Li Man'er caught the opponent's sword, circulated her Qi to her dantian, and gathered the internal energy in her arm. With a forceful shake, the sword immediately shattered into several pieces. The attacker was also thrown back by a surge of Qi, falling to the ground and spitting blood.
"Heh, someone's actually showing up. What's your name?"
The man turned away, refusing to look at Li Man'er, but his eyes betrayed his unconcealable shock.
He wasn't the only one stunned. Li Shu's guards were all startled by Li Man'er's display. In a single move, she had gravely wounded Yuan Dong. Her martial arts were clearly unfathomable, far superior to theirs.
They understood the principle of "no first in literature, no second in martial arts," and that there was always someone better. But they were all middle-aged, the youngest over twenty, and Li Man'er, so young, possessed such heaven-defying skills. It was truly astonishing.
"You won't say? Fine. You tell me, what's his name?"
One of the guards replied, "Reporting to the young lady, his name is Yuan Dong."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Dong turned back and glared fiercely at the guard but said nothing. His internal organs throbbed with pain. While he wasn't crippled, his cultivation of half a lifetime was wasted. It would likely take him ten to eight years to fully recover.
Furthermore, with Li Man'er holding the reins and him at her mercy, he knew he couldn't escape.
"A true man does what he must and refrains from what he shouldn't. I have no complaints about being outmatched today. Do as you please, kill or torture me."
"Good!" Li Man'er said, "You're forthright. To Lord Hou, you are indeed loyal. But to me, your heart deserves to be extinguished. I won't make it difficult for you; I'll give you a quick end!"
The broken sword in Li Man'er's hand suddenly shot out. A glint of cold light, trailing a mist of blood. Yuan Dong felt a sharp pain in his neck and could no longer speak. His consciousness was fading, blood gushing out. He tried to cover the wound, but his hands wouldn't obey.
Others watched Yuan Dong's demise with some reluctance, but it was all his own doing, and they couldn't blame Li Man'er. No one would keep someone with a wolfish ambition, who could assassinate them at any moment, by their side. To harbor a tiger would be akin to inviting self-destruction.
No one considered Li Man'er cruel, only that Yuan Dong's fate was regrettable.
Li Man'er said expressionlessly, "Drag him out, cremate the body, put the ashes in an urn, and send them home with the fallen brothers."
"Young lady?" Ah Si looked puzzled.
"He was, in his way, loyal. Let his family receive some posthumous pension."
Ah Si understood, nodded, and found two guards to drag Yuan Dong out.
Before the smell of blood had even dissipated from the room, Yuan Dong's body was doused with oil and soon ignited.
Quickly, the news reached the several commanders of the Xiao and Li armies: Li Shu was paralyzed, and one of his guards had died. The details remained unknown.
On the city wall, a man wearing a silver mask gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
At this moment, Ding Yan approached and relayed the intelligence he had gathered to Qi Yihan.
"There's no need for me to know about such trivial matters." Qi Yihan had already guessed Ding Yan's intention. "Mercy has never commanded armies since ancient times. This Miss Li is quite a character."
No one knew that beneath his mask, the corners of his lips curved upwards, and he seemed to be in excellent spirits.
He had long disliked Li Shu, and now this girl had finally taken action.
"Your subordinate merely feels that this Miss Li appears more decisive and ruthless than her father. Lord Li's character... it's best not to mention it. Your subordinate believes we should guard against her, lest we be outmaneuvered."
"Indeed!" Qi Yihan's voice remained hoarse. "Your concerns are valid. However, with the enemy at our gates, let's put internal matters aside for now."
"Yes!" Ding Yan asked again, "General, the barbarians have been inactive for a long time. What are they planning?" He had no clue and couldn't fathom their intentions.
Qi Yihan replied, "They are waiting."
Waiting? Waiting for what?
At this very moment, Li Man'er came to the same conclusion as Qi Yihan: "They are waiting."
Ah Si asked, utterly bewildered, "Waiting for what?"
"For the right moment, for reinforcements, anything is possible." Li Man'er looked up at the starry sky and murmured, "It's going to snow."
The heavy snow arrived faster than Li Man'er had anticipated. At first, the flakes weren't large, but soon, they descended like goose feathers, quickly covering the ground in a thick layer. Before long, the wind picked up, transforming the falling snow into icy pellets that whipped past relentlessly, making it impossible to keep one's eyes open.
The soldiers guarding the city walls shivered uncontrollably. Despite wearing thick sheepskin coats, cloaks, and the finest boots, anyone standing in the snow for an hour would surely be frozen through. The braziers were useless; they were extinguished before they could even be brought up, making warmth a paramount concern.
Li Man'er had wine sent to the city walls. The liquor was strong, and one couldn't drink much, but a sip for each person could ward off the cold and prevent them from falling ill.
"This accursed weather is going to be the death of us," Ding Yan's hometown was a land of fish and rice. When he first arrived in the capital, he found it windy, sandy, dry, and cold, but winter was still bearable. However, after arriving in the northern frontier, he discovered a cold that could freeze one's very thoughts, a cold so intense that he couldn't think of anything, nor did he want to.
Qi Yihan, gazing at the heavy snow outside, couldn't help but worry. This weather was undoubtedly a formidable challenge for the soldiers on guard.
"Pass down the order: change shifts every hour. Prepare ginger soup, and everyone must drink a large bowl after ascending or descending the city walls."
Ding Yan, as if struck by an idea, immediately turned to make the arrangements. Although he was sent by the Xiao family, he was still General Han's attendant and couldn't just stand by.
Li Man'er and Qi Yihan seemed to share a telepathic connection. "Do you think the barbarians will attack during this time?"
"Impossible!" Ah Si was skeptical. "The wind and snow are so fierce outside that one can't even open their eyes, and horses can't move. How can they attack the city?"
Li Man'er paced back and forth in the room, seemingly lost in thought, appearing anxious. Ah Si had never seen her like this before, but he dared not disturb her, standing silently by, afraid of interrupting her train of thought.
Snowing! Yes, snowy weather, strong winds, difficult roads, vehicles and horses unable to travel. The barbarians were still a long distance away, and marching a large army would be nigh impossible. But what about a small group of attackers in the dead of night? They could fashion simple skis. The barbarians' ingenuity shouldn't be underestimated; having lived in harsh environments for so long, such ideas wouldn't be surprising.