◎Xie Lingshu, I’ve come to take you home◎

The moment she heard that name, Luo Wanqing’s eyes widened abruptly. She pressed her blade against Li Guiyu’s throat and shouted fiercely, “What have you done to him?”

Li Guiyu smiled palely, raindrops falling on his face as he gazed at her greedily.

He had no strength to answer her question. He felt as though he had returned to that sixteen-year-old year, at the end of his rope.

He couldn’t think of anything else. He only reached out his hand to grasp her sleeve and used all his remaining strength to say, “Save me…”

Having said this, he collapsed straight down.

Luo Wanqing looked at him, fallen on the ground, frowning.

Li Guiyu’s appearance here meant something major had happened in the Eastern Capital.

She looked up at the Eastern Capital, calculating the time. Xie Heng’s execution was tomorrow. Arriving early wouldn’t mean much—better to first understand the situation.

Looking around, she discovered this was the bamboo grove where she had once saved him. She couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Taking a deep breath, she carried him on her back, placed him in the bamboo hut, applied medicine to his wounds, and channeled some true energy into him before turning to search for dry kindling.

After she had built up the fire and was sitting in the bamboo hut eating dry rations, a messenger eagle landed at the window.

Luo Wanqing hurried up to take the paper from the eagle, immediately recognizing it as a message from Xie Xiuqi: “Execution time changed to today at noon.”

Looking at the note, Luo Wanqing began rapid calculations. Based on the distance, even if Li Shengzhao’s forces were all light cavalry, they wouldn’t reach the Eastern Capital until dawn. She wasn’t sure how long it would take from digging the tunnel to getting ten thousand men into the city.

But no matter what, she alone had to protect Xie Heng and hold out until Li Shengzhao’s forces arrived.

Protect Xie Heng against an entire army?

Luo Wanqing understood this was an almost impossible task. Her fingers curled nervously, but she had no choice. She could only suppress her unease, take a charcoal pencil to quickly write down the intelligence, then have the messenger eagle notify Li Shengzhao of this news, telling them to accelerate their progress.

After finishing all this, Luo Wanqing realized someone was watching her. She looked over alertly to see Li Guiyu leaning against the wall corner, quietly gazing at her.

His imperial black robes had long been dirtied by mud, with clumps of earth clinging to the fabric. He looked utterly wretched.

He said nothing, as if he no longer cared about anything, only calmly watching her, carving this person into his eyes.

Luo Wanqing ignored his gaze, walked back to the fire, and said calmly, “How did you end up here?”

“Had a conflict with Wang Lianyang,” Li Guiyu’s voice was weary. “She tried to kill me again. I came here again, and you saved me again.”

“I’m not saving you. I just want news about the young master.”

Luo Wanqing’s tone was flat, without love or hate.

Hearing this, Li Guiyu chuckled lowly with bitterness, “Must you draw such clear distinctions?”

“Giving you medicine is already the utmost kindness and duty.” Luo Wanqing spoke calmly, “Between you and me, aside from family vengeance, there are no other entanglements.”

“Are there none?”

Li Guiyu’s eyes were full of deathly silence. He looked at the dancing flames. After a long while, he asked hoarsely, “When did you learn that my master voluntarily let your father kill him?”

As Li Guiyu spoke, Luo Wanqing’s movements paused slightly.

She realized Li Guiyu already knew about this matter. After thinking, she didn’t hide it, saying softly, “After leaving Jirui Palace, in Yangzhou.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I hoped you would be punished for doing wrong, not for being pitiful.” Luo Wanqing said gently, “If I told you, you would suffer, but the source of your suffering wouldn’t be because you did wrong, precisely because… You weren’t wrong.”

Li Guiyu paused. Luo Wanqing looked up at him, hesitating for a long time before saying, “If you hadn’t voluntarily served as a hostage for the country back then, your master wouldn’t have needed to save you and wouldn’t have died. If he had told you the real reason, you wouldn’t have sought the wrong revenge. But was it wrong for you to be a hostage? Was it wrong to seek revenge? Was it wrong to be deceived and abandoned? No. If I had told you the truth, your pain wouldn’t have been for doing wrong, but for doing nothing wrong. I didn’t want that.”

“You don’t hate me?” Li Guiyu couldn’t help asking, “You don’t want to see me suffer?”

Luo Wanqing thought, then said softly, “To be honest… when I first came to the Eastern Capital, I did hope you would suffer. I just wanted revenge on you, but having come this far…”

Luo Wanqing said gently, “I just want closure. I seek justice, but I don’t want to hate anymore.”

“You don’t want to hate anymore…”

Li Guiyu cried and laughed, saying somewhat painfully, “But you don’t love anymore either.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. She didn’t know how to answer for a moment. Li Guiyu looked at her and couldn’t help asking, “Did you ever love me?”

Luo Wanqing lowered her head to wipe the knife handle with a cloth, saying slowly, “There’s no need to discuss these things. The young master he…”

“Don’t you dare mention him at this moment, or I won’t say another word!”

Li Guiyu shouted angrily. He staggered forward, grabbing her sleeve and staring at Luo Wanqing urgently, “You must understand, don’t lie to me anymore. Tell me, why exactly? Since you think I did nothing wrong, since you’re so soft-hearted, since you loved me, why didn’t you wait for me?! Why didn’t you give me a chance? Why did you still hate me? Tell me, tell me, and I’ll tell you news about Xie Heng. Tell me!”

“Because…” Luo Wanqing saw he was at the end of his rope. She hesitated, then finally said, “I died because of you.”

Li Guiyu was stunned, not quite understanding. He stared blankly at Luo Wanqing, “You… died because of me?”

“I… my family members.” Luo Wanqing remembered that dream. Though distant, the pain was still carved in her heart. She spoke with difficulty, “All died because of you.”

“What are you saying?”

Li Guiyu sensed something, looking at her incredulously, “Aren’t they alive? Aren’t you living well?”

“Have you ever wondered how I discovered in prison that you and the Zheng family were working together?”

Luo Wanqing organized her words. Li Guiyu heard her rhetorical question and, for a moment, didn’t dare respond.

Luo Wanqing chuckled lightly, somewhat mockingly, “Because I had a dream. In the dream, I believed you. I took the dagger and told Elder Zhang I would wait for you.”

Li Guiyu stared at her blankly. Luo Wanqing smiled as she recalled, “Then I waited until exile. On the road, my mother died. Those soldiers wanted to assault my sister-in-law. My brother was beaten to death. My sister-in-law killed herself. I walked alone, carrying my tiny niece, step by step, to Lingnan.”

As Luo Wanqing spoke, tears appeared in her eyes. “She was so small. At the end, she asked me if there were lychees in Lingnan. In my dream, I planted a lychee grove for almost ten years. In that dream, every day I thought about how to kill you, how to get revenge, but I couldn’t do it. I was trapped in Lingnan my whole life, until death.”

Li Guiyu listened, somewhat incredulous yet afraid, tentatively saying, “But that was just a dream, wasn’t it?”

“If I hadn’t exchanged identities with Liu Xiniang, if I hadn’t come to the Supervision Department,” Luo Wanqing raised her eyes to look at him, “do you think it was just a dream?”

No.

Li Guiyu instantly understood.

He looked at the woman before him, slowly realizing that if she hadn’t come to the Eastern Capital.

If she hadn’t appeared again, she wouldn’t have let him see such a brilliant version of her in this swamp.

He wouldn’t have done anything more.

He would have remained in the Eastern Capital like a walking corpse, harboring hatred for the world, walking to the very end.

Then her moving toward that ending wouldn’t be surprising either.

It was her return that let him see light in the mud, see that phoenix washed in blood.

His love for her began in Jiangnan. In those five years in Jiangnan, love lay dormant in his bones and blood. If she hadn’t returned, it would have remained there forever.

But she came, transformed and renewed, letting him see such a good, beautiful, radiant person.

The confrontation at Fangfei Pavilion that made his heart tremble, the stunning performance at the musical gathering, her fame spreading through the capital at Ziyun Mountain, accompanying him on that journey to Liufeng Island, that mooncake, carrying him through the rain with that moment of attraction…

Her growth from youth into beauty, exuberance, brilliance, and gentleness all became rays of light in the Eastern Capital’s oppressive darkness.

But this light was destined only to be gazed upon from afar, never to be possessed.

How cruel was that?

He looked at her, thinking of what she had said, thinking of everything she had experienced.

Luo Wanqing gazed at him calmly, without love or hate, only saying softly, “Li Guiyu, for you, perhaps it was only a few days. But for me, I hated you for ten years, suffered for ten years, resented you for ten years. I was already a lonely ghost trapped in this world by you, buried together with you in this earthly yellow soil…”

“So after you woke up, you decided to kill me.”

Li Guiyu finally understood everything. Luo Wanqing nodded truthfully, “Yes.”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu gradually began to smile.

“Then come!”

He spoke urgently, as if seeking some kind of release.

He took out a dagger from his sleeve—the dagger he had given her years ago—and held it before her, saying urgently, “Kill me!”

As soon as he spoke, he couldn’t control his tears. He moved closer to Luo Wanqing, pressing the knife into her hands, “Kill me, forgive me, please?”

Luo Wanqing looked at the blade handed to her, remaining silent. Li Guiyu finally lost control completely.

His shoulders shook as tears fell like pearls. He gripped Luo Wanqing’s hand tightly, crying out, “Young lady, I have nothing left. I want so little. I just want someone to love me, even just a little. Young lady, you’ve saved so many people—why can’t you save me?! Kill me, save me, young lady… don’t hate me anymore. Always remember my name was Jiang Shaoyan. Pretend I died in Jiangnan. Let me die here, forgive me…”

He frantically pushed the knife into her hands like a madman. Luo Wanqing felt somewhat at a loss. Looking at Li Guiyu, who had completely collapsed before her, she said with difficulty, “Li Guiyu…”

“I’m not… I’m not…”

Li Guiyu shook his head frantically, crying as he looked at her, wailing, “I’m Shaoyan, young lady, I’m Shaoyan…”

“Don’t do this.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t know why—whether for herself, the person before her, their twisted fate, or something else—she suddenly felt her eyes sting. She took a deep breath, turned her head away from him, and explained, “I’m telling you this not to make you suffer. I want to tell you that I loved you, I hated you, I fell into the abyss because of you, but in the end, that person pulled me out. I owe you nothing. You ask me what you did wrong…”

Luo Wanqing paused, then organized her words before continuing, “You were wrong to make decisions rashly without asking for evidence or investigating the truth of matters.”

“You were wrong because even after making decisions, punishment should be proportionate. You could have sought revenge on my father, but you shouldn’t have implicated family members.”

“You were wrong to use emotions as a stepping stone for deception. You could seek revenge, but you shouldn’t have lied to me.”

Li Guiyu listened, looking at Luo Wanqing helplessly. Luo Wanqing thought, then smiled, “But forget it. Having said that, it’s done. Let’s return to business.”

Luo Wanqing looked at him seriously. “What exactly happened to Xie Heng?”

Li Guiyu didn’t speak. He suddenly felt powerless, his whole being seeming to lose all support and strength, silently watching the person before him, whose eyes were full of pleading.

He looked for a long time before controlling his emotions and saying, “He’s to be beheaded today at noon.”

“I know.”

Luo Wanqing spoke, frowning, “What else?”

“Wang Lianyang is a master no less skilled than me. Li Shangwen did indeed leave behind a child. She plans to support that child’s ascension to the throne. So now, if you go to rescue him, she’ll kill you and use you to provoke Li Shengzhao into sending troops. Moreover, she won’t let you take Xie Heng away. Xie Heng must die now—only his death can clear the accusation that I was behind it, thus clearing the connection between the Wang family and regicide.”

Li Guiyu controlled his emotions, trying to be as rational as possible, “Young lady, I still have some people in the Eastern Capital. Listen to me—I’ll have them try to find a way…”

“Can you find a way?”

Luo Wanqing looked up at him. Li Guiyu paused. Luo Wanqing thought, then only said, “According to what you say, Wang Lianyang’s skills are no less than yours, and it’s like catching a turtle in a jar. Anyone who goes is going to their death. If you send them, will they be willing?”

Li Guiyu’s movements paused. He was somewhat uncertain.

Most of the people around him came for power and profit. Aside from Qingzhu and Zitang, there weren’t many truly willing to risk their lives for him when he was in decline.

“I…” he struggled, “I’ll think of something else…”

“No need,” Luo Wanqing shook her head. “I have my arrangements. If I can succeed, I alone am enough. If I can’t…”

Luo Wanqing paused, then smiled, “I have no regrets accompanying him to death. After all, in that dream, he and I never had a good ending anyway.”

She was originally meant to attract attention, and if she brought too many people, it would inevitably be said she was acting on someone’s orders.

Saving Xie Heng had to be her business alone, unrelated to anyone else.

“But…”

“Let me keep you company.”

Luo Wanqing knew what he wanted to say. She took out a wine pouch from her waist, opened it, and took a sip. “We’ve never had a proper conversation. Now let’s chat one last time—consider it as if we had known each other. When dawn comes, I’ll leave.”

Li Guiyu looked up at her. After a long while, as if making some decision, he said, “Then let me see you off, young lady.”

A rainy night in the bamboo grove, just like years ago.

Only this time, the person in conversation was no longer Xie Heng.

Luo Wanqing listened to Li Guiyu speak of his past—his birth, Jiang Fengwan, Wang Lianyang, how he had spent half his life striving for that one embrace from Wang Lianyang.

They talked about many things, like two ordinary old friends.

Dawn gradually broke. A messenger eagle returned to the bamboo hut. Luo Wanqing saw Li Shengzhao’s message: “Will arrive at Ziyun Mountain, beginning operation, hope to delay until dusk.”

She looked at the message, calmly putting the note away. Li Guiyu quietly watched her. He didn’t stop her, his whole being carrying a dejected air of death, only observing her every movement.

Luo Wanqing looked up at him. After thinking, she finally said, “Let me ask you one last question.”

“Young lady, please speak.”

“Do you know why he killed Li Zong?”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu didn’t immediately respond. He quietly looked at Luo Wanqing. After a long time, he said unwillingly, “For you.”

Luo Wanqing was stunned. Li Guiyu said calmly, “Do you know about the Inner Pavilion?”

“I know.” Luo Wanqing was somewhat puzzled. “What’s the connection?”

“The Inner Pavilion reports directly to the emperor, which means Li Zong knew everything about what happened back then.”

Luo Wanqing’s eyes widened. Li Guiyu smiled, “You are Luo Qushu’s daughter. Your words carry too much weight, and you hold a high position with a meticulous mind. You knowledge of this matter was inevitable. Li Zong, for the sake of his reputation, would kill you.”

“So…” Luo Wanqing said incredulously, “he did it for me? For me alone?”

“Yes.”

Li Guiyu answered truthfully.

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing thought, then laughed, seeming somewhat happy.

Li Guiyu didn’t understand. “What are you laughing about?”

“I’m laughing,” Luo Wanqing supported herself to stand up, feeling some knot in her heart finally loosen, saying joyfully, “That Xie Lingshu has finally fallen into my hands.”

Li Guiyu couldn’t understand. Luo Wanqing said softly, “Finally, someone chose me.”

Her father chose to fulfill righteousness;

Li Guiyu chose hatred;

Once, Cui Guanlan and Xie Heng also repeatedly chose their responsibilities.

Finally, on this day, he chose her.

Her heart filled with joy. She waved her hand, “I’m going.”

Li Guiyu knelt on the ground, gripping the dagger in his hand, calmly seeing her off, as if waiting for the final result.

Luo Wanqing walked a few steps, then suddenly realized something and turned back to look at him, “Oh, there’s one more thing.”

Li Guiyu was somewhat surprised. Luo Wanqing smiled, “I’m sparing you today, not forgiving you. It’s because you once sought revenge rashly without investigating your grievances clearly, leading to one wrong step after another. I don’t want to follow in your footsteps. If you feel guilty, then when the dust settles, go to the Supervision Department and surrender yourself. After the truth is investigated, you’ll be dealt with according to the law. Come clean, leave clean.”

These words left Li Guiyu at a loss for a moment. Luo Wanqing’s eyes showed some gentleness as she said, “You were once a gentleman. I respect your past. When you left your homeland years ago to serve as a hostage for the country, I also saw you off on the long street. I hope that though your noble heart may sink in the mire, you won’t forget its brilliant light.”

Li Guiyu stared at her blankly. The person before him shone clear and bright as dewdrops in the morning light.

Luo Wanqing smiled, turned, and walked out of the bamboo hut. After mounting her horse, she rode away.

Luo Wanqing galloped toward the Eastern Capital. This place was less than half an hour from the Eastern Capital. Luo Wanqing found an inn in the suburbs, ate a full meal, and then went upstairs. After bathing and changing clothes, she walked to the vanity mirror and picked up an eyebrow pencil.

As if attending a grand feast, she carefully drew her eyebrows and applied makeup.

While she prepared, the Eastern Capital had already imposed martial law. The army was stationed outside the city, and nobles were all waiting at the execution ground.

The former Director of the Supervision Department, once second only to the emperor in Great Xia, now a regicidal minister and rebel who had executed ministers in the palace hall, was to be executed today.

His status was too high, his reputation too prominent. Almost everyone in the Eastern Capital had now gathered at the execution ground to see him off on his final journey.

Wang Lianyang sat on high holding a child. Everyone noticed Li Guiyu’s absence and whispered among themselves.

Xie Heng wore plain clothes, bound to the execution frame. His hair was disheveled, his body covered in wounds. Yet even in such wretchedness, this once-famous noble young master still possessed his handsome bearing.

The execution ground was crowded with people. Wang Lianyang held the child with a leisurely expression, watching time pass bit by bit as the sun rose. The summer heat made people gradually lose interest and become quieter.

“Lord Xie,” Song Xichao leaned over, lowering his voice, “do you know why His Majesty isn’t coming today?”

“I don’t know.” Xie Xiuqi shook his head, then said meaningfully, “I only heard there was some disturbance in the palace last night, and the city was sealed at midnight.”

“I see…”

Song Xichao seemed thoughtful, scanning the surroundings.

The city was now under the patrol and control of Wang family direct military forces—Wang family people were everywhere.

For Li Guiyu’s enthronement, the two border-guarding princes, Prince Zhenbei and Prince Zhenxi, had both returned to the Eastern Capital for an audience.

Each had brought twenty thousand troops. Adding the forces that various great and small families had accumulated outside the Eastern Capital, there were probably over one hundred thousand troops stationed outside the Eastern Capital.

After all, once Li Shengzhao raised his rebellion, who would become emperor became a mystery. Everyone came to the Eastern Capital to place their bets, hoping for the merit of following the dragon.

But no one was foolish either. When placing bets, no one wanted to wager their entire fortune and life, so everyone was also waiting and watching—

Except for those two border-guarding princes.

Prince Zhenxi and Prince Zhenbei were practically raised by Li Zong himself, two younger brothers with deep affection for Li Zong. Now they couldn’t figure out whether Li Zong’s death was Xie Heng’s doing alone or if someone was behind it, so they had traveled thousands of miles to see what was happening.

Song Xichao analyzed the current situation and glanced at Zhang Yiran sitting tensely beside him.

Zhang Yiran was now a rising star among the pure officials, personally cultivated by Song Xichao. Though his position wasn’t high, he was someone with influence among the pure officials.

Song Xichao looked at Zhang Yiran and knew what he was thinking. He raised his fan to block his face, lowering his voice, “Suppress those thoughts in your heart. Know what to say and what not to say—don’t cause trouble for yourself. He committed regicide. Even the King of Heaven couldn’t save him.”

Zhang Yiran listened, pressing his lips together unwillingly, “I know.”

Yet in his heart, he still harbored some hope, constantly looking toward the city gates, waiting for that person.

Based on his understanding of that person, she couldn’t possibly ignore Xie Heng.

Time passed bit by bit. After a long while, Wang Yunzhi strode over from a small path, reaching Wang Lianyang’s side and lowering her voice, “Your Majesty, no one has been detected coming.”

Hearing this, Wang Lianyang smiled mockingly, “I thought these people were so devoted and righteous. Forget it.”

Wang Lianyang spoke, handing the child to Wang Yunzhi and standing up. She looked at everyone and said, “Everyone, noon approaches. Today, His Majesty is unwell, so this palace will oversee the execution on his behalf. May I ask you royal uncles and lords,” Wang Lianyang swept her gaze over the influential people seated above, speaking quite humbly, “do you have any objections?”

Everyone nodded in silent agreement. The two princes bowed, “Since His Majesty is unwell, naturally, the Empress Dowager should oversee the execution.”

Wang Lianyang smiled, only saying, “Then today, this palace will oversee the execution. The rebel Xie Heng, instigated by Li Guiyu, committed regicide and executed over ten ministers in the great hall—extremely cruel, arousing the wrath of both humans and gods. This palace originally intended to use Xie Heng’s life to force the rebel Li Shengzhao to appear, but didn’t expect this person to be so heartless and unrighteous, actually planning to treat this criminal as a disposable pawn. Xie Heng, Li Shengzhao treats you thus—do you regret it?”

Xie Heng didn’t speak.

They had sealed his speech acupoint when bringing him here. Now he couldn’t make any sound at all.

Seeing his silence, Wang Lianyang sneered, “It seems you don’t plan to confess? Good. In that case, for the crime of regicide and treason, you should properly suffer the punishment of death by a thousand cuts, but considering Director Xie’s past meritorious service, you are specially granted beheading to spare you pain.”

Speaking thus, Wang Lianyang picked up the death tablet, about to throw it down when Zhang Yiran suddenly called out, “Wait!”

Hearing this, Wang Lianyang looked over coldly, staring at Zhang Yiran, “Censor Zhang?”

“Noon has not yet arrived, Your Majesty. Please be patient.”

Zhang Yiran met Wang Lianyang’s gaze calmly, “Otherwise, it will bring divine punishment, and Your Majesty may not be able to bear the people’s resentment.”

“Correct.”

Minister of Rites Xie Guangcheng also nodded and spoke, looking up at Wang Lianyang, “Executions must conform to the proper time. Moreover, isn’t Your Majesty still waiting for someone?”

Hearing this, Wang Lianyang swept her gaze over everyone. Executions were related to heavenly timing—if she acted before the proper time, future natural disasters would likely be blamed on her.

She wasn’t in a hurry for this moment. She nodded, “Fine, then we’ll wait. But there isn’t much time left.”

Wang Lianyang glanced at the sundial, which was about to reach noon, and said slowly, “With so little time left, I’m afraid no one will come. Xie Heng,” Wang Lianyang spoke, looking up at Xie Heng on the execution frame with a smile, “you’ve toiled your whole life, and in the end, there isn’t even one person willing to save you.”

Hearing this, Xie Xiuqi secretly clenched his fists.

Xie Guangcheng, beside him, seemed to sense his brother’s emotions. Using his sleeve as cover, he patted his arm and whispered, “Think of the family.”

Anyone connected to Xie Heng now was connected to treason.

The Xie family had been upright for generations—this couldn’t be broken in Xie Xiuqi’s generation.

Xie Xiuqi tensed his body. Zhang Yiran watched the slowly moving sundial. Wang Lianyang held the death tablet. Just as the sundial was about to reach noon and Wang Lianyang raised her hand to throw it, suddenly urgent reports came from outside: “Report—report—enemy forces approaching!”

Hearing this, Wang Lianyang’s eyes suddenly burst with delight. Everyone looked up together as Wang Lianyang immediately asked, “Whose military banner? How many troops?”

“It’s the Luo character banner.”

The messenger spoke hesitantly. Zhang Yiran and Xie Xiuqi both breathed sighs of relief.

Xie Heng stood frozen in place as he heard the messenger continue, “There came… one… one person.”

At these words, everyone was stunned. Wang Lianyang said incredulously, “What did you say? How many people came?”

“One person.” The soldier kneeling on the ground raised his voice, “Only one person came, but she’s carrying a military banner. The scouts reported it along the way.”

“Carrying a military banner?”

Wang Lianyang was amused to anger, “One person dares to carry a military banner? Good, very good. Then open the city gates and deploy a thousand men to kill her!”

Speaking thus, Wang Lianyang suddenly remembered something, looked at Xie Heng, and turned to say, “Bind him up and hang him on the city gates! They can’t possibly have sent only one person. This palace will personally supervise the troops.”

Wang Yunzhi received the order and immediately dragged Xie Heng up, following Wang Lianyang to the city tower.

Xie Heng was hung on the city tower, finding the summer sun unusually quiet.

He looked at the wilderness outside the city—endless yellow sand, with a small forest in the distance and thousands of soldiers already arrayed outside the city.

His hands were suspended above his head with ropes as he gazed at the vast wilderness, feeling everything was too quiet, making him wearily close his eyes to rest.

“Where is she?”

Wang Lianyang reached the city tower and, seeing no one, immediately turned to look at the nearby guards.

The guard hurriedly said, “The scouts just reported—still five li away, should arrive any moment now.”

Just as he finished speaking, everyone heard the sound of galloping hooves.

Because the wilderness was too quiet, the hoofbeats became particularly loud, emerging from the small forest accompanied by the horse’s neighing.

Like drumbeats on a drum surface, producing stirring war drum sounds.

Xie Heng slowly opened his eyes and saw from afar a red military banner embroidered with gold thread, fluttering proudly in the summer wind, revealing that golden, arrogant character “Luo.”

A woman in black on a fine horse, with a long spear on her back, bow and arrows hanging from her mount, a long blade at her waist—one person, one horse, one rider, galloping straight toward the city gates.

She was like a phoenix spreading its wings, soaring over this vast battlefield. Though only one person, she had spread wings that covered the sky and blocked out the sun, as if she were thousands of troops and horses.

Xie Heng quietly watched her, watched her galloping toward him all the way. His heartbeat was like drums, as if he were a young man with his entire gaze fixed on her.

He didn’t know why. Though he didn’t care, though he was prepared, though he knew he should be abandoned by all under heaven.

Yet when she came toward him so resolutely, again and again, he still felt his throat choke up.

He watched her getting closer and closer, until she was about to enter the shadow of the city tower. Only then did she look up toward Xie Heng hanging high above.

The moment she saw him, she felt her eyes sting. She couldn’t help but grip the long spear in her hand tightly, then broke into a brilliant smile and shouted.

“Xie Lingshu, I’ve come to take you home!”