The council hall was brightly lit, its atmosphere tense.
Scout after scout hurried in with reports, bringing increasingly detailed news of the Imperial army’s unusual movements below the mountain.
Everyone realized the same thing.
The Imperial Court had finally sent someone truly formidable.
Seated at the head of the hall, A’Li absentmindedly tapped the armrest of her chair, her expression cold.
Her gaze drifted to Xiao Yu, who sat nearby wearing an equally grave expression.
A thought flashed through her mind.
Perhaps…
I could send him back.
Use him as a bargaining chip.
But almost as soon as the idea surfaced, she dismissed it.
First, the army below—especially whoever had just arrived—had yet to launch a full assault, likely because they feared for Xiao Yu’s safety inside the stronghold.
Returning him now would mean destroying her greatest shield.
Second…
Knowing Xiao Yu as she did…
He would never agree to leave by himself.
The captains argued heatedly.
Some advocated launching a surprise night raid before the enemy could establish themselves.
Others proposed defending the hidden tunnels at all costs and simply wearing the Imperial army down.
A few even suggested…
Using the Crown Prince as leverage to force the Imperial Court to withdraw.
The council hall descended into noisy chaos.
The clamor made A’Li’s head throb.
Abruptly, she rose and walked to the window.
Outside…
The night sky was black as ink.
Heavy storm clouds hung oppressively low.
She stared into the darkness for a long moment.
Then she turned around.
Every trace of hesitation and frustration had vanished from her face.
Only icy resolve remained…
Along with the ruthless determination of someone prepared to stake everything.
“Enough.”
Her voice wasn’t loud.
Yet it instantly silenced the entire hall.
Every eye turned toward her.
Returning to her seat, she began issuing orders in quick, crisp succession.
“First.”
“Prepare fire arrows.”
“As many as possible.”
“Under cover of darkness, fire them downhill.”
“Don’t waste arrows aiming at soldiers.”
“Aim for their piles of timber…”
“…and the edges of the clearings they’ve cut.”
The order stunned everyone present.
Burn the mountain?
One captain couldn’t help speaking up.
“Chief… that’s too dangerous!”
“If the fire gets out of control—if the wind changes and drives it back uphill—we’ll…”
A’Li cut him off with a raised hand.
Her gaze was sharp and unwavering.
“I said it won’t.”
“So it won’t.”
She spoke with absolute certainty, as though every variable had already been calculated.
“Carry out the order.”
After a brief pause, an icy smile curved her lips.
“And while you’re firing…”
“Have the brothers shout from behind the walls.”
“‘Since Young General Xie and Heir Shen are so eager to clear a road up the mountain to attend the wedding of our Chief and Madam…'”
“‘Then Qinglong Stronghold will gladly lend you a hand and let everyone share in the joyous occasion!'”
“‘Consider this fire our advance wedding gift—and our congratulations to you all!'”
Although doubts still lingered, none of the captains dared question her further.
Several immediately departed to carry out the order.
“Second.”
Her gaze shifted toward those responsible for the stronghold’s internal affairs.
“Gather all the women…”
“The children…”
“The elderly…”
“And anyone unable to fight.”
“Have them pack only their essentials tonight.”
“At first light tomorrow, an elite escort will take them through the hidden tunnels.”
“They’ll be relocated to Suzhou City.”
Years ago, under an assumed identity, A’Li had secretly purchased a residence there.
It was exceptionally well hidden.
One order followed another.
Clear.
Decisive.
Absolute.
The captains, who moments earlier had been at a complete loss, suddenly found their backbone again.
Everyone immediately sprang into action.
The atmosphere inside was equally solemn.
Xiao Che.
Shen Changliu.
Xie Qiu.
All three were present, seemingly waiting for something.
Based on what they had learned, they had already formed a preliminary assessment of Qinglong Stronghold’s mysterious chief.
Given her quick reactions and her habit of repaying every slight in kind…
There was no way she would ignore their efforts to clear the forests.
Suddenly—
The tent flap was thrown open.
A gust carrying the smell of smoke and scorched wood swept inside.
Shen Yi and Xie Yan entered one after the other.
Both were filthy.
Their armor was blackened with soot, and parts of their battle robes had been burned through by flying embers.
Their expressions were dark enough to drip water.
“Your Majesty!”
“Father!”
“General Xie!”
Barely suppressing his fury, Shen Yi spoke first.
“Those damned bandits…”
“They actually dared fire arrows at us!”
Xie Yan remained comparatively calmer, though his voice was equally heavy.
“They waited until our men had gathered at several logging sites.”
“Then dozens of fire arrows rained down from above.”
“They ignited the timber we’d cut…”
“…along with the dry grass surrounding the clearings.”
“Driven by the wind, the flames spread almost instantly into a wall of fire.”
“Quite a few soldiers were burned while retreating.”
He paused.
His expression became even uglier.
“And…”
“They stood atop the stronghold walls shouting…”
“…that since we were so eager to climb the mountain to attend the wedding of their Chief and Madam…”
“…they were simply helping us arrive faster.”
“…and offering their congratulations in advance.”
The humiliation was unbearable.
Silence fell over the tent.
Shen Yi and Xie Yan waited for the Emperor—and their fathers—to erupt in fury.
But…
The expected outburst never came.
After a long pause, it was Xie Qiu who finally broke the silence.
Far from angry, unmistakable admiration flashed across his eyes.
Even regret.
“Excellent!”
“What a brilliant use of fire!”
“A masterful feint.”
“Winning the battle by attacking the enemy’s mind.”
“Bold…”
“…yet meticulous.”
“Her judgment of timing, terrain, and weather is exceptionally precise.”
He couldn’t help sighing.
“If only someone with such temperament and strategic brilliance would serve the Empire…”
“I would personally take her as my disciple.”
“I’d teach her myself.”
“Great Sheng could produce a woman general unlike any in history.”
“Huh?”
Both Shen Yi and Xie Yan stared blankly.
Neither could follow the famous general’s train of thought.
Xie Yan frowned.
“Father…”
“She set fire to the mountain.”
“Isn’t that courting disaster?”
“We’ve refrained from using fire because we’re worried about His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“How could she possibly dare…”
Shen Changliu looked at the two young men and shook his head with a faint smile.
Rising to his feet, he walked over and lightly patted each on the shoulder.
“Yi’er.”
“Nephew Xie.”
“You still lack experience.”
“Look up.”
The two instinctively glanced outside the tent.
Only then did they notice how dark the sky had become.
Massive storm clouds pressed low overhead.
Shen Changliu spoke calmly.
“This is the height of Suzhou’s rainy season.”
“The air is saturated with moisture.”
“The forest itself is damp.”
“How could it possibly burn into a true wildfire?”
“Those fire arrows looked terrifying…”
“But in reality, they could burn only the felled timber and the dry surface grass.”
“They were meant to create confusion.”
“To sow panic.”
He smiled faintly.
“She calculated it perfectly.”
“The rain…”
“…was about to arrive.”
Almost as though to prove his words—
Rain began pattering outside the tent.
Within moments, the light drizzle became a torrential downpour.
Shen Yi and Xie Yan stood frozen in astonishment.
Xie Qiu continued, his tone now openly instructional.
“Exactly.”
“Even those arrogant taunts were part of her calculations.”
“She wanted you enraged by the humiliation.”
“Panicked by the flames.”
“So you’d lose your composure.”
“You’d focus only on escaping the fire…”
“…or extinguishing it…”
“…while neglecting the most basic tactical judgment.”
“You might even make reckless decisions.”
“And suffer unnecessary casualties.”
He sighed once more.
“This woman…”
“…understands the human heart all too well.”
After another long sigh filled with regret, he murmured,
“What a rare talent…”
“And yet…”
“Why did someone like her have to become a bandit?”