Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

On the battlefield, shouts of battle echoed continuously!

Although the Chu army and the Youzhou army had a clear advantage, their lines began to falter in the face of the desperate counterattacks of the two cornered armies.

In particular, Gongsun Yi's royal cavalry, after filling the pit, were like demons crawling out of hell, covered in blood, with ferocious faces, and their charging momentum was even stronger than at the beginning of the charge!

"We can't stop them! General, we can't stop them!" A lieutenant general of the Chu army urgently reported to Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan looked at Su Tingmei in the distance.

The strategist in black robes remained calm, but he had already put away his feather fan, clearly indicating that the current battle situation had exceeded his expectations.

"Give the order," Chu Xuan gritted his teeth, "shrink the defensive line and let them go."

"Prince Xuan?"

"If we continue fighting, even if we annihilate Ashina, we will still suffer more than half of our losses."

Chu Xuan stared intently at the black figure charging through the blood-soaked battlefield in the center: "That old bastard Gongsun Yi is more troublesome than I imagined."

With the order given, the Chu army and the Youzhou army began an orderly retreat.

Instead of blocking their way, they retreated like a tide, clearing a path on the north side of the encirclement—a bloody path paved with thousands of corpses.

Gongsun Yi noticed the changes in the enemy forces immediately.

"They're going to let us go?" the lieutenant asked incredulously.

"It's not that we're letting go, it's that we have no choice but to let go."

Gongsun Yi wiped the blood off his face: "Su Tingmei calculated everything, except that we dared to break the deadlock in this way."

“If they continue to entangle themselves, their losses will far exceed expectations. This strategist, in the end, is still mindful of his own interests.”

He looked at Ashina, who had already charged to the other side of the pit: "Go! Now!"

The two armies finally joined forces.

There were no cheers, no celebrations, only silent rectification.

Ashina, supported by his guards, came to Gongsun Yi's horse and knelt on one knee: "This humble general is incompetent and has caused the general to personally risk his life."

"stand up."

Gongsun Yi's voice was weary: "If you want to apologize, go back to the Khan. Now, immediately reorganize the remaining troops and retreat with me back to Blackstone Fortress."

"But General, what about the Chu army and the Youzhou army..."

"They won't chase after them."

Gongsun Yi looked towards the distant hills, where Chu Xuan and Su Tingmei stood side by side, quietly watching them.

"In today's game, both sides lost, yet neither side truly lost."

Ashina followed his gaze, seemingly understanding but not quite.

The remaining troops began to retreat northward.

Of the 45,000 men, fewer than 30,000 remained standing after this bloody battle, and all of them were wounded.

The group marched silently across the wasteland, with mountains of corpses and seas of blood behind them, and the setting sun like blood ahead.

On the hill, Chu Xuan watched the departing remnants of the Scorpion Clan army, his fists clenched: "Are we just going to let them go like that?"

"if not?"

Su Tingmei unfolded her feather fan again and waved it gently: "Does Prince Xuan really want to fight to the death, leaving the Northern Frontier without any usable troops for three years?"

"But……"

"The objective of this battle has been achieved."

Su Tingmei interrupted him, "The troops under Tuoba Hun's command were almost completely wiped out, Ashina's 40,000 iron cavalry suffered 30% losses, the Scorpion Clan's elite forces were severely weakened, and our army suffered losses..."

He paused for a moment: "But only a little over 20,000."

Chu Xuan remained silent.

He knew Su Tingmei was right, but seeing the impending victory turn into a Pyrrhic one, he was ultimately unwilling to accept it.

"War is like a game of chess; sometimes it's better to gain strategic advantage than to capture pieces."

Su Tingmei looked north: "After this battle, the Scorpion Clan will be unable to launch a major southward invasion for at least three years. These three years will be enough for Your Majesty to conquer the Tang Dynasty."

"That Gongsun Yi..."

"Even the bravest veteran will eventually grow old."

A profound meaning flashed in Su Tingmei's eyes: "The Scorpion Clan is not necessarily a monolithic entity. Prince Xuan, we must fight, but some battles do not necessarily have to be fought on the battlefield."

Chu Xuan seemed to be thinking about something.

The setting sun sank completely below the horizon, and night fell.

On the wasteland, only corpses and embers remained, testifying to the fierce battle that had taken place here.

Among the northward-bound troops, Gongsun Yi turned back and took one last look at the bloody battlefield.

"General, what are you looking at?" the lieutenant asked.

"Looking at an opponent."

Gongsun Yi said slowly, "Chu Xuan is brave, but not to be feared. The truly terrifying one is that black-robed strategist."

"Su Tingmei?"

Gongsun Yi nodded: "This man's use of troops is like a spider weaving a web; it may seem loose, but in reality, every step is a trap."

"If I hadn't risked losing half of the royal cavalry to break this deadlock today, none of Ashina's 35,000 men would have survived."

He paused, then said in a low voice, "After returning to Blackrock Fortress, order the defenses to be reorganized and the city's fortifications reinforced."

"In addition, send someone to investigate Su Tingmei's background. This person will surely become a major threat to our Scorpion Clan in the future."

"Yes."

As night deepened, the two armies, one to the north and one to the south, retreated respectively.

But the landscape in northern Xinjiang has changed.

Although this battle did not result in a decisive outcome, it opened the prelude to a longer and more complex game.

But the real contest may have only just begun.

The outline of Blackstone Castle gradually became clear on the horizon as dusk fell the following day.

The remnants of the army, like a wounded dragon, trailed clouds of dust for miles across the wasteland.

The soldiers guarding the city walls had already spotted the returning troops, but when they saw the tattered flags and the sparse ranks, their cheers caught in their throats—this was not a triumph, but a defeat.

The drawbridge slowly lowered, and the city gates roared open.

Gongsun Yi led the way through the doorway, the dried bloodstains on his armor appearing dark brown in the setting sun.

He didn't dismount, but rode straight through the main street, the horse's hooves making a dull echo on the bluestone slabs.

On both sides of the street, the inhabitants silently watched the disheveled army; some covered their mouths and wept, while others had solemn expressions.

“General…” The deputy general who was left behind stepped forward, his voice trembling.

"Close all city gates and raise the drawbridge."

Gongsun Yi's voice was hoarse like a broken gong: "From this moment on, Black Stone Fortress will be under full martial law. Entry is permitted, but exit is not."

"Yes!"

He then dismounted, his legs buckling and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

His bodyguards rushed to help him, but he pushed them away.

The old general straightened his back and walked step by step toward the general's mansion in the center of the city, each step as steady as a mountain.

Inside the mansion, the military doctor was already waiting.

When Gongsun Yi removed his armor, the iron armor was stuck to the flesh inside, and when it was torn apart, it made a faint sound that made your teeth ache.

Three deep, bone-revealing wounds were exposed on his chest, back, and left arm, causing the military doctor to gasp in shock.

"General, this injury..."

"They won't die." Gongsun Yi waved his hand. "What about Ashina and Tuoba Hun?"

"They have been placed in a side courtyard, and military doctors are treating them."

Gongsun Yi nodded, letting the military doctor clean and bandage him, but his eyes remained fixed on the map of northern Xinjiang hanging on the wall.

The map was marked with numerous strongholds, outposts, and supply lines—the fruits of the Scorpion Clan's hard work over the years.

"Pass on the order." He spoke suddenly, his voice not loud, but it instantly silenced the entire hall.

The guards immediately spread out paper and pens.

"First,"

Gongsun Yi traced his finger across the map: "All scouts outside, regardless of distance, must return to Blackstone Castle within three days. Those who fail to return by the deadline will be considered deserters."

The recorder paused, his pen poised.

Withdrawing all scouts would be tantamount to blinding oneself, meaning Blackrock Fortress would completely lose control of the surrounding area.

"Second, all small teams that are out guerrilla warfare, looting, or stealing grain must also withdraw within a specified period, taking all their food and supplies with them, and not leaving a single grain of rice for the Chu army."

"Third, all personnel and supplies in all small outposts and outposts within 50 miles of Blackstone Fortress shall be immediately withdrawn to the fortress, and anything that cannot be taken away shall be burned."