At dawn, the sky over the Northern Border still held the cold, pale sheen of blue-green glazed porcelain. The morning mist had yet to lift, and the entire city of Linbei seemed to remain asleep.
Yet it was only today, after Wei Mingchen’s tactful reminder, that Su Mucheng belatedly realized something so mortifying that he wanted nothing more than to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.
No wonder the “culprit” had looked at him with that subtle, spine-tingling smile before leaving that morning.
Early that morning, Wei Mingchen arrived at the main residence’s principal chamber, carrying a clothing chest and bringing Su Mucheng a change of clean clothes.
He was already considering whether he ought to discuss with the steward of the main residence the possibility of keeping a few spare sets of clothing for Military Advisor Su in the principal chamber, just in case they were needed.
When the corner of his eye caught sight of Su Mucheng sitting up in bed, Wei Mingchen’s hand paused slightly. Around the man’s neck and collarbones were rings of red marks, varying in intensity.
Then, without saying a word, the usually cautious and composed steward of the western courtyard turned to the clothing chest. After searching through it for a while, he silently replaced the inner robe he had prepared with one featuring an exceptionally high collar.
At first, Su Mucheng had found the change baffling. It was spring now; surely it wasn’t cold enough to warrant wearing something with a collar that practically strangled him.
Wei Mingchen offered no explanation. He merely gave a restrained cough, picked up the bronze mirror on the table, and tilted it at an angle so Su Mucheng could see for himself.
The moment Su Mucheng saw his reflection, he froze.
His fair neck, the sides of his shoulders, even the area extending beneath his collarbones were covered in bold marks left by biting. In an instant, the color rose from his ears all the way down his neck, turning him as red as a ripe apple.
“T-That’s not what you think! This is…”
Su Mucheng stammered, only to discover that he had absolutely no words left.
How was he supposed to explain?
Was he meant to describe in detail to Wei Mingchen how, the previous night, His Highness the powerful Prince Su had tied his hands to the bed with his own and subjected him to a little “punishment”?
The more he explained, the worse it would sound.
Wei Mingchen lowered his eyes and spoke gently. “This subordinate understands.”
He had already concluded that Su Mucheng and Prince Su shared an unusual relationship. His Highness, who never allowed people to enter his bedchamber lightly, had repeatedly kept Su Mucheng there overnight. The answer was obvious.
Su Mucheng closed his eyes in despair.
Inside, he screamed at the top of his lungs: What exactly do you understand?!
In the end, he gave up struggling altogether.
Ever since the day he had first stepped into Great Sheng and Xiao Yuan had carried him straight into this very room, his reputation for innocence in the Northern Border had been utterly ruined anyway.
At last, he understood what Xiao Yuan’s “punishment” from the previous night had been.
He took a deep breath and temporarily pushed all those indecent, ridiculous memories to the back of his mind.
Starting today, he would no longer be merely Shen An, the clerk who organized documents and recorded military intelligence for Military Advisor Su.
The wartime deployment orders had been issued. He would accompany the army’s medical corps on the campaign, temporarily assuming the position of military medical officer.
As for his identity as “Military Advisor Su,” that would remain unchanged.
He quickly changed into the military medical officer’s neatly tailored, dark blue-green uniform.
He had just finished fastening his belt when Wei Mingchen handed him another garment: the pale blue outer robe he wore most often.
Su Mucheng looked puzzled. “Won’t wearing this long robe on the march just be cumbersome?”
He genuinely thought that these long, loose sleeves were terribly inconvenient. They looked elegant and refined, but the moment he moved too vigorously, they could sweep across an entire table and send everything on it crashing to the floor.
As a result, he had to be careful and proper in all his movements, which had helped create his scholarly image.
He therefore admired how Xiao Yuan and Xia Lanshi managed to wear such clothes all day long.
“His Highness gave the order,” Wei Mingchen explained softly. “He said that Military Advisor Su must wear this original garment over his uniform.”
Although he did not understand the reason, Su Mucheng obediently took the robe and put it on.
Underneath, he wore his undershirt and inner robe, along with the modern protective vest. Over those came the military medical officer’s uniform, and now this outer robe as well.
He thought it was fortunate that it wasn’t summer. Otherwise, he would have died of heat before anything else.
He had only just straightened his collar when the steady, powerful sound of military boots came from outside.
Xiao Yuan strode in, bringing a gust of chilly morning air with him.
Their eyes met. Su Mucheng immediately shot him a deeply resentful glare, as if silently accusing the man of the mischief he had left all over his body the night before.
Xiao Yuan received that resentment loud and clear. Not only did he show no guilt, but a pleased smile rippled through his deep-set eyes.
Then his expression turned solemn.
Today, Prince Su was no longer wearing his usual understated yet luxurious black robes. Instead, he was clad in heavy, dark armor. The beast-shaped pauldrons and breastplate, both edged in dark silver, gleamed with a cold, menacing light. The lethal authority of a man seasoned by years on the battlefield instantly filled the bedchamber, which had been full of the warmth of everyday life only moments before.
“This prince has personally come to receive Military Advisor Su.”
Xiao Yuan approached, his words carrying a rare hint of teasing, though his tone remained stern.
Recognizing the joke, Su Mucheng replied sourly, “We’re leaving the city today. Shouldn’t Shen An be the one making an appearance?”
According to their original plan, Mu Li was supposed to appear before the public wearing the veiled hat and accompany the army on its campaign, thereby avoiding unwanted attention.
“Today is a little different.”
Xiao Yuan took the distinctive white gauze veiled hat from Wei Mingchen and naturally placed it on Su Mucheng’s head.
Speaking quietly through the gauze, he said, “I need you to appear in person this time. Once we leave the city, we can switch places with Mu Li at the first rest stop.”
Su Mucheng nodded. Trusting Xiao Yuan’s arrangements completely, he followed him out of the administrative residence.
The moment he stepped through the main gate, the sight before him made his breathing catch slightly.
The broad streets were already filled with the Third Army’s personal guards, staff officers, accompanying civil officials, and medical corps, all fully equipped and standing in neat formation.
Outside the city, the scout cavalry and vanguard cavalry had already departed. They were waiting to rendezvous with the main force.
Xiao and Xia Lanshi were also mounted and waiting silently among the staff officers.
Yet what truly astonished Su Mucheng was the sea of people lining both sides of the road.
Before daybreak, the residents of Linbei had spontaneously poured out of their homes, lining both sides of the main road in an endless human wall.
Among them were refugees who had once gone half-clothed and received relief from Prince Su; displaced people who had fled here and finally been given farmland where they could settle and make a living; and elderly residents and children who had lived in the Northern Border for generations, countless times rescued by Xiao Yuan from the iron hooves of the Northern Di.
When they learned that Prince Su was once again setting out to fight for the Northern Border, they had come here without a word of coordination.
No one shouted. No one pushed or jostled. Everyone simply stood in silence, watching the army that was about to depart for the front lines.
Su Mucheng looked around and suddenly realized that he was the very last person to emerge.
Under the gaze of so many people, he could not help stealing a glance at Xiao Yuan through the white gauze.
That man had absolutely done this on purpose. He had even told Su Mucheng that morning to take his time getting ready.
Normally, the generals were the ones who waited for their commander. Today, however, the entire army and the people of the whole city were waiting for him, a mere military advisor.
At that moment, everyone’s eyes turned toward him in unison, as though he were the true protagonist. His already rather thin-skinned self could not help feeling a little warm in the face.
He still wasn’t accustomed to being a public figure.
A personal guard led over Su Mucheng’s mount, Xuechen.
Ignoring everyone’s gaze, Xiao Yuan walked straight to the horse. With one hand supporting Su Mucheng’s arm and the other firmly holding his waist, he lifted him securely into the saddle. He made no attempt to conceal the gesture.
This unmistakable display of protection and esteem was seen clearly by both the entire army and the people.
It was as if he were silently declaring:
Military Advisor Su is the person Prince Su has personally chosen to keep at his side.
Someone in the crowd recognized the distinctive white gauze veiled hat and the pale blue outer robe that stood out so conspicuously among the dark armor.
“That’s Military Advisor Su!”
“Military Advisor Su is going on the campaign too!”
“Isn’t he the physician who saved our lives last winter?”
“Who else could it be? My husband nearly died during last year’s epidemic. It was the army’s medical corps that saved him…”
Whispers spread through the crowd like waves.
The awe with which people had originally regarded the army transformed into undisguised gratitude when they turned their eyes toward Su Mucheng.
Hearing those emotionally charged calls, Su Mucheng sat astride his horse, his heart suddenly jolting.
Only now did he finally understand Xiao Yuan’s deliberate arrangement.
He had made Su Mucheng wear the clothes most familiar to the common people, then arranged for him to emerge alongside the commander in full view of the crowd.
Xiao Yuan wasn’t trying to make things difficult for him. He was using the reverence of the entire city of Linbei to forge an unshakable reputation for him. At the same time, he was personally placing the weight of that bond into Su Mucheng’s hands.
Only after Su Mucheng was settled securely in the saddle did Xiao Yuan step aside and swing onto his tall black horse, Xuanshuang.
He gave no stirring speech before the troops, nor did he waste words.
Xiao Yuan merely flicked the reins and uttered two words in a deep voice.
“Move out!”
Woooo—
A low, desolate horn call pierced the morning sky. The great black banner embroidered with a silver lone wolf snapped fiercely in the wind.
The army began to advance slowly, the hooves of their horses striking the flagstones with a heavy, muffled rhythm.
As the column moved forward, the people lining the road began to stir.
Many families had set up simple wooden tables along the roadside and lit several sticks of incense. Wisps of blue smoke rose into the cold morning mist, carrying their silent prayers for the soldiers’ safe return.
Seated on his horse, Su Mucheng could see the faces of the people on either side of the road clearly through the gauze.
Their faces were rough and weathered. They held fear of war and anxiety for their sons and brothers in uniform, but above all, they displayed unreserved trust and admiration.
Some bowed deeply as the army passed. Others pressed their palms together in prayer. Still others went so far as to drop to both knees and press their foreheads against the cold earth.
An elderly woman with graying hair at her temples stumbled out of the crowd and thrust a pair of thick, hand-sewn cloth shoes into the hands of a young soldier.
“Wear these on the march. Don’t hurt your feet…” she rasped.
Several children were lifted high by their parents. They strained to tie red strips of cloth covered in written prayers to the axles of passing wagons. Against the hard, cold military formation, the vivid red looked like flames burning in the wind.
An old man in the crowd shouted, “Your Highness, Prince Su! Come back soon!”
Others called toward Su Mucheng. “Military Advisor Su! Come back alive!”
Some people noticed the striking white hair and recognized Xia Lanshi.
The chief aide to Prince Su, who had worked himself to the point of collapsing from illness several times for the sake of the Northern Border, was remembered by the people too.
“Lord Xia, don’t fall ill again!”
When Xiao heard this, he discreetly guided Huiye closer to Xia Lanshi and whispered, “Did you hear that? Don’t fall ill again on this campaign.”
Xia Lanshi raised his pale red eyes and glanced at him helplessly. “That depends on whether the enemy gives me any time to rest.”
One image after another burned itself into Su Mucheng’s mind.
Suddenly, a warmth rose inside his chest.
All along, he had thought that he had agreed to join the campaign solely for Xiao Yuan. It was just to help that man win this three-month war, a battle with a deadline, and to ensure that the two of them survived.
But at that moment, as he watched the old woman giving away shoes, the children, and the people standing silently in the wind with eyes full of hope, Su Mucheng suddenly saw things more clearly.
He seemed to understand a little better what Xiao Yuan carried on his shoulders.
These people were not merely names on a list of those who needed protection, nor were they cold numbers in military reports.
They had homes, loved ones, and people waiting for them tomorrow.
And now, he truly had the ability to do something for them.
For these people struggling to survive in the narrow cracks of a merciless world; for these citizens who knelt before them and prayed for their safe return, they had to fight for a future in which everyone could live in peace.
That was why they had to survive this battle.
The crowds continued all the way to the towering northern gates of Linbei. Even outside the city, the roadside remained packed with people who had come to see the army off.
This farewell had not been organized by the authorities, and no one had ordered the people to gather.
They had simply heard that their Prince Su was once again going north to shield them from the blades of war, leading the campaign in person.
The army reached the city gates.
Beside the road stood an old soldier who had lost his left arm. His face was covered in knife scars, yet he stood as straight as a pine tree.
As Xiao Yuan passed on Xuanshuang, the veteran used his remaining right hand to strike his chest and perform the most formal military salute of the Northern Border.
Xiao Yuan did not stop or speak. He simply tightened the reins slightly, slowing Xuanshuang by half a step, then gave the old soldier a solemn, respectful nod.
The army slowly passed through the deep, shadowed tunnel beneath the city gate and officially embarked on its journey north.
Beyond the city lay an endless wilderness.
Clad in dark armor, Xiao Yuan seemed to merge with the bleak, battle-scarred landscape.
He did not look back at the city. His gaze remained fixed on the northern horizon, sharp as a blade.
He knew better than anyone that this campaign would determine far more than his own honor or life and death. It would decide whether the hundreds of thousands of people behind him lived or perished.
The army gradually moved farther away, eventually becoming a thin black line on the horizon.
Yet the crowd that had come to see them off remained for a long time.
They stood outside the city gates, enduring the still-chilly wind as they watched the silver wolf banner disappear at last around the distant end of the road.
Someone in the crowd stared at the now-empty road and asked in a choked whisper, “This time… will they make it back?”
The old soldier did not turn around. His gaze remained fixed firmly on the distance.
Only after a long while did he slowly answer.
“They will.”
A fierce gust swept across the wilderness, stirring up clouds of dust and sand. The veteran’s rough voice scattered through the wind, hoarse but utterly certain.
“His Highness will definitely return.”
Prince Su had come back from every previous campaign. The old soldier believed with all his heart that he would return this time too.
No one spoke again.
Yet in that vast silence, those few faint words seemed to carry the weight of a thousand measures of iron.
Everyone stood in the wind, praying over and over in their hearts that those words would, without fail, come true.
◆◇◆◇◆
Behind the people and veterans who had gathered to see the army off, a group of silent men stood atop Linbei’s towering city wall.
They were the Capital Army, dispatched north by imperial decree.
Some wore armor more refined and ornate than that of the Northern Border troops. Yet today, they could only watch helplessly as Prince Su’s army marched farther and farther away, surrounded by the people’s support.
“They’re really… just leaving like this?”
Zhao Xiao gripped the battlements with both hands, staring at the distant cloud of dust. His voice was filled with disbelief and resentment he could barely conceal.
“We came all this way to the Northern Border. We were supposed to defend the frontier on His Majesty’s behalf. Now His Highness has taken the troops away, and we’re left here guarding the city gates?”
Ji Yunchuan, standing beside him, chimed in. “Exactly! Does Prince Su think the men of the Capital Army are unfit for battle? Or is he deliberately keeping us out so we can’t steal the Northern Border Army’s glory?”
Many of them had traveled thousands of miles to the front lines of the Northern Border precisely to earn military merit and establish their reputations in this campaign.
Now they had no opportunity at all.
“Watch your tongues!”
Yan Ye’s expression darkened as he sharply cut off their complaints.
He looked at the empty road beyond the city with a grave expression and said, “Use your heads. Linbei is a vital gateway into Great Sheng from the north. The grain, supplies, equipment, and wounded soldiers are all here. Since Prince Su has entrusted the city to us, that is a military order.”
His voice grew heavier. “Whether he trusts us or not is not for us to speculate about. Our only responsibility is to defend the city.”
Zhao Xiao froze for a moment, but still looked dissatisfied. “But we came here to fight a war…”
“Defending a city is fighting a war too.”
Yan Ye turned around, his cold gaze sweeping over them.
“Since His Highness dares to entrust this city to us, he believes we can hold it. Keep your eyes open. Don’t let His Highness fight desperately on the front lines only to return and discover that the city behind him has fallen! If that happens, then our eight thousand Capital Army soldiers really will become the laughingstock of the entire realm!”
His words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing some of the restlessness on the wall, though they could not put out every hidden spark of resentment.
Deep within the orderly ranks, several pairs of eyes glimmered with a dark, secretive light. They were quietly turning over every detail of Prince Su’s northern campaign in their minds.
Prince Su had departed for the front, while the Capital Army had been left behind in Linbei.
Some interpreted this as a sign of trust. Others saw it as a precaution.
For certain people, however, it was a piece of news worth sending out.
As the others dispersed, Yan Ye withdrew his gaze from the northern wilderness and turned toward the center of Linbei.
There, a circle of rough wooden fencing surrounded a construction site. A wooden sign hung on the fence, reading: Nationally Restricted Site. Unauthorized Persons Keep Out.
Prince Su’s soldiers stood guard around it day and night. No one was allowed to approach without permission.
The notice issued by the Northern Border administrative residence sounded perfectly proper. Yet precisely because of that, it only made the site more suspicious.
Yan Ye narrowed his eyes and studied the structure, which seemed to grow taller with each passing day.
It had already reached the fourth story, its bare framework rising straight toward the sky.
At this rate, given its height and the speed of construction, it might be topped out in another month and a half.
If it were a watchtower, it should have been built farther north, closer to the city walls or on higher ground outside the city, where it could provide a better view. Built in the center of town, its sightlines were blocked by the surrounding buildings, rendering it almost useless for observation.
If it were a beacon tower, Linbei’s walls already had two, enough to cover dozens of miles in every direction. There was no need to build another one inside the city.
And if it were a granary, that made even less sense. Granaries needed to be dry and well ventilated, and were generally built low and wide. They would not take the form of such a narrow, towering structure.
Yan Ye watched in silence for a long time.
He had served in the military for thirty years and had seen countless types of fortifications and buildings. Camps, passes, beacon towers, fortified granaries, armories, stables—every kind had its own proper design.
But the structure before him belonged to none of the categories he knew.
The only thing he could be certain of was this: Prince Su was not the sort of man who would waste effort building something merely decorative.
This structure had to serve a purpose.
Xiao Yuan simply had not told anyone what that purpose was.
Yan Ye withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to normal.
But he quietly committed the tower to memory.
He did not need to know why Xiao Yuan was building it.
As for the secret reports sent back to the capital for the Emperor, plenty of people were already writing those.
The Emperor might well have received them long ago. But since no orders had come down from above, Yan Ye would continue to hold his position and make no move.
◆◇◆◇◆
The sky was beginning to brighten, and movement had already appeared along the main road toward Yanguai Plain.
The scout cavalry appeared first. More than forty riders swept silently through the morning mist, like eagles flying just above the ground. The lead scout reined in beside the road, his sharp gaze sweeping across the withered grass on either side. He then took the telescope hanging at his waist and carefully scanned the surroundings. Only after confirming that nothing was amiss did he signal with his hand and continue forward.
Half an hour later, the vanguard cavalry appeared.
Qin Feng rode at the head of the formation on a reddish-brown warhorse. Without looking back, he issued a low command.
“Maintain formation! Don’t fall behind!”
Behind them came the central army, where Xiao Yuan was stationed.
The black banner embroidered with the silver wolf rippled in the morning breeze. The personal guards rode around Prince Su, protecting him at the center while remaining constantly alert to their surroundings.
The supply train followed in orderly formation, while the rear cavalry periodically looked back to watch for any unexpected developments in the wilderness.
The entire column moved slowly north across the Northern Border plains, like a silent black serpent.
Su Mucheng was among the staff officers in the middle of the central army, positioned not far behind Xiao Yuan.
At the first rest stop, he had dismounted and climbed into the spacious carriage Xiao Yuan had prepared in advance. There, he switched identities with Mu Li and once again became the inconspicuous Shen An.
Mu Li, meanwhile, put on the white gauze veiled hat and temporarily assumed the role of “Military Advisor Su,” remaining inside the carriage.
Xia Lanshi, who had also dismounted, was seated inside.
Because of his frail constitution, he could not ride for long periods while exposed to the wind. On previous campaigns, Xiao Yuan had always arranged a carriage for him so he could rest whenever necessary.
Naturally, Xiao climbed into the carriage as well, staying by Xia Lanshi’s side without leaving him for a moment.
The carriage had been quiet until Xiao’s gaze fell on Su Mucheng’s neck.
Even after changing his clothes, Su Mucheng was still wearing that inner robe with the extraordinarily high collar.
Xiao immediately realized what had happened. The corner of his mouth curled into a mischievous smile as he teased, “Mu’an, it doesn’t seem particularly cold today, does it?”
Xia Lanshi heard him and lightly nudged Xiao with his elbow, signaling him to show some restraint.
Su Mucheng’s cheeks warmed. He glared indignantly at Xiao, thinking that the man had an uncanny talent for bringing up exactly the things best left unmentioned.
“It really isn’t what you think!”
But Xiao was determined to stir up trouble. He deliberately drew out his words. “Oh? Then what is it?”
Su Mucheng could not think of any way to explain what had happened the previous night. He could only grit his teeth and glare at Xiao.
His eyes seemed to say: You’d better hope you never fall into my hands.
Xia Lanshi gave a gentle cough at just the right moment, putting an end to this cousin’s malicious teasing of his younger cousin.
“All right. Stop teasing him.”
Su Mucheng gave Xia Lanshi a grateful look.
Then, taking the opportunity to change the subject, he asked about the matter that concerned him most.
“We really are leaving Linbei just like this. Will the city be all right?”
All their key figures had departed for the front lines. Although the camp they were heading toward was only a little more than a day’s journey from Linbei, the fact that the eight thousand Capital Army soldiers had been left behind still made him uneasy.
With Xiao Yuan away from the city, Yan Ye, the Capital Army’s camp commander, would become the highest-ranking military officer remaining there.
And, of course, there was also Qu Detao, the Emperor’s loyal watchdog.
Xia Lanshi naturally understood his concern. He smiled easily and said, “There’s no need to worry too much. General Pei’s deputy, Zhao Jingtian, is guarding the city. Besides, we’ve left ‘eyes’ inside Linbei. If anything urgent happens, they can send word through the Light Network. As for the Northern Di… well, that depends on whether Helian Cang has the nerve to attack the city directly.”
Pei Yu’s deputy, Zhao Jingtian, had spent even more years on the battlefield than Pei himself. He was particularly skilled at holding the rear defensive line.
Over the past month, they had extended the Light Network toward the battlefield. Now was the time to see whether it could truly do its job.
Moreover, they had left enough Northern Border troops inside the city. Taking Linbei would not be easy for the Northern Di. They would also risk being attacked from both front and rear. Helian Cang would hardly want to expose his back to Xiao Yuan.
Xia Lanshi continued, “Commander Yan places exceptional importance on military discipline. Half the reason the Capital Army has managed to remain orderly until now is because he has kept them in check. Although he is loyal to His Majesty, His Highness has ordered him to remain here. Unless the Emperor issues further instructions, Yan Ye will prioritize that order.”
Su Mucheng nodded slightly, feeling somewhat reassured.
Xiao spoke in a cool, detached tone.
“The Capital Army is a mixed bag to begin with. Every kind of scoundrel is in there. If Yan Ye could really keep them all under control, there wouldn’t be so many parasites.”
“That’s normal. No army in history has ever managed to root out every parasite.”
Xia Lanshi spoke calmly. “Yan Ye cannot possibly be unaware that Qu Detao is investigating the Capital Army. He must have sensed that something more complicated is going on. One lieutenant colonel claimed credit for killing twelve enemies, and the case still hasn’t been settled. Given Qu Detao’s methods, if he truly wanted to close the case, he would have done so long ago. But now that Qu Detao has intervened, Yan Ye has no choice but to remain silent.”
Xiao’s eyes darkened slightly.
“So Qu Detao is waiting.”
“Mm.” Xia Lanshi’s beautiful eyes turned toward him. “Waiting for the moment when the net he has cast finally comes back in.”
“If all he catches are ordinary parasites, it won’t be worth my attention.”
Xiao raised an eyebrow. “The parasites themselves can simply be arrested. The real trouble comes from the people using them.”
A shadow of deep concern appeared in Xia Lanshi’s eyes.
“What worries me is that if we can’t trace this chain of connections all the way to its end in time, it could introduce even more variables into this campaign.”
Neither he nor Qu Detao had yet seen where those threads ultimately led. But the war was about to begin in earnest, and if any important intelligence leaked during this period, the consequences could be unpredictable.
Xiao’s gaze darkened as well.
This was precisely what had worried him most all along.
He took out his notebook and flipped to a page listing people involved in the Capital Army corruption case. Lines of different colors crisscrossed between their names, several of them converging on a trading house called Guangsheng.
The name was not unfamiliar to him, though he had only heard it mentioned a few times.
In his memory, it was a Northern Border merchant house that had been operating openly for years, known for its charitable work and generous donations.
He had even met its proprietor once. The man was a native of Great Sheng and had a wife and children.
That man had eventually died.
Yet the intelligence had continued to leak.
Was Guangsheng merely one of the trading houses used to pass messages along, or was it the actual transfer point?
He drew a question mark beside the name.
Xia Lanshi raised his wrist and checked the time on his watch. Everything about the march had gone smoothly so far, and by his calculations, the moment was nearly upon them.
The Northern Border Army had now officially adopted the “new calendar time system.” The morning assembly and troop roll call had been much more accurately timed than before, saving them considerable time that would otherwise have been wasted waiting around.
Xia Lanshi pointed toward the carriage window.
“We should be able to see it soon.”
Su Mucheng lifted the window curtain and looked outside.
As the wheels rolled onward, Linbei had long since disappeared behind them.
The terrain ahead grew increasingly open and stark. Before them lay the strategic hub that would serve as their base for the coming operations: Yanguai Plain.
It was a broad stretch of flatland beyond the mouth of a mountain valley.
Viewed from above, Yanguai Plain sat at the junction of three major routes. Fifty li to the northwest lay the treacherous Duanyun Fortress. Forty-five li to the northeast stood Baishui Pass, easy to defend and difficult to attack. To the south was Linbei, the city they had left that morning.
When the army arrived, it did not crowd into a single enormous camp as it would have in the past.
At Qin Feng’s command and those of the other officers, the entire force swiftly divided into separate formations, like the moving parts of a finely engineered machine.
“The left camp will establish its position along the western hills, controlling the approach to Duanyun Fortress!”
“The right camp will advance ten li and coordinate with General Pei’s camp, keeping Baishui Pass under close watch!”
“The central army’s main camp will be established on the central high ground, with the supply camp positioned behind it!”
Xiao Yuan’s cold gaze swept across the entire camp.
He had visited this area many times and knew that it was far from perfect.
Although Yanguai Plain offered a broad field of vision and convenient routes of access, its greatest weakness was its water supply.
The Yinma Stream, flowing along the eastern side of the camp, was the most abundant source of water nearby. The other springs could provide only enough for a small number of men and horses in an emergency.
Yet the stream lay completely exposed on the open plain, with no natural cover. Worse still, the camp was downstream, putting them at a disadvantage.
“General Qin,” Xiao Yuan said in a deep voice, “erect additional wooden fencing around the water collection points. Dispatch three more patrol cavalry units to inspect both the upstream and downstream stretches of Yinma Stream. Every water collection party must be escorted by personal guards. No unauthorized personnel are to approach within twenty li of the upstream area.”
Qin Feng cupped his fists. “This subordinate receives the order!”
Xiao Yuan’s voice carried the hardened authority of someone who had fought in the Northern Border for many years.
“If the Northern Di really intends to target Yinma Stream, they have only a few options: attack it directly, cut it off, or tamper with the water.”
“There are already established precautions against corpses, animal carcasses, filth, and poison. But what if they don’t want to kill anyone with poison? What if they only want to make the water cloudy and foul-smelling, forcing us to let it settle and boil it repeatedly until we exhaust our firewood, or even making the soldiers distrust the water source? We could be worn down to death without ever fighting a battle.”
Water was an indispensable lifeline for survival every day, no less important than grain and supplies.
If the Northern Di came probing for weaknesses, the first thing they would strike was the water supply.
If the water supply failed, the army could collapse without even engaging the enemy.
Su Mucheng had listened quietly until now. At this point, he picked up the thread of Xiao Yuan’s argument.
“Your concerns are justified. But the army’s existing patrols, settling procedures, and boiling measures can guard against large-scale sabotage. They can’t protect us against subtle, covert interference. If the water quality changes only slightly, the difference may be impossible to see with the naked eye. By the time someone drinks it and develops symptoms, it may already be too late.”
He took from his medical kit a palm-sized portable water-quality analyzer with a matte black casing, along with the reagents he used to test for toxins.
“We can prevent people from approaching the water, but we can’t guarantee that not a single drop has been tampered with. So we need to test the water before drinking it and take precautions in advance.”
Su Mucheng lightly tapped the screen with his fingertip, bringing up the results of his earlier tests.
“It can measure water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, common contaminants, and provide rapid screening for certain biological hazards. It can also establish a baseline for comparison. If the readings deviate significantly from the average values recorded over the previous seven days—even if the water still looks clear to the naked eye and the reagents detect none of the common toxins—I’ll classify it as abnormal.”
He paused, his tone characteristically rigorous and composed.
“What we need is for the instrument to detect that the water is changing before the human eye can see it.”
Xia Lanshi studied the black device, a look of understanding flashing through his eyes.
“The army already has procedures for water patrols, settling, and boiling. When there are concerns, we also have purification agents from the Guichen Medical Sect. What Military Advisor Su intends to add is another invisible pair of eyes within the existing system.”
“Exactly.” Su Mucheng nodded. “If the readings are abnormal, we immediately stop using that collection point.”
Chi Banyue gave a cold laugh. “That will be enough. You tell us which stretch of water is abnormal, and the covert guards will investigate who passed along that section of riverbank yesterday, as well as any footprints or traces they left behind. The water may not contain a deadly poison, but anyone who tampers with it abnormally is bound to leave clues. You handle the water. We’ll find the people.”
“Also, the water samples must not be collected at fixed times or from fixed locations.”
Su Mucheng had already thought this through.
“If we test at the same times every day—say, at the Mao and Wu hours—the Northern Di only need to learn the schedule to poison the water in the gaps between inspections. We should test at least three times a day, with another one or two surprise inspections. The times can be decided at the last minute each day. Sampling points should be distributed across the upstream, middle stream, collection points, and downstream areas. Each time, personal guards should be randomly assigned to collect the samples.”
Xiao Yuan studied the matte-black analyzer. In a matter of moments, he had incorporated it into his tactical deployment.
It would add a layer of protection that Great Sheng’s water defenses had never possessed before: a new pair of eyes watching over the army’s water supply.
“Approved.”
Xiao Yuan’s cold gaze swept across everyone present as he issued his orders in a deep voice.
“Pass this order down. Existing water patrol and collection procedures remain unchanged. The military medical corps will conduct random water sampling and testing at irregular times each day. If any readings are abnormal, do not wait for the cause to be determined. Immediately seal off that collection point and activate the backup water supply.”
Xiao swept his sleeve, each word carrying the weight of iron.
“Better to suspend use unnecessarily for a moment than to risk a single drop.”
After giving his instructions for the defenses, Xiao Yuan’s gaze inadvertently fell upon the supply train and medical camp behind them.
The sight before him softened the coldness in his eyes by the faintest degree.
In the past, whenever the army established camp, the supply and medical units would descend into chaos. Today, however, things were different.
The medical tents had been erected in their designated zones according to the system Su Mucheng had established, and the work had been completed with remarkable speed. The supply wagons were not congested at all; instead, they were parked in orderly formation according to the nine numbered categories. Even after half a day of rapid marching, the soldiers did not appear excessively exhausted. That was thanks to Su Mucheng’s improvements to the army’s diet, which had helped them sustain their stamina.
The reforms they had repeatedly discussed and refined in Linbei had not hindered the army’s progress on its first day in the actual theater of war.
All of it silently proclaimed that someone solid stood behind him, supporting him.
Night fell quickly.
It was the first night since they had left Linbei.
There were no earth-shaking battle cries, nor any grand siege underway. The night over Yanguai Plain was so quiet that it was almost suffocating.
An enemy attack could come at any moment. No one dared to relax.
Xiao Yuan stood alone outside the central command tent, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed into the distance.
To his left lay the direction of Baishui Pass.
The right-route army led by Pei Yu had secured its position outside the pass. Crossbow formations held several key routes leading out of it, and small units had been conducting intermittent nighttime raids. The defenders of Baishui Pass had not sent troops out that day, but neither had they retreated.
To his right, however, the direction of Duanyun Fortress was shrouded in utter darkness.
Only the occasional flicker of faint firelight halfway up the mountain resembled the eyes of Northern Di scouts watching from the shadows.
A sudden burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence.
A messenger from Pei Yu’s camp hurried over and dropped to one knee.
“Reporting to Your Highness: Baishui Pass remained firmly shut today. The defenders did not send out any troops.”
Xiao Yuan’s expression did not change. He asked calmly, “What about the scouts?”
“We caught two,” the messenger replied. “One took his own life. The other… escaped.”
Xiao Yuan fell silent for a moment as the night wind stirred his dark cloak.
“The one who escaped—did Pei Yu deliberately let him go?”
“…Yes. General Pei said, ‘Since they want to watch, let them watch to their heart’s content.’”
Xiao Yuan slowly raised his eyes, his gaze deep as an abyss.
“Very good. Then let’s see what they want to learn from watching us.”
He and Pei Yu had worked together for many years and shared a remarkable understanding on the battlefield.
Xiao Yuan turned and walked back into the command tent. At its center stood a huge military sand table depicting the Northern Border.
Su Mucheng, Xia Lanshi, Xiao, Qin Feng, and Chi Banyue were already inside.
Xiao Yuan looked at the three roads marked on the sand table.
Linbei lay to the south.
Duanyun Fortress lay to the northwest.
Baishui Pass lay to the northeast.
Farther north lay Shenyangu, followed by the more distant Yanduxi.
He reached out and placed his hand on the position of Duanyun Fortress.
“Starting tonight, the Northern Border will no longer be content with defending its cities. We’re going to make the enemy start losing things.”
And Yanguai Plain was about to become the starting point for the first real move in this life-and-death game of strategy unfolding across the Northern Border.