Western Chu, Pengcheng.
A thousand-man unit marched into the city through freshly melted snowwater. They were none other than Xiang An and his group, who had been away for nearly four months.
Xiang An tossed his armor, stained with black blood, to several of his household servants before entering the city. He had gained a general understanding of the situation across the realm outside the city, but now he needed more detailed intelligence.
"Zhongli Mo, you didn't go on campaign with the King?"
Many generals had been taken away by Xiang Yu. As a Chu King bent on military conquest, Xiang Yu had no shortage of generals under his command—Xiang An, Xiang Lu, Zi Juan, Ji Bu, Long Ju, Chen Ping, Zhongli Mo, Jiang Chun, Wei Hao, and others. When Xiang An had headed north to strike the foreign tribes, he had taken Xiang Lu, Zi Juan, and Wei Hao with him. The others seemed to have either been taken away by Xiang Yu or assigned tasks by him. In Pengcheng, Xiang An found only Zhongli Mo.
"Grand General, you've finally returned!" Zhongli Mo was overjoyed at the sight of Xiang An. "The King left orders for me to tell you that the moment you return, you are to head to Chengwu. He is waiting there to discuss matters with you!"
"Chengwu? Not Yongqiu?" Xiang An frowned. "Looks like Big Brother has run into considerable resistance."
"How many soldiers remain in Pengcheng?"
"Reporting to the Grand General, including the city garrison, there are twenty-four thousand men in total!"
"That will do. Muster the troops tomorrow morning. You're coming with us too!"
"This subordinate obeys!"
Xiang An still possessed considerable influence and prestige within Western Chu, at least among the mid- and upper-ranking scholar-officials.
These people had followed Xiang Yu, and