Wei Yun had planned well.
While Sucha was rushing back to the northern capital, Wei Yun remained composed on the surface but secretly sent troops out of the city in small batches every night. They couldn’t withdraw all at once—if they did, the people of the Northern Di Royal Court would quickly lose their fear of them. The current peace in the capital was solely due to the massacre Wei Yun had carried out on the first day, which had stunned everyone. Once they regained their senses, Su Can would organize a counterattack. Deep in the heart of Northern Di, even if it were just the common people rising against them, they would likely be unable to hold out...
Moreover, the people of Great Chu and Northern Di looked too different. They could only disguise themselves and slip out of the city under the cover of night, carrying food and water, then hide in the remote mountains to await their next move.
Every day, a small group escaped, and soon only three hundred men remained in the palace. Wei Yun planned to flee that very night, but during the day, he detained Su Can to play chess with him.
Su Can had always been meek, but today, as he sat across from Wei Yun, he seemed unusually calm. Wei Yun couldn’t help but glance at him and remarked coolly, “Your Majesty seems to be in good spirits.”
“Indeed.” Su Can smiled faintly. “I suddenly remembered something.”
Wei Yun looked up at him, holding a chess piece, his expression indifferent. “Oh?”
“General Wei, I’ve always found it strange,” Su Can said, studying him. “In all the years since Great Chu was founded, you are the first to cross the snowy mountains and strike directly at my royal court. Weren’t you afraid?”
“Afraid of what?” Wei Yun placed the piece on the board, his demeanor cold and composed. Su Can stared at the game, his tone lazy. “Aren’t you afraid of death, General? You’re in the heart of the Northern Di Royal Court. Even if our frontlines suffer losses, it would take Great Chu months—or even years—to march here. What will you do when my second brother returns?”
Wei Yun didn’t answer. Instead, he met Su Can’s gaze and asked bluntly, “He’s back?”
Su Can smiled without replying. Wei Yun scoffed. “If he weren’t, would you dare act so boldly?”
Su Can’s expression stiffened. Wei Yun began gathering the chess pieces, saying calmly, “Rather than worrying about me, Your Majesty should worry about yourself. If your second brother returns, will you even survive?”
Su Can remained silent for a long moment before speaking slowly, “I’ll trade you a piece of information in exchange for my life.”
“No deal.”
Wei Yun refused without hesitation. Su Can said evenly, “What if I tell you the real reason the Wei family died?”
Wei Yun’s hand, collecting the pieces, paused. He looked up at Su Can, who burst into laughter. “You didn’t actually believe your family died just because the Northern Di were too clever and Yao Yong and the Crown Prince were too stupid, did you?”
Before he could finish, Wei Yun grabbed Su Can and slammed his face onto the chessboard. His sword was halfway out of its sheath, pressed against Su Can’s neck as he said coldly, “Speak.”
Su Can didn’t move. “I’ll tell you, but you can’t kill me.”
The blade pressed harder, drawing blood.
Wei Qiu rushed in urgently. “Marquis, Sucha’s men have returned ahead of schedule—they’re less than five miles outside the city.”
Wei Yun’s expression darkened.
Sucha’s forces couldn’t have arrived so silently. They must have been lying in wait nearby, deliberately closing in before launching a surprise attack.
Wei Yun pressed his lips together and ordered decisively, “Do not resist.”Wei Qiu glanced at the restrained Sucha, nodded, and turned to leave.
However, he had barely taken a few steps when Wei Yun spoke again, "You and Wei Xia—both of you, go."
They had long discussed how to escape. If Sucha returned early, everyone was to scatter immediately, running in any direction.
But Wei Qiu had assumed that he and Wei Xia would remain by Wei Yun’s side. He never imagined that even they were included in this plan to "run."
Then what about Wei Yun?
Would Wei Yun stay alone in the palace?
Countless questions swirled in Wei Qiu’s mind, but he had been raised to obey unconditionally. No matter what orders Wei Yun gave, he could only comply without question.
He walked out, his steps slightly unsteady.
Only when the hall was completely empty did Wei Yun turn back to Su Can. "What did you mean earlier? Explain clearly."
"Someone is manipulating the Wei family’s affairs from behind the scenes," Su Can said calmly. "I know you plan to use me as a shield. Spare my life, and I’ll tell you who it is."
"That’s truly unfortunate."
Wei Yun replied just as calmly, "If I spare your life, I won’t be able to keep mine."
"Do you think killing me will let you live?!" Su Can roared in fury. "You’d be better off keeping me alive. I swear I’ll ensure your survival."
Wei Yun remained silent, prompting Su Can to press on, "I’m not lying to you. If I want you to return, there’s a reason for it."
"Sucha won’t let me return," Wei Yun said flatly. "And Sucha won’t let you live either."
Su Can froze. Wei Yun continued indifferently, "I pretended to be Sucha attacking the city, yet you showed no surprise. You didn’t even organize an effective defense—you simply believed it was Sucha. When the attack began, your first reaction wasn’t to resist but to summon the Empress Dowager. What do you think Sucha will think when he learns of this?"
Su Can’s face paled drastically.
Wei Yun pressed on, "You don’t trust him."
"He has the capability to claim the throne, yet he’s served you loyally all these years. How much trust do you really think exists between you? If you don’t trust him, do you think he’ll still trust you once he knows?"
"It’s not that I won’t spare you," Wei Yun sneered. "It’s that Sucha won’t spare you."
By this point, Su Can’s expression was beyond grim.
As they spoke, the sounds of battle erupted outside the palace. Wei Yun released Su Can and stepped back, saying calmly, "But there is one way I can help you."
Su Can said nothing.
He knew Sucha’s temperament well. As Wei Yun had said, if Sucha realized that Su Can didn’t fully trust him, this rescue mission could easily turn into a regicide.
For years, Sucha had refrained from acting against him—partly out of respect for the Empress Dowager, not wishing to grieve her, and partly because of Su Can’s trust in him.
Realizing this, Su Can clenched his teeth. Wei Yun continued coolly, "Have your men assist me. I’ll get you out of the palace, and you can regroup with your loyalists."
"You’ve thought this through quite well," Su Can muttered through gritted teeth.
"But what if my second brother doesn’t think as you say…?"
"Then don’t say anything."
Wei Yun smiled, his eyes icy. "Just wait and see."
Su Can stiffened. Wei Yun returned to his seat and said with a faint smile, "Your Majesty, shall we continue our game?"
Su Can sat down stiffly. Wei Yun’s words had thoroughly unsettled him, yet he had to maintain a facade of composure. He picked up a piece and resumed the game against Wei Yun.Before the opening act had even reached its midpoint, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hall. Then, Sucha burst in clad in armor, leading a group of soldiers.
The moment he entered, Su Can instinctively tried to rise, but Wei Yun spoke calmly, "Stay seated."
Su Can froze. Wei Yun took a sip of tea before slowly lifting his gaze to Sucha, raising an eyebrow. "Well, what a crowd."
Without a word, Sucha waved his hand, and the soldiers charged toward Wei Yun. But Wei Yun was faster—he yanked Su Can forward, forcing him to his knees with a loud thud, pressing a sword to his throat.
"Hold it."
Wei Yun raised his voice. Su Can closed his eyes in humiliation as the soldiers halted, turning to look at Sucha.
Sucha glared coldly at Wei Yun, who merely smiled. "I know you want him dead."
"Don't spout nonsense!" Sucha roared.
Wei Yun shook his head. "Why deny it? Fratricide to claim the throne—it's common in our Great Chu. People are all the same. If we in Great Chu suspect each other, do you brothers truly share an unbreakable bond? If you did, why didn’t he hesitate to doubt you when I attacked the city?"
"Second Brother, listen to me—"
"What’s there to say?" Wei Yun laughed. "You’ve been plotting against Sucha every day, and hasn’t Sucha been doing the same?"
"Sucha, ask yourself honestly," Wei Yun locked eyes with him, "don’t you want this throne?"
Sucha pressed his lips together. Wei Yun continued, "If you were the one sitting there, this war wouldn’t have happened. Or at least, it would’ve been fought your way. If Phoenix Tomb City hadn’t split its forces to attack Heaven's Guard Pass, it would’ve fallen long ago, wouldn’t it?"
"Shut up—" Sucha’s voice was quieter this time.
Su Can’s heart grew colder by the second. Observing their expressions, Wei Yun chuckled. "The only reason you haven’t killed him is your fear of the Empress Dowager, isn’t it? Let me help you."
Lowering his voice, Wei Yun spoke earnestly. "Let me go. In front of everyone, I’ll kill him for you. That way, the Empress Dowager won’t blame you. If he dies here in this palace, mysteriously, I doubt you’ll hold the throne for long."
"Second Brother, don’t listen to his lies!" Su Can pleaded desperately. "I never doubted you. That day, I was just stunned—I—"
"I’ll trade his life for my safe passage out of the palace. And if I’m not mistaken, letting me go benefits you both even more, doesn’t it?"
Wei Yun’s expression turned icy as he looked down at Su Can. "The ones who harmed my Wei family must hold high positions now. You’re counting on me to return and turn Great Chu upside down, aren’t you?"
Su Can’s face paled with shock. Sucha hesitated, then finally relented.
The gesture spoke volumes. Wei Yun nodded. "Thank you."
With Su Can as his shield, he cautiously backed out of the hall.
The moment they stepped outside, Sucha waved his hand and ordered, "After them. Dead or alive."
At his command, the soldiers gave chase. Wei Yun glanced down at Su Can and smiled. "Your Majesty, what did I tell you?"Su Can snapped out of his shock as Wei Yun swung his sword to deflect the cold arrows behind them. With a light step, he carried Su Can through the Palace Gates. Just then, an assassin swooped from the shadows. Dragging Su Can to the ground in a roll, Wei Yun barely avoided the attack. Su Can suddenly regained his senses and shouted, "Protect me and head to Sucha's tribe!"
The assassin hesitated briefly before turning and aligning his sword with Wei Yun's, forming a united front.
Sucha chased after them, witnessing Wei Yun not only sparing Su Can but also shielding him. Instantly, he grasped Wei Yun's scheme.
Wei Yun had bargained for his escape through the Palace Gates by promising to kill Su Can, then secured protection from Su Can's men by vowing to safeguard him instead.
Standing atop the city wall, Sucha roared, "Catch him! You must catch him!"
By then, Wei Yun had already mounted a horse prepared by Su Can's men. Glancing back, he flashed Sucha a cold smirk before dragging Su Can into the forest.
Countless pursuers followed, their arrows raining from behind.
Wei Yun dodged frantically until they reached the woods. Finally, he demanded, "Who was it?"
"Zhao Yue."
Su Can knew exactly what Wei Yun was asking. He spoke rapidly, "Zhao Yue came to me with this plan. Did you really think Sucha and I could have deciphered your Great Chu so thoroughly, predicting Yao Yong wouldn't send reinforcements?"
Wei Yun tightened his grip on the reins. Having obtained the information he sought, he flung Su Can aside and said coldly, "Fend for yourselves."
With that, he plunged into the forest. Su Can barely had time to curse before his guards hurried him away in another direction.
Wei Yun galloped desperately, but pursuers gradually closed in. He fought his way forward, only for more to swarm him.
Sucha, aware of his entry into the woods, had sent assassins after him—far more adept at tracking and killing than soldiers.
Wounds accumulated as Wei Yun gritted his teeth and pressed on.
His horse long gone, he fled clutching his injuries, assassins hot on his heels. Time blurred, his mouth filled with the metallic tang of blood.
Blood loss blurred his vision, even lifting his sword became a struggle.
He knew he couldn't hold on—yet he had to.
Another wave of assassins approached. The whistle of arrows reached his ears, but he lacked the strength to dodge. Arrows pierced his body. Collapsed on the ground, he heard distant roaring water and crawled forward with immense effort.
He had to survive.
He must survive.
Inching forward, he sensed his pursuers closing in. A sword thrust downward, and with his last ounce of strength, he rolled aside. Then came a sharp cry: "Xiao Qi!!"
With great difficulty, he opened his eyes.
Blood obscured his vision, leaving only the vast blue sky.
Who was calling him...?
The voice felt hauntingly familiar.
Almost like...
Chu Yu.
The name brought a faint smile to his lips. In that instant, a familiar figure leaped from above. Wei Yun's eyes widened as a whip lashed around his waist, yanking him upward into an embrace.They were falling at an incredible speed. By the time she finished her actions, they were already nearing the bottom. Without a second thought, he tightly wrapped his arms around her and flipped their positions, crashing violently into the water.
The impact of the water slammed into them, making him feel as though every bone in his body was being crushed. He shielded the person in his arms with everything he had, the metallic tang of blood filling his mouth as warmth seeped from his embrace. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
Why was she here?
How could she be here?!
But these thoughts vanished as quickly as they came when another powerful wave struck, knocking him unconscious.
The moment Wei Yun passed out, Chu Yu broke free from his hold and dragged him upward against the current.
The waterfall crashed down on them, making it nearly impossible to breathe. The currents were fierce, and with one hand gripping him tightly, she struggled through the turbulent water.
She pulled him along, letting the current carry them downstream, using all her strength to finally reach the riverbank.
Wei Yun had swallowed water, his face deathly pale. Chu Yu laid him flat, pressing on his abdomen to force the water out before pinching his nose, tilting his chin up, and pressing her lips to his without hesitation, breathing air into his lungs. After repeating this several times, Wei Yun finally coughed violently, his eyes fluttering open. Without giving him time to recover, Chu Yu hoisted him over her shoulder, supporting his abdomen as she ran, saying, "Tell me when you feel like there's no more water in your stomach, and I'll adjust your position."
Wei Yun coughed up another mouthful of water before finally catching his breath.
"Sister-in-law..." he gasped weakly. "Put me down."
Hearing this, Chu Yu quickly lowered him to the ground.
Wei Yun was covered in injuries, an arrow still embedded in his shoulder. Not daring to pull it out recklessly, Chu Yu draped his arm over her shoulder and let him lean on her for support as they hurried forward.
As she ran, she created false trails to throw off any pursuers. After running for most of the day, she finally found a cave to rest in as night fell.
She handed Wei Yun some dried rations and water, placing a dagger beside him before reaching for his clothes.
Wei Yun's pupils constricted sharply as he grabbed her wrist, his voice strained. "What are you doing?!"
Chu Yu pushed his hand away, and with a sharp rip , most of his clothing was torn open, revealing his battered body.
His fair skin was now marred with crisscrossing wounds, making them look even more gruesome. Chu Yu paused for a moment at the sight, her fingers trembling as she lightly brushed over a patch of unbroken skin.
The warmth of her touch sent a shiver through Wei Yun. He turned his head away, squeezing his eyes shut in pain.
Chu Yu watched silently before lowering her gaze. After a long moment, she took a deep breath, picked up a bottle of alcohol, poured some onto a cloth, and began cleaning his wounds.
Her movements were gentle, but Wei Yun still winced in pain. Yet amidst the agony, the occasional brush of her fingertips sparked another, more shameful sensation—a hidden, indescribable pleasure.
This disgraceful feeling made Wei Yun clench his fists. He kept his eyes shut, not daring to make a sound.
After a long while, once Chu Yu had tended to his other wounds, she finally placed a hand on his shoulder.
His body was burning with fever, making her touch feel icy in comparison. He looked up at her dazedly, his vision already blurring.
The woman before him remained composed, her grip steady as she said calmly, "I'm going to pull the arrow out now.""Hmm..."
Wei Yun no longer had any will to resist. He couldn’t even comprehend what the person before him was saying anymore. He only vaguely heard her voice, as if she was asking something, but whoever it was, whatever they said—he truly didn’t care.
Seeing that he was on the verge of losing consciousness, Chu Yu quickly prepared all the medicine and bandages. Swiftly, she pulled out the arrow, applied the hemostatic agent, and then tightly wrapped the wound with a bandage to stop further bleeding.
Just as she finished and was about to speak, Wei Yun could no longer hold on and collapsed into her arms.
Startled, Chu Yu tried to steady him, only to hear Wei Yun’s voice—childishly whiny yet hoarse.
He probably didn’t even know what he was saying. Driven purely by instinct, he pressed his head against her shoulder and uttered a single sentence—
"Elder sister-in-law, it hurts."
Chu Yu froze for a moment.
Such a soft, simple sentence, yet it made her feel as if her entire heart had been pierced with pain.
Author’s Note: [Mini Theater]
Reader: Tell me, why did you have to write such a cliché scene?
Mo Shubai, sitting handcuffed in the interrogation room: For love.
Reader: ...
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