Wei Ang stood beside Xiao Li. He was the only Wei general who had seen Wen Yu since her capture.

However, since Wen Yu had previously contracted measles, he hadn’t seen her true appearance. But those eyes of hers, like a clear moon over cold waves—anyone who had seen them once would not mistake them.

This time, Wei Qishan had ordered him to accompany Yuan Fang partly to have him confirm whether Xiao Li had substituted this woman.

With the first glance at Wen Yu, Wei Ang knew it was her without doubt.

But recognizing someone while veiled, when he’d only met her a few times before and she’d been suffering from measles—others might not believe such claims.

To avoid creating unnecessary trouble, Wei Ang still called out to Wen Yu: “Would Lady Jiang please unveil herself for a moment?”

Wen Yu stopped in her tracks. When she left Pingzhou, she was still in mourning for Li Yao and Yuchi Ba, so the clothes she brought were all extremely plain.

The garment she wore today from her original trunk was entirely plain white, only embroidered with silver thread outlining some intertwining floral vine patterns. At first glance, it almost resembled mourning clothes.

Amid the iron-armored guards, it was particularly striking.

Her eyes were like a lake shrouded in misty cold fog—clear and cold. Like rippling with gentle cold waves, her gaze swept over everyone present, then she slowly raised her hand and removed the veil from her face.

The cold wind continued to blow, but in that moment the snow seemed to fall extremely slowly. As it settled on her long lashes, each time she lightly fanned her lashes, the eyes beneath seemed to create ripples on a lake.

Even heaven and earth seemed to still for an instant.

Words could not describe the shock that face could bring. Everyone had only one thought—the beauties in unofficial histories said to cause monarchs to bring devastation to the people and wage wars must have looked just like this.

Both Yuan Fang and Wei Ang stared in a daze. After recovering, they both simultaneously felt that Xiao Li using the cloud brocade bestowed by Wei Qishan to make garments for her might… not lack for the reason that this woman’s appearance was too bewitching to the heart.

Moreover, such a beauty who could topple kingdoms—that Jiang Yu would bring her along with the army was truly not at all surprising.

“Is this sufficient?” Wen Yu’s voice was clear and crisp.

Wei Ang quickly coughed twice: “Madam, please board the carriage.”

Only then did Wen Yu’s slender, lustrous white fingers like ice jade draw the veil back over her face. When she raised her eyes, her gaze seemingly casually swept past Xiao Li, only to discover he had been watching her all along.

His expression was indifferent, yet his eyes were extremely dark, extremely deep—making one almost afraid to look into them.

Clearly, he had long anticipated today’s outcome.

She just didn’t know if he was continuing to hate her or had calmly accepted everything.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Wen Yu didn’t dare look longer. That glance was merely the lightest brush of her peripheral vision before she withdrew her gaze, lifting her skirts to step onto the carriage.

After the soldiers outside fastened the wooden carriage door, it completely cut off her view of the outside.

Outside the carriage, Yuan Fang clasped his fists toward Xiao Li: “We’ve intruded upon you, Benefactor. We shall depart now.”

Before Xiao Li’s eyes still floated Wen Yu’s final glance like ripples on a cold lake. His dark eyes were pitch black. After a slight nod, his voice remained steady and calm as before: “My injuries haven’t healed, so I won’t see you off far. May your journey be smooth.”

Wei Ang, already mounted on his horse, also clasped his fists toward Xiao Li from afar. Then the group departed with the carriage toward the camp exit.

Xiao Li only silently watched that carriage reinforced with iron plates roll into the distance over the muddy snow.

Zhang Huai, Song Qin, and Zheng Hu stood behind him. Zheng Hu was still in a daze, murmuring: “My goodness, Second Brother’s lady friend is extraordinarily beautiful—truly like a celestial maiden from heaven…”

Song Qin frowned without speaking.

Zhang Huai seemed thoughtful, but spoke of an entirely different matter: “The Marquis of Shuobian’s letter was written cleverly. He says if his son continues in this manner in the future, he’ll have Zhou Jun inherit his mantle. In reality, this is advancing by retreating, indirectly saying one must not overstep boundaries.”

Zheng Hu made a sound of surprise: “There’s that layer of meaning in it?”

Zhang Huai said: “He neither revoked his son’s position as young lord nor gave Zhou Jun such an empty verbal promise. What do you think an ordinary minister would do?”

Zheng Hu thought about it: “Naturally be moved to tears with gratitude, declaring he absolutely has no intention of replacing anyone and will only do his utmost to be loyal.”

Zhang Huai smiled: “Isn’t that the Marquis of Shuobian’s true purpose?”

After realizing this, Zheng Hu was also greatly shocked. He couldn’t help but spit: “With such a belly full of schemes, who can navigate through them? Lucky we have you, Military Advisor—your brain works well. Otherwise, I would have truly thought the Marquis of Shuobian genuinely treated Second Brother like his own son!”

Zhang Huai shook his head with a laugh.

But Xiao Li, after completely losing sight of the carriage, turned his head to glance at Song Qin: “The men are all arranged?”

Song Qin said: “Several hundred men leaving camp would be too conspicuous and easily detected. I had the brothers go ahead to guard the necessary route to Thirty Li Pavilion.”

Xiao Li nodded and said: “Let’s go rendezvous with them.”

After speaking, he turned to walk toward the camp.

Seeing Song Qin follow Xiao Li, Zheng Hu looked completely confused and was about to chase after them: “Hey, Big Brother, Second Brother, what are you doing?”

Zhang Huai held him back: “General Zheng should stay in the camp. Today Zhou Jun is staying in his tent to recover from his injuries, and General Song is leading men to various villages to help repair buildings collapsed by the heavy snow. If an urgent matter suddenly arises, we’ll still need the General to help respond, won’t we?”

The more Zheng Hu listened, the more confused he became: “What? Military Advisor, why can’t I understand a single thing you’re saying?”

Zhang Huai choked slightly. In the end, he gave up on speaking in riddles and said somewhat helplessly: “Do you think that woman our Zhou Jun has been thinking about day and night is a simple character?”

Zhang Huai recalled that stunning glimpse and said with certainty: “Since she dared let those two important generals trusted by Wei Qishan see her face, she must have already determined she won’t be going to Weizhou.”

—

Inside the carriage, Wen Yu used the cover of her large cloak to remove her plain white brocade garment. What she wore underneath was ordinary peasant woman’s clothing she’d obtained from the servant women.

When she was first captured, the Liang army contingent escorting her had been nearly wiped out. The other scattered Liang army units couldn’t catch up in time. She worried there might be officers in the Wei camp who recognized her. In the urgent circumstances, she used measles as a disguise for her appearance.

But she had been confined for so long—the Liang camp, having received news, would have long since arranged rescue forces to watch the military camp. They simply hadn’t acted because tens of thousands of troops were stationed here.

Now that the Wei army was taking her to Weizhou, the Liang camp’s people would certainly not miss this excellent opportunity to abduct her.

With the cloud brocade cloak incident preceding this, she anticipated that before taking her away, the Wei camp would definitely confirm her identity.

But if she continued using measles to disguise her appearance, nearly a month had passed since her capture—if the measles still hadn’t healed, it would only arouse suspicion that she was deliberately concealing something.

If those two Wei generals became vigilant and suspicious of her identity, strengthening protection along the route, it would be disadvantageous for the Liang camp’s people to abduct her.

So Wen Yu ultimately chose to show her true face.

She opened her trunk, intending to put her garment back, but discovered an unfamiliar small box inside that she hadn’t seen before.

Wen Yu felt strange. She took it out and opened the clasp.

When she saw what was inside, her gaze suddenly froze.

It was a box of wood carvings.

Little cats, little dogs, rabbits, tigers… The carving marks and techniques were all extremely familiar.

Wen Yu recalled that glance before boarding the carriage with Xiao Li—it could hardly be called eye contact. Her heart suddenly trembled violently as if struck by a great bell, then a lingering ache rose. Her fingertips slowly stroked over those wood carvings.

He had given these to her?

Why?

Didn’t he hate her?

In this moment, Wen Yu’s heart was in turmoil. Seeing there was still a folded letter and another separate small brocade box in the corner of the case, she took them out. The brocade box contained a longevity lock carved from white jade.

On the letter, the ink marks were sparse—only a few characters: “A gift for your heir, a first birthday present.”

Just six short words, yet like soft thorns, they pierced straight into the softest inch of the pulsing flesh in her chest.

Making each subsequent breath she took carry a lingering pain.

Wen Yu forcefully crumpled the paper. Before her eyes could redden, she closed them and didn’t open them again for a long time.

She had also left the wooden carp he carved for her in his military camp.

Wei Qishan intended to recruit him as a son-in-law. She understood that the two of them would ultimately serve their respective camps—from now on, they would inevitably cross swords.

Returning the wood carving was her final determination to sever the last bond between them.

His gifting her these things—was it the same meaning?

Only by letting go could one find peace.

And only after finding peace could one truly offer blessings, wasn’t that right?

Wen Yu wanted to smile, but in that moment, tears still burst from her eyes.

She told herself this was good.

People like them, at the center of power’s vortex, should never have feelings.

From now on, she would continue being her kingdom-restoring princess.

When they met again in the future, he might already be the Northern Wei’s prince consort.

Cutting the past clean, letting go of everything—that was right.

This was also what she had always hoped for.

She would truly wish him well.

The sadness she felt at this moment was probably only because from when she drove him away from Pingzhou until now seeing him again, they never had a chance to speak properly to each other.

She thought she should have bid him a proper farewell.

A proper goodbye to that youth who in the snowy weather intercepted the whip from the human trafficker to prevent her from receiving a beating, gave her his only side room to sleep in, and saved her countless times from the blade’s edge.

If this journey successfully took her from the northern border, when they met again, it might be three to five years, might be eight to ten years, or perhaps there would be no possibility of reunion in this lifetime.

He would eventually become a father, and she would truly become a mother.

He probably wouldn’t hate her anymore, but if he mentioned her to his children, what he remembered might still be that she had been very, very bad to him.

That sheet of letter paper had already been crumpled to ruins by Wen Yu.

Large drops of moisture fell from her eyes, leaving wet streaks across her veil.

She silently said “I’m sorry.”

Then said “Goodbye.”

—

Xiao Li, in ordinary clothes, mounted his horse, riding alongside Song Qin with several personal guards following far behind.

Song Qin saw that this normally taciturn person was even more silent today. He spoke up to ask: “Have you decided—on this trip, are we going to escort and protect, or to abduct the person back?”

Half a month ago, Xiao Li had already had him secretly send people to watch the refugees recently flooding into the surrounding villages and towns.

He just didn’t know whether those watching their camp’s movements were from the Liang camp or the Pei camp, or perhaps both.

But taking advantage of today to abduct the person was a certainty.

However, to prevent the Wei army from too quickly requesting reinforcements from their garrison here, whether Liang camp or Pei camp forces, they would all likely choose to act after passing Thirty Li Pavilion.

Xiao Li had long had him lead men to scout the area. They were all familiar with the surrounding terrain.

If it truly came to combat, they could still gain some advantage.

The cold wind was piercing. The hair at Xiao Li’s forehead was blown wildly. Between his brows pressed a coldness more oppressive than this cold wind: “Let’s see how capable the people she trusts are.”

With the conversation reaching this point, Song Qin understood.

If the Liang camp’s people could abduct her, they would naturally stand by and observe.

If they couldn’t, it would be their turn to abduct her.

But given the Liang camp’s emphasis on Wen Yu, the latter possibility was almost negligible.

Song Qin was silent for a while, then suddenly said: “Didn’t you say you were unwilling to accept this?”

Xiao Li raised his eyes to look at the distant mountains covered in thin snow. After a while, he withdrew his gaze. His entire person seemed extraordinarily detached, except that the hand gripping the reins used such force that his knuckles turned white.

His voice was steady: “Didn’t Big Brother also say that if Peony Sister’s heart isn’t with you, and she has a better place to go, you can’t keep her either?”

What floated before his eyes was Wen Yu angrily wiping her lips that day, forcefully saying those three words “no point.”

She didn’t like him.

Never had.

He had tried his utmost to restrain himself from seeing her, yet still felt he was nearly being driven mad.

He didn’t know how much longer this restraint could last.

But he also had his own pride.

He didn’t want to destroy her, nor did he want to see himself become that appearance controlled by jealousy and unwillingness—a version of himself even he despised and tired of.

As long as he stayed far from her, everything would return to normal.

He would lead the brothers to properly fight for their future. He would also kill Pei Song to avenge his mother.

She would take her royal heir back to Southern Chen to continue being her regent eldest princess.

After he achieved merit and fame, he would also marry and have children… what bullshit!

In that instant, the violent energy rising in his chest almost tore his entire being in half. Then that ferocious beast hidden in his body could break free.

Wen Yu, Wen Yu.

Each time he recited this name, his heart seemed to tighten another degree, gradually making even breathing difficult.

Xiao Li gripped the horse’s back with one hand. He felt like he couldn’t catch his breath, as if his entire body was about to explode from that violent energy in his chest.

The beast in his heart’s depths was ferociously tempting him: Kill your way there, seize her back! Hide her away!

His mind also buzzed accordingly. That extreme unwillingness, fury, and desire to possess her crushed him until his rationality was gradually collapsing.

Song Qin controlled his horse forward, a slight bitter smile on his lips. He seemed about to say something to Xiao Li when he suddenly noticed his expression wasn’t quite right. As if enduring some enormous pain, he half-raised his body on the horse, his entire spine tense like bedrock.

Song Qin’s expression changed slightly. He turned his horse back a few steps and quickly asked: “What’s wrong with you?”

Xiao Li forcefully breathed two mouthfuls of the icy cold air amid the wind and snow before recovering some rationality. But his eyes had already been suffused with blood color, somewhat reddened. He said: “In the snowy weather, my wound aches somewhat. For this trip, Big Brother should go in my place.”

If he went, he feared he truly couldn’t restrain himself from seizing her back amid the chaos.

If she fell into his hands again this time, no one would know he had abducted her, nor would anyone have any reason to demand her from him again.

Song Qin needed no further explanation—he already understood everything. He rode his horse over to pat his shoulder, saying: “Go back and properly recover. Leave everything to Big Brother.”

Xiao Li stopped his horse by the roadside without moving further. When the several personal guards following behind had all followed Song Qin past him, from the distance in the vast snow, two more people came riding in pursuit, calling from afar: “Zhou Jun, wait!”

Seeing this, Song Qin and the others also controlled their horses to stop and look back.

The newcomers were Tao Kui and a personal guard who followed Zhang Huai.

The two had urgently pursued through the wind and snow all the way. Their throats had been irritated quite badly. After reining in their horses, they couldn’t speak for a moment.

The murderous intent in Xiao Li’s eyes hadn’t receded—he still looked rather frightening: “Has something happened in the camp?”

The personal guard quickly shook his head, enduring the cold air invading his lungs: “Captain Tao was making a fuss about chasing after Lady Jiang. The Military Advisor had no choice but to have me bring him to find you.”

Xiao Li looked at Tao Kui.

Tao Kui was also gasping for great breaths. His eyes were also red—unknown whether from the wind or from urgent redness.

He extended his hand to pass something to Xiao Li, his voice—whether because his breathing was uneven or not—sounding somewhat choked: “Big Sister… lied. She said the wood carving was… at home. She clearly… brought it with her…”

Xiao Li received the pouch whose cord had been gripped sweaty by him. After opening it to see clearly what was inside, apart from the murderous intent in his eyes growing heavier, for quite a while his face showed no emotional change.

“Where did you find this?” he asked.

Tao Kui’s mouth drooped, his eyes red-rimmed, looking very sad: “You all deceived A’niu. Big Sister was leaving today… that’s why you let A’niu see her…”

The personal guard quickly helped explain: “Captain Tao heard Lady Jiang had left and went to her tent. He discovered it on the table. The two peasant women who cared for Lady Jiang said Lady Jiang said she didn’t want it and left it there.”