Chapter 158 “Retreat!”

Chapter 158 "Fall back!"

Jiang Congyan entered Guyuan City and finally realized why Zhao Cuo had captured her.

Tuo Baxiao had struck a deal with Liang State: whoever took the cities from the Xiongnu would keep them.

After the chaotic battles, the outcome was clear: the Xianbei Army had claimed most of the territory, while the Liang army held only a few insignificant towns.

They planned to use her as leverage against Tuo Baxiao.

The group entered Guyuan City, where Zhang Yan and the Xianbei Imperial Guards were locked up, while she and her three maids were escorted to a secluded courtyard in the governor's residence.

Most buildings in the northern regions were built solid and sturdy, with high walls. The courtyard was tightly surrounded by Liang soldiers, leaving no way out. Without weapons, the women could only bide their time.

"We've had a grueling journey. Rest well tonight to regain your strength for what lies ahead. Get some rest now," Jiang Congyan said to her maids.

"Yes."

But in enemy territory, Si Zi and the others were afraid their lady would be harmed. They refused to leave her side, even insisting on staying in the same room at night for her safety.

Sitting on the bed, Jiang Congyan thought of Tuo Baxiao—how was he doing now?

——

Tuo Baxiao pursued Wudati Hou to Zhongwei, where another brutal clash broke out. Overwhelmed, Wudati Hou tried to flee across the river but was blocked by the Xianbei Army.

As the standoff continued, Tuo Baxiao received Modolou's message: Zhao Bian had taken advantage of his pursuit of the Xiongnu and the weakened defenses of Guyuan to seize the city.

His expression turned thunderous, and with one blow, he split the table in half before him.

The Liang people dared to break their word so shamelessly.

Good. Very good!

He immediately left 20,000 troops to continue pursuing Wudati Hou while personally leading another 20,000, pushing through the night to reinforce Guyuan.

After a day and two nights of forced march, they finally arrived at the gates of Guyuan at dawn on the third day.

Modolou stepped forward to confess his failure. "I lost the city. I await your judgment, my king."

The king had tasked him with eliminating the remaining Xiongnu forces, but in his focus on the chase, he had left too few defenders in the city, allowing the Liang army to exploit the weakness.

Tuo Baxiao did not blame him—no one could have anticipated such underhanded betrayal from the Liang people.

This was Liang State's second betrayal.

The earlier attempt to negotiate with the Xiongnu could still be written off as diplomacy, but this was outright betrayal, ten times worse than before.

From now on, he’d give them no quarter.

Without hesitation, Tuo Baxiao ordered the siege of Guyuan.

On the city walls, Zhao Bian received news of Tuo Baxiao's attack and climbed up to address him. "Prince of Mobei, you agreed with our great Liang that whoever captured the cities would claim them. Now Guyuan is in our hands—why do you still come to seize it?"

Modolou had never seen someone with such gall. They had stolen the city through a sneak attack, yet now they blamed the Xianbei.

Using every insult he knew in both Han and Xianbei languages, Modolou shouted back furiously.

Tuo Baxiao paid no mind to the shouting match and directly commanded the assault on the city.

Zhao Bian gazed at the sea of Xianbei troops outside the city, each soldier seething with bloodlust. Despite holding the defensive advantage, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease.

"Prince of Mobei, hold your forces! A guest has arrived in Guyuan City—someone you’ll *definitely* want to see. Perhaps you should meet them before deciding whether to lay siege."

Modolou found his words rather suspicious. Who could possibly make the Prince change his mind? Surely this was just Liang’s desperate ploy.

"My Prince?"

Eager for action, he turned to Tuo Baxiao, only to find him standing frozen, face unreadable.

A chill shot down Tuo Baxiao’s spine. Zhao Bian's confidence... Considering the possibility, his face went deathly still.

.

Jiang Congyan had dozed fitfully for two hours. As dawn approached, she faintly sensed the din of battle outside. She jerked awake.

Si Zi noticed it too, her eyes lighting up. "Has the Prince arrived?"

Jiang Congyan said nothing, barking at her maids to bring her clothes.

Just as she finished dressing, Zhao Cuo stormed in. "Princess, you must come with me."

Si Zi threw herself in front of her lady. "Who gave you permission to enter a lady's chamber? Get out!"

Scowling at her rebuke, Zhao Cuo sneered, "Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?"

He seized Si Zi's arm and shoved her aside, reaching for Jiang Congyan—only to freeze mid-motion, stunned by the heart-stopping beauty before him.

Rumors of Princess You’an's allure were no exaggeration. That one dance at the banquet had left the Prince of Mobei spellbound, vowing to wed none but her. Zhao Cuo had dismissed it as hyperbole—until now. Even in the dim light, she glowed like a pearl, piercing right through him.

Exhaustion had chipped away at her pride, softening her usual arrogance into something fragile and pitiable.

Zhao Cuo swallowed hard, his mind racing. What a shame such beauty was beyond his reach.

Suppressing his urges, he said, "Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Princess. Come quietly—I’d rather not force you."

His hand twitched, as if tempted to touch her face.

Jiang Congyan, with no means to resist, flinched away with revulsion. "Don’t touch me. I’ll walk on my own."

Escorted by Zhao Cuo, she left the governor's residence and headed west toward the city walls.

Tuo Baxiao had arrived.

The walls were crawling with Liang soldiers, packed tightly from top to bottom.

At Zhao Cuo's approach, the crowd parted, opening a gauntlet.

Jiang Congyan walked ahead of him, ascending the steps one by one.

No one laid a hand on her, yet every soldier here was a living blade.

As she reached the top, her figure emerged on the battlements.

Below, through the haze of dawn, Tuo Baxiao first glimpsed only the faint outline of her head—until she moved to the edge of the wall.

Then he saw her.

His pupils contracted violently, his emerald eyes ablaze with fury, cutting through the distance.

The Liang people actually had the gall!

General Modolou took it all in, his eyes widening as he instinctively turned to look at the Prince.

The Prince’s gaze was locked on that spot, veins bulging on his neck. His face appeared calm, but the muscles along his jaw twitched uncontrollably with rage. The fury rolling off him was so thick that even Modolou couldn’t help but feel fear. Even the Li Eagle, sensing its master’s rage, stamped its hooves uneasily.

Modolou’s stomach twisted with dread. Losing the city hadn’t worried him much, but now he hardly dared to breathe—the air seemed frozen.

For any man, seeing his woman taken hostage was a slap in the face. For a Prince, this humiliation was even more unbearable.

Of course, Modolou knew the Prince could overlook all of this—except they had taken the Khatun.

As the Prince’s confidant, he understood better than anyone how much the Prince cherished her. If even the slightest harm came to her, there was no telling how far the Prince’s fury would go. This bloodlust might just… drown the city in Liang blood?

Modolou wasn’t exaggerating.

On the battlements, Jiang Congyan stood in the notch of the parapet, revealing only her head and neck above the parapet. Zhao Bian and Zhao Cuo flanked her, their figures mostly concealed by the protruding battlements.

Amid Tuo Baxiao’s silence, Zhao Bian kept taunting him, "Prince of Mobei, Princess You’an longed for her homeland, so I invited her as my guest. Since you’ve married a Liang princess, our two nations are now bound by marriage—we should be as close as family. Why squabble over a handful of cities? Now that the Xiongnu have fled and winter grows harsher, why not lead your Xianbei warriors home first? Once I’ve finished reminiscing with the princess, I’ll personally escort her back to Xianbei. What do you think?"

His words were sugarcoated, but the true meaning was clear: using Jiang Congyan as a hostage to force Tuo Baxiao to surrender the cities and withdraw from Liang.

Even those who didn’t understand Han speech could grasp the situation just by looking.

This was land their Xianbei warriors had fought hard to seize from the Xiongnu—why should they hand it over to the Liang people?

"My Prince, we cannot let these Liang schemers succeed," Duan Muqi couldn’t help but urge.

Once he spoke, several other officers, high and low, began cursing the Liang people. They weren’t about to take this lying down.

Tuo Baxiao’s jaw clenched, saying nothing.

Zhao Bian kept his eyes fixed on Tuo Baxiao. At first, he had been brimming with confidence, but now, seeing the Xianbei urging their Prince not to yield—and Tuo Baxiao remaining unreadable—doubt gnawed at him.

The reports he’d received claimed Tuo Baxiao treasured Jiang Congyan deeply, favoring her exclusively since their marriage. He’d killed for her and called off wars at her word—proof of her weight in his heart. But was that weight enough to make him surrender cities for her?

Would he pick his throne or his queen?

Zhao Bian glanced sideways at the famed Princess You’an. Hers was the kind of beauty that started wars. If this beauty turned on the waterworks, it might just work miracles.

He said to Jiang Congyan, "Princess, as both a Liang princess and the Prince’s wife, surely you don’t wish for conflict between Liang and Xianbei? Why not persuade the Prince? You’re royalty—I’d rather not dirty my hands. This is for your own good, don’t you agree?"

Jiang Congyan didn’t so much as twitch, ignoring him completely.

The winter morning was ghostly with frost, the sky heavy with gray clouds. The world felt smothered under a leaden sky. Needles of snow bit at exposed skin, melting into icy droplets that raised tiny goosebumps.

Her gaze remained fixed on the towering figure ahead. Across the distance and layers of mist, she couldn’t make out the expression on his face.

When their gazes locked, she felt the weight of his icy silence—his jade-green eyes brimming with unreadable emotion.

Odd—even across the void, his eyes burned into hers, as if they stood mere inches apart, not dozens of paces away.

When the moment arrived, her mind was strangely still.

She refused to play the weeping hostage for Zhao Bian, nor would she grandly tell him to sacrifice her for victory.

She held her tongue, putting the decision in his hands alone.

She thought: even if he refused to abandon the siege for her sake, she wouldn’t blame him. Zhao Bian’s schemes had led to this, and her own carelessness had trapped her here. He had done nothing wrong.

Only rarely would a fleeting thought cross her mind—if she were to perish here, would history still follow its predetermined course? Would everything she’d done now fade away, leaving not a single word behind, as if she had never existed?

At this very moment, the tens of thousands of troops inside and outside the city were eerily silent—not a single sound. The silence so deep it was unnerving.

After a long stalemate, Tuo Baxiao finally raised his forearm slowly.

He was about to decide.

All eyes were fixed on him, the atmosphere tense as a drawn bow.

Zhao Bian and Zhao Cuo leaned forward despite themselves, their gazes locked onto Tuo Baxiao, a mix of anticipation and tension in their eyes.

Tuo Baxiao lifted his head, his gaze steady on Jiang Congyan’s face—

"Retreat!"

His voice boomed, echoing across the plains, reaching the ears of Zhao Bian and his son atop the city walls.

Even though he’d planned this all along, Zhao Bian could hardly believe it now that it had come to pass—there truly was a man who would give up a kingdom for a woman.

Jiang Congyan blinked slowly, her gaze distant. She had never imagined that one day, the choice between power and love would fall upon her, and the man she had married would firmly choose her.

She felt no joy. Instead, she wanted to weep.

Zhao Bian snapped out of his surprise and let out a few hearty laughs. "The Prince of Mobei is indeed a man of deep affection and noble character, truly admirable! Rest assured, I will take good care of the princess—"

He kept babbling, but Tuo Baxiao had already stopped listening.

With the order to retreat given, the Xianbei cavalry began an orderly retreat.

Having achieved his goal, Zhao Bian instructed Zhao Cuo to escort her back.

Before turning away, Jiang Congyan’s gaze lingered just a heartbeat longer on Tuo Baxiao’s lone figure, then she descended the city walls calmly.

Tuo Baxiao waited until she had completely disappeared from sight before turning to leave.

Jiang Congyan was taken back to the small courtyard where she had been held earlier. Zhao Cuo personally "delivered" her to the door, his eyes lingering on her face for a long while before he left. "With beauty fit to topple kingdoms, no wonder the Prince of Mobei was willing to trade cities for you. If it were me, I’d do the same."

Jiang Congyan’s temper flared. "How dare you harbor such thoughts about me?"

Without another word, she turned and entered the house, her elegant back bristling with fury.

Zhao Cuo, however, was not offended. Instead, he reached for the air where she had stood, as if catching the last whisper of her scent.

——

After Tuo Baxiao pulled back his troops, the army temporarily stationed in a small town thirty li outside of Guyuan.

"My Prince, are we truly going to hand over the cities to the Liang people? I won’t stand for this," Duan Muqi fumed indignantly.

"My Prince, perhaps we could find a way to infiltrate the city and rescue the Khatun in secret. Then we could attack without hesitation."

"That would be difficult. The Liang people have the gates tightly shut—how would we get in?"

"Dig a tunnel? Swim underwater? Or use grappling hooks to climb the walls under cover of night?"

Huh… that could work.

"Once inside the city, how do we locate the Khatun and bring her out?"

...

The group tossed around ideas, and by the end, they had actually devised a plan that might actually work.

"My King, what do you think?"

Tuo Baxiao finally lifted his eyelids. "Order Chigan Balie to withdraw all troops from Zhongwei and await orders at Tongyin."

His words were deliberate, his voice unnervingly calm.

At his words, everyone was momentarily stunned before realizing that their king had not participated in their discussion at all. Instead, he had issued an order that, while seemingly unrelated, was in fact decisive.

"Yes."

They instinctively complied, only later realizing the implications of withdrawing the Zhongwei forces.

——

When Zhao Bian learned that Tuo Baxiao's army had only retreated thirty miles and had not left the territory of Guyuan, he fumed.

He’d risked provoking the Xianbei to seize Guyuan, and his ambitions didn’t stop there.

The court had agreed to Tuo Baxiao's terms for withdrawal, hoping to reclaim at least half the cities. Zhao Bian had previously led reinforcements to Zhongwei, only to fail in saving it, put Xiaoguan at risk, and lose Guyuan. Even with his lofty title as Left Wing General, once the war concluded and he returned to Chang'an, the court would surely punish him. Execution was unlikely, but exile was the best he could hope for—unless he could pull off a miracle.

Since he had nothing left to lose, why not gamble? If successful, he could not only offset his past failures but also skyrocket to power.

Taking Guyuan was just the start.

His ambitions swelled further, sparking a wilder plan—to take Tuo Baxiao out for good.

He summoned Zhao Cuo and his trusted strategist Jia Gong, and the three gathered under lamplight to plot.

When Zhao Cuo heard the plan, he voiced concern, "The combat strength of the Xianbei cavalry is no less than that of the Xiongnu army, and Tuo Baxiao's ferocity is legendary. Can we really defeat him?"

Zhao Bian replied, "We’ve burned bridges with him. He will surely nurse a grudge over this defeat. Once he returns to the Xianbei, he will raise an army for revenge. We must strike first."

It made sense. Zhao Cuo couldn’t help but think of Jiang Congyan—if Tuo Baxiao died, the beauty would be up for grabs.

"What does Father plan to do?"

Jia Gong smiled at this. "I’ve got a plan."

"Speak quickly, sir," Zhao Cuo urged.

Jia Gong dipped his finger in tea and drew a rough map on the table. "We have fifty thousand troops in Guyuan, with sturdy walls and ample supplies. Tuo Baxiao has thirty thousand cavalry outside the city. Now, in the bitter cold, his provisions are scarce. We hold the advantage in numbers, fortifications, and supplies. First, dispatch a force to cut off his supply lines from the rear. Then, have Zhou Hong lead thirty thousand troops to coordinate a pincer attack with you. Victory is highly achievable."

Hearing this, both Zhao Bian and Zhao Cuo brightened. Viewed this way, dealing with Tuo Baxiao wasn’t impossible.

"I’ll write a letter to Zhou Hong at once," Zhao Bian said.

As Left Wing General, he outranked Zhou Hong, the Right Wing General. After Grand General He Yang was severely wounded, the emperor had verbally appointed Zhao Bian as acting Grand General. A direct order from him would be impossible for Zhou Hong to ignore.

With the plan set, the three began preparations.

While Zhao Cuo was gathering his subordinates to discuss matters, an Imperial Guard suddenly reported, "General, the princess is kicking up a fuss."

"Oh? What happened?"

Zhao Cuo was annoyed by the disturbance, but the thought of Jiang Congyan and her stunningly beautiful face instantly quelled his irritation. "I'll go see her," he said.

Upon arriving at the small courtyard, Zhao Cuo marched confidently into the room. "What is the matter, Princess?"

Jiang Congyan sat sideways, her face cold, refusing to even glance at him. "The Prince of Mobei has already withdrawn his troops. Why won’t you let me go?"

Zhao Cuo chuckled and stepped closer. "You’re joking, Princess. You know full well how great a threat Tuo Baxiao poses. Now that we’ve finally brought you here as our guest, why would I just let you go?"

"You—!" Jiang Congyan abruptly lifted her head, glaring at him in fury.

Zhao Cuo looked down at her, unfazed, relishing the sight of the beautiful woman’s anger.

Jiang Congyan seemed to finally realize he had no intention of releasing her. Her expression grew restrained, yet she still held onto her royal dignity, lifting her chin. "If you claim to have invited me as a guest, is this how you treat me?"

"Oh? How have we been neglectful, Princess? I’ll have it corrected at once."

Beautiful women always got special treatment, and Zhao Cuo was willing to indulge her in trivial matters.

Jiang Congyan remained silent, but Si Zi stepped forward. "In every way! The Princess is highborn and delicate, yet you house her in such a crude dwelling—fine, but your men keep traipsing in and out of the courtyard. They’re all men! If word spreads, the Princess’s reputation will be ruined! And it’s freezing—you don’t even provide her with charcoal. What if she falls ill? The food’s awful too—always cold when it gets here..."

Si Zi went on and on about their grievances over the past two days—clothing, food, lodging—every aspect laden with complaints.

Zhao Cuo had ordered his men to keep a close watch on Jiang Congyan, leaving her no chance to escape. The guards were his most trusted, fully aware of the Princess’s importance, standing guard at the door without a moment’s lapse. To ensure she remained under his control, they’d overstepped a bit.

After some thought, Zhao Cuo reasoned that with the courtyard surrounded by his men, these few helpless women couldn’t escape even if they sprouted wings. He ordered the guards to stay outside the courtyard and sent men to scrounge up better supplies for her.

Having given these instructions, he left.

Yet the next day, the guards reported again—the Princess was throwing another fit. "...She says she only uses the finest aloeswood incense, that the scents we brought are foul and unbearable. For warmth, she insists on smokeless silver charcoal, or else it irritates her throat. She demands rosewater baths, only drinks Shu’s priceless tea, and eats from white porcelain..."

Her tastes were ridiculously extravagant. With Liangzhou still in turmoil, how could they possibly gather all these luxuries?

But Zhao Cuo recalled the Princess’s background—raised in Liangzhou, doted upon by the Marquis of Liangzhou, who spared no expense to pamper her. Even the Prince of Mobei had been willing to abandon cities for her. No surprise she’d never faced hardship, growing up with such a haughty temperament.

He waved a hand. "Do what you can to meet her demands. If it’s truly impossible, let it be."

The guards complied, yet after painstakingly gathering most of the items, the Princess blew up again.

"Where is Zhao Cuo? I demand to see him," she said coldly.

"The General is busy."

Jiang Congyan refused to listen. "Get him here."

The guards, recalling the General’s indulgence toward her, had no choice but to report to him.

Even Zhao Cuo was getting fed up with her tantrums, but he still went to see her with patience.

"What else isn’t to your liking?"

"I want to see my elder brother."

"No." Zhao Cuo refused without hesitation.

"I want to see my elder brother." Jiang Congyan’s face was taut, her beauty still proud, but a slight quiver in her voice gave her away.

"You promised not to harm him. Four days have passed, and I haven’t seen him once. How do I know you’ve kept your word? I want to see my brother—and my guards. I must see with my own eyes that they’re safe. If you refuse, I’ll starve myself."

Zhao Cuo was initially unwilling, but gazing at her delicate, vulnerable face, he felt a twinge of pity. Recalling her recent behavior, she was merely a naive, spoiled noblewoman—perhaps genuinely worried about Zhang Yan. Besides, with his men everywhere, how could she possibly escape? Finally, he gave in and agreed to let her see Zhang Yan once.