Liu Chen’s legs went weak as he hurriedly smiled apologetically: “Commander, just pretend you didn’t hear my nonsense! I was just fooling those bastards!”
Di Yiwei smiled and coughed.
Chi Xue beside her also smiled and coughed.
Hearing both women cough, Liu Chen’s large face contorted with worry. He handed over the medicinal soup, saying: “Our quack doctor here has limited skills—the medicine he prescribes is useless. And one person can’t drink medicine for two people. Why don’t you two split it?”
Di Yiwei waved her hand: “This medicine won’t help me. Give it to Chi Xue.”
Chi Xue also shook her head: “It won’t help me either. General Liu, you drink it yourself.”
Liu Chen: …I don’t have a cold.
Di Yiwei sighed leisurely: “If you really want to help me, find me…”
“No discussion.” Liu Chen cut off her words completely. “Your body was ruined by smoking. You can’t smoke anymore. Besides, now those bastards control all the medicinal paste. If I look for it, you’ll be exposed.”
Di Yiwei pitifully wrinkled her face, making Liu Chen feel reluctant. The big man also began sighing deeply.
Di Yiwei glanced at Chi Xue: “Your cold?”
Chi Xue smiled: “Almost better.”
Di Yiwei looked at her deeply and said nothing more.
Chi Xue sighed inwardly.
She seemed to have a lingering cold recently, but she suspected it was due to that bowl of soup from Cui Shi.
That bowl of soup definitely had problems, just like how she felt Cui Shi always gave her a strange feeling.
She couldn’t determine the toxicity. She had performed detoxification more than once and should have cleared any poison by now, but this endless cold still made her uneasy.
Recently she always felt lazy and tired, but sometimes her vision would blur with sudden bursts of irritability.
Though very mild, it made her vigilant.
She couldn’t help remembering how Cui Shi had previously helped in the kitchen, managing the entire camp’s soup and water.
This thought made her even more panicked.
From her experience with poisons, this type of drug was mostly chronic poison, or toxicity that needed certain triggers to explode at any time.
She feared an even greater conspiracy lurked in the shadows, waiting to bare its fangs at any moment.
But she didn’t dare tell Di Yiwei.
Di Yiwei had old injuries from many years, barely suppressed by opium—essentially fighting poison with poison. Now having lost the medicinal paste and suffering this damage, with poison entering her bones, old ailments came surging back.
Chi Xue was very worried about her, afraid that if she told her these things and Di Yiwei couldn’t suppress herself and risked showing up, it would bring fatal disaster.
She knew about Di Yiwei spreading false news about the Imperial Princess, but she didn’t mind.
The Princess was so powerful—she wasn’t afraid of people borrowing her influence.
If the Princess could return in time, she would definitely turn the tide.
She hoped she could quickly resolve Western Rong matters and return soon.
Yong Ping Army was going to have big trouble.
Beside her, Liu Chen couldn’t sell his medicine and had to drink it all himself. After setting down the bowl, he urged the two: “Quick, hide.”
He lifted the floor mat, revealing a hole underneath.
Someone poked their head out from the underground tunnel and greeted them—it was Xia Houchun, who had been sleeping in the tunnel all along.
He had sent people to Western Rong trying to pass messages to Tie Ci. The two countries had recently sealed their borders, information was delayed, and existing intelligence networks were severed. If Tie Ci had gone deep into Western Rong’s interior, without someone to report, she couldn’t possibly receive domestic news in time.
He himself couldn’t go—he was a ranked military officer, and leaving the country without orders would be treason punishable by death.
He protected Di Yiwei and Chi Xue, returning all the way to Yong Ping main camp, bypassing various checkpoints and crossing through military camps. They encountered many dangers along the way but also received countless intentional and unintentional protections. Finally they reached Niutou Ridge, closest to the main camp. At that time there was almost one checkpoint per li, with Niutou Ridge’s three-thousand-man camp right beside them. Just when it seemed they had nowhere to go, Di Yiwei finally spoke up, asking them to go to Niutou Ridge camp together.
During their hiding period, Xia Houchun had done simple investigations and knew this well-known story of discord between commander and general. But he expressed no doubt and really took the two women there.
Then they indeed received the greatest protection.
Regarding this, Xia Houchun’s attitude was: like a snake’s track through grass, deceiving the entire army—you women are truly devious.
His impression of Di Yiwei worsened even more.
Di Yiwei, however, slightly revised her opinion of this cat-like commander. Throughout that difficult journey, no matter how hard it was, Xia Houchun never thought of giving up. Before hiding at Niutou Ridge, when the suggestion seemed like she was going crazy and Xia Houchun had found a place that looked much safer than Niutou Ridge, he showed no suspicion or hesitation in choosing to head toward Niutou Ridge.
He hadn’t even suspected she might betray him to seek escape.
Those under the Imperial Princess were indeed extraordinary.
The three entered the tunnel. The tunnel was roughly dug—just one small room, but furnished with warm bedding and plenty of food. If not for fear of revealing scents, Di Yiwei would have wanted to drink a pot of wine every time she saw it.
The ground was scattered with a large pile of sunflower seed shells that Xia Houchun had cracked. Di Yiwei kicked them aside with her foot while Xia Houchun rolled his eyes toward heaven.
Above, Liu Chen laid out wooden boards, put down blankets, and sat on top.
Footsteps sounded outside. He coughed loudly and blew his nose. Seeing the door being pushed open, he blew hard and flung his hand.
Lou Xi in front was quick-eyed and quick-handed, dodging backward. With a splat, the big gob of snot hit Huang Ming, who was a step behind.
Huang Ming let out a sharp cry, shaking his robe and trembling his lips as he said sternly: “Guard General, where are your eyes looking? Oh, so disgusting!”
Lou Xi pushed him aside: “Eunuch, quickly go back and change clothes. He’s just a rough man—don’t let him make you angry.”
Huang Ming had been running around various camps these past few days and was already tired and annoyed. Really unable to wear these disgusting clothes anymore, he rolled his eyes and swayed away.
After he left, Xiao Chang, standing at the back, sneered disdainfully at Liu Chen and turned to inspect the camp.
Lou Xi walked in. Liu Chen was about to use the same trick to make him leave early when he saw Lou Xi take out a wine jug from his clothes.
Liu Chen’s eyes immediately brightened.
He had no other hobbies except drinking a little wine. But drinking was strictly forbidden in the army. He had often secretly gone to town to drink and been punished by Di Yiwei many times. Though the friction between them was partly for show as a precaution, getting scolded for this matter was real.
Recently, to hide the commander, he hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol. Now seeing wine, his whole body felt itchy.
Below, Di Yiwei faintly smelled alcohol and frowned.
Xia Houchun slowly gripped the knife behind him.
Above, there was slight trembling. The wooden board creaked as Lou Xi sat down.
Liu Chen glanced at the blanket under his buttocks and chuckled.
“Come, we brothers haven’t seen each other for a long time. Let’s drink a cup first.”
Liu Chen and Lou Xi actually had a decent relationship, but at this moment he didn’t dare drink. Just as he was about to refuse, Lou Xi pulled out the wine jug’s stopper. The wine fragrance was rich—Liu Chen took one sniff and his eyes lit up.
“This seems like the famous Four Seasons Sinking from the capital!”
Four Seasons Sinking was a famous wine introduced just a few years ago. The wine was clear with a mellow fragrance. Those who drank it would be intoxicated through all four seasons, unwilling to leave the wine village—hence the name.
This wine was sold in limited quantities and thus became highly sought after, extremely expensive. Liu Chen had only tasted a small cup by chance several years ago and had never forgotten it since.
“Deputy Commander Xiao gave me a jar. I came to share it with you, old glutton.” Lou Xi’s tone was flat as he skillfully took out wine cups Liu Chen had hidden under the table, pouring one for each.
Under the wooden board, Xia Houchun gestured to Di Yiwei—this was famous wine. For Lou Xi to suddenly take it out to share with Liu Chen obviously meant his intentions weren’t simple.
Di Yiwei remained expressionless, chewing dried meat extremely slowly.
Above, Liu Chen could no longer resist temptation. He took the wine cup and drank it down—his brain nearly flew away.
He had originally worried that Lou Xi had discovered something and come to extract information, but Lou Xi didn’t speak, just drank cup after cup with heavy thoughts. Liu Chen, afraid he would finish the wine, also hurriedly drank cup after cup.
In the tunnel, Di Yiwei slowly stood up and drew a short knife from behind her waist. Seeing this, Chi Xue stopped her and gave her a profound iron dagger.
Tie Ci had equipped both maids with profound iron weapons. Only profound iron could pierce through wooden boards and blankets to kill silently.
All three stood up, listening carefully to the conversation above and gauging Lou Xi’s position.
Not close enough yet.
It was very quiet above.
After most of the wine jug was finished, Lou Xi finally said: “I dreamed of the commander last night.”
Di Yiwei, who was holding a dagger looking for position, paused.
Liu Chen’s hand shook, nearly spilling wine. He hurriedly brought his mouth to drink it, then said: “Eh, aren’t you the commander?”
“You know who I’m talking about.”
Liu Chen remembered his character: “Hey! You mean that old woman? Why remember her? She probably died in some wilderness long ago.”
Lou Xi stared at him: “Brother Liu, I miss her very much.”
Liu Chen burst into violent coughing.
Below, Xia Houchun had a cold sneer of disgust, but Chi Xue looked at Di Yiwei with some worry.
She had long seen that Lou Xi’s feelings for Di Yiwei were extraordinary, so she couldn’t understand why loving her meant ruining her. She didn’t know what Di Yiwei was thinking. She was so calm as still water, wearing a mocking smile while her eyes were like dead water.
Chi Xue didn’t dare touch these things, afraid they were Di Yiwei’s wounds. But if this was truly Di Yiwei’s wound, it would be another crisis.
Above, after Liu Chen finished coughing, he looked incredulous: “Commander, what are you saying?”
He held back and held back, but finally couldn’t help saying: “Wasn’t Di Yiwei betrayed by your report? What do you mean by this now?”
Below, all three sighed silently.
Idiot.
Above, Lou Xi’s eyes flashed with sharp light, but he didn’t answer this question. He just picked up his wine cup, leaned against the wall, and said slowly: “I saved her life three times. I handled all her affairs without ever disobeying. Even when she didn’t get along with you, to help her ease relations with subordinates, I specifically became friends with you. These ten years, through border winds and snow, I accompanied her inspecting borders, staying awake with her through the night, accompanying her to battlefields, accompanying her through knives and blood, accompanying her facing all the world’s difficulties. How many nights I waited outside her tent listening to her cough, how many days I waited a foot behind her. When she turned back, she always saw me. When I looked up, I always saw her too.”
Liu Chen was already stunned and hurriedly drank wine to calm his shock.
Below, Di Yiwei held her arms slightly raised, still in a position searching for attack opportunity, but hadn’t moved for a long time.
She remembered when they were both just soldiers, sharing covers on cold nights.
She remembered the battlefield where knives and spears showed no mercy, yet he always charged behind her.
She remembered when corpses piled like mountains with her at the bottom, even the warhorses abandoned her, only he dug with bloody hands through frozen earth to save her life.
She remembered every inch of land within Yong Ping Pass, all traversed with his company.
She remembered when old ailments flared and coughing prevented sleep, every time she opened her eyes she could see his shadow on the tent. Not tall but towering, giving her peace.
She remembered how many times she turned back unintentionally, he was always waiting one step away.
Ten years of border winds and snow passed—looking back, I see neither you nor me.
The three in the tunnel remained silent.
Xia Houchun and Chi Xue both stared at Di Yiwei. Her hands had been raised too long, like a gesture of surrender.
Surrendering to fate and old affections.
Above, Liu Chen couldn’t help himself again, half-drunk and drowsy, asking: “Deputy Commander, since you care so much, why did you break the commander’s heart like that? Don’t you think about the future?”
“I’m doing this precisely because I think about the future,” Lou Xi said. “She’s too tired. If this continues, she won’t live long. I’ve advised her many times—achieve success and retire, leave Yong Ping, return home in old age, and have a good ending. But she won’t listen. She wants to dedicate her whole life to this border, to these border city people, never thinking that aside from battlefield dangers, how many people in court are watching her military power. If she doesn’t hand it over for one day, those people won’t rest for one day. In the end, even wanting to die wrapped in horse hide might be a luxury…”
Di Yiwei suddenly moved, aiming her dagger at a spot and slowly thrusting upward.
But at this moment, Lou Xi above leaned over and grabbed the silent Liu Chen’s hands: “I just want to retreat with her to countryside, living peacefully thereafter. I just want to protect her from being so tired. I just want her to put down the heavy burden she places on herself and return to being her light-hearted self. She can’t do it—I just want to help her do it!”
Di Yiwei stopped. The knife tip had already pierced through the earth layer and wooden board, just about to emerge from the carpet.
But with Lou Xi’s lean, he had already left that position.
The overhead trembled slightly as Lou Xi’s position shifted. Chi Xue heard the wooden board being pressed with slight creaking sounds. This tunnel was roughly made—if Lou Xi were more careful, he might very well discover it.
Now the position seemed to be above her head.
She took the dagger and also slowly inserted it upward.
After a silence above, Lou Xi suddenly said: “…Is she with you?”
Chi Xue also paused.
…
The attack on Western Rong’s royal palace began.
These past few days, Tie Ci watched Qiu Wujiu’s army, well-prepared yet unable to cross the palace like a natural barrier, only able to attack from the first level without gaining any advantage.
After the first gate dropped, the entire first level was sealed, and the mountain wall became one whole. Dan Ye ordered all first-level palaces demolished, using the earth, wood, bricks and stones as rolling logs and stones. He operated mechanisms behind the gate. When a small squad first charged up the mountain path, he remained unmoved, waiting until the mountain path was packed with soldiers, every step filled with people, before suddenly pulling the trigger behind the gate.
With a thunderous sound, one level of steps collapsed, and a pile of people rolled into traps, their eyes burned by poisonous stone powder inside.
The middle levels flipped over—their backs were covered with iron spikes, and a group of people were directly impaled.
The upper levels broke apart, shooting countless small arrows, turning a group into hedgehogs.
Few living people remained on the mountain path—over a thousand lives lost instantly.
The giant cannons couldn’t go up the mountain path. Distant shooting had no effect on the mountain where the palace sat, so they could only be abandoned on the street.
Someone shouted: “The mountain path mechanisms are one-time use! Keep going!”
Many had already died, corpses piled into steps. People stepped on bodies climbing up when those pits suddenly sprayed black water. Those splashed screamed and fell, becoming new corpses.
This scared everyone from daring to walk the mountain path again.
Behind the gate, Dan Ye clapped his hands and sneered.
Now there really were no more mechanisms.
But did they dare walk?
Unable to take the mountain path, they climbed the mountain. Though when the palace was built, the mountain was reshaped and the facing side was very smooth with almost no footholds, the height was ultimately limited. Qiu Wujiu’s soldiers formed human walls at the bottom, trying to send people up.
Above seemed to have no guards, letting them climb.
The result was that halfway up, spikes suddenly shot out from the wall, piercing chests.
Everyone was shocked.
There were mechanisms in the wall too!
After successive setbacks, morale couldn’t help but suffer. Qiu Wujiu watched the battle situation and said flatly: “First to break into the palace gets a thousand gold reward and leads a thousand men. Each level conquered gets such reward.”
Under great rewards, there must be brave men. Everyone rallied to fight again. The wall surface had not only randomly triggered spikes but also poisonous insects, taking away another wave of lives. When wall mechanisms were gradually exhausted, rolling stones, fire oil, and ash mixed with poisonous stone powder poured down from above, smashing those who had climbed up back down. Corpses gradually piled at the wall base until soldiers were almost stepping on corpses to reach the second level wall.
When they could finally get up, the rolling logs and thunder stones were also gone. The first person to jump up found only broken walls and ruins before him, collapsed palaces, corpses everywhere, no human figures, while the second gate had dropped again, with dangerous mountain paths and high second-level walls standing before them once more.
Everyone looked back at the corpses piled over one level below, looked at the natural barrier before them, calculated battle losses, then calculated the palace’s levels, and couldn’t help feeling discouraged.
This was completely a copper wall and iron fortress mountain stronghold. As long as there was sufficient food inside, even slow attacks for several years might not succeed. If attacking hard, by the time their people reached the top level, almost everyone would be dead.
Everyone couldn’t help looking toward Qiu Wujiu.
This kind of setup—they couldn’t get around the back, which was an entire mountain wall.
Setting fires wouldn’t work either. The mountain, stripped of vines and trees, couldn’t be ignited at all, much less burn the palaces inside. The people above were still pouring water on the mountain walls, which quickly froze into a layer of ice in the winter cold—hard to climb, and flames couldn’t catch.
Fire arrows wouldn’t work either due to position and angle problems—arrows couldn’t shoot up to the inward palaces of the upper level.
Really a tough bone to gnaw.
More importantly, Mote Hulan’s main force had arrived. Though scattered and thus delayed from entering the city to seize the initiative, she had actually rallied the remaining scattered soldiers of Namutu and Zuo Siyan outside the city, combining forces to attack the royal city. So Qiu Wujiu’s army also had to keep part of their force defending the city.
The Mote family had always been loyal partners of the Wuliang clan. As long as Wuliang Shuoye remained in the palace, Mote Hulan wouldn’t give up. Only by breaking into the palace and cutting off Wuliang Shuoye’s head, formally ending the Wuliang royal family, could they possibly make Mote Hulan lose heart and retreat.
Caught between difficulties, all generals looked toward Qiu Wujiu.
Qiu Wujiu remained calm. The palace’s difficulty was within his expectations, though harder than he had imagined. He had paid the price of several thousand lives just to reach the first level—his military strength couldn’t withstand such losses.
Thinking of this palace’s designer, admiration flashed through his heart. The design of mountain paths and walls seemed ordinary, but due to the mountain’s irregularity, the arrangement and combination of many mechanism-embedded blocks couldn’t be constructed in reality—it required divine power. Therefore only such a legendary figure could create such a palace.
He had once won over Chen Tuntian, the God of Sandstorms, but even Chen Tuntian in his prime couldn’t catch up to that person’s coattails. Even though they were both among the Three Madmen and Five Emperors didn’t mean these eight people had equal strength.
Thinking again of that person’s current location and the series of changes it might cause, he sighed in his heart.
Fortunately, that person was secluded in the south—in this lifetime, they probably wouldn’t have any interaction.
This thought flashed through his mind as his gaze searched the city walls again, still not finding the person he sought, and he couldn’t help frowning.
After a long while, he slowly said: “Since it’s hard to attack, let’s surround without attacking.”
“Grand Minister, the palace covers a vast area, backed by the great mountain. There’s likely abundant food. With the mountain as inner garden, as long as food lasts through winter, after spring comes they can live off the mountain—they won’t starve. Siege… I fear it cannot succeed…”
His strategist raised objections with difficulty.
“Moreover, Mote Hulan is fiercely attacking the city gates. We’re also trapped in the city. Our own provisions will eventually run short…”
All generals discussed among themselves, suggesting the Grand Minister follow the previous plan to first contact possibly poisoned people in the palace.
Qiu Wujiu listened noncommittally, then suddenly said: “Those prisoners captured a few days ago—bring them out for the other side to see. Tell them if they don’t open the gates, we’ll kill one person every hour.”