I, Am a Living Yama; Empress Advises Me to Stay Calm

The next day, as the sky gradually brightened, a thick layer of snow covered the ground at the foot of Mount Wude, smoothing out every bump and crevice. A voice rang out in the distance, stirring the silence.
“General Guo…” The sound grew clearer.
Guo Jingzhi struggled to open his eyes, the bone-chilling cold jolting him awake. As his vision cleared, familiar faces came into view.
“The general is awake!”
A wave of relief washed over the Great Zhou soldiers, their faces bright with joy. Guo Jingzhi rubbed his temples, his voice hoarse.
“I’m not dead?”
The soldiers quickly helped him up, their hands firm yet careful. Blinking against the glare of the snow, he took in his surroundings. The entire mountainside was a blinding sheet of white, like a thick quilt covering the earth, erasing all signs of battle.
Licking his lips, he accepted the water flask a soldier handed him, taking a slow sip to soothe his parched throat.
“What about the Turks? What are our casualties?”
A nearby soldier responded at once, his tone carrying both respect and disbelief.
“General, the Turks who pursued us were almost completely wiped out, buried under the avalanche... Our army suffered around three thousand casualties, but the other division outside the Turkish royal court remains unharmed.”
Guo Jingzhi inhaled sharply, his eyes flickering with astonishment. Even he hadn’t expected the avalanche to destroy the Turkish forces so completely. Yang Xiang’s strategy had been ruthless—perhaps too ruthless—but undeniably effective.
Clenching his fists, he felt a surge of exhilaration.
“Reorganize the troops immediately. We strike the Turkish royal court while the opportunity lasts!”
The soldiers responded with firm nods, their voices resolute.
…
Days later, Guo Jingzhi led the remaining Zhou soldiers like a dagger plunging straight into the heart of the Turkish royal court.
Inside a dimly lit tent, Jie Li Khan’s heart lurched at the sound of hurried footsteps.
A breathless soldier stumbled in, his face pale with disbelief. “Khan! Urgent report!”
Jie Li Khan’s brow furrowed. “Speak.”
The soldier’s voice wavered. “Lord Gomohan... He was caught in an avalanche. His entire force is gone. And now... the Zhou army has taken the royal court.”
A heavy silence fell over the tent. Shocked faces surrounded him, the weight of the words pressing down like a mountain. Jie Li Khan’s eyes widened as he shot to his feet, grabbing the soldier by the collar.
His usually commanding voice shook with fury. “What did you just say?”
The soldier trembled. “K-Khan... the royal court has been occupied.”
Jie Li Khan swayed, nearly collapsing. His mind reeled—he had entrusted nearly all his cavalry to Gomohan, and now, in return, he received nothing but total annihilation? An avalanche?
He gritted his teeth, his breath ragged. “How could there be an avalanche? And how did it happen at the exact moment to wipe out Gomohan’s forces?”
The soldier swallowed hard. “Lord Gomohan had the Zhou forces cornered at Mount Wude. The enemy retreated up the mountain, so he ordered his troops to advance, sealing all possible escape routes to tighten the noose.
“Then, for some reason, the Zhou soldiers at the summit suddenly set off fireworks... and then the entire mountain collapsed in an avalanche.”
The tent remained deathly still. Jie Li Khan’s vision blurred as a wave of dizziness hit him. A general rushed to support him, but his body trembled with rage. His voice, hoarse yet venomous, cut through the silence.
“That fool... He fell into the Zhou’s trap.”
No one spoke. A cold dread settled over them. If it had been them in Gomohan’s place, they too would have perished without a trace. The Zhou forces were ruthless. Jie Li Khan clutched his chest, his face ghastly pale. A loss of 150,000 cavalrymen—this was not just a defeat. It was devastation.
The Turks could not afford such a loss. Not now. Not ever. Jie Li Khan felt as if ice had seeped into his very bones. If they did not reclaim the royal court, the very foundation of the Turkic Khanate could crumble.
His voice was low, yet firm. “We march back. At once. The royal court must be taken back.”
The generals did not hesitate. “Yes, Khan!”
Meanwhile, in another camp, Wei Qing stood over a table when a soldier rushed in, bowing respectfully.
“General, urgent news from Guo Jingzhi. The Turkish royal court has fallen into our hands.”
Wei Qing’s sharp eyes flickered with satisfaction as he unfolded the missive. A rare smile played on his lips. “Well done.”
Folding the report, he turned to his officers.
“Jie Li Khan will have received this news by now. Send scouts to track the Turks’ movements. I want immediate reports on any action he takes.”
“Yes, General.”
Half a day later, the reports arrived—Jie Li Khan was retreating. Wei Qing’s expression hardened.
“Prime Minister Yang’s orders remain unchanged. As soon as the Turks retreat, we pursue. Their only thought will be reclaiming the royal court. That makes this the perfect moment to break them for good.”
Without delay, he issued his command. “Our army will split into three divisions, each leading 40,000 troops. Chase them down, strike at their flanks, but do not let them pull us into a full engagement. This is not about a single battle—we bleed them, weaken them, and shatter their resolve.”
The officers saluted in unison. “Understood, General!”
The next day, the retreating Turkish army rushed toward their lost capital. Jie Li Khan rode at the front, his urgency plain. Every moment wasted was another moment the Zhou solidified their control. If he did not reclaim the royal court soon, the Khanate would splinter.
But just as they pressed forward, a sudden roar of battle cries echoed from the hills. Jie Li Khan’s head snapped up. Arrows rained down in a deadly storm. His soldiers, caught off guard, fell like wheat beneath the reaper’s scythe.
“Ambush!” someone screamed.
Jie Li Khan’s heart pounded as he recognized the attackers. The Zhou army—the very same troops that had once refused to leave their city walls—were now here, blocking his path. Fury boiled in his chest.
Back then, they had cowered behind stone defenses, forcing him to waste time in a siege. But now, just as he was retreating, they had the audacity to hunt him down?!
He cursed them. Shameless bastards. He clenched his teeth.
“Fight them off!”
He knew these Zhou soldiers wouldn’t simply let go—they would harass him all the way back.
…
Half an hour later, a soldier came running, breathless.
“Khan! The Zhou forces have withdrawn again!”
Jie Li Khan’s face darkened. He was now caught in Wei Qing’s relentless chase-and-strike strategy. He gritted his teeth, his patience wearing thin.
“Retreat!”
On the other side, Wei Qing and his forces followed from a distance, striking when least expected. Compared to the exhaustion and frustration plaguing the Turks, the Zhou forces remained disciplined and swift.
Days passed in this relentless pursuit. The Turkish soldiers, desperate to return home, found themselves constantly harassed by the Zhou. Frustration turned to despair.
Half a month later, a weary soldier galloped up to Jie Li Khan. “Khan, we are thirty li from Mount Wude.”
A flicker of hope lit Jie Li Khan’s exhausted face.
“I have already sent word to the tribes. Once they arrive, we will retake the royal court and turn the tables on these damn Zhou!”