Yao Yong slapped himself repeatedly, blood gradually appearing at the corners of his lips.
Wei Yun watched calmly. Everyone present knew why Yao Yong was doing this. When Wei Yun had beaten the grievance drum in Hua Jing, the truth of those past events had already become public knowledge. What Yao Yong had done, what Zhao Yue had done—these were no longer secrets in Great Chu.
No one dared to intervene now, much less speak up to say, "Prince Wei, this is too much." So the slaps continued, one after another, until Yao Yong's lips were bloody and his face swollen. Clenching his fists, he gritted his teeth and glared at Wei Yun, suppressing his rage as he slowly asked, "Prince Wei, is this enough?"
Wei Yun didn’t answer him. Instead, he bent down to stand up the memorial tablets of Wei Zhong and Wei Jun, then turned away, saying only, "Go and take stock of the provisions. For the sake of the people, I won’t kill Lord Gu. Take him back."
At these words, Wei Qiu stepped forward and ordered someone to release Gu Chusheng.
Gu Chusheng was so weak he couldn’t even stand. A strategist behind Yao Yong hurried forward to support him, anxiously asking, "Lord Gu, are you alright? You’ve sacrificed so much for the country and its people, yet this traitor Wei treats you like this—it’s enough to chill the hearts of the people!"
This strategist clearly had a better sense of timing than Yao Yong. Gu Chusheng glanced at him and gave a tired smile, neither nodding nor shaking his head. With a sigh, he said, "I’ve been waiting for General Yao for a long time!"
By then, Wei Yun had already led his men far away. Meanwhile, soldiers escorted Wei Qingping and the provisions outside the city. Wei Qingping was the daughter of the King of Wei, who remained neutral. Harming her would push the King of Wei to the opposing side—precisely why she had been chosen to lead the relief mission to Qing Province.
Wei Qingping arrived at the city gates with her entourage. Seeing Gu Chusheng, she placed a hand on his wrist and frowned. "How did you end up in such a state?"
Gu Chusheng managed a weak smile. "Your concern honors me, Princess."
After checking his pulse and confirming he was fine, Wei Qingping nodded. "Good. Let’s set off."
At this command, Yao Yong quickly ordered the departure.
Meanwhile, after returning to the city, Wei Yun turned to Qin Shiyue and asked, "Are the troops ready?"
"Yes," Qin Shiyue replied calmly. "Awaiting your orders."
"Pursue them," Wei Yun said lightly. "Lead your forces to harass Yao Yong’s troops—hit them repeatedly but avoid direct confrontation. I’ll take the main force to attack Qingnan."
"Understood."
Qin Shiyue acknowledged the order coolly. Without further words, Wei Yun nodded and returned to his quarters.
In terms of military tactics, he and Chu Yu differed significantly. If Chu Yu prioritized speed, he favored the unexpected.
His current plan was to openly send Qin Shiyue to attack Yao Yong while secretly leading the main force to seize Qingnan. With Shen You already holding Qingbei, capturing Qingnan would allow them to flank the Yu River from both sides. The Yu River was Qing Province’s most formidable natural barrier—once breached, the entire region would be as open as flat ground.
Qin Shiyue’s harassment would force Yao Yong to divert troops to defend Rong City. The moment Qingnan’s defenses weakened, Wei Yun would strike with his main force, making Qingnan as easy to take as picking something from a bag.
The key to all this lay in whether they could seize that crucial window of opportunity.Yao Yong was no fool. Initially, he had to harass them with his true main forces. The key lay in how to swiftly bring those main forces to the front before Yao Yong could react after issuing his orders.
Wei Yun had already surveyed the route. Before arriving at Yuancheng, he had sent men to clear a path through the mountain trails between Yuancheng and Qingnan. Originally, the dense jungle there made it difficult for troops to pass, with only hunters traversing it. Yet it was indeed a shortcut. Wei Yun had ordered the path to be cleared in advance, making it suitable for horses and supplies. Now, most of the road had been cleared, awaiting Wei Yun’s departure.
Meanwhile, Qin Shiyue, upon receiving Wei Yun’s command, immediately pursued Yao Yong. Yao Yong had only made it halfway back when he felt the ground tremble. Turning around, he saw a cloud of dust in the distance—Qin Shiyue and his men were charging toward them!
“Wei Yun, that treacherous, oath-breaking scoundrel!”
Yao Yong roared in fury, but after cursing, he suddenly realized Wei Yun had never promised not to attack him. There was no time to dwell on it now. Yao Yong could only shout, “Retreat! Back to Rongcheng, now!”
The army obeyed, galloping toward Rongcheng at full speed. Qin Shiyue chased them relentlessly, cutting down a group of fleeing soldiers before halting as Yao Yong reached the city gates. He then set up camp outside Rongcheng.
Yao Yong, battered and exhausted from the pursuit, was already wounded. Gasping for breath inside the city gates, his rage burned fiercely.
“That brat… that damned brat…”
He struggled to find the right words, unable to articulate his fury. Gu Chusheng stood nearby and remarked calmly, “General Yao need not worry. Rongcheng’s walls are sturdy. If you hold fast, their supplies will eventually run out, and they’ll have no choice but to withdraw.”
Yao Yong remained silent, glancing at Gu Chusheng as he weighed his words. Before setting out, Zhao Yue had warned him to carefully consider Gu Chusheng’s advice. Though he dared not respond carelessly, he couldn’t deny that Gu Chusheng’s reasoning seemed sound. As long as they weren’t besieged, everything would be manageable.
Summoning a soldier, he panted, “Go up the walls and see how many are out there.”
The soldier obeyed, rushing to the battlements. Night had already fallen, and the distant campfires twinkled like stars. After counting meticulously, the soldier returned and whispered to Yao Yong, “General, there must be at least eighty thousand troops out there.”
Hearing this number, Yao Yong pondered deeply, furrowing his brow. “Then Wei Yun’s main forces must all be here. If they lay siege, breaking out would be impossible. No—” He stood abruptly. “Send word immediately. Call for reinforcements from all fronts.”
The soldier acknowledged the order. Yet by the next day, he returned in panic. “General! The Guardian Army… the Guardian Army has surrounded the city!”
Yao Yong sucked in a sharp breath, relieved he had already dispatched messengers for aid the night before. Wiping sweat from his brow, he waved a hand. “Hold fast. Do not open the gates, no matter what!”
The conflict between Yao Yong and Chu Yu had little impact on Wei Qingping and Gu Chusheng. Once inside Rongcheng, they promptly began disaster relief efforts. Without Gu Chusheng’s oversight, Rongcheng’s situation was far worse than Yuancheng’s, and Yao Yong had taken no effective measures. By the time the two arrived, the city was already a scene of widespread suffering. Fortunately, they had brought ample supplies. Gu Chusheng oversaw food distribution, while Wei Qingping tended to the sick.Gu Chusheng had once believed that the pain of losing Chu Yu would consume him, leaving nothing behind. Yet during his time in Rongcheng, when he was so busy he barely had time to eat, when no one could prepare elaborate meals for him and he had to sit in makeshift shelters drinking porridge alongside the refugees, he realized—it had been a long time since he had last dwelled on that pain.
Even this thought only occurred to him late at night, lying on a hard bed, when it vaguely surfaced in his mind.
News of Wei Yun besieging Rongcheng quickly spread, and along with it, Chu Yu’s infamous reputation for brutality.
She had not only razed the strongholds of Jiang Yong in Bincheng and Chen Huai in Luohe but had also spared none of their families. Wherever she passed, not a single grain of food remained—nor a single person.
Such ruthless and unjust acts immediately drew condemnation from across the land. Yet after the outcry, it was Hou Yi, the last remaining lord of the three who had refused to deliver grain, who personally led a convoy of supplies to Yuancheng.
While Hou Yi was on his way to Yuancheng, Wei Yun led his troops toward Qingnan.
At the same time, Chu Yu was hurrying toward Huaiyang. Sun Yi, following behind her, asked in confusion, "General, Hou Yi has already gone to deliver the grain. Why are we still attacking Huaiyang?"
"Failing to deliver on time comes with a price. Why do you think we targeted these three families?"
"To intimidate?"
Sun Yi pondered for a moment. Without turning her head, Chu Yu spurred her horse forward, eyes fixed ahead. "Exactly. So, if delaying grain deliveries could simply be made up for later, what deterrent would that be for other warlords? That said, since Hou Yi went to Yuancheng, I won’t touch his family."
Just then, Chu Yu heard the distant sound of hoofbeats. Frowning, she looked up and saw another official road in the distance.
This road was the only route from Yuancheng to Qingnan. With Wei Yun currently besieging Yao Yong, whose army could be passing through here now?
Chu Yu grew wary, but when the Vermilion Bird-emblazoned banner bearing the character "Wei" came into view, her eyes widened in surprise.
Across the snow-dusted winter fields separating the two opposing roads, Chu Yu saw a young man in silver armor, gripping a long spear, galloping swiftly. Through the wilderness, she could almost see him smile.
Both forces were racing against time. Chu Yu’s heart pounded wildly.
She quickly grasped what he intended to do. She was rushing to Huaiyang; he was hurrying to Qingnan. She knew she shouldn’t delay him, yet her racing heart refused to listen.
Just one look.
She thought, just one more look.
In the past, she might have restrained herself, but she didn’t know what had come over her now. It was as if hot blood surged through her veins, making her act like an impulsive youth, unable to stop herself from doing what she desired.
Abruptly tightening the reins, she called to Sun Yi, "Go ahead without me! I’ll catch up soon!"
With that, she wheeled her horse around and charged toward Wei Yun’s army.
Before long, she saw the silver-armored young man racing toward her from afar.
Her lips curved into a smile as she raised her whip, urging her horse faster.
He seemed to understand her intent. They tore across the frost-laden earth, then reined in sharply the moment they met.
Breathing quickly, she said in a low voice, "I’m heading to Huaiyang. Hou Yi’s matter can’t just be dropped."
"I know."The warm breath from Wei Yun's lips condensed into a white mist in the air as he said, "I'm heading to Qingnan. Once we take Qingnan, Shen You and I will flank the Yu River."
"I understand."
After Chu Yu spoke these words, silence fell between them. There seemed to be so much they wanted to say, but time was too pressing—they had to choose the most important, the most urgent things to convey.
Yet even this brief silence felt like a waste to Wei Yun. He urged his horse forward and suddenly pulled Chu Yu into a tight embrace.
His arms wrapped around her with an intensity, a force that made the late winter feel scorching hot. The warmth rising between them brought heat to Chu Yu's eyes.
"I missed you terribly."
"Me too."
"Wait for me to come home."
"Wait for me to come home."
They spoke the words simultaneously, then paused in surprise. Wei Yun released her, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He pressed his forehead against hers, took a deep breath, and finally said:
"You go first."
"Alright."
Chu Yu lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes greedy, as if trying to etch his image into her very bones.
Then she turned and spurred her horse away.
She had arrived decisively, and now she departed like the swift wind. Wei Yun watched her figure recede into the distance before he, too, turned and galloped off.
Though they rode in opposite directions, their hearts remained aligned—neither failing the other, nor neglecting themselves.
Author's Note: Their love has reached its fulfillment at this stage >,<
The author really loves this version of Chu Yu and Xiao Qi—just waiting for this arc to conclude.
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