Yu Jin Chang An - Chapter 13
After a night of chaos and bloodshed, Lu City fell silent. Governor Li Zhang Yi was struck dead in an instant, an arrow piercing his heart from a hundred zhang away—fired by the mysterious black-masked man. With the governor gone, Li Shuang naturally led the Long Feng Camp warriors to seize control of the city.
The battle was won, but the true challenge had only begun.
Panic rippled through Lu City. The governor’s sudden death left its people leaderless and afraid. To restore order, Li Shuang swiftly appointed one of Li Zhang Yi’s civil officials as acting governor. Yet with Long Feng Camp’s presence dominating the city, everyone knew real authority rested in her hands.
But Li Shuang had little interest in grasping power. Her thoughts were fixed on the horizon.
By day she managed the city’s affairs. By night, she stood atop the walls, gazing north. Across the plains, the Xi Rong army remained encamped, undeterred by the loss of their commander Ashina Du. From dozens of li away, smoke from their cooking fires rose into the sky, a dark reminder that the threat still lingered.
Li Shuang’s palm pressed against the cold, rough stone of the watchtower. Her expression was grave.
At her side, Luo Teng cursed under his breath. “Damn it, General. From the looks of it, the Xi Rong have no intention of retreating!”
Qin Lan’s voice was steady, but his words heavy. “Winter draws near. Their rations are thin. Since they’ve already massed their troops at our borders, they’ll try to seize Lu City’s grain. As for Ashina Du…” His thoughts drifted to yesterday—the sight of the black-armored man lifting Ashina Du’s severed head. A chill ran through him. He felt wary of that man, yet couldn’t deny the deed had shaken the earth itself.
“The Xi Rong won’t back down,” Qin Lan continued. “Ashina Du’s death will slow them, but within days, they’ll name another commander.”
Luo Teng scowled. “Then we’ll still have to fight them head-on.”
“Not necessarily.” Qin Lan’s gaze lingered on the distant camps. “There may be another way.”
Li Shuang looked at him knowingly. She had marched beside him for years, and could already guess his intent. “You mean to withdraw the citizens and our army, leave a garrison and some grain behind to stall them—then wait for reinforcements before striking back.”
Caught, Qin Lan lowered his eyes. “The General sees straight through me. That was my thought.”
Li Shuang fell silent, weighing the cost.
Luo Teng’s voice burst out in protest. “Impossible! That’s surrender! Handing our city back to those wolves? Never!”
“Look closer,” Qin Lan countered, pointing toward the vast sea of enemy fires. “Their numbers far exceed our estimates. If we stay, we’ll be crushed. The only hope for victory is to delay them until our forces unite.”
Luo Teng clenched his fists, anger simmering. Yet as he stared at the endless glow of enemy flames, his words faltered. Sacrificing the Long Feng Camp and the city’s civilians for pride alone was unthinkable. With a heavy sigh, he bit back his argument.
Li Shuang’s hand tightened on the battlements. “I will consider it. But tonight—we begin evacuating the people.”
As she turned to leave, Qin Lan stopped her gently. “General, let me see to it. You should rest.”
Rest? Li Shuang almost laughed. A commander could not afford weakness. Still, she nodded and descended to the camp below. Just as she neared her tent, a shadow flickered across her vision. She froze, glancing upward—but the wall above was quiet, the garrison soldiers steady at their posts.
Rubbing her eyes, she realized just how exhausted she truly was.
That night, her sleep was restless. The fate of Great Jin pressed down on her chest. Every word she spoke now, every choice she made, could tip the balance of the nation’s destiny.
At dawn, a scout brought startling news. “General—the Xi Rong named a new commander last night.”
Li Shuang’s heart sank. But before she could speak, the scout added breathlessly: “That commander is already dead.”
She stared in disbelief. “What…?”
The man explained: “At sunrise, a tall pole appeared between their camp and our walls. On it hung the new commander’s head. The Xi Rong camp is in chaos.”
Li Shuang was stunned. After a sleepless night of agonizing choices, she woke to find the decision torn from her hands.
By the time she donned her armor and emerged, Qin Lan and Luo Teng had arrived. Luo Teng was grinning ear to ear. “General! Another Xi Rong commander slain! Heaven itself favors us!”
But Li Shuang’s mind had already leapt ahead. “Where is Jin An?”
Qin Lan frowned. They had meant to question the boy about the black-masked warrior, but the invasion had swept away all thought of it. Now, with another Xi Rong leader mysteriously beheaded, the connection seemed impossible to ignore.
Soon, Qin Lan brought Jin An before her. The child’s eyes were as clear and direct as ever.
Li Shuang crouched to meet his gaze. “Jin An, I bear you no ill will. With your gifts, I wish to keep you by my side. One day, the court and I will entrust you with heavy responsibilities. But for that, I need your honesty. Can you promise me that?”
The boy’s face lit up. “Everything of mine is yours.”
Li Shuang blinked. His words were strange, but she pressed on. “Then answer me truthfully. Do you have any connection to the man in the black mask?”