"Jieting?"
Ma Chao frowned, gazing eastward by moonlight, sinking into thought.
Although the Ma clan originally hailed from Fufeng, after his grandfather Ma Ping lost his official post, the family drifted into Liangzhou.
From Ma Teng onward, they had grown up in Yong and Liang. Riding horses and living rough, Ma Chao was thoroughly familiar with the Long Mountains.
The Long Mountains were not like the Qinling range. Though they stretched far north to south, there were quite a few routes connecting Guanzhong and Yong–Liang. Generally speaking, however, only two routes truly mattered.
The first was the Long Mountain River Valley Route. Starting from Shanggui, one followed the Wei River valley, passed through Linwei, and reached Chencang—thus crossing the Long Mountains.
The second was the Guan–Long Route. From Guanzhong, it ran northwest through Yong County, Yumi, Qian County, and Jieting, eventually reaching Lueyang. From Lueyang, roads branched in all directions: west through Xingguo County straight into northern Yong–Liang, or south back into the river valley route, emerging between Shanggui and Linwei.
Which of the two routes took priority depended entirely on the Wei River's water level.
From the eleventh month to the third month, during the dry season, the river narrowed, exposing wide, flat riverbeds that became ideal roads for merchants and armies alike.
For example, after their defeat at Tong Pass, Han Sui and Ma Chao had escaped back to Yong–Liang via the river valley route, with Cao Cao pursuing them the same way.
Once the dry season ended, however, merchants seeking safety had no choice but to detour through Lueyang and Jieting, taking the more reliable Guan–Long Route.
Yet both routes shared one common point: they all passed through Shanggui.
Ma Chao had been entrusted to defend Shanggui. He was moved by Military Adviser Pang's trust—yet also frustrated by how little there was to do.
Now, hearing Jian Yong mention Jieting, Ma Chao pondered briefly before excitement lit up his face.
"Advisor Jian," he said, "what if I request to garrison Jieting—or even Lueyang?"
Jian Yong clapped his hands enthusiastically.
"General, you truly are a man of great talent!"
Seeing such a strong reaction, a large question mark practically popped up over Ma Chao's head.
"?"
Jian Yong, completely unfazed, continued his praise at full volume.
"Though the river valley is broad enough for armies, the Cao forces may yet divide their troops."
"If they pass through Lueyang and Xingguo into Yong–Liang, at best they strike our rear and open the Long Mountain route."
"At worst, they massacre the Qiang people, driving a wedge between Han and Qiang, shattering unity in Yong–Liang."
"For the general to wish to garrison Jieting, strike the Han traitors, and secure Yong–Liang—this is nothing less than exemplary conduct for the entire region!"
Without hesitation, Jian Yong tucked his left hand into his sleeve, raised his right thumb, and gave a firm thumbs-up.
This left Ma Chao utterly flustered.
Was that really what I meant?
But quickly, the logic fell into place. Ma Chao nodded decisively.
"That is precisely what I was thinking!"
At the same time, he marveled inwardly.
As expected of Advisor Jian—keen insight indeed! Even my own thoughts can't escape him.
As for the raised thumb gesture, Ma Chao recognized it well. Advisor Jian had explained before that it was a common hand sign used under Imperial Uncle Liu—signifying approval and praise.
Being praised like this made Ma Chao itch to fly straight to Jieting on the spot.
"Then there's no time to lose," Jian Yong said. "I'll write to Military Adviser Pang at once. General, you may begin recruiting troops. Depart early tomorrow."
Though it was still night, Ma Chao found nothing odd about it. Just as Advisor Jian said—this matter could not wait.
He wanted to garrison Jieting, not drag his feet until it turned into an assault on a Cao-held Jieting instead.
Ma Chao turned and left without hesitation.
As for Shanggui's safety?
Advisor Jian would surely arrange everything.
Standing where he was, Jian Yong watched Ma Chao's hurried figure disappear, a hint of relief crossing his face.
At last, I haven't failed Shiyuan's trust.
When formal battle preparations began, Pang Tong had personally traversed the Long Road under Zhang Fei's protection.
Jieting was indeed critical—but honestly speaking, it was also extremely difficult to defend. Only a true ferocious general would suffice.
Yet Zhang Fei had to guard the even more vital Linwei.
And so Pang Tong's thoughts had turned to Ma Chao.
Due to all manner of complications, he couldn't directly assign Ma Chao. Besides, Ma Mengqi had the temperament of a donkey.
Pull him and he won't move. Beat him and he backs away.
Since that was the case, the only solution was to make him volunteer.
Fortunately, over time Jian Yong had come to understand Ma Chao's temperament well. With a carefully arranged invitation and some guided conversation, he had finally sent this fierce general charging willingly toward Jieting.
Early the next morning, Jian Yong climbed Shanggui's walls once more and sighed in admiration.
"General Ma truly is a model for Yong–Liang."
Before the city gates, a great banner had already been raised. The single character "Ma" snapped fiercely in the cold wind.
Ma Chao had once again donned that flamboyant armor of his, riding a tall horse as he moved back and forth among the ranks. From time to time he stopped, laughed loudly, clapped Qiang cavalrymen on the shoulders, and spoke animatedly.
In the distance, scattered Qiang and Hu riders could be seen galloping in from all directions—drawn here by a single word from Ma Chao.
Having spent a year in Yong–Liang, Jian Yong had long grown accustomed to Ma Chao's prestige among the Qiang.
Yet even so, the scene before him stirred awe.
Beside him, Pang De looked on without surprise and remarked casually,
"What the Qiang and Hu seek is nothing more than a worthy death."
Seeing Jian Yong's curious glance, Pang De explained further.
"They may die in chaos, die in vengeance, die while plundering, or die to beasts—but they cannot accept dying of old age."
As he spoke, Pang De recalled his own past and shook his head.
"When I followed the former general, from the early Chuping years onward, the Qiang rebelled year after year. We fought them year after year. They rebelled again the next."
Jian Yong had nothing to say in response.
It wasn't that the Qiang and Hu couldn't farm. In fact, for two hundred years the court had tried to Sinicize them—but clearly with limited success.
There was no disdain or hatred in Pang De's voice.
Once, while drinking together, Pang De had drunkenly recounted an incident from a past uprising.
Three to five hundred Qiang riders had rebelled—nothing Pang De couldn't wipe out with a flick of his hand.
Yet in his youthful fervor, he had deliberately spared survivors to ask the cause.
The result?
A local clerk had seized slaves to curry favor with a court official. The Qiang attacked the county office to rescue their kin. Pang De was ordered to suppress them—and did so personally.
Later, when he entered Chang'an with General Ma Teng, they even passed by that official's estate.
"I couldn't dodge in time," Pang De had said mockingly, "and got kicked by one of his household servants."
Jian Yong still remembered the expression on Pang De's face when he told that story.
Now, watching the trust in the Qiang riders' eyes as they looked at Ma Chao, Jian Yong felt he finally understood where Yong–Liang's fierce, rugged spirit came from.
He offered a suggestion.
"If Lingming has doubts, after this battle, speak plainly to Lord Xuande."
Pang De nodded. He was not surprised that Imperial Uncle Liu would personally come to the front.
After all, less than a year ago, Cao Cao had chased them from Tong Pass like frightened rabbits.
Pang De had experienced Cao Cao firsthand—and now he was curious what sort of man this Lord Xuande truly was.
Thinking of Xuande inevitably brought to mind the rumors he'd heard among the common people over the past year.
"The Han… rising for a third time?"
Jian Yong stood beside him, smiling quietly, saying nothing.
Before Linwei City, Zhang Ji—mounted on horseback—harbored the same doubt.
Is the Han truly about to rise again?
But Zhang Ji was no fool. He wouldn't voice such thoughts aloud, especially with Du Xi beside him.
So instead, Zhang Ji tossed out a question.
"General Du, are we to attack the city?"
Du Xi hesitated.
Linwei wasn't a large city. In theory, it should have been easy to take—but their complete lack of gains at Wuzhang Plains still weighed heavily on him.
Moreover, just last year the Chancellor himself had been humiliated in Jingzhou. Du Xi did not consider himself a second Marquis of Huaiyin.
Waiting for the main force was the prudent choice—but…
Fortunately, Du Xi didn't have to hesitate for long.
Because Linwei opened its gates.
Zhang Fei shouldered his iron spear and rode out alone, casually ambling forward. At two hundred paces, he reined in and roared,
"Who's commanding over there? Uncle Xiahou? Zhang He, who slaughtered civilians to pad his record in Huainan? Or my second brother's hometown man, Xu Gongming?"
Du Xi and Zhang Ji exchanged looks, startled by the layered relationships—but momentum couldn't be lost.
Du Xi raised his voice in reply.
"I am Du Xi, styled Zixu—one of Yingchuan's Four Eminent Scholars, grandson of the Governor of Jiyin!"
What he didn't expect was the thunderous response:
"Never heard of you!"
"Does Military Adviser Pang know him?"
Du Xi squinted and saw a shield hoisted atop the walls. Someone spoke, then Zhang Fei burst into laughter.
"So it's Du Xi, the man who once sought a lord to restore order! You and Fan Xiubo have long eaten Han salaries—tell me, have you now found a worthy master?"
Du Xi flushed red. He hadn't expected his youthful affairs to be known here.
Clearing his throat, he shouted back,
"The only true master today is the Son of Heaven in Xudu! Those who falsely claim Han lineage, sneer at Heaven's Mandate, and cloak rebellion in benevolence—"
"We act by imperial decree to quell chaos before it grows! If you hold loyalty to the Son of Heaven, bind yourselves and surrender, and you may yet keep the name of Han officials!"
On the wall, Pang Tong had caught enough of the exchange to grow excited.
He'd long heard that Chancellor Zhuge once cursed men to death on the battlefield. Wasn't this just verbal skill? Pang Tong could do that too.
But below, Zhang Fei roared first.
"I spit on that! How thick-skinned must you be to fool even yourselves!"
"When you return, do you kneel in Xudu—or grovel in Ye? Do you think I don't know?"
Pang Tong slapped his thigh in frustration.
My voice isn't as loud as Yide's—missed my chance!
But if asked to stand alone before the enemy like Yide, Pang Tong knew better than to try.
Zhang Fei's blunt words sent Du Xi's eyebrows shooting upward. Zhang Ji hurried forward to intervene—
But Du Xi raised a hand.
"Derong, don't worry. This is merely provocation. The more they bark, the more we must wait for the main force."
"As for this Zhang Fei… Derong, deploy a unit of archers and drive him back. Enough of his noise."
Unfortunately, Du Xi didn't get his wish.
Zhang Fei cursed to his heart's content, but the moment archers appeared, he retreated—maintaining that perfect two-hundred-step distance.
As soon as they withdrew, he surged forward again, resuming maximum-volume abuse.
An hour passed like this before he finally stopped.
Barely a quarter-hour later, Zhang Fei emerged again, broad as ever, picking up right where he left off.
The sun's angle was just right. Du Xi could even see something gleaming at the corner of Zhang Fei's mouth.
Du Xi nearly broke down.
You went back to eat, didn't you?!
Du Xi prided himself on composure, but this sustained, frontline verbal barrage began to erode Cao army morale.
Zhang Ji raised concerns—but Du Xi hesitated.
"If we lose patience and attack the city, won't we fall straight into their trap?"
Du Xi knew how brutal siege warfare was. A rash assault would never succeed—any losses would be pure waste.
Yet advancing further risked facing the same powerful crossbows they'd encountered at Wuzhang Plains—now firing from higher ground, with even greater range.
After careful consideration, Du Xi chose caution.
"Withdraw ten li."
Zhang Ji still felt uneasy—but with no viable assault and no way to silence Zhang Fei, pulling back seemed the only option.
Then he understood the source of his unease.
As the Cao army began withdrawing its camp, Zhang Fei unleashed a roar that shook heaven and earth.
"Zilong!"
The answer was thunderous hoofbeats.
Over a thousand cavalry burst from the river valley behind Linwei, lances leveled, charging straight into the freshly moving Cao camp.
On the walls, Pang Tong leaned out, fanning himself and laughing loudly.
After nearly a year of sealing off Long Road intelligence, the results had finally come.
They thought they were plotting against us—
How could they know they, too, were pieces on the board?