By the time Xiao Nanhui caught up with Su Pingchuan, his troop had already ventured deep into the heart of Bijiang under the cover of winter.
The sky had brightened, yet the light failed to reach the end of the path ahead. Shrubs of varying heights and a labyrinth of small hills and streams carved the terrain into jagged fragments. Natural paths of sand and stone wound through the landscape, leaving no discernible "road" to speak of.
Jixiang had not been out for a run in a long time and galloped with the speed of the wind. Huaqiu, having grown a layer of fat under Hao Bai’s care in Wancheng, struggled to keep its four hooves moving and lagged slightly behind. As the two horses thundered past, the cavalrymen turned their heads in curiosity.
Xiao Nanhui did not go directly to Su Pingchuan. Instead, she struck up a conversation with his adjutant first.
The adjutant appeared young but carried himself with great arrogance. Initially, he took Xiao Nanhui for a low-ranking officer delivering a military report. Upon learning she was the legendary Right General who had "dueled" his own Left General, his expression shifted with such complexity that even his helmet could not mask it. Only after repeatedly verifying her waist token did he speak slowly. "For what reason has the Right General come? Do you carry a military order?"
Xiao Nanhui answered evasively, "I spent several months in this region previously and can offer some assistance. Besides, the Left General and I are acquaintances; it is only right that I lend a hand."
The rumors of the "three-hundred-round battle" flashed through the adjutant’s mind, and his brow furrowed deeper. After a long hesitation, he explained the situation.
The Guangyao Camp’s deployment had indeed been sudden. They had received intelligence regarding a village of unusual scale, with reports of an important military counselor under the Bai clan entering and exiting the area. It was suspected to be a hidden stronghold.
The villages in the Bijiang region followed the construction techniques of nomadic tribes. Aside from necessary seasonal migrations, they could relocate an entire settlement overnight if threatened by an external enemy.
She understood the logic well, and thus found the haste of Tiancheng’s troop dispatch easy to comprehend.
As she was thinking, Su Pingchuan’s voice suddenly rang out.
"Why are you here?"
The adjutant, sensing the shift in atmosphere, retreated quickly. Xiao Nanhui decided to be blunt, answering his question with one of her own.
"You should know better than to underestimate the enemy. Why did you bring so few men?"
Su Pingchuan remained silent, turning his gaze forward as if he had no intention of answering.
Bolao glanced at the expressions of the cavalrymen behind them, understanding the situation almost immediately. "Since they are unwilling to fight by your side, why force the matter?"
Su Pingchuan’s pride was stung by the remark. "Military orders are as immovable as mountains. There is no such thing as 'willing' or 'unwilling'."
Xiao Nanhui finally began to see the truth.
Su Pingchuan was being ostracized.
As a young master of the Prince Xuanyuan’s manor, his position in the Guangyao Camp seemed prestigious, but in reality, it carried an unspeakable awkwardness.
In the military, merit was everything. Soldiers held the greatest disdain for those who relied on family connections to secure a rank. Even in the Guangyao Camp, where the nobility gathered, royal scions like Prince Xuanyuan Su Che and General of the Guard Su Yuanxiu were all fierce commanders with countless achievements to their names. Standing among such a group while bearing the title of Prince Xuanyuan’s son placed an immense pressure on Su Pingchuan.
Worse still, before he could prove his capabilities, he had turned in a disastrous performance.
During the Battle of Famang Ridge, three thousand elites of the Guangyao Camp were nearly wiped out due to a failed ambush. As their commander, he had been captured and held in the enemy camp for half a month. No one knew what had transpired during that time, and naturally, many suspicions and speculations arose. Even though it was later proven that the failure was caused by a mole, the shameful experience was etched into his sword and armor, creating cracks that threatened to shatter his dignity.
She recalled his appearance when he was locked in that low shack in Bijiang—at the mercy of others, his life hanging by a thread, his pride trampled into the dirt. She had thought that saving him would be the end of it, but now she realized his tribulation was far from over.
Nudging Jixiang’s flanks with her heels, she moved closer to Su Pingchuan and lowered her voice.
"The army is full of rough men from humble beginnings. They are blunt in how they judge people and events. They don't know the truth, but I do. You are innocent and did nothing wrong. Don't take it to heart."
Su Pingchuan still said nothing. She could only see half of his face from the side and could not gauge his emotions, so she continued her persuasion. "You are young and come from such a high station; it’s inevitable that people will gossip..."
"I got used to it long ago."
He finally replied, his tone sounding surprisingly calm.
Xiao Nanhui fell silent and reflected, realizing he might not be as fragile as she thought. He was, after all, a child born with a silver spoon; his experience with the ways of the world was likely far beyond what a "wild weed" like her could compare to. She, however, was happy to be a free soul and had never been troubled by such things.
"Fine then. As they say, every family has its own difficult sutra to read..."
Su Pingchuan glanced at her. "And which difficult sutra does the Right General have at home?"
Xiao Nanhui froze, suddenly feeling as though her meddling had been turned into a joke. She snapped irritably, "I was using a metaphor! Do you not understand what a metaphor is?"
"Regarding the matter of Zhu Tingmao... thank you."
The sudden shift in his tone made it difficult for her to stay angry, so she responded with polite modesty. "I only delivered the message. The rest was His Majesty’s decision."
At the mention of the Emperor, Su Pingchuan couldn't help but steal another glance at her. For some reason, this look carried a twisted expression—somewhere between a smile and a grimace.
"Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be accompanying His Majesty? Why follow me?"
*Because I’m afraid the idiot I worked so hard to rescue from that village will stumble again and get captured! Then all my work would be for nothing!*
But knowing how thin-skinned he was, she gave a hollow laugh. "His Majesty has Middle Commandant Ding by his side now. What use does he have for me?"
Su Pingchuan seemed very satisfied with this and nodded. "True. You must understand, the Emperor has a cold nature. Aside from the few he has kept by his side for years, he will never truly open his heart to outsiders. If he shows you any kindness, it is likely out of respect for Marquis Qinghuai. You must not lose your sense of propriety and constantly push yourself forward, or he will surely grow to loathe you."
*Huh?*
Those words sounded incredibly crooked. It made it seem as though she were the one desperately trying to cozy up to the Emperor’s cold backside.
*Bah, what nonsense.*
"What on earth are you talking about?" Xiao Nanhui frowned at him, certain she hadn't offended him and wondering why he was being so unpleasant.
Su Pingchuan coughed, his voice dropping inexplicably low, his expression becoming awkward. "I heard people say... that you and His Majesty were alone in the wilderness for days and nights, serving him closely in every aspect of life. Not only did you share many heart-to-heart conversations, but you also frequently listened to the wind and admired the moon together, living quite happily..."
As he spoke, he kept his eyes fixed forward, as if seeing any reaction from her would cause him to die of embarrassment on the spot.
Xiao Nanhui was puzzled at first, but then she realized what was happening and found it somewhat hilarious. She figured Su Pingchuan wasn't a fool; he had fled through the desert with her and should know how miserable the situation had been. How could he believe such tales?
"When I was in the desert with His Majesty, we couldn't even get a sip of water. Who would have the mind to listen to the wind and admire the moon? Which son of a bitch is spreading such baseless nonsense? It’s a true insult to all the sand I had to swallow..."
Su Pingchuan suddenly reined in his horse and turned to stare at her with extreme gravity. "Truly, there was nothing?"
Xiao Nanhui felt unnerved by his gaze. Suddenly, the Emperor’s words in the secret passage echoed in her ears, and she felt a sudden wave of guilt and breathlessness. She shook her head quickly. "Truly, there was nothing."
Su Pingchuan stared at her for a long while before nudging his horse forward. His silhouette looked considerably more cheerful than before.
She patted her chest and let out a breath, trying to ignore Bolao’s inquisitive gaze from a short distance away.
****** ****** ******
Half an hour later, after meeting with the scouts, Xiao Nanhui and the others finally arrived near their destination.
The morning mist flowed through the forest like a river. This mist was different from the heavy fog they had encountered on the eastern bank of the Tianmu River; it clung to the roots of the trees, reaching only to a person's thighs. If someone moved through it, they would stir up the settled vapor, making their presence glaringly obvious.
The light cavalry led by Xiao Nanhui and Su Pingchuan did not wear heavy armor. The entire group dismounted and lay low in the shrubs, waiting for the mist to dissipate.
The cold condensed into droplets on her brow, falling away whenever she blinked.
She ignored it, whispering instructions to Su Pingchuan. "The terrain here is low-lying. Based on my experience, they will certainly have sentry towers in hidden spots. Bolao and I will scout ahead. You lead the rest and stay put. I will draw out the positions of the towers one by one, and you will strike them down quickly. That way, we won't alert the enemy and can wipe them out in one go."
She waited, but there was no response for a long time. Turning her head, she found Su Pingchuan staring at her intently.
Their eyes met briefly before Su Pingchuan looked away. His silver helmet obscured the upper half of his face, leaving only his firm jawline visible. After several days of marching, a light stubble had grown, making him look more steady than before.
Xiao Nanhui thought he was still troubled by his previous capture. Fearing his emotions might affect the battle, she gave his shoulder a sincere pat and spoke with heartfelt gravity.
"When we sparred in the past, I knew you possessed great strength and fierce techniques. Later, I learned that although you had never set foot in the Southwest, you were willing to brave these perils alone. You are the most courageous person I have ever met. You are still young, General; in time, you will surely lead Tiancheng’s iron cavalry as a Great General. Now that we have this chance to fight side by side, we should enjoy the thrill of slaying the enemy. Whatever is on your mind can wait for a drink after the battle—then all will be well."
Having said her piece, she didn't wait for his reaction. Gripping Pingxian in one hand and Jixiang’s reins in the other, she headed forward.
The mysterious village was hidden amidst the mist and shrubs. Xiao Nanhui approached from the direction of the morning sun, carefully using the shadows of the trees to conceal herself. Bolao followed closely. Following her hand signals, he slipped into the sentry posts. His twin daggers killed silently; even the birds foraging in the morning were not disturbed.
After taking down three sentry towers, the enemy finally noticed. A horn sounded within the village. Xiao Nanhui whistled for Jixiang and leaped onto its back. The horse moved as if dancing, navigating the complex terrain with agility and speed. She sank her breath into her dantian, gripping Pingxian with both hands as she met the first squad of soldiers charging from the enemy camp.
As she had suspected, the number of enemy troops in this seemingly unremarkable camp was far greater than expected. If this wasn't a deliberate military formation, then something else was amiss.
The sounds of slaughter grew louder behind her as Su Pingchuan led his men into the fray. Over a hundred elite cavalrymen scattered in a disciplined fashion, using their mobility to seize advantageous positions and trap the enemy soldiers attempting to break out.
The circle of the ambush slowly tightened. The momentum was in their favor, and it seemed the perfect moment for a total annihilation. Suddenly, several silver flashes streaked through the air, embedding themselves beneath the armor of several Tiancheng soldiers.
Blood sprayed from their throats. Before they could even realize what had happened, they tumbled from their horses.
It was an archer—one capable of hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces and firing three arrows at once.
Xiao Nanhui barked an order, quickly dispersing the clustered Tiancheng cavalry to minimize their target profile.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.* Three more arrows followed in quick succession, claiming three more lives.
This time, she managed to lock onto the archer’s position. Snapping her head toward a nearby sentry tower, she was certain the cold arrows were coming from there.
Bolao was fighting fiercely nearby. She swung her spear, taking down two more desperate bandits. With a sharp command, Jixiang turned nimbly, leaping out of the chaotic battlefield and charging toward the tower.
The person atop the tower sensed her intent, and arrows whistled through the air toward her. She tentatively swung her spear to parry, discovering that while the archer’s aim was precise, the force was not overwhelming. This explained why the previous arrows had struck the gaps in the armor rather than piercing through the plates.
She urged Jixiang to pick up speed, her spear spinning into an impenetrable shield that kept the arrows at bay.
As she drew closer to the tower, Xiao Nanhui did not slow down. Galloping at full tilt, she leveled her spear at her waist, twisted her body, and swung with all her might. The sharp spearhead whistled through the air, slicing through the bundled green bamboo at the tower's base. The thick stalks snapped instantly. A corner of the tower collapsed, and the entire structure lost its balance, tilting and falling to one side.
The covering at the top of the tower scattered, revealing a small, thin figure. The person tried to grab a bamboo pole that hadn't completely snapped, but the splinters pierced their palm. Their grip failed, and they fell.
In the moment of the fall, Xiao Nanhui heard "him" let out a low cry, and she froze.
It was a woman’s voice.
Though Bijiang was a matriarchal society, few women practiced martial arts, and such exquisite archery was even rarer.
A strange sensation spread through her heart. Xiao Nanhui steered Jixiang toward the spot where the person had fallen.
The woman wore the simple braided jacket of a Bijiang commoner and appeared quite small. She seemed to have been knocked unconscious by the impact. Her messy hair covered half her face, and the visible half was covered in grime.
*Was she overthinking this?*
Holding her breath, she raised Pingxian.
Tiancheng had a military code against killing women and children, but she believed the current situation was different. This person was not just a woman; she was a warrior, just like herself. And right now, she stood upon a field of war. Her stance could not waver, nor could she leave a hidden threat for the Tiancheng soldiers following her.
She applied strength to her arm, the straight shaft of the spear poised to end this brief duel.
However, in the next heartbeat, she sensed someone approaching rapidly from her right rear.
Everything happened too fast. Xiao Nanhui only had time to catch a glimpse of a cavalryman in red armor lunging toward her.
Red clothing and armor—the uniform of Tiancheng’s Subei Army. The newcomer was not an enemy. Xiao Nanhui paused for a fraction of a second, making no move to counterattack.
But then, a numbing shock traveled through her palm, and her arm was slammed back against her waist by a massive impact.
Accompanied by the piercing screech of metal on metal, a silver light fell. In an instant, Pingxian had snapped into two pieces. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
For the first time in her life, Xiao Nanhui had her spear intercepted by an ally on the battlefield.
No, not intercepted. It had been severed in a single strike.
Everything around her seemed to slow down. She saw the rider slowly turn his head, revealing a face she knew better than any other.
In Xiao Zhun’s bloodshot eyes, there was a complex emotion—a mixture of terror and joy. And those eyes were staring fixedly at the Bijiang person on the ground.
Since the day she had set out on her solitary expedition months ago, not a day had passed where she hadn't dreamed of this reunion.
Yet she had never imagined that their meeting would look like this.
Xiao Nanhui stood frozen in place, the broken shaft of her spear slipping from her hand.
At this moment, she did not understand what was happening. She only knew that she had never seen Xiao Zhun with such an expression before.
