Xie Jue was not swayed. After days of battle, his body and mind were utterly exhausted. In a rare moment of reprieve, Fang Chuning indulged himself, seemingly hoping Xie Jue would follow suit. But Xie Jue, burdened by too many worries, lacked the inclination. Fang Chuning appeared unbothered, merely smiling. Perhaps he had already foreseen the inevitability—Xie Jue would soon leave for Lanzhou.
When Xie Jue left Xie Xun's tent, Fang Chuning discerned his hesitation from his expression. It was precisely why Fang Chuning brought Xie Jue out to unwind. Once the Ningzhou Battlefield stabilized, Xie Jue would have to head to the Jiangnan front. Marshal Fang had already sent him letters, instructing him to remain in Ningzhou until the Beiman forces retreated. He was forbidden from going to Jiangnan, nor could he bring Zhongzhou's fifty thousand troops there.
