Xiao Jue was galloping, riding a horse he had randomly seized. He charged straight into Du City through gates that had just been breached, heading westward through gray-yellow smoke and dust without looking back.
Wind and sunlight couldn’t catch up to the racing steed. A brilliantly golden black shadow swept across the long street, stirring up a small hurricane.
The swift horse suddenly stopped beside a well.
After a slight hesitation, Xiao Jue turned to look at the well beside him. The well was deep, its water rippling in the sunlight, reflecting clear, fragmented sparkles that made one imagine the water’s sweetness and purity – especially for someone who had been thirsty for a long time.
Xiao Jue dismounted, took a water bucket and filled it. Unable to find a container momentarily, he saw a household nearby with tightly closed doors and a bowl on the windowsill. He reached over to take it, felt around for silver but found none, so he pulled off a silver button from his sleeve and placed it where the bowl had been.
He ladled a bowl of water and raised it to his lips.
“Tell me, why must one personally take action in warfare, staining oneself with that unclean blood?” Wanyan Chunzhen used a delicate nail file to polish her already perfectly shaped fingernails, gracefully blowing on those crystal-clear fingertips that were several inches long. “Look, I haven’t even moved a finger, yet Xiliang’s emperor is about to die by my hand.”
Qin Chang Ge smiled slightly, saying: “So what if he dies by your hand? Du City has already been surrounded by Xiliang’s great army. How do you plan to get out?”
Wanyan Chunzhen smiled very innocently, pointing at Qin Chang Ge with slender fingers in the air. “Can’t you guess? You really can’t guess? Don’t you have secret passages? While Xiliang’s great army is fully attacking and taking over the dead city of Du City, I, Pure Consort, have already entered your emptied military camp. Mm, there aren’t many people left in the camp, are there? My supporting troops might even be able to kill a few people to avenge our Du City citizens. Naturally, we’ll also be taking your remaining provisions.”
“Excellent calculation, excellent calculation,” Qin Chang Ge praised. “Flawless strategy indeed.”
That word “strategy” was still rolling on her tongue when Yu Zixi beside her suddenly grabbed Wanyan Yuren and flung her out with a swing of his hand.
Directly toward that row of crossbow arrows on the wall!
Then he leaped up, shrinking his form and hiding entirely behind Wanyan Yuren!
Simultaneously, Qin Chang Ge also moved.
Without even looking at the results of Yu Zixi’s human-throwing, and not toward any person, she flashed like a black shadow, charging directly at the wall beneath Wanyan Chunzhen!
Person arrived, leg struck, wall destroyed!
With a thunderous crash, the entire wall suddenly collapsed. Wanyan Chunzhen sitting on the wall and the archers leaning against it immediately lost their stability. Wanyan Chunzhen floated up gracefully, reaching out to catch the flying Wanyan Yuren. Yu Zixi immediately emerged from behind Wanyan Yuren, his flowing sleeves sweeping like steel-hard righteous energy toward her arm!
Immediately retracting her hand in midair, Wanyan Chunzhen seemed unwilling to damage even her beautiful fingernails, withdrawing swiftly and retreating to a tree in the Guests Welcome courtyard across the alley.
She turned to glance at the street ahead from afar, suddenly her expression changed, and she immediately dove into a secret passage beneath the tree in the Guests Welcome courtyard.
The archers’ arrows, undermined by Qin Chang Ge’s strike at the wall’s foundation, scattered toward the sky. Qin Chang Ge rushed forward with a series of kicks, her foot strength weighing thousands of jin, instantly kicking all the archers to death.
Yu Zixi threw Wanyan Yuren to Qin Chang Ge, laughing: “I’ll chase the beauty! You go notify them that the water can’t be drunk!”
Without waiting for Qin Chang Ge’s response, a blue light flashed as he also drilled into the secret passage.
Qin Chang Ge caught Wanyan Yuren, dragging her as she raced along while laughing: “We really weren’t wrong – your sister actually does care for you. Otherwise she could have ordered the shooting long ago. Why all that chatter? When you were thrown out, she really hesitated and didn’t shoot, right? Unfortunately, her feelings for you are about the same as for her precious fingernails.”
Wanyan Yuren had nearly suffocated from that merciless throw just now. Wounded in heart and body, her face was ashen as her lips moved wanting to speak but stopping. Qin Chang Ge sealed her mute and paralysis pressure points, making her shut up first – thinking too much about heartbreaking matters could also kill a person.
She raced along without daring to stop. Though she had just joked with Wanyan Yuren, it was actually only to relieve her inner anxiety – the city had been breached for a while now. What if they had drunk the water? The consequences were truly unthinkable. The only thing she could do now was run desperately.
Unexpectedly, before she had run many steps, she suddenly heard continuous hoof beats, crisp and rapid. At the end of the long street, a black horse galloped toward them, its rider sitting upright with heroic bearing, cloaked in bright, brilliant morning clouds.
Her right hand controlled the reins while her left hand steadily held a bowl containing something unclear.
Qin Chang Ge stood frozen in astonishment, for the first time in her life showing a flustered expression, stammering after a long pause: “Xiao… Xiao Jue?”
Hadn’t he just broken through the city gates? Hadn’t Xiliang’s great army not fully entered the city yet? Shouldn’t he, the Xiliang Emperor, the soul of the Northern Campaign army and all of Xiliang, the most important person in the entire army, be under heavy military protection with swords drawn and arrows nocked, accepting surrender swords offered by kneeling generals, entering the city solemnly and majestically?
How had he appeared before her like this – covered in dust, alone, with broken arrow feathers still hanging in his hair, looking somewhat disheveled?
This person’s appearances were truly magical every time!
Qin Chang Ge, rarely frozen in place, hadn’t yet had time to react when a black shadow flashed before her eyes, followed by a long horse whinny. A warm breeze carrying the light fragrance of sun-warmed grass and pine needles swept over as a hand suddenly appeared beneath her nose.
“Come! Drink water!”
Looking down at the bowl where not a single drop had spilled, the water’s surface was mirror-calm and clear, reflecting his smiling eyes and her own dust-stained features. His gaze was bright and deeply black, gleaming like obsidian, full of joy and satisfaction.
Slowly raising her eyes to look at the owner of those eyes, her gaze focused particularly on his cracked and peeling lips, then returned to look at that full bowl of water. After a long moment, she asked with some difficulty and hoarseness: “This water…?”
“You entered the city facing crisis after crisis, exhausted from running for your life – you definitely didn’t have time to drink water, right?” Xiao Jue smiled as he watched her, unwilling to look away even for a moment, even his eyebrows filled with joy. “I was about to drink it myself, but thinking you hadn’t drunk yet, how could I selfishly enjoy it alone? This well water looks particularly clear and pure – the taste must be the best. I brought it to share with you.”
He pushed the bowl closer to Qin Chang Ge, smiling: “You first.”
Unexpectedly, he saw Qin Chang Ge sway and sigh with great relief, causing him alarm as he frowned: “Are you injured?”
“No,” Qin Chang Ge stared at that bowl of water – brought through the long street’s galloping hardship, untouched due to that person’s concern and reluctance to enjoy it alone, not knowing whether to cherish it or find it terrifying. She forcibly suppressed her surging emotions, laughing lightly: “I’m celebrating.”
“Celebrating what?” Xiao Jue smiled somewhat embarrassedly. “I know you’re laughing at my unnecessary gesture. There are wells nearby, yet I still rode over to deliver this. But I felt that particular well’s water really did look especially good.”
Raising her eyes to carefully examine Xiao Jue as if seeing him clearly and brightly for the first time, Qin Chang Ge said softly: “I truly love your unnecessary gestures.”
Xiao Jue’s eyes brightened, his joy deepening. Suddenly remembering something, he hesitated to speak. Seeing his expression, Qin Chang Ge felt alarmed and immediately asked: “What’s wrong?”
After thinking, Xiao Jue said somewhat sheepishly: “Actually, I couldn’t help… taking a small sip…”
Qin Chang Ge’s smile vanished as she urgently asked: “Did you swallow it?”
“I can’t remember clearly,” Xiao Jue said with difficulty. “I was running too urgently – perhaps I swallowed a little. Mm? I’m not lying to deceive you. Ah, Chang Ge, why are you so angry—”
Qin Chang Ge pounced forward, grabbing Xiao Jue’s throat.
“Spit it out! Spit it out!”
“Eh?” Xiao Jue had never seen Qin Chang Ge so frantic. He immediately sensed something wrong – Chang Ge wasn’t someone who would throw tantrums over a sip of water. After brief consideration, his expression changed dramatically. He pushed away Chang Ge’s hands, asking gravely: “What’s wrong? Is there a problem with the water?”
“How do you feel?” Qin Chang Ge reached out to check his pulse. “Any abnormalities? Try circulating your true energy.”
“No, I know my own body very well,” Xiao Jue answered definitively, turning to see Wanyan Yuren on the ground. “What exactly is going on?”
Qin Chang Ge immediately unsealed Wanyan Yuren’s pressure points. Wanyan Yuren had already witnessed this scene, her gaze surging with indescribable emotions – envy, jealousy, desolation, nostalgia, intertwined with indelible memories from her own past, misty as clouds in their melancholy. She stared at the spilled water on the ground, remaining silent.
“What exactly is going on?” Qin Chang Ge crouched down, staring into her eyes.
Smiling lightly, Wanyan Yuren’s lips curved in a mocking arc – whether mocking her murderous “sister” or herself was unclear. She said lightly: “No poison, none at all.”
Her shoulders sagged as Qin Chang Ge felt herself nearly collapsing, only now realizing she had been drenched in cold sweat from holding her breath until this moment. With the wind blowing, her entire back felt chilly.
Xiao Jue supported her from behind, exclaiming: “They planned to poison the well water? That would require sacrificing Du City’s million lives as burial companions!”
“Some people will use any means to achieve their goals. What does killing a million people matter? Imperial enterprises are built on white bones,” Wanyan Yuren laughed mockingly. “Unfortunately, she is she, and I am I.”
She gazed toward Su Capital’s direction, her smile light as frost. “She forgot that I’ve lived in Du City for so many years. No matter how indifferent I am, I would gradually develop feelings for this land and these people. I also have people I care about, people I don’t want to see die. I also have young people I like to see. If they all became corpses scattered across Du City’s once-prosperous streets, if those who had conversed with me, who had smiled at me, or children I had personally touched all died by my hand, if an entire city died because of me, I think I could never rest peacefully again in this lifetime.”
“She thinks I’m like her?” Wanyan Yuren’s laughter was mournful. “I can never become her. I’m still human, but she’s long since ceased to be. That’s why she’s the Pure Consort, the outstanding one the family places high hopes on, while I’m destined to be the abandoned one, buried in darkness.”
Her laughter gradually subsided as she said quietly: “I was the child neglected by the family, who left in anger. It was the Ninth Lady’s mother who raised me. She was an abandoned concubine from the Li residence who returned to her natal home in Yu City with her newborn daughter. When the Ninth Lady was three, she went missing. My foster mother spoke of her for many years. When we finally found her, she had already become her father’s concubine. After learning this, my foster mother vomited blood and died, entrusting me before death to care for her and making me promise not to kill Li Denglong. Later, when the Pure Consort contacted me again, I learned that the family had always known where I was and watched my movements. I can never truly escape the family’s control. Actually, only a few people remain in the family now, but I’ve feared them since childhood. I’m afraid of the Wanyan family members, that eternally undispersed dark and mysterious atmosphere.”
She huddled in the morning light’s radiance, curling herself into a tiny shadow. Sunlight pressed down on her thin shoulders as she seemed unable to bear the weight, sagging downward.
Qin Chang Ge and Xiao Jue exchanged glances. Xiao Jue said slowly: “You… go.”
Suddenly raising her head with incredulous eyes, Wanyan Yuren said: “You’re… letting me go? Don’t you want to know the Wanyan family’s secrets?”
“If I asked, would you tell? If you told, could you still live?” Xiao Jue laughed openly. “Speaking of which, you’ve shown kindness to my Xiliang army. Though that kindness wasn’t your intention, regardless, we owe our lives to your thread of mercy. Based on this alone, we shouldn’t make things difficult for you further.”
“Go, take the Ninth Lady and leave Du City. I’ll inform the army to let you pass.” Xiao Jue looked at her. “The Wanyan family will eventually be destroyed under Xiliang’s iron hooves. You will be free.”
Wanyan Yuren was stunned for a moment, looking toward Qin Chang Ge. Qin Chang Ge smiled: “I’m in a very good mood right now and don’t want to fuss over anything.”
Her smile was bathed in dawn light – a youth’s face with a maiden’s eyes, pupils holding a clear, delicate rose-like beauty. Wanyan Yuren looked at her with slight bitterness and envy, thinking of her own life, lonely as a deep well, never truly loved by anyone.
After a long while, she sighed, bowed slightly, and departed resolutely.
On the long street, only the two of them remained facing each other. Wind stirred their garments as a ray of sunlight fell on their feet, slowly blooming in beautiful form. For a moment, both felt this scene was familiar, hazily recalling many years ago, as if from a previous life, when on a long street a youth had turned back in grief and anger, encountering a clear and lovely maiden in sunlight.
A journey of conquest had begun from there.
Now after going in circles, the journey resumed. Though everything was different from the past, everything felt completely new. On this October morning street in a foreign city, the two people gazing at each other felt hearts soft as silk after the tumultuous rise and fall of iron, blood, and fire.
After a long pause, Xiao Jue smiled: “Chang Ge.”
“Mm.”
“Let’s stop fighting.”
“Oh.”
Unable to restrain his laughter, Xiao Jue said: “Did you actually hear what I said?”
Qin Chang Ge turned to face him, giving him a half-smiling glance: “Do you take me for a pig? Honestly, I was already planning to suggest we stop here. Our supply lines are overstretched and prone to problems. With winter approaching, the northern climate’s severity is disadvantageous to our soldiers. Retreating to Yu City for reorganization wouldn’t be impossible, but next spring when the climate warms and roads turn muddy, it would be equally disadvantageous for warfare. Better to cease here and return after some time to thoroughly deal with the Wei family’s men and women.”
“Mm?” Xiao Jue appeared quite regretful: “I thought you were dazed and was planning to take advantage… ahahaha.” Seeing Qin Chang Ge’s expression turning sinister, he immediately changed his tune, laughing: “If Du City can’t be taken, we absolutely cannot retreat. Suffering defeat at Du City would damage military prestige – our army’s morale would plummet. Only by taking Du City can we consider this campaign successful. Du City’s position overlooks Northern Wei’s heartland. Now that it belongs to me, haha, Northern Wei’s territory is within the palm of my hand.”
“It seems Northern Wei’s three main figures have differing attitudes toward Du City. When hearts aren’t united, defeat is inevitable,” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “Moreover, no matter how the Pure Consort calculates, she always miscalculated one thing – the human heart.”
She slowly turned toward the city gates, where smoke billowed and the cold gleam of weapons could be vaguely seen reflecting sunlight. Xiliang’s great army was forming ranks to enter the city. Victory horns sounded long and clear. In that mighty sound echoing through heaven and earth, Qin Chang Ge said leisurely:
“Timing, terrain, troop movements, formations – all are determining factors in war, all following certain rules. Only the human heart is like water, ungovernable by brute force. No matter who possesses hands that grasp heaven, they cannot easily hold flowing water in their palms.”
Xiao Jue nodded silently, reaching out to gently stroke her hair. His smile was bright while his gaze was profound, with words settling deep in his heart, soundlessly but resolutely repeating to the person beside him:
“In this life, I only wish to use my hands that step across the realm to grasp your water-like heart.”
On the fourteenth day of the tenth month in the fourth year of Qianyuan, the Battle of Du City concluded. Main General Li Denglong died, Vice General Zhang Huai and Northern Wei’s Deputy Palace Commander Zhang Zhuo were captured. On this day, Northern Wei’s Pure Consort Wanyan Chunzhen infiltrated Du City. After her plot to massacre Xiliang’s army failed, she allied with Du City’s generals to raid the camp and launch surprise counterattacks against Xiliang’s forces. However, the well-prepared Xiliang army had set meticulous traps to invite the enemy in, executing pincer movements and annihilating Du City’s remaining 100,000 troops. Wanyan Chunzhen escaped severely wounded with her remnant forces. From this point, Xiliang achieved great victory.
On the sixteenth day of the tenth month in the fourth year of Qianyuan, Northern Campaign Commander Yu Zixi built long siege works at Baizhang Mountain west of Du City, then constructed fortifications at Xiangshan and Longtou Mountain to the west, connecting various strongholds to completely sever Du City’s links with Northern Wei’s heartland. Du City, Yu City, Wei City, Lian City, Chang City, and Dingyang – six major Northern Wei strongholds – had all fallen into Xiliang hands. Subsequently, Xiliang began relocating border populations for mixed habitation of both peoples, stationing garrison troops, reestablishing administrative institutions, and formulating and promulgating a series of tax exemption, tribute reduction, and citizen-benefiting policies that quickly settled the anxious hearts of Northern Wei’s surrendered people. From this point, one-third of Northern Wei’s territory belonged to Xiliang forever. That maple leaf-shaped portion of land demarcated on maps became the newest ornament on Xiliang’s Great Emperor’s nine-dragon crown.
Xiliang, already the foremost great nation, had now expanded its territory northward to encompass one-third of the Inner River continent, like a massive shadow crouching like a tiger and coiling like a dragon above all nations. When Xiliang’s Great Emperor laughed once, the four seas trembled continuously.
Various nations thus sent even more spies to Xiliang with greater urgency. Among the nations, tentative alliances began forming, seeking possibilities for vertical and horizontal alliances to jointly resist the powerful enemy.
While Xiao Jue was still returning, an imperial edict was promulgated throughout the realm. For the Battle of Du City, rewards were distributed based on merit. The word “commandery” was removed from Yu Zixi’s Commandery Prince title, making him Xiliang’s first Prince of different surname. General Jian Ling Zhao Moyan was enfeoffed as Grand Preceptor – the youngest chief minister in the history of all nations was once again miraculously born.
At the end of the eleventh month in the fourth year of Qianyuan, excluding armies stationed in various cities, 600,000 troops returned in victorious triumph under the emperor’s leadership. On the day of return to Ying Capital, the entire city celebrated with yellow earth spread on roads and clear water sprinkled on ground. The Crown Prince serving as regent led civil and military officials thirty li outside the city to welcome them. Tens of thousands of citizens packed both sides of the entrance road so tightly that not even water could leak through, their cheering voices echoing through the clouds.
At noon, the great army slowly entered the city. Citizens with tears of excitement crowded to glimpse Xiliang’s perpetually victorious iron-blooded army whose style remained unchanged. Strangely, apart from Prince Yu riding his flame-red, seductive peach blossom horse and appearing seductively before the army to accept worship and cheers of “Strengthen our national prestige! Long live Xiliang!” neither His Majesty nor the legendary new Grand Preceptor Zhao Moyan ever appeared. The imperial carriage’s bright yellow curtains remained tightly sealed, reportedly because His Majesty and the Grand Preceptor were seizing time to study the latest expansion plans against enemies.
Citizens and generals all stood solemnly, moved to tears by having such a diligent, duty-devoted emperor and grand preceptor who loved their work, were obsessed with expansion, and worked tirelessly day and night for Xiliang.
At noon, with ceremonial music renowned and golden drums sounding three times, Prince Xiao, rarely dressed in formal crown prince attire, personally stepped forward. With everyone holding their breath, he gently lifted the carriage curtain.
Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Prince Xiao, having opened the curtain just a crack, suddenly paused.
He immediately let the curtain fall.
Turning around with leisurely composure, Prince Xiao faced the wide-eyed, eagerly expectant citizens, smiled cheerfully, and spread his hands: “His Majesty and the Grand Preceptor are too tired and are napping. This Crown Prince can’t bear to wake them. The celebration continues as usual – let’s all be quieter.”
Everyone understood, nodding frequently – of course, His Majesty and the Grand Preceptor were too tired and should rest.
So the following gongs and drums ceased. Citizens all moved without making sounds. Outside Ying Capital’s main avenue appeared the bizarre scene of tens of thousands dancing silently, opening their mouths to cheer without making sounds.
No one noticed that on horseback, Yu Zixi made a gesture toward Prince Xiao with a seeming smile, and Prince Xiao glared at him with a face full of dark clouds.
Even fewer knew that that night, in the cold and quiet imperial study,
Baozi jumped onto the mountain-high pile of memorials, making them crackle underfoot as he cursed loudly:
“Damn empty fortress strategy! How dare you just irresponsibly slip away like that! Leaving me here to continue being a laborer – stinking father and bad mother, this is too much!”