The lotus was truly gone. On her cold right arm, a patch as white as jade. Qingyun gazed at Huang Beishuang’s arm… She was still asleep, having been in slumber day and night. But as long as she was in his arms, all was well. At that moment, he suddenly felt that even the greatest king, lying on such a warm bed, how could he bear to leave? Just thinking about it made him uneasy.
Like a child, he stared at the place where three water lotus petals once were, and said to himself again, “The lotus is gone.” He had truly obtained the woman he desired.
“What are you smiling about?” Suddenly, Huang Beishuang spoke, her eyes still closed, her voice still weary.
Qingyun sat up and coughed twice before replying, “Your eyes aren’t even open. How do you know I’m smiling? I’m not!”
“Oh!” Huang Beishuang didn’t bother to respond, just mumbled and pulled the blanket to continue sleeping. It was truly warm. Was it already spring’s chill? How could it be so warm? Thinking this, she smiled unconsciously.
Qingyun sat beside her, watching every change in her expression. Suddenly, he had a sense of home, so in tune with each other, sharing weal and woe, so simple yet sincere… Thinking this, he tucked her in and quietly got out of bed.
He liked to wear black clothes and liked the dragon totems embroidered on his garments. He favored long swords and white horses that stood tall and galloped like him… For so long, no woman had ever stood beside him as an equal. So whenever he turned his head, there was always emptiness beside him, with only echoes lingering.
Qingyun sat at the table and took a sip of wine – Tyrant Wine – but unusually choked a bit. The burning fire in his heart was difficult to calm for some reason. Only when he was uneasy would he be like this! Why? He had won her heart and body, that woman was now his, yet why did he feel more uneasy than ever? Was it because she was hard to control? Or because of his excessive desire? He never knew that as a man, he could be so infatuated.
He sat there lost in thought for who knows how long. This was the first time in Qingyun’s life that he had been so engrossed in contemplating matters of the heart. He felt somewhat happy, a happiness that felt like being intoxicated, wanting to ponder like this forever…
“Your Majesty! You’re awake!” Miaojing stood outside, noticing movement in the room. He peeked in and saw that the King had already risen. Qingyun turned his head, put a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence, and walked out wearing his robe.
“How many days has it been?” He sat on the hall chair, looking at the haggard Miaojing.
Miaojing nodded and replied, “Seven days, Your Majesty!”
“Time flies!” Qingyun leaned back, with a hint of complaint.
“Miaojing, I have a task for you!” He looked up at the exquisitely carved ceiling of the palace. Miaojing knelt on the ground, “Please command, Your Majesty!”
Qingyun was silent for a moment, his hands clasped, then said, “Send Manglu’s men to spread false news everywhere. Say that the Shadow Queen of Yunpei Pass was attacked by bandits, severely injured, and has already passed away!”
Hearing this, Miaojing nodded without asking any questions.
“Ten days later, formally send a letter to Guanghan Palace, expressing regret for the loss of King Zhan’s consort!” Qingyun said, turning to look at the kneeling Miaojing, coldly adding, “Also, arrange for General Liaozhen to enter the palace to discuss military matters! Gradually recall the discharged soldiers! I want a grand military parade before officially leaving the territory!”
“Regarding the Death Squad…” Miaojing nodded to each point, finally inquiring, “The fourteen members of the Death Squad, does Your Majesty wish to meet them?”
Qingyun stood up, smiling, “No need! You arrange everything for them. Use more care in guiding them. In these critical times, every country might attempt assassinations. We shouldn’t leave this hand unused! First, kill Na Zhan, then kill Ruo Wen. If successful, we claim credit; if it fails, well, you handle it as you see fit!”
Miaojing kowtowed, stood up, and retreated. His Majesty’s thoughts were always clear. Even when indulging in women, he never forgot himself. And only those who don’t forget themselves can walk a bright and broad path! He had always believed this.
A night of fire – this seemed to be Ruo Wen’s specialty.
To say he lacked strategy would be underestimating him. He led four thousand men into depravity, the path they walked filled with resentment, the water they drank red with blood. Wherever the white crown and yellow flag flew, that place would be filled with ghostly wails and divine howls until dawn.
That night, Manhu set a great fire in Guazhou, reddening the sky, causing the Tiandu camp guards stationed at Ruoshui to rush to aid, allowing Ruo Wen to take advantage and instantly capture the weakened Ruoshui. At first glance, this move by Ruo Wen seemed foolish. Ruoshui was just a fallen city, with Yunpei to the direct south, and the parallel neighboring Snow Plain and Guazhou belonging to Tiandu. By occupying Ruoshui, he not only violated the territory of King Beijing of the North but also kicked at the door of King Zhan of the Southern Domain. No matter how fearless the Yellow Sky Wild Army was, to challenge two independently powerful kings simultaneously with just four thousand men seemed like a fantasy.
But he did it anyway!
“Leader! These people are too noisy. Why not just kill them all?” Langtou sat on a dog-headed guillotine, a device used for beheading. This was the first time they had seen such a thing, and they were excited for quite a while. For a time, if they didn’t behead a few people to satisfy their craving, they felt uneasy. The blood and flesh on the blade smelled foul, but no one ever cleaned it. They grew to like this feeling more and more, becoming increasingly addicted to this scent.
Only Ruo Wen deeply despised it. He killed but didn’t like the stench of corpses. He loved wine, but not when it turned sour. Frowning, he coldly glanced at Langtou and said harshly, “If you like it, move it to your room. Clean this place up. From now on, no one is allowed to kill anyone from Ruoshui City. Gather them and confine them in the city center!” He sat to the side, only speaking once. Chengxiang immediately understood. He was the only one among the brothers who liked to use his brain. As soon as Ruo Wen spoke, he understood and hurried to carry out the orders.
This Ruoshui City had about eighty thousand people. After the Wild Blood Army’s invasion, only over fifty thousand remained. Excluding the elderly, weak, women, and children, there were no more than ten thousand able-bodied men.
Many people in Ruoshui had kinship ties with Yunpei. For a long time, besides its prosperous trade, it had received support and aid from Yunpei, making it a wealthy city. To some extent, it had an inseparable relationship with Yunpei. Although Qingyun had taken it by agreement during the war between the two countries, he wanted to use Ruoshui’s blood ties with Yunpei’s border cities in the future. Now, he wasn’t the only one who saw this exposed rib!
Such a wealthy city was now encircled, with the Yellow Sky Wild Army’s flags planted everywhere, showing who the current master of this territory was.
That night, Chengxiang of the Livelihood Department officially issued an ultimatum in Ruo Wen’s name to four directions – Huhe, Yunpei, Mizan, and Fentian. That cruel document remained deeply etched in the memories of many storytellers for a long time, unforgettable for a lifetime! Those brief and resonant words seemed to ring like a bone-scraping great knife:
“The Netherworld Brocade Flag marks our boundary. Those who escape will be beheaded, those who intrude will die! The Yellow Sky Wild Army rests here, fearing neither death in life nor shame in death! Thus, we issue this ultimatum to all directions: if anyone dares to destroy our army, at the slightest movement, we will massacre the city! Without mercy!”
In just a few sentences, Tiandu couldn’t move, Yunpei couldn’t move, and Fentian, busy rebuilding its nation, certainly couldn’t move!
This was the current Ruo Wen. His encounters with Qingyun, Na Zhan, Huang Beishuang, and even Ge Xinwei gradually made him understand what it meant to be a king! What politics was! But when he understood, he found it utterly boring. There was nothing in this world he didn’t dare to do! Kill if he must, even if there were consequences, it would only mean death. What was there to fear about death? For him, the most terrifying thing was boredom, having no desires, and emptiness! Besides these, God! What else could be used to punish him? Nothing would work!
But if it were Qingyun if it were Na Zhan, who would dare to do this? A ruler who massacres his city, the nation will surely perish! It was just such a damn phrase that confined them. No matter how much they schemed, what of it? They were not as good as this bandit, arrogant to the point of never changing! No one could threaten him, let alone try to trifle with him.