In an open patch of ground, a few Great Xuan soldiers stood guard over a group of old people, women and children, about twenty in all.

"Greetings, my lord prince!"

The soldiers saluted hastily when they saw Ning Chen.

Ning Chen waved a hand, his eyes on the old people, women and children.

Every one of them looked terrified. The children were crying from fear.

"Any family of the King of the Left Court's?"

Pan Yucheng shook his head. "We asked. No!"

Ning Chen nodded slightly, but he was in a bind, turning over what to do with them.

He wasn't some inhuman monster. He really couldn't bring himself to raise a blade against these children.

Pan Yucheng said, "Ning Chen, let them go, won't you?"

Ning Chen turned to look at him.

"Old Pan, war is cruel... Have you thought about it? These kids will grow up and pick up blades."

Pan Yucheng was silent a moment. "Nanzhi should have had the baby by now!"

Ning Chen paused, then understood at once. Pan Yucheng wanted to earn a little good karma for the child.

"Let them go... and give them a few head of cattle and sheep."

They were nomads. Give them a few cattle and sheep and they'd get along just fine.

Pan Yucheng looked at Ning Chen. "Thank you!"

Ning Chen smiled. Truth be told, he couldn't have brought himself to kill these old people, women and children either.

Ning Chen went back to his tent and looked over the maps Yuan Long had turned up in his search of the North Royal Court.

The maps marked out the Tuoluo Kingdom's territories.

The Tuoluo Kingdom was easy to fight, and hard to fight.

Easy, because they had no strong walled cities to shelter behind.

Hard, because they were so mobile. They'd vanish into the depths of the grassland and you'd never find them.

Ning Chen decided the army would break camp tomorrow and go straight for the Tuoluo Kingdom's Imperial Court.

The next day, the army set out straight for the Tuoluo Kingdom's Imperial Court.

With the…