Chapter 84 Breaking the Formation
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After a while, Wang Ba couldn’t help but speak, “What kind of formation are you talking about… What is it?”
“Marching and formations, commanders should learn how to use troops and arrange formations. Formation arrays change and adapt according to Qimen Dunjia. It’s a long story, but the current formation…”
“What?” Shitou asked.
“It’s not a military formation, just a simple Bagua formation.” He Yan answered.
She really didn’t understand why there was suddenly a formation here. There was no such thing when they went up the mountain, and Wang Xiaohan and the others didn’t encounter it either. It seemed to be prepared specifically for them, or perhaps for her, but why exactly?
“Can you… get out of it?” Jiang Jiao stared at her and asked.
“Of course.”
Now, even Huang Xiong was surprised, “You know this too?”
He Yan smiled faintly, “I have a basic understanding.”
Her “basic understanding” usually meant she was quite knowledgeable. Everyone was speechless. He Yan knew that there must be observers hidden around the mountain, watching their every move. Her words and actions at this moment were definitely being monitored. She couldn’t show any signs of “inadequacy.”
Perhaps Xiao Jue deliberately set up this formation to test her skills? After all, they had never seen a scenario where they had to both capture the flag and break the formation. It seemed that entering the Nine Banner Battalion wasn’t a simple matter. If everyone in the Nine Banner Battalion could break formations, then the camp was truly extraordinary. Xiao Jue had this elite cavalry, no wonder he was invincible in battle.
Thinking this, she said, “Follow me. Walk as I walk, but don’t make a wrong step.”
He Yan was rarely this serious, and Jiang Jiao and the others immediately became cautious, following her steps as they slowly descended the mountain.
While walking, Huang Xiong asked, “Brother He, who did you learn this from?”
He Yan laughed, “From a master.”
“I thought so,” Huang Xiong nodded, “Your master must be an exceptional master. Otherwise, how could you know everything?”
He Yan lowered her head and smiled without answering. In fact, Flying Phoenix General’s bravery on the battlefield was not rare. The world was never lacking fearless heroes. Although she was skillful, she couldn’t reach the level of being the best in the world, nor could she single-handedly fight against numerous opponents. Flying Phoenix General’s greatest strength lay in strategy and formations.
Her master was truly an exceptional master, but as a woman, she couldn’t match up to men in terms of physical strength and physique. People needed to play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses. Learning tactics and formations would give her more versatility than engaging in direct combat on the battlefield. Her master excelled in Qimen Dunjia, and she combined that knowledge with military strategy, eventually becoming the renowned Flying Phoenix General.
Generals should learn tactics and formations, but why did the people in the Nine Banner Battalion need to learn this? He Yan couldn’t figure it out, couldn’t find a clue, so she could only put it aside for now and continue walking down the mountain. She could have broken the formation right there, destroying it, but she couldn’t be sure if this formation was prepared for her. What if it was intended for someone else? If she destroyed it without reason, what would happen to those who came after?
So she led Jiang Jiao and the others out of the formation through the life gate.
This formation was simple for her, she knew it like the back of her hand. But to the observers hidden in the shadows, it was a remarkable event.
Ma Damei and Liang Ping were currently hidden in the shadows. Seeing He Yan and the group moving away, the two exchanged a glance and saw the surprise in each other’s eyes.
“He… he just left like that?” Liang Ping stuttered.
“As if it’s nothing…” Ma Damei said.
He Yan didn’t even pause to think, didn’t consider how to break the formation. Just by looking at it, she knew how to get out. An exceptional figure had emerged among the new recruits, and so far, it seemed that nothing could stop him.
This should have been a good thing – a young hero, extraordinary and outstanding. Anyone would feel lucky to have such a person under their command. However, the situation was complex now, and from what they had seen with Instructor Shen earlier, it was unclear whether this was a blessing or a curse.
The jungle was dense, and half of the sun had sunk below the mountain. He Yan and the group had also exited the formation. She stopped and looked back. The formation made of stones and dead branches was already becoming blurry and hard to see.
“Did we just walk out?” Wang Ba asked.
“Yes.”
Wang Ba became excited, “D*mn it, it looks like nothing can stop us now, right? I guess in another half an hour or so, we should be down the mountain.”
Jiang Jiao was also relieved, “It’s finally coming to an end.” He saw He Yan still looking back, so he asked, “Is something wrong?”
“No,” He Yan shook her head. She still felt that this formation was inexplicable, and there were also some peculiarities when she clashed with Lei Hou earlier. These discomforts were like tiny pebbles inside her boots, making her uneasy, unable to feel joyful, and she sensed that she had overlooked something, feeling somewhat uneasy.
“It’s getting dark. We should head down the mountain soon,” Huang Xiong suggested.
He Yan pulled herself out of her thoughts and said, “Let’s go.”
…
The sun had not yet descended beyond White Moon Mountain but had sunk into the Five Deer River, with half of its body sinking into the river. The water’s surface was dyed a brilliant crimson by the setting sun, shimmering with ripples, as if a woman’s makeup box had been opened, and pearls and jades scattered across the entire surface.
Inside the room, a pot of tea had already gone cold.
It was evening, with a gentle breeze and a distant view of the autumn scenery. Two players in the game, one had an expression of concealed anxiety while the other was calm and unruffled.
Someone walked in from outside the door and said, “The first team has descended from the mountain.”
Shen Han looked at Fei Nu, waiting for him to say the person’s name.
“It’s He Yan.”
Three words caused Shen Han’s body to lean slightly backward, and his entire being relaxed.
This result was unexpected yet also within reason. He had guessed this result early on but was somewhat doubtful. Now it was finally confirmed, leaving him feeling a bit dazed.
The black piece had settled. The young man in front of him raised his head and said lightly, “You’ve lost.”
Shen Han responded, “…. Commander, your chess skills are superior. I’m not a match.” He hadn’t won a single game all afternoon.
He also wondered how Xiao Jue could be in the mood to play chess like this.
“Commander, they’ve come down the mountain. Should we hold a reward ceremony now?”
“No need,” Xiao Jue’s lips curled slightly, “Let Du Mao take care of it. Five days from now is the Mid-Autumn Festival, we’ll hold the ceremony then.”
“Should we let He Yan join the Vanguard Camp for his achievement?” Shen Han asked hesitantly. He Yan had already secured the first place, so naturally, he should join the Vanguard Camp. However, his identity raised suspicions, and with the lines between friend and foe unclear, it might not be appropriate to agree immediately.
“No,” The youth stood up and looked out the window at the cassia tree. The cassia tree was in full bloom, its fragrance wafting in the air. As it was placed beside him, the scene was reminiscent of a jade-like gentleman, a delightful night. He said, “Let Lei Hou join the Vanguard Camp.”
…
After the trial, they had descended from the mountain and reached the garrison in half an hour.
A few torches swayed outside the training ground, everything was calm as usual, no instructors were guarding the entrance, and there was no lively celebration they had envisioned. The group exchanged looks.
“I thought there would be a celebration,” Wang Ba sounded somewhat displeased, “Why is there nothing?”
As they spoke, someone inside the training ground spotted them and walked towards them. It wasn’t until they approached that they saw it was Du Mao.
Du Mao was not as excited as he was in the morning when he sent them off. His expression was calm, and upon seeing them, he asked, “Where’s the flag?”
He Yan took out a handful of flags from her pocket. Her pocket was swollen by these things, and she handed them over to others, feeling much relieved.
Du Mao counted, “Twenty flags?”
“Correct,” Jiang Jiao was still somewhat excited and couldn’t help but ask, “Shouldn’t we be first?”
“You are first,” Du Mao nodded, collected the flags, and said to them, “Go back, take a bath and rest. Come to the training ground an hour later tomorrow morning. You’ve worked hard today.”
There was still no intention of rewarding them for their achievements. Wang Ba asked, “Is that all?”
Du Mao looked at him, “What more do you want?”
Wang Ba had no answer to that and felt somewhat aggrieved for some reason. Du Mao said, “I’ll report to the Commander first. Don’t just stand here. You’re all sweaty. Take a bath and eat something.” With that, he turned and left without paying any attention to them.
It was truly ruthless.
Looking at Du Mao’s departing figure, the group felt a chill in the evening breeze. When Du Mao was far away, Wang Ba pointed at his back and asked, “What does this mean? He’s just leaving us here without any care? Shouldn’t there be an explanation? So, we worked hard all day, and it was all for nothing?”
Huang Xiong and Jiang Jiao were also disappointed, but it was Shitou who finally spoke up. He said, “Perhaps they won’t reward us immediately. After all, some of the new recruits haven’t come down the mountain yet.”
“Right,” He Yan thought the same way, “I don’t know when the last batch of new recruits will come down the mountain. Besides, deciding the rewards will also take some time. It’s not something that can be decided immediately.”
Wang Ba gave her a sour look and said, “Of course, you don’t care. You’re almost guaranteed to join the Vanguard Camp with your achievements, so you can say that.”
“When I join the Vanguard Camp, I’ll get you a couple of jars of good alcohol,” He Yan patted his shoulder and said with great sincerity.
Wang Ba shrugged her hand off and huffed, “I don’t care how you put it. This Grandfather, I am going back now!”
They didn’t share the same room to begin with, so they parted ways at the training ground. When He Yan and Shitou returned to their room, the usually quiet space suddenly became lively.
Xiao Mai rushed up first and pounced in front of Shitou, “Brother! How did it go? How many flags did you get? What place did you rank?”
Shitou smiled slightly, something rare for him, and said, “All of them.”
The room froze for a moment before erupting into cheers. He Yan almost got lifted into the air, hearing Hong Shan exclaim in an exaggerated tone, “All of them? You guys are too daring! Ah He, you’re amazing. This time, you’re first again. I don’t think it will be long before you won’t be living in this room anymore. I heard the soldiers in the Vanguard Camp eat and sleep better than we do. Oh, I’m so jealous!”
“Shitou, Big Brother He, you have to tell us how you captured the flags!”
“Yeah, how did it go? With so many new recruits on the mountain, did you have a fight? Was it satisfying?”
“That’s right, you got all twenty flags, so you must have fought. I don’t think you guys got injured much. Can’t the others fight?”
The noise was unbearable. He Yan had to say, “Brothers, let us eat and drink first, and we’ll slowly tell you. There’s no need to rush.”
This took them deep into the night.
Outside, they heard the new recruits descending the mountain one after another. Not a single person was missing. He Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief when it was late at night and no one was around, sneaking to a place by the river where no one was present to take a bath.
The long summer had finally passed, and the river water was gradually becoming cool. Without stepping into the water, He Yan shivered involuntarily. She was somewhat worried; while it was bearable now during the summer and early autumn, she wondered about the coming winter. It would be difficult for her to join the recruits in the communal baths during the winter. She had no idea how cold the river water would be then. The coldness wasn’t the main issue; the real concern was how she would explain her decision to take a cold bath in the river instead of using hot water when the time came.
People would think she was crazy!
So, she really had to join the Nine Banner Battalion as soon as possible. Xiao Jue wasn’t lacking in funds, and he was a young master. He wouldn’t treat his trusted subordinates unfairly. It would be more convenient than the current situation.
Gradually adjusting to the cold, He Yan splashed some water on herself and wiped her body with a towel that Xiao Mai had given her.
All the new recruits had come down the mountain, and there was no news of anyone left behind. This also meant that the formation on the descent had likely been deactivated after He Yan and the others had passed. The formation was truly prepared for her. He Yan thought to herself that Xiao Jue really wanted her to join the Nine Banner Battalion and had deliberately tested her qualifications. If she passed, Xiao Jue should be satisfied with her performance, and her entry into the Nine Banner Battalion was almost assured. She would need to continue to make efforts in the future to further satisfy Xiao Jue. The better he felt about her, the closer she could become to him, even becoming indispensable.
But today, when she crossed swords with Lei Hou, He Yan felt that something was off. She had thought about it over and over again but couldn’t figure out what was wrong. At this moment, it was still the same. She could only shake her head, thinking that maybe she would find a reason in a few days to spar with him again. Perhaps that would help her figure out what the problem was.
However, he was merciless in his attacks, so she had to be cautious.
He Yan rinsed herself clean, used a cloth to dry her body, and then put on her clothes to return to her room. Since she had bumped into Xiao Jue by the Five Deer River last time, every time she bathed, she went far, far away to avoid him. Pondering over it, she was quite cautious for a new recruit.
On the second day, all the new recruits who had gone up the mountain the previous day were given an hour to rest in their tents. Cheng Lisu came to find He Yan.
Young Master Cheng brought two round pomegranates for He Yan and sat cross-legged on her bedding. “I only found out yesterday evening that you all went to compete for the flags. My uncle locked me in my room all day, and I had to copy books. If I had known, I would have come to watch.”
He leaned in closer to He Yan. “I heard that you, Big Brother, got all twenty flags. You’re the top among the new recruits from Liangzhou.”
He Yan smiled and opened the pomegranates Cheng Lisu had brought. They were large and ripe, with crimson seeds that looked like red gems. He Yan picked a few seeds to eat and replied, “It’s just luck and coincidence.”
“Big Brother, you’re good at everything. You’re just too modest!” Cheng Lisu spoke seriously, “How can you attribute it all to luck? You’re naturally talented!”
“In that case, since I’m so talented,” He Yan wanted to lead him into a conversation and smiled as she asked, “Do you think I can join the Nine Banner Battalion?”
“That’s…” Cheng Lisu swallowed the words “of course,” and it sounded forced.
Originally, this was a natural progression, and it was nothing out of the ordinary. But Cheng Lisu remembered not too long ago, when Xiao Jue had coaxed information out of him, his attitude towards He Yan didn’t seem to be one of admiration.
“I think you’ve already proven something to everyone, Big Brother. You’re undoubtedly the best in Liangzhou Garrison,” Cheng Lisu cautiously chose his words, “For ordinary people, it’s a given that you would be selected for the Nine Banner Battalion.”
He had already hinted at the answer. “For ordinary people.” But Xiao Jue wasn’t ordinary, so no one could say for sure what the outcome would be.
He Yan didn’t detect the trap in Cheng Li’s words. Perhaps she was too confident in herself. After all, she had captured all the flags in the competition, which already proved her competence. Upon reflection, she believed she had performed exceptionally well throughout the entire competition. She knew how to utilize people, set traps, and be clever. Even during her battle with Lei Hou, she hadn’t lost. She even handled Xiao Jue’s additional formation with ease. He Yan thought that even among the Nine Banner Battalion now, she would be ranked among the best.
With such abilities, how could Xiao Jue let her go?
Her heart soared at the thought, so she didn’t notice that the happier she appeared, the more uneasy Cheng Lisu seemed.
“But do you know when the rewards ceremony will take place?” He Yan asked, “There wasn’t one yesterday, and if there wasn’t one today either, it should be in the coming days. You’re always with your uncle, so you must know something.”
Cheng Lisu breathed a sigh of relief. He could answer this question. “It’s almost Mid-Autumn Festival. It’s on the night of the fifteenth day of the eighth month. That’s when the garrison will have the rewards ceremony.”
He Yan was taken aback. “Mid-Autumn Festival?”
“Yes,” Cheng Lisu sighed, “Time passes by so quickly. I feel like I haven’t been in Liangzhou for very long, and yet it’s already Mid-Autumn Festival.”
He Yan looked at him. The usually spirited young man had a rare trace of concern on his face. She asked, “Are you thinking of going home?”
That trace of worry disappeared quickly, so quickly that one would doubt if it had been there at all. Cheng Lisu huffed and waved his sleeve, his voice indignant, “How could that be? Is Liangzhou’s scenery bad, or is my uncle ugly? Why would I want to go home? I’m having too much fun here! I don’t want to go back for an arranged marriage!”
He Yan: “…”
Children at this age always longed for freedom.
Cheng Lisu turned to her and asked, “What about you, Big Brother? Do you want to go home?”
He Yan lowered her gaze. The shadow that passed by her obscured hierexpression, and her voice held a smile, tinged with a hint of hidden sadness, as she said, “It’s okay, I don’t really miss home.”
…
The next few days proceeded as usual. Discussions about the flag competition were lively among the new recruits, speculating on the kind of rewards the first place winner would receive. The training instructors, on the other hand, remained calm and tight-lipped, revealing nothing. The suspense continued to build.
The autumn moon grew fuller day by day. In the blink of an eye, four days passed, and Mid-Autumn arrived.
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