The fall of Woling Pass, a stronghold difficult to assail yet now held by rebels, posed a dire situation. He Chunjian earnestly inquired, "What can I do to assist?" With the empire's fate hanging by a thread, it was not a time for evasion of duty.
As the servants brought fresh tea, Sun Fuping seemingly shifted the topic to local lore, asking if He Chunjian was aware of how the barren lands turned into the Panlong Desert and the origin of the Red Cliff Road. This seemingly unrelated inquiry piqued He Chunjian's curiosity.
He began to recount the history, explaining that around one hundred and fifty years before the founding of the Dazhuan Dynasty, the area was part of the Western Luo Kingdom. The region, then a less arid plain with seasonal rivers, was fortified with four counties and twelve cities to protect the bustling trade route, with Panlong City being the largest.
As Western Luo's power waned due to continuous defeats in external conflicts, the neighboring states of Baling and Xianyou encroached upon its territories, leaving the Panlong wilderness isolated. Despite being besieged by Baling and Xianyou for thirty-two years, the Western Luo garrison, under the command of Zhong Shengguang, heroically defended Panlong City for the same duration, refusing to cede an inch.
He Lingshan, too, listened intently, familiar with the saga of the Panlong Desert's formation, a tale every citizen of Heishui City knew by heart. The Grand Army, named for its resilience, faced relentless attacks from two powerful foes without any support from Western Luo, enduring thirty-two years of isolation and hardship.
The siege of Panlong City in its twelfth year briefly paused during a truce with Xianyou, allowing for a momentary communication with the Western Luo monarchy. Surprised by the garrison's persistence, the king rewarded them but then withdrew the majority of their elite forces to quell domestic turmoil, leaving the Grand Army to fend for themselves once more.
Without aid, the Grand Army's indomitable spirit could not prevent the inevitable. The enemy, fueled by vengeance, annihilated Panlong City, leaving no survivors. This massacre, combined with Zhong Shengguang's possible curse, transformed the once fertile land into a barren desert, ensuring that if Western Luo couldn't have it, neither would Baling nor Xianyou.
Yet, Zhong Shengguang left a lifeline through the Red Cliff Road, the same path the Grand Army once trod. This route through the desert offered a glimmer of hope to future travelers.
Sun Fuping then tied this historical narrative to the current crisis, suggesting that understanding how the Grand Army persevered might hold the key to reversing the dire situation at Woling Pass and safeguarding the capital. He Chunjian, despite the gravity of the revelations, expressed his readiness to hear more, sensing that the ultimate request had yet to be revealed.