Wu Yanle was pushed onto the deck, and the scene before him left him shocked. Two armies faced off on the water, densely packed across the river surface, separated by only a hundred zhang. Was this to be a face-to-face confrontation? He couldn’t help holding his breath.

“Young Marquis.” As soon as Mo Zi spoke, blades were placed at the necks of Wu Yanle and the others.

Elder Gao simmered with anger and cursed, “Venomous woman! Previously you and our king were deeply affectionate, but now with one turn you deny all recognition. What a waste of our respect for you.”

Mo Zi’s reputation among Song forces was extremely prominent—not only as Yuan Cheng’s wife but also as Brother Mo of the shipyard. With Elder Gao’s curse, his neck immediately drew blood, provoking rebukes from the soldiers behind.

When Mo Zi spoke, they immediately quieted. “All of Song knows the Daqiu King sent people to kill me and wanted to take two lives with one strike. Elder Gao’s meaning is—him killing me is perfectly natural and right, but me turning my back makes my heart like a viper and scorpion? If he hadn’t harmed my brothers and sisters and forced me to this point, I could have endured.” She had already hidden away in a residence as a maid.

Elder Gao was struck dumb, unable to continue his sharp-tongued tirade.

Wu Yanle looked at Mo Zi’s ice-cold expression, his heart pierced as if by knives. He had once also been her brother, but now they had drifted further and further apart, becoming life-and-death enemies. He had no choice. He was Daqiu royalty, he was also the Daqiu King’s legitimate blood brother. Even knowing his elder brother had handled this relationship wrongly, he could only silently observe, even act as accomplice. Everything—there was no turning back.

“What exactly do you want?” If there’s no turning back, just forget it all.

“Nothing much. As you can see, just having your brother come fetch you.” Children raised on deception find it very difficult to trust sincerity—she understood that.

Elder Hu laughed coldly. “That simple?”

“Just that simple.” Mo Zi pointed to the opposite side. “You want to go home, and so do we. Just like those two vanguard ships turning in a circle—your heads will stay firmly on your necks.”

Ye’er bit her lip, her body trembling slightly.

“Miss Ye’er, what are you afraid of?” Mo Zi saw signals raised from Ding Gou’s ship and glanced toward Yuan Cheng.

Yuan Cheng smiled at her and turned to give instructions to Zhang Zhen.

With him present, Mo Zi felt completely at ease and continued chatting with her former companion. “Are you afraid your king won’t rescue you?”

Ye’er immediately raised her eyes, revealing panic.

Mo Zi comforted her. “If the Young Marquis weren’t here, then you truly wouldn’t have any hope. Right now you needn’t fear. For the throne, he’s almost disowned all relatives—this is his only blood brother left. And my conditions aren’t harsh at all, perfectly suiting his wishes.”

“I don’t fear the king, but—I fear you.” Ye’er spoke the truth.

Qiu Shuang stood beside Mo Zi. Hearing this, she exchanged knowing glances with Luo Ying and said, “Mo Zi, you’ve become a demoness who kills without blinking.”

The corners of Mo Zi’s mouth curved in a bewitching smile. “If I’m a demoness, what good things could you two become?”

“They’re starting to move!” Xiao Yi flipped down from the sail. “Can just anyone become a demoness? Count me as one too.”

For a moment, the women laughed and joked together.

Ye’er suddenly understood. To her, Mo Zi had become a terrifying person, but to those people, Mo Zi was kind and genuine, just as she’d been before. Only their positions had changed. Watching them, memories of the past intertwined. Back then, she and Mo Zi had also laughed happily like this. Lowering her head, she had no right to envy.

Wu Yanle opened his eyes wide watching the ships’ movement. It wasn’t as he’d imagined—two armies passing through each other—but rather moving in an arc slowly across mid-river to one side. Daqiu’s ships did the same. This way, the two armies traced a circular trajectory, able to always maintain distance and avoid sudden attacks. When he saw that Daqiu warships also interspersed quite a few civilian vessels, he couldn’t help furrowing his brows deeply.

“You thought he would leave main forces on shore, leading only a few to pretend to exchange positions with us. Once we landed, we’d be surrounded, then you could retake Fengzhou, right?” Mo Zi’s true abilities hadn’t yet had occasion to be displayed. At this moment she was only responsible for guarding hostages. “That’s because you don’t know—our Song army has already attacked behind him. If main forces don’t leave, we’ll attack from both sides, perfect for making dumplings.”

Wu Yanle thought to himself, no wonder.

“No one’s a fool.” Mo Zi’s ship crossed mid-river. “What he thinks of, we couldn’t possibly not think of. And vice versa. Honestly, this battle has already dragged past the new year. Don’t you want to go back? Usually at this time you should be beyond the border flying eagles, making sacrifices to heaven, and hunting—because of such customs, the new year will be prosperous.”

“Shut up.” How could Wu Yanle not want to return? The war wasn’t his to wage; competing for the realm wasn’t his ambition.

“I want to return to Yang City. Though Yuan Bao is still young, prolonged separation from parents will make him rebellious in the future. So I sincerely want to go home—there’s no conspiracy.” As long as Wu Yanqie didn’t play tricks and Song forces smoothly reclaimed Yuling, everything would be perfect.

“Shut up. No matter what you say, I won’t believe it. In my view, that man you married has the greatest ambition. Just wait—when he becomes Song’s emperor, he’ll also swallow the realm. My Imperial Brother’s true feelings for you—he can’t match even half.” Wu Yanle didn’t want to see her satisfied expression and spoke with malicious slander.

However, Mo Zi had never been one to care about others’ words and laughed it off.

An hour later, the advance ended. Positions exchanged, still separated by several hundred zhang.

“Young Marquis, please.” Mo Zi patted the ship’s railing.

Wu Yanle looked down to see an unmanned small boat with oars below. “You’re truly letting us go?”

“Heaven and earth as my witness.” Though in recent years her words often didn’t count, Mo Zi’s eyes shone with rainbow colors in the dawn light. “Young Marquis, until we meet again.”

Wu Yanle and the others rowed to mid-river to meet with Duan Geshou. Before they could speak, they saw Duan Geshou having soldiers signal the command ship behind.

Wu Yanle naturally understood the meaning. Startled, he hurriedly said, “Duan Ge, don’t be rash. Let’s return to Fengzhou first.”

Duan Geshou only said, “This is the king’s command.”

Imperial Brother truly had other plans? Wu Yanle turned to look toward Mo Zi’s ship. He could still vaguely see her figure. She had become so unfeeling—she’d truly been forced by Imperial Brother into a corner with no retreat.

“Duan Geshou, I am your superior general. I order you to immediately sail to the command ship. I must speak with the king personally.” Stop this. If there must be battle, wait until after the new year. Return home first.

Duan Geshou’s features were cold and angular as hard stone. “The king said the Grand Marshal might be softhearted, but opportunities must not be lost—time won’t come again. The enemy has Minister Yuan and Marquis Chu, plus Song Mo Zi. If we can resolve them in one battle, Song territory will no longer be formidable.”

At this moment, Daqiu ships began advancing at full speed toward Song vessels.

Wu Yanle shouted loudly, “Do you think the opponent is foolish? They also prepared long ago!”

“Then let’s fight honorably face to face. I also want to know—if we collide head-on directly, who will win.” Having suffered much at Mo Zi’s hands, Duan Geshou harbored a burning fury in his heart.

Wu Yanle understood Mo Zi somewhat better and snorted coldly. “She won’t collide head-on with us. Her ships have stronger combat power than ours. Of course she’ll utilize such advantages rather than easily adopt close-quarters combat.”

Wu Yanle’s attempts to stop them were not only ineffective but already too late. Their ships crossed mid-river. War drums thundered, wolf banners waved, tens of thousands of arrows created a black rain across the sky.

“Heaven bless Daqiu. Slaughter all Song forces!” The battle cry echoed across the river surface.

Mo Zi had already returned to the command cabin when Daqiu ships showed unusual movement. A large window fronted the cabin, with fine sturdy iron mesh hanging before it, unafraid of arrows. She commanded the lead ship while signal troops raised flags simultaneously transmitting to all ships.

Yuan Cheng stood behind her in silent support.

Wu Yanqie’s face was cold and somber, his gaze forest-like and chilling. A stifled breath in his chest repeatedly struck heavily, causing him unbearable pain. He had to defeat Mo Zi once, or he wouldn’t be content!

“Why is there suddenly fog rising on the river?” A great general spoke strangely.

His expression changed. Watching Song ships gradually disappear, he said, “It’s not fog—it’s smoke! Slow the ships! Launch fire balls!” Where there’s smoke there’s fire—then he’d add fuel to her flames.

Fire balls flew out but didn’t achieve his expected results—only the sound of water splashing.

The ship speed was actually this fast?! Wu Yanqie cursed inwardly and shouted again, “Ship formations spread out to prepare surrounding attack.”

“My king, do not enter the smoke!” Wu Yanle jumped onto the command ship to dissuade him. Wind direction and water flow were both unfavorable—the smoke was swallowing toward their position.

Wu Yanqie also knew, but unable to avoid the smoke, he had to change orders. “Vanguard three hundred ships maintain two-by-two column formation. Kill upon encountering enemy. Main forces continue flanking. Troop transport ships stay behind. If enemy ships break through, ram and damage them or find ways to board for close combat.”

Duan Geshou felt the smoke spread with such speed—something seemed suspicious. Looking more carefully, there were actually dark gray shadows in the fog. Just as he was about to alert Wu Yanqie in surprise, unfortunately it was already too late.

Sharp as arrows at the prow, bodies like threads, wheels mounted on the sides, smoke rising from the stern, gunwales close to the water surface, only two palms’ height above it. our people each sat in a deep hollow—two pedaled the wheels, one seemed to control the stern rudder, and another burned smoke.

Daqiu soldiers watched with great curiosity, thinking a palm-sized boat was utterly useless, yet saw countless identical small boats dart from the smoke like fish backs emerging from the river surface in an overwhelming unstoppable momentum.

Wu Yanqie’s eyes widened. He forgot to order the vanguard to charge into formation, forgot to deploy the encirclement. After quite a while he finally reacted. “Archers, shoot those ships to a stop!”

A shower of arrows fell wildly, but those ships were slender and fast. Not needing to paddle by hand, they could still hold shields with both hands while protecting companions behind. Moreover, arrows hitting prow or stern didn’t pierce or leak. With over ten thousand arrows launched, barely a few were overturned, causing a wave of doubt in Daqiu hearts—everyone involuntarily stood dazed.

“What are you all standing there for? Shoot arrows, throw balls, pull giant crossbows, and grab the slapping boards!” Wu Yanqie roared furiously. “Are we going to let such small flies disorder our ranks? They’re not frightening at all—they just want to release smoke.”

Thus hundreds of ships began using various weapons against these small flies. But giants swatting flies fail ninety percent of the time. Though they knocked down quite a few, more small boats threaded through the gaps between their warships, causing smoke to swirl and vision to blur. Signal flags on the command ship continuously issued the king’s military orders, but in such chaos, they couldn’t smoothly transmit to every ship. Swaying left and right, surging forward and back, they even collided with themselves.

“Don’t panic, everyone don’t panic. Stay in position and await orders.” Wu Yanqie’s command ship was also in the smoke, temporarily losing direction, but his orders remained calm. “Today the wind is strong—the smoke will disperse shortly.”

As he said, within a quarter-hour, the smoke continued forward.

“There are still small boats underneath!” A soldier shouted loudly.

With visibility finally clearing before them and harboring fear of these smoke boats, everyone desperately struck at the small boats remaining under their ships until all were smashed. Only then did they become complacent, not noticing that though broken wood planks floated all around, there was no blood, no people—only a layer of filthy black.

A ship captain pointed at the small boats in the distance that had already moved behind them and cursed. “Damn it, fumigating my eyes until they hurt and my throat’s dry. Rushing into our nest—don’t expect to live. Come, beat them hard. Once their asses can’t smoke anymore, they’re trash.”

However, just as the green smoke dispersed, over a hundred tall warships sailed among the small boats. Archers on deck uniformly aimed fire arrows at Daqiu ships.

Wu Yanqie’s face turned iron-blue. Great Zhou warships appearing here—had the northern border fallen? Before he could speak, fire arrows rained from the sky. Boom—the water surface suddenly ignited in great flames, instantly burning onto their ships. Those small boats left under the ships were unmanned oil vessels? His eyes also filled with raging fire. His head felt like splitting. He watched that cursing ship captain perish in flames, watched cargo ships loaded with soldiers burn into giant fireballs.

“My king, withdraw.” Wu Yanle supported his tottering elder brother. “Withdraw and we can start over.”

Wu Yanqie gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing the discomfort in his chest, finally realizing his strategy had failed. “Withdraw where? Great Zhou may have broken through the northern border.”

“My king, it won’t happen. The river surface is clear at a glance—Great Zhou only has about a hundred ships. They should be reinforcements requested from Song territory. And Song has ocean vessels to the east. We’ll head northwest, circle around the Zhou ships, and return to Fengzhou. Vanguard ships will clear the way, then main forces can break out. Fortunately the oil boats aren’t numerous and the fire ring isn’t large. But if we continue staying here letting Song forces catch up, we might be completely finished.” With just a thousand small boats implementing long-distance fire attack, the smoke release wasn’t actually for Song forces to escape but to conceal unmanned oil vessels and confuse Daqiu forces. Wu Yanle truly didn’t dare think further about what else Mo Zi and the others would do to Daqiu.

Wu Yanqie froze, then smiled bitterly. “I was truly confused, unable to see through this smokescreen. Ale, thank goodness for your reminder.”

“Imperial Brother, don’t say that. You’re still ill and feeling so terrible inside.” Mo Zi said she sincerely wanted to go home. He believed it. Now he only hoped such a withdrawal could end this war.

But matters weren’t as beautiful as Wu Yanle imagined. Great Zhou ships displayed a domineering attitude of refusing to yield. Song vanguard ships suddenly emerged through the smoke, cutting horizontally from the left wing. Behind them, hundreds more warships rapidly pursued in an inverted V-formation. Duan Geshou’s three hundred vanguard ships stood on edge with Great Zhou warships while several hundred ships protecting the king’s rear suffered fierce Song assault.

Wu Yanqie breathed rapidly, shouting with a hoarse voice, “Don’t withdraw anymore. Enemy long-range weapons are stronger than ours. Charge head-on, crash into them, board the ships for combat!”

Facing this unprecedented severity, Daqiu morale hadn’t scattered because they believed in their king. Not fleeing but turning direction, they pressed ship to ship with Song forces, engaging in hand-to-hand slaughter.

What is the strongest killing weapon?

People!

In large-scale warfare, once there’s no distance between armies, the key to victory lies with people.

The thundering sounds from both ends, metal clashing sounds, angry sounds, miserable sounds, killing sounds, roaring sounds—endless. Wu Yanqie shook off his brother’s hand, gripping the tower railing, glaring at Song’s main ship approaching from the side.

“Imperial Brother—” Wu Yanle didn’t know what to say.

“Pass orders—descend into water in batches. Form teams of ten thousand to bore through Song ships’ bottoms.” Wu Yanqie’s expression was ice-cold, deathly stillness in his eyes. That purple figure was so near yet so far.

Though untimely, Wu Yanle had to admire his brother. Their only advantage was numbers. At this point, only doing this could barely kill open a bloody path.

Mo Zi wore purple-gold soft armor. Though Yuan Cheng said he’d used light and sturdy ice vine, she felt heavy. In the blink of an eye, lives were extinguished—how could she feel relaxed?

“He plans to use human wave tactics?” She coldly watched those Daqiu soldiers swimming toward her direction.

“That he could think of this method shows he’s still quite calm. Worthy of competing for the realm.” Yuan Cheng stepped slightly forward, blocking most of Mo Zi’s form, gazing faintly at the proud Daqiu King on the tower platform.

“Mutual destruction fighting style—I don’t want to accompany him, but I can teach a lesson.” Mo Zi suddenly grabbed signal flags, stepped onto the ship’s prow, a red flag pointing directly at Wu Yanqie.

Wei An was somewhat worried. “My lord, Madam is standing so far forward. I fear the opponent’s cold arrows.”

Yuan Cheng saw Zan Jin closely following up and smiled warmly. “It’s time. Let her go.” The duel between Mo Zi and Wu Yanqie—only through this method could it be thoroughly concluded.

Wu Yanqie’s gaze tightened, watching the two-colored flags signal in Daqiu ship language.

“You want to wage war—I’ll give you a war.”

“Han people are like ants. Your nomadic tribe are wolf children—then watch closely. Today I’ll turn them into dead fish.”

The green flag decisively slashed down.

Dense iron balls were hurled toward the water surface, exploding with scorching fierce fire. In an instant, a sea of blood.

Wu Yanqie’s eyes split at the corners, eyeballs blood-red. Clenching his fists, using all his body’s strength, he howled long, “Song—Mo—Zi!”

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out!

Wu Yanle was greatly alarmed. “Imperial Brother!”

“Give me the flags! Give me the flags!” Wu Yanqie pushed Wu Yanle aside, snatching the red and green flags a trembling young soldier offered up and waving them.

“If I die, you must be buried with me!”

Mo Zi finished reading and laughed heartily. Turning to Yuan Cheng, she winked. “Husband, Wu Yanqie wants me buried with him. How should I answer?”

Yuan Cheng’s gaze was full of tenderness. “Say I don’t permit it. To be buried with someone, it should be with me. What’s he got to do with it?”

Mo Zi said yes. Turning, her expression had already cooled. She raised flags but didn’t transmit Yuan Cheng’s meaning.

“Surrender!”

“Admit defeat!”

“Cede territory!”

“Yield Fengzhou and I’ll let you pass!”

Wu Yanqie’s flags trembled in his hands. “Never!”

Mo Zi’s green flag swung down. Oil balls, gunpowder balls—repeated bombardment.

Another mouthful of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. Wu Yanqie’s vision darkened.

“Imperial Brother, forget it. All right? Forget it.” Wu Yanle pulled down his hand. They could still continue fighting, but if they exhausted everything, what meaning would there be?

“No… no… I must kill—” Wu Yanqie, blood rushing to his heart in rage, fainted.

Wu Yanle urgently called for the accompanying ship physician. Watching his brother being carried into the cabin, he slowly picked up the flags from the ground and handed them to the frightened trembling signal soldier.

“Agree to cede Fengzhou. Prepare the treaty.” As long as they could return home.

The young soldier froze.

“Hurry up and signal! Do you want to watch our people get blown to pieces alive?” Enough—truly enough!

The young soldier shuddered and no longer hesitated, raising the flag signal.

Mo Zi raised her red flag—all attacks ceased. Hearing the opponent sound retreat, she walked down with lowered head.

Wei An excitedly said, “Madam is formidable. You actually frightened Daqiu into ceding territory to seek—” Seeing Yuan Cheng’s gesture, he immediately fell silent.

Yuan Cheng said nothing, only opened his arms to embrace her, patting lightly. “It’s done. It’s over. Between you and him there’s no more enmity. Smelly Fish and Ah Yue both know you’ve done your utmost. What remains, I’ll do. Whether killing or burning—from now on, all by me.”

Mo Zi tightly embraced him back, her face buried in his chest. Tears immediately soaked his black robe as she sobbed for a long time.

The price of this victory was too great.

On the eighth day of the first month, Daqiu ceded Fengzhou to Song territory seeking peace. Song territory divided Fengzhou in two, sending half to Great Zhou. The Daqiu King later refused to acknowledge this, disregarding all ministers’ dissuasion. In his severely weakened state, he repeatedly invaded but was repelled by both nations. He then vented anger on his blood brother. Wu Yanle, heart cold and disappointed, took Ye’er and left the capital to wander the four directions. No one ever knew their whereabouts again.

A year later, the Daqiu King’s severe illness proved incurable and he died. Consort Xiang committed suicide the same day. Duan Geshou supported Noble Consort Ying’s son as the new king. Noble Consort Ying was titled King’s Grand Dowager. The two joined hands to begin a rule lasting twenty years.

That same year, Song was formally established as a nation, combining Yuling and Nande territories, sharing equal standing with Great Zhou. Moreover, due to new governance and new laws, within several years, national strength far surpassed both Great Zhou and Daqiu, becoming the strongest nation. However, the monarch’s position remained vacant—the Minister and Marquis Chu governed jointly.

―――――――――

**Twelve Years Later—**

Yang City Shipyard.

A cloth-wrapped, cloth-clothed youth walked leisurely among them, dust-covered from travel. His brows were like ink mountains, eyes like ink jade, a faint smile at the corners of his mouth—warm and refined, scholarly and elegant.

Everyone returned his smile, respectfully addressing him as First Young Master.

Stopping before the largest ship platform, he looked up. His brows slightly raised while his tone rippled with waves. Though his voice was warm, it carried helplessness. “Mother, you climbing that high yourself is one thing, but must you bring the whole family?” The youngest brother was only two years old.

Hearing his voice, the boys aged eleven and eight and the five-year-old girl dangling above all looked down together, cheering that Big Brother had returned.

“Help, Big Brother!” Five-year-old Xiao Zhumei dropped pearl tears pitter-patter. “I’m afraid of heights! I don’t want to learn ships! Mother Mother is bad!”

“Big Brother, help me tell Mother—I don’t want to learn martial arts. The Min family’s nine arts plus shipbuilding keep me busy enough.” Eleven-year-old Erbao gestured wildly, looking quite comfortable dangling there.

Eight-year-old Sanbao propped his chin with one hand. His fox eyes resembled First Young Master Yuan’s, but his smile was bright and radiant like Mother. He said nothing. He was watching the show.

The two-year-old baby was an unexpected gift from parents. He no longer remembered Big Brother and didn’t look like either parent. His eyes rolled around. His body swayed back and forth as he giggled chaotically, clapping hands.

Wearing work pants, hair tied in a ponytail, still-beautiful Mo Zi stroked the ship’s planks with one hand, a pen in her mouth. She smiled at her eldest son and spoke. “Yuan Bao, you’ve returned. Half a year passed so quickly! Sending you off feels like just yesterday.”

Yuan Hao reached out to catch the falling pen, smiling with red lips and white teeth. “Is Mother getting old with failing memory or heartless and mindless? Your son left for half a year, thinking daily of home’s goodness, yet you resent my return. As parents, you and Father are truly special among specials.”

Mo Zi flipped a rotating shaft and four children descended from the sky—one laughing, one crying, one expressionless, one gloating. The smallest, Wubao, nearly crashed into the ship’s planks but was caught in a leaping embrace by First Young Master Yuan. His warm expression shattered.

Mo Zi unhurriedly descended the stairs. “Your lightness skill practice is quite good. Find opportunity to compete with Uncle Zan. Let me watch the excitement.”

Yuan Hao would naturally seek Uncle Zan but definitely wouldn’t let her watch excitement. “No.”

Mo Zi pouted and made a cutting sound, taking Wubao. “Since Yuan Bao has returned, today let’s go home early to welcome him.”

Five-year-old Xiao Zhu tightly grasped Yuan Hao’s hand. “Big Brother, I don’t want to carve wood.”

“Then what do you like to do?” Someone approached, looking eighty percent similar to Yuan Bao, also refined and warm, but more composed and serene.

“Father!” Xiao Zhumei, having Father, didn’t need Big Brother. Her chubby ball-like body rushed over. “I like planting flowers like Aunt Lü, making flower tea, blending fragrances. And I also like Uncle’s shiny bright gemstone jewelry.”

Mo Zi met Yuan Cheng’s gaze and laughed. “This time it truly has nothing to do with me. Grandfather said he wanted to see if Xiao Zhu has the same talent as me.”

“Isn’t there Erbao?” Yuan Cheng held his daughter with one hand while brushing hair from Mo Zi’s forehead with the other, his gaze like water. After so many years, he loved her, as always.

Mo Zi hooked into his arm. “Greedy.”

The three boys then acted in unison—one taking Wubao, one pulling Zhumei, walking ahead of their parents.

“Hao’er.” Yuan Cheng suddenly spoke.

Yuan Hao turned to gaze at his father.

“I told your master—when you return this time, you don’t need to go back to the mountains. Study with me.” Yuan Cheng likewise gazed at his eldest son. “In three years, take the imperial examinations. Don’t disappoint me.”

Yuan Hao bowed deeply. “Please instruct me, Father.” A formal salute.

Mo Zi thought to herself that this father and son were still competing with each other.

“Father, I don’t want to study martial arts.” Erbao seized the opportunity to make his request. “I’m very—”

“No matter how busy, you must still strengthen your body.” Yuan Cheng didn’t permit it. “Whatever kind of people you want to become in the future, you must remember to live to a hundred years.”

Sanbao spoke up, sounding old beyond his years but hitting the mark with one phrase. “This way, the bond between our family can last.”

Only Xiao Zhumei and Wubao didn’t understand, but their laughter revealed the mutual love and harmony among siblings and brothers.

Looking at the children’s small figures ahead, Mo Zi couldn’t help sighing. “Is this their world now?”

“It’s also our world.” Yuan Cheng smiled, tilting his head slightly to kiss her cheek.

She loved him, as always. Mo Zi pressed tightly against Yuan Cheng. Happiness had surrounded her most beloved and dearest people together, to accompany her for life.

―――――――――

**Epilogue:**

In the fifth year after the new Great Zhou Emperor ascended the throne—also Song’s twenty-fifth year of establishment—the court was corrupt, national strength hollowed out. Encountering rare floods, an unprecedented great famine occurred with starving people everywhere. Xiao Mingrou had previously given birth to a daughter, so the emperor was still the Second Prince. He was weak and incompetent, suspicious by nature, heavily relying on eunuchs, believing slander, recalling loyal generals’ military authority, framing loyal ministers, causing the people’s hearts to turn away.

This spring, Yuan Hao declared war on Great Zhou. All along the way, he persuaded surrenders and met with surrenders. In the middle of the second year, he attacked the capital, and the Xiao clan pledged allegiance.

After Great Zhou came Daqiu. Government had always been controlled by the Empress Dowager and Duan Geshou, and the young emperor no longer had ambition. Under Song’s military and trade suppression lasting over twenty years, Daqiu’s national strength could never return to its peak period. By Song’s twenty-ninth year, Daqiu people finally couldn’t withstand Song forces’ offensive and were driven back beyond the border.

In Song’s thirtieth year, Yuan Hao was enthroned as emperor, historically called the Songyuan Emperor, ushering in a brand-new era of peace and prosperity. Like his father, he married only one wife throughout his life, devoted until old age.

(Everyone’s path continues extending, but the story ends here—)

May all lovers in the world become married couples, happy for a hundred years.

―――――――――

Lingzi writes rather slowly. I dare not claim slow work produces fine craft, because work and life are also very busy. I wrote “Holding Authority” for over a year. Many times my emotions rose and fell with the characters’ experiences—I laughed, cried, felt helpless, felt excited. Today, releasing Mo Zi and Yuan Cheng to live their own lives, I offer my blessings.

And I must thank everyone for every bit of support—from readers, authors, editors. Without your companionship, Lingzi would have no motivation. This year, I spent the most wonderful birthday, the most wonderful Christmas, the most wonderful New Year, the most wonderful Valentine’s Day… the most wonderful Mid-Autumn Festival. Because of you all, the world is small and warm.

Lingzi loves you all.

Thank you for meeting here.

P.S. The new story will be uploaded on November 10th. Before then, I want to give myself a vacation—read some books, recharge, rest my body, then write good stories for everyone. Please continue your support. Pink ticket bonus updates will resume then.