The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

"Then he must be very popular with the teachers at the academy, right?"

"Quite the opposite."

Chen Shouren revealed a mischievous smile.

"This kid can make scholars so angry they'll blow their beards and glare. Once, during a debate about the way of the king versus the way of the tyrant, he quoted classics and left Scholar Li speechless. In the end, Scholar Li got so angry that he smashed his teacup and didn't come to lecture for three days."

Ah Qin covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"Wouldn't he be punished?"

"The Master did not punish him; instead, he privately praised him for his insight."

Appreciation was evident in Chen Shouren's eyes.

"The most interesting thing is how he learned to write. Uncle Yuan taught him calligraphy, saying that his strokes were like dragons and snakes, with the momentum of swords. And guess what? This kid learned Uncle Yuan's unique brushwork in three days, and even created his own sword-inspired style, writing characters as sharp as sword moves."

"My God, three days?"

Ah Qin exclaimed in surprise.

"It took me three months to learn to write properly!"

Chen Shouren nodded.

"When he left the academy, the teacher originally did not want to give him books, thinking he was too unruly. But the boy shamelessly said that if the teacher did not give him books, he would have to steal them, which amused the teacher, who eventually gave him a few rare books."

Ah Qin listened intently, her eyes filled with longing.

"Young master, after the war is over, would you please take me to meet this Young Master Jiang Chuan?"

Chen Shouren raised an eyebrow at her.

"What, has our little Qin fallen for him?"

"certainly not!"

Ah Qin blushed and hurriedly defended herself.

"I just wanted to see what a genius swordsman among my peers looks like."

"Really?"

Chen Shouren deliberately dragged out his tone.

"I remember someone saying they wanted to be my swordsman for life, so why do they want to see someone else now?"

Ah Qin stamped her feet in frustration.

"Young master! If you continue to talk nonsense, I will... I will tell General Xu about your secret hiding of wine!"

"Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore."

Chen Shouren raised his hands in surrender, then suddenly lowered his voice.

"But I have to remind you, Jiang Chuan's zodiac sign is Rabbit."

Aqin looked bewildered.

"What does it matter?"

"A rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow."

Chen Shouren blinked.

"So you'd better stay with me, you little grass growing right next to my nest."

Just as Aqin was about to retort, heavy footsteps suddenly came from the steps of the city tower.

The two turned their heads at the same time and saw Xu Guandong, the garrison general of Sishui Pass, striding towards them, his armor gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

"Mr. Chen."

Xu Guandong clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, his expression solemn.

"The scouts report that the Song army has prepared a large number of ferries on the banks of the Sishui River, and it looks like they are about to launch their tenth attack on the city."

The smile on Chen Shouren's face vanished instantly, replaced by a calm and solemn expression.

"Exactly where?"

“They built three pontoon bridges overnight on the shallows three miles upstream.”

Xu Guandong said in a deep voice.

"This time the scale is larger than the previous times, it's probably a full-scale attack."

Chen Shouren nodded.

"General Xu, there is no need to worry. I have already made arrangements. Have archers ambush on both sides of the pass and fire when they cross to the middle of the river. Also, send a troop of light cavalry to patrol along the riverbank to prevent them from launching a sneak attack from elsewhere."

Xu Guandong's eyes were filled with admiration.

"Young master, your strategy is brilliant. I will make the arrangements immediately."

After Xu Guandong left, the relaxed expression on Aqin's face had completely vanished.

"Young master, how long will this battle last?"

Chen Shouren gazed into the distance, where the Sishui River flowed quietly under the moonlight.

"Until they realize that Sishui Pass is impregnable."

"So what are your chances of winning?"

Aqin asked softly, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the hem of her clothes.

Chen Shouren turned to look at her and suddenly smiled.

"Ten percent."

"what?"

Aqin's eyes widened.

"But the Song army boasts a force of 100,000, while our defending forces number only 30,000."

"Timing".

Chen Shouren raised one finger.

"The moon is bright tonight, and the enemy's crossing of the river is clearly visible."

Then he raised his second finger.

"The terrain is advantageous; the Sishui Pass is so strategically important that one man can hold it against ten thousand."

The third finger is raised.

"With the support of the people, our soldiers are united in their hatred of the enemy and their morale is at its peak."

Ah Qin was confused, but she still nodded.

"Although I don't quite understand it, as long as you think it's reliable, that's fine."

Chen Shouren suddenly became serious.

"Aqin".

"Ok?"

"A girl should not show her teeth when she smiles."

Chen Shouren said in a very serious tone.

"Otherwise, it will be difficult to find a husband in the future."

Aqin was taken aback at first, then realized that Chen Shouren was teasing her, and puffed up her cheeks in anger.

"Young master! What kind of time is this to be joking!"

Chen Shouren laughed heartily, his laughter ringing out clearly in the quiet night.

Looking at him, Aqin felt her worries dissipate.

"Aqin, your swordsmanship is quite good, but shouldn't you start thinking about your life's important matters?"

Chen Shouren couldn't help but start nagging again.

"Shh!"

A flash of cold light appeared, and Aqin's sword tip came to a steady stop three inches from Chen Shouren's nose.

The girl sheathed her sword and stood there, her wisps of hair sticking to her cheeks with sweat, her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

"Lord Chen, you've come again!"

Aqin pouted and casually sheathed her longsword.

"My ambition, Ah Qin, is to become a great swordsman in the North, as famous as Young Hero Jiang Chuan. Then I won't have to worry about whether I can get married!"

Chen Shouren shook his head helplessly and took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it over.

"Wipe your sweat. You silly girl, all you ever do is fight and kill. Young Master Jiang Chuan is both a scholar and a warrior. If you really want to take him as your role model, you should read more books so that you won't be unable to say a few words to your idol when you meet him in the future."

Ah Qin took the handkerchief, wiped her face haphazardly a couple of times, and her eyes lit up.

"Young Master Jiangchuan is also knowledgeable in poetry and literature?"

"nature."

Chen Shouren stroked his beard, his eyes filled with reminiscence.

"When he was traveling in the North, he wrote a poem about snow."

"Read it aloud!"

Aqin couldn't wait to get closer.

Chen Shouren cleared his throat and began to recite in a melodious and rhythmic manner.

"Heaven and earth are one, a dark hole above the well. A black dog has white fur, a white dog has swelling."

Ah Qin was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter.

"Haha, you call this poetry? It's just plain language!"

"What do you know!"

Chen Shouren feigned anger.

"This poem may seem simple, but it is actually a return to simplicity, vividly depicting the snow scene. If you have the ability, why don't you write one yourself?"

Ah Qin snorted defiantly and paced around the arena, sword in hand. Suddenly, she looked up and saw the rising moon on the horizon, and an idea struck her.

"Have it!"

She clapped her hands excitedly.

"The world is vast and boundless, the moon is like a large window. The great river roars and gurgles, bathed in white moonlight!"

Chen Shouren was both amused and exasperated.

"You little rascal... you do have some unusual talents."

He shook his head and took out a small notebook and charcoal pencil from his sleeve. "Fine, I'll write it down for you, so you won't forget your masterpiece in the future."

Ah Qin proudly raised her chin.

"How about it? Not inferior to Young Hero Jiang Chuan, right?"

"Not even close."

Chen Shouren smiled as he wrote.

"However, it does have a touch of childlike charm."

As night deepened, Chen Shouren stood on the city wall, gazing at the campfires of the Song army camp in the distance. The cold wind howled, fluttering his robes.

He knew that the person in the opposite tent was probably also looking in the direction of Suiyang City at that moment.

Song Zhiwen

Chen Shouren murmured the name, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

They had never met, yet it was as if they had known each other for a long time.

Both came from prominent families, both achieved early success, and both fell from grace in the power struggles.

Now, one is defending the city, the other is attacking it; one yearns for victory to prove himself, while the other wants to transform himself through failure.

"Sir, it's getting cold."

Ah Qin appeared behind him without his noticing and handed him a thick cloak.

Chen Shouren took the cloak and put it on, his gaze still fixed on the distance.

"Aqin, why would someone persist even knowing they will fail?"

Ah Qin tilted her head and thought for a moment.

"Perhaps it's for the path in my heart? Just like when I practice swordsmanship, I know I may never become a great swordsman in my lifetime, but I still swing my sword a thousand times every day."

Chen Shouren turned to look at her, his eyes filled with surprise.

"I never expected that you could say something so reasonable sometimes."

"Hmph, I'm not just good at writing bad poetry!"

Aqin puffed out her cheeks in protest.

Chen Shouren smiled and looked towards the enemy camp.

“Zhang Yan slaughtered another village today. Song Zhiwen actually lets him run rampant like this.”

"That Zhang Yan is a real scoundrel!"

Ah Qin gritted her teeth.

"Yesterday, the scouts reported that he had captured all the prisoners. All of them."

The girl couldn't continue speaking; a flame of anger ignited in her eyes.

"He did it on purpose."

Chen Shouren's voice was low and deep.

"Song Zhiwen needed such a villain to bear the infamy for him, and he also needed to lose complete control of the army."

Aqin was puzzled.

"why?"

"Only in this way can he break free from the shackles of fame and fortune and achieve a breakthrough in his spiritual practice."

Chen Shouren sighed.

"In a way, we are all searching for our own mountains. It's just that my mountain is in the mortal world, while his is perhaps in the highest heavens."

Ah Qin nodded as if she understood, then suddenly pointed into the distance.

"My lord, look! There's movement in the enemy camp!"

Chen Shouren squinted and saw a group of people moving quietly in the direction of the Song army camp. In the firelight, they could be vaguely seen pushing some kind of huge machine.

"It's a catapult. It seems the tenth siege is not far off."

Chen Shouren's expression was solemn.

"Pass down the order: the entire army is on high alert and ready to engage in battle."

Meanwhile, inside the main tent of the Song army, Song Zhiwen was writing furiously at his desk.

The candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows on his thin face.

"Miss Yu"

He wrote down the title, his pen pausing slightly, as if the three characters carried the weight of a thousand pounds.

Outside the tent, the cold wind howled, but inside it was so quiet that you could hear the soft crackling of the candle wick.

"Seeing this letter is like seeing you in person. Nine battles have already been fought at the walls of Suiyang, each one leaving rivers of blood. I often ask myself in the quiet of the night, what is the purpose of this carnage?"

Song Zhiwen's handwriting is elegant and powerful, yet it reveals an indescribable weariness.

"Zhang Yan has once again offered a brilliant plan today, proposing to use the Abyss Black Fire to breach the city. This substance is extremely dangerous; once used, I fear nothing will grow on either side of the Sishui River for a hundred years."

He stopped writing abruptly, looked up at the top of the tent, and his Adam's apple bobbed. After a moment, he continued writing.

"Sometimes I think, how wonderful it would be if we could escape all this and live in seclusion in the mountains with you, watching the clouds and listening to the rain every day. Unfortunately, we have never met, and such a wish is nothing more than the babbling of a caged beast."

After writing the last character, Song Zhiwen gently blew on the ink to dry it and carefully folded the letter.

Instead of sealing the letter, he opened a sandalwood box next to the desk and put it inside.

The box was filled with a thick stack of letters, each beginning with "Miss Yu," but none of them had ever actually been sent.

Just as he was about to close the box, footsteps came from outside the tent.

Song Zhiwen's expression hardened, and he quickly hid the box in the hidden compartment.

"General, Deputy General Yang requests an audience."

A guard outside the tent whispered the news.

"Let him in."

Song Zhiwen's voice came from inside the tent, so calm that no emotion could be detected.

Yang Cheng lifted the tent flap, and was greeted by the warm smell of charcoal fire and the faint scent of ink.

Song Zhiwen was studying a map at his desk. In the candlelight, his profile was sharply defined, but his brows showed signs of fatigue.

"General, there is something I don't understand."

Yang Cheng clasped his hands in a salute, his voice low, yet unable to conceal his anger.

Song Zhiwen raised his head, his gaze sharp and intense.

"explain."

"Zhang Yan's plan is utterly absurd! A hundred thousand troops crossing the river to attack Sishui Pass? Not to mention the difficulty of transporting large siege weapons, if Chen Shouren seizes the opportunity to attack, our army will be caught between two fronts and will undoubtedly be defeated!"

Yang Cheng slammed his fist on the table, making the teacup shake.

"That guy is nothing but a useless armchair strategist; what right does he have to point fingers at our army?"

Song Zhiwen put down his brush and slowly stood up.

He was half a head shorter than Yang Cheng, but his imposing presence was so overwhelming that it was hard to breathe.

Yang Cheng.

His voice was deep.

"Do you think I'm unaware of the risks? But His Majesty insisted on attacking Sishui Pass, and he personally determined the marching route. Now that the battle is at a stalemate, who is to blame?"

Yang Cheng's pupils contracted.

"The general means..."

"I did not say anything."

Song Zhiwen interrupted him, walked to the tent entrance, lifted the curtain, and looked towards Zhang Yan's camp in the distance.

"But you have to understand that some things are beyond our control."

The night breeze swept in, dispelling the warmth inside the tent.

Yang Cheng clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.

"Even so, how much of that so-called Abyss Black Flame does Zhang Yan actually have? If the number is insufficient, a rash attack will only lead our army into a desperate situation!"

Song Zhiwen lowered the curtain and turned around with a cold smile on his lips.

"He was hoping I would ask him for the exact quantity. But I just wouldn't follow his lead."

He walked back to the desk, picked up a black token, and fiddled with it in his hand.

"I will go see him in person tomorrow."

"General, you mustn't!"

Yang Cheng said urgently.

“That fellow is treacherous and cunning. It would be better for me to go in your place.”

"No need."

Song Zhiwen shook his head.

"He wants to see me. And..."

His eyes became deep.

"We need what he has in this war."

Yang Cheng's forehead veins bulged.

"This humble general does not understand! Why did Your Majesty entrust the Abyss Blackfire to that useless fool instead of you? Our army's actions are restricted at every turn; how can we possibly fight this battle?"

"Because he came here not for victory or defeat, but only for military merit."

Song Zhiwen's tone was frighteningly calm.

"In his eyes, this battle was already a sure thing."

He only needs to sit back and reap the rewards, then return to court to collect them.

"fart!"

Yang Cheng was furious.

"Even without his fancy tricks, our army can still win! The civil war in Zhengzhou has just ended, and Crown Prince Liu Xianbing has been poisoned and is barely able to protect himself. How can he have the spare strength to support Chen Shouren?"

Song Zhiwen suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with sarcasm. (End of Chapter)