Xiacai County lay southeast of Lower Chengfu, north of where the Huai and Ying rivers met. Across the Huai River stood Shouchun Royal City, and Shaodou Lake connected the two. It was a vital military stronghold. When the Great Qin Empire sought to become the Great Qin Celestial Dynasty, it built Xiacai City there. The Zhangchu State later captured it, and Zhangchu troops still held it.
Iron hooves thundered, and dust rose like a dragon.
More than ten thousand Ravenous Wolf Guards led the way, with the other Special Legions and sixty to seventy thousand remnants of the Zhangchu army close behind. They raced straight toward Xiacai County.
"Screee!"
A roc's cry rang out for dozens of miles. A golden roc a hundred meters long swooped toward the army's vanguard. Five figures then leaped from its back and blocked the road.
"Your Majesty?!"
The Huan Kingdom generals, who had been on alert, lit up with joy and hurried forward. Then their gazes turned strange as they looked at Wang Ben, Meng Tian, and Han Xin...
They naturally recognized Great Qin's three war marquises. What they could not fathom was why the three had appeared alongside the Huan King.
They were Jian Shang and the other four. At the Feather Emperor's speed, they had caught up with the Huan Kingdom Special Corps in about half an hour. The army had not even reached Xiacai City; it had only just entered Xiacai County.
Meng Tian had regained consciousness along the way. He had neither made a scene nor threatened to kill himself, but his spirits were low. Unlike the personal troops of Wang Ben, Han Xin, and Liu Bang, the Meng Clan Iron Cavalry had not merely served under him. Nearly half its men came from the Meng Clan, making his bond