When they left Jinling, it was still early autumn. Unexpectedly, before reaching Chang’an, the first snow had already arrived, with frost dyeing the branches everywhere along the way. Even so, once they reached the official road, carriages and horses became increasingly numerous. Though it couldn’t compare to Eastern Xia’s verdant willows and peach blossoms, the abundance of people and variety of sights—from wine shops and tea stalls erected everywhere to passersby leisurely chatting while holding bowls—conveyed the prosperity of this place.
After the military revolt at Longmen Mountain, Changling agreed to go to Western Xia together with the Yue Family Army led by Wei Shaoxuan. Seeing no hope of persuading her otherwise, Mingyue Zhou could only verbally extend a few invitations to “visit when you have time.” After passing the watershed, they had no choice but to part ways.
With Prime Minister Fu’s rebellion, Eastern Xia was basically heading toward a change of dynasty. If the He family’s leaders dared to take advantage of the chaos to “restore order,” they might be able to compete for power. However, with He Yu already deceased and He Song lacking such courage, the He family’s position was particularly awkward. Awkward as it was, the foundation built by their ancestors couldn’t be easily destroyed. With such vast Jingchu territories and southeastern strongholds, even if they declared independence, given the current court’s hodgepodge of troops, it would definitely take more than three to five years to move against them.
Originally, having broken with the Fu faction, the He family should have sought a patron for long-term stability. So along the way, Wei Shaoxuan made several enthusiastic overtures with recruitment intentions. But neither Seventh Uncle nor Tao Feng had the authority to make such decisions. After seeing Changling off from Yuzhou, they directly led the He family troops back to Jiangling Commandery to report to Old Master He.
Changling wouldn’t interfere in such matters, and Wei Shaoxuan didn’t dare be so bold as to ask the Second Young Master to negotiate on their behalf. Besides, since leaving the Longmen River, apart from inquiring after Young Master Yue, she had barely spoken along the way.
By all rights, Changsheng’s pulse was smooth, his blood and qi abundant, and his organs showed no signs of illness. His recovery was good, yet he remained unconscious.
This inevitably brought to mind the worst possibility—Jiaye had mentioned before that if a person remained in a prolonged coma, it could cause severe brain damage. Even if the body was healed, if consciousness couldn’t be restored, they would be like a living corpse.
But this was mere speculation. How to confirm the diagnosis and whether treatment was possible still required a knowledgeable physician. Before parting, Seventh Uncle had promised to send people to find Ji Beilan. Wei Shaoxuan also said that Chang’an had renowned physicians without equal in the realm. Things having reached this point, Changling couldn’t think of a better solution and could only take things as they came.
In such a short time, she had first gained the support of heroes, then saw Shen Yao perish without a fight. After finding her brother, Wei Shaoxuan personally led the Yue Family Army to demonstrate their allegiance. This turn of events should have been a silver lining for her, yet she felt the path ahead was more uncertain than ever.
In her youth, she had felt the Central Plains were boundlessly vast. Once her brother’s hegemony was achieved, she would definitely travel extensively, see all the extraordinary people and events under heaven, and enjoy all the finest wines and delicacies. Later, when she arrived in Jinling City and saw those high-ranking enemies wielding power arrogantly and lawlessly, she single-mindedly thought about how to topple them, fearless and unconcerned about the consequences.
But now, it seemed all four seas and five lakes were open to her, yet she didn’t know where to go.
On the journey to Western Xia, besides Jiaye and Jiagu, there was Zhou Qin, who stuck closer than a candy figure. With Second Young Master Fu absent, this little disciple probably worried her master might become despondent over losing her beloved, constantly finding ways to stay by her side. In the first few days, Changling was mostly lost in thought and didn’t notice much. Recently, however, she increasingly felt the girl’s chattiness. In the time it took to eat one meal, she asked three times whether to close the window. Changling finally couldn’t bear it anymore. “Little Qin, if you feel cold, you can close it yourself. No need to ask me.”
Zhou Qin blinked, somewhat dazed. “Master, that’s the longest sentence you’ve said to me this entire journey…”
Seeing Changling’s expression darken, she quickly gestured toward the window. “Mainly, you haven’t noticed all those eyes staring from outside…”
Changling felt slightly puzzled. Walking to the window and glancing out, she suddenly heard a chorus of gasps. The corridor of the opposite building, the balcony of the adjacent rooms, and even the street stalls below were packed with people who had come to see the spectacle—to see the legendary Second Young Master Yue, the War God who had returned from the dead.
“My heavens, is that Second Young Master Yue?”
“I heard Second Young Master Yue was a beauty. Bah! That’s not a beauty—that’s simply a goddess!”
“No wonder after all this time, heroes throughout the realm still can’t forget her…”
“Hey, I heard that during the Eastern Xia military chaos, the He family’s Marquis was because of…”
Changling directly closed the window, turning her back to the dining table. “When you encounter such situations, just close the window directly.”
Idle people loved to gossip regardless of right or wrong. After Wei Shaoxuan dispersed these boring onlookers, the party continued forward, entering Chang’an City as night fell.
Chang’an at night remained brightly lit, its markets lined with pearls and jewels. Zhou Qin leaned against the carriage window, her eyes unable to take everything in, while Changling had no heart to look at all.
If it were only to treat Changsheng’s illness, Jiangling Commandery would have sufficed. The reason she chose to travel this far, besides wanting to thank Wei Xingyun in person, was especially because of that identity Wei Shaoxuan had revealed.
He said Ye Qi was the biological son of Western Xia’s current Emperor Yuan Jue.
Chang’an nights were exceptionally cold.
But the General’s Mansion had no such chill. As soon as the group stepped into the courtyard, they could feel warm air wafting from the bedchambers.
This courtyard had five rooms in the first compound. The main room reserved for Changsheng had an additional side chamber. Jiaye and Jiagu, worried that outsiders in the mansion might not care for him properly, stayed in the rooms on either side. Changling and Zhou Qin were in the opposite room. The courtyard wasn’t large—without even needing to open doors and windows, they could immediately know what was happening across the way.
Compared to this unspoken thoughtfulness, what truly surprised Changling were the several imperial physicians already waiting inside. Though they nearly came to blows over their differing opinions after examining Changsheng’s pulse, at least they reached consensus on one point—they all held hope for Changsheng’s awakening. If a person truly had no self-will, recovering to this degree would be very difficult.
The imperial physicians had barely left when Wei Xingyun hurriedly rushed back to the mansion.
He remained as imposing in stature as in her memories, walking with commanding presence. Though the white hair at his temples betrayed his age, his every gesture still radiated natural authority. He was clearly accustomed to commanding alone and was no longer that straightforward deputy general of years past.
But his eyesight still wasn’t great.
Changling stood right by the door. Before she could speak, he directly ignored and brushed past her, striding straight into the room. Upon seeing Changsheng on the bed, he dropped to his knees with a “thud,” tears streaming down his aged face.
Watching Wei Xingyun’s slightly trembling back, she only then belatedly noticed his aging.
The others consciously withdrew, leaving the room. Wei Xingyun knelt by the bedside, murmuring in low tones, reminiscing about many past events.
He didn’t know Changling was behind him, nor did he know if Changsheng could hear. Some words had been buried in his heart for too long. Having the chance to pour them out was fortunate.
Changling listened quietly, feeling for an instant as if she’d been pulled back into those years of constant vigilance, unable to return to herself for a long time.
After quite a while, when Wei Xingyun finally noticed there was a beautiful young woman in the room, he composed himself, stood up, and asked, “Miss, you must have traveled here with the Young Master as well? I wonder where the Second Young Master is?”
Changling couldn’t help but curve her lips. The smile carried a trace of bitterness. “General Wei, I knew you wouldn’t recognize me.”
Wei Xingyun listened, staring at her in disbelief for a long moment before saying, “Second Young Master?”
Actually, apart from Ye Qi and Jiaye, Changling hadn’t told others about the miraculous resurrection. But facing Wei Xingyun, she was unwilling to hide much. Unexpectedly, halfway through her explanation, he couldn’t control himself and knelt down. “Second Young Master, it was my stupidity. I only thought you were harmed by the Yan people. I never imagined that behind it all… Had I known Shen Yao was so viciously sinister, that day I would have fought to the death to make him pay for those fallen soldiers…”
Changling helped him to his feet. “General Wei, you were able to lead a branch of my Yue family to escape alive and choose a new master to shelter half the Central Plains from wind and rain. This merit is already supreme.”
“How can the Second Young Master say such words?” Wei Xingyun immediately responded, “That year I was wrongly accused and humiliated, truly left with nowhere to turn. I had no choice but to borrow the former Liang’s name to consolidate military power and resist Shen Yao. But over these ten years, where my heart lies, where my aspirations lie—Second Young Master, having seen the military banner and tally, how can you not know their true meaning?”
“General Wei…”
“That’s right. If I am the Yue family’s general for one day, I am the Yue family’s general for life.”
Seeing how firmly he spoke, Changling couldn’t help but pause. “But…”
“If the Second Young Master wants to ask about the Western Xia monarch and my relationship with him, you should have heard something,” Wei Xingyun said. “Yuan Jue is incompetent and foolish. To consolidate his power, he implements cruel policies and harsh taxes, disregarding the people’s lives and deaths. I’ve been displeased with him for a long time. Now that you and the Young Master have safely returned, this is Heaven’s will. How dare Xingyun not follow Heaven’s mandate?”
Changling hadn’t expected him to speak so directly from the start. Momentarily speechless, seeing she seemed hesitant, Wei Xingyun continued, “Or are you worried this will trigger chaos in Western Xia? Actually, Yuan Jue holds no real power. Even if the throne changes hands, there’s no need for great upheaval. Moreover, I heard the Second Young Master has been acclaimed as the new Alliance Leader. When people under heaven learn of the Young Master’s return, rallying to his banner would naturally follow the people’s hearts…”
Changling interrupted, “That General Wei has this sentiment, Changling is deeply grateful… It’s just that now, my elder brother remains unconscious, and whether he’ll wake is still uncertain…”
Wei Xingyun said, “The Young Master is blessed by heaven. How could he not wake?”
Seeing Wei Xingyun’s agitated expression, Changling was unwilling to argue with him at this moment. Her eyes shifted slightly as she changed the subject. “This matter must depend on my elder brother’s wishes… I do have another question. Shaoxuan said that when you came to our rescue, there was a prior agreement with He Yu, and the Western Xia Emperor didn’t obstruct you because his true identity is…”
Wei Xingyun nodded. “That’s correct. Marquis He’s surname isn’t really He. He is Yuan Jue’s biological son, originally named Yuan Ci.”
Yuan Ci?
Hearing this name for the first time, Changling’s nerves unconsciously tensed.
“Speaking of which, if the Crown Prince hadn’t died the year before last, and the Emperor hadn’t repeatedly sent people secretly to Eastern Xia, I wouldn’t have realized that the famous Marquis He was actually his son…”
Changling said in a low voice, “Since Yuan Jue is a prince of the former Liang royal house, how could his own child end up with the He family?”
“I only know that Marquis He’s mother, Ye Pei, was originally a stunning woman from a martial arts family. Over twenty years ago, when the Liang palace underwent upheaval, Yuan Jue sought to protect himself. He first pretended to have Ye Pei deal with the rebel forces, then didn’t hesitate to abandon both her and their unborn child. It wasn’t until Ye Pei was rescued by He Kangwen that she became his concubine.” Speaking to this point, Wei Xingyun shook his head slightly. “Actually, I don’t know the details of the former dynasty’s palace affairs either. But ten years ago when I helped Yuan Jue become emperor, it coincided with internal turmoil in the He family. After He Kangwen died, Ye Pei was mistreated by the He family and died of illness. At that time, he never mentioned this son of his, which shows he’s not only weak and incompetent but also cold-hearted and ungrateful…”
Watching Changling stand quietly listening, Wei Xingyun sighed deeply. “On the other hand, Marquis He is truly a remarkable person. Though sickly from childhood and looked down upon by the He family, when the He family faced crisis, he produced clever stratagem after clever stratagem to help them through difficulties, earning Old Master He’s appreciation and taking the position of family head…”
So this was his background.
So he asked her to call him Ye Qi simply because he knew he wasn’t surnamed He, much less Yuan.
Changling asked, “What was the prior agreement he made with you?”
Wei Xingyun looked at Changling with slight surprise. “These past six months, Marquis He sent several waves of people who found various ways to test me. I thought the Second Young Master knew…”
“Test? Test what?”
Wei Xingyun smiled faintly. “Test whether I remained loyal to the Yue family.”
The rest need not be said—Changling could guess.
“The He family trusts and relies on Marquis He because of his capabilities. He knew that if he died, what the He family could do for the Second Young Master would be truly limited.” Wei Xingyun said, “So he once sent trusted aides to ask if I could lend him aid…”
No wonder he had once asked her if she trusted Wei Xingyun. From that time on, he had already begun paving her path forward.
Changling’s eyes stung slightly. She closed them briefly. “So Shaoxuan personally attended the martial arts gathering yet could still bring troops in time because your main force was already waiting outside…”
Wei Xingyun’s face showed guilt. “Actually, according to the original plan, we should have arrived half a day earlier. But I remained wary of Marquis He. After all, he didn’t tell us where the Second Young Master was or in what guise she would re-emerge in the martial world… I once even suspected that Empress Luo had succeeded in persuading him, leading Marquis He to use this pretext to join forces with Yuan Jue to eliminate me…”
Changling opened her eyes again. “Who is Empress Luo?”
“Empress Luo is Western Xia’s current empress, Ye Pei’s younger sister, and Marquis He’s maternal aunt.”
Changling felt somewhat dizzy from the complex relationships within the Western Xia royal family.
But she understood quickly enough.
The next morning, an imperial edict arrived from the palace. Yuan Jue wanted to personally meet Second Young Master Yue Changling.
Considering his blood relationship with Ye Qi, Changling accepted the edict and entered the palace. But she hadn’t expected that Ye Luo, mentioned last night, would also be present.
Empress Luo was younger than imagined, and more beautiful. Sitting beside the white-haired Yuan Jue, they were the very picture of an old husband with a young wife.
From the moment Changling stepped into the palace hall, both emperor and empress couldn’t hide their amazement. Only because Changling’s expression remained calm throughout did they successively recover their composure. Yuan Jue invited her to rise and take a seat. Ye Luo, however, stared at her for a long moment before saying meaningfully, “With such beauty, Miss Yue, no wonder Ci was utterly devoted to you.”
Changling’s brow furrowed with displeasure. If Ye Qi were here and heard someone call him that, he probably wouldn’t be happy either.
In truth, before coming, she had already guessed what Yuan Jue might say. This Western Xia Emperor was unwilling to be a puppet, yet he had agreed to let Wei Xingyun send troops to save her. Originally, he must have intended to win her over. But the person who should have returned to Chang’an was Ye Qi. Unexpectedly, his son died, and this Second Young Master had actually brought back the legendary Yue Changsheng. How could that not make him wary?
Changling had no interest in undermining his power. But he was after all Ye Qi’s biological father. If Yuan Jue wanted to pursue his son’s death, she truly had nothing to say. However, unexpectedly, after brief pleasantries, Yuan Jue got straight to the point and proposed an alliance.
“Miss Yue, you don’t think Wei Xingyun brought you back truly for the Yue family’s sake, do you?” When Yuan Jue narrowed his eyes, his face was full of wrinkles. “Back then, he could pledge allegiance to me under the pretense of supporting the former Liang’s foundation. Today he can employ the same tactic, using the name of reviving the Yue family to pull me down from the throne… You might consider this carefully—this vast splendid territory was already within his grasp. Why would he willingly hand it over?”
Seeing Changling’s wooden expression, Ye Luo added, “The Emperor had planned to pass the Crown Prince position to Ci when he returned, never expecting he would meet such misfortune… Miss Yue’s identity is special, and you were Ci’s beloved. Now, besides the old Yue family subordinates, everyone in the He family also respects Miss Yue greatly. Given Eastern Xia’s current situation, if Miss would speak a word or two for the Emperor, Old Master He would likely not refuse… Naturally, we don’t mean to oppose General Wei. In truth, Young Master Yue has extraordinary talent. If he’s willing to enter court as an official, being enfeoffed as a marquis or prime minister is surely within reach in the future…”
The two sang in harmony, then continued with a long string of words. Changling couldn’t listen to another half sentence.
Suddenly, she somewhat understood why Ye Qi had never mentioned having such a “father.”
His own son had unfortunately died, yet he hadn’t expressed a single word of concern. How had he ever regarded Ye Qi as his child?
Changling looked ahead with desolation, feeling that engaging in false civilities with them was a waste of time. So she stood. “Let me consider the Emperor’s proposal carefully. My elder brother is still waiting for me to care for him. Please excuse me.”
That night, Changling dreamed of Ye Qi.
She rarely dreamed. Since his death, this was the first time seeing him in a dream. The dream was full of mist. Seeing him standing so vividly before her eyes, somehow the first words she said were, “Your name is Ye Qi. Why, when I asked your name as a child, did you tell me it was He Yu?”
He gently smoothed the stray hair by her temples. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to find me.”
She wanted to grasp his hand, but when she reached out, she grasped only emptiness. Looking clearly at this “illusory” dream figure before her, grief welled up from within. “I can’t find you now either.”
He smiled, gazing at the surrounding vast mist. “Sometimes not seeing someone doesn’t mean they’re not there. If I knew you were on the way, I would surely wait for you to keep the appointment.”
She cried freely in the dream. He wiped away her tears. This time, the sensation was so real it made one tremble.
Changling suddenly opened her eyes in shock, seeing distinct knuckles close before her, brushing away the teardrops at the corners of her eyes.
She sat up in a daze. The person on the bed lowered his hand, looked at her, and smiled faintly. “Who bullied you in your dream? Tell Big Brother, and Big Brother will stand up for you.”