Smoke Rises on the North Bank

Just as turmoil was brewing on the Great Rock River, the Wolf Tribe's camp on the Great Rock River, led by Yexiao, Wolf Tribe also preparing to withdraw with a thousand cavalry. The camp on the north bank was much smaller than that on the south bank. It was surrounded by a fence made of thick wooden stakes, no higher than a person's head. Inside were rows of wooden houses and tents. The walls of the wooden houses were made of rough wood, with dry grass and scraps of cloth stuffed in the gaps. The roofs were thatched, and some of the thatch was already blackened and moldy, covered with a thin layer of Lütai. The supplies in the entire camp were much less than those on the south bank. Most of the supplies were usually stockpiled by the Wolf Tribe in the camp on the Great Rock River. Only enough rations for one or two months and some weapons were left on the north bank.

The supply convoy had assembled, and the carts were parked in the open space in the center of the camp. The carts were piled high with grain sacks, tent rolls, pots and pans, bedding, and clothing, all tied together with hemp ropes, the ends dangling from the edges and swaying gently in the wind. Several carts also had earthenware jars tied to them, their mouths sealed with mud and secured tightly with straw ropes from bottom to top. Soldiers' families, some young women, and even some toddlers joined the evacuation. These people, dressed in slightly older clothes than the families on the south bank, stood beside the convoy, awaiting the order to depart.

When Yexiao emerged from the council chamber, it was already dawn. Today, he wore a dark gray leather armor over a black linen robe. The robe's front was stained with several indelible old marks, and the cuffs were frayed. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, and he wore straw sandals. His hair was gray, tied back with an old leather rope, with a few stray strands hanging down behind his ears. His face was deeply lined, as if carved by a knife, and the skin on his cheekbones was rough and firm, but he was full of energy, his eyes bright and alert. Seeing that the convoy and personnel were ready, he nodded, took his hand from his belt and let it hang at his side, rubbing his fingers on his trouser leg. Then, he addressed the leaders standing beside him, his voice not loud but clear, his speech a beat slower than usual. "Is everyone ready?"

A leader stepped forward. He wore a gray-brown linen robe with a hemp rope tied around his waist and straw sandals on his feet. His face was tanned dark by the sun. He said, "Come back and get yours. Everything is ready. The grain carts are loaded with enough grain to feed us for two months. Tents and cooking utensils are also packed. Weapons and arrows are on the cavalry. Families are gathered together, and we can set off at any time."

Yexiao nodded and then said, "The Xueya chieftain on the south bank has sent word that they were besieged by their subordinate tribes, which delayed them. He wants us to lead our troops and set off as soon as possible. They'll probably leave camp a little later than us. After we leave camp, we'll head northeast and then head towards Stone Ridge Mountain together. Before we leave, clear out the remaining food in the cellar and the contents of those two warehouses. Take whatever you can."

The leader nodded and turned to walk towards the camp. Yexiao Owl stood in the center of the camp, his gaze sweeping from one end of the caravan to the other, then back down to the shack area where the affiliated tribes lived. The affiliated tribes on the north bank were much smaller; they had also heard the commotion that morning, but unlike those on the south bank, they hadn't gathered to block the caravan. They simply watched from a distance. Some stood at the shack entrances, some crouched against the walls, and some peered through the gaps in the fence. Their eyes held both unease and numbness. A few people huddled together, whispering something, but their voices were too soft to hear clearly. Yexiao glanced at them, said nothing more, simply withdrew his hand from his side, and then turned to walk towards his warhorse.

Yexiao also learned that the Wolf Tribe's camp on the south bank had been besieged by its affiliated tribes. This was reported by a messenger sent by Xueya. The messenger had traveled from the south bank to the north bank camp and relayed Xueya's orders: that over a thousand people from the affiliated tribes on the south bank had surrounded the convoy, but were only dispersed after being slaughtered by three hundred guards, causing some delay. He instructed those on the north bank to depart as soon as possible and not wait for them, reuniting after crossing the ferry. Yexiao nodded, told the messenger to go and rest, and then turned to arrange the evacuation.

Their subordinate tribes were far fewer in number, and most of their supplies were usually stockpiled by the Wolf Tribe at their camp on the Great Rock River. The subordinate tribes on the north bank didn't know how much supplies the Wolf Tribe would leave behind after their withdrawal, so they only dared to watch the Wolf Tribe's retreating procession from afar. No one dared to approach or stop them. Seeing that the retreating procession was almost ready, Yexiao ordered the troops to leave the Great Rock North Bank camp and head northeast. The camp gate was a fence made of thick wooden stakes. The two door panels were pushed open, and the hinges creaked. The first cart drove out of the gate, its wheels creaking on the dirt road outside. The caravan followed one after another. Cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep were herded by several teenagers, following behind the caravan. The sheep were crowded together, their heads facing the same direction, their hooves pawing the ground. The cavalrymen marched in two columns on either side of the caravan, their bronze spears pointing diagonally forward, the tips gleaming darkly in the morning light.

Not far from the camp's outskirts, Shibang was leading a small group on reconnaissance. He wore a dark gray leather armor over a linen robe, a bronze-buckled leather belt around his waist, and animal-hide boots. His face was illuminated by the morning light, revealing rough, sturdy skin on his cheekbones. His eyes, though small, were bright. He crouched behind a large tree, his body low to the ground. Several warriors followed behind him, crouching low in the bushes, short swords hanging from their belts, bronze spears slung across their backs. Their horses were left in the woods further back, watched over Shibang. Crouching behind a tree, his gaze pierced through the gaps in the trunk towards the north gate of the Wolf Tribe's camp. He saw the first cart leave the camp, followed by a convoy of carts one after another, cavalrymen lined up in two columns on either side of the convoy, and Yexiao riding a chestnut warhorse, positioned slightly ahead in the middle of the column. His fingers tapped on his knee, his fingertips pressing against the fabric of his trousers before releasing them. Then he turned to a soldier behind him and whispered, his voice barely a whisper, "Go back and report. Have everyone mount their horses and prepare to assemble!"

The warrior nodded, crouched low, and retreated from behind the bushes. He straightened up at the edge of the woods and quickly ran towards where his horse was tethered. Shibang, who had been crouching behind a tree for a while, watched as the Wolf Tribe's caravan had mostly exited the north gate, forming a long line stretching from the gate to the northeast dirt road, dust rising behind them. He then crouched low again and retreated from behind the tree, back to the bushes before straightening up and quickly walking towards the woods. Reaching the edge, he mounted the chestnut horse tethered to a tree, spurred it on, and galloped towards the assembly point. There, three thousand cavalrymen were already waiting, ready to deliver a devastating blow to their night raid at Shibang's command.