Golden Turtles (Part 5)
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Golden Turtles (Part 5) (金龟袋 (其五)) is the twenty-first chapter of the manhua Assassin's Creed: Dynasty written by Xu Xianzhe.
Plot summary
An Lushan's forces continue their inexorable march west, taking many fortresses. In the Tong Pass, a soldier rushes in holding a small wooden tray. He brings it to Gao Xianzhi, interrupting the commander's meeting to discuss the garrison's next moves, and reveals the tray's contents to be a single clay ball. Upon breaking it, they find a small paper tied up inside. Xianzhi opens the note and begins reading.
Elsewhere, Li E speaks with Yan Jiming as the scholar writes the note Xianzhi now holds. As Xianzhi reads their message aloud to his men, Li E and Jiming meet with Jiming's father Yan Gaoqing as he holds his own war council. Li E proposes that the Changshan Commandery move east to sever An Lushan's supply lines, before marching south to support the Tong Pass. Xianzhi pauses at reading about this and confers with his men, one of whom makes rough calculations on his fingers. All are acutely aware that their time is limited and manpower pales against An Lushan's full army. They can only wait, hoping reinforcements arrive promptly.
At night, the Changshan soldiers make preparations to leave, with He Shi among their number. An officer announce their readiness to Gaoqing, and so begins the garrison's long trek. Li E remains silent throughout it all and contemplates the scenario before them as the troop sets out. Back at the Tong Pass, Xianzhi finishes reading Jiming's note with tears streaming down his face. He is not alone in this, as many of his war council also weep openly, and the room is silent as everyone hangs their heads on learning the full contents of the letter. The room's quiet atmosphere is suddenly broken by loud proclamations from a councilman, which Xianzhi accepts wordlessly before looking past the man through an open window, where he spots an eagle high in the sky.