Chen Sanshi led his men away. After traveling another 50 li, he finally stopped at a fork along a deserted official road.
"Xu—"
The name slipped out before he caught himself. He paused, slightly awkward, then corrected, "Bring me the map."
"Who has the map? Hurry!"
Zhao Kang and the others rummaged through their packs but found nothing for a long while.
"My Lord, I have one."
Xia Cong, who had prepared in advance, quickly stepped forward and respectfully spread the map before him. "My Lord, I have a humble suggestion, though I'm unsure if it's appropriate to speak."
He had noticed along the way that the General had nearly called out "Lord Xu" — clearly referring to the late Mister Wolong, Xu Wencai. That single slip showed that Chen Sanshi lacked a true strategist at his side. Xia Cong intended to fill that gap, to prove himself useful, and perhaps earn a place as one of the General's trusted confidants.
Without lifting his head, Chen Sanshi replied, "Speak freely."
"Thank you, my Lord!"
Xia Cong bowed deeply. "In my opinion, even if the captives are released, trying to persuade the enemy to surrender directly won't work. We must first fight, then talk. Strength before courtesy. We need to take down a city as an example — use action to set the tone."
"Hmm. The idea's sound," Chen Sanshi said, glancing at him briefly. "Go on."
Encouraged, Xia Cong brightened and quickly voiced the plan he had long rehearsed in his mind. "Inside Zhaotong Prefecture, there are still 8,000 defenders. Of those, 2,000 are local garrison troops, and 6,000 are elite reinforcements from other regions. With the support of civilians, a direct attack on Zhaotong would be impossible.
"So I suggest we strike Songlin Prefecture first. It's near Zhaotong, and its defenders are few. The city has already been under siege for a long time. If we launch a sudden assault with our 3,000 Black-Armored Troops, there's a good chance we can take it by force. Once Songlin falls, the shock will shake Zhaotong's morale. Then persuasion may actually work."
"No," Chen Sanshi said firmly. "That's far from enough.
"Even setting aside the cost, we don't have the time. Do you know why we must take Zhaotong within two months?"
"Other than gathering forces to attack Yongle Prefecture…" Xia Cong thought for a moment, furrowing his brow. "It's because two months from now, Qing's reinforcements will likely arrive — at least 50,000 strong, even by conservative estimates. The best place to block them would be twenty li outside Green Ridge Mountain, where we could set up camp.
"But to do that, we'd have to go around Zhaotong. If we don't take it first, that city remains a dagger pointed at our backs, waiting for a chance to strike."
He frowned deeply as he continued, "That means our situation isn't as optimistic as it looks. If Qing's reinforcements reach Green Ridge Mountain and we can't spare enough troops to stop them, we may have to abandon our siege of Yongle and fall back to defend another city.
"In that case, what was once our siege would turn into a prolonged stalemate.
"What had been a dead end for Qing in Laizhou would suddenly come back to life.
"And if, on top of that, Southern Xu Kingdom sends reinforcements beyond Hulao Pass, then everything we've achieved in Laizhou — all of it — might go to waste. Recovering the three provinces would become nothing more than a fantasy."
Beside him, the other two Black-Armored Thousand-Commanders, Xiao Zheng and You Jike, both looked grim.
"At least you're all still thinking clearly," Chen Sanshi said. "That's why what we're doing now is a race against time. Time is the key to victory. The faster we deal with each city's troops, the faster we can gather our scattered forces across Great Sheng's territory — and the better prepared we'll be for whatever changes lie ahead.
"The fastest way to take a city is to make them open the gates themselves. Once you start fighting, even the smallest city will cost you lives and weeks of effort. Across a thousand-li front, there are countless fortresses — if you add that time together, it's a price we can't afford.
"One Songlin isn't enough. One Zhaotong isn't enough either.
"What I want," he said, raising his voice, "is for all thirty-six prefectures of Laizhou — aside from Yongle — to surrender without a fight!"
Thirty-six prefectures, all surrendering without resistance!
Xia Cong and the others looked at one another, speechless.
Even though the military order only required them to deal with Zhaotong, Chen Sanshi clearly aimed much higher.
Xiao Zheng frowned. "My Lord, forgive me, but isn't that goal… too ambitious?"
"Yes, my Lord," You Jike added hesitantly. "Convincing even one or two major cities to surrender is already difficult enough. But to make thirty-six prefectures all yield without a fight — that's almost impossible."
"Bah! What's so hard about that?" snorted Zhu Tong, folding his arms. "Even I get it — you just do this first, then that, and it's done!"
"Old Zhu, stop running your mouth."
Zhuang Yi dragged him back down. "Just listen to the General. You don't know a damn thing."
The veterans from Poyang didn't seem surprised, though. To them, anything their General said sounded achievable. They had seen him turn impossible into possible before.
"You Jike, there's one thing you're wrong about," Chen Sanshi said without looking up from the map. "Sometimes, making a whole province surrender is easier than persuading one or two individual cities.
"That's because of one word — momentum."
He paused for a beat, his tone steady and commanding. "Some say war is deception. Others say war is the way of kings. Some believe victory belongs to those who secure an unassailable position before the fight begins — a path of steady caution.
"But I say…"
Each word he spoke next rang like a great bronze bell:
"War… is momentum!"
"Momentum?" Xia Cong echoed, dazed.
They all bowed together, fists clasped. "Please enlighten us, my Lord!"
"All under Heaven is governed by that single word — momentum," Chen Sanshi said slowly. He had fought countless battles since joining the army, and his understanding ran deep. "In siege warfare, there's the momentum of men unafraid of death. In defense, there's the momentum of those willing to die before yielding. In charging through the enemy, there's the momentum of blood and resolve. In decisive victory, there's the momentum of the unstoppable tide.
"Likewise, in defeat, there's the momentum of collapse — a single rout that spreads a thousand li.
"Even surrender carries its own momentum — a wave of despair so complete that all resistance dies.
"Once that momentum is built, the enemy becomes like stray dogs, broken roosters. They won't even think of fighting anymore. The only thought left in their minds will be surrender.
"Our task," he said, his voice low but firm, "is to create that momentum — the momentum of surrender."
"War," Chen Sanshi declared, "is momentum!"
Xia Cong looked puzzled. "My Lord, how do we create such momentum?"
"There are five steps in total," Chen Sanshi said calmly. "The first step, I call 'leave a gap when surrounding the enemy.'"
He gave his order firmly. "Pass my command: aside from Yongle Prefecture, all units are to cease siege operations immediately. Each garrison must leave one small path open so the enemy scouts can pass through and exchange intelligence freely."
"Xia Cong," he continued, "write this exactly as I said. Then use the gyrfalcon to deliver the orders to every division."
This time, he used the gyrfalcon left by his fourth senior brother.
"Now for the second step—come with me!"
"Hyah!"
The horses thundered forward.
Before long, the group reached the nearest city holding the captured soldiers.
The officers and formation grunts were imprisoned separately. Those officers who had reached the tempering organs stage or higher were restrained with black-iron hooks and chains, piercing through their shoulder bones to prevent rebellion.
But for the ordinary formation soldiers, such measures were unnecessary.
Once stripped of armor and weapons, and separated from their units, they were nothing but a disorganized crowd—no different from ordinary unarmed civilians.
Chen Sanshi reined in his horse at the city gate and raised his command token high. "Who's in charge of the prisoners here?" he shouted.
"General Chen!"
A lieutenant general hurried out of the city, bowing deeply. "This subordinate is Zhu Qi, responsible for guarding the surrendered troops. What are your orders, my Lord?"
"Map," Chen Sanshi said lightly.
Xia Cong immediately unfolded one before him.
"Brush and ink?" Chen added.
"My fault, my Lord! From now on, I'll always have ink and brushes ready!" Xia Cong dashed off to prepare them, then handed over a brush freshly dipped in ink.
Chen Sanshi took it and drew a series of black lines across the map. "Lieutenant Zhu, when you release the surrendered soldiers, escort them strictly along this route. Give them dry rations. Make sure it's noisy—let everyone see."
Zhu Qi stared at the dark lines. "This route… isn't this just parading them around in public? I see—General Chen, you mean to let everyone witness the release of these prisoners, to shake the morale of every other defending city!"
"Exactly," Chen Sanshi nodded. "Also, pick two thousand loud-voiced prisoners and keep them here. Don't release them yet—they'll serve another purpose."
"Loud-voiced?" Zhu Qi was confused but didn't question it. "Understood, my Lord. I'll follow your orders exactly and ensure there's no mistake."
"If there is," Chen said coldly, "you'll lose your head."
"Yes, my Lord!"
Zhu Qi bowed and rushed off to execute the command.
Chen Sanshi remained seated on his horse, his gaze fixed forward. "Next," he said, "comes the third step."
——
Zhaotong Prefecture, outside the city walls.
Cui Congyi held the latest command letter for a long time before saying a word.
"General Cui," Sha Wenlong asked, "did that man named Chen send us another order?"
Both men were camp commanders, yet now they were reduced to waiting for instructions from a lieutenant general.
"Yes," Cui said evenly. "He orders us to stop the siege. Each day, we are to send a written letter of persuasion to surrender, and to shout those words day and night without rest. Meanwhile, the surrounding troops must form a ring with one side open—letting Zhaotong's scouts move freely in and out to exchange information."
"Absurd!" Sha Wenlong snapped. "A siege's entire purpose is pressure—suffocating, crushing pressure. The best way to break their spirit is to cut off all communication. If we let their scouts out, aren't we giving them hope?"
He wasn't wrong. With only a few black hawks to deliver messages, information flow was limited. In most cities, intelligence still depended on human scouts.
To lock all scouts inside a city meant cutting off their sight from the outside world. Other than hearing rumors about Yongle Prefecture, they would be left in total darkness—unsure of what was happening anywhere else.
But once you allowed scouts to leave, the cities could share updates and support one another. That connection would make them believe they could still endure, strengthening their resolve.
"This will only make the siege harder! What kind of nonsense command is this? And isn't there a risk that some might actually escape for real?"
Then Sha Wenlong's eyes lit up. "Wait, I've got an idea. What if we 'accidentally' let some escape—just a few, to keep losses small—and then report that it was Chen Sanshi's mistake? We could accuse him of failed command and have his head chopped off!"
"You're overthinking it."
Cui Congyi sneered. "Chen Sanshi's orders were clear. We're to control the size of the gap—only scouts may leave, not soldiers. If even one person manages to escape the siege through that opening, he said he'd take our heads first."
"He dares?"
"He absolutely does. The Grand Commander Meng Quji gave him a command token. If you defy him, he can behead you on the spot, and no one could lift a finger against him."
Cui tossed the letter aside. "General Sha, this task is yours."
"Disgusting," Sha Wenlong muttered, but he had no choice but to obey.
Cao Fan, who had been silently reading over the orders, spoke thoughtfully. "Whatever Chen Sanshi's plan is, if he can actually make Deng Feng open the gates and surrender, it would be worth it. Forget what my father and the Fragrant Fire God Sect demand of us. For all of Laizhou, this would be a huge victory.
"First, Zhaotong's position is crucial—it affects every front that follows. Second, Deng Feng is a famous man. He's called 'Deng the Blue Sky', and others call him 'Third Master Deng, Righteous to the Bone.' If someone like him surrendered, countless cities would surely follow."
He paused, frowning. "But how will he do it? Nearly seven days have passed, and we haven't seen a trace of him. Two months… that might not be enough."
Ever since Cao Fan gave up competing for the position of chief disciple, he found his resentment toward Chen Sanshi fading. In its place grew admiration. Yet now, faced with this baffling situation, he couldn't help but wonder—what exactly was Chen Sanshi planning?
"Just do as he said for now."
Cui Congyi's voice was restrained. "If it doesn't work and we lose the advantage, any consequences won't fall on us anyway. It's less than two months—we can afford to wait."
"General Cui,"
Yunxiaozi, dressed in the armor of Great Sheng and disguised as an officer, stepped out and said, "Dragging things out like this isn't a solution. We must take this city!"
"Don't worry, Daoist," Cui Congyi replied. "Even if we fail to seize it, the Crown Prince's orders will still be carried out properly. Nothing important will be delayed."
"I was only reminding you," Yunxiaozi said calmly. "And the place where victory or defeat will be decided—it's best not to let it happen within the capital."
"That's hard to say," Cui Congyi frowned. "From how things look now, reclaiming the three provinces is far from certain. If this plan doesn't work, we'll find another time and place."
"Very well," Yunxiaozi sighed softly and withdrew quietly.
——
Zhaotong Prefecture, inside the city.
After more than forty days of brutal fighting, the city walls were already torn and battered. Corpses piled high. The soldiers and conscripted laborers were ragged and exhausted, their eyes dull from sleepless nights.
But on this day, everything suddenly stopped.
The enemy outside the walls fell silent. Only two or three riders circled below, shouting for surrender. Occasionally, an arrow flew up to the battlements—but each one carried a letter urging them to yield.
"People of Qing inside the city, hear me!"
"Open your gates and surrender now, and you will be spared!"
"If you refuse, once the city falls, none of you will live!"
"Why cling to death?"
"You will never see your reinforcements arrive!"
The defenders and laborers on the wall, taking advantage of the ceasefire to patch fortifications, exchanged uneasy looks.
"General!"
A Qing officer reported breathlessly, "The Sheng troops have all pulled back to their camps. Their flags are down—they look like they've halted the siege for now. Also, our scouts finally broke through the encirclement. They'll soon return with news from nearby cities! Doesn't that mean the enemy has relaxed? Should we seize the chance and attempt a breakout?"
"No."
The commander of Zhaotong Prefecture, Deng Feng, who had reached the Profound Manifestation (Perfected) realm, was personally hauling rocks for defense. He said evenly, "This 'encirclement with one side open' tactic is most likely a trap. There's definitely an ambush outside. Continue holding the city."
"Third Master, how long can we hold?"
"Yeah, how much longer can we keep this up?"
"They say Yongle Prefecture is surrounded too. Is Laizhou doomed?"
"Sigh, it's already the first month of the year. We've been away from home for months now, and not a single letter has gotten through."
"Yeah… not even one."
The soldiers grumbled, voices weary and full of despair.
Inside the city, the civilians suffered even worse.
Compared to the soldiers, the daily death toll among the common folk was higher by far.
"My Lord…"
"Please, tell us honestly—how long will this last?"
"Yeah, when will the enemy retreat?"
"My father's body fell from the wall days ago. We still haven't been able to retrieve it…"
"Bang!"
Deng Feng suddenly threw the massive stone in his arms down with a thunderous crash. His voice was sharp and full of power.
"You ask me how long we must hold?"
"Then hear this—at least sixty days more!"
"If you truly can't endure, then go—open the gates and surrender!"
He paused deliberately, then barked out, "As long as you actually believe what the Sheng people say!"
That silenced everyone.
Right—could they really trust Sheng's promises?
Rumor had it that when Sheng's army took the Leishan Prefecture region, they'd said the same thing: "Surrender and live." But what happened afterward was known to all. The five prefectures of that land had turned into a human hellscape.
"It seems you're not all fools," Deng Feng said coldly.
He climbed to the top of the wall, his voice amplified by his surging qi and blood, booming across the whole city. "Now think again—why would the Sheng army, after besieging us for over a month, suddenly stop attacking?
"Because they've realized they can't take the city!
"They've lost confidence!
"These letters urging surrender aren't meant to shake us—they're proof that they're about to break!"
"The General's right!"
The soldiers' spirits lifted instantly.
"They stopped attacking because they're scared!"
"No wonder they were acting crazy before and suddenly quieted down."
"We can't fall for their trick. If we open the gates, those Sheng dogs will slaughter us all in revenge!"
"Exactly! Even if they spare the civilians, they'll never spare us soldiers!"
"If we surrender, we'll end up as slaves—or beasts to be tortured for sport!"
"I heard there's a female general from Sheng named Rong Yanqiu. They say she kills a dozen people every day just to sleep well at night!"
"And even if you're lucky enough to be absorbed into their army, you'll get the worst food, the worst medicine, and be sent to die first in every battle!"
"Not to mention, you'll be torn from your family forever!"
"Brothers! Fathers! Folks of Zhaotong!"
Deng Feng's voice, powered by his qi, thundered for miles around. "Do not fear! The city still has ample grain and supplies. Our troops may be fewer, but we have over one hundred thousand civilians within these walls!
"Outside, Cui Congyi and Sha Wenlong are nothing but petty curs!
"As long as our two hundred thousand souls stand together, what can their mere thirty thousand do to us?!
"And there's even better news!
"In no more than two months, His Majesty the Emperor of Qing will personally lead his armies here!
"When that day comes, Zhaotong Prefecture will not only survive but will earn great merit!
"All soldiers and civilians defending this city will be heavily rewarded!"
"Three years tax exemption—no, five years!"
"I, Deng Feng, swear this to all of you—once this battle is over, the entire Zhaotong Prefecture will be exempt from paying taxes for five years!"
"Also, send the order—open the granaries! For the next two months, everyone will have all the white rice and steamed buns they can eat!"
Five years.
What did five years of tax exemption mean?
It meant that for the next five years, the common folk could finally eat their fill, maybe even save a little. No more borrowing at high interest just to buy seeds every spring. No more starving through the winter, praying for a good harvest.
After that one speech, the morale of over one hundred thousand people ignited anew.
One promise—hold out, and not only live, but live tax-free!
The alternative? Open the gates and surrender—certain death.
The people's spirits soared higher than ever. They worked faster, reinforcing the walls and repairing every section that had been damaged in battle.
But that afternoon, something unexpected happened.
A Qing soldier on the wall squinted into the distance, pointing at the open plain. "Look over there! The ones in red—aren't those our own brothers from the Great Qing?"
Every nation's soldiers had different armor and underclothes.
Qing troops wore outer lamellar armor, and beneath it, a distinct bright red lining—easy to recognize even from afar.
"Reinforcements? Are those reinforcements?!" someone shouted excitedly.
"No, wait!"
"Look carefully!"
"The Sheng soldiers aren't attacking them!"
"And—look, they're not even wearing armor! No weapons in their hands!"
"Damn it, those are our captured soldiers—the ones who surrendered to the Sheng dogs!"
"What the hell? Why would captives be here?!"
The commotion reached Deng Feng, who immediately climbed the wall himself and ordered an investigation.
Just then, one of the scouts they had sent out earlier came racing back.
"Report!"
"General! Those outside are our brothers!"
Deng Feng's voice was sharp. "Did they betray us?!"
"No, General!" The scout dropped to his knees. "According to what we've heard… the Sheng army is releasing their prisoners."
"Releasing them?" Deng Feng frowned. "Where are they releasing them to?"
The scout stammered nervously. "Th-they're sending them… back into Qing territory."
"Bullshit!"
Deng Feng grabbed him by the collar. "Say that again!"
"It's true, General!" the scout insisted, trembling. "They say the Sheng army is releasing twenty thousand captured soldiers, all being sent back through the Ghost Gate Gorge into our lands! Not only that—they're giving them rations! Those who can't walk are being provided donkey carts!"
'Ridiculous!'
'That's madness! Why fight a war just to send the enemy back home?'
Deng Feng didn't voice his thoughts but kept pressing, his eyes narrowing. "Who gave the order?"
Before the scout could answer, Deng Feng noticed the shifting looks of the soldiers around him.
A venomous strategy.
He understood immediately—it was a ploy meant to shake their morale.
If it were Meng Quji, he'd have turned those prisoners into living shields or forced them to charge to their deaths. But releasing them all? That was beyond logic. And the Ghost Gate Gorge—that treacherous place—how had they even come up with that?
The scout's voice shook as he replied, "They say… it was Chen Sanshi."
"Chen Sanshi?"
Deng Feng's eyes hardened instantly.
Of course, he knew that name.
The Great Qing had suffered greatly because of that man.
Two years ago, he'd ferried civilians across the river and gained fame throughout the realm. Even Qing's own people couldn't stop praising him—calling him a rare hero, a living symbol of justice.
And then came his victories—the one at Mingzhou, the legendary Four Crossings of the Hongze River—known across every nation. His tactics left the Great Qing cornered, trapped between advance and retreat, and now they were on the verge of losing all of Laizhou.
Even Southern Xu and the northern barbarians had studied his maneuvers.
And now he had come to Laizhou—striking first with such a sinister ploy!
"Fake!" Deng Feng shouted, reacting instantly. "It's all a trick! They're impersonating our men to confuse us. Red clothing is easy enough to fake! They're using deception to break our spirit!"
"General is right!"
The officers echoed in agreement.
"The Sheng are the most deceitful people alive!"
"Even back when we traded goods with them, they were always cheating us!"
"But didn't someone just say it was Chen San—"
"Silence!" Deng Feng's roar cut through their words. "Have you forgotten what I told you? They're desperate! That's why they're pulling petty tricks like this. Hold out for just two more months—no, even less than that!"
He turned to one of his captains. "Send another team. Get word to every other city—warn them not to fall for this deception!"
"Yes, General!"
——
Yongle Prefecture.
A sharp cry pierced the sky.
"Caw—!"
A black hawk dove down from the clouds, wings cutting through the air like blades, before gliding into the city.
These trained messenger beasts could not only locate targets with precision but also evade enemy arrows in midair—almost impossible to shoot down.
Prince Tang, Li Gong, stood at the gate of his command mansion. He raised his arm, letting the hawk land gracefully upon it, then unfastened the scroll tied to its leg.
As he read, his face broke into a grin.
"Your Highness," one of his officers said eagerly, "is there good news?"
"The Emperor is coming!" Li Gong handed over the scroll for all to see. "His Majesty is personally leading seventy thousand troops, advancing toward Green Ridge Mountain. In about fifty days, they'll arrive there. And in eighty days, the one hundred thousand soldiers from the Southern Xu Kingdom will reach Hulao Pass!"
"Excellent!"
The deputy general and several officers immediately brightened. "Once the seventy thousand troops arrive, the Sheng army will be forced to abandon their gradual encirclement and regroup. The siege of Yongle will finally be lifted!"
"There's still one critical point," Li Gong said seriously. "Send word to Deng Feng—tell him he must hold Zhaotong Prefecture and set an example for the other cities. As long as we preserve enough troops before His Majesty arrives, we'll be able to face the Sheng army ourselves. We won't need the Southern Xu Kingdom to cross our borders."
The Southern Xu Kingdom's promise to send reinforcements had two motives.
On one hand, they feared for their own safety—'if the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.' On the other, they clearly sought profit from the chaos.
"Rest assured, Your Highness," said one of the generals. "Deng Feng is loyal and brave. He won't fail us."
"Good."
Li Gong changed the subject. "Did you finish checking Chen Sanshi's background?"
"Yes, Your Highness," the deputy replied, handing him a dossier. "That's why I came. His fame over the last two years has made it easy to trace his history. There's nothing extraordinary—just a poor genius who rose from hardship."
Li Gong glanced at the document. "Gu Xinlan—that's his wife?"
"Your Highness wants to investigate his family?"
"It's not me. His Majesty ordered it. I've no time for such trivial matters."
Li Gong read aloud, "Gu Xinlan, born of low status, purchased by Chen Sanshi's father as a child bride. That's it? Nothing else? No record of the year, location, or reason for her lowborn registration?"
"None."
The deputy general looked embarrassed. "Your Highness, with the enemy at our gates, we can't verify every detail. Most of this came from information gathered back when he crossed the Hongze River the fourth time."
"I see."
Li Gong fell silent, lost in thought, wondering why the Emperor himself would take interest in another man's wife.
——
"So, my Lord," Xia Cong said breathlessly as he caught up, "what exactly is the third step?"
"The third step," Chen Sanshi said slowly, enunciating each word, "is to attack cities and seize territory—to build momentum."
"Attack? My Lord, didn't you say our main goal was persuasion, not siege? Well… understood."
Xia Cong quickly spread out a map. "We've marched for half a month already. We're now in the barren northeastern region of Laizhou. Last year's drought left this area completely barren. Since the fighting began this year, even Xinghua Prefecture, the largest city nearby, has barely enough grain for itself. They're relying on supplies from other prefectures, but even so, their stores can only last about one month more.
"I get it now! My Lord wants to take advantage of their food shortage and attack Xinghua Prefecture. From what I know, its defending general Ma Hu is only at early Meridian-Connecting Realm. The city garrison has four thousand soldiers, while our army numbers eight thousand, plus one Meridian-Connecting-ranked lieutenant general. Xinghua Prefecture's position isn't strategic, but as a prefecture-level city, capturing it would make a strong statement—a show of power. It's a good target to boost morale."
"Not Xinghua Prefecture," Chen Sanshi said.
Still mounted, he lifted his spear and pointed to a much smaller mark on the map. "We'll take Meizi County first."
"Meizi County?" Xia Cong frowned in confusion. "My Lord, that's a small county deep within Laizhou's interior. No food, no troops. Barely a hundred guards stationed there, mainly to maintain order. Their combat strength is pitiful."
"Exactly," Chen Sanshi replied calmly. "That's why it'll be easy to take—right?"
"Well, yes, it'll be easy. Practically no casualties…" Xia Cong hesitated. "But what's the point? That little county has no tactical value at all."
Chen Sanshi didn't bother to explain further. "We move now. Before sundown, I want Meizi County taken."
——
Meizi County.
On its crumbling walls, seven or eight gaunt soldiers held rusty spears and peered into the distance. A gust of wind swept across, tearing chunks of mortar from the battlements and even opening a small gap. The men's tattered armor rattled noisily as they shivered.
Then came the drumming of hooves—"da-da-da-da!"—growing louder.
Soon, they could see them: about a dozen cavalry and twenty foot soldiers, all wearing the bright red armor of Qing's elite troops. Their armor gleamed, their posture straight and powerful.
The leading rider galloped ahead, shouting, "What are you waiting for? Open the gates at once!"
"Why are the people from Xinghua Prefecture here again?"
The sentry frowned but still gave the order. "Open the gates! And someone—go fetch Inspector Wang!"
"Creak—"
The gate opened.
The red-armored troops marched in.
Inspector Wang Feng hurried to meet them. "Captain Du, why are you here again?"
"Grain!" Captain Du barked without dismounting. "Xinghua Prefecture is in urgent need of grain. We've come to requisition yours."
"Requisition again?" Wang Feng's face darkened. "Captain Du, months ago, your people already emptied Meizi County's granary. There's nothing left!"
"Enough nonsense!" Du snapped impatiently. "Inspector Wang! The Sheng army is right outside our gates. Without grain, how are we supposed to hold the city? If Xinghua falls, do you think your county will survive? The Sheng are beasts—they'll flood in and slaughter everyone—men, women, and children alike! Compared to that, what's a bit of grain?"
"Ah…"
Wang Feng sighed heavily. He couldn't find a counterargument. "A short while ago, we forcibly collected a few hundred shi of grain from the people. It's stored in the county office granary. Take it."
"Only a few hundred?" Du frowned.
"That's all that's left—it's the people's food for the winter!" Wang said helplessly. "People are dying of hunger every day. The martial schools and local gentry refuse to donate any more. Four hundred shi is the absolute limit. There's truly no more."
"Fine."
Du stopped pressing him. He led his men to load up the four hundred shi of grain and left the city in a hurry.
"Captain Du!" Wang Feng called after him. "Can you at least send some troops to help defend Meizi County? We barely have any men! If the Sheng attack, we can't hold them off! There are nearly ten thousand civilians inside!"
"Relax," Du waved without turning back. "The Sheng army's all at Xinghua Prefecture. Besides, who'd bother attacking a backwater like Meizi County? They'd have to be starving for entertainment!"
He didn't look back again as he drove the wagons full of grain away, dust rising behind him.
"Go to hell!"
Wang Feng spat furiously in the direction the soldiers had gone. "All they ever do is rob us of grain and leave us to starve!"
He sighed heavily and climbed up to the city wall.
War and chaos had reduced everything to ruin—dead bodies littered the land.
But the war couldn't be avoided.
The enemy's invasion was no different from banditry. Once the city fell, soldiers like them would die first, followed by the slaughter of the townspeople. Even if they couldn't hold much longer, they had to keep holding.
Leishan Prefecture and the nearby cities were living proof of what awaited them otherwise.
Then came the pounding of hooves again—"da-da-da-da!"
"You're back already?"
Wang Feng froze. The same group that had just left—Captain Du and his men—came rushing back in panic, empty-handed. The grain carts were gone.
"What's going on, Captain Du?!" Wang Feng shouted.
"Open the gates! Quick!" Du's face was pale with fear. "The Sheng army! The Sheng army is coming!"
"You just said they'd never bother attacking Meizi County!" Wang Feng's voice cracked. "How many of them?"
"Over three thousand, and they're Sheng's most elite—the Black Armored Cavalry!"
Du's voice trembled uncontrollably. "Leading them is a young general with a long spear! They're flying a battle flag with the character Chen! They're just twenty li away! Hurry and open the gates! Gather everyone—get the whole town up on the walls!"
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Alarm gongs echoed through every alley of Meizi County.
The summons was too sudden. The civilians came rushing with whatever they could grab—kitchen knives, hoes, stones, roof tiles. They had no time to prepare rolling logs or boulders. Almost none of their weapons could truly kill.
"Three thousand elite cavalry…" Wang Feng stomped his feet in despair. "Three thousand! And their commander's probably at least Meridian-Connecting Realm! Why in the hell are they coming here?!"
"What else could it be for?" Du barked. "Looting! Even the poorest place has silver and women! The Sheng army came to vent their rage, that's what!"
Wang Feng's eyes reddened with fury. He drew the sword from his waist. "Brothers! Even if we all die today, we won't let the Sheng bastards set foot inside this city!"
"Kill the invaders!"
"Fight to the death!"
The local garrison soldiers, born and raised in Meizi County, were trembling, but they still raised their weapons and prepared to die on the wall.
From afar came a rolling thunder of hooves.
Within moments, the three thousand armored cavalry appeared, spreading out in tight formation just five hundred paces from the gate.
But they didn't attack.
Instead, one rider galloped forward, stopping below the wall and shouting.
"People of Meizi County, hear me!"
"We are the Black Armored Cavalry under General Chen Sanshi of Great Sheng! We have come to accept your surrender!"
"If you open your gates and surrender peacefully, our General Chen promises—no harm will come to a single citizen. You will even receive grain as aid!"
"But!"
"If you resist stubbornly, once the city falls, none of you—men, women, or children—will be spared!"
"The choice is yours!"
On the wall, Wang Feng and the others heard every word clearly.
They exchanged glances.
"Is that for real?"
"They're already saying they won't slaughter us—that alone sounds suspicious."
"And giving us food? No way! That's definitely a lie."
Du gritted his teeth. "Do you take the Sheng army for saints here to hand out charity?"
"Wait!" Wang Feng suddenly said. "He mentioned their commanding general—Chen Sanshi?!"
He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted down, "Which Chen Sanshi are you talking about?!"
A voice boomed back. "Which one do you think? The very same Chen Sanshi, who ferried the people across the river and crossed the Hongze River four times—General Chen of Great Sheng!"
Chen Sanshi—the man who ferried civilians across the river!
The entire wall erupted into noise.
That story had spread across the land for more than a year. Storytellers in every tavern and teahouse made a living retelling it.
Not because that battle was particularly difficult, but because of what Chen Sanshi had done—he risked his life to protect the people, sending them across the river first before himself.
It was a story unlike any other in history.
To generals, the Four Crossings of the Hongze River were a military miracle.
But to ordinary people, it was the act of ferrying civilians—the symbol of compassion—that they remembered most.
They didn't trust the words of strangers.
But Chen Sanshi, the general who loved his people like his own children—what if his words were true?
"Where is Chen Sanshi?!" Wang Feng shouted from the wall, voice trembling. "Let us see him with our own eyes!"