Chapter 3, Choosing the Path, Mutual Benefit, Opportunities

Amai was taken aback, thinking that Chang Yuqing's army had arrived before her, and hurriedly asked: "Have the Northern Desert people already arrived?"

A-Mai stood there a bit dazed, and it was only when the mule cart passed by her that she suddenly came to her senses. She ran a couple of steps and leaped onto the mule cart, lifting the curtain. Xu Jing looked at her in shock and anger, exclaiming: "You—"

Mr. Xu, may I inquire about the matters of commerce

After traveling more than 20 miles, they encountered the Southern Xia army, which was the reinforcements coming from Qingzhou to Taixing. The commander was a young general in his twenties, dressed in white robes and silver armor, looking quite handsome, but his expression appeared somewhat arrogant. He was the city defense general of Qingzhou, known as "General Saobao" Shang Yizhi.

Xu Jing smiled and pointed to the map on the table, sweeping her finger from the bottom to the top, and illustrated: "If it were me, I would not attack Taixing, but would quietly lead my troops up from the west side of the Wulan Mountains, passing through this gentle slope and then turning south after crossing the Wulan mountain range, launching a surprise attack on Yuzhou, cutting off the main supply line of our northern Jiangbei forces, preventing my Jingyang border troops from retreating. Yuzhou is also the granary of Jiangbei, and at this time, it is after the autumn harvest. The northern desert troops come lightly equipped, and the supplies they carry must be insufficient. Attacking Yuzhou would also allow them to borrow grain from us."

Shang Yi, a well-known dandy in the capital, was established in a leading position among the dandy youths due to his distinguished background. It is indeed surprising that someone of his stature would end up in a place like Qingzhou; however, he fell into disgrace due to a scandal involving a romantic affair, which angered his father, a man of military background, leading to his exile to Qingzhou

"Amai, this is likely the army of Qingzhou," Xu Jing said in a low voice. After a pause, she continued, "You must be careful with your words and absolutely must not let them mistake us for spies from the Northern Desert. If you are not confident, it would be better to pretend to be my nephew, and we can explain ourselves later when we have the opportunity to meet Colonel Tang."

Amai stood quietly to the side, listening to Xu Jing, who, in a moment of pride, referred to herself as an old woman, which involuntarily caused Amai to raise the corner of her mouth.

Xu Jing's expression shifted from surprise to arrogance, straightening her back in response to this gesture from A Mai, and let out a cold snort

Shang Yi raised his head again, casting a cold glance at A Mai, and said: "Starting from the siege of Hanbao City in the Northern Desert, tell me all the details of the situation."

"Not bad!" Xu Jing said, a hint of a mysterious smile appearing on her face. She continued, "Has the general ever considered what the outcome might be of going to aid Taixing?"

Xu Jing has recognized that this is a scout from the Southern Xia side, yet he does not feel excited. If the troops following behind are from Qingzhou, then his journey to Qingzhou would be rendered meaningless

Amai suddenly drew his sword from his waist and pointed it at Xu Jing, coldly saying: "Go to Qingzhou!"

Amai secretly glanced at Xu Jing, seeing him still standing there with a proud expression. She decided to step forward herself, so she quickly took a step forward, performed a salute, and said: "I am but a humble servant. Four days ago, the city of Hamburg fell. Colonel Tang led me out of the city. He took the orphan of Lord Liu, the city defender, to Yuzhou and ordered me to go to Taixing to send a message for help."

"That's enough!" the thin man interrupted, "Don't worry, the Tartars won't come after us. I need to carefully consider which path to take!" Saying this, he took out a small bamboo tube from his pocket, opened the lid, and poured out a few copper coins. He squatted down and muttered to himself, "I need to calculate which road we should choose."

Oh? Shang Yizhi raised an eyebrow and asked in a neutral tone, "Since you were instructed to head to Taixing, why have you come to Qingzhou instead?"

Amai's complexion was somewhat poor. Since scouts had appeared nearby, it was certain that military forces were present, though it was unclear whether they belonged to the Northern Desert or Southern Xia. Could it be that the Northern Desert people have come in such numbers that they have occupied the entire Jiangbei region?

The coachman lowered the curtain and leaned forward to look ahead, then turned back and said: "Hmm, it's split; there is a road that turns east!"

Amai thought to himself that you finally cooperated, I have been waiting for you to ask this question. He then quickly shifted to the side, revealing Xu Jing, who had been waiting to take the stage. "This is Mr. Xu, whom a petty person encountered. He saw me covered in blood coming from the direction of Hamburg, and without asking a single question, he guessed my intentions and whereabouts. He even informed me that the situation in Yuzhou is extremely perilous, stating that Yuzhou is a place of our Southern Xia, and that the Tartars will seize whatever they are hungry for."

"Taixing?" Xu Jing asked slowly

Xu Jing showed a look of surprise upon hearing this. He was originally a person of high intellect, and upon hearing A Mai's sudden remark, he quickly deduced that since she had come from Hamburg and brought a letter from the city guard, she must have learned some confidential military matters. He instinctively asked, "Is there a change in Yuzhou?"

Old Zhang in front of the cart was indeed very honest and obedient, not even asking why, and directly drove the mule cart onto the road to Qingzhou

However, the bodyguard did not think so. He simply saw that Amai was very beautiful and had a graceful figure. According to his general's preferences, Amai was likely to become his colleague in the bodyguard team, and they would see each other frequently in the future, so why offend someone first

A-Mai secretly observed Xu Jing's reaction, seeing that he had almost captured his attention, he continued, "Sir, if you wish to go to Yuzhou, it must be to save the people from the depths of suffering. A-Mai, in his ignorance, has disrupted your plans, and I am truly guilty. The fall of Hamburg City has resulted in all the soldiers defending the city dying on the walls, and Lord Liu, the city defender, has sacrificed himself for the country. A-Mai, entrusted by Colonel Tang, wishes he could immediately fly to Qingzhou to summon reinforcements for rescue. I hope, sir, that you can forgive A-Mai's previous rudeness, considering that A-Mai is also sincerely devoted to the country." As A-Mai spoke, his voice even carried a hint of sobbing, and he deeply lowered his head.

Xu Jing seemed to hesitate, looking down at the copper medal stained with blood in her hand, then raising her head to look at A Mai with difficulty. Finally, she resolutely nodded and said: "Rest assured, brave warrior, Xu Jing will surely use her eloquence to persuade Qingzhou to send troops to rescue the urgent situation in Yuzhou"

Shang Yizhi sat high on his horse, casually playing with the copper plaque engraved with the name of Tang Shaoyi, and asked lightly: "Who is the messenger of Tang Shaoyi?"

Not bad! Shang Yizhi slammed his fist on the table, startling everyone present. Seeing the surprised expressions on their faces, Shang Yizhi quickly suppressed his excitement and said calmly: "What you say is reasonable, sir. My Qingzhou army should head to Yuzhou to meet the Tatar cavalry outside Wulan Mountain"

Amai was taken aback, and there was a look of surprise in his eyes as he looked at Xu Jing. Xu Jing couldn't help but sneer upon seeing this, thinking to herself that this young man, after all, was unable to hide his thoughts, as everything was written on his face. To have someone like him deliver such an important letter clearly indicated that Hamburg City was truly lacking in capable individuals.

Zhou Zhiren's gaze turned towards the distant north; Chang Yuqing should have arrived at Qingshan by now. He let out a low sigh, thinking, youth these days, the emperor is still young, and those in service are also young. Am I really getting old? I am just over fifty, still in the prime of my life, so how can I be considered old?

"Is this the catapult you all drove out?" Zhou Zhiren asked, his tone not high, yet each word struck the hearts of those nearby.

Upon hearing the title had changed from "kid" to "warrior," Amai felt a sense of reassurance. He wiped the corner of his eye with a cleaner spot on his sleeve and said, "I have made an agreement with Colonel Tang; he is to go to Yuzhou to raise the alarm, while I will head to Taixing to seek help. Now that Taixing is also besieged, I must go to Qingzhou for assistance. I kindly ask for your help, sir"

Her legs are athletic, straight and long; although slender, the delicate shape of her muscles can still be faintly discerned. Even more remarkable is that her skin tone is not the typical fair complexion of most women, but rather a light wheat color. With this skin tone, half of the members of Shang Yizhi's personal guard are fairer than she is! Coupled with a pair of feet that are by no means dainty but rather long and slender, the guards had no doubts about her gender at all

When Shang Yi noticed A Mai entering the room, he casually lifted his eyelids to glance over. His expression momentarily froze, then he lowered his head again to continue examining the military map spread out on the table. However, Xu Jing naturally called out, "A Mai, come here."

The commander of the Northern Desert Eastern Road, Zhou Zhiren, was walking slowly along the edge of the forest, his expression somewhat grim. He was a robust man in his fifties, not particularly tall, yet he exuded an indescribable sense of pressure. With thick eyebrows, eyes that could not be considered large, and a full beard, he possessed the kind of countenance often described as having an imposing presence without the need for anger.

Xu Jing habitually stroked a few strands of beard on his chin and said in a deep voice, "Has the general ever considered why the Northern Desert people are besieging my Taixing?"

These few flattering remarks made Xu Jing feel completely at ease, which was indeed quite pleasant. Unconsciously, my hand went to stroke his few goat-like whiskers, thinking to myself that although this fellow is a rough man, he does possess some insight. With this thought, my anger towards A Mai had already diminished by three parts.

The emaciated man stood up, squinting his eyes in the direction pointed out by the driver. Indeed, he saw a figure approaching from the hillside not far away. The person was tall and thin, with unbound hair, only a short braid tied at the back of the head. Dressed in a deep gray short outfit, he had a sword tucked at his waist. From a distance, it appeared that his clothes were stained with patches of blood.

Qingzhou originally had more than 20,000 stationed troops. After receiving the military order from the Southern Xia court to send reinforcements to Taixing, Shangyi left 5,000 men in Qingzhou City to guard against any changes, while the remaining troops all set out for Taixing. Although more than 10,000 men may not seem like a large number, when spread out in the wilderness, it is boundless; the encampment alone stretched for several miles.

Regarding this issue, Xu Jing truly did not ask the right person. Who is Shang Yizhi? He is the foremost among the dandy youths in the capital, known as the flamboyant general among the common people of Qingzhou. Are you still questioning why the Northern Desert people would besiege Taixing City?

Amai listened to Xu Jing's analysis, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on her body, almost making her want to give a thumbs up to the thin man in front of her. Almost everything he said was correct, except for one point: Amai was not going to Qingzhou to seek reinforcements, but rather to use Qingzhou as a passage to cross the Taihang Mountains and then go to sea via Dagukou, taking the maritime route to Jiangnan

The young man, upon hearing his uncle's sigh, couldn't help but be taken aback, thinking that his uncle was troubled by the siege of Taixing City. Although he had just been reprimanded by his uncle, the young man's nature compelled him to speak up: "Uncle, if you give me 20,000 elite soldiers, I will take Taixing City for you. I don't even need those cumbersome catapults; just give me a few battering rams!"

Xu Jing, styled Mo Yan, was a native of Yuxia in Jingzhou. In his youth, he was not particularly intelligent, but he was well-versed in poetry, literature, and military strategy. He had a solitary and proud nature, choosing to live in seclusion. In the autumn of the second year of the Shengyuan era, the northern nomads invaded the southern borders, causing significant bloodshed. Jing, filled with indignation, decided to take up arms. On his way, he encountered General Mai, who inquired about military matters. Jing responded immediately, displaying a sharp wit and providing detailed answers. General Mai found this remarkable and took a great liking to him, thus they proceeded together to Yuzhou

Xu Jing and Shang Yizhi exchanged a hearty laugh, leaving the deputy general He Yong somewhat bewildered, staring at the two with a confused expression. Shang Yizhi stopped laughing and suddenly noticed that A Mai was still standing with her head bowed in the tent, prompting him to frown and coldly ask, "Why are you still here?"

A'Mai felt a wave of anxiety in her heart, thinking that this year she was truly fated to encounter misfortune. With so many routes to Jiangnan, why did she insist on taking the path to Hamburg City? Even if she had gone to Hamburg City, having just barely crawled out from the pile of corpses, why did she suddenly lose her mind and come to Qingzhou? With the Wanjiang River stretching thousands of miles, how could she possibly cross it? Why was she so stubborn? Was it because she still felt the need to live up to Tang Shaoyi's trust, which led her to Qingzhou? With the Wanjiang River stretching thousands of miles, how could she possibly cross it? Why was she so stubborn? Was it because she still felt the need to live up to Tang Shaoyi's trust, which led her to Qingzhou?

In this world, it is unlikely that any woman could naturally undress in front of a strange man. Of course, the term 'woman' here refers to ordinary women, excluding those engaged in special professions, as that is a requirement of their work. Unfortunately, A-Mai is truly not an ordinary woman in this world. A-Mai secretly gritted her teeth, first removing the tattered boots from her feet and tossing them aside, and then, in front of the bodyguard, she pulled down her outer pants.

Amai responded repeatedly, hurriedly recounting her experiences from the moment she entered Hamburg City to the time she defended the city, from breaking through the encirclement to encountering Xu Jing. This series of experiences, a blend of truth and falsehood, was narrated in a way that concealed the fact that she had once been imprisoned and had feigned death to escape from the city wall into Xu Xiuer's home

"Sir, please allow Amai to finish speaking. Amai will escort you to Qingzhou and then immediately rush to Yuzhou," Amai said, wiping away tears with a hand, her expression one of tragic determination. "Captain Tang has saved Amai's life, and Amai will certainly follow Captain Tang to the death. Moreover, Amai is clumsy with words and cannot clearly articulate the situation of the battle; it is unlikely that I can persuade the troops in Qingzhou to come to our aid, so I still ask for your assistance, Sir."

Xu Jing looked at A Mai in a daze and sneered, "General Zhou Zhiren of the Northern Desert has led an army of 100,000 from Xinye and has already surrounded Taixing City like an iron barrel. Entering Taixing? Dream on." She turned around and instructed the coachman, "Old Zhang, drive the carriage, we are heading north to Yuzhou!"

However, Shang Yi did not pay attention to these matters; he simply asked calmly, "Did you also discern any other intentions of the Northern Desert people, sir?"

The concerns of both individuals were not unfounded. After a while, the scout who had gone ahead returned. A little more than half an hour later, a dozen riders came galloping towards their mule cart.

"It is a scout," Xu Jing said

"It's broken! Sir, the bandits have arrived, hurry and get in the car!" The man driving the cart shouted anxiously, turning around and running towards the mule cart.

The deputy general in the account is a burly man in his thirties, named He Yong. Hearing Shang Yizhi say this, he showed some hesitation on his face and said: "General, but the military order we received is to urgently assist Taixing. What will we do if we change our route to Yuzhou and the court holds us accountable?"

Oh, Mr. Xu." Amai bowed again

The petty person learned outside of Taixing City that Taixing had been besieged for many days. Mr. Xu stated that the northern desert tribes were indeed a false threat from the north and a real danger from the south, and that the only way to relieve the peril of Yuzhou was to rely on Qingzhou.

Zhou Zhiren turned around and glared at the young man, initially intending to reprimand him a few more times for his ignorance of the world. However, upon seeing his nephew's youthful and innocent face, he suddenly recalled that the Emperor employed those young generals precisely because of their naivety. Otherwise, how could such a risky plan have been devised? With this thought, Zhou Zhiren swallowed the reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue and instead instructed his nephew, "Xun'er, a single battle can be won through 'bravery', but a campaign cannot rely solely on 'bravery'. A war encompasses far more than just 'bravery', do you understand? Our Northern Desert is not just our Eastern Army; there is also General Chang's Western Army. The battle does not depend solely on us! You must think more and not just rush in with killing and charging. Otherwise, no matter how brave you are, you can only be a fierce general and will never become a renowned commander! Do you understand?"

"Do you mean that the Northern Desert is mostly cavalry?" Shang Yizhi asked coldly

The scout took the bronze medal and, upon confirming that it indeed belonged to the Southern Xia army, carefully examined Xu Jing and A Mai. He instructed, "Keep a close watch; I will report to the general." After saying this, he turned his horse around and galloped back.

Amai paid no attention to his reaction, but merely lowered her head and continued, "Although Amai is a simpleton, she can see that the gentleman possesses the talent to govern the world. In the future, he will surely gain fame across the four nations"

Zhou Zhiren was clearly not satisfied with his answer, but he did not say anything further. Unexpectedly, a young man behind him shouted: "In my opinion, why bother building a catapult? It is of little use anyway, a waste of effort. It would be better to let the soldiers..."

Xu Jing also quietly looked at Shang Yizhi and asked with a smile that was not quite a smile, "General, do you dare to take this risk?"

Xu Jing looked at A Mai's astonished expression, revealing a hint of a smug smile on his face, and unconsciously puffed out his somewhat frail chest. Accidentally brushing against the tip of the sword at his chest, his expression changed, and he quickly leaned back, clutching his chest, and angrily said to A Mai: "You brat, hurry up and put away your sword, be careful not to injure me, or you will regret it!"

This person is quite capable of climbing up! Moreover, judging by his standing position, Amai suspects that he might be doing quite well in his ascent

Although Shang Yizhi is somewhat ostentatious, he is by no means a fool. After a brief moment of contemplation, he said: "If the Northern Desert people are only attacking Taixing, then my Qingzhou army is merely one of the many reinforcements for Taixing. If the Northern Desert people intend to besiege the city and cut off reinforcements, then the Qingzhou army will become the unfortunate one to be attacked"

Shang Yizhi had just received military orders to immediately dispatch troops to rescue Taixing. However, the orders did not specify why the Northern Desert people were besieging Taixing City. Nevertheless, it must be said that Shang Yizhi was quite a character; with a quick turn of his eyes, he realized that Xu Jing did not intend for him to answer his question. Therefore, he humbly asked, "What insights do you have, sir"

"Shut up!" Zhou Zhiren shouted to silence the young man, turning to glance at him with an exceptionally sharp gaze, instantly choking off his words.

Amai was taken aback and quickly shirked responsibility, saying, "I am not knowledgeable in military affairs; it was Captain Tang who said so."

The geographical location of Taixing City is exceptionally advantageous, facing the Jiangzhong Plain and backed by the Wan River. The developed water and land transportation has contributed to the prosperity of this city, where merchants gather in nine districts and eighteen markets, with shops lining the streets, creating a bustling atmosphere regardless of the day. However, even so, Taixing City has never been as lively as it is now; at least, the woods located twenty miles outside the city have never been this lively before. Large areas of trees have been felled by soldiers, which have then been transformed into catapults that are being pushed out.

Amay had long considered this issue, and she also felt that it was unwise for the Beimo people to create such a large commotion to attack Taixing. One possibility is that they intend to besiege the city and cut off reinforcements. Sure enough, she heard Xu Jing slowly continue: "Unless they intend to besiege the city and cut off reinforcements"

Amai and Xu Jing, along with the coachman Old Zhang, were pushed in front of Shang Yizhi's horse by several soldiers. Old Zhang, already terrified by the glinting swords and knives, collapsed to his knees as soon as the soldiers released him, bowing his head and pleading, "Spare me, military officer, spare me."

Amai nodded and agreed, hurriedly changing into the new clothes she had brought. Taking advantage of the movement of turning to grab the new outfit, she also turned her back to change out of the outer garment.

Excerpt from "The Summer Book: The Biography of Xu Jing"

"General, there are no deep mountains or old forests around Taixing City; the trees in this area can be considered thick," the officer in charge of the armaments cautiously replied, occasionally stealing glances at Zhou Zhiren's expression.

Shang Yizhi glanced at Deputy General He Yong, then looked at Xu Jing, raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Do you think I, the young master, am afraid of those incompetent fools in the Ministry of War?"

Shang Yi's sword-like eyebrows twitched slightly as he cast an impatient glance at Old Zhang, then turned his attention to A Mai and Xu Jing

However ... ...

Shang Yi was somewhat surprised, and couldn't help but glance at A Mai and Xu Jing a few more times. A Mai immediately regretted it, thinking to herself why she had to imitate this old man Xu, who was so obsessed with saving face that he suffered for it. It is well known that in this world, it is quite common for the common people to kneel before officials and for subordinates to kneel before their superiors, and she had long since become accustomed to it. So why was she suddenly acting up like this today, following old man Xu?

The two exchanged a formal bow to each other, then straightened up, both wearing a look of tragic solemnity, truly resembling a pair of tearful gazes locked in each other's eyes. When the mule cart stopped for a break at noon, A Mai and Xu Jing surprisingly held hands, which left the driver, Old Zhang, utterly astonished, his mouth agape as if it could fit a goose egg. Seizing the moment when A Mai was not around, he winked and made gestures to secretly ask Xu Jing, 'Sir, how did you end up holding hands with a mountain bandit?'

Xu Jing was taken aback, and then secretly cursed in her heart, what a little brat, I haven't seen you stammering all the way, why are you acting dumb in front of the general today? So you were waiting for me here, huh?

Brave warrior, please speak

Xu Jing nodded with a smile and praised, "The general is wise. Going to Taixing will not bring much benefit to the Qingzhou army. However, the general must not forget that the Northern Desert people surrounding Taixing is just one possibility; they have another possibility..." He paused his words, his pair of bright little eyes fixed intently on Shang Yizhi.

The emaciated man rolled his eyes and said with a hint of arrogance, "I am Xu Jing."

Xu Jing and A Mai traveled together, each harboring their own thoughts, yet they maintained a harmonious relationship. On the afternoon of the third day, the sound of hooves approached from a distance. Both individuals in the carriage frowned, as the outbreak of war had made their journey perilous; they had encountered very few travelers along the way, and even fewer merchants on horseback. Xu Jing lightly lifted the curtain of the carriage to look outside, and upon turning back, her expression became somewhat grave.

Shang Yi raised his eyebrows slightly, responding with some excitement: "There is also the point made by Tang Shaoyi, that the people of the Northern Desert are prosperous in appearance but actually impoverished in Yuzhou!"

Shang Yi's expression changed slightly; no matter how extravagant he was, he was still born into a military family, and he could at least understand the term "surrounding the city to aid". He raised his head to look at Xu Jing, and a glimmer of brilliance flashed in his eyes

The young man noticed that his uncle was always looking to the north, which made him somewhat puzzled. He followed his uncle's gaze and looked northward, searching for a long time but failing to find anything worth seeing. The Wulan Mountain Range extended vigorously for over 800 miles, but when he reached several dozen miles northwest of Taixing City, it finally lost its momentum, only stretching out a few gently undulating earth slopes, without even a prominent peak. Such a forested area probably couldn't even sustain a fierce wild beast, the young man thought.

"You and Tang Shaoyi cannot be certain that the Northern Desert cavalry went north, can you?" Shang Yizhi asked again, "Is it merely based on the speculation from the Northern Desert people's cutting of branches?"

Amai said, "Hey, you are even more familiar than I am." Amai took a few steps forward and stood with her head bowed a few steps away from the table.

Xu Jing slightly cupped her hands, which could be considered a return gesture to A Mai.

Zhou Zhiren snorted coldly and said, "This is the military, I am not your uncle! If there is another time, I will deal with you according to military law!" In fact, he knew that the young man was not wrong; building such a catapult was indeed of little use to Taixing City. It was ineffective for breaking walls and inaccurate for hitting people. However, even knowing that it was of no use, the catapult still had to be built. Otherwise, how could he explain to the people of Nansha if they surrounded but did not attack? At the very least, they had to put on a show of besieging the city for them to see. This way, everyone was kept busy; the Nansha people were busy releasing doves in the city, while they were busy logging outside the city.

Amai lifted the waistband of his large shorts with both hands and asked the guard with a dry smile: "Sir, do you have any underwear for me to change into? I seem to have lice on me, and it would be best if I could change both inside and out"

Indeed, the gaze with which Shang Yizhi looked at Xu Jing had changed. He lightly waved his hand, signaling the deputy general behind him to step forward, slightly tilting his head as he instructed him to arrange for the troops to set up camp, stating that they would stop here for today. The deputy general took his orders and left, while Shang Yizhi turned back to the few people in front of the horse. When his gaze fell on A Mai, he faintly furrowed his brow and instructed the bodyguard beside him to take A Mai down to change into clean clothes.

Xu Jing was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared, "Qingzhou? I won't go! I just consulted the oracle, and my place of prosperity is Yuzhou! Why should I go to Qingzhou? You are being unreasonable; this is my mule cart, what right do you have to get on? Get down! Get down!"

Only by seeing Amai alone, you are able to articulate the state of the world so thoroughly, truly you are a remarkable person, Amai is deeply impressed

Excerpt from "The Secret History of the Summer Palace"

She spoke eloquently, and the series of events was articulated with great clarity, yet one could see that Shang Yizhi's brows were furrowing tighter and tighter.

What does a dandy know about military law? This merchant Yi arrived in Qingzhou, claiming to have the "Four Nos"—no military uniform, no entering the barracks, no participating in drills, and no studying military formations. Every day, he donned a splendid outfit of white brocade, merely indulging in poetry and flirtation with the moon. Thus, after the Qingzhou populace had just sent off their previous "useless general," they welcomed this "foppish general." Not to mention the sharp tongues of the Qingzhou people, have you ever seen a general who even selects his personal guards based on their good looks and graceful figures? Therefore, after the Qingzhou populace had just sent off their previous "useless general," they welcomed this "foppish general" again. Not to mention the sharp tongues of the Qingzhou people, have you ever seen a general who even selects his personal guards based on their good looks and graceful figures?

A-Mai took out the copper badge given to her by Tang Shaoyi from her bosom, handed it to Xu Jing with both hands, and said: "This is the token of Lieutenant Tang. With this, one can go to Qingzhou to seek an audience with the city guard. A-Mai wishes to ask you, sir, to go on her behalf."

After changing his clothes, the bodyguard led Amai to wash his hands and face. Once he clearly saw Amai's handsome features, his attitude towards Amai suddenly improved significantly. Therefore, when Amai mentioned that he had been hungry for several meals and wanted to eat something first, he did not scold Amai excessively, but rather kindly brought Amai two steamed cornbreads.

Indeed! If that is the case, then the General's army from Qingzhou could be the lifeline for Yuzhou said Xu Jing

As A-Mai nibbled on the steamed bun, she couldn't help but touch her own face, thinking to herself that her mother was indeed right; regardless of whether one is male or female, if a person is good-looking, it brings benefits.

Having eaten and drunk to satisfaction, the personal guard led Amai to meet the commander, Shang Yizhi. The commander's tent had already been set up. Upon entering, Amai saw Xu Jing also inside, engaged in conversation with Shang Yizhi around a table. Amai couldn't help but admire his ability; in just the span of one meal, he had managed to integrate himself into the advisory team of the Qingzhou army.

Xu Jing let out a cold laugh and said, "You cannot enter Taixing City now."

The coachman only understood that the road to the north leads to Yuzhou, and the turn to the east goes to Qingzhou. He did not comprehend anything else and, feeling somewhat impatient, interrupted the man's words and asked, "Sir, where exactly are we headed?"

The delicate-looking young attendant led Amai to the back to change clothes. He had secretly received instructions from Shang Yizhi and, after throwing the clothes to Amai, did not leave but stood by to watch over her. Seeing this, Amai realized that any hesitation on her part would raise suspicion, so she could only maintain a calm expression as she unfastened her belt, her mind racing: Were they suspecting that she was hiding something, or were they questioning her gender?

Xu Jing suddenly froze, and after a long while, she finally came to terms with reality. Weakly, she shouted at the coachman, "Old Zhang, turn east and head to Qingzhou."

Upon hearing that she had lice, the bodyguard quickly stepped back a few paces, his face displaying disgust as he said: "You think too highly of yourself! It would be good enough to have someone from outside replace you! Be content with that!"

Amai was taken aback by his words, involuntarily sheathed her sword, lowered her head, and slowly inserted the sword into its scabbard. Various thoughts raced through her mind, and when she raised her head again, her face bore a solemn expression. She straightened her clothing and bowed deeply to Xu Jing, earnestly saying: "Amai has been rude, please forgive me, sir. I implore you to save me!"

The young man scratched the back of his head and chuckled at Zhou Zhiren. Upon seeing this situation, Zhou Zhiren realized that he had just wasted his breath. Unable to help feeling somewhat disheartened, he no longer paid attention to this straightforward nephew and simply turned his head to continue staring blankly towards the north.

Xu Jing noticed the tent had quieted down, glanced at A Mai, and then looked towards Shang Yizhi, suddenly saying: "General Shang, would you be willing to hear Xu Jing's words?"

The bodyguard was solely focused on avoiding Amai's dirty clothes, fearing that the lice inside might crawl onto him, and completely failed to notice that Amai had only taken off his outer garment and had not changed his inner clothing before putting on the new ones

Amai is quite adept at reading people's expressions. Just by observing Xu Jing's attire, he gained some understanding of his temperament. Furthermore, upon seeing his facial expressions while speaking, it was evident that this person clearly belonged to the type who, even when in a heated situation, would still speak in an overly formal manner. Thus, he politely said: "Amai has been entrusted by Lieutenant Tang Shaoyi of the Hamburger City garrison to deliver a message to Taixing. The matter is urgent, and I would like to borrow your mule cart, if possible"

"You need not look at me like that," Xu Jing said disdainfully, curling her lips as she spoke coldly. "You are covered in blood and in a disheveled state, having just experienced a life-and-death ordeal. Hamburger City is small and cannot withstand the Northern Desert army; it must have fallen. The Northern Desert army comes from the west, and they would not be here for a mere Hamburger City. After capturing Hamburger, they will either march south directly towards Taixing City or head north to besiege Yuzhou. Their advance south could form a pincer movement with the Eastern Route Army of the Northern Desert, putting Taixing City in grave danger; this is common sense. However, it is also possible that the Northern Desert forces might act against common sense and head north to attack Yuzhou, seizing the throat of our Southern Xia's northern river, leaving my 300,000 troops in the north besieged and unable to return to Taixing. Since you have come from Hamburger City, you likely know the whereabouts of the Northern Desert's Western Route army. Your original purpose in going to Taixing City was likely twofold: to send a warning and to seek help. However, upon learning that Taixing was besieged, you simply changed course to Qingzhou, indicating that you must be seeking assistance. Now, the situation in Taixing and Yuzhou has reached a deadlock; only Qingzhou still has the strength to send troops for rescue. Am I correct in what I say?"

Shang Yizhi's expression grew even darker as he coldly stared at A Mai without saying a word

Wait!" the thin man interrupted, taking another look at the newcomer, and calmly said, "He is not a highway robber."

Amai felt somewhat bewildered. She had traveled for a day and a night to arrive here, initially thinking she could reach Taixing City before the Northern Desert people. To her surprise, Taixing had already been besieged by the Northern Desert people for three days. What on earth was happening? Clearly, the Northern Desert people's attack on Taixing was a ruse. Could she have miscalculated? Yet, even if she had miscalculated, the Northern Desert people shouldn't have arrived in Taixing so early. Three days ago, they were still outside Hamburg City.

"To hell with it!" Amay shouted, thinking to himself that regardless of whether it was a high hat or a shit pot, he would first put it on you and then talk.

"Sir, I am a coachman, not a fisherman," the coachman corrected, and then did not forget to ask again, "Sir, let us hurry along, the Tatars are just a few dozen miles behind us. They are known to eat human flesh and drink human blood. We must be quick, I fear it will be too late..."

He scattered the copper coins on the ground, merely glanced at the divination sticks, when he heard the coachman shout: "Sir, sir, look, someone is coming down from the hillside over there"

Indeed, the dozen or so riders surrounded their mule carts, and a soldier used a long spear to lift the curtain of the cart, shouting: "Get out of the car!"

Xu Jing and A Mai hurriedly got out of the car. Xu Jing took out the bronze medal from her bosom, held it high above her head, and said loudly: "We are entrusted by Lieutenant Tang Shaoyi of the Hamburg City garrison to report urgent military matters to the defenders of Qingzhou City. We hope the military officer will introduce us."

Amai's face showed a look of distress, clearly indicating that she had not managed to remember everything Xu Jing had said

Upon hearing Amai's words, Xu Jing's feelings of discontent completely vanished. Seeing Amai in such a state even moved him greatly, and he expressed with emotion: "Amai also has a heart devoted to the country, and I, as an elder, understand this."

The Emperor Chengzu had a favored concubine, Lady Yan, who was promoted to the rank of consort in February, which drew much attention. The consort had a cousin sister who was married to the military general Zhang Sheng, who had once served as a personal guard, attending to the Emperor Chengzu during his time in Longquan, Qingzhou. One day, Lady Yan happened to see a painting in the study, depicting a young man dressed in military attire, with a face like jade, red lips, and white teeth, resembling Lady Yan by seven parts. Lady Yan found it very curious and jokingly asked Zhang Sheng about the painting. Zhang Sheng was greatly shocked and angry, rebuking her, saying: "The God of War of Nansha, how can you women jest about him?" Later, Lady Yan reported this incident to Consort Yan. One day, Lady Yan happened to see a painting in the study, depicting a young man dressed in military attire, with a face like jade, red lips, and white teeth, resembling Lady Yan by seven parts. Lady Yan found it very curious and jokingly asked Zhang Sheng about the painting. Zhang Sheng was greatly shocked and angry, rebuking her, saying: "The God of War of Nansha, how can you women jest about him?" Later, Lady Yan reported this incident to Consort Yan, who laughed and said: "Your beauty is unparalleled; if you were to disguise as a man, you would be exceedingly handsome." Everyone agreed, and Consort Yan was quite moved. One day, Emperor Chengzu, weary from court affairs, was drinking alone in the garden, instructing the attendants to guard the gate, preventing anyone from entering. Consort Yan bribed the attendants to enter the garden in male attire, seeking the Emperor's favor. When Emperor Chengzu first saw her, his expression changed dramatically; he embraced her and cried out: "Ah Mai, you have finally come to visit me." He murmured softly, all words expressing the pain of longing. One day, Emperor Chengzu, weary from court affairs, was drinking alone in the garden, instructing the attendants to guard the gate, preventing anyone from entering. Consort Yan bribed the attendants to enter the garden in male attire, seeking the Emperor's favor. When Emperor Chengzu first saw her, his expression changed dramatically; he embraced her and cried out: "Ah Mai, you have finally come to visit me." He murmured softly, all words expressing the pain of longing. Consort Yan was greatly alarmed and trembled. When Emperor Chengzu awoke from his drunkenness, he looked at her suspiciously and, seeing her as Consort Yan, became furious and left in a huff. At that moment, all the attendants outside were beaten to death. Consort Yan was also demoted to a lower rank and placed under house arrest. Consort Yan secretly summoned her cousin sister to inquire about the matter. Lady Yan returned and, taking advantage of Zhang Sheng's drunkenness, asked her about the incident, saying: "Is the person in the painting truly the God of War?" Zhang Sheng affirmed this, and the woman further asked: "Who is Ah Mai?" Zhang Sheng was very surprised and exclaimed: "How do you know the childhood name of the God of War?" Later, Lady Yan informed Consort Yan, who cried out in pain: "You have misled me!"

Xu Jing behind could not help but interject: "This is the throat of my Southern Xia, the Tartars control one city and dominate my entire Jiangbei region"

Xu Jing cast a glance at the distant A Mai, her face revealing an inscrutable smile. She wanted to say something, but suddenly realized that Old Zhang beside her was merely a simpleton from the mountains, and it would be futile to explain anything to him. Thus, she simply rolled her eyes at him and disdainfully said: "Mind your own business, why bother with so many matters? I have my own reasons!"

The person approached swiftly, taking two steps and then running two steps, and in a moment, they arrived right in front of him. From the top of the hillside, Ah Mai had already spotted the mule cart and thought to himself that he had finally found a means of transportation. He intended to call out a couple of times but feared that shouting too soon might scare the person away, so he refrained from calling out and instead ran desperately towards the mule cart.

Xu Jing smiled gently and then said, "This is something I can think of, and naturally, others can think of it as well"

This is where the fork in the road is?" a slightly sharp voice inquired from inside the car

Shang Yi furrowed his brows slightly and asked, "Will the people of the Northern Desert really launch a surprise attack on Yuzhou?"

Yes, I hope that Mr. Xu can prioritize the greater good and make use of Ah Mai's mule cart. You may travel to Taixing together with Ah Mai, and upon your arrival in Taixing, there will certainly be a generous reward.

Xu Jing sat in the car with a sullen expression, scanning A Mai with a belly full of curses, yet he dared not speak them out loud due to the tip of A Mai's sword lightly pressed against his chest. Seeing his face change several times, A Mai calmly said: "Sir, do not blame A Mai for being rude; perhaps in the future, you will be grateful to A Mai for saving your life."

Amai's knees went weak, and it seemed she was about to kneel down, but a glance at the upright Xu Jing made her hold back and remain standing.

Shang Yi seemed to hold Xu Jing in high regard. Hearing him speak this way, he smiled gently and said, "Mr. Xu, please go ahead."

"This gentleman," the newcomer gasped heavily, bowed to the thin man, and after catching his breath for a while, finally managed to say, "My surname is Mai, commonly known as A Mai, and I come from Hamburg. May I ask your esteemed surname, sir?"

A-Mai was almost moved to tears and hurriedly bowed again. This time, Xu Jing quickly reached out to help A-Mai up, saying: "Please rise, brave warrior. Xu Jing cannot accept such a grand gesture."

Turn east! Go to Qingzhou!" Amai said coldly

Xu Jing's eyes narrowed even further, and her dissatisfaction with A Mai diminished by three points.

Amai understood! Amai replied, and she vaguely guessed that Xu Jing wanted to use her experience of escaping from Hamburg, but she did not expose it; she simply nodded to indicate that everything would be decided by Xu Jing

Amai thought for a moment and nodded

Beneath the same cloud, just to the east of several earthen slopes, a south-to-north post road branches off here, slanting towards the east. A green-covered mule cart traveling north slowly came to a stop at the fork in the road. The driver jumped down from the cart, briskly walked to the back, lifted the curtain, and said to the inside: "Sir, the road ahead has forked, how shall we proceed?"

Xu Jing nodded coldly and said: "Taixing City has been besieged for three days now; unless you have grown wings, you cannot enter Taixing."

Indeed, everyone is at peace!

The people in the car remained silent. After a moment, the curtain of the car stirred, and a slender white hand lifted the curtain. Following that, a foot clad in black boots emerged. A lean man in his forties slowly climbed down from the car. Once on the ground, he first moved his somewhat sore and numb legs and brushed off the dust from the corners of his clothes. Only then did he walk a few steps towards the front of the car with his hands behind his back, gazing at the fork in the road ahead, shaking his head and muttering: "To the north is Yuzhou, to the east is Qingzhou. Yuzhou is significant, as it is the throat of the river, capable of protecting Jingyang to the north and covering Taixing to the south. Additionally, being located in the plains, a granary, the city is abundant in provisions, making it a place of contention for military strategists; Qingzhou is strategically perilous, bordered by Ziya to the north and leaning against the Taihang Mountains to the east, easy to defend but difficult to attack. It can provide western support to Yuzhou when advancing and can take a defensive position when retreating..." Yuzhou is significant, as it is the throat of the river, capable of protecting Jingyang to the north and covering Taixing to the south. Additionally, being located in the plains, a granary, the city is abundant in provisions, making it a place of contention for military strategists; Qingzhou is strategically perilous, bordered by Ziya to the north and leaning against the Taihang Mountains to the east, easy to defend but difficult to attack. It can provide western support to Yuzhou when advancing and can take a defensive position when retreating...

What Xu Jing and others were waiting for was this statement, which continued: "Although the Northern Desert has two hundred thousand troops, outside of Taixing City is not the grassland of the Western Hu. A large group of cavalry has no other use than to chase the enemy, and moreover, the Northern Desert advances rapidly without carrying large siege equipment. How can they besiege the city? Will they use the catapults made from the tree trunks as thick as a bowl that Zhou Zhiren crafted outside Taixing? If that is truly the case, then with the walls of Taixing, it would be no problem for the defenders to hold out for a year and a half."

The young boy displayed a hint of timidity on his face, avoiding Zhou Zhiren's knife-like gaze, lowering his head slightly, and calling out softly: "Uncle—"

The man turned to glance at the coachman, stroked a few strands of beard on his chin, and rolled his eyes, "Foolish commoners, foolish commoners, ignorant peasants!"