Early the next morning, Hua Zhuyu accompanied Ji Fengli to the imperial court.

The imperial palace remained as imposing and magnificent as ever, but the person wielding power on the golden dragon throne had changed.

These past days, Ji Fengli had been busy with the martial examinations. In earlier years, the Southern Dynasty held martial trials every August to select military generals. Later, Emperor Yan grew unwilling to let people from the martial world bring their crude habits into the court, so he abolished the martial examinations. This abolishment lasted for more than ten years. Most of the current generals in the army were either recommended by officials or promoted from ordinary soldiers.

This time, Emperor Kang Huangfu Wushang reopened the martial examinations, apparently intending to select talent from among the common people. The candidates chosen this time not only needed excellent martial skills but also had to be accomplished in both literary and military arts.

Due to unusual movements from the Northern Dynasty, this martial examination was for the Southern Dynasty to select generals for the northern campaign. Therefore, participating in the martial trials meant going to the battlefield. Hua Zhuyu intended to join the army heading north. Regardless of Xiao Yin’s reasons for waging war, she needed to meet with him. Although she, as his so-called sister, might not necessarily be able to persuade him, she had to try. No one understood better than her how deeply war brought suffering to the people of the world. The injustice suffered by the Hua family could temporarily be left to An and the others to investigate – she wanted to go to the battlefield to see Xiao Yin. But staying by Ji Fengli’s side would give her no opportunity to reach the battlefield.

Ji Fengli did not oppose Hua Zhuyu’s participation in the martial examinations. The trials continued for five rounds, selecting one hundred military officers, with Hua Zhuyu among them.

Among the top three in the martial examinations, two people left deep impressions on Hua Zhuyu: Tang Yu and Nangong Jue.

Tang Yu appeared young, only in his twenties, with a slender build that made him look like a scholar. He was a descendant of the Tang Clan, a famous hidden weapon family in the martial world. His skill with hidden weapons and poison needless to say, and his swordsmanship was also extremely superb.

Nangong Jue was also only in his twenties, tall and handsome. His spear techniques were extraordinary – the red-tasseled spear in his hands seemed alive, wielded with tremendous force, each move and stance displaying magnificent momentum.

Just as the martial examinations ended, an urgent military dispatch covering eight hundred li arrived at the Southern Dynasty.

Yangguan Pass has fallen! The General Defending the North has died in battle! The Northern Army is advancing directly on Su Province!

Emperor Kang Huangfu Wushang was furious with rage. The civil and military officials of the Southern Dynasty were greatly alarmed. With the Northern Army pressing at the borders, everyone felt they could barely breathe.

That night, Ji Fengli did not return all night, discussing northern campaign strategies with the ministers in Qianqing Hall.

Two days later.

Two hundred thousand troops assembled at the northern gate of the imperial city, setting off northward under the leadership of the newly appointed General Wang Yu. The gathering of two hundred thousand soldiers was a magnificent sight, with countless heads moving between heaven and earth.

Hua Zhuyu was also among those accompanying the army. All who entered the top hundred in the martial examinations would follow the army. Tang Yu and Nangong Jue, having excelled in the palace examinations, were even granted fourth-rank captain positions.

Horns sounded low, and the two hundred thousand troops slowly began their march. Hua Zhuyu glanced back once at the imperial capital’s city walls, then turned and pulled the reins, following the army northward.

With this departure, the path ahead was unknown. The war between north and south had become inevitable. Her journey north might prove futile, but regardless, this trip to the northern frontier was something she had to undertake.

After the army left Yu Capital, they traveled northward along the official road. Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves came from behind. Hua Zhuyu couldn’t help but turn to look, and saw another cavalry unit rushing from the direction of Yu Capital.

“Could there be another unit? Aren’t we already complete?” said a soldier beside Hua Zhuyu.

Hua Zhuyu turned to look and saw that among the galloping cavalry, the person on the leading horse was actually Ji Fengli. Her heart immediately jumped with surprise. Ji Fengli was also accompanying the army – if she had known earlier, she wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of participating in the martial examinations and could have simply followed Ji Fengli directly.

Originally, she had thought Ji Fengli would absolutely never leave Yu Capital. His departure like this – wasn’t he afraid of changes in Yu Capital and losing political power? Hua Zhuyu felt she understood Ji Fengli less and less. This time, Ji Fengli wasn’t riding in a carriage but was galloping on horseback alongside the soldiers. A carriage’s speed was too slow – who knew when they would reach the northern frontier.

Hua Zhuyu had long known Ji Fengli possessed martial arts skills. Those who didn’t know were stunned speechless seeing such a civil official galloping on a warhorse.

The army marched during the day, resting only half an hour at noon before continuing their journey until the third watch of the night, when they would set up camp. The next morning they would break camp early and continue forward.

Although Hua Zhuyu had served as a junior general for several years, witnessed war’s cruelty, and endured much hardship, this was her first time experiencing such a forced march. Moreover, being mixed in with a group of all men, only she knew the suffering involved. However, she could endure all this, because three years ago, she had started as an ordinary soldier in the army.

That night, the army camped beside a forest, lighting fires. After the soldiers finished their meal, they all returned early to their tents to rest. Days of continuous marching had exhausted even iron-bodied men.

Hua Zhuyu waited until the soldiers in her tent had fallen sound asleep before quietly slipping out of the tent herself.

Tonight’s campsite was near a small stream. Those soldiers had already bathed in the stream water after dinner. Naturally, Hua Zhuyu couldn’t go wash then, but now, in the deep quiet of night, there was no one in the stream. She took advantage of the darkness to walk upstream along the water.

In the night sky, a crescent new moon and countless stars twinkled together, casting a hazy light across heaven and earth. Hua Zhuyu avoided the patrolling soldiers in camp, walking slowly along the stream. She walked for a long time without leaving the camp perimeter – the camp of two hundred thousand troops was enormous. Having no choice, Hua Zhuyu entered the water fully clothed. The gurgling stream was extremely clear. She dove underwater and removed her clothes beneath the surface. She used the clear stream water to wash away the grime from her body, looked up at the brilliant sky, and exhaled deeply. She washed her soaked military uniform clean in the water before emerging.

The military uniform dripped wetly, and the sweat smell that had been clinging to her body finally disappeared. She picked up the dry clothes she had placed on the bank, planning to go to a secluded mountain hollow to change out of her wet uniform.

She crossed a small bridge to the other side of the stream. From the distant mountains came the calls of unknown night birds. Hua Zhuyu hid in a mountain hollow and had just changed out of her wet military uniform and put on dry clothes when she heard voices approaching from ahead.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart jumped in alarm. Her waist twisted and she leaped to hide in a large tree. Sitting on the tree branches, she quickly raised her hands to bind up her dripping wet black hair. Through gaps in the old tree branches, she peered at several figures ahead. Those people spoke with a strange accent – having stayed in the Northern Dynasty, she recognized it as a Northern Dynasty accent.

Currently, their campsite had already reached the northern frontier. Less than a day’s journey remained before reaching Su Province – perhaps tomorrow they would face the Northern Army in battle.

Could these people be spies sent by the Northern Dynasty? As this thought arose, she heard a group of people charging through the forest toward this area. The two leaders moved with agile grace, like dragons emerging from water, leaping over in moments. In the silence, only the sound of swords being drawn could be heard. In an instant, cold sword light had enveloped those three Northern Dynasty spies in brilliance and shadow.

These three spies possessed considerable martial arts skills, but the two attacking them were not ordinary patrolling soldiers – their martial arts were excellent. Caught off guard, the three were quickly defeated, with two struck down and one captured alive.

Under the pale moonlight, Hua Zhuyu squinted to see the two who had captured the Northern Dynasty spies. Both wore Southern Dynasty military uniforms, and looking at their appearance, they were actually Tang Yu and Nangong Jue, whom she had seen at the martial examinations.

Both now held captain ranks in the army. Given their martial arts skills, they were certainly qualified for more than captain positions. Those three spies were unlucky today to encounter these two during their night patrol.

The two handed the spy over to soldiers to escort, then suddenly leaped up, charging together toward the large tree where Hua Zhuyu was hiding.

Hua Zhuyu hadn’t expected the two to discover her hiding in the tree so quickly. They probably mistook her for another Northern Dynasty spy as well. She quickly stood and jumped down from the tree fork, calling loudly: “Please wait before attacking!”

Hearing her words, Tang Yu and Nangong Jue’s movements didn’t slow at all. Especially Nangong Jue – his long sword thrust straight toward Hua Zhuyu’s chest.

Hua Zhuyu dodged aside and shouted: “I’m not a spy! Don’t arrest the wrong person!” Actually, with her years of war experience, she knew it would be difficult to dispel their suspicion of her.

“Whether you’re a spy or not, we’ll determine after seeing the general! Come along obediently with us!” Nangong Jue said coldly.

“Very well.” Hua Zhuyu dodged another fierce sword strike from Nangong Jue. “Please stay your hand, Captain sir. I’ll go with you!”

Nangong Jue sheathed his sword and ordered the soldiers to escort Hua Zhuyu along with the spy.

General Wang Yu’s command tent was brightly lit with candles. The soldiers escorted both Hua Zhuyu and the spy into the tent. Seeing two enemy spies brought before him, Wang Yu ordered them to be interrogated separately. The result was that the Northern Dynasty spy was indeed here to make contact with spies within the Southern Dynasty army.

Hua Zhuyu hadn’t expected that simply going out for a bath would make her a Northern Dynasty spy. That Wang Yu was also decisive, swift and decisive in killing, and with a wave of his hand ordered soldiers to escort Hua Zhuyu for immediate execution.

Hua Zhuyu frowned and said, “General Wang, I wish to see the Prime Minister.”

She didn’t want to escape from the army, nor did she want to die – she could only request to see Ji Fengli. Ji Fengli was the army supervisor, with considerable power in the army. This Wang Yu was undoubtedly Ji Fengli’s man. Otherwise, how could Ji Fengli allow him to command the army?

Wang Yu looked Hua Zhuyu up and down coldly, then sneered: “You’re just an ordinary soldier in the army – why would the Prime Minister see you?”

Hua Zhuyu said calmly: “I came from the Prime Minister’s residence.” She hadn’t expected that one day she would need to rely on Ji Fengli to save her.

Upon hearing Hua Zhuyu claim she came from the Prime Minister’s residence, Wang Yu examined her up and down again, then ordered her escorted to Ji Fengli’s tent. Someone went in to report, and shortly after, someone came out to bring Hua Zhuyu inside.

The tent was brilliantly lit with candles. Ji Fengli in white robes stood in the lamplight. Raising his eyes to see that the person brought in was Hua Zhuyu, the smile at his lips froze slightly. He waved his hand, and the guards in the tent instantly withdrew completely, leaving only the two of them.

During the march, Hua Zhuyu hadn’t seen him for many days. After days of long-distance travel, he still appeared graceful and upright.

He smiled warmly at Hua Zhuyu: “What’s this? So impatient to pass messages to the Northern Emperor?” Still that calm and breezy tone, still that gentle smile like wind, but Hua Zhuyu could feel heavy pressure attacking her.

She had actually known long ago that Ji Fengli suspected she was Xiao Yin’s person. Tonight’s incident probably made him even more certain of this suspicion. It was precisely for this reason that he had allowed her to come to the battlefield. However, Hua Zhuyu dared to bet that Ji Fengli wouldn’t kill her for now. Not because he didn’t want to kill her, but because he understood her position in Xiao Yin’s heart better than Wang Yu did. That day, when Xiao Yin rescued her from the tiger’s claws, he had witnessed it personally. Hua Zhuyu still remembered that when Xiao Yin took Wen Wan away, he said he brought Wen Wan specifically to have one more bargaining chip to ensure her safety.

“You have such deep feelings and loyalty toward him, but I wonder what his feelings toward you are?” Ji Fengli said slowly, word by word, his deep phoenix eyes expressing extremely complex emotions.

“What do you intend to do?” Hua Zhuyu’s heart grew cold, and she looked up to ask coldly.

“Since ancient times, I’ve only heard of men becoming angry for a beauty’s sake, but never heard of men becoming angry for a male favorite! This minister guesses that this great war might be related to you! Tell me, if this minister handed you over, would Xiao Yin withdraw his troops? Hmm?” Ji Fengli continued smiling as gently as a clear breeze.

Hua Zhuyu was furious. She looked up to stare into Ji Fengli’s dark eyes, deep as night, and a thread of coldness rose from the depths of her heart. With their four eyes meeting, she laughed coldly, a sharp gleam flashing through her eyes. She slowly clenched her fists, then suddenly struck toward Ji Fengli’s face with force. Although she wasn’t a man and wasn’t anyone’s male favorite, hearing such words made her feel extremely insulted.

Ji Fengli hadn’t expected Hua Zhuyu to suddenly attack. A flash of coldness crossed his phoenix eyes as he dodged aside and gripped her arm. Hua Zhuyu twisted her body and attacked again, reaching for Ji Fengli’s neck.

Ji Fengli’s gaze turned cold as he dodged, laughing coldly: “What’s this? Want to eliminate this minister for Xiao Yin first?” He flicked his sleeve, and the fan hidden within suddenly slid out. He pinched it between two fingers, the fan face opening with a whoosh, bringing cool wind as it attacked her.

Hua Zhuyu had long known this folding fan was his weapon. However, since that night when she fought him as Yinmian Xiuluo, she had never seen him use it again. Occasionally seeing him use the fan to create a breeze, she didn’t know where he hid it.

She hadn’t expected Ji Fengli to suddenly bring out the fan. She had only acted in anger, wanting to teach Ji Fengli a lesson, with no intention of killing or capturing him. But Ji Fengli’s thoughts were clearly different from hers. Though she didn’t see him trying to kill her, he was determined to capture her, no longer concealing his martial arts.

Caught off guard without a weapon in hand, seeing the fan painted with udumbara flowers approaching her face, she quickly dodged aside. But while avoiding the fan’s attack, she couldn’t avoid Ji Fengli’s other hand as he suddenly struck out, sealing her pressure points.

Hua Zhuyu immediately felt her body go soft and collapsed in the military tent. Her back happened to lean against a table leg, preventing her from falling disgracefully to the ground.

“So the Prime Minister’s martial arts are this advanced – truly unexpected! Should I feel honored that the Prime Minister actually displayed his martial arts skills? Prime Minister, aren’t you afraid I’ll reveal this matter?” Hua Zhuyu leaned against the table leg, her lips curving in a mocking smile as she spoke coldly.

Ji Fengli looked down at her from above, snapping his fan open with a pop. On the plain white fan surface, that udumbara flower bloomed again. He gently waved the folding fan, the wind making his ink-black hair dance like flowing springs, carrying an indescribable allure.

“No matter! This minister doesn’t care. Do you know what this minister hates most? Treason!” His voice was cold as ice, each word striking her like icicles. “You were clearly born with a Southern Dynasty person’s appearance – this minister doesn’t believe you’re from the Northern Dynasty. Yet you actually serve the Northern people and have deep feelings for them. Tell me, how should this minister deal with you?”

“Treason?” Hua Zhuyu smiled bitterly, her gaze suddenly turning sharp. She had fought life and death for the Southern Dynasty, yet now she had become a despicable traitor.

“I wonder how the Prime Minister intends to deal with this treasonous person? Death by a thousand cuts, beheading, or death by arrows?” she said quietly, each word filled with bitterness.

The candlelight flickered, making the light and shadows in the tent alternate between bright and dark, casting Ji Fengli’s facial expression in unclear darkness. Only his pair of black eyes emitted a dark, solitary, soul-stealing radiance.

“Rest assured, this minister won’t kill you. After all, you did save this minister’s life once! But you certainly won’t have it easy either! Tomorrow, just watch carefully how this minister defeats Xiao Yin utterly!” he said coldly, turning away from Hua Zhuyu and extinguishing the candles in the tent with a puff.

Probably not trusting guards to watch her, he didn’t have guards take Hua Zhuyu away, but let her remain collapsed in his tent, sharing the same tent with him.

The tent was completely dark. Hua Zhuyu leaned back against the table leg, hearing Ji Fengli walk to the bed, rustling as he undressed and lay down to sleep. She had shared a tent with Ji Fengli before, but that time during flood control, they each had separate beds. Today, she had once again become a prisoner. That night, leaning against the table leg, she slept extremely uncomfortably, her whole body unable to move, only able to curl up like a small beast fallen into a trap, waiting for the misfortune to come.

Early the next morning, the army broke camp. Near dusk, they reached Su Province. Su Province’s defending general was already covered in wounds, so he was carried over to welcome Ji Fengli and Wang Yu.

Su Province’s situation was already very critical – if the army had arrived an hour later, Su Province would have fallen as well. The army didn’t rest for a moment, immediately joining the city defense battle.

Hua Zhuyu’s pressure points were still sealed. Under guard escort, she followed Ji Fengli up Su Province’s city tower. Standing on the high tower, she once again witnessed the tragic aftermath of war’s ravages.

Across the wilderness stretched scenes of war’s devastation. Blood had stained the earth bright red, with broken halberds, damaged swords, and severed limbs everywhere, permeated with desolate killing intent.

The western sun was red as blood, and the entire sky seemed to be flowing with blood too.

Under the setting sun, Northern Dynasty soldiers arranged in orderly formations called for battle below. The gleaming swords and armor reflected light that chilled one’s heart.

War drums thundered, horns blew long notes, and the black mass of soldiers and generals parted like a tide, creating a passage through their center. The troops escorted someone who appeared before their eyes.

That was Xiao Yin!

Now he was no longer the Northern Dynasty Crown Prince, but the Northern Emperor – Northern Emperor Xiao Yin leading the campaign personally.

He rode on a tall horse, his posture upright as a pine tree. A dark purple battle robe fluttered and rolled in the wind, his hair disheveled and scattered behind his head. A sea eagle circled twice in the air before slowly landing on his shoulder. Man and eagle shared the same sharpness and fierceness.

Purple clothes, purple hair, purple eyes.

Purple hair?

Hua Zhuyu suddenly started in surprise, only now discovering that Xiao Yin’s hair scattered behind his head was actually purple, cascading like a waterfall behind him. Under the sunset’s illumination, it was startlingly purple. His handsome features, reflected by the purple hair, appeared extraordinarily cold.

Xiao Yin’s hair had clearly been black – how had it become purple?

His purple hair made her feel like a stranger, his aura made her heart tremble. Aside from the thousands of troops behind him, he alone possessed the imposing presence of mountains pressing down.

Across the devastated ground before the city gate, Hua Zhuyu saw Xiao Yin, but Xiao Yin seemed not to see her. He gazed at Ji Fengli atop the city wall, his lips bearing a cold smile.

He suddenly raised his hand. The war drums and horn sounds instantly stopped, leaving heaven and earth in complete silence, with only the fierce wind passing through.

The last trace of sunset’s afterglow disappeared at the horizon. Dusk fell, and an invisible killing intent from the confrontation of thousands of troops shrouded their hearts, making one feel unable to breathe.

This situation, Hua Zhuyu had long grown accustomed to. But she had never felt as tense as today. Because the forces they now faced weren’t Western Liang’s troops, but the Northern Dynasty’s army. The Northern Dynasty was naturally different from Western Liang, and the commanding general was Xiao Yin – this man who had once said he would love and protect her.

Xiao Yin didn’t immediately attack the city, but shouted coldly: “Ji Fengli, since you’ve come, don’t act like a cowardly turtle – send someone to fight!”

Ji Fengli stood with hands behind his back atop the city tower, his white robes flowing in the wind with ethereal grace, radiating ineffable elegance and cold pride. Those phoenix eyes seemed to contain the essence of all things, their glances brilliantly captivating. He smiled warmly and said calmly: “The Northern Emperor’s presence is truly imposing. This minister really doesn’t know who to send to battle to defeat you! How about letting him fight?”

Ji Fengli didn’t shout forcefully, yet his voice drifted like a clear breeze to Xiao Yin’s ears.

Hua Zhuyu was startled, only then realizing Ji Fengli’s “him” referred to herself.

Hearing Ji Fengli’s words, Xiao Yin looked in the direction he pointed toward Hua Zhuyu. His gaze drifted calmly across Hua Zhuyu’s face, then he raised his head and burst into prolonged laughter. That laugh was cold as ice, filled with mockery, disdain, and ridicule: “Left Prime Minister, has the Southern Dynasty truly run out of people, that you’d have an ordinary soldier come to battle? You’re really underestimating my Northern Army!”

Hua Zhuyu knew Ji Fengli wasn’t actually sending her to battle, but simply wanted Xiao Yin to look at her. After all, he was certain she was Xiao Yin’s person – if he sent her to battle, wouldn’t that be equivalent to sending her back? However, Hua Zhuyu hadn’t expected Xiao Yin to say such words, as if he didn’t recognize her at all.

Ji Fengli was stunned for a moment. He turned to look at Hua Zhuyu, his phoenix eyes blazing with ghostly light, cold and piercing: “I truly didn’t expect the Northern Emperor would pretend not to recognize you. Does he think this way, this minister will let you go?”

Hua Zhuyu smiled faintly: “Prime Minister, please let me go to battle! I’m not a Northern Dynasty spy – I’m a Southern Dynasty person. If I try to escape, you can shoot me dead with one arrow!” She had already decided that no matter what, she had to meet Xiao Yin face to face. She needed to know why he had launched this war. If it was truly as others suspected – for her sake – wouldn’t she become a criminal for all eternity? She had to persuade him to withdraw troops and stop the war.

Ji Fengli raised his eyes to look at her, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly as he said calmly: “Good! This minister will allow you to see him once. However, if you want to run, that won’t be easy!”

Ji Fengli unsealed Hua Zhuyu’s pressure points and dispatched a unit of heavily armored elite soldiers to escort her out of the city gates. At the same time, he sent Tang Yu and Nangong Jue to stay close to her horse’s flanks.

Hua Zhuyu knew the strength of these two men, especially Tang Yu. Being a descendant of the Tang Clan, his skills with hidden weapons and poison would naturally be formidable. If she truly wanted to escape, there would be no need for Ji Fengli to personally shoot her – these two could stop her. However, ultimately, Ji Fengli still underestimated Hua Zhuyu’s abilities. If she truly wanted to escape, these two really couldn’t stop her. But she had no intention of escaping. The Hua family had fought for the Southern Dynasty for many years, not only for the court but also for the Southern Dynasty’s people. Her father Hua Mu, though wrongly accused of treason, she had always believed in his innocence. And she, Hua Zhuyu, would absolutely never commit acts of collaborating with enemies or betraying the country.

Below Su Province city, Hua Zhuyu spurred her horse toward the space between the two armies. Tang Yu and Nangong Jue followed closely, one left and one right, never leaving her sides.

The Northern Army’s war drums had temporarily ceased, leaving only the sound of horse hooves, each beat like drumbeats striking her heart.

Passing through the heavy evening mist below the city, through the light fog, she finally drew closer and closer to Xiao Yin, finally seeing clearly his face beneath the fluttering Northern Army royal banner.

This was not the Xiao Yin that Hua Zhuyu knew! He was even somewhat unfamiliar.

Not because of his head of purple hair, but because of his cold, sharp brows, cold, sharp eyes, and cold, sharp handsome features. That dazzling purple royal robe of the Northern Dynasty made his imposing presence even more majestic – the kind of presence only an emperor possessed. Hua Zhuyu’s heart, for reasons unknown, suddenly ached terribly. He gazed at her, and in his deep purple eyes, there was no longer the deep affection of that day, only coldness that penetrated to the bone.

Xiao Yin smiled coldly, that smile actually containing a trace of killing intent: “Ji Fengli actually sent you, a mere soldier. Since you seek death, I shall fulfill your wish!”

Hua Zhuyu’s heart grew cold and colder. Was this truly Xiao Yin? Without doubt, he was Xiao Yin. The reason she felt he was unfamiliar was that he and she seemed to have returned to when they first met. Even more so – he appeared more heartless than he had then.

Her heart suddenly lurched. Had Xiao Yin truly forgotten her? She raised her eyes to gaze quietly at him, her heart surging like tides.

“Someone come, engage in battle!” Xiao Yin commanded coldly.

Following his words, a warhorse charged out from the troops behind him, carrying one of his generals.

When Hua Zhuyu was in the Northern Dynasty, serving as a military courtesan, she had always worn heavy makeup. Later in public occasions, she always wore pearl veils, so most Northern Dynasty people did not recognize Hua Zhuyu.

He spurred his horse to the front lines and pointed his spear tip at Hua Zhuyu: “This general will battle you!”

Hua Zhuyu didn’t even look at him, her clear eyes fixed intently on Xiao Yin as she said coldly: “No need for battle – he’s no match for me. I didn’t come to fight, I just have a few words to say to His Majesty.”

Xiao Yin raised an eyebrow and laughed coldly: “You have quite an arrogant tone, boy. Speak freely if you have something to say.”

Boy? She suddenly missed being called “girl.” She didn’t know what had happened to Xiao Yin, but that head of purple hair and the coldness in his eyes made her understand that he had truly, completely forgotten her. Thinking of this, an indescribable sourness welled up from the depths of her heart.

“Do you truly not recognize me anymore?” Hua Zhuyu suppressed the pain in her heart and slowly asked.

“You?” Xiao Yin’s gaze swept over Hua Zhuyu again, sharp as a sword: “Who are you?”

Who was she? Hua Zhuyu suddenly froze. How should she answer? Ying Shuxie, Yuan Bao, Hua Zhuyu, or his sister?

Of these four identities, only two were real, and precisely those two she couldn’t reveal. The only one she could answer was that she was Yuan Bao.

“I am Yuan Bao. Your Majesty once saved me from a tiger’s claws. Surely Your Majesty hasn’t forgotten?” Hua Zhuyu looked up to ask, her eyes full of hope. She didn’t believe that in such a short time, he could forget so quickly.

Xiao Yin laughed coldly: “I still remember the tiger, but I don’t remember saving you. Is this what you came to say? Now that you’ve finished, can we begin battle?”

Hua Zhuyu’s eyes filled with desolation. If Xiao Yin didn’t remember her, hadn’t she come for nothing?

“I came only to ask why you launched this war, disregarding the world’s people?” Hua Zhuyu slowly asked.

“War? The Southern Dynasty is corrupt, the emperor only knows how to play with power schemes. Now with a child emperor ruling and a powerful minister holding authority, the Southern Dynasty’s people have long suffered unbearably. Our Northern Dynasty is no longer the fierce tribe of old – we have absorbed the essence of Southern Dynasty Confucian learning for many years, our national strength grows daily. Unifying the world is the general trend!” Xiao Yin said calmly.

Hua Zhuyu was stunned. Throughout history, the reason for launching wars was always unification. But the price of unification was devastation for all living beings. The common people hoped to live peaceful lives – why was this so difficult?

“Do you have anything else to say?” Xiao Yin looked at her and asked coldly.

Hua Zhuyu had much to say, but suddenly found herself speechless. All her words could no longer be spoken, because even if she said them, Xiao Yin wouldn’t listen.

“Since you have nothing to say, then come to battle!” Xiao Yin narrowed his eyes coldly: “You dared to leave the city to challenge us – your courage is considerable. Just for this alone, I admire you greatly. But since you’ve come, returning will be difficult.”

Xiao Yin suddenly waved his hand, and heavy troops surged forward, completely surrounding the squad of soldiers Hua Zhuyu had brought out.

Hua Zhuyu gripped her silver spear, suddenly spurred her horse, and the warhorse galloped like lightning, plunging into the surrounding Northern troops. An ordinary silver spear in her hands danced as if instantly transformed into a precious blade, emitting dragon roars and tiger howls. With lightning speed, she consecutively wounded two Northern soldiers, and in moments led Tang Yu and Nangong Jue in cutting a bloody path, charging toward the city gates. The troops following behind were also worthy elite soldiers, closely following Hua Zhuyu. This cavalry unit swept through like a hurricane, actually breaking out from the heavily surrounding Northern troops.

Just then, the sound of a qin suddenly rang out from the Northern Army.

A long prelude, desolate, stern, and sorrowful. Then the qin music changed, suddenly becoming passionate, like golden spears and iron horses entering dreams.

This piece was the very familiar “Sha Polang” to Hua Zhuyu – a song she had composed for her orphan army Sha Polang. It contained hidden meanings of the hardships and sorrows that only she understood the orphan army had experienced.

This piece, besides herself, only Dan Hong could play. Could Dan Hong have come from the Southern Dynasty palace to the Northern Army?

Hua Zhuyu’s heart grew alert. She suddenly reined in her warhorse, turned her horse around, and gazed intently.

She saw the densely packed Northern troops beside Xiao Yin suddenly part to create a path, and a magnificent carriage slowly emerged from the Northern Army. In front of the carriage hung layers upon layers of bright red gauze. In the deepening dusk, that red was so brilliantly beautiful and tragic, just like the red silk garments Dan Hong used to wear to battle. The qin music was coming from within the carriage.

Hua Zhuyu’s hands trembled slightly, her clear eyes narrowing as she gazed sharply at the red gauze. She indeed saw behind the red gauze a graceful silhouette with an elaborate high coiffure. Was it truly Dan Hong? In this life, the person she felt most sorry for, besides Jin Se, was Dan Hong. Dan Hong had done so much for her. If it was Dan Hong, she absolutely had to rescue her today.

Tang Yu and Nangong Jue, who had been closely following behind Hua Zhuyu, saw her suddenly rein in her horse and hurriedly pulled up their own mounts. The Prime Minister had instructed them to successfully bring this person back to Su Province city and absolutely not let this person leave with the Northern Army. Just now, they had been extremely surprised that this person had led troops toward the city instead of requiring their intervention. But now, seeing him suddenly stop his horse, both became extremely vigilant.

“Hurry back, if we’re late we won’t be able to return!” Tang Yu said coldly. The city gates couldn’t remain open for long.

Nangong Jue similarly reined in his horse and turned around following Hua Zhuyu, his silver spear pointing at Hua Zhuyu’s chest: “Don’t harbor any delusions. We absolutely will not let you return to the Northern Dynasty. If you take one more step back, this captain will not be polite.”

But Hua Zhuyu paid no attention to Tang Yu and Nangong Jue’s words, her autumn-water eyes looking past the surging masses of people and horses before her, staring directly at that carriage.

The melody of “Sha Polang” flowed resonantly across the battlefield. Hua Zhuyu listened intently and suddenly felt something was wrong. This didn’t seem to be Dan Hong’s qin music. Clearly, this person’s qin skills were also very high, the performance grand and desolate. But the melody’s essence was somewhat lacking. The hardships and sorrows of the orphan army Sha Polang could only be played by herself, who was a member of the orphan army, and Dan Hong, who had lived day and night with them.

This person couldn’t be Dan Hong! But then who was this person? Besides herself and Dan Hong, who else would play this piece?

When the piece ended, the red curtain was slowly lifted bit by bit by a slender, pale hand. The face of the woman sitting in the carriage was revealed bit by bit, and Hua Zhuyu’s heart grew cold bit by bit.

The woman in the carriage was very, very beautiful. A smoke-red dress made her waist appear gracefully slender and alluring. Her hair was piled high in an elaborate coiffure, her eyebrows were naturally emerald without drawing, her lips naturally red without rouge, and her autumn-water pupils contained rippling brilliance.

She wasn’t Dan Hong, but someone Hua Zhuyu could never have expected: Wen Wan.

Hua Zhuyu still remembered how miserable and resentful Wen Wan had been when Xiao Yin left the Southern Dynasty and took her away. But now, she was completely different from that day.

Her lips bore a faint smile, her clear, proud gaze coldly swept across Hua Zhuyu’s face, then looked toward Ji Fengli atop Su Province’s city tower. On the tower, Ji Fengli still stood remarkably upright, the wind stirring his white robes, rolling like clouds.

Wen Wan gazed at Ji Fengli, a trace of poignant sorrow flashing in her eyes. She suddenly stepped down from the carriage, lifted her skirts, and walked to Xiao Yin’s horse. Xiao Yin raised his sword-like eyebrows, his lips curving in a rippling smile. He bent down from horseback, extended his arm to embrace Wen Wan’s waist, and lifted her onto the horse.

The two of them, one in front and one behind, shared the same horse, appearing indescribably intimate.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart sank bit by bit.

The words Xiao Yin had once said to her echoed clearly in her ears, word by word, as if spoken just yesterday.

He had said: If this would make you stop hating me, I would willingly go to Nian Nujiao.

He had said: Being struck by the tiger’s paw, I finally understood how much it hurt when you were caught by that barbed arrow.

He had said: Girl, with the Southern Dynasty’s situation changing so turbulently and being extremely dangerous, how can I feel at ease leaving you? And this woman – taking her is quite a good bargaining chip. With her in elder brother’s hands, I believe those people won’t make things difficult for you.

He had also said: Girl, in this elder brother’s lifetime, there probably won’t be a crown princess anymore, and I don’t want even concubines.

But now, everything had changed.

The Northern troops who had come to surround Hua Zhuyu had now blocked their path back to Su Province. Without Xiao Yin’s orders, soldiers from both sides refrained from attacking.

Wen Wan sat on the great black horse, quietly gazing at Hua Zhuyu. Her eyes showed neither joy nor anger, but a trace of sharpness flickered through them. She suddenly whispered something in Xiao Yin’s ear. Xiao Yin’s purple eyes focused, and he looked toward Hua Zhuyu. Those deep purple eyes contained emotions as dense as spilled ink.

After hearing Wen Wan’s words, his lips suddenly curved, and he escorted Wen Wan back to the carriage. He reached out to take the iron-core great bow hanging from one side of his saddle, drew several wolf-fang feathered arrows from behind his back, and nocked them on the iron-core bow.

He raised the great bow and drew the bowstring.

On the battlefield with tens of thousands of soldiers standing in formation, Hua Zhuyu actually heard the sound of that bowstring being drawn taut bit by bit, and her heart slowly rose with the sound of the tightening bowstring.

Hua Zhuyu still could hardly believe that her reunion with Xiao Yin would be the moment he drew his bow to shoot at her. She said nothing, only raised her eyes to look directly at the wolf-fang feathered arrow pointing at her.

A trace of faint smile bloomed at her lips, like an exquisitely delicate flower blooming wantonly.

“Your Majesty, don’t!” Xiao Yin’s personal guards rushed forward – vaguely Hui Xue and Liu Feng. However, their remaining words were drowned in the sound of arrows breaking through the air.

Xiao Yin’s several arrows – one shot toward Tang Yu, one toward Nangong Jue, another toward Hua Zhuyu, and two more toward the soldiers closest to Hua Zhuyu.

Naturally, Hua Zhuyu and the others wouldn’t just wait for Xiao Yin to shoot them. Some dodged, some intercepted, but Xiao Yin’s arrows were too fast, fast as ghosts. Two soldiers were struck by arrows and fell to the ground. That speed left no time to dodge. Hua Zhuyu raised her silver spear, secretly channeling internal energy, and met the attack. The force of this arrow was too great, and the spear shaft was wooden – if Hua Zhuyu hadn’t channeled internal energy into the shaft, this arrow would have long since penetrated the spear handle and struck her body. Even so, the arrow still shook Hua Zhuyu until her tiger’s mouth went numb, her throat filled with a fishy sweetness, and she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood mist.

In the blood mist filling the sky, Hua Zhuyu suddenly felt infinite desolation.

She felt that happiness always seemed just one step away from her, yet separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, never to be reached.

Once, she had thought she could return to being a woman and marry a man she admired. But a cup of poisoned wine turned her dream into a nightmare.

Now, the man she thought loved and protected her used a wolf-fang feathered arrow to turn her dreams to bubbles once again.

The sea eagle suddenly flew up from Xiao Yin’s shoulder, spread its wings, and actually flew toward Hua Zhuyu. The horse beneath her, whether startled by Xiao Yin’s arrow or frightened by the sea eagle, let out a piercing whinny, suddenly reared its front hooves, then fell to the ground, throwing Hua Zhuyu right off its back.

The moment Hua Zhuyu’s body rolled from the saddle, from the corner of her eye she glimpsed Xiao Yin spurring his horse toward her at full gallop. Her heart jumped in alarm. She used a “thousand-pound drop” technique in mid-air and quickly landed on the ground. She raised her silver spear to meet Xiao Yin’s hooked spear chopping down from horseback. For the Northern Emperor to personally act to capture her – he truly thought highly of her!

Xiao Yin’s hooked spear had curved hooks and spear blades embedded at the front. Now, those blades and hooks flashed with cold, ghostly light as they attacked her. The ghostly cold light illuminated the coldness in his purple eyes.

With spears crossed, Hua Zhuyu was forced backward under the tremendous force, sliding far before stabilizing her stance.

She and Xiao Yin had never formally fought before, but at that Mu Da assembly, she had watched him fight Dou Qianjin. She had a good sense of his martial arts depth. However, in today’s exchange, she suddenly discovered that Xiao Yin’s power had dramatically increased. If it had been him several months ago, their abilities should have been evenly matched, but now, she was no longer his opponent.

Tang Yu and Nangong Jue had dodged Xiao Yin’s arrow but were entangled by his generals. For the moment, they had no time to provide aid.

Xiao Yin’s arrow had injured Hua Zhuyu internally, and her silver spear wasn’t even a superior weapon – how could she match Xiao Yin with his greatly increased power?

One move, two moves, three moves… After eighteen moves, her shoulder was pierced by Xiao Yin’s hooked spear, knocking her down from her horse.

Hua Zhuyu lay on the ground, with sounds of horses neighing and fighting all around her.

The night wind howled past, mournful and desolate.

Night seemed to fall in an instant, and torches were lit in both the Northern and Southern armies. In the torchlight, silver armor gleamed with snow-bright cold light, reflecting Hua Zhuyu’s clear, otherworldly features. The curved hook of the spear tip sparkled with sharp, cold light, illuminating the resolve in Hua Zhuyu’s eyes. Xiao Yin’s deep purple pupils suddenly focused, staring fixedly at Hua Zhuyu, his thin lips pressed tightly into a straight line.

Just then, Su Province’s city gates creaked open behind them, and countless cavalry poured out from within the gates.

Leading them was Wang Yu, the general of this northern campaign. Xiao Yin was greatly startled, his purple eyes instantly filled with cold, harsh killing intent. He gestured with one hand, and countless swords, spears, and halberds pointed at Hua Zhuyu’s neck. People quickly stepped forward and bound her tightly.

Tang Yu and Nangong Jue both leaped over. Tang Yu flicked his sleeves, and countless cold gleams struck. The soldiers holding Hua Zhuyu all fell after being hit by his projectiles.

But Xiao Yin suddenly turned back from his horse, bent down to scoop Hua Zhuyu up around her waist, and spurred his horse back into the Northern Army.

The Southern Dynasty’s army and the Northern Dynasty’s army engaged in a life-and-death battle outside Su Province city. However, this war no longer concerned Hua Zhuyu much, because she had become a prisoner of war.

She originally hadn’t wanted to go to the Northern Dynasty, but with this outcome, Ji Fengli would probably be even more certain that she was a Northern Dynasty spy! She smiled bitterly! But she had no choice but to go to the Northern Dynasty – she absolutely had to investigate Xiao Yin’s situation thoroughly.

This battle between the two armies was extremely brutal. They fought until midnight, but the Northern Dynasty’s army failed to take Su Province city and was driven back fifty li by the Southern Dynasty forces, retreating toward Yangguan city.