The snow had stopped, covering the entire desert.

Dusk came early, with only a hazy deep blue remaining at the horizon, clearly demarcating the great desert from the snow-covered landscape.

The desert had become a snowfield, yet unlike a snowfield’s sharp lines, the snow-clad desert was pure white and gentle. The crystalline ice and snow sparkled with light, and as far as the eye could see, the snowy expanse was vast and endless.

Magnificent and grand.

Tie Ci was stunned by such beautiful scenery, standing at the tent entrance unable to speak.

Behind her came Adjutant Yu’s sharp intake of breath.

He had seen snow countless times in Yong Ping, but had never imagined desert snow could be so magnificent.

It was heart-stopping in its extreme purity.

The Eagle Master suddenly whistled behind them.

Soon hoofbeats sounded as his black horse galloped out from the depths of the oasis.

The Eagle Master suddenly swept his arm around Tie Ci’s waist, saying: “I’ll take you to see something.” He strode down the slope, meeting the approaching horse and leaping onto it with one bound.

Behind them came Adjutant Yu’s shout: “Brother Mote, I want to see too!”

The Eagle Master’s answer was a series of snow kicked up by horse hooves, coldly spattering the aggrieved Adjutant Yu’s face.

Tie Ci laughed heartily on horseback.

A long trail of hoofprints extended across the snow. Tie Ci felt somewhat heartbroken looking at it, feeling it had destroyed the complete beauty of this moment.

The snow-covered desert was much easier to traverse. The horse trampled through accumulated snow all the way, heaven and earth spreading before them like a white carpet, with fierce wind rushing toward them in swarms.

The oasis was left behind. This pure and cool crystal kingdom seemed to contain only the two people galloping urgently on horseback.

Tie Ci suddenly thought of something, tore off two thin black cloth strips from her sleeves, bound one over her own eyes, and handed the other to the Eagle Master.

The person behind her took it with one hand and without a word also bound it over his eyes.

Tie Ci laughed: “You trust me this much? Aren’t you afraid I’m having you blindfold yourself so I can trick you into the enemy camp?”

“Trick me then,” the person behind her said carelessly. “Anyway, if I die, I’m dragging you down with me.”

Though his words were murderous, the way he said them seemed like petulance. This somewhat familiar tone made Tie Ci’s heart stir, and her hand secretly lifted to unveil that lucky doll mask.

But the Eagle Master was extremely alert, dodging her sneak attack with a swift sidestep.

Tie Ci sighed in her heart, for the first time finding the cute lucky doll mask detestable.

Suddenly the Eagle Master reined in the horse, saying: “We’re here.”

Tie Ci looked up and gasped, inhaling the cool breath of the snowy night.

Before them appeared a massive stone, narrow at the bottom and broad at the top. The entire boulder hung precariously overhead, trembling. Through day and night cutting by the desert’s wind-knives, it had been carved into the shape of thousands of petals and leaves. Now covered with snow, those petals and leaves layered upon each other, as if blooming.

Under the deep blue night sky, it was like a giant snow peony silently in full bloom.

The Eagle Master said behind her: “This was originally one of Hanli Hanmo’s wonders. The giant suspended stone is usually transparent deep red like a rose, always regarded by us Western Rong people as a symbol of loyalty and love. Many people have traveled thousands of li to make vows here. Legend says men and women who swear oaths here will never experience separation or betrayal in their lives.”

Tie Ci thought: Very nice, very romantic, but why did you bring me to see this?

“I never expected that after a snowfall, the red rose would become a white peony.” The Eagle Master said: “It’s also very beautiful, isn’t it?”

Tie Ci glanced at him, absolutely not daring to say another word at this moment, afraid any sentence might be counted as a vow by the damn heavens. She only smiled shallowly: “Mm.”

“Do you like it?”

“Mm.”

“Come here.” The Eagle Master beckoned to her. Tie Ci had no choice but to go over, watching him use his curved blade to pry off a small stone from the base of the giant rock and hand it to her.

That stone was indeed deep red, slightly transparent, clear as jade. Now covered with snow and flashing with soft light, it was both brilliant and pure. Somehow Tie Ci thought of Feiyu—he also had this feeling of being both brilliant and pure. She suddenly wanted to give him both this stone and this snow.

But she heard the Eagle Master say in a low voice: “Look, doesn’t it look like a rose? Redder than roses. In our Western Rong legends, it’s also called a heart stone. The one who gives away a rose heart stone…”

Suddenly a voice interrupted him.

“What rose and peony? It’s clearly just a little mushroom.” Feiyu strode over, looking up at the narrow-bottomed, thick-topped giant stone, clicking his tongue twice: “No matter how you look at it, it looks like that thing. I’ve heard some Western Rong tribes worship whatever totem represents what they lack. Since you praise this mushroom so highly, could it be you were born short and small?”

Tie Ci: “…Pfft.”

This fellow was truly a wicked fruit from a wicked tree.

Facing the Eagle Master’s seemingly murderous gaze, Feiyu casually walked over, picked up that heart stone, and carelessly tossed it into the snow.

Tie Ci said softly: “I was going to give you that stone…”

Feiyu showed no moved expression, blinking and smiling: “Don’t. I’m not short and small, I don’t need to worship this thing.”

Tie Ci: …What kind of crude words were these!

Feiyu waved at the Eagle Master again: “Thank you for showing the way. Now Ye Ci and I want to examine this little mushroom carefully, so please go back first.”

A moment of silence. The big black horse snorted white vapor from its nostrils. Under the lucky doll mask, those eyes blazed intensely and deeply.

Tie Ci saw the other’s fist was already clenched under his wide sleeves, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

She appeared calm but was already secretly gathering strength.

In case these two started fighting, she had to ensure they were separated immediately.

However, after a suffocating silence, the Eagle Master suddenly retreated, mounted his horse, shook the reins, and the big black horse neighed as it galloped away through the snow again.

His billowing cloak fluttered in view, frost forming on his long hair.

Soon only the vast earth reflecting snow’s cold light remained before Tie Ci, that line of hoofprints extending lonely toward the desert’s depths.

She sighed, thinking that not stopping Feiyu from provoking this person was to see his reaction and verify some guesses in her heart, but now she was even more confused.

Why hadn’t they fought?

Really wasn’t Dan Ye?

If it were him, he would definitely pounce first and give Feiyu a beating that would last until the end of time.

If it wasn’t him, then why did he keep wanting her to stay, and bring her here to say these things?

Feiyu waved his hand before her face: “Come back to your senses! With such a great beauty standing before you, who are you thinking about?”

“Thinking about devouring the great beauty completely,” Tie Ci answered, then knew she’d said the wrong thing. This one wasn’t like those girls in Ruixiang Palace who would act coy and shy when flirted with. This one had a face as big as the desert and skin as thick as city walls—forget making him blush from teasing, he’d probably lie down immediately and complain you weren’t being forward enough.

Sure enough, Feiyu immediately said: “Come on, let’s make the sky our blanket and the earth our mat right here…”

Tie Ci had already jumped onto the horse he’d secretly ridden out, slapped the horse’s rump, and galloped away in a puff of smoke.

Feiyu sighed deeply.

This woman was good in every way, except she was all talk and no action.

He leaped in pursuit, jumping onto the horse’s back, laughing behind Tie Ci: “Actually, I know the legend of this place. I also know that proposals made here cannot be refused…”

“That’s not good,” Tie Ci said. “What if the girl was tricked into coming here? She still can’t refuse? This must be a legend made up by you scoundrels to trick wives, right?”

Mentioning trickery made them both somewhat sensitive, and they both fell silent.

Feiyu said leisurely behind her: “I’ve never tricked you. I just didn’t say anything.”

Tie Ci snorted.

“After I finish one thing, I’ll tell you.” Feiyu tilted his head to smell her hair.

The boss should have reached the border by now.

Eliminate the boss, pin it on Liang Shiyi, force Liang Shiyi to act prematurely.

He’d already had the Embroidered Guards find ways to tie down the second brother in Ru Zhou.

Once Liang Shiyi acted prematurely, the second brother would be roasted over a fire. If Father King didn’t kill him, he’d at least be deposed.

After that, he’d find ways to eliminate Liang Shiyi. If Father King was prepared, then this great merit would be presented before Father King as a great achievement paving the way for his official entrance.

If Father King wasn’t prepared, then this achievement would become his stepping stone to the throne.

There were many things to do in between, countless risks to take. He moved among various factions—one careless step and he’d be shattered to pieces.

Before, he’d wanted to pull her along, regardless of victory or defeat, ascending to blue clouds or descending to hell, not wanting her to leave three feet from his side.

After traveling together all this way, he’d gradually changed his mind.

She was so outstanding, needing no borrowed light to shine brilliantly herself, able to climb ladders and ascend clouds on her own, with family, country, and the world in her heart.

Such a person—no one had the right to force her into mediocrity.

Anyone would be ashamed to make her a man’s appendage.

Love couldn’t confine her either. To beg her to stop her steps for this might instead lose her heart.

His pride wouldn’t allow it either.

Then let them each fly high.

If he faltered midway, let Feiyu live forever in her heart.

If he won the world, then he’d share that world with her.

Tie Ci didn’t answer his words, thinking: Who doesn’t have unspeakable secrets?

That layer of paper—neither wanted to pierce it, but when the fierce wind blew, perhaps it would break in an instant.

Ahead, a lamp appeared flickering, shining warmly and brightly in the vast snowy ground.

In this moment, Tie Ci suddenly understood the meaning of “returning home on a snowy night.”

In the vast, cold heaven and earth, that one lamp was the true meaning of return.

And for her, comrades were waiting, parents were keeping watch, the country was not yet peaceful, the seas not yet clear nor the rivers calm—every step was returning home.

And love, in both their hearts, was placed after all these things.

With footing still unsteady, how could they speak of the future?

Walking closer, she saw the lamp-bearer was Yang Yixiu.

His small round face was shivering from cold, pitifully sniffling, muttering: “If you’re worried, wait yourself. Why arrange for me to freeze here…”

Tie Ci wondered what nonsense Rong Chacha was up to now.

Seeing them, Yang Yixiu’s eyes lit up, calling loudly: “You two, Supervisor Rong sent me here to light the way for you.”

“Where is Supervisor Rong?”

“He’s worried about the squad members’ safety and dares not sleep, keeping watch himself.”

Tie Ci: “…”

In an instant she thought of “The warm spring waters smooth her skin like cream, the king no longer holds morning court.”

She thought of “Virtuous through ten thousand generations, a loyal minister and teacher, only Bi Gan before him. When remonstrance should not be obvious, what to hold onto? Loyalty must love the ruler without contrary words.”

Someone was criticizing her as a foolish ruler obsessed with beauty.

The foolish ruler reached out to embrace the enchanting consort, saying to Yang Yixiu without shame: “Please tell Supervisor Rong that I appreciate his good intentions, but please ask the supervisor to worry more about his own health. Otherwise, if he freezes and collapses keeping watch in the snowy night, the squad members will have to watch over him instead.”

The enchanting consort didn’t even lift his eyelids, laughing: “No, it’s better he doesn’t come. Otherwise, seeing Ye Shiba and me being lovey-dovey, if he coughs up blood from anger, that would be even worse.”

Tie Ci pushed away the enchanting consort, saying sternly: “Say that again and I guarantee I’ll make you cough up blood first.”

The enchanting consort immediately cowered.

Confronting Ye Shiba would definitely end badly. Ye Shiba was only suitable for gentle stroking along the grain. He immediately smoothed Tie Ci’s ruffled feathers and turned to leave.

Not far away, he returned and pulled away Yang Yixiu, who had entered the oasis and was stamping snow off his feet.

“What, what?” Yang Yixiu was startled. “I’m not a cut-sleeve!”

“I don’t go for Longyang either!” Hearing “cut-sleeve,” Feiyu was in no good mood. “I’m asking you, what exactly is Ye Shiba’s identity!”

He always felt this group of academy students was hiding something from him. Like with Ye Shiba’s female identity—he was the last to know. He’d always suspected that maybe with Ye Shiba’s identity, he’d also be the last to understand?

He hadn’t wanted to ask before, feeling that as someone’s intimate lover, having to ask her not-so-close classmates about her identity was too undignified.

But when he’d sent people to investigate, they still hadn’t returned with news.

With news not yet arrived, doubts remained. Though he preferred to wait for Tie Ci to tell him herself, there were always moments of impatience.

Yang Yixiu turned his head, raising his eyebrows in surprise: “Ha, your woman, and you’re asking me?”

Though this question wasn’t very polite, the designation “your woman” greatly pleased Feiyu. He also raised his eyebrows: “My woman—I can ask whoever I want about her.”

Yang Yixiu laughed: “Seriously, Supervisor Rong said not to tell you this. He’s afraid that after you know her identity, you’ll develop opportunistic thoughts and be harmful to her.”

Feiyu laughed: “Such big words. What kind of person would make me opportunistic? The Crown Princess?”

Yang Yixiu said very straightforwardly: “Yes!”

Feiyu: “Haha.”

He patted Yang Yixiu’s shoulder, patting him into the snow as punishment for being dishonest, then turned and walked away.

Yang Yixiu climbed out of the snow, looking at his retreating figure.

Smart people often get misled by their own cleverness.

He laughed slyly.

…

Tie Ci returned to her tent, only to find Adjutant Yu waiting at the entrance.

She was very surprised.

Earlier, after the two had left the Eagle Master’s tent, they had already separated. How was Adjutant Yu still waiting for her?

“What matter does the adjutant have?”

“Ye Ci.” Adjutant Yu stood up, looking at Tie Ci, hesitating to speak.

“The adjutant might as well speak plainly.”

“Ye Ci.” Adjutant Yu finally made up his mind. “You and the Eagle Master are old acquaintances, aren’t you?”

Tie Ci neither confirmed nor denied.

“I can see that he seems to have somewhat… somewhat…”

“Adjutant, please don’t keep me in suspense, or I’m going to sleep.”

“Somewhat ill intentions toward you.” Adjutant Yu said. “Ye Ci, before leaving, the commander told me that though my military rank is highest, I must listen to you in everything. I’ve been doing so all along. But now I’m somewhat worried.”

“Worried that our helping Western Rong might bring trouble?”

“Ye Ci, you’re a smart person and should know the consequences of doing this. If Western Rong people want to fight chaotically, let them fight themselves. Having them kill each other off completely would benefit Da Qian. You’re helping Western Rong people—regardless of the reason, if in the future someone with ill intent makes accusations, that’s a charge of collaborating with enemies and betraying the country. Your family background is outstanding, so perhaps you don’t fear this, but the commander has walked on thin ice for so many years, living very uneasily…”

He coughed once, softening his tone: “Originally I thought you had your own plans, but now seeing that you seem to have connections with the Eagle Master, and he treats you very unusually… Ye Ci, before family and country, private relationships are light. Please don’t act emotionally, delaying yourself and also delaying the commander…”

Listening, Tie Ci knew he was subtly criticizing her for disregarding national righteousness for private relationships and potentially implicating the commander.

This matter was actually easy to explain—just reveal her identity. Things Di Yiwei couldn’t do, the Crown Princess could do. The Crown Princess was already heir apparent; surely she wouldn’t go around trying to become a Western Rong equal king.

But Tie Ci didn’t want to say.

Unlike the academy students, whether Adjutant Yu or the group of Da Qian soldiers he brought, she didn’t understand them after all.

Moreover, their positions and perspectives were inconsistent—they considered more about the Yong Ping Army and Di Yiwei.

Now everyone was in Western Rong participating in warfare with many variables. It was better not to easily reveal her identity.

She smiled: “I understand. Don’t worry, adjutant. I will certainly not implicate the commander.”

Adjutant Yu wanted to say more but finally sighed: “That would be good.”

Tie Ci watched his retreating figure, frowning slightly, calling over Yang Yixiu: “Pay more attention to Adjutant Yu’s side in the future.”

Yang Yixiu was indeed the most clever one. Without asking questions, he immediately nodded and walked away with a grin.

Tie Ci knew that though he seemed careless, he was clear-headed about important matters, so she put the matter aside.

…

The next day after the snow stopped, the Eagle Master issued orders for everyone to prepare for military action and try to bring two days’ provisions.

The reason for saying “try” was because they were isolated troops trapped in a desert oasis with no supplies—where would food come from? Previously, they had expended great effort traveling and crossing Fu Mountain to raid Yong Ping. Now Yong Ping’s villages had also been completely plundered, and the route was blocked by Tie Ci, making food even more difficult.

Fortunately, there was still the oasis, with some evergreen trees growing, insects that could be dug from underground, and some tree bark that could be eaten. Outside the oasis, the desert also hid some snakes, rats, and insects, and with luck they could catch foxes. Desert purple willow, cactus, and sand onions were also edible, but the winter desert had fewer plants, making it seem even more unbearable.

Tie Ci also joined the food-gathering team. Walking through the forest, she discovered that the lower half of many trees would be very smooth, with a gentle luster like they’d been polished, while the upper half was very rough. She couldn’t help being somewhat surprised.

The Eagle Master followed behind her: “We arrived here in summer. At that time there were many crickets on the trees. When many people craved meat, they’d come at night to catch crickets. With many people catching them, movements had to be fast and eyesight accurate, because there would be more people than crickets. After much catching, the trees became like this.”

Tie Ci’s heart stirred, thinking Dan Ye had also returned to his country in midsummer.

Then she thought that this force, with no provisions inside and siege outside, had persisted in this barren oasis for half a year. The hardships and suffering involved were captured in this person’s understated sentence.

Ahead erupted a cheer. The squad members thought they’d found something good and hurried over, only to see they’d dug up a nest of insects. One soldier in the squad turned pale seeing that writhing mass of things, and when told they had to eat them, he immediately threw up.

Rong Pu didn’t vomit. The noble young master squatted at the oasis edge, dug a pit, and sprinkled unknown substances in it. Soon a snake wriggled out. Rong Pu backed away a bit, and quickly more snakes gathered, tangling and writhing in the pit. The sight made scalps tingle. The Western Rong soldiers had initially watched curiously from afar, but later showed expressions of fright.

They’d thought having someone who could summon lightning was already godly enough, never expecting there was also one who could call snakes—and it was the one who looked most frail and delicate.

Western Rong soldiers had always been most intolerant of these strange and mysterious things, their awe growing stronger.

Someone placed the freshly dug nest of insects before them, inviting the great god to partake. The great god Ye Ci expressed her respectful decline.

Footsteps sounded. Feiyu, who’d gone hunting, returned carrying several snakes and mice, with a desert fox on his back. The Western Rong soldiers gasped—desert foxes were extremely cunning and hard to catch. In half a year here, except for the Eagle Master catching one once, no one else, not even those raised in the local desert, had managed to catch a desert fox.

As soon as Feiyu returned, he saw the amazed expressions surrounding Rong Pu. Rong Pu waved at him from afar. Feiyu raised an eyebrow but didn’t go over. Rong Pu didn’t mind either, smiling: “Brother Rong, snake meat is delicious. It’s just the shape that’s unappealing. It still needs your personal handling to be suitable for Shiba to eat.”

“You’re really too considerate,” Feiyu said lazily. “Shiba, wait. Big brother will make you fish and snake soup.”

Tie Ci was about to ask where there were fish when she saw Feiyu walk to the riverside. This river was quite deep, encircling the entire oasis with dark green water. Feiyu took a bamboo hat, flipped it over, opened a hole in the middle with edges slightly raised, fixed the hat at the riverside with tree branches, and like magic produced several bird eggs from his chest, cracked them open and poured them into the hat. He caught a fish and hung it with tree branches above the hat, about a palm’s distance from the hat’s opening.

Not only had the fish-avoiding Western Rong people never seen this fishing method, even Da Qian people hadn’t seen it. Everyone gathered to watch, not understanding what he was doing. Someone swallowed saliva looking at the bird eggs, thinking it was detestable to waste such precious things by throwing them in the water instead of eating them.

Some people immediately looked at Feiyu with unfriendly eyes. Feiyu noticed, raised an eyebrow, and those fierce Western Rong soldiers instinctively looked away.

Tie Ci watched with secret amusement.

Feiyu was beautiful, yet no one dared treat him lightly. He had a kind of stern killing aura from having waded through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, cold and sharp as an autumn pool of blade edge, but with dark old blood on the blade’s back.

Suddenly someone exclaimed: “Fish!”

They watched as a fat fish drilled out from the inverted bamboo hat’s opening, falling into the egg liquid, then another, and another… The fish seemed bewitched, constantly drilling out from the hat opening. Soon a full hat of fish had accumulated.

Everyone watched dumbfounded.

Quick-eyed, swift-handed Da Qian soldiers immediately killed and dried the fish. Feiyu took the two fattest fish, picked up a snake, added some sand onions, and stewed a pot.

The fragrance filled the oasis. The sound of Western Rong soldiers swallowing saliva could be heard throughout the desert.

Tie Ci looked at those sallow, emaciated Western Rong soldiers and beckoned them over to drink a bowl.

In this wind and snowy desert, with military action imminent, drinking a bowl of hot soup was too important.

But the Western Rong soldiers all hesitated and stepped back. Western Rong people didn’t eat fish—fish was a totem of one of their tribes.

The Eagle Master suddenly strode over, picked up a bowl, and drained it in one gulp, chewing roughly.

Tie Ci: “Hey—”

The Eagle Master had already finished eating, heavily set down the bowl, and said to his subordinates: “Our lives are almost gone—what taboos matter? All of you drink!”

Tie Ci: “Hey, don’t—”

The Eagle Master suddenly clutched his throat with one hand.