The dark mass of troops parted like a tide, revealing a great road. Chu Li’s black robes billowed and fluttered as he strode with firm resolve into his kingdom, carrying Qing Xia in his embrace.
Qin Zhiye’s eyes were gloomy, his gaze seeming ready to breathe fire. In the distance, he could only watch as the Southern Chu army gradually departed, seeing that woman who repeatedly ruined his plans departing with such swagger. His expression was dark as an approaching storm.
“Your Highness! Your Highness!” A guard suddenly rushed out from the city with a panicked expression, shouting loudly: “Terrible news!”
Qin Zhiye flew into a rage, venting all his fury on this unlucky personal guard who couldn’t read the situation. He turned and kicked the soldier in the stomach, roaring angrily: “What’s got you so panicked? If you dare be this flustered again, watch your head!”
“Yes, yes,” the soldier immediately kowtowed: “Prince Xuan’s manor just hung gold-rewarded proclamations at the market gates, saying that Princess Minrui personally wrote Prince Three’s funeral biography. They boldly claimed that anyone who could find a single inaccuracy would be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold. The people have already snatched them all up.”
“Funeral biography?” Qin Zhiye frowned, saying in a deep voice: “Where are the documents?”
The soldier was stunned, then said with terror: “When this lowly one arrived, they were already gone.”
“Fool!” Qin Zhiye raged: “Immediately search house by house. Issue an edict—any household found harboring these documents will have their entire family executed without exception!”
“Yes, yes, this lowly one understands.”
Qin Zhiye looked in the direction where Chu Li and the others had departed, his gaze pitch black. His previously composed expression had vanished completely. Like a crazed beast, his eyes were dark as he said word by word in a cold voice: “Zhuang—Qing—Xia!”
In the luxurious tent, a table full of dishes was arranged magnificently. Qing Xia sat on one side, looking at Chu Li who had remained silent since entering, finally nodding and saying in a deep voice: “Chu Li, thank you for coming to save me.”
Chu Li’s gaze was lowered, not speaking for a long time. Seeing this, Qing Xia had to speak again: “Without you, I might already be dead at Qin Zhiye’s hands. But I cannot stay here now. In two more hours, Zhiyan will be taken to Zhengyang Square for execution. I must return.”
Hearing this, Chu Li slowly raised his head, his eyes slightly narrowed, saying indifferently: “If you return, what are the chances you can save him?”
Qing Xia shook her head, her voice somewhat low: “Not even one percent.”
“And you still want to go?”
“I must go. Even knowing it’s a death trap, I must go.” Qing Xia looked at Chu Li, pressing her lips into a bitter smile: “Just like you—you clearly knew it was impossible to wage war against Great Qin at this time, yet you still came.”
Chu Li slowly raised his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath: “Forget it. I knew long ago I couldn’t persuade you. Go then.”
Qing Xia stood up, reached out her hand across the long table, and slowly grasped Chu Li’s hand. Her eyes slightly reddened as she said in a deep voice: “Chu Li, thank you.”
Chu Li remained indifferent with his eyes closed, showing no reaction. Qing Xia’s heart ached as if a string had snapped. She pushed back her chair and turned to leave, but just as she took a step, a cold hand suddenly grasped her wrist from behind. Chu Li’s low voice, tinged with pain, sounded behind her—hoarse and filled with indescribable weariness.
“Stay.”
Qing Xia’s spine immediately stiffened, her eyes growing even redder. She struggled slightly, trying to break free from his restraint, but that man’s hand gripped so tightly, as if concentrating all his strength there, holding tight and refusing to let go.
“If you go, it’s the same as going to your death!”
“I know,” the woman’s voice was soft, carrying a trace of desolation and sadness, yet still so firm without a hint of wavering: “But going doesn’t guarantee hope, while not going guarantees no hope at all. No matter what, I must try.”
“I won’t go to save you again,” Chu Li’s voice was weary and low, with invisible undercurrents surging layer upon layer within: “I also don’t have the ability to storm into Xianyang to rescue you. You need to know this.”
“I understand everything,” like a massive boulder weighing on Qing Xia’s heart, she suddenly turned around, looking at Chu Li with gratitude: “You should leave. I don’t want to harm you. The capital is ten thousand li away—it’s impossible to make a round trip in seven days. Your so-called five hundred thousand troops are merely garrison forces transferred from the border—old, weak women and children with no combat ability, totaling no more than a hundred thousand. This is why you chose to arrive in the morning mist, and why you could approach Xianyang undetected. You dispersed all your troops, breaking them into small groups mixed among the drought refugees. I can guess all of this.”
Qing Xia’s eyes were red-rimmed, tears pooling in her eyes, her body almost trembling slightly. She frowned, her purple robes appearing oversized, making her seem even more gaunt.
“Chu Li, are you mad? Once discovered, you’ll die without a burial place. You’ve worked so hard for so many years, planned for so many years, finally reaching today’s position—how can you be so reckless? How can you treat your own life so carelessly?”
Chu Li’s brow was tightly knitted as he said in a deep voice: “Qing Xia…”
“I am not Zhuang Qingxia!” Qing Xia suddenly shouted angrily, tears instantly streaming down her cheeks: “I didn’t share hardships with you in Eastern Qi, I’m not your benefactor’s child, I didn’t grow up with you as childhood sweethearts, you don’t owe me anything, haven’t wronged me, and I was never married into the Chu palace. I am a wandering ghost. I was betrayed, assassinated, beheaded—I died, and somehow attached myself to Zhuang Qingxia’s body, leading to everything that followed. You and I met by chance like duckweed on water—why do you sacrifice so much for me? I’m not worth it!”
“I’ve known all along.” Chu Li suddenly said quietly, his voice not loud but easily overwhelming Qing Xia’s: “I’ve known all along.”
“You’re not her, but in the dense forest outside the capital, on the sandy drought lands of Nanjiang, at White Deer Plain, in Penglai Valley, in the Chu palace, in the Nanjiang military camp—the one by my side was always you!”
“So what?” Qing Xia’s tears suddenly fell, streaming like a spring: “We’ve already missed our chance. Don’t you see? I abandoned you, I don’t like you, I never loved you, I’m going to marry Qin Zhiyan, he’s the one I love—why sacrifice everything for me!”
“If you truly had no feelings for me, why are you so desperately trying to drive me away now?” Chu Li suddenly raised his eyebrows angrily: “If you truly love him, you should be begging me now—begging me to burn bridges and fight with our backs to the wall, perhaps buying time for Qin Zhixiang’s reinforcements to arrive.”
Qing Xia’s spine straightened, tears streaming down, yet she said firmly: “I don’t want to owe you. I can’t repay it!”
“Chu Li, why don’t you understand?” Qing Xia looked at him sadly, her gaze serene yet desolate: “You are the Great Emperor of Southern Chu, young and accomplished with high position and great power. The entire world is at your fingertips, countless women are waiting for you—why torment yourself for my sake?”
Chu Li smiled bitterly, slowly saying: “There may be ten thousand women in the world, but what do they have to do with me?”
“Chu Li…”
“Qing Xia, I’ll say this one last time. Qin Zhixiang’s army is currently at Suodu Source. General Xiao Ting of Baihui has engaged him in fierce battle—there’s no way he can spare forces to relieve Xianyang’s crisis. Lu Huayang left the naval headquarters half a month ago, presumably falling for Qin Zhiye’s diversionary tactic. The entire Southeast Navy is now under Qin Zhiye’s control. Even if Lu Huayang isn’t dead, his arrival would be useless. Now Qin Zhiye controls the emperor to command the feudal lords, garrison troops everywhere are watching and waiting. With northern barbarians as his backing, his support is very solid. Your attempt to clash with him head-on is like throwing an egg against a rock. Rising with the tide and stepping on those who fall is the way of survival, especially when ministers friendly to Prince Xuan have all been arrested. Your chances of turning things around are harder than ascending to heaven. Xichuan has feared Qin Zhiyan for years—given Yan Hui’s character, he’ll definitely kick someone when they’re down. If not for Qi’an’s restraint, I couldn’t have come to Xianyang so smoothly. The current situation is as dangerous as possible. Unless Qin Zhiyan had his own arrangements and strategies in advance, there’s absolutely no chance of survival. You need to think clearly. ‘Keep the green hills and don’t worry about lacking firewood’—will you burn bridges and sacrifice yourself too, or wait for the right moment to avenge him? You must think this through.”
Qing Xia nodded, saying in a deep voice: “I’ve thought it through completely. If he dies, whether I avenge him or not becomes meaningless. Chu Li, thank you for risking your life to come today. If I’m fortunate enough to survive this great calamity, I will surely repay you someday. Time is running short—I’m leaving.”
Qing Xia turned to leave, but Chu Li’s hand still gripped her wrist. She bit her lower lip, slowly raised her other hand, and forcefully pried open Chu Li’s fingers one by one, so forcefully, until finally, she broke free from his hand and started toward the tent exit.
“Qing Xia!”
The low voice suddenly sounded behind her. Chu Li took a deep breath, saying in a deep voice: “If today, the person in Xianyang city were me, would you still go back?”
Like a bloody awl driven straight into her heart.
Her fingers gripping the tent pole turned slightly white from the force, the woman’s face was pale as paper, a drop of blood slowly trickled from her lips. Her arms trembled slightly, but her spine remained straight. Finally, she slowly sighed, saying in a deep voice: “You would never have such a day, and I would have no reason to save you. My husband is suffering in the city now—I have no time for romantic dalliances with you here. Chu Li, go back, return to where you belong. Different paths don’t lead to the same destination—you and I should never have been on the same road.”