The first day of the tenth month in the eighteenth year of Deyou was like any other day, until the moment that shattered its tranquility.

In the quiet afternoon hours, a scout burst directly into the imperial palace, still wearing his blood-stained and dust-covered armor. He knelt at the bottom of the stone steps and cried out in an almost hoarse voice: “The Tatars have invaded! Datong is in dire peril!”

Xiao Huan listened to the scout’s report in silence before finally raising his head. “Summon all officials to the palace for imperial orders, and send an urgent nine-hundred-li dispatch to call Prince Chu to the capital.”

The Tatar invasion was entirely different from the Jurchen rebellion of ten years ago. Their blood-thirsty cavalry elite, by the third day after the battle report arrived, had captured the supposedly impregnable Datong Prefecture in one swift assault. General Liu Zhen of Datong died in the line of duty, and thirty thousand soldiers fought to the death without surrender—none survived.

The capital, having lost its shield, was suddenly exposed to the iron hooves of invasion overnight.

No one had anticipated that in just a matter of days, the prosperous peaceful era would be engulfed in the flames of war, nor that the capital, stable for a hundred years, would become as precarious as eggs piled high in a single night.

By the fifth day of the tenth month, three days after the Tatar cavalry had set up their great camp outside the capital region, the entire court was already awash with talk of surrender. Those officials who had once proudly discussed matters of state while gesturing dramatically were now, while instructing their families to pack their belongings, even advocating for relocating the capital southward in retreat.

That day, in the endlessly argumentative Qianqing Palace, the former Prince Regent, wearing dust-stained white robes, ascended the white jade steps one by one. His cold voice carried a sword-like severity: “Relocate the capital? To where? Hangzhou? My lords, are you trying to imitate something? The Southern Song Dynasty’s retreat?”

The Emperor, who had been leaning against his throne with eyes closed listening quietly, only now opened his eyes and spoke coldly, as detached as ever: “Those who just spoke of relocating the capital will each receive fifty court floggings. If anyone lets me hear those two words again, they will be executed without mercy.”

Jiao Yan, almost bouncing with excitement as she related to me what she’d heard from a young palace eunuch about the court proceedings, exclaimed repeatedly: “You don’t know how impressive Prince Chu and His Majesty were! As soon as they finished speaking, in that entire great hall, there wasn’t anyone who dared even breathe!”

“Come on…” Her exaggerated description made me laugh, and I waved my hand. “If they couldn’t breathe, they’d all be dead!”

Jiao Yan smiled somewhat bashfully: “I’m just trying to describe how His Majesty and Prince Chu’s divine authority was so impressive, it scared those spineless officials so much they didn’t dare mutter another word…”

“Divine authority indeed, they’re not some kind of evil-warding divine beasts…” I laughed again and patted her shoulder. “Enough idle chat, go tell the imperial kitchen to clear away the lunch on the table and bring fresh dishes. This set has gone completely cold.”

“Oh? Not evil-warding divine beasts, then what are we?” A voice filled with amusement came from behind. That person’s voice was clear and beautiful like jade chimes, just as it had been in years past. “I wonder if there’s a portion for me in this fresh lunch being brought?”

I hurriedly turned around. Behind the smiling Xiao Huan stood a person in pure white robes, his pale gray eyes curved in mirth as he smiled brilliantly: “Cangcang, long time no see.”

“Xiao Qianqing…” I stood up from my chair, smiling softly. “Long time no see.”

The smile in those pale gray eyes grew deeper as he moved past Xiao Huan in front of him, grabbed my arm, and then leaned in to tightly embrace my shoulders: “I’ve missed you so much, Cangcang.”

Being squeezed until I could barely breathe, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes: “Thank you for missing me, but it’s been less than a year since we last met, you don’t need to hug me quite so tight…”

Releasing his hold to look at me, Xiao Qianqing lightly pressed his lips together, smiling until his phoenix eyes narrowed: “But a year is still a very long time…”

Looking up at him as well, I smiled: “You have a point, a year isn’t short…”

In all these years, it was rare to go nearly half a year without seeing Xiao Qianqing.

That year, Xiao Qianqing had thrown the affairs of state to Xiao Huan and fled back to his fief without a word, as if afraid of being made to manage things again.

However, firstly, Xiao Huan had never officially issued an imperial edict revoking Xiao Qianqing’s regency responsibilities; secondly, Xiao Qianqing seemed to have never taken Emperor Taizong’s law prohibiting feudal princes from leaving their fiefs without permission seriously, so he would openly return to the forbidden palace every now and then, staying for ten days to half a month at a time, treating it like his own prince’s mansion.

“Alright, enough chatter,” I smiled as I spoke to Xiao Qianqing, pulling both his and Xiao Huan’s sleeves. “You must both be tired! Come eat quickly! Otherwise, these dishes will have to go back to the kitchen to be remade again!”

They both smiled, allowing me to pull them to the table.

Because it had been so long since we’d seen each other, we chatted casually with Xiao Qianqing as the three of us sat down to eat together.

After finishing the meal, before the first post-meal tea could even be poured, the children had somehow already learned of Xiao Qianqing’s return to the palace and came running over in a swarm, calling “Uncle Qing” “Uncle Qing” non-stop.

Picking up little Xie and placing her on his knee, Xiao Qianqing smiled charmingly: “Little Xie… did you miss Uncle Qing? Did you dream about Uncle Qing?”

That wild girl Little Xie was also very happy, hugging his neck and giggling: “I did dream of you! Besides Father, Little Xie likes Uncle Qing the most!”

While the two of them were having fun, Lian and Yan also gathered around laughing foolishly, and Xiao Qianqing just bent down and unceremoniously pulled Lian over, using both hands to squeeze Lian’s little face.

“Hey hey!” I couldn’t stand watching anymore and quickly said, “Don’t tease my daughter while bullying my son at the same time!”

Xiao Qianqing didn’t release his hands from squeezing Lian’s cheeks, sighing deeply: “I can’t help it, who told Little Lian to look so much like his father? When I see him, I just want to bully him…”

What kind of logic was that? I couldn’t help but roll my eyes again, only able to watch as Xiao Qianqing quite maliciously squeezed little Lian until he made whimpering sounds, and then looked quite satisfied as he laughed heartily along with Little Xie and Little Yan.

One Xiao Qianqing plus three children, though noisy… they did seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

I loved to play but rarely had time to romp around with the children, and Xiao Huan was naturally fond of peace, his health not being very good. Even though the children adored their father deeply, they always remained quiet and well-behaved in his presence, afraid of disturbing him. It was Xiao Qianqing who would always run wild with them, and whenever the four of them got together, the back palace could no longer know peace…

After playing with the children for a while, Xiao Qianqing stopped and took out three jade hook-shaped ornaments from his robes, one for each child, patting their heads: “These are gifts from Uncle Qing, wear them around your necks, and if you lose them you’ll get spanked…”

Receiving the gifts Xiao Qianqing distributed to them, the three children all curiously examined the patterns on the jade ornaments.

I was too far away and could only vaguely see dragon scale-like patterns on the jade hooks. Xiao Huan, who had been quietly smiling at us from the side all this time, suddenly spoke up, his tone unexpectedly deep: “Qianqing, what did you give them?”

“The Kui dragon pendant of the Azure Dragon branch clan leader just cut into three pieces, that’s all.” Without even looking at Xiao Huan, Xiao Qianqing spoke flatly, as if what he mentioned wasn’t the jade pendant of the Azure Dragon branch clan leader, whose status in the Xiao family was second only to the Vermilion Bird branch clan leader.

My heart went cold, and before I could speak, Xiao Huan had already said: “Qianqing, you want to go to battle this time?”

“If I don’t go, then will you?” Letting out a light snort, Xiao Qianqing looked up at Xiao Huan, “With your current state of having lost your martial arts?”

Xiao Qianqing didn’t mince words. Eight years ago, when Xiao Huan fought against the Lingbi Sect at Tianshan, he used medicine to remove the cold poison in his body. After that, his internal energy was no longer suppressed by the cold qi and could be used at will, but at the same time, its backlash doubled on his body. Later, Chen Luomo, to save Xiao Huan, poured all of his nearly twenty years of cultivated yin-cold internal energy into Xiao Huan’s meridians, finally suppressing Xiao Huan’s extreme yang internal energy. In doing so, however, it also meant destroying Xiao Huan’s martial abilities. So now Xiao Huan had long since lost his internal energy, and Wang Feng had been put away unused for many years.

Looking at Xiao Qianqing’s slight smile, Xiao Huan didn’t speak again. But the three children, hearing Xiao Qianqing’s words, all fell silent at the same time, turning their heads to look expectantly at Xiao Huan. Little Xie especially hesitated for a moment, climbing down from Xiao Qianqing’s lap and walking over to tug at Xiao Huan’s clothes, somewhat timidly saying: “Father, your health isn’t good, please don’t go to the border to fight, alright?” Then she looked back at Xiao Qianqing, showing a troubled expression on her face, “Little Xie doesn’t want Uncle Qing to go either, can Uncle Qing not go too?”

Involuntarily following Little Xie’s gaze to look at Xiao Qianqing, my heart seemed to stall, and I found myself unable to speak.

Letting out a light “heh” of laughter, Xiao Qianqing propped his chin up and raised one eyebrow: “What is Little Xie afraid of? Just a few Tatar barbarians, your Uncle Qing doesn’t even take them seriously. You just wait obediently at home, and when I return triumphant, Uncle Qing will bring back Tatar blood-sweating horses for you to ride.”

At the mention of blood-sweating horses, Little Xie’s eyes immediately lit up: “Really blood-sweating horses? The kind that sweeps red sweat?”

“Yes,” Xiao Qianqing smiled and reached out, this time grabbing both Lian and Yan’s cheeks, one in each hand, squeezing while saying, “You two take good care of your sister, and when I come back there will be horses for you too!”

Hearing him speak so lightly of it, the expressions on the three children’s faces also relaxed, and gradually they began to laugh and play again.

Taking advantage of the moment when Little Xie released Xiao Huan’s clothes to run to Xiao Qianqing, I reached out and held Xiao Huan’s hand under the table.

He gently squeezed my hand back, his hand dry and steady, his palm carrying a faint warmth.

Turning my head, I met his gentle gaze directly. He smiled softly at me without speaking.

In the face of a national crisis, even Xiao Qianqing put aside his playfulness with the children. After sending the three little troublemakers away in the afternoon, the Hall of Mental Cultivation once again became a place where important ministers came and went.

Fortunately, there wasn’t anything important at Phoenix Coming Pavilion, so I stayed in the palace for the afternoon. Although I couldn’t go into the inner chamber to listen to their discussions of state affairs, I could still help the somewhat dizzy Feng Wufu in the outer chamber.

The evening dragged on until nearly the hour of xu before all the court officials finally withdrew. When I entered the warm chamber, I saw only Xiao Huan and Xiao Qianqing sitting on the soft couch in the thin mist of accumulated incense smoke, both with their heads lowered and hands supporting their foreheads.

Sighing, I walked over: “Should we go out to eat, or have the evening meal set up here?”

Seeing me enter, Xiao Qianqing tilted his head back to look at me with a smile: “Set it up in here, it’s troublesome to move about.”

I walked over to the soft couch, and only then did Xiao Huan raise his head to smile at me: “Cangcang.”

From the moment I entered, I felt something was off about his complexion. I walked to his side and reached out: “Brother Xiao…”

Before I could finish speaking, he had already lowered his head, pressing his chest as he coughed lightly.

Quickly supporting him, I became somewhat flustered: “Brother Xiao, how are you? Is your chest very painful?”

On the other side of the soft couch, Xiao Qianqing’s expression also changed slightly, his body leaning slightly toward us, followed by a frown and light snort: “Already can’t handle this much! Quite delicate.”

Supporting my arm, Xiao Huan raised his head with a smile and shook it: “Just a bit tired, it’s nothing.”

Last time when it had gotten so severe at the end, in his words it was also just “a bit tired.”

Frowning and stamping my foot, in the end, I could only say: “Do you have any appetite? Shall I help you inside to rest first?”

Probably seeing me being too careful, Xiao Qianqing let out a “hmph”: “Need help walking, do you? Should we carry him in?”

Not sure what he was being sour about, I turned back somewhat amused: “He’s too heavy for me to carry, why don’t you carry him?”

Caught off guard, Xiao Qianqing’s face reddened slightly, and he “hmph-ed” again turning his face away: “My hands are slippery, he’s too heavy for me to carry too!”

“Mm…” Xiao Huan spoke up, smiling, “I’m not that heavy, am I…”

Without thinking, Xiao Qianqing immediately shot back: “Don’t tell me you want me to carry you?” Only after speaking did he realize something was off, and pressed his lips together, his jade-like face half flushed red.

Rarely seeing Xiao Qianqing so embarrassed, while still supporting Xiao Huan, I burst out laughing “Haha,” and Xiao Huan also lowered his head, obviously coughing twice lightly to cover up his amusement.

Although they had joked around, Xiao Huan didn’t go rest first, but he barely ate anything during the evening meal. Originally, Xiao Qianqing and he seemed to plan to discuss something after dinner, but after finishing the meal, Xiao Qianqing stood up and said, “I’ll go rest first.” Then he walked out the door without a sideways glance.

Not even having time to offer to see him off, I could only turn back to look at Xiao Huan: “Are you tired? Do you want to bathe and change clothes?”

He sat on the couch, tilting his head back slightly to look at me, smiling and shaking his head: “It’s nothing, I just felt a bit weary earlier.”

Watching him wrinkle his nose, I let out a light snort: “Your words are too unreliable, I don’t believe you!” While speaking, I walked over, sat beside him, and hugged his body.

Without realizing it, my arms used great force, embracing him very tightly, as if… if I didn’t hold him, I would never be able to hold him again.

I was selfish. When I heard that the Tatars had captured Datong, what I thought about wasn’t the national crisis or the displaced common people, but what would Xiao Huan do?

Everyone else could flee. Even if the imperial guard was broken and the capital fell, others could still escape, go into exile, or simply surrender to the Tatars. Only he couldn’t.

The realm of Great Wu only existed where its Son of Heaven was, and the Son of Heaven of Great Wu could only be in the capital. Either hold this national gate or perish with the nation – there was no third path to walk.

Suddenly I hated not having kept him in the jianghu. Xiao Yunzong or Bai Chifan of the jianghu had been brilliant and capable of anything – even if forced to Tianshan, if he hadn’t sought death, even the entire force of the Lingbi Sect couldn’t have touched him. But as the Emperor of Great Wu, this position carried too many burdens, this position was too high… so high it was almost empty without foundation…

At that moment, I was so anxious and timid, so unlike myself.

“Brother Xiao…” Burying my head deeply in his sleeve, I heard my voice had an unmistakable tremor, “I’m afraid…”

“Cangcang…” My cheeks were held by his hands with their faint warmth, still looking at me so gently, his eyes carrying the same mild smile as always, “It’s alright, just trust me.” He paused, then smiled again, “The capital will not fall. I won’t let it fall.”

These were words no one had dared to say since the Tatars broke through the passes. In just a few short days, people’s hearts had already scattered. Besides Xiao Qianqing’s resounding questioning in court this morning, no one had dared to say such words, to say the Tatars would be defeated, that the capital would not fall.

Staring at him blankly, I took a deep breath, then raised my head.

What was I doing? Like those cowards in court, being scared witless before even seeing the Tatars’ war horses… like a worthless, weak woman who only knew how to cry while holding her husband when disaster came!

Raising my eyebrows, hugging him even tighter, I raised my voice: “Who says I’m afraid of the Tatars? Cut down those barbarians one by one, two by two! I’m just worried my male consort is too delicate, afraid someone might accidentally hurt him!”

He frowned slightly, but finally couldn’t help laughing: “First weak and frail, now delicate… between you and Qianqing, do I even seem like a man anymore…”

“You’re just a male consort who lives off his wife at home!” I retorted without mercy, baring my teeth at him.

He was provoked into light coughing, laughing even harder.

It was just scattered coughing, and he slept steadily all night, but who knew that by the next morning, Xiao Huan couldn’t get out of bed?

In the early morning, waking up as usual, he no longer had the strength to rise. Looking at Xiao Qianqing who had rushed over after hearing the news, he smiled apologetically: “Sorry, Qianqing, I’m afraid you’ll have to handle court matters.”

Letting out a light snort through his nose, standing with arms crossed, Xiao Qianqing’s expression wasn’t good as he flung his sleeve saying: “If you’re sick and weak then don’t try to act strong! Don’t worry, Great Wu won’t fall just because you’re gone!” After speaking he turned and left.

Watching his back, lacking its usual leisure and almost seeming puffed up with anger, though worried, I still couldn’t help smiling, sitting by the bed and holding Xiao Huan’s hand against my cheek.

Yang Tai had just been here, this strict and proper physician so different from Li Mingshang. After moving his fingers from Xiao Huan’s pulse points, he gave the same diagnosis as when Xiao Huan had fainted before: over-exhaustion, needs careful recuperation.

Hearing this diagnosis again, I didn’t know what to feel in my heart. I surprisingly didn’t get angry and scold Yang Tai, just watched Jiao Yan see him out, then continued sitting beside Xiao Huan.

Only when the faint warmth from his palm reached my cheek did I look up to smile at him: “Don’t mind his harsh words, Xiao Qianqing cares about you a lot… He’s so particular about his appearance, but when he rushed over just now, he hadn’t even properly done up his hair…”

He laughed lightly: “Qianqing has been stubborn since he was little… but it’s not so bad…”

All along, I’d always felt there was something awkward between Xiao Huan and Xiao Qianqing, but I’d never asked about their childhood, so I smiled and said: “You seem to know him quite well, when did you first meet?”

He smiled again: “That… probably in the eleventh year of Delun? When Qianqing was four years old.”

This startled me: “That early?”

“It’s not really that early,” he smiled, “At that time Third Uncle hadn’t yet been enfeoffed to Chu territory, his prince’s mansion was in the capital, but Qianqing wasn’t brought to court until he was four, so that’s when we first met.”

“I see.” Remembering that history, I nodded.

Back then, although Xiao Qianqing’s father Xiao Danyan was Emperor Jingzong’s own son and the blood brother of Emperors Yingzong and Ruizong, both the previous court and inner palace were quite cold toward this third prince.

So Xiao Qianqing’s father Xiao Danyan left the palace at sixteen to live in the prince’s mansion in the capital, was enfeoffed to Chu territory at twenty-five, and after that until his death when Xiao Qianqing inherited the title of Prince of Chu, never returned to the capital.

So although Xiao Qianqing was already the second generation Prince of Chu, he was actually Xiao Huan’s first cousin. This was also an important reason why many old ministers supported Xiao Qianqing for emperor during Empress Dowager Liu’s palace coup in the ninth year of Deyou – he was indeed the royal family member whose bloodline was closest to both the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird branches of the Xiao clan at that time.

Xiao Qianqing was born to a dancing girl in Xiao Danyan’s household when he was sixteen, and when they left the capital for Chu territory, he must have been about nine years old.

Thinking of it this way, he had many opportunities to spend time with Xiao Huan when they were young.

“Eh? What did Xiao Qianqing call you back then?” Thinking about it made me smile and ask Xiao Huan, “It wasn’t ‘Your Highness the Crown Prince’ was it?”

“Back then…” Xiao Huan smiled, “Qianqing always called me Royal Brother Huan.”

“Ah? He did? Did he chase after you calling ‘Royal Brother’ constantly?” I laughed. When Xiao Qianqing first met Xiao Huan again, every other word was “Your Majesty” in a sarcastic, cold tone, and later at most he would say “my royal brother” in front of me, still facing him with cold disdain. It was hard to imagine there was a time when he would call Xiao Huan “Royal Brother Huan.”

Laughing lightly, Xiao Huan surprisingly didn’t shake his head, slightly furrowing his brow before smiling: “He didn’t chase after me quite that intensely…”

Speaking casually with me, no trace of fatigue showed on his face, and the smile at the corners of his lips remained gentle and mild, yet in the soft daylight his complexion was so pale it seemed almost transparent.

“Brother Xiao.” Pressing his hand tightly against my face, I looked up at him, wanting to smile, but in the end couldn’t lift the corners of my mouth. I was selfish. “Brother Xiao, I’m glad you can rest.”

Never mind the fierce Tatar cavalry outside the city, never mind the endlessly chattering ministers at court, never mind whatever new military opportunities arose, never mind the land being fought over inch by inch in bloody battles.

As long as he was willing, when tired, to temporarily set everything aside and rest a bit, that was enough.

His gentle voice was unchanged, carrying a smile as he looked at me: “Cangcang, I’ve made you worry.”

Before the Tatar army approached Juyong Pass, the last barrier before the capital, on the morning of the eighth day of the tenth month in the eighteenth year of Deyou, standing beside the imperial throne in Qianqing Palace, Chief Eunuch Feng Wufu of the Imperial Ceremonial Office read out the edict in his hands word by word: The Emperor would personally lead the army, and Prince Chu would remain in the capital as regent.

“Good!” In the warm chamber of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, throwing the imperial yellow silk edict to the ground with a “pa” sound, Xiao Qianqing smiled coldly: “Even able to fake illness! Our Emperor’s methods are truly brilliant!”

The room had already been cleared of people, leaving only silence. I could only smile and walk over to pick up the scroll: “Xiao Qianqing, if you want to lose your temper then lose your temper, why throw things?”

Still smiling coldly, Xiao Qianqing ignored my deliberate attempt to change the subject, suddenly smiling: “Good, since His Majesty is so brilliant in his strategies, please forgive this humble servant’s stupidity, I cannot be of service. This servant takes his leave…”

“Xiao Qianqing!” I hurriedly called out again. For him to even say such words, it seemed Xiao Qianqing was truly deeply angered this time.

“Qianqing,” Xiao Huan, who had been silent until now, raised his head to look at Xiao Qianqing, “If it weren’t necessary, I wouldn’t do this.”

Meeting his gaze, Xiao Qianqing narrowed his eyes and smiled coldly again: “Necessary means deliberately feigning illness, pushing state affairs to me, and then suddenly issuing an edict to personally lead the army?”

“Please stay at court, Qianqing,” still looking into Xiao Qianqing’s eyes, Xiao Huan paused, “Lian is still young.”

The pale gray eyes narrowed then widened, and Xiao Qianqing gave another cold laugh, turning to leave: “I’m not here to raise your son for you!”

Knowing that Xiao Qianqing saying this meant he wouldn’t leave, this time I didn’t call out to stop him. Watching his figure walk out the hall doors, I smiled, put the imperial edict on the table, walked to Xiao Huan’s side, and held his hand: “You played this flesh and bone strategy well. I never thought there’d be a day when Xiao Qianqing could be fooled.”

He laughed softly, raising his hand to caress my cheek: “Cangcang… sorry for making you worry these days.”

“It’s alright,” I sighed, looking up at his face, “I’m used to you falling ill at the drop of a hat anyway, and I guessed you’d run off to fight yourself…”

That edict about personally leading the army was drafted right under my nose. These past few days, I’d watch him casually writing and drawing with a brush while resting in bed, but never went over to see what he was writing.

His spirits had been quite good these few days. Although he claimed to be ill and resting in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he went to bed and rose early each day, even having the leisure to play chess with Lian while reclining on the soft couch… if Xiao Qianqing had found time to look in on the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he probably would have discovered he’d been deceived much earlier.

Given Xiao Huan’s personality, if he didn’t have other plans, even if he couldn’t get out of bed, with such a powerful enemy at the borders, he probably would have still desperately clung to state affairs without letting go.

Wartime required simplicity in all things. The imperial edict was issued on the eighth day of the tenth month, and on the ninth, the imperial procession and palace guard would leave through Xuanwu Gate for the front lines.

On the morning of the ninth, I was sitting in a chair in the hall of Yishui Court.

“This month’s income from the thirty-eight pawnshops in Jiangsu is…” Muyan stopped speaking and waved the account book in front of my eyes, “…are you listening?”

Taking back my gaze from the window, I nodded: “I heard. Business at the pawnshops, grain shops, cloth shops, and gambling houses in all areas is much worse than last month. The banks have had a lot of silver withdrawn because, with the war, common people are busy gathering their valuables and preparing to flee…”

Muyan sighed helplessly: “I’m not telling you about the reduced income, I’m telling you how much money we can take out to support the court and comfort the people…”

I nodded: “In times of national crisis, we indeed need to do something.” After speaking, I blanked for a moment, not knowing what else to say.

Su Qian waved her hand: “I think we should just do what needs to be done, and skip over you entirely.”

Muyan was glad to hear this and immediately stood up nodding: “Then I’ll have people calculate the specifics, and bring the exact figures back for you all to see.”

Knowing that my distraction had delayed official business, I smiled apologetically at Muyan: “I’m sorry, this will trouble you.”

Muyan raised an eyebrow: “Since when did you become so polite?” She didn’t say anything more to me, bustling out the door.

Su Qian remained, lifting her teacup for a sip, speaking mildly: “I didn’t expect you wouldn’t go with him.”

I smiled, still turning to look out the window: “I have other things to do too, I can’t spend all day following behind him.”

My mind flashed back to this morning’s scene – no different from usual mornings, rising together, washing up together, having breakfast together. I placed a kiss on the corner of his lips, then smiled and bid him farewell, coming to Phoenix Coming Pavilion.

The capital was in danger, facing a great enemy. As the Master of Phoenix Coming Pavilion, I had a responsibility at this time to stand up and give all disciples confidence.

“You can let go?” After a moment of silence, giving me a faint glance, Su Qian spoke.

“I have other things I must do,” pulling back my gaze, I smiled at her, “I can’t leave.”

Looking at me, Su Qian suddenly turned her head and sighed lightly: “At a time like this still making no demands… Sometimes I envy Master Bai’s indulgence of you… It’s not like an emperor toward his empress…”

That’s one way to put it. Any empress worthy of being called virtuous should stand beside the emperor at such times, supporting him, sharing his worries, and resolving his difficulties in her capacity as both mother of the nation and wife.

“Brother Xiao doesn’t need that.” After a pause, I smiled, “Maybe this sounds irresponsible, but Brother Xiao isn’t someone who needs someone by his side supporting him all the time. When he goes to do something, being alone is better.

“Besides, I’ve never loved him as an empress,” I said smiling, turning my head back to gaze at the golden ginkgo tree outside the window, “And he’s never loved me as an emperor. Things like ‘you’re my empress, so you should do this and that,’ or even ‘now that you’re my empress, you’re only my empress, no longer any other identity’… Brother Xiao would never say such things, much less think them.”

Taking a light breath, I smiled: “That’s why he’s worth it… Su Qian, worth sometimes almost forgetting who I am for his sake, and still having no regrets.”

Silently lowering her head, after a long while, Su Qian finally sighed lightly and rose from her chair: “Enough, as a hall master of Phoenix Coming Pavilion, for me to urge our own pavilion master to abandon the disciples in time of crisis and run off to find her man, that’s a bit unseemly.” She nodded to me, “Even though you’re distracted to the point of uselessness, I’m glad you can stay at the pavilion at this time.”

Is that supposed to be praise? Why don’t I hear any praise in there… this woman doesn’t miss any chance to mock me.

Smiling helplessly as I looked at her, I nodded: “Thank you for your approval…”

Before the words could fall, suddenly from outside the window came a “boom” sound, followed by what seemed like increasingly loud, deafening sounds, continuous and unending, even making the floorboards beneath our feet seem to tremble. It was the hundred and eight ceremonial cannons, respectfully sending off the imperial procession’s departure.

When the long ceremonial cannon fire finally stopped, Su Qian lowered her head, looking at me with a faint lift of her lips: “It’s noon, the imperial army has departed.”

“Mm.” I nodded and smiled at her.

Su Qian smiled, walked down the steps, crossed the courtyard, and disappeared into the distance.

Raising my hand to pat my cheeks, clearing my mind a bit, my gaze still fell on the steps. There lay a thin scattering of fallen leaves, shaped like little fans, golden in color, fallen from the ginkgo tree outside the gate.

The autumn mood had deepened imperceptibly at some point.

On the first day of the tenth month in the eighteenth year of Deyou, the Tatar prince Esen, using the pretext that Great Wu had reduced tribute horses and rewards to the Tatars, led his forces to attack Datong Prefecture. On the third day of the tenth month, Datong fell. On the fourth, Esen’s army of two hundred thousand made a direct advance, pressing toward Juyong Pass, with the capital in imminent danger.

On the fifth day of the tenth month, Prince Chu, urgently recalled to the capital, rebuked the assembled ministers, strongly advocating resistance, and mobilized two hundred and twenty thousand troops from the capital region’s garrison and feudal princes’ forces to strictly defend the capital.

On the eighth day of the tenth month, Esen launched a major offensive on the capital with twenty thousand troops on the eastern route, one hundred thousand on the central route, and fifty thousand on the western route, through Gubeikou, Juyong Pass, and Zijing Pass. That same day, Emperor Deyou issued an edict appointing Prince Chu as regent and personally led the elite troops of the three palace guard camps into battle.

On the tenth day of the tenth month, the imperial army reached Juyong Pass. That day, the army’s vanguard encountered the Tatar central route army below the pass, fighting fiercely for a day, annihilating several thousand enemies, dampening the Tatars’ aggressive spirit.

On the fourteenth day of the tenth month, after three days of deadlock with the western route army, the gates of Zijing Pass opened wide, and Dragon Guard General Ling Jueding led five thousand elite cavalry into battle. In this battle, Great Wu suffered over three thousand casualties but annihilated over ten thousand enemies and killed the enemy general Ala. The Tatar Western route army was routed.

On the sixteenth day of the tenth month, Esen called for battle before Juyong Pass. Emperor Deyou personally went to the city wall and shot an arrow from afar, striking Esen’s helmet directly. Esen was furious and attacked that day with all his forces, but after long fighting, neither side prevailed.

On the [blank] day of the tenth month, Great Wu’s vassal state Jin came to the rescue with eighty thousand iron cavalry, with the Jin Great Khan Ku Mo’er personally leading the army.

On the twentieth day of the tenth month, the Jin army reached Juyong Pass, and Esen led his forces to retreat and hold Datong, refusing to come out.

In the following days, both sides engaged in several battles with victories and defeats on both sides, reaching a stalemate.

Battle reports arrived day after day, and with the successive victories of the imperial army, the anxious atmosphere in the capital gradually dissipated. On the streets that were beginning to bustle again, the peace and tranquility of former days slowly returned.

As usual, I spent mornings in the palace with the children and afternoons working at Phoenix Coming Pavilion, days passing busily.

Another afternoon, sitting in Phoenix Coming Pavilion, I found myself unconsciously staring out the window at the ginkgo tree for who knows how many times, brush in hand, when suddenly my hand was empty – little Xie, who I had brought along for the afternoon, had stretched up on tiptoe to lean on the table and snatched away my vermilion brush.

Puffing out her cheeks, the little girl stared at me quite angrily: “Mother! I’m talking to you, but you’re not listening at all!”

Coming back to my senses, I hurriedly turned to apologize to the little girl: “I’m sorry, Mother was thinking about things. What did little Xie just say to Mother? Could you say it again?”

Looking at me angrily, little Xie’s eyes suddenly reddened: “Mother is the worst!” She threw down my brush and ran away.

“Little Xie?” I quickly got up to chase after her. Before departing, naturally, we had kept Xiao Huan’s intention to personally lead the army secret from the children. Lian and Yan were fine, but on the day Xiao Huan left, what we feared most was little Xie making a scene, so early in the morning I had Feng Wufu secretly take them to Phoenix Coming Pavilion. We had painstakingly kept it secret during the day, and thankfully even the noon cannon fire hadn’t alerted them, but when evening came and they didn’t see me taking them back to the palace or Xiao Huan coming to Phoenix Coming Pavilion to fetch them, little Xie immediately sensed something was wrong. At that time she burst into loud crying with a “waa,” leaving Feng Wufu running in circles trying to console her, but still unable to calm her. Even more dramatic was how this girl seemed to hold a grudge against me, coldly ignoring me these past few days, and not even paying much attention to Feng Wufu who had always been close to her.

The little girl ran fast, and after a few turns, I surprisingly couldn’t catch up.

Although I knew there was no danger within Phoenix Coming Pavilion, I still felt anxious: “Little Xie!”

I called out as I turned past the doorway, then stopped in my tracks, staring ahead somewhat dazedly.

Little Xie had already stopped, and a familiar figure in a brown robe had bent down to pick her up.

Raising his head to look at me, that familiar face wore a warm smile: “Wild girl…”

“Brother…” Still calling out in a daze, I quickly walked over: “Brother… are you alright?”

Still clearly covered in dust from travel, Brother had come directly from the battlefield. A few days ago when the capital was in dire straits, with almost no capable generals left at court, Brother had rushed back overnight from Southern Yunnan, not stopping for a moment in the capital before heading straight to Zijing Pass. The day after he arrived at the pass, the gates of Zijing Pass opened wide, and with the Dragon Guard General’s bloody battle, the situation was set for Esen’s three-pronged attack to crumble.

Carefully examining every inch of Brother’s face and body, my eyes gradually began to swell.

Smiling, Brother used one large hand to gently pinch Little Xie’s cheek: “Why is precious Little Xie crying like this? Tell Uncle, did Mother bully you again?”

“Brother…” Stepping forward, I stretched out my arms and hugged Brother, not minding that Little Xie was still between us, “It’s so good you could come back… it’s so good you could come back…”

“Wild girl…” Calling out with slight surprise, Brother immediately burst into hearty laughter, “Your brother is the ever-victorious general who just made the Tatars throw down their armor and flee, not some defeated commander running back from death’s door…”

“Who says you’re a defeated commander running back from death’s door?” Releasing my hold, I looked up at Brother, “If you’d run back after losing a battle, who would hug you? I’d laugh you to death, you useless general!”

Unable to help to laugh out loud, Brother raised his hand, pressed it on top of my head, and rubbed hard: “Don’t worry, wild girl,” he paused, then smiled, “I’ve already returned safely.”

The tears I’d been holding back for so long finally slid down my cheeks, and I wiped them with my finger: “I wasn’t worried about you, you reckless boy!”

Laughing heartily, Brother nodded: “I know you weren’t worried about me now, alright?”

“I wasn’t worried!” Stubbornly maintaining my position to the end… I glared.

“Uncle…” Little Xie, still in Brother’s arms, called out twice, then suddenly pouted, the crystal tears not yet dry on her face, “Father left…” Before she could finish speaking, she burst into loud crying again.

Although Brother hadn’t spent as much time with the children as Xiao Qianqing, these years he would return to the capital to see the children whenever he had time, often bringing them unusual little trinkets. The three little ones would always be extremely excited to see their uncle, and their relationship with him was very close.

This time after Xiao Huan left, Little Xie constantly seemed deeply wronged. With the war situation urgent and Xiao Qianqing alone holding down the capital, he couldn’t spare time to comfort her. Now seeing her uncle, this little girl probably needed to cry out all her pent-up grievances.

Brother and I hurriedly comforted and coaxed Little Xie together, with Brother repeatedly promising that since Uncle could return safe and sound, Father would definitely return well too, and only then did Little Xie’s crying become less intense.

Finally, with great difficulty, the little girl cried herself tired and fell asleep in Brother’s arms, hiccupping occasionally. After carefully laying her down in the inner chamber of the warm pavilion and covering her with a blanket, Brother and I withdrew.

Sitting down in the outer hall and taking a sip of the freshly brewed tea, Brother looked at me and spoke: “Wild girl, that Esen is no simple matter.”

Brother spoke with such gravity that my heart tightened: “In what way is he not simple?”

Looking at me again, Brother shook his head slightly: “I’m not entirely clear either, but the day I arrived at Zijing Pass, the scout camp happened to capture a soldier who had been lurking below the city. Under severe torture, they learned that Ala planned to secretly lead troops around through a mountain path to the other side of the pass the next night, then attack from both sides. If we hadn’t gotten this information and preemptively opened the city for a decisive battle the next day, it would be hard to say whether Zijing Pass could have been held.”

Zijing Pass was the last barrier on the western side of the capital. If Esen’s army could break through Zijing Pass, it would mean Tatar cavalry at the city walls, and just then the most elite imperial guards had been taken by Xiao Huan to the central front line, leaving the capital in grave danger.

Breaking out in a cold sweat of retrospective fear, I quickly asked: “What do you mean?”

“I think that to be able to devise such a strategy, Esen can’t be the reckless prince without wisdom that rumors claim.” Brother paused briefly as he spoke, “And this small path outside Zijing Pass that connects to the trail behind the pass, besides local villagers who regularly go up the mountain to cut firewood, even the old garrison troops who had been stationed at Zijing Pass for over ten years didn’t know about it. I fear Esen’s attack on the capital this time was planned for far more than just a year or two…” He paused again, contemplating, “But if it wasn’t premeditated…”

“If it wasn’t premeditated, then it means Esen has inside help in Great Wu…” I continued, clenching my hands.

“Also,” Brother spoke again, looking at me, “That day when we badly defeated Ala, I saw someone in his camp who knew martial arts, with techniques not from any Central Plains martial arts school.” Brother frowned as he spoke, “I exchanged less than three moves with him, but I’m certain his skills would be considered first-rate in the Central Plains martial world.”

I unconsciously gripped my hands tightly as I stood up until Brother called out: “Cangcang?”

Coming back to my senses and turning to look at Brother, I slowly released the breath I’d been holding in my chest since earlier, forcing a smile: “I’m fine, just surprised to hear that the Tatars also have martial arts masters.”

“Cangcang,” calling my name, Brother paused, sighing slightly, “Never mind, wild girl, if you really want to go to his side, then go…”

“Hmm?” All these years, even with frequent contact, Brother’s attitude toward Xiao Huan hadn’t changed at all, cold disdain being the norm, so I hadn’t expected Brother to actively suggest I go find Xiao Huan. I smiled, “Brother, you’re telling me to go find Brother Xiao?”

Brother snorted coldly: “Even if not for your sake, it has to be for Little Xie and Lian and Yan’s sake. Who made it so my precious niece and nephews are crying for their father?”

“So it’s the little rascals who have more face.” I laughed, loosening my hands that had grown cold with sweat, and nodded, “I see the pavilion doesn’t have much going on these days, so I’ll find time to go to the front lines.”

Brother nodded: “Take some people with you, be careful on the road.”

I smiled and nodded in agreement.

Going to his side… I didn’t have enough self-control after all.

I’d said I completely trusted him, said I wouldn’t lose my composure over every little disturbance, yet at the first moment of knowing he might be in danger, I couldn’t control the impulse to go to his side.

Once taut nerves begin to relax, they become impossible to control again. Even Su Qian immediately noticed my distraction, giving me a cold glance and saying that since my heart was elsewhere while my body was here, I might as well leave quickly.

There were still two matters that needed to be properly handed over. After making up my mind, I immediately worked to pass them to Muyan, hurrying to set the departure time for the next day.

However, I hadn’t expected that on the very evening after meeting Brother, things would develop completely unexpectedly.

It was nearly the hour of hai, and Su Qian and I were leaving the council hall together to return to our rooms after discussing matters.

Just as our feet stepped out of the council hall, a flash of cold light suddenly attacked from a dark corner, followed by a black figure leaping out.

The hidden weapon in my hand immediately flew out, while Su Qian’s short knife met with a series of attacks quick as lightning.

After a moment’s shock, I also quickly reacted, [omitted character] drawing my weapon, swiftly loading a round of bullets, and firing a shot. The black-clothed person fighting with Su Qian was hit in the waist and staggered back several steps.

“Cangcang!” Su Qian, facing me, suddenly changed expression and shouted.

I instinctively turned around, but only saw that cold flash of attacking light already before my eyes.

The killing intent pierced my skin. Never had I been so close to death.

Yet the slashing blade suddenly stopped. In the lamplight, those pale golden eyes behind the blade flickered for a moment, but only for an instant. In the next moment, he quickly spoke a sentence, then withdrew his blade, his body leaping backward, the nimble black figure swiftly disappearing into the night.

My skin seemed to still retain that cold killing intent from moments ago as I stood stunned in place.

“Master!” Su Qian extraordinarily addressed me by title, her voice urgent: “Hey! Are you alright?”

My eyes still fixed on the direction where that person had disappeared, I shook my head.

“When people call you to respond!” After letting out a breath of relief, Su Qian showed some anger: “Scaring people to death! You know that!”

Not looking at her, I tried to speak, but found my throat completely hoarse: “He was Esen.”

Su Qian didn’t understand at first: “What?”

“That person in black, he was Esen.” I repeated, turning to look at her, “The Tatar prince, Esen.”

Her cold, beautiful face gradually showed signs of shock and doubt as Su Qian paused for a moment: “What… did he want to do?”

“I don’t know.” Cold sweat soaked through my heavy clothes as I shook my head, “I don’t know either.”

At that moment when time seemed to stop, the masked person in black had clearly and quickly said to me: “I am Esen, and I will take your emperor’s life.”

Touching my forehead, my mind felt as if it was being struck by countless iron hammers as I desperately tried to clear my thoughts: “Esen said, he wants Brother Xiao…”

Suddenly raising my head, I looked at Su Qian, my voice clear: “I need to go to the front lines, now.”