Chapter 1018: Thunder and Rain, All Are Heaven’s Will

After the Autumn Equinox, the military situation outside Liangzhou’s passes suddenly intensified.

Previously, the scouts of both Liang and Mang had been patrolling the border regions, their forces roughly balanced. Although the Northern Mang’s *Malanzi* outnumbered their Liang counterparts, the two most elite scout units—Dong Zhuo’s *Crows* and General Liu Gui’s *Black Foxes*—had been nearly wiped out in the Battle of Longyan’er Plains. These units had been the most familiar with the border terrain and the most formidable in combat. The subsequent *Malanzi* that advanced south of Hutou City with the main army could hardly be called aimless, but compared to Liangzhou’s second-tier scouts, who knew the terrain like the back of their hands, they still held no advantage.

Whenever sudden skirmishes erupted, Liangzhou scouts were strictly ordered not to engage recklessly, while the Northern Mang *Malanzi* were commanded to attack at all costs, regardless of casualties. Many times, even when outnumbered in local engagements, the *Malanzi* charged fearlessly, willing to trade three lives for one. The wealthy and powerful Murong Baoding had personally promised that any *Malanzi* reaching the front lines—whether his own troops or those from other divisions—would be rewarded not just for enemy heads taken but also for their own losses in battle!

Under this unreasonable and ferocious offensive, the Northern Liang scouts suffered no major losses in single engagements, but the cumulative toll over just twenty days had reached over seven hundred dead, as reported by the intelligence from the Left and Right Cavalry Armies to the Jubei City command.

Liangzhou’s border forces had no choice but to consolidate their scattered scouts and shrink the breadth and depth of their reconnaissance lines, abandoning the risky tactic of small patrols venturing deep into enemy territory. The consequences of Northern Liang’s earlier decision to prioritize the Liuzhou front—shifting forces westward at all costs—were now becoming apparent. For instance, Li Hanlin’s entire *White Horse Rangers* had been transferred to Liuzhou, weakening Jubei City’s control over the border defenses, including the critical Huaiyang Pass and the three towns of Liuya, Fuling, and Chongzhong.

With the *Malanzi* aggressively infiltrating southward, communication between Jubei City and the Left and Right Cavalry Armies grew increasingly tenuous—an ominous sign. The Left and Right Cavalry Armies, Northern Liang’s primary field forces, were not primarily meant for killing enemies but for maintaining the link between Jubei City and Huaiyang Pass, preventing the Northern Mang cavalry from completely splitting the battlefield outside Liangzhou. But unless Murong Baoding chose to preserve his elite *Winter Thunder* and Rouran Iron Cavalry, slowing his southern advance and allowing Liangzhou scouts to regain the initiative, the strategic balance in the central battlefield was already set.

During this time, Li Gongde, the only second-rank official in Northern Liang, proposed recalling Li Hanlin and the remaining *White Horse Rangers* from Liuzhou to reinforce the Liangzhou front. However, both the young Prince-Regent and Deputy Military Commissioner Yang Shenxian rejected the idea.

The outcome of the epic cavalry battle at Old Woman Mountain in Liuzhou—destined to be recorded in history—remained unknown to Jubei City. The last urgent dispatch from Shi Fu’s scouts still lay untouched on the desk in the small study next to the command room. Despite knowing the Prince-Regent’s high regard for the “Twin Jewels of Chu,” Xie Xichui and Cao Wei, Shi Fu’s report was brutally frank:

*”Xie Xichui’s 15,000 infantry, trapped in a corridor with no retreat, held off 50,000 cavalry. I cannot assist. My orders are to block the remnants of the Southern Dynasty’s cavalry and, with Ning Emei’s 4,000 Iron Pagodas, cut off Huang Songpu’s retreat. Whether Xie Xichui and the monks of Lantuo Mountain live or die, my Qingyuan Army cannot intervene.”*

The true ruthlessness of war lay in Shi Fu’s unspoken implication: even if his cavalry could reach the corridor in time, as long as Xie Xichui’s forces still held the enemy at bay, he would stand by and watch them die—lest the Southern Dynasty cavalry abandon their advance and flee north instead.

The young Prince-Regent did not summon his generals to discuss the matter, nor did he circulate Shi Fu’s report. That evening, Xu Fengnian sat silently in his study before penning a brief reply:

*”As Liangzhou’s general, you have full authority over the corridor. No further reports are needed.”*

After stamping the letter with the *”Prince of Northern Liang”* seal, he handed it to an aide and remained alone in the study, lost in thought.

Night deepened, but Jubei City’s command center remained brightly lit, the sound of hurried footsteps echoing like relentless drumbeats.

Xu Fengnian was studying two maps—one of Old Woman Mountain, the other of Huaiyang Pass—when Yang Shenxian, Gu Dazu, and Bai Yu entered with grim expressions.

Gu Dazu spoke hoarsely: *”Murong Baoding personally led 20,000 Winter Thunder Cavalry and 20,000 Rouran Iron Cavalry, plus 30,000 reinforcements from Baoping Province, to attack Lu Dayuan’s Left Cavalry Army of 24,000. Zhou Kang and Li Yanchao couldn’t reach them in time.”*

Yang Shenxian added bitterly: *”The 10,000 Rouran Iron Cavalry engaging Li Yanchao’s Right Cavalry Army were just bait. The remaining 20,000 had already joined Murong Baoding’s main force, targeting the Left Cavalry Army from the start. The supposed two-pronged attack—30,000 Rouran Cavalry charging our Right Cavalry while Murong Baoding held back with 20,000 infantry—was a ruse. In reality, those infantry disguised as Rouran Cavalry joined Wang Yong to encircle the Left Cavalry Army.”*

Xu Fengnian paled slightly. *”20,000 Winter Thunder, 20,000 Rouran, and 30,000 elite Baoping Cavalry—70,000 of Northern Mang’s finest.”*

Before Yang Shenxian could speak, Bai Yu tugged his sleeve, signaling silence.

The Prince-Regent looked up. *”Northern Mang’s casualties?”*

Yang Shenxian steadied his voice. *”Murong Baoding didn’t commit all his forces at once. After losing 9,000 Winter Thunder, he threw in the 20,000 Rouran. By the time Wang Yong’s cavalry entered the fray, the remaining Winter Thunder could only watch—the Rouran were nearly wiped out, and Baoping lost another 6,000. Only 800 of our Left Cavalry escaped. Lu Dayuan and his two deputies all fell.”*

Memories of the Left Cavalry’s proud display outside Jubei City earlier that autumn flashed through their minds.

Gu Dazu cut to the chase: *”With the Left Cavalry gone, the Right Cavalry alone can’t hold the line between Jubei City and Chongzhong. You must deny Zhou Kang and Li Yanchao’s request to fight!”*

Xu Fengnian nodded. *”Order Zhou Kang and Li Yanchao to avoid the Northern Mang’s main advance at all costs!”*

Bai Yu sighed. *”Their blood-oath petition has already reached Yang Shenxian’s office—every officer from the commander down has signed in blood, vowing to annihilate Murong Baoding’s Winter Thunder and Wang Yong’s forces.”*

Xu Fengnian stood abruptly, his voice sharp. *”Then add this: if they dare disobey orders, I’ll personally behead them outside the pass!”*

Yang Shenxian shuddered at the Prince-Regent’s rare fury. Gu Dazu sighed. Bai Yu, unruffled, smiled. *”With Jubei City’s reply so firm, this old general and I can rest easier.”*

After the three left, Wang Jijiu, the court scholar, entered with two jugs of *Green Ant* wine. Seeing the Prince-Regent still standing behind his desk, staring at two seals—the famed *Prince of Northern Liang* jade seal and the older *Great General* bronze seal—he chuckled.

*”Heard about the Left Cavalry. Got some things to say—been holding them in for twenty years. Just drink and listen.”*

Xu Fengnian sat and nodded.

The old scholar, a literary giant, began: *”I know nothing of war. My only contribution was bringing scholars to Northern Liang. Met Xu Xiao a few times—terrible chess player, but a master at cheating. Li Yishan, though… a rare genius, aloof to all but me.”*

Noticing Xu Fengnian’s expression, he grinned. *”Li Yishan stood too high, saw too far—lonely, like all sages. But he did share insights: never about the court, rarely about Xu Xiao, mostly about the northwest…”*

He took a swig, then continued: *”Li Yishan once drunkenly revealed that for Northern Liang to win against Northern Mang at its worst, one scenario had to unfold.”*

Pausing theatrically, he eyed the seals. Xu Fengnian smirked. *”Even if I gave you the Prince’s seal, would you dare take it?”*

The scholar’s gaze shifted to the bronze seal. Xu Fengnian glared. *”Don’t even think about it.”*

Disappointed, the scholar muttered about the seal’s exquisite craftsmanship before spotting a white jade piece. *”Worth a few coins?”*

Xu Fengnian pocketed it. *”Try taking it from me.”*

The scholar scoffed—no match for a martial grandmaster.

Xu Fengnian grew serious. *”I know what Master meant. Our only chance is to grind down Northern Mang’s elite forces until their next invasion, no matter how massive, is just a hollow shell. The first war weakened them—Dong Zhuo’s private cavalry, Yang Yuanzan’s elites, Liu Gui’s core troops. Now, in the second war, the Qiang cavalry, Hong Jingyan’s Rouran Iron Cavalry, Murong Baoding’s Winter Thunder, Huang Songpu’s 20,000, the Longguan nobles… all gone.”*

He added calmly: *”If we win at Old Woman Mountain, not just Guse Province’s forces but half the Southern Court will be crippled. That’s the hidden advantage from the first war.”*

The scholar frowned. *”So the Northern Chancellor’s strategy has a fatal flaw?”*

Xu Fengnian shook his head. *”Only half-right.”*

Puzzled, the scholar nearly scratched his head.

Xu Fengnian tilted a wine jug. *”Northern Mang still has the upper hand. But our sacrifices are slowly tipping the scales. The stronger they seem, the harder they’ll fall.”*

As the wine nearly spilled, he righted the jug.

Suddenly, he murmured, *”What if the Empress and the Chancellor abandon not just Xijing but the entire Southern Court, throwing everything at Jubei City?”*

The scholar paled. *”Surely they wouldn’t be that desperate?”*

Xu Fengnian gazed into the night. *”Who knows?”*

The words *”who knows”* carried a literal weight—unbeknownst to the scholar, the heavens themselves might intervene.

Tuoba Guazi’s inexplicable ascension to celestial physique, rivaling even Wang Xianzhi at his peak, was proof. If even he could be so blessed, what of the Empress, who held half the world’s fortune?

Thunder and rain alike were the will of heaven.

And heaven’s will was absolute.

※※※

After the scholar left, Xu Fengnian returned to his maps.

Meanwhile, in a heavily guarded Northern Mang tent, the Northern Chancellor stood before an even larger map of Liang’s four provinces, smiling faintly.

*”All say ‘golden corners, silver sides, worthless center’ in chess. But is it really so?”*