As the sun dipped low on the horizon, Ruo Wen sat meticulously cleaning the weapons that had accompanied him on his journey to power. Despite now commanding countless servants, he still insisted on personally maintaining these three cherished blades. Ge Xinwei watched him silently from the side, observing an unfamiliar look in his eyes. Beyond his usual coldness and charm, his gaze now seemed fixed on some distant point, caressing far-off memories. In that moment, he appeared utterly alone, his thoughts dwelling in a bleak and desolate place.
“Your Majesty… let me help you clean them!” Ge Xinwei offered, reaching for the spear on the table.
“Don’t touch the Chief’s belongings!” Ruo Lanfei and Wen exclaimed in unison, cutting her off.
The three women glared at each other, tension thick in the air.
Just then, Man Hu burst into the room with his usual recklessness. Despite having interrupted Ruo Wen’s intimate moments numerous times, he had never faced punishment. Among the Yellow Sky Wild Soldiers, he was closest to the Chief’s heart. Not only did Ruo Wen indulge him, but the other brothers were exceptionally tolerant as well.
“Chief!” Man Hu grinned, plopping down by the table. “I’m here for another reward! Hehe!” His eyes fell on the notched spear, his voice rising to a piercing pitch. “I’ve found your woman!”
At his words, Ruo Lanfei and Wen Ge Xinwei froze, their gazes snapping towards him.
Ruo Wen continued cleaning his weapon in silence. After a long moment, he asked, “Where?”
“Very close to Zhun City, heading towards Mizhan it seems!” Man Hu replied.
“How many?”
“Not sure, around twenty thousand! That woman’s up to something strange – our side can’t get an accurate count.”
Man Hu watched Ruo Wen carefully, surprised by his lack of excitement. “Shall we… shall we go?”
Ruo Wen kept polishing his weapon without responding. Beside him, Ge Xinwei exclaimed, “Is that even a question? Of course, we can’t go! With Tiandu and Yunpei battling in the west, we need to deploy troops. It’s too far to Mizhan now, even if they’re going for peace talks, it’s useless.”
Despite her agitation, Man Hu ignored her completely, focusing solely on the Chief, awaiting his command.
“Send fifty thousand to capture them!” Ruo Wen ordered, finishing with his spear and flashing an odd smile.
“Your Majesty!” Ge Xinwei clutched Ruo Wen’s rough, dark fist with her delicate hands. “Your Majesty, if we win that battle, everything will be yours. Don’t be hasty!”
Ruo Wen yanked his hand away, lifting her chin to look into her face. He smirked, “Asking me to be patient? Ge Xinwei, you’ve grown foolish!”
At his words, Ge Xinwei’s heart skipped a beat, her gaze suddenly vacant. Despite sharing his bed and intimacy night after night, she realized she had never truly known what kind of man he was.
Four days had passed since Empress Huangbei Shuang’s group had moved parallel to Zhun City. With another day’s hard ride, they could reach the border town of Mizhan.
“General! Troops are approaching from the west!” A scout rushed over. “They’re flying the Fengtian banner!”
Wu Jihai started. It had finally come to this. “Speed up! We must reach Mizhan and request aid!” he ordered quickly, prioritizing the Empress Dowager’s protection.
“Wait.” Empress Huangbei Shuang, seated in her carriage, pulled her fur cloak tighter against the cold. “How many have come?” she inquired.
The scout promptly replied, “Fifty thousand, moving swiftly! They’ll catch up by sundown.”
“Only fifty thousand?” Empress Huangbei Shuang gazed into the distance. “General Wu, have the soldiers move east and set up camp on that opposite dune!”
Wu Jihai hesitated, “Empress Dowager?”
Empress Huangbei Shuang stepped down from the carriage, scooping up a handful of sand to play with as she explained, “General Wu, with only fifty thousand men, this isn’t Fengtian’s main force. We must lure the main army here to complete our mission. Whether we reach Mizhan or not is irrelevant!”
Wu Jihai was astonished by her insight. She had known all along, deliberately leaving trails to be discovered.
“But, Your Highness, we only have ten thousand men. We can put up a show, but we can’t withstand fifty thousand enemy troops. If we draw in the main force, we’ll face over a hundred thousand,” Wu Jihai cautioned.
Empress Huangbei Shuang smiled, “General Wu, do you know what kind of man Ruo Wen is?” She posed an unexpected question.
Wu Jihai paused, “I’ve heard he’s extremely savage and incredibly strong in combat.”
Empress Huangbei Shuang laughed loudly, “Strong? General Wu, I once saw him behead a wild horse with his bare hands! Could you do that? I’ve heard you’re quite skilled in martial arts yourself!”
Wu Jihai was shocked. “Impossible!” He had seen many extraordinary fighters, but the idea of beheading a horse barehanded was inconceivable.
Empress Huangbei Shuang spoke coldly, “If anyone in this world could give me nightmares, it would undoubtedly be Ruo Wen! General Wu, you should have known from the start that His Majesty has already decided to sacrifice these ten thousand troops.”
Wu Jihai looked at her, “Empress Dowager!” While he didn’t fear death himself – soldiers dying for their country was the highest honor – the thought of sacrificing this beautiful, youthful empress filled him with pity.
Empress Huangbei Shuang walked alone towards the opposite dune, followed resolutely by her eight generals and three maids. Without turning back, she addressed the stunned Wu Jihai, “You are His Majesty’s man. I owe him, and I’ll repay that debt through you. No matter what, I must protect your life.”
Your Majesty, do you know…
Beneath that lonely grove of horse-untying trees,
There’s a heart waiting for you, but no place for you to wait.
What you gave me never truly belonged to me,
Yet I must return to you, bit by bit, what is rightfully yours!