The capital garrison soldiers advanced with drawn blades, and the people immediately fell silent. Xu Changling, fearing that delays would cause more trouble, immediately drew out his command token and threw it down toward the stone platform, saying in a deep voice: “Execute!”
In an instant, heaven and earth turned dark yellow, long winds swirled violently, dust flew everywhere, and in the confused and terrified eyes of various colors, countless hearts fell to the ground as countless pairs of eyes stared fixedly at that wooden token, unable to recover for a long time.
What seemed like an eternity was actually just a split second. Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound through the air rang out like a thunderclap, and a silver arrow shot forth like a whirlwind, piercing through that token in one strike and shooting straight toward Xu Changling’s head. Xu Changling was so shocked he couldn’t even move, and massive screams rang out almost simultaneously. With a bang, the arrow pierced through Xu Changling’s hat and embedded itself firmly in the pillar behind him.
Everyone was dumbfounded, even the executioner stood there in a daze.
All the soldiers, high officials, and common people turned their heads in unison. At the empty end of the long street, on a pitch-black war horse, sat a black-robed woman with snow-white skin, holding a gold-inlaid crossbow in one hand, still maintaining her shooting posture. Her eyes and brows were sharp as snow, her figure small yet possessing such powerful presence. As the long wind blew, her black robe moved with the wind, the hem flying, making the large red peonies on it appear even more blood-red. This was her wedding dress from their marriage day, worn again today but with such different feelings.
Qin Zhiyan’s tightly closed eyes finally opened, like brilliant dark stars with such magnificent radiance, burning hot as fire as they fixed intensely on the woman, with enormous waves surging within them.
“How—how dare you! Seize her, arrest her immediately!” Xu Changling flew into a rage, his beard bristling as he shouted loudly.
A group of soldiers rushed forward in pursuit. Qing Xia’s brow turned cold as she swiftly nocked an arrow to her bow. The continuous whistling sounds filled the air, and everyone abruptly stopped in their tracks, seeing that an arrow was embedded in front of each person, missing their toes by mere fractions.
Such godlike marksmanship immediately stunned everyone present, and no one dared take another step forward. Qing Xia gently kicked the horse’s belly, and the war horse slowly advanced, step by step, the clicking sounds shattering the silence of the entire scene. As the war horse moved forward, the soldiers unconsciously retreated, and soon she had reached the square.
“You! What are you all standing around for? Attack!” Xu Changling raged, shouting angrily.
The personal guards on both sides immediately surrounded Qing Xia, but no one actually attacked.
Qing Xia paid them no attention, nimbly dismounting from the horse. From the other side of the horse, she took down a red lacquered food box, carrying it in her hand. She looked up at Qin Zhiyan above, and days of yearning suddenly transformed into two streams of clear tears. She smiled brilliantly and said softly: “Zhiyan, I’ve come.”
Qin Zhiyan’s eyes were deep as he looked at Qing Xia with a gaze full of heartache and sorrow. He smiled faintly and nodded.
Qing Xia carried the food box and was about to step forward. The soldiers looked around uncertainly, and finally one soldier mustered his courage, immediately flashing forward with tiger-like vigor, swinging his fist toward her.
Qing Xia walked calmly, carrying the food box, not even glancing at him. Just as he attacked, she suddenly struck out with one hand at a strange angle, executing a standard small grappling technique with a splitting motion. With a crack, the man’s wrist immediately broke, twisting grotesquely to one side. Screams immediately arose as the man collapsed to the ground clutching his arm.
Everyone was shocked. Two soldiers exchanged glances and moved forward together in a pincer attack. Qing Xia’s body suddenly shot up from the ground, pivoting sharply. She grasped one soldier’s head tightly as a pivot point, then her feet spun in a whirlwind kick, landing heavy blows—bang, bang, bang, bang—on the other soldier’s chest. The soldier’s chest nearly caved in, blood streaming from his mouth. Before that man could fall to the ground, Qing Xia twisted her wrist, and the man whose hair she had grabbed screamed loudly as she forcibly tore out large patches of his hair, leaving his scalp bloody.
The movements were clean and efficient, happening in the blink of an eye. Moments later, the woman still appeared in fine brocade clothes, carrying her food box and walking forward step by step, as if she had never changed her posture. But the three men on the ground continued rolling about, screaming in agony.
All the Great Qin soldiers were thoroughly chilled and unconsciously retreated. Xu Changling flew into a rage, shouting harshly: “Archers, archers prepare, shoot her—”
Before he could finish speaking, suddenly the sound of something cutting through air rang out. A dagger grazed his face and embedded itself with a bang in the pillar behind him, right next to the tail of the previous arrow. Xu Changling’s face turned deathly pale, unable to utter another word.
Qing Xia lifted her skirts and continued walking stubbornly toward the high platform.
Commissioner Liao frowned and said in a deep voice: “Stop her.” Over three hundred soldiers from the Three Judicial Commissioners moved forward, blocking Qing Xia’s path and once again obstructing her view.
Qing Xia bit her lips tightly, set down the food box, and shook her arms. From her wide sleeves slid two daggers. The woman gripped the daggers, her eyes sharp, possessing the fierce demonic aura of one who would kill gods if gods blocked her path, kill Buddhas if Buddhas blocked her way.
“Let them meet!” Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, followed by countless voices clamoring: “Let them meet!”
The people were stirred up collectively, shouting loudly. Commissioner Liao, seeing the situation was unstoppable, could only nod and say: “Very well, Princess Minrui, you are permitted to meet once. Do not delay the execution time.”
The soldiers breathed sighs of relief and retreated.
Qing Xia climbed the high platform step by step, coming to Qin Zhiyan’s side. The executioner had already stepped back. Qing Xia knelt beside Qin Zhiyan, placed the food box on the ground, pressed her lips tightly together, and before she could speak, tears began streaming down.
This woman who had never frowned even when facing thousands of troops now seemed like a lost child, her face pale, tears flowing continuously.
Qin Zhiyan smiled gently, reached out to softly caress her cheek, his voice low and hoarse but still gentle as water, saying softly: “Don’t cry anymore. So many people are watching—if you cry your face swollen, it will be very ugly.”
Qing Xia reached out to cup Qin Zhiyan’s face, pursing her lips as she said: “You’ve gotten thin.”
Qin Zhiyan smiled slightly and said: “The prison food isn’t as delicious as what you cook.”
Qing Xia took the food box and opened the lid. Steam rose from within, carrying sweet fragrance. Qing Xia took out the items inside one by one, saying: “Time was short, so I only made some sweets. Try them and see if they taste good.”
She fed him a bite of cake, then quickly poured a cup of soup made from snow pears and fritillaria bulbs, bringing it to his lips as she said: “Have a sip. I added some lotus seeds—it tastes very good.”
Qin Zhiyan nodded with a smile and drank a large mouthful.
Time passed slowly, the air filled with oppressive silence. Everyone’s gaze was focused on the two of them. They seemed to be chatting casually as if at home, eating while saying some inconsequential words, their voices very soft, appearing so calm. Yet somehow, such desolate and sorrowful emotions echoed in the air that everyone present had tears in their eyes, remaining quietly speechless.
Xu Changling had been promoted by Qin Zhiye personally. Now he looked up at the sky, saw that the time was almost up, and immediately said loudly: “The execution time has arrived. All unrelated persons retreat immediately!”
Qing Xia’s hand immediately trembled, spilling all the thick fritillaria soup from the spoon onto Qin Zhiyan’s clothing, her face instantly turning snow-white.
Throughout Zhengyang Square, there were approximately thirty thousand guards, surrounding them inside and out so tightly that not even water could leak through. Those wolf-like gazes stared at her coldly, making her spine turn cold. Her hands were ice-cold, and Qin Zhiyan’s shackled hands slowly grasped her wrist, shaking his head faintly as he said softly: “Go, leave Xianyang. Be obedient.”
The executioner behind them suddenly approached. Qing Xia’s brow arched as she flicked her wrist, and the bright white dagger instantly flew out, embedding itself with a thud in that executioner’s foot!
“Audacious shrew! Seize her quickly!” Xu Changling, hiding behind others and feeling slightly safer, finally shouted loudly.
Hundreds of soldiers surged forward together. Qing Xia grabbed a long spear standing on the platform, the red-tasseled spear sweeping through the air as her black robe and dark hair moved with the wind. Qing Xia turned and knelt on one knee, holding the spear horizontally to protect Qin Zhiyan, her eyes sharp as she shouted: “Who dares approach!”
This clear, fierce cry was penetrating and imposing. Everyone was startled, and for a moment no one stepped forward.
Qin Zhiyan frowned deeply, saying sternly: “Yima’er, leave quickly, stop fooling around!”
“I won’t leave!” Qing Xia turned back to face him, kneeling before him as she said sorrowfully: “In the Dragon Ridge imperial tomb, in the drought-stricken lands, at White Deer Plain, in Hongtian Water Prison—you never abandoned me. I would rather die than leave!”
Qin Zhiyan closed his eyes, his expression pained as he said: “I’m severely poisoned and wouldn’t live long anyway. Dying early or late makes no difference. You coming to see me off today is already enough. Leave immediately now.”
Qing Xia shook her head desperately, saying: “No, I can’t do it. We were about to be married—I’m already married to you. If you die, what will I do? You promised to stay with me forever. If you die, where should I go? Qin Zhiyan, how can you be so untrustworthy?”
“I was deceiving you from the beginning. I’m a selfish person—how could I stay with you forever when I’m severely poisoned? I just wanted to selfishly possess you while I was still alive.” Qin Zhiyan smiled bitterly, saying: “Yima’er, in the end I still must let you down. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t tell me you’re sorry!” Qing Xia shouted angrily, tears streaming down. “If you know you’re sorry, then compensate me! I have nothing—only you. If you leave, what will I do? Where should I go?”