Chapter 270 - 71: Seeing Off

Chapter 270: Chapter 71: Seeing Off

The horns signaling the expedition had been blaring ceaselessly since before daybreak.

The military camp was like a colossal beast awakening, stretching its limbs, arching its back, and taking its first slow steps onto the open plains.

At the beast’s head, a great banner soared toward the heavens, visible even to the soldiers at the farthest reaches of the camp.

This time, however, was different from what the soldiers were used to. Besides General Chu’s large black banner, there was also a brilliant yellow flag.

"Something about that flag just doesn’t look right," Ah Le whispered.

She was no longer an ignorant country girl. She was a handmaiden who had attended the Empress’s investiture ceremony and now held sway in the Inner Palace.

She had seen the imperial regalia of the Emperor and the Empress—

"Wrong is right," Xie Yanlai said from the side. "Where would we find a proper one at a time like this? We’re lucky we could find this many theater troupes nearby and scrounge up enough of their banners to sew together."

"Stage banners," Ah Le chuckled in spite of herself. "Will it really work?"

"This is the Border County. It’s an army camp. How many people here have ever seen the Empress’s phoenix flag?" Xie Yanlai said. "The banner doesn’t matter, as long as the person is real."

As they spoke, the sound of hooves approached from behind. A group of imposing, armored soldiers advanced slowly, with Ding Dachui at their head. His expression was grave, but his legs didn’t tremble, and his heart didn’t race. This wasn’t the first time he had served as the Empress’s guard.

"The Empress has arrived—" Ding Dachui bellowed, his voice honed by years of chasing game in the mountains.

The cry echoed across the wasteland. Every soldier in the formation turned to look, watching as the main general’s tall chariot slowly rolled forward. But atop it was not the familiar figure of General Chu, but a woman.

The woman was dressed in magnificent robes the likes of which they had never seen. The jeweled crown on her head blazed with a dazzling light. It was as if a phoenix had descended from the heavens, landing amidst the black-clad army like a resplendent, multi-colored cloud.

’So this is the Empress.’

Everyone knew the Empress was here. She often rode on patrol among the troops. But until now, they had always seen her as Miss Chu. Only at this moment did they truly feel her presence as the Empress.

"Western Liang has taken advantage of the turmoil in our Great Xia Dynasty, of the late Emperor’s passing and the new emperor’s youth, to invade our Border County and harm our people! I am the Empress, mother to the realm, and all the people of this land are under my protection."

Atop the main general’s chariot, Chu Zhao’s voice rang out, clear and resonant.

"I, Chu Zhao, have come to the front lines in person, in the name of the Great Xia Empress, to bring judgment upon Western Liang! Those who invade our lands shall be killed! Those who harm our people shall be killed!"

"I ask all of you, soldiers, to fight the enemy alongside me! Aid me in this slaughter! Protect the lands of Great Xia, and defend all its people!"

In an instant, countless soldiers roared in unison, "KILL THE ENEMY—"

A roar like that of a savage beast.

Xie Yanlai raised his hand. The war drums thundered as one. Command flags waved from all four directions. The great beast leaped into motion, charging wildly across the land.

...

...

The Royal Army of the King of Western Liang was like a boundless tide, surging in from all directions. It struck like a frenzied python, tearing open one gap after another in their lines.

It was a battle unlike any they had ever fought. It was impossible to tell north from south, left from right. The formations of the vanguard, scouts, cavalry, and infantry fell into disarray.

From dawn to dusk, and from dusk to dawn again.

Listening to the endless stream of urgent reports, Chu Zhao sat on the main general’s chariot, feeling lost. Beyond boosting morale, she didn’t know how to command an army.

Although the four great generals were valiant and skilled warriors, a battle of this scale required more than individual bravery. It needed someone who could channel that valor and maximize its effect.

She didn’t know how to command the overall situation, how to make her generals move as extensions of her own will. And now, morale was beginning to falter.

"The Western Liang Army is constantly shouting from their lines that Chu Ling is dead—" Ding Dachui said. "Even though General Xie is holding the rearguard, there are more and more signs of our front lines collapsing—"

’He didn’t think the soldiers lacked courage for a second. When he was hunting in the mountains, if someone up ahead kept shouting that the prey had escaped, he’d get flustered too and wouldn’t be able to tend his traps—’

’The more focused you are, the easier it is to be thrown into chaos.’

’What should I do?’

’If only she had learned the art of war from her father.’

"General Wei, Chu Ling, has arrived—"

A commotion erupted behind her, along with the shout.

Chu Zhao froze, turning to look back in disbelief. Ah Le had already leaped to her feet, shouting, "It’s the General! It’s the General!" Her shouts turned into sobs.

Then Chu Zhao saw him, too. Zhong Changrong and a retinue of soldiers were escorting a horse. The man in armor astride the tall, black steed was none other than her father.

He was much thinner, but with armor on his body and a long saber in his hand, Chu Ling was as imposing as a mountain.

’Father’s awake!’

’The heavens are watching! The heavens are just!’

Chu Zhao ran toward her father. She knew it—heaven had allowed her to return to make things right for her.

Chu Ling watched his daughter approach with a smile and nodded. "Chu Zhao, you’ve done very well."

’Though he couldn’t see a thing, he could still sense his daughter’s powerful presence.’

Chu Zhao rushed forward and, with Zhong Changrong, helped Chu Ling onto the command chariot.

As Chu Ling took his seat on the chariot, the beat of the war drums changed, becoming deep and powerful. DUM DUM—it was the "awakening drum," sounded when the main general took command.

Sure enough, gazes from all across the battlefield focused on them.

Chu Ling leaned back, his saber resting across his lap. He looked at Chu Zhao. "Since the Empress is in the army, you will obey my commands."

Chu Zhao stood tall and replied with a loud "Yes!"

"I ask the Empress to serve as my personal guard," Chu Ling said.

Chu Zhao once again replied, "Yes!" then turned and dismounted the tall chariot. Ding Dachui was already there with a horse. Chu Zhao swung herself into the saddle, took the longsword and crossbow Ding Dachui offered, and Ah Le followed close behind.

When Chu Zhao looked back, she saw Chu Ling first gaze intently toward the front, as if he could see everything. Then he listened to the reports from his deputy generals. A moment later, he began issuing commands.

The war drums changed their rhythm once more. The command flags fluttered like dancing butterflies. With each order, the scattered army began to coalesce, moving with a chaotic order, like an eagle spreading its wings to dive upon a writhing python—

Chu Zhao tore her gaze away, raised her longsword, and spurred her horse onward.

Ah Le, Ding Dachui, and the rest of the Empress’s ceremonial guards (a role filled by the bandits) followed closely, taking up a position at the forefront of the Central Army to protect the main general, Chu Ling, behind them.

...

...

The battle raged for three days.

During that time, Chu Zhao received orders on several occasions to lead troops into the thick of the fighting, using her crossbow to engage Western Liang soldiers within her sight.

Her role was less about killing the enemy and more about inspiring morale. She would soon be recalled, only to then take up her sword and arrows and ride to a new formation to lend her aid.

As the first rays of a new dawn bathed the land, a long horn blast sounded from the Western Liang lines, like a sigh from the King of Western Liang himself. The Western Liang Army receded like the tide.

"The Western Liang Army has retreated!"

Chu Zhao wiped the grime from her face and watched Ah Le bound over like a rabbit. The horns of victory were already sounding across the battlefield. The exhausted soldiers, suddenly filled with boundless energy, leaped to their feet, screaming wildly.

But Chu Zhao didn’t join the celebration. She swung onto her horse and galloped toward the Central Army, eager to tell her father the good news, even though she knew he must have already heard.

Upon reaching the Central Army, Chu Zhao leaped from her horse before it had even come to a full stop. After taking a few steps, she realized the atmosphere was wrong.

The drummers were beating out a victory rhythm, and the flag bearers were waving the command flags to regroup the troops, but the soldiers here wore solemn expressions. There was no celebratory noise. When they saw her approach, some even lowered their eyes.

’The Central Army is naturally more disciplined,’ Chu Zhao thought. ’This is nothing. It’s perfectly normal.’ She didn’t look around, but rushed toward the main general’s chariot, her eyes immediately finding her father seated on his command chair.

"Father," she called, stepping forward.

Chu Ling wore a faint smile, his gaze fixed forward, the longsword resting across his lap.

He had already passed away.