Lu Qianqiao did not return to the War Ghost Clan. He was on the battlefield, where the smoke of gunpowder lingered, and the remnants of peasant soldiers scattered in all directions under the encirclement of armored troops.
Another victory.
It had been ten days since he received the imperial decree from Xiang Rongzheng Di and arrived at Changgeng Pass, the northernmost stronghold of Qiong Country. Recently, not only had peasant soldiers been invading, but even the Tianyuan Kingdom across the sea frequently provoked them. It was said that Tianyuan had a crown prince who bore the mandate of heaven, possessed fiend blood, and was peerlessly fierce, launching ambitious offensives against neighboring states. Many small countries had already been swallowed up.
Fortunately, Qiong Country was surrounded by towering mountains and vast seas, deterring the enemy from deploying large forces recklessly. Instead, they colluded with peasant soldiers for occasional skirmishes, testing their strength.
The wind carried the scent of blood and smoke. Lu Qianqiao closed his eyes, feeling his entire body tremble slightly.
He loved this smell—riding across the battlefield with a long whip in hand, as if liberating his entire life from its cage, shaking off all the people and matters that entangled him, leaving him restless, troubled, and reluctant to let go.
"Chase them down! Let none escape!"
Fierce Cloud Colt let out a high-pitched neigh, leaping into the air and charging ahead to pursue the fleeing soldiers. The black whip swept through like a hurricane, leaving only sprays of blood in its wake.
Never before had he taken such pleasure in pursuit and slaughter. The only regret was that his opponents were too weak—his War Ghost instincts craved a stronger enemy.
Something hard pressed against his armor from within his robes. Lu Qianqiao instinctively pulled it out—it was the Celestial Lady’s doll, its delicate face now stained with blood, blurred and unsightly.
It felt both foreign and familiar, stirring an involuntary tenderness in his heart.
Every day, he carried this doll onto the battlefield. He remembered everything from before, yet he couldn’t comprehend why he had once been so weak and lost. Why had he disliked war? Why had he wasted time making those meaningless dolls? Why… had he been unwilling to kill that soft, rabbit-like girl? Why had he spared those wretched and useless little demons?
He didn’t understand why, but his body seemed to remember an absolute command—whenever the urge to kill arose, whenever he considered returning to the Imperial Mausoleum to slaughter them all, he would take out the doll and touch it. Gradually, the bloodlust would fade.
Fierce Cloud Colt didn’t understand why his master had suddenly stopped. Puzzled, he turned his head and nudged Lu Qianqiao’s leg with his nose.
"...Never mind. Let’s go back."
Lu Qianqiao put away the doll, turned his horse around, and sounded the retreat.
He disliked the bloodstains on the doll—it needed to be cleaned. Otherwise, she would be angry if she saw it. But then again, perhaps she would never see it in her lifetime?
A faint pang of pain flickered in his heart, vanishing as quickly as it came.
——
"You see, he’s almost become the perfect War Ghost—practically a different person. There’s no reasoning with him now."
The ornate Long Carriage was hidden behind the clouds. The High Priest crossed his arms and sighed.
"Come with me to the Youhu Clan instead. My people are also guarding your home—we’ll take them all back together."
Xin Mei cupped her chin, squatting in front of the carriage in a daze, not listening to a word he said.Lu Qianqiao must not have been eating or resting properly. After just a few days apart, he had grown thinner. His face, already lacking much flesh, now looked weary from travel—not nearly as handsome as before.
Come to think of it, he had been looking at the Celestial Lady's doll earlier. No wonder she couldn't find it after searching the Imperial Mausoleum for so long—he had taken it! And he didn’t even bother to tell her, making her sad all night.
She patted her clothes. The doll of the General had been left behind in the Imperial Mausoleum, and she hadn’t brought it with her. In her pouch was only the small wooden rabbit he had carved for her, about the size of half a palm, its long ears polished smooth from her constant touching.
"There’s a cliff over there. I want to go across."
She pointed to the sheer precipice opposite, separated from Changgeng Pass by a deep ravine.
"What for?" The High Priest eyed her suspiciously.
"To see him, of course!"
Xin Mei looked back at him as if he were an idiot.
...Had he known this girl would be so troublesome, he would never have agreed to this damned mission!
The High Priest, his face green with irritation, landed the Long Carriage on the opposite cliff. To his surprise, she didn’t do anything unexpected—she simply got out and sat under a tree, caressing the little wooden rabbit.
Wasn’t she supposed to be seeing Lu Qianqiao? Was this how she planned to do it?
Bored, the High Priest dozed off in the carriage. He waited until the moon hung high in the sky, its bright but slightly lopsided form resembling a bite taken out by the heavenly dog.
Suddenly, Xin Mei stood up. The High Priest immediately opened his eyes and watched as she walked to the edge of the cliff, cupping her hands around her mouth—
"Lu Qianqiao—! I came to see you—!"
Her sweet, soft voice echoed endlessly through the valley.
"If you’re a real man, come out right now! Hiding like this is cowardly—!"
The echoes continued, on and on...
What a reckless girl! The High Priest was dumbfounded.
"Lu Qianqiao! How could you love me and leave me? Come out—! Explain yourself—!"
Changgeng Pass erupted into chaos. Soldiers exchanged strange glances, their eyes darting toward the main command tent. This... was their superior’s private matter, and they couldn’t interfere. But to love and abandon someone... that was a bit too much. Though the General of Agile Cavalry had only arrived a few days ago, everyone in the pass revered and feared him. Who would’ve thought—who would’ve thought—that beneath his icy exterior lay such a wild and passionate heart!
Just as the whispers reached their peak, the flap of the main tent was abruptly thrown open. General Lu Qianqiao stepped out, his outer robe draped loosely over his shoulders, his hair disheveled. His face was expressionless, as still as water.
He strode toward the cliff, a long whip in hand—oh, that poor girl! Would the enraged general kill her in his shame and fury?
Xin Mei was still shouting with her hands cupped around her mouth: "Come out—! I’m waiting for you on the opposite cliff—!"
The next moment, a cold voice carried over the wind from the opposite cliff: "Why did you come?"
She froze, then stared eagerly across the ravine. The moonlight wasn’t bright enough to make out his face clearly, but his crimson eye glowed fiercely in the darkness, savage as a beast’s.
"You stole my Celestial Lady!"
This thunderbolt of an accusation left both the High Priest behind her and Lu Qianqiao across the ravine stunned. Her first words should have been "I missed you, why did you leave?" or at the very least, "Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you." How had she come up with such a bizarre statement?"But it's alright, I'm magnanimous." She waved her hand. "The Celestial Lady is yours now!"
The Celestial Lady... Lu Qianqiao instinctively reached into his robe—the doll wasn't with him. Though the opposite cliff wasn't far, he couldn't see her clearly, only catching glimpses of her pale blue skirt fluttering in the wind.
Why had she come? Why did she have to come? He didn't understand, yet his body trembled slightly at her arrival.
She was right there across from him. With one full leap, he could reach her—reach her and kill her!
He tightened his grip on the whip, his Double Pupils dilating with excitement at the impending bloodshed.
"Lu Qianqiao, you must take good care of the Celestial Lady. Treat her as you would me." Xin Mei gestured at him. "Bathe her every day—don't let her get dirty. Wash her clothes often, and don't forget to comb her hair. Most importantly, remember to kiss her goodnight!"
"...Finished?"
His voice came accompanied by the sharp whistle of his lashing whip. Someone behind her had erected an invisible Barrier at the cliff's edge, preventing him from leaping over. He could only swing his whip, attempting to tear through her with its cutting wind.
Even with the Barrier blocking him, the piercing sound of the wind sliced through. With a "shh," a gash tore open the fabric near her collarbone, blood slowly seeping out and gradually staining her clothes red.
Xin Mei continued, "You need to eat properly too! Don't just focus on killing! There are so many things in this world more fun than killing! You're always so arrogant—if you lose to something like bloodline or instinct, you'll be utterly pathetic! Also, sleep on time, or you won't wake up in the morning and will laze in bed. When you're out traveling, lazing in bed is so childish!"
Another gust of wind struck her waist. The pouch tied there fell to the ground, its small wooden rabbit tumbling out. She quickly picked it up, dusting it off.
"...Lu Qianqiao, actually, I have so much to say to you." She lowered her head, thinking, then smiled with a slight frown. "We haven't been together for very long, and I... haven't been very gentle or considerate toward you..."
Things like cooking for him—she'd only done that in the first few days after their wedding. After that, the task of caring for others had fallen to Si Lan, who worked hard transitioning from looking after one person to becoming the nursemaid for two.
"But—but there are some things I would never leave to anyone else." She clutched the little rabbit tightly. "I'll come see you again in a couple of days. I'll tell you all those many things, bit by bit. And if you finish your battles, remember to come home. I'll—I'll be waiting for you at home."
Home...
Lu Qianqiao's swinging whip stilled. Though not too far apart, he suddenly felt as if he could see her clearly—her pale blue clothes stained with blood, yet she was smiling. Her fair, soft cheeks and bright, clear eyes shone with an innocent joy.
"Alright, I'll go now."
Xin Mei waved at him. "The night after tomorrow, when the moon reaches its peak—same place by the cliff."
Was it really okay to just watch her leave like this? A quiet voice asked in his heart.
...I don't know. I don't know. Lu Qianqiao clenched his whip, that vague ache resurfacing in his chest. As he watched her figure disappear into the woods, the bloodlust that had filled his veins vanished without a trace, leaving him clumsily at a loss.As if reminiscing about some sweet fragments, he had once focused intently on carving a doll for her, her cool long hair brushing against the back of his hand, fragrant and slightly intoxicating.
Was he truly going to abandon all that?
Under the bright moonlit night, atop the snow-covered cliff, no one answered him.
The general returned to his tent, kissed the Celestial Lady, and drifted into a dazed slumber.
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