Chapter 133: The Caravan

As the Chu family army neared the Pingzhou Pass, the townsfolk of Pingzhou City had long been eagerly awaiting their arrival, each hoping to catch a glimpse of the sixteen-year-old Grand Marshal commanding all the armies under heaven.

“Halt!” The leading youth signaled sharply, and the troops behind promptly came to a stop. “Rest here and prepare. We march out again at dawn.”

“Yes, Young General Chu!” the soldiers replied in unison, their voices brimming with fervent admiration for Chu Junhan.

Indeed, who wouldn’t revere a young man so gifted—appointed Grand Marshal of all the armies at such a tender age, commanding the three forces with unshakable authority?

Amid the thunderous response, Chu Junhan gracefully dismounted, loosely tying his horse to a nearby tree. He sought out Tang Chen and Yun Yi, lowering his voice as he instructed, “Brother Ziyun, cover for me a little while I scout the situation in Pingzhou.”

Then, turning to Yun Yi, he ruffled the boy’s hair gently. “It’s been eleven years since I last set foot here in Pingzhou. Though you’re a bit short, Yi’er, it won’t matter. After I leave, you shall wear my battle robe.”

“Mm-hmm.” The young boy nodded obediently. Now a soldier himself, following orders was his sacred duty.

Tang Chen moved his lips as if to speak, but in the end, he bit his lip and simply gave Chu Junhan a reassuring glance before patting Yun Yi’s shoulder.

Chu Junhan shed his battle robe and handed it to Yun Yi. Grasping his sword, he then strode toward the Pingzhou Pass.

Though Pingzhou bore the name “peaceful,” and was also known as the Pingzhou Plain, its borders were ringed by towering mountains—endless ridges rolling one after another.

Pingzhou Pass itself nestled between two mountains, a natural choke point both easy to defend and difficult to breach. There, three hundred thousand troops under the Grand Marshal’s command were stationed.

Night fell, and a lone youth clad in the Chu family’s armor slipped silently through the forested hills near the pass. Nimble and stealthy, he moved with practiced ease.

He crept to a vantage point on the mountainside overlooking the garrison. Not a single archer in the camp spotted him—a testament to his seasoned skill.

There he lay, motionless atop a massive boulder, eyes fixed on the encampment below, carefully noting every detail.

The campfires blazed brightly, and the soldiers, weary from a day’s labor, gathered joyously around the flames, laughter ringing through the night air.

In stark contrast, the youth’s surroundings were utterly silent save for the chirping cicadas and the soft rhythm of his own breath.

Just as he focused intently, distant hoofbeats echoed through the night, accompanied by voices, instantly sharpening his alertness. His hand closed around the hilt of his sword.

Not far off, a caravan trudged toward the pass, laden with goods.

“A merchant convoy?” Chu Junhan frowned slightly, deepening his concealment.

In these turbulent times, business was fraught with peril—there was no need to kill them to keep secrets. As long as he remained hidden, he could emerge once the convoy had passed.

With that thought, he watched the caravan recede, poised to resume his surveillance of the garrison—when suddenly, a boyish, carefree voice drifted to his ears.

“Why are there soldiers here?”

Chu Junhan shivered involuntarily; his heart quickened. Sword in hand, he sought the source of the voice.

Within the dark, silent woods stood a youth clad in white, arms crossed and eyes filled with suspicion.

Bathed in moonlight, the boy’s features were sharp and exquisite, his eyes shimmering like stars. So it was true—Brother Ziyun had said it was possible to see stars within a person’s gaze.

A gentle breeze caressed the boy’s cheek, stirring his hair, which danced softly in the wind. A figure in white, graceful and ethereal—truly, a rare gentleman beyond compare.