Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

In the vast northwest, winter always arrives early and with exceptional severity. As the sun sets and slowly disappears below the horizon, night quickly descends upon the land, draping the world in a thick, black veil. A gray haze blankets the sky and earth, and the roads become blurred, making it difficult to discern the direction.

However, the piles of white snow on the ground reflected a faint light, like bright lamps trying to illuminate the dark night. At this quiet and cold moment, the Fourth Prince was sitting in a warm room enjoying dinner.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps shattered the tranquility. A subordinate hurried over, breathlessly reporting to the Fourth Prince, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Someone from the safe house has come to the yamen to report a Xiongnu invasion. They're incredibly brutal, killing and wounding over half the people in the safe house!" Hearing this news, the Fourth Prince was startled, his bowl and chopsticks slamming heavily onto the table.

His eyes were wide open, his face flushed red, and he roared angrily: "This is outrageous! It's simply lawless! How dare these Hun villains be so arrogant and domineering, and wantonly harm the people of our dynasty!" The fourth prince's voice exploded in the air like thunder, scaring the surrounding servants so much that they couldn't help but tremble all over.

The Fourth Prince was seething with rage. He knew full well that this Hun invasion was no accident, but rather a serious provocation against the border region. If timely action wasn't taken, even more innocent lives would be endangered. With this thought, he immediately stood up and shouted, "Pass on my command. Quickly gather all soldiers and prepare for battle! We must annihilate these despicable Huns and give the people a peaceful and tranquil winter! Such a tragedy must never happen again!" With the Fourth Prince's command, the entire palace erupted in a frenzy of activity...

The Fourth Prince's order spread like wildfire, and people followed suit, spreading out in all directions with their mission in mind, searching for the fleeing Xiongnu. Among the numerous soldiers and officers dispatched on their mission, Zhao Si led a group that included several sturdy yamen runners. They were tasked with meticulously patrolling every village, leaving no stone unturned for any corner where Xiongnu might be hiding.

As everyone struggled forward in the bitter cold, a small follower following behind Zhao Si couldn't help but come forward and mutter, "Fourth brother, what's the point of us wandering around in this freezing weather? In my opinion, those cunning Xiongnu people won't be so foolish as to give us time! Once they succeed in their crime, they will definitely run faster than rabbits and won't wait to be caught by us! Only fools like us would run around looking for something in this freezing weather. It's just a waste of effort!"

Hearing this, Zhao Si turned around abruptly, his eyes wide open, glaring at the grumbling guy, and yelled at the top of his voice: "Stop babbling here! I don't care what you think! This is an order from the Fourth Prince. Those who can work should do their best, and those who can't should get out as soon as possible! Don't think that you are the only one who feels cold and tired. Do you think I am willing to come out and suffer this in such a freezing weather? The Yishui River is already frozen. Who doesn't want to stay at home and spend the winter comfortably? But since I have received the order, I must execute it to the letter! Everyone, cheer up and keep searching!"

Zhao Si looked at the puzzled expressions on everyone's faces. He took a deep breath and tried to soften his tone. "Brothers, it's not that I, Zhao Si, am unreasonable or unkind. Think about it, everyone here was raised by parents who worked very hard." At this point, Zhao Si's eyes slowly swept over everyone present and continued, "Furthermore, who among us doesn't have elderly parents to support, or a gentle and virtuous wife and adorable young children waiting to be taken care of at home?"

Zhao Si paused, then added, his tone emphasizing, "If we fail to take the ferocious Xiongnu seriously, and allow them to sneak into our homes one day, and if we're not there to protect our loved ones at that time, what kind of tragedy will they face? Just like the people in that safe house, some were brutally murdered, others were bullied! If that moment really came, and you witnessed your loved ones in such a tragic plight, how would you feel? Wouldn't it be a heartbreaking pain?"

At this moment, Zhao Si's words struck everyone's heartstrings like a hammer. Upon hearing this, his men flushed, their faces filled with shame. One of them stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly, and said, "Fourth Brother, please stop talking. It's all our fault. We didn't think this far ahead. From now on, we will obey your orders!" Seeing this, the others echoed, "Yes, Fourth Brother, we know we were wrong. Brothers, we're going with you on this patrol. We won't let the Xiongnu take advantage of us again!" With that, the group followed Zhao Si fiercely, heading off to carry out their patrol mission.

Zhao Si and his men cautiously entered a quiet, deep valley. As they entered the area, the chaotic array of horse hoof prints and human footprints on the ground immediately caught their attention. Zhao Si frowned, staring intently at the traces. After a moment's thought, he turned and, in a low voice, ordered his men, "Everyone, keep quiet and slow down!"

Upon hearing Zhao Si's instructions, his men tensed, their gaze fixed on the footprints in the snow. A sense of foreboding washed over them, and everyone's mood instantly tensed. In such cold weather, people would normally stay indoors for warmth, never leaving the house. However, these footprints could only mean one thing—the Huns had likely just passed through. Thinking of the Huns' brutality, their frequent raids on villages and atrocities against civilians, everyone couldn't help but harbor a terrifying thought.

Zhao Si calmly considered his response. He quickly glanced at his men and pointed at a thin, agile, and observant dentist. He said, "You, go ahead and check the situation, but don't act rashly. Make sure you get a clear picture of the situation and report back to me quickly. We'll then make adjustments based on the actual situation."

The thin young man who received the order nodded, a glint of determination in his eyes. He first signaled his companions to carefully cover up their footprints and restore them to their original state to prevent the enemy from discovering them. Then, he led his men, stealthily and like ghosts, into the dense bushes near the valley. There, they lay in wait, patiently awaiting any news from their companions who had gone out to investigate.

The tall, thin young man, like a ghost, groped his way silently in the direction of the footprints. He walked cautiously, afraid to make even the slightest noise. After walking for quite a distance, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a faint flicker of fire in the forbidden area ahead. His heart instantly tightened, and he subconsciously slowed his pace, approaching at the pace of a snail. When he was closer, he quickly ducked behind a stout tree, holding his breath and observing the situation across from him.

At that moment, a gurgling sound, accompanied by a faint, muttered murmur of suppressed pain, reached his ears. He looked closely and saw three horses tethered not far away, with three Huns sitting beside them. One was tall and imposing, towering like an iron tower; the other had an ordinary, unremarkable appearance.

At this moment, two men were busy surrounding the tall Hun. He was injured and sitting by the campfire, receiving treatment. He bit a rag tightly to block out the pain, occasionally letting out a low roar of anger. Despite the excruciating pain, he held himself together, allowing the two men to bandage his wounds.

However, something unexpected happened! One of the men placed a dagger over the fire, roasting it until it glowed red. Without hesitation, he took the scalding dagger and slammed it directly into the tall man's chest. Instantly, a pungent smell filled the air—the alluring aroma of roasted meat, mixed with the tang of burnt flesh.

The tall, thin man stood in the distance, gazing at the scene before him, his eyes filled with unconcealed astonishment and awe. The Xiongnu's brutality was appalling; they could actually do such a cruel thing to him. Such cruelty was beyond imagination! The thought of this made the tall, thin man shudder.

However, the tall, thin man was decisive, and upon seeing this scene, he didn't hesitate for a moment. Like a nimble cat, he bent down and cautiously backed away along the path he had come. Each step was extremely light, fearing the slightest sound that might cause unnecessary trouble.

After walking silently for a long distance, the tall, thin man suddenly turned and ran away like an arrow. His figure rushed through the wind, as if he wanted to leave his inner fear far behind. Soon, he arrived at their original hiding place.

After arriving at their destination, the tall, thin man paused, took a few deep breaths, and then imitated the chirping of birds. Zhao Si, upon hearing the signal, immediately emerged from his hiding place, eagerly approached the tall, thin man, and asked, "Brother, how is the investigation going?"

The tall, thin man gathered himself, calmed his rapid breathing, and then recounted everything he had witnessed to Zhao Si. As his narration deepened, Zhao Si's expression grew increasingly solemn, and he even involuntarily felt a hint of timidity. However, as his mind conjured up the faces of his family and the companions who had shared life and death with him, a strong sense of responsibility instantly surged within him.

So, Zhao Si gritted his teeth, secretly encouraged himself, and tried to suppress the fear in his heart. He turned to look at the tall and thin man and gave a firm order: "Brother, you lead the way, let's keep moving forward!"