I looked doubtfully at the figure on the bed, a body so ravaged it was barely recognizable as human. Could this truly be Xi Huo?
Judging by his appearance, he was likely between forty and fifty years old. He was so emaciated he was little more than a bag of bones. His entire body was filthy, and his exposed skin was a map of scars—new wounds overlapping old ones until it was impossible to find a single patch of unblemished flesh.
Jie Ziqian made a shushing gesture and led us quietly into the outer room.
"Are you sure you haven't mistaken him for someone else?" I asked, my voice laced with skepticism. "Is that really Xi Huo?"
Jie Ziqian let out a disdainful huff. "Three years ago, I traveled to the capital and encountered this man on Lake Moshui. He still owes me a jar of wine. How could I possibly be mistaken?"
I knew little of Xi Huo, only that he had been a general of the Great Chu Empire. As for how he had fallen to such a wretched state, no one knew.
Seeing the glint in Jie Ziqian’s eyes, I knew exactly what he was thinking. The thought left me feeling somewhat helpless. He had likely just been rebuffed by Ying Hui and was now eager to prove his powers of persuasion.
However, I had little interest in collecting the "property" of others. Though I knew people could change their allegiances, the idea of "reforming" someone through kindness always felt unreliable. Even if he were moved by Jie Ziqian’s silver tongue and agreed to stay and help me, what would happen if I ever came into conflict with Great Chu? If his patriotism were reignited, what would I do then?
Furthermore, saving someone just to demand repayment would make even me feel uncomfortable.
"Once his wounds are healed, let him go," I said, shooting Jie Ziqian a warning look. "Do not tell him too much about our affairs."
Jie Ziqian was visibly taken aback. Even Feng Tong showed a hint of surprise.
A soldier hurried in, cupping his hands in a deep bow. "City Lord! Han Jiang’s twenty thousand remaining troops have fled to Baicheng!"
Baicheng, Tiejia Town, Fengdu, and Liangzhou were all civilian prefectures; Han Jiang found no reinforcements there. After several small-scale skirmishes, he quickly adjusted his course and headed straight for Bingzhou.
Ming Qi led three thousand elite troops to veer south at Liangdu, racing toward Chixia Pass. He intended to establish defenses there before the grand army of the Flame Heaven Kingdom could arrive.
Jie Ziqian tapped the map twice with a bony finger. "We must take Bingzhou as quickly as possible. Otherwise, once Chu De breaks through Chixia Pass with his main force, the consequences will be unthinkable."
I looked up from the map, my gaze shifting toward the distant Bingzhou. This city, once the most prosperous and bustling prefecture in the north, now had its gates tightly shut, exuding an air of grim desolation. With them on high alert, a night raid by Ming Chuan and her team was no longer an option. But a direct assault was a last resort; my military strength did not allow for such a massive risk.
Three days had passed. I pressed my fingers to my forehead, feeling the onset of a headache.
I had attached the golden key Ming Rui once gave me to a letter and sent it into the city via a fire-arrow. In the letter, I told him of my plans to implement new laws in the six northern prefectures—to govern this land through more democratic means. I hoped he would cooperate with me to fulfill this dream. If he was unwilling, he could take Ming Hua—whom I had rescued for him—and leave Bingzhou amidst the chaos, living the life of freedom he had always craved under an assumed name.
I didn't dare imagine how Ming Rui would feel upon reading that letter. He might be furious, or perhaps conflicted, for the Xixia of today was no longer the girl in his memories. Yet, a sliver of hope remained in my heart: he surely held no deep affection for the Qing Dynasty. His father had died under mysterious circumstances, and both he and his brother had long suffered the court's suspicion...
Then a sudden thought struck me: what if the letter never reached his hands?
"The trebuchets and siege ladders are ready," Ming Qi reported from outside the tent. "The Vanguard Battalion is ready."
Feng Tong took my helmet, carefully brushing away a stray lock of hair from my cheek before placing the helmet squarely on my head.
His movements were always so elegant, carrying a hint of nonchalance. It was as if we weren't heading into battle, but going out to admire flowers. Strangely enough, his composure acted as a balm, slowly quieting the agitation in my heart.
"Bingzhou isn't actually the biggest problem," he said with a shake of his head and a faint, knowing smile. "It’s just Han Jiang’s twenty thousand men. Marshal Chu is on his way to Chixia Pass—now *that* will be a real battle. Just treat this as a training exercise for your troops."
The sun was beginning to dip in the west, its bright light reflecting off the tall, earthen-yellow city walls. Outside the walls, the Dongyao soldiers had already positioned their trebuchets and crossbow arrays.
"The Vanguard Battalion is ready!" Ming Qi looked up at me, then at the command flag in my hand, seemingly unable to understand why I was still hesitating.
Ten Thousand Years stamped its hooves, appearing slightly impatient as well.
I patted the horse's head and gritted my teeth. Just as I was about to toss the flag to Ming Qi, a horn blast echoed from the distance. The gates of Bingzhou slowly creaked open. The commanding general, Han Jiang, clad in red battle robes, charged out of the city at the head of a murderous swarm of troops. Perhaps the days of rest had restored his spirit; he looked entirely different from the pathetic, exhausted figure of a few days ago.
"Crossbows!" I threw the flag to Ming Qi.
A dark cloud of bolts flew into Han Jiang’s ranks. Many soldiers were struck, falling from their horses with wretched screams. Yet Han Jiang brandished his long blade, advancing without retreat until he crashed into the crossbow array. With every fall of his blade, he threw the formation into chaos.
*Han Jiang is unusually brave today,* I thought. If he had heard that Marshal Chu was coming to his aid, he should have stayed behind his defenses...
Though Han Jiang’s behavior was suspicious, he had undeniably bolstered his troops' morale. Perhaps he wanted to use this battle to reclaim some dignity before Marshal Chu arrived.
With the crossbow array broken, Han Jiang’s soldiers lost all restraint. The two armies collided, and the air outside Bingzhou was instantly filled with the deafening roar of slaughter. Amidst the chaotic tumble of men and horses, Han Jiang’s red robes and the crimson tassel on his helmet were exceptionally striking.
I drew the golden bow from my back and notched a golden arrow. I hadn't used this bow since I acquired it. I had originally intended to give it to Ming Chuan, but because this heavy bow required internal energy to draw, she found it too taxing and returned it. I drew the bow to its full extent, carefully taking aim at Han Jiang.
The golden arrow let out a clear, sharp whistle, striking its target like a bolt of blinding lightning. His body jerked for a moment before he tumbled from his horse.
With Han Jiang down, his soldiers fell into instant disarray. Ming Yue had already led six thousand elites of the Vanguard Battalion into Bingzhou. Before long, the flags of the Flame Heaven Kingdom on the walls were replaced by the twin banners of Dongyao.
Just then, Ming Ye and several others came rushing to my horse, dragging a disheveled man. "City Lord! We’ve captured that dog Han Jiang alive!"
Beside them, Ming Tao laughed loudly. "When we stormed Prince Rui’s villa, this worthless old bastard was busy frolicking with a courtesan!"
The surrounding soldiers erupted in laughter. The disheveled man cringed even further.
But my heart suddenly constricted, and my limbs went cold.
*He* is Han Jiang?
*He* is the real Han Jiang?
I ran like a madwoman toward the person I had shot down. The red battle robes lay like a vivid splash of color against the setting sun, resting quietly on the ravaged battlefield. The golden arrow was still buried in his chest. Bright red blood seeped through the gaps in his armor, drop by drop, soaking the yellow sands beneath him.
I knelt by his side, my entire body shaking so violently I could barely grasp his helmet.
The silver helmet was slowly lifted, revealing a handsome, youthful face.
"Ming Rui!" I collapsed onto the ground, suddenly drained of all strength. He was still gasping for air, but one look at his face told me he wouldn't last much longer. Tears rolled down my cheeks silently.
"How could it be you? Why was it you?" I sobbed, my voice breaking.
Ming Rui’s eyes fluttered open. His gaze slowly focused on my face, and like a spark landing in the depths of his pupils, his eyes momentarily flared with a strange brilliance. My entire body felt as if it had been submerged in freezing water; I couldn't stop shivering from the depths of my soul.
With great effort, Ming Rui raised his hand. In his palm lay the golden key. The dazzling ruby sparkled with an eerie light, like a poignant tear. I squeezed his hand and the key together. Through my blurred vision, I could no longer even see his face clearly.
Ming Rui seemed to want to offer a smile, but he failed.
"Prince Rui... for generations... has guarded Bingzhou..." He began to cough, crimson foam bubbling at his lips. "I am... a son of the Qing clan..."
I pulled his body to me and wailed.
"It’s a pity... the new world... you described in your letter... I won't see it..." Ming Rui struggled to pull my hand close, pressing it firmly against his heart.
His body suddenly went heavy.
When I looked up in terror, his eyes had already closed.
I stood atop the high city walls, my hand lightly tracing the cold stone of Bingzhou. The Dongyao banners snapped and fluttered in the wind. A dim yellow light from the watchtower above cast a small circle of brightness, barely four feet wide, around me. Against the backdrop of the pitch-black night, it only made me feel twice as lonely.
The night sky was clear, the stars shining as brilliantly as if they had been washed in water.
Behind me came the sound of footsteps I had been expecting, yet I lacked the courage to even turn around. By my count, we hadn't seen each other for nearly nine months. Had he grown taller?
The person behind me was less than three feet away; I could hear his breathing clearly. Yet he remained stubbornly silent, saying not a word. I suddenly remembered how he used to act spoiled, squirming in my arms. My nose stung, and tears burst from my eyes.
"What I did today is beyond forgiveness, even my own," I said, clenching my fists so hard my nails bit into my palms. "Tomorrow morning, I will have someone escort you out of Bingzhou to meet a grandmaster. He will take you in and teach you martial arts. I will wait for you—wait for you to master your skills and come back to kill me, to avenge your brother."
The person behind me remained silent.
Compared to this silence, I would have preferred him to lung forward and kill me right now. The Ming Hua in my memory never deigned to hide his emotions; he was a boy who always radiated the warmth of the sun. It was I—it was the blood of Ming Rui on my hands—that had forced him to grow up so terrifyingly in a single night.
"I will see to his funeral arrangements properly." I gritted my teeth, the faint taste of blood spreading in my mouth. If I could, I would rather be the one who died. But now, it was too late for anything.
The footsteps behind me rustled as he slowly walked away.
By the time I finally summoned the courage to look back, I only caught a glimpse of a white robe disappearing from sight.
I leaned against the city wall and wept uncontrollably.
***
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