Li Man'er, though young, possessed an imposing presence. No one in the hall dared to speak, not even Yan Fang, who remained silent, tacitly acknowledging her right to participate in the council.
Li Man'er surveyed the room. Seeing no one willing to meet her gaze, she ceased speaking and directly pulled out a chair to sit.
Qi Yihan had a simple campaign map brought out and hung, then instructed Ding Yan to explain the plan.
Pointing to the map, Ding Yan began, "Generals, this map is rather basic, but I believe you are all quite familiar with the route between our camp and the barbarian encampment. Therefore, I will not elaborate further. Without the heavy snow, a pincer movement from three sides would be the optimal strategy. The Xiashi滩 terrain is flat; a feigned attack from the front, with flanking maneuvers from the left and right wings, would catch the barbarians completely off guard."
"Isn't that stating the obvious?" Yan Fang, appearing to be a man of haste, interrupted Ding Yan before he could finish. "With this much snow outside, horses can't possibly get through. What feinting attack, what flanking maneuver? It's all a load of rubbish."
His words were not entirely without merit, and others chimed in.
"General, we have no objection to you wanting to fight the barbarians, but we must consider the current practical situation," said another general with a rather refined demeanor. "The heavy snow has blocked the roads, making travel extremely difficult."
Qi Yihan, however, stated, "You need not worry about that. The task of clearing the snow will be entrusted to General Li. General Li, this is of paramount importance. If accomplished, it will be a great achievement."
The unspoken implication was that failure would result in a graver punishment.
Yan Fang looked triumphantly at Li Man'er. "General Li, General Han values you greatly, hence entrusting you with such a crucial mission. Do not let his earnest intentions go to waste."
With such heavy snowfall, even a fool knew the snow couldn't be cleared in a short time. Clearing a path sufficient for cavalry, all while remaining undetected by the barbarians, presented an immense challenge.
Everyone waited to witness Li Man'er's downfall. However, Li Man'er understood this was an opportunity Qi Yihan was creating for her—a chance to gain renown and achieve lasting fame.
"Very well. I trust General Han's integrity, unlike some people who are all bluster and clearly imbeciles."
"You..." Yan Fang knew Li Man'er was referring to him as an imbecile. However, he quickly calmed himself. This was not the time for a verbal spat; the key was to make Li Man'er understand the consequences of offending him.
"Heh, General Li, do you dare to make a bet?" Yan Fang proposed. "If you complete this task, and we successfully breach the enemy's camp, the first strike honor will be yours, and we will willingly address you as General. Should you fail to complete this task, General Li will likely have to provide an explanation to everyone."
"Do I need to explain myself to you? Who do you think you are?"
Li Man'er's words were infuriating, leaving no room for politeness, enraging Yan Fang to the point of almost lunging at her. It was only when others intervened and pulled him away that he was restrained.
This old Yan truly never learned. He had already been thoroughly berated by her previously, and now he dared to seek more scolding. Wasn't that just masochistic?
"Speaking of which, although I have not received an official appointment from the court, these tens of thousands of troops brought from the capital by the Marquis of Iron Courage—ever since the Marquis fell ill, haven't they all followed my lead?"
Just as Yan Fang was about to retort, Li Man'er continued, "Whether you call it winning hearts or acting arbitrarily, first you must possess the capability."
Silence permeated the hall, for they all knew Li Man'er possessed that capability. She had achieved many things they could not.
"General Han, I am willing to sign a military pledge."
Qi Yihan gazed at her deeply, as if silently asking if she was confident. Li Man'er nodded slightly, her confidence unwavering.
Yan Fang interjected mockingly, "General Han, since someone is so eager to court death, you should indulge her."
Li Man'er immediately turned, her feet barely touching the ground before she launched herself towards Yan Fang. A table separated them, but this distance was insignificant to Li Man'er.
Yan Fang had not anticipated Li Man'er's swift action. As a military man, he naturally wouldn't stand to be struck. Furthermore, he was confident that Li Man'er's martial arts were merely for show, while he possessed practical combat experience and believed she was no match for him.
It was this very confidence that made Yan Fang forgo evasion and instead immediately bent his elbow, attempting to block Li Man'er's kick with his arm.
Yan Fang never imagined Li Man'er's strength to be so immense. That single kick nearly fractured his arm. However, with the enemy at the gates, Li Man'er would not truly injure him. Yet, Yan Fang's incessant chatter and condescension towards women had deeply displeased her, prompting her decision to teach him a lesson.
Yan Fang's underestimation led him to lose the initiative from the outset. Li Man'er first delivered a kick, and then, seizing the moment while Yan Fang was off-balance, unleashed a series of consecutive kicks.
Yan Fang dodged in a clumsy manner, but his left shoulder was still struck by Li Man'er. His body lurched backward, nearly falling. Fortunately, someone beside him caught him, preventing further embarrassment.
Li Man'er landed steadily and even brushed off her sleeves.
This was provocation!
Yan Fang was utterly enraged and lunged forward, intending to settle the score with Li Man'er. However, he was restrained by those around him. "Old Yan, calm yourself. How old are you to be arguing with a child? You are an elder."
This advice, though seemingly conciliatory, was actually urging Yan Fang not to act impulsively. Wasn't it embarrassing for someone who had served in the military for nearly thirty years to be bested by a junior?
Everyone present practiced martial arts and could see clearly that she had held back her strength.
Yan Fang almost ground his teeth to dust but knew he was no match for Li Man'er. He could only endure for the moment, grinding out through clenched teeth, "General Li, do not forget about the military pledge. We are waiting."
"General Yan, rest assured, I am not the type to go back on my word. I will sign the military pledge and engage in the bet." Li Man'er smiled. "General Yan, you previously said that if I successfully completed the mission, you would all recognize me as General. May I interpret this to mean I have the same authority as General Han?"
"This..."
"General Li, that might not be appropriate!"
"Indeed, indeed. We have never doubted General Li's abilities, but military matters are appointed by the commander and the Ministry of War. Even if we wished to give you this opportunity, we lack the authority."
Throughout this exchange, Ding Yan remained silent. He had been observing Qi Yihan and Li Man'er intently, sensing an unusual connection and a remarkable unspoken understanding between them.
"Not appropriate?" Li Man'er had already seized control of the situation. "Wasn't this proposed by General Yan? What, does his word not count?"
Yan Fang's patience had reached its limit. "Li, don't push your luck too far. What exactly do you want?"