When Ma Zaiyuan heard that the batch of mares he had sold on credit to the donkey-riding lady had actually been used by her to execute the “Beautiful Horse Stratagem,” completely annihilating Chengde cavalry in one stroke, he was so shocked he fell backward onto the ground, unable to recover for a long time. He understood clearly that he could no longer remain in Chengde territory. Just as Madam Yu came to win him over, he immediately packed his valuables and pledged allegiance with his entire clan.

As a local strongman, Ma Zaiyuan’s example led others to follow. With the Ma family at the head, nobles, refugees, deserters, and mountain bandits gradually came to pledge allegiance, along with surrendering generals and prisoners of war willing to submit. Like a hundred rivers flowing to the sea, Bao Zhu’s forces quickly assembled into an army of over ten thousand.

These people had various and wondrous perceptions of their leader Li Baozhu whom they had come to serve.

Some said she was the peerless expert known in the martial world as the “donkey-riding lady,” with unfathomable martial skills. Others insisted she was the resurrected Princess Wanshou, bearing imperial bloodline. Some whispered mysteriously that she wielded a divine weapon capable of overturning the realm. Still others claimed with certainty that Han Zhu, the general who annihilated Chengde cavalry, was one of her lovers. Some said she had displayed divine powers in Zhaoyi, dispelling plague, because people from there all spoke of “Baozhu (firecrackers) eliminating epidemic”…

Regardless of which version, Bao Zhu neither responded nor bothered to explain. In everyone’s minds, only one consensus remained indisputable: she was the center of legend, the protagonist of the story.

This force assembled from all directions originally wanted to call itself the Lady’s Army, but coincidentally, this would share the same name as Princess Pingyang Zhao’s forces. Yuan Shaobo suggested that since the princess used a chipped jade comb as her commander’s seal, the force could be called the “Jade Comb Army.”

To these people who came to pledge allegiance, Bao Zhu promised: marching north to serve the emperor, ensuring everyone would have mounts to use.

She employed the “Beautiful Horse Stratagem” once again: having people lead mares to the narrowest valley at Jingxing Pass, using their calls to foals to create echoes that continuously reverberated through the valley, spiraling into the sky and spreading to the farthest distances.

Those warhorses scattered in the mountain depths were still shaken and frightened, hungry and afraid. Hearing the distant calls of mares, as if finding a lifeline, they emerged one by one from the forest, galloping toward Jingxing. Without deploying a single soldier, they recovered eighty percent of the warhorses. Everyone was once again convinced by her godlike military tactics.

The dragon brain incense pouch had long been lost somewhere. After bathing and changing clothes, Bao Zhu spent considerable effort washing away the pungent corpse stench she had picked up from the skull mound. Whether fortunate or not, her shortened hair was easier to manage.

Shisan Lang handled the entire process of preparing the body for burial and sealing the coffin. But Bao Zhu didn’t plan to bury him in Chengde, thinking it would be more convenient for future visits if he were closer. So she had him placed in a hearse, preparing to transport the coffin to Youzhou.

On the day of the funeral procession, she supported the coffin and whispered softly:

“Walk slowly on your path to reincarnation, don’t rush so hastily. I promise you a peaceful land—in the future, whether you’re reborn as human or cat, wherever you reincarnate, you’ll want for nothing.”

The Jade Comb Army broke camp and set out.

Though she had received priceless famous steeds献上的价值连城的名驹 from people like Liang Shiji and Ma Zaiyuan, Bao Zhu still stubbornly rode Duke Lushan. When the commanding general chose to travel by donkey, the donkey was no longer a despised inferior mount but became a symbol of otherworldly refinement unique to transcendent masters. It represented lofty sentiments and distant aspirations, immortal bearing, and transcendence to sainthood.

Thus, the young woman rode her donkey while a hearse carried the youth’s coffin, followed by thousands of elite cavalry equipped with Chengde’s fine horses and equipment, majestically heading northeast.

On this final stretch of road to Youzhou, they traveled along the river. The Hutuo River’s muddy currents rushed and surged, rolling endlessly—time passes like this river, never resting day or night.

Her former raven-black long hair, flawless skin, delicate hands, elegant fragrance, and the countless tears she had shed… all physical mortal traces flowed away like this river rushing to the sea, never to return.

Tombs may be reopened, but youth never returns to one’s face.

The sunlight dimmed as a flock of gray bean geese flew crying over the Jade Comb Army. They faced the howling north wind, threading between low-hanging, dark yellow clouds.

Being first to sense the approaching frost and snow in the clouds, the bean geese spread their wings and descended, skimming low over the border between Chengde and Youzhou. Regional boundaries meant nothing to flying birds—no one could inspect their travel passes. To them, this land had been and would forever remain unified under heaven.

At the border, rows of armored warriors stood guard, protecting their lord. They awaited a distinguished guest who had endured hardships and obstacles, arriving late.

Despite Madam Li’s earnest dissuasions, Prince Shao insisted on supporting his ailing body, traveling by carriage from Youzhou’s administrative seat to the Yingzhou border to meet her.

Snow pellets fell silently like salt frost on the soldiers’ armor.

Huo Qi Lang stood with hands tucked in his sleeves, leaning against the carriage and yawning, exhaling clouds of hot white mist. The advance scouts had clearly confirmed that the princess’s forces would arrive at the hour of si today. Yet he insisted on coming out early to wait on the road, making everyone freeze in this icy weather. If not for the boundary marker blocking him, his soul might have left his body and flown out.

Just as everyone was straining their eyes in anticipation, the silhouette of a large force gradually appeared at the end of the official road.

Huo Qi Lang had excellent eyesight. Shading his eyes with his hand, he looked into the distance: the formation’s vanguard consisted of two cavalry units riding pure white horses. Behind them came a young general with sword-like brows and bright eyes, chest thrust out proudly, holding high a great banner with tall teeth—the tooth banner symbolizing a commander’s authority. Following were two units of black horse cavalry and two units of mixed-colored horse cavalry. The entire force was strictly ordered and imposing.

However, after this magnificent tooth banner and cavalry passed, something incongruous suddenly appeared at the rear of the formation—a donkey, completely out of place among the surrounding fine horses.

These strong soldiers and excellent horses surrounded and protected the young lady on the donkey like stars around the moon, advancing majestically toward them in numbers too great to see the end.

A murmur of commotion arose in Prince Shao’s ceremonial guard. Military Commissioner Li Chengyin coughed heavily, and everyone immediately quieted down, quickly straightening their backs and raising their banners high, displaying the solemn dignity befitting a prince’s ceremonial procession.

Fearing he might disembark early and catch cold in the wind, Huo Qi Lang was in no hurry to announce anything, waiting for the other party to come closer until they too discovered traces of this side.

After both sides recognized each other’s banners, the donkey began galloping wildly, racing through the ceremonial formation like lightning and rushing to the very front.

Only then did Huo Qi Lang knock on the carriage wall with his fist. The carriage door opened, and Madam Li stepped out first, supporting Prince Shao as he alighted, preparing to drape him in fur robes.

Li Yuanying hadn’t yet steadied himself when, seeing who approached, his beautiful eyes instantly widened. He spread both arms and ran out recklessly.

This man spent most of each day lying in bed, and even when occasionally walking on the ground, moved unhurriedly. This was the first time Huo Qi Lang had seen him run with such urgency and excitement. Due to prolonged illness and exhaustion, his steps stumbled and his form swayed as if drunk.

At the same time, the donkey-riding young woman also dismounted, taking three steps in two strides, flying toward them while torrential crying reached the destination before her footsteps.

Having crossed countless waters and mountains, passing through three seasonal changes, the brother and sister finally broke through all barriers and embraced tightly in the flying snow.

Both ceremonial processions stood quietly in place, listening to their inconsolable weeping. The snow fell ever more densely, drifting down like goose feathers.

End of “The Phoenix Twins” Volume

Author’s Note: In “Journey to the West,” one scene that most shook me was the Lingering Cloud Ferry near the finale. The master and three disciples crossed the river on a bottomless boat and looked back to see a corpse left in the water. That was Tang Monk’s mortal body—having experienced eighty-one tribulations and obtained the scriptures through trials, he shed his mortal flesh to cultivate into Buddha. All of Bao Zhu’s physical external marks were also shed during the long, difficult journey through tribulations, flowing away with the river water to the sea, leaving only will and iron bones.

“To bear the nation’s shame is to be lord of the altar of earth and grain; to bear the nation’s misfortune is to be king under heaven.” She accepted heaven’s trial and finally reached her destination, obtaining the true scripture of this journey—the unfinished aspiration of the Four Heroes of “Paradise Formula” was inadvertently taken up by Bao Zhu, and she will continue striving for this cause. This stems from all she witnessed and experienced along the way, as well as her most simple wish: to end the chaotic times and ensure that her beloved peerless hero and unfortunate little thief, no matter where they reincarnate, will live in peaceful prosperity.

Chen Shigu forcibly imposed his resentful obsession for enlightenment on his disciple, but Wei Xun violated his teachings, refusing to become a tool of revenge. Yet this paradoxically facilitated the transmission of the “Way,” though not in the form Chen Shigu had envisioned.

Bao Zhu is not only the phoenix twin who healed Wei Xun, but also heaven’s phoenix twin. After hatching, she becomes the catalyst for the Paradise Formula. Readers who prefer tragic aesthetics may consider this the ending: “Time Passes Like This River.”

Those who dislike tragic endings should continue reading—the story isn’t over yet!

*”Tombs may be reopened, but youth never returns to one’s face”—an inscription on a Five Dynasties tomb wall, author unknown.