Chapter Nine: The Moment of Final Confrontation Has Arrived!

The sky over the northern desert was ominously darkening, and the cold deepened with each passing moment. Standing in the camp, even bundled in thick clothes, I felt the chill seep into my bones. It seemed the heavy snowfall was imminent, likely within the next two days. The great battle was about to unfold — the very conflict destined to etch Zhu Di’s name into the annals of history.

What would war truly be like? I found myself tinged with a mixture of anticipation and excitement, as if scenes of thundering cavalry and sweeping battlefields from television dramas danced before my eyes.

In the grand tapestry of the Ming dynasty’s illustrious military history, this campaign might appear modest, scarcely more than a footnote in the chronicles. The records described it simply, as if victory was effortless. Yet, immersed in it myself, I knew the truth was far more complex than the dry pages suggested.

That day, the heir to the Prince of Yan summoned me for the third time since my arrival. I sensed it must concern the upcoming battle.

Entering the tent, an awkward tension hung in the air. Everyone’s faces were stern and silent; evidently, some disagreement had just transpired.

I quickly bowed in greeting and waited quietly. Zhu Di, upon seeing me, introduced the man seated beside him: “Divine Maiden, this is General Fu Youde.”

My eyes widened in astonishment. Fu Youde was a legendary general who had fought alongside Zhu Yuanzhang in the founding of the Ming dynasty. I knew every campaign he had led — each one immortalized in history. The man before me was tall and imposing, clad in gleaming iron armor, radiating an awe-inspiring presence and a gaze that brooked no challenge.

To meet Fu Youde in person felt like a blessing bestowed by fate itself. With reverence, I knelt before him and whispered, “I am Yang Xiaoqing, humbly paying respects to General Fu. May you be blessed with health and fortune.”

Fu Youde laughed heartily. “I’ve long heard that His Highness the Prince of Yan had found a Divine Maiden. Today, seeing you in person, I find the praise well deserved.”

Was he complimenting me? My heart soared with joy.

Zhu Di noticed my admiring gaze and frowned slightly.

“Divine Maiden,” he said coldly, “I have summoned you here to discuss an urgent matter.”

Snapping back to attention, I rose promptly. “I am ready to share the burden, Your Highness.”

“Recently,” Zhu Di began, “I received intelligence confirming the location of the Northern Yuan’s Grand Marshal, Nuerhuhua, and his forces.” He paused before continuing, “You once said that when the great snow falls, it would be the day to capture Nuerhuhua alive. Is this true?”

I had guessed correctly — he intended to ask about this. It seemed Zhu Di had resolved to launch the attack at precisely that moment. This piece of history was factual, so I could affirm it without hesitation.

“Yes, Your Highness! The arrival of heavy snow is the perfect opportunity to annihilate the remnants of the Northern Yuan!”

A faint smile crossed Zhu Di’s lips as he turned to the assembled commanders. “What do you all think?” It was clear my answer aligned with his convictions.

General Fu Youde and the others exchanged uneasy looks. Fu Youde spoke first: “Your Highness, while the heavy snow is indeed an opportune moment to strike, it also brings great hardships to our troops — difficult marches and scarce supplies. Should we press too deeply and fall into an ambush by the Northern Yuan, we risk total annihilation. Would it not be wiser to wait until after the snow ceases?”

Zhu Di retorted sharply, “The enemy will not expect us to move amidst the storm. We must seize the moment and advance swiftly! Besides, the Divine Maiden foretold this event days ago; it is destiny’s decree, and we cannot defy Heaven’s will.”

Hearing this, I felt a pang of helplessness — so this was the role I was to play here...

At that moment, Dao Yan, who had been quietly standing aside, suddenly spoke up: “What the Prince of Yan says is sound. This is a heaven-sent opportunity. If we strike swiftly and unexpectedly, the enemy reinforcements will be caught off guard, and victory will be assured!”

Even the realm-renowned strategist’s words silenced all opposition.

With no further debate, Zhu Di gave his order: “Hear this! At dawn, the army will march to Yidu, the stronghold of Nuerhuhua. Any who resist will be executed!”

This would be a full-scale deployment, so Seventeen and I were to accompany the troops. That night, as I packed quietly, I pondered the history books’ account of this war — they mentioned few casualties. I hoped to avoid scenes of carnage and rivers of blood, but would reality truly reflect those serene records?

Unease crept over me. I called Seventeen close and said, “Seventeen, if tomorrow the situation turns dire, we must find a place to hide. Life is the most precious thing, understand?”

Seventeen looked at me in surprise, perhaps shocked that I, the Divine Maiden, would speak so prudently about survival.

He replied solemnly, “Sister Divine Maiden, I am no coward. Tomorrow I will fight on the battlefield. To serve His Highness the Prince of Yan, I would gladly lay down my life.”

I pulled him into my arms gently, whispering, “No, no, I don’t want to lose you...”

Seeing my worried face, Seventeen’s tone softened. “Then I promise, Sister Divine Maiden, I will stay by your side and protect you. If any enemy approaches, I will give my life to keep you safe.”

His words brought tears to my eyes. “Sister will protect you too.”