It was a long night, with nothing but darkness and cold as companions. At this time, how many refugees, clothed in thin garments, must have been huddling together on the small oasis? Even though they were strangers, they would press tightly against one another, as long as they could gain a little warmth—that would be enough.
However, not everyone was like that. For instance, Huang Bei Shuang was sitting inside a carriage, wrapped in a warm fur coat. Three maids clung to her, yet they still shivered with cold. The body heat of others could not lend her the slightest warmth!
Ye Pei and the other two maids were so anxious that their faces were streaked with tears, while Wu Jihai dared not even turn his head. He wished the horses could fly so they could instantly reach Mizan. After riding hard for more than four hours into the night, they finally arrived at Mizan’s border town—Fu Ping.
Fu Ping, the largest fortress town on Mizan’s border, was shaped like a crescent moon with its hook facing downward, stretching over one hundred li (Chinese miles). It became part of Mizan’s territory in the year 101 AD, after a period of calm. Water resources were scarce, and the population was sparse, making it a gathering place for missionaries. The town’s buildings were arranged in a grid formation. There was once a group of followers who chanted scriptures here for thirteen days, to help the souls of the war dead transcend: “The body is like floating duckweed, the heart as vast as the sea. Pity me, for the souls of the unjustly departed linger on in this world!” The name “Fu Ping” came from this.
"Open the gate! We are the Yunpei delegation!" Wu Jihai shouted impatiently at the gate of Fu Ping, only to see a row of soldiers atop the fortress wall remain unmoved. After a while, an official-looking man came out and replied to Wu Jihai, "Oh dear! General, I’m afraid you’ll have to camp outside the city tonight. His Majesty’s pass won’t arrive until tomorrow morning!"
“Bastard! We’re already at the gate, and you dare block the Queen Consort Guan Ying’s passage? Our King of Yunpei and your King You Guang have always had friendly relations. By saying this now, aren’t you afraid of damaging the goodwill between our two countries? Open the gate immediately!” Wu Jihai’s veins bulged with anger as he was blocked at the critical moment, right at the city gates.
"General! Please don’t make things difficult for me. Without His Majesty’s pass, I simply cannot allow entry," the official, determined not to yield, appeared unmoved by threats or reasoning.
“You…” Wu Jihai’s rage surged, but after a moment of thought, he realized that at the very least, the Queen Consort needed to enter the city to recover. He was just about to negotiate.
"General Wu!" Huang Bei Shuang, who was sitting inside the carriage, stuck her head out. Wu Jihai hurriedly spurred his horse closer. "Your Majesty, why don't you go into the city first? It's important to tend to your injuries!"
Huang Bei Shuang reached out and patted the armor on his shoulder, speaking softly, “Form up. We’re breaking through.”
“Your Majesty?” Wu Jihai was stunned.
"Ten days ago, His Majesty already sent a letter informing them, but King You Guang deliberately chose this moment to deny us entry. He probably doesn't want to get involved in this messy situation!" Huang Bei Shuang leaned against Ye Pei, her face pale and ashen. "Break through! Force him to act!"
Wu Jihai finally understood. He turned around and shouted to the assembled generals, "Form ranks! Break through!" In less than the time it takes for incense to burn, the 10,000-strong army had already spread out in an eagle formation. Fire arrows were drawn into bows, spears were poised for throwing, and the front row of soldiers slammed down black iron shields. The soldiers roared like thunder, "Advance!" At Wu Jihai’s command, 10,000 men moved forward three steps in unison, the overwhelming momentum sending a shudder through the defenders atop Fu Ping’s walls. They hastily prepared arrows for battle. The official, seeing the situation turning grim, immediately tried to appease them, "General, please calm down! It’s only a few hours until dawn. Why start a battle and disturb the peace?"
Wu Jihai had been holding back his anger throughout the journey, and now he couldn't restrain it any longer. "Enough nonsense! I, Wu Jihai, have fought in armor for 15 years without a single defeat. If I let you vermin block me today, how will I face my troops again? Decide quickly—will you open the gate or not?"
Hearing the famous name of Wu Jihai, the official was so terrified that he nearly fell to his knees. The top general under King Zhan was unexpectedly not on the western battlefield but instead silently escorting the Queen Consort to Mizan. Judging by the situation below, it was likely that part of the infamous Red Cavalry was among them. Mizan rarely saw war, and its soldiers were no match for such ferocious troops. If a battle broke out, Fu Ping would surely fall!
Just then, a sentinel hurried up to the official and whispered something into his ear. The official immediately let out a sigh of relief, plastered a smile on his face, and shouted from the top of the wall, "Open the gate! We welcome the envoy!"
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