“Of course, anyone who feels I am not to be trusted may leave now,” Xie Yuzhang said. “My country has already fallen, and I dare not claim the title of Princess any longer. Whoever wishes to seek their own way, Baohua will not stand in their way.”

Wang Zhong drew his blade with a great ringing sound and bellowed, “Anyone who wants to leave — get out now!”

With a cascade of metal scraping against metal, the guards at Xie Yuzhang’s side drew their blades one after another and glared out at the crowd with fierce eyes.

In these nearly five years, the ones who had bonded most closely with Xie Yuzhang were the guards. From Wang Zhong on down, they could all follow her commands with absolute obedience.

And lone wolves do not survive. More than the civilians, these men — who had come from the infantry ranks and been tempered by the fires of battle on the steppe — knew the importance of sticking together.

With these men pointing gleaming blades at them, even if someone harbored some thought in their heart, who would dare voice it? And what is more, at this moment, besides following Princess Baohua, no one could think of any better path forward.

When they thought it over carefully, following the Princess… hadn’t they always gotten on fairly well?

That hollow, aching emptiness in their hearts just a moment ago somehow filled again, settling back into solidity.

The scholar who had just been sitting on the ground wailing about their lost nation climbed to his feet, wiped his face on his sleeve, patted his hair back into place, straightened his robes, and said in a hoarse voice, “Her Highness speaks with great wisdom! This humble subject was in the wrong!”

He called out loudly, “Her Highness carries the blood of Da Zhao’s imperial family — she is our sovereign. Wherever Her Highness is, this humble subject will follow!”

Someone led the call: “We are willing to follow Her Highness!”

The cry rapidly became thunderous, and a great wave of people knelt.

The scattered, unraveling hearts of the people were steadied once more.

Having dismissed the crowd, Xie Yuzhang brought her most trusted inner circle back to her main tent.

They were all still immersed in the Princess’s words from just moments before, feeling that though the Princess’s figure was slender, she gave a sense of being “reliable” that was difficult to put into words.

The heightened emotions carried into the tent, and everyone felt they ought to say something to show their loyalty. But before anyone could open their mouths, Xie Yuzhang walked to the seat of honor, turned, and sat — and her very first words were: “Does everyone want to return to Yunjing?”

Everyone was briefly stunned.

Yunjing…

Ah, Yunjing.

Those tall, imposing city walls. Shops packed together in rows. Broad streets filled with flowing crowds.

Old Madam Ma’s meat pies. The cold noodles at the Zhang family stall. In summer, one simply had to go drink a cup of chilled sweet water. And then wandering through Yunjing’s night market, that seemed to stay open until dawn, until halfway to midnight.

The lanterns of those night markets still lived in their memories, yet had blurred into a haze.

Many people’s eyes grew moist.

Xie Yuzhang looked into every person’s eyes, and she understood. She nodded. “Everyone wants to go back.”

How could they not want to go back?

Yet the Princess had just delivered such a stirring, rousing speech outside — who could bring themselves at this moment to say “I want to go back to Yunjing” and deflate her? Everyone lowered their heads slightly, avoiding Xie Yuzhang’s gaze.

Even Yuan Yu, seeing this, gave a faint sigh.

But then the Princess’s voice rang unexpectedly in everyone’s ears.

Xie Yuzhang said, “I want to go back to Yunjing.”

Everyone raised their heads in astonishment.

Xie Yuzhang’s expression was grave and composed. “No — I misspoke. Not ‘want to go back.’ I am going back to Yunjing.”

“These words cannot be said to too many people. Too many mouths bring too many leaks, and it would inevitably reach the Khan’s ears,” Xie Yuzhang said. “So I will only say this to you. Everyone here has proven themselves trustworthy to one another over these four-plus years. Since that is so, I will tell you everything plainly.”

“I came here as a peace offering for Zhao to secure peace along the northern border, to keep war from breaking out. Now that Da Zhao has fallen, this peace offering has lost its meaning.”

“Zhao may have perished, but we are still Central Plains people through and through. We ought to return to the Central Plains. What are we doing, living this sort of life out here?”

“But, but…” someone could not help saying.

Xie Yuzhang looked over — it was Zhao Sheng. Zhao Sheng summoned his courage and said, “Given Your Highness’s circumstances, how could you go back?”

Word was that the imperial family in the capital had all been placed under house arrest.

Xie Yuzhang paused, then suddenly understood, and asked, “Do you not know who it was that took Yunjing?”

Yuan Yu said, “We had not yet had time to find out. The moment the news arrived people started causing a commotion, and someone rushed to fetch Your Highness. We only caught something about — the Hexi Army?”

“I see,” Xie Yuzhang said. “Then let me give you the exact news. That is correct — it was the Hexi Army.”

Wang Zhong, who had always been blunt-spoken and not good with words, suddenly spoke up.

He raised his head, his gaze burning bright, and asked, “Hexi — it is the General who speaks for it now, isn’t it!”

The General?

With no surname attached, addressed simply as “the General,” there was only one person that could mean in the hearts of Xie Yuzhang’s most trusted circle.

Hexi’s Li Shiyi Lang — Li Gu!

Everyone went quiet for a moment, then suddenly understood how the Zhao Princess Xie Yuzhang dared to calmly speak of “going back” even after the fall of her country.

It had been more than four years ago now, but the mention of General Li brought to everyone’s mind that image of the young man who had ridden at a measured, unhurried pace, keeping his horse always alongside the Princess’s jade-canopied carriage.

Whenever the Princess showed her face, the young General’s gaze had been unable to move away.

For the sake of the Princess, when all others had flinched and drawn back, he had stepped forward and placed himself before the old Khan.

For the sake of the Princess, on a snowy night, he had beaten the man then still called Wang Shitou — now Wang Zhong — soundly.

When the escort party departed, he had walked at the very back, and the last thing his final glance fell upon was not anyone else — it was the Princess.

Just a short while ago, even as they stood at the settlement, their hearts had swelled with a sense of solemn, mournful resolve. Instinctively they had felt themselves to be Zhao people — and with Zhao gone, Yunjing was beyond their reach.

Now, that assumption — which had formed so naturally — was overturned entirely by Xie Yuzhang in an instant!

After a brief moment of emotional confusion, everyone looked at one another, and they each saw in the other’s eyes a light that burned hot and bright.

Li Yong, overcome with excitement, asked, “Your Highness — can we truly go back to Yunjing?”

Xie Yuzhang said, “If you go to the Khan and say it in those terms, then certainly you will not.”

Li Yong was taken aback.

Xie Yuzhang said, “That is why today I have been fully open with you — so that you all know where things stand. From this point forward, everything we do will have ‘returning to Yunjing’ as our ultimate goal. This requires all of you and me to move in perfect coordination. Do you understand?”

“Understood!” Wang Zhong said loudly. “This soldier understands!”

Everyone answered in unison: “Understood!”

The emotions of that day were truly beyond description.

One moment, there was the grief of a fallen nation. The next, an unexpected joy.

Wang Zhong lay awake that night, unable to sleep, and of course Wanxiu could not sleep either. The couple both lay staring up at the ceiling of the tent, neither saying a word.

After a long while, Wanxiu asked, “It is really the General?”

Wang Zhong said, “How could it be false? The Princess said so herself.”

They went on staring up at the ceiling.

“So — the General is going to become Emperor?” Wanxiu asked again.

Wang Zhong was silent for a long time before he finally said, “…Like something out of a dream.”

In another yurt, Li Yong and Yue Xiang were also sleepless, equally staring up at the ceiling.

“I never would have imagined it even in a dream — the General is actually going to become Emperor,” Yue Xiang murmured.

Li Yong said, “Tell me that story again from back then.”

“Well — one slap, and Wanxiu was knocked flat on the ground. I was scared stiff,” Yue Xiang recalled. “I watched helplessly as the old Khan walked toward the inner chamber to find the Princess, and then in an instant someone appeared inside. I didn’t know who it was at first — I just saw that person grab the old Khan’s shoulder from behind and yank him back. Goodness, the old Khan was such a big man, and he went straight down to the ground. Then that person turned around, rested his hand on his blade, and stood blocking the inner chamber doorway…”

Yue Xiang said, “That is why, from that moment on, I decided that one day I would marry a man who can use a blade.”

Li Yong was suddenly overcome with jealousy and said sourly, “Deep down, the person you actually wanted to marry was the General, wasn’t it?!”

“What?! No!” Yue Xiang was first confused, then indignant. She kicked him under the covers, “What are you talking about?!”

She kicked him several times with no response. She squinted over to look, and found Li Yong staring blankly.

Yue Xiang was frightened, and shook him. “Husband, what is wrong? Husband?!”

Li Yong seemed to snap awake as though shaken out of a stupor, and suddenly threw off the covers to look for his clothes.

“What are you doing?” Yue Xiang asked, uneasy.

“I just remembered something!” Li Yong said, hastily pulling on his clothes. “I need to find Shitou!”

Wang Zhong had finally settled his emotions somewhat, just closing his eyes to sleep, when there came a knocking at the door of his yurt.

Wanxiu gave a fright. “Who is it?”

Wang Zhong pressed her back down. “Don’t move.”

He pulled on his trousers, threw on his coat, felt for his blade, and went to the door. “Who’s there?”

Outside, a familiar voice: “Me.”

Wang Zhong relaxed, opened the door, and sure enough it was Li Yong standing outside.

In the moonlight, Li Yong’s gaze was dark and unsettling.

“What is it?” Wang Zhong asked.

Li Yong said, “There are things I have to say or they’ll choke me.”

Wang Zhong was a little baffled. “What things do you have to say in the middle of the night? Go ahead then.”

Li Yong said, “You’ve had a block of elm wood for a head since you were a child — dim and dopey. Your uncle and aunt named you Shitou and they were absolutely right. You are a complete fool! A dumb ox! A stubborn mule!”

Wang Zhong was silent for a long time, then said in disbelief, “You came all the way here in the middle of the night just to insult me?” He dropped his blade and rolled up his sleeves, ready to beat someone.

Li Yong said, “I’m calling you a fool because you are one! You still haven’t figured it out yet, have you?!”

Wang Zhong paused mid-sleeve-roll, bewildered. “Figured out what?”

Li Yong stared at him for a long moment, confirmed he genuinely had not figured it out, and finally told him: “You idiot — if the General becomes Emperor, your name was given to you by the Emperor himself! Good grief!”

He let out one last oath, venting all his envy, then turned on his heel and went home to sleep.

Wang Zhong stood there, sleeves rolled up, mouth open, eyes fixed in a blank stare…

Wuwei also heard the news, and came that very night to Xie Yuzhang’s tent to comfort her.

Xie Yuzhang first shed some tears, then said, “I am not afraid. I am the wife of the Khan of Mobei — what is there for me to fear?”

Wuwei was just like his father in his fondness for hearing such words. In truth, Xie Yuzhang felt that probably all men liked hearing such things. Words like these made them feel they had not yet grown old, or that they were very powerful.

Once you found the way to manage a man, she had come to feel, he was really quite simple.

The New Year of the Khanate passed. On the occasion of Xie Yuzhang’s nineteenth birthday, Wuwei won a battle that was at least fairly impressive, annihilating a mid-sized tribe.

He brought back many spoils of war and slaves, and it happening to coincide with Xie Yuzhang’s birthday, he declared with sweeping magnanimity that this victory was his gift to her.

Of course, gold, silver, pearls, and gemstones were also carried into Xie Yuzhang’s tent in considerable quantities.

Xie Yuzhang tossed those gemstones onto the bed and played with them like marbles.

Wuwei kissed her snow-white neck and laughed with a sigh, “You are the most extravagant person on the entire steppe.”

“Is that not allowed?” Xie Yuzhang asked. “In the palace before, this is how I used to play.”

“Of course it is allowed,” the Khan of Mobei said. “Play with them as you like, and tomorrow I will send you even more!”

Xie Yuzhang laughed with delight, and she and Wuwei tumbled together, enjoying the warmth of a man’s strong embrace.

In their shared pleasure, Wuwei bit her earlobe and called her name, “Baohua! Baohua!”

He said, “You are the woman I love most.”

The men of the steppe were forthright and passionate. Words like “love” and “not love” — words that Central Plains men would never allow to pass their lips — they could speak aloud without blinking.

Xie Yuzhang ran her fingers through his hair and smiled at him.

This was the man she had loved in her past life. In this life, he was even more infatuated with her, even more devoted to her.

Two lifetimes as husband and wife — even if they were destined to part in the end, still… please, not that kind of ending again.

Would fate grant them this chance?

In the year Xie Yuzhang was nearing twenty, Wuwei’s confidence swelled, and one day he at last told her: “Baohua, I intend to defeat Chuluo Khan.”

“He was once my father’s defeated enemy, yet now he stirs restlessly along the northern border.”

“I will make him my defeated enemy, and one day I will be revered by all as the Heavenly Khan, just as my father was.”

Xie Yuzhang’s pupils contracted slightly.

This day had come — even sooner than she had anticipated.