At Jianmen Pass, upon the city gate tower.
The autumn wind swept fine sand against the mottled city walls, making a rustling sound. Xia Huai'an stood beside the battlement, gazing northward—the camp of the Beidi grand army had been completely cleared away, leaving only hoofprints and extinguished campfire ash across the ground.
"General Niu," he turned to look at the commander beside him, "though the Beidi have retreated, they may not have given up. Their withdrawal this time is, first, due to the awe-inspiring power of our Huaxia Army firearms, and second, because of other developments in their rear, possibly related to the Tsardom of Russia. But the prairie tribes are notoriously crafty; there is no guarantee they will not return."
Chapter 249