Watching Jun Beiyue’s retreating figure, the head of Nangong City’s face was etched with fury. He wasn’t foolish enough to stand alone against so many archers, but this grudge had now been sealed — Jun Beiyue had underestimated Nangong City far too much.

If Jun Beiyue wanted to gain any advantage in western Longyuan, he’d have to ask Nangong City’s permission first.

Furiously, the head of Nangong City scooped up Madam Situ and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, Jun Beiyue and Ziqing were making their way toward the forest below the cliff. They certainly hadn’t underestimated Nangong City, and they knew full well this grudge had now taken root.

“You’ve made an enemy today, and not just an ordinary one,” Ziqing said teasingly.

“Should I hand Yelu Qianqian over to him instead?” Jun Beiyue shot back, raising an eyebrow.

Ziqing laughed at that. “Even if you agreed, I wouldn’t!”

Nangong City was a force not to be underestimated — its standing in the martial world far exceeded even Situ City’s. Offending Nangong City meant not just offending the power structure of the northern steppe, but effectively offending the entire martial world.

Still, there was nothing to be done about it. Jun Beiyue had no interest in currying favor with, or placating, people he held in contempt — he couldn’t even be bothered to reason with them.

Since the head of Nangong City couldn’t accept defeat, Jun Beiyue would make sure he lost thoroughly, lost until he had no choice but to accept it.

By the time they managed to get Yelu Qianqian to Akbachu, Nangong City would likely already be conspiring with the Xiliang royal family.

Thinking this over, Ziqing murmured quietly, “Isn’t it a bit cruel, making Situ Haonan face his own grandfather like this?”

After all, Situ Haonan was the supreme commander of this campaign. His single-handed charge that had forced Wanyan Lie into his first retreat had earned him real authority within the Xijing army. With Yelu Qianqian’s safe return, morale would surely soar even higher.

Situ Haonan would undoubtedly need to continue serving as supreme commander.

As Ziqing pondered this, Jun Beiyue only smiled. “You’re truly underestimating the head of Nangong City.”

“What do you mean…” Ziqing didn’t understand. The only way the head of Nangong City could make trouble for them now was through the war itself.

“The northern steppe is about to grow far less peaceful,” Jun Beiyue said flatly.

That was all it took for realization to dawn on Ziqing — the northern steppe was where Xiongnu, Xijing, and Xiliang all converged.

And the northern steppe peoples carried Xiliang and Xiongnu blood in their veins. Xijing already held no real advantage here — and if Xiliang joined forces with the Xiongnu to strike at Xijing from this direction?

The northern steppe wasn’t far at all from Xijing’s capital, Akbachu.

The gravity of the situation finally struck Ziqing. No sooner had one crisis settled than another had already begun.

She’d originally planned to escort Yelu Qianqian to Akbachu, then return with Jun Beiyue to the northern frontier to fight the Xiongnu.

But now, things had grown far more complicated.

Xijing’s forces were all committed to the western front. If the Xiongnu struck the northern steppe now, distant reinforcements would be useless against such an immediate threat — within a month, Akbachu itself could be in danger.

Ziqing’s expression grew complicated as she looked at Jun Beiyue, and his expression mirrored hers as he looked back at her.

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment — and then suddenly burst out laughing.

Ziqing laughed helplessly. “Everything’s falling apart. The whole world’s in chaos!”

“Then let’s let it fall apart completely.”

“This princess consort will stay here. Whoever you hold in contempt, leave them to me to deal with — let’s see who dares cross the line!”

“I only came here to take you home!”

Jun Beiyue smiled warmly, gently stroking Ziqing’s bangs. The head of Nangong City’s interference had truly been an unexpected complication — heaven only knew how Madam Situ had managed to talk the old man into it.

But none of that mattered now. Since it was unavoidable, they might as well let it play out fully.

“It’s fine. I’ll come back on my own, like a good girl. Just give me two months! Give Haonan two months too!” Ziqing said earnestly.

She knew Jun Beiyue couldn’t afford to stay away from the northern frontier for too long — the real war there hadn’t even broken out yet. The Tiger Army had never once faced the Xiongnu directly.

The northern frontier mattered too much.

As for the western border, she trusted that once Yelu Qianqian returned safely, the Emperor of Xijing would commit to the fight without reservation, and Situ Haonan and General Dugu would only grow bolder and more formidable in battle.

What she needed to do was clear away every obstacle for them, hold this gap in the northern steppe firm.

These two months would decide everything — would determine the fate of Longyuan, would lay the very foundation for Jun Beiyue’s rise to dominance over the entire continent.

Just two months. They had to hold on, had to push through.

“You, going back all on your own, like a good girl…” Jun Beiyue said with a helpless, bitter smile, his heart aching as if something had bitten into it.

The whole world knew Han Ziqing was the beloved consort of Da Zhou’s Prince Yao — but how many knew just how much hardship this woman had endured following him, how much she had sacrificed?

He’d only meant to find her a safe haven, to free her from the danger of that all-poison-immune gu curse in her body — never had he imagined it would inevitably drag her, step by step, deeper into the heart of war.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come back on my own, like a good girl, and find you,” Ziqing said, and she wasn’t joking at all — she meant every word, quite seriously.

And it was precisely that seriousness that made Jun Beiyue’s heart ache all the more.

The whole world knew Han Ziqing was Da Zhou’s beloved princess consort — but if he abandoned Dong Qin, withdrew his troops from central Dong Qin’s territory entirely, he could easily go back with her right now.

But Ziqing knew he wouldn’t do that. And he knew, too, that he could never bring himself to do something so cowardly, so irresponsible.

He fell silent, his gaze so tender it seemed almost capable of melting anyone who met it, and thought to himself, I only wish that, when Longyuan is finally united and peace settles over the realm, you will be my whole world.

Ziqing was a woman so easily made happy. Basking in that warm gaze, she was already thoroughly content. She rose up on her toes and pressed a light kiss to his lips, murmuring, “Hold the northern frontier well. Better yet, take the northern highlands of Dong Qin too, and send the Xiongnu running back to their own territory! I’ll come find you, I promise.”

“What will you use to hold the northern steppe?” Jun Beiyue asked.

Ziqing smiled mysteriously. “The western border’s secure, no need for my mercenaries there. Looks like my last trump card will have to be put to use right here.”

At this, Jun Beiyue understood at once — this woman had a handful of mercenaries at her disposal, her true final trump card, her real ace.

Though “mercenaries” hardly did justice to it — it was really the weapons in those mercenaries’ hands that mattered most.

“The small northern town is a good place. My Reverse Scale Corps will keep it safe, I guarantee it,” Ziqing declared firmly. Separated for this long, it was about time the Reverse Scale Corps returned to her side.

Only then did Jun Beiyue feel at ease. He cupped her small face in his hands and pressed a deep, lingering kiss to her lips.

This man’s distinct masculine scent was her most fatal weakness. The moment his lips claimed hers, Ziqing found herself utterly unable to resist.

The kiss deepened gradually, growing more intense — until, inconveniently, Yingzi and the others appeared in the distance.

To her surprise, Jun Beiyue showed no intention of releasing her, utterly shameless about it. It was Ziqing who panicked, her small hands pressed against his chest, finally managing to pull away. The moment she saw Yingzi and the others all present, each dutifully looking away, her face flushed crimson, and without a word, she buried her face straight into Jun Beiyue’s chest.

Yingzi still didn’t dare look up, thinking to himself with quiet amusement, Only at times like this does Her Highness actually seem like an ordinary woman.

Yelu Qianqian was the only one who didn’t look away. Watching Ziqing, she thought this girl must be the happiest woman alive.

Even from a distance, Jun Beiyue’s presence alone was enough to inspire an inexplicable fear in her. Heaven only knew how Han Ziqing managed not to fear him at all, how she’d won his devotion so completely — perhaps that, in itself, was her greatest fortune.

Yelu Qianqian didn’t even dare meet Jun Beiyue’s eyes directly. Jun Beiyue, for his part, glanced over coldly but said nothing, instead asking Yingzi, “Where’s Nanny Qin?”

At this question, the shadow guards and Yingzi exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to answer.

“I let her go,” Ziqing said without concealment, standing tall with nothing to hide — she wouldn’t deliberately explain herself, nor would she try to hide the truth.

Jun Beiyue frowned slightly, puzzled.

“I promised a friend I’d spare her. Half a month ago, when I was unconscious, he was the one who saved me,” Ziqing said flatly.

Those around them looked utterly confused, but Jun Beiyue understood completely. “This prince owes him another debt, then.”

Ziqing simply smiled and said nothing more.

Jun Beiyue didn’t press further either. He glanced at Yelu Qianqian and said flatly, “Princess Qianqian, let’s go. We’ll see you safely to Akbachu.”

“Thank you, both of you,” Yelu Qianqian finally found the courage to speak.

“No need. Thank your father instead,” Jun Beiyue said, his tone still cold as he turned to leave. But just then, Ziqing suddenly remembered something. “Wait!”

She shrugged helplessly. “We need to swing back through the small northern town first. I left something there.”

Her zither, Wuzheng — she still hadn’t retrieved it. She’d nearly forgotten entirely.

“Your zither?” Jun Beiyue immediately noticed she hadn’t been carrying it with her.

“Looks like the war isn’t over yet — I’ll have to accompany you there first,” Jun Beiyue said with a smile, thinking to himself that he ought to pay Xuanyuan Lige a visit while he was at it.

The shadow guards dispersed, and Jun Beiyue’s group set off toward the small northern town. Meanwhile, deep in the snow-covered mountain forest, someone else was in absolute agony.

Baili Weisheng had thought that by fleeing into the ravine, that fearsome old Xiongnu woman wouldn’t be able to catch up to him — but as it turned out, she’d chased him down with terrifying tenacity.

At that very moment, he clung to a tree like a frightened monkey, staring anxiously at the multicolored venomous lizard perched on a nearby branch.

“Little ancestor, little treasure, I’m begging you, alright? We’re practically the same kind, aren’t we? Why must we destroy each other like this? Go on, shoo, shoo!”

“Go on, go! Hurry up and leave, I’m begging you!”

……

Baili Weisheng waved his hands frantically, but the multicolored lizard refused to budge — and instead let out a sharp, piercing shriek. “Chirrr—!”

The sound echoed through the silent, empty ravine like the cry of an autumn cicada.

Baili Weisheng’s handsome face went deathly pale. He grabbed a fistful of snow and hurled it at the creature with all his might, but the multicolored lizard was far too agile, dodging effortlessly.

“How about this — come flee with me, and I’ll promise to feed you every single day, not like that old hag who tortures you constantly! Deal?”

It didn’t take long for Baili Weisheng to realize his pleading was useless. His eyes suddenly narrowed, and he issued a cold warning. “So you won’t leave, is that it? Don’t blame me for forgetting all those years we grew up together!”

With that, he suddenly launched a volley of silver needles — but the multicolored lizard knew him far too well, dodging with ease once again.

Baili Weisheng feigned another attack, then suddenly released his grip and slid down the tree in a rush.

But at the base of that towering tree, the Gu Nanny had just arrived. The moment she spotted Baili Weisheng, she snapped sharply, “You wretched boy, this old woman’s finally found you!”