Xiang Liang frowned, though Fan Zeng’s idea was sound, what he truly mistrusted were the plank roads clinging to the cliffs; not only were they ancient and dilapidated, but the Qin army might well have anticipated their use and laid an ambush there—wouldn't that place the Chu army in even greater peril?

"Unwise, utterly unwise." Xiang Yu was also less than pleased with Fan Zeng's strategy. "In my estimation, the Qin army is already scattered like chaff. We should split into three forces and advance separately; we are certain to annihilate them from three directions at once."

"Excellent! Three routes, a blend of feints and substance—it will surely yield remarkable results, haha!" Xiang Liang found Xiang Yu's suggestion quite appealing.

"However..." Fan Zeng grew anxious, attempting to offer further counsel, but he was cut off by Xiang Liang.

"Sir, there is no need for excessive worry. The current Qin forces are merely turtles in a jar, ripe for the plucking, utterly incapable of resistance. Our army is so mighty, victorious in every engagement; let us divide into three and see which prong breaks the city first." Xiang Liang raised his sword, pointing toward the distant mountain range. "The Battle of Dingtao will surely change history."

Xiang Yu nodded in firm agreement. "Then my uncle and I shall lead the main force of one hundred thousand troops down the main road. Ying Bu and Long Ju will each command fifty thousand soldiers, taking the routes through the gorge and up the sheer cliffs, respectively. We depart tomorrow and will meet in victory at Dingtao."

"Good!" Long Ju finally had an opportunity to command independently and was overjoyed. But when he glanced at Ying Bu, the latter's expression remained stubbornly unenthusiastic, as if the entire prospect of battle held no excitement for him whatsoever.

"Alas..." Fan Zeng sighed mournfully, though he dared not show his distress in front of Xiang Liang. Upon returning to camp, the only person he found who might listen to his woes was Ye Xiu, who was currently adjusting his attire.

"Elder Sir, you have arrived." Ye Xiu had spotted Fan Zeng's worried expression from a distance and stepped forward to pay his respects. "With the great battle imminent, may I ask what weighs so heavily on your mind, Elder Sir?"

"Look, these are the maps of this region." Fan Zeng wished to test Ye Xiu’s mettle and gauge his opinion. "These three roads all lead directly to Dingtao. Brother Ye, which route do you deem most auspicious?"

Ye Xiu glanced over the maps quickly. The cartographer must have been a complete hack; they had simply drawn a city, sketched three roads leading to it, added a multitude of mountains, and carelessly scribbled the labels: 'Main Road,' 'Sheer Cliffs,' and 'Gorge.' A truly shoddy piece of work.

"The sheer cliffs should offer an element of surprise," Ye Xiu offered his assessment. In truth, he knew the historical Battle of Dingtao was not glorious; it was where the main strength of the Western Chu army would be severely depleted, as their commander, Xiang Liang, was fated to perish there.

"How so?" Fan Zeng was secretly pleased to hear this; it seemed Ye Xiu shared his own reservations.

"Setting an ambush on a cliff face is extremely difficult, so our troops could naturally pass safely. Conversely, whether on the open plain or through the treacherous gorge, a single ambush could spell doom for our forces. That gorge path," Ye Xiu pointed toward the valley road, "is inherently defensible while impossible to attack quickly. The Qin army would only need a small contingent to halt and slaughter our Chu generals there—it is entirely unsuitable for a rapid march. And along the main open road, given the strength of our current army, even a direct confrontation, let alone an ambush, would equate to failure for us."

"Ah, indeed." Fan Zeng shook his head helplessly. He never imagined that the very concerns festering in his heart would be voiced so clearly by a mere youth. "Now that the Lord has decided to divide the army into three prongs of attack, this undoubtedly hands the Qin army a perfect opportunity to crush the Chu forces one by one."

Ye Xiu drew a deep breath. "Since ancient times, arrogance invites defeat; Lord Xiang Liang is unlikely to escape this fate. Elder Sir, do not fret unduly. I will accompany General Xiang’s main contingent. Whether we win or lose remains to be seen."

Fan Zeng lowered his gaze to his own aging hands. For a strategist to be unable to offer sound counsel to his lord was a dereliction of duty. It seemed this campaign for Dingtao was a deliberate march toward known danger.

"I shall take my leave now; there are still a few items I need to organize," Ye Xiu had nothing more to say. He hoisted his sword onto his back, hummed a tune, and turned to depart.

In the fading, corrupt glow of the setting sun, Fan Zeng looked upward and sighed deeply. Why would a young man possessing such talent willingly choose to be lost amidst the common mass? Was he awaiting the pride of rising to the highest official post in one grand stroke, or perhaps the sheer arrogance of one day ruling the realm?

Above the Yan Yang Tower, a solitary gull drifted westward. Beneath the vast, boundless heaven, the Western Chu army advanced in three separate columns, all pressing toward the same destination. The morale of the officers and soldiers was soaring; they were absolutely convinced the Qin army would be broken. Ye Xiu, attached to the cavalry, proceeded with the central army under Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu. Along the way, the soldiers remained silent, each gripping his weapon tightly, horses groomed, swords sharpened, aimed straight for Dingtao.

The main road proved genuinely flat and open. Xiang Yu led the way westward without hesitation, covering nearly half of the distance in just half a day. However, the closer they drew to Dingtao, the sparser the farmlands and farmsteads became, and some fields clearly bore the look of very recent cultivation.

"Something feels amiss, Yu'er," Xiang Liang expressed his concern. "Look at these level fields; they seem to have been tilled only recently. What is going on?"

Xiang Yu had also noticed this situation during their ride, but he dismissed it lightly. "It’s nothing, Uncle. The Qin people must have heard of our grand arrival and fled in terror, haha!"

"Oh." Xiang Liang remained hesitant, but seeing Xiang Yu's confidence, he decided not to dwell on it, waving his hand for the cavalry behind him to quicken their pace.

Ye Xiu, having spent so long within the camps, had gradually become accustomed to riding. He recalled his initial awkwardness upon leaving the Ghost Valley—he had been happy then because he could hold tightly to Hong'er’s slender waist. He wondered how Hong'er was doing now, and if she missed him.

Meanwhile, Ying Bu’s western force had already entered the heart of the gorge. Ying Bu held his sword aloft, warning his soldiers to watch overhead. As a swordsman who had also emerged from the Ghost Valley, he possessed extensive knowledge of military tactics and understood precisely the devastating effect an ambush could have in a narrow canyon. But speed was paramount; as long as his contingent could traverse the gorge as quickly as possible, the flank of Dingtao would be within sight.

At the same moment, Long Ju’s eastern detachment was still scouting along the sheer cliffs. The mountains here were high and the paths steep; some soldiers were capable in battle, but forcing them to climb was a genuine strain.

"Report..." At this moment, a scout sent ahead returned. "General Long, if we crest this next mountain peak, we will reach the plank road, known as the Luoding Ancient Path."

"Is the ancient path intact?" Long Ju, a fearsome warrior whose martial prowess was in no way inferior to Xiang Yu's, also displayed unusual meticulousness and calm when leading troops in battle.

"Your subordinate tested it, General; there are no issues whatsoever," the scout confirmed confidently. "Nor did we find anything unusual. The Qin likely fear the sheer height of the Luoding Mountain range."

"Good! Soldiers! Full speed ahead!" Long Ju took the lead himself, forcefully surmounting the next peak.

The midday sun was scorching, and the soldiers and horses on the main plain were growing weary. Ye Xiu was already dizzy with exhaustion.