An Jiu was red and soft all over, her skin wrinkled like that of a newborn mouse. While a tiny baby might still look somewhat endearing in this state, An Jiu, being fully grown, was so unsightly it was almost unbearable to look at. Yet, as Chu Dingjiang carried her back to the room, he did so with the utmost care, cradling her as if she were his own precious child.
After all the turmoil, Chu Dingjiang held the unconscious An Jiu and fell into a deep sleep.
Mo Sigui, who had also stayed up just as long, had eyes bloodshot with exhaustion but still found it hard to sleep. He smoked pipe after pipe, filling the courtyard with a hazy mist. Within a radius of one li, no living creature remained awake, yet even when he closed his eyes, sleep eluded him.
The scent of medicine spread throughout the city.
The horizon lightened with the first hints of dawn.
In the imperial palace of the Liao capital, Shangjing, the sounds of battle raged.
Yelü Quancang’s face bore its usual sickly pallor, and at this moment, he seemed oblivious to the noise outside, calmly reviewing imperial memorials. Dozens of black-clad guards stood in the hall, motionless as corpses, their breaths inaudible.
Outside, the clamor of battle shook the heavens, yet inside, an eerie silence prevailed.
Half an hour later, a general hurried to the palace doors. "Your Majesty!"
"How goes the battle?" Yelü Quancang’s steady voice echoed from within.
"The rebels have breached the Chongxuan Palace and are advancing toward the study. If Her Highness the Princess does not send reinforcements soon, we will be unable to hold them off. Your Majesty, you must relocate to safety," the general reported.
Yelü Quancang set down his brush. "Surrender to the rebels."
The general was stunned. "Your Majesty! This subject—"
Yelü Quancang cut him off. "This is an imperial edict."
"This subject would rather die than surrender!" the general declared loudly.
"I will say this one last time—this is an imperial edict. However, you are only to claim it was your own decision."
Yelü Quancang’s tone was calm, devoid of any anger, yet it sent an inexplicable chill down the general’s spine. After a moment of silence, the general, now composed, seemed to realize this was not a true surrender. He prostrated himself and accepted the order.
As soon as he rose and left, chaos erupted in the hall.
Assassins of unknown origin suddenly stormed in, clashing with the black-clad guards.
Seated on the throne, Yelü Quancang lowered his gaze and toyed with a xiao flute. As the guards fell one by one, he raised the flute to his lips and tested its sound.
The mournful melody wept like a lament.
With the surrender of the defending army, the battle at Chongxuan Palace had ceased.
Yelü Huangwu, clad in a close-fitting outfit, stepped over mountains of corpses and rivers of blood as she made her way toward the imperial study.
A squad of Shadow Wraiths arrived first, lining up outside the door.
Yelü Huangwu stood at the foot of the steps. "Imperial Brother, your younger sister has arrived too late to protect you!"
No answer came from within.
"Go in," Yelü Huangwu murmured.
The Shadow Wraiths broke through the door.
The study was already in ruins. The once-spacious hall was now so littered with hundreds of corpses that there was scarcely room to step. As the wraiths entered, several noticed their feet sinking into warm, sticky liquid.
Upon the high seat, a handsome man in resplendent robes bore multiple sword wounds, his entire body drenched in blood—only his face remained pale and unblemished. His head hung low, a xiao flute lying at his feet. Streams of blood trickled down the steps, stretching long and trailing like the tail feathers of a phoenix.
Yelü Huangwu looked up and saw him at once.
A strange expression flickered across her face, caught between laughter and tears.
She stared for what felt like an eternity before finally stepping forward, slowly making her way inside. The journey to Yelü Quancang’s side seemed to take both an eternity and an instant."Imperial Brother." Yelü Huangwu's fingertips brushed his nose and found he was still breathing. Her expression stiffened slightly as she raised her voice, "Drag all the survivors out."
The Shadow Wraiths searched among the corpses and indeed found a few who still clung to life.
"Your Highness. Five confirmed survivors," a Shadow Wraith reported with a bow.
"All of you, leave." Yelü Huangwu bent down to pick up the fallen flute from the ground. "I wish to bid farewell to my imperial brother alone."
"As you command!"
The Shadow Wraiths took the five survivors out and closed the chamber doors.
The vast study was filled with corpses. Only Yelü Huangwu remained alive, along with the barely breathing Yelü Quancang.
"Brother." Yelü Huangwu gently touched his cool cheek. "I never wanted to do this—you forced my hand. Had you been a good elder brother, I would have remained a dutiful younger sister. But you were utterly heartless. Since you never treated me as a sister to cherish, your life held no meaning for me."
As she spoke, her fingers paused when she noticed a faint mark near Yelü Quancang's temple. Her face abruptly changed.
"Is that so." A deep voice suddenly rang out.
Before Yelü Huangwu could react, she heard the whistle of wind by her ear. Looking down, she found a bloody hole already pierced through her chest.
A stream of blood sprayed out like an arrow, splattering across the imperial desk like a cluster of vibrant red plum blossoms.
Yelü Huangwu's eyes widened in fury. A fake! This Yelü Quancang was indeed a fake! But she had realized too late...
Clutching her chest, she turned around.
Three zhang away, Yelü Quancang stood in pristine white robes, untouched amidst the sea of corpses.
"If you hadn't lost your memory, you should remember what I excel at," he said.
Yelü Quancang had many identities in the Great Song—some real, some false, indistinguishable to all.
"Heh, I was careless." Yelü Huangwu tried to use her Inner Force to protect her heart meridian, only to find she couldn't muster even a trace of it!
"Do you think I enjoy being emperor? It is my duty to bear. Had you told me you wanted this throne, that you could uphold the Yelü family's legacy, I would have gladly stepped aside and retreated to the mountains with Mei Ru Yan." Yelü Quancang gazed at her impassively. "You claimed you wouldn't covet the throne if I were a proper elder brother, but you misjudged yourself."
Over the years, Yelü Huangwu had schemed tirelessly to help him return to Liao. At first, he had genuinely not suspected her.
He was not a man of delicate emotions—usually taciturn and reluctant to express himself. Asking him to dote on someone with meticulous care was beyond his capacity. Yet regardless, he had never treated her unfairly in matters of importance.
Yelü Huangwu laughed mockingly. "Ha, you don't enjoy it?"
If he didn't, why kill her to protect the throne? If he had the means to survive, shouldn't he have seized the chance to let go?
"This time, I deliberately gave you free rein to scheme. Had you the skill to kill me, it would have proven your capability, and I would have yielded the throne without objection." Yelü Quancang said. "But you've disappointed me."
Yelü Huangwu slowly stopped laughing, blood seeping from the corner of her lips. "I concede."
At this moment, what was left for her to misunderstand? Yelü Quancang had seen through her schemes long ago. He had laid this trap for her, even calculating that once she discovered he still breathed, she wouldn't silence him in front of witnesses.
She had sealed the trap shut herself.Yet if given another chance, she still couldn't openly kill her brother, because those Shadow Wraiths had come to rescue the emperor—they had no idea she was staging a rebellion!
Her only regret was not seeing through the deception sooner.
"I refuse to accept this," Yelü Huangwu collapsed to the ground, her vision darkening, yet she stubbornly kept her eyes open.
Every step of her plan had been flawless—where had it gone wrong? It was Yelü Jinglie who had forced his way into the palace. It was also Yelü Jinglie who had sent assassins. She was supposed to reap the benefits when the rescuers arrived—how had she exposed herself instead?
"You should refuse to accept it, because you never understood yourself. Ambitious at heart, yet clinging to shreds of warmth; longing for affection, yet committing the cruelest acts. Had you recognized your true nature from the start and severed those sentimental attachments, you'd have ruled long ago. It's precisely because I saw through you that I knew you wouldn't let this opportunity slip when our uncle staged his coup."
Seizing imperial power was the most treacherous path in the world. There was no room for hesitation.
Know thy enemy and know yourself, and you shall never be defeated. The most terrifying thing isn't knowing yourself but not the enemy, nor knowing the enemy but not yourself—but when the enemy understands you better than you do.
Though unwilling, she wasn't one to deny defeat.
"You... answered my doubts... so I'll return the favor," Yelü Huangwu's voice was barely audible, but she knew he could hear. "Yelü Jinglie... is also a Medicine man."
This was something Yelü Quancang hadn't known, yet he showed no surprise, nor did he press further. Instead, he said, "Had Ning Yanli still been alive, you might not have died either."
Though the hidden weapon had struck her heart meridian, timely treatment could have saved her—leaving only minor aftereffects. The real issue was the Medicine coating the weapon, preventing her from using Inner Force to protect her heart meridian, thus losing any chance of survival. Had Ning Yanli remained as before, never leaving her side at critical moments, she might not only have lived but possibly even escaped.
Yelü Huangwu's pupils dilated—whether she heard these words or not was unclear.
As was whether she felt regret.
"I'd only suspected before, but Ning the physician's death confirmed your scheme for me," Yelü Quancang murmured to himself.
Ning Yanli had been utterly loyal to Yelü Huangwu. Without her explicit order, Ning would never have sacrificed his life, even if secretly working for Yelü Jinglie. This devotion was something only Yelü Huangwu herself had failed to fully believe in.
Yelü Quancang stepped forward, removed the decoy's mask, stripped off the outer robe to reveal the black close-fitting outfit beneath, then concealed the body among the others.
Donning the outer robe, he exerted slight pressure with his feet and swept out of the hall.
Seeing him alive, the Shadow Wraiths immediately knelt. "All hail Your Majesty!"
"The princess died saving Us. Once the traitors are dealt with, she shall be posthumously honored with a grand burial!"
When they'd entered earlier, Yelü Quancang had clearly been dead while Yelü Huangwu was unharmed—how had he emerged alive instead? Still, the Shadow Wraiths knew of Ning Yanli's unorthodox medical skills. Though the physician was dead, some life-for-life technique wouldn't be beyond belief.
"Her Highness's loyalty shines eternal!" the Shadow Wraiths chorused.
Only those who'd followed Yelü Huangwu understood her death was suspicious. But with her gone, who would dare openly question the emperor?
Yelü Quancang's phoenix eyes swept the hall with cold authority. "Capture the traitor Yelü Jinglie alive!"
"As you command!"Yelü Huangwu was dead, and the military power naturally returned to the emperor's hands.
This battle was not yet over, but everyone had already seen the outcome.
When news of the Liao Kingdom's internal strife reached the Song court, the atmosphere relaxed considerably. Some officials could hardly contain their joy, almost ready to celebrate.
The Emperor personally drafted an edict appointing General Ling Ziyue as the commander of the three border defense armies. He believed this was an excellent opportunity to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun.
However, the Emperor had not let his joy cloud his judgment. Over the past two years, he had been closely observing the Liao Kingdom and knew that its ruler, though appearing frail and reclusive, was actually a formidable figure who had accomplished much behind the scenes. Taking advantage of the chaos to annihilate Liao outright was impossible. Moreover, given the Song Dynasty's current state, even if they could conquer Liao, they lacked the capacity to govern it.
In the entire Song Dynasty, the only one displeased by Liao's internal strife was Wu Lingyuan.
Previously, the tense situation in Liao had kept the three major factions in check, none daring to disperse their forces recklessly. This had minimized the impact on Hexi County. But once the internal strife was resolved and power was consolidated, coupled with the severe financial strain from the war, Liao's future autumn hunts would undoubtedly become far more aggressive.
"At least there's General Ling," Wu Lingyuan consoled himself.
Wei Yuzhi, guessing his thoughts, added, "General Ling might not make much of a difference either."
Wu Lingyuan sighed deeply upon reflection. Generals in the Song Dynasty were never allowed to command the same army for long, so a military's strength was not inherently tied to its commander's prowess. No matter who took charge, it would take time to adjust, let alone lead troops into battle. Mastering command over so many soldiers was no short-term feat.
"Is Yelü Huangwu really dead?" Mo Sigui suddenly interjected.
"She is," Wei Yuzhi confirmed.
"You've asked this countless times over the past few days. Why?" Wu Lingyuan questioned.
The woman Lou Mingyue had fought so desperately to kill had died just like that—Mo Sigui found it hard to believe. But more than that, he was overjoyed. With her death, Lou Mingyue was finally free.
"Life takes such unexpected turns," he mused, standing up. "I’ll get ready to leave!"
Humming a tune, he bustled around the room in high spirits, swiftly packing a bag and even patting Xiao Yue’s head in passing.
Wu Lingyuan wasn’t entirely clear about their history and was taken aback by Mo Sigui’s behavior. In his memory, Mo Sigui had always been carefree yet composed—now, he seemed almost giddy.
"Yuzhi, I’ve prepared over a dozen jars of medicine and left them on the shelf. You two chat. I’m off." With Xiao Yue and Da Jiu in tow, Mo Sigui dashed out like a gust of wind.
"Over a dozen jars," Wei Yuzhi murmured with a faint smile.
It seemed Mo Sigui planned to travel far and wide with Lou Mingyue once he found her.
"To think she fell so easily to Yelü Quancang," Wei Yuzhi mused, feeling a pang of regret. Yelü Huangwu had seemed capable of fighting for another decade or two.
He couldn’t help but wonder: if he were to clash with Yelü Quancang, how would it unfold?
"Yelü Huangwu actually lost just like that."
Even An Jiu, stationed at the city barracks, struggled to believe the news.
"Since ancient times, whenever there’s a power struggle, people die. What’s so strange about it?" Chu Dingjiang showed little interest, his mind preoccupied with Yelü Quancang’s formidable tactics. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down.An Jiu was still recovering and had been ordered by Chu Dingjiang to stay in bed without running around. At the moment, she was lounging with her legs crossed, being fed by him. "But she seems really impressive."
"Those who flaunt their edge often don’t last till the end."
"Mhm, makes sense. As the saying goes, the dog that bites doesn’t bark." An Jiu had recently heard this phrase in camp and immediately put it to use.
Her usage wasn’t wrong, but she just had to give examples, "Like you and Wei Yuzhi."
Seeing his aura shift, An Jiu quickly added, "Blood Fiend is here."
Chu Dingjiang gave her face and never scolded her in front of her subordinates.
A moment later, Blood Fiend indeed spoke from outside the door, "Master, this subordinate saw the Miracle Doctor leaving the city with two tigers."
An Jiu wasn’t surprised at all. "Noted."
"If Master has no further orders, this subordinate will take his leave."
"Mhm."
"Starting to carry yourself like a leader," Chu Dingjiang remarked with a smile.
An Jiu couldn’t help but pout. "Ever since Blood Fiend saw you again, he’s been obsessed with following you. I don’t know how you’ve charmed him so thoroughly."
"More nonsense." How could a grown man charm another grown man so completely! He couldn’t believe she’d say such a thing.
An Jiu’s thoughts jumped back as she sighed, "At least Mo Sigui and Lou Mingyue can finally be together properly now. I’ve had my share of hardships too, but somehow, watching them still exhausts me."
Chu Dingjiang cut a large piece of apple and stuffed it into her mouth. "Worrying so much over others. You should spend more time thinking about yourself."
"Myself? I think I’m doing great now." An Jiu held the apple, freeing her mouth to speak. "I get to be a good person, fulfill my wishes, and herd a flock of sheep."
She was referring to the self-defense militia.
Chu Dingjiang laughed heartily. "You can’t just let them roam like sheep. They need to be honed like divine weapons. Or are you waiting for the Liao cavalry to hunt them down?"
"Hmph, my sheep—who dares touch them?" An Jiu snorted.
Chu Dingjiang watched her smug little expression, amused, and shoved the entire peeled apple toward her mouth.
An Jiu swatted at him.
Her skin was now as tender as a baby’s, bruising at the slightest pressure. Chu Dingjiang didn’t dare fight back, letting her hit him while saying, "Don’t exert yourself, don’t exert yourself. What if your hand hurts? How about I hit myself a few times instead?"
An Jiu burst into laughter.
After a while of playful banter, An Jiu grew tired and fell asleep.
Chu Dingjiang gazed at her increasingly delicate and beautiful face, still faintly smiling in slumber, his heart softening.
As dusk deepened, Chu Dingjiang rose and walked to the window, staring solemnly at the stars. Nearly an hour later, he instructed a few trusted guards to watch the courtyard before slipping into the city alone.
In less than half an hour, he returned with two unconscious individuals, tossing them into an empty room.
After bathing and changing clothes, he leisurely went to meet the two captives.
Blood Fiend led the way with a lantern. Upon entering, he saw two middle-aged women—and upon closer inspection, one of them was none other than Old Madam Mei!
Blood Fiend set down the lantern and couldn’t help but ask, "Sir, does Master know you’ve kidnapped Old Madam Mei?"He knew that An Jiu and Old Madam Mei didn't get along well. But regardless of their strained relationship, she was quite an odd person—for instance, she would happily curse Mo Sigui herself, yet wouldn't tolerate anyone else speaking ill of him.
"Which of your eyes saw me tying her up?" Chu Dingjiang asked slowly.
The old madam indeed hadn't been physically bound. But this kind of "binding" wasn't the literal kind! However, Chu Dingjiang's tone reminded him that the man before him was no pushover either.
Blood Fiend simply buried his head, pretending he didn't exist and hadn't seen anything.
"Go brew some tea."
Blood Fiend obeyed and left. Moments later, he returned with tea, set it down, and was about to silently retreat when Chu Dingjiang spoke again, "Take her to the west room and keep her under watch. If she's there, you stay there."
"Yes." Blood Fiend resignedly carried Ling Xi out.
These buildings had been constructed under Chu Dingjiang's orders within a few months. Due to the tight schedule, only the main hall had been properly decorated, while the side rooms, though empty, were neat and clean.
This particular room was quite spacious, furnished only with a few round-backed chairs and two tall-legged side tables.
Old Madam Mei let out a faint groan as she regained consciousness.
The dull pain at the back of her neck suddenly reminded her of what had happened before she blacked out, so she continued pretending to be asleep, using her mental strength to sense if anyone was nearby.
"Open your eyes if you're awake," Chu Dingjiang called her bluff.
Old Madam Mei hadn't expected anyone to be present and was slightly surprised, but she complied, opening her eyes and lifting her head toward the source of the voice.
The room wasn't lit, but the bright moonlight outside allowed her to vaguely make out the interior. Seated on a round-backed chair opposite her was a tall man dressed in black robes with wide sleeves, the collar of his white inner garment peeking out. His beard was neatly trimmed, and his hair was half-down, as if freshly washed.
He poured two cups of tea and personally brought one to the small table beside her.
Standing this close, Old Madam Mei realized he was even taller than she had imagined.
"Chu Dingjiang." Old Madam Mei had been tracking his movements recently and naturally recognized him. "Why have you brought me here?"
Chu Dingjiang picked up his tea and took a small sip. "Old Madam, let's not phrase it so harshly yet. I merely invited you here to ask a few questions."
Even though he had already offended her by knocking her out and bringing her here, Chu Dingjiang still preferred to try courtesy before force.
"If it's just questions, why resort to such underhanded methods?" Old Madam Mei asked with a smile.
Her expression appeared gentle, but her eyes were cold and distant—she wasn't someone easy to approach.
"Considering what you've done, I think my methods have been quite polite," Chu Dingjiang replied.
Only then did Old Madam Mei realize that her message-delivering activities had been exposed.
"Your master is quite busy these days and likely won't have time to spare for you. So, Old Madam, please carefully consider your situation before answering my questions," Chu Dingjiang said. "What was his purpose in sending you to monitor A Jiu and me?"
"You actually know I serve His Majesty—that's quite impressive," Old Madam Mei remarked, forced to reassess Chu Dingjiang.
"Flattery." Chu Dingjiang wasn't in a hurry to press her; he had plenty of patience.
"I can tell you honestly—I don't know." Old Madam Mei straightened her clothes and sat upright as usual, showing no unease. "I merely follow orders. When does a subordinate ever get explanations from their master?"
Chu Dingjiang nodded, not doubting her explanation. "Then, Old Madam, please tell me about Yelü Quancang and Xiao Che.""Why should I tell you these things?" Old Madam Mei asked with a faint smile.
"I don't wish to say anything harsh right now, but if I were concerned about propriety, you wouldn't be sitting here right now."
Though claiming not to be harsh, her words couldn't have been more forceful.
Old Madam Mei felt a bitter taste on her tongue and took a sip of tea. It wasn't that she feared Chu Dingjiang's threats, but rather that she felt her entire life had been steeped in bitterness, which now inadvertently surfaced. (To be continued...)
PS: After five sleepless days locked in my writing den, I've finally completed the ending of this book. There aren't many chapters left now. Currently quite exhausted—after returning home and organizing everything, I'll post two or three chapters daily. Thank you all for your support.
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