Wild winds raged, and dark clouds smothered the peak of Tianning Mountain.

Chen Baoxiang had Li Bingsheng on her back and Li Bingsheng’s hand in hers, and was running swiftly in the direction of the cave.

Everyone was in a wretched state. Rouyi had completely lost her composure and was shrieking at the top of her lungs: “How dare you! How dare you abduct the royal person!”

Li Bingsheng pulled her hand free and stuffed a silk ribbon into Rouyi’s mouth.

Li Rouyi was dumbfounded. She stared in bewilderment, tears welling up in her eyes, on the verge of crying.

“No wonder he was willing to sacrifice you in exchange for taking me down with him.” Li Bingsheng ran and berated her in the same breath. “Useless fool — even with death at the door, you can’t read the situation.”

The imperial tents had been guarded so rigorously, and yet bandits had managed to break in during the night and hack their way to the front of the Grand Princess’s tent.

Rouyi’s tent had been pitched right next to the Grand Princess’s. If the Grand Princess were to “die at the hands of bandits,” then Li Rouyi would inevitably perish as well — only then could the incident be staged as an “accident,” beyond the suspicion of the realm.

The new Emperor had gambled his own daughter’s life against hers in a desperate, cornered move. He had truly revealed his vicious nature at last.

Li Bingsheng looked ahead.

When the crisis had erupted, even her own personal guards had momentarily panicked — but Chen Baoxiang had reacted faster than anyone. She had scooped up Rouyi and announced that she would cover their retreat.

She had even presence of mind enough to realize that Rouyi had to be saved as well. And she had been thoroughly familiar with the route, swiftly and efficiently escorting both of them into a mountain cave.

Inside the cave, there was already a fire burning.

Her personal guards surged in behind them. Li Bingsheng slowly settled herself onto a boulder and, belatedly, cast a glance at Chen Baoxiang.

Chen Baoxiang caught her breath, then suddenly clasped her hands in salute. “Your Highness, this subordinate has something to report.”

“Speak.”

“This subordinate once served several years of corvée labor under Cheng Huaili.” She spoke with frank directness. “This subordinate has been to Tianning Mountain before.”

“Oh?” Li Bingsheng considered for a moment. “Was it when you came here with General Cheng’s forces to suppress the bandits?”

“No.” Chen Baoxiang shook her head. “It was on General Cheng’s orders that I came here and served as one of his bandits for two years.”

Li Bingsheng sat up straight.

When Li Shu had returned to the capital to ascend the throne, he had been ambushed by bandits on Tianningshan Mountain. Court officials had found much to criticize in the matter — many believed it was the work of advisors in her camp, given that the bandits had been extraordinarily numerous, their assault ferocious, and they had shown complete disregard for the imperial flag.

Had it not been for Cheng Huaili’s protection, Li Shu might well have died on Tianning Mountain.

And now this woman was saying that those bandits had all been Cheng Huaili’s people?

“Our group numbered three hundred and twenty-seven in total — men and women, old and young, most of them seized from nearby villages. Those above us said that if we went to Tianning Mountain and held out for two years, the remaining years of our corvée obligation would be remitted.”

Chen Baoxiang continued.

“And so we set out at the start of spring in the sixth year of the Chongde reign, arriving on Tianningshan Mountain around late spring. To prevent being routed by the authorities prematurely, we also constructed defensive fortifications and all manner of traps on the mountain.”

“According to what Cheng’an told us, we needed only to put up some resistance when General Cheng returned to the capital and then retreat in surrender, and we would be able to return home to our families.”

“But when the day actually came, they drove all of us into a pit on the western mountainside. Cheng Huaili personally drew his bow and shot each one of us down in turn.”

It was done for nothing more than a display of his archery skills before the new Emperor.

Chen Baoxiang raised her hand and showed Li Bingsheng a scar on her wrist. “At the time, this subordinate was lying in that pit, shielded by the bodies of several women who had traveled with us. By sheer fortune, I was struck by only this one arrow.”

Li Bingsheng looked on, her expression grave.

She had lived through a great deal, and her trust in people was shallow. No flattering words could dispel her suspicion — least of all from someone as thoroughly prepared as Chen Baoxiang, who had appeared out of nowhere like divine reinforcements. It was difficult to say whether this was genuine loyal devotion or a premeditated scheme.

But the words Chen Baoxiang had just spoken were too sincere — more sincere than anything she had said before.

“Your Highness.” Her voice trembled in something close to desperate entreaty. “This subordinate wishes to avenge them.”

Nothing in this world was more real than rage born of life and death.

Li Bingsheng listened to it all, deliberated for a moment, and nodded. “This princess believes you. But the situation as it stands has this princess at a disadvantage.”

“Bandits” swarmed every corner of the mountain, while her personal guards numbered fewer than three hundred. She had already sent an emergency signal to her troops at the foot of the mountain, but there was no telling when reinforcements would arrive.

Chen Baoxiang clasped her hands in salute, and her long eyes lifted. “This subordinate is willing to cut a bloody path for Your Highness.”

“This princess has only these soldiers — she cannot give you much assistance.” Li Bingsheng produced a command token. “Only this. Do you dare accept it?”

Under ordinary circumstances, this Grand Princess’s command token could mobilize five thousand Imperial Guards. But in the present situation, its use was severely limited — and might very well get the token’s holder killed along with everyone else.

Yet this was still the best opportunity available.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Chen Baoxiang accepted the token with both hands and clasped them in salute. “This subordinate will not fail Your Highness’s trust.”

And with that, she ran out of the cave alone.

“Your Highness?” The attending official watched her receding figure, a trace of uncertainty in his expression.

Li Bingsheng waved her hand. “If she cannot manage it, this princess loses nothing.”

But if she truly could — that would be a most welcome surprise.

Chen Baoxiang moved quickly, taking the command token up the mountain to seek reinforcements.

The “bandits” on the other side were all dressed in criminal garb. By rights, the Imperial Guards and the Ninth Battalion ought to have assisted in suppressing them — but right now, every last one of them stood idle. Even when Chen Baoxiang presented the token, they said only: “We must wait for orders from above.”

As expected, there was no going through official channels.

Chen Baoxiang thought for a moment, then climbed to a high point and blew a long whistle.

The long, drawn-out signal echoed across the mountain. In the Ninth Battalion camp, which had been utterly still, certain soldiers suddenly began to stir.

“Where are you going?” Their unit commanders scolded sharply.

Those soldiers ran without looking back, calling out only: “Orders came from above — we’re going to suppress the bandits!”

A great rushing throng of people poured out, and a good number of military officers from the Bureau who hadn’t fully grasped the situation followed along with them. The unit commanders couldn’t stop them, and could only watch helplessly as they surged toward Chen Baoxiang’s position.

Cheng Huaili heard the commotion and gazed down from higher up the mountain, narrowing his eyes at the figure standing on a rocky outcrop below. “Who is that?”

Cheng’an shook his head. “I don’t know — probably some reckless fool from the patrol camp. This subordinate will lead men to teach them a lesson.”

Amid the lush green of the mountain, the young woman stretched her arms wide to both sides. In the blink of an eye, she had assembled over eight hundred people. Even then she didn’t rush to move, but first shouted out to them at the top of her voice. The distance was too great for the words to carry clearly, but with every sentence she said, the rest responded with a resounding shout.

In no time at all, the formation was orderly. She took the lead and marched westward — her receding figure bold and graceful, full of youthful vigor.

Cheng Huaili watched with cold indifference and felt she was nothing remarkable — but then he gripped his severed leg, and his eyes filled with bitter resentment.

If he hadn’t been injured. If he could still take up a spear and mount a horse — what impudent nobody would ever have such an opportunity to swagger about?

Even so, he was confident this woman wouldn’t be able to make much of a fuss. The “bandits” were endless in number; those who fell would be replaced. These eight hundred-odd people were nothing but walking to their deaths. He couldn’t even be bothered to watch further.

The new Emperor shared this view.

As long as the troops at the foot of the mountain were cut off, Li Bingsheng was a turtle in a jar — a fish in a tank. One only needed to reach out and crush her.

And so all attention and effort were concentrated on dealing with the reinforcements closing in from all directions.

But as they dealt with them and dealt with them, a herald suddenly came to report: “The patrol camp has displayed remarkable valor — they have killed over a thousand bandits and captured more than a hundred alive. Both sides are currently at a standoff near the western mountainside, with the patrol camp still holding the advantage.”

Li Shu’s fingers, turning prayer beads, came to a stop.

He looked up with a faint smile. “Oh? Such a modest little patrol camp — how impressively capable.”

“In reply to Your Majesty — the patrol camp arrived with two thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven men in total. Of these, five hundred responded to the summons and went to suppress the bandits. Additionally, three hundred officers from the Bureau of Military Justice, for reasons unknown, also joined them.”

In other words, just eight hundred soldiers had killed a thousand of his people, and captured survivors as well.

“Your Majesty.” Cheng Huaili wheeled himself in. “This minister respectfully requests permission for Cheng’an to lead a unit. He is more familiar with the terrain of Tianningshan Mountain.”

“Granted.” Li Shu waved his hand. “Go at once and assist in suppressing the bandits.”

“As Your Majesty commands.”

Li Shu gazed outward and said suddenly: “Should this endeavor fail…”

“Your Majesty need not worry — they are going willingly to their deaths.” Cheng Huaili inclined his head. “And even those who are unwilling will be made willing in the end.”

“Amitabha.” Li Shu pressed his palms together, and shook his head with an expression of compassion. “What a transgression. Truly, what a transgression.”

Distant and faint from the mountain came the sound of battle cries shaking the sky.

One hour later, a herald reported again: “A unit of three hundred officers from the Bureau has been encircled in a narrow mountain pass. The bandits are attacking from both flanks in a pincer formation, and the situation has become one of being cornered in a dead end.”

But half an hour after that, a follow-up report came: “Another unit from the patrol camp broke through and arrived, killing two hundred of the encircling bandits in turn.”

Li Shu opened his eyes.

His smile was gone. His brow and eyes sank into cold severity. “Who is commanding the patrol camp?”

The herald clasped his hands. “Someone named Chen Baoxiang. Her arms are as strong as iron, and her fists like millstones. She knows how to exploit the terrain with feints, and knows how to inspire the troops’ fighting spirit. With only two hundred men behind her, she has driven the bandits back step by step.”

Chen Baoxiang?

Li Shu asked: “And Cheng’an?”

The herald glanced nervously to the side and said in a small voice: “He has been driven to the area near the Heavenly Ravine.”