The day after the birthday.
Xu Jin did not wake up as he had yesterday, and his condition faintly began to deteriorate.
"Sigh, it's still because of his hidden injuries," the military doctor said. "At the Marquis's age, external wounds are alright, but what we fear most are internal injuries."
In truth, before the Marquis fell into a coma, he had been holding onto his last breath likely out of worry for the border's situation. But after he woke up and found that the border had stabilized, that breath slowly faded, making it easy for him to end up like this.
Qu Dubian: "Is there a cure? If the border isn't well-equipped enough, what if we send him back to the capital?"
Military doctor: "The Marquis's body cannot withstand a long journey."
Qu Dubian: "Then we can have doctors from the capital and other places come to the border, right?"
Military doctor: "I'm afraid that the medical skills of those who come might not even match ours."
The doctors at the border were basically all well-tempered by experience. Some of their methods were much wilder than those of the capital's doctors. Moreover, no one understood the Marquis's body better than he did.
Qu Dubian: "Are there any other doctors at the border?"
"The best doctors at the border are all here..." the military doctor hesitated. "However, the most famous doctor at the border is an old woman named Yang Chonghua."
"She has a very eccentric temper. She doesn't like people from Great Zhou, nor does she like people from Northern Xinjiang. She lives alone within Great Zhou borders, in the mountain forests a few dozen miles outside the Western Garrison."
Qu Dubian: "Can we invite her over?"
The military doctor shook his head: "She never leaves the mountains. Anyone seeking medical advice or medicine must visit her in person, and she only treats those she finds pleasing to the eye."
"I know her," Ahanli lifted the curtain and entered. "If you trust me, I'll take Marquis Xu to seek her treatment."
Ahanli had managed to sneak out of the Northern Xinjiang blockade with great difficulty, but he couldn't go back, so he stayed in the city. "Doctor Yang Chonghua is, like me, of mixed blood from Great Zhou and Northern Xinjiang. When I was sick as a child, my mother took me to seek her treatment, and she was very kind to me."
Perhaps it was because she saw a kindred spirit who was subtly ostracized everywhere.
Lang Qing: "Is this person trustworthy?"
Ahanli curled his lips: "Much more trustworthy than the arrested people from the Inspectorate and those two patrol generals."
His words were still somewhat barbed. His overt and covert sarcasm was more stinging than outright displeasure, but he genuinely wanted to help them.
"Since that's the case, I will lead a team to escort the Marquis there," Lang Qing looked at Qu Dubian. "Your Highness, you must stay in the city."
The soldiers in the city had gone through a period without the Marquis's leadership, and a new banner had already been raised. Therefore, even if the Marquis was not here and went out for medical treatment, the soldiers would not be too greatly affected.
But the Seventh Prince, who had taken over the army in the Marquis's stead and re-rallied their morale, could not leave.
Qu Dubian gazed at the old man on the bed and pursed his lips for a moment.
"...Alright, but if possible, it would be better to persuade Doctor Yang to go to Jushan City for the treatment."
The first and second cities of the Western Garrison had already been reclaimed, and Uncle Ersen was also there. Jushan City was more secure, arguably the safest place.
Lang Qing cupped his fists: "Rest assured, Your Highness. Once I escort the Marquis there, I will send a message back."
Qu Dubian: "Mhm."
Having made the decision, Lang Qing, being a man of swift and decisive action, quickly packed his things. He also brought the military doctor and a six-thousand-strong escort.
Before leaving, Ahanli said to Qu Dubian, "If you find out who swapped my mother's letter, please spare that person's life so I can kill them when I return."
Qu Dubian patted his shoulder twice with his palm.
"I'll sharpen your knife for you."
Only then did Ahanli reveal a smile.
"I will also take good care of Marquis Xu. Before my mother died, she said that he guarded the border his whole life, trading it for the decades of family reunions of many people. He is a good man."
Qu Dubian stood at the rear city gate, watching them leave.
For safety, they needed to take a detour from the rear gate to avoid the eyes and ears of the Northern Xinjiang people.
Xia Fuyang: "A man like Marquis Xu, who has dedicated his life to the people, has no reason to fall here. He will be fine."
Qu Dubian: "Let's go."
He turned back to the city. "When my grandfather fully recovers, I want the destruction of the Northern Xinjiang royal court to be what he sees."
Xia Fuyang walked by his side.
"Alright."
Three days later.
Qu Dubian received a letter from Lang Qing.
He opened it immediately, and after reading the first few lines, he breathed a sigh of relief.
That day, Uncle Lang Qing and Ahanli took his grandfather up the mountain to seek treatment. They found Yang Chonghua's small wooden cabin in a mountain col. Its location was extremely hidden; if Ahanli hadn't roughly remembered where the path was, they definitely would have gotten lost.
Doctor Yang kept several vicious dogs. Unwilling to hurt the dogs, they dodged around and were nearly bitten.
Fortunately.
After several twists and turns, Doctor Yang admitted his grandfather for treatment. After a few acupuncture needles, his grandfather coughed up a few mouthfuls of stagnant blood, and his condition stabilized significantly.
He continued reading.
Uncle Lang Qing also wrote: "The Marquis will require continuous treatment for several months without interruption. Doctor Yang said that she can at most clear the superficial hidden injuries so that the Marquis can speak and run. The rest can only rely on long-term recuperation, otherwise, it will still damage his lifespan..."
Qu Dubian turned to the next page.
"Doctor Yang and Princess Axiang once knew each other. The fact that the Marquis could be treated this time was all thanks to Ahanli kneeling outside her door for a whole day."
Uncle Lang Qing deliberately mentioned this at the very end to highlight Ahanli's contribution. They had probably been given quite a hard time. Whether it was by leveraging old friendships or something else, Ahanli had undoubtedly been of great help.
He didn't know the complete past of Aunt Axiang, nor did he know the story of what happened to the mother and son.
But Ahanli had been taught very well by Aunt Axiang.
Qu Dubian set the letter down.
Yi Shier entered the tent. "Your Highness, the number of Northern Xinjiang people approaching the First Central City has increased over the past two days. Every time, it's just two or three people, which is quite inconspicuous. The howling of wolves and the chirping of crickets at night are very strange; they should be human imitations. They are trying to call out to someone in our city."
"Are you sure?"
Yi Shier: "Yes."
Untrained people might not be able to distinguish animal calls like wolf howls used as secret signals, but he could.
Qu Dubian chuckled. "The people of Northern Xinjiang delivered themselves at a wonderful time. We can't strictly interrogate the people from the Inspectorate, but we have no such scruples when it comes to Northern Xinjiang."
Yi Shier thought the same.
A two-pronged approach.
Qu Dubian: "The next time they come, capture two informants and pry their mouths open."
"Yes."
Meanwhile, on the other side.
The Emperor of Nanning received a letter of condemnation and urging from Jirgal.
In the letter, not only did they demand that Nanning provide thickened shields, but they also mentioned a terrifying upgraded version of gunpowder, and demanded that Nanning deploy its troops.
The head eunuch asked, "Your Majesty, should we give it to them or not?"
The Emperor of Nanning raised an eyebrow. "Why shouldn't we? If they want it, we'll give it to them. As for deploying our troops..."
His son Yuruo, although of impure lineage with Northern Xinjiang blood running through his veins—destining him never to ascend the throne—undeniably had some real capability.
The one currently guarding the Nanning border pass was Yuruo.
"The people of Northern Xinjiang rely on the grasslands and their livestock to fight. Although they aren't exactly stupid, they prefer to charge recklessly and don't understand what constitutes the best opportunity for war."
Great Zhou had experienced floods, plagues, the allocation of funds, the time-consuming and labor-intensive rebuilding of dams, and assisting the common people in rebuilding their homes... The expenses were countless.
In the years before those three major grain-producing commanderies could recover, resume production, and start paying grain and taxes again, the Great Zhou tightened its belt every year just to give the common people a chance to catch their breath.
It had been three months since the war broke out in the Northern Frontier, and it was evident that the Great Zhou had consumed a significant amount of resources again.
How much longer could they hold on?
The Emperor of Nanning paced around the hall barefoot, wearing soft, worn-out fabrics.
Although he had banned the Wangye fruit nationwide, he himself was accustomed to using Cold-Food Powder. His skin had become so sensitive that he gradually found himself unable to wear clothes that were too new.
"It is about time."
"Send the shields requested by the Northern Frontier as soon as possible," the Emperor of Nanning ordered. "Also, send word to Yu Ruo to launch a full-scale attack on the Great Zhou. Tell him to advance steadily and wear them down."
"In addition, the shields we use for ourselves must be made thicker."
He took an extra precaution.
The new gunpowder that made the Northern Frontier so wary must possess an extraordinary destructive power. It was best for Nanning to prepare a countermeasure in advance.
The head eunuch replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Before the Great Zhou even had time to celebrate the victory at the Northern Frontier, Zhennan Pass swiftly plunged into the flames of war.
Led personally by the Second Prince of Nanning, Yu Ruo, the three generals of Zhennan Pass were forced to retreat in defeat time and time again.
Battle reports arrived in rapid succession.
The Great Zhou.
The Capital.
Concubine Lan summoned the Sixth Prince.
One of the three generals at Zhennan Pass belonged to the Sixth Prince's maternal grandfather's family. Military power was his greatest pillar of support in the imperial court today.
"This is the message your cousin sent us. Take a look."
The Sixth Prince opened it. After reading it, he let out a sound of surprise, "Is this true?"
The letter stated that because there had been few border skirmishes at Zhennan Pass in recent years, a large batch of the weapons stored in the armory had rusted.
They could dispose of these weapons privately, polish them clean, disguise themselves as Nanning arms dealers, and sell them back to the Great Zhou at a low price.
Although it was an illicit channel, they were, after all, weapons supposedly coming from an enemy nation, which the Great Zhou would be happy to acquire. As long as the border officials inspected them and found the quality acceptable, they could report it and store them in the armory.
This was an unspoken rule well understood between border arms dealers and the officials responsible for weapon management in both countries. However, since the origins of such weapons were illicit, the price paid to the dealers would be much lower.
Concubine Lan said, "What is wrong with it? Will not all the money embezzled from this end up in your pockets?"
She calculated meticulously.
"Look at the Second Prince. Although his maternal grandfather's family is unremarkable, his father-in-law is the Waterway Transport Commissioner. He oversees the transport of salt and iron, as well as the wartime transport of grain and forage. His network of connections is vast! With such a money bag, could the Second Prince ever lack funds?"
"The gap between you and the Second Prince lies exactly here."
Bribing officials, greasing palms in the inner palace and outer court, paving the way for a smooth official career, and exchanging gifts—which of these does not require money?
Concubine Lan gestured a number with her hand. "If you swallow down this sum, you will have at least this much money."
The Sixth Prince repeatedly examined the letter.
"What are you doing? Do you think your grandfather would scam you?"
"Oh... it is nothing," the Sixth Prince replied. "The Fifth Prince taught me this. He said I should always inspect letters to see if the seals and handwriting are accurate."
Concubine Lan remarked, "He has always been meticulous."
And loyal, too. For so many years, he had consistently supported her Little Sixth in the imperial court and handled quite a few matters for them.
After verifying that there were no issues with the letter, the Sixth Prince fell into deep thought. "Mother, is this not somewhat inappropriate?"
Taking their own country's semi-defective goods, reprocessing them, and posing as foreign arms dealers to profit off their own country.
"During the morning assembly yesterday, Lord Lin, the Minister of Revenue, was still crying to Imperial Father about the empty state treasury."
"When does he ever not cry poor?" Concubine Lan poked the Sixth Prince's forehead in exasperation. "What use is the money sitting in the state treasury? Can you use it? You have to hold it in your own hands!"
Besides, once her Little Sixth ascended the throne in the future, would it not all be the same wherever the money was?
The Sixth Prince pondered for a moment. "Cousin will not be discovered over there, right?"
"No, your grandfather's family handles matters reliably."
"Alright then," the Sixth Prince tucked the letter into the breast of his robes. "However, I still need to go back and ask the Fifth Prince, just to be on the safe side."
He was no longer the Sixth Prince who would make impulsive decisions on a whim. He had grown up and learned to consult others.
Concubine Lan nodded. "Still, you should speak less of it. Do not let him get too involved, lest he wants a piece of the pie."
A few days later.
The Northern Frontier.
The Border.
Qu Dubian also received the battle report from Zhennan Pass.
"The border line at Zhennan Pass has been pushed back sixty miles, retreating all the way to Xiagu Pass, where they won two battles. Relying on the terrain, they should be able to hold off the Nanning army for a while," Xia Fuyang said.
The two of them had no mind to do anything else. They stood inside the military tent, facing two large sand tables laid out before them.
One depicted the Northern Frontier, and the other depicted Zhennan Pass.
With wars breaking out in both places simultaneously, the outcome of the battle on the other side was closely related to their own.
Qu Dubian remarked, "It has only been a few days, and they have already been pushed to Xiagu Pass. The fact that they could only secure a victory by relying on the terrain proves that the Nanning army is a tough opponent."
Xia Fuyang sighed. "During the war against Nanning eight years ago, my father went to Zhennan Pass. It was also in that war that he was granted the title of Marquis. After he returned, he told me that the division of power at Zhennan Pass was too severe. If there is no single commander to lead them against Nanning, their strength will be too scattered."
After all, the three generals held equal status. If they could not fully trust each other and cooperate, each fighting their own battles, it would be easy to suffer defeat.
"Although my father and Marquis Xu also share divided power, they trust each other and focus on different aspects. Furthermore, the military power is only divided into two, as the Supervisory Bureau holds no real authority."
One monk carries water to drink, two monks carry water together to drink, but three monks have no water to drink.
This logic has held true since ancient times.
Qu Dubian could not help but pinch the bridge of his nose.
"The Old Geezer's division of power is truly a terrible move..."
Undeniably, the Old Geezer was indeed a good emperor in some respects, but his excessive division of power was intrinsically tied to the deep-seated suspicion in his bones—an inseparable trait.
Xia Fuyang pretended not to hear those two words that had slipped out unconsciously.
Xia Fuyang continued, "The one leading the troops is Yu Ruo. Back when he was a hostage prince in the Great Zhou, no one saw that he possessed such capability." Had it not been for his mother being from the Northern Frontier, he would likely have long since ascended to the position of Crown Prince of Nanning.
Qu Dubian's expression turned solemn. "No matter who is leading the troops, Zhennan Pass cannot afford to retreat any further."
If they could not even hold Xiagu Pass, it would be even harder to stop the enemy further inland.
However, on the very next day, after the two of them wished they could fly to Zhennan Pass to join the battle and had secretly prayed to all the gods of heaven and earth for Nanning to suffer misfortune...
Xiagu Pass was on the verge of falling.
...
The Great Zhou.
The Xu Manor.
Xu Tingfeng let out a soft sigh.
He withdrew his gaze from the Northern Frontier and let it fall upon the tall, graceful bamboo in the courtyard.
He had been trapped in this courtyard for more than ten years.
Yet, the day to step out had finally arrived.
Xu Tingfeng did not change his clothes. He simply wore the blue robes he usually favored, looking as if he were just stepping out to buy groceries.
A servant boy stood at the door. "Young Master, will you be coming back this time?"
Xu Tingfeng did not turn his head. "Do not save any food for me."
Looking at his retreating back, the servant boy cupped his hands and bowed deeply.
The eunuchs and palace maids at the entrance of Zichen Hall had never seen such a unique person come to seek an audience with His Majesty.
Dressed in blue robes, he held no official rank, nor was he of noble birth. He merely referred to himself as a commoner.
Not long after Eunuch Yu went in holding a chipped command token, His Majesty summoned him.
Inside the Zichen Palace.
Xu Tingfeng knelt before Emperor Chongzhao, his head slightly lowered.
The two were playing chess.
"It has been so many years since we last met. You have changed so much that I almost did not recognize you," Emperor Chongzhao said.
Xu Tingfeng smiled. "I was too arrogant in my youth. I have made a fool of myself before Your Majesty."
"Are your legs healed?" Emperor Chongzhao asked.
Xu Tingfeng replied, "After more than a decade of treatment, I encountered a stroke of luck a few years ago. I only mostly recovered about a month ago."
The game of chess was merely an excuse for a conversation. The two played casually, their minds focused on their talk.
"So you came to see me today just to play chess?" Emperor Chongzhao glanced at the chipped token at the corner of the chess table. "This is your general's token from when you were in the Northern Frontier. Although you made a mistake later and a corner was cut off, I can still recognize it. What is the matter for you to see me with this token today?"
"Your Majesty, you have actually already guessed it."
Xu Tingfeng said, "Zhennan Pass."
Emperor Chongzhao narrowed his eyes. "You really want to go to Zhennan Pass. I know your temperament; as a commander, you would never willingly submit to anyone else. But you have been off the battlefield for over a decade. Why should I trust you, and why should I hand the supreme command of Zhennan Pass over to you?"
"Your Majesty," Xu Tingfeng put down his chess piece and looked up, "Zhennan Pass has no way out now. You can only gamble on my success. Since I joined the military, I have never lost a battle. As long as Your Majesty trusts me, I can continue this legacy of victory for the Great Zhou."
Although these words sounded somewhat arrogant, Xu Tingfeng did not believe that anyone else among the civil and military officials at court could resolve the crisis at Zhennan Pass as swiftly as he could.
Emperor Chongzhao remained silent, his fingertips lightly tapping the edge of his teacup as if deep in thought.
Xu Tingfeng said, "I actually know Your Majesty's concerns."
Little Seven was in the Northern Frontier, and so was his maternal grandfather. If they joined forces with Xia Fuyang, the entirety of the Northern Frontier's military power would be in their hands.
If he went to Zhennan Pass, he would hold the supreme military command there.
That would mean the military power of both of the Great Zhou's borders would fall into the hands of the Xu family and the Seventh Prince. If they harbored any rebellious intentions and acted ruthlessly, the dynasty's situation could be overturned in the blink of an eye.
Xu Tingfeng said, "If you so desire, after this battle, my legs can be crippled once more."
Emperor Chongzhao looked up.
Xu Tingfeng's expression was utterly calm.
Emperor Chongzhao took a sip of tea and said mildly, "Since they are healed, stop thinking about that wheelchair."
He placed the chipped token on the chessboard and pushed it forward with two fingers.
The chess pieces were instantly scattered into a mess.
"This game was not satisfying. Win the battle and come back to play another round with me."
Regardless of what he truly thought, if he wanted Xu Tingfeng to lead the troops at Zhennan Pass, he had to say this now.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Xu Tingfeng replied.
The once flamboyant young white-robed general took command once more.
A sharp sword, covered in dust for over a decade, was finally unsheathed again.
In a single battle, he carved out a fearsome reputation, resolved the crisis at Zhennan Pass, and secured Canyon Pass.
Sitting on his horse, Yu Ruo glanced back as he retreated with his troops.
Xu Tingfeng met his gaze.
He bore a striking resemblance to Qu Dubian, so much so that for a fleeting moment, Yu Ruo felt as though he was looking at a mature, grown-up version of Qu Dubian.
Yu Ruo's competitive spirit was ignited by that face.
"Next time, you will be the one to lose."
Xu Tingfeng raised an eyebrow. "You are speaking far too confidently, little one."
At the border.
Xia Fuyang's astonished voice drifted out from the military tent. "Uncle is leading the troops at Zhennan Pass?"
"..." Qu Dubian corrected him. "He is my uncle."
"It is just a title," Xia Fuyang said. "But weren't Uncle's legs...?"
"They are already healed," Qu Dubian replied.
When he left the capital a few months ago, Uncle Tingfeng was already able to stand up and walk. Having rehabilitated to that extent, coupled with the nourishment of the Mianshou Art, his subsequent recovery speed would naturally be even faster.
He was not surprised by his complete recovery. What surprised him was that his young uncle had actually gone to Zhennan Pass to lead the army.
He had originally only asked his uncle to keep an eye on the situation at Zhennan Pass. He never expected him to charge straight to the frontlines, and he certainly never expected that the Old Geezer would actually approve of such an abruptly appointed commander.
"He actually has quite a lot of faith in my young uncle's strength," Qu Dubian said.
In contrast, when he came to lead the troops in the Northern Frontier, he first had to pass the test of wiping out bandits just to get the approval.
After arriving, he had stayed in Jushan City for a long time; it was not a situation where he could assume direct command of the army in a single step.
"How old were we when Uncle was fighting on the battlefields?" Xia Fuyang pointed out. "We definitely do not understand his true strength as well as the people of his generation do."
Qu Dubian nodded and walked over to the sand table.
Recently, the Northern Frontier had launched several attacks.
They discovered that the shields used by the Northern Frontier troops had been significantly thickened, almost doubled compared to the ones they had used before.
Their defensive capabilities against the new version of gunpowder were also improving.
"We had just forced the Northern Frontier to retreat not too long ago, and then Nanning made a move. It is obvious that they want to wage a war of attrition to drag the Great Zhou down."
"There must be a connection point for weapon transportation deep within the grasslands. Since Uncle is at Zhennan Pass, perhaps we can join forces with him to sever their supply line from Nanning's side."
Striking from Nanning's side would be much easier than attacking from their own end.
"However, even if Uncle takes action, it has to be a decisive strike," Xia Fuyang noted. "We need to pinpoint the exact location of their connection point. The only person on our side who is familiar with the grasslands is Ahanli, but he does not have the skills to infiltrate, scout the location, and make it back out alive."
Qu Dubian furrowed his brows slightly.
If all else failed, one of the three of them—himself, Xia Fuyang, or Liu Liu—would have to sneak in.
Deep within the grasslands.
Between the Northern Frontier and Nanning, there was a chasm roughly six thousand meters wide and bottomlessly deep, completely separating the two nations.
This natural chasm connected to the continuous mountain ranges of Nanning and the borders of the Great Zhou's Qingzhou.
Bone-chilling winds howled up from the depths of the abyss. Standing at the edge and looking down, the bottom was nowhere in sight.
On the steep, jagged cliffs below, eerie white bones could faintly be seen—some belonged to animals, while others were human.
The hoarse, grating cries of vultures echoed as they occasionally flew by, returning from scavenging elsewhere in the grasslands to nest in the crevices of the cliffs.
The people of the Northern Frontier called this place the Land of Divine Punishment and often avoided traveling near it.
However, many would also throw the bodies of the deceased down into the abyss as an offering to the gods, treating it as a form of sky burial.
What should have been a desolate and uninhabited wasteland was now brightly lit, guarded by a stationed force of three thousand elite Northern Frontier soldiers.
Hundreds of thick ropes stretched across the massive chasm. Each rope was reinforced with tightly wound iron wire to increase its durability.
One after another, commoners and soldiers clung to the ropes, struggling to crawl across while carrying heavy shields, gunpowder, and weapons on their backs.
They looked like a line of ants suspended high in the air.
Inch by inch, they tied their lives to the ropes, transporting weaponry from Nanning to the Northern Frontier.
The delivered weapons were quickly assembled and then transported to the front lines to be used against Qu Dubian and Xia Fuyang.
They conducted the weapon handovers in a solemn and orderly manner. Occasionally, someone would slip and fall directly from the ropes, but their despairing wails failed to stir even the slightest ripple of emotion among the guards stationed on either side.
Some soldiers were even placing bets on how many people would fall to their deaths that day.
At a moderate distance from the chasm.
On top of a small hill.
Zhiyi, wearing a woven straw hat, slowly poked her head out, her face completely serious.
Behind her were some twenty Great Zhou guards, a dozen or so remnants of the pro-peace faction, the frail Agumudo, and Xie Lishan.
Ever since their escape, to evade the Northern Frontier's pursuit, they had been fleeing deep into the grasslands. Terrified of encountering anyone, they skulked and hid, enduring hunger and thirst.
But at the very least, they had survived and were safe.
By occasionally venturing further inward in this manner, they found that the fiercer the war raged between Great Zhou and the Northern Frontier, the sparser the people on the grasslands became, and the safer they were.
After much difficulty, they had finally found the safest, most desolate location with a water source and prey. Just as they planned to hide out there for a while longer, they witnessed this scene.
This was the place where Nanning and the Northern Frontier secretly transferred weapons.
"I feel like this place is of great importance," Zhiyi turned around and lowered her voice. "Is there any way to send a message back to inform the border of the situation here?"
Xie Lishan had a method of sending messages. He communicated with Qu Dubian's shadow network using eagle feathers.
However, he touched the eagle-calling whistle at his chest. "This whistle only works within a limited range."
Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the risk of sending Ahanli out to inform Qu Dubian that they were currently safe.
Zhiyi fell into deep thought.
After a long while, she suggested to Xie Lishan, "Why don't you try blowing it a few more times? Perhaps it might be passing by this time and just happen to hear it."
Xie Lishan: ...
He felt somewhat helpless.
But there was truly no other alternative at present. After all, their group consisted of dozens of people, including the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled. They could not simply charge forward and clash with the Northern Frontier garrison, so all he could do was blow the whistle a few more times.
Pinching the eagle whistle, he let out a low sigh.
"Then I shall gamble on it once more."