Upon hearing this, Adjutant Yu stepped forward and respectfully said, “This subordinate accepts the order!”

“Captain Xu, hurry up with the communication to Guli A’shu. They can choose the location for the first negotiation, but we will determine the personnel. Handle this quickly and then report back to me.”

“Yes, this subordinate accepts the order!”

“Huang Biao, in yesterday’s small ambush battle, I ordered you to wait with the archers for my signal. Why did you attack early? If General Du hadn’t provided timely support, you reckless fool would have ruined the entire operation. Go out yourself to the military discipline office and receive ten military rod strikes. No objections allowed.”

Huang Biao’s face immediately fell. Yesterday when capturing that group of small scouts and reconnaissance troops, he had seen their small numbers and hadn’t taken it seriously, never expecting this young governor to still discover his mistake. Reluctantly he responded with “This subordinate accepts the order” and went out to receive his punishment.

“Staff Officer Li, I want the most detailed report on intelligence analysis of the northern territories. Immediately intensify the deployment of scouts—perhaps very soon, we’ll have another major battle.”

Staff Officer Li nodded, “This subordinate understands. It’s just that there are many tribes in the northern territories. The day before yesterday, a small squad mistakenly entered a small tribe’s territory, and being careless…”

“Don’t tell me these excuses,” Qing Xia suddenly raised her head, looking at him with sharp eyes as she said, “Mistakenly entering the living sphere of northern people is your subordinates’ carelessness and error. Delaying intelligence transmission could destroy the lives of the entire army. We are now in someone else’s territory, without thick city walls to defend. You must think of yourselves as Xiongnu people, as fierce Xiongnu cavalry. In the future when encountering such situations, think about what the Xiongnu do on our territory, and you should do the same.”

Staff Officer Li was startled and said loudly, “The Governor means for us to slaughter an entire tribe of people?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Qing Xia raised an eyebrow and said, “All Xiongnu are soldiers—they pick up swords and spears to become warriors, put down weapons to become civilians. The iron law of the battlefield is either you die or I die. Should we still speak of benevolence and righteousness with enemies? Since we want to conquer the northern territories, don’t expect to influence them with moral classics. They’re all enemies anyway—one more blood debt doesn’t matter. Force is always the most powerful and useful language. You are the ones I brought out, and I’m only responsible for bringing you back. Others’ life and death—what concern is it of mine?”

Staff Officer Li came from a civilian background in Eastern Qi and found it difficult to accept Qing Xia’s words for a moment. In contrast, the military generals secretly sighed in their hearts. Indeed, this was someone who accomplished great things. Even these blood-stained men could not bring themselves to harm unarmed civilians. They didn’t know that in Qing Xia’s modern military training, the most important rule for special agents was that to complete missions, any means could be used as long as they didn’t harm the motherland’s interests.

Moreover, these were Xiongnu who were already, or would soon become, soldiers.

“If you cannot handle this competently, then have your subordinates be more careful and not make the same mistake again.”

Staff Officer Li quickly nodded and accepted the order.

Qing Xia handed the documents she had signed to the correspondence officer below, saying, “These letters are all for Lord Lu Zhongyong of Haishi. Find ten people to send them out in ten different directions. Remember, at least three people must be intercepted and have their letters seized. As for how to accomplish this, whether lives need to be sacrificed—you can figure that out yourselves.”

The correspondence officer responded and withdrew. Qing Xia pressed her fingers to her temples and said to everyone, “Alright, you may all withdraw.”

The generals responded in deep voices and all withdrew.

The curtain stirred, leaving only Song Yang and Qing Xia. Qing Xia stood up and walked into the inner tent, where she saw a man in a black-gold robe sitting beside a small table, drinking tea quite leisurely with a calm expression and elegant posture.

Qing Xia smiled faintly, naturally sitting down beside him. She picked up another teacup, poured herself some, drained it in one gulp, and glanced at him sideways, saying, “You’re quite at leisure.”

The man smiled, his voice mellow and his expression self-satisfied, saying, “The wind is high and the waves rough, the world is treacherous. As the saying goes, common people don’t fight with officials. Your Excellency holds high position and great power. Besides adapting to circumstances and awaiting orders, what else can this humble person do? Your Excellency’s word carries the weight of nine bronze tripods—you surely won’t make things difficult for me. As long as I obediently listen, there’s no threat to my life. Why should I worry and fear, acting like a timid woman?”

Qing Xia couldn’t help but laugh at his words, saying, “You truly have a broad mind.”

The man smiled, “Your Excellency flatters me.”

This person was actually Jin Shaohuang, head of the Jin family. Before Qing Xia’s army departed, she had led heavy troops to the Jin family, appointing Jin Shaohuang as quartermaster. Regardless of whether he was willing, she forcibly brought this greatest wealthy merchant of the southeast to the grasslands. Naturally, the expenses for the Chu army’s northern expedition were covered by the wealthy Quartermaster Jin.

Jin Shaohuang was said to be joining the army, but it was actually more like going on a pleasure trip. On the day the great army departed, the Jin family’s convoy accompanied them for over thirty li. Young Master Jin’s carriages, large and small, numbered over twenty, loaded with all manner of items—enough to tour the various kingdoms. Various seasonal clothing, brocade robes for different occasions, spices for perfuming clothes, incense for bedtime, his favored ceramic incense burners, customary washing utensils—just bathtubs alone he brought three, requiring two carriages to carry them all. There were also the guqin and bamboo flute that Young Master Jin might need when inspiration struck, dried fruits and tea cakes he enjoyed eating. He even brought two grilling stands with iron tongs and charcoal. When Qing Xia saw these items and asked what they were for, the young master replied very gently that if they caught game on the road, they could have outdoor barbecues. This left all the court generals speechless, unsure whether this was war or a spring outing. The northern territories lacked vegetables, so their family actually brought a full cart of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with two Jin family cooks following all the way to attend to Young Master Jin’s meals.

Those who understood knew this Young Master Jin was the quartermaster for this northern alliance expedition. Those who didn’t might think a Chu princess was going to marry beyond the frontier, and Governor Xia was leading a wedding escort.

However, Qing Xia didn’t stop him. This journey was never intended to be secret anyway. Since that was the case, the grander the spectacle the better—ideally letting all kingdoms know that Southern Chu had an incompetent southeastern governor who brought twenty carriages to meet with the Xiongnu, truly not knowing the meaning of death.

Qing Xia unceremoniously drank Jin Shaohuang’s tea and ate his pastries without the slightest discomfort. Fortunately, Jin Shaohuang was also a magnanimous person. After eating and drinking his fill, this idle quartermaster slowly stood up, shook his wrists, and said with a leisurely expression, “Fine wine pairs with delicacies, fragrant tea flows with melody—after drinking tea, one should naturally play a tune.”

With that, he lifted the blue cloth from the guqin, sat properly behind it, and with a pluck of his fingers, produced a string of beautiful notes.

Qing Xia turned to glance at him, seeing this man with his jade-like face and sword-like eyebrows, his entire being radiating the refined elegance that came from a life of luxury and privilege. This person’s airs and level of enjoyment probably exceeded even Chu Li, the ruler of a nation.

Thinking of this, Qing Xia couldn’t help but feel somewhat dispirited. Though Chu Li was ruler of a nation, what had he truly enjoyed? Emperor, emperor—whose realm was he really supporting? For whose people was he working?

Qing Xia stood up, paying no attention to Jin Shaohuang playing his melodious tune behind her, and walked straight out. As the tent flap opened, her view filled entirely with the lush green grassland. Returning here once again, Qing Xia couldn’t help but feel somewhat warm. She dismissed the guards, leaving only Song Yang following far behind.

Though Baishi Mountain was called a mountain, it was actually just a few stacked stones, barely twice a person’s height. But on the boundless flat grassland, it appeared quite prominent.

In front of Baishi Mountain was a azure lake—not very large, but it made the surrounding grass extremely lush. Qing Xia knew that people had originally lived here. Because of her arrival, the local people had moved away. Perhaps after she left, they would return.

The wind on the grassland was strong, making Qing Xia’s long robe flutter wildly, her long hair moving with the wind like fine silk. The setting sun blazed like fire, dyeing half the sky red. The distant grass also seemed to be on fire. Qing Xia’s gaze was distant, looking toward the horizon as if a vigorous figure might leap out from under that line at any moment—someone who would ride a war horse, racing like lightning, possessing sharp eyes and a proud countenance.

This was not her first time setting foot here.

Eight years ago, she had waited here for Yang Feng, staying for two years. Three years ago, she had wandered here for seven months, searching for Qin Zhiyan’s whereabouts. Now, she had brought thousands of troops to plot deadly schemes with the frontier Xiongnu, all to find that willful and stubborn man.

Her entire life seemed to be spent waiting and searching—for this person, for that person—never once living earnestly and well for herself.

But what kind of life was truly happiness? Some found bliss in peaceful rural life, some in high position and great power, some in children and grandchildren filling the halls, some in wealth rivaling nations. Still others would only feel happy ruling the world, conquering the four seas, unifying the continent. Yet some people had only one wish—to see just one person. If only that could be realized, that would be their happiness.

What path to take—how could others control that? When fate manipulates you, how do you know it’s not your own character that predetermined today’s outcome?

Spring flowers and autumn moon, west wind and lean horse—these things that sages saw as passing clouds were ultimately the mortal tribulations that worldly people couldn’t see through, couldn’t escape.

“Lord Xia, what fine spirits you have!”

Without turning around, Qing Xia knew who had come. She laughed softly and said, “My spirits have never been as good as yours.”

Jin Shaohuang smiled as he approached, his clothing trailing fragrance. Unlike Yan Hui’s rich floral powder scents, Jin Shaohuang used only the finest orchid fragrances—distinctive in scent yet not overpowering.