When Qi Yanzhu arrived at Liangzhou Prefecture, half a month had already passed since the start of the siege. The situation on the battlefield was dire. Although Qi Yanzhu and his group traveled as swiftly as possible, taking shortcuts along the way, the considerable distance caused them to be delayed.
The group consisted of no more than twenty men, who were all trusted personal guards handpicked by Qi Yanzhu. They had all shared life-and-death experiences at Jianxing Pass in the northeast.
Along the way, they encountered highway robbers, but the bandits, seeing their military attire and the unmistakable aura of deadly resolve, knew better than to provoke them. The robbers quickly fled while cursing their bad luck.
When Qi Yanzhu’s group reached Liangzhou Prefecture late at night, the guards let them in after they presented their credentials. They were then assigned a guide to lead them to the Supervisory Command Post. However, before they reached their destination, the sound of war drums suddenly erupted outside the city, accompanied by the rumble of hooves like distant thunder.
Having spent years on the battlefield, Qi Yanzhu was all too familiar with the sound. His face changed abruptly as he exclaimed, "Not good! It's a night raid!"
Moments later, chaotic shouting could be heard from the distant city walls. Illuminated by firelight, figures swarmed on the ramparts, and the previously quiet city of Liangzhou erupted into turmoil.
The guide stood still helplessly like a nervous wreck, unsure whether to continue leading the group to the Command Post or to find a place to hide.
Seeing that the guide was unreliable, Qi Yanzhu decisively drew the sword at his waist and commanded those behind him, "Since Minister Qi is the commander-in-chief, he must be on the city wall overseeing the situation. Follow me to the ramparts—we’ll fight the enemy together!"
The personal guards responded in unison, "Yes, sir!" Their killing intent was palpable as they rushed toward the walls.
Upon reaching the walls, they found that the ramparts were already in chaos. Shouts, orders, and reprimands blended into a frantic din, making it impossible to listen to anything clearly. Figures hurriedly passed by, rushing toward the other side of the wall.
Qi Yanzhu quickly scanned the ramparts and breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems the walls haven't been breached yet—there’s still hope."
"General!" one of the personal guards called out to Qi Yanzhu, pointing toward a section of the wall. "Over there, that man..."
Qi Yanzhu followed the soldier’s gesture and saw an older man standing by the parapet, staring intently at the battle unfolding below the city. Beside him stood two soldiers holding shields, deflecting incoming arrows.
Qi Yanzhu frowned and said, "It’s Minister Qi... To have the courage to stand here at a time —he’s truly extraordinary."
"Follow me," Qi Yanzhu commanded before leading the way toward Qi Zongbi.
As the group approached Qi Zongbi, they were quickly noticed, and someone stepped forward to block their path. Judging by the soldier's attire, Qi Yanzhu deduced that this man must be one of Qi Zongbi’s personal guards.
"Who are you? Do you have a report to deliver?" the guard asked as he blocked their way.
Qi Yanzhu didn’t bother explaining to him and instead called out to Qi Zongbi from a distance, "Minister Qi, I am Qi Yanzhu, here by imperial decree to defend Liangzhou Prefecture."
Qi Zongbi had already noticed the commotion but was too occupied to turn his attention to it. Upon hearing Qi Yanzhu’s words, he finally turned around, frowning slightly as he said, "Qi Yanzhu... General Qi?"
Qi Yanzhu cupped his hands in salute and replied, "Indeed, that is I." With that, he retrieved the imperial decree from his chest and held it up for Qi Zongbi to see.
Only then did Qi Zongbi wave his hand, signaling the guard to step aside. As the guard passed Qi Yanzhu, he cupped his hands in apology. "Pardon the offense."
Qi Yanzhu, not one to hold a grudge, responded, "We’re all following orders. It’s understandable."
Reaching Qi Zongbi’s side, Qi Yanzhu greeted him again, "Greetings, Minister Qi."
Qi Zongbi returned the salute and said, "General Qi, you’ve endured much on your journey. I originally thought it would take you a few more days to arrive; I hadn’t expected such speed. Do you have the military command token...?"
Qi Yanzhu smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Minister Qi. Marshal Ying handed it over to me while I was in Xuanyang Prefecture."
"Good, then all is in order," Qi Zongbi nodded. "Under normal circumstances, I would welcome you properly and host a banquet to greet you, but as you can see, the current situation makes it impossible, not that I am unwilling."
Qi Yanzhu waved his hand. "Don't worry, the battle is what’s important."
With that, Qi Yanzhu leaned forward to look down the wall. Below, dense formations of Northern Qiang troops were visible, with siege ladders and battering rams slowly moving forward in the distance.
Qi Yanzhu’s expression grew more serious as he earnestly said to Qi Zongbi, "I must trouble you, Minister Qi, to tell me about the recent situation on the battlefield."
Qi Zongbi’s expression became solemn as he replied in a low voice, "The Northern Qiang army has been stationed outside the city for nearly a month. They’ve launched many attacks, but to preserve our forces, I’ve rarely sent troops out to counterattack, only occasionally dispatching small units to harass them with limited success."
Qi Yanzhu glanced around. "From what I see, the city’s defensive equipment is still intact. It doesn’t seem like you’ve reached a desperate situation, nor does it appear you’re in the midst of a fierce struggle."
"That is indeed the case," Qi Zongbi nodded, giving Qi Yanzhu a look of approval. "General Qi, your insight is sharp. This is something I’ve been puzzling over recently. Each time the Northern Qiang attacks the city, they never deploy their full force.
"It’s as if they understand our strength well and only send enough troops to compel us to defend fully. Their approach... makes it seem like they’re in no rush to capture Liangzhou Prefecture."
"Could it be that they’re trying to conserve their forces?" Qi Yanzhu pondered aloud.
Qi Zongbi immediately dismissed the idea. "Unlikely. Over the past month, both sides have suffered losses, but neither has gained any advantage. If they wanted to conserve their forces, they wouldn’t use such tactics."
Qi Yanzhu suddenly scrutinized Qi Zongbi for a moment before cautiously asking, "Minister Qi, do you already have an answer?"
Qi Zongbi shook his head. "Not an answer, just a hypothesis. General Qi, you may not know this, but the Northern Qiang forces here number less than five hundred thousand. According to our scouts, the rest of their army has moved westward toward the provinces of Ningye and Jibei."
"You mean to say"—Qi Yanzhu frowned—"they intend to pin our forces here and then seize the western regions?"
"Some time ago, I sent a large force westward, but it's uncertain whether they can hold the line," Qi Zongbi said gravely. "Northern Qiang is intent not on pinning down our forces but to delay us—they want to keep me, Qi Zongbi, here. Without me overseeing things and providing strategy, Liangzhou Prefecture would likely fall immediately.
"However, a military report arrived the day before yesterday, stating that the western front is in critical condition, with four cities already lost. If no one takes charge, the west may completely collapse."
Qi Yanzhu drew in a sharp breath. "Such deep calculations... They're laying their scheme out in the open."
Qi Zongbi let out a bitter laugh before turning to Qi Yanzhu. "Fortunately, you’ve arrived, General Qi! Now, the two of us can oversee separate fronts. I’ve heard of your reputation and I can confidently entrust Liangzhou to you. I’ll depart immediately for Ningye to hold the line!"