Duan Zhaoyue, the primary and secondary vanguard commanders of the left wing, led three thousand iron cavalry and fifty thousand elite troops as they marched toward the Yitian Pass.

Qi Qiongyue was dressed in a crimson battle robe and mounted on a white warhorse, looking exceptionally striking at the head of the long procession.

She was six months pregnant. Perhaps because she had been riding for too long, the little one in her belly grew restless and kicked her abdomen a few times. She reached out, patted her belly, and thought to herself, "Hush now! Mother is marching!" The little one seemed to understand its mother's inner thoughts and quieted down. Qi Qiongyue gently stroked her belly, comforting herself inwardly, "Be a good baby, we will reach our destination very soon!"

Qi Qiongyue turned her head to look at Duan Zhaoyue beside her—she, too, was gently rubbing her large, pregnant belly, and judging by the looks of it, her situation was much the same. Yet being younger, she radiated boundless vitality.

Qi Qiongyue suddenly felt like teasing her outspoken little martial sister, so she said, "Junior Sister Zhaoyue, this is your first pregnancy, yet your belly is already so large. I suspect you must be carrying twins."

Duan Zhaoyue also glanced sideways at Qi Qiongyue's pregnant belly and retorted, "Elder Sister, surely not? Your belly looks even bigger than mine. Could it be that you are carrying triplets?"

Qi Qiongyue shot a sideways look at Duan Zhaoyue and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Elder Sister here simply has more fat."

Duan Zhaoyue held the reins in one hand while using the other to stroke her large, round, pregnant belly, her face wreathed in a sweet and contented smile.

Qi Qiongyue continued, "Junior Sister, we are in the midst of a war right now; these children have come at a most inconvenient time!"

Duan Zhaoyue unconcernedly replied, "Elder Sister, it is no obstacle at all! The women of our Kingdom of Dali always carry their babies on their backs when they go down to the fields to work. After the child is born, I shall strap it to my back and take it onto the battlefield to win merits together."

Qi Qiongyue scolded affectionately, "My Princess of Dali! We are going out here to risk our lives, not to till the fields! ... Ah! This is all the fault of that rascal Gu! Once we give birth to these children, we'll immediately send someone to deliver them to him and let Gu Dalada raise them himself!"

Duan Zhaoyue looked somewhat anxious and said, "Elder Sister, how can that do? Big Brother Gu is a man; how can he raise children? Besides, he is the Marshal with state affairs pressing on him from a thousand directions; how could he possibly find the time to tend to infants?"

Looking at her junior sister's naive expression, Qi Qiongyue felt a surge of inner amusement. She asked, "Then what is to be done?"

The two female generals riding side by side were exchanging remarks when suddenly a scout galloped up and reported, "Reporting to the two female generals, ten more li ahead lies the Yitian Pass."

Qi Qiongyue ordered the army to select a suitable site to make camp.

After lunch, Qi Qiongyue said to Duan Zhaoyue, "Junior Sister, at sunset, the two of us shall go to the pass to reconnoiter the enemy's situation."

Duan Zhaoyue replied, "Very well."

As the sun was about to set, the two of them concealed themselves in a grove of trees before the pass, carefully observing the Yitian Pass. Under the rays of the setting sun, the mountains on either side of the Yitian Pass rose majestically, with towering peaks, winding clear streams, overlapping verdant ridges, lush flowers and trees, and the cries of mountain birds echoing back and forth.

Qi Qiongyue said to Duan Zhaoyue, "Junior Sister, they always say the Yitian Pass is majestic; seeing it now, it truly lives up to its reputation. What a magnificent and beautiful fortress!"

Duan Zhaoyue gazed out ahead and said, "Junior Sister, this place occupies a strategic bottleneck; it truly has the air of 'one man guards the pass, ten thousand men cannot breach it'!"

Qi Qiongyue said, "Junior Sister, the primary general currently defending the Yitian Pass is once again Aheida, the foremost warrior of Beizhen. This man possesses rich combat experience and is both resourceful and cunning."

Duan Zhaoyue suggested, "Elder Sister, we should prepare plenty of gunpowder. Attacking the Yitian Pass would be best accomplished using artillery fire."

Qi Qiongyue nodded and then shook her head, saying, "Junior Sister Zhaoyue, such a magnificent structure—it would be a terrible pity to blow it to pieces with artillery!"

Duan Zhaoyue replied, "If we do not use artillery and instead order our soldiers to launch a frontal assault, many men will die."

Qi Qiongyue once again gazed upon the Yitian Pass, finally bringing her fist down into the earth as she said, "We shall take it by strategy!"

Duan Zhaoyue asked, "How do we take it by strategy?"

Qi Qiongyue said, "There is always a way! Let us return and plan it out in detail."

Duan Zhaoyue agreed, "Very well."

Upon returning to the camp, Qi Qiongyue skipped dinner entirely, staring intently at the operational map.

Duan Zhaoyue brought over a bowl of noodles and said, "Elder Sister, stop racking your brain so hard! Eat some food first."

Qi Qiongyue replied, "Until I find a strategy to take the Yitian Pass, I have no appetite."

Duan Zhaoyue smiled brightly and said, "Don't be so impatient; 'there is always a way.' You may starve yourself if you wish, but don't starve the baby inside your belly."

Qi Qiongyue glared at Duan Zhaoyue with a scrutinizing gaze and asked, "Could it be that you have already thought of a plan?"

Duan Zhaoyue smiled and nodded.

Qi Qiongyue said happily, "Splendid! Tell me quickly."

Duan Zhaoyue replied, "You want to hear it? Then eat your meal first."

Qi Qiongyue snatched the bowl from her hands and began to wolf down the food ravenously.

When she finished, she wiped her mouth and asked, "Now you must tell me?"

Duan Zhaoyue began: "Tongcheng is one of Beizhen's major cities and its commercial center; before the Northern Expedition, Beizhen's treasury was also located in Tongcheng. Although the treasury has now been moved back to the northeast, the Beizhen people still have heavy troops guarding Tongcheng. Yet, while Tongcheng has been besieged by Brother Xie An for over a month now, why haven't the Beizhen people evacuated the more than ten thousand northeastern merchants trapped inside Tongcheng back to the northeast? The reason is simple: they believe Tongcheng can be defended. Most importantly, Tongcheng has always been Beizhen's treasure bowl. More than half of Beizhen's annual treasury revenue comes from the tax silver of the Tong region. Tongcheng cannot be lost; if Tongcheng is lost, the Beizhen dynasty will perish from a lack of silver. Tongcheng is adjacent to the Yitian Pass; if we launch an attack on Tongcheng, that cowardly garrison commander of Tongcheng, Gu Aishi, will undoubtedly send a plea for help to the Meng'an Dan Xinglian, and Dan Xinglian will certainly order Aheida, the commander guarding the Yitian Pass, to come to their rescue. Furthermore, the more than ten thousand northeastern merchants within the Tong region will no longer be able to sit still, and many of them will surely want to return to the northeast. And to return to the northeast, the Yitian Pass is the only route..." With that, Duan Zhaoyue leaned close to Qi Qiongyue's ear and whispered the stratagem for taking the Yitian Pass by wiles in intricate detail.

Qi Qiongyue exclaimed happily, "What a brilliant stratagem! However, this plan must be approved by Marshal Gu before it can be realized."

Duan Zhaoyue said, "Elder Sister, I would like to make a trip to the center tent and report this stratagem to Big Brother Gu in complete detail."

Qi Qiongyue smiled and asked, "Junior Sister Zhaoyue, are you going there to claim credit?"

Duan Zhaoyue replied, "Elder Sister, Zhaoyue is already a princess; no matter how many merits I add, in the end I am still a princess. However, Zhaoyue hasn't seen Big Brother Gu in a long time, and I truly miss him..."

Qi Qiongyue said, "Junior Sister, Elder Sister was only teasing you. Tomorrow you shall take five hundred elite troops, go swiftly and return quickly! However, please also convey a message to Elder Brother Gu: tell him not to forget his senior wife."

Duan Zhaoyue said earnestly, "As for her, let her not be jealous! Zhaoyue knows how to conduct herself; I only eat my own share of the pie."

Past noon, Aheida sat atop the gate tower of the Yitian Pass, drinking alone in leisurely contentment.

Suddenly, a forward scout flew up the stairs and reported, "Reporting to the commanding general, ten li before the pass, a detachment of the Northern Expeditionary army has arrived and is currently making camp."

Aheida asked, "How many troops do they have?"

The scout reported, "Around fifty thousand or more."

Upon hearing this, Aheida reassured a trusted deputy general surnamed Wu who stood nearby, saying, "A mere fifty thousand men want to break through my Yitian Pass? They can keep dreaming!"

Deputy General Wu asked, "General, what if they use artillery fire to attack?"

Aheida answered, "Artillery is fire, but water can conquer fire! Go quickly and order the soldiers to haul water immediately, filling every single water vat, large and small, inside the city, atop the city walls, and beneath the walls to the brim."

Deputy General Wu replied, "Understood!" With that, he turned and left.

Just as Aheida raised his bowl of wine, he suddenly heard the clamor of men and the neighing of horses outside the pass. Just as Aheida was about to send someone to inquire what was happening, a gate-guarding officer flew up the tower and reported, "Reporting to the General, a group of northeastern merchants has arrived at the pass, demanding to pass through in order to return to their hometowns."

Aheida put down his wine bowl and cursed, "Damn it all, they don't want to return early or late, but choose precisely when the Southern Han people come to attack the pass! They might well be spies sent by the Southern Han! Convey my command: seal the pass gates tightly, and do not let a single person through."

The gate-guarding officer bowed and said, "Understood!" With that, he flew down the stairs.

The next day, Duan Zhaoyue, carrying the operational plan for taking the Yitian Pass tucked against her bosom and leading five hundred personal guards, bade farewell to Qi Qiongyue and headed to the center tent camped on the outskirts of Tongcheng.

On the fifth day at noon, Duan Zhaoyue returned.

Marshal Gu Yuren had approved their battle plan. At the same time, he also instructed Zhao Chaoyun to lead five hundred female soldiers of the Sini Lake Women's Battalion to come to the Yitian Pass in support.

Qi Qiongyue was an astute woman. The moment she saw Zhao Chaoyun, she stepped forward, dropped to her knees, and kowtowed three times before saying, "Senior Uncle Zhao Chaoyun, the peerless beauty, Princess of Bashu, and Military Supervisor of the Northern Expeditionary army, above! Your junior niece Qi Qiongyue, left-wing vanguard commander of the Northern Expeditionary army and second-generation disciple of the legendary swordsman Lou Sanfeng senior, pays her respects here!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chaoyun let out a soft "pfft" of laughter and said, "Get up quickly! You girl, without looking at how your belly is as thick as a massive water vat, you drop to your knees and rattle off a whole string of titles, yet you still haven't managed to make our relationship clear."

Qi Qiongyue cupped her fists and saluted, "May I ask Senior Uncle which layer of our relationship has not been made clear?"

Zhao Chaoyun said cunningly, "I am your husband's mother-in-law; shouldn't you be calling me 'Mother'? Isn't that so?"

Qi Qiongyue hurriedly cupped her fists and saluted with a smile, "Senior Aunt-Mother above, Qiong'er pays her respects!"

Zhao Chaoyun scolded playfully, "Wretched girl, that sounds truly awkward! You refuse to call me by the single word 'Mother,' and instead insist on prefixing it with two words—'Senior Aunt-Mother'! From now on, you had best continue to address me as Senior Uncle Zhao!"

Qi Qiongyue bowed with cupped hands and said, "I will strictly obey Senior Uncle Zhao's command!"

Duan Zhaoyue smiled sheepishly at Qi Qiongyue and said, "Elder Sister, there are two pieces of news—one is good news, and the other is bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?"

Qi Qiongyue replied, "Today I am seeing Senior Uncle for the first time, and I am in high spirits; let us hear the good news first!"

Duan Zhaoyue said, "Elder Sister, I learned at the center tent that the right wing led by Younger Sister Yaoyao and Little Aunt Yuru has already captured the Qingshakou Pass!"

Qi Qiongyue exclaimed happily, "Splendid!—Their right wing is truly magnificent!"

As it turned out, Old Father Liao Liang's calculations had proved extraordinarily accurate: on the very second day after Gu Yuru and the one hundred thousand reinforcements arrived at Qingshakou, the sky began to darken, gradually filling with dark clouds until finally thunder and lightning flashed, and a torrential downpour arrived right on schedule.

This violent storm continued without pause for seven days and seven nights.

Mudslides from Mount Tangzi and Mount Dahuhu rushed into the river valley of the Chuangtou River.

The waters of the Chuangtou River surged violently, and the floodwaters washed away dozens of li of the ramparts of the Qingshakou Pass. The Qingshakou Pass was submerged in the rolling floodwaters. Countless Beizhen soldiers guarding the pass were drowned or swept away by the flood.

Qi Yaoyao ordered the Northern Expeditionary army to seize the opportunity and attack the pass amidst the howling wind and torrential rain.

The Qingshakou Pass was conquered, and Ruan Yanshu, the shrewd and cunning Beizhen garrison commander, ultimately became Qi Yaoyao's prisoner.

Hearing Duan Zhaoyue's narration, Qi Qiongyue sighed and said, "The Beizhen dynasty acts against the course of nature and has exhausted all its conscience; now even the heavens themselves have grown to despise them!"

Duan Zhaoyue nodded and said, "Elder Sister, Zhaoyue shares the exact same feeling! After the Beizhen people retreated northward, the main bulk of their army gathered at Qingshakou, commanded by the seasoned Ruan Yanshu; this time when Younger Sister Yaoyao attacked Qingshakou Pass, had it not been for the help of the heavens, I imagine their right wing would have suffered heavy losses indeed."

Qi Qiongyue said, "Junior Sister, you are right! O Heavens, I, Qi Qiongyue, on behalf of my younger sister Qi Yaoyao and my little aunt Gu Yuru, offer you our thanks!" With that, she pressed her palms together and made a deep bow toward the vault of the sky.

Duan Zhaoyue continued, "That bad news is this: the Tatars have acted in bad faith, colluding with the Beizhen people, and taking advantage of our ongoing Northern Expedition to launch an offensive against our northwestern border passes."

Qi Qiongyue was struck with utter astonishment and said, "That is indeed bad news, and truly worrisome! If this is mishandled, the Northern Expeditionary war we are waging might fall short of success just as we are on the verge of victory."

Seeing Qi Qiongyue's deeply anxious expression, Zhao Chaoyun felt a pang of sympathy. She stepped forward, patted Qi Qiongyue's shoulder, and said, "Qiong girl, please do not fret too much! As the saying goes, 'Water is blocked with earth, and soldiers are met with generals'! His Majesty possesses great military genius and has already appointed Gu Yusheng as the Grand Marshal of the Second Route Army, and he is presently preparing to dispatch troops to the northwestern borders to fend off the Tatars."

Qi Qiongyue asked joyfully, "Younger Brother Yusheng has been appointed Marshal of the Second Route Army?"

Zhao Chaoyun nodded and said, "Indeed. It is said that your father Qi Wei, your mother Yin Yuanyuan, your father-in-law Gu Datong, your mother-in-law Lou Mingxuan, your younger brother-in-law Li Muwen, and your sister-in-law Jiang Hong have all become deputy commander-in-chief officers of the Second Route Army! Li Muwen has even been made the deputy vanguard commander."

Qi Qiongyue asked, "Then who is the primary vanguard commander of the Second Route Army?"

Zhao Chaoyun replied, "It is said that the court has not yet finalized the candidate for the primary vanguard commander of the Second Route Army."

Qi Qiongyue asked excitedly, "Senior Aunt-Mother, might I recommend a candidate for the primary vanguard commander of the Second Route Army to the court?"

Zhao Chaoyun said, "Of course you may! Whom do you wish to recommend? Can you share it with Senior Aunt-Mother?"

Qi Qiongyue pondered for a moment and said, "My first recommendation is General Xiao Guimu of the Pacification of the South."

Zhao Chaoyun shook her head and said, "She is a prisoner designated by the Retired Emperor; she is not suitable."

Qi Qiongyue suggested again, "My younger brother Qi Guang ranked fourth in the imperial military examination in the previous term; would he be qualified to serve as the primary vanguard commander of the Second Route Army?"

Zhao Chaoyun replied, "Qi Guang is currently the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Southern Province and concurrently the Prefect of Yongzhou; of course he would be qualified to serve as the vanguard commander of the Second Route Army! But His Majesty will never allow him to go onto the battlefield."

Qi Qiongyue asked, "Why is that?"

Zhao Chaoyun explained, "Because Yongzhou is the center of the Dali horse trade, and at present His Majesty needs Qi Guang to hold down the fort as the prefect of Yongzhou, while the commoners of Yongzhou need him even more."

Qi Qiongyue said, "So that is how it is! Then Qi Guang's wife—Senior Aunt-Mother's eldest daughter Sima Jiannan—would she not be the best candidate?"

At the very mention of the name Sima Jiannan, Zhao Chaoyun's eyes instantly welled up, and teardrops began to fall patter-patter down her cheeks.

This completely startled Qi Qiongyue, who hurriedly dropped to her knees on the ground and pleaded apologetically, "Senior Aunt-Mother, dear mother, Qiong'er knows she was wrong; I should not have mentioned the name Sima Jiannan in front of Senior Aunt-Mother."

After a long while, Zhao Chaoyun wiped away her tears and said with awkward embarrassment, "Qiong girl, Senior Aunt-Mother lost her composure just now!" Her expression remained sorrowful.

Qi Qiongyue hastily said, "It was Qiong'er's fault..."

Zhao Chaoyun calmed herself and said, "This matter has nothing to do with Qiong'er! It is simply that Senior Aunt-Mother carries a heavy burden of guilt in her heart! To tell the truth, the person Senior Aunt-Mother has wronged most in this lifetime is Nan'er; toward her, I have not been a qualified mother. Recently, she even sent me a thousand-li steed!" As she spoke, teardrops began to fall patter-patter once more.

Duan Zhaoyue stepped forward, gently massaging Zhao Chaoyun's shoulders and neck with both hands, and said, "Mother, please do not grieve so! If you truly miss Elder Sister Jiannan, why don't you submit a memorial to the Imperial Brother, asking him to issue an imperial decree to Yongzhou commanding Sima Jiannan to serve as a combat general for the left wing of the Northern Expeditionary army? Would you not be able to be with her day and night then?"

Zhao Chaoyun gave Duan Zhaoyue's backside a swift backhanded slap and scolded, "You truly are a heartless little wretch! Are you trying to comfort Mother or are you trying to provoke me?"

Duan Zhaoyue smiled brightly and said, "As long as Mother is not sad, Mother can say whatever she likes."

The next day, Qi Qiongyue and Duan Zhaoyue hosted a banquet to entertain Zhao Chaoyun, Quan Niannian, Mulan, Dai Guihua, and the other female soldiers of the Sini Lake Women's Battalion who had come to reinforce them. Quan Niannian had already returned to the women's battalion from the Qingshakou Pass.

To show her sincerity, Qi Qiongyue also ordered all military officers of the rank of captain and above in the left wing to attend as companions.

During the banquet, Qi Qiongyue looked at the generals and female soldiers drinking merrily one by one, and suddenly, a bright and beautiful pastoral scene appeared before her eyes: in the fields, a mighty and valorous husband was plowing the land; in the farm courtyard, cooking smoke curled upward as the husband's wife sat weaving...

Before long, the generals seated around the banquet tables all transformed into overlapping lotus leaves growing within the Sini Lake, while the female soldiers all turned into lotus blossoms blooming proudly above the leaves—the lotus leaves protecting the lotus blossoms!

A specific stratagem for taking the Yitian Pass by wiles took shape in Qi Qiongyue's mind: "Why not have some martial arts- proficient soldiers and female soldiers disguise themselves as married couples and mingle among the northeastern merchants to pass through the gates?"

Following the farewell to Duan Zhaoyue and Military Supervisor Zhao Chaoyun, Gu Yuren held court the very next day.

Seated in the commander's chair, he said to the messenger, "Summon Generals Xie An and Guan Yi into the tent to speak."

The messenger shouted outward, "Summon Generals Xie An and Guan Yi into the tent to speak."

The husband-and-wife duo of Xie An and Guan Yi quickly entered the tent, fell to their knees, and bowed in salute: "Xie An (Guan Yi) pays respects to the Marshal."

Gu Yuren said, "The two generals need not stand on ceremony; rise and speak."

Xie An asked, "Marshal, the two of us are currently supervising the soldiers as they tighten the siege on the city; what matter does the Marshal have to discuss by summoning us to the center tent?"

Gu Yuren replied, "Generals Xie An and Guan Yi, the battle to storm Tongcheng is about to commence. This Marshal commands the two of you to lead your native forces to set forth overnight, marching to a narrow valley midway between Tongcheng and Zhendu to lie in ambush, and intercept the rescue forces coming from Zhendu to the Tong region."

Xie An stated, "Reporting to the Marshal, this command is one that the two of us cannot accept."

Gu Yuren asked, "Why is that? Let the two of you state your reasons."

Xie An said, "Attacking Tongcheng was originally the task assigned to the two of us by you, Marshal. After we accepted the assignment and arrived at Tongcheng, just as we were preparing to storm the city, we received your order to 'surround but not attack.' We faithfully executed that order, besieging Tongcheng for three months. Now that the assault is finally to begin, the Marshal instead orders us to go intercept reinforcements! The protagonists are being turned into bit players! This command is unfair, and the two of us refuse to accept it!"

Gu Yuren smiled slightly and said, "Come closer, General Xie An, and this Marshal will explain it to you."

Xie An approached Gu Yuren with a deeply reluctant expression.

"Bring your ear closer," Gu Yuren commanded, and then whispered a few words into Xie An's ear.

Upon hearing them, Xie An was overjoyed and couldn't help blurting out, "So attacking Tongcheng was merely a fei—" He quickly clapped a hand over his own mouth.