She stood at the end and the beginning of power, overlooking the torrential currents where the great winds rose. The world shifted with her will—causes and effects rose and fell, the sun ascended and the moon descended, rivers and mountains overturned—all hinged on a single thought from her.
And before her, not a single soul stood in the way.
This was the pinnacle, the supreme.
An uncontrollable shudder ran through her, and for the first time, she felt awe like never before—and loneliness like never before.
In this moment, Yu Wanyin suddenly understood the meaning of "lonely ruler." Perhaps everyone who reached the highest peak had once passed this turning point. To turn away, to abandon, to release a tightly clasped hand and throw themselves into the vast emptiness.
But why her? Why was it her—a lazy, weak corporate drone whose greatest joy in life had been reading novels squeezed into subway trains—who had fallen into this world and now stood in this position?
This question should have been posed to sages, answered by heroes of the ages. Yet the heavens had forcibly shoved the answer sheet into her hands.
Since they insisted on asking her...
Yu Wanyin abruptly smiled.
Then her answer was: she would take it all.
"General Lin," Yu Wanyin said. "His Majesty commanded you to obey my orders, did he not?"
Lin Xuanying and the giants paused.
By forcing him to publicly pledge his loyalty, Yu Wanyin was signaling that the command she was about to give was one they would likely despise.
Lin Xuanying lowered his gaze to meet hers. Compared to the pampered, favored consort he had first encountered, she was now pale and gaunt, with faint shadows of exhaustion beneath her eyes.
Paradoxically, this only accentuated the brilliance of her features. The arch of her brows, the crimson tinge at the corners of her eyes, the faint curve at her lips—both alluring and imperious.
After what felt like an eternity, he knelt and said, "This humble servant is at your command, Your Majesty."
The grand hall of the palace.
The assembled officials stood in terrified silence, only the boldest daring to steal a glance upward in shock.
Xiahou Bo's wheelchair was parked beside the empty dragon throne. Slouched in it, he gazed down at the crowd. "His Majesty has been grievously harmed by the enchantress empress and is too ill to govern. Thus, he has entrusted this prince with the administration of the court. Does anyone have matters to report?"
His appearance was truly horrifying—half his head wrapped in bandages. Bei Zhou’s shot had not only blown off one of his ears but also ravaged the surrounding skin, leaving his face permanently disfigured.
Even worse were his legs, bound up like dumplings. Many had witnessed it at the foot of Mount Bei—the falling boulder had crushed his legs beyond recognition, the bones shattered into countless fragments.
To save them, the Imperial Hospital had cycled through three batches of physicians, yet hope remained slim. Moreover, officials with even a rudimentary understanding of medicine couldn’t help but whisper among themselves: injuries this severe could easily lead to fatal sepsis.
Yet despite his deathly pallor and the cold sweat beading his forehead, he still insisted on attending court.
This man’s lust for power bordered on madness.
Or perhaps he had always been a hidden lunatic, even more unhinged than Xiahou Dan.
But even those officials who knew full well of his usurpation dared not speak up—outside the hall, his rebel army still patrolled, crushing any resistance. And beyond the capital, three more armies were marching closer.
His grip on power was inevitable. Why throw away their lives for nothing?Xiahou Bo pressed the question once more, and a few elderly ministers timidly stepped forward to report some trivial local matters.
Before he could respond, someone suddenly declared loudly, "Your Highness, I have a memorial to present."
Li Yunxi strode confidently out of the ranks.
That day at the foot of Bei Mountain, just as the border troops had managed to lift the boulder and drag away Prince Duan—whose legs had been crushed—the earth suddenly began to tremble violently.
The ground shook, rocks split apart, and even the most disciplined soldiers stumbled and fell. Almost no one in the entire area remained standing.
Amid the chaos, Li Yunxi and his companions on the mountain miraculously survived. The soldiers pursuing them were thrown off by the tremors, while they clung to tree roots and escaped unscathed.
By the time they scrambled down the mountain, both Xiahou Dan and Xiahou Bo had vanished. All they could see were several carriages, escorted by rebel troops, hastily retreating toward the imperial palace.
This was precisely why many officials harbored a lingering question.
And Li Yunxi voiced it: "May I ask Prince Duan when we might have an audience with His Majesty?"
Xiahou Bo, seated on the throne, lowered his gaze to Li Yunxi, his eyes icy.
But Li Yunxi, who had never feared Xiahou Dan, was even less intimidated now. He stood as if center stage, meeting Xiahou Bo’s gaze with fearless defiance.
After a few seconds of silence, Xiahou Bo seemed to attempt a smile, but only half his face twitched, resulting in a grotesque expression. "As I just stated, His Majesty is gravely ill and requires absolute rest. Moreover, the enchantress empress remains at large, and no one knows what bewitching arts she might employ to disrupt the court. The palace must remain on high alert. Therefore, I dare not allow suspicious individuals near His Majesty."
He emphasized the word "suspicious," his sinister gaze sweeping over several ministers.
During the Bei Mountain coup, civil and military officials had instinctively fled toward their chosen factions in the chaos. As a result, many hidden members of the pro-emperor faction had been exposed to Prince Duan’s scrutiny.
Now, as Xiahou Bo’s eyes passed over them one by one, they shuddered, bowing their heads even lower, inwardly lamenting their misfortune.
After all, they had bet on the wrong side.
Xiahou Bo withdrew his gaze and drawled, "I am rather curious, Minister Li—what urgent matter compels you to disturb His Majesty at this time?"
The implication was clear: if Li Yunxi persisted, he would be branded a "collaborator of the enchantress empress."
Li Yunxi raised his head defiantly. "I believe—"
"I believe the events at Bei Mountain were highly suspicious, with many unresolved questions that must be reported to His Majesty."
Yang Duojie stepped forward to stand beside Li Yunxi. "Are we to condemn an empress based solely on the testimony of a single assassin?"
"Well said," Er Lan added, joining them. "Yu Shaoqing, the esteemed father of the empress, was imprisoned without trial. Under what law was this justified?"
"How dare you!" a member of the Prince Duan faction shouted. "Your Highness, these men are stirring up trouble with malicious intent. They should be arrested and interrogated!"
Xiahou Bo narrowed his eyes and raised a hand toward the guards.
"Lord Jin, you are mistaken!"
A young official suddenly strode forward. "Minister Li seeks an audience with His Majesty because such critical matters require His Majesty’s personal judgment. I fail to see how this constitutes 'stirring up trouble.'"
This man was one of the pro-emperor faction members exposed at Bei Mountain.
His boldness stirred the rest of the faction, who exchanged glances, their resolve strengthening.When they saw the murderous glint in Prince Duan's eyes earlier, they had already begun to understand. Now, it was too late to think about self-preservation. Even if they played the coward for a while, given Prince Duan's meticulous and suspicious nature, they would never have a chance to rise again in this lifetime.
Rather than waiting for death, it was better to fight back.
At this critical moment, everyone was inevitably stirred by a spark of courage. How could a usurper be so brazen? Was there no justice left in this world?
One by one, over twenty people stepped forward, standing in direct opposition to the Prince Duan faction. Some who remained silent finally lifted their heads to meet Prince Duan's gaze.
Countless eyes fixed on him at once, creating an overwhelming pressure.
Xiahou Bo's heart burned with hatred.
He could kill one, or even two. But with resistance forces in the capital not yet fully eradicated, he couldn't afford the consequences of executing dozens of high-ranking officials.
He had to grit his teeth and endure for a few more days. Once the armies arrived, there would be nothing left to worry about.
Taking a deep breath, he said gently, "Later today, when His Majesty has recovered somewhat, he will naturally summon you all. Court is dismissed."
With these words, he signaled for the palace attendants to wheel him away, his retreating figure carrying a hint of fleeing in defeat.
Li Yunxi and the others naturally wouldn't be placated by such ambiguous words.
After court adjourned, they led a group of young officials to kneel in front of Xiahou Dan's bedchamber.
When guards came to drive them away, Li Yunxi declared with righteous indignation, "We are merely kneeling here to pray for His Majesty's health while awaiting his summons."
These were unarmed civil officials, and their stated purpose was to pray for the Emperor. The guards didn't dare use force without authorization and went to seek Prince Duan's instructions.
Whatever Xiahou Bo ordered, no one came to drive them away again, leaving them to kneel in the cold wind.
By afternoon, the officials were swaying unsteadily. Even the hardiest among them, Li Yunxi, was shivering violently. Beside him, Er Lan's face had turned ashen, on the verge of collapse.
Li Yunxi forced himself to look up at the still tightly shut doors of the bedchamber, considering whether to attempt a forced entry or return first and make a life-or-death stand at tomorrow's morning court.
Just then, the doors suddenly opened, and a palace maid rushed out, running swiftly down the corridor.
Squinting after her, Li Yunxi felt a sense of foreboding.
Before long, the maid returned with an elderly physician hobbling along. The guards promptly closed the doors again, blocking their view.
A short while later, Xiahou Bo arrived in person, his expression cold and stern as he was wheeled inside. Li Yunxi and the others had already risen to their feet and called after him, but he paid them no heed.
Li Yunxi turned to the guards. "Let us in."
The guard replied, "I have orders not to admit anyone."
Yang Duojie, trembling, pulled Li Yunxi aside and tried to negotiate with the guard. Before they could exchange more than a few words, a sharp wail of grief came from inside.
Li Yunxi and the others pushed past a group of weeping maids and managed to squeeze into the inner chamber, reaching the bedside.
The physician knelt, Prince Duan sat. On the bed lay a figure with a pallid face, eyes wide open in death.
Refusing to believe it, Li Yunxi scrutinized the face three times over. Then his mind went blank with a deafening roar. He only knew that he had fallen to his knees, his heart utterly numb.
How could it really be Xiahou Dan?
How could Xiahou Dan have... died so quietly, so alone?
This shouldn't have been him. This shouldn't have been how he died.Prince Duan reclined in his wheelchair, straining to lean forward and grasp Xiahou Dan's hand, his face a mask of profound grief. "Your Majesty, rest assured, this humble servant will raise the Little Crown Prince with utmost care."
A metallic taste of blood rose in Li Yunxi's mouth—his molars had bitten through flesh. He abruptly lifted his head, glaring venomously at Prince Duan.
Xiahou Bo appeared oblivious, elegantly dabbing at his eyes with his sleeve. The unmarred half of his face remained the picture of refined gentility. "In these turbulent times, the kingdom cannot be without a ruler for even a day. We must hasten preparations for the Crown Prince's enthronement ceremony. Guards—"
"Yes!" came a thunderous response from outside the window.
Xiahou Bo's gaze swept past Li Yunxi, drifting aimlessly into the distance. "Escort the ministers back to their residences to mourn and prepare for the funeral rites."
Dong— dong—
The mournful tolling of funeral bells drifted beyond the capital, echoing endlessly beneath the leaden sky.
Lin Xuanying received the news while still on horseback. The report of the emperor's demise could not be suppressed, and the entire procession erupted in uproar.
He froze for several breaths before suddenly snapping back to reality, swiftly turning to look behind him—Yu Wanyin was disguised as his personal guard, marching with the troops.
Her face was mostly obscured by her helmet, revealing no expression.
Lin Xuanying tightened the reins, slowing his pace to ride alongside her, yet found himself at a loss for words for the first time.
In the end, he only managed a stiff, hushed question: "What do you think?"
Yu Wanyin: "It's good news."
Lin Xuanying: "?"
He glanced at her with trepidation.
Yu Wanyin's voice remained flat. "If the corpse is real, then Prince Duan no longer has any leverage over us. If it's fake, it means he hasn't found His Majesty, so he still has no leverage. Either way, we can proceed with our plan."
Lin Xuanying struggled to organize his thoughts. "But what if the corpse is fake, and His Majesty is still in Prince Duan's hands, held as a trump card?"
"Impossible." Yu Wanyin shook her head calmly. "Now that the entire kingdom knows of His Majesty's passing—a message he himself spread—who would believe him if he suddenly produced the emperor again?"
Lin Xuanying was aghast. "Wouldn't you believe it?"
"I would. But Prince Duan doesn't believe I would. He's cold and unfeeling by nature, so he assumes everyone else is the same. He wouldn't gamble on human nature. I figured this out when devising the plan."
Yu Wanyin's plan was, in truth, brutally simple: Prince Duan, eager to meet with the leaders of the three armies, would inevitably arrange a secret rendezvous. Lin Xuanying only needed to bide his time until then, draw his gun, and kill everyone on the spot. With their leaders dead, the remaining forces would scatter like monkeys fleeing a toppled tree.
If the other two armies still harbored rebellious intentions by then, the Right Army could slaughter them at leisure.
Lin Xuanying had initially wanted to strike before Prince Duan grew suspicious, a mindset rooted in the era of cold weapons, failing to consider the overwhelming lethality that granted them tactical freedom.
So what if Prince Duan grew suspicious? What if he set up defenses? Unless he invented bulletproof armor, all his efforts would be futile.
Following this plan, capturing the ringleader first would minimize casualties. Delaying the operation also bought more time to search for Xiahou Dan, ensuring he wouldn't be placed in danger.
But this so-called "good news" from the capital...
Lin Xuanying cast a worried glance at the figure riding beside him.Yu Wanyin was behaving with an unsettling degree of calm—so calm it was abnormal.
Just as he was about to speak and carefully discuss the authenticity of the corpse, he heard her say, "Since His Majesty isn’t in Prince Duan’s hands, we must hurry to find him."
Lin Xuanying: "..."
She was outright refusing to entertain the possibility that the corpse was real.
Not only did Yu Wanyin refuse to discuss it, she also refused to let her thoughts wander in that direction.
The moment she opened that mental door, her mind would grind to a halt, and her limbs would instantly freeze.
Somewhere deep inside, a voice seemed to compel her: Don’t stop. Don’t think about him. Keep moving forward.
She knew she was holding on by sheer willpower. She couldn’t let that will falter here—not when she still had something she absolutely had to accomplish.
After a day’s march, the army set up camp.
Lin Xuanying assigned Yu Wanyin a private tent, still guarded by Twelve and Forty-seven.
She also gained a little shadow—after entering Peiyang City, she had intended to pay the deaf-mute girl her wages and part ways. Unexpectedly, the girl’s eyes had darted around before she gestured emphatically that she wanted to stay and work.
Stealing was too hard. She didn’t want to struggle anymore.
Yu Wanyin hesitated for a moment. Considering that the deaf-mute girl had countless opportunities to hand her over to pursuers along the way but never betrayed her, she didn’t seem inherently malicious. Besides, as a woman traveling with an army, Yu Wanyin did face many inconveniences. So, for the time being, she took the girl in as a maid.
The deaf-mute girl was clever and quick. By the time the two Shadow Guards had finished setting up the tent, she had already laid out Yu Wanyin’s bedding and even procured a hot water bottle, filling it with warm water and handing it to Yu Wanyin with a gesture to hold it for warmth.
Yu Wanyin, still recovering from a cold, sighed in relief as she hugged the warm bottle to her chest, deciding not to question where the girl had gotten it—for now.
She had expected to lie awake all night, but exhaustion took over, and she drifted into a heavy, dreamless sleep.
In the middle of the night, she was abruptly shaken awake.
The deaf-mute girl crouched before her, holding a lit firestarter, her expression alert as she gestured for Yu Wanyin to listen carefully.
Yu Wanyin forced herself to wake up fully, but all she could hear was the howling wind and snow outside the tent.
"What’s wrong—"
Before she could finish, she paused. Amid the storm, there seemed to be another sound—a clamor of voices. But before she could discern it clearly, the noise abruptly ceased.
Yu Wanyin pushed aside the bedding and took the firestarter from the girl.
If something had happened, why hadn’t Lin Xuanying sent someone to inform her? Why hadn’t Twelve or Forty-seven sounded an alarm?
Suspicious, she blew out the firestarter. For propriety’s sake, the tent was divided by a cloth curtain, with the two Shadow Guards keeping watch on the other side.
Yu Wanyin crept over and lifted the curtain. Sure enough, both guards were gone.
She then lifted the tent flap, squinting against the biting wind and snow as she peered outside.
The camp was eerily quiet, showing no signs of an attack. However, in the distance, the commander’s tent—Lin Xuanying’s—was lit with flickering lamplight.
Before she could reach the entrance, the flap was suddenly thrown open. Lin Xuanying strode out, turning back to speak to someone inside. "Wait here. I’ll go ask—Consort!" He nearly collided with Yu Wanyin, only avoiding her thanks to his reflexes. "...Why are you awake?"
Yu Wanyin: "I’m looking for my Shadow Guards."Lin Xuanying was taken aback. "They're missing? Don't worry, I'll send someone to look for them. It's cold outside—come in and talk."
Lin Xuanying found her a blanket. "Sit. Why did you come out dressed so lightly? Have some hot tea..."
Though he said he would send someone to search for the Shadow Guards, there was no sign of him making any move to do so.
Yu Wanyin studied him carefully, not touching the tea, but her gaze subtly swept around the tent. The commander's tent also had a cloth curtain hung up, dividing the other half of the space. She wondered whether it concealed the firearms and ammunition—or something else.
Lin Xuanying sat across from her, seemingly lost in thought as he took a sip of tea. "Wan Yin, I want to ask you again."
This was the first time since their reunion that he had addressed her directly by name.
Lin Xuanying's expression was serious. "We're about to reach the capital. Once we do, there's no turning back. If you want to leave, this is your last chance. I can send you to a safe place where you can live your own life... You never had to bear all this."
His eyes, far brighter than the flickering candlelight, burned as they fixed on her.
Yet the timing of this question was utterly inappropriate. All Yu Wanyin could think was: Who was he talking to just now? Where are the Shadow Guards?
"If I don't bear it..." She smiled. "Then who will? You?"
Lin Xuanying's gaze dimmed slightly. "I've said I have no interest in it."
"Then who does?"
Lin Xuanying: "."
Yu Wanyin had asked casually, but seeing his calm expression, she suddenly froze.
"Then who does?" she repeated. "Is there someone else in charge here?"
Lin Xuanying blinked.
His gaze drifted lightly to the side.
Yu Wanyin abruptly stood up, moving so quickly she nearly knocked over the nearby candle.
Lin Xuanying seemed about to steady her, but she had already staggered to the curtain and yanked it aside.
Xiahou Dan smiled at her. "Long time no see."
In the dim candlelight, he sat wrapped in a fox fur cloak, huddled near a brazier, yet his face was devoid of color, taking on a ghostly pallor. The gust from the lifted curtain made the candlelight waver, casting half his figure in deep shadow. His long hair was loose, and the aura of menace around him spread like spilled ink.
Yu Wanyin: "...Where have you been?"
Xiahou Dan replied calmly, "As A Bai just said, if you want to leave, now is your last chance."
Yu Wanyin took another step forward, catching a faint whiff of blood. "What happened on the road? Where's Uncle Bei?"
Xiahou Dan ignored her. "Did you read the letter?"
Yu Wanyin's heart suddenly burned with fury. "Shut up and answer my question!"
"So you did read it. Since you know everything now, you can think carefully before making your choice—"
Slap. Yu Wanyin struck him across the face.
Xiahou Dan's head snapped to the side, and for a long moment, he didn't move.
Yu Wanyin's chest heaved. "So, you came back, but instead of looking for me, you sent A Bai to brush me off."
Lin Xuanying: "..."
Lin Xuanying peeked out from behind the curtain. "I'll... give you two some space."
Neither of them acknowledged him.
Lin Xuanying quietly left.
Yu Wanyin's voice grew colder. "Did you really think I'd just walk away at a time like this?"Xiahou Dan finally moved, slowly turning his head to look at her. His eyes flickered slightly as he weakly said, "No... no woman has ever dared to strike this emperor."
Yu Wanyin: "?"
Yu Wanyin was so furious she raised her hand again.
Xiahou Dan ducked his head but persisted in finishing: "You've caught this emperor's attention."
Yu Wanyin's anger had been swelling like a balloon, only to be abruptly punctured by a needle. For a long moment, she didn’t know what expression to wear.
Xiahou Dan, however, had a faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes as he reached out to tug at her sleeve. "Don’t be angry."
She shook off his hand.
Xiahou Dan: "."
Yu Wanyin grabbed the collar of his fox-fur cloak and yanked it off, then went for his inner robe.
Xiahou Dan dodged slightly. "So passionate after our long separation..."
She ignored his teasing, swiftly pulling open his robe to reveal the skin beneath. At once, she understood the source of the faint metallic scent.
There were no weapon wounds on Xiahou Dan’s body—only bruises and crisscrossing scratches covering his skin. At a glance, it was a mess of torn flesh, scabs layered upon scabs, with some still sluggishly oozing blood.
Yu Wanyin seized his wrist and pushed up the sleeve, unsurprised to find bite marks stained with blood.
She turned her head away as if burned, gritting her teeth. "You had an episode on the road?"
Xiahou Dan: "Mhm."
That was why he hadn’t made it to Peiyang as promised.
Back at the foot of Beishan, amid the chaos of the earthquake, the severely injured Bei Zhou had carried him as they fought their way out with a group of Shadow Guards.
After shaking off their pursuers, Bei Zhou had suddenly stopped, handed Xiahou Dan over to the Shadow Guards, and after one last deep look at him, left alone down a diverging path.
He hadn’t said a word, so Xiahou Dan didn’t know whether he feared slowing them down or had chosen to part ways after learning the truth about him.
Later, thanks to the Shadow Guards’ desperate protection, they narrowly escaped danger several more times. Just as Peiyang came into view, Xiahou Dan’s poison suddenly flared up.
This attack was more violent than ever before. Xiahou Dan lasted only the time it took for an incense stick to burn before losing consciousness. What he did in the throes of agony and madness afterward, he had no memory of.
The Shadow Guards had initially hesitated to restrain him, but when they could no longer stop him from harming himself—and fearing the commotion might draw enemies—they had no choice but to bind him tightly and hide him away.
By the time he woke from his coma, two days and nights had passed. By then, Lin Xuanying had already led the army out of Peiyang.
Xiahou Dan sent word to Lin Xuanying and confirmed Yu Wanyin was safe. But his own condition was too weak; appearing before the Right Army now would only shake their morale. So he waited until nightfall, when Lin Xuanying’s trusted aide brought him to the camp.
"I wanted to sneak a look at you first... Hiss." Xiahou Dan sucked in a sharp breath. "Gently."
Yu Wanyin was reapplying medicine to his wounds and instinctively flinched at his words. "Does it hurt?"
Only after asking did it dawn on her—this man had endured splitting headaches for over a decade. Would he really hiss over such minor injuries?
Yet Xiahou Dan pressed his lips together and shamelessly said, "A little. Maybe blow on it for me."
Yu Wanyin couldn’t take it anymore. After a few seconds of silence, she looked him in the eye. "You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?"
"Hm?"
"Making me angry on purpose, then letting me find your injuries myself?"
Xiahou Dan: "."
Xiahou Dan: "Yes."
Yu Wanyin lowered her gaze and continued dressing his wounds, then fetched the clothes warmed by the stove and draped them gently over him. Softly, she asked, "And A Bai coming to find me—you meant for me to grow suspicious and seek you out in the tent, didn’t you?"Xiahou Dan lowered his head. "Yes."
A wave of sorrow suddenly surged in Yu Wanyin's heart. "What do you want? You... went to such lengths to hide the truth from me for so long, yet sent me away alone to escape, left a letter confessing everything... and now appear before me like this, only to ask if I want to leave... What exactly do you want?"
Xiahou Dan remained silent.
As she stood up, his fingers gently encircled her wrist.
The flickering candlelight cast a glimmer in his otherwise abyssal eyes.
Yu Wanyin shivered from the cold touch.
The loosely gripping fingers abruptly tightened with such force that she felt pain for the first time.
Xiahou Dan raised his head to look at her. The deliberately composed ease on his face had vanished, and even the mist-like tenderness he usually showed her had faded.
Like a scorpion raising its sting or a wolf king baring its fangs, a monarch who had schemed his way to the end now gazed at her expressionlessly. Between them, not a single mask remained—only raw, bloodied honesty.
He said nothing, yet had already conveyed everything: Of course, this was all part of the plan. Using himself as bait, each step meticulously calculated, it was his most intricate and cruelest scheme.
Yu Wanyin should have felt abrupt discomfort, but it was as if she had been waiting for this moment for a century. Her mind was crystal clear. Instead of struggling, she raised her free hand and touched his lips.
The cruel, solitary ruler closed his eyes and kissed her palm.
"I want you to love me."
Lin Xuanying endured a torturous night.
Initially worried they might argue, he lingered outside the tent eavesdropping. But as the sounds from inside gradually took an unexpected turn, he stood dumbfounded for a moment before cursing under his breath and leaving.
After a few steps, he circled back, gesturing to his trusted aides to tighten the perimeter guard.
Xiahou Dan had taken over his tent, leaving him with nowhere to go. Fuming, he barged into a subordinate's tent in the dead of night, rousing them for an impromptu meeting and forcing several burly men to stay up with him until dawn.
Before the army awoke at daybreak, Lin Xuanying returned to the commander's tent. Clearing his throat loudly outside the flap, he remarked sarcastically, "Did His Majesty and Her Ladyship sleep well last night?"
Rustling sounds came from within, and moments later, Yu Wanyin emerged fully dressed, bleary-eyed and exhausted. "Thank you for your concern."
Lin Xuanying thought to himself: If you're in this state, that injured man must have lost half his life.
But when Xiahou Dan followed her out, he looked remarkably refreshed, even regaining a hint of color. Compared to his half-dead appearance the night before, he now resembled an old demon who had drained someone's vitality, donning a painted skin once more.
Lin Xuanying: "..."
He didn't want to know how they had spent the night.
Wearily, Lin Xuanying asked, "What are your plans now? I'd appreciate some guidance."
By dawn, as the army set out, two inconspicuous guards had joined the supply wagons carrying firearms and gunpowder.
Xiahou Dan decided to continue lying low according to Yu Wanyin's plan, so he only secretly met with a few of Lin Xuanying's most trusted officers. He needed to recover from his injuries quickly so that when he eventually revealed himself and rallied the troops, he could boost morale and steady hearts.
Naturally, Yu Wanyin stayed by his side.
The Shadow Guard rode ahead as the supply wagons rumbled forward. Inside, the carriage had been arranged as comfortably as possible for the two of them.Xiahou Dan peered through the window crack at the silent procession of troops outside and murmured, "Actually, it would be more prudent for you to stay in Peiyang to oversee things. Once the turmoil in the capital settles—"
"Not a chance," Yu Wanyin flatly refused. "I won't let you have your way a second time."
Xiahou Dan looked at her with a sigh that resembled a smile. "Wan Yin... don't you still want to travel the world?"
"The world isn't going anywhere. It can wait." Yu Wanyin replied lightly. "Later, we can have a child, raise them until they're capable, then retire and travel together."
Xiahou Dan paused. "Alright."
Both wore serious expressions, though they knew full well this was nothing more than a fleeting dream.
—The odds of Xiahou Dan surviving the next poison flare-up were slim to none.
Precisely because of this, he was racing against time to set things right while still lucid, paving the way for the future.
And Yu Wanyin's refusal to leave now was, in action, a far weightier promise: she would shoulder the burden from his hands.
Long before her arrival, he had already burned through his life, exhausting himself like lamp oil reaching its end. If she let this flame die out, it would erase the very meaning of his existence.
So she couldn't leave. She would safeguard peace across the land, ensuring stability for years to come.
Light snow drifted intermittently along the journey. Lin Xuanying, worried the two non-martial invalids in the carriage might catch cold, piled blankets and hand warmers inside without restraint.
The carriage became cramped yet warm, the two huddled together like animals wintering in a tree hollow, with nothing to do but exchange idle chatter.
The atmosphere was cozy yet tinged with awkwardness.
Only now did they truly realize that despite having faced life and death together, in some ways, they were only just getting to know each other.
Yu Wanyin had been the one to start the conversation: "You still don't know my real name, do you?"
Xiahou Dan: "No. I had my own ghosts before, so I avoided the topic. What is it?"
Yu Wanyin: "...Wang Cuihua."
Xiahou Dan: "?"
Xiahou Dan: "Your parents weren't half bad either."
"Thanks."
After a brief silence, Yu Wanyin couldn't help but laugh. "But I never expected you to be a middle schooler. This older woman-younger man dynamic is a bit hard to swallow..."
Xiahou Dan's expression darkened. "There might not even be an age gap between us."
"How so?"
"I've been in this book for over a decade, but in reality, we might not have crossed over at the same time. To be honest, when you talked about the outside world before, some of the trendy terms went over my head. So I always suspected—"
Yu Wanyin froze, suddenly recalling Xie Yong'er's reaction to "pipeline maglev." The concept had only gained traction two years before her own transmigration. At the time, she'd suspected Demon Consort was an older novel.
Yu Wanyin: "What year did you cross over?"
"2016."
Yu Wanyin was stunned. "I came in 2026."
Xiahou Dan looked incredulous. "You said this novel was recommended to you on your phone? How did this trash stay popular for ten years?"
Regardless, this revelation finally dashed Yu Wanyin's hopes of returning home.She had originally hoped that after their souls left their bodies, their real bodies would remain in a vegetative state in the hospital. One day in the future, they might wake up and reunite in reality.
But now, it seemed Zhang San had been out of his body for ten years—the likelihood of him still being alive was slim.
Xiahou Dan, on the other hand, hadn’t even considered that possibility. His attention was fixed on a more pressing question: “So? Not a noona romance, right?”
“Well—” Yu Wanyin deliberately drew out her words.
“Hmm?”
“No idea.” Yu Wanyin stroked his chin. “Why don’t you call me ‘noona’ first and see how it feels?”
The carriage suddenly jolted, as if it had hit a stone. At the same time, a faint whistling sound came from outside, followed by the swift unsheathing of the Shadow Guard’s sword.
Xiahou Dan’s eyes turned cold. Reacting instantly, he pulled Yu Wanyin into his arms and ducked behind the crate of firearms before asking, “What happened?”
The Shadow Guard hurriedly replied, “No cause for alarm. Just some refugees causing trouble.”
“Refugees?”
The Shadow Guard’s tone was complicated. “The commoners along the road must have mistaken us for rebel troops… They hid behind trees and threw stones at us. They’ve already been driven away.”
As the Right Army marched along, although the commoners in each province didn’t dare to stand in their way, they hadn’t held back from rolling their eyes or spitting in disgust behind their backs.
Many still remembered the benefits of Xiahou Dan’s light taxes and lenient policies and refused to believe Prince Duan’s nonsense about an enchantress empress and a foolish emperor. Now that they heard of Xiahou Dan’s sudden death, they were even more convinced that Prince Duan was simply using his military power to openly seize the throne.
Thus, when they saw the army heading toward the capital, their expressions darkened. The bolder ones even started hurling stones.
After understanding the whole story, Yu Wanyin’s expression also grew complicated. “In a way, it’s kind of touching.”
Xiahou Dan chuckled. “All thanks to the Empress.”
Before her arrival, his strength had only been enough to fight the Empress Dowager and Prince Duan to mutual destruction.
OpenNovel