Chapter 22: Fearing the Final Outcome

It was only after Mai Ya’s head was struck off that Luo Fang, Xue Chengqian, and the others finally released their bated breath.

Even though they had been aware of the Northern Barbarians' cruelty beforehand, and even though Xue Chengqian had calculated most of the battle's progression—with the frozen Nujiang River melting and cracking exactly as they had hoped—the process remained fraught with peril. It is no exaggeration to say that they had teetered on the brink of collapse several times.

Though he had predicted the flow of the battle, the victory remained dangerously narrow. At this moment, Xue Chengqian understood with piercing clarity what it meant for "war to be a perilous affair"; on the battlefield, there are always unforeseen surprises, and one must never underestimate an enemy's ability to create trouble. Yet, for this very reason, he felt an immense sense of pride in his victory.

If Xue Chengqian was this exhilarated, the feelings of the other refugees could well be imagined. They cheered and roared in a frenzy, venting their joy, their pride, and their lingering fear.

It was Kang Yu’s return that brought everyone back to their senses.

"Boss... I went to Wangjiang City to request reinforcements as you ordered, but the dog official surnamed Lu wouldn't even open the city gates. He simply told us to fight to the death and repel the enemy. I... I have failed everyone!"

Kang Yu showed a rare vulnerability, his voice even trembling with sobs toward the end. Luo Fang’s expression darkened instantly. Xue Chengqian, quick to react, grabbed Luo Fang’s arm and pulled at Kang Yu’s sleeve, walking them aside with a jovial smile.

"Oh? Kang Yu, have you brought new orders from the City Magistrate? Then we must discuss this carefully." He turned to the others, "You all, go settle everyone down, clean up the battlefield, and collect the weapons. I am going to discuss matters with Boss Luo."

Hearing that the Magistrate had new arrangements, the refugees dared not intrude and began working with the military households under Luo Fang to gather the corpses.

...

"Bastard! All of you are useless! Mai Ya has brought shame upon our Tianheng Tribe!"

On the opposite bank of the Nujiang, the Northern Barbarian cavalry stood in shock and resentment. Lian Da was struck by both fury and alarm; casting aside his dignity as a Khan of a great tribe, he unleashed a torrent of abuse. He cursed the treacherous Liang people on the other side, but even more so, he condemned his "formerly" capable commander, Mai Ya.

The Tiger Cavalry was one of his tribe’s elite forces! With thousands of cavalrymen buried at the bottom of the Nujiang, even a powerhouse like the Tianheng Tribe would feel the sting of the loss.

The other tribal leaders had not yet processed the outcome of the battle and remained in shock; faced with Lian Da’s rage, none dared to step forward to soothe him. It was Helian Yue who finally broke the silence.

"Lian Da! Do not forget that you are the commander-in-chief of this army!"

"Even if the vanguard has been defeated, you should be considering how to manage the aftermath, not indulging in your own temper at the expense of the army's morale! The other tribal leaders are watching—do you wish for them to see an even more pathetic display?"

Lian Da, wild with fury, looked up sharply, as if he could tear Helian Yue to pieces with his gaze alone. In the end, he suppressed his rage. Perhaps she was the only one present who could bring him back to his senses.

"Humph! Who says I have been defeated? The Liang people used treacherous tricks; while they blocked our advance, it only proves that the Liang army dares not fight our cavalry head-on!"

"Next time, I will be vigilant and not fall for their wicked schemes. How then will the Liang people stop the might of my army?"

Seeing that Lian Da had finally regained his composure, the other leaders stepped forward to echo his words. "Exactly so. The Liang people are cowards who can only win through trickery." "Rest assured, Great Khan, we will be on our guard and never fall for their traps again."

Seeing him at least attempt to save face with empty rhetoric, Helian Yue breathed a sigh of relief. Despite her blunt rebuke, she had taken a massive risk. She had gambled on Lian Da’s ambition, knowing he needed to maintain his dignity as a Khan in front of her and the others. Yet, Lian Da was cruel and impetuous; had he truly lost his mind, she would have been the first to bear his wrath. Fortunately, her gamble paid off.

As for their bravado and attempts to belittle the Liang forces, Helian Yue merely sneered inwardly.

Indeed, there were clever men within the Tianheng Tribe. Yongtai, the "Sky Shaman," stepped forward to counsel him.

"Chieftain, while we still possess an army of tens of thousands, we cannot fly across the Nujiang."

"We received intelligence from our guides that the rivers in the northern border of the Liang Dynasty were frozen, so we made no preparations for crossing by boat. If we cannot even cross the Nujiang, how can we threaten the army at Wangjiang City?"

Lian Da could hardly answer. With a note of petulance, he hissed, "The Liang territory is full of trees; I shall order the troops to fell them and build boats! We can also search upstream and downstream for solid ice."

"I do not believe the Liang people can truly halt the march of my iron cavalry!"

Yongtai calmly countered, "The Liang people may be cowardly and no match for our warriors on land, but their navy is far superior to ours."

"Furthermore, our tribes and warriors rely on looting to sustain supplies and morale. How long can we afford to waste time here building boats? What if the livestock and grain we have already seized run out?"

"The Liang people used a method unknown to us to melt the ice ahead of time. Who is to say they cannot do the same upstream and downstream? How far must we scout?"

Lian Da could not answer a single one of Yongtai’s questions. Had it been anyone else, Lian Da would have lashed them to death with his whip in his fury. But as the "Sky Shaman," Yongtai held high status and prestige within the Tianheng Tribe; even as Chieftain, Lian Da could not punish him directly, let alone out of mere frustration.

Helian Yue sighed, "I truly wonder who in the Liang Dynasty devised this method of melting ice. We were caught entirely unprepared and left helpless."

"In my view, the Sky Shaman is correct. We cannot let Wangjiang City bind our hands. Our strength lies on horseback; we must keep our horses moving."

Lian Da’s face grew dark. He understood the logic Helian Yue spoke of, yet having suffered such a public humiliation, his mind was filled with thoughts of revenge. As the head of the Tianheng Tribe, Lian Da could not let his honor be trampled or his thousands of elites die in vain.

However, faced with the floating ice on the Nujiang, he had no strategy. His talk of building boats or finding crossings downstream was entirely unfeasible.

Yongtai then stated the advice Lian Da found hardest to accept, yet had to heed.

"As things stand, we must withdraw first, and immediately report this to the Great Khan and the other tribes!"

"Though the possibility is slim, if the Liang people truly have a way to melt all the rivers in the north, they could allow their navy to sail north and cut off our retreat at any point! If the other tribes are caught off guard, the consequences would be unthinkable!"