She possessed powerful weapons.

Even if she couldn’t secretly rescue the person, the worst outcome would be exposing her space and weapons.

Though it was risky, she was determined to save him.

Gu Tingyi saw how resolute she was, and for some reason, he inexplicably believed her.

Previously, he hadn’t observed her closely, but now, after a careful look, he realized that this Shen Qing bore a striking resemblance to his own son—at least four or five parts alike.

And with his wife, the resemblance was even greater, almost six or seven parts similar.

No wonder he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity upon first seeing her.

If he weren’t absolutely sure that he only had one son, Gu Shaoqing, he might have suspected that Shen Qing was his long-lost child.

“It’s not that I doubt your abilities, but the Xiyue military camp has an army of 200,000. If your presence is exposed, escape will be nearly impossible. You’ve already provided the Northwest camp with so much grain and supplies—we are beyond grateful. How could we let you risk your life for my son?”

Gu Shaoqing was his son. While he wanted him to be safe, he would never sacrifice an innocent person for his child’s life.

Shen Qingwan saw how stubborn he was and grew frustrated. “General, why are you so long-winded? Either assign me a team of light cavalry, or I’ll go alone.”

Gu Tingyi was startled that Shen Qingwan dared to lose her temper at him.

However, instead of getting angry, he found himself at a loss, placing his hands on his waist, unsure of how to respond.

This brat really did have some of his own youthful boldness.

The more he looked at her, the more he admired Shen Qingwan’s fiery and decisive personality.

“Fine, will a thousand cavalrymen be enough?”

Gu Tingyi was genuinely worried she would sneak into the enemy camp alone, so he thought it best to give her more men to ensure her safety.

Shen Qingwan twitched at the corner of her eye. “A thousand people? We’d be discovered before we even got close to the Xiyue camp. It’s not about numbers—ten men are enough, just make sure they’re skilled.”

“Ten? That’s too few,” Gu Tingyi protested.

He hadn’t expected her to request only ten men.

How could ten soldiers accomplish anything? They wouldn’t even be enough to cover a retreat.

Shen Qingwan shot him a sidelong glance. “Are you rescuing him, or am I?”

It was the first time Gu Tingyi had been talked back to in such a manner.

He felt stifled, but strangely enough, he didn’t find the conversation inappropriate.

Perhaps because she had decided to acknowledge him as her father, Shen Qingwan unconsciously spoke to him in a more familiar way.

In her past life, she often bickered with her father like this.

He would always lose the argument, yet willingly let her have her way.

Now, looking at this face so similar to her father’s, she couldn’t help but treat him as such.

In the end, Gu Tingyi compromised, selecting the ten most skilled warriors in the camp for her.

Among them was Chen Bin, his personal guard, whose martial prowess was unmatched.

The camp had plenty of strong fighters, but none could compare to Chen Bin.

Gu Tingyi instructed Chen Bin that if the rescue failed, he must ensure Shen Qingwan’s safety above all else.

Chen Bin, understanding his general’s intentions, immediately swore to bring Shen Qingwan back safely.

That night, Shen Qingwan and her ten men donned black night garments and rode into Xiyue’s territory. Once they arrived near the enemy camp, she left two men behind to guard the horses while the rest followed her inside.

Shen Qingwan ordered them to wait while she stealthily took down over ten Xiyue patrol guards.

After stripping them of their uniforms, she temporarily stored the bodies in her space and distributed the clothes among her men.

She, too, changed into one.

The Xiyue soldiers’ helmets had half-face guards that covered their lower faces and necks, making it easy to disguise themselves.

It was unlikely that the Xiyue army would suspect someone would dare to infiltrate their camp so boldly—let alone an entire group.

Though the others felt anxious, Shen Qingwan’s unwavering calm forced them to steady themselves.

After scouting the camp, they identified Gu Shaoqing’s holding area, heavily guarded.

As the group wondered what Shen Qingwan planned to do next, she suddenly walked straight up to the guards.

“The general is worried someone may attempt a rescue tonight. We’re here to relieve you,” she said.

The guard looked at her, unable to recognize her, but since she claimed to be acting under the general’s orders, they had no objections.

Shen Qingwan was betting on the fact that, in a camp of 200,000, it was impossible for everyone to recognize each other.

“Understood. Then we leave them in your care. The man inside is the young general of the Northwest Army—there’s a real chance they’ll try to rescue him tonight. Stay vigilant,” the lead guard reminded her before taking his men away.

Chen Bin and the others quickly took their positions, then looked at Shen Qingwan with admiration.

This Shen Gongzi was incredible—who else could walk in and out of an enemy camp so audaciously?

Shen Qingwan signaled to Chen Bin and lifted the curtain to enter the tent.

Inside, six or seven iron cages held prisoners. She scanned them but didn’t recognize anyone.

Gu Shaoqing, gravely injured and covered in blood, sat slumped against the cage. His silver armor was so stained that its original color was unrecognizable.

Yet Shen Qingwan spotted him at once—because among the captives, he was the only one whose age and features matched Gu Shaoqing’s.

She approached, taking out a jade pendant and holding it up in front of him.

Sensing someone near, Gu Shaoqing’s sharp eyes snapped open like a hawk’s. He stared at the pendant in shock before looking up at her.

Shen Qingwan gestured for silence but did not unlock the cage immediately. Instead, she leaned closer and whispered a single word: “Chou Hour” (1-3 AM).

Gu Shaoqing immediately understood and nodded.

Shen Qingwan withdrew and left the tent.

They waited outside until Chou Hour.

The camp remained still, with only occasional patrols passing by. Each time, they held their breath, barely daring to move.

Once the patrols moved on, Shen Qingwan slipped back into the tent.

Gu Shaoqing, now awake, sat up.

She approached and asked about the identities of the other captives.

Upon learning they were his subordinates, she breathed a sigh of relief—at least she wouldn’t have to worry about them making noise and alerting the enemy.

Taking a thick iron wire from her sleeve, she quickly picked the lock and freed Gu Shaoqing.

Behind a screen, she retrieved a Xiyue soldier’s uniform from her space and handed it to him.

Understanding the urgency, Gu Shaoqing immediately shed his battered armor and changed into the disguise.

When he noticed Shen Qingwan wasn’t freeing the others, he grabbed her wrist and gestured toward them, lowering his voice.

“Take them with us.”