In early summer, the setting sun dipped below the horizon, causing the plains to appear as if waves were ablaze. Cloud City, with its towering and ancient walls, was silhouetted against this golden panorama, its gates bustling with carriages and horses, still radiating prosperity. However, as the sun descended on this day, the atmosphere grew tense.

At the western and southern gates, merchants grew restless, and caravan guards gripped their weapons tightly. In the sun's dying rays, plumes of smoke billowed in the distance. Guards scrambled to their positions on the city walls.

Soldiers also gathered at the gates, though panic hadn't yet taken hold. The northern lands were accustomed to war, and Cloud City, being a strategic point, had seen countless battles. In the decade or so since the Jin Dynasty conquered the Liao, soldiers had either risen to nobility or faded into obscurity. Those who now traveled and guarded merchandise were mostly seasoned veterans who had taken lives. Even if war truly arrived, they might not be cowed, especially since border guards were often jumpy, and the possibility of a false alarm was always present.

Some individuals with connections edged closer to the city gates, seeking information, while others, seeing no immediate entry, gathered by the roadside, chatting and speculating. Some boasted of their wartime experiences: "Back in my day, a false alarm meant death."

"...Maybe it's just some bandits."

"These young soldiers these days..."

Such murmurings continued until a messenger on horseback, spurring his foamy steed, galloped into the city from the south. The message he brought ignited a frenzy among the crowd.

--Yanmen Pass has fallen, the Southern Dogs are coming!

The news of Yanmen Pass's fall sent a shockwave through the city gates. But what did "Southern Dogs are coming" mean? Upon hearing the phrase, some even felt like laughing, but soon whispers circulated, and people recalled the disastrous defeat from thousands of miles away in March.

Cloud City was too far from the southwest for war reports to arrive regularly. But by April, news of the defeat at Wangyuan Bridge, the death of Baoshan, and Zonghan's retreat had reached the Jin Dynasty, albeit in fragmented form. The Jin leadership suppressed this information amidst shock and doubt, but some managed to glean snippets from various sources.

As long as it hadn't affected them directly, people were willing to wait and see about events thousands of miles away. But now, merchants and guards with good connections remembered the southwest campaign: Marshal Zonghan's disastrous defeat, his son's death, and the Jin strategist Gu Shen's inability to defeat the rebellious and regicidal devil of the south. It was said that this devil was a master of manipulating hearts and strategies. Could he have coordinated a move in the Central Plains, taking advantage of the Jin's depleted forces to launch a counter-offensive? Could he be aiming to seize Yanyun directly?

To launch a counter-attack in the Central Plains immediately after defeating Zonghan thousands of miles away, such a grand strategy, such an ambitious and domineering plan, such a vast and all-consuming ambition – people wouldn't have even considered it in the past. Many in the north weren't even sure what the southwest was.

But precisely because of this information fog, with the southwest war still shrouded in secrecy, the news of the Southern men breaching Yanmen Pass made many connect the dots.

Amidst the sunset's golden strokes, alarm bells began to ring within Cloud City.

Smoke had been rising from the south for some time. The Jin Dynasty had been powerful and dominant for years. Although the Yanyun region was never truly peaceful, bandits and marauders had been hard to eradicate since the fall of the Liao Dynasty, the presence of figures like Zonghan and Gu Shen meant that these petty troublemakers couldn't cause too much chaos. The few times smoke had been seen in the past, it had been nothing major: bandits plotting murder, a large fire, or hungry civilians raiding military farms. Sometimes, it was even a false alarm.

The gates of Cloud City remained open. However, major clans and wealthy families had mustered their retainers and private soldiers to prevent opportunists from stirring up trouble. But as the first piece of information arrived, a sense of tension began to spread through Cloud City like ink on paper. Noble scions rode their horses swiftly through the city streets, conferring and networking.

The elders and relatives of these families were mostly in the military. They kept a close eye on news from the southwest. The news from March had already made them uneasy, but the distance had allowed them to keep their worries to themselves. Now, however, being slapped in the face with the news of the "Southern Dogs breaching Yanmen Pass" caused them to tremble. They realized that this could be something significant.

While the common folk in the city were still unaware of what was happening, some noble scions had already begun distributing weapons and armor to their private soldiers. When Wanyan Dezong returned to his manor, several young men had already gathered, exchanging information with his brother, Wanyan Youyi, in the side hall. The stewards had also assembled the house guards. He greeted everyone, asked for his armor to be brought, and said, "Things are happening suddenly, and the information is still unclear. Brothers, don't panic. It's still unclear whether the attackers are from the Central Plains."

Wanyan Youyi, already clad in soft armor, retorted, "Who else could it be but the people of the Central Plains, coming over the Yanmen Pass from the south?"

"Yanmen Pass fell this morning. The warning wasn't issued in time. The horsemen from the south chased down the fleeing guards, breached two relay stations, and only managed to light the beacon at Guanyun Relay Station, forty miles north of Yanmen Pass. The man who fled into the city was vague. The specifics are still unclear."

"Breaking through forty miles before lighting the beacon… These people are strong and prepared." A noble scion stood up. "Damn it, we can't underestimate them."

"But Yanmen Pass has several thousand soldiers. Why didn't any news get out?"

"...Unless they took the pass and swiftly broke through the northern gate, cutting off the escape route to the north?"

"...It would take elite light cavalry, and they would have to be very successful. However, Yanmen Pass hasn't seen war in a long time. The soldiers are careless because of the traders coming and going. It's hard to say."

"...Yanmen Pass usually has over three thousand troops stationed nearby. If the enemy tricked them into opening the gates from the south and then swiftly attacked north, cutting off the escape route, those three thousand would be trapped in Yanmen Pass, fighting to the death. That would be a desperate struggle, and the enemy would have to be truly elite. Where would the Black Flags of the Central Plains get such elites? It might be more believable if they broke through the gates directly from the north."

"...If that were the case, the guards would have at least lit the beacon. I think, could it be the Liangshan bandits coming over?"

"...Liangshan and Yanmen Pass are at least eight hundred miles apart, if not a thousand."

"...There was speculation before that these guys were holed up in Shandong Road, having a hard time. Now, they're blocked by Prince Lu to the north, and the armies of Zongfu and Zongbi are returning north to the south. It's only a matter of time before they die. I think it's possible that they made a thousand-mile raid to seize Yanmen Pass."

"...Didn't Prince Lu have spies in the Central Plains?"

"...Are the Black Flags really that powerful?"

The young men, who were familiar with Wanyan Dezong and Wanyan Youyi, had fathers who mostly worked under Gu Shen, and many had studied in Xiyin's private school. They would discuss tactics during their studies. Now, they were speculating about the situation, each offering their opinions. Though it was hard to believe, the more they thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Wanyan Youyi frowned and said, "Back then, this devil only had a few thousand men, and he killed the Wu Dynasty emperor like slaughtering a chicken. Then he fought from the northwest to the southwest, and now… Did any of you think this would happen? If it's really a response to the southwest campaign, then his surprise attack on Yanmen Pass from thousands of miles away… Such a move..."

He paused and adjusted his armor, making a rustling sound that sent shivers down everyone's spines. They hadn't paid attention to these things in the past, but they all knew the purpose of their elders' expedition. When they set out, Zonghan and Gu Shen intended this war to be the final one that would sweep the Jin Dynasty across the world. They placed great importance on the southwest.

These young men weren't clear on the specific reasons for their elders' emphasis on the southwest. But as Zonghan ran into trouble and his son was even killed, and the once-triumphant Gu Shen was also defeated by that Han devil in the southwest, everyone had a standard by which to measure the devil's terror.

And the thought that after defeating two of the Jin Dynasty's founding heroes, he had arranged for an army thousands of miles away to launch such a fierce offensive against the Jin homeland sent chills down the spines of these young men and made their scalps tingle.

Realizing this, the side hall fell silent for a moment, as if in suffocating silence. Someone then said, "If that's the case, Cloud City should be placed under immediate martial law. If these people took it with light cavalry, they might be aiming for Cloud City."

"Closing the city and imposing martial law requires Lord Shi's decision."

"I'm afraid Lord Shi is too cautious..."

While everyone was discussing this, the retainers and private soldiers outside were making a great deal of noise. Wanyan Dezong and Wanyan Youyi went to the side and discussed in hushed tones how to ask their mother about this.

Their mother, Chen Wenjun, was known as the "Han Lady" by others, and she often took care of the Han people from the south. Everyone knew this tacitly, and the brothers defended their mother. But at that time, the Jurchens were in the ascendant, and Lady Xiyin's acts of kindness were tolerated. Now that the "Southern Dogs" had breached Yanmen Pass, how would everyone view the "Han Lady," or how would their mother feel about this matter? Both brothers were filial, and they couldn't help but feel conflicted about this.

As they were making noise and debating, several figures came from the other side of the side hall. Everyone in the room stood up and bowed.

It was Chen Wenjun.

Wanyan Dezong and Wanyan Youyi also reacted and hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects. However, Chen Wenjun raised her phoenix eyebrows and swept her gaze across the dozen or so young men in the room. "Enough, what are you still chattering about here? Marshal Zonghan has led the army on an expedition, and Cloud City's defenses are weak. Now that the smoke has risen, although the news from the front is not yet confirmed, as noble scions, you should all seize the time to prepare for battle. Are you going to wait for orders to start getting dressed?"

Her words were clear and cold as she turned to her sons. "Dezong, take stock of the number of people and supplies in the household. As soon as there is further news, immediately report the situation of the manor to the city guards. You yourself go to Lord Shi's side to await orders and learn to do things. Youyi, you take people to watch over the house for now."

Wanyan Dezong said, "Yes." Wanyan Youyi had some objections to this arrangement and called out, "Mother..." But Chen Wenjun silenced him with a glare.

She swept her gaze across the others. "You all go home and prepare in this way, awaiting orders. Remember this, whatever the superiors tell you to do, you will do. There must be no disobedience. I just came over and heard you discussing Lord Shi. If you truly go to war and go to the battlefield, you cannot have such discussions again. Remember this!?"

Everyone hurriedly agreed and then took their leave, returning home to do detailed inventories. After everyone had left, Dezong and Youyi went to their mother's side. The three of them walked along the corridor illuminated by the setting sun. Wanyan Dezong hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Mother, if the attackers are really Han Chinese from the south..."

They saw their mother looking distantly at the flower bushes outside the Langyuan Pavilion and sighing. "I have been with your father for so many years. Even if the people of the Central Plains really come, what can be done? You go and prepare. If enemies really come, fight bravely. That's all there is to it. Alright, go, do men's work."

She patted her two sons on the shoulders. Wanyan Dezong left first, and Wanyan Youyi followed beside her for a while before also going to arrange and deploy the house guards. Chen Wenjun walked through the courtyard of the manor and soon reached a high point within the manor, observing the surroundings of Cloud City. The setting sun was turning from golden to red, being swallowed by the western sky. The city was bustling and restless, with scattered lights. She thought of the Han land she had left many years ago.

Were the Han really attacking?

Not long ago, Shi Liai and Tang Minjie had both warned her about her position. The news of Xie Bao's death last month had shocked her for a long time. Today, the news of Yanmen Pass being breached truly made her feel that the world was changing.

She had been here for too long, long enough to have children, long enough to adapt to this land, long enough for her temples to have white hair, long enough for her to vaguely feel that there would never be a day to return south, long enough for her to once believe that the world would just be like this.

The wooden railing at the top of the pavilion was still slightly warm from the sun. Her palm lightly stroked it, and she even felt a little affection. This was a northern thing. She had lived with them for too long. What was the south like? Pavilions and towers, small bridges and flowing water, her memory was no longer clear. She had also seen countless tragic things.

Xinmo Ningyi had defeated Wanyan Zonghan. Her husband and the others seemed to be unable to do anything. Now, Yanmen Pass had been broken. Were these really the actions of that regicidal devil from the south?

She thought of Tang Minjie, looking at the crowds gathered in Cloud City. What was he doing at this moment? Such a crazy Black Flag member, but he was only crazy because of pain. If that Xinmo Ningyi in the south was also so crazy – perhaps even more crazy and terrifying – then his defeat of Zonghan and Gu Shen didn't seem so unimaginable...

"...If one day, the Han defeat the Jurchens, and you no longer have a place here, where would you go back to?"

The madman's words seemed to echo in her ears. She sighed softly. Some things in the world are terrible. Regarding whether the Han were really attacking, she didn't even know whether she should look forward to it or not. She could only not think about it and temporarily put the problem out of her mind. The atmosphere in the city was tense, and chaos was about to begin. Perhaps that madman was happily wreaking havoc.

She could almost clearly recreate his excited appearance in her mind.

Oh well, since she came to the north, everything she had seen in the world had been chaotic. What did it matter if there was one more madman or one less madman? She didn't care...

Before long, a second and third piece of information came to Cloud City. Although the identity of the enemy was in doubt, it was confirmed that the horsemen were advancing toward Cloud City in the afternoon, having raided several military farms and roadblocks. Their intention was to directly target Cloud City.

At two quarters past eight in the evening, Shi Liai issued orders to close the four gates, impose martial law, and mobilize the army. Although the incoming messages had begun to cast doubt on whether the troops attacking Yanmen Pass were the Black Flag Army, the news that the "Southern Dogs were coming" continued to spread throughout the city. Chen Wenjun sat in the pavilion, watching the scattered lights, knowing that Cloud City would be sleepless tonight...