Chapter 328: Beacon Smoke

Chapter 328: Signal Fires of War

Liu Jingyuan frowned.

His thick, dark brows knitted together like writhing centipedes.

How had he never noticed before that Qiao Song commanded such loyalty?

"I failed to distinguish between loyalists and traitors and was deceived by the latter. After quelling the rebellion, I will personally draft an official report to the throne, detailing the events and requesting appropriate punishment."

No—if this matter is handled well and resolves the Emperor’s greatest concern, His Majesty would let it slide. The Lius could gain more influence.

"If the Grand General says so, he must have solid proof."

"Sound the alarm!"

At the critical moment, someone pounded on the gates below.

"The Left Wise King leads a great army to Zhenzhi Pass, vowing to storm Shengyan Pass tonight."

"Zhenzhi Pass is lost!"

"Open the gates! Quickly, open the gates!"

"I'm of the Qin clan!"

"Open the gates!"

Junior General Qin, a born commander, bellowed desperately.

"This general must return to the capital and report to His Majesty."

The Left Wise King’s forces swarmed like locusts, turning his blood to ice.

The vast Zhenzhi Pass, bolstered only by the bandits he had recruited, could barely scrape together ten thousand troops. Facing the Left Wise King’s army would be suicide.

Before coming, his uncle Grand Tutor Qin had ordered him: hold Zhenzhi Pass if possible, but abandon it without hesitation if necessary—you wouldn’t be held accountable.

He had held the pass for three years, beating back the Northern Hu's constant raids. That alone was testament to his tireless service and dedication.

Now, with tens of thousands of Northern Hu troops attacking, he couldn’t hold.

Exhausted from shouting, Junior General Qin collapsed against his horse’s neck and ordered his trusted aides to continue pounding on the gates.

Liu Jingyuan, seething with frustration, hurried up the city wall and looked down.

Torches flickered endlessly, casting dancing shadows.

Yet Liu Jingyuan could still make out the figure on horseback.

A junior cousin of the Qin clan.

He addressed Grand Tutor Qin as 'uncle.'

Somehow, he had caught the eye of Eldest Young Master Qin Yuanqing. After Grand Tutor Qin petitioned the Emperor, he was sent back to the northern frontier as Zhenzhi Pass’s garrison commander.

At the time, Liu Jingyuan had personally hosted a banquet for this 'military scholar' General Qin.

The man on horseback wore rich blue silk robes, a golden crown binding his hair. Without a speck of battle's grime on him, he looked more like a nobleman returning from an outing than the commander of a city.

Liu Jingyuan felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart.

He, too, was an underling of the Emperor and Grand Tutor Qin, his misdeeds no less than General Qin’s. Yet, as he looked at this seemingly untroubled young general, an involuntary surge of contempt and disgust welled up inside him.

How could someone like him hold a frontier?

Spotting Liu Jingyuan’s figure on the city wall, General Qin raised his head and waved. "General Liu, don’t you know me?"

"Hurry up and open the gates!"

Stuck outside the walls, he felt utterly unsafe, terrified that the Northern Hu army might emerge behind him, waving curved swords, ready to pounce.

Liu Jingyuan demanded, "What do you mean by your words, General Qin?"

"The Left Wise King led tens of thousands of troops to attack Zhenzhi Pass. I led my men in a desperate resistance, fighting a bloody battle, but in the end, we were outmatched."

"We lost Zhenzhi Pass."

"The Northern Hu army under the Left Wise King will soon cross Zhenzhi Pass and attack Shengyan Pass."

"General Liu, let my men and me inside first."

The young general from the Qin family’s collateral branch said shamelessly.

"General Qin, did you encounter Qiao Song’s army on your way here? Qiao Song has colluded with the Northern Hu, leading his officers to defect."

"Didn’t run into them."

"There’s more than one road from Shengyan Pass to Zhenzhi Pass. It’s possible we missed each other."

Thank fate they had missed each other.

Otherwise, he’d be dead.

Liu Jingyuan pondered for a moment, then, thinking of Eldest Young Master Qin Yuanqing, sighed and raised his hand, signaling to open the gates.

But faster than his gesture came the hiss of an arrow.

It struck General Qin squarely between the brows.

Blood splattered.

The cocky grin on General Qin’s face locked rigid.

Liu Jingyuan’s hand hung midair, his body stiff, his gaze locked in disbelief on the figure standing not far away. He roared, "Tian Binjun, what are you doing?!"

The archer was his sister’s husband.

"Elder Brother," Tian Binjun shot back, "With things as they are, who knows if he’s a spy? Who knows if there are men hidden in the nearby woods?"

"His words reek of lies."

"What kind of man fresh from battle remains this spotless and fancy?"

"Elder Brother, if even Qiao Song could betray us, it proves you can’t trust faces."

"I’m looking out for you!"

Liu Jingyuan nearly coughed up blood in rage.

His brother-in-law had killed someone personally recommended by Eldest Young Master Qin.

How would he face the Qin family after this!

Tian Binjun glanced calmly at the others and said coldly, "Why are you just standing there? What are you waiting for?"

"The military advisor taught us—hit first to control the fight."

"Brother, you wouldn’t actually want to kill me, would you?"

Liu Jingyuan took a deep breath and raised his hand. "The treacherous rebels are cunning, impersonating Daqian soldiers," he declared. "Cut them down."

Yes, they must be impersonators!

Arrows whistled through the air, and screams of pain rang out.

All the traitorous soldiers who had abandoned the people of Zhenzhi Pass and fled alongside General Qin fell in the hail of arrows.

"Commander, should we rearrange the city’s defenses?"

"What if the Left Wise King of the Northern Hu leads his army to attack the city..."

Liu Jingyuan instinctively looked toward the scholar-advisor, who stroked his beard and said meaningfully, "This old one recommends burying the invading Northern Hu forces at Zhenzhi Pass to spare Shengyan Pass the disturbance—so His Majesty won't have to worry."

"But the Left Wise King himself is leading the army..."

Liu Jingyuan hesitated.

Since taking command, he had never engaged in large-scale combat with the Northern Hu.

"Commander, the Left Wise King is pushing forward relentlessly, planning a night assault on Shengyan Pass. If we dispatch our forces now, we can take him by surprise."

Lowering his voice, the advisor continued, "The hundred-thousand strong Northern Frontier Army, battle-hardened and capable of taking on ten enemies each—how could they be inferior to the Northern Hu?"

"Once Qiao Song’s forces and the Northern Hu army have weakened each other, the Commander can take the spoils."

Liu Jingyuan's confidence grew.

Indeed.

The Northern Frontier Army, trained by the Xie family, was unmatched in courage, with countless battle formations ready. For decades, the Northern Hu had never gained any ground.

There was no reason that after just over three years under his command, the army’s strength would decline so drastically.

This battle would surely be the battle that would make his name.

After this, he would have the confidence and leverage to hold his ground—without having to bow before Grand Tutor Qin.

"Issue my orders—the army advances at full speed to Zhenzhi Pass."

"Leave the invaders buried and the traitors who betrayed their country at Zhenzhi Pass."

...

The courier dispatched by Old Master Xie to seek reinforcements encountered Xie Yan’s troops.

"Are you the garrison commander of Shengyan Pass?"

"I come on General Xie's orders..."

"The Left Wise King of the Northern Hu nomads has led his army to attack Zhenzhi Pass. I was ordered to come and request reinforcements."

Xie Yan tightened the reins, his heart pounding with emotion.

His grandfather was still holding on desperately.

There was still time. He told himself there would still be time.

"Qiao Song of Shengyan Pass."

"Seeing the beacon smoke rising from the direction of Zhenzhi Pass, I'm riding to reinforce them."

"No time to waste."

"General Qiao." A messenger hesitated, then cautiously reminded, "The Left Wise King's army is massive. Xie... that is, our scouts estimate about seventy thousand troops."

The implication was clear—Your ten thousand won't be nearly enough.

Xie Yan replied, "I'm just the advance force."

"Soon enough, the rest of the camp's forces will follow."

"We need to move."

That title still belonged to his grandfather—to the northern folk, he was still General Xie.

Xie Yan raced to their aid.