Dawn Before Daybreak

The room smelled of medicinal alcohol.

Zhong Green Ping felt overwhelmingly guilty, dabbing medicine on Yang Qiong's wounds while sobbing, "This is all my fault. I didn't know Seventh Prince misunderstood so deeply, causing harm to General Yang."

Beaten severely by Cui Xiang, Yang Qiong, though strong, was bruised and battered. Guessing the misunderstanding from Cui Xiang's accusations and Zhong Green Ping's apologies, he chose not to ask, saying, "It's okay. Warriors often suffer injuries. These minor wounds are nothing. Miss Zhong, don't take it to heart."

Chi Ying, after dealing with Cui Xiang, came to Zhong Green Ping's residence, looking displeased, likely due to Cui Xiang's rude remarks during his restraint. As his sister-in-law, she had limited influence compared to Cui Yi, and Cui Xiang's stubbornness left her helpless.

"Today's incident is truly unfortunate. Huai Yu has been pampered since childhood, speaking and acting without restraint. I've neglected his upbringing. Please forgive General Yang," Chi Ying said, seeing his bruises and cuts.

Fortunately, Yang Qiong had a good temper. Otherwise, the mansion might have been turned upside down. Imagining Cui Xiang and Shan Jian fighting, with pots, fake mountains, and snacks flying around, Chi Ying shuddered.

After applying the medicine, Yang Qiong dressed and politely took his leave. Chi Ying wanted to escort him and offer comfort, but he declined, leaving alone.

Zhong Green Ping silently tidied up the medicine box. Chi Ying sat beside her, asking softly, "Did you tell him anything?"

Zhong Green Ping shook her head, looking despondent, "I only apologized, saying I caused him trouble. Nothing else."

Chi Ying sighed, "No wonder he looked more upset after hearing your apology than when he was beaten."

Zhong Green Ping was puzzled, "Why? Did I say something wrong?"

"It's not your fault; it's mine," Chi Ying rubbed her temples, "When the prince first came to Yan Prefecture, discussing rebellion, Generals Cao and Bai Li immediately pledged allegiance, but Yang Qiong hesitated due to his ancestors' teachings. After Cheng Sister's incident, we, including the prince and others, schemed... to manipulate him."

Zhong Green Ping gasped. Chi Ying continued, "Though I'd do it again, the prince and I always feel guilty. We tried arranging a good marriage for him, hoping he wouldn't be lonely, but he refused several times. Today's words confirmed his decision. By apologizing, you implied you liked him, or Cui Xiang assumed so, making him think we doubted his loyalty. This hurt him more than the beating and humiliation."

"Oh, so that's why he seemed indifferent to my apology but visibly upset afterward," Zhong Green Ping realized, "My ignorance caused this mess. What should we do?"

The situation was sudden, and even Chi Ying had no immediate solution. She advised Zhong Green Ping to keep her distance from Yang Qiong to avoid further misunderstandings and wrote a letter to Shan Jian in Xuan Prefecture for advice.

Two days later, Bai Li Zan came to discuss the matter. He lamented, "I knew Seventh Prince would cause trouble. Sure enough."

Chi Ying was worried, "Please don't dwell on the past. Think of a solution. If General Yang remains troubled, it'll affect our future. We already owe him; we can't let this worsen."

Bai Li Zan pondered, then suggested, "To resolve Yang Qiong's issues completely, we must rescue Lady Cheng. Whether she reunites with her son and father in the capital or stays in Yan Prefecture, freeing her will lift his burdens."

Chi Ying sighed, "Easier said than done. We want to rescue Cheng Sister, but we lack the resources. With war looming, Yan Prefecture lacks troops and generals, making it impossible."

Bai Li Zan sighed again, "Another option is to marry Zhong Miss to Seventh Prince. Yang Qiong will have no more concerns, and the misunderstanding will be resolved."

"..." Chi Ying was stunned, "Let's focus on rescuing Cheng Sister. How many troops would it take to capture Chang Yao City?"

Chi Ying was close to despair, "Mr. Bai, please suggest practical solutions. How many troops would it take to capture Chang Yao City?"

Baili Zan laughed so hard he could barely straighten up.

Half a month later, a letter from Xuanzhou arrived. Shan Jian's opinion in the letter was almost identical to Baili Zan's, but more detailed and specific.

Shan Jian's ingenious plan:

First, find an appropriate opportunity to round up the Northern Di people in one fell swoop, rescue Cheng Fengyi, then fabricate the fact that her relatives in the capital were all killed by Cui Jie, forcing her to stay in Yanzhou. Then act as a matchmaker to facilitate her marriage with Yang Qiong.

Second, feed Zhong Luiping a bowl of safflower, then marry her off to Cui Xiang. Let them enjoy themselves for a year or two, and then find a way to poison Cui Xiang's food, making him weaker day by day until he dies.

Chi Ying felt her scalp tingle just reading the letter. Shan Jian truly lived up to his reputation as a ruthless strategist; every method was effective but extremely cruel, going against natural justice. It was no wonder Cui Jie valued him so highly back then—it was because they were birds of a feather.

Shan Jian's handwriting was neat and regular, but at the end of the letter, there was a line of messy scribbles: "I disagree." No need to guess, it was Cui Yi's annotation. Chi Ying didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and she burned the letter, planning her next move.

Should she save Cheng Fengyi or matchmake Zhong Luiping and Cui Xiang? Neither of these paths seemed feasible. Fighting Long Yao meant insufficient troops, and matchmaking recklessly would surely infuriate Zhong Yuanshan, leading to even greater losses.

Chi Ying was so worried she felt like her hair was turning white. At such times, besides hoping for a miracle, there was nothing else she could do.

But a miracle did happen.

One afternoon near the end of April, an uninvited guest arrived at Yanzhou Prefecture.

Chi Ying had just fed Xiao Cui Hao and put him to sleep, feeling utterly exhausted herself when Xiaqiu called out from the courtyard, "Madam! Madam! Come quickly!"

What was so surprising? Chi Ying forced her sleepy eyes open, slipped on her shoes, and ran out. In the sky above the Wangfu courtyard, a sea eagle was circling. The feathers looked familiar, and she immediately recognized who it belonged to.

"Nayang!" Chi Ying called out into the air.

The sea eagle heard its name and flapped down. Xiaqiu screamed and hid, but Chi Ying wasn't afraid. When the eagle landed on a plum tree, she went over to check.

Tied to the eagle's claws was a roll of cloth, likely a letter. Chi Ying took it and saw it was indeed written by Bumu'er.

It read: "The royal brothers of Great Chu are fighting amongst themselves. Huerhana plans to unite Ba Bian, Humengtuoer, Chacha, and other border states to invade Central China. They will meet secretly at the old Ma Quan Pass on the fifteenth of next month. Cheng is also going along. Come quickly."

Over a year had passed since Bumu'er and Sang Duo left Yanzhou, and they hadn't sent any letters. Now Nayang had brought news about what Chi Ying cared most about—Cheng Fengyi accompanying Huerhana to Ma Quan Pass to discuss invading Central China. She wouldn't bring many guards to avoid drawing attention, and given Huerhana's arrogance, they might only have a thousand personal guards.

How could she miss such a perfect opportunity for revenge? Holding the precious piece of cloth, Chi Ying almost cried. She immediately ordered someone to summon Yang Qiong.

Yang Qiong came, read the message, and his eyes nearly popped out in disbelief. He hesitated, looking up, but Chi Ying said, "No need to say anything. Go pack your things. I'll have extra provisions and water prepared for you. I'll ask Master to send five thousand troops with you. Follow Nayang and find Bumu'er. Whatever happens, you must save Sister Cheng!"

Yang Qiong trembled, breathing heavily, and knelt down, "Thank you, Madam!" He kowtowed several times before running off.

After Cui Yi left, Yanzhou still had twenty thousand troops. Taking five thousand away shouldn't be a problem unless they encountered seventy thousand Northern Di soldiers attacking the city. Chi Ying's heart pounded like a drum, praying silently that Bumu'er wasn't deceiving her. If he held a grudge against Cui Yi and set a trap, luring Yang Qiong into an ambush, Yanzhou's rear defense would collapse before word reached Xuanzhou.

That night, Yang Qiong set off with his men.

"Two thousand? Isn't that too few?" Chi Ying was shocked.

"These two thousand are former imperial guards who nearly died in the plague. Yang Qiong made it clear this mission was very dangerous, possibly not returning. He asked who would volunteer to go, and four thousand stepped forward. To avoid leaving Yanzhou vulnerable, he only took half," Baili Zan explained, sighing deeply. "Gong Qi told me to tell you, if he returns safely, he's willing to be your slave for life. Even if you asked him to die immediately, he wouldn't blink an eye."

Chi Ying smiled bitterly, pressing her forehead. "I'll surely go to hell after I die."

The person she had schemed against repeatedly now thanked her profusely. The debts she owed Cheng Fengyi and Yang Qiong would probably take a lifetime to repay.

After much deliberation, Chi Ying wrote a letter to Xuanzhou explaining the situation regarding Yang Qiong's rescue mission.

When Cui Yi received the letter, he was first enraged by his brother's foolish actions, almost bursting a blood vessel. Seeing Nayang's letter, his heart sank, thinking Bumu'er was trying to poach his allies while he was busy conquering the world. After reading the entire content, he sighed in relief, leaning back in his chair, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Shan Jian observed his changing expressions in less than a minute and asked, "Is something wrong in Yanzhou? Has Lady already handled it? Is it the Northern Di?"

"Bumu'er sent a letter through Nayang saying Huerhana has invited Ba Bian, Chacha, and others to discuss invading Central China at the ruins of Ma Quan Pass. Cheng Fengyi is going along. Lady decided to let Gong Qi lead two thousand troops to rescue her," Cui Yi summarized the key points concisely.

Shan Jian was surprised, "Two thousand? Isn't that too few?"

Cui Yi rubbed his beard, "It was Gong Qi's own decision, fearing taking too many troops would leave Hu Ben Pass undefended. What do you think?"

Shan Jian stepped forward, bowing, "If Bumu'er's information is true, this is a heaven-sent opportunity! Killing Huerhana and rescuing Lady Cheng would be a great victory for Your Highness, regardless of whether we can defeat the Northern Di in one stroke."

Cui Yi seemed to have his own thoughts but didn't elaborate. Instead, he asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Your Highness, think about it. Cui Jie signed a humiliating treaty with the Northern Di, citing national treasury insolvency as a reason, sending married daughters of loyal ministers as tribute. This has caused public outrage, marking the greatest humiliation in Great Chu's history. If Your Highness can kill the Northern Di king and rescue Lady Cheng, you would win the banner of righteousness. Who is better, you or your brother, would be clear as day," Shan Jian stated seriously.

Cui Yi nodded silently, noncommittal. Shan Jian couldn't figure out what he was thinking and asked, "Does Your Highness have other ideas?"

"No," Cui Yi glanced at him, "You're right, but what if the information is false? What if Bumu'er set a trap, or the letter isn't even from him? What then?"

Shan Jian pondered, "Given Bumu'er returned Jin Wu, he's not that kind of person. Although arrogant, he's genuinely devoted to Lady. Betraying General Yang would do him no good. I don't think he'd be so foolish as to dig his own grave."

Cui Yi insisted, "What if the letter isn't from him? Lady only saw Nayang and the letter tied to its claw, not Bumu'er or Sang Duo. Kuo Ziyi, the emperor's aide, loves setting traps. If they collaborated with Huerhana to ambush Gong Qi at Ma Quan Pass, how would we cope?"

Shan Jian lowered his head, deep in thought. Cui Yi sipped tea, his eyes showing concern, "Of course, this is just my speculation based on what you said. We should assume the letter is real. But what if Gong Qi meets Bumu'er and learns the truth—that we deliberately didn't rescue Lady Cheng back then?"

Shan Jian slowly nodded, "Your Highness thinks ahead. If General Yang learns the truth, he might defect to Cui Jie or abandon us altogether. Not only would we lose the banner of righteousness, but our morale would plummet, putting us in grave danger."

Cui Yi stared at him intently, "So, I want you to come up with a plan that secures the three prefectures and prevents Gong Qi from learning the truth."

To secure the three prefectures, Zhong Yuanshan, Cui Yi, and Cao Qian must stand firm. With Yang Qiong rushing to Ma Quan Pass, even if Xu Cheng hurriedly sent troops to intercept, it might be too late. Xuanzhou was the front line against the imperial army, where every movement was closely watched. A single fly escaping would attract notice, let alone a general.

But ignoring the situation could lead to Yang Qiong fleeing with Cheng Fengyi, causing immeasurable damage to the Wu King's camp.

"Allow me to think it over," Shan Jian bowed and left.

A full day later, Shan Jian returned with the best plan available.

His eyes were bloodshot, dark circles under them, suggesting he hadn't slept. He carried a roll of paper filled with chaotic drawings.

"The best defense is offense. To secure the three prefectures, we cannot sit idle. Even without Yang Qiong's situation, we must lure the imperial army into attacking."

Shan Jian used cold tea to wash his face, yawning as he spread the papers filled with bizarre lines on the table. "Please look, Your Highness."

This matter was significant, so Cui Yi specially summoned Xu Cheng. Xu Cheng leaned in to see the papers covered with random lines and no annotations, utterly confused.

Cui Yi asked, "Yuanke, what do you think?"

Xu Cheng's lips twitched, "This looks like a centipede, this… a spider, and this one, like someone dancing."

"What nonsense!" Shan Jian almost spat blood hearing this, angrily retorting, "What centipedes and spiders? Are we celebrating Dragon Boat Festival? These are battle maps I drew last night!"

The two unsophisticated men suddenly understood, nodding eagerly, asking for details.

Shan Jian smoothed out the paper resembling a centipede, irritated, "This is a canyon north of Xuanzhou, with forked roads. Your Highness leads troops to ambush here. Find a soldier similar in build and dress him in Your Highness's armor, riding Jin Wu, pretending to lead a troop northward. Once the enemy arrives, attack from both sides to eliminate them."

Xu Cheng doubted, "Where will the enemy come from?"

Shan Jian snapped, "Don't interrupt!" Xu Cheng fell silent.

Next, Shan Jian pointed to the spider-like map, "With Your Highness absent, only General Xu will defend Xuanzhou. Xuanzhou is located in the central-western part. If attacked, escape routes will be limited. Therefore, General Xu should lead troops to Shuangchang, a strategic location a hundred miles west of Xuanzhou, ensuring sufficient reaction time if attacked."

Xu Cheng wanted to say something but feared angering Shan Jian, holding back.

Shan Jian drew six or seven maps, detailing enemy movements and corresponding counteractions. His explanation was thorough, leaving Cui Yi and Xu Cheng nodding continuously.

The core of the plan was creating the illusion of Cui Yi's departure, luring Shi Bangze to attack, thereby eliminating the last remnants of the anti-rebellion army.

The most critical step was ensuring Shi Bangze and Cui Jie learned separately about Yang Qiong's mission—without informing each other, or the plan would fail.

"Since this is crucial, how do you propose to execute it?" Cui Yi asked.

Shan Jian smirked sinisterly, startling Xu Cheng.

"Shi Bangze isn't difficult. Once Your Highness moves troops, spies will report back. Shi Bangze, eager for merit, will act without authorization," Shan Jian confidently tapped the northeastern corner of the map, "As for the imperial court, a letter under Prince Jing's name will make Cui Jie believe it."

Cui Yi frowned slightly, disliking betrayal but accepting it, "Do it. Yuanke, gather eight thousand troops. I'm leaving now."

Xu Cheng remained uneasy, examining the spider-like map, frowning deeply.

Shan Jian challenged, "General seems unconvinced."

Xu Cheng shook his head vigorously, "No, no, not at all! Sir misunderstands. I'm just worried if Shi Bangze doesn't attack or chase Your Highness, your efforts will be wasted. People are unpredictable!"

Shan Jian sneered, "Unpredictable? Nothing is easier to understand than human nature. If you can't grasp it, you're simply not dirty enough."

"Dirty?" Xu Cheng was puzzled, but Shan Jian yawned and went to sleep.

After lunch, Cui Yi led eight thousand troops, and Xu Cheng led ten thousand to Shuangchang. Only two thousand troops and Shan Jian remained in Xuanzhou.

"Can you handle defending the city alone?" Xu Cheng asked anxiously before leaving.

Shan Jian yawned, "Victory or death. The empire can wait, but we can't afford to miss this opportunity. Missing it means Your Highness's chances of winning will diminish greatly."

Xu Cheng tightened his jaw, mounting his horse, "Take care. I'll return as soon as Shi Bangze falls into the trap."

After both commanders left, Shan Jian made his final moves.

First, he leaked that he defected to Cui Yi and would defend Xuanzhou alone, forcing Shi Bangze to attack.