The news of Chu Linyang’s uprising reached Chu Yu almost simultaneously with Song Shilan’s arrival. When Chu Yu received the message, she was somewhat surprised. She had thought Chu Linyang would stay out of this affair, but unexpectedly, he had joined the uprising. Upon receiving the news, she went to find Wei Yun, who was studying a sand table and discussing defense strategies with Qin Shiyue.
As Zhao Yue was coming to attack Wei Yun, they would inevitably approach from Huai City. Therefore, Wei Yun brought Yu, Qin Shiyue, and others to Huai City early to prepare. When Chu Yu entered, Wei Yun and Qin Shiyue heard the movement and looked up simultaneously. Seeing the letter in Yu’s hand, Qin Shiyue bowed and said, “This humble officer will take his leave first.”
Wei Yun nodded and turned to Yu, asking, “What’s the matter?”
“My elder brother has started an uprising.”
Wei Yun responded, “I already know.”
“You knew beforehand?”
“He hinted at his intentions when he left.”
“But my sister-in-law and mother…”
Chu Yu hesitated, and Wei Yun handed her a cup of tea, saying, “Wet your throat first.”
After Chu Yu drank the tea, Wei Yun continued, “The Xie family has now split into two factions. Grand Tutor Xie has left with some people, including your sister-in-law’s and mother’s clan members, as well as Fifth Sister-in-law’s relatives.”
Xie Jiu had remarried after returning to the Xie family, divorced a year ago, and then returned to the Xie family to become a Taoist nun. Wei Yun still called her Fifth Sister-in-law, perhaps out of respect for past relationships.
Chu Yu came back to her senses and frowned, “The Xie family… are they so obsessed with royal bloodlines?”
“Minister Xie has been loyal to the Zhao family his entire life. Even when Zhao Yue fell from grace and the Li family showed him mercy, he still didn’t forget to support Zhao Yue. What do you think?”
Bloodline was too important for many people in this world. Chu Yu sighed, feeling somewhat helpless, “Do we have to fight this battle?”
“It’s not that I want to fight,” Wei Yun said calmly. “Zhao Yue’s army will arrive soon.”
Although Wei Yun had made all preparations in anticipation of Zhao Yue’s moves, everything still seemed sudden.
Zhao Yue’s vanguard attacked the city at midnight. Chu Yu heard the sounds of killing in her half-asleep state. As she opened her eyes groggily, Wei Yun pressed her down, lowered his head to kiss her forehead, and said, “Go back to sleep. We’ll deal with it at dawn.”
After saying this, Chu Yu felt the person beside her rise and leave with a sword, deliberately lightening his steps as if afraid of waking her.
Listening to the sounds of killing outside, Chu Yu thought about Wei Yun’s demeanor. He must have been confident to speak to her like that. Still feeling drowsy, she simply lay back down and slept until dawn. When she woke up the next morning, there was no more noise outside. Wan Yue was helping Chu Yu dress, while Chang Yue stood nearby holding a water basin. Chu Yu asked curiously, “Why is it so quiet outside? Is it over?”
“Not yet,” Chang Yue smiled and said, “They attacked the city for half the night without much progress. Now they’re outside challenging us to battle, wanting His Highness to go out and face them.”
“Oh?” Chu Yu smiled, “What’s the point of that?”
“However, I heard they’re using quite offensive language. Wei Xia said that if they keep cursing like this, His Highness might go out to fight.”
“Hmm?” Chu Yu was a bit surprised this time. With Wei Yun’s current composure, could he be provoked into battle by mere insults?
Chu Yu frowned, “What are they saying?”
Wan Yue glared at Chang Yue, who looked somewhat embarrassed and turned away, saying, “Just very offensive words.”
Chu Yu said nothing. She had Wan Yue finish tying her belt, then took up her sword and headed towards the city wall. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Wei Qingping holding a zither and with a sword at her waist. She was a bit surprised and respectfully said, “Why is the Princess here?”
“They’ve gone to the battlefield now,” Wei Qingping said, somewhat embarrassed but still frank, “I’m going to support them.”
She said “them,” but Chu Yu knew that the most important person was just Qin Shiyue. She didn’t expose Wei Qingping’s words, only saying, “Then I’ll go with the Princess.”
The two chatted casually as they arrived at the city wall. As soon as Chu Yu appeared, the soldiers looked at her with strange expressions in their eyes. Yu’s face remained impassive as she walked up the city wall. Halfway up, she was stopped by Wei Xia, who was hurrying down, “Madam, why have you come?”
“Am I not allowed to come?”
Chu Yu smiled calmly. Wei Xia felt tense inside and said with difficulty, “The battle has stopped for now. His Highness said you should rest if you need to. You don’t need to…”
“Step aside.”
Yu’s voice was flat. Wei Xia was stunned for a moment. Chu Yu raised her eyelids, “I can guess what they might be saying. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Hearing this, Wei Xia, being sensible, reluctantly stepped aside with his head lowered.
Chu Yu led Wei Qingping up the city wall, lifting their skirts. As soon as they reached the top, they heard people shouting insults from below: “Wei Yun, it’s a pity you didn’t keep all six of your sisters-in-law, or you’d be in paradise now. But it’s not bad as it is. Of the two you have left, Chu Yu is said to be untouched. Your brother died on the wedding night, so you’ve done him a great favor!”
“That’s right,” another general on horseback at the front of the formation chimed in. “I’ve seen this Chu Yu before. She has a voluptuous figure and a beautiful face. I bet she and her brother-in-law are having a grand time every night. Look at how the Marquis Wei doesn’t say a word, isn’t that as good as admitting it?”
These words elicited a burst of laughter. Wei Qingping frowned and coldly said one word: “Filthy.”
The soldiers standing on the city wall all tightened their grip on their weapons. Wei Qiu, barely able to contain himself, said, “Your Highness, this officer requests permission to attack!”
Wei Yun said nothing. His hand, hidden in his sleeve, was clenched into a fist. His gaze fixed on the battlefield situation, he calmly said, “Not allowed.”
The vulgar language continued from below. Chu Yu and Wei Qingping walked up in front of Wei Yun, with respectful greetings sounding all around. Wei Yun looked up, saw the two women, and said while controlling his emotions, “You two should go back.”
“What would I go back for?” Chu Yu laughed lightly. Wei Yun was angry, clenching his fist and saying, “When Shen You arrives in a while, I’ll slaughter these people.”
“Your Highness need not be so angry,” Chu Yu raised her hand, knelt on one knee, clasped her hands together in a salute towards the front, and said calmly, “This officer requests permission to fight.”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. The insults from below were getting increasingly offensive. Chu Yu calmly said, “Just a few rounds with that general. Your Highness need not worry.”
Wei Yun quietly looked at her. Her expression was open and composed, seemingly unaffected by the words from below. Wei Yun’s inner turmoil calmed considerably. After a long while, he finally said, “Wait another quarter of an hour.”
He looked up towards the front, “In another quarter of an hour, Shen You should be here.”
Chu Yu nodded. She stood beside Wei Yun. As soon as she appeared, the commotion below grew even louder. A quarter of an hour passed quickly. Wei Yun suddenly stood up and started walking down. Chu Yu was stunned for a moment, then anxiously followed behind, saying, “Your Highness!”
“I’ll go and slaughter them myself.”
Wei Yun hurried down the stairs. Chu Yu grabbed him, laughing, “How can you, with your current status, lower yourself to their level? You still need to command the army. Stay on the city wall and watch. I’ll go.”
“But…”
“I’ll go!”
Chu Yu raised her voice, making the final decision. Wei Qingping calmly said, “I’ll go too.”
Wei Yun pressed his lips together and finally said, “Shiyue, go with them.”
Having said this, he turned and went back up the city wall, returning to his original position.
Not long after, the city gates slowly opened. Wei Yun saw two women in white robes riding horses side by side. The scene instantly became tumultuous. The Zhao army laughed loudly, “Two women have come out. Is the Wei army out of men?”
“If you can’t even beat women,” Wei Qingping said coldly, “I’m afraid you’re the ones who should be ashamed.”
“Such big words!” The leader angrily said, “State your names!”
“Chu Yu of the Wei clan.”
“Qingping of the Wei clan.”
“Face us in battle!”
As they spoke, the two women charged forward on horseback, drawing their swords, adopting an encircling posture, and charging directly toward the three generals in the middle who had been shouting.
Those three generals, one wielding a saber, one holding a hammer, and one with a long spear, looked imposing. Seeing the two women coming from both sides, they shouted and charged forward.
Two of them attacked Yu, while the other thrust towards Wei Qingping. Qin Shiyue watched quietly from the side, ready to intervene at any moment.
However, the two women, though outnumbered three to two, didn’t fall behind at all. Both Wei Qingping and Chu Yu adopted a nimble fighting style. After two rounds, the opponents hadn’t even touched the hems of their robes.
Wei Yun watched quietly from above. Wei Xia was somewhat anxious and reproachfully said, “What is General Qin doing, just watching them fight without helping?”
“There’s no need,” Wei Yun calmly spoke. Wei Xia turned his head, somewhat resentfully saying, “Your Highness, Madam Chu Yu is of noble birth. If she gets hurt by these brutes, won’t you be the one to regret it?”
Hearing this, Wei Yun glanced sideways at Wei Xia, “You underestimate her too much.”
As he spoke, everyone heard Chu Yu let out a great shout, suddenly changing from defense to offense, slashing fiercely toward the man with the saber!
Her sword strike was extremely powerful, like a mountain collapsing, causing the big man’s sword-holding hand to instantly go numb.
But Chu Yu didn’t stop. Her long sword was as swift and fierce as lightning, both powerful and fast. Wei Qingping also joined in at the same time. Yu’s sword slashed ruthlessly, while Wei Qingping’s sword was both quick and penetrating. These big men, already wielding heavy weapons, had consumed much of their energy in the first few rounds. How could they withstand such an onslaught now?
After no more than thirty moves, a loud shout erupted on the battlefield. Chu Yu had severed the head of the saber-wielding general with one sword strike, swiftly flicking it to land steadily on her horse.
Blood splattered on Yu’s face. On the battlefield, the woman in white robes fluttered like a dancing butterfly or a rising crane, her elegance tinged with the color of blood, a sight that stirred the hearts of onlookers.
Wei Yun unconsciously stood up, his hand resting on the city wall, watching the woman with her spirited expression, and eyes like stars. Every tilt of her head, every arch of her eyebrow carried a soul-stirring charm.
As the last big man fell, Chu Yu lightly touched her toes to the ground and returned to her horse, with Wei Qingping following behind.
“Which other hero,” Chu Yu raised her sword while standing on her horse, wiped the blood from her face with her hand, and called out loudly, “dares to face Chu Yu in battle!”
As soon as her words fell, all the soldiers in the Wei army were filled with passionate fervor. They followed behind her, raising their weapons, and shouted in unison, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Under the scorching sun, Chu Yu looked at the thousands of troops, feeling the wind carrying the scent of blood, evaporating into a sweet and metallic smell in the afternoon sunlight.
She turned her head, looking at the calm-faced Wei Qingping, and couldn’t help but smile.
“You know,” she said in a low voice that Wei Qingping could still hear clearly, “Five years ago when I was guarding Feng Mausoleum, I always carried a wine jar with me. Strong liquor is perfect for washing a sword.”
Wei Qingping thought for a moment and then said seriously, “We didn’t bring any wine. What a pity.”
Chu Yu let out a laugh, but at that moment, a voice came from the front, calm and cold.
“Left Vanguard Shen You, here to seek guidance from Madam Yu.”
Yu’s laughter abruptly stopped. She turned her head and saw that face, a mix between a Bei Di person and a Da Chu person.
After a moment, she smiled lightly, “General Shen, we’ve been waiting for you for quite a while.”