Chapter 281: Hello Chang'an
Chapter 281: Who Approaches Ahead?
“Even crossing the Bian River is impossible—does General Xu still hope to reach Luoyang?”
Amidst the exchange of attacks, the young girl guided two other warships on either side closer, standing steadily at the prow as she addressed him.
Xu Zhengye’s anger surged. In the growing morning light, as she spoke, she had already drawn her bow again, aiming at him as though no one else existed.
Her posture was composed and precise, her gaze focused, chin slightly raised—a look of provocation reflected in Xu Zhengye’s eyes.
Ridiculous! Did she think he was a mere target to be shot at?
With a swift release of her fingers, three arrows flew from her bow, piercing the dawn and hurtling toward him.
Xu Zhengye raised his spear, and with a deft sweep, blocked all three arrows.
The attack failed, yet she showed no sign of disappointment or irritation. Standing high above him, she nodded with measured approval: “Hmm, not bad.”
Xu Zhengye ground his teeth. What kind of person was this girl?!
“Then try again.”
Chang Suining did not move herself but raised a hand to signal the archers on either side: “Fire arrows.”
Xu Zhengye had his men raise their shields, about to command an attack on Chang Suining, when a cry suddenly reached him.
“Master! Trouble!”
A scholar-official rushed forward, terrified, pointing at the ships ahead. “Master… they… they’ve boarded the ships! They’re almost here!”
Nearly twenty ships ahead had already been taken by the enemy!
Xu Zhengye’s fury flared. Where were the subordinates assigned to command and maneuver? Were they all dead?
He turned sharply, eyes fixed on the girl at the prow.
So this wretch, feigning provocation, was deliberately diverting his attention!
He grabbed a nearby horse spear.
The horse spear resembled a long lance, far longer than a standard spear, with a short, dagger-like tip—immense in both impact and lethality.
He suddenly thrust, sending the spear flying toward Chang Suining with a whistling rush.
“General Ning Yuan, watch out!”
On a nearby ship, Hu Lin hurried forward to aid her, throwing his spear to intercept the incoming horse spear.
His skill was excellent, his reflexes fast; the spearhead struck the horse spear but was deflected by its tremendous force, falling into the river.
Hu Lin’s face changed drastically. He had long heard of Xu Zhengye’s mastery of the horse spear—its impact alone could pierce a man!
The spearhead gleamed coldly, approaching the girl with deadly intent.
Everything happened in a blink.
Yuan Xiang leapt forward, blade in hand, ready to block the spear.
But a hand pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him low.
Using the leverage, Chang Suining vaulted into the air, spinning her leg from below to deflect the spear, dissipating its force, and then kicking to redirect its trajectory.
The wind roared as Yuan Xiang stared in astonishment, watching the lethal spear bounce harmlessly beneath her feet.
Finally, she seized the spear, holding the massive weapon—longer than twice her height—steady. As she landed, the tip sank half an inch into the deck with a “clang,” her gaze fixed on Xu Zhengye.
Hu Lin, who had failed to see her earlier maneuver, was stunned.
Xu Zhengye clenched his fist, eyes wide with surprise.
This seemingly inexperienced young girl moved with such unpredictable skill!
“Fire arrows!”
“Shoot her down!” he bellowed. “…With her head, we honor the fallen soldiers!”
As his command rang out, dense volleys of arrows rained down from both sides.
Amid the chaos, one arrow slipped past the defense, grazing Chang Suining’s cheek.
“Plop!”
Seeing her fall into the water, Hu Lin shouted in alarm, “General Ning Yuan!”
Xu Zhengye’s hatred did not waver. “I will see her corpse!”
“Quick…!”
Hu Lin hastily tried to respond, but Jiang Cai grabbed him.
Hu Lin panicked—he had not seen if Chang Suining had been struck. If she fell wounded, it would be dire!
“Do not panic, Prefect Hu!” shouted Jiang Caii over the clamor. “Even if all the fish in the Bian River were spirits, none would surpass our general’s swimming skill! Stay calm!”
They had all witnessed her abilities during drills.
Hu Lin’s tension eased slightly under her forceful reassurance.
Behind them, Xiao Min, as commander, stood on the tower ship, replacing Chang Suining’s earlier position, directing the entire battlefield.
The drums continued without pause, cracking the clouds above and letting the first piercing rays of dawn through.
The sun rose.
Previously, under the dense night, Xu Zhengye’s forces had been caught unprepared, unable to gauge the enemy’s strength, consumed with fear.
Now, with the light fully illuminating the battlefield, hope should have arisen—but it brought them none.
They could finally see the full scope of the battlefield, and with it, an even greater panic.
A Xu soldier holding a spear by the railing noticed a figure suddenly emerge from the blood-red river.
He rushed to strike with his spear!
The spear was caught with a swift reverse grip.
As Chang Suining leapt, she spared his life, seizing his spear and throwing him into the river.
She used the spear to fend off a soldier rushing at her with a blade.
Soon, her men, including Yuan Xiang, climbed aboard from both sides.
They quickly took control of the ship. Chang Suining had explicitly forbade wanton slaughter, so most Xu soldiers were disarmed and temporarily subdued.
She had chosen two hundred men adept in swimming to coordinate underwater strikes with those on the surface, capturing the enemy warships.
“…General, Xu Zhengye was not found on this ship.”
Chang Suining scanned the surroundings. The cautious Xu Zhengye had likely suspected her dive was a ruse and evacuated early.
No matter. Her forces had not boarded just one ship.
Chang Suining casually picked up a long blade, severing the ship’s flagpole. The “Xu” banner collapsed with a crash.
She stepped over it and, with Yuan Xiang and others, boarded another ship.
With the main battle commanded by Xiao Min and Hu Lin overseeing the flanks, she had one task: capture Xu Zhengye.
Only by killing Xu Zhengye—the chief of traitors—could the slaughter end swiftly.
She had chosen this battlefield, not Jiangdu, to avoid a second massacre.
This time, Xu Zhengye must die.
Only his death would ensure no one else would bleed under the ambition symbolized by the “Xu” banner.
“…Master, master, the situation is lost. We must retreat!”
A scholar-official, following Xu Zhengye, fell to his knees aboard a tower ship, begging tearfully.
“What did you say?!”
Xu Zhengye pointed a knife at him, eyes brimming with malice. Gone was the cultured composure of a noble scion.
The situation is lost?! Retreat?!
If he retreated now, his prestige would be shattered. Years of careful plotting, reaching this moment, all for naught… all to vanish on the Bian River overnight?!
Never!
“Master!” the official knelt again, imploring, “…Preserve what remains!”
Two injured generals followed suit, kneeling beside him, faces pale and wan.
This defeat was beyond all their expectations.
Only yesterday, they had been confident, planning the capture of Bianzhou and its spoils.
Yet overnight, the tides had turned so drastically!
“Master…”
“Temporary victories or defeats mean little… today’s failure is not because of your own weakness, Master, but because of Xiao Min’s cunning trap!”
“Xiao Min…?” Xu Zhengye’s lips curled in a derisive smile. “No… it’s not him.”
He had always adhered to knowing both friend and foe. As the commander, he had thoroughly studied Xiao Min.
Cautious, moderate, by-the-book—this man would never conceive such a risky stratagem!
As for Chang Kuo… skilled though he was in battle, this situation was beyond his style.
The one he could not anticipate—seen as inexperienced and trivial, a blank sheet, “not worth studying”—
Xu Zhengye’s eyes widened in realization, recalling the girl’s seemingly arrogant provocations—
Her manner mirrored perfectly the boldness in that proclamation she had issued.
Outwardly proud, yet underneath lay cunning and calculated deceit!
So that proclamation had been entirely her own design!
“It was her!”
Xu Zhengye ground his teeth. “…From start to finish, it was her! A mere young girl!”
He had underestimated her!
Yet this enemy was beyond ordinary comprehension—he could neither dismiss nor anticipate her fully.
Even now, he could not fathom how a young woman, fresh from the capital, could possess such extraordinary and unconventional skill.
“Master, you mean… General Ning Yuan?!” The official’s eyes widened in shock. Crawling closer, he warned, “She has been provoking you, trying to make you strike first!”
“If you engage her further, Master, you will fall into her trap!”
Xu Zhengye clenched his jaw.
Yes… that’s it!
Every move she made was calculated!
“If you do not withdraw now, the victory will surely slip away!”
The men bowed repeatedly in desperation.
Xu Zhengye inhaled the bloodied air, trembling as he exhaled, and spoke in a steady voice: “…Retreat!”
“Understood! I shall carry out the master’s order immediately! All units shall withdraw at once!” A general sprang to his feet, ready to relay the command.
“Wait!” Xu Zhengye stopped him. “No need to issue orders.”
“Gather only the most trusted elite…” Xu Zhengye continued. “Do not alert the enemy! Sound the horns to boost morale, let the others reorganize!”
The general’s expression stiffened. So the master intended to slip away alone amidst the chaos, leaving the remaining forces to hold and delay?
“Only this way… is there a chance to break through!” Xu Zhengye forced a pained expression and said to the three closest: “You three, accompany me—return to Jiangdu.”
Jiangdu still stood. If he could reach it safely, there would still be a chance to recover everything.
But whether it was a sudden breakout or escape back to Jiangdu, both required secrecy. Bringing the full troops would instead become a death sentence.
Ensuring the commander’s safety was, after all, the duty of these soldiers.
He regained clarity, his face now revealing cold resolve.
“…Yes!”
The two generals quickly went to arrange matters.
Soon, sounds of combat rang out from outside the ship cabin.
“Master, they’ve boarded!” the scholar-official stammered.
“Exit from the stern!” Xu Zhengye gripped his knife and strode forward. But as he stepped out, two figures were already climbing up from the water at the stern.
One of them was Deputy General Jin.
Trapped from both front and rear, Xu Zhengye’s situation grew critical. He seized the scholar-official and pushed him forcefully backward, using him to block the enemy and create a momentary gap to advance.
The scholar-official could not believe his eyes—the spear piercing through him, and yet it bought time for the master to break free.
Before leaving Jiangdu, Xu Zhengye had told his friend to take care—but now…
Without a backward glance, Xu Zhengye ran toward the stern, knife in hand.
Amid the fighting, Deputy General Jin attempted to retreat to avoid Xu Zhengye’s strike, but a moment later, the blade still pierced his chest.
Deputy General Jin froze, forcing himself to look back—and saw the attacker was one of his own men.
“Move quickly!” the captain urged Xu Zhengye.
Xu Zhengye frowned in surprise. He did not know this man, but had no time to question him. Taking advantage of the moment, he leapt into the water.
“What are you doing?!”
Ah Dian, leading two soldiers from the prow, was shocked: “Why are you harming your own men?!”
Before he could act further, he rushed forward, striking the captain who had wounded his ally, forcing him to the ground and pressing him to his knees, eyes red with fury. “Villain!”
The two soldiers hurried to support Deputy General Jin.
“Bind this villain!” Ah Dian ordered, tossing the unconscious captain to his comrades before rushing to find Chang Suining.
He had to report to Her Highness—she had escaped on the seventy-third day!
With both deliberate and accidental cover, Xu Zhengye led two unremarkable light boats in a flank breakout.
The Xu army’s warships blocked the river to cover him, temporarily halting pursuit.
Archers on the shore fired, shooting down half the crew aboard the two light boats—but Xu Zhengye, shielded by others, remained unharmed.
Chang Suining ordered her archers to stop and led several light boats in pursuit.
Before leaving, she sent a message to Xiao Min—to persuade surrender and stop the slaughter as quickly as possible.
…
After chasing across the water for nearly half a day, Chang Suining reached a winding section of river and lost sight of Xu Zhengye and his companions.
She immediately ordered the boats ashore. Nearby, she discovered Xu Zhengye’s abandoned boat; another had been sunk by her grappling hooks during the pursuit.
But why had Xu Zhengye abandoned the boat here?
Though she had pursued him by water, her resolve to kill him was absolute. She had also stationed cavalry along both banks; Xu Zhengye would know this, and without horses, how could he have dared come ashore to court death?
As Chang Suining pondered, she leapt to the riverbank—only to hear the sound of hooves. Not behind her, but ahead as well.
Behind were her own men. Who approached from the front?
Could it be the Xu army?
Or was it Xu Zhengye’s missing ten thousand cavalry?
Chang Suining, with Yuan Xiang and the others, drew their blades and pushed aside the riverside grass, carefully observing ahead.
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