Pei Yuan saw Zhao Bai prostrate on the official road behind them. He intended to attack Zhao Bai again, but as more and more Azure Cloud Guards arrived and protected Zhao Bai and A’Yin, and having already been injured in his earlier clash with Xiao Li, he feared that continuing to fight would gain him nothing.
Seeing in the distance that the cavalry led by Chen Wei was also heading toward this mountain bend, and even farther away on the official road winding through the mountain forests, the “Xiao” character banner was visible, he suddenly felt that searing pain of crushed bones in his entire left arm again. Knowing this was not a place to linger, he quickly said to Pei Song: “Master, the allied forces besieging Luodu have also caught up. Let’s withdraw!”
Seeing that Pei Song made no sound, he added: “Master, do not disappoint Master Gongsun’s painstaking efforts!”
Pei Song’s eyes, red enough to weep blood, slowly turned toward the “Chen” character banner raised on the distant official road and the far-off “Xiao” character banner. As if he had completely severed all ties with the past, he finally spat out one word: “Withdraw.”
The scouts quickly brought horses and escorted Pei Song as they galloped away.
Zhao Bai was helped up from the ground by the Azure Cloud Guards. Looking at the direction in which Pei Song and his scouts were fleeing, she spat out blood foam from between her teeth with hatred: “Pursue!”
The Azure Cloud Guard beside her knew she was seeing red from being provoked by Jiang Yichu’s death. Supporting Zhao Bai, he said: “Commander, you must not. If that dog of a traitor realizes we’re stalling for time waiting for reinforcements to arrive, once he’s cornered, I fear he’ll desperately seize the young County Princess as a hostage!”
Zhao Bai looked at A’Yin, who was being held in an Azure Cloud Guard’s arms but crying her heart out, constantly beating and struggling against the Azure Cloud Guard holding her, her face flushed red as she tried to go to the cliff edge. Zhao Bai’s heart suddenly ached sharply.
The arrow wound in her abdomen that had been driven deeper during the tumbling made even standing difficult for her now. She knew her subordinate was right—once she held up Pei Song, if his scouts fought desperately with nothing to lose, she might not be able to protect A’Yin completely.
The guilt and hatred in her heart reached their peak at this moment. Zhao Bai gritted her teeth and swallowed all the blood foam, closing her eyes in anguish.
When A’Yin cried until she was nearly breathless, her hands indiscriminately grabbing the hair of the Azure Cloud Guard holding her, Zhao Bai endured the intense pain in her abdomen and half-knelt down, taking A’Yin from that Azure Cloud Guard. With reddened eyes, she said: “This servant is incompetent and failed to save the Heir’s Consort.”
Zhao Bai had once been a martial maid given by Wen Heng to Jiang Yichu. A’Yin recognized her.
She had cried for too long and her voice was hoarse. Only when she lay in Zhao Bai’s embrace did she stop that heart-wrenching wailing, choking out: “Aunt Zhao, I want Mother…”
The redness in Zhao Bai’s eyes intensified. She said: “This servant will personally lead people down the cliff to search for the Heir’s Consort.”
—
A month later, the battle report from the Luodu campaign was delivered to the Chen Kingdom.
Yang Baolin sat on an embroidered stool beside the desk, holding the letter report. After reading it, her face showed joy as she said to Wen Yu: “Congratulations, Princess. The Luodu campaign was a great victory. However, that scoundrel Pei Song is cunning—before the city fell, he fled westward with a group of trusted followers. Currently, General Fan Yuan and that Lord Xiao from the Northern Territory are leading troops in separate pursuits to hunt down that traitor Pei Song.”
The war between the Chen Kingdom and Xiling was also intensifying. Recently, there were memorials for Wen Yu to handle as numerous as ox hairs. To save time, many letter reports were first reviewed by Yang Baolin or other female officials trusted by Wen Yu, who would summarize them for Wen Yu, and Wen Yu would make the decisions.
When her gaze moved to the latter half of the letter report, the joy on her face froze. She hesitantly raised her eyes to look at Wen Yu, who was behind the desk holding a vermillion brush and reviewing memorials.
Sensing her abnormality, Wen Yu somewhat wearily raised her hand to press her brow, then looked up and asked: “Why have you stopped reading?”
Yang Baolin’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the battle report: “The Crown Prince’s Consort was taken hostage by Pei Song during his escape. After falling from a cliff, her fate remains unknown.”
When Wen Yu went to the Southern Chen Kingdom for the marriage alliance, the Chen Kingdom had posthumously honored her father as Emperor, and her elder brother had also been posthumously honored as Crown Prince.
Since Jiang Yichu had always been held captive by Pei Song, Zhao Bai and the others still habitually called Jiang Yichu “Heir’s Consort,” but when Li Xun and others drafted battle reports, they needed to follow protocol and call Jiang Yichu “Crown Prince’s Consort.”
Hearing these words, Wen Yu’s fingers pressing her temple couldn’t help but stiffen. The vermillion brush in her other hand dropped red ink on the memorial, but she paid no attention. She rose urgently: “Bring me the battle report to see.”
Tongque, who stood beside Wen Yu serving tea, also changed expression upon hearing this terrible news. She moved closer to look at the battle report together.
Yang Baolin quickly handed over the report in her hands.
Wen Yu took it, her gaze scanning through the ant-like characters, finally locking onto the line “Crown Prince’s Consort fell from cliff, search to date has yielded no results.” She stared at it for a long time.
Despite trying hard to restrain herself, her eye sockets still slowly filled with redness.
Tongque, worried for her, called softly with reddened eyes: “Princess…”
Wen Yu put down the battle report, supporting herself on the desk with her hands. She closed her eyes and took two breaths, desperately suppressing the sourness in her heart before saying with rare firmness: “Sister-in-law will surely be blessed by heaven. Send more people to search.”
Tongque and Yang Baolin exchanged glances, understanding that although Jiang Yichu was not blood-related to Wen Yu, she had long been an existence far surpassing blood relations.
Even if there was no possibility of Jiang Yichu surviving the cliff fall, as long as her remains were not found for even one day, Wen Yu would firmly believe—even if deceiving herself—that Jiang Yichu was still alive and would continue sending people to search.
Neither of them said anything more. Tongque clasped her fists and responded with “Yes.”
After Tongque withdrew, Yang Baolin looked at Wen Yu’s appearance of forcing herself to remain composed with closed eyes. Heartbroken, she urged: “Princess, these past days you’ve been constantly handling urgent reports sent from the Western Territory. You’ve hardly had a good night’s sleep. If you continue like this, even someone made of iron would not be able to endure. Why don’t you rest today…”
“Military affairs are urgent. These memorials all relate to the lives of our frontline soldiers. They cannot be delayed.” Wen Yu’s voice was hoarse.
When she raised her eyes, they still held redness, but the pain within had been forcefully suppressed.
Yang Baolin knew that Wen Yu bore a heavy burden on her shoulders. After sighing inwardly, she swallowed the words of further persuasion that were on her lips.
She picked up a letter report to read. When reporting to Wen Yu, her expression became hesitant once again: “The peace negotiation letter you sent to the Northern Territory’s Xiao camp—because that Lord Xiao has been pursuing and hunting Pei Song westward all along, he has not yet replied to us.”
On the surface, the war in Liang territory seemed to have concluded victoriously, but now the Northern and Southern territories were showing signs of standing in confrontation. Whether the subsequent battles would continue still depended on whether that Lord Xiao from the Northern Territory would accept Wen Yu’s peace negotiation and enfeoffment.
The situation in Liang territory also indirectly affected the battle situation on the Chen Kingdom’s western border.
After all, if Liang territory was unified, Wen Yu could truly combine the forces of both nations to deal with Xiling, and then Xiling’s incursions would no longer be a threat.
But if that Lord Xiao intended to contend for dominion over the realm, the Northern and Southern territories of Liang would need to continue bitter warfare, and supporting the Chen Kingdom’s side would become even more difficult.
Setting aside all personal feelings, no one dared to gamble on that ambition with the world within reach.
Though they had just finished reading the victorious report from Luodu, Yang Baolin suddenly felt that nothing had gone smoothly today. After saying those words, she hardly dared to look at Wen Yu’s expression.
After enduring the difficult wait for a long time without hearing Wen Yu speak, when she raised her eyes to look at Wen Yu again, she saw that Wen Yu’s long lashes were lowered, still focusing intently on reviewing the memorial in her hands, as if completely unaffected by what she had just said.
Only after that memorial was finished did she ask: “How are the arrangements for sending invitations to A’Li’s hundred-day celebration to the various tribes?”
Yang Baolin knew that Wen Yu sending people to the various tribes with invitations was false—building on the foundation of goodwill established through a year of trade relations with those tribes to win them over, making them subordinate to the Chen Kingdom to jointly deal with Xiling, was the truth.
Wen Yu had already made two-handed preparations when she wrote the peace negotiation letter to send to the Xiao camp.
Yang Baolin couldn’t describe what she felt in her heart at this moment. She felt somewhat sad for Wen Yu, yet also felt that if it really came to the point of military confrontation, perhaps it would be quite good for Wen Yu to walk forward alone in the future. She said: “Master Sikong Wei, Master Fang Mingda, and the other officials have already departed.”
—
Great Liang, Western Frontier.
Atop the towering mountain peaks reaching the clouds, the accumulated snow never melted year-round.
Xiao Li guided his horse through the water, followed by a group of personal guards on horseback. The original sound of flowing water mixed with the sound of horse hooves treading water, creating a noisy din.
On both sides of the riverbank, the wilderness grass was green and wildflowers bloomed abundantly.
Zhao Youcai rode his horse following behind Xiao Li, his grinning teeth hardly ever retracting: “I truly never thought that after parting at Pingzhou, I’d be able to see the Gene… Lord Marquis again. Every time I heard from General Fan that Master Li had gone north again to see you on a diplomatic mission, I hoped you’d return to the Southern Territory. Fortunately, I’ve finally gotten to see you this time…”
Perhaps finding Zhao Youcai noisy, Xiao Li interrupted him and asked: “How do you know the Western Frontier language?”
After entering the Western Frontier, due to the extremely high elevation and especially complex terrain here, although it was already warm spring, the temperature difference between day and night was still extreme. The Southern Territory Liang army led by Fan Yuan—overnight, large numbers fell ill from altitude sickness.
The Wolf Cavalry led by Xiao Li, because the Northern Territory climate was also perpetually cold, had relatively fewer soldiers falling ill.
To avoid delaying the pursuit of Pei Song, after consultation, both sides decided that Fan Yuan would lead the Liang army to guard the outer perimeter of the Western Frontier while Xiao Li led the Wolf Cavalry to continue deep pursuit of Pei Song.
However, this was also Xiao Li’s first time entering Western Frontier territory. Many tribes here that had submitted to Great Liang early on still used their own tribal languages, so they needed to find a guide to lead the way and an interpreter to translate.
By chance, when Xiao Li left Pingzhou, Zhao Youcai, who had been recommended to Fan Yuan’s side through a letter of recommendation, understood the Western Frontier language. Fan Yuan, thinking that he had originally been one of Xiao Li’s men, sent him over.
Zhao Youcai scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said: “This humble one is not originally from Xinzhou. This humble one’s mother was a Western Frontier person, and this humble one’s father was a laborer exiled to Tiger Gorge Pass. After this humble one’s father died of illness, this humble one’s mother remarried as arranged by her family. This humble one felt it was rather boring staying in the Western Frontier, so he wanted to go see the homeland that this humble one’s father spoke of until his death. So at fifteen, this humble one followed a merchant caravan going south to Xinzhou.”
Zheng Hu had found Zhao Youcai’s smooth-talking manner somewhat disagreeable throughout this journey. Hearing him speak of his background, his prejudice against him decreased considerably. He said: “Didn’t expect you, kid, also had it rough. Since you used to follow my second brother too, from now on, Brother Hu’s got your back!”
As he spoke, he pointed at himself with his thumb.
Zhao Youcai immediately began flattering Zheng Hu: “Oh my, this humble one is truly blessed by three lifetimes…”
Xiao Li listened to Zhao Youcai’s complimentary words but said nothing more.
Having already forded the wide, shallow river, the accompanying guide suddenly dismounted, knelt on the ground, and bowed toward the distant snow mountains that spread out like two wings of a great bird.
Seeing this, Zhao Youcai also symbolically bowed from his horse toward those twin-winged mountains.
Zheng Hu couldn’t help asking: “What is he worshipping?”
Zhao Youcai said: “It’s a Western Frontier tradition. When reaching the foot of the divine mountains, one must pay respects.”
Zheng Hu didn’t understand: “Divine mountains?”
Xiao Li also looked toward Zhao Youcai.
Below, the guide was still murmuring prayers and kowtowing in worship, very devoutly.
Zhao Youcai explained: “The Western Frontier people call those two mountains the Father Divine Mountain and Mother Divine Mountain. On our Great Liang maps, they’re called the North Jiashi Mountain Range and South Jiashi Mountain Range. The North Jiashi Mountain Range rises from this place and extends continuously northward into the Northern Territory. The Yanle Mountains in the Northern Territory are also part of the North Jiashi Mountain Range. The South Jiashi Mountain Range extends from this place southwest all the way to Hundred Blade Pass. Once in the Western Frontier, to exit, one can only go through Tiger Gorge Pass between the two divine mountains. Western Frontier people also call this place Divine Valley Pass.”
“I heard that back when the Western Frontier was willing to submit to the Central Plains, it was because the two divine mountains joined with the easternmost Qiling Mountains to surround the entire Central Plains land. The Western Frontier ancestors believed that Central Plains people were also protected by the divine mountains, sharing the grace of the father and mother divine mountains with them—thus they were brothers. So they ceased warfare and accepted the Central Plains emperor’s enfeoffment.”
Zheng Hu stammered for a long time, only managing to squeeze out: “Because of two mountains, they became friendly with the Central Plains—these Western Frontier people are quite straightforward…”
While speaking, the old man who had been kneeling and bowing had finished worshipping the divine mountains and was looking back at Xiao Li’s group.
Zheng Hu looked at Zhao Youcai: “What’s he mean?”
Zhao Youcai made a gesture of pressing palms together in worship, saying to Xiao Li: “That… Lord Marquis, you all just bow casually like this. The old man thinks that bringing strangers into the divine mountains—after worshipping the divine mountains, they won’t blame us but will bestow blessings instead. If you have any wishes, you can also make them to the divine mountains.”
Following local customs, Xiao Li said nothing more. From horseback, he pressed his palms together and bowed toward the distant twin-winged snow mountains.
Zheng Hu and others behind him also followed suit and bowed. Zheng Hu even muttered: “Then may the divine mountains bless us to catch that traitor Pei Song soon…”
—
Under the same sky where snow peaks were visible, Pei Song, wrapped in a felt scarf and dressed no differently from the local Western Frontier people, stood in the queue exiting through the gate. Looking at the Tiger Gorge Pass tower flying the “Yang” character banner in the distance, a self-mocking smile crossed his pale face: “It’s truly been many years since I’ve seen such a sight.”
After Pei Yuan went to scout the gate entrance and returned, his expression was extremely grim: “Master, your arrest warrant and portrait are posted at the gate entrance. General Yang Shuo is also there. I’m afraid we can’t get through.”
Xiao Li was conducting a carpet-style search and siege behind them, and the Liang camp’s arrest warrant had also been delivered to Tiger Gorge Pass ahead of time.
As long as General Yang Shuo, who guarded Tiger Gorge Pass, had no intention of rebelling against Wen Yu, he would need to follow the Liang camp’s orders.
If they hid in the city, when Xiao Li conducted his carpet search from behind, they probably couldn’t hide for long.
But if they insisted on exiting, with Yang Shuo personally stationed at the gate entrance, it would be tantamount to walking into a trap.
The gray felt cloak covered most of Pei Song’s face. After coughing into his hand for a while, he spoke the name: “Yang Shuo?”
Pei Yuan nodded.
Pei Song looked at the “Yang” character banner waving in the wind. An ambiguous smile floated across his pale face—like self-mockery, yet also like deciding to follow heaven’s mandate. He said: “Then let’s try.”
Pei Yuan and the other scouts all showed strange expressions.
—
The queue exiting moved slowly forward. Pei Yuan and the scouts saw clearly that all those exiting had to submit their exit documents for inspection by minor officers, and then their faces had to be compared one by one with the portrait on the wanted poster.
When it was Pei Song’s group’s turn, the minor officer at the gate entrance routinely demanded their exit documents and had Pei Song remove his cloak hood.
Pei Yuan handed over documents seized from departing merchants. After the minor officer verified them without issue, seeing that Pei Song’s face seemed to have extensive burn scars and was completely unrecognizable, he demanded: “What happened to your face?”
Pei Yuan quickly slipped the minor officer some silver and said with an ingratiating smile: “My elder brother suffered a fire disaster years ago and was left with facial scars.”
But the minor officer didn’t accept the silver Pei Yuan offered. He shouted sternly: “Come here!”
He even tried to reach out and touch what looked like horrifying burn scars on Pei Song’s face.
Pei Yuan’s heart nearly leaped to his throat. Exchanging glances with the other scouts, they were about to force their way through when they heard a middle-aged man’s voice: “What’s going on?”
Seeing Yang Shuo approach, Pei Yuan could be said to have every hair on his body standing on end. He felt even more strongly that they wouldn’t be able to leave today. Only Pei Song remained unusually calm throughout.
“General, this man’s face is abnormal. This subordinate wishes to search thoroughly.” The minor officer reported.
Yang Shuo looked at Pei Song. Pei Song calmly met his gaze, his lips seeming to curve yet not quite curve. In his eyes, beyond self-mockery and exhaustion, only numbness remained—as if he no longer wanted to struggle against fate, merely waiting for Yang Shuo to give him a destined answer.
With just one glance, Yang Shuo’s expression changed almost imperceptibly. He gazed at Pei Song for a long time, his eyes holding forcefully suppressed heartache and many complex emotions impossible to articulate.
After a long while, he finally asked: “Where are you from?”
Pei Song answered according to the merchant document’s registered place: “From Liuzhou.”
Yang Shuo continued asking: “What’s your purpose for leaving?”
Pei Song’s lips curved: “Doing some small business.”
Yang Shuo extended his hand toward the minor officer: “Let me see the documents.”
The minor officer quickly handed over the exit documents: “This subordinate just examined them. These documents have no problems.”
Yang Shuo flipped through the documents, only continuing to ask: “When will you return home?”
Pei Song said: “Small business is difficult. I don’t know what year I’ll have surplus money to return home.”
Yang Shuo said: “The scenery beyond the pass is fine. Settling there permanently wouldn’t be bad either.”
Having finished with the documents, Yang Shuo took one final deep look at Pei Song, returned the documents to him, and instructed the minor officer: “There’s no problem. Let them exit.”
With Yang Shuo speaking, the minor officer naturally dared not obstruct further.
Pei Song gave Yang Shuo a slight nod: “Thank you, General.”
After riding their horses out of the pass for nearly a li, Pei Song finally reined in and looked back at the tower standing between the mountain ranges on both sides.
Pei Yuan had already picked up on some hidden meaning from Pei Song and Yang Shuo’s conversation at the gate. He asked: “Master, you know that Yang Shuo?”
Pei Song’s expression was unclear—whether sad or mocking: “He was someone my father personally promoted when he guarded Tiger Gorge Pass back then.”
Pei Yuan instantly understood. Yang Shuo personally guarding the gate entrance was quite likely to wait for Pei Song. For a moment, he was shocked speechless.
When he recovered, the words had already left his mouth: “Then why didn’t Master persuade him to submit? We could hold Tiger Gorge Pass and attack back to Luodu!”
Pei Song smiled with slight mockery: “Didn’t you hear him tell me to settle beyond the pass in the future and not return?”
Pei Yuan knew he had misspoken and dared not say more.
Yang Shuo clearly still wanted to be a Liang official, which was why he posted the wanted poster at the gate entrance after receiving urgent communication from the Liang camp.
Secretly releasing them through the pass was already the limit of what he could do to repay Qin Yi’s promotion and support from years past.
Pei Song looked up at the sky, gazing at that orb of sunlight as the smile at his lips widened: “No matter. This time, fate stood on my side.”
Since Heaven didn’t take his life, it meant Heaven wanted him to live!
—
Several days later, Xiao Li arrived at Tiger Gorge Pass. With Yang Shuo’s cooperation, they quickly searched the city from top to bottom, but found not a trace of the scouts.
After yet another fruitless search, Zheng Hu gulped down a bowl of tea and wiped his mouth with his bundled sleeve, saying: “Strange! Before reaching Tiger Gorge Pass, no matter how Pei Song hid, we could still find some traces of him. How is it that once we got to Tiger Gorge Pass, he and his pack of lackeys suddenly vanished as if they’d evaporated from the human world!”
After Zhao Youcai finished pouring tea for Xiao Li, he said: “Could it be they escaped beyond the pass?”
Zheng Hu waved his hand: “Impossible. The wanted poster is posted at the gate entrance, and the inspection is so strict. Unless Pei Song burrowed underground!”
Zhao Youcai said: “But doesn’t the gate entrance only inspect men exiting? Maybe Pei Song disguised himself as a woman to leave the city?”
Zheng Hu had just drunk a mouthful of newly poured tea and nearly sprayed it all out. He laughed: “That would truly be the ultimate humiliation. For Pei Song to save his life by dressing as a woman in front of all his subordinates—not a shred of dignity left?”
Zhao Youcai awkwardly scratched his head and laughed: “Brother Hu is right.”
Seeing that Xiao Li had been silently looking at the map with folded arms, Zheng Hu called: “Second brother, what are you thinking about now?”
Xiao Li continued looking at the map and said: “Send a letter to the Liang camp. Have them continue searching within Western Frontier territory while I take the Wolf Cavalry beyond the pass to investigate.”
Before parting ways with Fan Yuan, Fan Yuan had told him that before Qin Yi was recalled to Luodu, he had been responsible for guarding Tiger Gorge Pass and had made some achievements in the Western Frontier.
Wen Yu’s previous deployment meant that when Luodu was attacked from north and south, Pei Song’s route to flee west with his army was cut off. He could only flee in disarray with elite forces after the city fell.
But if he fled to the Western Frontier and used Qin Yi’s past achievements to rise again, the Chen army and Southern Territory Liang army, once they went deep into the Western Frontier, would easily fall ill from altitude sickness, and the situation could become extremely troublesome.
So they had to pursue relentlessly while victorious. Even if Tiger Gorge Pass’s defending general had submitted to Pei Song, they needed to be prepared for battle to completely cut off Pei Song’s path to rising in the Western Frontier.
This was also why he had brought the Wolf Cavalry into the frontier.
Currently, everything seemed to be developing in the best direction. Not only had Tiger Gorge Pass’s defending general not submitted to Pei Song, but due to the letter report from the Liang camp, he was helping search for Pei Song.
But after searching for over half a month, Pei Song and his trusted followers were nowhere to be found, as if… they weren’t in Tiger Gorge Pass at all.
If this was truly the case, he didn’t know whether they had used some method to deceive the inspection at the gate and exited, or whether Yang Shuo had deliberately let them through.
Continuing to waste time inside the pass wasn’t a solution. If Pei Song had truly gone beyond the pass, the longer they delayed, the slimmer the chances of finding him again. He had to go beyond the pass to look.
Hearing this, Zhao Youcai’s expression changed. He quickly said: “Lord Marquis, the terrain and climate beyond the pass are even more complex and harsh. Wouldn’t going beyond the pass be somewhat risky?”
What he really wanted to say was that given Tiger Gorge Pass’s terrain, once beyond the pass, if those inside refused to open the city gates upon their return, it would be dangerous.
Although the Liang and Xiao camps were currently allied, if Xiao Li died beyond the pass with his Wolf Cavalry, the Northern Territory’s army inside the pass would be leaderless. Wouldn’t it be much easier for Southern Liang to reclaim Northern Territory land in the future?
Though this thinking was somewhat petty-minded, Zhao Youcai himself was also a member of the Liang camp. He understood that Fan Yuan’s character had always been upright, and Wen Yu also had the bearing of a sovereign—they likely wouldn’t deign to act thus. But he feared another “poisoned arrow” incident occurring. They had to guard against all contingencies.
He was now following Xiao Li deep into the Western Frontier. Xiao Li’s safety also concerned his own life. Naturally, he was wholeheartedly planning for Xiao Li.
Xiao Li raised his eyes: “If Pei Song dares to exit with remnant troops, how could I not dare with the Wolf Cavalry?”
“This humble one doesn’t mean that…” Zhao Youcai anxiously scratched his head and ears. Looking left and right and seeing no outsiders present, he finally spoke plainly:
“This humble one thinks that not finding Pei Song and his scouts by now is already somewhat suspicious. If Pei Song and that Yang Shuo have actually secretly joined forces, luring you beyond the pass and then closing the city gates—the easily defended, hard to attack terrain makes breaking back in impossible, and outside there are only barbarian tribes—if something happens to you, Yang Shuo could then claim the Princess ordered him to do so. The Northern and Southern territories would fight again, unable to spare attention for the Western Frontier. Wouldn’t that give Pei Song the perfect opportunity to rise here?”
Hearing this, Zheng Hu also feared Xiao Li might fall into a trap. He quickly said: “Second brother, the military advisor isn’t here. We should act more cautiously!”
Xiao Li picked up the dagger placed beside the desk and wiped it. The iron, bright as a clear mirror, reflected his handsome, sharp brows and eyes. That commanding presence forged through killing, even without deliberately displaying it, suppressed people until they hardly dared raise their heads: “If Yang Shuo has truly defected to Pei Song, my taking the Wolf Cavalry beyond the pass will expose their true colors, won’t it?”
Although large numbers of Liang soldiers had fallen ill due to the climate here, after resting for some time, they could gradually adapt. It wasn’t that they could never penetrate deep into the Western Frontier.
Zhao Youcai said urgently: “Beyond the pass, your grain supplies also cannot be replenished in time. What if you encounter misfortune?”
Xiao Li seemed to smile slightly. Then came a “clang” as that brightly polished dagger was thrust by Xiao Li into the Xiling territory marked on the map: “If my warriors can kill Northern barbarians, they can also kill these Western barbarians!”
“The army will bring enough provisions for one month, sufficient to search the territory beyond the pass once through.”
—
When Xiao Li proposed going beyond the pass to search, Yang Shuo tried to dissuade him. Seeing Xiao Li insist, and given that he was currently allied with the Liang camp, and that after exiting, the advantage lay with Great Liang holding Tiger Gorge Pass, he had to agree.
After Xiao Li led the Wolf Cavalry beyond the pass, he spent several days investigating the situation and learned that the tribal kingdoms distributed beyond Tiger Gorge Pass had all submitted to Xiling in recent years. This dynasty that had rapidly risen in recent decades displayed astonishing ambition.
If not for Tiger Gorge Pass’s terrain being as easily defended and difficult to attack as Hundred Blade Pass, Xiling would probably be attacking Great Liang now rather than Southern Chen.
After continuing to search for over half a month, Xiao Li’s group still found no trace of Pei Song and his scouts. Instead, they clashed several times with surrounding tribal kingdoms.
When making camp at night, a sandstorm arose. Zheng Hu returned from outside, spitting sand from his mouth and complaining: “What kind of weather is this? Sand flying all over the sky every other day.”
He plopped down beside the fire, saying to Xiao Li: “Second brother, if you ask me, if Pei Song really ran to this place beyond the pass, even if he didn’t die at the hands of those tribal barbarians, he probably died in these occasional sandstorms. I’ve been gnawing dry rations for over half a month until my teeth ache. Why don’t we head back inside the pass?”
The wind was strong, blowing sparks everywhere.
Xiao Li crushed a walnut in one hand and tossed a piece to Zheng Hu. Somehow using clever force, both walnut shells were completely crushed while the walnut meat inside remained intact. The shells fell from his palm into the fire as his eyes reflected the firelight: “Having searched all the way here, if Pei Song hasn’t hidden in Xiling, there are only a few oases near Heng Lake where he could hide. We’ll talk after searching the oases near Heng Lake.”
Zheng Hu picked at the walnut meat and put it in his mouth. Hearing this, he looked at the map by the fire. He didn’t recognize many characters, but having followed Xiao Li for so long, he could recognize the characters for Liang, Chen, and Xiao camps, and could understand marked maps. Looking and looking, he suddenly said: “Hey, this Heng Lake—it looks not far from sister-in-law’s Chen Kingdom!”
Thinking he’d come up with a plan for the hero to save the beauty and reconcile the two, his face showed excitement: “I heard Chen Kingdom is fighting fiercely with those Xiling barbarians. Second brother, why don’t we help sister-in-law fight the Western barbarians while we’re at it?”
After finishing, he raised his head, only to see Xiao Li’s face so cold it could drip icicles, his voice cutting: “Why would I help her?”
Zheng Hu choked slightly, scratched his head, also feeling he’d come up with a terrible idea.
After all, Wen Yu and that Chen King were the legitimate married couple. When they attacked Luodu, news even spread that the two already had a daughter.
They joined with the Liang camp to ally against Pei Song because of the vengeance for Lady Xiao.
Xiling attacking Chen Kingdom—if Xiao Li helped, was he helping Chen Kingdom or Wen Yu?
He couldn’t hope that after this help, Wen Yu would divorce the Chen King and be with Xiao Li instead.
He awkwardly grabbed his hair and said “Ah”: “Sorry, second brother. You know I can’t keep my mouth shut. I just say whatever comes to mind…”
Xiao Li rose directly: “Rest. Tomorrow we continue searching for Pei Song’s whereabouts.”
After Xiao Li entered his tent, Zheng Hu very regretfully slapped himself: “That’ll teach you to talk too much, teach you to speak without thinking…”
Inside a military tent not far away, Xiao Li lay with his arm as a pillow, still wearing his clothes. His eyes, ice-cold and murderous, stared at the pitch-black tent roof, his lips pressed extremely tight.
Help her?
No.
In the past, for the sake of the allied interests between Liang and Chen Kingdoms, she had been unwilling to give up the Chen King.
Now that she already had a daughter with the Chen King, even if he went before her like a dog wagging its tail and begging for pity, she would probably only use those same high-sounding words as before—saying it was for his own good, that she clearly knew there could be no result between them, so she couldn’t continue being wrong with him and delaying him—to distance herself from him and draw a clear line!
He understood her too well.
She wanted rationality. She wanted righteousness. She wanted to be worthy of everyone.
So he, this laughable street mongrel, absurdly fantasizing about reaching for her, would forever only be pitifully cast aside by her from her lofty position.
If he couldn’t win her back through pleading, then he would seize her back!
Currently, Xiling was launching major incursions against Southern Chen, and the Liang troops within the territory were too far away to help. He could even add fuel to the fire, accelerating Chen Kingdom’s destruction!
—
Author’s Note:
Cold sickness: altitude sickness.
Interpreter: translator.
(Reiterating that this story’s worldview and geographical features are all fictional fabrications)
I don’t like spoilers, but everyone should have a pretty good understanding of the male lead’s character attributes from the preceding text.