After the meal, Zuo Canglang departed with Xu Lang to muster the troops and head toward Grey Leaf Plain. This region bordered the White Wolf River and possessed a treacherous, complex terrain.
Xu Lang remarked, "Grey Leaf Plain is riddled with marshes and quicksand. Leading an army there is an immense risk."
Zuo Canglang replied, "The Second Prince has no prior achievements in court, and the people of Jinyang are still unfamiliar with him. The only thing they know is the Crown Prince’s forced seizure of Lady Jiang. He needs to perform a few deeds that resonate with the people to establish his prestige. Do not be fooled by our current possession of Jinyang; it is a precarious joke. Once Marshal Wen deploys his forces, or the Emperor rallies his old guard, we will be caught in the middle with no way to ascend to heaven and no door to enter the earth."
"I am aware of that," Xu Lang said. "But Canglang, do you truly believe... the Second Prince has a chance of winning?"
Zuo Canglang turned back. In the flickering light of the torches at the gates of Jinyang, her eyes shone with a brilliant luster. After a long silence, she said, "He does."
Xu Lang was stunned.
The two of them mobilized the troops through the night and crossed the Yi River, a tributary of the White Wolf River. After marching for nearly ten days beyond the Yi River, they reached the eastern banks of the White Wolf River. At that same moment, Wen Qi’s vanguard arrived beneath the walls of Jinyang.
Jinyang was sparsely defended, its generals few and its soldiers scarce—it was practically an empty city.
Murong Yan stood atop the city wall, looking down at the tens of thousands of soldiers below. Zhou Xin, drenched in sweat, said, "Your Highness, please step down. Once the battle begins, we have absolutely no chance of victory!"
Murong Yan replied, "If that is the case, what difference does it make whether I stand atop the wall or beneath it?"
Zhou Xin said, "By my count, it has been ten days since Lady Zuo and Xu Lang led the raid on Grey Leaf Plain. Why is there still no news?"
Murong Yan smiled. "Zhou Xin, how long can you hold Jinyang?"
Zhou Xin’s expression turned solemn as he surveyed the scene inside and outside the city. "Your Highness, I have followed Lady Rong since I was a child. Though Her Ladyship passed away many years ago, I shall never forget her great kindness. Jinyang is in imminent peril, but as long as I have a single breath left, I will not allow Wen Qi’s soldiers to take a single step inside."
Murong Yan asked, "Can you hold for one day?"
Zhou Xin looked slightly puzzled and immediately knelt. "Jinyang has high walls and deep moats. I am confident I can hold it for three days."
Murong Yan nodded and said softly, "That will be enough."
News of the siege of Jinyang reached the banks of the Yi River. Xu Lang hurriedly ordered the messengers: "Seal this news immediately! If a single word leaks and disturbs the morale of the army, the offender shall be executed!"
The messenger knelt, but Zuo Canglang took the report and read it aloud, word for word, in front of all the soldiers. Xu Lang was frantic. "Adjutant?"
After finishing, Zuo Canglang threw the report to the ground and scanned the three armies. "Did you all hear what I just said? Jinyang is currently under heavy siege, and we have been branded as rebels by the Emperor. If we cannot take Grey Leaf Plain in this battle, Jinyang will surely fall. If Jinyang falls, we will all be traitors and insurgents. Not only us, but our families, the elderly, and the young in our hometowns will all be implicated. There will be no hope of survival."
By the White Wolf River, the soldiers, who had marched for ten consecutive days, fell into a heavy silence. Zuo Canglang continued, "However, if we take Grey Leaf Plain, Marshal Wen will be forced to withdraw his troops to defend against a Xijing invasion. At that moment, the crisis in Jinyang will be resolved instantly. When the Second Prince ascends the throne, you will all be heroes of the state."
No one spoke; every man stood as straight as a spear. Zuo Canglang commanded, "Now, prepare the food on the spot. We shall have one full meal, then discard all heavy baggage. We break the cauldrons and sink the boats—we strike into Grey Leaf Plain!"
The army shouted their assent and immediately began cooking. Around the hour of the rat, the army crossed the White Wolf River in silence. Zuo Canglang selected several veteran soldiers to lead the way, as they were intimately familiar with the marshes and quicksand. Even so, many soldiers were lost to the treacherous terrain.
They advanced through a winding path, and by the evening of the following day, the gates of Grey Leaf Plain were in sight.
Zuo Canglang chose a small squad of elite soldiers to disguise themselves as refugees and provoke a disturbance. Having crossed rivers and trekked through sand, they didn't even need costumes to look the part. As Zuo Canglang had predicted, the defenses of Grey Leaf Plain were incredibly lax. For many years, Yan had never dared to encroach upon Xijing’s territory. With the natural barriers protecting Grey Leaf Plain, almost no one expected a military catastrophe.
The squad of "refugees" started a scuffle with the guards at the city gate, then suddenly erupted into violence, killing the officers on duty.
Zuo Canglang entered the city swiftly, her arrows falling like rain to cut down the soldiers on the walls. By the time the vanguard charged into the city with a roar, the Xijing officials and soldiers had not yet reacted. At that moment, the reinforcements led by Xu Lang also arrived.
The people of Xijing fled in all directions. Xu Lang looked at Zuo Canglang and asked, "Adjutant, shall we enter the city?"
Zuo Canglang looked at him, then scanned the soldiers fighting bravely. She suddenly declared, "Soldiers of Yan, hear my command! Xijing has oppressed our Great Yan for far too long; today is the day for the people of Yan to hold their heads high! After entering the city, you are permitted to sack it for one day. Until this time tomorrow, all plundered wealth and property shall belong to you!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the soldiers, and the sounds of slaughter grew even more intense. Xu Lang’s face paled. "Adjutant! Our army is currently acting like a rebel force. If you order a massacre, by this time tomorrow, I fear there will be no Xijing people left in Grey Leaf Plain!"
Zuo Canglang looked up at the towering city gatehouse and said, "Indeed. By this time tomorrow, Grey Leaf Plain will be an empty city."
Xu Lang wanted to say more, but she cut him off. "But we have no more rations. The people of Xijing are fierce and valiant by nature; their flight now is only because they were caught off guard. Once they recover, they will resist. Our army has marched for over ten days and is exhausted. If we suffer a defeat, the consequences will be unthinkable."
Xu Lang was left speechless. Fires broke out across the city, and thick smoke filled the air. Zuo Canglang remained standing at the city gate. The name "Grey Leaf Plain" and the seal of Xijing hung high on the gatehouse, now blackened by the smoke and flames. Xu Lang asked softly, "Will the Adjutant not enter the city?"
Zuo Canglang shook her head. "I do not wish to hear the weeping."
Night once again shrouded the border city as blood and fire spread, a shocking sight to behold.
The next day, a staggering piece of news spread between Yan and Xijing: the Yan army had launched a sneak attack on Xijing’s Grey Leaf Plain and had ruthlessly sacked the city for a day. The inhabitants of Grey Leaf Plain were slaughtered to the last, sparing neither the elderly nor the young.
Xijing was enraged. The Jing army, which had been fighting over the Yu Land against the Tuhe and Guzhu tribes, immediately turned its banners eastward to attack Suoye. Wen Qi found himself unable to be in two places at once. In his desperation, he had no choice but to withdraw the troops besieging Jinyang and return to Suoye to resist the Jing army.
The crisis in Jinyang was lifted.
Zhou Xin clutched the battle report and raced toward Murong Yan’s manor like the wind, nearly falling from his horse several times. Murong Yan, however, merely gave it a casual glance. On the report, Zuo Canglang’s handwriting was so forceful it seemed to pierce the paper. He asked softly, "Wen Qi’s men have retreated?"
Zhou Xin raised his hand, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat and dust from his forehead. "Reporting to Your Highness, they have retreated! Just before I arrived, they had already struck camp and begun the march back to Suoye!"
Murong Yan nodded. "Very well. Wang Yunzhao, see which court ministers are still in Jinyang."
Wang Yunzhao complied and took Feng Ping with him to search. King Murong Yuan had fled in such haste that some ministers, concerned for their families or property, had failed to keep up. Once Zhou Xin and Xu Lang entered Jinyang, they immediately sealed the gates. Those who remained could not leave even if they wanted to.
Murong Yan did not make things difficult for these people; he allowed them to stay in their own manors, merely sending guards to keep watch.
Among the ministers who failed to escape, the highest-ranking was naturally the Left Chancellor, Xue Chengjing. He had originally disagreed with Murong Yuan’s flight and thus was not present during the final council. Murong Yan invited him to his study and said, "Chancellor Xue, there have been many trivial matters to attend to these past few days, so I have not had the chance to visit. I trust the soldiers have not disturbed you?"
Xue Chengjing gave a cold snort. "Murong Yan, have you come today to kill this old man? For years, I knew you were ambitious, but I never imagined you would be so bold! To commit such disloyal and unfilial acts as forcing the palace! If you want to kill me, then do it. I, Xue Chengjing, have served three generations of Murong monarchs; I can face heaven and earth without shame!"
Murong Yan raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying, Chancellor? You have always been upright and incorruptible in court. Last time, when I was imprisoned by my father after the plot to lure Xijing, you were the only one among the civil and military officials who spoke up for me. I have always remembered that kindness."
Xue Chengjing said, "I was blind back then! If I had known you were such a heartless man with the look of a hawk and the gaze of a wolf, why would I have offered such absurd counsel to His Majesty!"
Murong Yan sat down at the desk opposite him and poured a cup of tea. After the old man had finished his tirade, he asked, "Does the Chancellor truly think so?"
Xue Chengjing realized that Murong Yan had no intention of killing him. "What do you want? Speak plainly!"
Murong Yan said, "I want to overturn a case for someone."
Xue Chengjing replied crossly, "Who?"
Murong Yan said calmly, "Yang Jiling."
Xue Chengjing froze.
Murong Yan continued, "When the Yang family case occurred, I was in the wilderness while you were in court. You know the truth better than I do. I have now found evidence proving that the Yang family was indeed wronged. I heard that when you suffered from chronic headaches years ago, it was Physician Yang Xuanhe who cured you. Yang Jiling was also your student. Surely, you should have no objection to this?"
Having spoken, he laid out the evidence he had gathered on the desk. Xue Chengjing’s hands trembled as he reached out to unfurl the documents.
After a long time, he asked, "Murong Yan, when you rescued the orphan of the Yang family, did you already plan to use this matter as your stepping stone?"
Murong Yan smiled and replied, "No." As Xue Chengjing looked at him, he added, "It was even earlier than that."
Xue Chengjing slowly slumped into his seat. Murong Yan said, "The Chancellor is a man of great righteousness who loves the people like his own children. If I have your assistance, it would be a blessing for both me and the people of Yan. If you refuse, the only thing that will bleed is Great Yan itself."
Xue Chengjing gripped the testimonies tightly, his teeth clenched. He said slowly, "What do you intend to do with His Majesty and the Crown Prince?"
Murong Yan asked, "After all these years, does the Chancellor still not understand me? You should know best why I have been driven to such wrath."
Xue Chengjing said, "I... I can draft the documents to exonerate the Yang family. I can also persuade the remaining officials to return to their duties. But you must promise: you may depose the Crown Prince and resume your engagement with the Jiang girl, but you must welcome His Majesty back and must not harm him in the slightest."
Murong Yan said, "A fair condition. I accept."
The next day, Left Chancellor Xue Chengjing stepped forward to exonerate Yang Jiling of the charges of hoarding imperial robes and bribery. He held great prestige in court, and with him managing the situation, the remaining officials gradually fell in line. The stalled government began to function once more. Murong Yan personally oversaw the renovation of the Yang family graves and the construction of an ancestral hall for them to receive sacrifices.
The people of Jinyang were initially terrified, but after Murong Yan took charge, his first act was the victorious attack on Xijing’s Grey Leaf Plain. His second was the exoneration of the Yang family. Both deeds were immensely popular.
Furthermore, he had raised his army under the banner of the Crown Prince’s immorality—stealing a subordinate's wife and a brother's betrothed. In the eyes of the world, a man of deep passion could not be entirely evil. Thus, within a few days, Jinyang, Great Ji, Little Ji, and the Lingzhi area gradually returned to calm.
The veteran ministers submitted petitions urging Murong Yan to bring Murong Yuan back. Murong Yan ordered Xue Chengjing to draft a letter to be sent to Yuyang, demanding that Murong Yuan execute the "wicked Queen Li," depose the "immoral Crown Prince," and return to Jinyang. Upon reading the letter, Murong Yuan flew into a rage and had the messenger thrown into a boiling cauldron. He then issued a manifesto against the rebels, calling upon his old subordinates to prepare for a campaign against Jinyang.
Murong Yan was reading the manifesto, laughing as he did so. "Father is truly quite angry this time."
Feng Ping, standing beside him, asked, "Does Your Highness truly intend to welcome His Majesty back? If that time comes, I fear..."
Murong Yan raised a hand, signaling him to stop. Someone entered from outside, shouting from a distance, "Your Highness! General Xu has returned to the city with the army!"
Murong Yan’s brow furrowed. He glanced left and right, and his expression slowly darkened. If the army had returned, Zuo Canglang should have been standing before him. Sure enough, the messenger continued, "General Xu sent me ahead to report that the army encountered an ambush by Marshal Wen’s forces during the retreat. To draw away the enemy, Adjutant Zuo is still trapped in Grey Leaf Plain, her whereabouts unknown!"
Murong Yan stepped forward and hoisted the man up by his collar. Wang Yunzhao hurriedly whispered, "Your Highness! Your Highness!"
Murong Yan slowly lowered him. When he spoke again, his voice had regained its calm. "Open the gates and welcome the army. Wang Yunzhao, I want to see Leng Feiyan."
Wang Yunzhao acknowledged the order and hurried to prepare. Murong Yan sat back behind his desk, spreading out the map of Grey Leaf Plain once more, examining it repeatedly. Just then, Xu Lang entered and knelt the moment he crossed the threshold. "Your Highness, I deserve ten thousand deaths!"
Without looking up, Murong Yan said in a low voice, "It is not entirely your fault. Rise. Tell me what happened."
Xu Lang recounted the events. After seizing Grey Leaf Plain and sacking it for a day, Zuo Canglang ordered the retreat. They returned toward the White Wolf River along their original path. Xijing had sent pursuers, but due to the complex terrain, they were difficult to track and posed no great threat. However, just as the army was about to exit the marshlands, Zhuge Jin, a commander under Wen Qi, had set an ambush with a small force on their path of retreat.
The retreat was blocked, and the Xijing army was nearly upon them. Left with no choice, Zuo Canglang took a small group of men to lure Zhuge Jin away, buying time for the main army to escape.
Murong Yan listened in silence, then said, "I understand. General Xu, you have had a long journey; go and rest."
Xu Lang wanted to say more, but seeing that Murong Yan had no intention of continuing the conversation, he could only withdraw in trepidation.
After he left, Leng Feiyan entered. She immediately sensed something was wrong—hadn't Xu Lang returned to Jinyang? Why was Canglang not here? Before she could speak, Murong Yan said, "Prepare yourself. You are coming with me to Grey Leaf Plain."
Leng Feiyan knew immediately that the situation was grave. "Yes."
She went to prepare water, rations, fire starters, and maps. Marshes were full of venomous insects, so medicine was also necessary. Wang Yunzhao stood behind Murong Yan, his face full of worry. "Must Your Highness go in person?"
Murong Yan’s expression was somber. "Wang Yunzhao, if it was Wen Qi who set the ambush, Canglang is in mortal danger."
Wang Yunzhao said, "Lady Zuo is clever and alert; Your Highness has always trusted her. Why are you so suddenly worried today?"
Murong Yan walked to the window. Outside, it was the height of summer, and the shadows of flowers swayed. He said, "Because only Wen Qi knows how important she is to me. Wang Yunzhao, ten years of my painstaking effort are about to go down the drain."
That afternoon, Murong Yan held a banquet in the Jinyang Palace to welcome Xu Lang and his soldiers. Halfway through the feast, he excused himself on the pretext of being drunk. He then disguised himself and slipped out of the city with Leng Feiyan, racing toward Grey Leaf Plain through the night.
Grey Leaf Plain was now nothing but ruins. After the Yan army’s raid, they had set the entire city ablaze. It would take Xijing some time to clear the wreckage. Murong Yan and Leng Feiyan quietly crossed the White Wolf River. It was only then that Leng Feiyan realized Murong Yan’s martial skills were far beyond her expectations.
At this time, small units of the Xijing army were still searching the marshes for Yan soldiers. They found many corpses along the way; it seemed several fierce battles had occurred over the past few days. Leng Feiyan captured a stray soldier from Zhuge Jin’s unit and learned upon interrogation that Zhuge Jin had already captured Zuo Canglang and was marching toward Suoye.
Zuo Canglang was helpless. Wen Qi understood the terrain of Grey Leaf Plain far better than she did. He had even guessed her next move before she had even entered the region, placing his ambush exactly on her path of retreat.
Zuo Canglang had led her small unit to kite Zhuge Jin, but the man was stubborn and followed Wen Qi’s orders to the letter, guarding every key pass Wen Qi had assigned him. He didn't even need to chase her; the Xijing army was right behind her. Even if he stayed perfectly still, the Xijing forces would eventually drive her right to him. In the end, she had no choice but to fall into Zhuge Jin’s hands.
Zhuge Jin did not mistreat her; after all, they had once been brothers who ate and drank together. Following Wen Qi’s instructions, once he captured Zuo Canglang, he immediately withdrew, refusing to linger for further combat.
Zuo Canglang didn't resist much either—Wen Qi’s orders might have been "dead or alive." It was safer to be compliant.
She was bound to a horse. Because the terrain was difficult and they had to avoid the Xijing patrols, their pace was not fast. After a while, Zuo Canglang opened her eyes and saw that the soldier guarding her had been replaced. She blinked, and the soldier blinked back at her.
Zuo Canglang thought she was dreaming—she was looking at Leng Feiyan!
Leng Feiyan remained silent until nightfall, when she suddenly struck, incapacitating Zhuge Jin. The unit fell into chaos, and the commotion immediately drew the Xijing army. Zhuge Jin only had a small squad, while the Xijing forces had no fewer than eight thousand men searching the marshes.
Once the two sides engaged, the disparity in strength was clear.
As Zuo Canglang grew anxious, someone suddenly cut the ropes binding her hands. She turned her head and saw Murong Yan dressed in black. She was momentarily stunned.
Murong Yan smiled. "What? Have you gone daft?"
Zuo Canglang finally reacted. "Master? Why did you come in person? It is extremely dangerous here!"
Murong Yan pulled her up, and the two of them crouched low to move through the thorny brambles. His palm was broad and powerful. The hem of his black robe, embroidered with gold, fluttered in the wind, brushing against her face. Zuo Canglang did not pull her hand away. In that moment, arrows whistled past her ears, venomous insects lurked, and the thorns tore at her clothes and skin, leaving a lattice of bloody scratches. Yet all she could feel was his fingers interlaced with hers, and the warmth of his slightly damp palm.
The Xijing soldiers lit torches. The brambles did not provide perfect cover, and someone spotted them and began the chase. Zuo Canglang finally said, "We must split up!"
Murong Yan said, "Head west, do not turn back. Wen Qi is a master of ambushes; Zhuge Jin will not be his only roadblock."
The two of them were forced to flee blindly toward the west. Although they temporarily evaded the small Xijing units, they were driven back into the main encirclement of the Xijing army. Zuo Canglang worried for Leng Feiyan, but at this point, no one could look after anyone else; they could only flee for their lives.
Another small unit appeared ahead. Zuo Canglang smiled bitterly. She had no weapon and could only retreat while trying to stay hidden. Murong Yan was concealed within a patch of sea buckthorn, but when the Xijing soldiers approached, they searched such obvious hiding spots first. Seeing them draw closer and closer to Murong Yan, Zuo Canglang stood up and ran desperately to the right.
The Xijing soldiers shouted and gave chase. Zuo Canglang ran for an unknown amount of time before she realized the pursuers had disappeared, but the sand beneath her feet was growing softer. Her heart sank, and she stopped immediately. The mire seemed to possess an infinite suction, slowly swallowing her feet, then her calves. She spread her body out, trying to slow her descent.
Above her, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The sound of the wind drifted near and far. She could not move, suddenly realizing she would be swallowed by this mire, disappearing forever without leaving a trace. This was her second time standing face-to-face with death. The first was at the Mountain God Temple on South Mountain, in that bottomless pit where snakes had hollowed out the bodies of her companions. Back then, she had been paralyzed with terror.
But this time, she stood motionless in the quagmire. Two people had traveled a great distance to find her.
Her sixteen-year-old heart was like the stars and the moon—tranquil and at peace.
***
