Chapter 263 Conclusion (3)
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After the Guyu season, it was not long before the start of summer.
In this season in Shuojing, there should be continuous rainfall. However, in Jiuchuan, the vast desert, the summer heat had already set in, with the sun scorching and the soldiers’ lips cracking from dryness.
The battle was exceptionally intense.
After the last victorious battle, in the past month, He Yan led the Fuyue Army to clash with the Wutuo people multiple times. The Wutuo people suffered setbacks at the hands of Marquis Wuan, gradually realizing that Marquis Wuan was not just a show-off who received titles by luck. Her ingenious tactics, bravery in battle, and even her mastery of swordsmanship reminded the Wutuo people of the legendary Flying Phoenix General from years ago.
It was the same.
After several encounters, He Yan roughly figured out the Wutuo people’s combat style and began to counterattack. She was extremely patient, not rushing to attack the city. Instead, she employed the strategy of “defend when the enemy comes, pursue when the enemy retreats; display the troops during the day, and launch a night raid on their camp.” The Wutuo people couldn’t stand this intermittent “harassment.” Over a long period, their morale was low, and they felt disheartened and exhausted, watching themselves lose to Marquis Wuan time and time again.
Today was the time for the assault on the city.
A woman clad in red armor rode a warhorse on the battlefield, with flags and drums shaking the heavens, and blades and shadows dancing. The military formation followed her commands like agile giant dragons, carrying the overwhelming killing intent, charging into the enemy’s camp.
Her sword moved relentlessly forward.
The two armies clashed across a vast area.
Xiao Mai was currently engaged in a battle with a Wutuo warrior. Although he was young and strong, his skill was inferior to Shitou’s. At this moment, he was fighting with all his might. Suddenly, he kicked the person in front of him in the knee. The man staggered, and Xiao Mai took this opportunity to swipe his neck with a blade.
The opponent fell, and he felt relieved. Before a joyful smile could appear, he was suddenly tackled to the ground. Rolling on the ground, he saw Shitou hugging him, and a black arrow pierced Shitou’s back, with only a bit of the arrow feather visible.
Shitou’s lips moved, managing to say two words, “Be careful.”
Another arrow pierced through his back.
The youth spat out a mouthful of blood, “…Go! Quickly!”
“Big brother—” Xiao Mai shouted in sorrow. On the other side, Wang Ba saw what was happening, raised his blade, and charged towards two Wutuo archers lurking in the shadows, engaging them in battle.
The usually cheerful and lively young man now had a face full of panic, with tears streaming down his face. He knelt beside Shitou, shouting, “Big brother, don’t scare me, big brother…”
Shitou struggled to look at his younger brother. Two arrows were lodged in his chest, and his strength was gradually slipping away. The battlefield was chaotic, and Xiao Mai being here was very dangerous.
“Go… Don’t stay here…” he said with difficulty, “Dangerous…”
Then, the light in his eyes went out.
Xiao Mai let out a painful cry, but unfortunately, this was the battlefield, and no one paid attention to his grief at this moment.
Death was happening anytime and anywhere.
Huang Xiong’s armor had already been hacked to pieces, and he had sustained numerous wounds on his body and face. He was already quite old, adept at dealing with ordinary thieves, but facing these fierce and cunning Wutuo people, he found it somewhat challenging.
The Wutuo man in front of him was entangled in a fight with him. Huang Xiong’s hand was slashed, blood smeared, and when he gripped the blade, a piercing pain shot through him. Even the golden blade that had accompanied him for many years felt exceptionally heavy, as if it was difficult to swing.
His exhaustion was evident to the opponent, and the Wutuo man laughed, “It’s over for this big guy!”
Due to his imposing appearance and the conspicuous golden blade, the Wutuo people paid a lot of attention to him. One of them shouted, “This blade belongs to me!”
Huang Xiong replied sternly, “Dream on.”
As he wielded the large blade, clashing with the opponent’s blade, he suddenly felt a chill behind him. A bright, snowy blade pierced through his chest from behind, making him stagger.
The Wutuo man behind him burst into laughter.
However, this laughter was cut short. The burly man, like a bear, roared and turned around abruptly, ignoring the wounds on his body. He raised the large blade in his hand and beheaded the Wutuo man behind him in an instant. The triumphant laughter came to a sudden halt as his life was taken by a gleaming stroke of the golden blade.
The armor on his body was completely pierced by the tip of the blade. He grasped the handle, pulled it out forcefully, but finally couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed.
In his hand, he still tightly held the large golden blade.
For so many years, this blade had accompanied him through trials and tribulations. It had been with him, cutting down enemies in a thousand-mile journey. Now, alone and without attachments, he faced death with only this longtime companion, and it was not considered regrettable.
However…
The robust man looked towards the sky, the Buddhist beads on his chest warm and dark. He seemed to see his mother praying tenderly in front of the Buddha altar, hoping for the safe return of her distant son. Sisters were busy preparing steaming hot meals, and his elder brother was in the courtyard inquiring about his nephew’s lessons today…
So peaceful, so comfortable.
He closed his eyes peacefully, his expression serene as never before.
The wanderer who had roamed for so long outside could finally return home now.
…
The city was breached.
With the weapons laid down, the battlefield revealed white bones. The soldiers cheered for this hard-won victory, and every survivor had a joyful smile on their face.
The leading woman was radiant, showing no signs of fatigue. She was always like this, as if she never had a weak side. Because of her presence, the morale of the Fuyue Army became stronger day by day.
The Wutuo people were defeated and fled the city. At this moment, Jiuchuan was finally reclaimed by Great Wei.
He Yan’s face still bore traces of blood that had not been wiped away. About to go and assess the results of the battle, she saw Wang Ba approaching with a solemn expression.
The smile on her lips instantly faded.
“Come and take a look,” he said.
In the continuous days of war, as people kept dying, the men from Liangzhou Garrison finally realized that this time was different from every previous one. The war made them grow rapidly, making them become reticent, resolute, and calm. Wang Ba was no longer the impulsive person he used to be; these days, he became much more composed.
He Yan followed him as they walked forward.
The soldiers who died in battle had to be buried on the spot, while those who survived checked whether they carried any tokens with them. If found, these tokens would be taken back to Shuojing and given to their families. Before going into battle, most soldiers here carried a letter, and in case of an unfortunate death, their comrades would bring back the farewell letters to their families.
He Yan saw Shitou and Huang Xiong.
She had understood a long time ago that on the battlefield, one couldn’t determine their own life and death. The moment they put on the armor, they were prepared to sacrifice their lives. Those who lived till the end were not particularly lucky; they would inevitably watch their comrades leave one by one.
First, it was Hong Shan, and now it was Shitou and Huang Xiong.
Shitou was killed by an arrow, and after the arrow was pulled out, his chest was stained red with blood. Huang Xiong died by the blade, and it was heard that he perished together with two Wutuo people. When they found him, he was still tightly gripping the blade in his hand.
He Yan half-knelt in front of the two men, carefully arranging their messy clothes cut by blades.
Xiao Mai cried silently on the side, with red eyes. He Yan still remembered the first time she saw Shitou and Xiao Mai, two brothers who grew up as hunters in the mountains. When they talked to her about their aspirations to join the army, Xiao Mai was lively and innocent, greedy and playful, while Shitou was reticent and steady, meticulous like a hair.
War changed everything.
A young soldier asked, “Lord, what about Brother Huang’s blade…”
Such a good blade would surely be coveted when used on the battlefield.
“He has no family; this blade is his family. It has accompanied him for so many years. Let it accompany him in burial,” He Yan said, looking at the man on the ground, the big brother who always got lost and wandered around, who smiled peacefully on his face. She thought that he had probably found the way home.
She stood up, grief fleeting, and said, “Summon them to my tent for a discussion about the military situation.”
With firm steps, she didn’t look back.
…
Seemingly to celebrate the victory of reclaiming Jiuchuan, the moon came out in the late night.
In the tent, the woman made the final stroke on the map, rubbed her eyes, stood up, and walked out.
She climbed up the city wall, looked into the distance, the direction outside the city, a vast expanse of yellow sand. In the far distance, the beacon fires reflected on the surface of the Changping, the desert desolate, and the white city walls here were like a lone boat in the deep sea.
A crescent moon hung in the night sky, casting a faint light.
She sat down on the ground, her stomach made a slight sound, realizing that since the end of this battle, she hadn’t eaten anything.
A dry biscuit was handed to her. He Yan was slightly stunned, and Jiang Jiao walked over from behind, sat down beside her, and said, “I know you probably haven’t eaten, so I prepared this for you.”
He Yan smiled slightly, “Thank you.”
She took a bite of the dry biscuit, the coarse grains filling her stomach, bringing a genuine sense of satisfaction.
Jiang Jiao handed her a water flask. She tilted her head and took a big sip, looking hearty. With mud and blood still on her face, she appeared particularly disheveled, but only her eyes remained as bright as stars.
Suddenly, he felt somewhat emotional.
In the Fuyue Army, everyone said that He Yan was naturally brave, a military genius, always tireless, while the men needed rest after this major battle. However, since coming off the battlefield, she had been checking the results, arranging the command for the next pursuit, and reanalyzing the enemy situation. Until now, she hadn’t changed her clothes or eaten any dry rations. Only at this moment, sitting on the deserted city wall, did she reveal a little bit of her own fatigue.
He heard He Yan’s voice, “How is Xiao Mai?”
“Not too good. Wang Ba has been with him all the time,” Jiang Jiao’s voice lowered.
Half of the brothers from Liangzhou Garrison had already left. And who would be the next to go, who could make it to the end, return to Shuojing alive, no one could say for sure.
He Yan tilted her head back and took a sip of water, her voice still calm, “He needs to come out quickly.”
The words sounded cruel, but Jiang Jiao also understood in his heart that this was the battlefield, where there was no time for sadness.
Although He Yan did not shed tears, it didn’t mean she wasn’t sad. After all, she was a woman, left alone here, watching the people around her leave one by one, she must have felt powerless.
“Brother He,” Jiang Jiao asked, “Do you miss the commander?”
His answer was silence.
After a while, He Yan lifted her head to look towards the distant city tower. In the desolate wilderness, only the silver crescent moon hung quietly in the night sky.
“No,” she slightly lifted the corners of her mouth, as if through the crescent moon before her, she saw another person.
“I know, he’s there.”
In the distance, the cawing of crows echoed, and the cold night wind made the torches sway like twinkling stars. The young female general stood up and patted the shoulder of the person beside her, “Go back early, we have a tough battle tomorrow.”
She turned and left.
…
For days, it had been raining in Jijun, washing away the mud and blood on the ground. Except for scattered weapons and corpses, one couldn’t tell that a fierce battle had just taken place here.
Inside the tent, a man dressed in coarse cloth looked at the general sitting in the tent with a shocked and angry expression, “Yan Nanguang, are you out of your mind!”
The last white robe on him finally did not escape the fate of being cut into strips. Since then, he had been shuttling through the camp of the Yan family’s army wearing ordinary commoner’s clothes. Now, the young master of the Lin family no longer had the elegant appearance of the past. For twenty four hours a day, twenty of those hours, his face was dirty, and his hands were stained with blood.
The war was getting more intense day by day, with more and more wounded soldiers and not enough army doctors. Here, he was the most powerful and reassuring presence.
But now, only Lin Shuanghe himself knew how uneasy he felt.
Yan He did not pay attention to him, just frowned and checked the results of last night’s battle. The Yan family’s army suffered a great defeat against the Wutuo people last night, killing ten thousand enemies and capturing over a thousand fine horses. It was a good thing worth celebrating.
“Yan Nanguang, did you hear what I said?” Lin Shuanghe asked anxiously.
“I heard,” Yan He responded impatiently.
“Do you know that you’re in great danger right now?” Lin Shuanghe lowered his voice. “You could lose your life!”
That day, Yan He intervened to rescue a father of two from the hands of the Wutuo people, only to be wounded by a sneak attack from the Wutuo people. Though the wound wasn’t fatal, it pierced his arm. However, the attacker had clearly aimed for him, as the arrow was coated with poison.
Lin Shuanghe couldn’t detoxify that poison.
On the battlefield, there were no herbs to slowly concoct an antidote for him.
The poison spread day by day. If the antidote was not found soon, Yan He would die. But he had been fighting for several days, and the poison in the wound was spreading faster and deeper, making Lin Shuanghe anxious. If Yan He could temporarily put aside the war, the poison might spread more slowly, and perhaps he could hold on longer. But now, continuing like this, perhaps… he wouldn’t even wait to return to Shuojing.
“Have you already developed the antidote?” Yan He asked, frowning.
Lin Shuanghe was taken aback for a moment and replied dejectedly, “No.”
“Since we’re going to die, why bother so much.” Yan He said indifferently.
He seemed to care not at all, as if he was talking about someone else’s life. He didn’t even worry about it. Lin Shuanghe asked, “Are you really going to continue like this?”
“Lin Shuanghe, this is the battlefield.” Yan He’s voice was solemn. “We have had continuous good news recently, and the morale of the Wutuo people is greatly damaged. If we continue, we can soon take back Jijun. At this time, we must strike while the iron is hot. If we don’t seize the opportunity when the morale is at its peak, it will be difficult to wait for such an opportunity in the future. On the battlefield, there is no time to stop.”
Lin Shuanghe closed his eyes.
He knew that everything Yan He said was right, all of it was the truth. But as a healer, he understood more clearly that if they continued like this, there might still be a glimmer of hope, which would turn into complete impossibility.
“Do you know…” he spoke with difficulty, “if you continue like this without resting, at most… three months.”
“Three months,” Yan He said, “then within three months, we will finish this battle.”
Until now, what he had been thinking about was still the outcome of this battle. Lin Shuanghe couldn’t help but say, “Even if you don’t care about yourself, don’t you want to think about Chengxiu? Yan Nanguang, your child is still waiting for you to go home!”
Yan He’s fingers trembled slightly, but his face remained ordinary. As if nothing had happened, he said, “Since you know, hurry up and develop the antidote for me. Otherwise, what’s the use of you being here? Since you are a divine doctor, can’t you heal men as well as women?”
If it were an ordinary situation, Lin Shuanghe would have definitely stepped forward to argue against such questioning of his medical skills. However, at this moment, he just looked at Yan He and suddenly understood that even if this person in front of him knew he had only one day left to live, he would still use this last day to be a good commander.
On the battlefield, he was not Xia Chengxiu’s husband or Yan Muxia’s Father; he was the leader of the Yan family’s army, a general of Great Wei, and nothing more.
“I understand,” Lin Shuanghe looked deeply at him. “I will do my best.”
He turned and walked out. In front of the table, Yan He raised his eyes, looking at Lin Shuanghe’s departing figure. Suddenly, he spat out a clot of dark blood.
The poison not only consumed his life but also caused him intense and agonizing suffering. However, this suffering could not be revealed in front of others. The Yan family’s army needed a backbone, and until they won this battle, he must never fall.
Yan He casually grabbed a piece of cloth and wiped away the bloodstains from the corner of his lips, dispelling the painful expression. His gaze refocused on the military defense map in front of him.
Three months…
He must resolve the situation swiftly.
…
In the academy, on the emerald green lotus leaves in the pond, pink buds began to emerge. Dragonflies skimmed over the water, and their glass-like wings created faint ripples.
After the beginning of summer, daylight grew longer, and the wind carried the warm scent of sunlight.
In the afternoon, the sunlight in the academy was just right, and the youths were sitting, dozing off. Beautiful moments always seemed exceptionally long.
Someone ran in from outside, filled with joy and excitement, jumped onto a table in one breath, and exclaimed, “Good news, good news! Marquis Wuan, Lord He, leading the Fuyue army, has recaptured Jiuchuan and defeated the Wutuo thieves—”
Originally a dull afternoon, was suddenly awakened by this news.
“Really? Jiuchuan has been recaptured so quickly?”
“It’s true. It’s spreading outside! I just came back from outside.”
“Marquis Wuan is really formidable. The four generals divided their forces, and unexpectedly, the Fuyue army led by a woman took the city first.”
“So what if it’s a woman? The former leader of the Fuyue army, Flying Phoenix General, was also a woman, right? I think Marquis Wuan is also a heroine. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is bestowed a high title by the emperor when she returns to the capital. In the future, she might become Marquis Wuan!”
In a corner of the academy, a youth sitting there had a confused look, still somewhat incredulous at this news.
He Yan was victorious? Jiuchuan had already been recaptured?
While he was thinking, a group of people gathered around.
“He Yunsheng, your sister is amazing. She has achieved so much so quickly! I think your He family will surely rise to prominence.”
“Hey, Brother He, Brother He, from today onwards, we are good brothers. As long as you get rich in the future, don’t forget to support your little brother here.”
“Ugh! All of you, just a moment ago, you were gossiping behind Lord He’s back, saying that she only benefited from Commander Xiao’s glory, and had no real ability. Now, it seems like you’ve all been slapped in the face! Lord He has proven herself by achieving victory in Jiuchuan faster than General Yan, Commander Xiao, and General Huwei. Clearly, she has real skills.”
“Yes, real skills. I was blind and couldn’t recognize Mount Tai. Brother Yunsheng, Brother Yunsheng…”
He Yunsheng was surrounded, but the enthusiastic compliments from his classmates didn’t overwhelm his mind. In his heart, there was only one thought: He Yan had won, and she was safe…
The young man slightly tilted his head, and a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth. In his heart, he thought, she kept her promise this time.
…
In the courtyard of the Xiao residence, the pomegranate tree provided the best shade in the summer.
The yellow dog laid lazily under the tree, squinting his eyes. Qingmei added water to its trough and wiped the sweat from her forehead. As she was about to return to the house, a shadow suddenly jumped in from outside, and a cheerful voice exclaimed, “Sister Qingmei, Sister Qingmei!”
Startled, Qingmei quickly reached out to support Baiguo, “What’s the matter? Why are you so happy?”
“I just went outside and heard people saying that Second Madam won a battle and led the Fuyue army to recapture Jiuchuan! Sister Qingmei, Second Madam has made great contributions!”
Second Fur also got infected by Baiguo’s excitement, jumping up and spinning around her.
Bai Rongwei, supported by a maid, walked over with a pleasantly surprised voice, “Really?”
“It’s true,” Baiguo happily said, “People are saying that Second Madam is amazing. Although it’s her first time leading the troops alone, she won the battle so quickly and recaptured Jiuchuan. I heard that when Second Madam returns, the emperor will surely reward her heavily! In our house, there might be another general!”
Bai Rongwei couldn’t help but smile at her words, “You really know how to talk.” She shook her head and said with a smile, “Accolades and rewards are not important. As long as Ah He is safe and sound, everyone will be happy.”
Her belly had gradually bulged, but with the ongoing border conflict, Xiao Rubi was busy every day. When Bai Rongwei was alone, she couldn’t help but worry about Xiao Jue and He Yan. If they were together, they could take care of each other, but unfortunately, they were in opposite directions. Xiao Jue was frequently on the battlefield, and the Nanfu Army was originally trained by Xiao Zhongwu. On the other hand, He Yan was different. It was her first time leading the troops, and not everyone in the Fuyue army might readily accept her. Being a woman, there were many inconveniences. Bai Rongwei was deeply concerned, and now, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief for the time being.
“I think Uncle He will be back soon too,” Bai Rongwei smiled. “If he knew that Ah He had won the battle, he would definitely be very happy.”
Since He Yan and Xiao Jue left the capital, Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing seemed to visit the He family more often. Firstly, the house Xiao Jue bought for them was conveniently close to the He family, just a street away, making it easy for them to come and go. Secondly, Bai Rongwei thought that if she, as a sister-in-law, was so worried, then He Sui, as the father, must be even more anxious all the time. Moreover, He Yunsheng, being a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young man, might not be as considerate as his daughter. Since Xiao Zhongwu and his wife passed away early, He Sui was not only He Yan’s father but also theirs. Therefore, the couple often went to talk to He Sui, accompany him, and relieve his boredom. This relationship with their in-laws seemed more harmonious than other families in Shuojing City.
“The eldest young master will be back soon too,” Baiguo chirped. “Madam, since it’s a happy occasion today, I’ll go to the small kitchen and have them make some good dishes. Let’s consider it a celebration!”
“Sure,” Bai Rongwei smiled. “Qingmei, you should also go to the He residence. Invite Uncle He and Yunsheng to join us for dinner tonight.”
Upon hearing this, Qingmei revealed a big smile, “Alright, I’ll go now.”
…
In the palace, in the study, Emperor Zhaokang looked at the documents in front of him, unable to hide his contentment.
Since ascending the throne, this was probably the most joyous event.
An eunuch, seeing the joyful expression on the emperor’s face, said with insight, “Empress Dowager came over this morning, but Your Majesty was busy with state affairs. Now it’s already late.”
Emperor Zhaokang stood up and said, “I’ll go see Royal Mother.”
In Qinglan Palace, Noble Noble Lan, who was now the Empress Dowager, was leaning against a soft couch reading a book. Although she was now the Empress Dowager, she had not moved out of the palace and continued her usual activities.
“Royal Mother,” Emperor Zhaokang approached and called her.
The Empress Dowager put down the book, looked at the person in front of her, and smiled slightly, “Your Majesty seems to be in a good mood today. Is it because of the victory in Jiuchuan?”
Emperor Zhaokang, in front of his mother, finally showed a genuine smile, saying, “Of course. I didn’t expect Marquis Wuan to be so valiant, taking the city even before Yan He and Xiao Huaijin!”
Although he had delegated military power to He Yan, most of it was based on his trust in Xiao Jue. Regarding He Yan’s abilities, he had only heard about it and didn’t know how capable she was in leading troops. Now, the news of her victory finally allowed him to relax. This woman surpassed his imagination.
“It seems that His Majesty underestimated her before, and did not believe that Marquis Wuan could truly excel on the battlefield,” the Empress Dowager remarked knowingly.
Emperor Zhaokang felt somewhat embarrassed. “I just didn’t expect that there would be a second woman like Flying Phoenix General in the world.”
The former “Flying Phoenix General” was already one in a million, and the loss of such a talent was regrettable. And now, another lucky general has emerged. Who can deny that this is a blessing bestowed upon Great Wei by the heavens?
“I have always told you,” the Empress Dowager said softly, “not to underestimate women. There are countless women in Great Wei, and there may be a third and fourth Flying Phoenix General General among them.”
“Royal Mother’s teachings are correct.”
“Marquis Wuan is a person with a pure and honest heart. Such a virtuous minister is rare. Now that you have encountered her, you must recruit her properly. With her successful recapture of Jiuchuan, and with no background in the He family, Your Majesty should think about how to reward Marquis Wuan properly.”
Emperor Zhaokang smiled, “You don’t need to worry about this, Royal Mother. I’ve already figured it out. When she returns to the court, I will bestow upon her the title of a true military general. From then on, her name will be recorded in the history of Great Wei.”
Just like the former Flying Phoenix General.
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