FYM - 75

By early August, Song Mingzhen had already crossed the river into the Central Plains. Riding swiftly northward, his eyes were met with scenes of devastation everywhere.

Refugees lined the official roads, their clothes tattered and faces gaunt with hunger. Weak children were dragged along by their parents, their shrill cries sending chills down one’s spine. Song Mingzhen stopped a few people to inquire. An elderly man claimed to have fled from Guannei, saying that the imperial army could no longer withstand the Turkic cavalry. Just days ago, Huaiyuan had been brutally sacked.

“Sacked…”

Such a cruel word was truly horrifying, making the waning heat of August feel as chilling as the depths of winter. Song Mingzhen furrowed his brows and looked into the distance, where the setting sun painted the sky blood-red. After a moment of hesitation, he spurred his horse onward, traveling day and night toward the north.

By now, the imperial army had largely retreated to Yuanzhou.

Although battles still raged around Lanzhou, the overall situation had shifted to a defensive stance. The northern and southern fronts had converged to jointly resist the rebels and the Western Turks, while the Eastern Turks were being dealt with separately by several regional commanders like the Xie family. The military camp was solemn and cold, evoking a sense of desolation. Wounded soldiers were hurriedly carried in and out, their lives as fragile and insignificant as floating weeds.

Song Mingzhen entered the camp with a letter of recommendation, stating that he wished to see Lord Fang. A subordinate officer scrutinized him, his expression indifferent. “The general is occupied and has not yet returned to camp. You’ll have to wait outside.”

The soldiers here were blunt and unyielding, showing no deference to scholars or officials. As Song Mingzhen had just arrived, he had no intention of stirring up trouble. He nodded and prepared to step aside. However, just as he turned around, he heard someone exclaim, “Eh?” Looking up, he found himself face-to-face with a familiar figure—elegant and spirited, her delicate skin unmistakable. It was none other than Lou Tong, the young lady of the Lou family who had nearly caused his sister’s death at Lishan.

“You—”

He was utterly shocked, especially when he realized she was wearing full soldier’s armor. He couldn’t fathom how a noblewoman from a prestigious family could end up in a military camp. On the other hand, Lou Tong appeared perfectly at ease. After acknowledging him, she strode over quickly, though a hint of awkwardness lingered in her expression due to the past trouble she had caused. She gave Song Mingzhen a slightly stiff smile and asked, “How did you, Second Young Master, end up here? I thought your family had moved to Jiangnan?”

Inwardly, Song Mingzhen thought, You, a noblewoman, are openly mingling among these rough soldiers. Why shouldn’t I be here too? Outwardly, however, he merely coughed lightly and replied briefly, “With the nation in peril… one must do their part.”

After a pause, he glanced at Lou Tong and asked, “And Miss Lou, what brings you here?”

“Me?” Lou Tong raised an eyebrow and smiled confidently, without a trace of shyness. “I’m here for the same reason as you—to serve the country. After all, I’ve trained in martial arts for years. It’s only fitting that I join my father and brothers on the battlefield to kill a few enemies and put my skills to good use.”

Of course… she also wanted to escape the relentless marriage proposals back in Chang’an.

She kept this latter thought to herself. Song Mingzhen marveled at Lou Tong’s spirit—this woman was truly fearless, far more courageous and resolute than many men!

A surge of admiration welled up within him, and the grudge from Lishan suddenly seemed less important. He took a step forward, intending to continue their conversation. At that moment, the sound of galloping hooves echoed outside the camp. Turning around, he saw clouds of dust rising and gleaming armor approaching—it was the lords of the Fang and Lou families returning to camp together. Behind them followed countless soldiers, their presence awe-inspiring.

Song Mingzhen hadn’t seen Fang Xianting in a long time. From afar, he spotted him and was about to wave and call out, “Third Brother!” But before he could, he noticed a carriage trailing behind the troops. Judging by its appearance, it seemed to be from the palace.

He held back for the moment. Sure enough, shortly after, a familiar-looking eunuch descended from the carriage. Both Third Brother and General Lou Xiao addressed him respectfully as “Eunuch,” likely Wang Mu, the chief eunuch serving the current emperor.

The eunuch nodded to the two generals and then solemnly presented an imperial edict. The bright yellow scroll stood out starkly against the somber backdrop of the camp. Everyone present knelt to hear the decree. Song Mingzhen and Lou Tong knelt as well, but being far away, they couldn’t clearly hear the details. Later, they saw the eunuch hand the edict exclusively to Third Brother, while General Lou Xiao turned and left with his eldest son, Lou Feng.

Song Mingzhen raised an eyebrow. After a moment’s thought, it wasn’t hard to guess the reason. Previously, the emperor had appointed Lou Xiao as Grand General of the Garrison and Third Brother as General of the Western Expedition, clearly placing the former in charge and the latter as his subordinate. However, with the imperial army suffering repeated defeats, and the northern front under the Lou family relying entirely on the Yingchuan army in the south for support, criticism was inevitable. It was likely that the new imperial edict involved a change in command, which explained General Lou’s displeasure.

Alas, this was…

He sighed quietly to himself. Beside him, Lou Tong seemed oblivious to this layer of meaning. After everyone rose, she asked Song Mingzhen if he wanted to follow her to rest and freshen up. He smiled and declined, saying, “I still need to pay my respects to Third Brother. Let’s catch up another day.”

In reality, the situation was dire, with urgent military reports arriving nonstop. Not only Song Mingzhen, but even the eunuch from the western capital had only managed a brief meeting with Lord Fang during the edict’s delivery. After staying in Yuanzhou for just a few hours, the eunuch departed before sunset.

With no other options, Song Mingzhen wandered alone outside the main camp. The commander’s tent remained brightly lit, suggesting that the discussions inside were not going smoothly. Later, Fang Yunhui, the fourth son of the Fang family, returned to camp after escorting the eunuch. Upon entering, he spotted Song Mingzhen from afar, dismounted with a broad smile, and approached him. “I thought I was mistaken, but it really is you! Big Brother said you wouldn’t arrive for a few more days. Looks like you must have rushed here.”

It had been a long time since they last met. In fact, this was their first encounter since the Fang family relocated to Yingchuan in the eighth year of Yuanzhang. The once boyish Fang Yunhui had matured significantly, grown taller and stronger, with sharp and confident speech. They exchanged pleasantries warmly. After a few words, Fang Yunhui asked, “Why are you standing out here? You should find somewhere to rest…”

Song Mingzhen explained that he hadn’t yet met Third Brother and needed to see him before making further arrangements. Hearing this, Fang Yunhui sighed slightly and glanced at the brightly lit tent. “Who knows when that will happen… The situation is critical, and Third Brother hasn’t slept for days.”

This was unsurprising.

On his journey north, Song Mingzhen had witnessed refugees everywhere, and occasionally saw the Yingchuan army escorting civilians across the border to the south. Clearly, Third Brother was not only focused on the frontlines but also burdened with logistics in the rear. It was an immense challenge.

Song Mingzhen fell silent. Fang Yunhui consulted a soldier about the time, then decided to bring Song Mingzhen along to the main tent. As they walked, he said, “Let’s try our luck. Maybe Third Brother can spare some time.”

Song Mingzhen was deeply grateful. As they approached the tent, they heard heated arguments inside. It sounded like General Lou Xiao was furious, shouting, “Preposterous! To abandon half of Guannei and retreat south of the Wu River? The Turks just massacred Huaiyuan. Instead of avenging the dead and striking back, we’re retreating out of fear! What will the people think? And Guannei is the last line of defense before the capital! If Guannei falls, Chang’an is in danger. Do you understand that?”

He was clearly enraged, his voice hoarse from shouting. Yet the other generals didn’t back down, countering, “General Lou is full of bravado now, but where was your approval when our lord proposed a surprise attack earlier? Now the Turks are advancing fiercely, and we’re exhausted from prolonged fighting. We can’t hold the area north of the Wu River! Should we stay and die for nothing?”

“Fang Hao—you—”

The argument grew increasingly intense, with neither side yielding. Soon, the noise escalated as the generals from both the Fang and Lou families became more heated, nearing失控. Just as things were spiraling out of control, a loud thud echoed from inside the tent, followed by complete silence. The sudden quiet was even more unsettling.

“My decision is final. No further discussion.”

Amidst the silence, Fang Xianting’s voice finally rang out. Outside the tent, Song Mingzhen and Fang Yunhui listened, finding it both familiar and distant.

“Tomorrow, the Guannei forces will retreat under Lou Feng’s command. Uncle Lou can assist the civilians on the northern bank in crossing the Wu River. Within seven days, the front must be cleared. Another massacre must not happen.”

“Understood.”

His tone was cold and unyielding, exuding authority even without seeing him. Song Mingzhen felt even more uneasy. Just as he was lost in thought, the tent flap was angrily thrown open, and General Lou Xiao stormed out, followed awkwardly by his son, Lou Feng.

Fang Yunhui sighed deeply, seemingly unfazed by the scene. After the generals dispersed, he gestured for Song Mingzhen to enter. Feeling hesitant and inexplicably tense, Song Mingzhen stepped inside. Standing alone behind the sand table, Lord Fang turned his piercing gaze toward him. His deep eyes were heavy with burdens, clearly different from the man Song Mingzhen had seen in Jiangnan over a year ago.

“Third Brother…”

Song Mingzhen faltered, his tone tinged with uncertainty.

“It’s me.”

Fang Xianting recognized him, though the frostiness from the earlier dispute hadn’t fully dissipated. Still, he nodded and acknowledged him with a curt, “Ziqiu.”

Song Mingzhen felt slightly reassured and quickly greeted him. Fang Xianting, however, had little idle talk to offer. He simply said, “I’ve received Lord Song’s letter of recommendation. Since you wish to join the army, you may stay by my side for now. Later, go find the mounted cavalry general—he’ll arrange your duties.”

The words were terse and formal, leaving no room for familiarity. Song Mingzhen dared not call him “Third Brother” again and instead addressed him as “General.” Fang Xianting gave a quick nod, his attention firmly fixed on the sand table. Realizing he shouldn’t linger, Song Mingzhen bowed and prepared to leave.

Just as he was about to exit, he hesitated and pulled a thin letter from his sleeve. Fang Xianting looked up at him again. Awkwardly, Song Mingzhen said, “It’s… it’s a letter from Fourth Sister. I don’t know if you…”

The tent was brightly lit, yet Song Mingzhen couldn’t discern whether Fang Xianting’s eyes betrayed a flicker of emotion. With the nation in turmoil and countless matters weighing on this man’s shoulders, his heart couldn’t afford to waver—even a moment’s distraction would have consequences for the entire realm. The brief silence stretched endlessly. Reflecting later, Song Mingzhen realized this might have been his own “near-home nervousness.” Fortunately, Fang Xianting eventually extended his hand, took the letter, but didn’t open it, merely glancing at it briefly before setting it aside.

“…Go rest.”

He spoke faintly, as if suddenly overcome with exhaustion.