“Who are you?”
The man smiled faintly, raising his eyebrows slightly as he said, “A passerby.”
“This place of Loulan was flowing with blood just a few days ago. The mass graves behind the mountain are still gathering large flocks of vultures. Various desert powers have assembled here, and a great battle is about to break out. For you, a passerby, to walk in so brazenly—isn’t that a bit too bold?”
“What does it matter to me if the generals want to fight?” The man smiled, a flash of unmistakable sharpness passing through his eyes. The corners of his mouth curved softly, revealing a row of white teeth as he continued, “Moreover, everyone must die someday. The life and death of Loulan’s people seems even less related to me.”
Qing Xia frowned slightly, her eyes scanning back and forth over the man’s body, her phoenix eyes narrowing. Finally she stood up, swept open the tent flap with a flourish, and walked out.
The man’s gaze was gentle as he smiled at what lay ahead, slowly picking up his teacup and taking a sip.
The current situation was extremely critical. On the surface, Qing Xia had attracted all enemies here, restraining their forces and trapping them in Loulan where they couldn’t see through the reality, thus opening a path back to Chu for Chu Li. But in reality, Qing Xia’s army was besieged here by forces from all sides, completely surrounded. If not for occupying the strategic advantage of Loulan City, they might have already been divided and devoured by enemies several times their number.
What was most heartbreaking was—if Chu Li knew she was besieged here, would he disregard danger and venture to come?
She could fight alone for Chu Li’s sake, holding back the steps of armies from all sides to clear a path for him. But would he abandon hope of escape for her sake and foolishly throw himself into this deadly trap?
Qing Xia stood in the camp looking at the full moon in the sky, quietly awaiting the seventh batch of scouts’ report. However, the night watch drum had struck three times, yet there was still no sound of hoofbeats. She knew that Loulan City had now become a besieged city that could be entered but not exited.
Light footsteps sounded behind her. Qing Xia thought it was Song Yang coming to urge her to return and rest, so she said with slight weariness in her voice, “You go back first. I don’t want to sleep yet.”
A warm cloak was suddenly draped over her shoulders. Qing Xia’s nostrils twitched slightly, and her heart seemed to be squeezed tight in an instant. That faint fragrance of Sichuan fritillary that had wandered through her dreams all night floated in the air, swaying and drifting like early spring willows. The pale-faced woman immediately turned around, eyes wide as she looked toward the person who had come.
The man smiled slightly, seeming not to notice Qing Xia’s loss of composure at all, only saying with a smile, “It’s already autumn. Desert nights are especially cold and damp. General, please be careful.”
Qing Xia was somewhat stunned, her expression gradually changing from shock, joy, and inability to control herself to indifference, disappointment, and a trace of self-mockery.
“Loulan has become an isolated city. It was easy for you to enter, but if you want to leave again, I’m afraid that will be difficult.”
The man smiled, his expression gentle, his eyes mellow like the vast calm sea surface. He lifted his robes and actually sat on the stone platform beside Qing Xia, leaning against the ancient railing that had been carved by wind and rain for hundreds of years, saying softly, “Then I won’t leave. When the fighting ends, it won’t be too late to go.”
Qing Xia had wanted to tell him that after the fighting ended, probably not a single person in this city would survive, but seeing his fearless appearance, she suddenly realized that what she was about to say might be too foolish, so she remained silent and sat down beside him.
“The young lady has something on her mind, doesn’t she?”
Qing Xia didn’t answer, only quietly raised her head to look at the stars above. The man didn’t mind and continued, “This humble one just cast divination in the tent and discovered that the Army-Breaking Star has shifted position. The star that should dominate the celestial field three years from now shows signs of ending today. There must be external forces interfering with the star’s orbit. It truly puzzles this humble one.”
Qing Xia’s eyes curved slightly as she responded lightly, “Is that so? Young sir, despite your young age, I didn’t expect you to be an expert in divination and fortune-telling.”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. This humble one only understands a little.” The man smiled and said, “Each star in the sky corresponds to destiny below. Common people live ordinary lives, irrelevant to the great trends of the world, but emperors, generals, and ministers each have their own fate stars. The stars’ orbits are predetermined—everything is just following the development of great trends.”
“Oh? According to what you say, sir, everything between heaven and earth is already predetermined. No matter how hard people try, they cannot change anything?”
“Not entirely,” the blue-robed man smiled. “Although destiny cannot be reversed, this humble one has observed star charts for many years and found there are still exceptions. For example, Qin Er Shi Hu Hai from thirteen hundred years ago changed his death star to brilliant light, causing imperial succession to change hands and star charts to fall into chaos—there was no peace for a thousand years. Also, eight years ago in the South Chu imperial harem, a fate star appeared out of nowhere, once again disrupting the star charts. This shows that although human power is small, there is still the possibility of changing great trends.”
Qing Xia frowned and turned sharply around, her eyes sharp as an eagle’s, but saw that the man was smiling at her with no change in expression whatsoever.
“Qin Er Shi possessed the imperial fate pattern, and from then on there were no more heroic talents in the world. His success alone came at the cost of countless heroes becoming mediocre. Conversely, the young lady, as a woman, was enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed minister, leading troops to war, also changing too many people’s destinies. If not for the young lady, the one now stationed in North Qin would definitely not be Qin Zhixiang, and the Great Emperor of South Chu would not have fallen into such a dangerous situation.”
“Who exactly are you?”
Qing Xia’s gaze became increasingly sharp, carrying hidden barbs. The man laughed heartily and said, “I already told you—I’m just a passerby who happened to pass through this place at this time and will soon disappear from here. I happened to notice that the scales in the young lady’s heart are swaying left and right, so I boldly came to offer guidance through confusion.”
Qing Xia raised her eyebrows, indicating he should continue. The man said gently, “Worldly fortunes are ever-changing, star fields constantly shifting, but amid all changes the core remains—just as a winding river ultimately flows east, and hundreds of streams eventually reach the ocean. Wherever history deviates, it will ultimately return to that same place. Everything will be submerged in history’s tide, including many things.”
The man suddenly smiled, his gaze serene as he said, “Everything I’ve said today, the young lady may not understand clearly at this moment, but someday in the future, you will comprehend. This humble one only hopes that when there’s an opportunity in the future to restore everything to history, the young lady can go with the flow and give future generations a chance to achieve merit and establish careers.”
Strong wind lifted the man’s blue robes. He stood up, smiled gently, his clothing elegant and black hair flying, saying, “I’ve disturbed the young lady for half a day. This humble one should take my leave. It’s been many years since I’ve smelled the desert wind—I truly miss this scent.”
The man didn’t look old, yet when he spoke, it seemed as if he had already experienced so much vicissitude. Qing Xia watched him with knitted brows and suddenly said, “Can you get out?”
The man nodded, “Does the young lady have words you’d like this humble one to take out?”
Qing Xia looked at this strange man before her. For some reason, she deeply believed he must have a way to leave. Biting her lips and pondering for a long while, she finally nodded, “I want to ask you to help me intercept someone. Tell him I’ve already returned to South Chu, that this place is just a decoy. Say I’m waiting for him in Shengdu, that he must return alive to see me.”
The blue-robed man’s eyes narrowed slightly as he chuckled, “Now the young lady faces enemies on all sides, attacked from front and back. Within three days, you will definitely suffer major enemy assault. From what this humble one can see, the young lady simply cannot last ten days. Without reinforcements, this desert will be your burial ground.”
Qing Xia didn’t answer his words, only stubbornly asked, “Can you do it or not?”
The man looked into Qing Xia’s bright eyes. After a long while, he suddenly laughed softly and extended his hand, saying, “Where’s the token? Without a token, he probably won’t believe me.”
Qing Xia took a deep breath and untied a plain blue jade pendant from her waist. It was tied with complex knots of blue and white cord, with two elegant small seal characters carved on the jade pendant, the strokes intricate. Under the moonlight, it faintly carried a thread of cold flavor. The man lowered his head to look twice, said nothing, and put it in his chest.
“If you can really get out, can you take one more person away?”
The man teased, “The young lady doesn’t want to leave with this humble one herself, does she?”
Qing Xia turned and walked toward the large tent. The man followed behind. As they walked, they suddenly heard singing like an oriole. Qing Xia stood outside the tent and coughed lightly. The singing immediately stopped, and a girl in bright red poked her head out, looking at Qing Xia with a flower-like smile as she said, “General, you’re here!”
Qing Xia awkwardly pushed away her hand, pointed to the man behind her, and said, “This is…” Just getting to this point, she suddenly realized she didn’t know the other party’s name, and looked back with a somewhat strange expression.
Understanding, the man quickly stepped forward with a smile and said, “My surname is Liang.”
Qing Xia nodded, “This is Mr. Liang. He will take you away from Loulan to find your people.”
A’luobei was greatly alarmed, frowning as she stepped forward to grab Qing Xia’s arm, calling out, “No! I can’t abandon you and leave alone.”
Qing Xia’s brows furrowed lightly. She suddenly took A’luobei’s hand and said, “Come with me.” Then she pulled her into the large tent. After a while, the two came out together. A’luobei’s face was completely red, while Qing Xia said matter-of-factly to Mr. Liang, “I’m troubling you then.”
“Rest assured.”
The white-haired old man slowly walked over leading the camel, standing at a distance. Mr. Liang walked a few steps, then suddenly turned back and said to Qing Xia with a light smile, “The past is gone, bygone times cannot be pursued. The young lady has worked hard all her life—you should also cherish those before you now.”
Qing Xia watched A’luobei and this ephemeral Mr. Liang gradually disappear into the distance, finally raising her head and breathing a deep sigh of relief.
Everything she could do, couldn’t do, should do, and couldn’t achieve—she had already done it all. Now there was only leaving it to fate. As long as Chu Li received her message, he would definitely return safely to Shengdu. Let her hold back this pack of wolves here and release Chu Li to go east.