Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

Zhang Xuan, alerted by the chaos of a fire, quickly assembles his troops after realizing something was amiss. He confronts a group of attackers, defeating several and capturing the rest, who turn out to be Goguryeo spies responsible for sabotaging a fodder convoy. The county lieutenant, Qin Ling, seeks Zhang Xuan's help to prove the attack was deliberate, as they suffered significant losses. Zhang Xuan learns of a larger Goguryeo force hiding nearby and decides to pursue them, recognizing the opportunity to test his leadership. Meanwhile, he prepares his elite Xiaoguo Army to infiltrate the enemy camp near Shenlu Town, despite feeling uncertain about the odds against the elite Goguryeo troops. He attempts to rally additional support from the Sui army stationed in Liaodong City but faces skepticism from them. Zhang Xuan resolves to proceed with his plan, readying his forces for battle.

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