The sudden battle finally ended as the first glow of dawn shone over the horizon. In the distance, the sound of gongs echoed across the battlefield, and the Northern Qiang soldiers retreated like a receding tide, leaving behind a landscape littered with corpses.
The morning sun rose slowly. After a night of fierce fighting, many soldiers on the wall slumped down against the parapet with their weapons tossed aside carelessly, as if they might fall asleep at any moment.
Qi Zongbi’s face showed unmistakable fatigue, but he still forced himself to stay composed. He cupped his hands toward Qi Yanzhu and said, "General Qi, I will take my leave to prepare for my departure to Ningye immediately."
Seeing that Qi Yanzhu seemed to want to say something, Qi Zongbi cut him off. "No need to try to dissuade me, General Qi. The war is urgent, and I can rest in the carriage along the way.
"Since His Majesty personally appointed you to defend Liangzhou Prefecture, he must have confidence in you. Therefore, Liangzhou Prefecture is now in your hands. I hope you will not disappoint His Majesty or the people."
Qi Zongbi bid farewell to Qi Yanzhu and descended the wall with two of his guards without hesitation.
Qi Yanzhu watched Qi Zongbi disappear around the corner, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "A clever man indeed," he muttered.
"General?" A personal guard heard Qi Yanzhu saying something and thought he had been given instructions. He stepped forward and asked, "Are you referring to Minister Qi?"
Qi Yanzhu’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Who else? After all, he is the External Prime Minister of our dynasty—his mind is frighteningly meticulous."
"This... What do you mean by that?" The guard looked puzzled.
Qi Yanzhu grinned. "If you could figure it out, you wouldn’t still be a mere captain."
"The guard scratched his head sheepishly and said, "You’re right, General. Thinking isn’t my strong suit. But please enlighten me."
"What do you think is the real reason Qi Zongbi left in such a hurry?" Qi Yanzhu said as he walked down from the city wall.
The personal guards quickly followed. One of them replied, "The military authority was effectively taken from him, so perhaps he knew he couldn’t compete with you, General, and simply decided to leave."
"Not so," Qi Yanzhu shook his head. "I have the imperial decree, and the military authority was granted to me by His Majesty. Qi Zongbi is a smart man—since the moment the decree arrived, he never intended to challenge me for it.
"His departure from Liangzhou Prefecture was inevitable. If he stayed here, without any say in decision-making, he’d be constrained by me in everything. The so-called urgent situation in the west may not be false, but it conveniently provided him with a legitimate excuse to leave.
"Think about it—even if the west is in dire straits, whether his presence there would make a difference is debatable. In fact, he puts me in a very awkward position by leaving."
"How so?" The guards looked puzzled and asked.
"Use your brains," Qi Yanzhu said with a frown. "Now that I’ve taken over Liangzhou Prefecture, his departure leaves me in this position. If the city holds, his month-long defense here means he’ll take half the credit.
"But if the city falls, I’ll bear the full blame for the loss. Meanwhile, Qi Zongbi goes to Ningye, where the battlefront is spread out. There’s plenty of room for maneuvering, and with just a bit of effort, he could secure substantial military achievements. I may have the military command token, but in the end, the primary merit will still belong to Qi Zongbi!"
The guards collectively drew a sharp breath. "Could—could he really be so cunning!?"
One guard’s eyes darted around before he stepped forward and whispered, "General, since you’re in charge here now, why not issue an order to keep Qi Zongbi, that old fox, in Liangzhou?"
"Idiot!" Qi Yanzhu snapped, "How did I end up with a subordinate like you? In terms of rank, he’s the External Prime Minister, while I’m a mere commander of distant expeditions at best. What right do I have to give him orders?"
The scolded guard looked aggrieved, mumbling, "But you have the military command—"
"Military command?" Qi Yanzhu burst into angry laughter. "Qi Zongbi is a civil official! A civil official! Not a military officer! What good is the military command token against him—should I choke him to death with it?"
The guard lowered his head meekly, not daring to speak further.
Qi Yanzhu took a few deep breaths to calm his anger. Then he pulled a token from his chest and tossed it to one of the guards behind him. "Convey my order: all officers ranked deputy general or higher in the city are to assemble at the Command Post for a meeting."
"Yes, sir!" The guard quickly departed.
Qi Yanzhu led the rest of his guards toward the Command Post, walking with his head lowered, deep in thought.
When they reached the Command Post, servants greeted them and guided them inside. Qi Yanzhu suddenly raised his head and ordered one of the servants, "Bring me paper and a brush."
The servant complied and left, while one of the guards curiously asked, "General, what do you need paper and a brush for?"
Qi Yanzhu narrowed his eyes slightly. "Qi Zongbi is heading west. This matter must be reported to the capital. The Grand Tutor Su Yi, who supported my promotion, hasn’t expressed his stance yet. This is a good opportunity to write to him and test the waters."
At the same time, a carriage accompanied by a small cavalry unit quietly exited the southern gate. Leading the group was a young rider, Jiang Chao, the Right General of Righteous Virtue from the Xuanwei Battalion.
The carriage hadn’t traveled far outside the city when two riders approached from behind.
"Jiang Chao turned his horse and approached Qi Zongbi’s carriage. Speaking softly through the curtain, he said, "My lord, two deputy generals under Commander Li have come to see you off."
"I understand." Qi Zongbi answered wearily from within the carriage. Shortly after, the curtain was lifted, and Qi Zongbi stepped out with Jiang Chao’s assistance.
The two deputy generals had already dismounted and were waiting. When they saw Qi Zongbi, they cupped their hands in salute and said, "Greetings, Minister Qi."
With dark circles still visible under his eyes, Qi Zongbi waved his hand. "No need for such formalities, generals. The night battle just ended—you should return and get some rest."
One of the deputy generals stepped forward and said, "We are here by Commander Li’s orders to escort you, Minister Qi."
Qi Zongbi yawned, his exhaustion evident. "That’s unnecessary, but since you’re here, I’ll trouble you to deliver a message to Commander Li on my behalf."
"Please, my lord, go ahead."
Qi Zongbi pressed his lips together, contemplating for a moment before speaking. "Remind Commander Li of what I said a few days ago. The strategy is set and must not be changed lightly.
"Remember, even though Northern Qiang General Yelü Zhige has pinned down hundreds of thousands of our troops in Liangzhou, this also means we’ve pinned down an equal number of theirs.
As long as Liangzhou Prefecture doesn’t fall, this part of the Northern Qiang army will remain immobilized. All we need to do is hold the city and fight defensively. Once I stabilize the western front, their army here will be caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat. At that point, we can plan accordingly."
The two deputy generals cupped their hands and replied, "Understood. We will deliver your message exactly, my lord."