For over ten days since dispatching the scouts, Yan Chi had been awaiting news from Bailang Pass. During this period, Yan Chi made another journey to Chifeng Plain. Only after confirming everything was in order there did he return to Xilin City. At noon on this day, news from Bailang Pass finally arrived!

Bai Feng rushed in from outside and immediately announced, “Master! News has come from General Fang!”

Yan Chi, who had been reviewing official documents behind his desk, quickly rose to his feet. “Give it to me…”

Taking the letter, Yan Chi eagerly opened it. However, upon unfolding the missive, he found only a few dozen characters.

After a single glance, Yan Chi’s brows immediately furrowed. Seeing his expression, Bai Feng hurriedly asked, “Master, what is it?”

Yan Chi shook his head. “The patrol team has reached the Rong people’s tribal lands but found no trace of their army. Only women, children, and the elderly remain. Their troops have vanished without a trace…”

Bai Feng raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps they’ve gone elsewhere? Changed their encampment?”

Yan Chi narrowed his eyes. “That’s unlikely.”

Just as he finished speaking, footsteps sounded from outside. It was Madam Qin Wan bringing tea with Bai Ying. Seeing the unusual expressions of master and servant, Madam Qin quickly asked, “What’s wrong? What has happened?”

Bai Feng said in a deep voice, “News has arrived from General Fang at Bailang Pass.”

Madam Qin quickly set down the tea. “News has come?”

Yan Chi handed her the letter. After reading it, Madam Qin’s brows also furrowed deeply. “This… how could they all be gone?”

Bai Feng said, “Indeed. I was just asking Master if they might have changed tribal grounds.”

Yan Chi continued, “That’s impossible. Although the Rong people are fierce toward outsiders, they still protect their women and children. Even if searching for new camps, they would only send out half their forces, never leaving just the elderly, women, and children behind. This looks more like they’ve gone somewhere to fight.”

Hearing this, Bai Feng frowned. Yan Chi ordered, “Send word to the Northern Camp to have General Gu Ling come, and call Commander Yu Qi back from the Western Camp as well.”

The situation was too peculiar for Yan Chi not to be cautious. As Bai Feng left to deliver the orders, Madam Qin remained in the study. “The Rong army has left their tribal lands… Could this be related to those two corpses we discovered earlier?”

Yan Chi shook his head. “We can’t be certain yet. If it were related to those two corpses, the Rong people would have already entered Shuoxi. Yet now, they’ve vanished without a trace.”

Madam Qin poured tea and handed it to Yan Chi, who accepted it while deep in thought.

Madam Qin, not being well-versed in military matters, couldn’t identify the crucial points, but she felt it was indeed strange. “The Rong people usually operate in the northwestern plains of Bailang Mountain. Further north is Northern Wei, and to the northwest are the various Western Regions tribes. Could they have gone in those directions?”

Yan Chi shook his head. “Not quite. Further northwest, the Yuezhi have grown powerful. They’re also skilled in warfare, and the climate there is even harsher. The Rong people raid for survival, but they have no interest in Yuezhi lands and have rarely engaged in conflict with them over the years.”

Hearing this, Madam Qin felt confused. “But so many people couldn’t have simply vanished.”

Yan Chi explained, “The Rong tribes number only a few hundred thousand, but half of them can fight at a moment’s notice. Even their women and children possess fighting skills. Their current military force numbers at least seventy to eighty thousand. For these people to suddenly disappear…”

He continued, “I have an ominous feeling about this.”

Madam Qin moved to Yan Chi’s side. “Once the generals arrive, just increase the patrols. As long as they haven’t invaded Shuoxi’s borders, all is well.”

Yan Chi took Madam Qin’s hand and kissed it. “That’s precisely the point.”

After Bai Feng delivered the orders, General Gu Ling arrived by evening, while Commander Yu Qi arrived the next morning. With these two, plus Scholar Qi, Yan Chi shared his concerns about the situation. Upon hearing that the Rong people’s whereabouts were unknown, everyone’s expressions grew serious. However, none possessed clairvoyant abilities. After discussion, they could only remain more vigilant and dispatch more patrols, still relying on news from Bailang Pass.

Three days later, General Fang Qin sent another message.

In the study, Yan Chi was discussing with Scholar Qi, “Our scouts ventured even deeper but still found no trace of the Rong army. However, those remaining in the tribal lands continue their normal lives, as if the departed army had merely gone about some routine business.”

Scholar Qi sighed upon hearing this. “Still no results. However, we can be certain something is brewing among the Rong people. These past few days, Daoist Zhang has been observing the night sky, but the weather has been poor. Perhaps tonight will be clear.”

Daoist Zhang Dongxuan now resided in Xilin City, mostly staying at the Prince’s Manor. Though Yan Chi had established his court, he lacked something akin to the Imperial Observatory. While he didn’t need a full observatory, there were times when he needed Daoist Zhang’s expertise. Hearing that Daoist Zhang wanted to observe the stars, Yan Chi didn’t place much hope in it. Having fought with weapons for over a decade, he trusted his spear more than Daoist arts.

Due to his low expectations, Yan Chi didn’t inquire further. That night happened to be clear.

The night sky in Shuoxi seemed lower than elsewhere, with exceptionally bright stars. Daoist Zhang climbed to a two-story pavilion in the manor’s rear garden to observe the stars, where the view was particularly expansive. He observed while consulting star charts, making notes and drawings on paper. Around midnight, Daoist Zhang’s expression grew increasingly grave. That night, Yan Chi also slept poorly. In all these years, this was the first time the Rong people had behaved so unusually. Usually awakening at dawn, today he woke half an hour earlier.

Last night, Yan Chi had exhausted Madam Qin, who was still sleeping soundly. After watching her peaceful sleeping face for a while and kissing her, he quietly rose and went to the outer warming room. Outside was still dark, and Yan Chi lit a lamp without calling anyone. Whenever military matters troubled him, he would read the rare military manuals that Yan Lin had found for him. Now, he opened one such yellowed ancient text.

The ancient text merely contained military strategies and tactics. As Yan Chi read, suddenly something struck him.

Last year in October, trouble had broken out in the north, and by December, he had left the capital. If this news had reached the Rong people’s ears, what would they think?

Shuoxi had a large army stationed there, and they had already tasted countless bitter defeats. Moreover, he would come to Shuoxi, making things even more difficult for them. But the north was different. The Northern Mansion Army was planning to march south to reclaim the Crown Prince’s position and make him Emperor. Could the Rong people be moving in response to these rumors?!

This thought suddenly emerged as Yan Chi’s boldest deduction. For the Rong people to move north, they would have to pass through the cold plains of southern Northern Wei, north of Bailang Mountain. While harassing Bailang Pass, the Rong people occasionally also raided Xiyong Pass in southern Northern Wei. The cold plains they would need to cross consisted of a long, narrow snow valley. Once they entered this valley, they might alert the armies of both countries simultaneously. If both sides deployed troops, the Rong would have nowhere to retreat.

Would the Rong people take such a risk?!

Yan Chi couldn’t help but sit up straight, setting aside his book.

If the Rong people dared to risk moving north, breaking through south of Canglong Mountain into Cangzhou, then heading south to enter Mengzhou from north of Fengzhou, wouldn’t the entire northwest fall into their hands?! At this thought, Yan Chi’s eyes turned cold. His deduction only considered the Rong people’s invasion of the northern borders. What if, as he had worried before, the northern barbarian tribes also invaded simultaneously?! If these two equally fierce tribes joined forces, not only would the Northern Mansion Army be unable to resist, but even the Shuoxi Army couldn’t withstand them!

His thoughts raced through a thousand possibilities in an instant, and Yan Chi’s heart rose in suspense!

At this moment in Shuoxi, in Lin’an City, inside and outside Fengzhou City, everyone was likely in deep sleep, while he alone had realized this earth-shattering crisis. Was he overthinking the cunning of the Rong and barbarian tribes, or was it actually happening, with everyone else being kept in the dark?!

The more Yan Chi thought, the more restless he became. He immediately opened the door and walked out. Though the weather was still quite cold, he wore only a thin garment. Just as he strode out of the courtyard gate, he nearly collided with someone. The other person, also startled by the unexpected encounter, turned out to be Daoist Zhang Dongxuan!

Yan Chi frowned. “Why is the Daoist Master up at this hour? Do you have business here?”

Daoist Zhang, pale-faced and with grave eyes, said, “Your Highness, while observing the night sky today, this humble one discovered something troubling.”

Yan Chi’s heart inexplicably tightened. “What is it? What did you discover?”

Daoist Zhang swallowed before continuing, “The Lang Star in the north shows great movement, with signs of bloodshed, even more ominous than what I saw half a month ago. I suspect the northern battlefield has taken an unexpected turn. I fear the north has already become a sea of blood and mountains of corpses…”

Yan Chi’s breath caught. He had just reached his conclusion about northern troubles when Daoist Zhang came with this news. Could his earth-shattering theory be true?!

Seeing Yan Chi’s extremely troubled expression, Daoist Zhang explained, “This humble one cannot be specific, but… it seems a decisive outcome has occurred, and someone has committed atrocities such as massacring cities. Because so many have died, it has caused the Lang Star’s killing energy to surge.”

Yan Chi’s pupils trembled suddenly. Massacre cities…

The Empress and Zhao You still wanted the Crown Prince to become Emperor; they would never order the massacre of the Zhou people. And Yue Qiong would be even less likely to massacre cities. Since neither of these northern forces would commit such acts, there was only one conclusion: a third force had arrived in the north, and these people had taken tens of thousands of lives…

Yan Chi took a deep breath and suddenly called out, “Bai Feng!”

Bai Feng, who slept in the side room of the pavilion awaiting orders, had awakened when Yan Chi went out. He had just finished dressing when he heard Yan Chi’s call and hurried out. Yan Chi ordered, “Immediately have Chu Feisheng and Xiao Cheng return to Xilin. Wake up Gu Ling and Yu Qi as well!”

[…]

At the first watch, Yan Che returned from the front courtyard. Upon entering the gate, he saw Qin Zhaoyu standing beneath the apricot tree in the central courtyard.

In the deep night chill, Madam Qin wore a fox fur cloak, her black hair loose. With her hair down, she appeared even more graceful and gentle. Yan Che’s phoenix eyes narrowed at the sight before his lips curved into a smile as he approached. “Why are you standing here? The nights are still quite cold.”

Seeing Yan Che return, Madam Qin’s eyes held tenderness as she smiled. “I was waiting for you.”

She pointed at the night sky. “Look, the stars are especially bright tonight.”

Yan Che walked to Madam Qin’s side, reaching out to embrace her as they gazed at the stars together. Looking up, his narrow eyes indeed showed satisfaction.

The northern night sky was almost as vast as Shuoxi’s, giving the sensation that one could pluck the stars with one hand. Tonight the star river was particularly brilliant, especially one star in the far north that shone almost blindingly bright. Though Yan Che wasn’t well-versed in astronomy, seeing Madam Qin’s joy in stargazing, he didn’t rush to urge her inside.

Leaning in Yan Che’s embrace, Madam Qin suddenly said, “Sometimes I feel things are so much better now than before.”

Yan Che made a questioning sound, and Madam Qin continued, “In the past, I never dared dream of embracing Your Highness while watching the stars like this.”

Hearing this, Yan Che’s eyes darkened with remorse. “I was too narrow-minded before, only seeing the distant Chongzheng Hall but not the person right before me. You suffered because of that.”

Madam Qin smiled, “That’s not it. Before, Your Highness had your position, and this humble wife had hers. Now that we’ve left and live as common people, this humble wife understands how ordinary couples are, and Your Highness has seen it too, so things are different from before.”

Yan Che had watched Madam Qin endure countless hardships for him along the way, yet she spoke of it so lightly now. His heart stirred, and he held her tighter. People aren’t made of wood or stone. Before, his vision had been filled with the glory and power of the capital, and what little leisure time he had was spent elsewhere. Only after leaving the capital, when only Madam Qin remained by his side, did he truly understand her devotion to him.

After watching the stars with Madam Qin for a while, just as Yan Che was about to return to their chambers with her, urgent footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard!

“Crown Prince! Quick, to the front courtyard! Something has happened—”

Hearing this, Yan Che frowned deeply. “What happened? Everything was fine when I just left!”

“Someone just arrived at the western gate, covered in blood. He’s a soldier from the Northern Mansion Army that General Fu left in Cangzhou. They’ve come with news that Cangzhou was suddenly attacked. Now, the city may have fallen…”

“What?!” Yan Che instantly lost all romantic sentiment and released Madam Qin, heading outside!

Madam Qin, startled by the news, instinctively followed. When they reached the front courtyard, they saw it brilliantly lit. The Empress wore a great cloak, sitting in the main seat, while below, a blood-covered man knelt, crying out his report!

“The ten thousand troops General left to guard Cangzhou should have been sufficient under normal circumstances. We had received no warning beforehand, but the night before last, several hundred thousand troops suddenly burst into the city. Those… those people killed everyone they saw, looted all gold, silver, and jewels, and raped any women they found. Empress, you cannot imagine—in just over two hours, before the second watch, the entire Cangzhou city became a sea of fire. There were no survivors left in Cangzhou city. This humble one… has never seen so many corpses, never seen so much blood. The entire ground of Cangzhou city was dyed red…”