Hua Zhi gazed at the ceiling—the only effortless movement she could manage at the moment. "It's different. If I were utterly defenseless, I would have stayed safely at home without ever leaving the capital. But since I have the ability to protect myself, I chose to personally travel south, ensuring this venture unfolds exactly as I envision."
Perhaps due to her injuries, a wave of nostalgia suddenly washed over Hua Zhi, her voice growing huskier. "Cao Cao, do you know what kind of person my grandfather was?" Shaoyao looked up, unsure why Hua Hua was bringing this up but shook her head honestly—she had never paid much attention to court officials before.
Hua Zhi smiled faintly. "Despite his age, he was incredibly naive and blindly loyal. He believed there were no useless rulers, only incompetent ministers. He claimed that if all officials were capable, even a somewhat foolish emperor couldn't ruin a prosperous nation. He said he hated studying as a child—his great-grandfather punished him by making him kneel in the ancestral hall, copy characters, and label every household item. To make him love learning, his great-grandfather tried everything, but it only made him vomit at the sight of books. Even then, his great-grandfather didn't relent. Grandfather once considered running away forever."
Hua Zhi closed her eyes, her eyelashes quivering slightly. "Once, he hid in the ancestral hall—right under everyone's noses—but no one found him. The whole household panicked, yet no amount of calling made him emerge. Then he saw his great-grandfather enter the hall, kneel before the tablets, and weep. He vowed to abandon forcing education, accepting that the family legacy might end, and swore to apologize to their ancestors in the afterlife if only the child returned safely. It was then Grandfather understood what the Hua name truly meant. Afterward, no one pressured him, yet he excelled beyond all others. He was a pristine old man—his clothes spotless, changed at the slightest wrinkle; his heart pure, as if guarded by a filter that barred all corruption."
Opening her eyes, Hua Zhi met Shaoyao's dazed gaze with tender warmth. "So, Cao Cao, I must be the one to uphold the Hua family. Everything we possess must be earned through our own efforts. Even if we barely survive, even if we retreat to a corner, we take no shortcuts, bow to no one. Our conscience is clear. Only then can he return one day and accept all we've built without shame. Naive, isn't it? But how could I disappoint him?"
"Even if it leaves you battered like this?"
"Truthfully, I never imagined I'd need to fight tooth and nail, risking my life." In that peaceful era, such burdens belonged to others. "But I emerged victorious. That's what matters."
Shaoyao bit her lip, her heart growing heavier instead of lighter. She couldn't explain why—perhaps because Hua Hua spoke with such detachment, or because her devotion to the old master moved her deeply.
Bao Xia entered with a basin of water, the scent of liquor trailing her. "I asked the innkeeper for their strongest wine and mixed some in.""The boy is teachable." Hua Zhi teased approvingly, "Little Six is also injured. Remember to clean his wounds later."
"Understood."
Hua Zhi felt reassured. Her vision was already darkening, and the wound cleaning would surely be painful. Better to faint now rather than endure it.
As her consciousness faded, she knew nothing more.
Bao Xia carefully supported her mistress as she lay down, turning her head to wipe her face before joining Shaoyao in cleaning the young lady's wounds. If possible, she wished these injuries were on her own body instead.
Just as the battle here subsided, the conflict in Yuzhou reached its fiercest moment.
Gu Yanxi stood in the courtyard with his mask on, holding a longbow. Beside him were bamboo tubes of arrows—one already empty, the other nearly half-depleted. The Seven Constellation Bureau members surrounding him were in similar states, yet the attackers kept coming, and their defense never ceased.
Every member of the Seven Constellation Bureau was trained in various weapons but specialized in four: the whip, the bow, the double hooks, and the sword. The first two were for long-range combat, the latter two for close quarters. When used in coordination, their combat effectiveness doubled.
Currently, they employed the bow and double hooks in tandem—those who emerged and escaped the longbow's reach were immediately caught by the double hooks, meeting instant death. The commander had ordered no prisoners.
The bamboo tubes were now empty.
Gu Yanxi discarded his bow and drew the whip from his waist. The Seven Constellation Bureau members mirrored his actions.
"Too slow."
Understanding his meaning, they intensified their attacks with renewed ferocity.
Suddenly, Gu Yanxi glanced toward the corridor where Haoyue stood with Chen Qing beside her. Without hesitation, he ordered, "Return inside."
Haoyue chuckled lightly, taking graceful steps with utmost composure. "I'm not a burden."
Gu Yanxi's whip snapped through the air, its tip halting right before Haoyue's eyes, forcibly stopping her advance. "Return inside."
As if aware of his unwavering authority, Haoyue gave him a deep look without defiance and truly left the courtyard.
Just as Chen Qing was about to speak, he noticed members of the Fourth Division leaping down from the roof and promptly fell silent.
"Commander, the enemy shows unusual movement—those at the rear are retreating."
"Any indication of their direction?"
"North."
Gu Yanxi observed the enemies still pressing forward fiercely. If a true retreat were planned, it should be coordinated, not just the rear forces withdrawing while the vanguard remained engaged. Retreating north...
Something's wrong!
"They've discovered Yuan Shifang's whereabouts. Leave these heads behind and reinforce the Green Willow Battalion."
"Yes."
However, when they arrived, the situation at the Green Willow Battalion was far worse than anticipated. The ground was littered with bodies, most wearing the military uniforms of the Great Qing Dynasty—outnumbered ten to one or more.
Ten to one... Gu Yanxi was inwardly shocked. This was the disparity between the Great Qing Dynasty and the Chao Li Tribe. Though suppressed for years in a corner, their combat prowess hadn't diminished in the slightest. This nation was truly formidable.
There was no time for further contemplation. Signaling with hand gestures, he directed the Seven Constellation Bureau members to form four-person squads and disperse in all directions, while Chen Qing remained steadfastly by his side.
The two located the main tent, where the fighting was most intense. Lu Peiyu stood with only one deputy remaining, both wounded and fighting back-to-back against nine adversaries. Another figure emerged from the tent, carrying Yuan Shiwen over his shoulder.
With seamless coordination, Gu Yanxi and Chen Qing sprang into action—one attacked the carrier while the other snatched Yuan Shiwen away. In a single encounter, they reclaimed him.Seeing this, Lu Peiyu finally felt relieved. No matter what, as long as Yuan Shifang remained unharmed, they hadn't lost!
Throwing the man to the ground, Gu Yanxi swung his whip again, coiling it around the attacker who had abandoned Lu Peiyu and turned toward him, then violently smashing the man against the ground. Every member of the Seven Constellation Bureau knew this move—the very person who had created this brutal fighting technique was none other than Gu Yanxi.
PS: Weibo: Migu Author Kong Liu. Ah, I didn't break my promise—won't get fat.
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