Old Shen’s wife came up from the tunnel and went to the main room, where Old Shen was still lying on the ground. His drunkenness had mostly worn off, and seeing her, he started making muffled sounds, his eyes fierce.

The thin woman, her neck showing taut sinews, drifted over lightly and casually picked up a rag from the stove platform. She crouched beside Old Shen and pulled out the cloth from his mouth. Old Shen opened his mouth to shout, but Old Shen’s wife was quick-eyed and fast-handed, stuffing the rag back into his mouth.

Old Shen howled, the rag making his eyes roll back white from the stench.

Old Shen’s wife said calmly, “What are you shouting for? To bring the soldiers here to kill our whole family?”

Old Shen’s eyes rolled white.

Wasn’t what she was doing now going to harm their whole family?

But he finally understood somewhat, knowing that at this moment he couldn’t offend this stubborn woman. He hurriedly nodded, making muffled sounds to indicate she should quickly remove that rag.

Only then did Old Shen’s wife remove the rag, but she didn’t untie his bonds. Instead, she sat beside him sharpening a cleaver.

The sound of sharpening made Old Shen’s heart race with terror. His original plan to beat this woman once he was untied instantly vanished into smoke.

He knew the amazing endurance hidden within this thin woman’s body. He had been wayward since childhood, never working. During famine years, this woman had gone to the fields and mountains right after giving birth, catching fish and birds, hunting and chopping wood, doing the hardest work while eating the least food, supporting the whole family alone.

But he had never known that this silent, submissive woman harbored such fierce fire in her heart.

After Old Shen’s wife finished sharpening the knife, she deftly cut through the straw rope and said to Old Shen, “The Commander has been sent away. As long as you don’t talk, no one will know we saved the Commander. If you want to starve to death, go ahead and babble.”

Old Shen didn’t dare believe it. He craned his neck toward that corner, but Old Shen’s wife struck the ground with her knife. Her daily work had made her incredibly strong—the mark was half a foot deep, frightening Old Shen into shrinking back, not daring to look at that corner even once.

Old Shen’s wife said, “Ni, come here.”

The girl who had been peeking around the doorway quickly came in.

“Watch your father. If he dares to go out these next few days, if he dares to babble in front of those soldiers,” Old Shen’s wife said, “tell mother immediately.”

The girl nodded and immediately pressed close to her father.

Mother had said this was to save the Commander. She didn’t understand much else, but the Commander had to be saved.

Without her repeatedly sending grain, without her striking father’s tooth out with an opium pipe, mother and she would have starved to death long ago.

Old Shen’s wife stood up and said to Old Shen, “I’ll go see if there are any eggs to make you a dish.”

She went to feel around the chicken coop. Old Shen lay on the ground, facing his daughter’s small dirty face staring at him unblinkingly, feeling sorrow well up from within.

He couldn’t help feeling that woman’s words just now meant she wanted to fry his eggs…

…

Just before dawn, a shout arose from the village.

The rising soldiers finally discovered the prison cage was empty and the guards were all dead.

Over a hundred soldiers immediately rushed out of various courtyards, simultaneously sending signals of trouble.

In the distant wilderness, there was chaos and commotion.

The soldiers in the village charged into every household to search. Soon the small village was in complete chaos with children crying and women wailing.

After turning everything upside down, they naturally found nothing, including searching all the root cellars.

The sweating squad leader went to knock on the village head’s door. The village head rang a gong at the village entrance, shouting loudly, “Fellow villagers, did anyone see people come to rescue the prisoner last night? The soldiers say there’s a reward for reporting! Silver and steamed buns!”

No one answered or moved. Many of the men kept coughing and spitting, while the women remained calm.

The soldier pointed out several idle men who always wandered about. “Old Shen, did you see anything!”

Old Shen shivered violently, slapping away his daughter’s hand that kept poking his bottom, stretching his neck to shout, “No!”

The captain waved his hand irritably. “We have people all around outside, blocked from all sides. A sickly woman—where could she go? She definitely hasn’t gone far. Search again!”

They searched again with great commotion. Someone shouted, “There’s a tunnel in the pig pen!”

Old Shen’s wife said unhurriedly, “That’s our family’s new root cellar. It’s not finished yet.”

The soldiers went down to look. Indeed, the soil was still fresh, with shovel marks remaining on the walls and no traces of anyone having stayed there.

Old Shen’s wife stood against the wall. Behind her was the door leading to Aunt Wang’s house. That door had been plastered with mud long ago and wouldn’t fall off. Once the door was closed, the lighting below was dim—seamless.

The tunnel could be traversed in one turn. The soldiers had nowhere else to search and had to go back up.

As soon as the people left here, the door on the other side opened silently. Chi Xue and Di Yiwei, who had just avoided detection at Aunt Wang’s house, returned again.

After that, the soldiers searched all the houses in the village once more. They did discover connected root cellars and such, but gained nothing.

Naturally, no one would search Old Shen’s root cellar again.

The Xiao Family officer leading the troops was extremely anxious. After severely berating his subordinates, he ordered internal and external searches, convinced the people definitely hadn’t left. Search again!

Soldiers poured into the small village in large numbers, guarding every room, every exit, even every pig pen, completely watertight.

They repeatedly harassed civilian households, brought household registrations, and checked and verified every villager.

Waiting for Di Yiwei to eventually reveal some clue.

Underground, Chi Xue and Di Yiwei walked through tunnels beneath house after house.

At midnight, the women crept out of bed and quietly carried out their great work amid their husbands’ snoring.

Five days later, the Xiao Family officer finally despairingly confirmed that Di Yiwei had indeed escaped.

He could only leave a small number of soldiers to continue searching around the village while leading his troops back to report this terrible news to Huang Ming.

That very night, all the village women completed digging the road leading outside the village. Chi Xue and Di Yiwei crawled out through the tunnel exit and saw the grove outside the village where snow was half-melted. On the distant road, the great army was departing in dejection and silence.

The two exchanged glances, and Chi Xue let out a long breath.

Sitting in the grove behind the snow, Di Yiwei rolled up some pungent leaves Old Shen’s wife had given her, lit them, and took a satisfying puff.

Chi Xue said softly, “Commander, are you leaving from here, or…”

Di Yiwei didn’t speak until she had finished smoking those leaves, then said slowly, “Retire to the countryside? That would be quite nice.”

Chi Xue sighed inwardly, understanding her decision.

She stood up and looked back toward Yong Ping’s great camp. The Commander wanted to return and reclaim her military authority—this journey would surely be difficult.

Having lost track of Di Yiwei, Huang Ming and the others would certainly think she might return. The roads leading to Yong Ping’s great camp would definitely be thick with troops and heavy checkpoints.

Although someone was helping—when Chi Xue rescued Di Yiwei that day, the ten ambushing soldiers were eliminated by someone. Chi Xue guessed it was either Di Yiwei’s loyal subordinates or the Crown Princess’s guards who had arrived, perhaps both.

But ultimately they couldn’t compare to a great army.

Di Yiwei squinted at Chi Xue and after a long while said, “Everyone says the Crown Princess is useless. How could a useless person have a maidservant like you?”

Chi Xue smiled. “How did the Commander see through the Crown Princess’s identity?”

“I had seen her when I was in the capital, but she hadn’t noticed me at the time,” Di Yiwei said faintly. “The Crown Princess’s eyes hold this great Qian empire, while we are all her subjects. So the moment Huang Ming caused trouble, I sent a carrier pigeon message to the Crown Princess. I imagine she has long received the news and should be hurrying back.”

Chi Xue said joyfully, “That’s excellent! Commander, rest assured, the Crown Princess will certainly seek justice for you!”

Di Yiwei smiled again, reached out to stroke Chi Xue’s hair, saying gently, “Good girl, you’ve been tired these past days too. Rest for a while first—we still have a long road ahead.”

Her pale fingers slid through Chi Xue’s hair, down to the back of her neck, and lightly pinched.

Chi Xue collapsed softly and was caught by her.

In the darkness, there seemed to be faint sounds of movement.

Di Yiwei said, “Come out.”

After a moment of silence, a man emerged from deep in the forest—slightly plump, with a round face and narrow, squinting eyes that seemed to always carry a smile, but upon closer inspection revealed nothing at all.

He folded his arms and smiled. “Commander, it’s been too long.”

Di Yiwei said, “Commander, have you been well?”

Xia Houchun laughed. “Please, how can my commander position compare to yours? I’m just someone who picks up bricks, patches holes, and guards gates in the imperial city. Don’t mock me.”

Di Yiwei dusted off her worn peasant woman’s clothes. “Indeed, you’re not as disheveled as I am.”

Xia Houchun stopped smiling.

“I haven’t yet thanked Commander Xiahou for his life-saving grace.”

Xiahou smiled again, squinting. “So you repay me by revealing the Crown Princess’s whereabouts and spreading false information?”

Di Yiwei showed no guilt. “Commander Xiahou is well-informed.”

Xia Houchun snorted. “Why?”

The night Di Yiwei got into trouble, he had lurked nearby. Later seeing Chi Xue follow, fearing for Chi Xue’s safety, he had followed all the way and helped when Chi Xue made her move. But these past days he had heard news that the Crown Princess, under the pretense of being a training student, had come to Yong Ping’s great camp and was sent elsewhere as a scout. Now hearing that Commander Di had been wronged, she was hurrying back to officially inspect Yong Ping’s army.

This meant the Crown Princess would return in time to support Di Yiwei.

Upon hearing this, he knew the news was spread by Di Yiwei.

Besides her, even if others discovered the Crown Princess’s whereabouts, they wouldn’t spread it around—they would deploy secretly instead.

Setting aside how Di Yiwei could spread news while being escorted as a prisoner, spreading this news was using the Crown Princess as a target, drawing away the attention of Huang Ming and others to reduce obstacles for her own return to Yong Ping’s army.

And she had deceived her life-saver without changing expression.

Xia Houchun stared at Chi Xue. Di Yiwei let her rest against her knee, pale fingers gently threading through her black hair.

But Xia Houchun’s gaze, fixed on her fingers, was like a tiger watching another lioness about to seize prey.

Chi Xue was wholehearted in her desire to save the Commander, not knowing this woman was cold-hearted and cold-boned, her eyes always containing only army, country, and the greater situation. While accepting favors from the Crown Princess’s subordinate, she still had to scheme against the Crown Princess.

All so she herself could make a comeback.

She had also subdued Chi Xue, partly to continue deceiving her, and partly to threaten him.

Xia Houchun ground his teeth. He had been careless—he should have known that any woman who could rise to commander position and lead ten thousand troops would definitely not be a good person.

“I’ll have to trouble Commander Xiahou to secretly protect us for a while,” Di Yiwei said without shame. “After all, the sooner I reclaim my military authority, the better I can welcome the Crown Princess.”

Xia Houchun chuckled coldly.

Though very angry, he truly couldn’t refuse.

He smiled. “Indeed, you’ve been commander for so many years, yet in the end you need us to rescue you. Our hearts feel quite unbearable about this. Rest assured, we’ll definitely see Buddha to the Western Paradise.”

Di Yiwei acted as if she couldn’t hear the barb in these words, cupping her hands at him with an innocent expression.

Xia Houchun rolled his eyes, feeling he had met his match this time. With a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, he returned the salute and walked out of Di Yiwei’s sight with folded arms.

He went to a hidden spot and made a bird call. Soon various gray heads appeared from different places—some were Nine Guards people, but more were young soldiers. Those soldiers chattered, “Commander Xiahou, how is our commander?”

“Very good, very good,” Xia Houchun said honestly. “Your commander said to thank you for your loyal devotion, but leaving camp without permission is a capital offense. If discovered to be connected with her, it would be bad for you. She told you to return. If you don’t return, she entrusts you to my care.”

The soldiers hurriedly said, “We won’t return! We’ll follow the commander! If she returns to Yong Ping army, we’ll go to Yong Ping. If she returns to her hometown, we’ll go farm for her!”

“When I left camp, our general actually knew and turned a blind eye, letting us brothers leave. Commander, rest assured—people’s hearts are still there. None of us believe that treason charge!”

“Right, right! My general also let me go. The commander has served in the military her whole life—we can’t let her flee in disgrace with not even one of her own people by her side.”

Xia Houchun said kindly, “All good children. Rest assured, our Crown Princess also knows the commander is loyal and will definitely find ways to help clear her name.”

The soldiers chattered their thanks again, expressing gratitude and loyalty to the Crown Princess.

Xia Houchun stroked his chin and chuckled softly.

…

The Western Rong royal city of Chana stood upon the grasslands, backed by continuous mountain ranges.

The royal city’s walls were tall and broad. Due to Western Rong’s relative water scarcity, there was no moat, but defenses were strict with endless patrols of soldiers coming and going.

Among those queuing to enter the city, a group that was clearly a merchant caravan from Great Qian was quite conspicuous.

Due to complex domestic conditions and temporarily suspended trade with Great Qian, even Chana, which most commonly saw Great Qian people, hadn’t seen Great Qian merchants for a long time.

That group of merchants wore local headscarves, faces covered, honestly queuing and producing complete documentation when the gate guards inspected them.

This group was naturally led by Tie Ci. Commissioned by Di Yiwei to investigate conditions within Western Rong, Di Yiwei had naturally prepared all necessary passage and identity documents for verification.

Moreover, there were people in Western Rong’s royal city to meet and vouch for them. After sufficient bribes, the gate soldiers waved them through.

One person in the merchant caravan was tall and very silent. Passing through the gate, his eyes fixed on the city wall and its base.

There, in the wall cracks, were faint traces of something black.

His gaze was too heavy, and the gate soldiers looked over suspiciously.

Tie Ci reached out and tugged at the Eagle Master’s clothing.

The Eagle Master turned back, his expression calm under the headscarf.

Tie Ci patted his shoulder reassuringly, smiling. “Look how tall and broad this royal city is.”

By then the two had entered the gate. The Eagle Master glanced at the long road stretching ahead, let out a long breath, and said softly, “It’s no longer mine… Now I only have you.”

Tie Ci smiled and shook her head. “No, you still have countless friends, and I—I still have the world.”

She paused. “And the person I care about most… May all be well with him.”

…

“Crack!”

The sharp sound of a whip echoed in the dark prison cell.

The sound stretched out long, and the jailers guarding the entrance remained expressionless, secretly sighing inwardly.

This one they brought in was truly a tough man.

Three days now, using every torture available—the prison’s salt water-soaked cowhide whips, barbed hook whips, even iron whips that would break bones—all used. When he fainted, they poured salt water; when he woke, they continued beating. The prison head was expert in torture, specifically targeting flesh-thick but extremely painful spots. Various elaborate methods that usually broke tough men—this person had endured them all.

Enduring was one thing, but they couldn’t hear a single scream or plea for mercy. From morning to night, the interrogators wore their lips raw, but couldn’t make the man speak.

In the deep prison’s innermost torture chamber, the torture rack was stained mottled black with countless people’s blood, making the person locked on it appear pale by contrast.

“Splash!” A basin of water poured over his head, and Murong Yi slowly awakened.

The torturer who had poured the water didn’t leave. His hand pressed on the torture rack as he whispered urgently in his ear, “Master… Master…”

He stared at those hideous, curling wounds under Murong Yi’s torn clothing and the massive nails piercing through his shoulder bones, his eyes showing unbearable pain.

Murong Yi slowly opened his eyes, drew a breath, and said, “Shut up.”

The Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately fell silent, but whispered, “Don’t… don’t really torture yourself…”

Murong Yi said, “Your ice water just now… had no salt added…”

The Embroidered Uniform Guard said, “Can’t add more salt! What if you can’t endure it!”

Murong Yi closed his eyes and said quietly, “Don’t fake it… If faking is discovered, all previous efforts will be wasted… I guess… it’s almost time… the old man is coming soon…”

The Embroidered Uniform Guard bit his teeth and retreated with the water bucket.

The master wouldn’t allow fake torture. He could only try to target non-vital areas, secretly treat his wounds when no one was looking, and feed him a few Essence Restoration Pills.

The brothers outside were all anxious, but the master absolutely refused to let them break him out of prison, saying the path wasn’t cut off yet—once they broke him out, all previous efforts would be wasted.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard didn’t understand Murong Yi’s thinking. After doing such things, he still thought his path wasn’t cut off? How could the Great King possibly spare him?

But he could only obey.

Sometimes when striking, his heart trembled, always fearing the next lash would kill the man.

The master’s luck was poor. This time the Great King suddenly mobilized troops and secretly followed behind the Crown Prince’s convoy without telling anyone. By the time the Embroidered Uniform Guards got news and tried to pass it on, it was too late.

The jailer at the front heard the whip wind rise again inside and pulled his sleeves tighter.

Looking at the cold, penetrating sky outside, thinking how hard these sunless days were to endure, wondering what the person inside was thinking—perhaps death would indeed be liberation.

Suddenly seeing a large group approaching from ahead, the jailer immediately straightened up. Seeing clearly the tall man in the center front, he quickly knelt and called out “Great King.”

Prince Da’an paid no attention and walked straight past, his face dark as water.

Eunuch Chang, following behind him, glanced at this prison and thought how rapidly the Embroidered Uniform Guards had developed these years, having separate estates even in remote areas like Left Camp, with such secure prisons beneath the estates.

Thinking of the person imprisoned within, his brow twitched.

Never would have imagined the Eighteenth Prince was such a ruthless character.

More ruthless still, the Embroidered Uniform Guards were renowned for interrogation skills, claiming no criminal they couldn’t break, yet now they had met their match with this prince—three days and not a single word.

Finally forcing the Great King to sit no longer, compelled to come personally.

He glanced at the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s back ahead—that figure shrouded in black mask and robes, still walking unhurriedly. But today the Great King seemed somewhat displeased with him, not acknowledging him much.

Eunuch Chang naturally didn’t want the Embroidered Uniform Guards too prominent. Seeing him being coldly treated now pleased him. Then remembering the person in the prison and the Crown Prince who had no head found and had to be sewn with a fake one before burial, he immediately felt the Great King had so many troubles—better not to court bad luck.

The sound of boots echoed hollowly in the prison. Prince Da’an walked expressionlessly through narrow passages, kicking aside scattered bloody torture implements, ignoring the suspicious dark stains on the walls, until he stood before the torture rack.

His gaze swept over the bucket with remaining ice water, the broken bloody whips on the ground, scattered various torture devices, and that person like a broken doll.

Murong Yi raised his head and smiled at him.

Like a rose condensed with dew in the dark night, when blooming it was as rich and gorgeous as blood.

For an instant, Prince Da’an felt his heart stirred.

He used entirely new eyes to examine this son he had never looked at properly before.