Qingyun’s expression turned cold. His pride couldn’t tolerate her repeated rejections. “Swear that this is the only reason you’re not leaving,” he said, staring intently into her eyes. However, there wasn’t a trace of panic in them. “I swear,” she replied.
These three short words led to an hour of silence. “You’ve hurt me,” Qingyun finally stood up, looking at the woman who now refused to meet his gaze. “You’ve hurt me! I thought our feelings were the most direct, but I was wrong. Is this how women are? Does gentleness only earn indifference in return?”
Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her into his arms, forcing her to look at him. “Look at me. Don’t forget this face, Huang Beishuang. I’ve never been stingy with my gentleness towards you, but if force is what it takes to conquer you, I won’t hesitate!” With that, he cupped her face forcefully, his thumb and forefinger gripping the pearl earring he had given her. As he applied pressure, she cried out in pain. Her earlobe, adorned with the ethereal silver pearl, was now stained with dark red blood, competing with the moonlight for beauty.
Qingyun kissed her again, finding it hard to part. Holding her tightly in his arms, he said, “I let you go last time, but not this time.” Qingyun felt somewhat regretful. Matters of the heart had never been his concern before. Even when they first met, he hadn’t intended to take her away like this. Firstly, he didn’t want to alert Na Zhan. Secondly, perhaps his feelings then weren’t as desperate as they were now – desperate for a woman who could stand by his side.
That night, the moon in Huaiyue Pavilion hid behind the clouds. In the dim four-cornered pavilion, they remained silent for a long time, locked in a stalemate until those who had to leave left, and those who had to stay stayed.
A month passed after that.
It was peaceful; nothing happened. Tiandu didn’t lay siege to the city, which was impossible anyway. Yunpei, as the largest country in the Great Desert, possessed forty-two large oases in a fish-scale pattern, each no more than ten li apart. With 170,000 troops and three impregnable fortresses, it was as solid as copper walls and iron ramparts.
Na Zhan fulfilled his promise, sending 3,000 troops to the Northern Desert to escort the E’na Qi tribe. Seventeen days had passed with no news.
In Guanghan Palace, the sound of the xiao could still be heard, though it would abruptly stop at any sign of disturbance. The slender figure of the player would wander in the courtyard, looking at the growing rows of Jie Ma trees with an expression between laughter and tears.
This day was both ordinary and extraordinary.
Na Zhan stood by the window of Huang Beishuang’s chambers, saying hesitantly, “Tiandu has detained the troops I sent, as well as all your tribespeople. They’ve sent a letter demanding that you personally sue for peace!”
Huang Beishuang, crouching beside a Jie Ma tree, smiled calmly, “Your Majesty, this is a direct provocation against you. Why haven’t you retaliated?”
Na Zhan sighed in frustration, “If you have a way to bring your people here, I will certainly fulfill my promise.”
This was a troublesome matter. Tiandu was too far, and in the Middle Desert lay the vassal state of Hu He. It was impossible for Yunpei to go to war over the Northern Desert’s internal conflicts. Na Zhan wouldn’t deploy troops unless absolutely necessary. This outcome should have been expected from the beginning!
Huang Beishuang said nothing more, only looking down at the crumpled paper thrown in by a secret agent this morning. The scrawled writing was arranged in four columns: “Tiandu grain tribute, fourteen tribes of the same province, E’na Qi alone encircled, four hundred starved to death in nine days.”
Qingyun, you’re too cruel.
Breaking off a tender yellow leaf from the Jie Ma tree, Huang Beishuang’s eyes turned cold and clear.
“Your Majesty, please send two thousand troops with me tomorrow to welcome my tribespeople!”
“Welcome?”
“Yes.”
“From the Tranquility Celestial King’s hands?”
“Yes.”
“If you surrender, I will not hesitate to go to war!” Na Zhan said gravely.
Huang Beishuang smiled at his words, “If it weren’t for this, why would I stay here?” She sighed helplessly. As Na Zhan left, Huang Beishuang touched her still-aching earlobe. The wound was still there.
The wine sobered, but the person became intoxicated…
The wine turned bitter, but the person grew weary…
The wine faded, but the person became exhausted…
Do you know? Do you know?
Three thousand tears of parting, longing doesn’t follow!
Do you know, do you know…
[The passage continues with poetic descriptions of the countryside and the preparations for Huang Beishuang’s departure. It describes her dressing in red wedding attire, symbolizing her commitment to her people and her complex relationship with both Na Zhan and Qingyun.]
The next day, Huang Beishuang donned a red wedding dress, elaborately embroidered with gold thread on the sleeves and hem. Phoenix flowers and snow pearls adorned the collar, shimmering softly. The dress was exquisitely tailored, with a tightly cinched waist accentuating her graceful curves. Her chest, visible through the red gauze, seemed to flow like water, complemented by a gray-green jade pendant, making her appear stunningly beautiful.
Finally, Ye Pei placed a red cloud crown on her head, with a string of sparkling jewels hanging across her forehead.
“Let’s go,” Huang Beishuang said after gazing at herself in the mirror for a long time. Her three maids opened the doors of her chambers, where her eight generals stood solemnly in full armor, ready to clear the way for their mistress.
Outside Guanghan Palace, on the parade ground, two thousand elite soldiers stood ready. Huang Beishuang’s entourage strode purposefully through the palace complex, ignoring the countless surprised and confused glances cast their way. In the three months since Frost Consort had entered the palace, she had never appeared as stunning as she did today. As she took her place on the command platform, Lian Huan immediately called out, “Two thousand allied troops, form two columns, beat the drums and march!”
To the thunderous, increasingly rapid drumbeats, two thousand men followed Huang Beishuang out of the city, with thousands of onlookers watching in awe.
North of the snow plains and south of Hu He, the Northern Tranquility Celestial King Huo Qingyun, dressed in black brocade with dragons embroidered front and back, led ten thousand troops. They stood on a sand dune, their horses’ hooves stamping the ground impatiently. After a moment, he watched the approaching red figure, his gaze darkening.
She angered him – her easy letting go, and when the Mang Liu people intercepted the three thousand cavalry sent by Na Zhan, he learned why she wouldn’t leave Na Zhan. Indeed, it was something Tiandu couldn’t offer, which made him even more unwilling to accept it. But when he received her message: “Tomorrow we meet, as before!” – just four short words – he couldn’t help but smile ruefully. On the back of his right hand, he still wore the ice jade bracelet that had once entangled them. He couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Huang Beishuang’s party arrived on the opposite sand dune, her army of two thousand not diminishing her proud dignity. She smiled gently, truly as before, just like the day she had given him the Ten Waters. She wore a red wedding dress, and he wore a black battle robe.
“Have you come to welcome me?” Her voice was still clear and melodious.