Since Northern Qiang had gathered its forces yesterday, there had been no movement for half a day. No one knew what kind of strategy the so-called god of war of Northern Qiang was preparing. Although Northern Qiang held back, Zhou Tong could not let his guard down. Thus, the city walls maintained a state of maximum vigilance at all times.
Even though everyone understood this was the best time to attack Liangzhou Prefecture, Yelü Zhige still showed no intention of deploying his troops. This displayed the immense prestige the Grand Marshal commanded. Not a single soldier in the Northern Qiang army questioned his actions, as if all were convinced that the Grand Marshal had his own plans.
The next day, as the sun began to rise, Zhou Tong got out of bed. He had slept all night, fearing that Northern Qiang might take action under the cover of darkness.
After waking himself with a splash of water, Zhou Tong hurried toward the city wall. As he stepped outside, he bumped into Jiang Chao, whose weary demeanor mirrored his own.
"General Jiang." Zhou Tong cupped his hands in greeting.
Jiang Chao nodded back and said urgently, "Lord Zhou, scouts just entered the city, they report that External Prime Minister Qi is only twenty miles away."
Zhou Tong was momentarily stunned, then overjoyed. "Is this true? The heavens have not abandoned us! Liangzhou Prefecture is saved!"
Jiang Chao continued, "External Minister Qi is approaching from the north..."
"The north?" Zhou Tong asked in alarm, "Wouldn't that mean running straight into the heart of the Northern Qiang forces?! Why didn't the External Minister take a detour?"
Jiang Chao gave a wry smile. Zhou Tong frowned deeply and muttered to himself, "Could it be... the External Prime Minister intends to crush the enemy against our walls? How can that work?! Those troops are surely exhausted from days of marching, while the enemy, having rested for half a day, is in their peak condition. This battle cannot be fought!"
Jiang Chao waved his hand. "Lord Zhou, say no more. Do you think External Minister Qi would have overlooked such details? Marching from the north was done under his deliberate order; he must have his plans. All we need to do is fulfill our own duties. If a battle does break out, we must provide immediate support and flank the enemy with the External Minister’s forces."
Hearing this, Zhou Tong nodded heavily. "Indeed. Twenty miles will take no time at all. Let’s go to the walls!"
Zhou Tong and Jiang Chao waited on the city wall for a while, watching the sunrise as they looked for their reinforcements. Before long, a black line appeared on the horizon, gradually transforming into a vast black mass spreading toward them, it was the Ruen Dynasty’s army.
The Run Dynasty’s forces emerged behind and slightly west of the Northern Qiang camp. When the army first appeared, a brief stir rippled through the Northern Qiang camp, but it quickly settled down.
On the city wall, Zhou Tong stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed intently on the scene. No one noticed, however, that his palms, hidden within his sleeves, were slick with sweat.
In the distance, the two massive armies slowly passed each other on the plain, the tension so thick it was almost suffocating.
Qi Zongbi rode on horseback within the Ruen Dynasty ranks as the army advanced. For a scholar, riding a horse was no easy feat, so realistically, he should have been inside a carriage. Unfortunately, he had no choice. The immense pressure of being outnumbered and positioned by Northern Qiang invaders weighed heavily on the Ruen Dynasty soldiers, so they needed to see him, the linchpin of this army.
As they passed the Northern Qiang forces, Qi Zongbi turned to look in their direction. A figure draped in a white-feathered cloak stood on a distant hillside, flanked by a contingent of black-armored cavalry.
The man was of average height, with a neatly trimmed beard and an unremarkable appearance. Without his imposing armor, he could easily have been mistaken for a farmer.
Yet, it was impossible to ignore his eyes, narrow, sharp, and cold, with a restrained brilliance like a hawk surveying the land. Behind him, a grand banner fluttered in the wind, bearing two powerful characters: Cease War.
"Cease War?" Qi Zongbi let out a faint, cold laugh. "How ironic..."
Yelü Zhige looked over that moment, his gaze meeting Qi Zongbi’s.
Caught by Yelü Zhige’s piercing stare, Qi Zongbi felt a chill run through him, but he kept his expression calm and composed while nodding politely toward the Northern Qiang general.
Yelü Zhige smiled faintly, extending his hand in a gesture of invitation.
Qi Zongbi sneered inwardly. "Inviting? More like inviting me into a trap. How arrogant."
The two armies passed each other and gradually distanced themselves. Northern Qiang made no move, allowing the Ruen Dynasty's forces to enter the city and set up camp.
The city gates opened, and Qi Zongbi rode into the city. Inside, Liangzhou Prefecture’s commander, Zhou Tong, and governor Wen Yumo, along with other officials, were already waiting.
Qi Zongbi dismounted and walked forward. The gathered officials cupped their hands and bowed in unison. "Greetings, External Prime Minister."
"Please, colleagues, dispense with formalities." Qi Zongbi made a slight motion for them to get up their bows, then got straight to the point. "The situation is critical; there’s no need for courtesies. Quickly assign people to arrange the city’s defense."
After a flurry of orders, the entire Liangzhou Prefecture sprang into action. Everyone knew the real battle was about to begin.
Meanwhile, in the inn where Ye Beizhi and his group were staying, the once-quiet establishment was suddenly disrupted by a loud bang as Tang Jinnian’s door habitually closed door was flung open.
Rao Shuang was the first to arrive. Her eyes fell immediately on Tang Jinnian, who was disheveled and gaunt, with sunken eyes. He glanced at her, shook his head, and said nothing.
"I..." Rao Shuang opened her mouth, fumbling for words. "I’ll go get you something to eat!" With that, she turned and ran downstairs without looking back.
Rao Shuang had barely left when the others arrived. Xue Qiming took one look at Tang Jinnian’s appearance and raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you’re not dead yet?"
Fang Dingwu stepped forward to steady the faltering Tang Jinnian, but Tang Jinnian brushed him aside. He reached out to Xue Qiming, opening his palm to reveal something.
The others focused their gaze and saw the object, perfectly round, no larger than a longan. At first glance, it appeared pitch black, but upon closer inspection, one could see a myriad of shifting scenes within it, like a sea of flowing stars. The pill almost looked as if it had a life of its own.
Xue Qiming picked up the bead, held it up close, and examined it carefully. Casually, he asked, "Did you make this from the Transcendence Stone?"
Tang Jinnian weakly nodded. "To be blunt... I’m not sure if this will work. I just followed the instructions in a book to make it. I’ve never seen anyone take this medicine. Whether it can save that woman... We’ll just have to leave it to fate."
Xue Qiming handed the medicine to Chi Nanwei and waved his hand. "There’s no rush. We don’t even know how to use this thing. Wait until you’ve eaten, and we can do everything according to your arrangements."
Tang Jinnian looked up and realized that Ye Beizhi was missing from the group. He asked in confusion, "Where’s Mute Ye?"
Xue Qiming pursed his lips and didn’t answer.
Fang Dingwu, however, truthfully replied, "Young Master Baili's old injuries have flared up again. Brother Ye is helping to suppress the injury."