At the fourth watch, in the pitch-black night, the remaining flames and dying embers that burned throughout the night in Jiankang Palace cast light upon the faces of palace servants, all bearing the exhaustion of having stayed awake for most of the night.

At this moment, this magnificent Jiankang Palace with its thousands of chambers could no longer display even half of its usual solemnity and dignity.

Inside, people hurried back and forth carrying bundles and lifting boxes, even colliding with one another in their carelessness.

In just a moment, the Emperor and Empress would depart from the palace, leaving Jiankang under the escort of officials.

Gao Yongrong had not slept all night.

Fatigue and her foul mood made her face gray and her eyes swollen.

Bad news arrived one after another.

Wuchang Commandery had already been captured by rebel forces coming from the Jingzhou direction, and the rebels were now advancing toward Wangjiang Commandery where Gao Qiao had deployed his defenses. Once Wangjiang Commandery was also captured, Jiankang would completely lose its western barrier, and the rebels’ assault would be imminent.

Not only that, but the Celestial Master sect rebel forces, whose snowballing expansion had originally been suppressed, took advantage of the court’s armies being deployed elsewhere and defenses being weakened to launch a counterattack.

The message just delivered reported that Kuaiji Commandery, an important southeastern region, had also fallen. The commandery governor was captured while fleeing and beheaded atop the city walls.

Even more terrifying, rumors spread that Wu Cang, leader of the Celestial Master sect, had already colluded with the Xuan City rebels. Without waiting for the Jingzhou rebels to arrive, they were already stirring restlessly, planning to unite their forces and attack Jiankang again within days.

The armies of Great Yu were divided into three types: the central army, outer armies, and local provincial forces.

The central army consisted of Jiankang’s Imperial Guard and Metropolitan Guard, under the Emperor’s command. Although their numbers had expanded somewhat compared to Emperor Xingping’s time, the two forces combined totaled fewer than ten thousand. The local provincial forces were also minimal in proportion and barely useful.

The entire court relied on the outer armies controlled by aristocratic families and powerful ministers, such as the Guangling Army and the pre-rebellion Jingzhou forces.

Now, Great Yu’s available forces consisted almost entirely of Gao Qiao’s Guangling Army alone.

Outside the hall came sounds of announcement—all officials had arrived outside the palace, respectfully requesting the Emperor and Empress to depart.

Gao Yongrong withdrew her gaze from the pitch-black night sky outside the hall, steadied herself, and was about to go out when a trusted palace servant hurried over and whispered: “Your Majesty, the prison matron has sent word that Lord Gao has ordered the prison officials to transfer the prisoners to Shitou City. The Shao woman begs and pleads for Your Majesty to release her…”

The palace servant glanced around, then leaned close to Gao Yongrong’s ear and whispered a few words.

A flash of irritation crossed Gao Yongrong’s eyes as she coldly said: “Tell her that I’ve already had someone retrieve that brother of hers from exile halfway! Tell her to stay put inside obediently now! This is an extraordinary time—we cannot have any mishaps! Once we get through this crisis, when I need her in the future, I will naturally have her released!”

The palace servant acknowledged and hurried away.

Gao Yongrong glanced back at the palace hall behind her and strode out.

Gao Qiao and Feng Wei, along with the accompanying officials, saw the Emperor and Empress emerge from the palace with the Crown Prince and his entourage, and knelt to receive them.

The Emperor had caught cold the night before and fallen ill. Looking listless and exhausted, he was immediately helped onto a carriage upon emerging.

Gao Yongrong did not board her carriage directly but came before Gao Qiao and said: “Uncle, His Majesty is overwrought with worry to the point of illness and lacks energy. He has asked your niece to convey his words to you—Jiankang is entrusted to you, Uncle. We rely entirely upon you!”

Gao Qiao replied: “This is this minister’s duty.”

Gao Yongrong helped him up from the ground, instructed the others to rise, then turned to glance at the Imperial Guard formation waiting in the distance and continued: “Uncle, His Majesty and I have discussed this—though we cannot remain to share Jiankang’s fate, the Imperial Guard need not all accompany us. Taking just the left and right battalions will suffice. Leave all remaining troops to assist you, Uncle, in resisting the rebels and defending our imperial city!”

The ministers exchanged glances. Gao Qiao immediately said: “Impossible! The Metropolitan Guard is already staying. The Imperial Guard bears the responsibility of protecting His Majesty’s safety, especially during this relocation. This absolutely cannot be done!”

Gao Yongrong said: “Your niece knows these remaining troops are but a drop in the bucket and of little use in helping you resist the enemy, Uncle, but they represent His Majesty’s and my sincere intentions. Please, Uncle, do accept them for deployment and command!” She then ordered someone to convey the imperial edict to the Imperial Guard.

Gao Qiao looked at his niece, an indescribable darkness flashing in his eyes, before finally saying: “In that case, this minister thanks His Majesty and Your Highness on behalf of Jiankang’s people. Please, Your Imperial Majesty, board your carriage and prepare for departure.”

Gao Yongrong nodded and turned to board her own carriage.

On the western outskirts of the city, soldiers escorted a group of prisoners walking toward Shitou City.

There were not many female prisoners—only about ten—already walking at the rear. One of them seemed unable to walk properly, moving slower and slower, falling behind the group ahead.

This female prisoner was Shao Yuniang. The prison matron specifically assigned to guard her grew impatient and constantly urged her forward.

Shao Yuniang raised her shackled hands and pleaded: “Please have mercy, madam, and unlock my chains? They’re too heavy—I cannot walk.”

Her face had grown pale from long confinement away from sunlight, and she gasped for breath with each word. Her appearance was indeed pitiful.

The prison matron said coldly: “Others still wear leg irons. The prison official letting you walk with free feet is already preferential treatment. Where do you get off complaining so much? Hurry up!”

Shao Yuniang had no choice but to grit her teeth and continue for another stretch. Gradually reaching a roadside overgrown with dense wild grass, she stopped, clutching her stomach and saying she needed to relieve herself.

The prison matron gestured for her to squat over there.

Shao Yuniang smiled ingratiatingly: “Good madam, I ate bad prison food last night and my stomach has been upset since morning—you know how it is. It’s not a small matter but a big one. With my hands bound, it’s inconvenient, and if I soil myself, madam, you’ll be beside me day and night—I fear it would offend you. Please trouble yourself to unlock them. Once I’m finished, I’ll put them back on.”

The prison matron knew she had indeed had stomach trouble that morning. Frowning and glancing around at the flat terrain with no hiding places for escape, fearing she might truly soil herself and create a stench, she reluctantly took out the key and unlocked one of her hands.

Shao Yuniang expressed profuse gratitude. With one hand dragging the chain and the other covering her stomach, she made her way behind a clump of wild grass and squatted down.

The prison matron followed a few steps, then stopped and waited. After a long while, having called out several times with no response, she angrily walked over—only to find Shao Yuniang collapsed on the ground with eyes closed, apparently having fainted. Startled, she knelt to pinch her philtrum. Seeing no response and about to rise to call loudly for the people ahead, she was caught off guard when Shao Yuniang suddenly opened her eyes, grabbed the iron chain hanging from her wrist, swung it in a circle, looped it around the matron’s neck, and pulled tight.

Though the prison matron was tall and sturdy, being strangled from behind by Shao Yuniang, she could not break free. She collapsed backward onto the ground, legs kicking wildly, throat making continuous muffled sounds. At first, her hands desperately clawed at the chain, trying to escape.

Shao Yuniang clenched her teeth and pulled tighter and tighter, the iron chain cutting deep into flesh.

Gradually, the matron’s limbs relaxed, her entire body going still—she had been strangled to death.

Shao Yuniang released the chain and sat on the ground, catching her breath. She took the matron’s keys, unlocked the other shackle on her hand, dragged the corpse into a nearby ditch, covered it with grass, looked around, then hurried toward Jiankang.

On the third day after the evacuation order was issued, the Emperor and Empress with their accompanying ministers had reached Qu’e, and over half the city’s residents had also departed.

Dawn was just breaking. Thin morning mist, like a veil, enveloped the distant hills and fields of Jiankang’s eastern outskirts, outlining a faint curve in the morning light.

The fields before them were so tranquil. If not for the snowflake-like flood of battle reports arriving day and night from all regions, it would be hard to imagine that in the near future, all of this might be shattered by war.

Commotion arose at the city gate as a group of citizens just leaving the city emerged—men, women, elderly, and children, entire families with their belongings. At the rear, a man pushed a wheelbarrow carrying a woman holding a nursing infant. The woman stared blankly ahead, a bundle beside her.

Gao Qiao looked away, turned from the city wall, and returned home.

Xiao Yongjia was ready, having prepared the imperial physician, midwife, A’Ju, and four or five other selected attendants, waiting at home.

Gao Qiao received his wife and settled her in an ordinary blue-felt carriage with thick cushions. The group quietly left through the south city gate, heading toward Jurong.

Near Jurong stood an inconspicuous mountain called Qinglong Mountain. Halfway up Qinglong Mountain was hidden an obscure Taoist temple known to few. The temple master was an old friend Gao Qiao had met by chance years ago and maintained friendship with ever since.

Gao Qiao brought Xiao Yongjia here to await childbirth.

After half a day’s journey, they arrived at their destination. The bluestone steps leading up the mountain were concealed beneath dense tree canopies, extremely well-hidden and difficult to discover unless one approached closely. Even more ingenious was that reaching the temple required traversing a walkway built between two mountain ridges. Even if something unexpected occurred below, destroying the walkway would sever the passage at the crucial moment—a natural barrier as solid as metal and stone.

The temple master came to receive Xiao Yongjia and escort her up the mountain.

The temple was not large but had a serene environment. Xiao Yongjia was settled in a courtyard at the rear. Gao Qiao left sufficient guards, ordering them to respectively watch the mountain base entrance, the walkway, and the temple, with instructions to report to Jiankang if anything occurred. After making arrangements, he bid farewell to his wife.

Xiao Yongjia urged him to return: “This place is excellent—I’m extremely satisfied. You have many affairs and have already spent most of the day with me. Go back quickly and don’t worry about me.”

Though reluctant to leave and knowing countless urgent matters awaited him in Jiankang, Gao Qiao had no choice but to go. He squeezed his wife’s hand, instructed A’Ju and the others to care for her well, told them to inform him when she gave birth, and said he would visit when possible. With that, he turned and left.

As he stepped out the door, he heard Xiao Yongjia call from behind: “Wait a moment.” He stopped and saw her approach, smiling as she adjusted his robes and whispered: “No matter how difficult things become, remember you must take care of yourself. The child and I are waiting for you.”

Gao Qiao’s heart warmed.

His reserved nature and sense of propriety meant that whether in youth or now, despite their intimate love behind closed doors, he would never display affection publicly.

But at this moment, he instinctively embraced her before A’Ju and the other servants, holding her tightly as his response before releasing her and hurrying away.

Xiao Yongjia leaned against the doorway, watching her husband’s retreating figure. Supporting her waist, she was helped inside by A’Ju.

Life in the mountains was peaceful, like living in a dream compared to the chaos and warfare outside.

Xiao Yongjia had lived here for seven or eight days without a visit from Gao Qiao.

She knew the situation must be tense. She could only suppress her anxiety, walking around the temple during the day and sleeping early at night, awaiting her due date.

Unexpectedly, a mountain fire broke out in the latter half of the night.

A night watchman discovered the fire and immediately awakened everyone in the temple.

Being early winter with dried grass and dead branches everywhere, easily ignited, and with many clear days, the fire spread rapidly over a large area once started, aided by mountain winds, making it impossible to extinguish.

The temple’s location was also downwind. Soon, they could not only feel waves of heat inside the buildings but could almost hear the crackling sounds of the mountain fire consuming tree branches and leaves.

The temple would soon be consumed by the great fire.

Everyone in the temple—the master, several disciples, Xiao Yongjia’s attendants, and the guards—had to evacuate down the mountain.

There was no suitable shelter near the mountain base. Fortunately, the temple master said there was a small village about ten li away with a few households where they could take refuge. The guards used a litter they had brought down to carry Xiao Yongjia as they searched for this place.

The village was indeed as the temple master described—home to only a few families. Houses were scattered according to the terrain, inhabitants living simple lives by farming a few mountain fields and hunting, all quite honest folk. Recognizing the temple master and seeing him lead a group with a heavily pregnant woman and attendants who, despite their current difficulties, clearly had status, they respectfully cleared their largest house with a courtyard.

A’Ju led the servant women in cleaning the space, finally managing basic accommodations. By then, the raging flames had consumed nearly half the mountain, their glow illuminating the surroundings like daylight—even from here, the firelight was visible.

Everyone gazed into the distance with shock and terror.

Supported by A’Ju, Xiao Yongjia rested on the simple bed in the hunter’s humble dwelling.

She knew her husband must be occupied with many affairs. It had been seven or eight days since she came to the mountain, and she had no idea how the outside situation had changed. Originally, she had not planned to trouble him with news of the birth, but tonight’s unfortunate events left no choice—she sent someone back to Jiankang to report to Gao Qiao.

By now, day had broken.

After the night’s ordeal, while she was still well, seeing everyone else looking tired, she had them ask the villagers to lend some food. Several families brought stored grain—millet and wild vegetables. The servants cooked a large pot of vegetable porridge and called everyone to eat.

The guards had worked through half the night emerging from the fire scene, all parched with thirst. Seeing a small well nearby used by the villagers, they had all gone to drink water and were now feeling famished. When porridge arrived, they stood there gulping it down quickly. Their leader divided them into shifts—half to rest temporarily while the others continued standing guard, awaiting word from Jiankang.

Seeing the imperial physician, midwife, and servants all exhausted with dry eyes, Xiao Yongjia told them to eat something and rest first.

Despite her own hunger and thirst, A’Ju first brought porridge with a plate of steamed preserved meat into the room, sitting before Xiao Yongjia, gently blowing it cool while whispering: “I’m sorry for the hardship, Eldest Princess. Just when you’re about to give birth, who would have expected such events…”

Seeing A’Ju’s eyes redden with concern for her, Xiao Yongjia smiled and was about to speak when she suddenly felt a dull abdominal pain. Pressing her hand there, she said: “It seems the birth is coming.”

Several days earlier than expected!

A’Ju jumped up and immediately left the room to summon the midwife, imperial physician, and servant women who had barely lain down. But everyone slept deeply and could not be roused.

A’Ju was puzzled and called several more times. Seeing they would not wake, she realized something was wrong and hurried out the gate to call the guards.

Only then did she discover that the guards outside had all collapsed unconscious on the ground.

A’Ju was shocked and about to call loudly to the household on the opposite slope when she caught a glimpse of someone moving nearby. Turning her head, before she could react, she felt cold pain in her chest—a dagger had pierced her.

She stared wide-eyed at the person before her.

In her pupils reflected a face that, even after nearly twenty years, even burned to ash, she would recognize.

Shao Yuniang’s face!

Shao Yuniang was dressed as a peasant woman, disheveled and dirty, her face ghost-white, eyes flickering with unstable light, lips bearing a cold smile. She pushed A’Ju to the ground without another glance, turned to order the pale-faced Shao Fengzhi to keep watch, then turned around and walked rapidly inside like a floating ghost.

Having waited moments without A’Ju returning with help, Xiao Yongjia sensed something wrong. Supporting her belly and waiting for the wave of pain to pass, she called out but saw no one. She supported herself against the bed frame and struggled to her feet, about to go out when she heard light footsteps at the door. Looking up, she saw a woman enter and was momentarily stunned.

Upon seeing Xiao Yongjia, Shao Yuniang’s eyes fixed directly on her, moving from her face slowly downward to finally rest on her belly, staring with twitching eyelids and an extremely eerie expression.

Xiao Yongjia murmured: “Shao Yuniang… it’s you… how did you come here…”

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly clutched her stomach, her face showing pain, and fell back onto the bed.

Due to the pain, her body quickly curled into a ball. She then called A’Ju’s name with a trembling voice.

Shao Yuniang’s gaze finally left her belly and returned to her face.

She stared at Xiao Yongjia’s visage—clearly the same age as herself yet still appearing young and beautiful.

Even pregnant and about to give birth, even in such a broken-down room, her attractiveness was undiminished—a quality that could not be created with powder and rouge but was cultivated through years of honor and favor.

“Xiao Yongjia, you never imagined you’d have such a day, did you? Do you know where last night’s mountain fire came from? I set it! You hid so well there—if I hadn’t burned the mountain with a fire, how could I have forced you down…”

Her eyes shot forth two beams of envious hatred as she laughed triumphantly.

Xiao Yongjia’s abdominal pain grew worse, her body beginning to tremble slightly.

“What about them… what did you do to them…”

Shao Yuniang snorted: “You truly forget things like the noble person you are. Have you forgotten? My family practiced medicine—I originally gained favor by献药 medicine to save Lord Gao, and the Celestial Master sect excels at using drugs to control people. Getting some medicine is easy for me. They’re lucky—I originally wanted to poison the well, but then thought if I accidentally killed you too, wouldn’t that be letting you off easy? So I changed my mind and gave them enough sleep for a day and night!”

Whether from pain or anger, Xiao Yongjia’s trembling worsened as she weakly called Gao Qiao’s name.

Shao Yuniang laughed loudly: “Go ahead and call! Not only Lord Gao, but everyone in this entire village has been drugged by my well water—let’s see who you can call!”

“Shao Yuniang, what exactly do you want to do… The harm you suffered years ago had nothing to do with me… I didn’t order anyone to hunt you down…”

Xiao Yongjia said shakily, holding her stomach and moaning in pain.

“Shut your mouth!”

Shao Yuniang’s triumphant smile suddenly vanished as anger climbed to her brows and eyes.

“So what if you didn’t send people to kill me? If you hadn’t obstructed me in every way back then, would Lord Gao have refused me? If you hadn’t forced me to leave, would I have encountered such things? It’s all your doing, you venomous woman!”

She gritted her teeth, her originally beautiful features becoming hideously distorted. Closing her eyes, she took a long breath as if struggling to calm her rage, then slowly opened her eyes again, staring at Xiao Yongjia who was curled up in pain and disheveled, unhurriedly sitting across from her with a smile: “You asked what I want to do?”

“Listen well. I’ll let you suffer a while longer. If you still can’t give birth, I’ll help you by cutting open your belly and taking out your and Lord Gao’s child to raise as my own. I refuse to believe Lord Gao won’t listen to me in the future…”

She laughed continuously, as if infected by her own plan, her eyes flickering with strange light.

Xiao Yongjia murmured weakly: “Shao Yuniang, stop dreaming. Don’t you know? My husband told me years ago that you were a shameless person trying to seduce him. In his eyes, you’re nothing but a lowly person. How could he possibly listen to you…”

Though her voice was weak, her words were clear, each syllable floating distinctly into Shao Yuniang’s ears.

As if pricked by a needle, she jumped up abruptly, brows furrowed, eyes blazing with anger. She immediately pressed toward Xiao Yongjia, approaching the bedside and slapping her hard across the face, shouting: “Xiao Yongjia, you bitch! Try spouting such nonsense again! Back then in Jiangbei when he was injured and I cared for him, I could feel that he had feelings for me! If you hadn’t interfered, he would have taken me long ago! Even now! If he didn’t still have old feelings for me, when I committed crimes, how would he have spared me and had me housed in a private cell…”

“You bitch, I’ll teach you to talk nonsense…”

In her fury, she grabbed Xiao Yongjia’s shoulders and shook her violently.

Xiao Yongjia’s face was pale, her long hair disheveled by the shaking, but she did not resist.

In her rage, Shao Yuniang completely failed to notice that one of Xiao Yongjia’s hands was secretly reaching toward her pillow.

“I’ll cut open your belly right now…”

She released Xiao Yongjia and turned as if to find a knife. In that instant, Xiao Yongjia’s hand touched the hard object under her pillow.

It was a dagger blade. Since leaving the temple, she had carried it close to her body for protection, having placed it under the pillow earlier.

She grasped it, drew it out, and with all her strength stabbed viciously at the completely unprepared Shao Yuniang.

Shao Yuniang let out a shriek, clutching her stomach, her face showing incredible pain as her body slowly bent over.

Xiao Yongjia tried to withdraw the dagger. But her earlier struggles and that final stab had exhausted all her strength. The blade seemed caught by ribs, stuck and momentarily impossible to remove.

She crawled down from the bed, supporting herself against the wall, and ran outside.

Shao Yuniang’s screams quickly brought Shao Fengzhi from outside. He stood in the doorway holding a sword, looking in shock at the scene before him, his steps frozen.

“Kill her for me…”

Shao Yuniang lay on the ground in pain, ordering her brother.

Shao Fengzhi’s gaze fell on Xiao Yongjia as they looked at each other.

Xiao Yongjia slowly straightened her body, staring at the person opposite her.

Her face was pale and her situation wretched, but at this moment, when she stood straight and looked directly at her opponent, the unreachable nobility that seemed to emanate from her very bones made Shao Fengzhi avert his gaze. He lowered his eyes, not daring to meet hers.

“What are you standing there for? Get moving—”

To gain Gao Qiao’s trust, she had deliberately been ill for a long time and confined in prison. After killing the matron and escaping, days of tracking, hiding, and intense mental concentration had exhausted her already weakened body.

That stab seemed to drain all her remaining strength.

She gasped for breath with difficulty, compelling her brother.

Xiao Yongjia said coldly: “Shao Fengzhi, do you dare kill me?”

Shao Fengzhi’s hand trembled slightly.

“Get moving!”

Shao Yuniang shouted harshly.

Shao Fengzhi’s hand shook even more violently. Under Shao Yuniang’s compulsion, he struggled to raise his sword toward Xiao Yongjia’s chest, continued trembling for a moment, then suddenly with a “clang” the sword fell to the ground. His legs gave way as he collapsed with a thud, kneeling and pleading: “Sister, I dare not kill her… let’s give up… while we can still escape, let’s flee far away… I don’t want revenge anymore… I want to live…”

“You useless thing—”

Shao Yuniang became enraged again, trying to crawl up from the ground. Just as she rose, her body swayed and she fell back down.

Shao Fengzhi prostrated on the ground, trembling, not daring to raise his head.

Xiao Yongjia ran out, passing by her unconscious servants and guards on the ground, running to a low ridge where her lower abdomen cramped again. Unable to take another step, she clutched her stomach and slowly crouched down.

Large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.

She felt a warm flow streaming down the inside of her thighs.

Despite Gao Qiao’s utmost haste, when he reached this place, it was already evening of that day.

He was stunned by the scene before him.

Everyone in the village had fallen into deep sleep, but Xiao Yongjia was nowhere to be found!

To the west, Wangjiang Commandery’s defending army was locked in bitter combat with Jingzhou rebels. He had also received definite news that the Xuan City rebels had colluded with the Celestial Master sect—two hundred thousand people were once again advancing toward Jiankang.

These days, he had been constantly busy deploying troops and constructing defensive lines, never imagining such events could occur here.

He found A’Ju lying on the ground.

She still clung to a weak breath, having finally waited for Gao Qiao. She murmured “Shao Yuniang…” before being unable to sustain herself any longer and losing consciousness.