“General Lin is it true?” Cen Daoxi asked.

Lin Yao replied, “It’s true. This was heard by a female soldier who understands the Northern dialect. The garrison in the Northern Barbarian has indeed weakened significantly. It’s obvious they’ve been heavily redeployed elsewhere.”

Cen Daoxi’s handsome brows furrowed. “This is bad. Going down from Liangzhou leads straight to Bianjing.

The Li family has long had a precedent for collusion with the Northern Barbarian.

Now, although Bianjing is in the hands of Shen Yanzhi, considering the old grudges between him and His Highness, if he conspires with the Northern people, Jianghuai will be in danger!”

The provisions for Beiting have always been supplied by Great Chu.

This time, when Chu Chengji led eighty thousand troops northward, the provisions were also transported from Jianghuai.

If Jianghuai were to fall, the Chu army would be cut off from its provisions.

Even if Chu Chengji were to bring the army back, without the granary, it would be extremely difficult to fight against the Northern Barbarian.

Lin Yao was well aware of this.

He said, “I have already sent Wang Biao to report to Leizhou. If Jianghuai is in trouble, it’s faster for Leizhou to send reinforcements than for troops to be dispatched from Qiangliu Pass.”

Leizhou.

The north wind howled, and the wilderness was vast.

The city wall was covered with thick snow, and even the sentries on the battlements were coated with a thin layer of snow.

The frost-covered banners hung tightly against the flagpoles, unaffected by the wind.

In the distant white expanse of the wilderness, several small black dots suddenly appeared.

As the dots drew closer, the guards on the city tower could see that they were several fast riders, their horses kicking up snowflakes wherever they went.

These riders didn’t display any banners, nor were they dressed in military uniforms. Their attire was disheveled.

The guards on the city tower immediately went on high alert, and before the riders were within range, the archers had already tightened their bowstrings.

The young officer guarding the city shouted, “Who goes there?”

Wang Biao and several Women’s Army held the reins of their horses, their mounts panting heavily.

When they exhaled, white breaths emanated from their mouths.

Wang Biao shouted back at the officer on the city tower, “I am Wang Biao, a general under the Crown Prince! There is urgent military information to be reported to Master Xie immediately!”

The officer asked, “Do you have anything to prove your identity?”

Wang Biao and the others had all their belongings stripped by the Northern Barbarian when they were captured.

They had no items to prove their identities.

Escaping from the Northern Camp was urgent, and they had no time to retrieve those items.

Lin Yao had sent him to report to Leizhou, and Wang Biao had been worrying about Lin Yao’s safety while rushing day and night to deliver the message to Leizhou as soon as possible.

The Northern army has already moved south.

The sooner they know this news, the sooner they can take precautions.

At this moment, hearing the procrastination of the guard, Wang Biao couldn’t help but feel anxious.

He cursed, “Do I need any items to prove my identity when my name is Wang Biao? What nonsense!”

The guard retorted, “Since you can’t prove your identity, how would I know whether your name is really Wang Biao or something else? Just because you say a few words, should my young lord come out to see you? In that case, won’t everyone come to the city gate and shout, expecting my young lord to come out?”

The horses beneath them were restless, and Wang Biao just wanted to report the military situation to Xie Chi as soon as possible and then hurry back to Jianghuai to deliver the news.

He impatiently replied, “I was captured by the Northern people during the battle at Qiangliu Pass while pursuing the enemy into the desert. I have nothing on me to prove my identity.”

The guard suddenly sneered, “So you are the reckless general under the Chu Crown Prince who was captured while pursuing the enemy into the desert. Wasn’t there someone surnamed Lin as well?”

Wang Biao looked up at the guard on the city tower, a fierce glint in his eyes, and a sense of guilt surged in his heart.

The trust and favor His Highness had shown him, allowing him to go north to participate in the battle, but because of his impulsiveness, he caused such a big mess for His Highness, almost causing Lin Yao to lose his life alongside him.

Now Lin Yao, like himself, had become the laughingstock of others…

Wang Biao clenched and loosened the reins in his hand.

When he looked up again, the fierce glint in his eyes had subsided. “Our prince marched north because he received a letter from Marquis Lian, who came to relieve the siege of Beiting.

Even if I, Wang Biao, am reckless, I have killed barbarians for Beiting. My sister Lin Zhao even risked her life to save Marquis Lian Qin, and my mother died on the battlefield at Qiangliu Pass.”

With each word he spoke, the smile on the guard’s face diminished.

By the end, he could no longer smile at all, and the soldiers on the city tower had gone from watching the show to a serious and solemn demeanor.

In the Battle of Qiangliu Pass, anyone could mock him for being reckless, but not the people of Beiting.

Wang Biao continued, “I mention these just to ask you to pass a message to Marquis Xie. When Beiting is in trouble, Great Chu has never stood by.

Now that thousand of thousands Northern Barbarian have detoured south, intending to take everything south of Liangzhou and swallow up the Central Plain of Great Chu.

Our prince’s troops are still stationed at Qiangliu Pass, unable to be recalled to Jianghuai in time.

When Jianghuai is in trouble, if Marquis Xie still remembers Great Chu’s repeated reinforcements, I hope he will send troops to support Jianghuai.”

After finishing his words, he turned his horse’s head to continue on his way to Jianghuai.

The guard on the city tower shouted, “General Wang, please wait. I will inform my young lord immediately.”

However, Wang Biao said, “The message has already been delivered. I must hurry back to Jianghuai to deliver the news.

But my brother Lin Yao is rushing from the desert to Qiangliu Pass to deliver the news.

If Kadan’s pursuit continues, it’s uncertain whether my brother can deliver the message to Qiangliu Pass alive. If there are fastest horses in Leizhou, please send a message to Qiangliu Pass.”

In the midst of the swirling snow, the several fast horses rushed into the distance and soon became small black dots again.

The guard on the city tower slapped himself hard and hurried to find Xie Chi.

Xie Chi and Xie Huan were discussing guerrilla tactics against the Northern people by comparing maps.

When they heard the report from the guard on the city tower, both of them looked up suddenly.

Xie Chi asked, “Where is that General Wang now?”

The guard lowered his head in shame. “He said the message has been delivered to Leizhou, and he needs to return to Jianghuai to deliver the news. He requested that you send a fastest horse to report a message to Qiangliu Pass.”

Xie Chi said, “Send someone immediately to report to Qiangliu Pass!”

After receiving the order, the guard did not leave immediately.

Xie Huan asked, “Is there anything else to report?”

The guard said, “This humble one mocked General Wang for being captured during the battle at Qiangliu Pass. I made a mistake in my words, and I ask the two young masters to punish me.”

Xie Chi immediately frowned angrily. “Qiangliu Pass has almost fallen several times, and every time, it was the Crown Prince who sent troops to rescue.

This only victorious battle was also led by the Crown Prince. Where do you get the face to say such mocking words?”

The guard immediately knelt down. “This humble one is guilty.”

Xie Chi was about to get angry again but was stopped by Xie Huan.

He said to the guard, “You may go and receive thirty lashes.”

The guard finally retreated.

Xie Chi angrily said, “Brother, why did you stop me? He has brought disgrace to the entire Beiting!”

Xie Huan glanced at him, shaking his head helplessly. “The urgent matter is to find a way to deal with the Northern army.

Besides, he admitted his mistake voluntarily. Even if you get angry at him, what can you change?”

Xie Chi sat back in his chair, annoyed. “But the Lin family’s female general saved my father’s life.

Both my father and mother intend to adopt her as their daughter.

Those barbarians from Kadan insulted a female general with baseless words.

Not to mention that it was Generals Wang and Lin who pursued the enemy that day, even you, me, and the warriors of our family cannot tolerate Kadan insulting the person who saved my father’s life!”

His anger had not subsided, and his words were spoken quite loudly, startling the guards who came to report at the door.

Xie Huan asked, “What’s the matter?”

The guard replied, “Miss Pei and Miss Qin heard that a general from Great Chu had arrived and came to inquire.”

Pei Wenyan was brought to Leizhou by Lin Zhao.

After settling down in Beiting, Pei Wenyan found a tutor for her younger brother and bought back the maidservant from her dreams who had always been loyal to her, asking her to help take care of her brother.

Pei Wenyan herself never stopped thinking about joining the army.

The Pei family had deep grievances, and she was determined to seek revenge personally!

Pei Wenyan was literate and wrote beautifully.

After becoming acquainted with Lin Zhao, she expressed her desire to join the women’s army again.

Lin Zhao sometimes let her help with writing official documents and handling some trivial matters of the women’s army, which Lin Zhao found troublesome, so she agreed to let Pei Wenyan join as a clerk and entrusted her with these trivial tasks.

Lin Zhao only wrote letters to Qin Zheng herself and refused to let others write them for her.

Holding a brush in her hand, she wrote large characters on the paper.

Even if a letter required more than ten sheets of paper, she insisted on writing it herself.

Qin Sheng was considered Qin Zheng’s younger sister by Lin Zhao.

When Lin Zhao was in Leizhou, she often visited Qin Sheng.

Lin Zhao told Qin Sheng about Qin Zheng’s deeds in Liangyan Mountain and Qingzhou.

Qin Sheng was happy to see her sister becoming so capable, but she was also sad to hear about the hardships Qin Zheng had endured.

She refused to stay obediently in the side yard and often ran to the women’s army, almost writing “I want to join the army” on her face.

But her physical condition was worse than Pei Wenyan’s; she couldn’t lift anything or carry anything, and she looked good, which attracted the attention of wolves on the battlefield.

Lin Zhao didn’t dare to use her.

However, Qin Sheng was exceptionally talented in accounting.

Lin Zhao and Aunt Wang used to calculate the military expenses of the women’s army together, but it took several attempts to get them sorted out.

With Pei Wenyan’s help, things improved somewhat, but they still couldn’t match Qin Sheng’s clear accounting records.

Since the establishment of the women’s army, Lin Zhao only wanted to let ambitious women in the world do what they wanted to do, not confined to the household.

Qin Sheng was good at accounting, and Lin Zhao thought it wouldn’t hurt to let her manage the women’s army’s accounts, as long as she didn’t go to the battlefield.

After all, there were administrative positions in the military, so Qin Sheng was also appointed as a clerk.

Later, when Qiangliu Pass was in urgent need of help, Lin Zhao led the fighting women’s army to support it, and those who couldn’t fight stayed in Leizhou.

Pei Wenyan and Qin Sheng were among them.

The loud words of Xie Chi reverberated outside, and both of them heard them clearly.

When they entered the room, they both noticeably softened their expressions towards Xie Chi, but Qin Sheng no longer showed the fear she used to have towards Xie Chi, while Pei Wenyan seemed a little less deliberately aloof.

After glancing at Qin Sheng’s eyes towards his elder brother, which were open and grateful, without the subtle distance and wariness when facing him, Xie Chi’s handsome brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

The situation had come to this.

Now all Leizhou could do was to defend itself while keeping a close eye on the movements of the Northern army.

When Qin Sheng and Pei Wenyan came, they didn’t get much more information.

When they were leaving, Xie Huan mentioned that Lady Qin had a few pieces of satin to give to Qin Sheng and asked Qin Sheng to go and get them.

Pei Wenyan came to Leizhou with Qin Sheng by carriage, so naturally, they would leave together.

Xie Chi glanced at them and said, “It’s very cold outside. The carriage is not as warm as this warm pavilion. Qin Sheng, go with my brother to get the satin and come back. Pei, you can stay here and have some tea.”

Unexpectedly, Pei Wenyan immediately refused, “Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Xie, but I’ll wait in the carriage.”

Her brows slightly furrowed, like a ripple on the water’s surface, but with a more obvious sense of distance.

After giving a respectful bow, she quickly left.

Xie Chi watched the graceful figure walking away in the snow, his long eyebrows slightly knitted.

For the first time, he reflected on himself.

Was he really so intimidating?

Pei Wenyan was worried about Lin Zhao and the situation of Great Chu.

After leaving the warm pavilion, her steps slowed down.

Everything that happened in reality and in her dreams had long gone in different directions.

But in her dreams, the Li family eventually unified the world.

Now that the Northern army was about to take everything south of Liangzhou, and the momentum of Great Chu had grown so strong, would it eventually end up as the conclusion in her dreams?

Pei Wenyan hoped that Great Chu would win.

Lost in thought, she was suddenly startled by a voice behind her, “Have I offended you?”

Pei Wenyan was startled and turned to see Xie Chi leaning against a cold plum tree, with delicate plum blossoms adorning his refined features, adding a few more touches of elegance to his handsome face, somewhat similar to Xie Huan’s.

His long eyelashes were half lowered, with a faint hint of confusion in his eyes. “It seems like… you’ve been avoiding me all along?”