Xia Cong rode back quickly. "They didn't surrender. They said they want to see you."
"See me? What for?" one of the officers scoffed. "It's just a small county. There's no need for you, my Lord, to take action yourself. Give me thirty riders, and I'll have it done. Kill a few, and they'll fall in line soon enough."
"Sir, give the order," Xiao Zheng said, seeking approval.
"No bloodshed," Chen Sanshi refused calmly. "If they want to see me, then let them see me."
He removed his armor and iron helmet, handing his weapon to Zhao Kang for safekeeping. Then he mounted Qianxun, his White Swan horse, and rode alone out from the ranks toward the city gate.
"Lord Chen is going alone?" Xiao Zheng asked, frowning.
"That's nothing to worry about."
Xia Cong planted his spear in the ground. "There's no one stronger than Tempering Bone inside that city. With my Lord's martial cultivation, he could take it down by himself if he wanted. But still… a small place like Meizi County—even if it surrenders, what use is it? What exactly does he mean by 'building momentum'?"
He kept that last question to himself.
——
On the walls of Meizi County, Wang Feng and the others grew more anxious with each passing moment after Xia Cong's departure. No one knew what would happen next. For all they knew, those three thousand cavalry could charge in at any moment and flatten the city.
"Do you think Chen Sanshi will really come?"
"Maybe…"
"Who knows?"
"I heard he's a fearsome general. We're the enemy, after all—if he gets angry, he might just storm in and kill us all."
Rumors took time to spread. The story of Ferrying the People Across the River had circulated slowly among the common folk. Compared to the Four Crossings of the Hongze River, its fame spread more gradually. Only about half a year ago did it reach Xinghua Prefecture and the surrounding areas.
In the past two months, it had become a sensation.
Storytellers in every tavern repeated it daily—how a man in white armor and a white horse broke through a thousand armored foes, how he charged in and out of battle seven times just to save the family of a fallen brother.
He was the most popular hero in every tale.
Some of the people on the wall had just heard that story in a teahouse earlier that very morning—and now, by afternoon, someone was saying that very man was outside their gates, calling on them to surrender.
It felt surreal, almost dreamlike.
"Look! Over there!"
"Quick, look!"
The people on the wall pointed down in excitement.
The sun was setting, painting the sky in crimson hues.
A white horse, a white robe.
Chen Sanshi rode Qianxun forward alone, without armor, without weapons. He wore only the white robe that Lan Jie'er had sewn for him by hand—a soft, plain garment meant to hide his killing aura and make him appear approachable.
He held the reins lightly, speaking neither too loud nor too soft. "People of Meizi County—you wanted to see me?"
"Are you Chen Sanshi?!" someone shouted from the wall.
"My name remains Chen Sanshi, my seat unchanged. Yes, it's me," he replied evenly.
The wall erupted in chatter.
"What do you think?"
"Is it really him?"
"White horse, dignified looks—it matches the stories perfectly. Must be real!"
"Yeah, it's not like they'd fake their own general."
"General Chen!"
Wang Feng called out, "You said earlier—if we open the gates and surrender, you'll spare everyone. Is that true?"
"Of course it's true."
Chen Sanshi didn't raise his voice, but his qi and blood carried it clearly. Everyone on the wall heard every word as if he stood beside them.
"Everyone! What my men said earlier is true."
He looked up at them, calm and steady. "I know what you're afraid of. But there's no reason to treat me like a foreign invader or an enemy.
"Laizhou has always been the land of the Great Sheng Dynasty!
"That means your ancestors were Sheng citizens to begin with!
"So really, what we're doing now is not conquest—it's restoration. Why shed blood among our own people?"
Every word struck the heart. The logic was simple, the truth piercing.
Yes—Laizhou had once belonged to Great Sheng.
If that was true, then surrendering wouldn't make them slaves like when the northern tribes had conquered and reduced the Central Plains folk to second-class citizens.
They could still live as before. The only difference would be the emperor sitting on the throne—and what difference did that make to poor soldiers and commoners?
Wang Feng swallowed hard. "Captain Du… should we surrender?"
"Let's…" Du Baizong started to refuse but stopped himself.
He knew all too well—the city walls of Meizi County were so brittle they could be kicked down. The mobilization had been too sudden; most of the civilians hadn't even made it to the walls, and no siege weapons were prepared.
If the enemy attacked, one charge would break the gates.
Surrender or resist—did it really make a difference?
"Don't surrender! Don't surrender!"
A man in green official robes came rushing up the wall, panting. It was County Magistrate Li, the administrative head of Meizi County. "Inspector Wang! We can't surrender!"
"Sir, you think we want to?" Wang Feng snapped, pointing outside. "There are three thousand Black Armored Cavalry out there! We can't even hold them off!"
"Even so—you are not allowed to surrender!"
Magistrate Li grabbed a soldier's saber and shouted angrily, "Anyone who opens the gates to surrender is committing treason! By my authority, I'll have their head! My order is—fight to the death!"
"Fight? For what?" Wang Feng's patience snapped. "You're just scared that once the Sheng army enters, you'll lose your fancy hat and your precious title! Why should we die for you? Tie him up!"
"You dare! You—!"
But when lives were on the line, no one cared about his rank anymore. The men rushed forward and bound him tightly.
"General Chen!" Wang Feng shouted down again, voice trembling but resolute. "Don't lie to us. We'll give up the grain, we'll open the gates—just promise us you won't slaughter the city!"
Even if the Sheng soldiers looted a little or took some food, it was still better than a massacre.
"Rest assured! To put it bluntly, the strength between us is miles apart. If I truly wanted to slaughter this city, I'd have charged straight in—why waste words here?"
Clad in white, Chen Sanshi kept a calm expression, but his voice carried an undeniable pressure as he spoke:
"As long as you raise the flag of the Great Sheng Dynasty on your wall, not a single blade of grass nor a single soldier will be harmed. Any captives willing to submit will become citizens of Great Sheng. Those unwilling will not be forced."
"But—"
"Our army has its limits. If time is delayed, we may be forced to use methods that none of us want. So please, don't waste too much time. You have the span of one cup of tea to decide!"
"No, no, no!"
Wang Feng's resistance collapsed instantly. "General Chen, we surrender—we surrender!"
"Open the gates!"
"We yield!"
"Buzz—"
Before even the time for tea passed, the city gates swung open.
Over a hundred garrison soldiers and dozens of officials came out together and knelt along both sides of the main road.
Among them, County Magistrate Li was bound hand and foot, pushed forward by Wang Feng's men. They presented his official seal and hat as offerings. The townsfolk stayed inside, peeking nervously from behind walls and alleys.
All of Meizi County fell into dead silence.
Wang Feng and the others lay flat on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. Their hearts were pounding so hard it hurt. They were nothing but meat on a butcher's board—utterly helpless, with no choice but to gamble.
If they resisted, they would die for sure.
Now, they could only bet that this famed young general would keep his word.
"Lord Chen, spare our lives!"
At Chen Sanshi's signal, the Black Armored Cavalry moved swiftly. They collected every weapon and suit of armor, restrained the only two officers in town, and led the army into the city.
Just as Wang Feng began to breathe a sigh of relief, the cavalry suddenly galloped through the streets, shouting and beating drums.
"All civilians!"
"Gather at the city gate!"
"You have one hour to assemble!"
At the same time, other soldiers went door to door, dragging out the townsfolk by force.
"Lord Chen!"
Wang Feng's face turned red with panic. "You promised not to slaughter the city! What are you doing?!"
"Chen, you liar!"
Du Baizong cursed loudly. "You tricked us! You'll die without peace!"
Chen Sanshi, still mounted, cast him a cold glance and ignored him.
"I'll fight you to the death!"
When Wang Feng saw his own family being herded into the street, he roared and lunged toward the weapons. A soldier kicked him down, and he found himself surrounded by flashing blades.
"Stay put, all of you!" Xiao Zheng barked, his patience thin.
"See?!"
County Magistrate Li knelt on the ground and shouted furiously, "I told you! The Sheng are despicable! It's you—you fools—who doomed the people of this city! When you get to hell, none will forgive you!"
Wang Feng and Du Baizong burned with shame, unable to lift their heads.
By the time the sky darkened, sixty to seventy percent of the city's population had been gathered at the gate.
They were gaunt and ragged, wearing patched clothes, their eyes sunken from hunger. In their gazes mixed hatred, fear, confusion—and a faint, trembling hope.
Before all those eyes, Chen Sanshi raised his arm high.
When it fell, what greeted the people wasn't cold steel—
but grain.
Cart after cart of food was pushed before them.
Zhao Kang and the soldiers kept order, shouting loudly, "Line up! Don't push! Everyone gets a share!"
"Boom—"
Those few words exploded through the crowd like thunder.
Grain?
The enemy army had invaded their city—and instead of killing or plundering, they were giving out food?!
It was unbelievable—like something out of a dream!
They had heard such promises before, when the army first arrived, but everyone thought it was just talk.
Yet now—General Chen actually did it.
Every person received one dou of rice.
With about ten thousand people, that meant one thousand shi of grain distributed.
It wasn't much per person—but enough to save lives in desperate times.
"My fellow citizens!"
Chen Sanshi finally spoke again. He dismounted and stood on a raised platform. "We marched fast and far. The grain we carry is limited, so it won't fill every stomach. I can only ask your understanding."
"Merciful Heaven!"
"This is truly General Chen who ferried the people across the river—who else could it be?!"
"Kneel and give thanks!"
More than ten thousand people dropped to their knees almost simultaneously.
Chen Sanshi continued, his voice steady. "I know Laizhou has suffered disaster since last year. What I offer today is but a small token of help."
"If any of you have relatives or friends in nearby counties or prefectures, tell them this—any place that surrenders to the Great Sheng Dynasty will receive food for every citizen."
"Xiao Zheng!"
"Here!"
"Find the local gentry and martial halls. Tell them to bring out half of their stored grain for distribution."
"My Lord," Xiao Zheng asked carefully, "and if they refuse?"
"They won't," Chen Sanshi said simply.
"Yes, sir."
As realization dawned, Xiao Zheng murmured to himself, "The general is using Qing's own grain to win over their own people… a brilliant move indeed."
"General Chen!"
"You're a man of righteousness and virtue!"
Wang Feng pressed his forehead to the ground again and again. "My Lord, I—I'll surrender to Great Sheng and serve under your banner, even if it's just as a foot soldier!"
"Stand up."
Chen Sanshi turned to the armored officer beside him. "You're from Xinghua Prefecture?"
"Yes," Du Baizong answered shakily. "I'm willing to serve under you too, General Chen."
"No need."
Chen Sanshi's tone remained calm. "You and your men may return to Xinghua Prefecture by the same road."
"What?"
Du Baizong blinked in disbelief. "My Lord… you're letting us go?"
Was this disdain? Did Chen Sanshi look down on him—or was he being tested?
Chen Sanshi didn't explain. He simply gestured for his men to release Du Baizong.
"My lord! I can still be useful!" Du Baizong said hastily. "I can return to Xinghua Prefecture and persuade General Ma to surrender. He's a distant relative of mine!"
Chen Sanshi neither agreed nor refused. His tone remained calm. "You may leave."
"This…" Du Baizong hesitated, then quickly dropped to his knees. "Thank you, General Chen, for sparing my life!"
He stood up slowly, realizing he was truly free, and led his men to their horses. They left the city at once. The only difference between their departure and their arrival was that they no longer had armor or weapons—but not a single one of them had been harmed.
"County Magistrate Li!"
Wang Feng turned on him. "What do you have to say now? Luckily, we didn't die for you. Otherwise, wouldn't that have forced General Chen to slaughter us all?"
Magistrate Li's head struck the stone road again and again, blood smearing the ground. "Lord Chen, spare me! Spare me! I'm willing to serve as a citizen of the Great Sheng Dynasty!"
"Citizen?" Chen Sanshi asked mildly. "Why not remain as County Magistrate?"
"Huh?"
Li's body froze mid-bow. He lifted his head slowly, confused. "General Chen… what do you mean by that?"
"You know the other county magistrates nearby, don't you?"
Chen Sanshi's tone turned steady and deep. "If you can persuade even one of them to surrender, once the Laizhou campaign ends, you'll still be magistrate. If you convince several, promotion and noble rank may follow."
"Truly?"
Li's eyes lit up instantly. "Yes, yes! The magistrates of Qimen County and Zhangde County are my old classmates. With General Chen himself here and an army of Black Armored Cavalry under your banner, plus my persuasion, it'll be no problem!"
"Good," Chen Sanshi nodded. "Then I'll trouble you with that. Tell your friends this—anyone who surrenders will receive the same treatment. The Great Sheng Army is a righteous force. We are here to reclaim lost lands, not to kill the innocent."
He helped Li up. "Someone, prepare a fast horse for Magistrate Li, and send two escorts with him for protection along the way."
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, everything was arranged.
The people of Meizi County had received their grain.
Du Baizong was on his way back to Xinghua Prefecture.
Magistrate Li set off to persuade the neighboring cities.
On the surface, nothing seemed to have changed.
It looked as though all their efforts had earned them nothing more than a worthless, barren county. But in truth, the momentum was already set in motion. What came next was only a matter of time—this was 蓄势待发, "gathering strength before the strike."
"Relay my command!"
Chen Sanshi's voice rang clear across the camp. "The entire army will rest in Meizi County for ten days! During this period, not a single soldier is to disturb the people. Anyone who violates this order—executed without mercy! Also, send word to all other divisions. Maintain your original formations. Any officer who acts without orders—executed without mercy!"
"Ten days?!"
Xia Cong's brows knitted. "We're stopping here for ten full days? Wouldn't that waste precious time? My lord, now that the people of Meizi County are grateful and the magistrate of Qing's territory is helping us persuade others, isn't this exactly the momentum you wanted? Why not strike while the iron's hot and seize the next city in one sweep?"
"Xia Cong, you're too impatient. Bring me my bow."
Zhao Kang, who carried the weapon, stepped forward immediately and handed it over.
Chen Sanshi drew the bowstring, fixing an arrow on the string. He aimed at a sparrow perched on a tree nearly three hundred paces away—almost a full li in distance.
"Do you see that sparrow?"
Buzz—
The bowstring thrummed.
The willow-leaf arrow tore through the air.
"My lord," Xia Cong asked, confused, "what does a sparrow have to do with anything?"
Before he could finish, the arrow hit its mark cleanly. The sparrow dropped dead.
"Let the arrow… fly for a while," Chen Sanshi said softly.
——
Outside Yongle Prefecture, in the Great Sheng military camp.
"Report!"
"Grand Commander Meng! Our scouts from the Qing Kingdom report that an army of seventy thousand has set out. They're expected to reach the Lüling Mountains in about fifty days at most!"
"So fast?" Meng Quji was slightly taken aback.
"What do we do now?"
Deputy General Zhan Taiming frowned deeply. "We must organize defenses at Lüling before their reinforcements arrive. But every unit is still locked in stalemate. If we pull back all our troops, we'll be abandoning half of Laizhou!"
"What about Chen Sanshi?"
Meng asked, "Didn't he swear to make Zhaotong Prefecture surrender within two months? It's already been half a month—where is he now?"
"Exactly," said Fan Tianfa, pointing to the map. "If we can take Zhaotong Prefecture first, we can free up forces to counter the enemy's reinforcements."
"Report!"
Another scout entered. "A message came just a short while ago. Lieutenant General Chen and his three thousand Black Armored Cavalry have marched north. They're currently in Meizi County, under Xinghua Prefecture's jurisdiction."
"Meizi County? Where's that?"
Meng Quji squinted at the map, searching—but couldn't find it.
"Here!"
Zhan Taiming finally pointed to a tiny speck—barely a dot of dust on the parchment.
"What the hell? That backwater's worthless!"
Fan Tianfa slammed the map with his fist. "Xinghua Prefecture is in the south, Zhaotong in the north—what's he thinking, starting from the farthest point? There are thirty-six prefectural cities and hundreds of county seats between them! Does he plan to fight for five years?"
"What's his plan?"
Meng Quji's expression darkened. "Send a message to Lieutenant General Chen immediately! Whatever he's scheming, he must return to the south at once and take Zhaotong Prefecture first!"
——
In Meizi County.
After consuming spiritual grain and a few treasured medicinal herbs, Chen Sanshi stood atop the city wall and began to cultivate.
The Five Tiger Soul-Breaking Spear in his hands spun like a living dragon or python, roaring through the cold air with immense internal force. A powerful vortex of invisible energy surged around him, the only proof of its presence shown by the bricks and stones of the wall bursting apart under pressure.
Reaching Mastery in the Meridian-Connecting Stage was known as Opening the Meridians.
Just as Opening the Orifices meant unblocking the body's vital apertures, Opening the Meridians meant clearing all twelve principal meridians, turning them into vessels to store internal force. The amount stored depended entirely on one's past accumulation.
As the saying went—one step missed, every step behind.
This time, Chen Sanshi was on the verge of breaking through that very bottleneck.
This was the easiest breakthrough Chen Sanshi had ever experienced. Each time he practiced the Dragon Spear of Nation-Suppression · Meridian-Connecting, another of his main meridians opened. In just half an hour, all twelve principal meridians were fully connected.
But he didn't stop there.
"It's not over yet!"
He could clearly sense it—the changes within him hadn't ceased. As his internal force surged through the apertures and struck the meridians, the transformation continued. Each time he circulated his qi once through his body while guiding it with the spear technique, the newly opened meridians widened further. This was true Meridian Opening!
For most martial artists, this would've been the end. But for someone with his talent, this was only the beginning. Now, he had to use up every drop of internal force to strike and expand the meridians. The more force he had, the wider the meridians would grow, and the more he could store in the future. The real contest was—who could last the longest while in this state.
And endurance… was his greatest strength.
Boom—!
Chen Sanshi's body entered a state of extreme overload. The Blood of the Dragon and Elephant roared through his veins, gradually transitioning into Exploding Blood. His internal force surged through his meridians at a speed no ordinary man could hope to reach. He relied on his Vajra Body to endure the searing pain as his meridians were constantly torn apart and reforged.
Every advantage he possessed now shone to its fullest. After over one hundred full cycles, he still didn't feel tired. His meridians strengthened and widened again and again—three hundred cycles, four hundred, five hundred—until fatigue finally crept in. Gritting his teeth, he pressed on.
During this time, the gyrfalcon returned with intelligence reports, but Chen Sanshi didn't even glance at them. Xia Cong received everything in his stead.
When six hundred cycles had passed, Chen Sanshi was drenched in sweat as though he had just walked out of a torrential storm. His face had turned ghostly pale from exhaustion. Veins bulged across his body, his breath sharp and ragged. The space before him was empty, yet it felt as though he were locked in deadly combat with a fearsome opponent.
That opponent… was himself.
Eight hundred cycles!
Blood filled his eyes, turning them the color of venom. His heart pounded like a war drum, so loud that even his men stationed nearby could hear it. His lungs burned numb, his throat and mouth reeked of iron and blood, and wisps of white steam poured from his body, making him look from afar like some divine fiend standing on the brink of death.
Nine hundred cycles!
His arms went numb, his stance began to falter. The world spun in darkness. He didn't know what day or month it was, nor where he was standing. The only thing left in his mind was the spear. Guided purely by muscle memory, he drove the weapon forward again and again until the last drop of qi and blood, the last trace of internal force, was spent—before finally collapsing with a thunderous crash.
One thousand cycles!
A full 1,000 circulations!
Ordinary martial artists rarely surpassed 100. Even prodigies wouldn't exceed 300.
[Skill: Dragon Spear of Nation-Suppression · Meridian-Connecting (Mastery)]
[Progress: 0/1000]
[Effect: Internal Force as Boundless as the Sea!]
If the internal force stored within an average martial artist was like a trickling stream, then his was a vast, endless ocean.
"General!"
Two soldiers rushed forward to support him.
Chen Sanshi waved them off, bracing himself against the city wall and gasping for breath. After swallowing two Blood-Replenishing Pills, he quickly recovered.
"General," Xia Cong finally spoke, "the letter says the Qing Emperor has taken command personally. He'll reach the Lüling Mountains in about fifty days. Grand Commander Meng asks what exactly we're doing here and hopes we'll return immediately—ideally straight for Zhaotong Prefecture—to avoid missing the best opportunity to strike."
Chen Sanshi listened quietly before asking, "What day is it now?"
"The second day."
"So that means we still have seven days."
"But…" Xia Cong hesitated, holding up the letter. "Grand Commander Meng hopes—"
"So, it's a suggestion, not an order," Chen Sanshi cut him off calmly. "That means we can choose whether to follow it or not."
He continued, "Tell the Grand Commander our true intentions. But our plan stays the same. We will remain here for seven more days."
"Yes, my lord!"
——
Laizhou.
Since last November, a full-scale war had erupted between the two nations, with combined forces exceeding 300,000.
On the sixth day of the twelfth month, the Qing Kingdom's Prince Li Gong suffered defeat at Mount Wutian, leading to the loss of five prefectures—Leishan, Guihai, and others.
The Marquis of Andong, Meng Quji, then led 150,000 soldiers of the Great Sheng Dynasty deep into Qing territory. With thunderous momentum, he cut across the Laizhou battlefield, severing Qing's supply lines to divide and annihilate their forces, intending to regroup afterward and crush Yongle Prefecture, deciding the war's outcome in one decisive strike.
From then on, Laizhou became a land of endless carnage.
Every day and night saw brutal battles of attack and defense.
But near the end of the twelfth month, everything changed.
A certain General Chen from the northwestern border issued an unprecedented command: All forces, silence. Surround but do not strike.
That night, the battlefront spanning a thousand li fell completely silent. It was like a thunderstorm that stopped at its fiercest moment—but the clouds still loomed above, heavy and dark, blanketing all of Laizhou. Over two hundred cities fell into a strange, oppressive stillness.
Inside each Qing-held city, the defenders could see from their watchtowers lines of their own captured comrades being escorted eastward—toward Great Sheng territory.
They were being sent home.
This was the same intelligence all Qing scouts reported.
The Great Sheng army was releasing its prisoners. Not only were they not killing or torturing them—they were feeding them, even escorting them home.
That meant, even if a soldier lost this war, as long as he surrendered, he could return to his family within a month, safe and unharmed.
Meanwhile, outside every city, Sheng soldiers called out day and night, urging the enemy to lay down their arms. The defenders' morale began to crumble.
But still, every Qing commander shouted to his men:
"Brothers! Just hold out a little longer!"
"Our reinforcements are almost here!"
"Forty more days!"
"No—thirty!"
They used this "hope before thirst" tactic—the plum illusion—to keep morale from collapsing, shortening the wait for help so their men could hold on.
And in truth—those reinforcements were indeed getting close.
Inside the Qing Kingdom, the scouts reported new updates almost every day. Each time, the enemy reinforcements had advanced much farther than before.
It wasn't only the Qing soldiers who felt uneasy—the Sheng troops were growing restless too. They couldn't understand it. They'd been winning all along, yet suddenly they were told to halt.
No one knew how long it would take to conquer the next city if they kept fighting, but everyone knew one thing—if they kept dragging things out like this, they'd be sitting ducks for the Qing reinforcements. And if that happened, the entire army could face a catastrophic defeat.
Outside Yongle Prefecture, within the Great Sheng military camp—
"He's lost his mind!!!"
Bang!
Fan Tianfa slammed the edge of the sand table, almost flipping it over. "Grand Commander Meng! Chen Sanshi has gone insane! Do you know what he said? Not only did he refuse to march on Zhaotong Prefecture, he plans to stay in Meizi County for another ten days! Ten days! Once those ten days pass, the Qing reinforcements will already be here!"
"What are we supposed to do now?"
Zhan Taiming paced back and forth, anxiety twisting his face. "Grand Commander, my suggestion is to revoke his command immediately. Issue a death order and force him to move toward Zhaotong Prefecture!"
"Hm…"
Meng Quji frowned deeply, falling into thought.
The current situation truly was dangerous. If Zhaotong Prefecture wasn't taken soon, and the delay continued, their entire front line could collapse.
He sighed. "I trusted Chen Sanshi too much. The fault is mine. I'll withdraw his command authority and issue a direct order—no matter what, he must take Zhaotong, whether by persuasion or by force. If he succeeds, I'll consider his mission complete."
"Gentlemen, don't be so hasty."
At that moment, a servant entered, pushing Fang Qingyun in his wheelchair into the main tent. Fang spoke slowly. "Have you all forgotten what Chen said in the beginning? He didn't promise to take a single prefecture. He said he'd take all thirty-six prefectures of Laizhou."
"You mean we can't see through his plan?" Fan Tianfa snapped. "Charging all the way northeast—doesn't that mean he plans to sweep from north to south, city by city? How long would that take?!"
"We're not asking for that much," Fan continued, his voice tight with frustration. "Even his military pledge only mentions Zhaotong. Just taking that one prefecture would already be enough!"
"Yes," Zhan Taiming added. "General Fang, Chen's strategies may be bold, but sometimes too ambitious. It's not fitting for the current situation."
Meng Quji nodded gravely. "Our top priority is still Zhaotong Prefecture. Once it's captured, we can split our forces to block the Qing reinforcements at Lüling Mountain. Everything else can wait."
"Not enough," Fang Qingyun interrupted, raising a letter. "I just received new intelligence. The Prince of Jing of Southern Xu Kingdom has gathered 100,000 troops and is now stationed at the border. Eight or nine times out of ten, they'll arrive together with the Qing reinforcements outside Lüling Mountain."
"How many did you say?"
Meng Quji's expression hardened. "A hundred thousand? Isn't Southern Xu still locked in a standoff with the Prince of Zhennan? For them to mobilize so many troops—are they planning to commit their entire nation's strength to helping the Qing?"
It was a chain reaction—pull one thread, and the whole web trembled.
All of this traced back to the Mingzhou Rebellion. The neighboring nations had been preparing for this for a long time.
Fortunately, the rebellion had been suppressed quickly. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Fang Qingyun continued, "Once the Qing and Southern Xu armies unite, they'll have a combined total of 200,000 soldiers. If we can't conquer all the remaining cities and gather our own forces before they arrive, we won't stand a chance.
"So yes, Zhaotong alone isn't enough.
"Chen Sanshi's plan is the correct one. Only by taking all thirty-six prefectures can we have leverage against a 200,000-strong army and avoid total annihilation."
"That may be true…"
Meng Quji tapped the map with his sword scabbard. "But there are only about forty days left. How can he possibly take thirty-six prefectures in that time? If those cities were going to surrender, they'd have done so already. The fact that he's stuck in Meizi County shows he can't persuade them!"
"The odds are slim, I admit," Fang Qingyun replied. "But do we have any other options? Right now, there are only two paths. Either we trust Chen Sanshi—or we retreat."
"Retreat?"
Fan Tianfa shouted, "Wouldn't that disgrace His Majesty?! We've fought this long! If we retreat now, all our sacrifices will be for nothing! Do you realize what that would do to morale?"
"Then why not wait a bit longer?" Fang Qingyun said patiently. "It's only been ten days. We're still far from the two-month deadline. What if Chen actually pulls it off?"
"General Fang," Meng Quji said, narrowing his eyes. "You seem awfully confident in him. Could it be you've guessed his plan?"
"More or less," Fang said with a faint smile. "And if my guess is right, this strategy would fail for anyone else—but for Chen Sanshi, it might just work."
"Why?"
Meng asked. "Because he's the genius who commanded the Four Crossings of the Hongze River?"
"No."
Fang paused. "Simply because of his name—Chen Sanshi."
Meng exhaled heavily. "Do as you wish. I've never been one to gamble. We'll prepare for both outcomes. Let Chen do what he wants for now—but we'll also start planning our retreat. General Fang, you'll handle the withdrawal routes. Make sure it's organized. You know what happens if we panic during a retreat."
——
Meizi County.
The tenth day.
On the city wall, Chen Sanshi slowly opened his eyes from meditation.
"Form up!"
"Move out!"
The horns blared.
After ten full days of rest and recovery, the Black Armored Cavalry assembled at the gates once again.
Thousands of civilians lined both sides of the road to see them off.
It didn't look like an invading army leaving—it looked like hometown soldiers departing for war.
Over the past ten days, the Black Armored Cavalry hadn't just distributed grain—they'd also executed several corrupt officials and the most notorious local tyrants and gentry.
The result was overwhelming public support.
Within just days, their reputation had spread across hundreds of li—and it was still growing.
"Sir, what should we do next?" Xia Cong asked urgently. "We're running out of time. Even if we ride straight south from here, the timing will be just right. There won't be a single day to spare."
"The fourth step—momentum has formed. Once the river surges east, nothing can stop it!"
Chen Sanshi spurred his horse forward. "From here, we ride southeast. Every city along the route, big or small, will surrender on its own. Get ready to take over their official seals and manage the surrendered troops. Keep everything organized. No chaos, no mistakes!"
——
Qimen County.
"They're here! They're really here! The Black Armored Cavalry—three thousand strong!"
"The man in front—white robe, white horse—it's Chen Sanshi himself!"
"How's the situation in Meizi County? Was it really like Magistrate Li said?"
"Exactly the same!"
"The Black Armored Cavalry didn't kill a single man. They opened the granaries and handed out food!"
"And Magistrate Li got his post back too!"
"Then what are we waiting for?!"
Magistrate Zhao stood on the city wall, staring at the dark sea of soldiers stretching to the horizon. Without hesitation, he shouted, "Open the gates! Welcome the Great Sheng General!"
The gates opened wide.
The magistrate and patrol captains came out, surrendered, and handed over their seals and weapons.
They stayed for less than half a day before the army moved south again.
——
Zhangde County.
"The Black Armored Cavalry is coming!"
"The white robe, white horse—it's really them!"
"Thousand-Household Lord, what do we do? Surrender or fight? We've got a thousand men in the city. We could hold for two days if we fight!"
"Fight my ass! After two days, we'll all be dead anyway!"
"Open the gates—surrender!"
——
Cuiye County.
"How about it? Did the two neighboring counties surrender?"
"They did!"
"Then open the gates quickly! Welcome Lord Chen!"
"Oh, and tie up those stubborn scouts from Xinghua Prefecture. Present them to the general as an offering!"
——
In just five days, all twelve counties under Xinghua Prefecture surrendered.
Only the prefectural city of Xinghua itself remained, holding out desperately with about four thousand defenders.
On the city wall—
"My lord! Bad news!"
"All of Xinghua's counties have surrendered! We're the only ones left!"
"Not just that—Cuiye County even detained our scouts!"
"The grain stores—officially we claimed twenty days' worth, but in truth, there's barely ten days left!"
"Third Uncle!" Du Baizong urged anxiously, "Let's surrender! General Chen's army is righteous. Surrendering to him is the best fate we could ask for!"
General Ma Hu hesitated. "Are you sure he won't kill us?"
"He won't!" Du Baizong jabbed a finger at himself. "Otherwise, how do you think I made it back alive?"
"Report!"
"It's been confirmed! The surrendered soldiers really did go home safely through Ghost Gate Gorge!"
"Then let's go home too!"
"Yes, go home!"
"Open the gates!"
Ma Hu gritted his teeth. With food running out and no chance of surviving two more months waiting for reinforcements, he finally shouted, "Surrender!"
——
Qianjiang Prefecture.
"White horse, white robe—General Chen Sanshi and the Black Armored Cavalry are here!"
"We still have three thousand brothers and enough grain for three months. We can last until reinforcements arrive."
"Reinforcements, my ass!"
"If there were reinforcements, would Xinghua Prefecture have surrendered? They've probably been lying just to keep us holding out!"
"Open the gates—surrender!"
——
Yuanqu Prefecture.
"General, please—surrender! Every prefecture around us already has! If we don't now, there'll be no chance left!"
"To hell with that! I was born a man of the Qing Kingdom, and I'll die a ghost of the Qing. I'll never betray my country!"
"General, surrendering isn't betrayal!"
"Once we surrender, we can return through Ghost Gate Gorge. After a few months, we can come back and avenge ourselves!"
"Yeah, that's not betrayal. Just a temporary measure. The city's empty anyway—surrender!"
——
Yizhou Prefecture.
"My lord, the people are revolting!"
"Those bastards! I've been defending this city for them, and they dare rebel?!"
"They say if they open the gates, they'll get food!"
"Nonsense! Tell them the Sheng army is lying to them!"
"The people said, maybe the Sheng army lies—but Chen Sanshi, the one who ferried the refugees across the river, wouldn't."
"Everywhere the Black Armored Cavalry goes, they open granaries and distribute food. Everyone knows it—it can't be fake…"
"My lord, the people have gone mad!"
"It's chaos! Total chaos!"
——
As Chen Sanshi led his Black Armored Cavalry southward in his white robe on a white horse, every city they approached surrendered without a fight.
The Great Sheng troops stationed outside each newly surrendered city quickly took control of the former enemy soldiers, and the army advanced smoothly, meeting no resistance.
It was only then that Xia Cong finally understood. "I get it now! What you did in Meizi County—that was gathering momentum! Every city's defenders in Laizhou were already at their limit. As long as they believe surrender has no cost, their morale collapses completely. One surrender leads to another, spreading like wildfire. That's the domino effect—when one falls, the rest bow down like grass before the wind!"
——
Twenty days later.
Outside Yongle Prefecture, in the Great Sheng camp—
"How has there been no news from Chen Sanshi for twenty straight days?!"
Meng Quji paced back and forth, his hands behind his back. "General Fang, we can't delay any longer. We should start retreating now."
"Report!"
"They've surrendered! They've surrendered!"
"Message from the Black Armored Cavalry! Twenty-three prefectures have surrendered!"
"The three thousand Black Armored Cavalry are still moving south—they're almost at Zhaotong Prefecture!"
"What did you say? Bring it here!"
Meng snatched the scroll, his eyes scanning rapidly.
January 28th: Shiqiao Prefecture's three thousand defenders surrendered.
February 1st: Deputy General of Chongzuo Prefecture killed his superior and led two thousand troops to surrender.
February 8th: Commoners in Huangpi Prefecture rioted, overthrew the city garrison, and surrendered.
February 19th: Within Laizhou, twenty-six prefectures had opened their gates. Over fifty thousand enemy troops had been captured in total!
"Amazing. Absolutely amazing!"
"News just came from the front—everywhere General Chen passes, the cities either surrender outright or fall into chaos!"
"From Xinghua all the way south, they haven't killed a single person!"
"Even when faced with armies of tens of thousands, it's as if the enemy deliberately steps aside for him!"
And so it was said—
From the northern border, surrender spread like wildfire.
Armies of thousands bowed before the White Robe.