The sunlight outside the courtyard was scorching and blinding, making it hard for people to open their eyes.
Li Wanming stood silently in the courtyard. The hibiscus flowers were falling, and the gentle breeze fluttered her skirt.
"Is my lady still angry with me?" Xiao Jingnan paused for a moment, then walked over with a smile. "I said something wrong last time. Now that we're about to part, please forgive me this time, my lady."
Li Wanming spread out her palm. There was a folded note in her hand. "Eight hundred arrows that can kill on contact. Xiaohuan brought them last night."
Xiao Jingnan frowned slightly. "The battle for the defense and attack of Yanchuan City will probably be extremely arduous. You'd better keep these arrows for yourselves..."
"As long as Shou'an is safe, the trade route from Shou'an to Yanchuan will be unblocked. Naturally, we can get a continuous supply of arrows." Li Wanming stuffed the note into his hand without any room for argument. "You're leading thirty thousand men to Longji Pass, but you haven't left any way out for yourself..."
"It's a surprise force..." Xiao Jingnan smiled. "If there were ways out everywhere, how could it be a surprise?"
He took Li Wanming's hand and slowly walked outside. "Speaking of which, there's one thing I'd like to ask my lady for help."
"His Majesty is following the army to Yanchuan this time. It's natural for an emperor to personally lead the troops into battle. If he doesn't even go to the battlefield, it would be really hard to explain."
"But the situation in Yanchuan is not optimistic. If His Majesty acts willfully and doesn't follow the commands at that time, please take good care of him... Among so many people, I think only my lady can control him."
Li Wanming said coldly, "Don't worry! With my eldest sister around, now if you tell him to go east, he won't dare to go west. He's very obedient!"
"Well... that's true..."
Xiao Jingnan scratched his nose. Suddenly, he felt a bit guilty and murmured, "Alas, war is originally a man's business, but in the end, it's made all three of your sisters go to the battlefield. It's really..."
Li Wanming widened her eyes and interrupted him rudely. "What are you talking nonsense about?
"My second sister is a female general, and my eldest sister is a doctor! It's their own choice to go to the battlefield! Even I... I also have my own place to go! We've been talking about how everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the country for so long. Why are you still so stupid and can't understand the situation?"
Xiao Jingnan was stunned. After a long time, he smiled slightly. "My lady is right. I was being shallow."
——————
Just as they had expected, Yanchuan was not difficult to capture.
This ancient city was neither a strategic pass, nor did it have granaries or mines, nor was it a commercial thoroughfare. Coupled with the delicate "deal" with Empress Dowager Kang, the Anluo people thought they were safe and sound and didn't spend any effort on defending it.
Even when Feng Xiao led his troops into the city, they didn't encounter any decent resistance. Several Anluo defenders stared blankly at the iron cavalry entering the city, as if they were in a dream.
In an instant, the black Anluo flag on the city tower of Yanchuan crashed to the ground.
However, there was no trace of joy on the faces of the Feng family's army. Instead, everyone looked solemn.
They knew clearly that the war had just begun after they captured Yanchuan.
The fire at midnight had died out, and a faint grayish - white color appeared in the sky.
The smell of gunpowder still lingered on the city tower. The army had divided into three routes and headed south.
Feng Xiao led 150,000 troops straight for Qingzhou. Another deputy general led 200,000 troops to Yuecheng. Xiao Jingnan led 30,000 troops and disappeared into the southern mountains in the dim dawn.
"Second sister, although General Guo is stationed in Yanchuan, you still have to be careful..."
Li Wanming glanced at Zhao Yanke who was clinging to Wanxin. She hesitated for a moment and then said, "If he can boost the morale of the soldiers while staying in Yanchuan City, you can just put him forward. Don't be polite! But if we can't hold the city in the end..." She tightened her grip on Wanmo's wrist. "You should abandon the city and don't worry about anything else! Remember, your own lives are the most important..."
"If we abandon the city, what will you do?" Wanmo's clothes fluttered in the wind. The long spear in her hand was shining brightly. Her smile was full of boldness. "Don't worry, little sister. We will definitely hold out until you come back! But what about you..."
A look of worry appeared on her face. "Are you really going to Qingzhou? Why don't you stay with us and defend Yanchuan?"
Although Yanchuan was also dangerous and they had to guard against the counter - attack of the Anluo people... at least it was backed by Shou'an.
In other words, as long as they were willing to abandon the city, it wouldn't be a big problem to save their lives. That's why Xiao Jingnan and Feng Xiao had tried their best to persuade Zhao Yanke to stay in Yanchuan.
It was different for Qingzhou, Yuecheng, and Longji Pass.
These three cities were deep in the enemy's territory. Once they went there, they would be like lone troops on the edge of a knife, and their lives would be at stake.
Li Wanming looked at the towering mountains in the distance and said softly, "Qingzhou is the granary. It's extremely important.
"If we can't capture Qingzhou, not to mention regaining the lost territories of the six cities, I'm afraid the rations of the people in Lingxi County next year will be a problem... Second sister, I have my own plans. You don't have to worry."
"Okay, the daughters of the Li family never know what fear is!" Wanmo laughed heartily. "When you return in triumph, I'll treat you to a drink!"
The sky was getting brighter.
The hoofbeats of Feng Xiao's horses had disappeared in the dust.
Li Wanming led Chuntao and Gao Yong out of the city. But instead of following Feng Xiao's direction to Qingzhou, she turned her horse's head eastward and plunged directly into the lush peaks of Dayi Mountain.
In the deep valley of Funiu Ridge, Jiang Xiaohuan was leading more than twenty female soldiers, looking forward eagerly.
When she saw Li Wanming's figure appear on the mountain path, she immediately ran forward excitedly. "Sister Li! I've brought all the people you asked for!"
Behind her, several burly men were trembling and huddling together.
One of the men with a maroon - colored face knelt down on the ground with a thud as soon as he saw Li Wanming. "Greetings, grandma... Please spare my life, grandma!"
This shout seemed to open the floodgates. The rest of them immediately knelt down one after another. Their cries echoed in the valley:
"Please spare my life, grandma!"
"I'm really a good citizen now. I haven't done any more lawless things!"
"Please spare my life. I have an aged mother at home and a three - year - old child. Please be merciful. Just let me go. Killing me would dirty your hands..."
Li Wanming sighed deeply. "After all this time, why do you still act like this when you see me?"
These men were the remnants of the seven mountain strongholds that had once occupied Dayi Mountain.
When Li Wanming had "moved around" in their strongholds back then, they had shown good sense. Later, they had also "led the way" and made contributions. So after the bandit strongholds were raided, Li Wanming had pleaded for them and spared them from prison.
But her plea had a great impact. The fame of "a single woman destroying seven strongholds" had spread like wildfire throughout Dayi Mountain!
Later, the rumors had become more and more absurd.
Some said that Li Wanming was the reincarnation of a fierce star from the sky, some said that there was a golden statue with three heads and six arms behind her, and some said that she was infinitely powerful and could topple mountains and overturn seas...
As a result, in the eyes of the mountain people in Dayi Mountain later, Li Wanming was like a mountain god - the evil one, with a green face and fangs, a fierce and terrifying look, and a gloomy aura around her. Wherever she went, she could stir up the sky and the earth.