Chapter 8, Brothers, Vision, Oath of Allegiance

Xu Jing said: "As a general born into a military family, you should be more aware of the current situation in our country than I am. Do you know if our country can still send troops across the Wan River to reclaim lost territory?"

Amai hesitated as she took the water bag and asked, "And you?"

In other words, there are only a little over 60,000 people in Jiangbei, right?" Xu Jing asked.

Xu Jing smiled and said: "Since the general can understand all this, why return to Yuzhou? I have only 60,000 soldiers in Jiangbei, while the Northern Desert still has 200,000 troops. Moreover, there are no other battles within the Northern Desert, allowing the Northern Desert people to focus entirely on us. There may be another 100,000, 200,000, or even more troops waiting behind. Why did Zhou Zhiren abandon Taixing and besiege Yuzhou? I believe it is not because Chen Qi calculated that Yuzhou City was empty; this is likely just the predetermined plan of the Northern Desert people. They feigned an attack on Taixing to draw my Jiangbei army southward, then opened my Jingyang border, and subsequently advanced step by step, defeating us one by one. What are we going back to Yuzhou for? To become the Northern Desert people's fish in a barrel?"

Shang Yizhi's expression was remarkably calm, and he looked at the generals in the tent with an indifferent demeanor. The generals from the Qingzhou army were quite angry; although they refrained from speaking out due to Shang Yizhi's suppression, their expressions clearly conveyed their disdain for the Yuzhou people. The few generals affiliated with the Yuzhou army had mixed expressions of pale and green, feeling both wronged and embarrassed, as it was they who had insisted on returning to rescue Yuzhou, only to find themselves on the brink of total annihilation.

The few individuals replied in unison: "Of course, it is the soldiers of the Southern Xia!"

This team leader's surname is Li. Unlike Lu Gang, he does not know as much, but he is somewhat cunning. He is aware that A Mai had a dispute with the leader of the second team and even killed someone, yet he was only punished with twenty military sticks. This indicates that the young man must have some background. Therefore, when he sees A Mai suddenly coming to serve as a squad leader under him, he does not ask many questions and simply leads A Mai to the eighth squad.

Someone secretly tugged at Wang Qi's sleeve, urging him to be more cautious with his words, saying that Ah Mai is now also a squad leader, and should be considered their superior. Wang Qi shook off the person's hand and retorted irritably, "What are you tugging at? Ah Mai is not an outsider; he is my brother."

The person referred to as Brother Liu by Amai nodded awkwardly. Wang Qi smiled proudly and said to Amai, "We have all heard about your deeds, and we brothers are all happy for you. When we go out, I can say that I used to sleep next to you, and it brings me glory. Amai, you are truly impressive; I never expected you to be so fierce, having taken down twenty-three Tartars. Just thinking about this makes me feel that the fight we had before was worth it."

Amai lowered her head in contemplation for a moment, then met Tang Shaoyi's gaze and replied calmly: "For both public and private reasons, I do not wish to go to Yuzhou"

Xu Jing ignored Shang Yizhi's words and simply asked in a low voice: "Has the general lost heart?"

Amai smiled upon seeing this and said to the person who was pulling Wang Qi's clothes, "Brother Liu, it's all right. We are all brothers here, and there won't be so many issues in the future"

Excerpt from "Chronicles of the Shengyuan: The Seven Brave Warriors"

Lu Gang smacked his lips, scratched his head and turned around a few times, finally making up his mind. He turned back to A Mai and said: "I cannot keep you by my side. How about this, A Mai, you should go back to the camp, to the original Fourth Team. You know the team there anyway, and you have been to that squad before. The original squad leader died in the battle at Wolf Valley, so you can fill in for him."

Zhang Erdan did not retort, tightly pursing his lips, stubbornly raising his head, enduring Wang Qi's scolding and beating, only using his sleeve to fiercely wipe away his tears

Xu Jing's eyes moved, sparkling with brilliance, and she asked: "Is the general afraid of Chen?"

Amai responded with a sound and ran in the direction pointed by Lu Gang. Only then did Lu Gang look up and cast an annoyed glance at Amai's back, muttering under his breath: "Damn it, why do I have to avoid talking about trivial matters in front of others? It's obvious that this isn't a good person. Why do I feel like I'm pimping? How can this sissy kill so many Tartars..."

The Qingzhou army's camp is strictly following the orders from above, waiting in place as units for further instructions. However, the camp of the Yuzhou army in the distance is far from quiet. Amai sits within the camp, listening to the faint sounds coming from the Yuzhou army's camp, feeling a sense of worry. Among the forty thousand troops deployed this time, the Qingzhou army only has fifteen thousand, while the Yuzhou army accounts for twenty-five thousand. When forming ranks in the Wild Wolf Gorge to resist the Northern Desert cavalry, Shang Yizhi placed the Qingzhou army at the front to avoid suspicion. As a result, although the Qingzhou army is outnumbered by the Yuzhou army, their casualties are not any less. Calculating this way, among the current thirty thousand troops, the Yuzhou army actually occupies two-thirds. In the event of a mutiny, even Shang Yizhi would be at a loss.

However, at this moment, she has no intention of paying attention to them and feels there is no need to do so. At this time, they absolutely do not dare to openly come and cause her trouble; at most, they would stab her in the back during battle. But now, she fears nothing.

On November 16, Shang Yizhi led the Qingyu Allied Forces to the north of Yuzhou City, where they encountered an obstruction from the Northern Desert cavalry. The Northern Desert cavalry struck and then retreated, while the Southern Xia army attempted to break through to the city. Just as they were about to breach the Northern Desert army's defense line, a sudden fire broke out in Yuzhou City as a warning, with thick smoke rising into the sky. At the same time, several paper kites were released from within the city, inscribed with large characters: "Stone throws at the enemy, there is treachery within the city!"

After regaining his composure, Shi Dachun glanced warily at the door outside and casually asked, "What happened to the one who set the fire?"

Upon mentioning the sergeant, a layer of sorrow enveloped the faces of the crowd, and they fell silent. Zhang Erdan, who had remained silent until now, with red-rimmed eyes, choked out, "The sergeant... he did it to save me..." As he spoke, his voice caught in his throat, and he lowered his head, repeatedly wiping his eyes.

Several soldiers in Amai Wuli had long since emptied their water bags, and their rations were hard and dry, making it almost impossible to swallow without straining. Yet, they had to eat; without food, they would lack the strength to walk and would face the whip of the officers. Amai was frugal with water, still having more than half a bag left. Seeing Wang Qi and the others struggling to swallow, she tossed her water bag to them. The few of them received the water bag and smiled at Amai, then hurriedly took small bites of their dry rations. Everyone was aware of the situation and did not drink excessively; the water bag made its way back to Amai, still containing nearly half a bag of water. Amai found it difficult to swallow her rations as well. She intended to take a sip of water, but upon seeing the food residue at the mouth of the bag, she lost her appetite. She smiled and tossed the water bag back to Wang Qi and the others, saying, "You drink; I'm not thirsty yet."

Tang Shaoyi smiled and said, "We cavalry are fine; the water bags we carry on our horses are large, and besides, our pace is quick, so we won't suffer from thirst."

In the end, only Zhang Erdan remained, and everyone turned to look at him. Wang Qi glared at him with anger, while A Mai looked at him encouragingly. He bit his lower lip hard, holding back the tears in his eyes, and placed his hand on the table. He opened his mouth and said: "I, I—" but he could not continue, and the tears streamed down his face.

Xu Jing let out a cold laugh and then continued to ask: "Then Xu Jing will ask this: how many troops are currently stationed in Jiangbei in our country?"

After everyone had talked for a long time, the break time had long passed, yet there was still no sign of the central army beating the drum to assemble. Everyone couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. A-Mai vaguely guessed something in his heart but said nothing. He simply instructed everyone to rest in place and wait for orders from the army

Shang Yi's gaze flickered as he looked up and down at Xu Jing, and suddenly he bent down and bowed deeply to Xu Jing, respectfully saying: "Thank you, sir, for your guidance."

This is completely at odds with Amai's conjecture; she believed that Shang Yizhi would choose to avoid the large army of Zhou Zhiren in order to make a comeback. To her surprise, he actually intended to incite everyone to resolve the difficulties in Yuzhou and confront Zhou Zhiren head-on.

As evening approached, there was finally some movement from the central army, and the order given was to assemble the troops. Amai understood that as a junior officer, he had no choice but to obey orders, so he unhesitatingly led his team to march towards the central army. The tents at Shang Yizhi's encampment had long been dismantled, and a simple platform had been erected. Surrounding it were gathered over ten thousand troops from Yuzhou, who, although still in formation, were somewhat noisy and unable to conceal their panic. Seeing this situation, the troops from Qingzhou arriving behind also became somewhat disordered. The leading officer, Lu Gang, cracked his whip and shouted a few curses before finally getting the troops to line up neatly on the eastern side of the platform.

The bodyguard beside him did not hear clearly what he said and mistakenly thought he had some instructions, so he hurriedly asked, "My lord, what do you need?"

Lu Guang looked at the returning A Mai, his expression extremely complex. He simply could not understand why this young man wanted to settle in his infantry battalion again. Wasn't A Mai the beloved of the general? Hadn't A Mai just achieved great merit? Wasn't A Mai referred to as the "Yumen Yanluo"? From any perspective, A Mai should not be here with Lu Guang, especially as just a mere sergeant. How was he supposed to treat him? As an ordinary sergeant? But A Mai was anything but ordinary. Should he treat him like a young master? From any perspective, A Mai should not be here with Lu Guang, especially as just a mere sergeant. How was he supposed to treat him? As an ordinary sergeant? But A Mai was anything but ordinary. Should he treat him like a young master? But he did not have the means to accommodate such a person.

All the generals responded in unison.

As expected by Amai, a significant incident indeed occurred within the military

Shang Yizhi hurriedly helped Vice General Zhang up and gave a signal to the people nearby, who quickly assisted the generals kneeling on the ground to their feet. Shang Yizhi said: "Vice General Zhang, if you trust Yizhi, then please do not differentiate between Qing and Yu. Whether it is the Qingzhou army or the Yuzhou army, they are all soldiers of Nansha, with no distinctions whatsoever"

Without water, Amai dared not eat the dry rations in large bites, so she could only nibble at them little by little, hoping to produce more saliva to moisten the food in her mouth. However, her body was already dehydrated, and her saliva was scarce. In the end, she could only stretch her neck and force herself to swallow. Just as she was straining, she heard someone in the front calling for her, saying that Lord Lu was looking for her. Amai hurriedly packed the rations back into her bag and ran towards Lu Gang.

The Qingzhou army she belonged to was relatively stable, as most of the soldiers in the camp were from the Qingzhou region, with very few from Yuzhou, only a handful like Zhang Erdan who had recently joined from Yuzhou. Due to the significantly higher casualty rate among new recruits compared to veterans, the battle at Wolf Valley resulted in very few of these new soldiers surviving. With fewer people, it was difficult to stir up trouble, and the camp remained relatively calm. However, the situation was different for the Yuzhou army, where eight or nine out of ten soldiers were from Yuzhou. Even if their families were not in Yuzhou city, they were from the surrounding areas. Upon hearing that the Northern Desert was besieging Yuzhou, they immediately became agitated. Thus, in the battle at Wolf Valley, very few of these new soldiers survived.

The deputy general of the Yuzhou army gritted his teeth, lifted his battle robe, and knelt on the ground. Shang Yizhi hurriedly stepped forward to assist him, anxiously saying: "Deputy General Zhang, what is the reason for this? Please rise quickly"

Amai looked at Lu Gang with a smile that seemed to be both genuine and not, noticing the confusion and difficulty clearly written on his face. She respectfully smiled and said, "Lord Lu, Amai has come to report to you."

Really?" Ah Mai asked in astonishment

Amai is confused, what exactly does Shang Yizhi want to do? Or rather, what does Xu Jing want to achieve? With an exhausted army of 30,000 against the 100,000 troops of Beimo, who are waiting idly for an opportunity, the outcome is almost certain. Have Shang Yizhi and Xu Jing both been kicked in the head by their mounts?

Amai ran through the woods and saw Tang Shaoyi waiting there with a horse. Not knowing what he wanted from her, she asked breathlessly, "Elder brother, what do you need from me?"

As the squad leader, Amai sat at the very front of the formation. She was originally sitting with her head bowed like an old monk in meditation, quietly sorting through the threads of this war in her mind. Suddenly, Wang Qi beside her discreetly poked her with his finger. Amai looked at him in confusion, only to see him gesture towards her with his lips and then glance at a nearby squad. Following his gaze, Amai's eyes met several fierce stares. Those individuals were also seated in the outermost row of the formation, likely squad leaders as well. Upon noticing Amai looking at them, their expressions turned even more menacing, their eyes seemingly intent on skinning Amai alive.

The nod of business ease

Amai extended his hand into the air and spoke word by word: "I, Amai, am willing from this day forward to live and die together with all my brothers, sharing honor and disgrace. If any brother is willing to trust me, Amai, please extend your hand. From today on, we shall be sworn brothers, and I, Amai, am willing to exchange my life for that of any brother. In the battlefield, swords and blades are blind; regardless of who takes the first step, their family shall be the family of the brothers, and their parents shall be the parents of the brothers"

Amai took the spear from his hand, glanced at him lightly, and said nothing

Shang Yi was taken aback by his question, gazing at him with deep contemplation

Several generals from Yuzhou, upon seeing this, clasped their fists in unison and said: "From now on, we shall follow General Ma's lead. Please, General, rename the two armies!"

Lu Gang nodded slightly in a daze, "Oh, you came over." After a moment of confusion, he finally reacted and looked at A Mai with some difficulty, tentatively asking, "Is the general in a bad mood again?"

A-Mai could not have imagined that the sergeant who had come up and intimidated them was such a man, and a sense of admiration arose in her heart. She took a few steps forward, pulled Wang Qi aside, and firmly grasped Zhang Er-Dan's shoulders with both hands, saying resolutely: "Your life was exchanged for by the sergeant with his own, so live well to honor the sergeant's spirit in heaven. Let us together seek revenge for the sergeant!"

Amai's doubts deepened; Tang Shaoyi was usually decisive in his actions, and it was rare to see him being so indecisive this time.

The few individuals kneeling refused to rise. One of the deputy generals said, "General, we have followed Shi Dachun for many years, and we never imagined he would turn out to be such a traitor who betrays his country. If we had not seen it with our own eyes, we would never have believed it, even if we were beaten to death. It was our clamoring to rescue Yuzhou that nearly cost us our lives. At this point, we have nothing more to say. We ask the general to relieve us of our military positions. We must find our way back to Yuzhou City and confront Shi Dachun directly. First, we will kill that old scoundrel, and then we will die to atone for our sins." At this point, we have nothing more to say. We ask the general to relieve us of our military positions. We must find our way back to Yuzhou City and confront Shi Dachun directly. First, we will kill that old scoundrel, and then we will die to atone for our sins.

Shang Yi's expression changed, as he stared intently at the messenger on the ground, completely forgetting to have someone take him down to rest

After this battle, the Yu Province army, which initially took the lead and later fell behind, suffered significant casualties, approximately losing seven to eight thousand men. In contrast, the Qingzhou army, where A Mai was stationed, experienced almost no losses. Once they retreated to a safe area, the mood was extremely low among the ordinary soldiers of Yu Province outside, and even among the generals from Yu Province who came to discuss matters in Shang Yi's tent. They could hardly believe that their commander had actually defected and betrayed the country, opening the city gates to let the enemy in, and colluding with the enemy to set traps for their own men. They risked their lives to rescue Yu Province, only to find that the city of Yu Province had betrayed them all, which is truly heartbreaking

In early November, while Shang Yizhi led his troops northward, the renowned general Zhou Zhiren of the Northern Desert, who was besieging Taixing, also took action. He abandoned Taixing and surrounded Yuzhou instead. The Northern Desert cavalry swiftly took control of the transportation routes surrounding Yuzhou City. The messengers from Yuzhou City attempted to break through the encirclement multiple times, and it is unknown how many lives were lost as they managed to escape from the Northern Desert cavalry's siege to deliver messages to Shang Yizhi.

Shang Yi raised his eyebrows slightly, his gaze intense, and said: "Since he is a soldier of our Southern Xia, what does it have to do with Shi Dachun? His treason does not represent the treason of the Yuzhou army, nor does it concern you or the entire Yuzhou army. We have rushed thousands of miles, sharing life and death together. Let us not speak of the personal friendship between Yi and the others; let us speak of righteousness. Although the soldiers of the two armies belong to the Qingzhou and Yuzhou military systems respectively, we are first and foremost sons of Southern Xia, soldiers of Southern Xia. We are not defending just a city or a pool, nor are we protecting just a city's people; we are safeguarding the territory and the state of Southern Xia, and protecting the millions of citizens of Southern Xia! How can we distinguish between Qing and Yu just because of one Shi Dachun? Who does not know that whether standing here or dying in battle outside the city, they are all good sons of Southern Xia, loyal and righteous men of Southern Xia!"

General," Xu Jing said again, "The Quiet General is not a creature of the pond, so today I wish to speak some impolite words to the General

Amai finally heard his words and, without time to say anything else, hurriedly ran towards the team. By the time she returned, it was already a bit late. Lu Gang shot her a fierce glare from his horse but did not say anything. Seizing the opportunity, Amai ran back to her own team, where Wang Qi was still holding her weapon. Seeing her return, panting, he asked with some curiosity: "Squad Leader, what happened?"

On that day, the army did not continue on its march. A command was issued from above stating that due to the hardships of the journey over the past few days, all battalions were to camp in place, and there would be no marching today. The news brought joy to everyone in the camp, and they happily went about setting up their tents. However, Amai was filled with doubt; unable to obtain any information in the infantry battalion, he could only take a moment to request leave from the team leader to seek out Tang Shaoyi for news. But upon hearing what Tang Shaoyi had to say, Amai was also left astonished.

Shi Dachun shook his head despondently, remaining silent. He did not feel bitter; compared to Secretary Qiu, who sacrificed his life for righteousness, at least he was still alive. Although he bore the label of a traitor and was scorned by the townspeople as an old thief, he did not feel bitter, for all of this was for the sake of Nansha. His only concern now was whether that batch of supplies had been safely delivered to the mountains and whether Shang Yizhi could manage to win over the generals in his Yuzhou army.

Although A Mai was puzzled about what other tasks Tang Shaoyi mentioned, there was no time for further inquiries. She could only nod and glance at the distant line, which had already begun to move slowly.

Upon witnessing this, the Southern Xia army was thrown into disarray. Unexpectedly, the twenty-three-year-old commander, Shang Yizhi, remained calm in the face of danger, skillfully changing formations, transforming the vanguard into the rear guard, and decisively leading the army westward. At this moment, the encirclement of the Northern Desert people had not yet closed in, and they could only watch helplessly as the Southern Xia army escaped through the gap.

Even someone like Shang Yizhi, who is accustomed to life and death, could not help but feel a twinge of emotion as he silently watched the guards carry away the body of the messenger.

Amai nodded, understanding how perilous this news was for the current Qingyu Allied Forces. The Qingzhou army might be somewhat better off, but most of the soldiers in the Yuzhou army still had their relatives in Yuzhou City. If they were to learn that Yuzhou was in imminent danger, it would likely be beyond even Shang Yizhi's control.

Wang Qi and the others looked at A Mai's somewhat chapped lips and realized that she was indeed lying. However, they did not expect that A Mai refused to drink because she found it dirty; they thought she was being selfless, which warmed their hearts.

Xu Jing's hand instinctively went to stroke his beard as he turned to look into the distance. This was his habitual action, something he would do when feeling tense or when he was pleased with himself

Lu Gang found that A Mai was quite easy to talk to, so he had someone lead her to the camp. The one who escorted A Mai was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old. Upon hearing that she was the infamous A Mai, the Jade-faced Yama, he couldn't help but steal glances at her with a mix of admiration and fear along the way. A Mai felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze, and when they finally arrived at the commander of the Fourth Team, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief

The little bodyguard felt very wronged, yet did not dare to retort or defend himself, merely lowering his head and muttering to himself, thinking: "This is still mild; if you were to experience mine, you would only be left with two bite marks!"

In the second year of the Xia Sheng Yuan era, during the Battle of Yelanggou, Commander Mai first displayed his prowess by slaying twenty-three enemies and was promoted to the rank of squad leader, joining the Eighth Squad of the Seventh Battalion of the Qingzhou Army. At that time, following the battle, there remained seven valiant warriors in the squad, all of whom were loyal to Commander Mai. After various campaigns, all seven warriors fought bravely against the enemy, and Commander Mai referred to them as brothers, forming a close bond. When the world was pacified and Emperor Chengzu ascended the throne, only two of the seven warriors remained. The people lamented and revered them, honoring them as the "Seven Brave Warriors". After various campaigns, all seven warriors fought bravely against the enemy, and Commander Mai referred to them as brothers, forming a close bond. When the world was pacified and Emperor Chengzu ascended the throne, only two of the seven warriors remained. The people lamented and revered them, honoring them as the "Seven Brave Warriors".

Tang Shaoyi also frowned and sighed softly: "Chen Qi is truly a genius, as if he has calculated everything clearly."

Lu Gang added the word "again" because last time, due to Shang Yizhi's bad mood, he sent A Mai to his camp. As a result, A Mai, who was just a small soldier, caused trouble for a valiant commander. Now, Shang Yizhi has sent A Mai, who has been promoted to squad leader, back to him. Who will this kid ruin this time? Lu Gang felt very confused; he fought bravely and was careful in his work, so where exactly did he offend the general? A squad leader is such a minor official; not to mention the entire Southern Xia army, there are thousands even within their Qingzhou army. Is the main general Shang Yizhi really so idle as to do this?

Amai furrowed her brows, withdrew her gaze, and re-entered a state of deep meditation. Beside her, Wang Qi noticed her indifference and nudged her with his arm. Amai snapped, "Sit properly! Don't cause trouble!" Although her voice was not loud, it conveyed an unprecedented authority. Wang Qi was taken aback by her response and awkwardly retracted his hand. He felt that the current Amai was entirely different from the one who had fought with him; although her tone remained unchanged and she was still gentle with others, when she turned cold, she was no longer the stubborn youth he once knew, but rather exuded an aura that instinctively instilled fear in him. He felt that the current Amai was entirely different from the one who had fought with him; although her tone remained unchanged and she was still gentle with others, when she turned cold, she was no longer the stubborn youth he once knew, but rather exuded an aura that instinctively instilled fear in him.

A general from the Qingzhou army beside him inquired, "If not called the Qingzhou army or the Yuzhou army, then what shall it be called"

Shang Yi let out a cold laugh, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. "Yunxi borders our southwestern region and has no natural barriers to rely on. It would only take a few days to reach the capital. The court will surely first abandon the northern Jiang region, relying on the natural defenses of the Wan River to resist the northern desert, concentrating the strength of Jiangnan to pacify the southwest"

As the words were spoken, all the generals in the account were filled with tears. Vice General Zhang's lips trembled as he bent down to pay his respects, unable to form coherent sentences, "With such words from the general, those brothers who died in battle have no regrets even in death"

Shang Yi pondered for a moment and then said decisively: "Alright, since everyone holds Yi Zhi in high regard, let it be called the Jiangbei Army! From now on, there will be no more Qingzhou Army or Yuzhou Army, only my Jiangbei Army"

Tang Shaoyi did not respond. After reattaching the water bag to the side of the horse, he turned around and quietly looked at A Mai for a moment, then asked: "Do you want to go save Yuzhou?"

The matter that Amai was worried about has finally occurred

Xu Jing coldly asked, "Then Xu Jing would like to ask the general, even if the general stays behind with the troops in Yuzhou City, what difference would it make?"

Tang Shaoyi rode past her several times, looking at her with some concern. Amai merely shook her head gently, indicating that she was fine. During such a march, they would not build a fire to cook. When it was time to eat, the soldiers would simply be instructed to stop and rest in place, consuming the rations they had brought with them. If they encountered a prolonged absence of water sources, water would also become extremely scarce.

Shang Yi fell silent for a moment and asked, "Deputy General Zhang, are you soldiers of my Southern Xia, or soldiers of Shi Dachun?"

Xu Jing sneered and asked, "How many troops from the Northern Desert are currently invading our country?"

Mr. Qiu has committed suicide, and the archives have been completely burned down. The fire also spread to the storage room, incinerating all the winter clothing stored there

Amai pushed his forehead and laughed, "You really are just a child!"

Shang Yizhi's resonant and composed voice echoed on the stage. At first, Ah Mai merely listened quietly, as it was nothing more than some inspiring words. However, gradually her expression grew serious. What she did not expect was that Shang Yizhi not only failed to calm the restless hearts of the Yuzhou army, but instead fanned the flames, causing the already restless Yuzhou soldiers to become even more impatient to draw their swords and return to Yuzhou.

Upon hearing this, Amai no longer held back, opening the water pouch and drinking heartily, as she was truly parched. After finishing, she noticed Tang Shaoyi was staring at her, and Amai shyly smiled, returning the water pouch to him. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Elder brother, are we really going to rescue Yuzhou?"

Xu Jing quietly gazed at Shang Yizhi, silently nodding

This ... ... '' trade is still somewhat hesitant

Tang Shaoyi knew that Amai was not a gossipy person, yet he could not help but advise, "This matter is too significant; you must not leak any information when you return. If this news gets out, it could potentially lead to a camp explosion."

Vice General Zhang nodded vigorously. Xu Jing, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly smiled and said: "Since the two armies have merged into one and there is no distinction between Qing and Yu, then we should no longer refer to them as the Qingzhou Army or the Yuzhou Army."

The city of Yuzhou is in imminent danger; if it falls, the more than 30,000 troops in the hands of Shang Yi will have nowhere to retreat. It turns out that the Northern Desert has long been eyeing Yuzhou, and now that their troops are outside, the people of the Northern Desert are taking advantage of the situation to invade. In retrospect, Chen Qi's intention in moving south is unclear to him—whether it was a genuine strategy or merely a bait.

Lu Gang looked at A Mai, his thoughts swirling and filled with countless difficulties. Although Lu Gang was a fierce general on the battlefield, unafraid even in the face of thousands of Tartars, he found himself truly troubled when looking at the slender, handsome youth before him

Shang Yi turned his head to look at Xu Jing, suddenly smiled, and self-deprecatingly said: "What else can we do? If we were still in Yuzhou City, it would be fine; relying on the supplies and equipment within the city, holding out for a year or two would not be a problem. But now that we have come out, only a few thousand old and weak remain in Yuzhou City under Shi Dachun. I fear there are hardly any who can draw a bow; how can you expect them to defend? Once Yuzhou falls, where shall we go? Chen Qi has probably calculated all of this long ago, haha, Chen Qi, oh Chen Qi, I admire you! If it weren't for him, we could have annihilated the Beimo army at Wild Wolf Gorge! Because of him, the Beimo army was able to retreat back to Jingyang; because of him, Zhou Zhi took advantage of the emptiness of Yuzhou to besiege it."

And now, he has launched a surprise attack on Chen Qi from a thousand miles away. Although he has forced Chen Qi to retreat to Jingyang, who can truly say that he has won this war? Zhou Zhiren has besieged Yuzhou, cutting off all his routes southward. Whether he returns to Qingzhou or heads to Taixing, Yuzhou is an essential thoroughfare.

Having spoken, she looked at everyone with a resolute gaze. Some had doubt in their eyes, but many more were filled with fervor, ignited by the passionate spirit of manhood! ... Wang Qi was the first to firmly grasp A Mai's hand, followed by the second, the third...

Tang Shaoyi seemed to have more to say, and he advised: "To gain the respect of others, mere kindness is not enough; one must balance benevolence with authority, otherwise the soldiers will perceive you as easy to bully"

Tang Shaoyi's expression was quite complex. He glanced at Amai, wanting to say more, but saw that Amai was already so anxious that he could not stand still. Finally, he smiled and shook his head, waving his hand and said: "Alright, hurry up and go!"

Tang Shaoyi's expression changed slightly, and the disappointment in his eyes was hard to conceal. He silently averted his gaze, yet he heard Amai softly say: "But Miss Xu and Xiao Liu Ming are still in the city guard's office"

A few words stirred the emotions of the crowd, and everyone looked at Amai with excitement on their faces

She looked around at the crowd and said loudly: "We must all live well, kill more Tatars, avenge Sergeant Wu, avenge our fallen brothers, and avenge the people of Nansha who have suffered at the hands of the Tatars!"

Excerpt from "The Summer Book: Annals of Emperor Chengzu"

That scoundrel deserves to die!" Shi Dachun's voice was cold and hard, yet his face bore an incongruous expression of grief and indignation. His body trembled slightly as he spoke, "That scoundrel set fire to all the important documents in my Yuzhou City, burning them to ashes. It would be too lenient for him to die.

Xu Jing and others hurriedly bent down to help him up, saying, "General, how can you perform such a grand gesture? Xu Jing feels unworthy of it."

Lu Gangzheng glared at him angrily and scolded, "What the hell! Is this food? It's so tough that even my strong teeth have a hard time biting it!"

Amai looked at Lu Gang, her mind racing. Noticing that the two thick brows on his face were almost knitted together, she pondered for a moment before responding: "Amai does not dare to speak recklessly about the general's matters. The general has sent Amai to the adult army this time, perhaps to allow Amai to gain some experience. Please do not make things difficult, and let us proceed as necessary."

Someone beside A Mai explained that Sergeant Wu was originally fine, but later, while pursuing the northern nomads, due to Er Dan being a new recruit, he was so frightened by the bloodshed on the battlefield that he became somewhat dazed. In his panic, he tripped over a corpse on the ground and was so weak in his legs that he couldn't even stand up. Sergeant Wu was unwilling to abandon his soldier, so he went to pull him up, but while he was focused on fighting the nomads in front of him, he was stabbed by a nomad from behind. At that moment, Zhang Er Dan was just lying there on the ground. If he could have stood up, if he could have protected Sergeant Wu's back, Wu would not have died. Sergeant Wu was unwilling to abandon his soldier, so he went to pull him up, but while he was focused on fighting the nomads in front of him, he was stabbed by a nomad from behind. At that moment, Zhang Er Dan was just lying there on the ground. If he could have stood up, if he could have protected Sergeant Wu's back, Wu would not have died.

"General?" Xu Jing called softly

Shang Yi pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes and said: "There should be more than 200,000."

Shang Yi hurriedly said, "Please speak, sir"

When he arrived at Lu Gang's place, Lu Gang was also eating dry rations and drinking cold water. Without raising his head upon seeing A Mai, he merely pointed towards the distant woods. A Mai looked at Lu Gang in confusion as he struggled to wash down the dry rations with water, and then hoarsely said: "Captain Tang is waiting for you over there, saying he has something to discuss. You should go quickly and return soon, as the army will be leaving shortly."

Wang Qi and the others were both surprised and delighted to see that the new squad leader brought by the team was actually A Mai. Team Leader Li briefly said a few words and then left. Wang Qi and the others immediately surrounded her, with Wang Qi exclaiming in astonishment: "A Mai, why have you returned to the infantry battalion? Being a general's bodyguard is so prestigious, why not stay even as a squad leader?"

Shang Yi came to his senses and gave Xu Jing a wry smile, asking, "Sir, do you know the contents of the military report?"

Amai lowered her head and averted her gaze; with just one glance, she already understood why those people were looking at her with such eyes. They were the subordinates of the team she had killed, as well as several squad leaders from the second team, a few of whom were still alive

The following troops arrived one after another, surrounding the front of the platform so tightly that not a drop of water could pass through. A Mai observed coldly, and after all the infantry and crossbow units had lined up, Tang Shaoyi brought the cavalry to the rear, quietly enclosing them all in the center.

After Xu Xiuer and Tang Shaoyi escaped to Yuzhou, they were arranged to stay in the inner courtyard of the city guard's office to take care of young Liu Ming. After A Mai arrived in Yuzhou, she met with Tang Shaoyi once, and the three of them reunited with much sighing. Later, although A Mai stayed at the city guard's office with Shang Yizhi, Xu Xiuer was not often seen. One reason was that Xu Xiuer was with the wife of Shi Dachun in the inner courtyard, which was separate from the outside, and A Mai and Tang Shaoyi could not enter freely; the other reason was that A Mai was not very willing to see Xu Xiuer. Every time Xu Xiuer saw her, it was quite awkward, as if she always wanted to steal glances at her, but whenever A Mai met her gaze, Xu Xiuer would quickly look away, seemingly guilty.

The distant army had finished resting, and the officer began to shout at the soldiers to stand up from the ground and march in formation. Amai glanced at the line and said, "Elder brother, I must return first"

Zhou Zhiren, feeling unwilling to accept defeat, dispatched cavalry to pursue, but was intercepted by the cavalry of Nansha. No one expected Shang Yizhi to have ambushed his cavalry in this position. The Northern Desert cavalry suffered heavy casualties, allowing Shang Yizhi to retreat his forces into the Ulan Mountains with ease. Once in the mountainous terrain, the advantages of the cavalry were greatly diminished, and coupled with the treacherous mountain conditions and complex terrain, Zhou Zhiren had no choice but to temporarily abandon the pursuit and concentrate all efforts on taking control of Yuzhou City.

An unprecedented sense of defeat tightly enveloped him. When Chen Qi defeated the 300,000 border troops, he only felt anger and sorrow, but he had never experienced such a sense of defeat. He always believed that the loss in that battle was not his own, and he felt that he had the capital to compete with Chen Qi. He thought that Chen Qi had merely won a game of chance in which he had not participated.

After A-Mai finished speaking, she was about to run away. It was only then that Tang Shaoyi suddenly realized and called out to A-Mai, pressing his lips together firmly before saying: "A-Mai, I have other tasks to attend to, and it will not be convenient for us to meet in the future. Please take care of yourself."

Amai had been following Shang Yi for many days and had rarely seen him dressed so formally. Shang Yi was a person who pursued refinement in clothing and food; although this heavy armor was imposing, it was indeed quite burdensome, and he was reluctant to wear it lightly. Today, however, he donned it, exuding such majesty that it overshadowed his handsome features, making the person before them seem like a celestial being, and the entire group fell silent.

Hmm?" Tang Shaoyi looked at Amai in confusion. Amai forced a smile, her lips curling in an unappealing manner, and she lowered her head, stepping hard on the wild grass beneath her feet. In a low voice, she said, "It's nothing, I just think that not being in Yuzhou this time may not be a bad thing. As long as the general handles this news well, there shouldn't be any major issues. The remaining problem is how we will get through this winter."

Amai let out a bitter laugh and then said: "She called me 'Second Brother.' The three of us escaped from Hamburg together, how could I ignore her? So it is better to go; even if we cannot rescue her, at least we will have done our best. Everything else is up to fate"

As A Mai was pondering what Shang Yizhi intended to do, she noticed a surge of people ahead. The guards who had been stationed around the high platform parted to create a path, and Shang Yizhi, clad in heavy armor, strode forward with determination. His crimson cloak billowed with each step, stirring a gust of wind that further highlighted Shang Yizhi's extraordinary presence

Tang Shaoyi smiled and watched as A Mai departed. After a moment, he turned his gaze to the place where A Mai had just looked; there, the mountains undulated in a continuous range, which was the middle section of the Wulan Mountains. Beyond it lay the vast grasslands of Xihu.

Indeed, if we do not enter Yuzhou, how will these soldiers, who are only clad in thin garments, survive the cold winter in the north of the river? As for provisions, although there are some captured supplies, how long can they sustain us?

Tang Shaoyi took down the water bag from the horse and handed it to Amai, saying: "Have some water, there is a water source over thirty miles ahead, and we will have to sweat during the march, you won't be able to bear it."

Amai lowered her head in silence, digesting this astonishing news. The city of Yuzhou is besieged; what will become of the thirty thousand people here?

Xu Jing stroked his beard and said, "Since we have come out of Yuzhou City, our perspective should be broader. The general should not focus solely on the gains and losses of a single city or a small area. The Northern Desert people are not after just one or two of our cities; they aim for the entirety of Jiangbei, with designs on Jiangnan as well. The same goes for you, General."

Shang Yizhi sighed deeply and said, "To be honest, sir, I have had a smooth journey since childhood and have never encountered any significant setbacks. In fact, it has always been due to my good fortune, yet I foolishly believed it was my own ability. Looking back now, it is truly laughable. The fact that Zhou Zhiren was able to successfully besiege Yuzhou indicates that there are no issues with supplies. As for He Yong, there has been no news from him, which suggests that the situation is likely dire."

Amai felt a pang of sorrow upon hearing that the stout man with a purplish-red face had died in the Wolf Valley, and she nodded with pursed lips, saying: "I will follow your orders, my lord"

Tang Shaoyi nodded and said with compassion, "The messenger has already been buried, having sustained multiple serious injuries and having bled out all his hot blood along the way, only managing to hold on until he reached the general."

Shang Yi raised his eyebrows and said, "We still have 30,000 here, and there are probably more than 30,000 troops in Taixing City. The garrison in other towns is minimal and can be disregarded"

A-Mai recalled the gruff-voiced Sergeant Wu and quietly asked, "Sergeant, how could he..."

Xu Jing's words were like a sudden awakening, instantly rousing Shang Yizhi, and his eyes immediately brightened up

A-Mai inquired about the situation at the home of the squad leader and learned that he was from Qingzhou, over thirty years old and still unmarried, with only an elderly mother at home, living on his meager military salary. A-Mai couldn't help but feel a bit despondent and discussed with others the idea of everyone contributing to support the squad leader's mother. This would also apply in the future; in the unfortunate event that anyone were to sacrifice their life, their family would be collectively supported by all members of the Eighth Squad.

Xu Jing stroked his goatee and looked at Shang Yizhi, smiling, "This is up to the general now"

The name "Chen Qi" fell into her ears, and A Mai's body stiffened for a moment. She looked up towards the distant Wulan Mountains and slowly said: "This is probably just a coincidence; it is not calculated by Chen Qi. If it were up to him, he would likely prefer to encircle us in Yuzhou."

"Does the general believe that the court will be able to mobilize troops to cross the river and march north?" Xu Jing asked sharply again

Shang Yizhi furrowed his brow and said in a deep voice: "I am afraid that is not possible. The majority of our troops in Jiangnan are currently engaged in suppressing the rebellion in Yunxi in the southwest, with 200,000 troops trapped there and unable to extricate themselves, leaving no forces available to turn their attention northward"

The crowd burst into laughter, and Zhang Erdan felt even more embarrassed, his face turning red and anxious, yet his tears stubbornly continued to flow down.

That person glanced at Zhang Erdan, his eyes filled with disdain, and said softly: "The sergeant has instructed not to make things difficult for Zhang Erdan, as he is merely young and has never witnessed a murder; he will be fine in the future."

Shang Yizhi weakly waved his hand, instructing the guards to take the messenger down to rest. When two guards came over to assist the messenger, they discovered that he had collapsed on the ground and had already passed away, with a half-broken arrowhead protruding from his chest. It turned out that he had been shot while breaking through the encirclement of the Northern Desert, and had only managed to break the arrow shaft. He had forced himself to ride for a day and night before finally arriving at Shang Yizhi's military camp. Throughout this journey, his vital energy had long been exhausted, sustained only by a single belief, and after uttering his last words, he fell to the ground and died. He had only managed to break the arrow shaft and had forced himself to ride for a day and night before finally arriving at Shang Yizhi's military camp. Throughout this journey, his vital energy had long been exhausted, sustained only by a single belief, and after uttering his last words, he fell to the ground and died.

Madam Shi hurriedly placed her hand on her husband's trembling shoulder and leaned close to his ear, whispering: "My lord, I understand, I understand. You have been wronged and have suffered."

Amai remembered Zhang Sheng's instructions, merely smiling without speaking, quietly listening to Wang Qi and others discussing with great enthusiasm. After a while, the conversation turned to the brutal battle of Yelangou, where 20,000 infantry faced off against 20,000 unparalleled cavalry from the Northern Desert, and even now, thinking back on it made their legs tremble.

The army hidden in the mountains, this was something he had never considered. If the army entered the mountain stronghold, would they not become bandits? Could they truly lead an iron army out? Could they really reclaim Yuzhou and even the entire Jiangbei? Shi Dachun had his doubts, but he had no other choice

Shang Yi smiled and said, "Since you have your own considerations, where shall our army go from here? I kindly ask you to guide me."

It was only after retreating into the Ulan Mountains that the Southern Summer Army realized that, as early as the seventh day of the siege by the Northern Desert people, the governor of Yuzhou, Shi Dachun, seeing the situation was irreversible, betrayed the country and defected, welcoming the Northern Desert army into the city. The subsequent sieges by the Northern Desert were merely a facade to lure Shang Yizhi into a trap; once Shang Yizhi led his troops to storm the city, he would be caught in a pincer attack from the Northern Desert army, and even if a heavenly general descended, he would be powerless to turn the tide. Fortunately, the secretary of the Yuzhou city garrison was a loyal and righteous man, who held Shi Dachun's treachery in contempt, but unfortunately lacked military power to intervene. Later, when he saw that Shang Yizhi was about to fall into the trap with the troops from two states, the secretary, in a moment of urgency, devised a clever plan: he set fire to part of the garrison's offices and released several paper kites to warn Shang Yizhi.

This scene resembles a rallying conference!

On the night of November 12, the coalition forces of Qing and Yu provinces, led by Shang Yi, broke camp and hurried towards Yuzhou City. This time, the Yu army took the lead, so A Mai and her companions fell behind. The injury on her leg had not fully healed, and the high-intensity march aggravated her scabbed wound, causing a faint pain. However, her physical strength was abundant, even better than that of an average man. This was something A Mai found strange; over the years of her tumultuous life, she had truly struggled with poor food and sleep, yet her body had become stronger year by year.

Tang Shaoyi remained silent, leaving A Mai puzzled. Seeing that her team in the distance was almost fully assembled, she became somewhat anxious and called out again: "Elder brother? If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now"

Considering all these factors, Lu Gang could not fathom the true intentions behind A Mai's relocation to his camp. In the end, he could only conclude that this young man had once again displeased the general, resulting in his exile, though he was unaware of how long this exile would last. Lu Gang was genuinely reluctant to have A Mai back in his military ranks; if he were to cause trouble again, it would be impossible to kill him or punish him, which would essentially mean inviting a troublesome figure into his midst. Lu Gang wished to keep A Mai close, but he also pondered that this individual was already a personal guard to the general. If he were to make A Mai his own personal soldier, what would the general think? Would there be other implications?

In the winter of the second year of Shengyuan, the founding emperor led his army into Wulan Mountain, referring to himself as the Jiangbei Army. Initially, those in the court did not understand and reprimanded him, saying: "To lead troops into the mountains and claim the mountains as one's own is to act like a bandit, lacking military discipline." Many people at the time also debated this matter. The founding emperor laughed and said: "Those who are shallow and short-sighted, let them be!"

Shang Yi let out a sneer but did not respond

Vice General Zhang knelt on the ground and refused to rise, and the other generals from Yuzhou also knelt down. Shang Yizhi helped one and then the other, finding himself in a difficult position for a moment. He hurriedly shouted at the people nearby: "What are you still dawdling for! Hurry up and help the esteemed gentlemen to their feet!"

In the Battle of Wolf Valley, they killed more than 20,000 people from the Northern Desert, but they themselves also paid a price of nearly 10,000 lives. Among them, the infantry battalions suffered the most severe losses, with most of the infantry battalions being severely damaged or depleted. Lu Gang's battalion was relatively better off, yet even so, three soldiers from A Mai's original squad lost their lives in Wolf Valley, leaving only seven remaining.

"Er Dan! What good does it do to cry!" Wang Qi slapped Zhang Er Dan on the head, angrily scolding, "If you know for whom Sergeant Wu died, then pull yourself together and kill more of those bastards in the future to avenge Sergeant Wu. Stop just crying. I think you should stop being called Er Dan and just be called Soft Egg instead!"

Tang Shaoyi furrowed his brows, still somewhat unclear about Amai's words. Amai smiled and said, "Forget it, no need to worry about this, after all, I am just a small sergeant. Brother, I will head back now, thank you for your pants."

Shang Yi first summoned the main generals in the army, followed by the officers of each battalion. After the officers returned, they each gathered the squad leaders within their battalions, and the meetings were held in succession. Eventually, the news of the Northern Desert's siege on Yuzhou reached the ears of the soldiers

Shi Dachun slowly shook his head, and Mrs. Shi's eyes turned red. She forced herself to suppress the tears in her eyes and pleaded softly, "My lord, your body cannot withstand this. You should at least eat something, even if it is for... you must eat something, you..."

That night, within the guardhouse of Yuzhou City, Shi Dachun's wife brought a bowl of rice porridge to her husband's study. Seeing her husband sitting at the table in a daze, she placed the porcelain bowl on the table and gently said: "My lord, please eat a little. No matter what, you must have something to eat."

Shang Yi's expression was serious as he cupped his fists in salute to everyone and said solemnly: "The recovery of the lost territories in the northern part of the South Xia relies entirely on all of you!"