Jiang Shan Wei Pin

The crisp chirping of birds at dawn roused her instantly awake.

Remembering Liu Dezhong's advice from last night that the medicine needed to be reheated before application to be effective, and genuinely concerned about his injury, she rustled about getting up to dress and leave the bed.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she rose, he grasped her wrist. "Don't go."

She turned back and said softly, "I'm going to prepare your medicine, right here in the tent. You led troops into battle yesterday and were injured—you should rest more."

Only then did he relax his grip.

Once on her feet, she felt an ache in every bone. The two rounds of intimacy yesterday had left her both anxious and exhausted—hardly worth it, she thought. Glancing back at him, she noticed how handsome he looked with his relaxed brow and lightly closed eyes, causing her cheeks to warm once more.

After starting the medicine to heat, she stepped out of the tent to fetch water. Upon returning, she saw Chai Shao approaching the Central Military Tent.

In the thin morning mist, Chai Shao's light armor was beaded with dew. Spotting her outside the tent, he halted and respectfully said, "Your Majesty."

Knowing this young general had recently been promoted to Feather Canopy General of the fourth rank for his merits, granting him direct access to the emperor in camp, she smiled lightly. "You must have urgent news for the Emperor? He hasn't risen yet. Wait here, and I'll inform him."

"I wouldn't dare trouble you," Chai Shao hurriedly replied. "It's just that we received several victory reports this morning, and I thought the Emperor would be pleased to see them. Since His Majesty is still resting, perhaps you could take them?"

Hesitating, she recalled that although he had allowed her to review memorials last night, she didn't dare accept military reports on his behalf. "That wouldn't be proper, General Chai. It's better you deliver them to the Emperor yourself."

But Chai Shao insisted, "The Emperor has instructed that military affairs may be decided by Your Majesty in his stead."

Startled, she accepted the dispatches and asked, "Even so, General, aren't you concerned about my past actions?"

This doubt had lingered in her heart for days. Logically, the Imperial Army around the capital was known for its strict principles. Having witnessed Di Nian's forces suffer setbacks in the north due to her involvement, and knowing she had previously collaborated with rebel forces while in the Privy Council, how could these proud capital officers genuinely respect her?

Chai Shao's expression turned hesitant. "Does Your Majesty not know? During the march north, the Emperor explained everything to us. You were acting under his secret decree in all those matters, kept hidden from the two councils to avoid public scrutiny. When we advanced into the Linhuai route, we saw with our own eyes the Rebel Army shifting their main forces westward. That's how we managed to attack through Linhuai. Every officer in the army admires your strategy. Without your actions, the Great Peace Imperial Army likely wouldn't have advanced so quickly toward Shu Province."

She fell silent for a long moment, gazing vacantly at the reports in her hands.

In the distance, a clear, sharp bugle call pierced the thin mist, suddenly sharpening her vision.

Chai Shao, eager to return, smiled at her. "I take my leave, Your Majesty."

Nodding in acknowledgment, she glanced at the increasing troops on the distant camp road before turning back into the tent.

After retrieving the heated medicine and fetching white cotton, she peered inside to find him already up, casually draped in a robe and leaning against the couch, watching her.Those eyes were so profound and sharp, this man so deeply devoted and unyielding. She felt as though she had never truly seen through him, nor ever known the true depth of his feelings for her.

How deeply must he love her to treat her this way?

But what was so special about her to deserve such love from him?

Her fingers trembled slightly as she held the supplies, yet she calmly walked over, sat beside him, and helped him remove the right side of his robe to change his dressing.

Watching her gentle and meticulous movements, he couldn't help but smile. "With you here, there's no need to call for Liu Dezhong anymore."

She ignored his remark and said softly, "Chai Shao just delivered a military report. Is it true that you've permitted me to make decisions on military affairs?"

He raised an eyebrow and retorted emphatically, "Are you displeased?"

She shook her head and looked up. "Aren't you afraid I might harbor ill intentions and do something you can't undo?"

Allowing her to participate in political affairs was one thing, but granting her even military authority was truly alarming.

He reached out and pinched her chin. "If you had ill intentions, how could you have ended up in my hands? If you had truly intended treachery back then, why would you have secretly reported to me? Wouldn't it have been better to let the Great Peace Imperial Army believe you were abducted by the Northern Frontier? By letting the whole world think you were a traitor, you only wanted me to sever my attachment, so I wouldn't grieve even if you died."

She pulled away from his hand and continued dressing his wound, but her fingers trembled even more.

He added, "Moreover, those hundred thousand rebel troops follow only you. If I were to command them, which of the remaining Zhongwan officials would comply? How could I not involve you in military affairs?"

At the mention of this, she frowned and asked, "What do you intend to do with those dozen or so leading officials you've detained here? If you restore their military authority, I fear they might rebel again in the future."

He looked down at her and smiled faintly. "Once we announce your identity as the former dynasty's imperial descendant and the agreement we've reached to the court and the world, those rebel soldiers who wish to leave will be pardoned, while those who stay will become the garrison troops of your fief. You will decide on the selection of commanders. If any of those remaining officials dare to rebel, they would be opposing the former dynasty's imperial descendant—what pretext could they use to incite the troops?"

After some thought, she found his reasoning sound. The rebel army had grown daily precisely because of the call to restore the imperial descendant, with many soldiers being easily swayed, simple-minded locals. Once her identity was revealed to the world, no one could use the former dynasty's imperial descendant as a pretext to incite rebellion. With further encouragement and promises of official ranks for those who distinguish themselves in attacking the Northern Frontier, these troops would surely join forces with the Great Peace Imperial Army to march north. Even if a few stubborn individuals remained, they would find it difficult to resist the prevailing momentum.

It seemed that the day of peace under heaven was not far off.

She nodded, pressed her lips into a slight smile, quickly finished bandaging his arm, and went to fetch the victory reports Chai Shao had delivered. "I'm surprised you've held back from asking where we've won again."

He feigned indifference. "It must be another victory for Di Nian in the northern border, and the Imperial Army from the Chaoan North Circuit breaking through the rebel strongholds."She opened and read through them one by one, finding them exactly as he had described. Unable to suppress her slight astonishment, she lifted her gaze to his smiling face and suppressed the surprise in her eyes, saying only, "If these remaining ministers learn that the Rebel Army in Chao'an has been defeated again, they will have no conditions left to negotiate. We can proceed according to your plan."

Gathering his robe with his left hand, he stood up and asked, "Did Di Nian include a petition for rewards and promotions along with the report?"

She flipped through the documents and indeed found one. Upon closer inspection, she was greatly startled by the densely packed list on the lengthy scroll, exclaiming, "How could Di Nian make such extravagant demands?"

"Grant them all," he replied without hesitation. "The Imperial Army in the northern border faces arduous battles in capturing cities and territories. Only by showing these soldiers that the court is willing to reward and ennoble them will they fight with desperate determination. Draft an imperial decree for me later to be sent directly to the northern front, and further promote Di Nian's rank."

She acknowledged the order and asked, "As for the memorial regarding our matter, when should it be reported to the two central government offices in the capital? Would you like me to draft it?"

"No need," he said, having finished dressing and walking toward the outer tent. "I have already prepared the memorial concerning your empress enthronement and related matters. After meeting with those remaining ministers, I will have it dispatched to the capital."

She watched him, initially wanting to see the memorial but recalling his earlier remark about "not needing to worry," she merely pressed her lips together, stepped forward to tie his robe sash, and said nothing more.

With the surrender of Shu Province city, the transition of defense both inside and outside the city inevitably required considerable busyness. Since the Emperor was wounded, the Imperial Army under his command set up camp to rest and recuperate.

By full daylight, the various camp troops were conducting drills, their shouts and cries echoing incessantly.

He went to meet the remaining ministers without asking her to accompany him, so she stayed in the Central Military Tent as he had instructed. After all, he had so many methods at his disposal that she had no doubt he could win them over.

She went to check on Qingyun, then visited Liu Dezhong to inquire in detail about his injury. When she returned to the tent and found he still hadn't come back, she couldn't help but entertain a thought.

Assuming all his memorials and documents must be in this large tent, she began searching everywhere for that particular memorial he intended to send to the two central government offices about her enthronement.

Chai Shao's words from early morning lingered in her mind. She was vaguely worried that he might be doing things for her without her knowledge, but if she asked directly, he would surely conceal it. Thus, she couldn't blame herself for resorting to this underhanded method.

To her surprise, after searching every possible storage place in the large tent, she still couldn't find the memorial she wanted to see. Frustrated and sweating, she felt slightly annoyed, thinking how meticulous he was, leaving her not even a sliver of opportunity.

With no other choice, she returned to the desk to draft the imperial decree on rewards and promotions to be sent to the northern front.

As she wrote, she thought again: if Di Nian received another promotion and enfeoffment, how delighted Shen Zhili in the capital would be upon hearing the news.

She could only hope that the northern campaign would soon cease, allowing all devoted lovers in the world to be united.

Approaching noon, when various camps began preparing meals, she grew tired of waiting for his return and decided to take the decree to find the camp's military courier.

After instructing him to dispatch the decree to the northern border, she glanced at the stacks of letters and memorials on the desk and suddenly had an idea. She asked the courier, "Do you know that the Emperor's memorial to the two central government offices must be sent out today?"

The courier replied honestly, "His Majesty gave the order when he arrived days ago."Seeing the document truly was there, she smiled faintly. "His Majesty forgot to add one matter and sent me to retrieve it for revision. I shall return it to you later."

The courier official thought for a moment, not daring to disobey, then turned to fetch it and presented it respectfully. "I shall await Your Majesty's revised version."

Her heart raced as she received it. The moment she left the tent, she tore it open, walking faster and faster until she returned to her tent and lowered the curtain. With a soft sigh, she lit a long candle and burned the document to ashes.

She had known all along her suspicions weren't wrong.

He told her not to worry, yet let the entire court and nation believe she had acted under his secret decree in those rebellious moves - clearing her name of treachery. Using his own obstinate autocracy as pretext, he enfeoffed her as empress and granted her sole dominion over these northern territories.

As the last surviving descendant of the former imperial house, not only had he spared her life but granted her such extensive fiefs. Even if this was to spare the common people from war's devastation, who could guarantee these lands wouldn't breed new turmoil? He trusted she harbored no ill intent, but which court official or regional governor would dare believe in her sincerity?

If this enfeoffment was his own initiative, it would be seen as his tyrannical arrogance, disregard for court institutions, and drowning in feminine charms while treating the state as trivial.

Though his affection ran deep, she could never tolerate his illustrious reputation being tarnished by this matter.

·

He returned near evening.

Entering the tent, he found her curled up sleeping on the couch in the inner chamber, soft hair cascading over her shoulders, breathing lightly with a sweet expression.

He smiled silently, approaching to bend down and kiss her cheek.

Disturbed from sleep, it took her a long moment to open her misty eyes. Her delicate face wore a lazy expression as she wrapped both arms around his neck, nestling into his embrace while murmuring, "You haven't eaten all day, have you?"

He shook his head, one arm encircling her waist. "No." Then asked, "And you?"

She lifted her face to look at him. "I wanted to wait for you, but you only returned now since noon." Her lips puckered slightly. "Why did it take so long? Didn't anyone think to send food during the proceedings?"

"Those remnant ministers were quite stubborn," he said. "Just settling the military authority matter took until nearly noon. Issuing orders to all Rebel Army strongholds across the Northern Three Routes consumed considerable time. Then we had to document the agreement - you being the sole surviving bloodline of the former imperial house."

She raised her eyebrows slightly, surprised he had considered things so thoroughly.

Thus, there would be no fear of impostors staging rebellions henceforth, nor anyone questioning her lineage.

His large hand stroked her body through the thin garment as he lowered his head. "When returning, I had the documents dispatched to the capital. I heard you visited there this afternoon?"

Feeling somewhat guilty, she buried her face in his shoulder and mumbled, "Regarding the reward edicts you asked me to draft - I had them distributed across the northern border."

Seeing her like this, he knew she was hiding something again. But since she wasn't willing to speak, he wouldn't press her - this wasn't the first time anyway.

Whatever she concealed from him was surely for his benefit, and he would inevitably learn of it sooner or later.

·

Another ten days passed before the injury on his right arm showed slight improvement.

Though news of the Great Peace Imperial Army capturing Shu Province and the northern Rebel Army's surrender had been gradually disseminated to northern garrisons for imperial troops to know, actually integrating the Rebel Army with the Imperial Army for northern campaigns proved extremely difficult to coordinate.Previously, the cities, counties, and forts seized by the Rebel Army in the Northern Three Routes were countless, especially in remote small counties. Now that the Rebel Army had surrendered, tasks such as reassigning officials and deploying garrison troops were numerous and complex. Additionally, according to the agreement, many soldiers of peasant origin in the Rebel Army wished to lay down their arms and return to civilian life, making their resettlement equally demanding.

While the flames of war in the Northern Frontier still raged, troops had to be mobilized northward while simultaneously reorganizing the administration, military, and civilian affairs of the three routes. The central command tent remained brightly lit night after night, with memorials and military reports pouring in incessantly from across the realm.

He was tirelessly occupied with critical military and political affairs day and night, and she naturally fared no better, often staying up with him past midnight before catching a few hours of sleep on the couch.

Having previously overseen the Ministry of Personnel's civil service appointments at court, she was well-versed in the reassignment of officials. He thus entrusted all these matters to her discretion, devoting his own energy entirely to military consolidation, troop deployments, and the northern campaigns, single-mindedly aiming to capture the capital of Northern Frontier swiftly and end the widespread chaos of war.

Initially, she refused, believing that merely drafting memorial replies on his behalf was already overstepping bounds. Never did she expect he would now entrust such decisions to her. Though he had participated in court and military affairs since his days as heir apparent, honing his judgment, she had only served at court for four years despite rapid promotions—how could she shoulder such heavy responsibilities? But he dismissed her concerns, insisting that since the northern territories would eventually become her fief anyway, she was certainly capable of handling official appointments.

Reluctantly, she complied with his wishes. Only after observing that the Northern Three Routes' counties operated without major issues did she gradually ease her worries.

As matters began to settle slightly, his Imperial Army forces in Shu Province prepared to march north, joining other troops dispatched to the Northern Frontier for a full-scale assault on the Northern Frontier capital.

He did not ask if she wished to accompany the main army, and she did not volunteer the request. Understanding military priorities, though reluctant to part from him, she refused to let personal feelings interfere with state affairs.

Two nights before the army's departure, an imperial proclamation issued by the two central government offices on behalf of the court finally revealed her identity as a former imperial descendant and the arrangements for her enfeoffment and designation as empress.

When a junior officer delivered the confidential memorial from the two offices to the central command, he was reviewing petitions at his desk. He opened the document for a casual glance but gradually stiffened upon reading it.

The memorial naturally included a transcript of his earlier dispatch to the capital. At first glance, it appeared unchanged from his original draft—except for the final sentence, which stunned him:

"...Although Meng had an agreement with us, she long coveted the empress's position. Upon reaching Shu Province City, she leveraged the Rebel Army's heavy troops to demand the empress's title and territory. Unwilling to prolong the Northern populace's suffering from war, We acquiesced to her request as a hastily arranged expedient. Yet since the investiture ceremony has been conducted, the empress's position cannot be altered. You may draft an edict to proclaim these matters to the realm."

He sat rigidly for a long moment, then turned to gaze at the figure in the inner tent intently reading a scroll.

She seemed to sense something, immediately meeting his burning stare. Biting her red lip lightly, she hid half her face behind the scroll and turned away.

Both exasperated and amused, he understood her intentions yet ached at her constant consideration for him. After a long pause, he withdrew his gaze, looked down at the blank paper, and brought his brush down heavily to write a few characters.She pretended to read on the couch, her heart pounding as she heard him approach, expecting a scolding. Instead, he whispered from behind, "Would you like to join me in leading the army north?"

She turned abruptly, her bright eyes fixed on him. "Yes."

He leaned in, pressing her tightly into his embrace, his voice edged with severity. "If there's a next time, I won't forgive such audacious behavior."

Breathing lightly, she yielded to his force, accepting, accommodating, and satisfying him, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile.

That night, she rose for water and noticed a candle still flickering in the outer tent. As she moved to extinguish it, her eyes caught ten bold characters scrawled across a sheet of paper on the desk. She leaned closer, then smiled, pressing her lips together—

Galloping across the northern frontiers, entwined with love for your heart.

The surrender and defection of the former Rebel Army in the north had stunned the populace, but it paled in comparison to the shock of Meng Tinghui's origins being revealed and her subsequent enfeoffment as empress. The Great Peace Emperor's personal campaign, leading the army north with his empress, drew even more widespread astonishment.

The Great Peace Imperial Army at the Northern Frontier, inspired by the news of the imperial couple's joint campaign, grew increasingly fervent and valiant, defeating the Northern Frontier forces in several battles. The Northern Frontier army, already disadvantaged by the defection of the Rebel Army from the Northern Three Routes, faltered further, struggling to hold back the overwhelming advance of hundreds of thousands of troops.

By the time they reached the Pacification Office in Fenzhou, Jiankang Route, after journeying north from Shu Province, it was deep autumn.

The northern wind cut to the bone, military flags flapped authoritatively, and the whistling of arrows pierced the clouds, sharp and piercing.

Wrapped in a thick purple velvet cloak, her gaze followed the gleaming arrowheads as they flew toward distant target clusters. Only when the arrows struck true did she smile faintly, deftly reining her horse around to face the man behind her.

Qingyun, her steed, tossed its mane excitedly, its left forehoof pawing vigorously at the sandy soil.

He rode over gracefully, a slight curve on his thin lips. "That shot shows remarkable improvement."

The cold wind veiled his eyes and brows in a chill mist, yet his gaze burned with unrestrained passion, causing her to slowly lower her eyes and fiddle with the bow in her hands.

When he had led the army from the capital, he had brought not only her Qingyun but also her bow, clearly with no intention of letting her return once he found her.

During their journey north, whenever there was a spare moment, he would devise ways to amuse themselves, often remarking that their years in the capital had been too constrained, leaving no chance for proper time together. Now that they were rightfully united, he insisted on making the most of this distance from the court to live fully.

She would scoff at his words, knowing that his idea of amusement usually ended in the bedchamber. Only when they rode out for archery or other such activities did he behave.

With past grievances of state and family now resolved, her heart gradually lightened. She knew that as long as she was with him, there was nothing to fear or worry about—everything would turn out well.

She had once believed she would never master riding and archery, but under his dedicated guidance and her willingness to follow, her skills improved daily. Now, she could even shoot arrows from horseback.Seeing her arrow hit the bullseye today, he was clearly in high spirits. Guiding his horse closer to hers, he reached out to smooth her wind-tossed hair and said with a smile, "Military life is rough and simple. I've made you endure hardships. When we return to the capital someday..."

She listened to him with a faint smile.

Throughout this journey, marching swiftly with the army, she only had the chance to acquire some clothing and daily necessities when passing through major cities. These items were naturally incomparable to what she had in the palace, but when had she ever cared about such things?

He often spoke of what he would do for her after returning to the capital, as if he owed her countless debts.

But what she had ever desired in this life was not wealth or riches; the only thing she had ever sought was him alone. Now that she had won his heart and his person, what more could she possibly lack?

Amid their laughter and banter, a soldier galloped from afar, dismounting near them and reporting loudly, "Your Majesty, General Chai requests Your Majesty's return to camp, saying that someone has been sent from Cangzhou."

He responded casually, "Understood," then turned to her and said, "Let's head back to camp first."

Riding slowly beside him, she asked suspiciously, "Who has been sent from Cangzhou?"

He smiled. "Speaking of which, it's an old acquaintance of yours."

Her curiosity grew. "Who?"

But he deliberately kept her in suspense, teasing her appetite.

Annoyed, she used her bow to hook his reins, giving them a sharp, vengeful tug. The black steed neighed and bolted violently, nearly causing him to lose control of the horse.

The soldier who had delivered the message broke into a cold sweat at the sight.

Yet he merely tightened the reins, glanced at her with a raised brow, and deepened his smile. "I've always said that Qingyun is the perfect horse for you."

Her face flushed slightly as she stared intently at him, knowing full well his words were mocking her unruly behavior. Growing even more flustered and irritated, she gave her horse a fierce whip and galloped off, ignoring him completely.

Watching her bold and spirited figure on horseback, he laughed aloud.

He truly loved seeing her disregard for propriety and rules. She was the woman in this world who suited him best, the only one he ever wished to make his empress. There should be no distance between them—he wanted her to be this reckless and audacious, for that was what delighted him.

His woman should stand tall with him, walk hand in hand, sit side by side, and share their lives together.

She raced back to the camp on horseback and, as she approached the Central Military Tent, before she could even rein in her horse, a young man rushed toward her, shouting, "My lord!"

Startled, she took a closer look and realized it was Huang Bo! Flustered, she reined in Qingyun and hurriedly dismounted, her face lighting up with joy. "What are you doing here?"

After their parting at Golden Gorge Pass, Huang Bo was the person she had felt most guilty toward, fearing he might be implicated because of her actions. Seeing him safe and sound now filled her with immense relief.

Huang Bo was visibly overwhelmed, unable to speak for a long moment before stammering, "I—I was truly afraid I would never see you again, my lord!" He paused, then suddenly slapped his forehead. "You have been enfeoffed as Empress, and here I am still addressing you improperly. I deserve death!"

She laughed and assured him it was fine, then questioned him about how he had come here. She learned that after her departure, Huang Bo had indeed been imprisoned as a traitor in Di Nian's camp for many days. When the Emperor launched his personal campaign, Huang Bo was escorted from the northern border to the south to be judged by the Emperor himself. However, upon reaching Cangzhou, news suddenly arrived of her enfeoffment as Empress, prompting a frantic change of course to Fenzhou.

Naturally, his status shifted from traitor to loyal subject.

After finishing his account, Huang Bo grinned at her, but his expression suddenly changed. He lowered his eyes and head, whispering toward her back, "Your Majesty."She turned her head and saw him standing obliquely behind her with an indifferent expression. Biting her lip lightly, she smiled and said to Huang Bo, "Alright, you're one of the Emperor's former guards from the Eastern Palace and have just returned from the northern border. Shouldn't you quickly report the situation there to His Majesty? After all, you witnessed it firsthand—it's more detailed than those military dispatches."

Huang Bo promptly replied, "The Northern Frontier army is growing weaker with each battle! When frontline soldiers heard that the Emperor and Empress were personally leading troops north, morale soared immediately. Generals Song, Yue, and Han have successively captured seven key cities from the Northern Frontier. General Di Nian, providing rear support, has been indispensable in pacifying civilians and consolidating defenses."

Just hearing this made her blood surge with excitement. The Emperor's personal campaign was naturally a major morale booster, especially since he never hesitated to promote those who captured cities and breached defenses in the northern territories. How could the Imperial Army soldiers not fight with fervor?

Though the Northern Frontier army was well-equipped and strong, the defection of the Rebel Army had dealt such a blow to their morale that they already felt defeated even before engaging the hundreds of thousands of Great Peace troops pressing northward. How could they not suffer consecutive losses?

Huang Bo added, "General Di Nian declared at the front that he would capture the Northern Frontier capital before the Emperor's arrival at the border. Officers and soldiers alike have adopted this as their motto, while the Northern Frontier troops tremble at the news. There are even rumors that the Northern Frontier intends to sue for peace again."

Hearing this, she couldn't help turning to secretly observe his expression.

Recently, the two central ministries in the capital had frequently submitted memorials arguing that the northern border was too dangerous. They urged the Emperor to withdraw his forces and return to the capital, warning that should anything happen to him, there would be no heir to inherit the throne. They repeatedly pressed him to leave the northern campaign to Di Nian's coordination and strategy.

Since his previous injury, she had constantly worried about his safety. After all, the veteran ministers made a valid point—if something unexpected were to happen to him at the front, who would inherit this vast empire?

His campaign here had already quelled the rebellion of former dynasty officials, relieving seventy percent of the pressure on the northern frontier. If Di Nian could indeed lead the troops to capture the Northern Frontier capital, the Great Peace army's morale would soar tremendously. Then he could safely withdraw to the capital, leaving the remaining matters to Di Nian and his generals to clean up.

But who would have thought the Northern Frontier would seek peace again?

His eyes were cold as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Even if the Northern Frontier comes begging for peace this time, I will still have Di Nian raze their capital to the ground."