To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

The frozen ground beneath his feet was hard, and the cold wind howled overhead, but his gaze went beyond the icy grassland in front of him, beyond the Wuyao River that stretched across the north, and into the far reaches of the northern desert.

Tomorrow is the eve of crossing the river.

He had already thought many things through.

This battle, regardless of victory or defeat, will be a turning point in history.

Zhang Fan took a deep breath of the cold air, letting the biting chill fill his chest, and the scene before him gradually transformed into another image in his mind.

A figure standing in the snow of the North, looking down upon this land, in winter a thousand years later.

Something welled up in my chest.

He didn't try to suppress it; he just let those words emerge from the depths of his heart, one by one, eventually turning into a soft recitation that drifted away in the wind and snow.

"The northern landscape is a scene of ice and snow stretching for miles..."

The sound wasn't loud, but it carried a power that could pierce through the wind and snow.

"Looking beyond the Great Wall, all that remains is boundless expanse; the Yellow River, both upstream and downstream, has lost its roaring flow. The mountains dance like silver serpents, the plains gallop like wax elephants, vying with the heavens in height..."

"On a sunny day, one can see the red-clad beauties dressed in white, looking exceptionally enchanting."

Zhang Fan paused for a moment, then turned his gaze from the north to the frozen ground beneath his feet.

"This land is so beautiful, it has attracted countless heroes to bow down in admiration."

"Alas, Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han were slightly lacking in literary talent; Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Taizu of Song were somewhat inferior in poetic flair. Genghis Khan, the proud son of heaven, only knew how to bend his bow and shoot eagles."

His voice became softer, yet more resolute, as he spoke the last sentence.

"All that is past; let us look to the present for truly remarkable figures!"

Amidst the wind and snow, the chanting ceased, returning to silence.

Zhang Fan stood for a moment, smiled slightly, turned and walked towards the tent, his steps steady and calm, as if tomorrow were just another ordinary day.

Five steps behind him, Fusu quietly followed.

He stood there, like a birch tree frozen in place by frost and snow, his eyes fixed on the direction Zhang Fan had left, his lips trembling slightly.

He was silently repeating those words over and over again.

"The northern landscape is a vast expanse of ice..."

"This land is so beautiful..."

"All that is past; to find truly remarkable figures, look to the present..."

With each repetition, the indescribable tremor in Fusu's heart deepened.

What kind of magnanimity is this?

What kind of person could write such sentences?

The Emperor Qin is my father!

Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Taizu of Song... What are those?

Who is Genghis Khan?

He murmured the phrase "To find truly remarkable figures, look to the present," and after a long while, he finally came to his senses.

However, when he raised his head and looked towards the tent, Zhang Fan had already disappeared behind the tent flap, leaving only two lanterns swaying gently in front of the tent door.

Fusu stood there for a long time, letting the night wind pelt snowflakes against his face.

Finally, he took a deep breath, engraved every word of the poem into his heart, slowly turned around, and walked back to his tent.

The next morning.

As dawn broke, the camp was already bustling with activity.

Bugle calls rang out one after another, and the soldiers of each battalion, fully armed, carrying long spears and escorting supplies, quickly assembled on the drill ground at the command of their captain.

Zhang Fan stepped out of the main tent, stood against the chilly morning breeze, and glanced at the lineup before him.

Twenty thousand soldiers stood ramrod straight, their armor imposing, their long spears like a forest.

The 10,000-strong cavalry battalion stood in neat formation, their warhorses, which had been refitted yesterday, trod on the snow, spewing out white steam from their mouths and nostrils, looking very spirited.

Ten thousand infantrymen followed closely behind, each carrying five days' worth of dry rations. They were lightly armed, and their boots made a deep, powerful sound as they stepped on the cold, frozen ground.

Fusu stood in the procession seeing them off, his expression different from usual.

He did not try to dissuade him again, nor did he show the anxiety and unease he had shown yesterday.

He simply stood there quietly, his gaze fixed on Zhang Fan, his eyes calm and resolute, as if he had completely figured something out.

Zhang Fan walked up to him, and the two looked at each other for a moment.

"Teacher! Take care of yourself on the way."

Fusu spoke, his voice steady yet filled with undisguised solemnity, "Teacher, you are the hope of Great Qin; your safety must be the top priority!"

Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Don't worry, I mean what I say."

He paused, then added casually, "Don't let me down with what you've done on your end."

Fusu nodded emphatically: "I will arrive on time."

Zhang Fan said no more, turned around, and strode towards the front of the line.

He mounted his horse, which neighed loudly and raised its head in the morning mist.

Zhang Fan reined in the horses, glanced back at the 20,000 soldiers standing in neat rows behind him, took a deep breath, and waved his hand forward.

"Set off!"

The bugle call resounded once again throughout the heavens and earth.

The 20,000-strong army marched forward, rolling towards the Wuyao River to the north. The sound of hooves and footsteps mingled together, shaking the frozen grassland beneath their feet.

In the middle of the column, a large carriage followed alongside the cavalry.

Inside the carriage, Luan Diyun, whose hands were bound with hemp rope, sat against the carriage wall. Through the gap in the curtain, she looked at the Qin army advancing northward in a mighty procession, and a complex emotion welled up in her heart that she could not explain.

Luo Ying and Luo Li sat on either side of the carriage, keeping an eye on her.

The two women had no idea why their master had brought this Xiongnu female captive to the battlefield instead of leaving her behind.

But they didn't ask any further questions.

The master's arrangements have their own reasons.

Moreover, compared to staying in the rear camp to wait, the two felt more at ease and happier being by their master's side.

Luo Ying occasionally turned her head to glance at Luan Diyun, whose expression was complicated, with that signature faint smile on her face, without saying a word.

Luan Diyun noticed her gaze, turned her face away, and ignored her.

The horse-drawn carriage bumped and jolted northward with the caravan, gradually disappearing into the depths of the vast grassland.

……

at the same time.

Less than an hour after the army set off, a single Xiongnu scout swiftly delivered the news back to the Northern Desert royal court.

Inside the king's tent, the charcoal fire was burning brightly.

Touman Chanyu sat on a large leather chair, holding a wine bowl in his hand, listening to the report from the scout kneeling on the ground. His brow, which had been tense at first, gradually relaxed.

"Has the Qin army split up its forces?"

Touman Chanyu sat up straight, his tone filled with barely concealed surprise, "That Mofeng only led 20,000 men across the river? The other 10,000 went southeast?"

"Reporting back to the Great Chanyu, this is indeed the case!"

The scout bowed his head and replied, "Our scouts confirmed on the south bank of the river that only 20,000 men have crossed the river, including 10,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry. Another group heading southeast, which we estimate to be about 10,000 men, should be moving towards Meng Tian's central army."

"Hahaha!"

Touman Chanyu slapped his thigh, laughed heartily, raised his wine bowl, and pointed at the left and right wise kings and generals in the tent, "Did you hear that? Only 20,000 Qin soldiers crossed the river! 20,000!"

The Left Wise King was also full of excitement and strode out, "Great Chanyu! Great joy! Meng Tian in the central route has 100,000 men, but they are blocked on the south bank by the ice we have broken through, and they cannot cross the river!"

The 20,000 Qin troops who have crossed the river are now isolated on the north bank, with no reinforcements to await!