Having her hands wrapped so tightly in his palm made Gao Luoshen’s heart beat a little faster.

Not daring to look at the burning gaze he cast toward her, she lowered her eyes, suddenly remembering something. She gently withdrew her hands from his palm and got out of bed.

She walked to the table, picked up the wine pot, and poured wine into the twin cups quietly placed on the table, carved with auspicious yin-yang inscriptions. Both cups filled to the brim, she lifted them. Under his watchful gaze, she walked step by step back before him and handed him the jade cup carved with yang inscriptions.

“From this day forward, I entrust my remaining life to Langjun. Please drink this nuptial wine.”

She slightly raised her face, parting her vermillion lips gently, her breath fragrant as orchids.

Her flowing sleeves like clouds, her pale wrists like jade, the fine wine and jade hands reflecting each other, glowing with intoxicating grape-colored luminescence in the night.

Li Mu gazed at her, his eyes overflowing with tenderness in their depths.

He accepted the nuptial cup, took her hand with his large palm, led her to sit back beside the bed. The two crossed arms, gazing at each other as they each drank the wine in their cups.

After drinking, he set down the cup and smiled brilliantly at her, his features heroic and spirited, radiant with vigor.

The brocade curtains fell once more.

Feeling those lips gently touch her earlobe, when she closed her eyes, her ears seemed to echo with scenes from that past wedding night when Jianzhi had smiled and affectionately called her “A’Mi.”

Her body couldn’t help but stiffen slightly.

He seemed to sense her reaction, hesitated, raised his head, and released her.

“Sleep.”

He said gently, carefully pulling up the covers to her neck, his voice containing not a trace of displeasure.

Gao Luoshen closed her eyes for a moment, then quietly opened them again, looking toward him.

He lay with eyes closed, quietly on his back beside her, breathing steadily as if already asleep.

But she knew he hadn’t fallen asleep.

“Why are you so kind to me?”

She asked softly, mumbling.

He opened his eyes, turned his face, and looked toward her as well.

Red candlelight penetrated the curtains, his eyes deep and faintly gleaming.

…

Many years ago, in Jingkou there was a refugee youth who had fled from the north. Newly arrived and unfamiliar with the place, to pay for his seriously ill mother’s medical treatment, with no other options, he sold himself for thirty coins as a servant for one year to a local Zhang family strongman’s estate, rising before dawn each day to do all kinds of dirty and exhausting work.

After a year when he could leave, the steward falsely accused him of stealing the master’s money and wanted to send him to the authorities. If he refused, he would have to sign a lifelong indenture contract.

Later he learned this was the usual method these local strongmen used to exploit rootless refugees, acquiring servants for their estates at the lowest cost.

The angry youth knocked down that steward, then was immediately seized by swarming servants. After a severe beating, iron nails pierced through his palms.

He was nailed to a post beside the estate gate by the roadside, exposed to wind and sun as an example to others.

When his mother Lu Shi rushed over upon hearing the news, he had already been nailed roadside for three days without food or water. His lips were cracked and bleeding from dryness, and he had fainted from the scorching sun.

He struggled awake to his mother’s cries, seeing his frail mother kneeling at the estate gate not far away, constantly kowtowing to those house slaves, begging them to spare her son.

The house slaves only stood with arms crossed, mocking.

His mother came from the Fanyang Lu clan, originally a daughter of northern aristocracy. When the Xiao house retreated south, the Lu surname clan didn’t follow. When they later came to Jiangdong, it was too late. Under pressure from already established noble families, they had fallen to humble status with their descendants’ advancement paths completely blocked. Over the years, family members scattered to seek their own fortunes, and no one remembered there was still such a clan daughter who had married into the Xuyi Li family.

Mother shouldn’t suffer such humiliation.

He wanted to call for his mother to rise, but his throat was too hoarse to make a sound.

Just then, pleasant copper bell sounds came on the wind.

From the distant road opposite, an ox cart approached at a leisurely pace.

The bull was sturdy with a golden copper bell around its neck. Curtains hung before the carriage, the body decorated with golden paint, and side windows half-open. A driver sat properly at the front with skillful technique, while two columns of protective escorts walked on foot around the ox cart.

At a glance, this was clearly some wealthy family’s master traveling through.

The sight of strongmen punishing house slaves in this manner was perhaps commonplace here.

The ox cart didn’t stop, passing by the post where his palms were nailed.

A faint floral fragrance lingered in the air.

“Sister, they’re so pitiful. Please help them…”

Suddenly, a girl’s voice drifted from the ox cart on the wind, faintly reaching the youth’s ears.

That voice was like a young oriole’s first song—the most beautiful sound this youth had ever heard in his life.

“We’re just passing through. It’s better not to meddle in others’ affairs…”

Another voice of an older-sounding girl followed.

“But sister, he doesn’t seem like a bad person, he’s really pitiful…”

“You’re just too soft-hearted. Listen to sister—this isn’t our business, don’t interfere…”

The girl seemed to sigh, full of sympathy and helplessness.

The youth struggled to lift his neck, looking toward the direction where that ox cart had just departed.

In a corner of the carriage window, half of a little girl’s face appeared, looking back.

She looked only seven or eight years old, wearing goose-yellow clothing with snow-white skin and jet-black hair. A pair of round eyes, extremely beautiful, like a jade snow doll.

Her gaze was directed toward him at this moment, her eyes filled with unbearable pity and compassion.

In just a blink, a curtain was lowered and the girl’s face disappeared behind the window.

“A’Mi, if you don’t behave, I’ll tell aunt, and won’t bring you out next time…”

The ox cart gradually moved away.

“Please, let my son down first. If you don’t release him, he’ll die… Whatever money he owes you, I’ll definitely find a way to repay…”

Mother was still over there, weeping and kowtowing, desperately pleading with the cruel slaves. One of them kicked her in the chest, knocking her to the ground.

“What will you use to repay?”

Another looked her over. “She’s a bit coarse, but dressed up properly and sent to serve people, someone might still want her!”

Lewd laughter mixed with mother’s desperate crying reached his ears.

“Mother, don’t worry about me—”

The youth’s eyes split with rage.

At that moment, somehow finding strength from nowhere, he roared and with tremendous effort, actually tore his nailed palm free from the wooden post.

His palm was dripping with blood, yet he felt no pain whatsoever.

His eyes blood-red, he rushed over, grabbed a wooden stick from the ground, and stood guard beside his mother.

The surrounding people were stunned. When they came to their senses, they angrily surrounded him, clamoring to beat him to death.

Just then, that tinkling copper bell sound drew near again.

The ox cart that had already departed actually returned, stopping by the roadside.

A steward-like person stepped forward to inquire about the situation.

Lu Shi, as if grasping a lifeline, tearfully recounted the entire incident.

That person then ordered the youth’s release.

The cruel slaves naturally refused, telling the other party not to meddle and to leave quickly.

The other party laughed coldly: “Is what Lord Gao’s household wants to manage also meddling?”

Everyone knew that Lord Gao was the respectful title people used for the Gao family head.

The cruel slaves were stunned.

Though the Zhang family dominated Jingkou and could barely be considered part of the scholarly class, compared to the world-renowned Gao family, they weren’t even worthy of carrying their shoes.

If the people in the ox cart truly came from the Gao family, they naturally dared not disobey.

But who knew if they were bluffing?

If they simply released the person like this, when news spread later, how could the Zhang family save face before other Jingkou families?

While the cruel slaves hesitated, a girl’s icy voice came from the carriage: “You’re Zhang family people? When my uncle was in Jiankang, he heard something about you. It’s said your Zhang family colludes with Jingkou officials, privately raising taxes under the court’s name. Those northern returnees who can’t pay have their court-allocated settlement lands seized by you. Not only that, but people are also forced to sell themselves as servants to your Zhang family estates! Whatever profit the Zhang family gains, the court loses that much! I didn’t believe it before, but seeing today, it appears to be true! Jingkou is supposed to be the court’s key town for settling northern refugees. Instead of helping the court share its burdens, your Zhang family actually takes advantage to profit and oppress our Dayu’s northern returnee citizens! If you don’t release them to return home, do you know the consequences?”

Though the girl seemed young, her voice carried an authoritative quality.

The cruel slaves no longer dared doubt and hurriedly released the youth.

The ox cart started again, turning to continue forward.

“Sister, thank you—”

That girl’s sweet childish voice faintly emerged again, now carrying some joy.

“I really can’t do anything with you. Don’t do this again next time. The world is so vast, how can you manage so many affairs…”

In the tinkling copper bell sounds, the floral fragrance on the wind and that girl’s soft voice completely dissipated into the air…

…

How could that youth nailed roadside with iron through his palms ever imagine that one day, lowly as he was, he could marry that ice-snow jade person-like little girl he had glimpsed in that ox cart?

…

Li Mu smiled, his gaze toward her becoming ever more gentle, but suddenly felt dizzy and disoriented.

He closed his eyes, tried to clench his fists, his face color changing drastically.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze had become cold and sinister, hiding deep pain and despair like that of an injured animal.

“What did you put in my cup?”

He asked word by word, his voice stern.

Just moments ago was another time tonight in their brief interaction when she saw him smile at her.

It was hard to imagine that Li Mu, the Grand Marshal who wielded power over the entire court, could be such a gentle person in private quarters.

She was frightened and shocked, truly not understanding why, when just moments ago his smile and the way he looked at her had made her ears warm, in just a blink everything became so cold, even frightening her.

She stared blankly at his pale face filled with murderous aura, lips slightly parted, not knowing how to respond.

“Langjun… what’s wrong with you… are you unwell somewhere?”

She hesitated, trying to reach out to him, but he knocked her hand away with a palm strike.

Before she could react, she saw him leap from the bed, wearing an open-fronted robe, barefoot striding toward the weapon rack by the door. His steps seemed unsteady, like a drunk person.

After running just a few steps, Li Mu remembered.

Tonight was his wedding—weapons being inauspicious, that rack had been removed.

“Someone come—”

He shouted sternly toward the outside, his form staggering, shoulders swaying as his body actually crashed against a nearby table.

Wine pots and cups on the table fell to the ground with shattering sounds.

Gao Luoshen finally realized something was wrong. She hurriedly threw on clothes, got out of bed, caught up, and supported his arm.

“Langjun, what’s wrong with you?”

He didn’t answer, shouting “someone come” sternly toward the outside again, then pushed her away once more, stumbling toward the door.

Before reaching the door, he collapsed headfirst to the ground.

Chaotic footsteps sounded from outside.

“Grand Marshal, something’s wrong—”

The door was hastily pushed open. A Li household servant woman who had been assigned to serve Gao Luoshen earlier rushed in, face full of terror.

Before she could finish speaking, with a scream, a sharp sword pierced through her back and out her chest. She fell at the threshold.

Having never seen such a scene from childhood, Gao Luoshen screamed.

Li Mu’s face touched the ground, eyes tightly closed, expression pained, beads of sweat rolling down from his forehead.

A thread of dark red blood slowly seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Gao Luoshen was stunned.

At this moment, a group of armored soldiers swarmed in from outside, each holding bloody swords, instantly surrounding Li Mu.

Wedding candles flickered, firelight illuminating the soldiers’ armor and weapons, gleaming with blood-red cold light.

Gao Luoshen finally came to her senses.

“Whose men are you? What do you want?”

She was shocked and furious, shouting sternly. Just as she was about to rush toward Li Mu, she saw two more men enter from outside.

“Sister-in-law! Don’t be afraid!”

That jade-faced young man holding a long sword quickly ran to Gao Luoshen’s side, grabbed her arm, and forcibly dragged her away from Li Mu’s side on the ground.

It was her former brother-in-law, Lu Jianzhi’s younger brother Lu Huanzhi.

When Lu Jianzhi was alive, Lu Huanzhi greatly admired this elder brother. By extension, he also greatly respected Gao Luoshen. After Lu Jianzhi unfortunately died in the campaign against Xi Shu seven years ago, Gao Luoshen always considered herself a widow, and Lu Huanzhi continued calling her sister-in-law without changing his address.

The other middle-aged man was Prince Xin’an Xiao Daocheng of the imperial clan.

Before Emperor Taikang’s death while fleeing, both he and Li Mu were designated as regents. After Li Mu gained control of power, Xiao Daocheng was forced to submit. Tonight when Li Mu married Gao Luoshen, Xiao Daocheng was naturally an honored guest.

The moment she saw Lu Huanzhi and Xiao Daocheng, in a flash of lightning and spark of stone, Gao Luoshen understood everything.

These twenty-plus years, she had indeed been very well protected by her father, brothers, and family.

But this didn’t mean she understood nothing.

So all of this was just a scheme by Sister, the imperial clan, and the Lu family.

Using a marriage that seemed like a gesture of goodwill, they had lowered Li Mu’s defenses.

And she had served as the one who used beauty to seduce, poured wine into the poisoned cup, handed it to Li Mu, and made him drink it without suspicion.

Guests in the front hall were still drinking and celebrating at this moment. Who could imagine that in the inner courtyard bridal chamber that should have been filled with tender romance, such conspiracy and intrigue, sword light and blood shadows were unfolding.

She was ice-cold all over, legs weak, barely able to stand.

Being held by Lu Huanzhi, as they passed by him, she looked toward that tall figure prostrate on the ground.

“Sister-in-law, let’s go quickly!”

Lu Huanzhi seemed extremely excited, constantly urging her.

On one side were Sister, her husband’s clan, and the imperial house; on the other was a stranger she had only met twice including tonight.

Everything was already determined.

Even though she was unwilling, at this moment, nothing could be changed.

She closed her eyes, tears streaming down, turned her head, trembling as she was about to follow Lu Huanzhi away when suddenly a hand reached out from the side, fiercely grasping her ankle with such force that her ankle hurt as if it might shatter.

Gao Luoshen slowly lowered her head, meeting Li Mu’s gaze from the ground.

He lay there, opened his eyes, turned his head toward her, face pale, features twisted, eyes filled with burst blood vessels.

A stream of bright red blood flowed from his eyes down his face, making even his gaze seem blood-colored. That blood-colored sinister gaze fell on her face, fixed and unmoving.

“It wasn’t…”

She shook her head.

It wasn’t her.

But having just spoken, her voice trembled and choked in her throat. She could say nothing more, only the gleaming tears in her eyes remained.

“Li Mu, you killed my uncle. I swear undying enmity with you! Tonight is your death date—die!”

Lu Huanzhi gritted his teeth, raised the sword in his hand, and chopped down toward Li Mu’s arm that grasped Gao Luoshen’s ankle.

“No!”

Gao Luoshen squeezed her eyes shut.

The next moment, she felt her ankle release, accompanied by the sound of sword point entering flesh, someone fell beside her.

She trembled violently, crying even harder, finally opened her eyes and froze.

She saw Li Mu had actually propped up his body, kneeling on one knee on the ground.

In one of his hands, he tightly gripped the long sword taken from Lu Huanzhi, the back of his hand crawling with bulging veins as if about to burst through the skin.

Blood ran along the blade, dripping drop by drop from the sword point.

And Lu Huanzhi had already fallen at her feet.

His body slightly convulsed, eyes wide open. As his gaze gradually scattered, his expression still showed complete disbelief.

At his chest, there was now a wound.

One sword through the heart.

Clumps of blood rushed to pour out.

Blood quickly stained his clothes, slowly flowing to the ground.

Gao Luoshen could no longer support herself, collapsing to the ground, gasping heavily like a drowning person.

Li Mu vomited mouthfuls of black blood, then raised his head, supporting his body with the sword point against the ground, slowly rose from the ground, finally straightening his back.

“I am here! If you want my life, come!”

He stared at Xiao Daocheng ahead, blood eyes flashing as he shouted sternly.

Everyone was stunned. The armored soldiers were intimidated by his killing aura, holding their weapons and momentarily stopping.

“Kill him! I offer great rewards!”

Xiao Daocheng hissed.

The soldiers looked at each other, then all surged toward Li Mu.

Where Li Mu swung his arm, a helmeted head was severed and fell to the ground.

Blood spurting from the severed neck in mid-air was like scattered rain, covering the ground.

“Those who block me, die!”

Li Mu’s blood eyes were completely red, holding the dripping sword, stepping forward step by step.

The soldiers’ faces were ashen.

These soldiers were all Xiao Daocheng’s trusted followers, carefully selected to ensure tonight’s success, all brave men.

But the opponent they faced was the one who had repeatedly led Dayu armies north in conquest, making even millions of barbarians change color at his name—that legendary war god of Nanchao.

Even though he was now like a caged beast, a wounded eagle with broken wings, they were awed by his amazing fierce martial prowess and the imposing divine authority emanating from his entire being. With each step he advanced, the soldiers retreated one step, none daring to obstruct him anymore.

Xiao Daocheng hadn’t expected that Li Mu, even after being poisoned, could still be so divinely brave.

His expression changed dramatically. He turned to retreat but it was too late—Li Mu hurled the long sword toward his back.

The long sword like an arrow shaft, pursuing like a flying meteor.

This throw seemed to gather all his remaining strength. The blade deeply pierced Xiao Daocheng’s back, penetrating through his chest. The sword hilt, from remaining force not yet dissipated, continued trembling slightly for some time.

Xiao Daocheng collapsed to the ground.

A soldier finally came to his senses, screamed wildly, and from behind deeply stabbed a sword into Li Mu’s back.

Li Mu, with sword through his chest, slowly turned around, staring at that soldier who attacked him, standing still.

The surroundings seemed dead silent, only the slight sound of blood dripping from his front and back to the ground remained.

A night breeze blew in, red candles flickered. His blood-stained face in the candlelight was half-bright, half-dark, as if emerging from hell itself.

That soldier looked at him for a moment, gradually showing fear.

“Grand Marshal, spare me…”

He released the sword hilt, fell sitting on his bottom, then crawled and rolled away.

Li Mu reached back, pulled out the sword soaked with his own blood from his back, his blood eyes surveying the remaining soldiers around like an eagle or wolf.

The soldiers looked at him in terror, slowly retreating.

No one knew who started it, but in the blink of an eye, they all rushed out of the room in competition.

Blood was everywhere. In the empty room, only several corpses remained scattered on the ground.

With a “clang,” Li Mu threw the sword to the ground.

He swallowed the sweet fishiness constantly surging from his chest to his throat, slowly turned his head, looking toward Gao Luoshen still sitting on the ground.

Her face had become white as a dead person’s, wide beautiful but empty eyes staring blankly as he staggered step by step back to her, finally stopping within just one person’s distance from her.

The two looked at each other like this.

She shed tears, he shed blood.

Blood continuously flowed from his seven orifices, his body gradually swaying.

Suddenly, his entire body like a collapsing mountain peak, crashed down heavily upon her.

Gao Luoshen was pressed backward by his heavy body, falling to the ground.

Her breath was filled with the smell of blood.

That was the smell of his blood.

She felt a pair of cold, wet large hands groping, reaching her slender smooth neck, finally grasping her nape, caressing it like a lover, then suddenly exerting force.

A piercing pain.

If he exerted just a little more force, her delicate neck would snap like a reed.

She closed her eyes, motionless.

After a moment, the anticipated scene didn’t arrive.

Those hands gradually loosened their strength.

Something burning hot, like raindrops of moisture, fell drop by drop upon her face.

She slowly opened her eyes. Through teary vision, she saw his face stopped just half an arm’s length above her forehead.

He stared fixedly at her, expression rigid, blood flowing from his eyes dripping onto her face.

“Grand Marshal, release my sister!”

As if only a brief moment had passed, or perhaps a long time, suddenly an extremely anxious shout came from outside the bridal chamber door.

Gao Luoshen’s cousin Gao Yin had also arrived.

Li Mu turned a deaf ear, his hands still resting on her neck, steadily watching her. Only the last trace of life in his eyes gradually dimmed until it completely disappeared.

His head suddenly softly pressed down, forehead lightly touching her face, never moving again.

And those blood eyes remained open, never closing.

…

Li Mu, the legendary war god of Nanchao who had single-handedly supported half the majestic realm, died thus on his wedding night.

His trusted followers, most drunk that night, were all eliminated.

News of his death from recurring old injuries was only released half a month later.

Outsiders only said heaven was jealous of talent. Speaking of his years of northern expedition enterprises ending in failure, all sighed with regret.

Empress Dowager Gao brought the young emperor to personally hold funeral rites for him, posthumously conferring honors, his funeral arrangements extremely grand and mournful.

Gao Luoshen fell seriously ill.

Afterward, Empress Dowager Gao came to visit, telling her that Li Mu was usually extremely vigilant. To eliminate him required striking successfully in one blow, otherwise they would face retaliation and court death.

Using this method to eliminate him was also her helpless choice.

As for not informing her beforehand, she feared that if Gao Luoshen knew, her words and actions would be abnormal. With Li Mu’s caution, this might arouse his suspicion. Then not only would they fail to eliminate him, but they would bring disaster upon themselves.

Empress Dowager Gao said she made such a firm decision not entirely for Deng’er, but also for the Gao family.

If he later usurped the throne and became emperor, how would he treat noble families? Today’s Lu and Zhu families were clear evidence.

While Empress Dowager Gao explained, Gao Luoshen kept her eyes closed throughout, expression cold.

When Empress Dowager Gao finished explaining, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled coldly.

“Sister, you’d rather let the Han forever lose the northern territories than let the Xiao house lose this corner of precarious peace—that’s truly what you think, isn’t it?”

Empress Dowager Gao showed slight embarrassment and remained silent.

“May our Dayu dynasty’s fortunes continue as you hope. If so, I’ll have repaid the kindness you showed me before.”

She gazed at Empress Dowager Gao and said.

…

Gao Luoshen was surrounded by water surging from all directions.

If there were another life and that man also remembered past events, how should they face each other when they met again?

The last breath in her chest, along with this fleeting final thought, escaped.

She followed the spring river tide, slowly sinking into the pitch-black boundless world.