At midnight, Zhao Shuhua personally escorted Zhao You’s group to the camp gate. After the army’s departure, the entire camp felt empty. Yan Che stood behind Zhao Shuhua and said, “Mother, the night is cool. You should return to rest early. By dawn, we’ll receive news of our great victory.”
Zhao Shuhua frowned slightly, “This is the final battle, but for some reason, I feel uneasy.”
Yan Che consoled her, “Mother is too worried about Grandfather. Don’t worry, with General Cheng, General Sun, and Uncle there, Grandfather will surely be fine.”
Zhao Shuhua took a deep breath, “You’re right, I needn’t worry. Your grandfather has been on the northern border for decades. No one is more experienced at dealing with the Rong barbarians than him. I’m overthinking things.”
With these words, Zhao Shuhua finally turned to walk back into camp. Though it was midsummer, the night wind carried a chill. Looking at the empty camp, she felt increasingly desolate. After a moment, she sighed, “When the army returns tomorrow, we’ll leave immediately for Chongzhou.”
Understanding Zhao Shuhua’s thoughts, Yan Che replied, “Good, I’ll order the soldiers to prepare for departure.”
Breaking camp would keep the remaining two thousand men busy for half the night. Zhao Shuhua nodded and continued, “After tonight, the Rong barbarians will surely retreat to Cangzhou. Yue Qiong won’t ignore Cangzhou. Whether he pursues with his entire force or splits his troops, we must seize this final opportunity to head south. Once the Jinzhou Army realizes, it will be difficult for us.”
Yan Che naturally agreed, and Zhao Shuhua said, “Very well, go prepare.”
Zhao Shuhua headed back to the central command tent first, while Yan Che went to order the remaining troops to prepare for departure. When he returned to his tent, Qin Zhaoyu had already packed their belongings.
Throughout their northern journey, Qin Zhaoyu had grown accustomed to silently preparing everything for Yan Che.
Seeing her like this, Yan Che stepped forward and embraced her, “Thank you for your hard work. When Grandfather returns victorious tomorrow, we’ll return to Chongzhou and head south straight for the capital. Yu’er, I will take you back to Lin’an City.”
Qin Zhaoyu hugged Yan Che but gave a bitter smile, “Sometimes, I don’t know if I even want to return any more.”
Yan Che raised an eyebrow, and Qin Zhaoyu nestled her face against his chest, “Before in the capital, it felt like mountains and seas separated us. Though life is harder now, you’re close to my heart. My parents have already gone south, and I have no more attachments to Lin’an City. Glory means less to me than you do.”
Yan Che smiled, “Silly girl, before I didn’t understand your heart. Now I do, and after all we’ve been through, how could I let you down?”
Qin Zhaoyu shook her head, “It’s not that I fear Your Highness will betray me. It’s just that the city seems to have a kind of magic—even the warmest, kindest people can change there. I didn’t grow up in the palace, but Your Highness should know this best.”
Yan Che’s mind instantly recalled Zhao Shuhua’s words, making his heart pound.
He held Qin Zhaoyu’s waist tighter, “I know you no longer care for glory and wealth, but I feel I’ve wronged you.”
Qin Zhaoyu smiled, “Before, I wanted to be Your Highness’s wife and thought living in the Eastern Palace was a woman’s greatest glory. But now I know, all I ever wanted was to be by Your Highness’s side.” After a pause, as if not wanting to spoil the mood, she added, “As long as I can be with Your Highness, whether in Lin’an City or here in the north, my heart is at peace.”
Yan Che pondered her words, “Yu’er, are you afraid?”
Qin Zhaoyu smiled and shook her head, “I only fear being separated from Your Highness.”
Yan Che pressed his lips together, tightening his embrace and comforting Qin Zhaoyu for a while longer.
The couple lay down after their intimate moment, not daring to delay tomorrow’s journey to Chongzhou ahead, and embraced as they rested.
Qin Zhaoyu quickly fell asleep, but Yan Che found sleep elusive.
Tonight’s southwestern wind was particularly strong, and the soldiers breaking camp occasionally created bursts of noise. Listening to these sounds, Yan Che felt a growing anxiety.
Though he hadn’t shown it these past two days, Zhao Shuhua’s words still lingered in his mind.
Even now, he could hardly believe it, nor could he imagine confronting that person in Lin’an City.
Looking at Qin Zhaoyu’s sleeping face beside him, Yan Che had to admit that like her, his desire to return to Lin’an City was fading day by day. Even knowing Zhao Shuhua’s reasons, he couldn’t harbor the same hatred she did. His heart was now filled with mixed emotions, with revenge taking a back seat.
Yan Che tossed and turned sleeplessly for a while, only feeling drowsy when the sounds of camp breaking grew fainter.
The complex task of breaking camp was nearly complete, indicating it was well past midnight. Yan Che dared not indulge in sleeplessness and closed his eyes to sleep.
Just as Yan Che was about to drift into dreams, suddenly, a distant and heavy rumbling sound startled him awake.
He opened his eyes to listen carefully, hearing the sound growing closer—it seemed to be… hoofbeats!
Because there were so many riders, the hoofbeats rolled like muffled thunder, and as they approached, the entire ground began to shake.
Yan Che sat up abruptly—how could a large force be approaching?!
Could Grandfather be returning?!
As soon as this thought arose, Yan Che shook his head internally.
Impossible—the battle strategy had been set long ago, and given his grandfather’s character, how could he change his mind at the last moment?!
Yan Che looked outside. The night was starless and moonless, pitch black, but by his calculation of time, it should just be when the fire attack was beginning. Who could be coming so early…
Suddenly, Yan Che’s eyes widened. He quickly shook Qin Zhaoyu awake, “Yu’er! Wake up! Something’s wrong!”
Qin Zhaoyu had a weaker hearing and only noticed the disturbance upon waking, but Yan Che had already dressed and rushed outside!
Outside the tent, the commotion was clearer, and with most tents struck, the camp felt especially empty. A few sleepless soldiers stood outside, curious about the source of the noise. Yan Che stood in the night wind, looking toward the direction of the hoofbeats, his suspicions growing stronger. He shouted, “Quick! Wake everyone! Prepare for battle…”
The hoofbeats came from the west—the direction of Wei County!
Yan Che couldn’t be sure how many were coming or who had sent them, but after the three armies allied, there were rules—commanders met during councils, and at other times, regardless of urgency, no army could enter another’s camp. Now, just after his grandfather had led troops out, these hoofbeats arrived—clearly showing the ill intent of whoever led these forces!
Yan Che’s shout startled the soldiers outside into alerting others. By the time Qin Zhaoyu emerged, Yan Che had already rushed to Zhao Shuhua’s tent. Just as he reached the entrance, Zhao Shuhua walked out wearing a cloak. She looked toward the direction of the hoofbeats and immediately frowned deeply!
“They come with ill intent. We can’t fight them—we can only flee!”
Yan Che urgently asked, “But where can we flee in the dead of night?”
Zhao Shuhua looked at Yan Che sternly, “The camp has only two thousand troops. How can we resist ten thousand?”
If they were defending a city it would be different, but now the Northern Command Army camp was merely stationed in a lowland, with only simple wooden palisades outside…
How could such defenses stop the enemy’s iron hooves?!
The hoofbeats grew closer, and Zhao Shuhua could even see the shadows of soldiers flooding in like a dark tide. She issued a decisive order, “Everyone, mount horses immediately! Head north toward Luofeng Slope. If we can shake off pursuit and find the General, we still have hope!”
The main army was north of Luofeng Slope! Only two hours’ journey away! While Chongzhou lay south, a day’s journey away!
The best option was naturally to find Zhao You!
At Zhao Shuhua’s command, everyone sprang into action. With the hoofbeats approaching, there was no time to wake those who slept too deeply. People frantically grabbed horses and weapons. In the chaos, Qin Zhaoyu tried to take their packed belongings, but Yan Che pulled her away, only managing to throw a cloak over her shoulders. Guards brought horses outside, and Yan Che lifted Qin Zhaoyu onto horseback before mounting himself. In these brief moments, Zhao Shuhua had already gathered all her guards ready to depart. Seeing the couple prepared, she didn’t wait for other soldiers but shouted a command to move and galloped out the camp gate—
Soldiers who could keep up followed on horseback, while others were still at the stables getting horses. Some were just emerging confused from their tents, unaware of what was happening. Just as Zhao Shuhua left the camp, He Lin and Xu Huai’s forces arrived. Their vanguard cavalry broke through the palisades and charged in. Seeing the panicked soldiers who hadn’t escaped, He Lin shouted, “We come on imperial orders to suppress rebellion! Those who surrender will be spared!”
He Lin’s pair brought over ten thousand men, while only two or three hundred remained in camp. Seeing this force, no one dared refuse. When some hopeful souls tried to run, He Lin waved his hand, and his cavalry released several arrows at once. Instantly, the runner was shot full of holes like a sieve, and no one else dared flee.
He Lin rode forward, pointing his sword at someone, and demanded, “Where is the deposed Empress?”
The soldier trembled, “The Empress… went… went north!”
He Lin frowned and looked at Xu Huai. Among the three, Xu Huai was most reluctant to carry out this mission. Seeing He Lin’s look, he said, “The first achievement is yours—to pursue them. I’ll stay to bind these prisoners.”
He Lin thought since he’d already come this far, there was no need for hesitation, especially as this was the Emperor’s and Marquis Anyang’s wish. So he left one thousand men with Xu Huai and, with a wave of his sword, led the remaining nearly ten thousand men in swift pursuit northward!
In terms of horse speed, neither side was slow, but Zhao Shuhua’s group had to navigate in the darkness, occasionally having horses stumble, which slowed their pace. Soon, He Lin’s group spotted the shadows of the Empress’s party!
The Empress had only brought out about a thousand people, standing no chance against He Lin now. He Lin waved his hand, “Archers! Release!”
Arrows fell like locusts, with those at the rear crying out in pain as they fell from their horses. Yan Che at the front turned back at the sound, but Zhao Shuhua shouted, “Don’t look back!”
Yan Che’s heart lurched as a sense of impending death washed over him.
In their many days heading north, he had always been well-protected and had never led troops in battle. Being hunted like this was his first such experience. On this dark and windy night, with the soldiers’ death cries behind them and occasional arrows whizzing past, cold sweat poured down Yan Che’s forehead!
He couldn’t help looking at Qin Zhaoyu beside him. Compared to him, she was having an even harder time. Riding at night made the horseback journey more turbulent, and she lay tightly pressed against her horse’s back, looking as if she might fall at any moment. Looking at Zhao Shuhua, though she fared better than Qin Zhaoyu, she was barely holding on!
Yan Che hurriedly said, “Mother, this cannot last! We must think of something!”
The more desperate the situation, the colder Zhao Shuhua’s expression became. She looked ahead and saw the shadowy outline of a low hill appearing. She quickly said, “After we pass the hill ahead, we’ll split up. You and Yu’er go west, while I lead them north.”
Yan Che grew alarmed, “Mother, you can’t—”
Zhao Shuhua angrily commanded, “Listen to me, Che’er!”
Yan Che was too anxious to speak, the swift pace forcing cold wind into his mouth. He clenched his teeth and looked back to see the pursuers getting closer and closer, nearly upon them. More and more arrows flew through the air, and more people fell behind them, yet the pursuers didn’t stop, trampling over the fallen Northern Command Army soldiers who didn’t even have time to cry out before dying!
Yan Che’s eyes reddened with urgency. Seeing the low hill ahead, he shouted, “Mother! Let’s go together!”
Zhao Shuhua struck her horse hard again. The horse, feeling the pain, charged up the hill. Yan Che hurriedly whipped his horse too, but at that moment, a cold arrow flew from behind, grazing Yan Che’s shoulder and embedding itself deep in Zhao Shuhua’s shoulder!
Yan Che cried out as Zhao Shuhua lurched forward. The arrow had struck deep, causing her hand to release the reins. Unable to hold them, and with the horse still galloping, she began to sway!
“Mother—”
In that instant, as the horse reached the ridge, Zhao Shuhua could no longer maintain her seat and began to fall!
Yan Che’s eyes turned red with panic, but fortunately, his horse had drawn alongside Zhao Shuhua’s. He quickly pulled her onto his own horse’s back, then looked at the nearby guards and ordered, “Head north—”
As he finished speaking, after crossing the hilltop, he turned west.
“Yu’er! Follow me—”
Qin Zhaoyu, already terrified by the arrow, naturally struggled to turn her horse to follow Yan Che.
With frequent whips to their horses, within moments they had moved beyond arrow range. The darkness became their best cover—how could two lone swift horses attract He Lin’s attention?!
He Lin led his men up the hill, and seeing the main group still fleeing ahead, immediately pursued them.
Though the pursuers hadn’t followed them, Zhao Shuhua’s arrow wound was bleeding profusely!
While Yan Che struggled to secure Zhao Shuhua on horseback, he had no idea where to go in the deep night. Zhao You was in the north, but they couldn’t go there now. Where should they head?
“Mother! Mother, hold on. We’ll return to Chongzhou right away!”
After considering all options, Yan Che could only think of Chongzhou. Qin Zhaoyu, following alongside, couldn’t help saying, “Your Highness! We won’t make it to Chongzhou in time! We have nothing with us—how can we save Mother? We should go west instead, to find Qin Wan—”