“Master! A report from ahead—”

In the deep night, a sudden, urgent cry filled with panic broke the silence of the Lu family residence.

Lu Guang was startled awake from his sleep, feeling his heart racing chaotically. Steadying himself, he rushed out and flung open the door to see the steward carrying a lantern, leading a messenger who was running in from outside.

The messenger was stained with blood, his face full of exhaustion, looking completely spent. Upon seeing Lu Guang, he fell to his knees with a “thud,” took out a letter from his chest, and choked out: “Master, disaster has struck! Xu Mi recently failed in his attack on Yangzhai and quietly withdrew his troops back to Nanyang without a word. By the time the eldest young master learned of this, the army had already penetrated deep into enemy territory with no way to retreat. He could only fight with all his might. Despite heavy losses, he managed to capture Yan City, but was then heavily surrounded by the Beixia army. He is now trapped in the city, urgently needing rescue—”

The messenger had traveled day and night to reach Jiankang, and being injured, his strength was at its limit. Having finally seen Lu Guang and delivered the message, he could no longer hold on and collapsed unconscious on the ground.

Lu Guang was shocked and horrified. He snatched the letter and rushed back into his room, quickly reading it by candlelight. His face instantly turned deathly pale, his vision darkened, and he nearly couldn’t stand steady. The hand holding the letter trembled uncontrollably.

That day when he returned from the Censorate, after a severe interrogation, the household servant had revealed the truth. Only then did he learn that his son had done such a foolish thing. Furious, he had the servant beaten to death on the spot.

Though he had many wives and concubines, he was not blessed with many heirs, having only two sons: Lu Jianzhi and Lu Huanzhi.

For Lu Huanzhi, he had never held much hope, and now knowing of this incident only added to his disappointment.

But for his eldest son, it was different—he had placed high expectations on him since childhood. Though he had previously suffered humiliation and earned Lu Guang’s reproach over the failed marriage proposal, in Lu Guang’s heart, he still firmly believed that as long as this Northern Expedition could achieve something, his eldest son’s reputation could still be restored.

And now, all his hopes seemed about to be cruelly shattered along with this short battle report.

His son who had been his greatest pride…

All the Lu family’s military forces and wealth…

Everything was about to be ruined in an instant.

The letter slipped from his hand and fell to his feet, but he seemed completely unaware, his eyes staring blankly ahead. After standing frozen in bewilderment for a moment, his face gradually twisted with rage.

“Xu Mi! I am irreconcilably opposed to you!”

Lu Guang ground his teeth and suddenly roared in fury, grabbing his sword and rushing out of the room.

…

In the northern part of the city, every household had long since closed their doors and gone to sleep, everything quiet and still. But in the Qinhuai area in the south, lights still shimmered on the water and music continued without end.

In an elegantly furnished private room of a pleasure house, light wisps of incense smoke drifted from the holes of a Boshan incense burner in the corner.

Li Xie sat on a couch, listening to Green Lady play the qin across from him.

Recently he had been coming here personally to inspect frequently, gradually becoming familiar with this Green Lady. Hearing that tonight an official was hosting a night banquet and insisted she come to his residence to play the qin, Li Xie had rushed over and, using a prior engagement as an excuse, kept her here.

When the piece ended, its lingering notes continued.

Green Lady’s hands still rested on the strings as she looked up at the man across from her who seemed lost in thought, smiling: “Would Captain Li like this slave to play another piece?”

After Li Xie had kept her, he entered the room with her and listened to her play qin until this moment.

Li Xie came back to his senses and waved his hand. Glancing at her neck still covered with light gauze, he asked: “Has the wound healed?”

Green Lady removed the gauze scarf, showed him her neck briefly, then covered it again. Bowing gracefully in thanks, she smiled: “It healed long ago, leaving only a red mark. Fearing people would ask questions if they saw it, I cover my neck with gauze. Captain need not worry.”

Li Xie nodded: “Good that it’s fine. Before General Li left, he specifically instructed me to pay attention to your situation here. From now on, you need not concern yourself with incidents like tonight’s. I’ve already spoken with your madam.”

Green Lady lowered her eyes and bowed in thanks again.

Li Xie told her not to worry.

It was getting rather late.

He knew that after she became famous for her qin skills years ago, the madam here no longer forced her to entertain guests overnight. He should leave too. Just as he was about to rise and take his leave, he glanced at her once more. She sat properly and seriously, completely different from that first night when she had pulled out her hairpin to place on his chest while flirting with him.

Just as Li Xie was momentarily distracted, he suddenly heard urgent footsteps outside the door.

“Captain Li! Something terrible has happened!” came the voice of his subordinate.

Li Xie immediately stood up and opened the door: “What is it?”

“The brothers on night patrol just reported that Lu Guang personally led men to Xu Mi’s residence. Xu Mi is nowhere to be found, and he’s threatening to burn down the house!”

Li Xie was startled. He quickly turned to instruct Green Lady to rest early, then immediately led his men in a rush to the Xu residence. Upon arrival, he saw the area in front of the Xu family’s main gate crowded with people. In the light of torches, Lu Guang was disheveled, sword in hand, wildly hacking at the gate while shouting curses. Many nearby residents who had come upon hearing the commotion stood around the perimeter, discussing among themselves.

Lu Guang usually maintained his dignity, and no matter when or where, he always appeared before others properly dressed and stern-faced. Li Xie had been in Jiankang for many years, but this was the first time he had seen Lu Guang in such a crazed, tiger-like state of loss of composure. Suppressing his shock, he immediately ordered his men to disperse all the onlookers and prevent them from approaching. He himself pushed through the crowd of Lu family servants gathered noisily at the gate and shouted at Lu Guang: “Minister Lu, what has happened? Why did you bring people here making such a scene?”

The Xu family’s double gates were already covered with crisscrossing sword marks. Lu Guang struck another vicious blow, hitting the bronze door ring. With a “ding,” sparks flew, and the sword in his hand broke in two.

He suddenly turned around, his gaze wild, breathing heavily. When his eyes fell on Li Xie, he threw down the broken sword, strode forward, grabbed Li Xie’s arm, and shouted: “Captain Li, you’ve come at the right time! That black-hearted villain Xu Mi! We had agreed to face the enemy together, but after suffering defeat at Yangzhai, he concealed the news and quietly withdrew his own men first. My poor eldest son was kept in the dark, completely unaware, penetrating deep into enemy territory to fight alone! Now he and all his men are trapped in Yan City, in mortal danger! That shameless Xu Mi—even if I chop him into mincemeat, it wouldn’t satisfy my hatred!”

Li Xie saw that he had completely lost his dignified composure, grabbing onto someone he would normally never deign to look at twice, his expression fierce. Before he finished speaking, he suddenly pressed his hand to his chest with a pained expression, as if unable to catch his breath. Swaying unsteadily, he was about to collapse.

The Lu family servants knew he had an old ailment of heart pain and feared it was acting up again. Seeing the situation was bad, they hurriedly came forward to support him with many hands.

On the way here, Li Xie had heard from his subordinate that tonight’s commotion seemed to be caused by the defeat of the Xu-Lu allied forces.

In recent days, the Xu-Lu allied forces had been triumphantly advancing and successfully captured Nanyang. Like many court officials, he had been waiting for new victory reports. He never expected that tonight he would receive such bad news instead.

Knowing that Gao Qiao had placed high hopes on this Northern Expedition, he immediately sent a subordinate to notify him, then had Lu Guang helped to sit in an open area.

Lu Guang gradually regained his senses and shouted fiercely at his servants, ordering them to throw torches at the Xu residence.

The Lu family servants had been eager to act. Seeing their master was fine and had given the order, they all responded, and in an instant, points of firelight continuously fell beyond the gate and walls.

Sounds came from inside, as if the Xu family members were busy putting out fires.

Hearing the commotion outside, they became even more agitated and raucous.

Li Xie had no fondness for either the Xu or Lu families. At this moment, with the two families turning against each other and Lu Guang bringing people here, he had only come out of duty. Knowing there were people inside and that the fire shouldn’t spread immediately, he didn’t intervene much, only having his men watch from the side while guessing that Gao Qiao would certainly come personally upon hearing the news.

Indeed, soon a group of people hurried through the night—Gao Qiao had arrived.

Li Xie quickly went to meet him and explained what had happened.

Gao Qiao frowned deeply and strode quickly to the Xu residence gate. Seeing him arrive, everyone stopped their clamor and made way for him.

Lu Guang sat on the stone steps, listless. Suddenly seeing Gao Qiao arrive, he was helped to his feet and went toward him, suppressing his shame as tears fell: “Brother Gao! Xu Mi is heartless and treacherous. My eldest son is in mortal danger—save my eldest son!”

Gao Qiao said nothing and hurried to the Xu residence gate, ordering someone to call inside.

After a moment, the tightly closed gate finally opened. The Xu family steward came out with a terrified expression, bowed to Gao Qiao, and amid the Lu family’s accusations, kept bowing while explaining: “Lord Gao, it’s not that I deliberately wouldn’t open the door, but the Lu family is being completely unreasonable! Our Minister has been ill at home for days, never leaving his medicine, and has even had to miss court sessions—Lord Gao, you know this too. The news of Yang Xuan’s defeat was delayed on the road, and our Minister only received it tonight. He immediately fainted from the shock and is still unconscious. But the Lu family is putting all the blame on our Minister, constantly accusing him, and now drawing swords and threatening to burn our residence—how could I dare open the door easily?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Lu family members began cursing loudly. At this moment, Xu Mi appeared from behind the spirit wall inside the gate, supported by his eldest son and leaning on a walking stick.

Seeing him emerge, the gate area gradually quieted down.

In just ten days or so, Xu Mi’s face had turned waxy yellow, his form gaunt, looking like a dying man as he trembled forward.

The Xu son’s eyes were filled with tears as he bowed to Gao Qiao and Lu Guang: “When the army was defeated earlier and forced to retreat, Yang Xuan was completely surrounded by Beixia heavy troops. Let alone breaking through to rescue Young Master Lu, even messages couldn’t be delivered! Our family also suffered heavy losses in this battle. Father only learned of the terrible news tonight, was grief-stricken, immediately vomited blood and fainted. He just regained consciousness and was about to send someone to inform both uncles…”

Xu Mi said: “Brother Gao, I am useless and have failed your earlier expectations! Brother Lu, this is all Xu Mi’s fault! If you want to blame someone, kill me—I die without complaint!”

He pushed away his son who was supporting him, knelt on both knees, forcefully striking his walking stick against the ground, tears streaming down his face.

Lu Guang stared wide-eyed, pointing his trembling finger at the wailing Xu Mi. Suddenly, he felt another stabbing pain in his chest, his vision darkened, and with a “thud,” he collapsed headfirst onto the ground.

…

Li Mu accompanied Luoshen and slept until the sun was high the next day.

Since they had to travel by water first and could anchor for the night, there was no need to rush an early departure. After waking, he let her cling to him and play in the tent for a while before getting up. After washing and eating, A’Ju, Fan Cheng and the others had long since packed everything. To avoid troubling Lu Shi unnecessarily, they didn’t disturb her again. The group boarded the boat again, raised sail westward, and finally resumed their journey.

They traveled by boat during the day and anchored at night, proceeding at a leisurely pace for two days. On the evening of this day, the boat entered a neighboring prefecture and anchored at shore.

Seeing the area was prosperous and worried that sleeping on the boat during windy weather would cause rocking that might disturb Luoshen’s rest, Li Mu took her ashore to stay at the postal inn.

Soon after settling in, the postal official hurried over respectfully and presented an official document, saying that several days ago, all postal inns and docks along the route had received an urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch from Lord Gao. If they encountered General Li Mu, he was to return to Jiankang immediately.

Li Mu returned to the room and told Luoshen the news.

Luoshen was very surprised.

Li Mu had only left Jiankang a few days ago—she couldn’t imagine what major incident had occurred to make her father use the urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch system to summon him back.

Looking at the date on the dispatch, it was four days ago.

Calculating, this would have been during those days when she was still staying at Jingkou, waiting for Li Mu to find her.

Since her father was so urgent to find him, it must not be a small matter. Now that they knew, they definitely had to make the trip back.

Li Mu was reluctant to leave Luoshen here, and Luoshen was even less willing to be separated from him. After discussion, they decided to return together, abandoning the water route for the land route back to Jiankang.

The next morning, Li Mu prepared a horse-drawn carriage, had A’Ju and Qiongshu accompany Luoshen in it, selected Fan Cheng and several attendants to accompany them, leaving the rest to wait in place. They set off, traveling by day and resting by night, rushing for several days. On this evening, the group finally returned to Jiankang. When they arrived at the Gao residence, it was already the hour of hai.

Without time to rest, Li Mu was immediately summoned by Gao Qiao to the study. Luoshen went to see Xiao Yongjia and heard from her mother shocking news.

The Xu family had been defeated, their retreating forces had withdrawn to Nanyang, and though the combat alliance with Lu Jianzhi had dissolved, they concealed this information, causing Lu Jianzhi to continue northward according to the original plan. By the time he learned the situation had changed, there was no way to retreat. After a desperate battle with heavy casualties, he finally captured the intended target of Yan City, but this only gave him a brief respite. Soon he was surrounded on all sides by the Beixia army, and his current situation was extremely precarious.

Luoshen was stunned, unable to believe such a thing could happen.

Xiao Yongjia frowned slightly and continued: “Lu Guang went to confront Xu Mi and made a scene. Xu Mi shirked all responsibility. Lu Guang was so enraged he collapsed, and his old illness returned—I heard his condition is very bad. Uncle Lu has repeatedly come to beg your A’Ye for rescue, but your uncle and your elder brother are now also tied down by Beixia’s Qingzhou troops and are powerless to help. Your A’Ye had no choice but to summon Jingchen back first to discuss this matter with him.”

She looked at her daughter, seeing the color gradually drain from her face as she fell silent, knowing that given her past relationship with Lu Jianzhi, even though times had changed, as an old friend, her heart must be troubled by such news. Sighing, she comforted: “You needn’t worry too much. Just the day before yesterday, follow-up news came saying that the grain supplies in the city can probably last for more than half a month. Your A’Ye is also thinking of ways—there’s still hope no matter what.” After talking with her daughter for a while and knowing she was tired from traveling, she told her to go rest.

Luoshen told her mother not to worry about these matters and to focus on her pregnancy, letting her rest as well before returning to her own room. But how could she feel at ease? She went to stand outside her father’s study and saw the doors and windows tightly closed with lamplight showing through, knowing the two men were still talking. She turned back. At times she wondered what her father and Li Mu were discussing and whether he would be asked to send troops to rescue Lu Jianzhi. At times she wondered what Li Mu’s thoughts on this would be. What was Lu Jianzhi’s actual situation at this moment?

Just as she sat restlessly, a maidservant came to report that Lu Xiurong had come and requested to see her.

Luoshen was startled.

After that literary gathering by the curved waters, she hadn’t seen Lu Xiurong again. When she returned to Jiankang last time, she had sent Lu Xiurong a note. She replied saying her mother-in-law was unwell and she was attending to her day and night, seeming very busy, so Luoshen hadn’t bothered her further.

She hadn’t expected that tonight, just after her return, Lu Xiurong would seek her out. She quickly had her brought in and went to personally receive her friend in the courtyard after tidying herself up briefly.

Lu Xiurong looked very thin and full of worry. After entering, she stared fixedly at Luoshen. Before speaking, tears began to fall as she knelt down before Luoshen and kowtowed to her.

Luoshen was shocked and tried to stop her: “What’s wrong with you? Get up quickly—what does this mean?”

Lu Xiurong wouldn’t get up, shaking her head and crying: “A’Mi, I’ve come to apologize to you. I didn’t know before—only in these past few days did I learn what my second brother had done! Originally you wrote that musical score for my eldest brother only because I begged you to, just out of old friendship to encourage him. But my second brother was heartless, stealing the score and taking it out, nearly ruining your reputation! The state he’s in now, even my mother says he deserves it, without a word of complaint. She also asked me to tell you not to blame us!”

Luoshen helped her up to sit and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears: “If Auntie and you don’t blame me, then I’m relieved. I only hope he can wake up soon and turn danger into safety.”

Lu Xiurong choked: “A’Mi, I won’t hide from you—I’ve come tonight for another matter. I know I shouldn’t speak up. But I truly have no other options and can only shamelessly beg you once more…”

“My second brother now lies there between life and death, my A’Ye’s old illness has returned dangerously, my mother cries all day in heartbreak, and our entire household is in chaos. Xu Mi is heartless, wishing our entire Lu family would be annihilated. Though your A’Ye has the heart to help, he’s powerless. As for the court, there’s no point hoping for help. After thinking it over, only General Li remains. But my second brother has so offended General Li…”

She was about to kneel and kowtow again.

Luoshen sighed inwardly and stopped her again: “A’Rong, if you want me to speak to my husband and persuade him to send troops to rescue Elder Brother Lu, forgive me—I’m powerless. This favor, I truly cannot help you with this time.”

Lu Xiurong was stunned, her face paling slightly as tears welled up again.

“A’Mi, I know our family has behaved improperly these past couple of years, but are you angry at my eldest brother because of this? You know very well how he treated you. You grew up together and nearly became husband and wife. Even if your feelings have ended, when he faces such disaster, can you bear to watch him die without helping?”

Luoshen’s heart was in turmoil as she steadied herself.

“If I could save him, I certainly would save Elder Brother. But this matter is beyond my capabilities.”

“A’Mi! As long as you want to help, you can definitely persuade General Li! Please! If you explain it to him, he will surely listen to you…”

She gripped Luoshen’s hands tightly, her fingers wet and cold, her eyes full of hope and longing.

Luoshen slowly shook her head.

“A’Rong, since you found me tonight, you must also know that my husband was summoned back by my A’Ye specifically for this matter. Whether to rescue or not, as a military man, he will make his own decision. I’m just a woman who doesn’t understand these things—how can I rashly bring this up with him?”

“A’Mi, are you really not going to care about my eldest brother’s life or death?”

Lu Xiurong asked word by word, her tone full of disappointment.

Looking at her former close friend, Luoshen suddenly felt an extremely sad feeling rise in her heart—just like that time when she and Li Mu had just become engaged and her friend was also about to marry, after their hasty meeting, she had watched her friend’s back grow more and more distant as she left, wanting to call her back but being powerless—that same kind of sadness.

No matter how much she missed those past times, they could never return. She gradually understood this truth.

“A’Rong, this favor I truly cannot help you with. Everything depends on my husband’s own decision.”

Luoshen said again.

Lu Xiurong looked at Luoshen, her expression gradually hardening. She slowly released Luoshen’s hands, rose from the couch, and bowed to her: “I was too presumptuous. I’ve disturbed you.”

She turned around, lowered her head, quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and hurried away.