The rattling sound of the prison cart continued endlessly on the road, passing military camps and villages.

The common people’s reactions to the prison cart were clearly far more complex than those of the army personally commanded by Di Yiwei.

Some were angry, some surprised, some rushed to spread the news, others surrounded the prison cart pointing and whispering.

This was shocking news that also exposed the flesh of a woman once revered like a deity. A general’s treason, a woman disguised as a man, betrayal by trusted allies, naked public humiliation… each item alone was enough to keep those idle rascals sleepless day and night, fighting spirit high, excited enough to keep their lips flapping non-stop, spraying endless saliva. Not to mention when all these excitement-inducing elements combined together, the effect was no less than dropping clusters of gunpowder bombs into those quiet little villages.

Countless idle men—petty thieves caught by the army, troublemakers driven away by the army, local bullies punished on Di Yiwei’s orders, wife-beaters and servant-abusers taught lessons by Di Yiwei’s people… batch after batch swarmed like flies to filth, drawn by the scent.

They ran around the prison cart, tore off the coverings hanging on the cart, reached in to pull at her cloak, tried to touch her, even encouraged ignorant children to throw stones into the cart.

Being able to humiliate a female general they weren’t even worthy to kneel before in the past made them feel as if they had suddenly grown tall, become powerful, been gilded all over, found their life’s value and achievement. A hand that had touched the female general could be worshipped, becoming inexhaustible bragging material for tea-time chatter for the rest of their lives.

The women displayed an entirely different attitude. They remained silent, heads lowered. The bold ones pulled their men away, the timid ones covered their children’s eyes, their downcast faces showing tears in the corners of their eyes, tears that held back countless emotions they were accustomed to enduring.

Di Yiwei remained calm throughout, whether facing sorrowful angry cries or mocking curses.

Anyone could see this wasn’t feigned composure—she truly didn’t care.

In this world that was harsh and merciless toward women, those without strong enough hearts couldn’t survive to the present.

She was like towering mountains and flowing rivers, unbreakable yet vast and profound.

Her flesh might be exposed, but it couldn’t wound her noble soul.

Later, even the escorting soldiers began to feel respect and compassion.

They were all troops transferred from other provincial administrations, but they too had heard of Commander Di’s illustrious military achievements.

The scars covering her exposed body, deep and shallow, were iron proof of fierce battles on the battlefield.

Each one was a heavy whip striking the faces of the shameless.

On the surface, they remained stern and expressionless.

When an ignorant child threw over a basket of rotten vegetable leaves, a soldier happened to walk by and blocked the basket. His military boots crushed the basket as he walked past without expression.

The lead Xiao Family retainer glanced over, frowned, and walked over.

On this day, the prison cart arrived at Little Fence Village. This was a village Di Yiwei had visited with Tie Ci before. As soon as they entered the village, a man led a group of men to surround them completely, cracking melon seeds in their mouths and spitting the shells at Di Yiwei with all their might.

“Oh my, look! Commander Di! What a big shot!” The man at the front pointed at Di Yiwei with strange mockery. “How come you’re suddenly not wearing clothes? Where’s your old man’s opium pipe? Yo yo, what’s all this on your body? Scary!”

A bunch of men followed behind him, jeering.

An old woman nearby said, “Old Shen, don’t go too far. Every year when your family almost ran out of grain, it was the Commander who ordered people to deliver food to get you through. As a person, don’t forget your roots.”

“Bah!” Old Shen spat on the ground and patted his cheek. “She hit me, she hit me with her opium pipe. I’m still missing a tooth here!”

“Who told you to neglect everything and starve your wife!”

“It’s none of her business!” Old Shen glared. “Disciplining my own woman—who does that bother!”

The old woman was too lazy to argue with him and walked away leaning on her cane.

“The world has changed…” she muttered as she left.

The soldiers escorting the prison cart rested nearby. It was getting late, and they would spend the night in the village.

The three thousand troops naturally couldn’t all enter the village—most were camped in the wilderness outside. Along the way, there had been occasional confrontations when passing military camps, all stopped immediately by either Di Yiwei or the camp commanders. But passing through villages had always been uneventful—after all, the common people were unarmed, and no matter how indignant they felt, they didn’t dare oppose the army and court.

Moreover, the public humiliation parade would soon end, and they would turn onto the official road back to the capital. Everyone was somewhat relaxed, and the commanding officer only arranged for one hundred-man unit to stand guard.

That hundred-man unit also didn’t want to stand around a prison cart in this bitter cold, so they all found civilian houses to warm themselves by fires and enjoy the people’s hospitality.

Only two guards remained by the prison cart, wrapped in thick cotton coats, shivering.

Chi Xue stood up from behind a withered tree in the distance, her face expressionless.

From her back pack, she took out a small bow and two arrows. The arrows gleamed blue-green, clearly poisoned.

At her waist was tucked a dagger—an abyssal iron dagger that Tie Ci had given her for protection.

She estimated the distance, calculating how to quickly eliminate both men with two arrows.

She could shoot arrows—this was practiced in the martial grounds accompanying the Crown Princess—but she lacked great martial talent and couldn’t manage one bow, two arrows.

Unable to eliminate both guards at once would likely alert the hundred-man unit resting scattered in civilian houses, which would alert the three thousand troops camped in the wilderness outside.

Then, it would mean death.

But there was no more opportunity.

She had followed all along, never finding a good chance to strike. If she didn’t act tonight, tomorrow they would turn onto the official road, leaving even fewer opportunities.

Under the snowy sky, Chi Xue’s eyes were very calm.

The two guards were extremely bored, strolling around the prison cart, chatting about something unknown, their heads gradually drawing together.

This was the moment!

“Whoosh!”

The air trembled softly, accumulated snow fell rustling from withered branches. The small arrow precisely pierced one man’s throat and flew toward the other’s neck.

But that man happened to turn his head at that moment, stepping back.

He avoided the arrow’s point.

Chi Xue showed regret, her expression tightening as she nocked another arrow.

But she knew in her heart it was too late.

The man turned and saw the arrow protruding from his companion’s throat. Greatly alarmed, he stepped back again and opened his mouth to shout.

He didn’t realize he had backed close to the prison cart.

A pale, thin wrist suddenly reached out from a gap in the prison cart, lightning-fast, locking around his throat.

With a twist and snap of that hand, his head drooped limply.

Chi Xue showed no great surprise and immediately drew her dagger, quickly cutting through the chains with two strokes.

But at this moment, several heads suddenly appeared from behind a ruined wall.

There were actually hidden guards left near the prison cart!

Chi Xue was greatly alarmed, hurriedly helping Di Yiwei out while reaching for her bow with one hand.

But just then, with a series of whooshing sounds, several black shadows flashed by, and those men fell before they could fully emerge.

Only one among them, because he hadn’t completely straightened up, avoided that batch of killers. That man shouted, “There’s—”

Before he could finish, with a thud, a withered branch appeared in his throat, and he fell backward.

But this half-shout still alerted the soldiers in the village. Faintly, they could hear people from several households questioningly about to come out their front doors.

The prison cart was on a flat area in the village center, with half a windbreaking earth wall behind it, and wilderness beyond that. In winter the ground was barren, with no crops for cover. Looking in all four directions, there was no concealment.

No matter which way they fled, they couldn’t outrun the speed of that hundred-man pursuit.

Sweat appeared on Chi Xue’s forehead.

Suddenly her shoulder was pulled by someone.

Chi Xue spun around in alarm, her dagger already swinging out.

Di Yiwei grabbed her wrist forcefully. Chi Xue was frozen by that bone-deep cold, her movements pausing. Only then did she clearly see that behind her was actually a woman.

The woman was very thin and dry. She held a finger to her lips to shush them, then pulled both women behind the earth wall.

Behind the earth wall, a handcart had appeared at some unknown time, along with several other women—clearly village women.

The old woman who had spoken earlier came over quickly, with unusual agility for her age, swiftly crawled into the prison cart and closed the door.

Two women helped up the two collapsed soldiers and leaned them against the edge of the prison cart, heads drooping as if dozing. Then they pulled Chi Xue and Di Yiwei behind the earth wall.

Just as they hid behind the earth wall, several household doors opened and several soldiers poked their heads out. Seeing nothing unusual by the prison cart, they cursed angrily, “What’s all that howling in the middle of the night!”

The person in the prison cart coughed muffledly, while the soldiers outside didn’t lift their heads.

Chi Xue was worried that no response would expose their deception when suddenly a soldier stood up in the wilderness and waved his hand.

Seeing this, the soldiers who had opened their doors cursed again. Unwilling to stay exposed too long in the cold air, they turned and slammed their courtyard doors shut.

Chi Xue looked back toward the wilderness and saw that soldier fall straight down again.

Someone was helping her.

This wasn’t the time to ask who. She nodded in acknowledgment and saw the group of women busily loading Di Yiwei onto the handcart.

Di Yiwei, having spent days in the prison cart suffering from cold, eating irregularly, with old wounds already reopened, was too weak to even climb onto the handcart.

She didn’t say she didn’t want everyone to risk saving her.

Because she knew it would be useless to say so.

Chi Xue wondered where they were going. Pushing someone away on a handcart wouldn’t get them far.

Her original plan had been to find a place to hide after rescuing Di Yiwei, using what skills she had to protect them both, waiting until the army stopped searching and left before escaping.

After all, trying to escape the encirclement of three thousand troops while carrying the seriously ill Di Yiwei was pure fantasy.

If they couldn’t succeed, Chi Xue had thought it through—Di Yiwei would certainly prefer to die free and with dignity.

And she was willing to die with her.

She just felt somewhat sorry to the Crown Princess.

But the Crown Princess would understand her.

Seeing the thin woman pushing the handcart piled with dry grass, about to move out from behind the earth wall, she was alarmed and hurried to stop her.

The thin woman patted her hand, her eyes gentle, saying softly, “It’s alright, come with me.”

Chi Xue gazed at her face.

This was the face of an ordinary village woman—thin and dry, completely bloodless, skin showing the dark yellow of long-term hunger, with faint scars still visible on her face.

Yet her eyes were clear and her expression peaceful, with a reassuring strength.

If Tie Ci were here, she would recognize who this was.

She would remember when she first followed Di Yiwei to this small village, initially seeing in a broken house a woman so ill from hunger she was almost dying.

She would be amazed to discover that all the patience and timidity that once showed on that woman’s face had vanished.

Though Chi Xue didn’t recognize her, she immediately calmed down and stepped back to make way.

The handcart rolled out with a rumble.

The thin woman pulled from the front, Chi Xue pushed from behind. To disguise her identity, she had long since changed into ordinary Yong Ping farm woman’s clothing.

The other women quickly returned to their own houses.

The handcart traveled through the quiet village in the deep night. When passing a relatively well-maintained courtyard, the door suddenly opened.

An old man stood behind the door, smoking inferior tobacco, glancing at the handcart.

Chi Xue’s blade slowly slid out from her sleeve.

The old man asked the thin woman, “Old Shen’s wife, getting dry grass?”

Old Shen’s wife answered calmly, “Yes, Uncle Village Head, getting some dry grass to feed the pig.”

The village head stood in the doorway without moving, puffing on his pipe.

The dry grass stirred.

Old Shen’s wife reached out and patted the cart shaft.

Wisps of smoke swirled and condensed in the cold winter night air, forming a large question mark.

The village head’s voice sounded somewhat hoarse, “In the middle of the night, must you feed the pig?”

Old Shen’s wife said, “Yes.”

Both voices were drawn out long, slow and unhurried.

After a while longer, the village head said, “Well, be careful then.”

Old Shen’s wife calmly agreed.

The village head’s courtyard door slowly closed, the old man’s footsteps scraping on the ground as they faded away.

Old Shen’s wife continued pulling the handcart.

Her home wasn’t far from the village head’s—just around a corner. When she entered, Old Shen was drinking inferior liquor, the choking smell filling the room.

The woman silently pulled the handcart toward the pig pen.

Chi Xue glanced and saw there were no pigs in the pen at all.

Poor villagers who couldn’t even feed themselves—how could they afford to raise pigs?

From inside the house, Old Shen suddenly smashed his wine jar, drunkenly cursing, “Where the hell did you go in the middle of the night! Hurry up and fry me some food to go with my drink!”

Old Shen’s wife helped Di Yiwei down while lifting an inconspicuous cover in the corner of the pig pen.

Hearing Old Shen’s shouting, she said, “What food is there to fry? The last egg that was meant to nourish the child—you cracked it open and drank it yesterday.”

“I work hard for this family, what’s wrong with eating an egg? Who gave you the right to nag?” Old Shen cursed and came out carrying his broken wine jar. “What are you fussing with? Hurry up and boil water, I’m thirsty.”

As he spoke, he approached, “What are you sneaking around doing?”

Chi Xue’s dagger reached her palm again, but she hesitantly glanced at Old Shen’s wife.

Killing her husband in front of her—what if it caused a commotion?

She was starting to regret this.

This Old Shen was one of the worst ruffians who had insulted the Commander earlier. If she had known they were coming to his house, she shouldn’t have followed.

But Old Shen suddenly seemed to sense something, rushing over in two or three steps and sticking his head into the pig pen to look. “…Don’t tell me you’re hiding some wild man!”

He saw Di Yiwei at a glance.

He froze for a moment, then opened his mouth to shout.

Chi Xue, hidden in the shadows, covered his mouth with one hand.

She prepared to knock him unconscious, but saw Old Shen’s wife quickly approaching.

Old Shen mumbled curses into Chi Xue’s palm: “You stupid fool… crazy… you’ll get me killed… quickly…”

Old Shen’s wife brought out her hand from behind her back—holding a broken ceramic basin.

She raised it and with a bang, heavily struck Old Shen’s head with the basin.

Chi Xue: “…”

Old Shen’s eyes rolled back and his body went limp.

Old Shen’s wife pulled out straw rope from the corner and tied him up thoroughly, gagging his mouth too.

Chi Xue gave her a thumbs up, picked up Old Shen, and tossed him into the house.

A chuckling sound came—Di Yiwei finally spoke, laughing, “You’ve been bullied by him for decades. I thought you’d never be able to strike back in your lifetime.”

Old Shen’s wife said, “Served him right.”

Di Yiwei chuckled again while coughing.

Old Shen’s wife sighed, lifted the cover in the corner, stuffed her inside, then pressed something into Chi Xue’s hands before having her enter too.

Chi Xue felt it—a small bundle containing hard dry buns, a jar of liquid, and a cooked egg.

Going down below, the muddy earthy smell hit her face. The tunnel was pitch black, uneven in height, with soft soil. By feel, it was newly dug.

She was somewhat puzzled, thinking—don’t all the families here have root cellars? This doesn’t seem like a root cellar. Why not use the root cellar? And what use is hiding here?

With a “scratch,” Old Shen’s wife lit a pine torch, illuminating the area. Indeed, it was a very narrow, newly dug tunnel.

Old Shen’s wife pointed ahead, then made a knocking gesture—three light, one heavy. She then blew out the light.

Chi Xue heard her going up, the cover closing, and some sounds of shoveling soil, presumably disguising the entrance.

But she didn’t think such a crude entrance could escape a search.

Well, since she was here, she might as well make the best of it. The Commander couldn’t immediately begin fleeing anyway.

She helped Di Yiwei, wrapped in her cloak, sit down, lit her own tinder, and peeled the egg for her to eat.

The jar actually contained rice soup, still warm. To have a bowl of rice soup to drink at this time made Chi Xue very happy.

Rice soup was the most nourishing.

She understood some medicine and checked Di Yiwei’s pulse, frowning imperceptibly, though she smiled and said, “Still good, still good. No fundamental damage. Just rest a while.”

Di Yiwei peeled half the egg and gave it to her. Chi Xue pushed it back, “I don’t lack for food.”

She fed Di Yiwei the rice soup. Di Yiwei, wrapped in her cloak, lay comfortably, stretching her legs out long, sighing, “Comfortable… If I could have a smoke, I’d be willing to die right now.”

Chi Xue said helplessly, “You couldn’t resist when the village head was smoking earlier, could you?”

“That’s right,” Di Yiwei said without shame. “If I hadn’t smelled that scent, it would have been fine, but smelling it, I felt like ants were crawling all over my body, about to crawl into my heart. I nearly died.”

Chi Xue sighed and said, “This isn’t a good thing.”

Di Yiwei laughed once without speaking.

Chi Xue didn’t say more. How clear-headed Di Yiwei was! This was her choice—others had no right to interfere.

“When we get out, I’ll find you tobacco to smoke. I’ve seen a type of opium paste, pure white throughout, very soft to smoke but with long-lasting effects.”

In the darkness, Di Yiwei’s eyes brightened. “Good. Remember to find me plenty.”

Chi Xue hummed in agreement.

Suddenly knocking sounds came from somewhere. Following the sound forward, she discovered it came from the top of the tunnel, in the direction Old Shen’s wife had pointed.

Three light, one heavy.

She pushed against that wall.

Soil crumbled down, revealing a crude bamboo door. The door opened, and a woman stood behind it.

The woman looked vaguely familiar—one of the group who had helped with the cover earlier.

She smiled at Chi Xue, lifting the water bottle and quilt in her hands. “I came to bring you things.”

Chi Xue asked, “This is…”

“Through this passage you can reach my house,” the woman said. “If someone discovers this place and comes down to search, take the Commander through here to my house.”

“If…”

“If my house’s tunnel also encounters a search, you can go from my house to Old Lady Li’s,” the woman said. “All the village women started digging tunnels after hearing about the Commander’s situation. None used their own root cellars—some made separate entrances, others dug from their cellars. We’ve been digging for half a month, connecting all the houses underground. We’re not afraid of searches. When they search one house, we go to another, playing hide-and-seek underground. Our tunnels are still being extended—we’re digging a distant exit. When the time comes, you’ll be able to get out.”

She handed the bedding to Chi Xue, smiling. “Still the same signal—when we come to bring you things, we’ll knock three light, one heavy first. Remember that.”

Chi Xue took the bedding. It was heavy and warm because there was also a hot water bottle inside.

By the remaining light of the tinder, she saw the woman’s hands—densely covered with faint scars, blisters from rubbing raw and frostbite, new ones layered over old ones, layer upon layer.

Touching those hands would be like being scraped by rough tree roots.

These were the marks left from working day and night with shovels and spades, rushing to dig the tunnels.

The woman smiled cheerfully at Chi Xue, hefted her small shovel, and hurried away. Their task wasn’t finished—they had to use their own hands to dig out a path to life for the Commander.

Chi Xue stood for a long time in the dimly lit tunnel, gazing at her thin retreating figure, blinking once.

Tears fell.

…

Author’s Note: The women mentioned here who rescue Di Yiwei—I planted foreshadowing for them earlier. I wonder if everyone still remembers.