My lord, spare his life!

The granary marked on the map is not too far from Sun Ban's camp.

Despite the obstacles of mountains and rivers, the elite troops under Sun Ban, with their formidable physiques, could easily arrive before dawn after a night's rapid march. Sun Ban had controlled Dou County for many years and was allied with forces such as the Eunuch County, extending his influence far and wide and possessing an intimate knowledge of the surrounding terrain. Zhang Yang, being an outsider, would be at a disadvantage in terms of terrain.

The night was as dark as ink, pressing down heavily overhead.

Sun Ban tensed his jaw, pursed his lips, and stared straight ahead.

Her elite troops were all disguised, wearing uniforms that closely resembled those of Zhang Yang's soldiers, and even their army banners bore the character "Zhang," in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances. They silently stepped onto the frozen river and gradually disappeared into the night.

After crossing the river, we started our journey.

The warhorse, which had been carefully restrained, was released from its confinement.

The warhorses unleashed their power, charging forward like arrows released from a bow, kicking up clouds of dust. It was the new moon, and the night sky was shrouded in darkness, where one could not see their own hand in front of their face. The biting wind cut through her armor, and with each lurch of her horse, the quiver and dagger at Sun Ban's waist jingled rhythmically, a sound far too loud for her deafening heartbeat.

In Yu Guangzhong's paintings, the shadows of trees and mountains are rushing past.

Sun Ban not only had the map of the granary provided by Changsun Wang, but also the coded signals for the sentry posts. He could deceive those he could, bypass those he couldn't, and if all else failed, he would lure them in and kill them all. The journey was fraught with danger, but they made it smoothly to the granary camp.

The granary was less than fifty li away from Zhang Yang's camp.

It is estimated that Zhang Yang used the existing building structure as a granary to save manpower, making slight modifications to it. The advantage was low cost and quick deployment, but the disadvantage was the lack of natural barriers nearby. The mountain roads near the camp were carefully widened to allow a supply wagon to be transported smoothly.

According to the map, the entire granary camp was roughly divided into inner and outer sections. The soldiers, sentries, and arrow towers were located on the outside, while the grain was stored inside. The outer section of the camp was fully staffed and appeared orderly and disciplined. However, due to time constraints, there wasn't time to dig deep trenches; only two rows of simple barricades served as a buffer zone. Behind the barricades were a low rammed earth wall and wooden palisades.

At first glance, the granary camp looks rather hastily made.

Sun Ban could spot several flaws.

However, Sun Ban did not suspect anything.

Firstly, Zhang Yang intended to achieve a swift victory and had no intention of engaging Sun Ban in a stalemate for three to five months; the granary camp was merely a temporary outpost. The time between the arrival of Zhang Yang's main force and the present was simply insufficient to construct a well-fortified granary camp.

Secondly, even at this hour, soldiers outside the camp were still working overtime to build fortifications, showing no signs of slackening.

Changsun Wang was a promising young man. He used his youthful physique and good looks to seduce Lü Yuan, tricking him into bringing him to the granary camp to assist in the defense. He had a deal with Sun Ban: if the agreed-upon signal appeared on the first night of the lunar month, he would help Sun Ban open the granary gates. In addition, he would be responsible for getting Lü Yuan drunk, leaving the granary guards leaderless and unable to organize a defense.

In the words Changsun Wang told Sun Ban: "That scoundrel Lü Yuan is not only lustful but also fond of wine. While she was with her adoptive mother, the traitor Zhang, she didn't dare to act recklessly. But once she's transferred to the granary, her true nature will naturally be revealed. At that time, all we need to do is entice her to drink and make merry for a few days, and she'll naturally become complacent. On the first night of the new moon, Lü Yuan will be off guard, and my lord can strike her down in one fell swoop!"

Sun Ban felt a pang of sympathy for Changsun Wang's sacrifice.

During the period of mourning, she was also required to seduce men.

Changsun Wang's obsequious flattery belies the deep pain she feels inside. So she made a promise: "After this is done, whether Lü Yuan is killed or tortured is entirely up to you, to appease your hatred."

Sun Ban didn't hesitate to use his enemies to do favors.

She had tried to recruit Lü Yuan several times before, each time putting in effort to offer gifts, but Lü Yuan refused to cooperate. Given this, it's no wonder Sun Ban didn't value talent; Lü Yuan's life was no match for Changsun Wangzhong's.

"Today is the first day of the lunar month. When will Sun Zhaoruo arrive?"

Lu Yuan had been staying in this dilapidated camp for quite some time, and the longer she stayed, the more anxious she became. She couldn't help but be anxious; her adoptive mother was surrounded by all sorts of strange and monstrous people, and Zhe Meng was constantly clinging to her, performing all sorts of things. Her adoptive mother was simple and kind; wouldn't Zhe Meng easily win her over with a few words? Lu Yuan worried that Zhe Meng would corrupt her adoptive mother's family, and she was even more worried that Sun Zhaoruo wouldn't come back as promised.

All my investment over this period of time has gone down the drain.

Lu Yuan, fully armed, sat in his simple tent, propping his legs up with his chin, staring intently at the dripping water clock, and began to feel sleepy.

The sentries lurking in the shadows still haven't found any suspicious traces.

Changsun Wang sat upright to one side.

Besides the two of them, there was also He Zhi present.

The three sat in the far corners of the tent, forming an equilateral triangle with a subtly tense atmosphere. He Zhi was taciturn, Changsun Wang bowed his head and silently recited scriptures to pray for his mother's soul, while Lu Yuan, feeling the awkward atmosphere, couldn't help but mutter to himself, trying to break the suffocating silence.

Finally, after repeating it for who knows how many times.

He Zhi said, "Judging by the distance, we should arrive before dawn."

Winter days are short and nights are long, and dawn comes even later, so Lu Yuan has to wait even longer. She got up to wash her face and checked the prepared ambush again. The outer defenses of the camp were not much different from those of ordinary granaries; the real difference lay inside.

The stacks of grain that appear to be full of food are actually fake.

What's hidden inside isn't grain, but people waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump!

Suddenly, a kind of intuitive stimulation climbed up her spine to the top of her head, causing Lu Yuan to look up sharply in the direction of the camp.

Her eyes lit up dramatically: "You're here!"

A short, sharp horn blast pierced the air, followed by the explosion of a whistle above the camp. Hearing the signal, Changsun Wang flung open the tent flap and rushed towards the camp gate. Meanwhile, outside the camp, Sun Ban's men violently breached the barricades.

Horse hooves leaped high over the remains of wooden stakes.

The archers followed closely behind, their arrows hurtling straight at the guards on the wall.

"Kill the guards! Brave men, break through the gates with me!"

Thanks to Changsun Wang's prior arrangements, Sun Ban faced minimal obstruction. The camp gates were breached without any real resistance by the surging tide of elite troops. Retaliation was warranted, and Sun Ban also provided Zhang Yang with a large quantity of flammable materials. Without pausing, the army marched straight into the granary camp.

The grain stacks were piled up, densely packed.

It's clear that Zhang Yang left all the grain and fodder here.

"Set it on fire! Burn it!"

The archers fired all the ignited fire arrows at the grain stacks, followed by the flying debris. These debris were mostly round, filled with straw and weighted pebbles, wrapped in burlap, and all soaked in hot oil.

Before long, the fire will spread throughout the entire granary camp!

Flames bloomed everywhere.

The flickering firelight illuminated the figures of people engaged in fierce combat.

Upon hearing the news, Zhang's bandit troops rushed out of their camp to meet the enemy. They had to defend against the troops rushing into the camp while also extinguishing the fires to protect their grain. They seemed to be attacked from both sides, with no clear strategy. Looking at the chaotic scene, Sun Ban finally let out his pent-up frustration.

"Fuming, you've come at the perfect time!"

Upon seeing a familiar-looking military general charging out, accompanied only by a few men, Sun Ban was overjoyed and called out to him.

She wasn't unaware that this move would prematurely expose Changsun Wang, who wasn't fully prepared yet, but at this moment, the latter's personal value had already been exhausted. Revealing Changsun Wang's identity and stance now would also allow her to take advantage of the chaos to attack the enemy's psychological defenses and add fuel to the fire.

It would naturally be more advantageous for her to reveal her identity.

Just as she had predicted, the call echoed throughout the surrounding area, and many people heard it, including Changsun Wang. Changsun Wang raised his eyes, his clear, cold black eyes fixed directly on Sun Ban.

That look was firm and resolute.

He opened his lips and uttered a single word: "Kill!"

The moment he finished speaking, he shot forward like an arrow, hurtling towards Sun Ban. In that instant, Sun Ban's emotions underwent a complete reversal. Even faster than joy came a powerful unease, like a venomous snake crawling into her heart!

wrong!

Something's not right!

In a flash, a general suddenly rushed out and blocked the incoming killing blow: "My lord, something's wrong! We've been tricked!"

The grain stacks were pried open from the inside, and the fire, which had not yet taken hold, was completely brought under control. As soon as the ambush troops landed, they charged forward with swords and shields in hand, and the endless shouts and cries of battle were like venomous snakes slithering into Sun Ban's ears.

Sun Ban could not hear the sounds around him.

All she could hear was a series of buzzing sounds in her ears!

A question swelled and lingered in my mind—

Why was Changsun Wang's attack directed at her?

In that instant, Sun Ban felt as if millions of years had quietly passed around her, yet it also seemed like only a blink of an eye. Before she could fully react, the general was already engaged in battle with Changsun Wang. The general roared, "Changsun Wang, what are you doing? You have betrayed us!"

Changsun Wang's tone was icy, but his eyes were bloodshot: "You all know best what I'm doing!"

Even today, these people still have the nerve to talk about betrayal!

"Of course I'm seeking revenge for my deceased mother!"

Changsun Wang's answer exceeded Sun Ban's expectations.

She still arrogantly believed that it was only natural for others to sacrifice themselves for her. She was just an ordinary woman, but the woman was willing to use her life to awaken her lost son—that was true righteousness! Changsun Wang actually blamed her, Sun Ban, for this woman's death? And wanted to avenge his mother's murder? Sun Ban's emotions were pushed to the breaking point. She shouted, "Changsun Wang, your mother committed suicide, she bravely faced death, and what have you done? Stubbornly clinging to your delusions, colluding with the traitor Zhang, disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust!"

I actually fell for the treacherous scheme of such a villain!

Sun Ban was furious at the thought of what he had done.

She shouted at the top of her lungs, "Kill him!"

The military officer did not respond, but simply tensed his jaw.

Changsun Wang was no match for him, but given the current situation, if he focused solely on containing Changsun Wang, his own army would be gradually devoured by the enemy's ambush. Losing some soldiers was acceptable; the real fear was that his lord would also perish here. Very well, a swift and decisive victory was necessary!

Having made up his mind, his momentum surged, instantly overwhelming his opponent. His spear slammed down with tremendous force, numbing Changsun Wang's hands and bending his knees, forcing him to retreat half a step. The general's eyes gleamed: "Changsun Wang, you will surely die today!"

Changsun Wang spat.

Come on!

Two other bodyguards protected Sun Ban, helping her break through to another location. Changsun Wang, seeing this, was about to give chase, but was forced back by a beastly figure bursting forth at close range. In the blink of an eye, Sun Ban's figure had receded several feet, seemingly about to disappear into the chaos of battle. Changsun Wang's eyes reddened, and in desperation, he unleashed all his power.

In an instant, the phantom's forepaws were pinned to the ground by a spear wreathed in crimson and purple flames. A familiar figure swept in from behind, pulling the spear from the ground with one arm, gathering power, and thrusting the tip towards the phantom's neck. A surge of powerful stellar energy, imbued with intense flames, rushed along the spear shaft to the wound, causing the phantom to scream in agony: "Go after him! I'll kill him!"

The person who came was none other than Lü Yuan.

Without hesitation, Changsun Wang simply said, "Thank you!"

The general's eyes were bloodshot as he tried to break Changsun Wang's pursuit by fighting two opponents at once. Lü Yuan flicked his toe, and the Winged Fire Serpent Spear fell into his palm, gathering power to thrust at the general's face, forcing him to stop. He then reversed the handle of the spear and swung it in a wide arc to strike the general's skull.

"Old man, where do you want to go?"

Lu Yuan smiled as he looked at the military general before him.

He teased, "Come and spar with your grandma!"

This man wasn't a fleeting romance for her; he was just a dull, unattractive old man with an incredibly bad temper, repulsive at first glance. Yet, he was also arrogant and self-important. Lu Yuan had long disliked him, but hadn't had the chance to kill him before.

The military commander was extremely anxious.

Those two guards were no match for Changsun Wang.

The inner and outer stockades were separated by a thick wooden palisade. After Sun Ban's troops were lured in, the gate between the two stockades was closed, forcibly cutting them off and preventing them from defending both ends. The gate to the granary camp was also closed, cutting off their retreat. Now, Sun Ban's troops were completely trapped in the carefully laid camp trap, unable to form a battle formation.

Amidst the chaos of war, it is extremely easy to be gradually eroded.

It's not impossible that Sun Ban was killed by the chaotic army.

Thinking of this, the general was filled with rage and roared, "Lü Bafeng, I'll make sure you die a horrible death today!"

He swept the soldiers who were trying to surround and kill him in half.

He only has eyes for Lu Yuan!

As his anger surged, the general's aura grew increasingly powerful, and the phantom of the constellation moved in perfect harmony with his actions, simultaneously slamming a tiger claw at Lu Yuan's head. The tiger claw possessed astonishing strength, leaving a deep claw mark on the ground with a single blow.

"puff!"

The general coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He looked at Lu Yuan in disbelief.

This fellow actually held his spear upright against the descending tiger's claw, neither dodging nor avoiding the general's thrust. His left hand gripped the general's spear tightly, preventing him from pulling back, while his right hand drew his longsword and slashed fiercely at the general. At such close range, the general desperately dodged backward, but his breastplate was still pierced and torn by the blade. Lü Yuan kicked the Winged Fire Serpent spear, gliding along the ground to avoid the descending tiger's claw, steadied himself, and with a flick of his wrist, thrust back. The general tumbled to the ground in a sorry state, his helmet nowhere to be seen.

Lu Yuan seized the opportunity, leaped onto the top of the Fire Tiger's head, and swung down in a wide arc. The phantom of the Winged Fire Serpent roared and charged forward.

Roar!

With a painful roar, the massive tiger staggered backward.

Lu Yuan conjured a long whip of crimson and purple flames in his hand. The whip coiled around the neck of the fiery tiger like a serpent, then snapped back, taut, and slammed down again. This time, the target wasn't the hard skull, but the more vulnerable neck. He turned and thrust his spear at the rising general, blocking with one hand: "Where do you think you're going? You unfilial descendant, why don't you listen to your grandmother's orders?"

Despite being seriously injured, the military general still thought of his lord, Sun Ban.

The more anxious he became, the more composed Lu Yuan remained.

Her adoptive mother's task for her was to annihilate Sun Ban's army. If Sun Ban managed to break out with his remaining troops, that was fine too, as her adoptive mother would send people to intercept him. Therefore, Lü Yuan was in a very good mood because the task was easy.

While repelling the generals who tried to break through, she casually took a few of Sun Ban's soldiers by the nose, smiling as she watched their comical and anxious state. She even teased them with words: "Grandma knows you're in a hurry, but Sun Zhaoruo isn't dead yet. Why are you rushing to the funeral? Don't worry, you'll make it in time for the seventh day after her death."

Before long, the general, covered in blood, looked unwillingly in the direction Sun Ban was trying to escape. It was so close, yet felt as far away as if separated by an insurmountable chasm.

Only after they were covered in blood, exhausted, and beaten back by Lü Yuan did Lü Yuan stop his mockery: "What kind of drug did Sun Ban give you? You're all so loyal, willing to risk your lives for me?"

Such dedication is rare indeed.

Under normal circumstances, military generals facing such a hopeless situation would choose to be captured alive on the spot. After being captured, they would either surrender or patiently wait for negotiations between the two armies to see how much money Sun Ban could offer to ransom them back; there was no need to risk their lives.

"What do you know!"

His desperate roars could pierce through the noisy battlefield.

It's clear that her defenses are severely compromised.

Lu Yuan chose to respect the decision and give the other party a swift resolution.

He cut off the head and casually tossed it to his personal guards.

"Keep it safe, I'll have to brag to my godmother later."

The guard looked worriedly at the wound on her side, a result of exchanging blows with a military officer: "General, your wound—"

Lu Yuan casually tore off a strip of cloth and tied it around his waist.

"Don't worry about it, it's just a small cut, it won't kill you."

Such injuries were commonplace for Lu Yuan.

She seized a warhorse, mounted it, and swung her spear in a wide arc, clearing a path as she headed towards Changsun Wang's pursuit. The granary camp was enormous, so vast that it filled Sun Ban with anxiety and despair. She had originally been accompanied by four or five hundred guards, but through the fighting and retreating along the way, only a little over three hundred remained, and she could barely see the outer gate of the granary camp.

"My lord, we will break down this door together!"

"That madman Changsun Wang is still chasing after us!"

Upon hearing the name Changsun Wang, Sun Ban's features contorted slightly, his eyes brimming with a deep-seated hatred mixed with a hint of worry. Changsun Wang pursued relentlessly like a madman, and those covering his retreat were cleaved in two in no time, lasting more than three or four moves.

Countless corpses were left behind along the way.

As dawn approached, Sun Ban felt a surge of joy.

Changsun Wang: "Don't leave!"

With a loud bang, the camp gate was shattered into pieces.

The resistance was exceptionally strong over this distance. Only a hundred or so men remained around Sun Ban, their bodies piled upon each other, eventually carving out a path to survival. She was surrounded on her warhorse. The moment she passed through the gate of the granary camp, she clearly noticed the stark difference in the air just beyond the gate. Inside, the air was foul and shrouded in the shadow of death; outside, the air was fresh and fragrant, carrying the sweet scent of life.

The breath filled my lungs and warmed my cold hands and feet considerably.

On the other side, Changsun Wang pulled out the weapon that had pierced the heart of an enemy soldier, grabbed a warhorse, and gave chase, dashing out of the camp gate like an arrow. Behind him were stray dogs trying to break through with Sun Ban, but whose escape route was blocked by a makeshift camp gate.

It's called a village gate, but it's really just a few pillars.

Soldiers repairing fortifications outside the village erected it despite the pressure.

Just then, the fleeing soldiers heard the sound of hooves behind them, and some turned to look back. As dawn broke, the sky began to lighten, and everything buried in the darkness gradually emerged in shape. They could vaguely see a figure relentlessly pursuing them.

"My lord, Changsun Wang is still in pursuit."

Sun Ban's heart sank. He asked, "How many people?"

"Only him!"

"Which of my beloved generals is capable of this important task and kill the traitor Changsun?" Even with only one person, he dared to pursue us. Did Changsun Wang really think he was invincible? However, this order did not receive an immediate response as usual, and Sun Ban was still somewhat unaccustomed to it.

She lifted her blood-stained face and looked around. She noticed that the guards around her were all wounded, and many familiar faces were missing. Her heart sank. Not following her in the breakout meant staying behind to cover their retreat, or dying in that trap-filled granary.

"This humble servant departs."

It took a while before someone broke away from the line and went against the flow.

At this moment, someone whispered: "...My lord, there is only one traitor named Changsun. Let's stop and surround and wipe him out."

They were exhausted from their attempt to break through the encirclement, and in this state, their chances of defeating Changsun Wang were slim. However, if the encirclement was halted, given their numbers and strength, the outcome would be virtually certain. Yet, Sun Ban's orders remained unchanged.

These words made Sun Ban's face darken.

Everyone else knew it too.

There's nothing wrong with them surrounding and killing Changsun Wang. The problem is that stopping would waste precious time. What if the bandits catch up? What if Changsun Wang is determined to stall for time and play the cowardly game with them?

The enemy was right behind them, so they had to race against time.

After galloping for another dozen breaths, one of them gritted his teeth and broke away from the group. However, it wasn't because of Sun Ban's orders, but because he thought that if he could shoot arrows from the sidelines, it would relieve the pressure on the one in front of him, which was better than being isolated and fighting Changsun Wang alone.

Changsun Wang was becoming increasingly reckless in the fight. Several times he risked injury to kill his opponent with lightning speed. After a chaotic battle, there were probably hardly any unscathed pieces of flesh left under his armor. His wounds were gushing blood, but even that didn't kill him.

Sun Ban dared not turn around.

She was afraid that if she turned around, she would see her pursuers.

She only snapped out of her daze when her warhorse neighed in pain; her heart pounded wildly, almost leaping out of her burning throat. The sun was almost overhead, but its rays offered little warmth. Sun Ban dismounted and switched to a horse that still had some strength.

"Where are we?"

The surrounding area is filled with towering, uncharted mountains, and the environment is unfamiliar.

Having been betrayed by Changsun Wang, she naturally dared not return the way she came, choosing instead a longer but relatively safer route. However, this also increased the risks and unforeseen events along the way. She had no idea where Sun Ban had gone, nor how far they were from the main camp.

Speaking of the main camp—

Sun Ban had a bad feeling.

Since this was all a deception by Zhang, why would the enemy let their defenses slip by? She feared that the Doujun camp had been attacked last night. Sun Ban's personal guards numbered less than a hundred, all looking weary, their eyes filled with confusion and exhaustion.

The night's rapid march had already exhausted them, and the subsequent long period of breaking through, fighting, and fleeing had left them practically drained. Their mental state was stretched to the limit, coupled with the uncertain future ahead... If it weren't for their unwavering will, they would likely have collapsed long ago.

But who can we blame for all of this?

Sun Ban's confidant replied, "Less than thirty li."

These thirty li are not easy to walk.

Along the way, they might also face a massive encirclement and search operation by the enemy, which could eventually stretch the distance to forty or fifty miles.

If you ride a horse at full speed, you can get back in half a day.

Both men and horses are exhausted now, and it will probably take more than a day.

Sun Ban clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white, forcibly suppressing the anger, humiliation, and resentment within her. She gritted her teeth, swallowing her rage, blinking repeatedly until the swirling, inverted scene before her returned to normal, before uttering a single, calm word: "Go."

She hasn't been completely defeated yet.

Even if Dou County is captured by Zhang Zetian in a sneak attack, she still has a way out; she can go to Tianji. She can endure the humiliation for a while, as long as she can find a place to settle down and recuperate in Tianji, she can lie low for several years or even more than ten years, waiting for Zhang Zetian to expose his weakness.

If the green hills are left, there is no need to worry about no firewood.

She will eventually get her revenge.

And as for Changsun Wang, he must be torn to pieces to vent my hatred.

The group walked for a while longer without encountering a single person, let alone any soldiers lying in ambush or searching for them. It seemed they had chosen the right path. Just as Sun Ban's tense nerves began to relax, she heard a strange rustling sound, and she immediately became alert.

"Who?"

"My lord, it's just the wind."

Sun Ban looked haggard, his heart filled with indescribable emotions.

She thought to herself, "Even I have a day when I see enemies everywhere."

After walking another quarter of an hour, his warhorse began to neigh uneasily, as if an extremely dangerous atmosphere permeated the air.

The remaining soldiers reacted and surrounded Sun Ban.

A rough male voice came from all directions.

"I wield my sharp blade to guard the mountain, not waiting for a mighty army, but only for the wounded."

Black and gray mist surged from the ground, instantly transforming into hundreds of wolves, each about half a person's height. Higher up, flags emerged from the rocks, clearly displaying the characters "Zhang" and "Guan".

"Hahaha, the once mighty lord is now a prisoner."

"Sun Ban, I pay my respects to you."

A burly man with a thick beard, carrying a large knife, leaped out with his hands on his hips; his smug expression couldn't be hidden by his thick beard. But before he could be arrogant for long, another male voice interrupted him: "What kind of lousy doggerel are you reciting?"

You've ruined all the pretense I've managed to maintain.

Guan Zong's smile froze, and he muttered a complaint.

"Do you think it was easy for me to rack my brains to come up with these few words?"

The young man sat atop the giant wolf's head, looking down at Sun Ban and his group. After counting their numbers, he launched into a scathing taunt: "Lu Bafeng is truly a piece of trash. With such a setup, he actually managed to get so many of you to escape."

Guan Zong said, "You'd better watch out, or she might tell her mother."

Guan Si looked at him coldly.

Guan Zong corrected, "Oh, her mother isn't old, it's her—"

Guan Zong swallowed the rest of the words.

Although he meant no disrespect, "little girl" is not a universally positive term and can be ambiguous in some contexts. If someone overheard this and complained to the lord, Guan Zong could be unjustly executed.

So, he wisely and cautiously ended the conversation.

Guan Si also withdrew his chilling killing intent.

He had no intention of starting a fratricidal conflict in front of Sun Ban, so he decided to show mercy and let the sandbag go. Originally, only Guan Zong had come with five hundred men to wait for Sun Ban to escape. Guan Si thought he was an old fool and worried that he would let Sun Ban get away, so he condescended to come.

Guan Zong cleared his throat.

"Sun Zhaoruo, if you want to live, surrender now, or don't blame me for not giving you a way out." He pointed his thumb behind him and grinned lewdly. "There are over five hundred strong men here, and another five hundred or so ahead. Let's see how many rounds your men can last!"

The guards surrounding Sun Ban looked uneasy.

They charged forward, but they didn't have enough men; the enemy outnumbered them.

Retreating is also a dead end.

The pursuers are probably already on their way.

But to make them surrender?

They were truly unwilling to accept this.

In an instant, dozens of eyes fell on one person.

Looking at the smug face of the little man in front of her, Sun Ban's choice was simple and direct. Her archery skills, honed over many years, were put to the test that day, and she fired several arrows in quick succession: "You're dreaming—"

Guan Zong's smile vanished, replaced by pure indifference in his eyes.

"kill!"

------

"You saved my life again."

Changsun Wang staggered to his feet, his body swaying.

Lu Yuan glanced at the transparent arrowhead in the left chest of the corpse, his lips twitched, and he took a small step back to distance himself from Changsun Wang.

"I didn't save you this time; I just happened to be there."

Changsun Wang: "Then this arrow..."

Lu Yuan nodded, but then He Zhi, dressed in a long robe and soft armor, arrived right behind him. He didn't say anything, but simply dismounted and tossed the reins to Changsun Wang: "If we don't chase them now, the ducks will fly away."

"With such severe injuries, why chase after them?"

Won't he bleed to death on the way?

He Zhi's eyes were deep and dark.

Ritsumoto: "..."

This guy really wants Changsun Wang to bleed to death on the way.

Changsun Wang caught the medicine He Zhi tossed him, his young and handsome face filled with gratitude. He clasped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you!"

As soon as he set off, a hundred others followed closely behind.

Lu Yuan said, "I don't know if we can catch up."

He Zhi said calmly, "No."

Lu Yuan was taken aback: "Sun Zhaoruo can actually fly with wings?"

He Zhi: "No, but he might have gone the wrong way."

Sun Banhui was wary and wouldn't retrace his steps to escape, but Changsun Wang, in his desperation, couldn't possibly think that far ahead. Besides the original route, there were other paths. Which one would Sun Banhui choose? Could Changsun Wang, with his brain already severely compromised, possibly determine that?

Lu Yuan: "...And you?"

"Look at him, he's still incredibly grateful to me," He Zhi said. "For him, the process of revenge is more important than the result."

Ritsumoto: "..."

She felt that He Feiye was in greater danger.

He's basically a walking male ghost that's always oozing black water.

Lu Yuan murmured, "What if... my godmother's interception fails and Sun Zhaoruo escapes? That would be truly shameful."

"Sun Ban has fled, but where can she go? In the mountains, under the lord's nose, to make a comeback? She can only go through Hejian Pass and then to Tianji. Once in Tianji, she can only live under someone else's roof and depend on them. She doesn't have Liu Bei's temperament."

Lu Yuan thought it was a tiger that had been released back into the mountains.

No, that's at best a stray dog.

Having shed her status as a member of the Sun family and lost the foundation and support accumulated by her ancestors, she was adrift alone, without people, money, or land. How could she possibly make a comeback? If Sun Ban could achieve this, she wouldn't be content with being a local tyrant in a small county.

Lu Yuan said, "In the end, it is a minor flaw in a piece of white jade."

If they couldn't capture the warlord leaders, they always felt something was missing.

The two returned to find the makeshift granary camp reduced to ruins, littered with corpses. The living had been captured, and the dead had been gathered together. Their own soldiers were also numerous, suffering from knife wounds, gunshot wounds, and burns; the medics were extremely busy. As soon as Lü Yuan arrived, the long-waiting medics hurried forward with their medical kits.

Lu Yuan then remembered that he also had injuries.

The wound on the side of the waist was extremely deep.

The tents were almost all collapsed, and the guards had spread a cloth on the ground to keep out the dust. Lu Yuan then removed her heavy armor, tore open her upper garment, revealing a bloody, mangled wound. She glanced at it and clicked her tongue, "No wonder it still hurts."

So the wound was also poisonous.

The military doctor rinsed the wound with boiled and cooled water, removing metal fragments from within. Lu Yuan, busy with his own tasks, had someone bring him a slightly damp cloth to wipe away sweat and blood, quickly turning a basin of clear water murky. Only after finishing his work did Lu Yuan feel somewhat better.

The guards brought new undergarments and narrow-sleeved inner garments.

Once the blood from the wound returned to its normal color, the military doctor stitched it up. Lu Yuan, having changed his clothes, remarked, "It's just a small wound; it would have healed on its own in a couple of days if left unattended. Why did you sew it up? Are you using my flesh to practice your tailoring skills?"

Military doctor: "It's less likely to leave a scar if it's stitched up."

Allowing a wound to heal naturally can lead to uneven skin and flesh alignment.

Previously, a soldier had a tattoo on his back and let the wound heal on its own. As a result, the tattooed figure on his back had one eye higher than the other.

It looks ridiculous.

Lu Yuan said, "I don't need this skill."

After cleaning, she put the armor pieces she had taken off back on. As she tied the sashes, a bird landed on the horizon.

It was the clairvoyant that his adoptive mother loved.

Lu Yuan was overjoyed: "It must be good news from my godmother."

Just as she had predicted, the clairvoyant brought back the results of the main force's battle. Zhang Yang's side started the battle three or four hours earlier than Lü Yuan's, but ended it only half an hour earlier. Zhang Yang was worried that Lü Yuan's side would be distracted, so she sent the clairvoyant to deliver a message as soon as the battle ended.

Also, let the clairvoyant bring back the battle situation here.

Ignoring the fact that his wound hadn't healed yet, Lu Yuan hurriedly waved for someone to prepare pen, ink, paper, and inkstone: "This time, I'm going to properly boast to my godmother about my achievements."

The letter was written, but Changsun Wang had already returned empty-handed.

He knelt down and begged for forgiveness: "...This humble general gave chase, but there were neither horse hoofprints nor human footprints on the road...Sun Zhaoruo was only concerned with escaping for his life; how could he have had time to cover his tracks? By the time I tried to give chase, I had already lost him. It is this humble general's incompetence that I implore you, General, to punish me!"

Lu Yuan did not say he would not pursue the matter.

She said, "I'll remember this for now and figure it out later."

Overall, Changsun Wang's merits outweighed his demerits. Moreover, his adoptive mother never intended for him to receive the same military merit as Sun Ban; she was a woman who treated everyone equally, and Lu Yuan understood this perfectly, so naturally he wouldn't pursue the matter.

Changsun Wang felt no better.

However, his low mood did not last long.

Lu Yuan smiled and told him some news.

"Sun Zhaoruo has been captured alive."

? ?(σ???)σ..:*☆

When will I be able to break my shopping addiction?

Two nights ago (or maybe early this morning), I had a dream about trying perfumes at a counter in Macau earlier this year. The sales assistant gave me a perfume that smelled sweet, and when I woke up, I was craving cake. Around noon, I ate an eight-inch cake, but it wasn't as sweet as the perfume. Afterwards, I felt more awake, but my craving persisted, so I went online and ordered some. Today the package arrived, I sprayed it twice, and while typing this, I started craving cake again _(:3」∠)_