Xiao Li remained deaf to the words, the wound on his back shoulder tearing open from the exertion. His complexion grew even paler, yet he showed not a trace of outward emotion. His entire being was as cold and unyielding as a boulder that had endured thousands upon thousands of years of wind and rain on a cliff face.

In his desperation, Zhang Huai had no choice but to press down on Xiao Li’s shoulder, halting his attempt to rise.

The residual poison in Xiao Li’s body had not yet been cleared, and he had gone many days without a proper meal. The weakness was visibly evident on his face, yet when he spoke, his voice still commanded attention with its coldness and authority: “Move aside.”

Zhang Huai pleaded earnestly: “Benefactor nearly lost his life, and regardless of whatever deep grudges or bitter hatreds exist, now is not the time to act rashly. Healing your wounds and planning carefully for the long term would be the wisest course.”

That day, Xiao Li had told him to leave, but he had not obeyed. Instead, he secretly followed Xiao Li outside the city and witnessed with his own eyes as he fought against a group of people.

To avoid being discovered by Xiao Li, he had kept his distance the entire time, not daring to get too close. When he saw that the group possessed exceptional martial skills—not resembling ordinary soldiers or bandits, but rather specially trained death warriors—he immediately sensed trouble.

Fearing Xiao Li would be no match for them, he hurried back to Jin City. At the city gate, a wanted notice had been posted for an escaped soldier, ranked as Grade A. Zhang Huai lied to the officers, claiming he had seen the fugitive outside the city, and led a squad of soldiers toward where Xiao Li was.

When the officers spotted that group outside Jin City, things went exactly as he had predicted. They moved to apprehend them, and Xiao Li seized the opportunity to escape.

The officers were busy chasing the scattered fleeing group and had no time to pay him any mind, so he also found a chance to slip away. Having spent several days in Jin City and already familiarized himself with the terrain outside the city, he guessed that Xiao Li must also be well-acquainted with the surrounding geography. After determining the optimal escape route, he went ahead to the destination to wait.

Before long, he indeed waited for Xiao Li, who had abandoned his horse to cross the water and reach the opposite shore. Zhang Huai was greatly alarmed to see Xiao Li so gravely injured. As for Xiao Li encountering him there, a flicker of surprise merely passed through his eyes before settling back into calm.

Zhang Huai tried to help Xiao Li escape. Though Xiao Li was covered in blood and his entire body swayed unsteadily, he still methodically bandaged the wound that wouldn’t stop bleeding, removed his outer robe and threw it into the river, then dealt with the traces of coming ashore before finally departing with Zhang Huai.

Along the way, Xiao Li cut his own forearm with a knife several times, then tightly wrapped it with strips of cloth torn from his clothing to prevent leaving blood trails that could be tracked. Only then did Zhang Huai realize Xiao Li had been drugged with a sedative, and throughout this entire journey had been forcing himself to stay conscious through bloodletting and pain.

However, before they could even reach their shelter, Xiao Li vomited black blood and collapsed on the road. When Zhang Huai opened his clothing and saw the blue-black discoloration spreading from the arrow wound on his back shoulder, he felt chilled from head to toe, terrified that Xiao Li would die just like that.

Zhang Huai was not a martial artist, and Xiao Li was tall and heavily built. He couldn’t drag Xiao Li, who had fallen by the roadside, no matter how hard he tried. Fortunately, during their escape, Xiao Li had already told him where A’Niu and Doctor Tao were hiding. Taking the medicine pouch that Xiao Li hadn’t abandoned even in his severely injured state, he first went to find Doctor Tao and A’Niu.

After Doctor Tao examined the medicine he brought back and knew his words were true, he quickly had A’Niu accompany Zhang Huai on the trip, rushing to carry Xiao Li back.

After Doctor Tao performed acupuncture and administered medicine, Xiao Li remained feverish and unconscious for many days, only awakening now.

Urgent footsteps sounded outside the door—it was A’Niu bringing Doctor Tao inside.

Doctor Tao’s body bore mostly superficial whip wounds. With the medicine Xiao Li had procured for him and after resting for these past days, his spirits appeared much better than before. Upon entering, he said: “Finally awake! Quickly, let this old man check your pulse again.”

A’Niu, with his large frame, stood like a small mountain in the back, his eyes like a puppy’s, gazing eagerly at Xiao Li.

A moment later, Doctor Tao withdrew his hand from checking the pulse. His already wrinkled brow seemed to furrow even tighter as he said: “Young brother, the poison you were struck with is vicious. Though not immediately fatal, if you had been brought back even half an hour later that day, not even the immortals themselves could have saved you.”

Zhang Huai asked urgently: “Elder, how is my benefactor now? Can this poison be completely cured?”

Doctor Tao spoke with considerable emotion: “His life is truly tenacious. Thanks to his strong constitution, he managed to return from death’s door twice. The residual poison should be cleared after taking two more doses of medicine, but having suffered such great hardship, he must recuperate properly.”

Xiao Li, who had remained silent since Doctor Tao and A’Niu entered the room, suddenly spoke: “I trouble you to prescribe two more doses of medicine for me. I will depart from this place by tomorrow at the latest.”

Before Doctor Tao could voice his objections, Zhang Huai rejected the idea first: “Impossible! Benefactor’s poison and injuries have not healed. You absolutely cannot endure the hardships of travel. Rest and recovery must come first.”

Doctor Tao nodded in agreement, his aged face full of guilt: “Young Master is quite right. Young brother suffered this calamity because he went into the city to procure medicine for this old man. Young brother has saved this old man and A’Niu several times, and we grandfather and grandson can never repay you. We can only work like oxen and horses to repay the debt.”

As he spoke, he pulled A’Niu beside him, about to kneel before Xiao Li.

Xiao Li, injured and poisoned, found it inconvenient to rise and could not stop them in time. He could only call out: “Elder, what are you doing? Please rise quickly. I, Xiao Li, crossed death’s threshold twice, and both times you were the one who saved me. Please do not dishonor me so.”

Zhang Huai said: “Benefactor saw with his own eyes that day in the city—wanted notices for Brother A’Niu were posted at the city gate, ranked as Grade A. Brother A’Niu has the mind of a child, and Elder Tao is advanced in years. If they don’t travel with you, their capture by the Jinzhou authorities is only a matter of time. Though I don’t know what matter requires benefactor to depart so urgently, with your injuries and poison not yet healed, hastily taking to the road is clearly not a wise decision. It would be better to rest for two more days and wait until your condition improves before making any decisions.”

Xiao Li met his gaze and said nothing more.

After A’Niu and Doctor Tao went to the kitchen to prepare the medicine, and only Xiao Li and Zhang Huai remained in the dilapidated dwelling, Xiao Li finally spoke: “I saved you once, and this time you also saved me. We are now even. There is no need to call me benefactor anymore, nor any need to continue following me.”

The room didn’t even have a single intact table or chair. Zhang Huai simply sat down boldly on the doorstep, rolled up the wide sleeves of his scholarly robe to cool off, and said with a light smile while fingering three copper coins: “Benefactor forgets—this student decided to follow benefactor because of a divination reading. Hearing Elder Tao speak of how benefactor escaped death twice, this student is even more convinced that benefactor is that person chosen by destiny.”

Xiao Li stared silently at the beam overhead covered with cobwebs and dust, and sneered coldly: “I have never believed in heaven, much less in fate.”

Zhang Huai put away the copper coins in his hand, still smiling: “This student half believes in divination, half believes in his own eyes. Benefactor is not someone who will remain confined to a small pond. This student, though lacking in talent, can at least claim his eloquence and the learning in his belly as assets. If benefactor would deign to employ me, it would be my great honor.”

These words were less self-deprecating than they were self-aggrandizing.

After a brief silence in the room, Xiao Li’s cold voice sounded: “Very well. Do something for me.”

—

Three days later, Jinzhou military camp.

Under the scorching sun, two young generals held their weapons, fighting back and forth on the training ground in an evenly matched battle. When the long spear and war blade clashed, they even struck sparks.

After another dozen or so exchanges, both spear tip and blade edge pointed directly at each other’s throats.

The two men smiled at each other, tossed their weapons to the soldiers below, and walked to a shaded area to drink tea and cool off.

Pei Shisan said: “Your Han family spear technique should rightfully be called the foremost among military families. In earlier years, the Wen clan favored the Gu family, and everyone in court and society praised their Gu family spear technique as if it were divine. Yet in the Battle of Fengyang that day, didn’t Gu Changfeng still die defeated at your hands?”

The smile on Han Qi’s face faded somewhat. He held his tea cup but did not drink, saying: “Indeed, it was nothing much.”

Pei Shisan patted his shoulder and said: “The Wen clan has committed countless acts of calling a deer a horse. When our master vindicates Old General Han and the others, they will be able to rest in peace in the underworld.”

Han Qi drained the tea in his cup in one gulp and said: “Brother Shisan, report back to our lord: as long as I, Han Qi, still draw breath, the Wen clan’s remnants and the old Chen alliance forces will never be able to cross Jinzhou.”

Pei Shisan was very pleased with these words and smiled, but before he could say anything, Han Qi’s personal guard came running urgently: “General! Disaster! Vice General Li was ambushed and killed while en route to Tongzhou to negotiate surrender!”

Both Pei Shisan and Han Qi’s expressions changed dramatically.

—

At the border between Jinzhou and Tongzhou, Xiao Li severed the head of the Jinzhou vice general and wrapped it in black cloth before tossing it to Zhang Huai.

Standing among the corpses strewn everywhere, Zhang Huai retched while instinctively catching what Xiao Li had thrown to him. After realizing what the wet, sticky thing wrapped in black cloth in his hands was, his face turned the color of vegetables. His nausea intensified even more as he quickly passed the object to A’Niu while continuing to vomit.

A’Niu was not afraid of blood and gore, holding the cloth bundle as if it were an ordinary object.

The arrow wound on Xiao Li’s shoulder had not yet fully healed, and his face had little color, making his entire person appear even colder.

After washing the blood from his hands by the river, he said to Zhang Huai: “Take A’Niu and Doctor Tao to Pingdeng County in Tongzhou. With your intelligence and with such a token of allegiance, finding a place to settle there should not be difficult.”

What he had asked Zhang Huai to do earlier was to gather intelligence on Jinzhou’s troop movements.

Zhang Huai’s earlier guess had been correct—Xiao Li had come to Jinzhou intending to kill the Jinzhou Grand Protector Han Qi and take his head to Tongzhou to use as a token of allegiance with some faction.

However, for some unknown reason, the one sent to Tongzhou this time to persuade the counties to surrender was not Han Qi, but his vice general.

They had set up defenses here in advance. When the rocks rolled down the mountain, the Jinzhou army was already thrown into chaos, fleeing in panic to the sides of the road, only to step on sharpened bamboo stakes.

Xiao Li seized the opportunity amid the confusion to finish off the vice general and several of his personal guards with an arrow from hiding. The common soldiers below assumed they had been ambushed by bandits within Tongzhou territory who refused to submit. Seeing the vice general dead, they all scattered like birds and beasts.

Within Tongzhou territory, apart from the main prefecture city of Tongcheng, which had clearly surrendered to Pei Song, the other sixteen counties were either ruled by forest bandits or by rebel commoners. Only one or two counties where the officials had won the people’s hearts remained under government control, but these had intricate connections with Wei Qishan’s side.

With Jinzhou’s momentum to annex Tongzhou now interrupted, regardless of whether Jinzhou’s commanding general was Han Qi or someone else, they would certainly first teach the various counties within Tongzhou a lesson. However, given that war with the allied forces of Liang, Chen, and Wei was imminent, any military expedition to Tongzhou would definitely be more noise than substance, aimed at making an example to warn others.

Therefore, the most likely targets for military suppression would be either the largest bandit county or an official county backed by Wei Qishan.

The Pingdeng County that Xiao Li had chosen for Zhang Huai and A’Niu was an inconspicuous rebel county led by farmers who conducted themselves with considerable gallant spirit. They deeply detested the government. If Zhang Huai’s group secretly brought the head of Jinzhou’s vice general there, they would surely be well received.

After Jinzhou finished dealing with the most powerful official county or bandit county, they could quickly claim a share of the spoils to strengthen themselves.

After washing his face by the river, Zhang Huai had recovered. His mind was quick, and he soon understood Xiao Li’s intentions. He asked: “Then what about you, benefactor?”

Xiao Li shouldered his Miao blade: “After I settle my private affairs, I will come find you.”

—

Pingzhou.

The light in the study was dim. Wen Yu couldn’t remember how long it had been since she had closed her eyes. After handling pile after pile of official documents at her desk, despite her nerves throbbing and pounding at her temples, bringing waves of dizzy pain, she still showed no intention of stopping to rest.

“Tongque, are there more memorials?” She set down her brush with one hand while pressing her temple with the other. The whites of her eyes were streaked with blood vessels. Her entire person was unnaturally calm, yet made those who approached her breathe carefully and cautiously.

Tongque had never seen Wen Yu like this. Although Wen Yu appeared the same as always in every way, even devoting all her energy to official duties, Tongque felt that Wen Yu’s current state was no different from madness.

Looking at Wen Yu, she opened her mouth wanting to say something, but tears fell first. Her throat choked uncontrollably: “Princess… don’t push yourself to this extent. Please rest!”

Wen Yu seemed to find her words strange and explained calmly: “I have rested. It’s just that I’ve had some insomnia these past two days, and the calming soup hasn’t been effective. Have the physician increase the dosage and try again.”

Hearing these words, Tongque felt even more distressed. Before she could speak more words of comfort and admonition, a maidservant’s announcement came from outside: “Princess, Lord Li Xun requests an audience.”

Wen Yu maintained her posture of rubbing her temples, calling out: “Admit him.”

In a moment, Li Xun strode quickly into the study. Without saying a word, he first knelt down, nearly in tears before Wen Yu: “This subject… humbly begs the Princess to rescind your order!”