In the year 374 of the Great Wilderness calendar, the Empress concluded her inspection tour of the six kingdoms and eight tribes, returning to Di Ge.

In March of year 374, the Empress gave birth to a daughter in Tranquil Court. Though the Empress never told anyone who the child’s father was, she granted a general amnesty throughout the realm, held grand banquets for all officials, and celebrated for three days and nights, sharing her joy with everyone while allowing no one to voice objections. When one sour-faced old minister muttered that “without proper name comes improper speech,” she immediately sent him back to his hometown. From then on, the entire court praised the little princess with auspicious words like “dragon patterns and phoenix bearing” and “celestial maiden from Jade Pool” that filled Jade Reflection Palace.

The little princess was named Yi Ying, with the pet name A Hui.

A Hui, A Hui – when will you return?

That year, the Empress convened a “husband selection” assembly, choosing a group of “husbands” who moved into Jade Reflection Palace.

In year 376, the Empress issued the “Unification Decree,” demanding central authority be concentrated in Di Ge. The six kingdoms and eight tribes were to surrender their authority over official appointments and military forces to Di Ge’s unified management, keeping only local defense forces as standing armed units.

This imperial edict was seen as the beginning of reunification after the Great Wilderness had been divided for hundreds of years. The decree first gained support from Xiang Kingdom, Yi Kingdom, Meng Kingdom, Floating Water, Tortoiseshell and other territories, including Ji Kingdom. The new Ji Kingdom queen, Ji Wen, ascended the throne in year 375 and immediately submitted a letter of loyalty to Di Ge after her coronation.

People were very surprised by the Ji Kingdom queen’s submission, as the Empress’s favor had never extended to the highland women’s kingdom. But some said it was because the Ji Kingdom queen was enamored with the new sect master of Nine Heavens Gate, and this new Heavenly Gate sect master was the former Left State Preceptor of Di Ge, who had once accompanied the Empress throughout the Great Wilderness, sharing wind and rain with extraordinary friendship.

Most people couldn’t confirm this news because Nine Heavens Gate had become even more mysterious than before. In year 373, after the former sect master and his wife died in succession, the new sect master closed the sect, dismissed many disciples, and declared he would permanently retreat to guard tombs. Nine Heavens Gate would no longer emerge into the world.

From then on he bowed his head to the boundless snow mountains, viewing all worldly loneliness. Between heaven and earth remained only that cold, solitary peak and that person’s smile, lighting every long night of flickering temple lamps.

Of course, where there was submission there was resistance. Though some tribes had their royal houses rendered powerless after the Empress’s round of “inspections,” they naturally couldn’t speak of resistance. Some defiant tribes – Liuli, Zhanyu, and Huangjin territories – paid lip service while secretly trying to negotiate conditions. The Empress’s response was – armies at their city gates.

Disagree, then fight.

Spring of year 376 saw the fall of Lower Huangjin tribe; summer saw the destruction of Zhanyu tribe; winter found the Empress watching snow in the Liuli tribal palace.

That year, between battles and inspections, the Empress again convened husband selection assemblies, choosing another batch of “talented and handsome” “husbands,” stuffing them all into Jade Reflection Palace. From then on she held magnificent husband selection assemblies every year. The chosen husbands nearly filled Jade Reflection Palace, eventually almost requiring dormitory-style housing. Gradually rumors of the Empress’s lustfulness emerged, but soon new rumors claimed the Empress actually never touched these “royal husbands.” Officials had considerable criticism about this, but by now the Empress was no longer the puppet queen of old. The forceful authority beneath her charming smiles silenced everyone.

After she forcefully suppressed all opposing voices, the six kingdoms and eight tribes showed remarkable cooperation. In year 377, the Empress again toured the realm, bringing her three-year-old daughter on a journey lasting a full year. After completing this circuit, the six kingdoms and eight tribes no longer had any autonomy.

That year, not only was there a husband selection assembly, but the Empress absurdly wanted to choose a fiancé for her three-year-old daughter, causing an uproar throughout the kingdom.

Palace rumors once circulated saying that at each husband selection assembly, the Empress would personally appear to evaluate each candidate, but afterward she would stand long into the night, caressing an exquisite box while murmuring to the empty sky: “All these years I’ve searched for you every year, all these years I’ve waited for you to emerge every year. This medicine is nearly ineffective – why won’t you come out? Why won’t you come out?”

That year, Pei Shu requested to garrison the distant frontier. The Empress granted him Tortoiseshell as his fief with the Horizontal Halberd Army as his hereditary force. Pei Shu took 200,000 Horizontal Halberd troops beyond the borders, sweeping through Pugan, Nandan and other countries, his might shaking foreign lands. The “One-Armed War God’s” reputation could stop children’s crying at night.

The War God’s figure roamed foreign battlefields, expanding territory for the Empress, but never once returned to Di Ge, eventually settling in Pugan. Some said this was because a woman who had once been at his side had lived in Pugan as a relative of Pugan royalty. Living there was another form of accompanying her.

Ten years later, the War God died in Pugan. Some said it was from years of warfare with poor self-care causing old wounds to flare; others said he was a natural eagle who would always battle wind and rain in the sky. Once the borders were pacified with no more battles to fight, the eagle would naturally age and depart.

Better to fall in a sky without opponents than grow old in a warm grass nest.

Live as legend, never mediocre.

From then on that eagle’s soul spread endless black wings, forever sheltering the Great Wilderness.

His dying wish was burial in Pugan – he wouldn’t return to Di Ge even in death. What was sent back to Di Ge was only a suit of armor he had worn his entire life, forged from Tianhuai Valley’s bright iron. After years of battlefield wind and frost, the extraordinarily brilliant bright iron bore dark stains – unclear whether rust or blood from those years of fierce battles.

Twenty years of inexhaustible heroic blood.

That day the Empress led all officials from the city, traveling ten li to welcome back the armor. From that day, Jade Reflection Palace’s lamps burned eternally for three nights.

Those three nights, the Empress first grew white hair. Those three nights, people saw her sigh deeply on the throne, long caressing a black dragon-patterned bracelet, slowly pouring wine at the steps.

Youth departing, close friends absent, raising wine in libation for heroic souls’ return.

In year 378, the Empress again decreed that the six kingdoms and eight tribes change their names, no longer called “kingdoms” and “tribes” but uniformly termed “provinces.”

This was another reform that could cause tremendous upheaval. A name change carried profound meaning – nominal independent political entities would cease to exist, and the Great Wilderness unification process advanced another step.

Countless royal family old ministers wailed in the streets, claiming the Great Wilderness would no longer be the Great Wilderness, calling the Empress the secret of the Imperial Silk Scroll’s final page – that heaven-sent Great Wilderness terminator.

The Empress paid no attention, stationing troops at Di Ge and various tribal borders with the same “obey or fight” attitude.

The six kingdoms and eight tribes dared not voice their suffering. When they were still independent they couldn’t defeat this Empress; now that the Empress controlled all national forces while they became powerless commanders, how could they stand straight in opposition?

They could only retreat another step, modifying names and abolishing the kingdom system. The negotiated result was the Empress agreeing that royal houses could still exist, honored and supported by the court with unchanged treatment, but except for the remote highland Ji Kingdom, other royal houses no longer wielded real power.

In year 379, the little princess turned six. The Empress went touring again.

This year she traveled very far, even secretly going to Pugan. In Pugan, she encountered someone at the largest temple – Long Wei seeking master teachers for guidance.

She crowded with devout believers at the door of a holy teacher reportedly able to awaken souls and replace lives, listening to Long Wei ask how to awaken someone who had slept six years with weakening breath, how to give him a second life.

When Long Wei emerged heavy-hearted, he was blocked by someone. Looking up, he saw a familiar person.

He immediately fled at top speed using his lifetime’s fastest pace, knowing that one step slower would break his vow. No one pursued from behind. Looking back, only emptiness remained, as if that person hadn’t appeared at all. On the ground lay an exquisite box.

Puzzled, he returned and opened the box. Inside were one-third of a pill and a note.

“He will ultimately return to my side.”

Three months later the Empress strolled back and suddenly announced a final screening of the royal husbands now filling the palace. Those selected would be established as royal husbands – from then on one husband, one wife, with no more expanding the harem.

When the edict was issued, officials wept with joy – His Majesty had finally seen sense, finally willing to live a normal woman’s life! Di Ge officials immediately busily prepared the selection ceremony while officials from various regions came to the capital to congratulate the Empress. The entire Great Wilderness excitedly discussed this news, awaiting the birth of the Great Wilderness’s first true royal husband in ten years.

…

That year autumn grass grew tall, swaying on the plains outside Di Ge city, then slowly trampled by countless boots. Roads to Di Ge were crowded with people, every tea house on the postal routes packed to capacity. Travelers in every tea house wore excited faces, discussing Di Ge’s upcoming husband selection ceremony, anticipating the Empress’s formal investiture of a royal husband after the grand ceremony.

Every table was fully occupied except one by the wall – one person, one table, with no one sharing.

Not because people were considerate, but because this person only showed travelers a thin back, hair like silver hanging past the waist. Such rarely seen white hair made people feel slightly chilled, inexplicably afraid to approach.

That person faced a bowl of crude tea, never touching it, only quietly gazing at the tea water as if wanting to see past and future lives in the murky liquid.

He sat from morning until evening, listening to all the coming and going people discuss topics entirely about the Empress. How the Empress toured the Great Wilderness, how the Empress governed the fourteen tribes, how the Empress reformed government systems, how the Empress unified the realm, plus the Empress’s romantic history, close friends, various quirks…

Sunlight moved from overhead to western slant as the tea house gradually emptied. The Empress’s stories had been told to exhaustion, heard to completion.

He stood up, left tea money, and walked from the tea house. His steps were very slow, as if he hadn’t walked properly for a long time, as if each step spanned ages.

Outside the tea house, mere dozens of zhang away rose Di Ge’s towering city walls. The blue-gray giant city’s shadow stretched all the way to his feet.

He raised his head, gazing transfixed at the twin flags atop the city.

One was the Empress’s distinctive crossed flag, the other white mountains and black water on heavy fabric. The founding Empress’s flag had somehow been replaced, and Di Ge’s subjects seemed not to have noticed.

Those red and white flags fluttered in the wind, occasionally wrapping together in intimate friction before reluctantly separating.

Such meetings and partings, endless cycles, like his and her path of love.

Looking up, hazily he recalled that year when he and she walked hand in hand through the city gate, a red carpet leading straight to the main road, her smiling radiantly at him from the carpet’s end.

Then again at this gate, him leading troops on horseback before the city gate, her lifting her head from beneath a worn cart. The heavy city gate slowly closed, severing that sword-like, blade-like gaze.

This city recorded his and her earliest entangled grudges. Blue-gray walls had reflected her fierce gaze, preserved her flying blade marks, and after she left, been stained with his spilled blood.

Now she surveyed the world from within this city, with all seas paying court and nations submitting.

She had achieved the utmost of her ancient vows using ten years of blood and time. By now, she should enjoy final peaceful happiness.

A faint smile bloomed at his lips as he slowly turned around.

Wanting to see her, so coming to Di Ge, coming to Di Ge to see the city, hear stories, breathe the same air she breathed – this was equivalent to seeing her.

After sleeping six years and waking but a moment, life could still scatter like a great dream at any time. Why disturb her tranquility again?

Knowing she was very well was very good, very good.

Just as he turned, something suddenly bumped his knees.

He looked down and was amazed to see what bumped him was actually a five or six-year-old little girl.

The little girl was hugging his thigh, looking up at him with curiosity. That small face had features like a painting, concentrating the world’s most vivid colors. He suddenly thought of her, wondering if she too had been so demonically beautiful in childhood, making people worry how to protect her when grown so she wouldn’t be destroyed by beauty hunters.

Those clear eyes reflected his shadow, and he suddenly trembled in his heart, as if his five organs and six viscera were simultaneously struck.

That little girl stared at him for a while. Seeing he showed no expression or movement, she suddenly pouted and began wailing loudly.

He was even more amazed, looking around seeing no one. The city gates were about to close – only people hurrying into the city with no one following this child.

The child cried on cue with full commitment, crying while wiping her face with hands covered in grass and mud, wiping while not forgetting to clearly articulate accusations: “Your kneebones are so hard, you hurt me, wuu…”

He couldn’t help falling silent again, truly having no experience dealing with children, not knowing whether to apologize for the bones in his knees.

After a long while he could only say: “Does it hurt? I’ll rub it for you.”

Having not spoken for so long, his voice was slightly hoarse. The child immediately looked up. Her gaze was so curious, so curious it made him worry again – such a curious and bold child would definitely have safety troubles in the future.

He felt somewhat puzzled – he had never liked children or worried about such trivial matters. What was wrong with him today?

Who knew that little girl, hearing this, quickly backed away shaking her head: “Mother says girls can’t let people touch them casually.”

He felt immediately relieved.

Then he heard her say: “But handsome men can touch.”

She even held up a little finger, indicating she could be touched just a tiny bit.

“…”

One big, one small stood silently facing each other in the long grass outside Di Ge city. She was still sniffling. Without thinking, he pulled out his handkerchief and handed it over. Only after she took it did he realize he’d decided not to want that handkerchief back.

She buried her small face fiercely in the handkerchief. That posture didn’t look like wiping her face but like desperately smelling his scent. Watching her, he found it somewhat amusing and suddenly thought of that lustful woman again.

“How do you come to be alone here?” After thinking a long time, this seemed the proper question – he truly had no experience conversing with children.

“Ah…” The little girl looked around blankly, her expression even more innocent than his. “How did I get here? Ah, right, my mother sold me!”

“…”

How did this child manage to make every sentence so impossible to respond to?

“Why did she sell you?” he had to ask.

It was getting late – if he was leaving he had to leave immediately. But somehow he couldn’t move his feet.

“Because my father is heartless and fickle.” Tears came immediately on demand. “He’s cold, selfish, unreasonable, likes running away. He thinks Mother and I aren’t good enough, leaves when he wants to leave, and doesn’t come back once he’s gone. Mother and I can’t survive, so Mother decided to remarry and send me to be a child bride. Wuu wuu I don’t want to be a child bride…”

He frowned listening, thinking of another heartless, fickle man who had harmed a whole family. But these accusations sounded somehow strange…

“Wuu wuu I don’t want to be a child bride… Mother says from now on I’ll be that family’s daughter-in-law. In the future I have to serve that eight-year-old who still wets his bed. When he sleeps I have to watch over him, I can only eat after he finishes, and I have to wash his clothes, cook, and bear children. If I don’t bear sons I have to keep trying…”

His face turned somewhat green – not for the accused lazy eight-year-old fat boy. What kind of mother frightened her daughter like this?

“Wuu wuu can you crouch down to listen? I’m miserable enough already, looking up like this is really tiring…” The little girl cried while pulling his clothing. He had to crouch down.

“Wuu wuu can you hold me? I’m tired and cold from crying…”

He hesitated, slowly reaching out to pull her to him. She immediately squeezed between his legs without shyness, hugging his neck. He was somewhat stiff, wanting to push her away and educate her that girls shouldn’t casually touch men. But that rich milk fragrance and sweet scent rushed into his nose, and he suddenly choked up.

She secretly peeked at him through her fingers. Seeing his expression was somewhat wrong, she immediately started crying again.

“Wuu wuu being a child bride is so hard – getting up at midnight to cut pig grass, feed pigs, carry water, cook, wash clothes…”

Could a five or six-year-old child bride do these things? Though her clothing was plain, she really didn’t seem like a farm child. Why was she full of farm life talk?

“Help me, help me, I don’t want to be a child bride…” She grabbed his clothing acting spoiled, wiping her runny nose on his sleeve corner. He gritted his teeth and endured, pretending not to see.

“How can I help you?” He stared at this little demon, considering how to pick her up and hand her to the city guards.

No need to worry about her safety – she would definitely torment the rich family’s fat son to death first. Provided any rich family dared marry her as a child bride.

“Wuu wuu help me find my father. If we find my father our family will be fine, Mother won’t sell me, and I won’t have to be a child bride at only six years old. Wuu wuu my life is so bitter…” She cried breathlessly, collapsing on him. He had to lean back, unconsciously being pushed to the ground by her. She took the opportunity to crawl pitifully onto his chest, gripping his clothing.

He lay back looking at the sky, considering whether to send her directly up the city wall.

The little girl kept crying. It was impressive how abundant her tears were – they actually soaked his clothing. That wet spot pressed against his heart, and his heart seemed to suddenly condense ice-clear dew with wisps of moisture. Faint, soft emotions suddenly arose, and he couldn’t help asking: “Where is your father then?”

She suddenly flopped down on him with a thud, her little lips touching his cheek.

His whole body stiffened.

Soft, sweet fragrance, tender, smooth skin – heavenly cloud masses, the softest fine feathers, the sweetest red bean paste honey filling, fluffily clustering at his cheek, softly clinging together.

His heart seemed scalded in an instant.

Then he heard this little demon blowing in his ear, saying softly and stickily: “It’s you.”

“…”

Even a lightning bolt wouldn’t be more blinding than this moment.

He actually went weak, his mind buzzing. He suddenly realized the surroundings had been quiet too long.

He stiffly held the small body in his arms, stiffly turning his head slowly.

Behind him, she stood at some unknown time, and behind her was actually a gold-inlaid, jade-decorated canopy bed.

The little girl’s tears disappeared instantly as she cheered and jumped up, running to her: “Mother, Mother, A Hui succeeded!”

She caught her with one hand, laughed once, saying “Thumbs up,” then turned to gaze at him.

He slowly sat up, looking at her, then at that smiling little girl looking at him.

Her, and her daughter? His child?

He suddenly felt somewhat dizzy, involuntarily closing his eyes. Whether joy or bitterness rippled through his spirit – for a moment he didn’t know what evening this was.

When the emotional tide finally receded and he opened his eyes again, the towering Di Ge city gate seemed about to topple. Moonlight shone brightly on the clean main road.

This moonlight, crossing ten years of acquaintance and six years of separation, finally fell simultaneously on both their brows.

How many years of separation’s wind and frost had whitened this night’s moon. Each saw time in the other’s eyes – a torrential moment.

Love came too urgently while time was too short – how to treasure the present?

He slowly stood up, white clothing and silver hair fluttering with the long grass.

She held her daughter tightly, meeting his gaze without avoidance. This was waiting and also declaration – crossing six years, love would no longer be allowed to separate into opposing banks.

The Milky Way’s brilliant radiance flowed – one instant seemed a thousand years.

He suddenly slowly opened his arms, welcoming her and the child.

Her tears instantly filled her eyes.

Before her swayed that year’s first meeting in Fenglai Qi’s dark room – the bronze mirror showing his cold eyes and solitary white figure. His palm pressed against her hand’s back as she heard him say so calmly and composedly in her flustered embrace:

“I allow you three escapes, Your Majesty.”

She smiled slightly, stepped back, and holding her daughter, sat on that canopy marriage bed prepared for many years.

Raising her chin, she said:

“I allow you to sleep for a lifetime, husband.”

…

(The End)