Ning Chen came back and gave the order to pull the army out!

Feng Qizheng asked curiously, "Why are we pulling back? She's only one person. We've got all these men — rush her and cut her down... or take her alive and keep her to warm Ning Chen's bed."

Everyone felt a headache coming on.

Ning Chen looked at him, speechless. "Do you know what's in those boxes under her feet?"

"What?"

"Immortal powder!"

The rest of them had no idea what that meant... but Pan Yucheng's and Feng Qizheng's faces changed completely.

They had both lived through the immortal powder case, and they had seen what became of people who had taken immortal powder.

The stuff turns a man into neither man nor ghost, and in the end he is certain to die.

Feng Qizheng clicked his tongue. "Damn... that woman is a hard one!"

The army began to march back the way it had come.

Pan Yucheng turned his head. "Are we really withdrawing just like that?"

"How could we?" Ning Chen gave a cold laugh. "If word got out that one woman had stopped us, we'd be laughed to death."

Pan Yucheng asked no more. He knew Ning Chen must have a plan.

The army pulled back four miles or so.

Ning Chen gave the order to halt.

At that distance the smoke could not possibly drift to them.

Ning Chen looked at Yue Congyun. "Bring up five cannon and pick two hundred of the Ning'an Army."

"Yes!"

Ning Chen had cloth and water made ready. They would be wanted shortly.

He turned to Qi Yuanzhong. "Elder Brother Qi, I'll take men ahead to open the road. Pay no attention when you hear muskets and cannon; hold where you are... Remember, bring the army up to join me in four hours."

"This officer obeys!"

When everything was ready, Ning Chen set out with his men.

The scouts kept reporting back.

Tantai Qingyue was still blocking the road halfway along.

Tantai Qingyue stood on the small hill of boxes.

She had not expected Ning Chen to come…