The night was dark as ink, with wind and rain about to come.

Northern winds and sand beat ceaselessly against the mountains and rivers of past and present. In the sound of horns, war horses silently lowered their heads to sleep. Under the felt tents, countless lights gradually extinguished one by one, with only a trace of starlight flickering, about to fall.

This was Pingzhou Great Camp, very close to Youzhou.

Inside the main camp’s cowhide tent, a pair of tallow candles burned tirelessly, illuminating the letter in a man’s hands. The handwriting on the letter was bold and sharp, stern and fierce.

“To Governor Nan Xingfan of the Southern Capital: …You are descended from martyrs, a pillar of the nation—why willingly submit to the worthless and immoral child Xiao Jue? Looking across the world, only you and Guangshi are capable! The situation can be changed—this is when heroes should rise. Guangshi, though unworthy, wishes to follow in your wake, to ride across the northern frontiers and compete for the four seas. When we succeed, I willingly serve as your loyal minister, calling you lord and myself subject! Guangshi’s sincerity can be witnessed by Heaven!”

Kingdom… imperial dominion… rise and fall… contending for supremacy… wielding the world’s power while awake, resting on a beauty’s lap while drunk—this was the burning dream in every man’s heart, buried in ordinary years without revealing any signs, yet always waiting to be awakened.

Even if consumed to ash in catastrophic fire, even if heroic blood spilled across Dragon Pile, even if hungry birds gathered shrieking over scattered white bones in desolate ancient fortresses, nothing could stop certain longings that surged in the blood.

Pingzhou Governor Nan Xingfan raised his eyes, his gaze flashing like foundation starlight, resolute and decisive.

Deep night, deep night with a thousand tent lights.

Several fast horses shot through the darkness like meteors, galloping at full speed, their hoofbeats shattering the deathly silence and stirring up clouds of flying dust.

The two leading riders sat on exceptionally fine steeds. The riders pulled their reins with a jerk, and the horses reared up with flying hooves, arriving at the camp gates in an instant.

The camp guards, who had already received strict orders, immediately crossed their spears to block them. With a clang, the spear tips struck sparks in a glittering line.

“Who goes there! State your name immediately! Otherwise death awaits!”

“Supervisor. Longdong Circuit Investigating Censor, Vice Minister of Justice acting as Minister, Zhao Moyan, requests to see Pingzhou Governor Lord Nan!”

The soldiers looked at each other, then up at the mounted rider. Though the rider’s figure didn’t appear very tall, his voice was calm and clear, with an extraordinary bearing of deep pools and towering peaks in that calmness. Though separated by only a horse’s length, somehow he made people feel elevated and distant.

The soldiers exchanged glances again and said gruffly: “Please wait outside the camp while we report to Governor-General.”

“No need!”

The soldier had already turned halfway around when he looked back in surprise to see the other party had already raised his horse whip and said coolly: “I am an envoy of the Son of Heaven, inspecting on behalf of Heaven. By rights, your commander should come out to greet me and first inquire about the Emperor’s health. Now that I don’t require him to greet me, how can he still have the nerve to make me report?”

As soon as these words fell, the man cracked his long whip and somehow skillfully loosened the rope buckle on the barrier post. With a snap, the camp gate opened wide. The man laughed heartily and drove straight in.

Behind him rode another horseman who had remained silent throughout. The soldier wanted to signal to notify the governor, but the rider suddenly turned back. Under the night sky, the man’s gaze was like cold stars, like sharp swords, like the gleaming edge of an unsheathed blade—calm, cold, and infinitely intimidating, startling the soldier so much that he was forced to withdraw his movement.

Before he could react, the two riders had already charged straight into the main tent.

Those two men’s horses were extremely fine, fast as meteors and lightning. Military sentries tried to block them, but the mounted rider flipped his hand to reveal a yellow imperial edict and shouted: “Imperial decree here—who dares obstruct?”

In just a moment’s daze, he had already swept past like wind.

The main tent was densely curtained, with lamplight faintly showing through. The man dismounted and laughed without restraint: “Governor Nan has good stamina—not sleeping so late at night! Are you perhaps drinking wine and discussing the world’s heroes? May this humble one intrude for a cup?”

Lifting the curtain, he stepped inside without hesitation.

Unshielded lamplight rushed toward him, along with many gazes of unclear meaning.

After a moment’s pause, sweeping his gaze around, the man smiled: “…Everyone has gathered quite completely…”

Inside the tent sat a full assembly—all the officers of Pingzhou Great Camp were present. In the main seat, Nan Xingfan, with scholarly features more resembling a literatus than a military man, slowly raised his head and smiled: “We’ve been waiting for you, Envoy.”

The officers below all stared sternly at this imperial envoy—wasn’t he rather too young? Still just a youth.

The visitor was naturally the cross-dressing maniac and sinister vice minister Qin Chang Ge.

She had ridden day and night without rest. She and Chu Feihuan had left their large retinue behind, bringing only a few guards to arrive first, precisely because they worried about Pingzhou Great Camp’s movements and needed to seize the initiative within the first moment.

To take Youzhou, one must pass through Pingzhou. Cao Guangshi wasn’t stupid—Qin Chang Ge could guess with her fingers what he would do.

Now, racing against time meant racing for victory, racing for the initiative in this civil war.

The reason Qin Chang Ge didn’t first go to the closer Lingzhou but preferred to detour to Pingzhou was because of Nan Xingfan himself. Not only was he from a noble military family, but he was also accomplished in both civil and military arts, with deep cunning. This man had practiced martial arts since childhood, possessing considerable internal strength, making him a fierce general. It was said that in direct combat, no master in the world could take his life within a hundred moves.

Such a formidable person naturally had to be controlled first.

This was a heart-stopping gamble—alone entering an enemy camp, facing one hundred thousand troops and a group of skilled officers. Even if each person took just one chop, they could exhaust someone to death. With the slightest carelessness, even the highest master would be left without bones.

Qin Chang Ge’s original intention was to come alone, but Chu Feihuan remained silent yet insisted on mounting his horse. His tranquil bearing showed absolute determination, clearly meaning “if you go alone, I’ll go alone too—we’ll each act independently.” How could Qin Chang Ge let the ailing Feihuan charge over alone? She had no choice but to agree.

Though thousands stand against me, I go forward; though thousands stand against me, I’m willing to share life and death with you.

Under the starry sky, the pale man said not a word, yet it was worth a thousand words.

Looking back and smiling at Feihuan meaningfully to reassure him, Qin Chang Ge stood at the tent entrance, glanced briefly at Nan Xingfan’s pupils, and smiled frankly: “Such stars, such a night—truly a good time for drinking wine. Don’t mention it—I must thank the Governor for his kind intentions.”

But she didn’t enter first. Instead, she casually took out a long needle from her bosom and pinned open the cowhide door curtain. Lamplight and moonlight intertwined, reflecting the silhouette of the man who had never dismounted outside the tent. He sat straight as bamboo, his outline in the darkness strikingly handsome.

“It’s hot, and cowhide tents don’t breathe—don’t you all find it stuffy?” Qin Chang Ge smiled sweetly, extending her hand as if to catch the moonlight. “Everyone must forgive me. This northern long wind and vast stars and moon are not always visible to us southerners, so I can’t bear to shut them out with tent curtains. You should know that when drinking wine, how can we not scoop up this clear, transparent moonlight?”

She smiled, strolling forward, taking a wine jar from the ground, casually breaking the mud seal, drinking deeply, then toasting the officers.

Everyone stared intently at this youth—elegant in bearing, free and natural. Among the curtained, weapon-bearing officers full of killing intent, he regarded their blood-and-battle-hardened murderous aura as nothing, talking and laughing with natural openness. His every gesture showed only graceful manner, yet without losing masculine heroism. His bearing was truly radiant, making people admire him deeply.

You should know that battlefield men admired learned scholars and talented literati, yet disliked that bookish pedantry from too much reading. Now seeing someone who combined elegance with heroism, they immediately felt this was the perfect man!

Someone couldn’t help shouting: “Excellent!”

As soon as the shout emerged, it was forced back by his superior’s warning gaze.

Qin Chang Ge pretended not to hear, only smiling as she put the wine jar back, shaking her wrist: “Oh my, so heavy. Turns out I still can’t manage to look impressive. Please give me a bowl!”

Someone laughed heartily and handed over a bowl. Some looked relaxed—they had originally thought this youth with his bright demeanor and extraordinary grace made them somewhat uneasy, but now it seemed he was just a pretty facade who couldn’t even hold a wine jar.

The atmosphere relaxed slightly as the officers began toasting each other.

Nan Xingfan made a gesture, and Deputy General Yu Yong stepped forward with a wine bowl, smiling: “We have a northern custom—when entertaining distinguished guests visiting for the first time, we must drink ‘linked-arm wine’ before discussing business. Would Lord Zhao condescend to drink arm-in-arm with this humble general?”

“Oh? What is linked-arm wine?” Qin Chang Ge blinked, looking curious.

“Linking arms to drink face-to-face, showing eternal friendship.”

“This is precisely what I desire—I dare not ask for it.” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “Truly an honor…”

Yu Yong, handsome and radiating fierce martial spirit, took the wine bowl and pressed his heavy arms down on Qin Chang Ge’s shoulders with a smile: “Just like this!”

“Bang!”

Qin Chang Ge was pressed down completely, falling to sit on a wine jar with her bottom, immediately soaking her lower robe with wine.

The tent fell silent for a moment, then erupted in roaring laughter.

In the laughter someone shouted: “Lord Zhao, your robe is thirstier than you!”

Someone teased: “Bottom in fine wine—how’s the taste?”

Someone shook their head, muttering: “Useless!”

A clerk sitting near the tent entrance laughed so hard he choked, holding his belly as he staggered outside, grasping a wooden post and coughing. The more he thought about it, the more hilarious it seemed. He proudly raised his head, only to meet a pair of clear yet bottomlessly deep eyes.

Those eyes were clear as crystal, reflecting all the strange phenomena of the world yet remaining unstained, noble and cold, transparent and bright as moon in water or flowers in mirror. He looked at him so coldly and mockingly, his gaze seeming to regard a pig wallowing in mud.

After a moment’s shock, the clerk felt somewhat angry. This person was just a guard for that Zhao fellow—how dare he look at him like that? That Zhao fellow could barely protect himself, yet this guard dared be so arrogant?

He angrily turned his head, thinking that if the governor truly decided to kill that court envoy, he would personally deal with this guard.

The moment he turned, he suddenly froze.

Something was wrong…

Just a guard…

Why did he have such coldly dismissive eyes?

And his legs…

He turned around, curious to see more clearly.

“Swish!”

As if someone had flicked their sleeve, white light flashed.

He felt his throat go cool—just the coolness one might feel when a snowflake touched skin.

Yet all the warm currents in his body were carried away by this coolness—strength, spirit, soul… flowing away like water.

He leaned against the post, silently and softly collapsing.

The post was soon painted with a bright layer of color from top to bottom, gleaming with an eerie, cold light in the moonlight.

In front, nearby soldiers continued their patrol with eyes straight ahead.

Behind, the wanton mockery continued in the tent, those surging waves of sound and warm human body odors mixed with cowhide scent rushing out in waves, so vigorous and noisy.

Too bad he could no longer possess any of it…

The clerk slowly fell into the shadow between tent and post. At the moment of death, his mouth still murmured in low whispers.

No one noticed a colleague who had just died in the shadows, and no one heard his final warning, scattered in the wind:

“Beware…”

Qin Chang Ge smiled awkwardly and helplessly amid the tent’s roaring laughter.

She looked quite disheveled, her robe’s bottom completely soaked, dripping wine water. Wind from outside the tent blew in, pressing her robe tightly against her legs, revealing a slender, trim silhouette.

Facing everyone’s laughter, she seemed very embarrassed but still forced herself to say: “Haven’t you heard that wine lovers wish to drown themselves in wine? I’m also imitating the ancients…”

Hearing him still invoking ancients to save face made everyone laugh even more heartily.

Yu Yong made a show of helping Qin Chang Ge wipe wine stains, laughing: “Lord Zhao, sorry about that. This humble general apologizes…” Yet he grinned while secretly pinching Qin Chang Ge’s bottom.

Everyone naturally saw this, and their laughter now carried several degrees of lewdness. There were no women in the army, so male substitutes weren’t unheard of. Zhao Moyan was quite handsome, and in everyone’s eyes was prime rabbit material. They stared at his wet robe clinging to reveal his narrow buttocks, unable to help gulping audibly.

Thinking of how Yu Yong had pronounced “Lord” in a strange way, clearly with mocking implications, brought another round of wild thoughts.

Yu Yong turned proudly toward Nan Xingfan and winked.

Seated above, Nan Xingfan glared at him, somewhat displeased with his casual presumption, yet couldn’t help showing slight amusement in his eyes. This Zhao Moyan had become famous throughout the world in half a year, even thunderously killing Duke Li’s beloved son—certainly no ordinary person. Since hearing news of his approach, he had already ordered scouts to watch constantly. Setting up this feast upon his entry was also meant for observation and testing.

At first meeting, seeing this youth’s impressive bearing and extraordinary demeanor, truly living up to his capable reputation, he had felt killing intent.

But after this test, he realized this was ultimately just a scholar—at most one with good luck who looked somewhat extraordinary but was essentially still an acidic little bookworm.

Thinking this way, he relaxed, dispersing the internal energy he had been focusing throughout his body, and came down from his seat with wine bowl and smile.

He didn’t know that some people understood that always appearing weak would also arouse suspicion, that some people were skilled at gauging and controlling others’ psychology, that some people excelled at the most appropriate and measured disguise, the most sinister and cold endurance.

He smiled, raised his cup, no longer on guard, and came down from his seat.

Killing such a scholar was truly just a matter of pinching fingers.

Fine, give him a whole corpse…

The wine in the bowl was clear and bright. Nan Xingfan smiled as he raised the wine bowl, handing one to Qin Chang Ge, declaring loudly: “Lord Zhao, Deputy Yu is a crude military man who doesn’t understand etiquette and has offended the imperial envoy. Please forgive his unintentional transgression… Xingfan apologizes to Lord Zhao here.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled as she reached to accept it, declining repeatedly: “I dare not, I dare not…”

She extended her palm flat to receive the wine bowl.

“Swish!”

Lower and brighter than that sound outside!

A length of white bright silk! A wave of deep sea tide! A lightning bolt that shattered the vast sky in an instant!

Lightning rose, lightning flew, lightning instantly pierced Nan Xingfan’s eyes!

No one could train their martial arts to protect their eyes!

Screams arose, blood splattered. Before that sound had even left his throat, Qin Chang Ge had already sprung up, whirling in a fierce spin and viciously chopping sideways!

“Slash!!!”

Nan Xingfan’s head fell to the ground!

The head with two enormous bloody holes nearly penetrating to the back of the skull rolled into the dust!

In the completely shocked paralysis.

Qin Chang Ge shifted her steps, swooshing back several paces with flowing grace, arriving before Yu Yong. Without looking back, she struck with a reverse blade—the blade light entered Yu Yong’s chest to the hilt!

Blade in, blade out. Blood silk followed the blade out, magnificently and horrifyingly spreading in mid-air!

Turning around with a strand of black hair floating at her lips, bitten by Qin Chang Ge, she looked half-smiling like Asura, contemptuously glancing at the wide-eyed Yu Yong spitting blood foam. Qin Chang Ge bent down and whispered in his ear: “Taking advantage of me? Do you know the consequence of taking advantage of me?”

Yu Yong could no longer speak, light fading from his eyes, yet he wouldn’t look away, still staring fixedly at her.

Qin Chang Ge smiled carelessly and continued unhurriedly: “You take advantage, I dig out your heart.”

With one hand thrust, twist, and pull, a bloody, still-beating heart leaped from the blade tip.

A horizontal blade strike. The heart on the blade’s back flew out with a streak of snow-white, landing with a plop on the commander’s table, still faintly beating.

Standing amid two gruesome corpses in a pool of blood yet without a speck of dust on herself, Qin Chang Ge looked with satisfaction and murderous intent at the officers who had already frozen like clay and wood sculptures. She smiled and slowly, clearly declared: “His Majesty decrees: Nan Xingfan and Yu Yong deceived the throne and allied with rebels, their crimes unpardonable—execute the punishment of beheading and heart extraction! All other officers, having merit in protecting the nation, are immediately promoted one rank!”

This is what they call combining kindness with authority, carrot and stick.

The camp officers had long been kneaded into confusion.

Nan Xingfan’s intentions were somewhat known to the higher-ranking officers present. Except for the impetuous and ambitious Yu Yong who strongly agreed, the others all had some hesitation. After all, this was rebellion—if they failed, the consequence would be extermination of nine generations of family. Even if successful, how many of the meritorious dragon-following ministers could become kings or prime ministers? They were officers under the Xiao dynasty and would still be officers under a Li dynasty. Leading their heads through bitter fighting—calculating it all, there wasn’t much profit.

Moreover, using just the armies of You and Ping regions against the entire nation’s military forces, with an opponent known as the God of War Emperor, the odds weren’t great.

But Nan Xingfan commanded strictly, usually showing much favor, and personally was the type to hide steel in silk with deep schemes. The officers were accustomed to following orders and momentarily didn’t dare show rebellious intent.

Of course there was some hopeful thinking—what if it succeeded? Success would mean founding minister status. Even if it failed, they could claim they were “forced into rebellion”—that wouldn’t necessarily mean execution, right?

Still caught between difficulties, planning to let their superior decide their fate, the officers had today intended to watch the good show of a court envoy being executed.

Instead, corpses lay across the ground—the famous governor and the unparalleled fierce Deputy Yu.

No one had expected that a court envoy from civil service would have such thunderous killing methods, rising to kill without a word, beheading and heart extraction with ultimate cruelty!

These officers were also warriors who had fought bloody battles, yet even so, they were shaken by such ruthless lightning methods.

Wind poured endlessly through the tent opening, striking everyone’s faces without feeling pain or itch.

They only stared dazedly at that youth.

In a pool of flowing blood and thick bloody stench, the two great officers who had been domineering moments before had become corpses, while that slender youth they had just mocked, ridiculed, and disdained was now casually smiling and turning, voice calm as he bestowed the grace of promotion by one rank.

They were filled with shock, awed into not daring to make a sound.

Long wind slapped at scrolls on the table, drowning out the long horse neighing outside the camp. The golden horn that had been expectantly played yesterday had ceased today.

A piece of paper was blown down by wind, floating gently to the ground. Qin Chang Ge smiled and bent to look at it.

It was precisely Cao Guangshi’s invitation to Nan Xingfan for “sharing the world, willing to be minister.”

With a mocking smile, Qin Chang Ge delicately picked up that paper with her fingertips. It had been stuck to Nan Xingfan’s face with blood, trembling in the wind yet unwilling to blow away. Those bold black characters “riding across northern frontiers, competing for the four seas” now seemed truly an ironic joke. And on the table, the heart that had been beating fiercely in that passionate man’s chest was now deathly cold, stiff and slightly purple.

What more was there to hesitate about? If they continued hesitating, what awaited them?

“Thud!”

The heavily armored officers suddenly all knelt down together, their voices like thunder shaking the sky!

“We subjects receive the decree with thanks, swearing loyalty to our emperor! Long live our emperor!!!” The rumbling voices carried outside the tent, crushing the slightly cool air of the northern early autumn night. Soldiers curiously poked their heads from camp tents, looking toward the main tent. They didn’t know that just moments ago, while they slept soundly, someone had perfectly concluded an adventure and challenge, had turned the clouds and overturned the rain, reversing the situation and firmly grasping a group of secretly scheming fierce generals in hand.

Starlight was brilliant, sprinkling on the northern frontier land that was both silent and restless, desolate yet vast.

Under the starlight, outside the tent, the pale, handsome man hidden in shadows slightly raised his head toward the brightest star in the sky, releasing a long, joyful sigh.

“Third Young Master, can I be your study companion?”

“Third Young Master, can I be your servant?”

“Third Young Master, can I be your sparring partner?”

“Third Young Master, I…”

“Stop!!!”

The hurrying youth helplessly stopped, lowering his head to look sideways at his robe hem that had been grabbed beyond recognition and at the beautiful little meatball sitting on his robe who was gripping it. He let out a pained sigh.

The latter blinked big eyes, looking innocent and cute as he asked: “Third Young Master, why aren’t you happy?”

Why did he add “why” before “aren’t you happy”? What did “why” mean? Cao Sheng, the most beloved third young master of Governor Cao, had been confused by this little devil’s nonsense for several days now and was too lazy to ask. He said directly: “I’m not unhappy, I just want to tell you—no!”

“Why?”

“…How old are you? Study companion? How many characters do you know? Servant? Can you serve people? Sparring partner? Can your bones withstand my throws? Give it up.”

“Ah…” Baozi deflated, drooping his curly long lashes, murmuring: “So I’m completely useless… But why do many people say I’m very powerful?”

“You are powerful—your ability to pester people is very powerful!” Cao Sheng was both angry and amused. “Let go of me, I need to answer roll call. Today Father Commander wants me to participate in military training—if I’m late I’ll get beaten!”

“Let Youtiao’er take the beating for you.” Baozi heartlessly betrayed his loyal servant, kicking away Youtiao’er who was following behind him and wanted to cry and complain after hearing this shameless statement, then stuck to Cao Sheng again.

“Third Young Master, take me to join the army, okay?”