Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together, coughing even more violently as her mind raced to find a solution.

The Emperor would return in just a few days. If she couldn’t escape before his return, there would be no option left but death—and preferably a death that left nothing behind. Otherwise, even her corpse would be used as a bargaining chip.

Besides throwing herself into a fire, her only option was the Li River. The Li River flowed near Ye City, and the city’s waterways drew their water from it. The river was wide, its depths like an ocean—once you went in, there was no need to think about surviving.

But right now, she couldn’t even leave the tent, let alone get close to the Li River.

Her brow furrowed tightly as she coughed incessantly. Seeing Shen Guiyan in this state, Xu Mengdie quickly summoned the military physician again. After examining her for some time, the physician said vaguely, “She doesn’t have many days left to live.”

Xu Mengdie was extremely worried. This military physician seemed unreliable, but what if Shen Guiyan really died? What would they do then?

She didn’t know when Gu Chaobei would return, and Gu Chaonan still couldn’t capture Ye City. After much deliberation, Xu Mengdie finally decided to bring Shen Guiyan onto the battlefield.

Looking at the Empress in this half-dead state, the city gates would surely open. Once Ye City opened its gates, they would at least be halfway to success. When the Emperor returned, it would be best if Shen Guiyan was still alive, but even if she didn’t survive, they would at least have made use of her.

Looking at the unconscious Shen Guiyan, Gu Chaonan said with some difficulty, “Mengdie, she did help us before. Is this really right?”

Xu Mengdie snorted. “She helped me because I was good to her. In my previous life, she was the one who caused my death.”

Gu Chaonan was stunned. Xu Mengdie had told him about her rebirth, which was why he dared to trust her so completely. Although he felt they might never reach the end of this path, he would still follow Mengdie’s decisions.

Finally, she could leave the tent! Shen Guiyan’s heart cheered. Once outside, there would be opportunities—and she had to seize them!

Shuang’er no longer paid much attention to her strange behavior. Since she was a patient and that quack had diagnosed her with all sorts of ailments, even if she suddenly lunged forward, Shuang’er would just assume she was sleepwalking and pull her back.

Xu Mengdie arranged for a war chariot, binding Shen Guiyan to a wooden frame which was then mounted on the chariot and pushed to the very front of the formation.

Shen Guiyan looked at Ye City ahead—a sight she’d missed—and at those tightly closed gates, her eyes reddening.

“Shameless traitors!” Vice General Zhang stood on the city wall and cursed loudly. “You claim to enter the city in the name of the Empress and Emperor, yet you bind the Empress and impersonate the Emperor—what are your intentions?”

Seated on his horse, Gu Chaonan smiled. “An exhausted force at the end—why waste your breath? There are no reinforcements left in the city. Today’s attack will surely be the final battle. You might as well obediently open the gates and surrender rather than let soldiers die in vain!”

Shen Guiyan looked up at the city wall. Gu Chaonan was going all out today. The city’s defenders were already few in number—whether they could hold today was truly worrying.

Vice General Zhang snorted coldly. Looking at her bound to the wooden frame in the distance, he pressed his lips together and waved his hand backward.

Gu Chaonan was overjoyed, thinking he was about to compromise and open the city gates.

But instead, a mast was erected atop the city gate, and a person was hoisted up, slowly rising into view.

Shen Guiyan’s heart jumped.

It was Xu Zhuangzhou.

Xu Mengdie was behind the six armies. Gu Chaonan’s expression had already changed.

Xu Zhuangzhou’s body was covered in bloody wounds, barely alive, but his head still moved—he looked utterly pitiful.

The Gu family army fell silent. Everyone knew General Gu and his wife were inseparable, as close as one person, and Lady Gu had no relatives except her beloved younger brother Xu Zhuangzhou.

Wasn’t he supposed to be in the capital? Why had he come to Ye City?

Shen Guiyan silently applauded. One side had its stratagem, the other its countermeasure. Who couldn’t issue threats? They used her as leverage, but the city had Xu Zhuangzhou!

Still, he looked truly miserable. Even she felt some sympathy—she wondered whose idea this was.

“If you do not return Her Majesty the Empress, this leader of traitors will be hanged from the city gates!” Vice General Zhang shouted.

In the rear, Xu Mengdie couldn’t see the commotion ahead—only that someone was hanging from the city wall. When she learned it was Xu Zhuangzhou, her expression completely changed.

“Why would Zhuangzhou be in Ye City? Why? Wasn’t he supposed to help at the academy in the capital? How did he end up here? They must be lying—I need to see!” For the first time, the composed Xu Mengdie panicked.

Everyone has their weakness. Though Xu Mengdie was ruthless and cruel, she deeply loved the younger brother she’d depended on since childhood. In her previous life, when she died, Zhuangzhou had knelt beside her.

She had said, “Brother, sister has failed you, dragged you down.”

Zhuangzhou had said, “It’s all right. On the road to the Yellow Springs, we siblings can travel together. In the next life, I’ll still be your brother.”

When they were dependent on others, he had learned martial arts. She had asked him why, and Zhuangzhou said, “So I can protect you, sister.”

She became Gu Chaonan’s concubine for Zhuangzhou’s future prospects, yet he still preferred to be a warrior in the Prime Minister’s manor. When Gu Chaonan neglected her, that reckless boy would fearlessly beat even the Second Young Master Gu in his anger.

He was her only family in this world.

She hurriedly mounted her horse and rushed to the front of the battlefield. Reaching Gu Chaonan’s side, Xu Mengdie looked up in a daze.

“Sister.”

The person hanging half-dead only rasped out one word, inaudible in the howling battlefield wind, yet Xu Mengdie heard it clearly. Her eyes instantly reddened.

“Release him!” she said, feigning composure.

Vice General Zhang said in a deep voice, “One life for one life. Send us Her Majesty the Empress, and we’ll lower him.”

“Never!” Xu Mengdie gritted her teeth, clenching her fists. “You think you can exchange the Empress for a commoner?”

Gu Chaonan looked at her with concern—her body was clearly trembling, yet her voice remained so firm.

Vice General Zhang laughed coldly. “Since he’s just an unimportant commoner, I’ll just cut this rope then.”

The height of the mast plus the city wall—if Xu Zhuangzhou fell, he would surely be pulp.

Xu Mengdie took several deep breaths, glanced at Shen Guiyan, thought for a moment, then whispered to Gu Chaonan, “Husband…”

“I know.” Gu Chaonan sighed. “Let’s make the exchange!”

She hadn’t expected Xu Zhuangzhou could serve such a great purpose here. Shen Guiyan was rather delighted. If they exchanged her back, the Ye City defenders would have no more reservations.

Vice General Zhang on the city wall also happily clapped his hands.

However, Xu Mengdie said softly, “Have Shuang’er deliver her. They’ll lower their person, then Shuang’er will help the Empress into the basket to be hoisted up.”

Shen Guiyan frowned. Shuang’er was quite strong—what if she grabbed hold of her and prevented her from going up after they lowered Xu Zhuangzhou?

That was exactly Xu Mengdie’s plan. No matter what, she had to save Xu Zhuangzhou, but how could she so easily return Shen Guiyan? They’d expended considerable effort to capture her.

She shot Shuang’er a meaningful look. Shuang’er understood, reaching out to untie the ropes binding Shen Guiyan and helping her down from the war chariot.

Shen Guiyan gritted her teeth and immediately began coughing again, entering a semi-unconscious state. Shuang’er had to use all her strength to support her, saying irritably, “Your Majesty, please stand steady.”

“I…” Before Shen Guiyan could finish, just like every night when she slept, she twitched and suddenly jumped half a step forward.

The surrounding people were all very alert, but only Shuang’er was accustomed to it. She waved her hand. “She does this often. With that body of hers, she can’t run away. Leave it to this servant.”

Then she waited for both sides to finish negotiating, preparing to deliver the person.

Vice General Zhang was an honest man. Hearing Xu Mengdie’s agreement, he prepared to lower the person. The distance was great, and Shen Guiyan still had to feign illness, so there was no way to alert him. She could only watch as Xu Zhuangzhou slowly descended while she herself drew closer to the basket below the city wall.

After every two steps her body would shake. Shuang’er absentmindedly held her, eyes fixed worriedly on her mistress’s most beloved brother.

Seeing Xu Zhuangzhou nearly on the ground, Xu Mengdie breathed a great sigh of relief. Over there, Shen Guiyan was already two steps from the basket.

Shuang’er watched Xu Zhuangzhou tensely when suddenly Shen Guiyan jumped forward again. She only reached out impatiently to grab her back.

But this time, Shen Guiyan’s jump wasn’t half a step—she broke into a run straight for the basket!

She ran incredibly fast. Shuang’er was dumbfounded. By the time she reacted and gave chase, Shen Guiyan was already in the basket, and the people above were desperately pulling her up.

Wasn’t she supposed to have a terminal illness? Wasn’t she sleepwalking? She ran faster than a rabbit—where was the resemblance to someone near death? Furious, Shuang’er grabbed the bottom of the basket. Seeing this, Xu Mengdie behind her quickly sent people to help.

Xu Zhuangzhou, who had fallen to the ground, freed himself from his ropes, walked to Shuang’er’s side, and yanked her away. Without resistance, the basket rapidly ascended.

“Loose arrows!” Greatly alarmed, Xu Mengdie decisively gave the order.

Vice General Zhang’s face went pale as he frantically helped them pull the rope.

But thousands of arrows had already rained down. Even though Shen Guiyan did her best to protect her heart and head, two or three arrowheads still pierced her waist and abdomen. By the time they pulled her up, her golden-red palace robes were a sticky mess.

“Not being able to wear armor was truly a miscalculation.” Shen Guiyan’s face was now genuinely pale, yet she still managed to smile as she said this to Vice General Zhang before pain caused her to lose consciousness.

Below the city wall, arrows bristled everywhere. Only after giving the order did Xu Mengdie remember Xu Zhuangzhou might also be injured. She quickly rode over to check.

Shuang’er had blocked what she could for Xu Zhuangzhou. Three or four feathered arrows pierced her body. This ever-loyal maid had been killed by her mistress’s own order.

Xu Mengdie trembled slightly, then looked at Xu Zhuangzhou.

He was perfectly fine. The bloodstains on his body were all on the outside of his clothes, looking more like they’d been painted on.

“Sister,” Xu Zhuangzhou called to her.

Xu Mengdie stared at him blankly, coldness spreading from the depths of her eyes.

He hadn’t been injured at all!