Everything came without warning. The news of the Great Unity Guild’s rebellion was like hot oil, instantly exploding into crackling sparks in the rainy weather of Huihui.

Chu Qiao looked at Uncle Duoji, at this forty-something-year-old man with bloodstained shoulders, frowning as she pondered these alarming words.

“My lady, please go down the mountain. If you don’t go, Great Unity will surely be destroyed!”

Chu Qiao stared at him silently, not speaking for a long time. The news of the Great Unity Guild’s rebellion had just been reported by the Qiulan City garrison troops this morning. But immediately after, Uncle Duoji ran to tell her that Yan Xun wanted to completely eradicate the Great Unity Guild. He had already stripped Lady Yu and Master Wu of their military authority and captured Xia Zhi, Xi Rui, and other Great Unity commanders. The Great Unity base at Wang City had been reduced to ruins. Now His Majesty was pretending to summon Princess Jiaojiao’s Fire Cloud Army back, intending to eliminate the Princess as well.

Chu Qiao was unwilling to believe such words, and her reason warned her not to rashly trust uncertain rumors.

Although Yan Xun’s methods were ruthless, he was not mindless. At this time, eliminating the Great Unity Guild might still be understandable, and removing Master Wu and Lady Yu was barely acceptable, but why eliminate Jiaojiao? Jiaojiao was his sister. Although she was a believer in Great Unity and raised by them, she wouldn’t necessarily turn against her brother because of Great Unity.

“You go down the mountain first.”

“My lady!” Uncle Duoji fell to his knees with a thud, knocking his head repeatedly: “Please, save Great Unity. Now only you can save us.”

The sound of his kowtowing was so loud that in moments his forehead was streaming with blood. Chu Qiao frowned as she watched him, and finally turned away silently, walking into the house. The door closed slowly, leaving only the man’s despairing eyes gazing sadly after her.

Regarding the Great Unity Guild, Chu Qiao originally didn’t have a particularly good impression, except for Master Wu and Lady Yu, she rarely dealt with the others. She once thought they were just a group of power-hungry schemers, but later gradually discovered that wasn’t entirely true. Most Great Unity Guild members were devoted believers and warriors, similar to Mohist disciples in ancient China—skilled in warfare, knowledgeable, and kind-hearted.

Such people, if properly utilized and guided, should be able to serve great purposes. Kill them? Yan Xun wouldn’t.

Thinking this, Chu Qiao suppressed the unease in her heart and quietly waited for subsequent news.

However, things completely deviated from Chu Qiao’s expectations. Within two days, fighting erupted across the Yan Bei interior. Many guilds were surrounded by troops. The leaders of Great Unity suffered catastrophic disaster. The killing came so quickly that they hadn’t even heard a whisper of news beforehand. Everything was like a long-brewing flood, suddenly overwhelming them. No one had time to make any emergency response.

The next evening, messengers seeking help once again climbed Huihui Mountain. A group of twenty, only one made it up the mountain alive. The rider on horseback was covered in blood, with one arm barely attached to his shoulder by a bit of flesh, looking as if it could fall off at any moment.

He looked at Chu Qiao, unable to speak, only struggling with one hand to unbutton his collar. The inner garment, stained red with sweat and blood, was filthy, but one could still clearly see the slender characters written in fresh blood: “Ah Chu, help us. Zhong Yu.”

Chu Qiao was silent for a while, then bowed deeply to the cavalry soldier: “Thank you for your trouble.”

The cavalryman looked at her, expressionless, his eyes unfocused, as if he hadn’t heard.

Chu Qiao straightened up. The cold night wind blew across her slender body. She took a deep breath, then said in a deep voice: “He Xiao, prepare the horses. We’re going down the mountain!”

The cavalryman’s eyes suddenly showed a glimmer of light. Then he fell headfirst to the ground, an arrow deeply embedded in his back, piercing into his heart. No one could imagine how he had managed to climb Huihui Mountain.

Taking only twenty guards, Chu Qiao put on a cloak and raincoat and plunged into the boundless night. Cold rain continuously washed over her eyes. Ominous premonitions gradually engulfed her. She no longer wanted to think. The warhorse galloped wildly, the night was dense, and the journey seemed so distant.

Lady Yu’s three thousand guards now had fewer than a hundred left, all seriously wounded, but when they saw Chu Qiao and her people riding toward them, they still leaped up from the ground like fierce beasts, glaring at them vigilantly.

In the pouring rain, Lady Yu lay in a thatched hut. When Chu Qiao pushed open the door, she was sleeping. Seemingly hearing voices, she slowly opened her eyes. Her pale face had a bluish tinge. Seeing Chu Qiao, she didn’t seem surprised at all and smiled quietly: “You came.”

An arrow had pierced through her chest. Although it had been roughly bandaged, there was no medicine, and no one dared to pull the arrow out.

Seeing her, Duoji’s eyes reddened. Sniffling, he said: “I’ll go find Uncle Dalie.” With that, he opened the door and went out.

The room gradually quieted, leaving only two women dressed in white. Chu Qiao knelt on one knee. With her eyesight, she could naturally see at a glance how serious Lady Yu’s injury was. Swallowing the sourness in her heart, she said softly: “Lady, what happened?”

Lady Yu took a deep breath, coughed lightly twice, and a few unhealthy flushes appeared on her face.

“Changqing’s taxes were severe. The local people rebelled. Several guild leaders were involved. The matter was exposed and cannot be reversed now.”

“You were involved too?” Chu Qiao’s brow furrowed tightly as she said in a deep voice: “How could you all be so foolish? Participating in a civilian rebellion is like directly rebelling yourself! Yan Xun already distrusts Great Unity. Why were you so careless?”

“Hehe,” Lady Yu laughed lightly, her chest rising and falling slightly. Her gaze was so distant, as if looking at Chu Qiao, yet seeming to look past her to somewhere far away. She said quietly: “You haven’t seen. Changqing suffered a snowstorm last year, and this spring the pasture was poor. Livestock died in large numbers. Now in some places, they’re eating children. At this time, to take away their last bit of grain for winter is like taking their lives.”

“His Majesty is preparing for war, wanting to take Cuiwei Pass before winter, so he’s conscripting soldiers and grain. The people are all dying. I knew it would turn out this way, but I had to do it.”

Chu Qiao bit her lip, her nose sour, tightly holding Lady Yu’s hand, unable to speak.

“Ah Chu, you’re a good child, just living too hard a life. I hope you understand that in this world, not everything can proceed according to your wishes. Many times, even if we try our best, we may not necessarily get what we want. You’re still so young, with good times ahead waiting for you.”

Lady Yu smiled gently, the crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes like a gentle breeze, enveloping the two clear pools in her eyes. Her voice seemed to float from the ninth heaven. Chu Qiao knelt on the dry grass, her hand covering Lady Yu’s chest. Fresh blood flowed out silently, staining Chu Qiao’s pure white robe red. She bit her lower lip hard, tears welling in her eyes, lips pressed tight, her face pale with grief.

“Lady Yu, hold on. Duoji went to find a doctor.”

“It’s no use…”

Lady Yu shook her head slightly, her face like snow on a mountain peak, her thin shoulders and arms ice-cold. She lifted her head, her gaze toward the dilapidated roof. Outside, the wind howled, the rain poured, and she seemed to recall many things in a daze. In the final moment of life, time flew rapidly before her eyes. In an instant, she seemed to return to fifteen years ago, on Wolong Mountain. The red maples of lovesickness, falling petals in profusion. She stood in the maple forest of early autumn, watching that figure in blue robes with flowing black hair like ink.

She seemed to still remember the sunshine of that time, warming her shoulders, like a mother’s gentle hand. On a stone table nearby was an ancient zither, a few maple leaves fallen upon it. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows, leaving flickering halos. He turned back from among the sea of red maples, his smile gentle, his gaze like water, looking at her softly, reaching out his hand to her, saying tenderly: “Ah Yu, why are you up so early?”

No one ever knew that she actually didn’t like so-called political arts, didn’t like military strategy and tactics. From a young age, she had hoped to have a home, to learn needlework and poetry like ordinary women, to marry a considerate husband when grown up, to pick flowers in spring, to listen to rain on cold nights, to live a peaceful, uneventful life. Things like saving the world or controlling destinies were never her dream.

However, he had great ambitions and aspirations. He cared for all people and couldn’t bear the various injustices in the world. He went up the mountain to study only to learn the dragon-slaying skills to save the world and help people. So, he studied military strategy, and she delved into political arts. He learned practical industries, she researched commercial ways. He learned to perceive the voice of the people, she studied how to please superiors. He treated people generously, she managed subordinates strictly. She studied military secrets and political calculations day and night, only so that one day she could follow in his footsteps and advance and retreat together with him.

Master understood worldly affairs and discerned her thoughts at a glance. Not only did he not stop her, but he imparted everything he knew. Only when she left the mountain did he secretly place a letter in her luggage. She discovered it much later, and when opened, it contained only one character: “obsession.”

In the blink of an eye, fifteen years passed. She had spent a lifetime in military affairs, working diligently, and experiencing countless life-and-death situations. Fortunately, he had always been by her side. Whether outside was stormy rain or frost and snow, they always stood together. As time passed and great changes occurred, everything in the world changed appearance. For power, fathers and sons became enemies, relatives turned against each other, and lovers betrayed. Only they remained unchanged in their original intentions, steadfast in their beliefs, without the slightest wavering.

However, some words hidden in the heart were never spoken. For over a decade, they had gathered and separated like this. She always felt there would be opportunities later. Days passed one by one, they were busy, they were hurrying, they were persistent for the dreams in their hearts. Yet they never thought that perhaps one day, there really would be no more chances. Those words that never had the chance to be spoken, those feelings deeply suppressed for nearly twenty years, those gentle and tranquil emotions like early spring countryside paths, finally, forever lost the opportunity to be expressed.

“I know my time has come.”

She let out a light breath and said in a low voice: “I always thought this day would come, just didn’t expect it would be so soon.”

A gentle, mild face suddenly appeared blurrily before her eyes. Lady Yu smiled lightly, the blood from her wound flowing like a meandering stream, seeping through the cloth, slowly spilling out. She struggled to reach out as if trying to touch that blurry face, vaguely recalling their first meeting many years ago. They were young then. She was being punished in the street by her master for trying to escape, beaten until her body was covered in wounds, yet she held back her tears. He passed by the bridge with his master, suddenly squatted down and handed her a bottle of medicine, then frowned and said: “Once in the morning and once in the evening, take good care of your wounds.”

“Perhaps my lifelong happiness would simply be to have a good sleep, not thinking about anything, not doing anything, without war, without killing, without the scheming and plotting of intrigue. Outside the door, heavy snowfalls, and wild winds surge, and the person I love lies quietly beside me, not moving, not speaking. Unfortunately, I will never have that chance.”

A smile bloomed at the corner of her lips. Lady Yu said wearily: “Ah Chu, I want to sleep for a while. If Dao Ya arrives, remember to wake me.”

Chu Qiao bit her lower lip hard, nodding desperately. Lady Yu closed her eyes with relief, her brows and eyes filled with exhaustion and drowsiness. She said in a low voice: “I’ll just sleep for a little while, I’m too tired, just a little while.”

Long eyelashes cast faint shadows on her lotus-like plain face. Her heartbeat grew slower and slower until it could no longer be heard. Her fingers slipped and fell heavily, dropping into Chu Qiao’s arms.

The wind outside suddenly grew stronger, blowing in with cold rain. In the small thatched hut, Chu Qiao’s body gradually stiffened. She lowered her head, and a tear suddenly fell, hitting Lady Yu’s cold cheek, winding down, rolling into the pool of blood on the ground, gently dissolving, and merging into the bloodwater.

“My lady!”

He Xiao suddenly rushed in regardless of everything. Seeing the dead Lady Yu, the weather-beaten man was suddenly stunned.

Chu Qiao slowly raised her eyes, looking at him quietly, asking in a hoarse voice: “What is it?”

He Xiao was silent for a long time before slowly saying: “Master Wu has arrived.”

When they saw Master Wu, it was still raining. Chu Qiao wore a raincoat, escorted by He Xiao and others to the edge of Qiulan Plateau. On a vast, dark wilderness, warriors lit torches soaked in tung oil. The entire road was covered with bodies bleached by rainwater. He Qi stood holding a large umbrella under a poplar tree. Master Wu knelt there, facing the direction from which Chu Qiao and her group had come. Three arrows were stuck in his back, one of which had pierced through to his heart. His face was pale, a trickle of red flowing from the corner of his mouth. He had no breath, yet his eyes remained open as if gazing at something. Though dead, he did not fall, his gaze intense, his brow furrowed.

“When we arrived, Master Wu was already gone.”

He Xiao’s voice sounded low beside her ear. The night was so dark, dark without a hint of light. Chu Qiao straightened her back, sitting on horseback, her eyes dry, unable to shed tears.

A painful wail suddenly came from behind. It was Uncle Duoji, who had once served under Master Wu. After being injured, Master Wu had been considerate, letting him return home and giving him money to support his family. Now, the forty-something man was like a red-eyed wolf, staggering over, kneeling in the heavy rain, crying loudly.

“In this world, there is something else above love and freedom, worth you giving everything to protect. The ideals of our Great Unity have already been left on the Shangchen Plateau.”

Vaguely, Chu Qiao seemed to hear what Master Wu had said on Huihui Mountain a year ago. The night wind blew howling, heavy rain poured down. Chu Qiao closed her eyes and tilted her head back. The cold rain pouring on her face was like countless sharp knives.

Lady Yu, wait a while, the person you’re waiting for has come. This life was too tiring for you both. In the next life, don’t carry so many responsibilities. Be together, live well, don’t think about anything else.

Suddenly, the heavy sound of hoofbeats came. Far at the horizon, a large group of horsemen came howling, about three thousand cavalry all in uniform, their hooves like rolling thunder, coming like a thunderbolt. The cold rain beat against the dark iron armor, making an eerie clanging sound.

“Lady Chu!” the lead man shouted. In the night, his face couldn’t be seen, but from his voice, he was still quite young: “I come by His Majesty’s command to protect my lady’s safety. Now that Great Unity rebels are conspiring to rebel, please accompany me to the Qiulan military camp for temporary refuge.”

“It’s you!” Uncle Duoji suddenly jumped up, his eyes red, shouting: “You killed the master! I’ll fight you to the death!”

As soon as the words fell, the forty-something man charged forward, pulling out the saber at his waist, roaring like a mad wolf.

“Come back!”

Chu Qiao screamed. Almost simultaneously, more than ten arrows pierced through Uncle Duoji’s chest. He staggered a few steps by inertia, finally falling with a thud. Blood splashed out, dyeing the night with a bewitching red.

“Uncle!”

A youth’s sharp cry suddenly came. Chu Qiao’s brow furrowed tightly. Looking for them, she heard children’s voices from the opposing camp—clearly Ping’an, Duoji, and Jing Jing.

“The rebels act too arrogantly. Please, my lady, come back with me immediately.”

He Xiao and the twenty-odd men slowly drew their sabers, riding forward to protect Chu Qiao, coldly confronting the large army opposite. Duoji’s cursing was like cold arrows, piercing Chu Qiao’s heart inch by inch. She frowned in silence for a long time, and finally, with a thud, threw down her sword, letting the three-foot blade fall into the dirty mud.

Chu Qiao never expected to see Jing Zi Su here. In the barracks of Qiulan City’s western camp, Jing Zi Su carefully pushed open the door, carrying a large food box. Her figure was slightly fuller than when they had parted, her complexion rosy, her belly prominently swollen—pregnant.

“Yue’er?”

Jing Zi Su called carefully, exchanging the cold food for new hot dishes—all foods Chu Qiao usually enjoyed. Four dishes and a soup, prepared very lightly.

“Eat a little, you haven’t eaten for a day and night.”

“Why are you here?” Chu Qiao turned her head, slightly frowning, asking in a deep voice: “Did Yan Xun force you to come persuade me?”

“No,” Zi Su hastily shook her head, nervously saying: “Shi Peng is my husband.”

Tang Shi Peng, the military commander of Qiulan City, was the officer who had earlier forced Chu Qiao to this place, and the direct murderer who had killed Master Wu and ambushed Lady Yu.

Chu Qiao’s expression gradually cooled. She looked at Jing Zi Su, not speaking for a long time.

“Yue’er, please, eat a little.” Jing Zi Su said carefully, not daring to raise her head to look at her, hurriedly saying: “These are all foods you like. I made them myself.”

“Master Wu was killed. Did you know beforehand?”

Jing Zi Su stood there, head lowered, nervously clutching the handkerchief in her hand, like a frightened little bird, saying in a low voice: “I, I knew.”

“Lady Yu is also dead. Did you know that too?”

Jing Zi Su nodded slightly.

“Your husband captured Ping’an and Jing Jing to threaten me into submission. Did you know?”

“Yue’er?” Jing Zi Su raised her head, looking at her with a face full of pleading, her eye sockets red, tears welling up, almost falling.

“Now they’re going to kill others. Bian Cang, Xi Rui, Xia Zhi, A Du, Jiaojiao, Xiao He—all will not escape death. Do you know that?”

Jing Zi Su’s tears finally rolled down. She covered her face, standing before Chu Qiao with her swollen belly, weeping uncontrollably.

Chu Qiao looked at her, her vision becoming blurry. For them, she had repeatedly risked her life, yet in these two years, due to the strained relationship between her and Yan Xun, they hadn’t even visited her at Huihui once. Even when giving birth, they hadn’t sent her a single letter.

These people were, after all, her nominal relatives, sisters connected by blood.

“You may go.”

Chu Qiao turned away, no longer looking at her. Jing Zi Su carefully tugged at the hem of her clothes, softly calling: “Yue’er…”

She remained unmoved, but heard Jing Zi Su cry sorrowfully: “Yue’er, what can I do? What can I do? I’m just a woman!”

Yes, what could she expect from her? Betray her husband, betray her family, come to secretly inform her? For Jing Zi Su, who regarded her husband as heaven, how could this not be an impossible fantasy? But why was there still anger? Still resentment and heartbreak? She knew if they were in trouble, she would help them regardless of the consequences. So, did she expect others to do the same for her?

“Yue’er, why are you so stubborn? His Majesty is so good to you, we all see it. Gold, silver, treasures, wealth, and glory are all before you. For you, His Majesty has gone years without marrying. He treats you like this, and you’re still not satisfied? What more do you want? He is the Emperor after all!”

In the past, Chu Qiao might have laughed coldly from the heart, but now, she couldn’t even laugh.

Yes, gold, silver, wealth, and glory—if only she would nod, she would be the Yan Bei Empress, second only to one person but above thousands, the only beloved wife of the Yan Bei Emperor, living a luxurious life of silk and jade. As a woman, what more could she want? While she was sad and retreating to the mountains and forests, little did she know others were laughing at her inability to recognize good fortune, and among these people, even her sisters.

But, that was not what she wanted. As Yan Xun said, she never truly understood him. But Yan Xun, after more than ten years of friendship, when did you truly understand me?

Your mistake was treating me like a women such as Jing Zi Su, but I, Chu Qiao, am certainly not such a person.

When words don’t match, nothing more needs to be said. Chu Qiao lightly shook off Jing Zi Su’s hand and walked straight into the inner room, never looking back.

After a while, the door was opened, and Jing Zi Su quietly walked out. The sound of the lock was particularly loud, a click that seemed to lock away Chu Qiao’s thoughts. Chu Qiao sat on the bed, beneath her feet was a cage of agarwood incense. The faint fragrance drifted through the gaps in the copper cover, like a line of floating clouds. She leaned quietly against the bedpost, her mind chaotically recalling many things. Her heart grew colder, gradually losing its warmth. The things she had controlled herself not to think about for these two years emerged in a flood. The shadows of Master Wu and Lady Yu overlapped before her eyes, making her fingertips tremble with cold.

The greatest sorrow is the death of the heart, and now, she has finally completely disappeared.

For three consecutive days, Chu Qiao was trapped in this cage, completely cut off from news of the outside. She thought Lady Yu might have been wrong. She mistakenly believed Chu Qiao could stop all this, but she didn’t truly understand Yan Xun. He had always been such a determined and persistent person from childhood. What he wanted to do, no one could stop, not even her. Now, the situation was set, and she only needed to wait for an outcome.

Yan Xun had been Master Wu’s disciple since childhood and later learned military strategy under Lady Yu. His martial arts and swordsmanship were taught by Chu Qiao. Now, he had surpassed his teachers, and those old matters were finally kicked aside by him.

On the evening of the third day, Chu Qiao was sitting on the bed lost in thought as usual when suddenly hurried, frantic footsteps came from the door. With a snap of the lock, Jing Zi Su ran in panic-stricken, carrying a traveling cloak and bundle, rushing in saying: “Yue’er, quick, quick, leave!”

Chu Qiao stood up abruptly, frowning and asking: “Tang Shi Peng wants you to release me?”

Jing Zi Su’s face was pale, standing blankly in place. Hearing her husband’s name, she was suddenly stunned. Chu Qiao immediately understood, saying in a deep voice: “Do you know what you’re doing? He won’t spare you.”

“Yue’er, quick, quick, go.” Jing Zi Su stuffed the clothes into her hands, saying distractedly: “Hurry.”

“No, if I leave, I’ll endanger He Xiao and the others.”

“Your people have broken into the city. They’ve already burst into the prison and rescued Commander He and Ping’an and the others.”

“What?” Chu Qiao was startled, hurriedly saying: “The Xiuli Army has come?”

“Yes,” Jing Zi Su nodded urgently: “You must leave quickly, Shi Peng will be here soon.”

Jing Zi Su deftly helped her dress and put on the cloak, her usually weak face showing a hint of strength for the first time. Chu Qiao grabbed her hand, asking in a deep voice: “Sister Zi Su, do you know what he will do to you if you do this?”

Jing Zi Su was stunned. Over these days, her face had visibly thinned, her big eyes looking extremely panicked. After a long while, she shook her head and said softly: “I just feel that Master Wu was a good person, Lady Yu was a good person, and Yue’er, you are also a good person. Good people should be rewarded.”

Chu Qiao’s eyes stung. This weak woman, bullied all her life, drifting with the current, at this critical moment of life and death, had made such a choice based solely on her heart. Her reason was simple—good people shouldn’t go unrewarded. But Sister Zi Su, do you know that in this world, most good people are not rewarded? With demons rampant and spirits at peace, good people long ago could not survive.

Looking at her pure, clear brows and eyes, Chu Qiao felt as if a mountain was pressing on her shoulders, making it hard to breathe. She took a deep breath and said firmly: “Come with me.”

“No,” Jing Zi Su shook her head: “I am his wife, after all, and carrying his child. He won’t do anything to me. You must go quickly.”

Chu Qiao said in a deep voice: “You must come with me.”

“No, Yue’er, I am Shi Peng’s wife. I won’t leave him. This is my home!”

At this moment, Jing Zi Su’s eyes rarely showed some persistence and determination. Chu Qiao understood—everyone has their own beliefs and persistence, and Jing Zi Su was no exception. She nodded, dressed herself, and slowly said: “Sister Zi Su, I’m leaving. Take care. I’ll come back for you when I’ve finished my business.”

“Yes, I’m due to have the baby in four months. You’re his aunt, you must come to see him then.”

Jing Zi Su held her belly, smiling shyly, her maternal gentleness like the warm morning sun of spring. Chu Qiao held her hand, saying in a deep voice: “Wait for me.”

With that, she turned sharply and left.

Nine thousand Xiuli soldiers came roaring, and the city’s civilians personally opened the gates and showed them the way. The entire Qiulan City’s western military camp and general’s mansion were engulfed in a sea of killing and fire. Tang Shi Peng sat on horseback, cursing as he commanded the scattered troops. Just then, a subordinate suddenly came to report: “General! Chu Qiao has escaped, injured the guards at the stable, and fled the city on horseback.”

“What?” Tang Shi Peng raged: “How could she escape with so many guards?”

“It was the madam. The madam used your token to trick the keys out of them.”

“Wretch!” Tang Shi Peng was furious, shouting coldly: “Ruining my plans!”

“General!”

Another messenger came riding, not even dismounting before shouting: “The Lan chambers are on fire, and the madam is still inside. We need to quickly mobilize the water brigade to extinguish it!”

“General!” Another messenger hurriedly came, calling: “Lady Chu is escaping with the Xiuli Army through the south gate. We’ve already organized our troops. Should we pursue?”

Tang Shi Peng frowned, pondering for a moment, then said calmly and resolutely: “Pursue!”

“General, what about the madam?”

Tang Shi Peng said angrily: “If Chu Qiao escapes, not a single person in all of Qiulan City will survive. All troops, hear my command: pursue!”

The army howled as they galloped, charging out of the south gate. At this moment, the Lan chambers were bright red, flames rising high, gradually consuming the entire house. Jing Zi Su huddled in a corner, looking at the bright red all around, trembling with fear. Large beads of sweat rolled down from her forehead, carving bright white tracks on her soot-blackened face. She held her belly, gritting her teeth, murmuring repeatedly like a hypnotic chant: “Baby, don’t be afraid, your father will come save us soon.”

Outside, wild winds howled, further feeding the fire. All the soldiers of Qiulan City had pursued out of the city. Some civilians who saw the fire rushed into the general’s mansion, staring blankly at the flames engulfing the Lan chambers.

“Ah! There’s a fire, is anyone inside?”

A servant of the general’s mansion came forward saying: “Lady Chu has been rescued by the Xiuli Army. There’s no one inside.”

“Then never mind. A bunch of bastards, better to burn everything to the ground.”

The civilians gradually left, with only the crackling flames remaining, smoke spreading everywhere. Jing Zi Su coughed with difficulty, the flames already spreading to her. She closed her eyes in fear, but still held her belly, continuously saying: “Baby, don’t be afraid, your father will come to save us soon.”

A beam crashed down with a boom, drowning out all other sounds. Black ash was everywhere, the entire general’s mansion and western camp engulfed in this great fire. Chu Qiao galloped across the wilderness, looking back from afar to see the direction of Qiulan City bathed in red light. Flames reddened half the sky, like blood flowing from a warrior before death.

“My lady,”

He Xiao came forward: “We must go quickly.”

“Yes.” Chu Qiao nodded, forcibly suppressing her ominous premonition. The night journey was difficult, and they still had a long way to go.

The earth was desolate, wild winds swept the ground, and the long night had just begun and had not yet passed. The night was deep, the clouds low and thick, pressing down black. The wind howled, emitting low moaning sounds.

“Fire!”

A deep voice repeatedly issued monotonous attack commands. The surrounded soldiers in the valley grew fewer and fewer. Blood spread and countless arrows were shot at the soldiers in red uniforms. A wave of desperate killing cries rose on the battlefield. The shrill alarm bell rang loudly, and more than twenty distress signals were sent out. This was the southern slope of Huolei Yuan, less than an incense stick’s burning time on horseback from North Shuo City. They didn’t understand why North Shuo’s garrison still hadn’t come to rescue them. Had North Shuo City been surrounded? And who were these enemies of unknown origin?

“Who exactly is it?”

Xiao He had an arrow in his shoulder, and blood flowing from his body like a stream. The comrades beside him, one by one like early autumn wheat, fell in succession. His eyes were already red. He didn’t understand—he had received His Majesty’s order to return to North Shuo for commendation, so why had they suddenly been ambushed by unknown enemies?

Xiao He looked at the madness before him, as if trapped in the most terrifying nightmare. The situation was like a boulder rolling from a mountain peak, unstoppable. Anyone who tried to extend their hands would be crushed to paste.

They had still not engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. Being in Yan Bei’s homeland and coming to receive honors, they hadn’t brought any long-range weapons—no shields, no bows and arrows. These five thousand men were trapped in this low-lying valley with enemies on all sides. Arrows came shooting as if with eyes, leaving them nowhere to hide, nowhere to retreat, nothing to block with. All soldiers who tried to charge were firmly pinned to the ground by arrows. Blood flowed wantonly, corpses piled into small mountains. The warriors shouted hoarsely:

“Who’s over there? Why are you attacking us?”

“Why is no one coming to our aid? Where are North Shuo’s garrison troops?”

“They’re using connected crossbows, it’s our army!”

“Who is it? Who wants to kill us?”

…

Xiao He’s eyes were bloodshot. His deputy stood before him with a sword, repeatedly shouting: “Protect the general! Protect the general!” But before he could finish, an arrow pierced his throat. His voice immediately became like a leaking bellows, blood spurting wildly, splashing onto Xiao He’s face. He grabbed the deputy’s body. The sturdy man in his thirties opened his eyes in terror, clutching Xiao He’s cloak tightly. Blood continuously poured from his mouth as he spoke brokenly: “Who… who… who wants to kill us…”

Incomplete corpses covered layer upon layer, gradually piling into a sea of bodies at Xiao He’s feet. The wound no longer felt painful. At the third watch, it began to rain. Heavy rain poured on the ground, mixing with blood and mud. Warriors waded through, using comrades’ bodies to build trenches and high walls to block the opponent’s fierce arrows.

Everywhere were screams, and everywhere were angry curses. After some unknown time, the attack suddenly eased. The rain of arrows disappeared, but they still silently surrounded them. No one made a sound, like a silent mass of stones.

The Fire Cloud Army’s second battalion was almost completely dead. Those still alive were only slightly better than the dead, no longer having the strength to charge. Their heavy breathing was like dying wild dogs.

Silence, too much silence, like death.

Suddenly, the low sound of mechanisms slowly rose. Warriors opened their eyes in terror, looking up sharply to see long-distance strong bow crossbow arrows whistling down like a blanket from the sky, lengths like sharp spears, piercing through the trenches built of flesh and blood with a swooshing sound.

“Ah!”

“Son of a bitch, I…”

Tragic curses rose again, but before they could finish, they abruptly stopped. Xiao He had three or four arrows in his body, covered in blood. His handsome face was unrecognizable. He fought with his sword. An arrow suddenly came, piercing through his shoulder with a swish, pinning him firmly to the Fire Cloud Army’s battle flag.

“General!”

A soldier seeing this staggered forward, but just as he was about to reach Xiao He, an arrow pierced through his back. The soldier’s pupils immediately dilated. He seemed confused as he looked down, reaching to touch the intestines and blood on the arrow that had penetrated his body. His brow slightly furrowed, like an innocent child. He knelt, supported by the arrow, dying right in front of Xiao He.

The young general wept tears like a spring, roaring like a ferocious lion.

“Protect the general!”

The warriors swarmed forward. The enemy opposite noticed the movement here, arrows concentrating their fire.

A soldier Xiao He had never seen before turned back to smile at him, clear eyes carrying a carefree brightness. He smiled and said: “You save the lord, I’ll go first.”

Then he turned and charged straight into the oncoming rain of arrows. Countless arrows pierced his chest and head. He was like a target, standing there, refusing to fall even in death.

Heart-wrenching pain rose in his chest. Xiao He roared, suddenly rushing forward, his body forcibly piercing through the long arrows.

The young general swung his sword frantically as he charged. Arrows continuously shot into his body, yet he continued his assault without stopping. The enemy hidden in the darkness was shaken. Some soldiers paused, watching as the blood-soaked warrior roared toward them.

Then, at that moment, a battle blade suddenly flew out. With a swish, it cut into Xiao He’s leg. Xiao He’s body staggered, and he fell heavily to one knee. He looked at the enemy formation, now not far away, his eyes showing a blood-red light. What a gaze, filled with desperate unwillingness and mad anger. His gaze swept like knives over those soldiers in black clothes and armor. Suddenly, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted from his mouth. The young general, with astonishing willpower, stood up again, roaring as he charged forward, shouting: “Who is it? Who wants to kill us?”

A sky full of arrows shot simultaneously, firmly nailing Xiao He to the ground. Face unclear, appearance indistinguishable. A low rumble spread across heaven and earth. Cold rain poured down, washing over those cooling corpses. Blood flowed along with the rainwater. Thunder rolled across the sky. Finally, there was not a single standing body left.

“Burn it.”

The deep command slowly sounded, and soldiers carrying wooden buckets rushed forward. Tung oil was poured bucket by bucket onto the just-fallen warriors, mixing with the rank blood, creating a nauseating smell. Torches were thrown, and fire erupted with a whoosh, the heavy rain unable to extinguish even a bit of it. The black-clothed warriors stood in place, silently watching as the fire consumed all unwilling thoughts.

Yes, killing cannot eliminate ideas, but it can eliminate the carriers of those ideas.

The rainy night remained pitch-black and cold. The warriors turned toward North Shuo City, no one interested in looking back at anything behind them.

The morning star rose slowly on the horizon. A messenger raced over, shouting: “Princess Jiaojiao has led troops to the city gate. His Majesty orders the general to take troops there immediately.”

The killing had not yet ended; everything continued.

“My lady! There are people ahead, about three hundred or more. They might be scouts from North Shuo, all on fast warhorses. Should we avoid them for now?”

Chu Qiao frowned. The heavy rain had just stopped, and the black clouds slowly dispersed. Everywhere was mist as white as milk. She frowned as she looked ahead, her eyes sharp like a white eagle spreading its wings in the sky.

“My lady! It’s the Fire Cloud Army. There are many pursuers behind them, at least five thousand!”

The scout galloped back. Chu Qiao’s eyebrows raised, and she decided immediately: “He Xiao, take men to rescue Princess Jiaojiao and block the pursuers.”

“Yes!”

He Xiao acknowledged, organizing four thousand troops and riding off.

Chu Qiao led troops following behind, hooves trampling on the muddy red path, faint traces of red visible in the muddy water.

The two armies quickly crossed. The devastated Fire Cloud Army was surrounded. From a distance, Chu Qiao immediately spotted Jiaojiao’s fire-red warhorse. She quickly rode forward but was stunned by what she saw.

Jiaojiao’s clothes were torn, her fire-red cloak covered in blood. An arrow was lodged in her lung, and she had several sword wounds. She lay in the arms of a female commander in her thirties, breathing weakly.

“What happened?”

Chu Qiao jumped down from her horse, kneeling in the muddy water, frowning at Jiaojiao’s terrible wounds. She turned back and shouted: “Medic! Where’s the medic?”

“Lady Chu!”

The female commander, seeing her, immediately burst into tears. She cried: “His Majesty wants to kill our Princess. General Xiao He has fallen in battle, and the Princess was also ambushed…”

“Xiao He…”

A weak voice suddenly rang out. With the movement of her lungs, a mouthful of blood spurted from Jiaojiao’s mouth. The female commander was alarmed, pressing hard on her wound, but unable to stop the bright red flow.

“Xiao He…”

Jiaojiao painfully furrowed her brow, calling softly, her face pale, her mind already unclear.

In her daze, she seemed to be having one dream after another. She vaguely saw Xiao He’s happy, cheerful smile, the fires stretching ten miles, Xiao He carrying her on his back through the vast snowy plain, constantly telling jokes to her as she cried on his back, repeatedly comforting her: “Jiaojiao, you won’t die, you won’t die. Whoever dares to kill you, I’ll bite them to death.”

“Xiao He, Xiao He…”

Tears flowed in large drops from Jiaojiao’s blood-stained eyes. With her heavy breathing, blood gushed out like an unstoppable spring. In her unconsciousness, she cried sorrowfully. Xiao He is dead, Xiao He is dead, Xiao He was killed by him!

“Princess! Princess!” The female commander held her, crying loudly, her voice sobbing like a mother beast who had lost her cub.

…

“Jiaojiao, what shall we do after the war is over?”

“After the war? My brother will be Emperor, and I’ll be a princess. Then I can choose a consort from throughout the world, and find the most talented man to be my husband, haha!”

“Boy-crazy! Heartless girl, go find your man then!”

…

Sharp pain came wave after wave. Her heart and lungs seemed to be firmly gripped by someone. She couldn’t breathe. Blood foam blocked her throat. She opened her mouth wide but only spat out more blood. She opened her eyes in confusion, looking around bewilderedly, seeing the vast sky, bright red flowers, and the world’s white eagle.

Yan Bei, Yan Bei…

I’ve spent my life fighting for you, but why, why have you abandoned me?

The young girl frowned in confusion. She slowly turned her head and saw Chu Qiao. Her consciousness suddenly cleared. She struggled to reach out as if trying to grasp something. Chu Qiao, holding back tears, quickly took her hand, choking as she said: “Jiaojiao, hold on, the doctor will save you.”

Jiaojiao held Chu Qiao’s hand, so tightly. Suddenly, she lowered her head sharply and bit viciously into Chu Qiao’s wrist. Blood instantly spread between her teeth. The subordinates on both sides cried out in horror. Chu Qiao looked at her numbly, seeing only the overwhelming hatred in Jiaojiao’s eyes.

“Why? Why?”

Jiaojiao screamed heart-rendingly, her mouth full of blood, her eyes red, shouting fiercely at her: “Why kill us? Why kill us?”

“Princess! Princess! That’s Lady Chu!”

The female commander held her, shouting, but she couldn’t hear anymore. Jiaojiao’s eyes were wide with fury, screaming madly: “What did we do wrong? Why kill us? Ungrateful! Black-hearted!”

Chu Qiao stared at her blankly, the wound on her wrist sharply painful. Her face was pale, vaguely recalling when she first met Jiaojiao. The girl had leaned against her, generously giving her the horse king, waving her little fist saying that when they won the war, she wanted Chu Qiao to accompany her to Bian Tang, pointing to the horse named Atu and saying Atu would be their witness, her manner charming, as free and clear as the wind that constantly roamed the Yan Bei plateau.

“I hate you all!”

A mouthful of fresh blood suddenly sprayed out. Jiaojiao cried loudly, her voice growing softer and softer, crying in a low voice: “Xiao He, Xiao He…”

Xiao He, Jiaojiao wanted to marry you, but where have you gone?

Xiao He, I want to come find you now. Walk slowly, my leg is injured. You need to carry me.

Xiao He, I haven’t had breakfast yet. Will you make me roasted lamb leg?

Xiao He, Xiao He, Xiao He…

Jiaojiao’s voice finally faded. She lay on the cold ground, her fire-red dress like a bewitching flower. She was still so young, only twenty years old. Her young eyes were always bright and clear, her skin as white as a mare’s milk. She fell asleep this way, eternally resting on the land to which she had devoted her entire life.

Chu Qiao’s heart was numb with despair, wave after wave of shock cutting her into ten thousand pieces. She bit her lip as she stood there, looking at Jiaojiao’s corpse, her entire being as if thrown into an icy abyss.

Yan Xun, what have you done?

“My lady!”

He Xiao walked over calmly, expressionless, saying in a deep voice: “He has arrived.”

No longer willing to address him as His Majesty, Chu Qiao turned slightly. The troops parted like a tide, opening a path. The morning sunlight shone on the vast army opposite, like a dark ocean. The young Emperor was surrounded by the army, wearing a black robe embroidered with gold dragons, his black hair tied up, eyes cold as frost, nose high and straight, eyes half-closed, his gaze looking over distantly.

Two years had passed, and she finally saw him again. But why did Chu Qiao feel as if she had never known him? The person before her was so unfamiliar—his appearance, his identity, his behavior, his aura, all were unfamiliar. At that moment, she suddenly understood that the person before her was now the Emperor of Yan Bei, no longer the penniless youth who had depended on her for survival in Zhenhuang City.

“Ah Chu,”

A deep voice came across the silent wilderness, accompanied by the cold wind, blowing into Chu Qiao’s ears.

Yan Xun looked at her, his gaze like a deep well. Two years passed between them. The world had changed, and they finally met again, yet in such circumstances.

Perhaps, regardless of fate or worldly affairs, their persistent beliefs about human nature and attitudes toward life had long destined them to one day walk opposing paths. Yan Xun’s heart suddenly became an empty, vast wilderness, with strong winds howling through it. He looked at Chu Qiao, wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words, only asking with imperial dignity: “Are you going to oppose me again for the sake of these unrelated people?”

Unrelated people?

A faint cold smile and mockery rose at the corners of Chu Qiao’s mouth.

Without Master Wu, how could you have received the full financial support of Yan Bei while imprisoned in Zhenhuang, planning carefully for eight years, and cultivating your power base?

Without Lady Yu, how could you have escaped from Zhenhuang City, leaping out from that cold prison to control the land of Yan Bei, becoming the powerful ruler you are today?

And Jiaojiao was your last blood relative in this world. She trusted and followed you for many years, your closest sister.

Is there a day when I, Chu Qiao, standing before you, will also become such an “unrelated person”?

A cold laugh—besides a cold laugh, she didn’t know how else to react. She was like a doll whose heart had been torn apart, looking at him coldly, looking at this man whom she had once loved and supported with all her heart, feeling that past events were like an unreal dream, like the moon reflected in water or flowers in a mirror.

She had exchanged her loyalty and love for the current situation. The man who had once vowed to love and protect her for life now held the butcher’s knife over her head. Surveillance, suspicion, exploitation, exclusion—this was his entire repayment to her. He cast out so-called wealth and glory, bestowing it upon her as if rewarding a dog, not knowing that in her eyes, these were nothing but dirt and straw. The cause and faith she had fought and pursued for were, in his eyes, just a contemptible dream, an excuse, and a scam used to deceive the ignorant and foolish common people.

So what if he was Emperor? So what if he was the supreme ruler above tens of thousands? In her eyes, he would forever be a man who had once given her his whole heart but now completely betrayed her.

He accused her of changing her affection and having another in her heart, not knowing that without his oppression and schemes, she would forever have been the Ah Chu who loved and respected him, never heartlessly looking elsewhere. It was he who step by step cast her out, forcing her to see his face and countenance. How could she be called a betrayer?

Yan Xun, I took ten years to understand you and myself. Past events have scattered like the east wind. For you, I have no more attachment, only endless heartache and regret.

“Ah Chu, have you forgotten your oath?”

Yan Xun’s voice sounded cold in her ears. Chu Qiao laughed coldly, disdainfully raising her eyebrows, saying faintly: “Since you have already abandoned our former dreams, why should I still keep my oath to you?”

It was as if a sharp arrow had suddenly pierced Yan Xun’s heart, cold wind whistling in, bringing strands of pain.

Finally, she had spoken such words. In the past, even with discontent and resentment, she had always kept these emotions hidden in her heart, silently facing everything from him. Now, with the world desolate and mournful, she finally spoke such words to his face.

“Yan Xun, from today onwards, we part ways, with no more connection. Whether you live or die, become a king or a defeated foe, it has no relation to me whatsoever. Likewise, my affairs are no longer any of your concern.”

A gust of wind blew, lifting Chu Qiao’s fluttering clothes. The young woman’s face was cold, her beautiful face like frost, her gaze like the snow on a mountain peak, coldly reflecting all worldly love and hate, further isolating all emotions that shouldn’t exist, far away in the distance.

At that moment, Yan Xun suddenly realized that perhaps he was about to lose her forever. This thought made him uncontrollably anxious. He said in a low tone: “Ah Chu, are you so heartless?”

“Yan Xun, don’t speak of the heart anymore.” Chu Qiao looked at him indifferently, saying calmly: “You’re not worthy.”

Time was so urgent, the vicissitudes of years sparked the fire of fate in their exchanged glances. Eleven years was enough for a tree to mature, for an era to perish, for an emperor to rise. Time was so merciless, like a cold knife cutting off all their past, carving a deep chasm in the sea of memory.

Once upon a time, they had joined hands in despair, and shared hardships in darkness, like two small beasts who had lost their homes, standing back to back, wielding sharp claws against all who had tried to harm them.

Finally, they had fought their way out of that cage shoulder to shoulder, establishing their power and position in this tumultuous era. But the waves of fate had pushed them further and further apart. Looking back, everything had already been dyed with the light of blood.

If at the beginning they could have foreseen today’s outcome, how would they have chosen? Would they still have leaned against each other, fighting and struggling together? After sharing hardships and difficulties, and relying on each other, was it only to raise swords against each other today?

Pale war eagles swept across the sky, their wings spreading ominously across the horizon, obscuring the golden sun.

Twenty thousand Imperial Guards in black iron armor slowly drew their swords. Nine thousand Xiuli soldiers stood in formation, facing them expressionlessly. The wind rose from the flat ground, like a deep, chanting ancient ceremonial tune.

The world was filled with killing intent. Even birds could not bear to watch, flapping their wings in unison and departing. Only ominous vultures circled overhead, seemingly waiting for a feast after the bloodshed.

Yan Bei, you were never my resting place. The heart’s blood I exhausted running and fighting for you only pushed you from one fire pit into another.

The strong wind howled, blowing the loose hair on the young woman’s forehead. Everything became ethereal and blurred. The world is so vast, so why focus on just one place? When the heart is cold, what person can hurt you?

Ah Chu, I will protect you…

Once, had someone whispered in her ear?

Ah Chu, trust me…

She closed her eyes, holding back the last tear. When she opened them again, all was clear. The sky was sparse, eagles flew past, and ten years had passed in an instant. Who had struggled through it, and who had coldly observed with open eyes in the darkness?

Yan Xun, farewell.