Snow fell intermittently for three days, and on the fourth night, the sky finally cleared.

With Northern forces retreated and Yang Pass secured, the displaced residents of Yang Pass gradually returned with their children to their homes. This war-baptized city immediately regained its human warmth, emanating tenacious vitality.

Perhaps the northern frontier people had long grown accustomed to years of warfare. In just half a month, Yang Pass was bustling again, restored to vibrant life. In the evenings, residents even set off fireworks, making the northern sky bright as day – extremely lively.

The imperial army was about to return to the capital, and Yang Pass residents specially held a grand folk performance by the Xiang River east of the city to send off the imperial forces.

This day, as night fell, several Tiger Roar Battalion lieutenants came one after another, inviting Hua Zhuyu to join the festivities in Yang Pass.

Hua Zhuyu had no mood for festivities originally, but couldn’t resist the lieutenants’ persistent persuasion and was finally forced to ride with them to Yang Pass.

The bright moon hung high, radiating clear brilliance that made the cold stars hide beneath its glow.

The group walked and stopped along the streets, soon reaching the Xiang River bank. The riverside had been decorated by residents with clusters of flowers and flowing colors. The bare trees along the bank were hung with lanterns made by the residents themselves.

The northern winter wind was very cold, but this cold meant nothing to frontier people. Wearing cotton clothes, they poured out from the entire city, busying themselves by the river to erect a high platform.

Below the platform were about a hundred tables, chairs, and benches contributed by various households – all different lengths and heights. Everything appeared somewhat shabby, but the people’s enthusiasm was high.

They arrived rather early, and someone led them to front-row benches. Commander Bao was no unknown figure in the northern frontier now – everyone knew she had penetrated deep behind enemy lines, achieved great merit, and fought extremely bravely. All greatly admired Hua Zhuyu. The residents didn’t know Hua Zhuyu was a eunuch. Seeing her handsome and extraordinary appearance, some young women kept running over to show attention to Hua Zhuyu.

Hua Zhuyu sat there smiling, ignoring all this. When she was in Liang Prefecture, she had long grown accustomed to such things.

A lieutenant surnamed Liu beside her whispered: “Commander Bao, why not stay in the northern frontier instead of returning to the capital with the Prime Minister? The young women here are all very enthusiastic.”

Hua Zhuyu smiled: “Has Lieutenant Liu taken a fancy to some young woman? If so, you could stay here and establish a household – that wouldn’t be bad.”

Lieutenant Liu scratched his head and smiled embarrassedly: “I have indeed taken a fancy to someone, but the young woman has taken a fancy to you.”

“What use is taking a fancy to me? I will absolutely never marry.” Hua Zhuyu said casually.

Lieutenant Liu suddenly remembered Hua Zhuyu was originally a eunuch and didn’t know what words could comfort her. But Hua Zhuyu hadn’t expected him to think of this and looked at him in surprise.

“The Left Prime Minister has arrived!” some residents called out loudly.

Lieutenant Liu, at a loss, jumped up upon hearing this: “The Prime Minister has come.”

Hua Zhuyu rose from the bench with him, her gaze passing through the surging crowd before her to see over ten people slowly approaching along the riverbank ahead.

The leader was Ji Fengli. Tonight he wore black cloud-patterned brocade official robes – even the deep, understated black couldn’t hide his incomparable noble elegance. His lips and eyes bore a gentle smile that made him appear even more handsome and graceful under the riverside lantern light.

After this night, countless young women in Yang Pass who were fortunate enough to glimpse the Left Prime Minister’s bearing could no longer sleep peacefully, spending countless nights of longing.

Following behind Ji Fengli were generals like Wang Yu, Lan Bing, Tong Shou, Tang Yu, and Nangong Jue. Close beside him was a woman – Jin Se.

Since that day when they poured out their hearts in the tent, Hua Zhuyu hadn’t seen Jin Se again, naturally because Ji Fengli didn’t allow her to visit his bride-to-be. Seeing her again tonight, she suddenly realized Jin Se was also very beautiful.

Perhaps Jin Se’s appearance wasn’t outstanding among the beauties of the imperial capital, but under the northern frontier’s wind and snow, she had a different kind of beauty. Jin Se had a graceful figure and fresh, pretty features, like a cold plum growing on a cliff. Tonight, Jin Se wore snow-white fox fur, the fine fur around her neck adding a gentle, graceful quality.

Seeing Jin Se accompanying Ji Fengli, Hua Zhuyu knew her injuries had healed, and a weight lifted from her heart.

The group drew closer, with calls of “Prime Minister” and “Left Prime Minister” rising from the crowd, voices full of deep respect and admiration.

Left Prime Minister Ji Fengli had undoubtedly become a protective chancellor in the hearts of northern frontier people.

Ji Fengli smiled and nodded, his handsome eyes sparkling with every glance.

Hua Zhuyu sat back down before Ji Fengli approached. Soon, the prefect led Ji Fengli’s group to first-row seats. Jin Se sat right in front of Hua Zhuyu, with Ji Fengli beside her. From Hua Zhuyu’s position, she could see both their backs.

Jin Se discovered Hua Zhuyu behind her and quietly turned to smile charmingly. Hua Zhuyu also curved her lips in return.

With gongs and drums sounding, performances prepared by residents began on the high platform – folk shadow plays and songs and dances arranged by young women.

Hua Zhuyu sat on the bench, but her heart wasn’t on the stage. A bright moon in the sky cast misty moonlight over her body, clear and remote. She felt her heart seemed to merge with this moonlight, mixed with strange, indescribable sadness.

Soldiers broke open wine jar seals, pouring wine into large bowls and drinking heartily. Unknowingly, Hua Zhuyu had also drunk several bowls, vaguely feeling somewhat intoxicated. Looking up at the moon – so bright, so luminous. When the moon was full, people should reunite, but in her life, she was destined never to reunite with loved ones.

Suddenly her heart felt cut by pain. Suffering like a flood seemed about to drown her instantly. On this day when everyone celebrated, only she was forever lonely.

On the high platform, resident-prepared programs had finished, and some soldiers went up to perform songs and arts. Singing and gong sounds immediately became a noisy din. Suddenly someone called out loudly: “Who can play the copper pipa?”

“I will!” Hua Zhuyu raised her wine bowl, tilted her head back to drain the last bowl, the pungent spiciness rushing to her eyes, instantly covering her clear beautiful eyes with a layer of mist.

She stood from the bench, her entire being bathed in bright moonlight. Her exquisitely beautiful face radiated rare heroic spirit. With a flip of her hand, she threw the wine bowl to the ground where it shattered. With a leap she vaulted onto the high platform, reached for the copper pipa, and sat on a stool. Her clothes were stained with wine, and several disheveled strands fell across her forehead, but she didn’t care, only lowering her head to tune the strings with a wild, decadent appearance.

“Who will beat drums in accompaniment?” Hua Zhuyu asked with narrowed eyes, her clear pupils full of rippling waves.

The soldiers and residents below fell silent. Tang Yu suddenly shouted: “I will!” He quickly leaped onto the platform, took up drumsticks, and stood before the large drum.

“I hear the Prime Minister plays flute quite well. Could we also feast our ears?” A soldier who had drunk quite a bit called out loudly. His shout drew rising agreement from residents and soldiers.

Ji Fengli sat motionless on his bench. After a long time, he slowly stood, his lips bearing their usual elegant smile, but his ink-black pupils showed cold condensation.

He walked onto the platform with hands behind his back, standing not far from Hua Zhuyu’s side, holding a jade flute.

“Prime Minister, which piece shall we play?” Tang Yu asked quietly.

A trace of dimness flashed through Ji Fengli’s dark eyes as he said heavily: “Let’s play ‘Song of the Frontier,’ dedicated to the soldiers who heroically sacrificed in this campaign.”

Tang Yu nodded.

Hua Zhuyu plucked the strings, her heart also full of sadness.

The soldiers and residents below were silent as crows, wordlessly pouring wine from their bowls onto the ground to honor the fallen heroes.

In complete silence, the flute began – a long prelude carrying irremovable sadness and vicissitudes. Hua Zhuyu lightly struck the instrument’s head, her five fingers rapidly spinning. The pipa’s sound came like sudden cavalry charge. Tang Yu’s drums also began. The flute wept, the pipa sobbed, drums heavily harmonized. The leisurely music was heart-wrenching.

Drums grew fierce, flute pitch rose, pipa turned urgent.

Swift wind and sudden rain brought forth gold spears and iron horses. The stirring music filled hearts with heroic spirit. Soldiers couldn’t help humming “Song of the Frontier” with the music: “Gold spears and iron horses, handful of earth, this person withered, this person achieved, war songs drift while elegies darken, southern memories exhausted, frontier smoke rises. Horse hooves urgently urge but cannot break through, when will cups pause and drunkenness end, drunken eyes see moon, moon bewildering, looking up to heaven with long laughter, laughter desolate, how many heroes’ tombs. Sky geese cry returning, when will warriors remove armor and return home.”

One frontier song – how many men’s tears, how many heroes’ sighs!

Jin Se sat below, looking up at the platform. Moonlight mixed with faint lantern light illuminated half her plain face, her pretty features slowly covered with melancholy.

One song ended to countless sighs.

Deathly silence below the platform.

Hua Zhuyu quietly leaped down from the platform and quickly returned to her seat.

Residents knew Ji Fengli was close to the people and kind, so emboldened, they crowded toward him. Some enthusiastically pointed at Jin Se asking: “Prime Minister, we hear this young lady is your bride-to-be. When will you marry so we can share your joy wine?”

Ji Fengli still smiled handsomely: “Still early, still early!”

“Why still early? Prime Minister, why not marry right here in Yang Pass so we can share joy wine? If you return to the capital, we won’t be able to drink it.”

Hua Zhuyu glanced at Ji Fengli surrounded by residents, walked to the riverside, untied the horse bound to a tree trunk, and rode back to the military camp.

In the crowd, Ji Fengli distantly glimpsed that departing figure on horseback. His smile gradually froze, endless melancholy surging through his ink pupils.

A bright moon in the sky cast her lonely shadow – one person, one horse – on the ground. Night wind came gently. The faint intoxication had completely disappeared, her heart completely clear. She shouted “Giddy up!” and her horse galloped rapidly forward, howling cold wind striking her face, her heart ice-cold.

Jin Se sat in the carriage, bouncing all the way back to the military camp. Just after getting down from the carriage, she felt nauseous and couldn’t help supporting herself against the carriage while vomiting.

Ji Fengli leaped down from his horse and quickly walked before Jin Se, patting her back and asking with furrowed brows: “Why are you suddenly vomiting when you were fine?”

Jin Se took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth and smiled at Ji Fengli: “The food outside tonight was probably a bit cold, plus the bouncing journey – naturally uncomfortable. I’m fine, Prime Minister needn’t worry.”

Ji Fengli frowned: “Perhaps we should call a military physician to examine you.”

“Better not. I’m really fine. After a while, drinking some hot water will help. Prime Minister needn’t worry – rest early. Si’er takes leave.” Jin Se refused decisively, supported by Xu’er’s hand as she quickly walked toward the tent.

Ji Fengli stood in the military camp for a long time. Looking back, he saw Lan Bing and Tang Yu following behind him, apparently also standing for quite a while.

Ji Fengli turned and said: “Go request a military physician to check Si’er’s pulse and see what’s wrong with her.”

Tang Yu agreed and was about to fetch the physician.

But Lan Bing suddenly reached out to stop him, looking up at Ji Fengli: “Prime Minister, better not call the physician.”

Tang Yu didn’t understand: “Why? Shouldn’t illness be treated?”

Lan Bing moved his lips, finally saying after a long time: “Women sometimes vomit not from illness, but if… if… having a physician examine her would ruin a young lady’s reputation.”

Ji Fengli’s heart shook violently. He knew what Lan Bing’s unspoken words meant. He also knew that pregnant women often had morning sickness. Could it be that…

He dared not think further. Wind passed by – was it cold? He couldn’t feel cold anymore because his heart had already frozen into ice in this cold night.

One snowfall brought vast bleakness and bitter cold. Autumn’s last trace of warmth had vanished without trace in the falling snow.

Outside the camp, Hua Zhuyu sat on a blue stone by the riverbank. The river surface had formed a thin layer of ice, with several birds that couldn’t find food chirping and hopping on the ice.

The military camp had been very quiet recently. With no warfare and this snowfall, normal training was temporarily cancelled.

After several days of arrangements, Wang Yu had determined the forces to remain guarding Yang Pass. Wang Yu would naturally stay at the frontier, with Nangong Jue promoted to Junior General to assist Wang Yu in the northern frontier. Hua Zhuyu’s Tiger Roar Battalion was also among those staying behind. Wang Yu had originally wanted Hua Zhuyu to remain too, but she begged to return with the army – she naturally couldn’t stay here. However, Wang Yu didn’t insist and readily agreed.

A bird on the ice accidentally broke through the thin ice layer and flew up in alarm, flapping its wings. North wind rose, blowing up snow powder from the ground onto Hua Zhuyu’s heavy military uniform. The cold seemed to penetrate through thick clothes into her body.

Hua Zhuyu flicked snow off her clothes and slowly walked toward the camp.

A wide carriage stopped on the open ground near the supervisor’s tent. Deep blue patterned curtains hung down, concealing the carriage body. Two fine horses pulling the carriage stood proudly before it.

Ji Fengli’s supervisor tent was being dismantled, as was Jin Se’s tent. It seemed they were leaving the military camp, but the main army wouldn’t depart for five more days. Were they leaving early?

Hua Zhuyu glanced from afar and saw Jin Se in light fur, supported by Xu’er, slowly walking toward the carriage. Sunset’s last rays illuminated Jin Se’s pretty face, adding a blush to her fair complexion, making her face appear more charming and vivid, like a bud urged open by spring wind, suddenly blooming.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart slightly stopped, but her steps didn’t pause as she passed through the camp and quickly returned to her tent.

The tent was dim and oppressively dark. Hua Zhuyu found flint and lit a candle. Weak candlelight arose, and her heart brightened slightly with the dancing flame.

Light, gentle footsteps sounded outside the tent. The tent door was pushed open, and cold wind mixed with warm, sweet fragrance rushed in.

Hua Zhuyu put away the flint and looked up, smiling at Jin Se who walked in slowly: “I knew you’d come to bid farewell. Are you leaving for the capital early?”

Jin Se lifted her skirt and slowly sat on the stool before Hua Zhuyu. Her face, which had been charming and vivid just now, was somewhat pale. She sat hesitating: “Miss… I…”

Hua Zhuyu looked at her strangely and teased: “When did you become so hesitant? What’s the matter?”

Jin Se suddenly lowered her head. After a long time, she raised it with slightly heavy beautiful eyes: “Miss, we’re not leaving early for the capital but going to stay in Yang Pass city for several days. The Prime Minister just…” Jin Se suddenly stopped, biting her lower lip with silver teeth: “Just said he wants to marry me before returning to the capital.”

Hua Zhuyu was suddenly shocked, her hand abruptly tightening. The flint in her hand pressed painfully into her palm. She quickly loosened her grip, raised her hand to gently place the flint on the table, and said with a smile: “So that’s it. I thought you were leaving early for the capital. So you’re going to Yang Pass city for the wedding. Which day is the happy event set for?”

Jin Se looked at Hua Zhuyu’s face, calm as wind, and suddenly rose to stand before her: “Miss, you don’t resent me?”

Hua Zhuyu’s smile froze slightly. She took Jin Se’s hand and said gently: “I’ve thought carefully these days – perhaps Ji Fengli really is as good as you say. Finding such a suitable husband, how could I resent you? Though I think your marriage is somewhat sudden and hasty – it would be better to wait until I investigate everything – but since you’ve decided, I absolutely won’t stop you. As long as you can live well, I’ll be very happy.”

“Miss, I…” Jin Se’s lips moved, mist rising in her eyes, seeming to have more to say but unable to speak.

“What else?” Hua Zhuyu smiled casually.

The tent door was suddenly knocked, and maid Xu’er’s voice came: “Miss, it’s late. The Prime Minister is urging departure.”

“Then, you must come that day.” Jin Se looked up with hopeful eyes.

“Good, I’ll go.” Hua Zhuyu smiled brilliantly with firm tone.

Only then did Jin Se smile brightly. After bidding farewell to Hua Zhuyu, she turned and left.

Hua Zhuyu leaned against the tent entrance, watching Jin Se walk farther away. Her departure seemed to take away the last trace of setting sun, as dusk descended overwhelmingly.

Though a fire burned in the tent, cold was everywhere.

Hua Zhuyu took out a chess set from her bundle and moved it beside the fire. She had bought this at the night market when attending the residents’ evening banquet in Yang Pass. When bored, she played chess alone with her left hand against her right. The soldiers in Tiger Roar Battalion were all too poor at chess – she really couldn’t play with them. She had to play against herself.

Firelight illuminated half her profile. Her ink-colored clear eyes narrowed, focusing intently on the chessboard before her. Her clear, rippling eyes reflected black and white pieces like mirrors, as if nothing existed in the world except this chessboard.

In the silent tent, only the sound of placing pieces – crisp and lonely.

Black pieces, white pieces, white pieces, black pieces…

Soon, the small chessboard was filled with black and white pieces.

When Hua Zhuyu raised her hand again, the black piece between her slender fingers could no longer be placed.

The chess game before her had unknowingly become the unfinished game she and Ji Fengli had played.

She stared, her lips curving in a bewildered smile as she gently placed the black piece down. Then she swept her sleeve, scattering all black and white pieces, picking them up one by one and slowly collecting them in the chess box.

For some reason, she suddenly lost all interest in playing chess.