Chihu boiled water and roasted rice cakes. After the three had eaten, they mounted their horses and set off again.

Once out of the forest, the path became easier. When the sun reached its zenith, the mountain pass between two peaks appeared before them.

Sheng Fengze stopped: “This is where I leave you. Chihu will escort you back to Great Tang.”

His face was bathed in sunlight, expressionless, revealing neither joy nor sorrow. Ji Yingying bowed to him from horseback: “Farewell, Your Highness.”

That was all she left him with. What else could she say to him? Life is full of farewells, but when the time truly comes to say goodbye, one never knows when they might meet again. Sheng Fengze decisively slapped her horse’s rump, watching as it carried her toward the pass. Chihu cupped his hands in respect before following after Ji Yingying.

The two riders grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared around a mountain bend.

The mountain wind rustled Sheng Fengze’s robes as he patted his horse, saying softly, “Had I known it would come to this, I should never have gone to Great Tang.”

Had he known of this ill-fated romance, he should have followed his royal brother’s wishes, training troops in Nanzhao to attack Great Tang directly. His heart wouldn’t have fallen and struggled because of this war.

“Let’s go. Let’s return home.” He turned his horse around, slowly treading back the way they came.

As soon as Ji Yingying and Chihu emerged from the pass, their expressions changed. Beyond lay a gentle slope leading to a valley where two hundred soldiers lay in ambush, their arrowheads gleaming in the sunlight.

“Go back!” Chihu frantically grabbed Ji Yingying’s horse’s reins, forcibly turning it around.

An arrow whistled through the air, striking Chihu’s horse. The horse reared with a long whinny, throwing Chihu from its back. He drew his sword and looked in the direction the arrow had come from. The mountain ridge was also manned with soldiers, surrounding them.

Recognizing the commander standing on the high slope as Chi Kuang, Chihu’s eyes widened as he shouted, “General Chi Kuang, what is the meaning of this?”

Ji Yingying recognized Chi Kuang, her face turning deathly pale. She could never forget him—he had forced her mother to kill her brother before taking her own life. He had personally swung the blade that killed Old Servant Ji.

“The King is still waiting for Lady Ji to weave the Huanhua Brocade. Where exactly was General Chihu planning to take her?” Chi Kuang smiled smugly. Though he knew the Eastern Campaign Army was formidable, Du Jing was brave but not clever. Sheng Fengze had tricked him into launching a feint attack on Zitong. That was Lord Qingping’s only son. Lord Qingping had sworn a blood oath to avenge his son. The White Prince secretly released a Tang woman to escape—the King would surely punish him severely. Now that evidence had fallen into his lap, and he could gain merit in Lord Qingping’s eyes, Chi Kuang was thoroughly pleased.

Chihu was extremely anxious but couldn’t think of an explanation.

“The dyes needed for Huanhua Brocade are special. I heard this valley grows medicinal herbs needed for dyeing silk, and His Highness the White Prince specifically sent General Chihu to accompany this humble one to search for them. Does this explanation satisfy you?”

Ji Yingying’s fingers gripped the reins tightly, her palms stinging where her nails dug in. This made her exceptionally clear-headed. Two hundred soldiers in ambush—there was no escape. All she could do was try to protect Sheng Fengze. If he fell from grace, there would be no one left in the Nanzhao court who could save her.

“Haha, what a clever tongue! This is the White Prince trying to help you escape. Don’t try to fool this general!” Chi Kuang sneered, pointing at the two. “Bind them and take them back!”

Chihu shot Ji Yingying a grateful look before insisting, “No need for binding! We’ll go before the King together and explain clearly. If we miss gathering these herbs, the Huanhua Brocade cannot be woven. Chi Kuang, can you bear that responsibility?”

Chi Kuang looked at him with disdain and clapped his hands: “Come out!”

A figure wrapped in a cloak slowly emerged from behind the rocks. Chihu stared at her as she lifted her hood, his face changing dramatically: “Aning!”

No wonder Chi Kuang had troops lying in ambush here. To avoid detection, his master had specifically avoided the main road, taking the mountain hunting trails. Aning had informed Chi Kuang, allowing him to rush his troops along the main road and set up an ambush at the pass ahead of them.

Aning stood pale-faced beside Chi Kuang, saying flatly, “Yang Jishi is a captured slave, and the King needs her to weave the Huanhua Brocade. Chihu, our master is confused. But Aning cannot defy the King and allow him to let Yang Jishi escape.”

“Pah! You dare call him master!” Chihu cursed, his eyes red with anger. How had he been so blind as to fall in love with Aning?

Women, Ji Yingying sighed inwardly. Her gaze swept the surroundings, and she spotted several herbs useful for dyeing. Ji Yingying dismounted and plucked a few, handing them to Chihu: “Since General Chi Kuang doesn’t believe we came to find dyes, we’ll return with him.” She looked up at Chi Kuang and said, “Since we’re already here, would the General please have his soldiers gather a few baskets of these herbs before we return to Taihe City? Of course, if the General refuses, this humble one will obey and return with you. However… the dye-making process for Huanhua Brocade is complicated, and perhaps there are herbs in this valley that I haven’t found yet. Even if you send others, they won’t recognize them. If the weaving and dyeing of the Huanhua Brocade is delayed, this humble one won’t take responsibility.”

Could they be here for dyes? Aning had been at Sheng Fengze’s side since childhood—what if this was his trap? If the Huanhua Brocade’s weaving was delayed, wouldn’t that become her fault? Chi Kuang turned to Aning with some uncertainty.

Aning shouted, “General, don’t listen to that worthless woman’s nonsense! She tried to assassinate the White Prince, yet His Highness still allowed her to move freely, sending only Chihu to protect her—don’t you find that strange?”

Ji Yingying said contemptuously, “This humble one is a Tang woman who hated the White Prince for attacking Tang and attempted assassination. But His Highness forgave me for the sake of weaving the Huanhua Brocade. Meeting such a patron, I was truly moved and decided to weave the Huanhua Brocade in Nanzhao to repay His Highness’s kindness. How did it become so twisted in your mouth? A jealous woman, unable to gain His Highness’s favor, betrays her master with false accusations and stirs up trouble. Tsk tsk.”

“You’re lying!”

“Enough!” Chi Kuang had also exhausted himself leading troops through the night, and the two women’s arguing made his head spin. Regardless, once they brought the people back to Taihe City, Lord Qingping would judge right from wrong. “Everyone, identify the herbs Yang Jishi has gathered and split up to collect several baskets!”

Chihu and Ji Yingying exchanged glances, secretly relieved. As long as they maintained the story about searching for dyes, Sheng Fengze would still have both merit and loyalty—the situation could be managed.

A squad of soldiers kept a close watch on Ji Yingying. Knowing escape was impossible, she devoted herself to searching for dyeing herbs in the valley. Her concentrated demeanor made Chi Kuang waver slightly more.

“General, your servant speaks no lies.” She had already betrayed her master; if she didn’t stick to this story, the crime of falsely accusing her master would lead to her execution by the cruel “lighting the sky” punishment atop the mountain.

No, she hadn’t meant to betray her master. She just wanted to kill Ji Yingying.

Chi Kuang couldn’t care less about a female guard like her and replied perfunctorily, “Just bring Yang Jishi back to Taihe City. Lord Qingping will decide what to do.”

With the people in hand, the rest would be arranged according to Du Yan’s wishes.

After searching all afternoon, they gathered several baskets of herbs. Chi Kuang ordered them to make camp in the valley. Chihu and Ji Yingying were kept under guard in separate tents, unable to communicate further. The next morning, Chi Kuang brought Ji Yingying and Chihu back to Taihe City.