Chapter 3: The Fleeing Young Lord

Wei Wuji sat astride his horse, glancing back at the soldiers trudging behind him, feeling a wave of relief. Luckily, he was an officer—otherwise he’d be forced to walk as well. And it was fortunate that the muscle memory of this body’s previous owner lingered; if he hadn’t known how to ride, he’d be at a loss right now.

Honestly, if he abandoned the unit and spurred his horse ahead, he could have long since escaped this wretched place. But then, he thought, he’d already fled without a fight—if he went so far as to abandon his subordinates as well, what sort of person would that make him? So he had to abandon the thought.

Of course, the safety of traveling alone was a major concern too. In these chaotic times, if he ran into bandits and got himself killed, wouldn’t that be even more pathetic?

“What kind of damned situation is this? Why am I so unlucky, ending up in this godforsaken place? Who ever said that transmigrating meant you’d be surrounded by beauty and destined for glory?” Wei Wuji muttered a string of curses under his breath.

Just as he was weighing whether to ditch the others and run off alone, the bearded man riding beside him suddenly spoke. “My lord, look over there—someone’s sneaking about. Must be an enemy scout!”

Following the direction of the man’s pointing finger, Wei Wuji indeed spotted someone peering at them from a distance.

This was bad. If they didn’t take care of that man, and he slipped back to report, disaster would surely follow. Wei Wuji’s heart leapt with alarm.

He gave the bearded man a look of appreciation. Thank goodness this fellow wasn’t as crude as his appearance suggested. The fiercest-looking among them proved the most capable. Indeed, appearances could be deceiving.

“You! Go deal with him—quickly.”

At his command, the bearded man immediately gathered a few men, flanked around, and set off to handle the scout.

Once they’d gone, Wei Wuji turned to the other officers at his side. “Gentlemen, the enemy scouts are upon us. Their main force can’t be far. What strategies do you have? Speak quickly.”

His words hung in the air as the crowd exchanged glances in silence.

“Well? Hurry up and say something!” Wei Wuji urged, his anxiety mounting. He was new to this world, unfamiliar with the land and people, and had to rely on these men’s advice. If they couldn’t offer a proper plan, he truly was finished.

After a long, heavy silence—just as Wei Wuji was about to despair—someone finally spoke. “My lord, the Chen army outnumbers us. We cannot stand against them head-on—”

Before he could finish, another officer snorted. “Sima Wang, your words are no better than empty wind—useless!”

Wei Wuji shot a fierce glare at the one making sarcastic remarks, silencing the rest. These fools were quick to sow discord but useless when it came to real advice. With subordinates like these, success seemed a distant dream.

He waved his hand, signaling Sima Wang to continue.

Sima Wang, unbothered by the earlier mocking, collected his thoughts and went on, “My lord, the Chen army’s strength leaves us little choice but to retreat. According to my knowledge, fifteen li north of here lies the Ling River.”

At this crucial point, Sima Wang cleared his throat and continued, “My lord, the Ling River is a major tributary—nearly ten zhang wide, with swift currents. There is only one bridge nearby. If we cross, we’ll be safe for the moment. The Chen cavalry can hardly swim after us.”

With those words, Sima Wang bowed and stepped back, his duty fulfilled. Whether or not his advice was heeded would be up to Wei Wuji.

Wei Wuji considered it carefully. Seeing no flaw in the plan—and unable to conjure a better alternative—he agreed to the proposal.

“Very well, let’s do as Sima Wang suggests. All troops proceed at once to the Ling River.”

He nearly forgot Sima Wang’s name, stumbling over his words in embarrassment. Rubbing his hands awkwardly, he thought, I really must learn more about the situation. If I survive this disaster, I’ll need to get my bearings soon, or life will only get harder.

Composing himself, Wei Wuji ordered the officers to relay his commands, then took the lead once more.

He was far from satisfied with the pace of their retreat. But with infantry, he couldn’t expect much speed. For now, he could only hope the enemy were slower and that his force remained undetected.

They hadn’t gone far before urgent shouts rose from behind. “My lord! My lord!”

Wei Wuji’s heart sank. Could the enemy already be upon them? Was his new life to end before it had begun? The thought filled him with grief and frustration.

In his panic, he prepared to order the army to form ranks and make a desperate stand, but then he saw the bearded man racing toward him, his shouts the source of the commotion.

Realizing the noise was from his own man, Wei Wuji exhaled in relief, chiding himself for being so jumpy.

“Stop making a racket and alarming the troops, or I’ll have your head!” Wei Wuji scolded. After hours of flattery from those around him, his airs as a commander had only grown larger.

Or so he told himself; the army needed a pillar to lean on, and he had to fulfill that role, establishing his authority.

So now, any time the bearded man was within earshot, he’d bark out a reprimand. The man, however, was unfazed—after all, Wei Wuji’s previous pampered self hadn’t been all that different from this.

“My lord, I caught the Chen scout alive. After some persuasion, he spilled everything,” the bearded man reported, cupping his fists.

“Cut the nonsense and tell me what you learned,” Wei Wuji snapped, his patience thin—time was life, and he had no leisure for long-winded explanations.

“Yes, sir,” the bearded man replied, a little crestfallen. He’d done his job—why was he being scolded? This young lord’s temper had only become more unpredictable after his injury.

He quickly summarized what he’d learned: the Chen army had discovered their former camp and was now searching the area. Their vanguard might already be nearby.

Hearing this, Wei Wuji nearly tumbled from his horse. The pressure was overwhelming, as though a sword now hung over his head, poised to fall at any moment.

“All of you, spread out and pass the word—urge everyone to hurry! We must reach the Ling River bridge as quickly as possible!” Wei Wuji was frantic, like an ant on a hot pan, as he issued orders to his personal guards.

Still uneasy, he added, “And not a word about the enemy being close. We can’t have any panic or disorder.”

When his guards had gone, only the bearded man remained at his side.

Wei Wuji looked at the man’s sooty, brutish face and sighed deeply. What a miserable fate—whoever said a general’s incompetence doomed three armies was dead wrong. With subordinates like these, even a capable leader would be dragged down.

He and the bearded man moved on. With nothing else to occupy him, Wei Wuji joined in urging the men to pick up their pace.

“Brothers, give it your all! We’re almost there!”

“Keep going, and when we return victorious, I’ll buy the finest wine for everyone!”

“Not much farther now…”

With such shouts from Wei Wuji and his officers, the troops pressed on, finally reaching the banks of the Ling River, where a stone bridge spanned the water.

But behind them, clouds of dust were already rising. In the distance, the thunder of hooves could be heard.

Wei Wuji didn’t need to look—he knew the enemy had arrived. It seemed today his fate might truly end here.