Compared to the tense and grave atmosphere in Baozhou and Bazhou, the true frontier near the Juma River remains as endless and desolate as always.
A great river sharply divides the north and the south.
The land on both banks is the most fertile, yet it has never become productive fields in centuries. This place has always been the battleground of competing armies, with wars never ceasing.
For instance, now both sides of the river are covered with countless banners, densely packed military camps stretching as far as the eye can see, with tens of thousands of troops visible.
At this moment, spring thunder rolls, and rain as large as beans falls from the sky, instantly shrouding both banks in a misty haze.
Outside the largest tent in the Henan Province camp, soldiers stand upright. They are all clad in helmets and armor, as heavy raindrops crash against their metal plates, yet the soldiers remain motionless, as if carved from stone.
The tent flap lifts, revealing the bustling figures inside amid the rainy mist. They too are armored, with one figure sitting upright in the center, wearing striking silver armor and a brilliant crimson cloak, which appears exceptionally vivid in the gloom. His face is obscured, and there's a hubbub of voices as if they're arguing about something.
"So it has come to this."
A warm yet authoritative voice pierces through the rain, silencing the cacophony inside the tent.
"Thirty thousand troops have withdrawn. It's a pity for the civilians in the three counties; they're doomed to suffer."
Inside the tent, an uneasy silence falls, broken only by the sound of rain pattering outside.
"Madam and Lord Heir have managed to rescue quite a few," a general's voice arises. "Altogether, around a hundred and fifty thousand civilians have been safely evacuated."
"But there are still many civilians waiting to be saved," says the warm voice. "With the thirty thousand troops retreating, nearly ten thousand Jurchen people will flood in—they won't be able to hold the line."
Once again, silence falls in the tent.
Armored plates clatter as the seated general stands, his figure moving like an immovable mountain.
"We cannot just stand by and watch the devastation unfold. They have no one else to help them; we'll have to be their shield." The deep and resonant voice echoes within the tent.
Before the voice fades, the others in the tent kneel on one knee in unison, armor clanking in chaotic unison.
"As you command!"
The collective roar thundered forth.
Near dusk, the rain gradually waned, and across the Juma River, a soldier stationed at the lookout tower among the Jurchen army widened his eyes suddenly before hastily descending.
Soon after, a commotion erupted within the camp as a towering figure, clad in golden armor, arrived at the lookout tower surrounded by elite, ferocious troops.
"Roc King! Roc King!"
This was none other than Tuoba Wu, the Roc King of Jin Country.
The rain had stopped, and in the haze of evening and mist, the tightly organized camp on the opposite bank began to stir. Tens of thousands of troops moved as one—like mountains shifting, like the earth trembling—and yet they advanced in perfect order, without any sign of chaos.
"They're indeed breaking camp," Tuoba Wu said gravely.
"Seems like they're preparing to retreat," remarked a man by his side with a hint of a smile.
If Huang Cheng were here, he would recognize this man as Yu Chihai, who he'd met before.
Standing beside Tuoba Wu, Yu Chihai appeared slender and gaunt.
"Has ten years ground his resolve to dust?" Tuoba Wu asked angrily, his expression severe. "Retreating at the moment of action is disgraceful."
After so many days of standoff, with multiple attempts to charge their forces, you didn't dare engage him in a direct confrontation either. In fact, you withdrew ten miles first.
Yu Chihai chuckled softly but, of course, was wise enough not to vocalize such thoughts.
"My king, there's an old saying among the Han people: 'A single hand cannot create applause,'" he said. "The emperor has already ordered the withdrawal of one hundred thousand troops from both the eastern and western frontlines. What chance does the Duke of Chengguo and his mere thirty thousand troops stand against our fifty thousand soldiers?"
Yu Chihai chuckled again.
"Moreover, the Duke of Chengguo's wife and son are currently in Bazhou and Baozhou, aiding the civilians' evacuation. Now that the Zhou People's forces have pulled back and the border defenses are lost, they'll find themselves in grave danger."
Tuoba Wu gazed at the troops breaking camp on the opposite bank.
"Is this what you Han people call heroes diminished by worldly concerns and sentiment for their kin?" he asked mockingly, with a cynical twist to his expression.
Yu Chihai stroked his beard and chuckled.
"It's also an opportunity. They can retreat under the pretext of protecting civilians, return to solidify their defenses, and preserve their reputation. All the while aligning themselves with the emperor's decree—a win-win outcome," Yu Chihai said.
As he spoke, he shook his head with an air of regret.
"I'd honestly find it heart-wrenching if the Duke of Chengguo defied orders, fell to accusations of treason, and ended up dying at the hands of his own people," he said, feigning melancholy.
But his face betrayed no genuine sorrow; instead, he laughed heartily while stroking his beard.
"So this is all the Duke of Chengguo amounts to," he said, his laughter evaporating, replaced by a scornful sneer. "Even if he defies orders repeatedly but ends up achieving nothing, he won't fare well when he returns."
Tuoba Wu fixed his gaze on the soldiers breaking camp, noticing a tall banner unfurling. Despite the gathering gloom and mist separating them by the river, the emblem—a bold "Chen"—was still plainly visible. Following it were countless other flags, then a densely packed forest of spears and neatly arrayed cavalry. The sound of horses' hooves was like thunder.
Even though their destination was not here, Tuoba Wu couldn't help but feel a tremor of unease in his heart.
It's these very troops that have doggedly kept him at bay for so long. Had the surrounding Zhou People's forces not retreated and given him an opportunity, he would still find the defensive line unbreakable.
The discipline under Duke of Chengguo's command was truly formidable.
As he listened to Yu Chihai's words, Tuoba Wu turned and saw his companion's grin.
Unable to defeat such a general on fair terms and instead relying on underhanded tactics, Yu Chihai's smile felt like subtle mockery. Yet Tuoba Wu took solace in the Duke of Chengguo's misfortune, though his heart simmered with shame.
"You Han People can't take victory in honorable battle, only through despicable schemes," Tuoba Wu spat coldly, sneering as if doing so eased his unease.
Yu Chihai's expression betrayed not a shred of guilt.
"My king has misunderstood," he said with genuine sincerity. "It's not you Han people—it's them."
He placed his hand on his chest.
"I am Jin."
Tuoba Wu paused before bursting into hearty laughter.
"Excellent," he said, laughing, and extending his arm forward. "We Jurchen people united, marching south for victory, unstoppable!"
"Victory!"
"Victory!"
Immediately, the surrounding Jurchen soldiers raised their weapons and shouted with all their might, voices echoing in waves throughout the camp, thunderous like a tumultuous storm.
Accompanied by these shouts, the troops breaking camp across the river suddenly appeared much more hasty and flustered.
.......................................
"The Jin thief is coming again!"
The eerie cries echoed through the wilds, accompanied by sharp whistles and the frantic stamping of hooves, as thousands of Jurchen soldiers charged forward like the wind in attack.
This marks how many attempts now?
Li Guorui gazed at the dwindled ranks of soldiers beside him, his expression wooden.
The casualties were far fewer compared to previous encounters, thanks to the Qingshan Army's stone bullets, crossbows, and their ferocious, tightly-knit battle formations.
This is how they've managed to defend the border for so long.
Losses didn't arise from incompetence compared to the Jin thief, but rather from the increasing numbers of the enemy.
"A good dog can only hold out against so many mongrels," Lei Zhonglian remarked, watching the screaming Jin soldiers charge closer.
The enemy troops shifted from slow to fast, splitting into three groups as they sprinted forward in formation, their gleaming armor, iron hooves, and monstrous cries creating a fearsome spectacle.
These were elite reinforcements newly arrived, stronger in both combat prowess and weaponry compared to their predecessors.
Yet fear didn't flicker in Lei Zhonglian's eyes. He turned to look at the man beside him.
"It seems in this formation, you've got no chance to escape," he said. "Never would I have thought I'd end up dying alongside you."
The Eighteenth Jin's expression remained cold and resolute as he simply gazed ahead.
"I'm not dying with you," he said. "I'm dying with that woman. If she dies, I die."
Lei Zhonglian turned around to glance at the distant formation behind them. Though he couldn't see her, he knew Miss Jun was stationed among them.
"She should've left with Madam Yu," he murmured.
But then he laughed to himself. If she had chosen to flee, she wouldn't be the person she is.
..................….
In front of Hejian Prefecture, countless civilians fled in panic.
Families pulling carts, carrying children, and helping elderly parents hurried forward.
The city gates lay open, guarded by government soldiers, who watched anxiously ahead while urging the civilians to hasten.
From afar, the procession of people stretched endlessly, seemingly without an endpoint.
The procession must end somewhere, and at its rear, a carriage stood at the roadside, surrounded by a dozen government soldiers. Their somber expressions were tense as they stayed vigilant, their gazes focused on the distance behind them.
"Madam, there's no one left. Let's go," said Liang Chengdong.
Inside the carriage, Madam Yu lifted the curtain.
"Not yet," she said. "We'll wait a little longer."
Still waiting? The Jurchen soldiers were closing in fast. Liang Chengdong's face was tight with anxiety.
"Madam, we can cross the border and enter the city before waiting," he suggested.
Madam Yu's expression remained calm.
"No, if I enter the city, the gates will not stay open for these civilians," she replied. "At least for now, they respect my position enough to hold off."
As she spoke, she stepped out of the carriage and gestured to the north.
"Look, there are still people," she said.
Out in the open fields, scattered figures could be seen trudging forward.
"No one can be left behind," Madam Yu declared, her gaze extending further into the distance. "We cannot fail to honor their sacrifice."
Their sacrifice.
Liang Chengdong followed her gaze, his expression complicated.
Can they still hold the line?
Will they make it back?
.....................…
The ground beneath their feet trembled harder, and the shouts grew fiercer.
"More Jin soldiers are coming," Lei Zhonglian muttered, his expression darkening as he observed the smoke signals rising in the distance.
Another wave, and their numbers weren't insignificant.
How many days has this been now?
He surveyed their surroundings. Their army had dwindled greatly, and this time...