Chapter 326: I Am Indeed Xie of the Xie Army

Chapter 326: I Am Indeed the Xies' Man

"If Old Master Xie dies, the Northern Frontier Army's rage will inevitably turn from the Emperor of Daqian to the Northern Hu army—and to you."

"Their morale will skyrocket—good luck beating them then."

"Even if we set that aside, surely you don’t wish to toss and turn every night, worrying that soldiers loyal to the Xie family within the Northern Frontier Army might attempt to assassinate you."

"Left Wise King, Old Master Xie can die."

"But he must not die at the hands of the army you lead."

"A lion in the street is a fox in the home. Killing Old Master Xie, who has long faded into obscurity, won’t earn you any bragging rights—but the vendetta you’d stir up..."

"Think carefully. You know it’s true."

The Left Wise King caved—shamefully, but thoroughly.

Thus, he lowered his bow and barked orders to take Xie alive.

Gao Fuyan watched Old Master Xie from afar, his heart heavy with sorrow.

Legends say neither beauties nor heroes are meant to grow old.

Yet here was Old Master Xie, white-haired, barely hanging on—blessing or curse?

Perhaps it no longer mattered.

It was the least he could do for the old man.

The clang of steel and screams filled the air, the reek of blood growing stronger by the moment.

Old Master Xie’s armor was drenched in blood and gore, and he swayed like a drunk, trembling with exhaustion.

Age had finally caught up to him.

"Gao Fuyan."

With the battle’s outcome all but certain, the Left Wise King was taking his sweet time, even shooting the breeze.

"I’ve heard you took heat for backing the Xies?"

"Any regrets?"

In Daqian, the position of Vice Minister of War—a lofty third-rank post—was a real heavyweight in the court. And Gao Fuyan, in the prime of his life, was a shoo-in for Minister.

One wrong word blew up his life.

Gao Fuyan answered without hesitation, "Hell yes, I regret it."

The price of defiance had been too great—so great that nightmares tormented him, his hate a live coal in his chest.

Mother. Brother. Wife.

Daughter.

Son.

Dead.

All dead.

Died in such misery.

But did he truly regret speaking up for the Xie family?

No, what he regretted most was failing to see the treacherous schemes of Prince Kang sooner, failing to rid Emperor Jingxiang of the malign advisors at court.

Back then, he had privately criticized Emperor Jingxiang and Shu Yuan’s notorious affair, and even secretly doubted whether the emperor had the bearing of a wise ruler.

But these years away from court had given him clearer perspective.

Whether it was his unbreakable bond with Grand Director Shu or his neglect of the empress, Emperor Jingxiang’s scandals never spread beyond the palace walls.

Emperor Jingxiang was receptive to advice and let the people prosper—by the standards of court officials and commoners alike, he was a competent ruler.

Everyone had been deceived by Prince Kang’s mask of benevolence.

Unaware of the turmoil in Gao Fuyan’s heart, the Left Wise King mocked, “Had you surrendered earlier, perhaps your parents would still be alive, your lovely wives unharmed, your children playing at your feet.”

Gao Fuyan curled his lips into a smile. “The Left Wise King makes a good point.”

“In the past, I was shortsighted and naive. From now on, I shall rely on your guidance.”

“Consider it done,” the Left Wise King said generously.

Gao Fuyan lifted his gaze toward the direction of Zhenzhiguan, where the signal smoke rose.

Would such thick smoke be seen from Shengyan Pass?

And if seen, would the Shengyan Pass garrison continue to turn a blind eye—or would they heed their conscience and aid Zhenzhiguan?

He had given the Shengyan Pass garrison a choice.

If…

Should no reinforcements come…

The Ministry of War controlled the Bureau of Operations, which held maps of the realm and governed the land.

As Vice Minister of War, he had visited the bureau countless times to review Daqian’s maps, committing every vulnerability to memory.

No one knew he possessed perfect recall.

The so-called defense plans of Zhenzhiguan were merely a diversion.

His greatest asset was his mind.

So, should no reinforcements come, then let Daqian fall.

Given his contributions, protecting Old Master Xie and Empress Dowager Xie would not be difficult.

But should reinforcements come…

There are still men with hot blood in the Northern Frontier Army of Daqian, and the nation still has hope.

As for him, if he dies, he dies.

...

The road at night stretches beyond sight.

The road at night is so quiet every sound echoes.

A team sent by Old Master Xie to Sheng Pass to deliver a message and seek reinforcements rode hard along the mountain path.

The wind whipped past, and the trees on either side whipped past endlessly.

The silence fed their unease.

Someone glanced back at the signal smoke rising into the sky and spoke anxiously, "Will... will we be able to bring back reinforcements?"

Were they any better than the ignored signal smoke?

"We can."

As soon as the words fell, someone said with conviction.

"We definitely can."

What went unspoken was that even if reinforcements could not be secured, the news of the Left Wise King leading the northern tribes' army south must be spread.

Daqian could live without Zhen Pass, but it must never lose Sheng Pass.

Now, they could only hold onto slim hope and push forward to Sheng Pass. What if—just what if—the garrison there was willing to aid Zhen Pass?

They all sighed as one and continued their journey.

Sheng Pass.

Set between mountains and rivers, a natural stronghold, flanked by deserts and barren wastes, rose mighty and imposing, safeguarding the peace of Daqian's people.

Beacons every five li, watchtowers every ten li, forts every thirty li.

Patrols and defenses never stopped, day or night.

Xie Yan had gotten word first of the Left Wise King's attack on Zhen Pass.

The winds of the northern frontier were always strong, no matter the season.

Standing atop the city wall, Xie Yan tracked the urgent signal smoke rising into the sky.

"Aren't we sending troops?" Xie Yan asked urgently.

Beside him stood a man in his thirties, leading nearly ten thousand soldiers in the Northern Frontier Army.

Xie Yan had saved him once from a wolf pack, winning his place as a personal guard.

The middle-aged man idly stroked his beard and said with meaning, "Look, do you see any other armies moving?"

"You’ve only just joined the army and don’t yet understand its rules."

Xie Yan lowered his eyes, thinking it all nonsense.

You don’t know military protocol?

He genuinely didn’t know when the Northern Frontier Army had adopted the rule of ignoring beacon smoke.

For over three years, the Northern Frontier Army had become completely foreign to him.

Xie Yan let out a heavy sigh, clasped his hands, and said, "Please enlighten me, General."

The middle-aged man glanced around and whispered, "Orders from above—those in Zhenzhi Pass are expendable, dead or alive."

"Besides, the Northern Hu know when to stop. They’ll raid, burn, then pull back. Sending reinforcements would be futile and only invite claims we’re making a big deal out of nothing."

"A pack of criminals—let them die."

"Zhenzhi Pass—losing it changes nothing. The higher-ups won’t blame us."

Xie Yan’s blood ran cold.

"General, what if this is more than just a raid?"

"The beacon smoke is too thick, too urgent."

"No 'what ifs'!" the middle-aged man snapped sharply. "Xie Yan, you’re out of line."

"Do you think your surname 'Xie' is the same as the Xie Army’s 'Xie'?"

"The real Xies are all dead. The Northern Frontier Army has purged every general loyal to the Xie family."

"That name of yours is cursed."

"You’d be better off with any other name."

"If not for you saving my life from that wolf pack, I’d never have kept you by my side."

"Xie Yan, why not acknowledge me as your foster father and change your surname—"

"Schick."

The sound of a blade piercing flesh.

The middle-aged man’s voice cut off abruptly, his eyes bulging in shock.

"I am indeed the 'Xie' of the Xie Army."

"Now you can die in peace."

Xie Yan took command.