This chapter opens with Longyafei's son, Longya, asking his father if he can stop hiring new vice commanders every time he wants to recruit a new group of soldiers. Longya says that he's always promoted his men too quickly, and that's why they're not as good as they used to be. He tells Longya that the gods have ordered reserve commanders to go to the battlefield and compete against the newly arrived warriors from the Xue dynasty. He's worried that Longya's men aren't up to the task. He says that if Longya is injured, he'll chop his head off. He also says that every year, thousands of young warriors from both dynasties come to the northern border to train for the upcoming battle. There are only 100 of the red guards left, so Longya worries that they won't be strong enough to fight the new warriors. He asks Longya what else they can do if they lose, and Longya tells him to wait for their front-line troops' news, train their men, and plan their strategy. If they attack with only 100 men, he says, they'll be annihilated