Among the founding generals of Tiancheng, many rose from the common folk, and the Mei family was one such lineage.
This was largely because the Su clan, having originated as powerful officials themselves, understood all too well how the influence of noble families could intertwine like tangled roots. Support would one day become a constraint; thus, potential threats had to be neutralized early on.
Mei Qiao had entered the battlefield at seventeen. By nineteen, he had already amassed significant military merit, relying on his peerless prowess and a conviction that defied death. Yet, because of this life, he did not marry until he was nearly thirty, and only fathered children at thirty-three.
The eldest son, Mei Ruochong, followed in his father's footsteps, gaining fame for his youthful brilliance in battle and once serving as a commanding general of Tiancheng. The second son, Mei Ruoxu, and the third, Mei Ruozhao, sought no official paths, choosing instead to become reclusive martial arts instructors.
Rumor had it that Mei Qiao favored his eldest son above all. However, Mei Ruochong died in battle before reaching the age of twenty-eight. Mei Qiao’s hair turned white overnight; he withdrew from the imperial court, ceased all involvement in military affairs, and grew increasingly eccentric and solitary. As his old friends from the capital retired to their hometowns one by one, few visitors ever set foot in the Mei residence again.
Xiao Nanhui was a rare guest in this manor. She had always been apprehensive about formal visits, let alone when the host held such high status and she was there to ask a favor.
The estranged host and the awkward guest stood in silence for a long time amidst the chilling winds of the first lunar month.
Finally, unable to bear the tension, Xiao Nanhui spoke first.
"While on the Bijiang battlefield, I accidentally broke this spear. Fortunately..." She stumbled slightly when she reached the person's name. "Fortunately, I received guidance from Lieutenant Ding of the Goose-Wing Camp, which led me to come here so abruptly. I ask the Old General, in your capacity as the spear’s creator, to help me repair Pingxian. No matter how rigorous the requirements, I am willing to strive for them one by one. I, Xiao Nanhui, can swear here and now to be at your beck and call for the rest of my life, as long as—"
"If I asked you to commit treason, or to personally kill the one you love, would you be willing then?"
Mei Qiao’s words left Xiao Nanhui speechless.
There were some things she truly could not do.
She felt a flicker of irritation, wondering if he was intentionally testing her. "The Old General is a man of great virtue and prestige. Why would you ask me to do something so heinous?"
"Young lady, do not be so quick to swear oaths. There are some vows you can never fulfill; once spoken, they are nothing but lies."
Mei Qiao’s clouded eyes seemed to look toward her, yet also seemed to look through her at someone else entirely.
"This spear, I cannot repair. Please return home, General Xiao."
Xiao Nanhui never expected such a final judgment.
The successive blows made it difficult to hide her despair. It would have been better if her hopes had been crushed from the start, but to have that small flame of hope ignited only to be completely extinguished felt as though her heart had died twice over.
She lowered her posture, her voice carrying an imperceptible trace of humility. "I beg the Old General to look again. You said yourself that my foster father sought this spear from you. If even you say it cannot be fixed, then it truly is ruined..."
"If it is ruined, then forge another. Do not be obsessed with this one."
Mei Qiao’s tone was not heavy, but it carried an unshakeable finality.
Xiao Nanhui stood frozen for a moment, almost motionless, before suddenly bowing deeply. Her posture was like that of a devotee offering a prayer to a deity in a temple.
The man before her was her only hope. If she turned and left, she would have nowhere else to turn.
"I have no other way. I beg the Old General..."
The white-haired general suddenly reached out and patted the top of her head.
"One who leads soldiers does not kneel lightly. Stand up."
Xiao Nanhui’s shoulders trembled, but she eventually stood.
She stared at the broken Pingxian, refusing to look away, as if doing so might make it whole again in the next instant.
That was the first gift Xiao Zhun had ever given her—the first gift of her entire life.
When she was fourteen, Xiao Zhun had placed Pingxian in her hands, told her its significance, and placed such high expectations upon her, sealing a promise between them.
In the years that followed, whenever Xiao Zhun was not by her side, Pingxian was her companion as she charged into battle and overcame hardships.
It was not just a spear; it was her connection to Xiao Zhun. How could she let it remain broken?
Seeing her silence, Mei Qiao’s beard twitched slightly as he fumbled to take Pingxian into his hands.
The complex mechanisms within the shaft seemed like a simple toy in his hands; with a few deft movements, he disassembled it.
"Humans have a lifespan, and so do weapons. Your foster father should have warned you never to mention this spear’s name lightly before outsiders. Do you know why?"
Xiao Nanhui shook her head blankly.
Xiao Zhun had never told her the reason, and she had always assumed it was because she wasn't worthy of knowing.
"This spear was not originally constructed this way. It broke once, a long time ago. When I handed it to that Xiao lad, I considered it already dead."
Xiao Nanhui was stunned. She never imagined that the question she had pondered for so long would have such an answer.
Suddenly, the words the Emperor had spoken to her on the journey back from Huozhou echoed in her mind. He had said she didn't know the story behind Pingxian, and that Xiao Zhun hadn't told her the whole truth...
"You are silent; it seems you did not know." There was a hint of expected realization in Mei Qiao’s voice. "The General never mentioned this past to you, likely because he still harbors guilt toward the Mei family."
Xiao Nanhui struggled to process this influx of information.
By age, Xiao Zhun and Mei Qiao belonged to two different generations of generals. Before Mei Ruochong died, it seemed Xiao Zhun had no connection to them.
Hearing her silence, Mei Qiao pulled back his lips in a wordless smile—a smile devoid of warmth, containing only the desolation of one who had weathered many storms.
"A scholar dies to achieve benevolence, but a soldier must use the flesh and blood of others to achieve himself. A single general's success is built on ten thousand rotting bones. Sometimes, a moment's negligence turns one into those white bones themselves. You have been on the battlefield; you should understand this truth."
"In the Battle of Qingping Ferry over a decade ago, the Marquis of Qinghuai became famous in a single fight, leading troops to the borders of Bijiang. However, due to his eagerness for victory, he suffered a defeat at Sanmu Pass. If the Guangyao Battalion had not abandoned their post at the ancient Tianmu River ferry to come to his aid, few of the two hundred thousand soldiers of the Northern Expedition would have survived. And the commander of the Guangyao Battalion at that time was General Feilian—my beloved daughter, Mei Ruogu."
Xiao Nanhui could not hide her shock.
There were few records of General Feilian in the annals of Tiancheng, but she had not expected the general to be a woman, just like herself.
Mei Qiao did not care for her reaction, immersing himself in the past, his face even gaining a touch of luster. "If Ruogu had not been a woman, she would have long since held the rank of a Chief General. Her spear techniques were taught personally by her brother, and Pingxian was forged by my own hands. She was the red tassel on the spear tip of the Mei family, the pride of my life. Unfortunately, she met that man..."
Mei Qiao’s expression returned to its aged state, and his voice gradually grew cold.
"She married, bore a son, and gained compassion and mercy while losing her sharp, killing intent. She judged that the battle at Sanmu Pass was a trap, and because she cherished Xiao Zhun as a rare talent of his generation, she did not hesitate to defy orders to support him. While facing the fierce generals under Bai Hun, she was surrounded. Pingxian was severed by the Dark Iron Empyrean Halberd, and she herself was gravely wounded. She wanted to return to her hometown, but in the end, she did not last until that day. She left this city smiling on horseback, but she returned wrapped in a straw mat. Since then, I have not known where to find her."
Xiao Nanhui listened to this history in silence, her heart filled with emotion, yet without excessive sorrow.
The fate between people was truly so wondrous.
Because Mei Ruogu was heavily injured, Xiao Zhun had halted his army at Suyan for several days. It was during those few days that her own life had been turned upside down.
Years later, she had inherited Mei Ruogu’s weapon and her will, yet she only learned of this history when the spear broke.
Perhaps, in the unseen world, Mei Ruogu’s heroic soul was attached to that spear, invisibly guiding her step by step along the path the female general had once trodden, protecting her through countless dangers.
"General Feilian was a person of great honor. I only wish to spend the rest of my life defending the country on the battlefield to continue her legacy. Though the person is gone, the spirit remains. Since the Old General once reforged a broken spear, you must feel the same."
Mei Qiao understood the meaning in Xiao Nanhui’s words, but he did not deny them.
"I have spent my life on horseback, my hands stained with countless lives. Heaven spared my life but took Ruochong and Ruogu. I resented the injustice of the world, and my obsession became uncontrollable; that was why I reforged the broken spear. I was lost in that obsession for years, until I finally woke up and gave the spear to your foster father. You must understand: a spear is inherently straight and upright. All spear-forgers in the world consider a seamless, unified piece to be superior, and complex mechanisms to be inferior. This spear, perhaps, should never have existed."
Mei Qiao’s words landed with weight, striking Xiao Nanhui’s heart like drumbeats.
She murmured, as if speaking to him, yet also to herself.
"Complex mechanisms, inferior quality... I don't care about any of that. The meaning of Pingxian to me is far more than just a weapon."
The cold wind rose again. Mei Qiao’s voice seemed to ring in her ear, yet also seemed to drift from afar on the breeze.
"No matter how much emotion you invest in an object, it is ultimately just a spear. It could not replace Ruogu in the past, and it cannot replace what is in your heart now. Have you ever considered that perhaps you are merely looking for an excuse because you cannot continue forward?"
If his previous words were the gust before a storm, this sentence struck deep into Xiao Nanhui’s soul like a bolt of lightning.
She was a moth struggling toward a single direction in the darkness. Suddenly, light appeared everywhere, yet she had lost her way forward.
Mei Qiao’s voice continued to circle around her, making the light burn even brighter.
"I have tasted the bitterness of longing for the departed through their belongings. However, in this world, only that which is gone cannot be forced to stay. Just like the plum blossoms on these branches, one only needs to remember the beauty of their bloom. When they fall, let them go back to the world."
As his words fell, the cold wind swept through the hall.
Many more plum blossoms fell from the branches. The two of them fell into silence once more, just as they had when they first met.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Nanhui finally took a few slow steps forward.
The aged general’s back remained straight, his presence majestic even while sitting. But those hands that no longer held a spear now had nothing left to grasp; they could only curl stubbornly into fists upon his knees.
"Today, I return Pingxian. I hope the General will find a place for it to rest."
Xiao Nanhui reached out and gently squeezed the back of the old general’s hand. Mei Qiao’s hand trembled imperceptibly.
It was a hand very similar to Ruogu’s—the palm covered in a thin layer of calluses, the webbing of the thumb rough, and the knuckles distinct, unlike those of a typical woman.
The hand of a spear-wielder.
In the next moment, the hand was withdrawn.
Xiao Nanhui slowly retreated three steps and performed a solemn military salute.
"General Xiao Nanhui takes her leave of General Mei. I wish the General good health and a long life."
She did not look up to see the old general’s expression, backing out of the pavilion with her head bowed.
A-Qiu, who had been waiting nearby, walked over quietly and led her out of the courtyard filled with blooming winter plums.
Walking back the way she came, Xiao Nanhui was still somewhat dazed. A-Qiu suddenly spoke.
"A-Qiu thanks General Xiao."
She snapped back to reality and hurriedly returned the gesture. "Why do you say that, sir? If anyone should be giving thanks, it is I who should thank the Old General and you."
A-Qiu smiled kindly, appearing more relaxed than when they first met.
"When you entered the manor, you looked about seventy to eighty percent like our young mistress once did. Though the Master cannot see, he can feel it. The departed are gone; to be able to catch even a glimpse of a shadow from the past is something to be grateful for."
These words made Xiao Nanhui feel a bit embarrassed.
"How could I dare compare myself to General Feilian?" Pausing, she asked curiously, "You mentioned there was once a Water-Reflecting Pavilion plum tree in this manor. Was it related to General Feilian?"
A-Qiu’s smile deepened, and the marks of time finally showed on his face; he was, in fact, no longer a middle-aged man.
"The Water-Reflecting Pavilion was the young mistress's favorite. Though she was a warrior, she was beautiful from childhood. After she married into a high-ranking family, the Old General dug up the only tree of that kind in the courtyard and moved it to the Prince's mansion. Fearing that those high-born nobles would look down on a woman who practiced martial arts and mistreat her, he personally forged Pingxian as her dowry. The name 'Pingxian' was a warning, a reminder for her husband's family to treat her with equality."
So, that was the origin of the name Pingxian.
"Does General Feilian have any descendants?" As soon as the question left her mouth, she realized it was a bit abrupt and quickly added, "I only wondered why Pingxian eventually ended up in my foster father's hands."
A-Qiu did not seem to mind, though the smile on his face faded.
"The eldest mistress had two sons. The eldest was most like the Mei family, but unfortunately, he passed away with the mistress before he was eight. The younger son lost his mother at a young age. The Old General did not want his mother's tragedy to repeat itself, so he had him abandon the spear for the sword. At age nine, he was sent to Mount Taozhi in Zhongtian. Though he has practiced hard for many years, he ultimately cannot compare to his mother."
Mount Taozhi? Why did that sound familiar?
As Xiao Nanhui was pondering this, a figure appeared at the moon gate ahead.
In the next instant, Su Pingchuan came rushing toward them, cradling a bundle of plum branches.
"Uncle Qiu, I saw no one at the gate, so I let myself in..."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted and landed on the woman standing nearby. She was also staring at him with wide eyes.
Their eyes met, both filled with shock.
"Why are you..."
"Why are you here?!"
Xiao Nanhui hadn't finished her sentence before Su Pingchuan cut her off.
She wanted to explain it was about Pingxian, but the words died in her throat when she noticed the blooming light-red plum blossoms in his arms. They looked strangely familiar.
"What are those in your hands...?"
"Water-Reflecting Pavilion," Su Pingchuan answered briefly. For some reason, he stole another quick glance at her. "These branches are for my maternal grandfather; it's a yearly tradition. If you want some, come to the Prince's mansion another day, and I'll pick some for you myself."
However, Xiao Nanhui’s attention was clearly not on the latter half of his sentence. She blankly repeated the term "maternal grandfather" in her mind, and then blurted out slowly, "Your grandfather is..."
"General Mei Qiao."
Xiao Nanhui’s tone became even more incredulous. "Then your mother was..."
"My mother’s surname was Mei. Her name before marriage was Ruogu. Why are you asking this...?"
Xiao Nanhui stared at Su Pingchuan’s fair young face, then recalled Mei Qiao’s weathered countenance. Her heart was a whirlwind of emotions. Then it hit her—as Mei Ruogu’s son, he actually didn't know of Pingxian’s existence. He truly was a fool.
She wanted to explain that she had come for his mother's weapon, but her thoughts were so chaotic she didn't know where to start. She could only continue to stare at Su Pingchuan.
While she was agonizing over what to say, A-Qiu, who had been watching, finally spoke.
"Young Master, the Master is in the inner courtyard right now. If you wish to see him, now is a good time."
Xiao Nanhui felt as if she had been granted a divine reprieve. She cupped her hands in a gesture of farewell. "I have intruded for far too long; I shouldn't take up any more of your time. Pingchuan, go quickly. We shall talk another day."
Su Pingchuan finally pulled his gaze away from Xiao Nanhui. He took two steps, then stopped and looked back.
"We will be on duty together next month. We'll see each other often then, so there's no rush."
He really knew how to pick the most awkward topics.
The image of the two of them stationed at opposite ends of the city, constantly running into each other, immediately flashed before Xiao Nanhui’s eyes. For a moment, she couldn't tell if he was being sincere or provocative. With A-Qiu present, she could only offer a few polite words before Su Pingchuan left with his plum blossoms.
A-Qiu watched the figure disappear into the inner courtyard before turning respectfully to Xiao Nanhui.
"Our young master grew up in the Prince's mansion. He was only three or four years old when the mistress passed away. He might not have known much back then, and there is no need to mention it now. Don't you agree, General Xiao?"
Xiao Nanhui thought it over carefully and replied cautiously, "Pingchuan and I are colleagues and comrades; we should treat each other with sincerity. If Pingchuan does not ask, I will say nothing. But if he does, it would be inconvenient for me to hide the truth."
A-Qiu paused, a rare occurrence, before quickly returning to his normal state.
"General Xiao is indeed an interesting person, just as others have said."
Those words sounded a bit strange. Who had mentioned her? And called her interesting?
Xiao Nanhui wanted to ask for clarification, but A-Qiu had already started walking ahead, seemingly finished with the conversation. She could only quicken her pace to follow.
The midday sun was just right, and Jixiang was waiting for her, swishing its tail.
As she mounted her horse to leave, she looked back at the manor that exuded an air of decay. Suddenly, she felt that her mood was much calmer than the urgency she had felt upon arrival.
Mei Ruogu had been proud and peerless, possessing a courage beyond most people. In her most vibrant years, she had laid down her weapons for the one she loved and entered those high walls. Then, during her peaceful and happy years, she chose to return to the battlefield, honoring the vow she had made in her youth.
How could such a person ever be replaced by a cold piece of weaponry?
A broken string cannot be reconnected, but she could not stop here.
The road ahead was long, and perhaps she could not see the direction clearly yet, but at this moment, she had the courage to keep moving forward.
***
In the inner courtyard of the Mei residence, the white-haired general sat alone in the pavilion, just as he had an hour ago, though a few branches of bright red plum blossoms now sat before him.
His ears twitched; he sensed someone approaching.
"Has she left?"
"Yes." After answering, A-Qiu observed his expression and continued, "I saw the young master heading to the rear garden; he is likely there to pay his respects. He won't be coming over for a while."
"Mhm." Mei Qiao’s voice was very low. "Go to the palace yourself this afternoon. Say that I have done what he requested."
"Yes." A-Qiu accepted the order cautiously. After a pause, he asked, "Though you have not involved yourself in court affairs for years, the palace has always looked after you, and they never interfere with the old manor. Should I take a few plum branches along? They would be appropriate for the season..."
"No need," Mei Qiao interrupted coldly. In his mind, he instinctively recalled the figure of a youth he had glimpsed years ago, before he went blind.
The youth had been wearing the everyday robes of a Crown Prince, holding a blade in one hand and a jade-carved plum blossom hairpin in the other. He had stood silently, gazing at the sea of plum blossoms used for comparison, before expressionlessly letting go.
The jade hairpin had shattered into several pieces on the ground. The next day, that entire grove of plum trees had been moved away and vanished.
A hint of mockery appeared on Mei Qiao’s face at the memory. "How could such a person be someone who enjoys admiring flowers?"
A-Qiu was not surprised by Mei Qiao’s reaction, but remembering the woman standing under the plum trees earlier, he mused, "People change. Perhaps what was once ignored is now being cherished."
But Mei Qiao had already stood up to leave, leaving behind only a few words that lingered in the air: "Trees have winters and springs, cycles of flourishing and withering. But for humans, life and death cannot be reversed, and the past cannot be undone. I only hope she does not walk the same path as Ruogu; then my words today will not have been in vain."
***
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