All the heroes of the world are now in my grasp.

After parting ways with Murong Baiyao at the riverbank, the group abandoned the official road and chose to travel through the desolate mountains and wilderness, heading west for eight days.

It was the dead of winter, and the north wind whipped up heavy snow, blanketing the rolling mountains. The mountain paths were blocked by snow, and a thin layer of ice covered the ground beneath, making it easy for horses to slip. They had to wrap themselves in burlap and shred their way forward step by step. During the day, they had to brave the biting wind and snow, their faces stinging as if pricked by needles. At night, they could only find sheltered caves to rest in. They dared not let the campfire burn too brightly, lest it attract patrolling soldiers. They could only huddle together for warmth, and their dry rations were frozen solid, requiring them to tuck them into their clothes and warm them for a long time before taking a bite.

Gao Zidan had grown up in the city since childhood, and had never suffered such hardship before. In just eight days, the blisters on his palms from the reins had turned into thick calluses, his cheeks and ear tips were covered in frostbite, and his trouser legs were soaked through with ice and snow and frozen stiff. He no longer looked like a scion of a noble family.

What was more arduous than the journey itself was the shocking human suffering encountered along the way.

Occasionally, passing through villages at the foot of the mountains, one would find nine out of ten houses empty. Most roofs had collapsed under the weight of the snow, courtyard walls were knocked down, and weeds were covered in snow; not even the crowing of a rooster or the barking of a dog could be heard. Frozen corpses could be seen frequently by the roadside—the bodies of refugees, their clothes as thin as paper, their hands clutching empty grain sacks. Occasionally, one would encounter survivors, their faces sallow and emaciated, their hands and feet blackened with frostbite, dragging their families deeper into the mountains, muttering of the hardships of exorbitant taxes and conscription, their eyes filled with numbness and despair.

Gao Zidan watched with a heavy heart. He had only read about the chaos and displacement of warring states in history books before, but seeing it with his own eyes now, he truly understood the meaning of "better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos." Zhao Ren's twenty-four years of relentless warfare had already exhausted the people's resources. Liu Bang's uprising in late autumn cut off the army's supply lines, and 600,000 soldiers were wiped out. In just three months, the world had descended into this state of chaos.

Along the way, he was never idle. Whenever he had a break, he would always find an opportunity to get close to Han Xin and subtly probe him, trying to get some information about future plans from this "military genius".

"Sir, now that we've arrived at Yongming's territory, how should we establish ourselves under Liu Yao's command?" "Sir, how far do you think Liu Bang's uprising will ultimately go?" "Sir, what do you think the final outcome will be with this chaos in the world?"

No matter how he asked, Han Xin always remained reserved and timid, either bowing and saying, "Young lord, you flatter me, I don't understand these things," or "I will follow your orders, young lord. Whatever you say, I will do." He wouldn't offer even a single useful suggestion.

After several attempts to test her, Gao Zidan not only had no doubts, but became even more certain of her judgment.

He recalled the historical anecdote of "If you treat me as a national hero, I will repay you as a national hero." A national hero like Han Xin would naturally only be devoted to a truly capable and powerful ruler. Now, he had nothing, his life depended on Liu Yao's protection, and he didn't even have a place to stand. Naturally, he couldn't let this military genius show his talent.

Having figured this out, he stopped insisting and silently calculated: In this vast world, there was nowhere to hide. Should he join Liu Bang? Xiang Yu had laid a trap in Youzhou; the dead of winter would be insurmountable. Should he stay in this desolate wilderness? He would be devoured by chaotic soldiers or hungry wolves sooner or later. The only place he could go was Liu Yao's Yongming army. He needed to save his life first, then consider everything else.

On the evening of the eighth day, the group braved the wind and snow to cross the last steep mountain ridge, and the view finally opened up before them.

A valley nestled among mountains came into view, surrounded by cliffs on all sides, accessible only by the narrow path we had just traversed—truly a place where one man could hold off ten thousand. Scattered throughout the valley were wooden houses and felt tents, while fields on the slopes were covered in snow. Cattle and sheep huddled in sheltered pens at the foot of the mountains, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of every household. Amidst the swirling snow, a sense of quiet resilience and survival pervaded the valley.

This is the headquarters of the Yongming tribe, so remote that it is almost isolated from the world. No wonder it has been able to survive for so many years in the gap between the two major powers of Yunzhou and Bingzhou.

Upon seeing Liu Yao's return, the Xiongnu knights guarding the valley entrance immediately bowed and pushed open the wooden fence protecting the entrance from the wind and snow. Liu Yao reined in his horse, let out a long sigh of relief, and said gruffly to the group behind him, "We're home! Everyone, rest! Go to your tents and warm yourselves by the fire!"

After eight days of tension, everyone finally relaxed completely.

While Liu Yao was busy arranging for his personal guards to inform the tribal chiefs and settle the wounded and injured brothers, Gao Zidan pulled Han Xin to sit down and rest under a stone wall sheltered from the wind at the valley entrance. Looking at the scene in the valley, she took the opportunity to ask, "Sir, the Yongming tribe is right next to Yunzhou. I heard from the Chanyu that Li Longji, the governor of Yunzhou, has won over Liu Yuan of the Xiongnu Yuanhai tribe. Do you know what kind of person this Li Longji is?"

Upon hearing this, Han Xin quickly bowed and replied, recounting information known to all: "Your Highness, Li Longji is a member of the previous dynasty's Li clan. He has been ruling Yunzhou for nearly twenty years and is known for his deep cunning and strong desire for control. Previously, the Emperor issued several edicts ordering his border troops to conquer Goguryeo, but he always found excuses to refuse, choosing instead to guard his own Yunzhou territory without suffering any loss. Now that the world is in chaos, he has directly closed his borders and gathered many refugees and surrounding small tribes. Liu Yuan, the Chanyu of the Yuanhai tribe, led his people to join him at this time. As for other details, I know nothing of them."

Gao Zidan nodded, understanding dawning on her—he was indeed Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, who had mastered the art of political maneuvering in history. He was shrewd, patient, and waiting to reap the benefits; he was definitely not an easy opponent.

He paused, then followed up with another question: "Since the ruler of Yunzhou is such a cunning and calculating person, who is in power in Bingzhou, which is adjacent to Yunzhou? We are sandwiched between the two prefectures, so we must find out the details of both sides."

"The governor of Bingzhou is named Ji Guang, a member of the Ji clan of the former Zhou dynasty," Han Xin quickly replied, continuing, "The Ji clan wields considerable power in the regions. Besides Ji Guang, the governor of Bingzhou, there are his cousins: Ji Bai, the governor of Jizhou; Ji Chong'er, the governor of Shuozhou; and Ji Zhi, the governor of Suzhou—all powerful regional officials. However, while the Liu and Li clans seized the opportunity to rise up and declare independence, these members of the Ji clan have remained silent, neither responding to the Duke of Liao nor heeding the court's orders. No one knows what their plans are."

Gao Zidan's heart stirred again—Ji Guang, Ji Bai, Chong Er, and Ji Zhi were all names of feudal lords with the surname Ji during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. It turned out that even the Zhou royal family had emerged in this chaotic world.

Just as he was about to ask something else, Liu Yao strode over, patted him on the shoulder, and laughed in a gruff voice, "Kid, don't stand here in the cold wind! Come inside with me, have some hot wine to warm yourself up! We can talk about it over drinks!"

Gao Zidan snapped out of her daze, smiled and nodded, helped Han Xin to his feet, and followed Liu Yao toward the Chanyu's tent in the center of the valley.

The wind and snow fell on the felt tents in the valley, enveloping the entire Yongming tribe in silence.