When Bai Qi entered, Jia Xu immediately sensed the strong murderous aura around him, far greater than any general he had encountered. Even if he hadn’t guessed that Bai Qi was an SSR card, meeting him once made it clear that Bai Qi was an extraordinary general.

After Zhao Kuo mentioned Bai Qi’s name, Jia Xu was still a bit surprised, even though he was usually calm. 

Bai Qi was a name that everyone involved in military matters would know. He had attacked Chu, heavily damaging Zhao, and killed more than a million soldiers during his lifetime.

Bai Qi’s legacy is controversial. Some admire him for his loyalty and achievements, while others despise him for being cruel, comparing him to Chi You ^[1]which is a war god in Chinese mythology associated with cruelty and violence.. Regardless of opinions, his undefeated military record was legendary.

No wonder Zhao Kuo and Bai Qi captured the stronghold so quickly.

Jia Xu suddenly remembered something. When Ying Yue drew her first set of cards, she got ten in a row, but Zhao Kuo was her only companion. From this, Jia Xu deduced that Bai Qi was likely a reward for completing the main task, while Zhao Kuo was a secondary card.

If this deduction was correct, Ying Yue’s luck could not be described as “just okay.”

A clear idea formed in Jia Xu’s mind, though he kept his thoughts to himself.

With Zhao Kuo back, it seemed like everyone important had gathered. The girl who had been sitting with Ying Yue looked at the three men in the room, then turned to Ying Yue and said, “My surname is Shen, and I am the eldest daughter of the deceased wife of the governor of Beidi County. As I mentioned earlier, my family handed me over to the thieves.”

Miss Shen told them a story about a father who favored his concubine over his wife. He then teamed up with the concubine to poison his wife and helped her take over. Fearing for his own life, he offered his daughter to bandits to save himself.

Her words reminded Ying Yue, Bai Qi, and Zhao Kuo of the man who had led them to Bianchun Mountain. The man had mentioned that the five neighboring counties had suffered under the Black Wind Village. The governors were weak and afraid, doing nothing to stop the bandits because they feared they would be the next to die.

This matched Miss Shen’s story.

“So,” Zhao Kuo stroked his chin and asked, “Are you seeking revenge because your father sold you to save himself?”

Miss Shen looked at him oddly and asked, “Since he could do it on the first day, why can’t I do it later? Is it because he’s my father, and I’m his daughter?”

Zhao Kuo: “…” He was just asking a question. Why was she angry? He wasn’t blaming her.

He was about to say something else when he saw Ying Yue reach out and hold the girl’s hand. At that moment, Zhao Kuo remembered that Ying Yue’s experience was somewhat similar to this girl’s—one father sold his daughter to survive, the other for glory.

Feeling Ying Yue’s comforting hand and seeing that he didn’t judge her rebellious thoughts about wanting to kill her father, the girl looked back at him more sincerely. “I don’t know who you are, but I can see you come from wealth. I swear, I mean no harm to you. I only said what I did to save my life.”

She then explained why she had said it earlier. “Shuofang County, in the east of Yongzhou, has a governor from a wealthy land. A few years ago, he brought servants and troops to take control of Shuofang. I heard he came to this cold and bitter place just to act like a local emperor.” Her tone showed clear disrespect for the emperor.

“When I saw the girl with you, I guessed she might be connected…” She didn’t finish, but everyone understood her meaning.

“What about the imperial court?” The beautiful girl asked, looking curious. “How could the imperial court allow this?”

“Ah?” Miss Shen was confused. “Miss, don’t you know?”

She had thought this girl knew, but now it seemed not.

Still, since they were talking, Miss Shen continued, “As for the imperial court, don’t worry, because the central government stopped caring about this region long ago. Otherwise, why would they allow officials to collude with bandits, ignoring the national interest?”

“What do you mean?” someone asked.

Without noticing who it was, Miss Shen answered, “Yes, outsiders might not know, but we, the officials and their families in Yongzhou, know.

When the bandits first appeared with the Hu people and defeated the soldiers, my father and several county governors secretly wrote to the emperor asking for troops. But once the letter reached Beijing, it was ignored.”

She looked up at the dark rooftops and said bitterly, “Yongzhou has been abandoned by the court.”

Then, she turned to Ying Yue and said, “If you want to be a local emperor, Beidi County is a good option.”

“But I must be honest with you, young lady. Because the executed bandits set up camp at Bianchun Mountain between Beidi County and Longxi County, the Hu people have been able to enter and leave Beidi County freely. Every once in a while, they come to the city to cause chaos, playing a cruel game of cat and mouse. This place is no longer considered a border barrier. It’s easy to take, but hard to defend.” Her voice lowered, filled with powerlessness.

The beautiful girl was stunned. She realized that Miss Shen didn’t want the Hu people to eventually massacre the city after they tired of their cruel games, leaving Beidi County to fall.

Though Miss Shen’s description was discouraging, for Bai Qi, Zhao Kuo, and Jia Xu, the situation wasn’t as bad as it sounded. In fact, they were pleased.

After hearing Miss Shen’s words, one thought filled the emotional boy’s mind:

—Could there really be such a good opportunity?

Beidi County’s location at the border made it perfect for fighting the Hu people, which could help Ying Yue build a reputation. It would help prepare him for recruiting soldiers and gaining the people’s trust.

Most importantly, Miss Shen had said she knew the distribution of troops in Beidi County. That meant there were soldiers! Low morale and poor combat skills were less important as long as they had people to train. Zhao Kuo and Bai Qi knew exactly how to handle this.

Especially in the State of Zhao, where Zhao Kuo came from, since the reign of King Wuling of Zhao, the entire population was trained in Hu-style riding and fighting, turning them into soldiers and farmers alike.

So, this situation seems perfectly set up for them!

Besides this, there’s something else to mention. For their current situation, a chaotic environment like that in Beidi County is actually best. This way, they can win the people’s support more easily.

Think about it: is it easier to impress a wealthy person in fancy clothes or to earn the gratitude of a beggar on the street? The answer is clearly the beggar. If you provide him with food and clothing, you’ll gain his endless gratitude and a high status in his eyes.

For a moment, Bai Qi, Zhao Kuo, and Jia Xu were deep in thought, while Ying Yue was still trying to understand the words spoken by the girl named Shen, who was trying to convince Beidi County to withdraw.

Even though she struggled to keep up, Ying Yue could seek help. So, the beautiful girl looked silently at the three men. Jia Xu didn’t seem to notice her, and Zhao Kuo was too excited to pay attention. However, Bai Qi, who always seemed calm and reliable, reassured Ying Yue with his gaze, encouraging her to handle the situation.

Ying Yue turned back to Shen and took a deep breath. In a small but firm voice, she said, “Miss Shen, please tell us more about the military strength and other aspects of Beidi County.”

“…Okay.” Shen, touched by the sparkle in Ying Yue’s phoenix-like eyes, responded softly.

Years later, when historians asked about this day, Shen would try to describe everything. But in the history books, only a few cold words remained: 

—The young emperor, kind-hearted, couldn’t bear to see the northern people suffer from the barbarians, so he stayed in the north with Qi, Kuo, and Xu to fight.