Yanmen Pass was built nestled between mountains. Several li within the pass, on level ground suited to the terrain, stood a massive camp complex. The densely packed crude structures at the front were the barracks. The northwest corner housed stables containing an astonishing number of warhorses awaiting battle deployment. Opposite were the armory and supply warehouses. In the center of the camp stood a structure that occupied considerable ground, rising prominently and looking somewhat out of place among the military buildings – a luxurious mansion newly constructed specifically for Xiongnu generals or high-ranking Western Liang officials who came to supervise battles.

The Western Liang Emperor, who styled himself Heavenly King, Liu Jian, had personally come here several days ago to face the enemy and oversee the battle, naturally taking residence here.

Near the third watch, candles blazed brightly within the room. Accompanied by beast-like low growls, a dark-skinned, powerfully built man with braided hair and exposed muscular torso finally ceased his body’s movements, rolling onto an ornately carved large bed, breathing heavily.

The woman turned her face half away from beneath him. With her beautiful features and phoenix eyes, she gazed at him tenderly and smiled seductively: “Is the Heavenly King satisfied with me?”

This woman was Murong Zhe, and the man was Western Liang Emperor Liu Jian. Upon Murong Zhe’s arrival tonight, the impatient Liu Jian had immediately brought her here.

Conquering cities and seizing territory was certainly the primary objective, but finally getting his hands on this Murong beauty who had previously scorned him, making her submit beneath him, was also one of life’s greatest pleasures, providing immense satisfaction to his masculine vanity.

Moreover, thinking that tonight he held a beauty in his arms while Li Mu was probably falling into the trap within a trap he had set, Liu Jian felt his blood boiling. Seeing Murong Zhe deliberately flattering him made him even more pleased, and he laughed heartily.

“Heavenly King, I don’t mean to diminish your prestige or boost others’ confidence, but I’m still somewhat uneasy,” Murong Zhe said thoughtfully, offering a reminder.

“From my understanding of Li Mu, he doesn’t seem like someone who would be so easily deceived. My imperial brother’s forces haven’t yet arrived. Heavenly King, you should still be cautious and send more people out to scout and provide support, in case something unexpected happens.”

“Princess, rest assured. No matter how cunning Li Mu is, he won’t expect such an elaborate chain of schemes I’ve arranged! Just wait and see how I avenge your Murong clan. Once I chop off Li Mu’s head and take Chang’an, I’ll crown you as Empress, and we’ll share the realm together!”

The more he spoke, the more excited he became. Staring at the unclothed Murong Zhe, his eyes showed lustful intent as he pulled her toward him, about to display his prowess again. Then he heard distant, faint sounds of commotion and shouting that seemed to come from the direction of the pass.

Liu Jian stopped, turned toward the sound, his eyes showing hesitation.

“Heavenly King – this is terrible -“

Accompanied by a rush of chaotic footsteps, a voice filled with terror suddenly screamed outside.

“Li Mu’s army has arrived! The pass is in danger -“

Liu Jian pushed Murong Zhe away from his embrace, jumped from the bed, hastily grabbed clothes to throw on, opened the door, and strode out.

The night’s tranquility was suddenly shattered. Amid the rising and falling sharp whistle signals, the entire military camp erupted into chaos.

Xiongnu soldiers were startled awake from sleep, frantically grabbed their weapons, rushed from their quarters, and surged toward the pass without even time to form proper ranks.

“What’s happening?” Liu Jian grabbed a deputy rushing toward him and demanded sternly.

This deputy was responsible for night guard duty at the pass, awaiting Wugan’s triumphant return. He had assumed victory was certain, so defenses were relaxed. Additionally, everyone in the camp knew the Heavenly King was joyfully welcoming Princess Murong tonight, with the luxurious mansion in the camp center presumably staging wedding chamber festivities all night. Following their leader’s example, the camp not only lacked vigilance, but even the guards atop the walls were sharing gossip about how Princess Yan captivated the world and served others with her beauty to ward off drowsiness. Under cover of night, Li Mu’s army had silently reached the city base while they were still exchanging such romantic tales.

The result was predictable.

Facing Li Mu’s sudden assault personally leading his troops, the deputy was caught completely off guard upon awakening. While urgently summoning men to defend the pass, he hurriedly came to report to Liu Jian.

“Heavenly King! The Left General has probably met with disaster! Otherwise, how could Li Mu attack here through the night without any advance warning? Isn’t this betraying the Heavenly King?”

Xiongnu troops were fierce in field battles, especially cavalry combat on level ground where their combat power was exceptional, but defending cities had never been their strong suit.

This was the main reason why, before Murong Ti’s army arrived, Liu Jian had gone to great lengths to keep Li Mu’s forces blocked at Shikou.

Now, his greatest fear had come to pass.

Li Mu had actually avoided his surveillance, appearing without warning at the city gates in the dead of night.

Even if he wanted to sally forth for field battle now, the opportunity was lost.

His expression changed dramatically, his eyelids twitching constantly as he gazed toward the pass.

There, flames blazed high, illuminating half the night sky.

“Is Murong Ti dead? Why is there still no sign of him!”

Liu Jian cursed furiously while ordering men to quickly rouse all camp soldiers. Taking his armor from attending servants, he hastily donned it, mounted his warhorse, and galloped toward the pass.

Murong Zhe slowly rose from the bed, dressed, went outside, climbed to the camp’s watchtower, and gazed toward the pass. After watching for a long time, she turned to look northeast toward that particular area, gradually becoming lost in thought.

…

In the northeast direction, within a hidden barracks guarded by multiple layers of sentries, a single lamp flickered like a bean.

The dim lamplight cast shadows of a mother and child on the wall.

Though this place was remote, the sudden commotion outside had still reached here, startling awake the child who had been sleeping deeply.

Although from the day of his birth, this child named “Xiao Qi” (Little Seven) had been confined along with his mother, his steps restricted.

The farthest distance his feet had measured was that square courtyard within the Yan palace. The most expansive scenery his eyes had seen was the winter snow and summer rain in that square patch of sky above, and lines of returning geese.

But none of this had prevented his growth.

Xiao Qi had pure, bright features. Usually quiet and taciturn, disliking speech, but he understood many things.

He knew who his father was, knew why he and his mother were separated from his father, knew that one day his father would find him and A’Niang, take them away together, and they would never be separated again.

He also kept one thing constantly in his heart.

Xiao Qi was his pet name. Because among the male children of his generation in the Gao family, he ranked seventh, so A’Niang called him Seventh Young Master. He was the Seventh Young Master of the Gao family.

He didn’t yet have a formal name.

A’Niang said his formal name should be saved for later, for his father to give him. He looked forward to this day coming soon.

Just tonight, in his dreams, he once again dreamed of his father – that person he had never seen since birth, but based on A’Niang’s descriptions, had secretly imagined countless times in his mind.

That man called father should be tall and lean, intelligent and learned, gentle yet resolute, brave and fearless. He would have bright, spirited eyes and would come here like a hero to take him and A’Niang away.

He was awakened by the commotion outside, opened his sleepy eyes, rubbed them, immediately became alert, got up, called out “A’Niang,” and threw himself into her embrace.

Xiao Yongjia held her precious child in her arms, listening intently to the distant sounds that seemed like soldiers’ battle cries and combat. After a moment, she took her son’s hand and brought him to the window, pushed it open, and gazed at the flames dancing in the night sky above the distant pass.

“A’Niang, has A’Ye come to rescue us?”

Xiao Qi watched for a moment, then looked up at his mother and asked quietly.

Xiao Yongjia’s brow furrowed slightly. She withdrew her gaze and looked down at her son.

She clearly saw in his eyes – so similar to his father’s – a carefully cautious gleam of hope that seemed desperately restrained.

She suppressed the guilt and sadness rising in her heart and was about to answer her son when suddenly a woman’s voice came from behind: “Little Seventh Young Master, let auntie tell you, listen carefully. That’s not your A’Ye coming to rescue you – it’s your brother-in-law attacking the pass. He’s not trying to save you, but to harm you.”

Xiao Yongjia turned and saw Murong Zhe had somehow also come here, standing behind them.

Her clothing was still fairly neat, but her hair was somewhat disheveled. Perhaps due to the lamplight being too dim, her complexion looked pale with a greenish tint, her eyes glittering. Her gaze fell on Xiao Qi’s face with an expression that was neither smile nor frown, revealing something strange, very different from her previous appearances before Xiao Yongjia.

Xiao Yongjia’s heart skipped a beat.

In the years since she gave birth and was captured by Murong Zhe and imprisoned in the north, though she had lost her freedom, in all honesty, considering their status as captives, the treatment she and her son received was quite good.

Especially Murong Zhe. Each time she appeared, she was always respectful toward her, even telling her about many events happening outside. In front of Xiao Qi, she consistently called herself aunt. Once, she had even disguised herself as Luoshen, coaxing him by saying she was his elder sister.

Xiao Yongjia had always observed coldly. Though she gradually suspected the purpose behind such strange behavior, in all this time, she had never seen her as abnormal as tonight.

Xiao Qi looked up, gazing at his mother in confusion.

Xiao Yongjia gently patted her son’s back and turned to Murong Zhe: “How do you come to be here?”

“Why can’t I be here? Eldest Princess, you’re an intelligent person. You should know why my brother sent you here. You heard the commotion outside, didn’t you? Li Mu has already attacked. The Xiongnu will soon be unable to hold out. Liu Jian will soon use you and your son to threaten Li Mu, buying breathing room while waiting for my brother’s arrival…”

“Eldest Princess, these past years, I believe I’ve treated you well, protecting you everywhere. I long anticipated such a day would come. I don’t want to see this scene. I want to save you and Little Seventh Young Master. To tell you the truth, not long ago, when I was captured and imprisoned in Chang’an, I told Li Mu and your daughter about your whereabouts, saying I was willing to help them rescue you. But…”

Murong Zhe stared at Xiao Yongjia, her lips moved, and her face showed a somewhat twisted smile: “Eldest Princess, you mother and son are truly pitiful. Li Mu and your daughter apparently don’t want to save you – they rejected my kind offer…”

“What kind offer was that?”

Xiao Yongjia suddenly interrupted her.

“Let me guess, Princess Murong. Did you perhaps have other feelings, wanting to use this opportunity to offer yourself, or so-called willing servitude? You spoke of giving them a chance to save my son and me, but it was merely coercion. Listen well – their rejection is exactly what I’m glad to see.”

She looked at Murong Zhe and smiled.

“You’ve imprisoned my son and me for so many years. Do you think I’d still be obsessed with matters of life and death? Living is naturally good, but if death truly comes, I’ll accept it. Princess Murong, I pity you instead. With your title, beautiful appearance, and all your schemes and abilities, who are you ultimately living for?”

She set down the young child in her arms, let him stand on the ground, crouched down herself, and gazed into his pure, bright eyes: “Seventh Young Master, A’Niang once told you that A’Ye has certainly been searching for us everywhere all these years. Your A’Ye is a hero, but even heroes have things they cannot accomplish. If by chance, before A’Ye can find us, bad people come out with swords pointed at us, would you be afraid?”

Xiao Qi seemed to understand yet not understand, but shook his head: “A’Niang, I’m not afraid. If bad people bring out swords, I’ll stand in front of A’Niang.”

Tears welled up in Xiao Yongjia’s eyes as she pulled her son into her embrace again, holding him tightly.

Footsteps sounded outside.

As if someone was coming.

Murong Zhe’s expression grew even uglier. After a pause, she said coldly: “Eldest Princess, since you’re so ungrateful, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Liu Jian’s men have already come. After I leave, even if you regret, it will be too late.”

Suddenly there was a strange noise outside. It seemed someone let out a cry for help, but the call didn’t have time to emerge before disappearing again.

Everything returned to silence.

Murong Zhe spun around sharply.

“What’s happening?”

She shouted and rushed outside, but after running a few steps, suddenly stopped.

A man with the appearance of a veteran soldier emerged silently from the shadows outside the door. His face was hidden by the darkness, but the long sword in his hand gleamed with a dark red light under the candlelight.

That was blood. Still warm, coating the blade, dripping down drop by drop onto the ground before the man’s feet.

Though this scene was unexpected, Murong Zhe reacted extremely quickly.

Almost in the blink of an eye, she had drawn a dagger from her person and turned to attack the Eldest Princess and her son beside her.

But the veteran’s sword was several beats faster than her reaction.

She had barely turned when she felt a chill at her neck – that blood-stained blade was already at her throat.

She felt pain on her skin and immediately stopped.

“Who are you to run wild here!”

Murong Zhe’s voice was stiff as she rebuked him.

The veteran made a backhand motion, his blade swift as lightning, striking again.

With a “snap,” the dagger in her hand flew away.

“Princess Murong, thank you for watching over my wife and child these years. I, Gao Qiao, have come today to take back my mother and son.”

The veteran’s voice was low. As his words fell, he raised his elbow and struck her heavily on the back of the neck.

Murong Zhe’s vision went black and she collapsed.

“A’Ling, it’s me! I came late!”

The man turned and strode toward the stunned Xiao Yongjia, reaching her and opening his arms to embrace her tightly.