Zhang Fengyi was clearly displeased by Deng Qi's casual address. Her brows knit slightly as she replied coldly,
"General Deng, you're here as well? Weren't you dispatched northeast to Laizhou to deal with Kong Youde's rebels?"
Deng Qi laughed heartily, his voice rough and unrestrained.
"This old man put in a hell of an effort at Laizhou and was on my way back to Sichuan in triumph. Halfway through, I heard the bandits had besieged Huaiqing Prefecture. The Ministry of War ordered me to lift the siege, but by the time I arrived, those damn bandits had already fled into the mountains."
He spat to the side, clearly irritated.
"Empty-handed. So I holed up here in Xiuwu County instead."
His expression darkened as he gestured at the ruins around them.
"This godforsaken place—forget people, not even birds bother shitting here. I wanted to ask the magistrate for some grain, but there aren't even two living souls left in the whole county."
Then, with astonishing shamelessness, he looked straight at Zhang Fengyi.
"You got spare grain? Lend me some. I'll pay you back once I return to Sichuan."
Zhang Fengyi cursed inwardly.
Pay me back? If I believed that, I'd deserve to starve.
She shook her head firmly.
"The Sichuan White Pole Soldiers have just returned from the Liaodong front. Our provisions are already stretched thin—barely enough for our own men. I have nothing to spare."
Deng Qi scowled.
"Damn it! Everyone says the same thing—no grain, no grain, no grain! How are soldiers supposed to fight without food?"
Unwilling to listen to his ranting, Zhang Fengyi changed the subject.
"I just came from Wenshui County, far from the front. Do you know where the rebels are currently moving?"
Deng Qi snorted.
"How the hell would I know?"
Before the tension could escalate further—
A rider on a fast horse galloped toward them at breakneck speed. He tumbled from the saddle, face pale with terror, shouting as he scrambled up,
"Thank heaven! Both generals are here! I beg you—please send aid at once!"
Zhang Fengyi's expression tightened.
"What happened?"
Deng Qi muttered darkly,
"Which hole needs saving now?"
The messenger spoke rapidly, nearly choking on his words.
"After hiding in the Taihang Mountains for a time, the rebels reappeared several days ago! Chuang Wang crossed into Hebei; Yan Zhenghu occupies Jiaocheng and is pressing toward Taiyuan; Shang Tianlong holds Wucheng and advances on Fenzhou; and Zijing Liang, together with the West Camp Eight Great Kings, are attacking Qinzhou and Wuxiang!"
Zhang Fengyi gasped.
"This is bad!"
Deng Qi, however, burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! They're spreading out again—splitting their forces again!"
Zhang Fengyi turned sharply, fury flashing in her eyes.
"What are you laughing at? Cities are under attack! We must give aid immediately. Where do you plan to go?"
Deng Qi waved dismissively.
"Aid? With no grain? I'm not going anywhere. First thing I need is food."
The messenger was frantic.
"How can you say such a thing?!"
Deng Qi sighed exaggeratedly.
"Fine, fine. I'll pick somewhere at random. I'll head to Hebei—plenty of grain there. I'll forage along the way and deal with whatever bandits wandered over."
With that, he turned and strode off, cursing endlessly in thick Sichuan dialect.
After a long silence, Zhang Fengyi spoke solemnly.
"Taiyuan and Fenzhou are too far—I won't reach them in time. Qinzhou and Wuxiang are closer. I'll go there."
At that moment, Li Daoxuan sprang out of the carriage.
"General Zhang! You heard the report. The ones attacking Qinzhou and Wuxiang are Zijing Liang and the West Camp Eight Great Kings—the core of the rebel forces! Zijing Liang is now their leader, and the Eight Great Kings are infamous for slaughter. You only have a thousand men. Challenging them head-on is extremely dangerous."
After Wang Jiayin's death, Zijing Liang had taken command. His main force consisted entirely of hardened border veterans. Against them, Zhang Fengyi's unit was painfully small.
Yet Zhang Fengyi shook her head without hesitation.
"We cannot abandon cities simply because the bandits are strong. The people being plundered are waiting for imperial troops to save them."
Her voice was steady.
"They may be powerful, but we are not without hope. We only need to hold them back until the main armies of Zhang Zongheng, Zuo Liangyu, and Xu Dingchen arrive."
Li Daoxuan let out a quiet sigh.
Now I finally understand.
This is exactly how Zhang Fengyi died.
Striking a rock with an egg.
And yet—
He understood her choice.
Houjia Village… it must be in either Qinzhou or Wuxiang.
Since the direction was now clear, there was still a chance.
Which of my territories is closest to those two places?
Li Daoxuan retreated into the carriage, then instantly withdrew his consciousness from the box.
He opened his map software, searched rapidly, and found the answer.
Qinzhou and Wuxiang lay in central Shanxi.
The closest territory under his control was—
Pingyang Prefecture.
At present, Wang Er and Bai Mao were stationed there.
And Bai Mao, holding the rank of a thousand-household commander, could legally lead troops.
That settles it.
Li Daoxuan's consciousness leapt toward Pingyang Prefecture—
December. Bitter cold.
Dry, piercing cold. No snow.
Dou Wenda, Prefect of Pingyang, studied the imperial gazette with a grim expression. Bai Mao sat beside him in full armor, while Wang Er—disguised as a subordinate—stood half a step behind.
Dou Wenda sighed.
"The bandits are back again. Emerging from the Taihang Mountains, splitting into several routes, plunging Shanxi into chaos once more."
He looked up anxiously.
"They've already reached Qinzhou and Wuxiang—only two hundred li from us."
"Commander Wang," he said gravely, "you must increase patrols and scouts. I truly fear waking one morning to find Pingyang already under siege."
Bai Mao nodded.
"Rest assured. Pingyang will not fall."
At that instant, the Dao Xuan Tianzun's puppet on his shoulder stirred.
It leaned close to his ear and whispered:
"Prepare to march. Go aid Qinzhou and Wuxiang."
Bai Mao's expression changed instantly.
He turned to Dou Wenda and declared firmly,
"I've reconsidered. Hiding behind city walls is cowardly. It's not how soldiers should fight. Since the bandits are already near Qinzhou and Wuxiang, we should strike first and defeat them a hundred li away."
Dou Wenda was stunned.
He grabbed Bai Mao's arm in panic.
"General Wang, please don't be reckless! You're only a thousand-household commander with barely a thousand troops. The enemy is Zijing Liang's main force!"
Bai Mao straightened his back proudly.
"A true man fears no honorable death on the battlefield. Prefect, you lead the local militia and guard Pingyang. Your commander will return shortly."
Dou Wenda pleaded desperately.
"Don't go! Stay and defend the city! Pingyang cannot do without you!"
Bai Mao replied calmly,
"Prefect, you seem to have forgotten. I am not Pingyang's garrison commander. I was dispatched specifically to encircle and pursue rebels. Remaining here would violate military regulations."
He clasped his fists.
"I must fulfill His Majesty's expectations."
Dou Wenda stood frozen.
Tears silently welled in his eyes.