Autumn in the north was always so clear that not a single stray cloud could be seen. Though the sunlight still carried a scorching heat against the skin, the oncoming breeze already held a thread of biting chill.
In the distance, the hills shifted from layers of deep green to a warm orange-red under the brilliant sun—a kaleidoscope of colors so beautiful one was loath to look away. Closer by, the plains were a rich, heavy gold. From a high vantage point, the land was neatly partitioned into fields of varying sizes, crisscrossed by a network of paths. Farmers were busy in the fields, deep in the midst of the harvest.
The reaping had lasted for three days. On the threshing floors at the edges of the fields, the earliest-ripening flax had already been laid out to dry.
The north lacked the capacity for the advanced processing of flax. Similarly, the manors near Dongyao City could only perform simple roasting and preparation of medicinal herbs. However, the good news was that in addition to Fengyun Fortress, merchants from the Iron Dragon Tribe and the Kingdom of Meng had come, drawn by our reputation, to make purchases. Though their numbers were few, it already exceeded our initial expectations.
*Perhaps next year we can build processing plants to refine the herbs and flax...*
A soft cough beside me pulled my thoughts back to the present. As I remembered the purpose of my presence here, the spirit that had just begun to lift sank back to the depths.
We were on our way up the mountain. The path was flanked by overgrown weeds, with clusters of colorful wild chrysanthemums appearing here and there. Not far ahead was a sparse grove of elms. The broad, palm-like leaves had turned from the deep green of summer to a soft, shimmering yellow-green, swaying gracefully with the mountain wind.
Zhang Si’s corpse lay within that elm grove.
Zhang Si and Li Zhong had originally been the headmen of the east and west districts of White City. After Ming Yue took over the city, he arranged for them to take turns acting as bailiffs. Once their three-month trial period ended, the merchant guild and neighborhood representatives voted for Zhang Si to officially take the post. Two days ago, his family reported to Ming Yue that he had gone missing. It wasn't until today that his body was discovered by two woodcutters, who had rushed to the yamen in a panic to report it.
By the time our group arrived, Ming Yue and the coroner were already there.
Zhang Si lay on his back amidst the weeds, covered in blood and filth. Aside from sword wounds, there were lash marks on his back and legs. Yet none of these were the fatal blow. The killing strike was on his forehead. A circular steel dart, the size of a copper coin, was embedded between his brows.
I didn't need a second look to know. That circular dart was similar in size and thickness to a coin, but it was distinguished by the character *Guang* (Light) engraved on one side and *Fu* (Restoration) on the other.
My fists clenched involuntarily. A surge of fury erupted within me.
Since the execution of the four minor leaders of the Guangfu Association in White City, this was their third act of retaliation. They chose targets who were clearly local supporters of our administration. Wang An, the head of the constables in Fengdu, had been strangled outside the yamen gates at night just as he was leaving after jailing several petty thieves. Chu Zhongren, the president of the Chenjiaji Merchant Guild, went missing the day after donating a large sum of money to renovate the yamen and the almshouse. Three days later, his body was found in a ditch outside the city. Aside from having been tortured, the commonality between the three corpses was the Guangfu Association steel dart embedded in their foreheads.
The coroner was directing the yamen runners to place the body into a simple shroud. Ming Yue stood to the side, his face cold as he silently observed, one hand habitually tapping his riding crop against a nearby tree trunk.
It wasn't until the others had descended the mountain, leaving only the two of us on the slope, that he turned his head and said heavily, "They want to terrorize those willing to work for us. Yesterday, two more people in my yamen refused to show up for duty, no matter what."
I knew that panic was like a terrible disease; it spread rapidly. Its most direct consequence was that, bit by bit, it would isolate us once again.
As early as when Wang An was murdered, strange rumors about the Guangfu Association had begun to circulate quietly among the common folk. Some even embellished the stories, describing them as demi-immortals capable of soaring through the sky and burrowing into the earth—especially since they carried the mission of "expelling the invaders." Consequently, in the hearts of the northern residents, their existence was tinged with the luster of heroism.
I could feel this profoundly through their eyes, their expressions, and their hushed whispers whenever I walked through the streets.
This sentiment, which I could not fathom, showed no significant change even in the face of the successful flax harvest.
It filled me with an immense sense of sorrow.
***
An unusual, oppressive atmosphere hung over the yamen in White City.
The moment we stepped through the gates, we felt that this ominous weight undoubtedly stemmed from yet another piece of bad news.
Ming Yue and I exchanged a glance, our hearts sinking.
Feng Tong and Feng Pu were both in the inner hall. When they saw us enter, Feng Tong said abruptly, "Feng Duo is dead."
My mind gave a violent thud, and I collapsed into a nearby chair, unable to support myself.
The thought of his silent, serene face brought a swelling ache to my heart, yet not a single tear would fall. My temples began to throb again. I heard Ming Yue’s heavy voice asking, "What happened? When did this occur?"
Feng Pu’s expression remained as calm as ever, but a burning fire flickered in his eyes, making his face appear unusually grim. "It happened five days ago. Brother Feng went up the mountain to appease the miners; it happened on his way back. His four personal guards are all dead. The two traveling accountants were seriously injured. According to them, there were six assailants, all masked, wielding longswords..."
"Miners?" I chewed on that sensitive word, asking in surprise, "What’s wrong with the miners?"
Feng Pu pressed his thin lips together, silent for a moment before answering in a low voice, "Those miners raided a sealed government storehouse on the mountain, looting all the weapons and grain inside..."
"How many of them are there?"
"Somewhere between three hundred and a thousand; there’s no specific count. Those who remained in the villages are also likely to have joined the initial raid. At the scene of the looting, our men found this." Feng Pu opened his palm. In his hand, a brand-new steel dart glinted coldly—identical to the one I had just seen in Zhang Si’s forehead.
"Where are these people now?" Ming Yue paced the room a few times before asking, "Several hundred people is not a small number."
Feng Pu shook his head. "The messenger sent by Mr. Lin only said that these miners might still be hiding on the mountain. We don't have enough manpower to search the mines, and the terrain there is extremely complex. They stole a significant amount of grain, so hiding for a period of time won't be difficult for them."
I turned to look at Feng Tong. His expression was icy, his eyes turning a deep, dark emerald from fury.
Suddenly, I had a strange feeling. I felt that the miner uprising in Bingzhou was the real operation Ming Shao and Ying Hui had been meticulously preparing, while the murders in Fengdu and Chenjiaji, including Zhang Si’s death this morning, were merely diversions... their purpose was nothing more than to create panic in the four central commanderies and force us to distract ourselves with these locations...
Bingzhou was not far from Chixia Pass. If Chu De’s elite forces were unable to break through the mountain paths, then the experts of the Guangfu Association combined with hundreds of miners would make for a perfect force for a strike from the rear...
My heart skipped a beat. My gaze swept over the faces of the men, and I said slowly, "I am going to Bingzhou!"
***
It wasn't yet mid-morning, but the brilliant sun overhead was already so bright it was difficult to keep one's eyes open.
Bingzhou lay to the northwest of White City, a journey of only five or six days by fast horse. We had started early and reached Qingling Gorge in just four hours. Qingling Gorge was a shallow valley on the outskirts of White City. As far as the eye could see, there were rolling, earthy-yellow hills with hardly a tree in sight. Whenever the horses galloped past, they kicked up clouds of yellow dust.
Due to the lack of water, the surrounding twenty to thirty miles were a wasteland with no inhabitants.
I pulled on the reins, reaching down to unfasten the waterskin from my saddle and taking a few shallow sips. Behind me, Feng Tong and twenty-odd personal guards followed at a distance.
After securing the waterskin, I looked back toward the direction they were coming from. My horse, *Ten Thousand Years*, suddenly pawed the ground irritably with its front hooves and jerked its neck violently to the side. A sudden shock went through me. In the blink of an eye, two snow-bright longswords thrust rapidly toward my eyes.
Without time for thought, I hurled the waterskin. The supple ox-hide bag struck the foremost sword; the tip of the blade veered off and collided directly with the other sword beside it. Simultaneously, I kicked off with force, leaping from the horse's back. The Xuanwu Blade shed its scabbard in mid-air, flashing like a streak of clear, cold water as it swept toward the two assailants.
The two young men reacted swiftly. Seeing their strike miss, they immediately leaped backward, dodging my mid-air blow. Glancing back, I saw Feng Tong and the guards already engaged in combat. I didn't need to worry about Feng Tong’s skills, but the twenty or thirty guards were only of average ability; several were already wounded.
At a rough glance, there were more than a dozen people ambushing us.
The longswords thrust sharply toward me again like persistent, venomous snakes. I swiftly dodged the strike and slashed back, severing the sword-arm of one attacker. When he lunged, he had been prepared for the possibility of not retreating unscathed, but he hadn't expected the Xuanwu Blade to be so sharp. He froze for a moment, then saw blood erupting from his stump. Only then did he let out a scream and collapse backward.
The other young man’s gaze darkened, his eyes involuntarily darting toward his wounded companion. I took the opportunity to close in, my water-like blade rapidly entangling his sword. With a sharp *clang*, the sword flew from his hand. The young man lost his composure, and I slashed his shoulder, sending him falling silently beside his comrade.
A sharp whistle sounded from the distance. The ambushers retreated as if on command, vanishing almost more quickly than they had appeared.
Five or six of our men had sustained light injuries, none serious. However, Feng Tong’s arm wound had not yet healed, and the fight had torn it open again; half his sleeve was instantly soaked in dark red.
Feng Tong stubbornly refused to let me look at his wound, a hint of irritation in his eyes. "We need to leave this place first!"
***
We didn't stop to rest until we had left Qingling Gorge and galloped several miles to the west.
Feng Tong’s injury wasn't heavy, but the repeated tearing would make healing even more difficult. I carefully bandaged his wound, then checked on the wounded guards, who had all been tended to.
While everyone was resting, I pulled Feng Tong aside and asked in a low voice, "What do you make of today?"
Feng Tong leaned back in the shade of a massive boulder, his eyes narrowing slightly. His tone was casual. "It was nothing more than a test."
Among the dozen or so who ambushed us, there were no top-tier experts. But if it was a test, what were they testing?
Feng Tong said thoughtfully, "Perhaps they have moles among us, and our movements cannot be hidden from their eyes—it was likely just to convey that message. As for not dealing a killing blow here, the only explanation is that there is a greater danger waiting for you further ahead, City Lord of Dongyao." As he spoke those last words, a faint smile touched the corners of his mouth, as if he were utterly unconcerned by his own words.
Ever since learning of Feng Duo’s death, a dark cloud had hung over my heart. Thinking of Chu De outside Chixia Pass led me to consider even more possibilities.
"Feng Tong," I whispered, consulting him, "you should take a few men and head back to White City."
Feng Tong’s cat-like eyes snapped open, looking at me with a startle. "Why?"
I took his hand and explained patiently, "Aside from Ming Yue in White City, the bailiffs of the other three central commanderies are all former members of Fengyun Fortress. They will follow your orders more effectively than mine..."
Feng Tong gave a short laugh, cutting me off. "It’s not that urgent. I’ll instruct them when I return."
I shook my head. "You misunderstand me. My trip to Bingzhou likely won't be smooth. I want you to stay in the four central commanderies. With you and Mr. Jie there, I can be at peace while I'm in Bingzhou."
Feng Tong’s grip suddenly tightened, his eyes turning sharp. He stared at me for a long time before saying slowly, "Whether the miners were incited by the Guangfu Association is still just your guess. It might not be the case..."
"And if it is?" I countered.
Feng Tong pressed his lips together and held my hand tightly, but said nothing.
"I’m not just afraid of them being incited by the Guangfu Association," I said. "I’m afraid they *are* the Guangfu Association, and that they will coordinate an attack with Chu De from both inside and out..." I paused, deciding it was best to voice all my worries. "If it were just Chixia Pass, it would be manageable. But the Great Chu Kingdom’s attitude remains ambiguous. If, as Mr. Jie predicted, they and Chu De form a pincer movement..."
Feng Tong’s grip was very tight. After a long silence, he said softly, "Why leave me here?"
"Because they will listen to you, of course." I pressed my fingers to his lips and whispered, "If the situation spirals out of control—I mean *if*..."
He pulled my hand down and kissed it gently. His tender, gallant demeanor made it feel as though we were sitting in a beautiful garden admiring flowers... I couldn't help but feel a momentary daze.
When I looked up again, Feng Tong’s face was full of seriousness. "I’m listening. Go on."
I felt a slight twinge of shame—how could I get distracted at a time like this? What I was about to entrust to him was of the utmost importance. At that thought, my mind cleared instantly.
I whispered, "If... and I mean *if* the situation spirals out of control, I want you to protect these people. Whether it’s Mr. Jie, Ming Yue, or Feng Pu, I want you to ensure they escape safely." I thought for a moment and added, "And of course, you must protect yourself."
Feng Tong wanted to say something, but I stopped him again. "You must remember, if anything happens to my mentors, I will never forgive you as long as I live."
Feng Tong lowered his gaze, his long lashes shimmering with a glint of golden sunlight, trembling slightly.
"Of course, it hasn't come to that yet," I forced a smile. "It’s just that whenever I face something, I always think of the worst possible outcome first."
Feng Tong looked up at me, his emerald eyes shimmering like water, as if the waves had settled in an instant, leaving only a pool of tranquil water rippling warmly in the midday sun.
"Since you expect you might lose everything, why do it?" he asked quietly.
"At first, perhaps I was just terrified of being hunted. I only thought that I couldn't let Han Jiang take Dongyao. Like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, the moment he moved, I felt I had to strike first..." I thought deeply and said slowly, "To defeat Han Jiang, I had to take Qizhou, and taking Qizhou offended the Kingdom of Yantian... and so it went, step by step..."
"Do you regret it?" he asked again, his expression as serene as ever. It was as if he were casually asking what we were having for lunch.
I shook my head. "No matter my end, the six northern commanderies have been changed. Such change would have been impossible without that first step of mine. When the economy here develops, the beneficiary won't just be Yantian. And in this life, I have finally done one thing entirely according to my own will..."
Feng Tong didn't speak, but he gently stroked my hair. Stroke after stroke, soft as if he were smoothing a piece of silk.
"Do you regret it?" I asked softly. "After all, I’ve dragged you into this."
Feng Tong laughed softly. "What is there to be dragged into? From the moment you fought your way out of the Central Capital, I had already arranged for the businesses of Fengyun Fortress to be moved secretly. The world is vast; is there nowhere we can settle?"
My heart warmed, and I reached out to wrap my arms around his waist.
I heard him sigh softly by my ear. "I’ll see you to Bingzhou before I head back. This road likely won't be peaceful. I wouldn't be at ease leaving you now." After a pause, he added, "If we happen to get separated, remember: whether it’s with the Iron Dragon Tribe or the Kingdom of Meng, any shop belonging to Fengyun Fortress can be used to contact me if you use the word '*Xia*'."
I nodded vigorously. Then I heard him ask in a lowered voice, "The secret passage at Mount Luliang..."
I quickly covered his mouth, looking around to ensure no one was nearby before breathing a sigh of relief. "That’s for a last resort, for escaping. How do you know about it?"
A faint smile spread through Feng Tong’s eyes. "Didn't you say it yourself? They all listen to me."
I gave a heavy huff. "It must have been Feng Pu. Just wait until I get back..."
Before I could finish, Feng Tong’s lips pressed against mine. In the sweltering heat of high noon, this sudden, cool breath was enough to make one lose themselves for a moment.
I saw my own reflection in his misty eyes. The lingering tenderness in his gaze was like the gentlest of waves, slowly washing over me, making me forget the world outside, bit by bit.
***
**Glossary**
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 张司 | Zhang Si | A local official (bailiff) in White City. |
| 李钟 | Li Zhong | A local official in White City. |
| 光复会 | Guangfu Association | A resistance group/secret society; "Guangfu" means "Restoration." |
| 王安 | Wang An | Head of constables in Fengdu. |
| 楚忠仁 | Chu Zhongren | President of the Chenjiaji Merchant Guild. |
| 风舵 | Feng Duo | A key member of Fengyun Fortress. |
| 并洲 | Bingzhou | A location in the north, site of a miner uprising. |
| 青岭峡 | Qingling Gorge | A valley/pass on the outskirts of White City. |
| 爱你一万年 | Ten Thousand Years | The protagonist's horse (literally "Love You for Ten Thousand Years"). |
| 玄武刀 | Xuanwu Blade | The protagonist's weapon (Black Tortoise Blade). |
| 夏 | Xia | A code word used to contact Fengyun Fortress. |
| 路良山 | Mount Luliang | A mountain with a secret escape passage. |
