The evening of the third day of the ninth month in the year 775 of the Bai Cang calendar marked a watershed moment in Bian Tang history. From this day forward, Crown Prince Li Ce officially stepped onto the empire’s political stage, quickly quelling the day’s rebellion in a manner completely contrary to his usual appearance and behavior. Later generations gave this day an interesting name—the Fox’s Transformation.

That night, the imperial forces of Bian Tang underwent an unprecedented purge. A bloody political coup descended without warning upon the Bian Tang land, which had been dominated by noble clans and aristocrats.

Escorted by the imperial wolf soldiers, the Crown Prince returned to the Jinwu Palace and held a banquet to appease the central army commanders who had supposedly been loyal to the country that day. This banquet included not only all the officers of the central army but even veteran soldiers who commanded respect within the military.

No one doubted, not even a whisper of suspicion was raised. Compared to Crown Prince Li Ce’s previous lawless behavior, what was a mere banquet in the palace after a major disturbance?

However, Li Ce himself did not attend this extravagant banquet that evening. He merely issued a casual written order. When Lu Yunxi, who had temporarily assumed Tie You’s position as the commander of the imperial guards, received it, his eye twitched slightly and his brow furrowed, but he still solemnly said, “I will not fail the mission!”

Afterward, Sun Di frowned and stepped forward, suggesting in a low voice, “Perhaps burning down the Crown Prince’s palace would be more convincing than this excuse.”

Li Ce let out an exaggerated cry of surprise, then turned around and shouted, “Sun Di, do you plan to pay for rebuilding my palace afterward?”

Sun Di’s face immediately paled as he straightened his expression and declared loudly, “This subordinate said nothing just now!”

…

…

Soon, the splendidly dressed central army leaders were led into Jinwu Palace by palace servants. However, instead of fine wine and delicacies, what awaited them was a volley of arrows once the palace gates closed. These soldiers, who received the highest salaries in the imperial army, bid farewell to their young lives, truly living up to their previous motto: everything for the empire’s honor!

That night, all the central army commanders died collectively at the banquet. The cause of death… food poisoning…

When Sun Di once again couldn’t help complaining about Li Ce’s terrible idea, Li Ce just laughed coldly, like a cunning fox.

“No matter how they die, it will point to one conclusion, so I might as well be more dramatic and directly tell others that I eliminated these bastards.”

As he said this, Li Ce was eating grapes—juicy, crisp grapes with a sweet taste that had been delivered by fast horse from South Hill. A beautiful palace lady knelt on the ground, peeling the translucent, tender green fruit for him one by one. The palace lady maintained a lovely smile on her face, as if she couldn’t hear their conversation—and indeed, she couldn’t. These palace ladies in the imperial palace were deaf-mute orphan girls raised to be the most obedient and best playthings.

“After all, our ability to rule the empire doesn’t depend on the people’s democratic election, but on the forces in my hand and the swords of the warriors loyal to me.”

After saying this, Sun Di was nodding slightly, but suddenly another voice rang in his mind, so unexpectedly, like an alarm bell!

“Killed is killed. These people were good at eating, drinking, and causing trouble, but they were all useless in warfare, relying on their family influence to act recklessly every day. With the central army in their hands, sooner or later, they would cause major problems. It’s just that these people are all from aristocratic families, and those old fellows will be troublesome if they stir up issues. Let’s follow the original plan. Clean out anyone who dares to make trouble. The court needs fresh blood, and we can’t miss this opportunity.”

Sun Di said in a deep voice, but Li Ce’s expression was slightly dazed. He suddenly turned his head and asked, “Sun Di, have you ever heard that he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world?”

Sun Di was stunned, slowly frowning. After a long time, he muttered, “Are you joking? If that were the case, wouldn’t the monks in the temple be ruling?”

Li Ce was momentarily stunned, then suddenly grinned: “Haha, you’re right!”

That night, the blood purge proceeded as scheduled. Whether they were involved or merely maintaining a wait-and-see attitude, all such forces were mercilessly eliminated. However, after the operation began, Li Ce made a slight modification to the plan, changing the original executions to stripping of official positions, confiscation of property, and exile. Though to outsiders, this change didn’t seem to alter the results much, it made a world of difference to the common people.

“This is merely the empire’s dismissal of officials who enjoy high salaries but don’t do real work, definitely not some authoritarian purge!” cried the lower-level officials at the Censorate, who represented the voice of the common people. Although their voices were quickly drowned out by the roars of the nobility, the stance of the common people was already very clear. Seeing the noble lords driven out of the imperial capital with broken families and lost fortunes excited them more than the New Year’s celebrations.

No blood was shed, and except for the central army that had caused great trouble, no military forces were involved. Thus, this upheaval evolved into a political issue, giving the remaining civil officials at court another topic to argue and shout about.

The Tang Emperor sat on his high throne, glumly cleaning up the mess his son had made, watching the old men below glowing with excitement as they kicked and pinched each other in delight. Finally, he simply closed his eyes and fell asleep. Elder Liu had been crying loudly for more than two hours and finally decided to stop for a drink of water. As the court quieted down, loud snoring was heard.

When Elder Liu heard this, he nearly tumbled headfirst down the steps. Just as he was about to rush up and start crying again, he heard someone behind him say softly, “His Majesty is diligent in state affairs and exhausted from his labors.”

So everyone immediately fell silent, waiting uncomfortably for the great Tang Emperor to wake from his deep sleep. Poor Elder Liu, still kneeling on the steps. To avoid disturbing the emperor’s good dream, he could only remain kneeling there. By the time the court dismissed, this elder statesman of three dynasties, this pillar of the Great Tang, could no longer stand up.

In the misty rain of Bian Tang, everything appeared peaceful and scenic, even a political coup proceeded with gentle ripples and calm waters.

With autumn leaves turning red, Li Ce sat among thousands of golden chrysanthemums, in flowing robes, drinking tea. At this moment, a palace servant suddenly ran up, respectfully kneeling on the ground, presenting a gold-covered imperial edict bearing the emperor’s seal.

Li Ce leisurely opened it, glanced at it once, and nearly spat out his water, his expression suddenly changing dramatically.

Sun Di asked from the side, “What is it? What did His Majesty say?”

Li Ce looked miserable, almost in tears: “Father told me to wait.”

Already accustomed to the nonsensical relationship between this father and son, Sun Di laughed heartily: “Then Your Highness should wait.”

That afternoon, Li Ce fled the palace with bundles of luggage, his carriages and horses stretching over a hundred paces, and shamefully moved into the residence of Sun Di, Secretary Sun.

The elder statesmen of the court gathered at Elder Liu’s mansion, chattering about their latest achievements. Elder Liu, leveraging his seniority, stroked his beard and said profoundly, “His Majesty must be furious and will punish the Crown Prince, which is why the Crown Prince fled the palace. This proves our strong remonstration has achieved a preliminary victory. Gentlemen, we must press on, strike while the iron is hot, and advance to the next level!”

Everyone nodded in agreement, clenching their fists with solemn pledges, looking like martyrs with deep grievances.

That evening, these pillars of the court bid farewell to Elder Liu, each declining offers to travel together, inventing various reasons to go alone.

Half an hour later, the residence of Secretary Sun Di suddenly became lively. These officials snuck in one by one like thieves, speaking in hushed tones: “I have important intelligence, please let me see His Highness the Crown Prince!”

What a joke. After this incident, who would still treat this deeply hidden Crown Prince as a mere figurehead? Only old-fashioned people like Liu Rucheng would fail to see the reality. Wanting to make oneself the scapegoat? Dream on!

One could be a loyal official, one could be straightforward, but if it meant sacrificing one’s life for reputation, forget it. If you want to be a martyr, excuse me for not joining you.

Fortunately, this young Secretary Sun, who followed the Crown Prince daily, was quite reasonable. He brought these officials into the mansion one by one. He responded to their nervously whispered intelligence with sweet smiles and maintained high respect for these officials who verbally proclaimed absolute loyalty to the Crown Prince.

So when they once again shamelessly requested that their visit to the mansion tonight not be made public, Sun Di also maintained good manners, without showing any contempt or disdain.

These fence-sitters were touched. The people around the Crown Prince were indeed reasonable!

They promised they would continue to infiltrate the side of the suspicious hardliners, constantly relaying messages to the wise Crown Prince.

Sun Di happily agreed to their request and invited them into the hall for tea, saying the Crown Prince was resting and would come to meet them soon.

However, when these secretly informing ministers entered the hall, they were horrified to discover that the spacious hall was already filled with people—all the great loyal ministers who had just sworn oaths and curses at Elder Liu’s mansion.

Even the steward from Elder Liu’s household had arrived and was now waiting with Liu’s letter for an audience with the Crown Prince.

Everyone’s expressions instantly became as awkward as possible.

They exchanged embarrassed laughter:

“Oh? You’re here too?”

“Yes, the weather is so nice tonight.”

“Indeed, I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a stroll. Didn’t expect to meet so many acquaintances.”

“Haha, the imperial city is so small, what a coincidence…”

…

Like the wind silently entering the night, moistening things without a sound.

A dim political transformation thus concluded under such circumstances.

That night, Li Ce did not meet those elder statesmen who sat in Sun Di’s side hall drinking cold tea and chatting all night. He and Sun Di huddled outside the window, poking a hole in the window paper to peek inside, holding their stomachs and laughing like two quails.

Almost simultaneously, the Tang Emperor was having a late-night snack. His old eunuch, who had followed him for many years, mustered up courage to advise softly, “Your Majesty, please don’t be angry with His Highness anymore. He has fled and dares not return.”

The Tang Emperor was drinking porridge. Upon hearing this, he raised his head slightly in surprise: “Who said I was angry? Didn’t he say he was going to see friends and it would be more convenient to leave the palace?”

The old eunuch was stunned and immediately speechless.

Early the next morning, over five hundred imperial wolf scout soldiers, disguised as various ordinary civilians, moved throughout the city searching for a woman from a portrait.

Li Ce drew the final stroke and handed out another portrait.

After the servant left the room, he slowly leaned back in his chair, slightly closing his eyes, as if seeing again the pure white, beautiful smile of the woman among the lotus leaves of the clear pond.

He gently raised the corner of his mouth in a faint smile: “Winning the hearts of the people to win the world… not without reason.”

The sky was blue with white clouds. The heavy rain from that day never came. After a period of overcast skies, it was once again a bright, sunny day.

—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—

Little did Li Ce know that while he was secretly searching for someone throughout the city, Chu Qiao was right under his nose, less than three hundred paces from Secretary Sun Di’s mansion.

In the quiet guest house, there was a tranquil atmosphere. The night was cool as water, the moonlight pure and clean. The exquisite small Jiangnan-style building was hidden among layers of crabapple blossoms. With the bamboo window slightly open, Zhuge Yue sat at his desk, drafting something, then sealed the envelope and handed it to Moon Seven, who stood at his side. He glanced at him sideways and said in a cool tone, “Who has objections to the orders? Send them in so I can see.”

Moon Seven’s face immediately paled, and he lowered his head in silence. The subtext was obvious: who would dare to come in? Wouldn’t that be seeking death?

Zhuge Yue lowered his head, showing no emotion, and merely said faintly, “Go out.”

Moon Seven felt as if he’d received a great pardon and hurriedly opened the door and retreated.

Soon after, a rustling sound slowly arose. Zhuge Yue put down his pen and turned his head to see Chu Qiao standing by the moon gate of the inner chamber, holding onto the doorframe. She wore a white male scholar’s robe, appearing even thinner, her face still somewhat pale, with her hair loose, standing there quietly.

“You’re awake.”

Zhuge Yue said, pointing toward the inner chamber: “There’s warm food there. Go eat something.”

Seeing Chu Qiao not moving, he frowned slightly and said, “Your illness isn’t fully recovered. Go back and lie down.”

Chu Qiao still didn’t move. The azure cicada-wing window gauze was as thin as smoke. In this early autumn season, it seemed particularly cool. The wind blowing through the leaves made a rustling sound, like a light drizzling rain. Chu Qiao looked at him, silently, without saying a word.

Zhuge Yue stood up and walked toward the inner chamber. As he passed by her, he grabbed her wrist, feeling how thin and bony it was, barely filling his grasp. His brows furrowed as he pulled her inside.

“Zhuge Yue,” Chu Qiao called softly, her voice carrying a hint of pleading. Zhuge Yue’s footsteps immediately stopped, but he didn’t turn around. Then Chu Qiao’s voice slowly rose from behind him: “I need to leave.”

The night wind blew, making Chu Qiao’s clothes flutter. Though she was tall, Zhuge Yue’s clothes still looked oversized on her. Zhuge Yue paid no attention to this and said in a deep voice, “The situation outside is tense right now. I have no female attendants here, so just wear these clothes for now.”

“Zhuge Yue, I need to leave.”

Zhuge Yue turned to leave, completely ignoring her words: “Did you drink the medicine the doctor prescribed? If the fever hasn’t subsided, you should rest more.”

“Zhuge Yue, I really…”

“If you don’t want to eat this, just say so. I’ll have someone prepare something else.”

“Listen to me…”

“You’ve been in Tang Capital for some time now. Have you gone out? There are several places with good food outside. I’ll have someone buy some for you.”

“Zhuge Yue, listen to me,” Chu Qiao grabbed him, saying urgently, “I’m grateful that you saved me, but I must leave now. I need to find Yan Xun. Our Yan Bei is politically unstable now, and I must return immediately. And Li the Fox—someone is trying to harm him. He’s been good to me, and I need to warn him. I…”

Before she finished, Zhuge Yue shook off Chu Qiao’s arm and turned to leave.

Chu Qiao was shocked. She grabbed him again and shouted, “Zhuge Yue, I…”

“Zhuge Yue, Zhuge Yue! Will you ever stop? Do I owe you money? Must you call me like that?”

The man suddenly turned around, his eyebrows raised, his lips crimson, his eyes as sharp as stars, shouting angrily, “You and Yan Xun, your Yan Bei, you and Li the Fox—your head is full of others. Have you ever thought about yourself? Have you ever thought about me?”

Chu Qiao was stunned. Zhuge Yue glared at her fiercely, his eyes seemingly able to spit fire. They stared at each other. Something that had been carefully hidden suddenly broke through the ice, revealing the tip of the iceberg. The atmosphere froze instantly, and their breathing became heavy, yet neither could speak.

After a long while, Chu Qiao avoided the uncomfortable topic and said softly, “If I don’t call you Zhuge Yue, what should I call you? Fourth Young Master Zhuge? Zhuge? Yue?”

As soon as she said this, Chu Qiao felt a chill. She uncomfortably rubbed her arms, as if goosebumps were falling off.

“Perhaps I should call you Fourth Brother?”

Zhuge Yue didn’t look at her, turning to walk away as if desperately wanting to leave this troublesome place.

Seeing him about to leave, Chu Qiao hurriedly followed, but accidentally caught the tablecloth on the square table. All the soup and dishes fell, splashing all over her with a splash.

Chu Qiao groaned and fell onto the thick carpet. Zhuge Yue quickly turned back and moved away the hot bowls. He saw that Chu Qiao’s arm was already red and swollen from the burns, yet she was enduring the pain without making a sound.

Zhuge Yue’s expression was as dark as if he wanted to kill someone. He picked up Chu Qiao in his arms and strode out of the room, running through two corridors, rushing into the bathhouse. Completely disregarding that his clothes were soaked, he scooped up cold water and poured it over Chu Qiao’s arm.

“Does it hurt?”

Chu Qiao bit her lip and shook her head silently.

Her fair arm was now red and swollen. Zhuge Yue said angrily, “Even like this, it doesn’t hurt?”

He poured cold water scoop after scoop, but the swelling didn’t subside. Zhuge Yue was about to call for medicine when he looked up and saw that Chu Qiao’s upper clothes were completely wet, revealing her curves. Her snow-white neck and the undulations below, with her long hair scattered, presented a delicately charming, alluring appearance.

Chu Qiao also noticed Zhuge Yue’s gaze and immediately covered her chest with both hands, shouting angrily, “What are you looking at?”

Zhuge Yue felt slightly embarrassed but still teased sarcastically, “With your figure that can’t distinguish between male and female, looking at you doesn’t give me any feeling.”

Chu Qiao frowned, anger rising in her heart. Seeing that Zhuge Yue was about to stand up, she mischievously grabbed the hem of his clothes, and with a sudden clever move when he wasn’t paying attention!

The bathhouse floor was slippery. With a splash, Zhuge Yue fell flat on his back, all dignity gone.

Seeing this, Chu Qiao immediately burst into laughter. But her joy was short-lived as Zhuge Yue grabbed her leg during his struggle. Weakened after her illness, she lost her balance and fell—coincidentally right into the man’s arms.

The night was boundless. This bathhouse was surrounded by bamboo nodes open to the sky, connected to hot springs below. Looking up, one could see the brilliant stars in the sky. The lights on both sides weren’t particularly bright, creating a dim glow in the autumn wind, while the moon was exceptionally silver-white and clear, hanging distantly in the sky. The night breeze carried the fragrance of crabapple blossoms, gently wafting over with an intoxicating aroma. Curtains hung to the ground, with pale blue silk ribbons drooping on both sides. The moonlight was desolate, and all around was silent.

After a long while, the faint sound of a copper water clock seemed to break someone’s dream.

Zhuge Yue’s hand was warm on Chu Qiao’s shoulder. The fine arrow pattern on his sleeve occasionally brushed against Chu Qiao’s neck, creating a ticklish sensation.

The night breeze gently caressed them, and in the distance, the crabapple blossoms were a patch of bright red, as if they had fallen into a brief dream. Zhuge Yue’s eyes were like black gemstones. He locked onto Chu Qiao’s eyes, then moved forward slightly. Chu Qiao was startled and immediately struggled to leave, pushing against him, but suddenly her lower abdomen stiffened, as if something was pressing against it.

Both their faces instantly turned as red as blood with embarrassment!

Chu Qiao quickly sat up and retreated to one side. The autumn wind whistled, passing between them. An awkward silence, like endless darkness, engulfed them.

Trying to break the awkward silence, Chu Qiao spoke with anger in her voice: “I thought you couldn’t tell if I was male or female. How can you still be like this?”

As soon as she said this, Chu Qiao immediately wanted to dig a hole and bury herself. This was making things worse.

Zhuge Yue’s expression wasn’t pleasant either, but he still stubbornly snorted, “I can’t tell if you’re male or female, but clearly, I am male.”

Chu Qiao finally exploded in anger: “You are too shameless!”

Zhuge Yue glanced at her sideways: “You haven’t seen even more shameless behavior yet.”

They exchanged insults to save face, making the situation slightly more bearable. By now, the night wind had grown cold. Unless they wanted to jump into the hot spring, it wasn’t a place to linger.

Zhuge Yue stood up and asked, “Can you walk?”

Chu Qiao’s clothes were half wet, and walking wasn’t a problem, but saving face was inevitably awkward.

The man cursed under his breath, took off his outer robe and threw it to her, then led the way, striding forward with a stylish posture. But after a few steps, he found that the person behind hadn’t followed at all. He immediately turned back angrily, “Are you coming or not?”

Chu Qiao was putting on the clothes. With her arm burned, her movements were inevitably slow. Hearing him shout, she felt annoyed and shouted back, “Why are you yelling?”

Seeing her state, Zhuge Yue frowned and walked back, crouched down, quickly helped her put on the clothes, then pulled her by the sleeve toward the bedchamber. Chu Qiao stumbled as he pulled her and said impatiently, “Can you slow down? Did you eat gunpowder?”

“Try saying one more word to me.”

“I will. So what?”

…

After bringing the medicine, Zhuge Yue sat in a chair, pulled over Chu Qiao’s hand, and used a medicine brush to apply layers of milky ointment on her arm.

“Apply it once in the morning and once in the evening. It will heal in two days. Don’t get it wet, avoid spicy food.”

The medicine brush was made of fine animal hair, creating a layer of tiny bumps when it touched the skin. Zhuge Yue’s chair was slightly higher than the bed. Sitting there, his clothes gleamed in the lamplight. His handsome features were somewhat blurred, but his expression was extremely serious as he dipped the ointment, layer after layer.

“Zhuge Yue, I really must leave now.”

Zhuge Yue looked up and stared at Chu Qiao. The woman’s expression showed no trace of joking. She looked at him very seriously, her gaze so clear.

“I know a simple ‘thank you’ doesn’t mean much. You’ve helped me several times, even opposing your own country, disregarding your family’s interests. I understand all the risks you’ve taken, the pressure you’ve borne, the price you’ve paid.”

Zhuge Yue didn’t speak but put down the medicine brush and slowly put the lid back on the ointment.

“But I have no other way to repay you, and I can’t repay you adequately. So I can only say thank you, do you understand?”

Zhuge Yue’s expression remained unchanged. He stood up and turned to leave. Chu Qiao grabbed his hand and said loudly, “Zhuge Yue, please, let me go. I suspect this matter won’t end so simply. This incident couldn’t have been designed by Zhao Chun’er alone. There must be a master manipulator behind it. They deliberately used Yan Bei and Da Xia as shields and spears to provoke, using me as an excuse. If Yan Xun knows I’m in Tang Capital, regardless of the circumstances, he’s very likely to fall into someone else’s trap. It might also provoke Bian Tang and Da Xia, using the opportunity to start a war. This person is very calculating. Zhao Chun’er is just a front. She has now caused such embarrassment to Da Xia that if the Xia Emperor is enraged, a great war will arise. I must return to Yan Bei immediately. Winter is coming, Yan Bei lacks clothes and food, the Da Tong Guild is internally unstable, and the Southwestern Garrison Commander would easily rebel without my suppression. With so many complicated matters, I must…”

“Are you crazy?”

Zhuge Yue suddenly turned around, his eyes seemingly bloodshot. He tightly held Chu Qiao’s chin and said fiercely in a low voice, “Look at yourself! You were surrounded by so many people and nearly died in battle several times. Your body is covered in wounds, and you’ve been seriously ill. Now outside, everyone is looking for you—Li Ce, officials with ulterior motives in Tang Capital, Da Xia spies in Bian Tang, people Zhao Chun’er brought, feudal lords from Da Xia who came to celebrate, and even bounty hunters, all wanting to take your head to Da Xia for rewards! At this time, do you still want to go out? Do you believe Li Ce can protect you against the voice of the entire nation? Don’t you know that once you’re exposed, even the Tang Emperor can’t ignore the relationship with Da Xia? Once you fall into others’ hands, you have absolutely no chance of survival! Are you crazy?”

“I’m not!” Chu Qiao shouted, “I know what I’m doing.”

The woman’s chest heaved, but her eyes carried indescribable resilience: “I’ve always been like this, with the whole world as my enemy. I anticipated such a day from the moment I followed Yan Xun into the Holy Gold Palace. But so what? So many people want to kill me. Should I hide forever in fear? If I hide, I’ll only become weaker, and they’ll hunt me down more vigorously. I’m going out now so that one day I’ll have the ability to protect myself!”

“Zhuge Yue, I’ve told you, I have my own beliefs.”

“To hell with your beliefs!” Zhuge Yue growled, his voice filled with immense anger and undisguised suppression. His eyes were pitch black as he stared at Chu Qiao, almost gritting his teeth as he growled, “Beliefs? Are they important? Important? More important than life?”

“Yes, they are,” Chu Qiao looked at him and said word by word, “You don’t understand. This is my only wish to live on. Someone needs me, and I must go.”

In an instant, like a wild wind sweeping through an already chaotic mind, Zhuge Yue let out a roar, like a suppressed beast. He suddenly moved forward, immediately pressing Chu Qiao beneath him, kissing her lips with angry, passionate, unwilling force!

It was as if a raging fire was burning in his chest and abdomen. His kiss was so deep, so forceful, that Chu Qiao was completely dumbfounded. The familiar taste filled her nostrils. The man’s scent was like vine branches, penetrating everywhere, enveloping her, sweeping her, surrounding her. His body was hot, his blood was hot. It was no longer just a kiss; there were too many indescribable emotions collapsing and pouring out, raging and flowing forth.

Chu Qiao frantically pushed and resisted in terror, with a strong taste of blood between their lips. Finally, that force gradually softened, departing with such helplessness, such despair, such desolation. The man looked at her with pitch-black eyes, laughing coldly in self-mockery: “Don’t you feel it? I need you too!”

Chu Qiao was stunned. A deep dimness circulated in the room. The large candle on the candlestick had burned half the night, with wax tears flowing down line by line, congealing and accumulating like red coral.

Her throat seemed blocked, congested, making even breathing difficult.

Zhuge Yue’s gaze was so gloomy. He looked at her without speaking. In his eyes, countless scenes flashed by—those past years, the youth, the awkwardness of not knowing how to express oneself, and after that arrow was shot, the happiness missed while gazing across the horizon.

Chu Qiao took a deep breath, gradually hiding all the shock, weakness, and reluctance in her eyes. Finally, she swallowed all the congestion and said softly, “Please…”

The candle flame still burned brightly, but it seemed as if a dim light had descended. Under layers of blue gauze, the man’s face had a dark silhouette. His features were clearer than usual, but now looking at him, there was such a heavy, gloomy aura covering him.

He rose nimbly and laughed coldly: “In the end, I’ve debased myself. The main gate is open; stay or leave as you wish. Goodbye.”

With that, he left without any lingering attachment.

The moon was cool as water, the stars bright and clear. Chu Qiao sat on the bed, with blue gauze flying and candlelight warming her face. She suddenly felt so tired, exhaling a breath full of bitterness and vicissitudes.

“Stay strong!”

In the silence, a woman’s voice slowly rose, so faint, heartbreaking.

“Time will wash away everything. If you can hold on, everything will pass.”

She nodded, as if trying to convince herself, then stood up, looking toward the northwest, and nodded firmly: “I must go to Yan Bei.”