When the palace hung up New Year lanterns, Gu Xiyun had already led troops to rebel against Liang territory.

Wen Yu had Zhao Bai accompany her back to Great Liang.

After Xiao Li reorganized North Wei, with his previous prestige of attacking deep into barbarian territory, the barbarians’ incursions on the northern border were greatly reduced compared to before.

Both sides were constrained by their own conflicts, which prompted the two camps to tacitly cooperate in jointly attacking Pei Song first, though they hadn’t openly formed an alliance.

Pei Song was forced to lose several provinces consecutively, retreating again and again. With Wen Yu having cut off his western retreat route beforehand, he could now only defend a few cities around Luodu, presenting a struggling survival posture.

Wen Yu had Zhao Bai go personally because she wanted her to take advantage of the chaos to rescue Jiang Yichu and her daughter.

Wen Yu might not trust others, but Zhao Bai had been assigned by her elder brother to his wife. In this world, apart from herself, only Zhao Bai cared most about the safety of Jiang Yichu and her daughter.

—

Great Liang, Luodu.

After several consecutive defeats, morale throughout the entire Pei camp was extremely low.

The retreat route westward had been cut off by Liang camp, and fleeing eastward, the prefectures and counties along the way had already been plundered clean by them, so the army couldn’t get any supplies at all. If they fled all the way to the easternmost Qiling and hid in the mountains, in this freezing cold weather with water turning to ice on the mountains, who knows how many more soldiers would freeze to death.

Currently, the remaining tens of thousands of Pei troops could only defend Luodu, temporarily using the several cities adjacent to Luodu as barriers.

When the generals gathered in the warm hall for discussions, each one dared not even breathe loudly, fearing that Pei Song, who was leaning over the map table above, might suddenly erupt in anger.

But Pei Song was unexpectedly good-tempered today. Though the situation had become so urgent, he showed no sign of agitation. After looking at the map, seeing how tense the generals were, he instead smiled and asked, “What’s the matter with all of you?”

The generals below naturally dared not answer.

“Could it be that just because a bunch of rabble have surrounded Luodu, you’ve lost your composure and deflated your imposing authority?”

He walked down from the platform leisurely: “In the past, this Minister of Works had only twenty thousand Ezhou garrison troops under his command, yet dared to march north to take Luodu directly, then attack Fengyang. Now we occupy Luodu’s imperial city, with fifty thousand strong troops and excellent generals under our command—our military strength is incomparably greater than back then. Looking at former Liang, they survived only by the daughter of Prince Changlin selling herself to Southern Chen to cling to their remnant existence; in the northern territories, after Wei Qishan died, they were usurped by a Yongzhou rat—truly laughable. How can such a group of opportunistic scoundrels make you afraid?

He placed his hand on the shoulder of a general below: “General Ma.”

That general showed some alarm on his face, but Pei Song didn’t look at him. Instead, he surveyed all the generals and recited his achievements: “In the battle of breaking through White Horse Pass, the general slaughtered several famous former Liang generals. His illustrious war achievements are still widely praised in the army to this day.”

That general showed a shamefaced expression. When Pei Song turned his gaze back to look at him, he reluctantly nodded to Pei Song in acknowledgment.

Pei Song smiled, withdrew his hand, and continued walking down: “General Ouyang, in the battle to attack Luodu, you took the head of former Liang’s foremost military strategist, Gu Changfeng.”

The mustachioed general he named was obviously also somewhat embarrassed, but could only force a smile in response.

“General Li…”

—

The crimson battle flags flew in the cold wind. Gu Xiyun sat on the city tower’s parapet with one leg bent. Snowflakes fell into her eyes, and she squinted slightly, saying, “My elder brother was worn down to death.”

Zhao Bai stood behind her holding her sword, silent.

Gu Xiyun stared in the direction of Luodu, a circle of red tassels wrapped around her wrist: “The Prince and the Heir Apparent led the officials and common people to retreat to Fengyang. Elder brother had to defend Luodu for at least three days to win enough time for the Prince and the others.”

“Three days. Pei Song used rotating assault tactics to attack the city. By the morning of the second day, when elder brother led the remaining two thousand Gu family troops defending without sleep or rest, there wasn’t even a single arrow left in the city.”

“He went out of the city to fight, forcibly holding out for another half day.”

“Pei Song’s side claimed that a fierce general under his command directly took my brother’s head. I know that was a lie.”

“My brother’s body was densely covered with arrow holes. He was literally shot into a sieve—he clearly died from ten thousand arrows piercing his heart!”

Even after more than two years, when Gu Xiyun thought of the tragic state of Gu Changfeng’s corpse when it was recovered, she still couldn’t control her reddening eyes.

She faced the cold wind, taking a deep breath of this winter’s fresh and biting air. The grief and rage in her eyes transformed in the howling wind and snow into another irresistible fighting spirit: “I will avenge elder brother’s death!”

—

Mobilizing the generals under his command didn’t have the effect Pei Song had anticipated.

Only after dismissing everyone to return to their quarters did his expression darken.

On the way back, he’d caught a cold wind and couldn’t stop coughing as soon as he entered his room.

The injuries he’d sustained in the previous two years hadn’t healed properly and had become chronic ailments.

Pei Yuan immediately brought over a hand warmer and offered it to him: “Master.”

Pei Song took the hand warmer, covering his mouth with one hand as he coughed and sat down. His expression showed no brightness as he asked, “Where is Han Qi? Why haven’t I seen him these past two days?”

Pei Yuan said, “Young General Han has been going to the Ministry of Justice archives recently, seemingly searching for something.”

A flash of severity seemed to pass through Pei Song’s eyes. He put down the hand warmer and said, “Come with me to take a look.”

—

Two years ago, after Prince Changlin led Luodu’s officials in evacuating Luodu, the Six Ministries’ offices had been vacant.

After Pei Song took control of Luodu, busy with warfare, his subordinates had only swept clean the silver and money from various treasuries. The collected documents and records were all treated as waste paper.

Han Qi spent some time clearing out a small area of the archives that had been neglected for two years, covered in spider webs and dust.

Because some storage rooms had been rummaged through by soldiers, the documents and records inside had either been damaged or carelessly scattered on the ground in disarray.

He’d searched for many days before finding some of the records that Prince Changlin’s household staff had reorganized and compiled, which he’d mentioned when fighting Fan Yuan in Jincheng.

Reading through them one by one, he felt greatly shaken. Just as he was about to take these records away, an extremely cold voice came from outside the archives: “What are you doing here?”

Han Qi was startled. Turning his head, he saw Pei Song leaning against the doorway with arms crossed, expression mocking, not knowing how long he’d been watching from outside.

He instinctively wanted to hide the records behind him, but knew this action was just making things more obvious. His face went white then red, quite at a loss, and called out, “Minister of Works…”

Pei Song stepped inside, smiling at him and saying, “Didn’t I say that in private we should only address each other as brothers?”

Pei Yuan followed Pei Song into the room, making the interior space suddenly seem cramped.

Han Qi complied and called out, “Elder brother.”

But his expression became even more awkward and ashamed.

Pei Song surveyed the outer area of the archives, his tone indiscernible: “This place is well preserved. It’s just a pity we haven’t been able to spare manpower to organize it.”

His gaze fell on the records in Han Qi’s hands, and he asked again, “What are you holding?”

Though his tone could even be called gentle, Han Qi felt as if he’d been viciously whipped by a lash in the cold wind.

He pressed his lips tighter and answered truthfully, “They’re records.”

Pei Song didn’t ask about the specific contents of those records—he could guess. He shifted his gaze to scan those rows of bookshelves, his lips slightly curved with a hint of mockery, as if asking indifferently, “Why the sudden interest in reading these?”

Han Qi, having a youthful temperament after all, soon couldn’t bear this kind of conversation. Under the torment, he simply chose to speak directly: “When I fought Liang general Fan Yuan in Jincheng, he said Prince Changlin had been ordering people to reorganize the records of wrongly accused ministers implicated in Uncle Qin’s case. I… I just wanted to see if what he said was true or false…”

Pei Song laughed coldly, “Now that you’ve seen it, what do you think?”

Back when Pei Song was hiding his abilities while serving under Grand Marshal Ao, Han Qi was still young and naive, protected under his wing, knowing nothing but martial arts practice and completely unaware of court affairs.

But he wasn’t stupid. For Pei Song to later gain Grand Marshal Ao’s favor and accumulate such power, he must have been aware of what Prince Changlin and his son were doing at court.

He’d just chosen to attack Luodu and overthrow former Liang anyway.

Han Qi knew Pei Song hated former Liang.

But by now, the past was finished.

Those who deserved death had been killed; the revenge that needed taking had been taken.

Now forces from all directions wanted to kill Pei Song. Rather than continuing down this path to the bitter end, Han Qi wanted to fight for Pei Song’s only chance at survival—he wanted to persuade him to turn back.

His hands gripping the records tightened again and again. Finally gathering his courage, he said, “Brother, we stormed Luodu and overthrew former Liang to take revenge. But the Changlin Prince’s lineage wasn’t all hypocrites and traitors like the other Wen clan members…”

“So what?”

Han Qi seemed to see a glimmer of hope, saying emotionally, “The revenge we needed to take has all been taken. We… let’s negotiate peace with Princess Hanyang! We can say… say that when we attacked Luodu, we didn’t know Prince Changlin was willing to overturn our cases. Princess Hanyang has always had a reputation for virtue. After explaining everything to her clearly, with Uncle Qin’s wrongful case as precedent, to avoid more killing, she might be willing to stop the war!”

Pei Song rested his fingers on his forehead, laughing lowly, “You mean I should slaughter the Wen clan, kill everyone in Prince Changlin’s lineage except Princess Hanyang, then go negotiate peace with her now, begging her to spare my life?”

Probably not having heard such an amusing joke in a long time, Pei Song laughed until his eyes curved: “A-Qi, would you spare an enemy who slaughtered your entire family?”

Han Qi couldn’t speak.

He certainly knew his idea was naive, but now that he knew Prince Changlin’s lineage wasn’t so heinously guilty, he ultimately couldn’t continue deceiving himself, telling himself that the war they’d started was righteous, that former Liang was immoral so they wanted to replace them, and that the Great Liang forces still fighting them to the death were just former Liang remnants.

But on the other side was Pei Song, who’d raised him like a brother and father.

Han Qi took a few breaths, his eye sockets reddening as he said, “I’ll go beg her, I’ll go beg Princess Hanyang! It was Great Liang’s emperor who did wrong first!”

He gritted his teeth: “If she wants a life for a life, then when our Han and Qin families were ransacked, hundreds died in our households—that’s enough to offset those from Prince Changlin’s household!”

A large palm settled on his back.

Han Qi’s remaining words all turned to choking sobs in his throat, hot tears rolling onto Pei Song’s shoulder.

He briefly embraced this young man he’d raised as a younger brother, still smiling on his face, his tone still indifferent: “What childish talk is this?”

“Or is it that A-Qi, you’re also afraid, thinking your brother can’t win this battle?”

Han Qi hastily wiped his eyes roughly: “I believe brother can win!”

Outside, only the rustling sound of falling snow could be heard. Pei Song said, “Then we’ll win. To want to be emperor, to want this realm—what reason do we need?”

—

The three forces simultaneously sent troops to attack the cities serving as barriers outside Luodu on a clear winter day.

Icicles hanging from the city tower eaves gradually melted under the sunlight, water drops falling to dampen spots on the green bricks below. Black military boots hurried past. Bows and arrows were densely arrayed at the battlements, the cold gleam on the arrowheads supplementing the chill of this windless afternoon.

The two sides’ forces barely engaged in any verbal taunts. With Pei camp’s notorious reputation among the common people, there seemed no need for further insults.

When war drums thundered and the vanguard troops shouted their first charge toward the city tower, this battle officially began.

Arrow shafts rained down from above the city tower like a sudden downpour. Liang camp soldiers below cleared the way with giant shields, also densely layered overhead. Pei army’s arrow rain couldn’t inflict much casualties on this vanguard force.

Though catapults continuously hurled boulders downward, their numbers were limited, unable to achieve the dense coverage of arrow rain.

Seeing this vanguard force about to reach the city base and soon start ramming the gates or climbing the walls with ladders, the defending general inside the city had no choice but to open the gates wide and send out a force to engage, holding back the Liang troops below.

Han Qi and that mustachioed Pei general surnamed Ouyang rode out on horses, announcing their names intending to intimidate the opposing Liang army.

Apart from Xiao Li slaughtering twenty thousand Pei soldiers at Sishui City, making everyone in Pei camp regard him as a death god to avoid at all costs, Pei camp members were cruel by nature and had previously killed many famous Great Liang generals, so most of the time they were still willing to call out their names to intimidate opposing generals.

Gu Xiyun and Fan Yuan were jointly responsible for attacking this southern gate of Luodu. Chen Wei guarded the west, while the north was mainly attacked by Xiao Li.

Hearing that mustachioed Pei general announce his name, her hand gripping the long spear tightened again and again, killing intent in her eyes almost becoming tangible. She said to Fan Yuan, “I’ll go meet that Pei general!”

Fan Yuan thought she would remember last time’s grudge and go chase after Han Qi, but seeing her head toward another Pei general, thinking that the other had just announced his surname as Ouyang, recalling her brother’s death, Fan Yuan could only shout while slashing down a Pei soldier: “Girl, don’t act rashly!”

Gu Xiyun said nothing, only using her long spear to continuously thrust aside Pei soldiers along the way, the red tassels wrapped around her hand flying in the wind like a kindled flame.

Han Qi in the distance saw Gu Xiyun heading straight to kill that Pei general and immediately felt something was wrong.

He’d fought Gu Xiyun before and knew how domineering this female Liang general’s spear techniques were. He immediately spurred his horse to chase after her, shouting, “Your Gu family spear is nothing special! Why are you afraid? Seeing this young master, you run without even crossing blades?”

Gu Xiyun’s high-tied hair and cloak both flew in the cold wind. Her expression was coldly resolute, completely unmoved.

Seeing his provocation didn’t work, Han Qi viciously dug his heels into the horse’s flanks, wanting to chase further. But from an angle, a crescent moon blade came chopping down.

Fan Yuan intercepted him, saying, “Where are you running, boy? Last battle in Jincheng hasn’t determined the victor between you and Uncle Fan! Come continue the contest!”

Han Qi knew well that Fan Yuan was also a difficult opponent. Once engaged with him, he definitely couldn’t break free in a short time. But wanting to escape now, Fan Yuan could always block his path. He became so anxious and angry that a layer of flush rose on his face. After deflecting Fan Yuan’s long blade with one spear thrust, he shouted, “This young master will first compete with that Gu family female general for supremacy among spear masters!”

Fan Yuan just treated him as ignorant, saying, “If her brother Gu Changfeng were here, would it be your turn to compete for supremacy among spear masters? Great Liang’s foremost young general died at the hands of an unworthy nobody under Pei Song. I feel aggrieved for the Gu family. However you Pei camp ground her Gu family’s generations of distinguished name into the mud, today she’ll take it all back!”

Because of Fan Yuan’s words, Han Qi became distracted and was nearly slashed off his horse by Fan Yuan. He hastily blocked horizontally with his spear, but his face showed some emotion and embarrassment.

To this day, he still wanted to revive the Han family spear’s reputation, so naturally he could understand Gu Xiyun’s determination to personally avenge Gu Changfeng and restore glory to the Gu clan.

Because of Fan Yuan’s entanglement, he’d completely lost the chance to catch up to Gu Xiyun. He simply gave up helping that Pei general and engaged in heavy combat with Fan Yuan as if venting the struggling anguish in his heart.

Gu Xiyun pursued that Pei general directly all the way. That Pei general was about to slash his blade toward a Liang soldier when she thrust her spear to rescue him.

The other party obviously also knew there was such a female general in Liang camp.

But facing a woman, he instinctively showed some contempt and spoke boastfully: “I wondered who it was—turns out it’s the Gu family girl whose entire family has no more men, so even maidens don armor to come to the battlefield. When your brother died under this general’s blade back then, he was nearly scared enough to piss his pants…”

Gu Xiyun’s eyes overflowed with bloodthirsty fury. She directly roared and charged at that Pei general.

The other hastily raised his blade to parry. The moment their weapons clashed, he and his horse retreated several steps. That Pei general’s face immediately changed drastically. He no longer dared engage Gu Xiyun in combat and directly spurred his horse back.

Gu Xiyun’s throat erupted with a fierce shout: “Where do you escape!”

She viciously dug her heels into the horse’s flanks and chased after him. Seeing the situation was bad, some Pei lackeys directly started shooting cold arrows at her on the battlefield. She blocked most with her long spear. When an arrow struck her shoulder, there wasn’t the slightest pause—she just switched to holding the spear with her other hand and continued charging at that Pei general.

Seeing Gu Xiyun’s right shoulder injured, that Pei general thought it was an opportunity to turn defeat into victory. He stopped fleeing hastily, turned his horse around, brandished his weapon and shouted, “Since you seek death, this old man will capture you and bring you back to camp to reward the three armies, let the soldiers all have some fun and boost morale!”

Gu Xiyun’s brows and eyes were sharp as sword edges. When riding her horse past that Pei general, the armor on her arm split open, and the reddish-brown fabric inside was quickly stained a deep color.

That Pei general hadn’t run far when blood spilled from his mouth, a large hole broken through his chest cavity, and he fell straight off his horse.

On Gu Xiyun’s long spear thrust backward with her left arm, blood dripped from the spear point, thoroughly soaking the red tassels below.

She stared coldly at that Pei general and shouted, “Dying to my Gu family’s returning horse spear—you’re truly honored.”

With a major Pei general dead, the Pei army on the battlefield immediately fell into chaos, while Liang soldiers’ morale surged greatly, shouting as they charged forward.

Gu Xiyun had cold sweat on her forehead. In the bleak daylight, she raised her right hand with the red tassel cord wrapped around it.

—That red tassel had been taken from her brother’s spear, but now it was completely soaked and sticky with blood from her own wound.

After just this brief glance, she raised her long spear again, roaring as she charged into the heavy encirclement.

That Pei general’s death allowed Liang army to successfully gain the upper hand in this battle.

Han Qi saw the situation was bad and wanted to flee back to the city first, but Fan Yuan entangled him tightly, still fighting while shouting, “You stubborn boy! I told you long ago that traitor Pei Song is no good person! Your Han family has been loyal for generations—are you sure you want to disgrace your family name like this?”

Han Qi forcefully blocked, swinging away Fan Yuan’s long blade that held his spear shaft, suddenly like an enraged beast with reddened eyes, attacking Fan Yuan frantically: “Generations of loyalty means we deserved to have our family ransacked and imprisoned, and should still be grateful and loyally devoted to the imperial house? What did my Han family do wrong? We just wanted justice!”

Fan Yuan resisted Han Qi’s offensive, finding an opening to curse, “Bah! What twisted logic! You wanted justice, so you slaughtered all of Luodu? Did all the civil and military officials persecute your Han family? Or did the common people who died wrongly in the flames of war persecute your Han family?”

Han Qi fought as if venting until now, already somewhat exhausted. He panted heavily in great gasps, as if still unable to pass that barrier in his heart, yet still trying desperately to convince himself: “Everyone in my Han family is already dead. I don’t care whether others in this world have grudges with me or not—whoever blocks my path deserves death!”

Fan Yuan completely cooled his expression, looking at him and saying, “I’ve heard of your father Han Zongye’s reputation. Your Han family was wronged—I also told you the late emperor was already working to overturn those old cases from the end of Zhenwu era, and the Princess will also uphold the late emperor’s legacy. But you still commit such acts. If I strike you down here today, it won’t be excessive!”

Han Qi grinned broadly, sweat sliding from his eyelids. He rode his horse toward Fan Yuan again, shouting as if seeking death: “Then strike me down!”

—

As the sun slanted westward, uneven dark shadows fell on the roof tiles of Luodu’s north city tower.

Pei Song stood at the battlements wearing a cloak, gazing from afar at the person mounted on horseback before the black-armored military formation below.

This was the two men’s first truly meaningful battlefield confrontation.

Pei Song’s impression of Xiao Li still remained on that moonlit night—that long blade that split open the carriage and slashed toward him, and those eyes filled with scarlet hatred, fierce and sharp as a wolf.

Over a year without meeting, the other had already become the new overlord of the northern lands.

Pei Song had to admit that the other had grown far faster than he’d imagined.

Thinking back two years, the one standing on the city wall gazing at him like this had still been Wei Qishan.

But alas, in just one year, that hero had become history.

This person before him didn’t have Wei Qishan’s accumulated authority and cunning from decades, but Pei Song still extremely disliked the feeling of this first encounter with him.

The old wolf king would weigh pros and cons because he understood their strengths were evenly matched, so every step was taken with extreme caution.

Pei Song also excelled at that kind of manipulation of hearts and minds, controlling battles where one move affected the whole situation.

Thus previous exchanges with North Wei had been fairly evenly matched.

He wasn’t afraid of such temporary wins and losses, because he could always quickly grasp the opponent’s weaknesses and find methods of counterattack.

But this new northern overlord—what he saw in the other’s eyes was only intensely tangible fighting spirit.

Not some concealed sword, nor an unsheathed blade, but after the layers of rock and soil covering the surface cracked open, revealing a heaven-supporting pillar born between heaven and earth.

No matter how many schemes and plots, all could be crushed in that overwhelming force.

Yu Zhiyuan and his son were among the few truly useful people under his command. Every step Yu Zhiyuan took after infiltrating North Wei, he dared say had no particular faults.

Yet Yu Zhiyuan and his son still died, and died especially miserably.

It took him a long time to figure out that after Yu Zhiyuan decided to frame Xiao Li, his only chance of victory was to kill Xiao Li that night.

Having failed to assassinate Xiao Li, he could only wait for this vicious wolf’s counterattack.

In this moment, Pei Song suddenly felt especially hateful toward Yongzhou.

After he’d seized Luodu and captured Fengyang, it should have been an unstoppable momentum. But the first setbacks he suffered, both openly and secretly, were all in Yongzhou.

First was Yongzhou Shepherd Zhou Jing’an’s suicide and献降 in surrender, then grain and medicine prices soaring south of Wei River, and after that this street hoodlum and those former Liang remnants began causing him endless trouble.

Pei Song thought, if he could do it over, after taking Fengyang, he would definitely attack Yongzhou first, slaughter every living thing there, and there wouldn’t be so many future troubles.

When the first war drum thundered below the city, though Pei Song looked down from his superior position at those below, he still clearly saw from that person’s eyes a gaze that looked at him like a dead thing.

The shadow he’d glimpsed that day from the high cliff across while surrounding and killing Wei Qishan reappeared before Pei Song’s eyes.

He murmured ambiguously, “So alike…”

Xiao Li gazed coldly at Pei Song on the city tower, drew his waist sword, and in the gap of viciously digging heels into his horse’s flanks and charging out, he shouted deeply, “Kill—”

“Kill—”

What immediately responded from behind was a roar like mountain-shaking and sea-calling.

The charge of thousands upon thousands created ground tremors like shifting sands beneath their feet, seeming to shake stone particles from the solid bricks of the city wall.

That army like black ants instantly transformed into surging black water, like towering waves about to rise from the sea surface.

This battle—Pei Song withdrew back inside Luodu city after supervising halfway through.

Certain defeat.

This was the clearest awareness Pei Song had never experienced before.

He dared say he had no match in manipulating power and tactics, and his command lacked no advisors who frequently produced ingenious plans.

But he’d simply never seen such a military command presence.

As if… the soldiers below and their commander were completely unified, and the opposing army’s tactical changes were as easy as commanding one’s own hands and feet to respond.

That city standing north of Luodu was easily torn apart by that giant beast formed from ten thousand men.

The “Xiao” character banner was planted on the north city tower.

Xiao Li climbed the city tower and saw over a hundred elite cavalry escorting a green-canopied carriage approaching beneath Luodu city.

A personal guard beside him couldn’t conceal his excitement, shouting at Xiao Li: “Your Lordship! We’ve won!”

Xiao Li recalled that earlier moment of gazing at each other from afar with Pei Song below the city tower, able to feel that hatred that had kept him sleepless countless nights boiling in his gradually heating blood.

He said coldly, “Attack Luodu again.”

Pei Song, just arriving beneath Luodu city, seemed to sense something and looked back toward north city.

Too far to see the figures on the tower clearly.

But Pei Song still knew who was gazing at him like that.

Entering the capital, when reaching the residence, Pei Song’s steps were unsteady getting off the carriage. He was steadied by Pei Yuan, who stood closest, catching him.

In the distance, another lackey came galloping to report in distress: “Report—Minister of Works, south city has been breached!”

Pei Song seemed about to nod to indicate he understood, but when he opened his mouth, he spat out blood instead.

A group of subordinate generals hastily called “Minister of Works” and wanted to carry him inside. Pei Song raised his hand to stop them.

He wiped away the blood at his lips and asked, “Where is Han Qi?”

That lackey replied with a miserable expression, “General Ouyang died in battle. General Han was captured by Liang camp.”

Pei Song then said, “Transmit my order: defend Luodu’s four gates firmly.”

Luodu as the imperial city had fortifications built far more solidly than those four cities that served as outer barriers. With sufficient defending troops and grain supplies, even supporting for several months wouldn’t be a problem.

After Pei Yuan helped Pei Song into the inner chamber, he said, “Go bring that person from the side residence.”

Hearing this, Pei Yuan was obviously somewhat hesitant, saying, “Master, that person has gone mad.”

Pei Song smiled mockingly, saying, “I know.”

“He never taught me what he taught that wolf completely. He wanted to defend the imperial city and protect the emperor? Then let him defend it.”

—

The cities serving as barriers outside Luodu had been broken. Next, after jointly attacking Luodu, the several camp forces would inevitably encounter each other.

To avoid private friction, Li Xun still went to Xiao Li’s camp on behalf of Liang and Chen camps. Regarding temporarily allying to attack Pei Song, Xiao Li had no objections. After receiving the visitors, he straightforwardly signed the alliance treaty.

Li Xun still felt some emotion about him leaving Liang camp. When rising to bid farewell, he couldn’t help bringing up old matters: “After Your Lordship left Liang camp and achieved today’s accomplishments, Li is very gratified on Your Lordship’s behalf. But regarding that poisoned arrow incident back then, there were truly many misunderstandings…”

Xiao Li raised a palm, indicating Li Xun needn’t continue: “Past events from years ago, Xiao has forgotten. Lord Li could be considered Xiao’s teacher in the past, and has visited my Xiao camp many times. Xiao can speak plainly with you—Xiao is unwilling to return to Liang camp, not because of these old matters.”

That poisoned arrow—he’d long stopped caring about it.

But Li Xun clearly misunderstood the meaning in Xiao Li’s words, understanding that now with great power in hand, as an overlord in his own right, he couldn’t possibly return to Liang camp. He hastily said, “Li bringing up this old matter with Your Lordship today is not to persuade Your Lordship to enter our Liang camp.”

He smiled at Xiao Li with a face full of complexity: “Li just thought that the Princess repeatedly instructed us that Your Lordship and your esteemed mother are both benefactors, that we must not treat Your Lordship poorly. When Your Lordship wished to study military strategy in Pingzhou, it was also the Princess who secretly instructed old Li to help clarify Your Lordship’s doubts…”

“After that incident with Pei Song’s alienation scheme, the Prince forced the Princess for the greater good to bring you back. The Princess also argued with the Prince several times. Finally, they each retreated a step—the Princess sent out Azure Cloud Guards to explain the situation to you, wanting to invite you back to Pingzhou to protect your safety and discuss methods to rescue your esteemed mother together. But the Prince went to extremes, fearing the Princess would privately let Your Lordship leave because of past kindness from you and your esteemed mother. That’s why he secretly ordered Azure Cloud Guards that if you insisted on not returning to Pingzhou, they should take your life.”

Li Xun’s eyes reddened saying this. “When Miss Zhao Bai brought back news of your death, the Princess nearly broke with the Prince, wanting to dismiss him from office. It was Li tearfully persuading the Princess to consider the greater good that she changed the supervisory authority over Liang territory from the Prince alone to being jointly held by the Prince, Lord Chen, and Li.”

His tone became somewhat choked: “Until marrying into Chen territory, the Princess never saw the Prince again. After you returned to Yongzhou to rescue your mother and saved Young Master Zhou, we learned that was truly Pei Song’s poisonous scheme! When the Prince learned you were perhaps in Tongzhou, he specially rushed from Pingzhou to the front lines, just to personally see you in Tongzhou and apologize for past wrongs, inviting you back to Liang camp. But heaven’s will was cruel…”

Li Xun couldn’t continue, raising his sleeve to wipe his eyes before continuing hoarsely: “In the army, that scoundrel Dou Jianliang’s betrayal happened. In that battle, North Wei lost twenty thousand troops at Majia Ridge, but our Liang camp also suffered greatly. General Fan even nearly died from a poisoned arrow. Fortunately, thanks to an intelligence report you’d sent to camp ahead of time, we escaped from the tiger’s mouth. But that Dou Jianliang allied with Pei Song and pursued us relentlessly. At that time, General Fan was unconscious from poison, and Li was just a civil official…”

Li Xun shook his head repeatedly. Thinking of that escape back then, he still felt it unbearable: “When fleeing to Wanyao Fort and seeing the Prince, Li truly almost wept—fearing the troops in hand would be completely lost there, breaking the foundation the Princess had established before entering Southern Chen. If the Princess wanted to launch northern expeditions again in the future, it would be difficult! It was the Prince who insisted Li take General Fan and flee to Xinzhou first. He and Old General Weichi stayed to defend Wanyao Fort, forcibly blocking Pei Song’s offensive to completely destroy Liang camp. But after he left, this misunderstanding from years ago could never be explained clearly…”

Li Xun said sorrowfully, “The one who suffered most from all these accumulated matters was the Princess. Until the Prince passed away, with Liang and Chen territories separated by a thousand li, she couldn’t see the Prince again, nor could she say a word to reconcile their estrangement. The misunderstanding about that arrow from years ago could never be clarified with you…”

“In the Princess’s heart, she has always felt guilt toward Your Lordship. Thus though Your Lordship later entered Wei camp, whenever Your Lordship faced difficulties, the Princess had us come welcome Your Lordship back to Liang camp.”

He bowed to Xiao Li: “Li today takes great risk telling Your Lordship these things, seeking nothing else. I only hope that in the future, Your Lordship will not create rifts with the Princess and Liang camp because of that arrow’s grudge!”