The sun began to set over the rebel camp, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, as Xu Anping walked among the tents. The cheers and celebrations from the recent victory still echoed around him, but his mind was elsewhere. Despite the success his small troop had achieved in battle, a deeper concern tormented him. He hadn't heard from his sister, Xu Sanhua, since she was sent to transport supplies to a remote region of the front.
Although his sister had always been strong and determined, Xu Anping couldn't help but worry about her. In the chaos of war, safety was a scarce luxury, even in areas deemed "safe." The supply routes were vulnerable to sudden attacks from imperial forces or opportunistic bandits. As he advanced through the camp, he made a decision: he would seek out Li Yuan, the elder and most trustworthy person in their group.
Since Xu Anping and Li Yuan had met in the devastated city of Duomai, they had shared a history of survival, hunger, and struggle. Li Yuan, though older and seemingly more fragile, had proven to be shrewd and capable, rising in the rebel ranks as an advisor to a leader with over 10,000 men under his command. Despite his status, Xu Anping knew that Li Yuan always maintained a critical attitude toward the leaders around him, believing himself superior to them in intelligence and capability.
When Xu arrived at Li Yuan's tent, the older man was busy examining maps and papers, his face creased in concentration. The torchlight cast shadows on his gaunt features, giving him an almost ghostly appearance. As he saw Xu approaching, Li Yuan looked up with a slight smile.
"Xu Anping, how can I help you on this busy evening?" Li Yuan asked, though his tone carried a hint of condescension that Xu had learned to ignore.
"I wanted to talk to you, Li Yuan, about my sister, Sanhua," Xu Anping got straight to the point. "I haven't heard from her in a while, and I'm worried something may have happened while she was transporting supplies. Do you know anything?"
Li Yuan paused, his thin fingers drumming on the table before nodding slowly.
"Your sister is fine, Xu Anping. The last time I received information about the supply routes, she was in a safe area, far from the front." Li Yuan's tone was calm, but his words felt rehearsed, as though he'd said them many times before.
Xu Anping felt a slight sense of relief but wasn't entirely satisfied.
"Could you send her a letter?" he asked. "I want to make sure she knows I'm thinking of her."
Li Yuan looked at him for a moment, his eyes glinting in the torchlight. Then he nodded again, offering a small smile.
"Of course, Xu Anping. I'll send your letter personally. Don't worry, your sister will get the message and know you're well."
Xu Anping nodded gratefully, feeling like he had done the right thing. Li Yuan had always been someone he could rely on, though lately, Xu had noticed a growing distance between them. Perhaps it was Li Yuan's rise to such a high position, or maybe it was the nature of war, which changed everyone over time.
"Thank you, Li Yuan," Xu said sincerely. "You don't know how much this means to me."
"I do," Li Yuan replied with a reassuring smile, but as soon as Xu Anping turned to leave, the smile disappeared from his face.
The moment Xu Anping exited the tent, Li Yuan glanced at the scrap of parchment Xu had left for him to write the letter. He looked at it for a few seconds, his eyes evaluating the paper as though it were something insignificant, then, without much thought, tossed it aside among other forgotten documents. There were more important matters to focus on, and a personal letter was not among them.
As Xu Anping walked back to his tent, he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Though Li Yuan's words had offered some temporary comfort, there was something in his tone that was unsettling. War didn't just change people on the battlefield; it also distorted relationships, alliances, and loyalties. Xu Anping was beginning to learn that in times of war, he couldn't fully trust anyone—not even those who had been with him since the beginning.
Still, he decided to push those thoughts from his mind for the time being. There were other matters to focus on. The upcoming meeting in a few hours would be crucial, not only for his immediate future but also for his position within the rebel ranks. Rumors had spread that a key figure in the rebel movement would be present, and Xu Anping wanted to make sure he was prepared for any challenge that might arise.
Before returning to his tent, he stopped on a small hill overlooking the entire camp. The fires flickered in the darkness, and the soldiers, tired but euphoric, shared stories and laughter after the battle. However, Xu Anping couldn't afford to relax. His mind was occupied with the pressure of the command that had been given to him. Five hundred men now depended on his decisions, and though he had been trained for war, the weight of responsibility was something he still found overwhelming.
Liang, his comrade-in-arms, caught up with him as he watched the camp's lights. As always, Liang seemed carefree, but Xu knew that beneath his calm exterior, his friend shared the same concerns.
"Don't worry so much, Xu," Liang said, crossing his arms behind his head. "You're doing fine. Sometimes I think you worry too much."
Xu smiled slightly as he looked at him.
"I suppose that's just my nature." He paused, turning his attention back to the horizon. "But with five hundred men under my command, I can't afford to make mistakes. We can't afford to fail."
"Failure isn't an option for any of us," Liang responded, with a gleam in his eyes that Xu always found unsettling. "This is our chance, Xu. We're in the middle of something big, something that could change everything. Don't you feel that?"
Xu nodded slowly, though he didn't share the same carefree enthusiasm that Liang did. He knew that war was unpredictable and that one mistake could mean the end. While Liang saw glory and power, Xu saw constant danger and the decisions that could cost lives.
The upcoming meeting would be one of those important decisions. He knew the rebel leader present would bring new orders, and possibly more responsibilities. Though Xu Anping had accepted command of five hundred men, he wasn't sure how he would handle the weight of that new burden. The internal politics of the rebel army were almost as dangerous as the battlefield, and Xu was beginning to realize that surviving both would require more than skill with a sword.
"Well, Liang," he said finally, turning and starting to walk toward the center of the camp. "I have a meeting to attend, and I don't want to be late. I'll see you later."
Xu Anping headed off toward the meeting camp, still unable to shake the feeling of unease that followed him. The unanswered questions about his sister, the growing pressure of his new command, and the impending meeting with a key rebel figure all wove together in his mind, forming a web of uncertainty that kept him on edge.
When he finally reached Li Heng's tent, the sound of voices inside indicated the meeting was about to begin. Xu Anping took one last deep breath before stepping in, preparing himself for whatever came next.