Chapter 4, The Imperial Guard, Sudden Change, Past Events

"What is your surname, A-Mai?" Zhang Sheng asked

The army's pace has slowed significantly. Although Shang Yizhi has consistently ordered a rapid march, it took nearly ten days just to traverse the route that Amai and the others took. Therefore, by the time the Qingzhou army arrived outside Yuzhou City, it was already mid-September

In a flash of light, the sword came slicing through. Amai's pupils suddenly constricted, clearly reflecting the face of the man before him, who wore a grim expression, along with the sword that was cleaving towards him.

Amai was somewhat surprised to find that most of the personal guards of the commander were handsome young men. She uncharitably speculated whether the flamboyantly dressed general had some peculiar preferences. Amai did not realize that she had unjustly accused this ostentatious general until later, when she truly became a soldier. After entering a real military camp and eventually cutting someone's throat with her sword, Amai finally understood that Shang Yizhi had indeed selected these good-looking young men from various camps with some benevolent intentions.

"Brother Zhang, you can just call me Amai," Amai said

The city fell silent for a moment, and after a while, Tang Shaoyi's figure appeared atop the city wall. A-Mai recognized him at a glance, and an inexplicable joy surged within her, prompting her to call out excitedly, "Brother Tang! It's me, A-Mai!"

Shang Yizhi was furious and immediately shouted loudly in front of the city, saying, "How can you not even recognize your own people? I have come from afar to help you, and this is how you treat me? Hurry up and let the city guards and the city lord of Yuzhou come out to see if I am a barbarian from the Northern Desert.

Shang Yi kicked the pillar fiercely and said with resentment, "Who knows if those useless people would do such a thing!" Turning around, he coldly instructed, "Quickly send someone to notify Jingyang, we must deliver the message before the Beimo people, even if it costs us our lives."

Xu Jing was momentarily taken aback but soon understood Shang Yizhi's meaning. Her expression changed involuntarily, and she hesitantly asked, "Surely not, the Jingyang border troops are our nation's defense forces; the court wouldn't send the Jingyang border troops to rescue Taixing, would it?"

Unfortunately, it is already too late

She looked at him curiously, her round, big eyes spinning around.

As Ah Mai was in a state of confusion, someone suddenly patted her shoulder forcefully from behind. She turned around and saw it was Tang Shaoyi

On the way, Shang Yi sent soldiers on swift horses to Yu Province to deliver the news. A few days later, the soldier returned, reporting that the gates of Yu Province were tightly shut, as if facing a formidable enemy. When the Qingzhou army arrived at the city, they found this to be true. What was even more unexpected was that the defending troops of Yu Province refused to open the city gates, claiming they feared that the approaching army was a ruse, disguised as the northern desert Tartars.

Shang Yi's gaze was sharp and cold as he asked in a chilling voice, "A few days ago?"

He chuckled lightly as he grasped her fingers, yet did not let go

Amai was taken aback, thinking to himself that he had not been allowed to leave. Moreover, would he dare to leave without being instructed? Just as Amai was contemplating how to bid farewell to the general, he heard Shang Yizhi instructing his personal guard beside him: "Take him down," pausing for a moment to glance at Amai, he added, "Let him stay in the tent for now."

Tang Shaoyi was also unaware of why Amai had brought the Qingzhou army over, so he leaned out again to ask Amai. Amai quickly shouted, "Taixing is under siege, and I had no choice but to rush to Qingzhou. Just on the way, I encountered General Shang who was heading to rescue Taixing. Upon hearing that Yuzhou was in trouble, the general hurried here."

Amai was worried that Tang Shaoyi would not recognize her if she changed her attire, so she hurriedly took off her helmet and waved it at Tang Shaoyi.

Although Tang Shaoyi is referred to as a school lieutenant, he merely holds the title of "lieutenant," which means he is just a battalion commander. Shang Yizhi's military rank is much higher than his, qualifying him as a city lord general, commanding over twenty thousand soldiers. According to standards, he is entitled to have a personal guard of a thousand men; however, these thousand or so individuals are not all serving directly by his side, as many are assigned to special battlefield duties such as security and communications.

"Is your surname Mai? Is your name A Mai?" Zhang Sheng felt a bit confused, "Mai A Mai?"

She joyfully embraced her father's neck and shouted loudly: "I want!"

A surge of heat suddenly erupted from her lower body, somewhat sticky. She thought perhaps her menstrual period had arrived. She had only started menstruating at the age of fifteen, just two days before her birthday. At that time, her mother had laughed at her, saying that this truly marked her coming of age. However, ever since that incident, her menstrual cycle had become extremely irregular, often coming only once every year and a half, and the flow was very light, usually lasting just a day. She didn't think much of it; in fact, she felt it was better this way. She had always dressed in male clothing, and not having a menstrual period made things even more convenient. But ever since that incident, her menstrual cycle had become extremely irregular, often coming only once every year and a half, and the flow was very light, usually lasting just a day. She didn't think much of it; in fact, she felt it was better this way. She had always dressed in male clothing, and not having a menstrual period made things even more convenient.

Amai thought to herself that she did not want to linger here, unable to spare time to reminisce with Tang Shaoyi. She anxiously grabbed his arm and said, "General Tang..."

This is clearly sarcasm, and it caused Shi Dachun's expression to change slightly. In terms of rank, they were equal military officers; in terms of age, he was over twenty years older than Shang Yizhi. In front of the two city commanders, Shang Yizhi spoke so bluntly without regard for feelings, which left his old face with nowhere to hide. Thus, he also lowered his voice, neither servile nor overbearing, and said: "General Shang, you may not be aware, but there is already a sentry post of our army at the entrance of Qingshan Valley. If the Northern Desert Tartars were to pass through there, we would certainly receive a battle report."

She leaned closer to his face and asked earnestly, "Brother, when are you going to marry me?"

Of course, Shang Yi's original words were not so insulting; after all, he is considered an educated person and a standout among the wealthy young elites of the capital. Although he may be ostentatious, he still possesses a certain degree of literary talent

"Get out! Get out! All of you, get out!" shouted Shang Yi sternly, drawing his sword and turning away. He returned to the military map hanging on the wall, using the tip of his sword to point to the location of the northern desert capital on the map. Breathing heavily and gritting his teeth, he said, "Chen Qi, I swear I will not kill you, nor will I be a man!"

Indeed, he is just right; he is her best playmate and protector

She did not respond to her father's words, but simply stared at the young man and asked, "Can you climb trees?"

A-Mai, unable to wait any longer for Shang Yizhi's response, couldn't help but secretly glance up at him. She saw him with his hands spread open, looking at the military report, his face gradually turning pale, then shifting to a shade of blue, and his hands holding the report began to tremble faintly. Suddenly, Shang Yizhi tore the military report in his hands, shouted loudly, and then violently kicked over the table in front of him

"Tang Xiaowei!" Shi Dachun suddenly shouted Tang Shaoyi from the front. Tang Shaoyi quickly responded and, not having the time to listen to what Amai was saying below, hurriedly walked forward. His sleeve slipped through Amai's fingers, leaving her somewhat dazed. After a moment, she became angry. Wasn't she just trying to ask Tang Shaoyi to let those people release her? He wouldn't even let her finish a single sentence!

The bodyguard introduced himself: "My name is Zhang Sheng, and I see that you are younger than I am, so you can just call me Brother Zhang from now on"

Then she walked up to him, tilted her head back, and said: "Alright then, from now on I will take you along to play."

When the message arrived, Amai was kneeling before the case of the governor of Qingzhou, Shang Yizhi, requesting to leave.

Xu Jing stole a glance at Shang Yizhi in front of her and quietly asked A Mai, "Do you know who General Shang's parents are?"

"Three hundred thousand! Three hundred thousand troops!" shouted Shang Yizhi in anger, as he fiercely drew his sword from his waist and, gripping the hilt with both hands, began to slash violently at the furnishings in the room.

A-Mai's mouth twitched again, but she said nothing, only nodding slightly. The name Mai-Sui, which her parents had whimsically given her, seemed to have drifted too far away from her; perhaps it would be better to just call herself A-Mai.

Shi Dachun's face turned pale as he stepped forward and grabbed the scout's collar, trembling as he asked: "What about the Northern Desert army?"

She spoke with utmost seriousness, resembling a little adult, which made both her father and mother laugh. After laughing, her father took her hand and placed it in the young man's hand, looking directly into the young man's eyes, and said gently: "Chen Qi, from now on, A-Mai will be entrusted to you"

The spies from the Southern Xia are truly incompetent, A Mai mocked with a smile, unable even to ascertain his true age. She remembered very clearly that he was seven years older than her, so he should be twenty-six this year.

She wants to forget, but why can't she? Her mother said not to seek revenge, that she only wants her to live, to live without hatred, to live happily. Her mother said her happiness is more important than anything else, but can she still find happiness in this state?

"To the north? Abandon Yuzhou and head for Jingyang?" Xu Jing murmured to herself, these northern desert people are truly daring to gamble. Jingyang is guarded by three hundred thousand border troops from the Southern Xia, yet they still intend to attack the Jingyang Pass? Even if the northern desert people could launch a pincer attack on the Jingyang Pass, Jingyang is not only protected by natural fortifications to the north, but it is also an ancient city with a history of a hundred years, with high walls and deep moats; how could cavalry possibly capture Jingyang!

Shi Dachun nodded, but still cautiously asked: "How could the troops coming from below be the Qingzhou army?"

"I am not a general," Tang Shaoyi quickly corrected, "You should still call me 'big brother.' Didn't you just call me 'big brother' down at the city gate? Hehe, I think it's quite good. We have shared life and death together, and our bond is deeper than that of brothers. If you are willing, just call me 'big brother.'"

A faint twitch appeared at the corner of A Mai's mouth as she suddenly recalled a story her mother had told her long ago. In that story, there was a character named Zhang Sheng. Now, she can hardly remember what the story was about, but she vaguely recalls that it also featured a maid named Hong Niang and a young lady named Cui Yingying.

She did not exhibit the slightest shyness expected of a young girl; instead, he blushed, hurriedly pulling his hand away from hers and walking off, muttering under his breath as he went: "Fool!"

On September 21, Chang Yuqing led the troops disguised as Zhang Xiong's Jingyang Army, deceiving the southern gate of Jingyang City. The Beimo Army infiltrated Jingyang City, opening the border defenses from within and welcoming the Beimo forces outside the city into it

Hey! Alright! Really alright! The atmosphere of Shang Yizhi is extremely ironic. Even the mount beneath him seems to be anxious, snorting a few times and starting to circle in place. Shang Yizhi's gaze inadvertently shifted to A Mai, who was not far behind, and immediately turned a couple of degrees colder, glaring at her fiercely.

Father always laughed upon hearing this, and then glanced at Mother with the corner of his eye, dragging out the sound as he read aloud: "A daughter should not be kept at home for too long"

"There is!" Amai responded instinctively, and then faintly heard Zhang Sheng beside him muttering, "You should shout 'there is', not 'there is!', idiot, how many times have I said it!"

After Shang Yizhi listened to Shi Dachun's briefing on military intelligence, his expression turned slightly cold. He squinted and asked, "Why not intercept the Northern Desert Tartars over in the Ulan Mountains?"

That night, Amai temporarily settled down in the tent of the personal guard of Shang Yi. This tent housed twenty personal guards; in addition to those on duty outside the central military tent that night, there were also more than ten sleeping inside. Sharing a tent with these large men made Amai feel quite strange. However, since they were camping during a march, and these individuals were all personal guards responsible not only for the safety of the commander but also for being ready to follow his orders, they dared not sleep soundly. Most of them had their weapons directly under their heads and slept in their clothes. Nevertheless, since they were camping during a march, and these individuals were all personal guards responsible not only for the safety of the commander but also for being ready to follow his orders, they dared not sleep soundly. Most of them had their weapons directly under their heads and slept in their clothes.

Thirty years later, the Northern Desert people once again breached the northern gate of Southern Xia. At the same time, the commander who had been hiding in the background finally came to the forefront. Chen Qi, a name that spread across the four nations in the shortest time, rose to become an unparalleled general.

Shi Dachun's expression was somewhat awkward; this proposal had already been put forward by Tang Shaoyi long ago. However, he felt that this plan was indeed too risky. If the Northern Desert people did not come from the north, then not only would he not send troops to rescue Taixing, but instead would guard an unrelated valley pass, would that not be a source of ridicule

"A-Mai?" Tang Shaoyi was taken aback and hurriedly leaned over the tall city wall to look down. He saw a young man dressed in a black battle robe with soft armor sitting high on a horse not far from the city gate, looking up with a joyful smile on his face. With clear brows and bright eyes, who else could it be but A-Mai!

The young man slowly nodded his head

Amai was startled and instinctively dodged the inkstone that was flying towards her.

The next day, after her menstrual period had ended, she asked the waiter for hot water again and meticulously wiped her body. She was very thorough, knowing that after this cleaning, she would not know when she would have to wait for the next time. After finishing her cleansing, A-Mai changed into a newly sewn vest and then changed her lower undergarments as well, before putting on her military uniform again and stepping out.

Amai clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, fearing that she might go mad right there on the street. Four years had passed, yet why did those scenes remain so vivid? The heat of the flames, the cries of the neighbors, and even the smell of blood in the air were still palpable; she knew that it was the blood flowing from her father's body

On the night of September 19, General Luo Yicheng of Jingyang was assassinated in his residence, leaving Jingyang City momentarily leaderless.

The atmosphere of the marketplace was such that I could only click my tongue in disbelief, thinking to myself, here I am, a living person, and you still want my identification? What is this? Do I also need to throw my military seal up for you to verify? Just as I was pondering this, unexpectedly, a voice from the city wall called out: "If you truly are General Shang, then please show us your military seal."

Amai nodded in agreement.

Seeing her expression of confusion, he helplessly turned his head away from her and softly said: "I told you not to call, so don't call, you fool"

Amai forced a smile, shook her head, disregarding Xu Jing's astonishment, and turned to leave. She was still wearing the attire of Shang Yizhi's personal guard, so no one stopped her as she walked through the city guard's office. In this daze, she made her way to the main street of Yuzhou City, where hurried pedestrians passed by. The citizens of Yuzhou City were only aware that war was imminent, yet they remained oblivious to the fact that their three hundred thousand border soldiers had already perished under the iron hooves of the Northern Desert cavalry. Thus, although the residents of the city were filled with anxiety about the war, their daily lives continued as usual. The citizens of Yuzhou City were only aware that war was imminent, yet they remained oblivious to the fact that their three hundred thousand border soldiers had already perished under the iron hooves of the Northern Desert cavalry. Thus, although the residents of the city were filled with anxiety about the war, their daily lives continued as usual

A-Mai was taken aback, recalling that fragile young girl, and could not help but think of the terrifying night in Hamburg City when the three of them supported each other to escape. Since Xu Xiuer had followed Tang Shaoyi all the way, she must be in Yuzhou City now. Should I go see her? A-Mai was caught in this dilemma when she suddenly remembered that what she wanted to tell Tang Shaoyi was not about this. She quickly pulled her thoughts back and said to Tang Shaoyi: "Brother Tang, could you please tell them that I ... ... "

Her fifteenth birthday has finally arrived, he did not misspeak, he has returned, and he also brought along a group of assassins

The young man nodded.

Tang Shaoyi had sent the news over half a month ago. Even if Shi Dachun did not dare to send troops to set an ambush at the valley entrance, he should at least have dispatched more scouts to closely monitor the situation. Who would have thought that he only remembered to send scouts a few days ago? Such a simple principle is understood even by the so-called 'flamboyant general' Shang Yizhi. As a general with decades of military experience, it is astonishing that he could be so careless.

Father asked her: "Will this big brother play with you in the future, okay?"

He did not speak, merely gazing at her quietly, his face slowly lowering. She suddenly recalled how her father often avoided the things he did with her mother, and she became tense in an instant, her eyes widening as she suddenly asked: "Brother, do you want to kiss me?"

Shang Yizhi looked at Shi Dachun with a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown, clasped his fists, and said in a neutral tone: "General Shi is indeed a cautious person, and I admire that. Just now, when I was beneath the city wall, I thought that if the general still refused to believe in my identity, I would have to have someone throw down a rope to hoist me up so that I could verify my identity first."

A suspicious flush of red crossed his face as he hurriedly straightened his posture, using his hand to push her forehead away and gently said in a resigned tone, "You really are a fool!" Then he turned to look at her, bit his lower lip, and softly said, "Amai, from now on, do not call me brother."

"Would you like to meet Miss Xu?" Tang Shaoyi interrupted Amai again, smiling, "She is also in Yuzhou City, taking care of the young master at the city guard's office."

The anger of Shang Yi turned into a smile, and he said: "General Shi is indeed a cautious old veteran!"

Oh? Shang Yi raised an eyebrow and said with a cold smile, "Then let us hope that, as General Shi mentioned, the Tartars have not come from the north. If Yi stays here for two days, he will lead the army south to Taixing City."

At the age of fourteen, I pulled him to sit under the old locust tree in the backyard, nudged him with my shoulder, and asked, "Brother, what kind of life do you want in the future?"

The city guard office in Yuzhou became increasingly chaotic, with military leaders at all levels anxiously coming in and out at the entrance. Amai quietly crouched by the courtyard gate and, as Xu Jing passed by her, she grabbed him and asked: "Who is Chen Qi?"

The boy's face bore a somewhat suspicious flush, and he solemnly nodded while pressing his lips together

Although Shi Dachun rarely returns to the capital, he has heard of the reputation of Shang Yizhi, knowing that this young master is a notorious figure who dares to storm even the imperial palace. Just now, in his focus on safety, he had questioned him for quite a while, fearing that this young master had already grown impatient. Upon seeing him, he quickly put on a smiling face and fervently explained that he was also afraid of the Northern Desert people resorting to trickery, which is why he had been rude to him, and he earnestly asked him not to take offense.

She chuckled softly, interrupting him before he could finish speaking, and pointed at the tip of his nose, exclaiming, "Have you sneaked off to the study again to read my father's books?"

Xu Jing glanced at Shang Yi and said, "Even if we do not set an ambush at the valley entrance, we should still send more scouts there. Could it be that General Shi is neglecting the Qin Mountain valley entrance?"

Shang Yizhi sat behind the desk, copying the calligraphy of Master Wei, without raising his head, and simply said, "Do you think a military camp is just any place? You can come and go as you please?"

Brother Tang, you ... ...

Everyone in the room was stunned by the news, and for a moment, the silence was chilling. No wonder the Northern Desert Army passed through the Qin Mountain Valley without anyone knowing; it turns out they had long been prepared for all of this. First, they launched a surprise attack on the Qin Mountain outpost, and then specifically sent cavalry to ambush the scouts heading to Yuzhou. It seems they had indeed planned to advance northward quietly.

More than twenty years ago, Nanxia underwent a significant military reform, during which the Minister of War was transformed into the Ministry of National Defense, with military districts, armies, and divisions established beneath it. This reform faced strong opposition from the old ministers in the court at that time. After the Minister of War retired, the structure of the Nanxia military underwent many changes over the following twenty years, stabilizing only in recent years. The Ministry of National Defense was reverted back to the Ministry of War, and the organizational structure below was a mix of old and new, divided into armies, battalions, teams, and squads. Ten individuals formed a squad, one hundred formed a team, and one thousand formed a battalion, while armies varied in size, ranging from over ten thousand to just a few thousand. Military ranks were categorized into General, Commander, Colonel, Lieutenant, Team Leader, Squad Leader, and Soldier. From the rank of Lieutenant and above, officers could have their own personal guards.

Xu Jing displayed a hint of surprise on her face, but still responded, "Chen Qi is the commander of the Northern Desert Army. This time, the Battle of Jingyang was orchestrated by him; no, it should be said that the entire military operation of the Northern Desert Army this time is his masterpiece"

He looked at her gently, then turned his gaze towards the distant sky and softly said: "Little bridge, flowing water, people."

Amai finally let out a huge sigh of relief

The father smiled as he set her down, then went over to embrace his approaching wife, and then turned around to pull the boy who had been quietly standing at the entrance, saying with a smile: "This is Chen Qi, and from now on, he will be a member of our family."

At that time, she was exactly six years old, an age when one is often disliked by others, daring to climb trees and wade into rivers. Once, she truly infuriated her mother; her mother took a small bamboo stick and measured it against her bottom, then angrily threatened, "Mai Sui! You remember this: you are a girl! If you dare to follow that boy from the cow family to the river again, I will break your legs!"

Shang Yi glared at A Mai with blood-red eyes, his rapid breathing causing his chest to rise and fall quickly, like a furious beast driven to rage by a hunter's arrow

Amai lowered his head and clenched his teeth, speaking in a deep voice: "Amai is not a soldier; he was entrusted by Colonel Tang to deliver a message to Qingzhou. Now that Amai has fulfilled his duty and has found his long-lost sister in Yuzhou, who is all alone and has no one to rely on, I can only request to resign from the general."

Shang Yizhi did not respond, but instead focused intently on copying the text. Xu Jing cast a dissatisfied glance at A Mai, and just as she was about to speak, a messenger rushed in from outside, handing the newly arrived military report to Shang Yizhi.

The tip of the sword swept past her, and although it did not touch her body, the domineering sword energy still pierced the skin on her cheek. Without feeling any pain, a thin red line suddenly appeared on her left cheek, a line so fine it was almost imperceptible, and then small, round beads of blood slowly began to seep out.

She chuckled mischievously, made a face at her mother, and then dashed out of the yard. She knew that her mother would not be able to catch up with her, and that once her mother stepped outside, she would transform into a gentle and virtuous figure, certainly not chasing her with a bamboo stick. However, just as she reached the entrance, she collided with her father who had just come in. Her father picked her up from the ground and, lifting her into the air, laughed heartily, "A-Mai, come let Daddy give you a kiss. Have you missed Daddy?"

A-Mai was so frightened that she was stunned, fearing that he might accidentally strike her. In a panic, she hurriedly rolled and crawled to the side to hide. Little did she know that her movement instead alerted Shang Yizhi, who, with bloodshot eyes, actually approached her with his sword drawn. Seeing this, Xu Jing rushed forward to stand in front of A-Mai, desperately holding onto Shang Yizhi's arm, and urgently shouted: "General! General! Please calm down!"

Amai still remembers the scene of her first meeting with Chen Qi. She has a good memory and can recall events from her early childhood, but none are as vividly remembered as this one, as if it had happened just a few days ago. In her recollection, she can almost remember every expression on his face.

Shang Yi's face seemed to be covered with a layer of cold ice, devoid of any warmth, as he silently gazed at the scout lying on the ground in a daze. Suddenly, his eyes tightened, and he shouted in a startled voice: "Reinforcements!"

Where does Amai have the time to argue with him about these matters? He merely squeezed his legs together, urging the horse to charge into battle, passing by Shang Yi with a heart full of trepidation. Arriving at the city wall, he looked up at the commanding general of Yuzhou and shouted: "May I ask, General, is the lieutenant Tang Shaoyi of the Hamburger City garrison inside the city?"

Xu Jing stroked his beard and smiled enigmatically, also shaking his head in response

Amai passed by Xu Jing's carriage several times while riding a horse, subtly hinting to him multiple times, implying that his objective had also been achieved, and asking him to do a favor by letting Shang Yizhi release her

On the 10th of September, Zhang Xiong led 150,000 troops from the Jingyang border army out of Jingyang City to assist in Taixing. The garrison along the Lishui line fully contracted and returned to the interior of Jingyang City

Tang Shaoyi hurriedly turned to report to Shi Dachun: "They are indeed not the Tartars below. Amai is one of the people who escaped from Hamburg City with my subordinates. I have come to Yuzhou, while Amai has rushed to Taixing to deliver the news"

The mother rolled her eyes in exasperation and turned around to shout: "Mai Sui! You better wait until you're twenty to get married! You want to get married at fifteen? When I was your age, if I had dared to say such a thing, my grandmother would have skinned me alive!"

Amai closed the door, tidied up her lower body, and then began to sew a fitted vest using thick white fabric

As soon as the words fell, a messenger rushed in from outside the courtyard, shouting, "Report— the scouts sent to the Qin Mountain Valley have returned!" Immediately after, a soldier brought in a scout covered in blood. As soon as the scout entered, he shook off the person supporting him and collapsed to the ground, struggling to rise and cried out to General Shi Dachun in a hoarse voice, "General, the Northern Desert people have launched a surprise attack on the Qin Mountain outpost, and not a single soldier in the entire camp has survived."

She does not understand why, after calling him "Brother" for eight years, she can no longer call him that in the future

Amai had already reached the door when he heard Shang Yi's words from behind, and he suddenly froze in place, as if his soul had been abruptly snatched away. His gaze became vacant, and his face lost all color.

She asked again, "Will you go catch fish in the river?"

Later on, he suddenly had to leave due to some matters and promised her that he would return to marry her when she turned fifteen and had her coming-of-age ceremony. She waited for him, as they had never been apart for such a long time. She followed her mother closely all day, asking when he would come back, and why her birthday had not yet arrived. Brother Chen Qi had said he would return to marry her when she turned fifteen

The merchant behind was already quite impatient, truly unable to understand how a military general like Shi Dachun could be so fussy and never-ending. He rode forward, raised his whip, and was about to curse loudly when he saw the city gate slowly opening, and Tang Shaoyi, followed by the generals of Yuzhou City, came out to greet him

In the southern summer, the 300,000 border troops of Jingyang were all lost at the hands of this person, and decades of efforts were destroyed in an instant. From then on, the Tartar cavalry attacked the Jiangzhong plain as if it were an unguarded territory. Do you think he is not formidable? With the same force of 300,000 troops, they divided into three groups, with the eastern and western armies daringly penetrating deep into our northern Jiang territory, feigning an attack on Taixing to lure our border troops back for rescue, and then swiftly rushing a thousand miles to reinforce Jingyang. Xu Jing gently stroked his beard and sighed, "Such a tactic of winning in danger must have been practiced for a long time in advance. If there were any slight mistakes in the eastern and western armies of the northern desert, the entire plan would be ruined. Alas, what is even more shocking is that, according to our informants in the northern desert, this Chen Qi is not even thirty years old. Such a genius is likely already comparable to our Southern Xia's Duke of Jingguo from over twenty years ago.

The Northern Desert Army had long since passed Qin Mountain and headed north. They had also stationed cavalry at Qin Mountain to ambush our men. Out of the ten who went together, only one young person managed to escape back.

Shang Yizhi casually brushed aside Xu Jing and continued to advance step by step towards Amai. Amai, sitting on the ground, moved backward and suddenly felt a hard object blocking her back; she had inadvertently backed up against a pillar. With no more space to retreat, Amai gritted her teeth and hurriedly got up from the ground, leaning her back against the column and coldly looking at Shang Yizhi. She struggled to control her tone and said: "General, are you really going to vent your anger on Amai?"

Shi Dachun's expression relaxed, and he quickly said: "A scout was sent out a few days ago, and I estimate that the news will be coming back soon."

After Xu Jing said a few words, she stopped, squinting her small eyes to scrutinize A Mai, and asked, "Since you are leaving, why are you inquiring about these things?"

At the age of thirteen, she came of age. After the coming-of-age ceremony, she tugged at his sleeve and asked, "Brother, can you marry me now?"

Amai was taken aback, thinking to herself that this person wouldn't want to vent his anger on her, would he? Sitting on the horse, she quickly shrank back, trying to avoid the fierce gaze of Shang Yizhi. Unexpectedly, she still heard Shang Yizhi's cold voice, "Amai!" He called out through clenched teeth.

Since Amai sold her last horse in exchange for travel expenses, it has been nearly six months since she last rode. During this time, although her feet have suffered some hardship, the skin on the inner thighs has become much more delicate. Now, as she prepares to mount a horse again, she is filled with many emotions. She reassures herself that if she truly needs to run, four legs are certainly faster than two. However, despite this thought, she lacks the courage to flee. The military has only one treatment for deserters, which is known as "knife-cut noodles," and she is well aware of this.

Amai pinched her palm hard to awaken her senses, counted the little money she had left, and then went to the fabric store to buy some white cotton cloth, as well as some clothes for changing. She then headed to the inn. During this time of war, there were very few guests at the inn, and since she was dressed in military attire, the innkeeper treated her very well, quickly bringing her the scissors, needles, and thread she needed.

On the second day, the Qingzhou army broke camp. Zhang Sheng brought a chestnut horse for A Mai and asked her if she could ride. A Mai initially wanted to hide her lack of skill and say no, but after glancing at the soldiers who were mostly marching on foot, she quickly nodded. However, after nodding, she regretted it, as Xu Jing unexpectedly took a seat in the carriage

Amai initially did not understand what it meant to be under his command, until the personal guard took her down, at which point she realized that Shang Yizhi meant for her to first follow his personal guard team

At that time, Amai did not quite understand the meaning of her father's words, so when she overheard her mother and father discussing whether Chen Qi was too much older than Amai, she immediately jumped up from the bed and shouted, "Not too much. Not too much, Brother Chen Qi is just right!"

They spent eight years together, during which she grew from a mischievous child into a young girl in the bloom of youth, while he transformed from an inexperienced boy into a tall and handsome young man. In the end, she gradually came to understand her parents' original intentions.

As soon as these words were spoken, Shi Dachun felt a chill in his heart, secretly thinking that he had offended this young master this time, and that his official career was likely coming to an end

Then Shang Yizhi shouted from below the city, "I am Shang Yizhi, the commander of the Qingzhou army." Upon hearing this, Shi Dachun on the city wall dared not believe it casually, so he, adhering to the principle of safety first, shouted back, "Do you have any proof?"

On the night of September 16, the reinforcements from Jingyang were ambushed by the cavalry of the Northern Desert while returning south. In the darkness, the Northern Desert cavalry descended like a bolt from the blue, attacking the unprepared camp of the Jingyang army, turning the Southern Xia military camp into a bloody hell in an instant. The Southern Xia army suffered over 90,000 casualties, with nearly 60,000 surrendering to the enemy, all of whom were executed in pits. The commander of the Northern Desert cavalry, Chang Yuqing, gained fame in this battle, paving his path to becoming a renowned general with the heads of 150,000 Southern Xia soldiers, earning him the title "The Butcher".

Upon hearing the commanding tone of the gentleman below the city wall, the guards promptly summoned the commander. The commander's surname was Shi and his given name was Dachun. He had served as the commander of the Yuzhou army for seven years, during which he had only returned to the capital twice, and had never met Shang Yizhi. Shang Yizhi, on the other hand, was the newly appointed commander of Qingzhou and had not yet had the opportunity to visit the neighboring brother cities, so neither of them recognized the other.

Shi Dachun's tall figure swayed, and his hands could no longer muster the strength to hold onto the scout's collar

She will never forget the scene of that day; even in the first two years, whenever she closed her eyes, she could see that moment: the glint of blades, the flames soaring into the sky, and her mother's piercing cries ringing in her ears. She said: "Amai, run quickly, head towards the back mountain, you must survive, live well!"

Grandmother? She has never seen her grandmother, so her mother's threats have no effect on her

However, what Shang Yi referred to as "under the account" actually meant the dozens of personal guards who closely followed him. The guard who had just taken Amai to change clothes led Amai down again, feeling somewhat pleased, thinking that he had indeed not guessed wrong; this handsome young man named Amai truly had the potential to become his colleague.

Amai listened, her body unexpectedly began to tremble uncontrollably, startling her so much that she quickly clenched her fists and tensed all her muscles to appear as if nothing was wrong while she stood there listening to Xu Jing's words

He is very impressive

The guards' tents were closely situated next to the commander's tent, where the candlelight inside the commander's tent burned for a long time. Shang Yizhi and his subordinate generals were engaged in discussions about something. Xu Jing also remained in the tent, and A Mai thought that he might have already gained Shang Yizhi's trust, even though only half a day had passed.

Perhaps out of caution towards Amai, Zhang Sheng arranged for Amai to sleep in the innermost part. Fortunately, he still remembered that Amai had lice. Although he did not show any outward signs, he subconsciously shifted a little further away, trying to keep a distance from Amai

The surname is Mai

However, Xu Jing always smiles enigmatically and does not respond.

On August 29, the Jingyang Border Army received an urgent order from the Ministry of War to assist Taixing. The commander of the Jingyang Border Army, Luo Yicheng, refused to deploy troops, prompting the court to issue nine consecutive golden edicts urging him to take action. Under immense pressure, Deputy General Zhang Xiong led half of the border troops to support Taixing

Amai had even held her breath, forcing herself to maintain a cold gaze with him, as the tip of the sword reflected glimmers of light just below her left side. She knew that as long as the wrist of the man in front of her moved even slightly, that sharp sword would come slashing towards her. She was very afraid, but at this moment, there was nothing she could do except stand in front of him

Amai followed behind and, seeing Shang Yizhi being so arrogant, felt somewhat puzzled. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she quietly asked Xu Jing beside her.

On September 23, the entire front line of Jingyang and Lishui was lost.

Within the city garrison, the senior generals from Yuzhou and the Qingzhou generals brought by Shang Yizhi gathered together, their expressions somewhat serious. Tang Shaoyi had arrived more than ten days earlier than the Qingzhou army and had already shared with the garrison commander of Yuzhou, Shi Dachun, what he had observed in Hamburg as well as his speculations. Shi Dachun had received military orders from the Ministry of War to lead troops to rescue Taixing. After listening to Tang Shaoyi's introduction, he feared that, as Tang Shaoyi had guessed, the Northern Desert people might take advantage of the situation to attack Yuzhou. He also suspected that the Northern Desert people had plans to besiege Taixing while cutting off reinforcements. Therefore, to be cautious, he stationed his troops within the city, intending to wait and see. Unexpectedly, this wait lasted for over half a month; the Northern Desert troops did not arrive, but the Qingzhou army led by Shang Yizhi did.

Xu Jing's words still echoed in her ears, that Northern Desert Marshal who was not yet thirty, that military genius who took bold risks, it must be him. Chen Qi, the name she had been trying so hard to forget, appeared before her just like that

"I never expected that we would have a chance to say goodbye again," said Tang Shaoyi with a look of emotion. He then looked up and down at A Mai's attire, smiled with some satisfaction, and said, "Being a personal guard to General Shang is not bad, brother. Make sure to do well."