As the sun dipped low and the sky darkened, the walls of Liangzhou Prefecture were gradually lit with torchlight.
Illuminated by the flickering light, the soldiers atop the city wall tossed the piled bodies of Northern Qiang troops off the parapet and gathered the corpses of their own fallen comrades, preparing to burn them together in a large blaze. In such dire times, they were forced to forego other burial rites.
Below the city wall, groups of Northern Qiang soldiers were busy collecting corpses. They moved in small groups under the moonlight, carrying makeshift stretchers to transport the bodies back to their camp.
It was truly ironic that two warring nations could only maintain the peace when dealing with the bodies of their dead.
Northern Qiang forces had attacked three times in the last two days. The defenders inside the city knew full well that none of them would survive should the city fall. Driven by this grim reality, they fought with their lives on the line to defend the city. The defenses held... for now.
Zhou Tong stood atop the city wall, gazing intently at the brightly lit Northern Qiang camp in the distance. Jiang Chao stood behind him and let out a deep sigh after a long silence.
"What troubles you, General?" Zhou Tong asked slowly without turning around.
"Far too many things," Jiang Chao replied with a bitter smile. "My lord, you should understand better than I. Three battles in two days may look like victories for our army, and our morale seems intact, but our troops are utterly exhausted.
"Moreover, the Northern Qiang attacks over these two days have depleted our stock of defensive equipment. We’ve even had to rely on the townsfolk dismantling the beams of their own homes to replenish our stores. Faced with such a situation... how could I not be troubled?"
"If this was all there was, we might be able to hold out a few more days," Jiang Chao continued. "But Northern Qiang won't wait. After today, their main forces will likely arrive in no time. When that happens... the real battle will begin."
"What is it?" Zhou Tong turned to look at Jiang Chao. "Don't you believe in Lord Qi?"
Jiang Chao shook his head. "I have to. It's just that Lord Qi is sure to arrive after Northern Qiang's main army. How long can we hold out against all of them? A day? Half a day?"
Zhou Tong pressed his lips tightly together, his features appearing strikingly sharp in the firelight. The muscles in his cheeks were taut, and his gaze unfocused as if lost in thought.
After a long silence, Jiang Chao finally heard Zhou Tong’s faint voice. "Pass down the order. Tonight, send men to inform every household in the city. Distribute weapons to any household with able-bodied men; they are to join the defense starting tomorrow."
Jiang Chao jerked his head up, staring at the figure before him. After taking a deep breath, he responded firmly, "Understood!"
"Wait..." Just as Jiang Chao was about to leave, Zhou Tong called him back. He stopped in place, waiting for further instructions.
Zhou Tong clenched his fist hidden within his sleeve and said, "Have the soldiers explain things clearly to the people. If the city falls, no one will survive. Remember this!
"Avoid conflicts with the townsfolk at all costs. Do not let anyone disrupt the people's morale at such a critical time. Anyone who stirs up trouble will face military discipline."
"Understood." Jiang Chao replied again and prepared to descend the city wall.
"Wait!" Zhou Tong called him back once more.
Jiang Chao halted his step, turning back to look at Zhou Tong with a hint of exasperation. "My lord... if there's anything else, just say it all at once."
Zhou Tong forced a bitter smile. "There is one more thing. Make sure to remind the soldiers not to clash with our citizens... especially the martial artists."
An image of two figures leaping off the city wall involuntarily flashed through Zhou Tong's mind. "Remember, no conflicts!" he stressed gravely.
Jiang Chao was filled with confusion and wanted to ask why mere martial artists deserved such attention. His lips moved slightly, but he simply replied, "Understood."
In the inn, Ye Beizhi lit a lamp on the table. By the firelight, he retrieved a piece of silk cloth and a small vial from his chest pocket, followed by drawing out his Tang blade.
As he pulled out the soft stopper from the small bottle, a refreshing fragrance spread throughout the room. Tilting the bottle, Ye Beizhi let a small amount drip onto a silk cloth and began gently polishing the blade of his weapon.
With each stroke, a brief glint of the blade's cold light illuminated the room, filling it with a chilling aura.
The oil was premium tea seed oil that had been meticulously refined. Polishing his Tang blade every morning and evening was an essential ritual for Ye Beizhi.
The sound of knocking came from the door. Ye Beizhi’s gaze remained fixed on the blade, and he neither turned nor responded.
After a moment, the door opened, and Chi Nanwei walked in gracefully. She sniffed the air and looked at Ye Beizhi.
"Every time I smell this, I know exactly what you're doing. If only you cared about me as much as you do your knife." She couldn’t help but blush after realizing how bold her words were.
Ye Beizhi's expression grew slightly embarrassed, and his hand holding the cloth trembled slightly. He stammered, "Ah, I... I... I care about you too."
Chi Nanwei's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red. She walked bashfully to the seat opposite Ye Beizhi, deliberately avoiding his gaze as she looked out the window toward the courtyard below.
In the courtyard, Xue Niang stood in a horse stance under a parasol tree, balancing a large iron pot, borrowed from the kitchen, on her head.
The pot was filled with a chaotic assortment of heavy objects. She extended her arms forward, with stacks of green bricks hanging from her wrists, and her knees were similarly burdened.
Xue Qiming crouched by the pond, watching from afar, occasionally shouting, "Hold steady! Drop anything, and no wine for you tonight!" With that, he tilted his head back and took a swig.
"That brute Bodhisattva is far too heartless!" Chi Nanwei angrily complained to Ye Beizhi, "Xue Niang is not even ten. How can he torment her like that every day?"
Ye Beizhi raised his eyes to glance outside the window but said nothing, returning his focus to his blade.
Chi Nanwei, oblivious to Ye Beizhi’s indifference, continued, "Just look at how much Xue Niang has to balance on her head. That pot alone must weigh at least ten jin. At this rate, she’ll never grow any taller."
Chi Nanwei hadn't intentionally lowered her voice so Xue Qiming seemed to catch what she said. He looked up, raised his gourd toward her, and grinned widely.
Chi Nanwei snorted and turned her head away.
Ye Beizhi had just finished carefully polishing the blade and set it aside to air for a moment. He said softly to Chi Nanwei, "Bodhisattva wasn't always as strong as he is now."
"Hmm?" Chi Nanwei looked at Ye Beizhi.
Ye Beizhi hesitated before continuing, "That’s his disciple. How he trains her is none of our business."
Chi Nanwei suddenly brightened up and nodded quickly. "Ah! You’re right. Xue Niang is indeed quite strong. When she throws a tantrum, I can hardly hold her. And every night, Bodhisattva mysteriously brews a large bucket of water for her bath. I once saw him putting all sorts of herbs into it in the kitchen. I wonder if it’s related."
Ye Beizhi couldn’t help but smile wryly. "That... such matters... it's an invasion of their privacy. It’s a serious taboo. Don’t do it again."
Chi Nanwei snorted lightly and rolled her eyes at Ye Beizhi. "Got it!"
Ye Beizhi shook his head helplessly and reached for his Tang blade to sheathe it. Just then, loud banging came from the inn's front door downstairs.
"Open the door! Open up! We know you're in there!"
A glint of sharpness flashed in Ye Beizhi's eyes as his hand instantly gripped the Tang blade.
Chi Nanwei's face showed a hint of panic as she clutched tightly onto Ye Beizhi's sleeve.
Ye Beizhi patted Chi Nanwei's hand gently and stood up, heading downstairs.