Close by, the hooves of the knights' warhorses pawed at the ground, while men and horses alike exhaled plumes of white mist with every breath.
Zheng Fan's left hand held the reins, his right clutched a long saber, and his eyes were slightly closed as if in meditation.
No one knew what was happening in the heavily surrounded area to the southwest, but everyone was on high alert, anticipating that at any moment they might have to spur their mounts into a brutal charge against the enemy.
Finally, there was movement from the Jin troops.
Zheng Fan opened his eyes, preparing to swing his saber and order a charge, but he saw that the Jin troops before him were actually beginning to retreat. Simultaneously, even those farther away started to withdraw.
And ahead of them, Lord Jingnan rode leisurely forward on his Pixiu, accompanied by two banner-bearing knights. Nearly ten thousand Jin soldiers surrounded them, yet not one dared to stand in their way!
