At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Mozhou City.

This is the northernmost city in the northern border of the Great Qian Dynasty. Further north lies the vast, boundless grassland.

That was the domain of the Northern Barbarians.

The wind on the city wall was colder and fiercer than in Cangzhou, and it felt like a knife cutting into your face.

Snowflakes fluttered down, coating the battlements, flagpoles, and distant mountains with a thin layer of white.

Su Mu stood on the city wall, wrapped in an old cotton robe, his body hunched over, gazing at the vast white expanse of land ahead.

His white hair fluttered in the wind, snowflakes fell on his hair, making it impossible to distinguish between snow and hair.

You Zhongyi and Zhou Huchen stood on either side, both wrapped in thick cloaks, their breath condensing into mist in front of them.

"Old Su, it's windy here, you should wear more clothes." Zhou Huchen said, taking off his cloak to put it on Su Mu.

Su Mu waved his hand.

"No need, I'm not that delicate."

His gaze never left the vast, snow-covered plains of the north.

"Tiger Minister, what place is that?"

Zhou Huchen followed his gaze and replied, "Elder Su, that's the northern grasslands, the territory of the Northern Di people. Three hundred li further north is the location of the Northern Di royal court."

Su Mu nodded, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

"This place is the first checkpoint for the Northern Di to invade Daqian. Once Mozhou is breached, the Northern Di cavalry can drive straight in and head south all the way to Cangzhou and other places."

"Therefore, Mozhou must be defended. Only by defending it can the northern border be secured."

Zhou Huchen and You Zhongyi exchanged a glance and then clasped their hands in a fist salute.

"Rest assured, Elder Su, we will fight to the death to defend Mozhou!"

Su Mu turned around, looked at the terrain on both sides of the city wall, and frowned slightly.

"Tiger Minister, look, the city walls on both sides are too low!"

Zhou Huchen followed his finger and nodded.

"It's not very high. If the Northern Di people used a ladder, they could easily climb up."

"Raise it higher."

"Raise the height by three feet on each side, and also set up two archery platforms on each of the left and right edges, each platform equipped with ten powerful crossbows."

"The range of the crossbow is twice that of the ordinary bow. Before the Northern Di cavalry even reached the city walls, hundreds of them were already shot dead."

Zhou Huchen clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This subordinate obeys! I will make the arrangements immediately!"

Standing beside Su Mu, You Zhongyi whispered, "Elder Su, do you think the Northern Di people will come?"

Su Mu was silent for a moment, then replied:

"It's not just a feeling, it's a certainty."

"The Northern Di King has lost his northern border, and his two younger brothers have been captured alive by this old man. He will not let this go so easily after such a great loss."

"He will definitely come, and he will bring more soldiers, fiercer generals, and a more ferocious attack."

You Zhongyi's expression turned serious.

"Mr. Su, then we..."

"Let's focus on our own tasks," Su Mu interrupted him. "Fortify the city's defenses, stockpile provisions, and train our troops. If he comes, we'll beat him to a pulp."

"Let's go back."

……

Mozhou Prefecture Government Office.

Gu Changfeng walked in from outside, looking travel-worn, with unmelted snow still clinging to his back.

He strode into the main hall, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Elder Su, Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie have been taken to the Mozhou prison. I have ordered Tie Niu to personally lead a team to guard them, and they will not leave their side for a moment."

Su Mu sat in the main seat, picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and asked.

"Has the news been released?"

Gu Changfeng nodded: "They've been released."

"it is good."

"Then be prepared to close the net at any time."

Standing to the side, You Zhongyi couldn't help but ask, "Elder Su, are you so certain that Tuoba Lie and Tuoba Han still have forces hidden in the Northern Border? And that they will definitely come to the rescue?"

Su Mu shook his head.

"I'm not sure either; it's just a guess."

"Tuoba Han has been operating in the northern border for three years. Although Tuoba Lie arrived late, he is meticulous and must have secretly laid many pieces."

"These people are lurking throughout the North. If they are not eliminated, the North could be thrown into turmoil again at any time."

"I spared the lives of Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie in order to catch those fish hiding in the shadows."

Zhou Huchen walked in from the doorway and, upon hearing these words, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Old Su is truly cautious, meticulous, and thoughtful in his actions!"

"This humble general thought you were keeping those two prisoners to negotiate with the King of the Northern Barbarians."

"So you wanted to use them as bait to catch all the fish that escaped the net!"

He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply.

"Old Su has truly gone to great lengths for the people of the Northern Border; I admire him greatly!"

"Mr. Su, I have completed all the tasks you entrusted to me."

"Alright, everyone go and get back to work."

"Have a rest, old man."

You Zhongyi, Gu Changfeng, and Zhou Huchen all clasped their hands in a fist salute and retreated.

……

late at night.

Snowflakes fell softly, enveloping the entire city in a blanket of white.

In the backyard of the government office, Su Mu's room had its doors and windows tightly shut, and the candles had long since gone out.

He lay on the bed, covered with a thin blanket, breathing steadily, as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.

But his ears were always listening.

"Knock knock knock".

A knock sounded on the door, urgent yet restrained.

Su Mu's eyes snapped open, and he sat up abruptly.

He put on his outer robe, slipped on his shoes, walked to the door, and unlatched it.

Outside the door, You Zhongyi was covered in snow, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Old Su, the fish has taken the bait!"

How many people?

"Ten of them, all captured alive, not one escaped. They're all locked up in the main hall of the government office, awaiting your judgment."

Su Mu nodded, then wrapped his clothes tighter and strode out of the room.

"Let's go take a look."

……

The main hall was brightly lit.

Ten people were bound hand and foot and forced to kneel on the ground.

They were all dressed in night clothes.

Their faces were covered in blood and dirt, some had blood at the corners of their mouths, and some had bruises around their eyes, clearly having suffered a lot during their capture.

Zhou Huchen and Gu Changfeng stood on either side, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their gazes sharp as knives.

A dozen soldiers, each holding a crossbow, aimed at the back of the heads of the ten men.

Su Mu walked into the main hall, his gaze sweeping over the people there.

His gaze suddenly stopped on the person in the very center.

The man was wearing a gray robe. Although he was bound and the robe was wrinkled, it was still clear that it was made of fine fabric.

He had a thin face and a long beard. Although his face was scarred, his eyes didn't look like those of an assassin or a soldier, but rather those of a resourceful person.

Su Mu's brow twitched slightly.

Zhou Huchen also noticed the man, walked up, bent down to take a closer look, and then suddenly looked up, his face full of shock.

"Is it you?"

The man raised his head, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Commander Zhou, how have you been?"

Su Mu looked at Zhou Huchen and asked, "What, you know him?"

Zhou Huchen took a deep breath, pointed at the man, and said in a surprised tone.

"Elder Su, he is Sikong Yu, the strategist beside Tuoba Han!"

"Back in Yuzhou City, he was cornered in Qingzhou by the special forces you sent out. Later, he escaped in the chaos, and our soldiers searched for a long time but couldn't find him."

"I never expected... I never expected him to dare show up here!"

A cold glint flashed in Su Mu's eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"military adviser?"

"Very good, I was just worried about not being able to find someone who knows the truth."

Sikong Yu raised his head and met Su Mu's gaze.

His gaze showed no evasion, no fear, only a calm.

That kind of calm that comes from having already prepared for the worst.

Su Mu looked at him for a moment, then spoke.

His voice was hoarse, and he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Sikong Yu, you are indeed loyal."

"The Northern Barbarians have all been defeated, and Tuoba Han has been captured. You could have escaped back to the Northern Barbarians, but instead you chose to come here to die. Should I call you loyal and righteous, or should I call you foolish?"

Sikong Yu gave a bitter smile and lowered his head.

"General Su, I am not a loyal and righteous man."

"I only owe the Right Wise King my life. If it weren't for his shelter back then, I would have died in the wilderness long ago. It's time to repay this debt."

Su Mu laughed and said, "You're quite the man."

He paused, his tone suddenly turning cold.

"But let me ask you, besides the ten of you, how many others are lurking in the Northern Border? How many outposts does Tuoba Han and Tuoba Lie's dark network have in the Northern Border? Which officials have you bribed? Which merchants are passing on messages for you?"

Sikong Yu raised his head and looked at Su Mu.

"General Su, do you think I would tell you?"

Su Mu was not angry.

He simply looked at Sikong Yu, took a deep breath, and said with a smile:

"You will tell."