Morning of November 3rd.

The mountains of Fengzhou were shrouded in thick fog.

Dawn had already broken for a while, and the troops of Sun He's division, the Grand Commander of the Celestial Master Army, in the mountain range began their breakfast. Since Fengzhou was under siege, to conserve food, the Celestial Master Army only had two meals a day, morning and evening.

Last night, they hunted a black bear on the mountain, and now, bits of meat could be seen in the millet porridge.

Although Sun He was a Grand Commander, his strength was only Sixth Grade. The continuous battles had resulted in the death of strong warriors in the Celestial Master Army, and those who took over were weaker.

On the high ground of the mountain range, two soldiers from Sun He's army were tensely watching the distance.

The previous day, they had received an urgent message from the Celestial Master, instructing them to quickly reinforce the city fifty miles away.

Upon receiving the orders, they set off overnight with almost no rest, traveling through the night, stopping to rest in this mountain range, and fill their stomachs before continuing on.

The two were sent by Sun He to scout, but the fog in the mountains shortened the visible distance.

The long-missed cold wind howled from the north, jolting the spirits of the two scouts. Rumors in the army said, "Hold on, once winter arrives, the siege of Fengzhou will be lifted."

The origin of this rumor was unknown, but it had become a beacon of hope for the Celestial Master Army, making them firmly believe in it, hoping for winter to arrive soon.

"It's getting colder, I hope winter comes soon so the Huai Army can really withdraw," one of the scouts said, rubbing his hands.

The cold wind also brought with it some strange sounds.

The companion did not respond but asked, "Did you hear that?"

"What?" The puzzled scout replied.

"The sound of horses neighing," the companion said.

"It should be our scouts... the fog is too thick, let's observe further."

The two hesitated to act rashly, since false military information was a serious crime.

The sound of horses neighing in the wind became more urgent. Amidst the dense fog, they both vaguely heard sounds resembling the rising tide.

"Woo——"

A desolate horn echoed from high ground after high ground in the mountains.

The cold wind from the north grew stronger, finally dispersing the thick fog in the mountains. Another gale swept through, lifting the fog like a veil, revealing the enormous formation of the Huai Army before their eyes.

The orderly formation of Huai Army infantry was advancing slowly, their long spears resting on their shoulders, forming forests of sharp pikes.

Banners waved like a sea, almost blocking out the sky. Soldiers of the Huai Army, clad in dark gold armor, stood tightly packed, forming an orderly formation. Martial Artists bearing large banners stood in the center, with command flags weaving through the ranks.

The formation was grand, the military force overwhelming.

Seeing this scene, both scouts felt their scalps tingling. After shouting "Enemy attack," they hurriedly blew the horn in their hands.

"Woo——"

"Boom boom..."

"Boom boom boom!"

With the cessation of the horn's sound, several dozen war drums were beaten by topless Huai Army Martial Artists, and the stirring sound of drums spread throughout the mountain range.

The "Strategy" character embroidered on the large banner made Sun He's division tremble; this was actually the most elite Dragon Strategy Army under Prince Huai.

Having been discovered, the Huai Army began an assault. Hundreds of cavalry stormed through the Huai Army's formation like a gale, cutting off and surrounding those resting in Sun He's division on the mountain path.

Under the cavalry's onslaught, Sun He's soldiers were as weak as lambs.

Charging foremost into the fray, Chu Ce single-handedly struck at the heart of Sun He's forces, targeting Sun He who was hastily directing the troops.

Without any surprise, Marshal Sun He was killed by Chu Ce, his personal soldiers unable to stop him.

The battle ended in less than half an hour.

Chu Ce sat quietly on his horse, observing the soldiers tallying prisoners and collecting weapons.

He led five thousand Dragon Strategy Army soldiers by Prince Huai's orders to intercept reinforcements of the Celestial Master Thieves.

All of this had been planned.

Encircle and attack the reinforcements, breaking them one by one, gradually reducing the Celestial Master Army's strength, and consolidating the battle zone.

"General, this man claims to be the deputy commander of this rebel army, named Qi Dong."

At this moment, Chu Ce's Personal Guard Battalion escorted a slender, tall man to Chu Ce, jubilantly reporting.

Catching a big fish, naturally, was cause for cheer.

A decent army always adhered strictly to rewards and punishments.

Chu Ce ordered them to take him away for interrogation by specialists.

Chu Ce then took out a brocade bag from his bosom.

This brocade bag was given to him by Diwu Fusheng before he left, with instructions to open it only after winning this interception battle to reveal the next phase of the plan.

If we don't win, just destroy it on the spot.

Chu Ce opened the brocade bag, inside was a small piece of paper. After reading its contents, Chu Ce smiled and said, "Come here."

The Captain of the Personal Guard stepped forward.

"Bring Qi Dong over."

"Yes,"

Soon, Qi Dong, who had been taken away just now, was brought in front of Qi Dong again.

Qi Dong was spineless. Just in a short moment, before the Dragon Strategy Army even started interrogating, Qi Dong confessed that the beheaded commander was named Sun He Army, and disclosed the number of personnel in Sun He's Army.

Being brought again before Chu Ce, Qi Dong looked anxious, and upon meeting Chu Ce's gaze, he trembled with fear, his body shaking uncontrollably.

Chu Ce was a straightforward man, not one for roundabout ways, he asked directly: "Do you want to die or live?"

"Live...live live..." Qi Dong hurriedly responded.

"Very well, the General needs your help, if you succeed, you will not only live, but continue to enjoy riches and honor..." Chu Ce said, looking at his Captain of the Personal Guard: "Yan Hai."

"I am here,"

"Take your men, change into the Celestial Master Thieves' clothes, pretend to be the defeated Celestial Master Thieves, and take him with you, head to Linchuan immediately."

Linchuan is the State City of Fengzhou.

"Yes."

...

Linchuan, the main base of the Celestial Master Army in Fengzhou.

As the Huai Army began a full-scale attack on Fengzhou, the defensive lines set by the Celestial Master Army throughout Fengzhou were broken by the Huai Army.

The defeated Celestial Master Army was scattered, fleeing everywhere, more were heading to Linchuan.

Outside Linchuan City at this moment, a large group of disheveled troops gathered, forming a long line.

Yan Hai wore tattered clothes, stained with blood, draped in a broken armor, mingling in the crowd, pretending to be scared to his core, whispered to Qi Dong beside him:

"When we go over later, don't speak randomly, the defeat of the Celestial Master Thieves is a foregone conclusion, only by cooperating with us do you have a chance to live. General Chu said that if this succeeds, you've accomplished a great merit, then General Chu will report to Prince Huai, and not only will all your previous crimes be pardoned, but you'll be promoted and honored. Following the Celestial Master Army holds no future."

Qi Dong nodded.

Soon, it was Yan Hai's group's turn.

The gate guard asked, "Which side are you from?"

"We are from Marshal Sun He's troops, this is our Deputy Commander." Yan Hai pretended to be anxious.

"Marshal Sun..." The gate guard was stunned, looked at Qi Dong, and said, "Weren't you going to reinforce Xuan County?"

Qi Dong showed a devastated look as if mourning a parent, and said, "We were ambushed by the Huai…bandits, suffered heavy losses, the Commander was killed by the Huai Bandits, now my unit has less than three hundred brothers left."

Upon saying this, a chorus of sighs arose from the surroundings.

But the gate guard clearly wasn't about to let them in easily, proceeding with more detailed questioning.

Seeing that continuing the questioning might expose them, Yan Hai subtly tugged Qi Dong's clothes.

Qi Dong clutching his stomach said, "Huai Bandits…are a bunch of bastards, chased us all the way, finally shook them off. Are you done yet, we haven't eaten for days, let us in to have something to eat."

The gate guard glanced at Qi Dong, and said, "Alright, alright, go inside. Those at the back, don't rush."

Yan Hai's group had just entered the city when a galloping horse approached swiftly, the rider holding a military order issued by Luo Guang, shouted loudly: "Close the city gate, close the gate quickly!"

...

Inside the Celestial Master Army tent.

Luo Guang sat behind the hall desk, clad in battle armor, his once black hair had turned almost entirely white overnight after Wan Zhen's death. Listening to the reports of various military defeats and the pressing advance of the Huai Army, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes.

Back then, he rose in the Northern Land, amassing millions in just a few months; wherever he went, people greeted them warmly, that vibrant flourishing of life, the realm still vivid before him, marching southward, almost unbeaten.

At that time, how confident and spirited he was.

But in just a few short years, now suffering repeated defeats, the populace regarded them like wolves and tigers, and the military high command had undergone drastic changes. Looking at those commanders below, many names he couldn't even remember.

Suppressing the panic in his heart, he feigned calmness and said, "When I got up this morning, frost had already formed on the ground, winter is here, if we can persist for one more month, we can see hope."

Will winter really halt the Huai Army's advance?

Luo Guang dared not guarantee, he spoke merely to inspire hope among everyone.

"Is there still no news from Chen Mo?" Luo Guang asked again.

A follower shook his head: "Months have passed, there's been no word at all, it seems Chen Mo doesn't intend to aid us."

Qingzhou and Fengzhou are separated by just a river, if Chen Mo intended to assist them, the blockade established by the Huai Army Navy would have been quickly broken; but until now, there's been no movement, which leaves only one possibility, that Chen Mo doesn't want to save them.

"Celestial Master, I said previously, Chen Mo harbors ambitions. When he signed the non-aggression pact with Prince Huai, we should have taken action before he had a navy, seized Qingzhou, stationed troops, leaving our army a retreat path. But Celestial Master, you insisted on listening to Wan Zhen." A voice seemingly dripping with blame murmured.

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