Xiao Yongjia’s gaze fell upon the eyes of the man holding her. As their eyes met, that real sense of familiarity suddenly washed over her like a tide, yet her hands and feet still couldn’t move. She could only stare fixedly at this gaunt face before her, covered with beard and marked by wind and frost.

This was the person – she had waited for his arrival with her young child, waited so long, until this moment when she had almost despaired, he had finally come.

“A’Ling, don’t you recognize me?”

Gao Qiao anxiously repeated his words.

Tears slowly welled up in Xiao Yongjia’s eyes. Suddenly she lowered her head, opened her mouth, and bit down on his shoulder.

This bite seemed to use all her strength, her teeth sinking deep into flesh. Between her lips and tongue, a faint salty, fishy taste immediately spread.

But she still didn’t release her teeth. As if only this way could she vent all the grievance, resentment, and suffering that had accumulated over these years.

Gao Qiao’s hands froze. He looked down at the motionless figure pressed against his shoulder. The anxiety on his face disappeared, and the corners of his eyes reddened.

He endured the pain of sharp teeth gnawing his shoulder and held her body even tighter, his voice hoarse as he spoke to his wife in his arms: “A’Ling, I came late and made you suffer. I’ll take you away now…”

Tears filled Xiao Yongjia’s lashes. She closed her eyes, released her teeth, pushed Gao Qiao away, quickly wiped the tears streaming down her face with her sleeve, looked toward Xiao Qi standing to the side staring up at her and Gao Qiao in a daze, took his hand, and said chokingly: “Let’s go.”

Gao Qiao turned to look at Xiao Qi. The moment his gaze fell on the child’s small face, he could no longer look away.

“A’Niang, is he my A’Ye?”

Xiao Qi looked at the man before him, hesitated briefly, then softly asked his mother.

Xiao Yongjia nodded: “Yes, he is your A’Ye.”

Xiao Qi suddenly widened his pure, bright eyes, showing an expression of surprise and joy, staring at Gao Qiao without blinking.

Gao Qiao could no longer hold back. At this moment, his eyes became incredibly moist.

He bent down and lifted his son from the ground, not having time to look at his appearance more, he rubbed the child’s small head, pressed his little face against his chest, and said quietly to his wife: “The guards outside have all been killed, and the escape route is arranged. Let’s leave quickly.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Murong Zhe on the ground, hesitated slightly, but a murderous intent still flashed in his eyes.

Xiao Yongjia sighed: “Forget it, no need to kill her. Let’s go.”

Gao Qiao looked at her, held Xiao Qi tightly with one arm, grasped his wife’s hand with the other, and led her out quickly, stepping over the bodies of several Xiongnu soldiers lying on the ground.

The night was pitch black, but the firelight from the direction of the pass showed no sign of diminishing. Not far away, torches flickered as the camp continued sending troops toward the pass.

“Where are they? Are they dead? Bring them out now!”

A roaring voice came with the wind.

Several Xiongnu soldiers carrying torches hurried in this direction under their leader’s command. Behind them, in the distance of the camp, that dark northeastern corner suddenly burst into flames.

That direction was the granary.

The soldiers remaining in camp shouted loudly and rushed over. As if by arrangement, almost at the same moment, the opposite northwestern corner where the stables were located also suddenly caught fire.

The weather was dry, having seen no rain for many days. The stored grain and fodder were all dry materials. With the wind fanning the flames, by the time soldiers arrived, a vast fire was already spreading. With no convenient water source nearby, how could they extinguish it? They could only watch helplessly as flames blazed high, running about uselessly and crying out in vain.

The fire grew larger and larger. Not only did it threaten to spread to nearby barracks, but worse still, the thousands of warhorses confined in the stables were driven by the roaring flames around them. They reared and neighed, struggling desperately to break free from their tethers.

Large sections of fencing were dragged down by the herd, stable roofs collapsed in succession. In the firelight, countless frightened horses charged wildly from the stalls, scattering in all directions. Xiongnu soldiers couldn’t dodge in time and were knocked down by the oncoming horse herd. Hooves fell like raindrops, trampling over their bodies and faces. Head injuries and bleeding were minor wounds – broken bones and fractured legs were everywhere, with screams rising and falling continuously.

Many horses that broke free had their tails on fire as they charged out, igniting tents during their flight. The fire, aided by wind, soon engulfed the entire camp in a sea of flames within moments.

Even with the Heavenly King personally commanding at the pass, nothing could help now.

Under Li Mu’s fierce assault leading his army, the pass was already in critical danger. With these additional disasters here, the leader ordered to fetch prisoners knew something was terribly wrong. Disregarding everything else, he rushed toward where the Eldest Princess was held. By the firelight, he saw several guard corpses lying scattered on the ground outside. His expression changed dramatically as he charged inside.

“This is terrible – they’ve escaped -“

Wind sounds, horse neighing, and Xiongnu voices hoarse from shouting rose with the firelight into the night sky, lingering for a long time.

…

Gao Qiao had long memorized the camp’s routes and guard post distributions. Carrying Xiao Qi on his shoulders and leading Xiao Yongjia, they took their pre-selected path. Taking advantage of the camp’s chaos, they headed out, killing several Xiongnu soldiers who had inadvertently stumbled their way while avoiding the horse stampede. Following their plan, they successfully escaped.

Under moonlight, between two flanking peaks, a narrow mountain path wound forward.

Gao Qi and the other subordinates, after setting the fires, were to meet Gao Qiao at the end of this path where horses were already prepared.

The sea of fire and Xiongnu cries had been left behind. Gao Qiao led his wife and child quickly along the mountain path. Among swaying tree shadows and jagged rocks, he felt the small hands of Xiao Qi in his arms gripping his neck tighter and tighter, the fuzzy little head pressing closer and closer to him, finally nestling tightly against his chin, motionless.

This was silent affection and dependence from the child in his arms.

He had come into this world during warfare. Due to his father’s oversight, from his first day in this world, he had been imprisoned along with his mother.

Until tonight, when Gao Qiao had watched his mother and son from a distance in hiding, deep in his heart, beyond joy, he had not been without timid feelings mixed with guilt.

As former Grand Chancellor of Dayu and head of the Gao family, he believed he could face heaven without shame and earth without disgrace, having fulfilled his duties to the best of his ability.

But as a husband and a child’s father, he owed them much.

He had countless times secretly prayed to heaven, begging for mercy to give him another chance to make up for his previous debts to his wife. But when this dreamed-of moment truly arrived, he became timid again. He didn’t know how to face his wife and child. He feared not receiving his wife’s forgiveness, feared that in the child’s heart, he as a father was a disappointing existence.

Yet heaven had ultimately been kind to him. How fortunate he was to have such a wife and such a precious child.

All his previous worries completely disappeared at this moment.

Warmth surged through his chest.

He quietly adjusted his position holding Xiao Qi to make him more comfortable in his embrace.

“Can you still walk?”

He quietly asked his wife.

Xiao Yongjia breathed slightly hard but shook her head: “I can walk.”

“We’re almost there.”

Xiao Yongjia nodded at her husband and smiled slightly.

Dappled moonlight fell through tree shadows onto her face.

Her features remained pure and beautiful as before, but she looked much thinner than in the past.

Gao Qiao silently tightened his grip on her hand and was about to continue forward with her when suddenly his steps stopped.

Ahead at a mountain pass, standing like an abrupt stone pillar in the middle of the weed-grown path, was a towering figure.

Moonlight fell upon a person with face covered by black cloth, features invisible, leaving only a pair of eyes glittering with unfathomable light in the darkness. Over ten shadowy figures that looked like followers were silently emerging from behind trees and rocks on both sides of the path, standing left and right behind that person, completely blocking the way forward.

Xiao Qi suddenly turned his head. Gao Qiao felt his tension and immediately patted his back gently, quietly saying “don’t be afraid,” then gently set him down and shielded the mother and son behind himself.

This place wasn’t far from the rendezvous point. Just when they were about to arrive, someone had appeared to block their path halfway.

Gao Qiao knew the people opposite probably weren’t with the Xiongnu. He couldn’t immediately determine what their background was.

But he could be certain they had been waiting here for some time, and they were enemies, not friends.

He stared intently at the masked man opposite, one hand resting on his sword hilt.

That person also said nothing, staring back at Gao Qiao for a moment. His glittering gaze then fell on Xiao Yongjia behind him. After a moment, he spoke: “Leave her behind, and I’ll let you and your son go.” His voice was rough and harsh, extremely unpleasant.

Gao Qiao said in a deep voice: “Who are you?”

The man didn’t respond, only saying: “Gao Qiao, commanding troops, you might be able to contend with me for a while, but in martial arts, you’re absolutely no match for me. I don’t wish to make things difficult. Do as I say, and I absolutely won’t break my word.”

A flash of anger passed through Gao Qiao’s eyes. His gaze swept over the opponent’s group. In that brief instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

This masked man’s background was unknown, nor did he know why he wanted to hold Xiao Yongjia hostage, but clearly this was a formidable enemy, with over ten capable subordinates to boot.

If he were alone, he would fight to the death with them. Looking back on half a lifetime, what great storms hadn’t he seen? How could he fear these mere dozen enemies before him?

But at this moment, behind him were Xiao Yongjia and her son.

Without absolute certainty of success in one strike, his first consideration had to be ensuring the safety of mother and son.

This place wasn’t far from the arranged meeting point ahead. As long as he could delay these people, when Gao Qi and the others saw he hadn’t arrived at the appointed time, they would naturally come looking.

Gao Qiao turned his head, quietly instructed Xiao Yongjia to stay close to the mountain wall with Xiao Qi, slowly tightened his grip on the sword hilt, and said coldly: “A rat who doesn’t even dare show his face, hiding and cowering – how dare you speak so boldly. Whether you’re an opponent or not, we’ll know after trying.”

Xiao Yongjia behind him suddenly bent down, whispered in Xiao Qi’s ear telling him to stand still, then stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Gao Qiao, saying: “My husband just asked who you are – why won’t you answer?”

The masked man remained silent.

“If you won’t say, then let me guess.”

She spoke slowly: “Years ago when the Southern Dynasty had internal strife, the Murong siblings took advantage of my husband being busy rescuing people and defending Jiankang to abduct me to the northern Xianbei lands. Many things have happened over these years, and my husband has been searching for my son and me. Now he’s finally found us, and our family can be reunited, yet you suddenly appear here. You’re not with the Xiongnu, but this also isn’t a sudden whim – you’ve been secretly investigating for a long time. Otherwise, you couldn’t have appeared here so coincidentally to block our path at this moment.”

“You cover your face with cloth and refuse to reveal your identity, which means you have history with my husband and me – at least you know us.”

“You rely on superior numbers to threaten to detain me. Is your purpose the same as Western Liang Emperor Liu Jian’s – to use me to threaten Li Mu?”

“How could a great man depend on a woman to influence the outcome of battle? Do you take me for…”

The masked man paused.

“Do you take me for the same as those shameless people like Murong Ti and Liu Jian, capable of such base acts?” His tone carried a hint of pride.

Xiao Yongjia nodded slightly: “I respect your integrity. But what exactly is your purpose? From your tone just now, you seemed somewhat sincere, as if you would truly let the father and son go if I stayed. This puzzles me. Though I am the Eldest Princess of the Southern Dynasty, now that Empress Dowager Gao holds power, my status has long since changed with circumstances and has little utility value. Yet you’ve expended such great effort tracking and ambushing us just to detain me? Thinking it over, perhaps you and I have old grievances and you want revenge…”

“No, no, you misunderstand – I absolutely don’t mean that -“

As Xiao Yongjia spoke, the masked man’s emotions were no longer as calm as initially. He seemed to become gradually agitated. Hearing her words, he immediately stepped forward and denied it.

“If it’s neither using me to influence the war like Liu Jian, nor old grievances, then why do you want to detain me?”

The masked man seemed momentarily speechless.

Xiao Yongjia stared at him, her gaze seeming to penetrate that cloth covering his face, layer by layer stripping away the true face hidden beneath.

“Though you’ve covered your face and changed your voice, you always remind me of someone I once knew. I thought that person should have died, so I didn’t dare rashly identify him. But thinking it over, besides that person, I really can’t think of anyone else who would do such a thing!”

As she spoke with the masked man opposite, Gao Qiao watched in confusion, his gaze shifting back and forth between them.

“Murong Xi! You didn’t actually die back then, did you?”

She suddenly raised her voice, speaking these words word by word.

Gao Qiao spun around, staring at the opposite figure, shouting: “Are you really Murong Xi?”

The masked man stood rigid for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and tore away the cloth covering his face.

Moonlight revealed a face with disheveled hair and beard, slightly pale complexion – who else could it be but Murong Xi?

Gao Qiao was shocked beyond measure.

He never would have expected that Murong Xi, who had single-handedly restored Northern Yan and proclaimed himself emperor, who had supposedly died suddenly of illness not long after attacking and conquering Gaoliang in the south, whose throne had been inherited by Murong Zhe, was actually still alive and had appeared here now!

He was bewildered for a moment, looking at this Xianbei man who had not only been his opponent on northern expedition battlefields in the first half of his life, but had also coveted his wife, and even now still attempted to take her from his side.

Suddenly, he seemed to awaken. Old and new grievances surged up from the bottom of his heart, and he could no longer maintain his previous calm.

His long sword flashed with cold light, already half-drawn from its sheath. Gao Qiao gritted his teeth: “You’ve come at just the right time! If you want to detain her, you’ll have to get past me first!”

Murong Xi snorted through his nostrils: “Gao Qiao, would I, Murong Xi, fear you?” As he spoke, the arrogance in his expression didn’t diminish in the slightest.

Gao Qiao was furious when suddenly he felt a soft hand press down on the back of his hand.

Xiao Yongjia held down his hand that was about to draw the sword, looked at him, and shook her head slightly.

“Murong Xi, that you survived such circumstances shows heaven’s special favor toward you. Instead of reflecting and reforming, you now come to trouble my husband and me again – what’s the reasoning? You still haven’t answered earlier – appearing halfway to forcibly detain me, what exactly do you intend?”

Murong Xi fell silent again, his gaze flickering constantly.

No matter how slow Gao Qiao was, how could he not understand? Rage blazed in his heart. He wanted to pull his wife behind him, but heard Xiao Yongjia continue: “Since you can do it, what can’t you say? This shows even you know you’re in the wrong and can’t speak of it, right?”

Murong Xi wanted to speak but hesitated.

Xiao Yongjia’s expression suddenly became cold as she said: “Murong Xi, when you sought marriage years ago, if I had favored you, even if Father Emperor disagreed, I would have found ways to make him consent. Even then I looked down on you. Do you think after all these years I would change?”

“Listen well. Even if you rely on superior numbers to take me away today, I, Xiao Yongjia, would rather die than submit.”

Even the dim moonlight couldn’t hide the embarrassed expression that appeared on Murong Xi’s face.

He waved his hand, signaling all his followers to withdraw, stepped forward, his expression having recovered, and said coldly: “If not for you back then, I wouldn’t have been so easily harmed by that scoundrel Murong Ti. Having narrowly escaped death, now I must repay grievances and fulfill wishes!”

“But since you’ve spoken thus, I, Murong Xi, am not a shameless person either. We Xianbei have always had a rule – when hunters go hunting, it doesn’t matter if they fail to catch prey, but there’s absolutely no reason for arrows not to be nocked or blades not to be drawn, as this brings bad luck. Since I’ve come tonight, don’t think you can dismiss me so easily…”

He drew his waist saber, his gaze stopping on Gao Qiao’s face.

“This Southern Dynasty man and I have always been battlefield enemies. For your sake, tonight I’ll give him a chance. Didn’t you just say I rely on superior numbers? I’ll fight him one-on-one. As long as he can defeat me, I’ll leave immediately and never appear before you couple again!”

Gao Qiao had cultivated both literary and martial arts in his youth. Given his background, the martial arts and swordsmanship he learned naturally came from famous masters. Xiao Yongjia knew her husband wasn’t weak. But compared to Murong Xi, who had the reputation of being the north’s greatest fierce general, winning through combat seemed almost impossible to her. Moreover, over the years he had exhausted himself with state affairs, his health had once suffered from overwork, and in recent years searching for her and her son, he had undoubtedly endured frost and dew, experiencing countless hardships. How could he possibly defeat Murong Xi?

Before she could speak, her hand warmed as Gao Qiao grasped it.

He turned toward Murong Xi: “Murong Xi, you originally harbored improper thoughts and were used and harmed by petty people. My wife suffered this undeserved calamity because of your fault, being schemed against by the Murong siblings! She hasn’t blamed you, yet you shift the blame to her – what’s the reasoning?”

Murong Xi’s face was gloomy. Staring at Gao Qiao, he said coldly: “Gao Qiao, if you’re afraid, just say so.”

Gao Qiao drew his sword from its sheath.

With a “thud,” he released his grip, the sword point already deeply embedded in the ground.

The blade reflected moonlight, constantly trembling back and forth, its surface like flowing water with brilliant light flickering.

He turned his head to look at the child behind him who had been obediently standing still and motionless, but whose eyes grew wider and wider as he stared at this scene. He smiled and said: “Seventh Young Master, A’Ye is going to teach this Xianbei who disrespects your A’Niang a lesson. Are you afraid?”

Xiao Qi shook his head: “Not afraid!”

Gao Qiao laughed heartily, stepped forward and patted his head, told his worried-looking wife to hold Xiao Qi well, then pulled the long sword from the ground and strode toward Murong Xi opposite.

“Murong Xi, you’ve lived like a dead man for several years, hiding in the shadows, watching helplessly as the so-called throne that originally belonged to you was taken by your nephew. Your days were probably no better than mine! On this narrow path where enemies meet, since you want to fight, then let’s fight! Between you and me, old and new grievances can be settled together!”