"G-General Lu?"
Looking at the exhausted old general before him and the army behind him, Yu Hualong, the defending general of Tong Pass, stepped forward and bowed in disbelief.
"Huff, huff..."
Lu Xiong was still panting. Though he had ridden a horse during the forced march, days in the saddle were no easy matter. At his advanced age, it had drained him body and soul.
But it had all been worth it. What mattered most for these soldiers was understanding what they were fighting for. This forced march had also tempered their resolve, preparing them to take the battlefield and kill the enemy.
Lu Xiong looked toward the Imperial Carriage, admiration spreading across his face.
"Ahem." He turned and cupped his hands in a bow to Yu Hualong. "My mind wandered just now. His Majesty and the entire army have arrived. Please open the pass and allow us inside to rest awhile. We can use it as a staging post, restoring our strength before marching to Sishui Pass to fight and sweep away the rebels of Xiqi. Sorry for the trouble, General."
"O-Old General, you are too kind." Yu Hualong looked around and spotted the Imperial Carriage. His expression changed. "The entire army has arrived? His Majesty is here too? Is he leading the campaign in person? Why did we receive no word?"
"Nonsense," Lu Xiong said irritably. "What general would abandon his soldiers halfway? As for His Majesty, he came to see us off. Though he has escorted us rather far..."
Yu Hualong was speechless. Rather far? A few hundred more li and they would be at the front!
Lu Xiong chuckled. "I thought His Majesty would escort us a hundred li at most. I never imagined he would come all the way to Tong Pass. Please make suitable