The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

Happy times are always fleeting, like sand slipping through your fingers. In the blink of an eye, it was time for Qin An to set off back to the front lines.

Before dawn, with only a faint hint of pale light appearing on the eastern horizon, Qin An's bedroom was already lit by dim candlelight.

Just like when he parted ways with Yang Yuyan, Qin An, who knew the pain of separation, didn't even think about resting.

That night, he talked with the three of them until dawn.

The three women knew that his journey was fraught with danger and the future was uncertain, so they couldn't bear to close their eyes.

It wasn't until the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon that she dragged her weary body and forced herself to pack his bags.

Their movements were gentle and slow, their fingertips brushing against the clothes with careful tenderness, but their slightly trembling shoulders could not hide their undisguised reluctance.

"Husband, take these cotton-padded coats with you," Li Qingwan said, putting the neatly folded coats into her bag. "The weather is getting colder, remember to wear them when you patrol at night, so you don't catch a cold."

Her voice was choked with sobs, and the last syllable trembled slightly. As she picked up a close-fitting undergarment, her fingertips unconsciously caressed the fine stitches on it.

She sewed it herself; the stitches weren't as exquisite as those of a skilled embroiderer, but they were full of heartfelt sentiment.

Dan Bing silently added arrows to Qin An's quiver, wiping each one until it gleamed with a fine cloth, the arrowheads flashing with a chilling light.

She wasn't good with words and didn't know how to express her concern with gentle words, so she could only use this clumsy way to slowly stuff her feelings into his bag.

Her eyes were already red, but she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall, biting her lower lip hard to suppress all her emotions.

Jin Ping stood to the side, silently placing several packets of wound medicine into the corner of her bundle, and carefully instructing her on how to use them, her voice soft yet clear.

Qin An stood aside, watching the three women who were working so hard for him.

Their faces showed lingering fatigue, but their eyes were full of concern. A warm feeling welled up in my heart, mixed with an indescribable bittersweetness.

He stepped forward, opened his arms and embraced the three of them, feeling the warmth and softness of those in his arms, and said in a deep voice, "Wait for me to come back."

These four short words carry immense weight, reflecting his promise to the future and his unwavering determination to win.

Li Qingwan leaned against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat. The tears she had been holding back all night finally streamed down her face, wetting his clothes.

"My dear husband, you must come back safely. My sister Shan Bing and I are waiting for you at home. We'll make you your favorite braised pork knuckle when you come back."

Dan Bing nodded vigorously, gripping Qin An's sleeve tightly, as if he would disappear like the wind if she let go.

Jin Ping's eyes also reddened, but she forced a smile and said, "General, don't worry. We'll take care of things at home, so there won't be any trouble. You can focus on fighting at the front and don't need to worry about home."

As dawn broke, Qin An left the mansion.

Li Jing was already waiting outside the mansion with his horse.

The newly acquired Snow-Treading Black Steed was exceptionally fine, entirely black with snow-white hooves, and was impatiently pawing at the ground and snorting.

Qin An's chainmail gleamed coldly in the morning light, the plates making a soft "click" sound as they rubbed together, and the air was filled with the solemnity of parting.

Li Qingwan, along with Shan Bing and Jin Ping, escorted Qin An to the gate of the mansion. They watched as Qin An mounted his horse, his straight back resembling a majestic mountain, steady and reliable.

They didn't say anything more, just stood there quietly, their eyes following his figure intently.

Only when that black figure disappeared around the corner of the street and could no longer be seen did she slowly withdraw her gaze, turn around and go back home, and finally her tears broke free.

Qin An reined in his horse and couldn't help but look back at the direction of the mansion gate, which was already deserted.

But he could still see their figures standing there, and he silently vowed, "Wait for me, I will not let you down."

He then cracked his whip, the crisp sound breaking the morning's tranquility, and nodded to Li Jing: "Let's go!"

The two men spurred their horses and galloped towards the outskirts of the city, soon reuniting with the five hundred cavalrymen waiting there.

These cavalrymen were all seasoned veterans. They had already received the news and were all fully armored and armed, with their horses well-groomed and ready to go. They were just waiting for their commander's order to set off.

Qin An dismounted, carefully counted the number of men and supplies, and inspected the provisions and water bags. Once he was certain everything was ready, he didn't delay and immediately ordered, "Set off!"

Just as they were about to set off, they suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from behind, growing louder and more urgent.

"General Qin, please wait!"

Qin An reined in his horse, a thought stirring within him. He turned to look and saw Li Zhaoning riding a pure white steed, accompanied by several attendants, galloping towards them.

Today she was dressed in a sharp, dark-colored outfit, her long hair tied up in a high ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead. She looked less gentle and dignified than usual, and more dashing and heroic.

"Miss Li?" Qin An was somewhat surprised, pulling on the reins to stop his horse. "What brings you here?"

Li Zhaoning dismounted swiftly and decisively, clearly demonstrating some riding skills.

She walked up to Qin An with a grave expression, deliberately lowering her voice, and said, "General Qin, things have changed at the front lines, the situation is critical, you can't just leave like this!"

Qin An's heart tightened, a sense of foreboding washing over him: "What happened?"

"During your absence from the capital, a rebel army suddenly emerged in the north. Its leader is named Dou Xia, who calls himself the Prince of Chang Le. He has several thousand men under his command, all of whom are fierce and skilled in battle. They are unstoppable and have already captured three cities, directly threatening our flank."

Li Zhaoning spoke very quickly, her voice filled with undisguised worry.

"This rebel army echoed the Ligang Village to the south, one in the south and one in the north, like two sharp knives, trapping the imperial army in the middle, making the situation extremely unfavorable."

"What's even more alarming is that," she paused, her gaze growing increasingly grave, "that according to the secret reports I've received, some aristocratic families within Daxing are already stirring with restlessness as the border war intensifies. They're secretly recruiting soldiers and horses, seemingly hoping to take advantage of the situation and profit from it."

She looked at Qin An earnestly and said, "If you go there, you will likely be surrounded and attacked from both sides. General Qin, in my opinion, it would be better to stay in the capital for the time being. The Li family still has some influence in the court. My father will definitely step in to help you and ensure your safety. It's not too late to make plans after the situation becomes clearer."

Qin An frowned, his heart churning with turmoil. The sudden emergence of rebels in the north was no good news, especially since they were colluding with Li Gangzhai, clearly intending to put the imperial army to death.

Remembering that Zhang Xu and Luo Kai were still fighting valiantly on the front lines, he was immediately filled with anxiety: "How are General Zhang and General Luo doing? Have you received any news?"

"The news just reached the capital!" Li Zhaoning sighed, his tone heavy. "As for the specific situation at the front, we still don't know."

She advised again, "General Qin, this journey is extremely dangerous. Please reconsider. There's no need to rush."

Qin An remained silent for a moment, his fist slowly clenching in his sleeve, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Thank you for telling me the truth, Miss Li, but I must go."

Zhang Xu had shown him great kindness; if Zhang Xu hadn't stood up against all opposition to promote him back then, he might not be where he is today.

Luo Kai was his first benefactor, who lent a helping hand when he was at his lowest point. The two fought side by side and had long been brothers in arms.

Now that the two are in danger, how can he sit idly by?

Moreover, his thousands of cavalrymen were still fighting bloody battles on the front lines. How could he, as the commander-in-chief, abandon them?

"You..." Li Zhaoning wanted to persuade him, but Qin An raised his hand to interrupt her.

"I appreciate Miss Li's kindness," Qin An said, bowing firmly.

"A true man has things he should do and things he shouldn't do. It is his duty to repay kindness and protect his comrades. I cannot be an ungrateful person who retreats in the face of battle."

He paused, then added, "If it really comes to a last resort, I will definitely remember your words, thank you for your advice."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Li Zhaoning knew that further persuasion would be futile, so she took out a jade pendant from her bosom and handed it to Qin An.

The jade pendant was made of the finest mutton-fat white jade, warm and translucent, with the character "Li" engraved on it in seal script. The edges were polished very smoothly, indicating that it was something that had been worn for many years.

"This is a token of the Li family. If you go west, with this jade pendant, the Li family members along the way will definitely protect you."

Li Zhaoning looked at him, her eyes filled with worry, "General Qin, please take good care of yourself!"

Qin An took the jade pendant; it felt warm and smooth to the touch, and heavy as if it carried a thousand pounds of weight.

He solemnly put the jade pendant into his pocket and bowed again, saying, "Thank you for the gift, Miss Li. I will remember this kindness."

"Take care on your journey." Li Zhaoning mounted his horse and watched Qin An's entourage raise dust as they galloped away into the distance.

She only slowly withdrew her gaze after the group disappeared at the end of the road.

A complex emotion flashed in his eyes—worry, admiration, and a touch of concern that he himself couldn't quite explain.

Qin An led his troops at full speed, galloping towards the front line.

The sound of horses' hooves was as dense as drumbeats, raising a cloud of dust. The soldiers all looked solemn, knowing that a fierce battle was about to break out.

The further they went, the more severe the situation became.

Most of the villages along the way were deserted, with only broken walls and windows, rotten straw and abandoned farm tools scattered on the ground, creating a desolate scene.

Occasionally, one could see a few fleeing civilians, all of them pale and emaciated, dressed in rags, dragging their weary bodies southward, crying out, "The rebels are here! They're killing people!" Their voices were so mournful and heartbreaking that they brought tears to one's eyes.

"General, we've spotted a caravan ahead, and it looks like they've been robbed!" a cavalryman rode up to report, his voice urgent.

Qin An frowned and spurred his horse to investigate.

Several corpses lay by the roadside, all dressed as guards of a caravan, their bodies stabbed multiple times, already dead.

Goods were scattered all over the ground, along with several split wooden crates containing shattered porcelain, clearly indicating that the area had been robbed.

He dismounted, squatted down, and carefully examined the wounds on the corpse, his brows furrowing even more deeply.

"The wounds were neat and clean, with consistent depth, unlike the chaotic hacking of bandits; they were more like the work of a well-trained army."

Qin An said in a deep voice, a cold glint in his eyes, "It seems that those restless aristocratic families can no longer hold back and have begun to make their move!"

Li Jing watched with alarm and said worriedly, "General, the situation is worse than we imagined. These aristocratic families hold military power and have deep roots. If they really unite to rebel, attacking from both inside and outside, our army will likely be in grave danger."

Qin An nodded, feeling even more anxious, wishing he could sprout wings and fly to the front lines immediately.