On the third day of the second month, Fourth Prince Guang Shuo ascended to the throne. The new emperor continued He Zong’s reign title “Qing Yuan” and received the honorific title “Zhao Kang.”

After ascending the throne, Emperor Zhao Kang rejected the Wuto people’s peace request, thoroughly investigated and purged Prime Minister Xu’s remaining faction, and posthumously honored Wei Xuanzhang, the master of Xian Chang Hall, with the title “Wen Zheng.” The truth about the Ming Shui case was revealed to all under heaven.

Xu Jingfu had controlled the court for many years, conspiring with the Crown Prince to exploit the common people. Now that Emperor Zhao Kang had ascended the throne, none of Xu’s faction who had followed the Crown Prince would be spared.

The only exception might be Xu Jingfu’s proud disciple, the Fourth Young Master of the Chu family from the Shi Jinbo household. Recently, Emperor Zhao Kang approved Chu Zilan’s resignation request. After resigning, Chu Zilan left the Chu family and vanished from Shuo Jing City. Someone reportedly saw him at a relay station outside the city, presumably leaving Shuo Jing, but no one knew where he went. Moreover, no one had seen the stunningly beautiful maid who had been by his side.

In the courtyard, Qing Mei was feeding cooked bones to Er Mao.

He Yan watched their harmonious interaction, lost in thought.

“You don’t want to gnaw on that bone, do you?” someone asked from beside her, with slight teasing in their voice.

He Yan snapped back to reality to see Xiao Jue walking in from outside. He had left early this morning – the Fourth Prince… now Emperor Zhao Kang, had been frequently summoning him since ascending the throne.

He Yan understood the Fourth Prince’s intentions. With Crown Prince supporters remaining in court, Xiao Jue and Yan He were officials Emperor Zhao Kang had resolved to employ heavily.

This should have been good news, but He Yan felt somewhat uneasy.

“Something on your mind?” Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow.

“Things seem to have settled down after the Emperor’s ascension,” He Yan looked toward the sky, “but those Wuto people surely won’t let matters rest. After scheming for so many years and working with the Crown Prince and Xu Jingfu from within, how could they be content now that the Crown Prince and Xu Jingfu have fallen? You know as well as I do that generation after generation, the most dangerous time is when a new emperor ascends the throne.”

Power transitions were unstable, especially when the throne was not yet secure and court loyalties were divided – this was when vulnerabilities could be exploited. He Yan had dealt with the Wuto people before and knew they weren’t the type to back down easily.

“I know,” Xiao Jue said quietly.

He Yan looked at him. “How did the Emperor handle those Wuto envoys?”

“Some of those the Crown Prince released have been captured, but the news must have reached Wuto by now.”

“You mean they’ll move soon?”

Xiao Jue’s lips curved slightly. “Correct.”

He Yan sighed silently. Though she was a military official, she disliked war – war meant bloodshed and sacrifice, countless families torn apart. Especially at a time like this.

And…

She looked at the man beside her, who was watching the yellow dog playing in the courtyard with a slight smile.

These were rare moments of peace.

She swallowed what she had been about to say and instead took Xiao Jue’s arm, declaring seriously: “Xiao Jue, I want braised squab for dinner tonight.”

“…”

Peaceful days were always fleeting.

Less than ten days after Emperor Zhao Kang’s ascension, Wuto forces launched a massive attack against Great Wei, advancing north along the Xing River.

The war between the Wuto people and Great Wei, after decades of planning, had finally begun.

Due to insufficient troops and the Crown Prince’s deliberate arrangements, four cities – Jiu Chuan, Ji Jun, Yun Zi, and Bing Jiang – fell to the Wuto forces in just three days. After breaching the city gates, the Wuto forces massacred the inhabitants. According to survivors who managed to escape, corpses were piled like mountains along the riverbanks, and the waters ran red with blood.

Emperor Zhao Kang was furious and immediately ordered forces to counter the enemy. However, Great Wei had emphasized civil service over military might for many years. Besides General Feng Yun and General Fei Hong, there were few capable commanders. Currently, the real General Fei Hong, He Rufei, was still an imposter, and the Fuyu Army’s authority had returned to the royal family.

When Emperor Zhao Kang asked at court who would lead troops to quell the rebellion, only General Yan He of Gui De and Military Commander Xiao Jue of the Right Army stepped forward. Some old generals were willing to take up arms again, but they were simply too old to return to the battlefield.

The bitter fruit of the Great Wei royal family’s years of indulgence in comfort finally showed itself at this moment.

In the Golden Hall, Emperor Zhao Kang looked down at his civil and military officials, his face dark as water, and sighed: “My ministers are incompetent, unable to protect Great Wei’s territories.”

Then, in silence, someone stepped forward with a clear voice: “Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the Fuyu Army to Jiu Chuan to resist the enemy.”

The woman in red court robes stood especially tall and heroic in the hall. She raised her head to look at the emperor on his high seat, her gaze pure and determined.

This was Marquis Wu’an He Yan, also General Feng Yun’s wife.

Emperor Zhao Kang paused slightly.

In the struggle with the Crown Prince, the Xiao family ultimately sided with him. Xiao Jue had been clever, not directly involving himself. Emperor Zhao Kang wanted to make use of Xiao Jue but couldn’t give him too much power. After consideration, he decided to promote He Yan’s rank.

He Yan was, after all, a woman, and currently only held the rank of marquis. Promoting He Yan both rewarded Xiao Jue and kept the Xiao family’s power from growing too concerning. As the Empress Dowager had once said, women shouldn’t be underestimated. Promoting He Yan was, in some ways, also a check on Xiao Jue.

But Emperor Zhao Kang truly hadn’t expected He Yan to step forward at this moment.

He instinctively looked at Xiao Jue, trying to catch any reaction on his face. Unfortunately, Great Wei’s famous Right Army Commander maintained a calm expression without the slightest ripple.

Had he known about this beforehand? But if he knew, why hadn’t he discussed it privately first, instead of waiting until now?

He Yan bowed and said: “I have faced the Wuto people several times. I humbly request Your Majesty’s permission to lead troops to Jiu Chuan.”

Regarding combat experience with the Wuto people, she did indeed have experience. Whether in Ji Yang or Run Du, otherwise Emperor Wen Xuan wouldn’t have promoted her at that time. But as for leading troops in battle…

Before Emperor Zhao Kang could speak, a civil official said: “Marquis Wu’an, you are but a woman. How could you lead troops against the enemy?”

“Sir seems to have forgotten,” He Yan’s tone was neither humble nor arrogant, “that General Fei Hong, who struck fear into all four seas, was also a woman.”

That official was rendered speechless.

Indeed, the real General Fei Hong had been a woman.

Emperor Zhao Kang remained silent for a while before saying: “This matter is of great importance. I cannot decide rashly. Let me consider it before making a decision.”

He looked at Xiao Jue.

Up to this point, Emperor Zhao Kang still couldn’t be certain whether Xiao Jue knew of He Yan’s intentions. If Xiao Jue supported He Yan’s decision, he would surely come to discuss it privately. If Xiao Jue brought it up, Emperor Zhao Kang would consider agreeing – if He Yan truly lacked ability, Great Wei’s Right Army Commander surely wouldn’t easily let his wife go to her death.

Of course, the most crucial point was, as Consort Lan had said, Great Wei had no one left. There were very few commanders with excellent military leadership abilities. If He Yan didn’t go, who could?

He laughed bitterly to himself, feeling the golden dragon crown on his head weighing especially heavy.

After the court dismissed, He Yan walked out with Xiao Jue, when unexpectedly Yan He caught up from behind.

He called out to He Yan: “Hey, you plan to lead troops to Jiu Chuan?”

“What about it?” He Yan was preoccupied, absent-mindedly answering while watching Xiao Jue’s back ahead.

Yan He followed her gaze forward, thought for a moment, and asked: “Did Xiao Huaiqin not know about what happened in court today?”

He Yan remained silent.

“He Yan, you’re something,” Yan He understood and looked at her in amazement. “No wonder I saw Xiao Huaiqin looking so angry. You didn’t discuss such a big matter with him, playing ‘execute first, report later’? Well done! If you can make even Xiao Huaiqin this angry, it seems those Wuto people won’t be your match if you go to Jiu Chuan.” He made to pat He Yan’s shoulder but stopped halfway, presumably remembering she was a woman, and withdrew his hand. Looking at He Yan with schadenfreude, he said: “Since Xiao Huaiqin is this angry, Marquis Wu’an, good luck to you.” With that, he swept his sleeves and walked ahead.

He Yan wasn’t angered by Yan He’s teasing. She hadn’t discussed today’s matter with Xiao Jue, directly requesting to serve in the Golden Hall, and estimated Xiao Jue must be angry too. However… she had many concerns and truly didn’t know how to bring it up with Xiao Jue.

By now Xiao Jue had walked toward the Xiao family carriage outside the palace, and He Yan hurried to follow, entering the carriage to sit with him. As the driver urged the horses forward, heading back to the Xiao residence, she occasionally glanced up at the person beside her. Xiao Jue’s expression was calm – the calmer he appeared, the more He Yan could sense his current anger.

He Yan remained quiet, still thinking about what to say.

When the carriage stopped at the Xiao residence gates, Xiao Jue alighted first and walked inside without looking back. He Yan jumped down after him. Perhaps because the atmosphere in the carriage had been too tense, the kind-hearted driver reminded her: “Young Madam, the Young Master seems to be in a bad mood today. Perhaps you should comfort him.”

He Yan smiled and said: “I will.”

Following Xiao Jue into the residence and back to their courtyard, she saw Qing Mei airing bedding in the yard. Seeing He Yan, Qing Mei happily called out: “Young Madam—”

“Shh.” He Yan gestured for her to be quiet, then followed Xiao Jue inside.

As soon as they entered, she closed the door and met Xiao Jue’s cool gaze.

Without a word, He Yan went over and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Calm down first.”

Xiao Jue stood motionless in the room, letting her embrace him, and said coldly: “Don’t use the same trick every time.”

Though it lacked originality, it worked well enough. He Yan thought privately that she didn’t want to use this trick every time either, but since Young Master Xiao was susceptible to it, what could she do?

“Let me explain,” He Yan gripped his waist sash tightly, speaking sincerely. “I wanted to tell you, but every time I tried, it felt like it would ruin the mood. I kept putting it off until today. Let me say first, that I didn’t mean to act first and report later – and even if I did, it was to the Emperor, not you. Today I was afraid if I didn’t speak up, His Majesty would assign someone else to lead the troops, so I had to speak first. Xiao Jue,” she raised her head to look at him, “I didn’t mean to.”

Xiao Jue avoided her gaze and said coolly, “Miss He, have you become so perfunctory even in your deceptions?”

The fact that he used “Miss He” showed he was truly angry. He Yan’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said: “Xiao Jue, as a commander, how can you prejudge? I wasn’t deceiving you.”

She had truly meant to tell him, but during these peaceful days, whenever she saw Xiao Jue’s rare moments of relaxation, she couldn’t bring herself to mention these matters.

“Alright, I did have some concerns,” seeing Young Master Xiao’s attitude remain cold, He Yan honestly admitted her private worries. “I… I didn’t know how to tell you.”

She released her grip on his waist sash and looked down at her feet like a child who had done wrong, speaking hesitantly, “With the Wuto situation so chaotic, you are to lead troops to Yun Zi, which isn’t in the same direction as Jiu Chuan. If I actively requested to serve and His Majesty agreed, I would have to lead troops to Jiu Chuan alone.”

“You must be very worried.”

She glanced at Xiao Jue’s expression and saw him looking down at her. Her eyes brightened, but he quickly turned his head away. He Yan felt more confident and grabbed his hand, looking up at him with tender affection, “Since marrying you, I’ve found no man in Shuo Jing as considerate as you. You’re a unique husband who must worry about your delicate wife being alone outside. If I xled troops to Jiu Chuan, you would probably miss and worry about me daily, maybe even lock me in the room. Such a fragile woman as myself, never seeing daylight…”

As she rambled on, Xiao Jue couldn’t help but laugh despite his anger. He glanced at her: “Lock you in the room?” He scoffed, “There’s no such thing as a delicate wife who can break down a door with one punch.”

“You misunderstand me,” He Yan pointed to her chest, “Though I may look strong and imposing, my heart is very fragile. For instance, when you were angry just now, I was very sad, my heart was broken.”

She now spoke shamelessly without hesitation, leaving Xiao Jue at a loss for words. After a while, he said flatly: “You think I would disagree with you leading troops to Jiu Chuan?”

He Yan remained silent.

His gaze fixed on the woman before him, showing some anger mixed with barely perceptible resignation. Finally, he turned away: “If you had told me directly, I wouldn’t have stopped you.”

He Yan looked at his back, her previous playfulness fading as she said softly: “I thought if it were you, you would want me to go to Yun Zi with you…”

“Jiu Chuan borders Mo County, you’re familiar with its terrain, so naturally you’d prefer to lead the Fuyu Army there,” Xiao Jue said calmly. “In Yun Zi, you couldn’t fully utilize your strengths.”

He Yan was startled. He turned around, their gazes meeting.

Clear, open, like a mirror reflecting all her thoughts.

He had known all along.

He Yan paused, then embraced him again, murmuring: “How do you know everything…”

She did indeed prefer going to Jiu Chuan. She had never been to Yun Zi before, and if she went there with Xiao Jue, Emperor Zhao Kang would surely assign another military commander to Jiu Chuan. But no one knew Jiu Chuan better than she did – not out of arrogance, but truly, no one understood better how to win battles there.

Currently, Great Wei has few capable commanders. The situation was slightly better in Bing Jiang, while Jiu Chuan, Ji Jun, and Yun Zi were in the worst condition. Though she knew her abilities, concern clouded her judgment – Xiao Jue was now her husband, and might not want her to lead troops alone into dangerous territory.

Just as Madam Xiao had always tried to stop Xiao Zhongwu.

“I told you,” Xiao Jue’s voice came from above, “do what you want to do, as long as you can accomplish it.”

He Yan looked up and asked: “You believe I can do it?”

He snorted lightly, “What can’t General He accomplish?”

He Yan laughed at his awkward manner.

What she had thought would be difficult to explain had been resolved in just a few words. He was truly accommodating of her, so much so that He Yan felt some of her concerns and worries seemed laughable.

“However, His Majesty may not give me direct military authority,” He Yan’s smile faded as she thought of another matter.

After all, in others’ eyes, she had obtained her title of Marquis Wu’an partly thanks to Xiao Jue. Even in Ji Yang and Run Du, she had Xiao Jue and Li Kuang – she had never independently led troops in battle. If she were given direct military authority, others might not accept it.

“I will go to the palace to see His Majesty. The Fuyu Army’s authority should be given to you,” Xiao Jue said. “But earning your subordinates’ trust will depend on you alone.”

“Really?” He Yan suddenly became excited.

She had ways to earn her subordinates’ trust. If Xiao Jue could convince Emperor Zhao Kang, this matter would be certain.

“His Majesty didn’t respond to you directly today because he was waiting for my opinion,” his lips curved upward. “He doesn’t trust you, but he trusts me. If I vouch for you, he will believe in your ability to lead troops.”

“At such a crucial time, isn’t His Majesty afraid that giving me military authority would make us husband and wife too powerful, potentially threatening him?” He Yan joked casually. At this juncture, whoever held military power held the advantage. Though the Crown Prince was gone and no one in the royal family could currently threaten Emperor Zhao Kang, too many military achievements… historically hadn’t been something to celebrate.

“Elder Brother and Sister-in-law are still in the capital, and Sister-in-law carries a Xiao heir. For several years at least, His Majesty won’t suspect the Xiao family.”

Another weight lifted from He Yan’s heart, but… she looked at him and asked: “I have one more question. You said His Majesty wants you to vouch for me. Xiao Jue, do you believe I can defeat those Wuto people?”

Finding her question rather amusing, Xiao Jue couldn’t help but smile. He turned his head indifferently and said lazily: “In all of heaven and earth, who wouldn’t yield to you?”

Though his words seemed teasing and mocking, his tone carried a hint of proud recognition.

He Yan was pleased to hear this. She stood on tiptoe and whispered in Xiao Jue’s ear: “Likewise, Commander Xiao.”

“I also believe you will achieve victory after victory, triumphant from the start.”