Love and Crown

"Cang Cang!" The moment Xiao Huan's voice reached my ears, a flash of cyan blade streaked through the crimson blur. The resonant clang of steel carried the interlaced sword lights as they crashed to the ground.

Before the cold blade could pierce me, the scarlet longsword aimed at me was knocked aside by a broad saber intercepted from the side. Both weapons flew away, embedding themselves into the earth with a thud a zhang away.

At that critical moment, Xiao Huan had seized the broad saber from an Imperial Bodyguard's horse and deflected Esen's thrown sword.

His face pale with shock and anger, a cold glint flashed in Xiao Huan's deep eyes: "Esen, you overstep your bounds."

I took a deep breath, residual fear still lingering. Esen had suddenly hurled his sword at me—too fast and too unexpected. While I might not have been completely defenseless, had Xiao Huan not acted swiftly to intercept it, I would have inevitably been wounded.

Esen, unfazed by his failed strike, threw his head back and laughed. "Oh? And how does His Majesty Virtuous Blessing intend to punish me?"

His gaze sharpening, Xiao Huan paused only briefly before pointing to Esen's fallen sword a zhang away. "Pick up your sword."

It took me a moment to realize his intent. "Brother Xiao!"

He glanced back at me, offering a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Cang Cang."

Despite his words, my anxiety surged. Seeing him dismount calmly, I hurriedly followed, rushing to wrap my arms around his waist. "Brother Xiao, don't!"

On the other side, Esen had already retrieved his sword, holding it with a smirk as he watched us with amusement.

Ignoring the faint mockery in his expression, I only wanted to stop Xiao Huan.

His words implied he intended to confront Esen directly... Not only had his Inner Force long dissipated, but his current condition couldn't withstand such strain.

Shi Yan and Hong Qing, standing by with their swords, grew visibly anxious but dared not speak without Xiao Huan's order, their worried eyes fixed on us.

Gently patting my shoulder, Xiao Huan looked down at me with a smile. "Cang Cang, I won't act recklessly."

His calm voice eased some of my panic. I didn't doubt his ability to subdue Esen, nor did I question his judgment. Yet, the memories of nearly losing him years ago were etched into my bones. When Su Qian's poisoned dart had merely landed before him, it felt as though I'd been dragged through hell, leaving me frozen with dread. Now, he was facing Esen alone...

His warm yet firm voice held unwavering composure. "Cang Cang, just wait here for me." He squeezed my hand lightly. "It'll be fine."

This was how he always was—no matter how much others worried or objected, he could still inspire trust.

Even after all these years away from the Martial World and its bloodshed, even though Bai Chi Fan had long faded into legend...

When he looked at me like this, I couldn't refuse.

Lifting my head, I forced a smile and released his hand, stepping back with a quiet breath.

He turned slightly, nodding to Hong Qing. "Hong Qing, lend me your sword."Hong Qing, his face also etched with worry, wiped his brow and stepped past Esen, presenting his sword to Xiao Huan with both hands. In the end, he lowered his head and added, "Your Majesty, please be careful."

Taking the sword with one hand, Xiao Huan's slender fingers traced the raised pattern of the yazi on the blade. With a slight turn of his wrist, he drew the sword.

Like the famed Yingguang once wielded by Shi Yan, Hong Qing's sword was also one of the legendary blades passed down through the four founding families—Biye. True to its name, the blade was as green as the open fields, clear enough to reflect one's image.

Standing sideways in the open space where a cold wind had suddenly risen, the hem of his blue robe fluttering in the wind, Xiao Huan did not raise his head to look at Esen across from him. Instead, he lightly ran his fingers over the smooth blade of the sword and spoke in a cold, clear voice, "Thirty years ago, your father, Tu E, retreated in defeat from the gates of Datong. Today, you will meet the same fate." His tone was indifferent. "Esen, you are nothing but a clown. To vie for the Central Plains is nothing more than your delusion."

"Delusion?" Esen laughed heartily, gripping his sword. "Good, very good." He raised his crimson blade, his long eyebrows slanting upward as he declared loudly, "Then today, use your sword to wake me from it!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, his sword shot forth like a flash of snow and shadow, cleaving through the air with a resonant hum.

Xiao Huan's figure moved only slightly, the elegant gleam of his blade meeting the crimson edge with a crisp "ding," effortlessly deflecting the attack.

For eight years, I never thought I would see the brilliance of a sword in Xiao Huan's hands again. The peerless swordsmanship that had once stunned the world had long become a myth preserved in the memories of the Martial World, a legend for later generations to revere and recount.

Because those dazzling moments were now so distant, I occasionally grew arrogant enough to wonder—had my current spear techniques approached the level of Xiao Huan's martial prowess from back then? Had Mu Yan's increasingly flawless and invincible swordsmanship come close to rivaling his?

Only today did I realize just how absurdly presumptuous I had been.

Amidst the dance of blades, that figure in blue stood unwavering, his robes billowing in the wind. Without taking a single step, the elegance in his movements shook the heavens.

The blue radiance before me intertwined with the crimson sword shadows, their cold gleams crossing like a fierce gale.

Esen's fierce assault ended with a dull thud as his sword was knocked from his grasp, embedding itself into the ground with a muffled tremor.

Biye hovered at Esen's throat as Xiao Huan smirked faintly. "Well? Have you woken from your dream yet?"

Pale-faced and silent, Esen stared at Xiao Huan before him, his light golden pupils abruptly contracting. Suddenly, he raised a palm and struck toward Xiao Huan's chest.

In that split second, my limbs froze, my body unable to react in time.

The attacking hand was pierced by the blue-glowing sword. With a twist and a flick of the blade, the grating sound of shattered bones echoed as Esen's left hand was severed at the tendons, blood spurting onto the grass in a gruesome crimson spray.

Flicking the remaining blood droplets from his sword, Xiao Huan's gaze remained icy.

Blood gushed from his mangled hand as Esen clutched his left arm with his right, letting out a short laugh. "Your Inner Force is gone... Otherwise, you could have killed me by the twenty-first move." Raising his head with a smile, his once-vibrant face now deathly pale, he simply looked at Xiao Huan. "Truly remarkable... The one I love must be like this... cough ... peerless in grace..." Laughing between coughs, he spat out a mouthful of blood, splattering vividly across the autumn grass.This not only caused a stir among the Tatars who had come with Esen, but even I, watching from the side, was momentarily stunned. Esen's internal injuries were entirely the result of him forcibly retracting his Inner Force after striking at Xiao Huan, injuring his own lungs in the process.

After a pause, Esen spat out the remaining blood in his mouth indifferently, still smiling. "Even knowing you've lost all your Inner Force, I still couldn't bring myself to hurt you..."

Xiao Huan's cold expression remained unchanged, the sword suspended above Esen's head unwavering as he calmly regarded him.

"What a pity..." Esen slowly pushed himself up from the ground, standing straight as he smiled. "It seems we are fated to miss each other in this lifetime."

"Xiao Bai..." He released the hand pressing against his wound, raising his blood-stained palm. From a distance, his hand lifted slightly, as if gently caressing Xiao Huan's cheek from afar.

Seeing this silent gesture, a flicker of killing intent flashed in Xiao Huan's deep, dark eyes, yet the sword in his hand remained still.

Watching quietly, I suddenly raised my rifle and aimed at Esen's chest. "Lower your hand and step back!"

Without waiting for those around to react, I fired a shot from the gun.

With a loud laugh, Esen flipped away to dodge the bullet, his figure already several yards away. The encircling army slowly tightened around him, blood streaming from his left hand as he leaped onto his warhorse. The spirited young Tatar prince still seemed to look down on everything, pointing his sword forward. "Let's go!"

He turned his horse back briefly, his golden eyes still fixed on Xiao Huan, and spoke a single sentence.

Then, without another glance back, he charged into the enemy ranks with his sword.

Though I couldn't hear it clearly from where I stood, the words were unmistakable: "In the next life, you will be mine..."

Furious, I nearly chased after him to fire a couple more shots, waving my whip and cursing. "Dream on! In the next life, you'll still be mine! Everything is mine! I should've just shot you dead! Why did I even bother letting you—"

I stopped mid-sentence, realizing my mistake, and quickly glanced at Xiao Huan.

He must have noticed long ago that I'd fired that shot deliberately to create chaos and allow Esen to escape. Otherwise, with a single flick of Xiao Huan's sword, Esen would have had no chance of survival.

Smiling faintly at me, he said nothing, merely sheathing his sword and returning it to Hong Qing. "The brilliance of the wilderness surpasses even that of years past, unmarred by disgrace. Hong Qing, thank you for lending me your sword."

Praise was rare for Hong Qing, and even his usually lazy demeanor showed a hint of excitement as he bowed with the sword. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

With his hands behind his back, Xiao Huan observed the mingled soldiers of both nations in the distance, his expression unreadable.

The Tatars were fierce warriors, and even at a disadvantage, they fought bare-chested with all their might. Though Esen was peerless in martial arts and his soldiers were elite, he was injured, and the Divine Machine Battalion—renowned as the finest of the Imperial Guards—was no ordinary cavalry unit to be trifled with on the battlefield.

Wave after wave of soldiers surged forward, making it impossible for Esen to break through immediately.

As we stood there, the Divine Machine Battalion's captain led a squad of horsemen over, dismounting to kneel before Xiao Huan. "Blades and bullets are blind and may endanger Your Majesty. Please retire to the rear camp for safety."

It made sense. With rifles in play, the soldiers near Xiao Huan would hesitate to fire freely, fearing they might accidentally harm him.

Nodding, Xiao Huan mounted his horse and said to Shi Yan, "Withdraw the Escort Battalion."

I mounted as well and followed him as our party exited the valley from the rear.Galloping to the top of the hill, the fierce battle on the plains below stretched as far as the eye could see, with flames of war spreading endlessly and the air thick with the scent of blood.

Urging my horse to stand beside Xiao Huan, I reached out my hand to him from the saddle: "Brother Xiao."

He smiled faintly and took my hand, his palm cold as ice since earlier.

Esen had ultimately managed to escape. After half a day of bloody combat, nearly all his elite cavalry guards had been annihilated, and fewer than ten men had broken through the encirclement with him.

By the time night fell, the situation had finally stabilized. Na Hai had died in battle, and Esen's fifty-thousand-strong army had been reduced to less than twenty thousand, retreating with him into the grasslands.

The original camp had long been destroyed by the cavalry charge. Fortunately, the city of Datong had not been directly affected by the fighting, and the damage was not severe. That night, a few rooms were cleared out, and Xiao Huan and I went inside to rest.

After a full day of battle, though he showed no signs of fatigue, his health had been poor recently, and I didn’t dare let him overexert himself. I quickly pulled him to sit on the bed to rest.

He allowed me to push him onto the bed with a light chuckle, not resisting, and casually picked up the newly compiled battle reports to review.

I had a charcoal brazier brought in to warm the room, placed a lamp beside Xiao Huan for light, and then sat next to him, holding his hand and resting my head lightly against his shoulder. Only then did my mind finally escape the daylong chaos of battle, finding a moment of peace and comfort. Leaning against him, I let out a soft sigh.

Shifting his gaze from the reports, Xiao Huan smiled and gently wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Are you tired?"

I shook my head and leaned down to hug his waist. This great battle was finally nearing its end. Even if we continued pursuing Esen, the imperial entourage would no longer linger at the border. Barring any surprises, all that remained was the triumphant return to the capital.

"Being scared like this by you is going to take years off my life..." I muttered quietly, holding him close, letting the faint warmth from his body seep through his robes.

"Cang Cang," he said softly, his arm still around my shoulders, a hint of apology in his voice. "You’ve had a hard time these past days."

I couldn’t even be bothered to respond to that. I looked up at him and huffed. "Don’t think sweet words will let you off the hook!"

Seeing his unchanged gentle smile, I couldn’t help but find the battle reports in his hands irritating. "It’s been a whole day—rest for a bit. These things can wait until tomorrow."

Riding and fighting all day was one thing, but during the battle with Esen, even though he hadn’t used his True Energy, just resisting the Sword Energy stirred up between them had taken a toll on his body. Though he showed no outward signs of pain, I didn’t dare take any chances. "Brother Xiao, are you feeling unwell?"

Perhaps noticing my overly concerned expression, he set aside the reports—a rare gesture—and nodded with a smile. "Alright..." Then he added reassuringly, "I’m fine, Cang Cang. Don’t worry."

I shot him a reproachful look, still somewhat indignant. "If only it were that simple—you say you’re fine, and everything’s fine!"

No matter how angry I got, he only responded with that same apologetic, gentle smile. "Cang Cang..."

As much as his nonchalant attitude infuriated me, I understood his intentions perfectly. That afternoon’s battle hadn’t been strictly necessary for him, but only by fighting could he make Esen abandon all hope. Only by fighting could he ensure Esen would never again try to provoke him by harming those close to him.Esen throwing that sword at me was secondary to harming me; the deeper intention was to show that he would stop at nothing to force Xiao Huan into action. So the moment Esen's sword was thrown, to prevent me from becoming his target again, Xiao Huan had no choice but to fight.

But watching him engage the enemy with his sword from the sidelines, I didn’t dare blink, afraid that if my gaze left him for even a moment, I would immediately see him injured. At that moment, I truly wished it were me standing in the arena.

Deflating under his smile, I reached out to help him lie down, muttering, “Whose male concubine is this difficult to serve!”

Leaning on my arm to settle down, he chuckled, then seemed to recall something and asked casually, “What about Kumoer? Has he been settled in?”

Only then did I remember that although both armies had returned victorious, Kumoer had only exchanged a brief greeting with me before disappearing. Even now, deep into the night, there was no sign of him.

I shook my head. “Not sure. He probably hasn’t returned to his quarters yet.”

It was strange. Over the past few days, the three of us had been sharing the main tent, and Kumoer had developed the habit of strolling back to the camp whenever he had free time, often teasing Xiao Huan along the way. Yet tonight, long after everything had been settled, he still hadn’t shown up.

Xiao Huan nodded with a faint smile, seemingly unconcerned.

As we spoke, Hong Qing entered to report on the general arrangements. Hearing us mention Kumoer, he said, “Great Khan Kumoer? It seems he’s still outside the city. None of the Jurchen troops have entered—they’re all camped beyond the walls.”

With Esen already dealt with, what was Kumoer doing outside the city with his troops? Puzzled, I joked, “What’s Kumoer up to? Has he grown so fond of tents that he insists on staying in one?”

Mid-laugh, I glanced up at Xiao Huan and abruptly stopped.

His face had turned deathly pale. He simply stared at the candle flame on the table, lightly closed his eyes for a moment, then spoke: “Hong Qing, bring me the battle report from Juyong Pass.”

“Your Majesty,” Hong Qing called out. In an instant, his face too drained of color. He turned sharply and rushed to fetch it.

Documents and records had been securely transported and stored before the battle. They were now placed behind the desk in the corner of the room. Hong Qing quickly retrieved the report and handed it over.

Taking the earlier report, Xiao Huan spread it beside the current one, pressing them down with his fingers as he carefully compared them.

The room fell into a momentary silence—so deep that even the sound of breathing vanished. Only the slow rustle of Xiao Huan’s fingers sliding across the white paper could be heard.

The red candle on the octagonal lamp stand flickered slightly. This moment stretched endlessly.

In the stillness, Xiao Huan finally lifted his gaze from the reports, looked at Hong Qing, and gave a slight nod. “Accompany me outside the city.”

He smiled again, his low voice still steady, though it was unclear whether he was speaking to himself or explaining to me: “When the Tatars retreated from Juyong Pass, one unit was scattered and fled into the grasslands, vanishing without a trace. The leader of that unit was Asilan, younger brother of Na Hai.”

I froze. That name was far too renowned—even I had heard of him. The Tatar’s foremost warrior, Esen’s right hand, a lion of the steppes whose prestige and strength even surpassed his elder brother Na Hai—Asilan.

With a faint smile at me, Xiao Huan stood and strode toward the door without pause.Almost in a daze, I followed his figure as we mounted our horses and left the city.

Three steeds galloped through the bustling ranks of Great Wu's soldiers within the city walls. The gates remained unsealed as Xiao Huan rode swiftly past, leaving only the startled garrison commander kneeling hastily upon recognizing the fleeting glimpse of imperial robes.

Beyond the walls, beneath the vast expanse of night, the Jurchen soldiers who had fought all day stood or sat in exhaustion. Some rested against their horses on the cold ground, others dozed while leaning on their weapons.

These warriors, battered by dust and blood, showed no intention of entering the freshly conquered city to savor their victory or rest their weary bodies.

The cold glint of blades reflected the scattered bonfires on the ground. The wilderness was silent as death, broken only by the occasional whinny of a warhorse.

Halting his horse before the enemy formation, Xiao Huan's voice, though not loud, carried far across the open plain: "I am the Emperor of Great Wu. I wish to see Great Khan Kumoer."

A deathly stillness followed. Not a sound rose from the ranks. The Jurchens' silent, piercing gazes were as sharp as blades.

"I wish to see Great Khan Kumoer," Xiao Huan repeated, enunciating each word deliberately. "I am the Emperor of Great Wu."

At last, a ripple of movement passed through the formation. The crowd parted, and a black warhorse advanced slowly. A silver-armored warrior in long boots stepped forward from the ranks.

Kumoer's gray hawk-like eyes reflected the cold gleam of steel. The corner of his lips curled slightly as he spoke, his voice icy and laced with mockery: "Well, if it isn't His Majesty the Emperor."

"Kumoer," Xiao Huan met his gaze directly, "if you trust me—those people were not sent by me."