The engagement is real after all; it seems this is no longer a falsehood. Jiang Cheng and the others finally set aside their last shred of doubt.
Zhu Zan, however, didn't stop talking.
"... I haven't yet had the chance to tell everyone. After all, as everyone knows, someone like me who is exceptionally talented, strikingly handsome, and as charming as jade trees in the wind—who captivates the hearts of the northern women—if I were to announce my engagement, countless women would surely be heartbroken. This would undoubtedly affect the stability of the northern lands..."
Dry chuckles echoed through the hall.
"Indeed, indeed."
"Lord Heir, you haven't had your meal yet, have you?"
"You must be tired after such a long journey. Please, go and rest first."
The voices of the generals rang out one after another, but they did not manage to interrupt Zhu Zan's words.
"There's no rush. I'm not tired either."
"I haven't finished speaking yet. You all know, don't you, that once a young girl hanged herself out of love for me? It was terrifying, truly shocking..."
"For someone like me, with unmatched charisma, it's not something easy to casually mention—the matter of being engaged..."
"Of course, none of you would ever understand these troubles, having never experienced them yourselves..."
.......................
News of Zhu Zan's arrival in Shenzhou quickly spread to Bazhou.
This wasn't because Zhu Zan had accomplished any major feats with his army. In fact, things were far calmer in Baozhou compared to Bazhou, thanks to the Duke of Chengguo, whose forces firmly guarded the Great Wall Pass and the Juma River, blocking the main strength of fifty thousand Jin soldiers.
After persuading the Shenzhou generals, Zhu Zan immediately wrote a letter to be sent via posthouse soldiers to Hejian.
Hejian Prefecture received the letter and tirelessly relayed it to Bazhou.
Although Tian Yao fervently suggested that Madam Yu remain in Hejian Prefecture for her safety, Madam Yu insisted on accompanying Miss Jun and the others. While she wouldn't go to the battlefield herself, she stayed in the nearest town to where they were active, helping to resettle the refugees they rescued.
Madam Yu was delighted upon receiving Zhu Zan's letter.
"My dear Second Young Master has indeed come," she remarked.
Second Young Master! Miss Jun couldn't help but laugh.
This proud, self-absorbed, and smug Zhu Zan actually had such a rustic nickname.
And considering he was the only son, why was he always addressed as number two?
"Before giving birth to him, I gave birth to another one. Unfortunately, the child didn't survive," Madam Yu said. "But at least he opened his eyes for a brief moment and has his place at home. So Zhu Zan, born later, became the second son."
With that, she smiled again.
"A lowly name is easier to keep alive."
To the Duke of Chengguo and his wife, who had lost one son, this second child was incredibly cherished. They gave him a modest name in hopes he would survive, yet they still led him into battles, raising him on the perilous borders, letting him journey thousands of miles alone to the capital, and allowing him to flee while being pursued.
Now, he led Shenzhou's army to rescue civilians.
Since childhood, he had lived in environments that were not conducive to survival, taking on dangerous tasks continuously.
Miss Jun looked at Madam Yu, her emotions mixed.
Madam Yu didn't notice her expression, her gaze filled with warmth as she read Zhu Zan's letter.
"Mother, I'll handle Baozhou and Xiongzhou, leaving Bazhou to you," she read aloud before lifting her eyes to Miss Jun. "This simplifies things for all of us now."
Miss Jun smiled and nodded.
Madam Yu lowered her head and picked up another letter. Upon seeing the writing on it, her smile grew wider, and she passed it to Miss Jun.
"This one's for you," she said with a laugh.
Miss Jun was surprised.
"A letter for me?" she asked.
Did Zhu Zan know she was here?
To avoid detection by the Jinyiwei, Miss Jun had shared her identity with no one except Madam Yu.
How had Zhu Zan, having just arrived from the capital, discovered her presence?
"You're his fiancée, after all," Madam Yu chuckled. "After greeting the mother, of course, he has to greet the wife as well."
Otherwise, his cover would surely be blown.
Miss Jun laughed knowingly. But he actually wrote her a letter? Curious, she eagerly accepted it and opened it. Inside was indeed a heartfelt letter, eloquently expressing his concern and longing.
Though sincere and touching, it was also starkly empty and tedious—a letter evidently written either with closed eyes or a disdainful eye-roll.
Miss Jun pressed her lips into a smile.
"I must keep this letter well," she said, clutching it while turning to Madam Yu with bright eyes. "Madam, don't let him know who I am. Let me surprise him when we meet."
Madam Yu laughed heartily.
"Alright," she said, patting Miss Jun's arm. "I won't tell him; we'll give him a good scare when the time comes."
As the two chatted and laughed, Lei Zhonglian hurriedly entered the room.
"Miss Jun, an urgent message from the young master," he announced.
The term "young master" was no longer unfamiliar to Madam Yu; the name had become a recurring presence in recent times, even in matters central to their lives—be it food, weapons, or Beijing intelligence. Beyond money, his communication was remarkably swift.
Madam Yu watched as Miss Jun opened the scroll.
Such messages, being urgent, were brief and delivered quickly, traveling from Yangcheng to Bazhou faster even than the swift-footed postal service of the Minister of War. How he managed that remained a mystery.
Miss Jun opened the scroll, her previously smiling face instantly turning stiff, her fingers clutching the bamboo tube tightly.
"The peace negotiations are concluded," she said. "The agreement to cede the three provinces has been reached. The Jin Army will march into the three regions. All northern troops are to withdraw immediately. Anyone disobeying..."
She looked towards Madam Yu.
"...will be charged with treason."
Everyone knew who this warning was aimed at.
Miss Jun stared at Madam Yu, her expression filled with rage.
Madam Yu's face, however, remained calm.
"So soon?" she remarked. "Many civilians will hardly have time to evacuate."
How could this be her only concern? Miss Jun gazed at her with conflicted emotions.
"Luckily, most of the evacuations on our side are nearly complete," Miss Jun said, forcing a faint smile. "We'll pick up the pace."
Even with increased speed, they could not surpass the Jin Army's rapid advance or the swift dissemination of the dynasty's decree. Inevitably, many civilians would not escape.
.........
On the borders of Baozhou.
Wildfires climbed skyward, spreading endlessly across the land as cries of anguish filled the air.
Crowds of civilians fled in frantic urgency.
The springtime plains of the northern lands, just beginning to show signs of green, were soon trampled into ruin by the fleeing masses. The vast wilderness was inundated with people—screaming, running, and collapsing under the feet of others, never rising again after repeated trampling.
Behind them, wildfires rose incessantly, heralding the approach of the formidable Jin Army.
Run! Run faster!
Up ahead appeared formations of government soldiers. When the fleeing masses glimpsed them, hope ignited, and they ran towards them with cries and raised arms.
But even these soldiers, eyes fixed on the distant columns of wildfire, bore expressions marked by fear.
"Thirty thousand Jin soldiers will breach the borders," shouted the leading general. "We—we must retreat at once."
The soldiers immediately turned their mounts. Seeing the soldiers about to leave, the civilians fell to their knees, sobbing as they blocked the horses' paths.
Gazing at the desperate crowds, the leading general's expression softened with regret.
"You don't need to fear," he said, his trembling voice trying to assure them. "You don't truly need to flee. You'll become Jin people, and you can survive here."
Weeping broke out among the civilians, and an elderly man crawled forward on his knees.
"My lord, we do not speak their language, nor do we share their looks. How can we become Jin people?" he cried. "Ten years ago, we welcomed noble soldiers and fought to kill the Jin thieves. Now, if you leave, how could the Jin people ever treat us as equals?"
The general's expression was equally conflicted.
"It is not our choice to leave—not something we desire. But royal decrees cannot be defied," he replied. "Even the Duke of Chengguo is withdrawing his forces right now. This place is no longer part of our great Zhou. We cannot remain here."
The civilians' cries grew louder as the old man clasped his hands together to kowtow.
"I beg my lord to let us follow you," he wept.
The masses fell to the ground, bowing repeatedly.
"Let us follow you."
"Let us follow you."
Their pleas resonated through the plains.
Mounted soldiers sniffled in sorrow, unable to suppress their tears. The leading general's jaw quivered as he gazed at the kneeling civilians and the horizon ablaze. Finally, he clenched his teeth.
"Take care of yourselves," he choked out, raising his whip to spur his horse forward. "Move out!"
The horse neighed sharply, leaping over the kneeling elder.
The rest of the troops quickly followed suit, urging their mounts forward.
Behind them, civilians cried out in despair—some rose and pursued them, while others remained kneeling, stunned in anguish.
How could two legs outpace the four legs of warhorses?
Quickly, the soldiers' galloping mounts outpaced the civilian crowd, leaving them behind as they stumbled and collapsed in hopelessness.
But suddenly, the escaping troops halted, for another formation had appeared ahead.
What was happening?
"You are not permitted to retreat,"
a stern voice bellowed.
The leading general froze, his gaze falling upon the man standing in their path—a raised Order Flag in hand obscuring their way. His face flushed a deep crimson.
"Lord Heir," he began, "royal orders cannot be disobeyed."
Zhu Zan stared firmly at him.
"Royal orders abandon territory, not civilians," he declared. "As long as there's one civilian left, we cannot forsake them."
The general's countenance twisted in conflict.
"Lord Heir," he pointed behind him, "the enemy is formidable. We may lack the strength to resist."
"Even if we cannot win, we must fight," Zhu Zan said coolly as he looked towards the distant flames. "It's nothing but death, after all."
The general tightened his grip on the reins.
"What do you think soldiers and generals exist for?" Zhu Zan's voice rang out once more, his fiery gaze panning across them. "What have the nation and its people been nourishing you for all these ten years?"
His voice suddenly escalated.
"Do you think it's to flee in terror when faced with enemy advances?"
"Do you think it's to turn a blind eye when civilians are trampled under enemy hooves?"
"Do you think the armor, weapons, and warhorses provided to you exist so you can run faster when the enemy arrives?"
"Is your role as officials and soldiers merely to become cowards?"
Each line pounded fiercely, causing faces to flush scarlet among the soldiers and generals.
Zhu Zan turned away from them, retracting the Order Flag before galloping ahead.
"Get lost, you cowards. Go live your comfortable lives," he remarked coldly. Extracting the long saber at his waist, he swung it forward. "Brave men, follow me to confront the enemy."
The soldiers supporting him immediately drew their blades.
"To the enemy!"
Like a thunderous tide, the call echoed as warhorses surged forward, overwhelming the troops Zhu Zan had passed.
Seeing Zhu Zan and his men charge past in roaring waves, the leading general's face turned beet red.
"Damn it! It's just death, isn't it?" he shouted, turning his mount and drawing his saber. "To the enemy!"
The surrounding soldiers also turned their mounts decisively.
"To the enemy!"
Their cries rolled like thunderous tides.
Troops poured forth like a surging tide.
The civilians, whether standing or kneeling, watched in disbelief while the trembling ground shook their bodies to the core.
The elder shed tears, bowing three times before wiping his eyes, rising, and helping those around him to stumble forward.
Behind them, the army galloped in the opposite direction. Military flags fluttered like fierce winds; long sabers stood like dense forests.
If the sabers did not fall, the forest would not collapse.
................................
Bazhou's borders.
Across the plains, civilians fled forward while soldiers assembled like towering walls at their rear, facing the distant wildfires billowing skyward.
The supply carts had long stopped their meal preparations, crouched behind layers of shields. Women crouched before heaping piles of stone bullets, while long spears were mounted onto crossbows, tilted upwards, glinting under the springtime sun.
Behind them lay dense infantry formations. Their battered armor no longer glistened, but the rows of spears remained as unyielding as forests. Several battle flags swayed in the breeze.
The Qingshan Army.
The Shun'an Army.
An army as steadfast as a mountain – and the mountain would not fall.
******
Regarding yesterday's single chapter update: since it didn't meet a thousand words, it wasn't charged here on Qidian. I didn't know that Tencent charged; I swear, I wasn't trying to scam anyone for those measly three or four coins.
As compensation, there are more free words in today's chapter. Thank you everyone.
Keep sending your monthly votes if possible. Thank you all.