Love and Crown

"Believe you?" In the silence, Kumoer let out a light scoff, as if even bothering to refute was beneath him. He reached into his saddle and retrieved an item wrapped in brocade, unwrapping it to reveal a golden dragon seal.

The intricately carved Kuilong King's Seal gleamed faintly under the firelight. This was the royal seal that had been sent to Jianzhou years ago alongside the Imperial Edict appointing him as the Great Jin King. Back then, Kumoer had personally received the seal from the envoy, pledging years of peaceful trade along the borders—only then had the two nations allied to resist their common enemy.

With a flick of his wrist, the solid gold seal was tossed into the dirt, rolling twice before coming to a stop.

"Virtuous Blessing Majesty," Kumoer said, the corners of his lips lifting in a chilling smile, his dove-gray eyes frosty. "From this day forth, our warriors shall meet on the battlefield—in blood."

The silence around us was suffocating. Only now did I realize that silence could be the most oppressive stance of all—an invisible fury and power, soundless yet omnipresent.

Amid the stillness, Xiao Huan lowered his head, covering his lips as he coughed lightly twice before falling silent again.

Kumoer’s gaze swept over Xiao Huan with icy disdain, but when his eyes landed on me, there was a flicker of something—only for a moment. Then he turned away, spurring his horse without another glance.

As Kumoer’s figure vanished behind the spears and torches, scattered movements arose from the resting Jurchen soldiers. Renowned for their swift mobility, the Jurchen cavalry departed in mere moments, leaving behind only abandoned belongings and the still-burning campfires.

Shi Yan and Ban Fangyuan of the Venom Battalion soon arrived with their men. Without pausing to assess the situation, they rode straight to Xiao Huan, dismounting and clasping their fists. "Is Your Majesty unharmed?"

Xiao Huan’s gaze had been fixed on the distant night since Kumoer left. Without lowering his head, he spoke calmly, "Fangyuan, any news?"

Ban Fangyuan immediately knelt. "Reporting to Your Majesty, news has just arrived from Shanhai Pass. Last night at midnight, suspected Jurchen forces attempted a surprise attack but were repelled, retreating toward Jianzhou. The garrison commander did not pursue and instead submitted a memorial to the capital. However, at dawn this morning, the Jurchens attacked again. The garrison repelled them once more, this time pursuing them for thirty li before returning."

He paused before continuing, "But from Jianzhou, we received word that between midnight and dawn, a large force from Great Wu pressed against the border. Though they did not attack the city, they slaughtered ordinary herders outside... seven settlements in total... over five thousand herders killed. Among them, three settlements... men, women, children... none were spared."

One side deliberately provoked the Shanhai Pass garrison, luring them out, while the other disguised themselves as Great Wu soldiers, slaughtering indiscriminately.

Great Wu could not righteously claim they had never sent troops beyond the walls, nor could they prove the provocateurs were Jurchens. The Jurchens, meanwhile, had no idea why their former allies had suddenly turned on them, caught completely unprepared. Five thousand civilians—women, children, the elderly—slaughtered in their own homes.

No wonder Kumoer had thrown down the seal and left without another word. Betrayed by an ally, his people massacred—the enmity ran too deep for explanations now.

I was still reeling from the shock of the news when Xiao Huan spoke again, his voice cool. "The delay in intelligence and negligence in duty—you know the punishment."Kneeling with clasped fists and bowed head, Ban Fangyuan showed no hesitation: "As you command, Your Majesty. I await your sacred judgment."

"Spare the arm. Receive thirty military lashes instead," Xiao Huan said impassively, his expression unreadable. "Henceforth, you are relieved from both battalions. Go guard the imperial mausoleum at Changling."

I was stunned. While the Venom Battalion—the emperor's eyes and ears—had indeed failed in their duty by delivering intelligence so slowly during such a critical incident, Xiao Huan's punishment of immediate dismissal to tomb guardianship seemed unexpectedly severe.

Even Hong Qing beside me appeared to find the penalty too harsh, speaking up: "Your Majesty—"

Xiao Huan suddenly bent forward—his always upright posture on horseback collapsing abruptly. Covering his mouth, he began coughing.

Though the coughs were nearly soundless, his body trembled slightly as he curled deeply forward.

"Brother Xiao!" As if jolted awake, I leaped from my horse without thinking and rushed toward him.

He could no longer remain mounted, sliding helplessly from the saddle. Frozen before his horse, I could only watch as Hong Qing reacted quickest, springing forward to help him dismount.

Leaning lightly against the saddle, he supported himself on Hong Qing's shoulder and spoke between coughs: "Prepare... the carriage... to Shanhai Pass..."

The coughing continued unabated, one hand still covering his mouth as he remained slightly bent.

I hurried forward and pulled his hand away—the palm indeed stained with dark red.

Supporting his arm, my voice choked with urgency: "In this condition, how can you possibly go?"

"Cang Cang," he managed a faint smile despite the coughing, "don't worry..."

Words failed me as I suddenly embraced him, supporting his weight while burying my face against his shoulder.

Despite the relentless coughing, Xiao Huan still boarded the prepared carriage.

Deep night had fallen, and a bitter wind howled outside Datong's walls. After helping him into the carriage, he reclined on the cushioned berth, eyes closed as soft coughs continued uninterrupted. Sitting beside him, I clasped his icy hands and stoked the charcoal warmer hotter. Though his body temperature had always been cooler than most, it now felt alarmingly cold.

The carriage sped across the winter-night steppe, with Hong Qing and Shi Yan guarding outside. Our party consisted only of a few dozen Escort Battalion guards and three hundred elite cavalry from the Divine Machine Battalion—no others.

Kumoer and his Jurchen cavalry had long vanished from sight. As we pressed toward Shanhai Pass, the midnight wind gradually turned to scattered snowflakes, their chill seeping through the carriage's thick leather insulation.

The quiet coughing hadn't ceased since boarding. The Venom Battalion continued monitoring Jianzhou and Shanhai Pass, with intelligence reports delivered constantly to the carriage. Whenever his condition slightly stabilized, Xiao Huan would review them by lamplight.

By midnight, the snow intensified, making travel inadvisable. We halted the carriage roadside while others made camp.

Watching his pallid face by lamplight, I couldn't bear to see him labor further and insisted he rest. Offering no resistance, he let me settle him down in the carriage, though the coughing and cold sweats persisted even as he lay there.

After this fitful half-night's rest, we resumed at dawn when the snowfall lightened. The ice-covered road proved difficult, and intermittent snow further slowed progress. This stop-and-go journey lasted four days before Shanhai Pass's walls finally emerged through the blizzard.Lifting the leather curtain of the carriage, I stepped out. The black fortress had its outlines swallowed by heavy snow, standing solemn and oppressive beneath the gloomy sky—the greatest stronghold under heaven.

The moment I alighted, my mind wandered. It was here, ten years ago, that I first met Kumoer. That same year, I crossed Shanhai Pass alone to reach Jianzhou.

Back then, Xiao Huan had vanished without a trace. Empress Dowager Liu had enthroned the Prince of Yu as emperor. I made a promise to Xiao Qianqing that I would return to the capital with reinforcements, carrying Xiao Huan’s imperial edict to Shanhai Pass before continuing on to Jianzhou. Riding through the night without rest, I found inexplicable comfort upon seeing the unfamiliar walls of Jianzhou—as if no exhaustion could matter anymore.

Because I knew then that beyond those walls was Kumoer—the same Kumoer who had once bared his vulnerability to me like a lone wolf, the same Kumoer who had embraced me gently in the military camp. If there was one person I could still trust at that time, it would have been him.

Trust with some people doesn’t require years to build, yet it remains as enduring and unshakable as ever. That year, Kumoer did not disappoint me. And this year, by joining forces to resist the Tatars, he has not disappointed Xiao Huan either.

But what of the future? Given the current circumstances, who could say for certain?

The carriage curtain rustled softly as Xiao Huan stepped out, draped in a pure black cape. Turning back, I took his still-cold hand and smiled at him.

He returned the smile, gently squeezing my fingers.

Upon hearing of Xiao Huan’s arrival, Cao Xi, the Liaodong commander guarding Shanhai Pass, had already led a group of officers to welcome him at the city gates. Now, he hurried over to pay his respects before guiding us into the city for rest.

After arriving at our quarters and changing into lighter clothing, Xiao Huan settled in the outer chamber, summoning Cao Xi and the fortress’s officers for a briefing.

I tucked a hand warmer into his arms and brewed a cup of hot ginseng tea, placing it by his side. Flipping through the intelligence reports he had reviewed on the journey, he wasted no words, immediately questioning Cao Xi about troop numbers and military supplies.

When peace was negotiated with the Jurchens years ago, the Great Wu had already lost Fushun Garrison and Guangning Garrison, nearly surrendering all of Liaodong. In the years since, apart from Ningyuan and Jinzhou—which formed a defensive triangle with Shanhai Pass—there were no other cities beyond the pass to rely on. If Kumoer led his forces south from Jianzhou and the Jurchen army crossed the Liao River, pressing against the city walls, it would recreate the same desperate situation as the eighth year of Virtuous Blessing.

After listening to the reports, silence filled the room. Suddenly, a young official behind Cao Xi stepped forward. "This subject believes that fortifying walls and holding positions will not suffice to eliminate the threat!"

The remark was abrupt, but Xiao Huan showed no anger, only smiling faintly. "Then what does the minister propose?"

The young official replied gravely, "Liaodong is a land of fertile fields and strong soldiers. To defend without attacking is like damming a hundred rivers—if you only block without diverting, indulgence will eventually lead to a breach."

Speaking out of turn in the imperial presence was already disrespectful, but this statement went further, implicitly criticizing Xiao Huan for not pressing the advantage years ago when he signed the peace treaty with the Jurchens, thus leading to the current crisis.

Others remained composed, but Cao Xi broke into a cold sweat, his hands trembling slightly within his sleeves.

Xiao Huan smiled again and asked, "What is your name?"He must have risked his life to speak those words. The young official raised his head, his expression fearless, his eyes sharp and bright: "Your servant, Liu Shi'an, Director of the Ministry of War, Bureau of Operations."

"Minister Cao, dispatch ten thousand cavalry, thirty thousand infantry, and twenty red barbarian artillery pieces to arrive at Ningyuan by 7 AM tomorrow. Liu Shi'an is hereby appointed as the Ministry of War, Bureau of Operations Director and will oversee the military at Shanhai Pass." Xiao Huan said, lowering his hand from the desk and smiling at Liu Shi'an. "A scholar of Virtuous Blessing Year 11, if I recall correctly. It was General Cao who petitioned to transfer you to Shanhai Pass. You shall accompany me to Ningyuan."

From a sixth-rank Director to a fifth-rank Director—Xiao Huan had just promoted Liu Shi'an two ranks in one breath.

After a stunned pause, Liu Shi'an knelt solemnly, his voice steady and deep: "Your servant obeys the decree."

Xiao Huan nodded at him with a smile but didn't speak, coughing lightly twice first. "...Rise."

Standing beside him, I quickly handed him the ginseng tea and leaned over to gently pat his chest. After days of exhausting travel, his body couldn't possibly endure it, yet he stubbornly refused to rest even after arriving at Shanhai Pass. Unable to hold back, I chided, "You wouldn't even listen when I told you to sleep."

He looked up at me with a faint smile, took my hand, and said apologetically, "I worried you."

I glared at him, then glanced at the officials and generals around us, all awkwardly lowering their heads. Since the entire court already knew how close the emperor and empress were, I saw no need for discretion. I simply sat down beside him and brought the teacup to his lips, letting him sip from my hand to soothe his cough.

With the necessary orders given and Xiao Huan clearly exhausted, he wrapped up the remaining arrangements and dismissed the officials to attend to their duties.

In the newly quiet room, he seemed utterly drained, closing his eyes and resting his head on his hand as he coughed lightly, weariness faintly visible between his brows. During the intense battles with Esen, he had already been pushing himself to the limit. Just when he could finally relax, the Jurchens stirred up trouble again. Ever since Kumoer provoked him into coughing up blood outside Datong, his intermittent cough hadn't stopped. Though medicine had temporarily eased it during the rushed journey, there was no significant improvement.

Gently stroking his long eyebrows, I embraced him and lightly kissed his pale lips, my heart aching so much I wished I could take some of his suffering upon myself. But all I could do was mutter with slight dissatisfaction, "You never let me rest easy."

He chuckled softly, opening his eyes to look at me and patting my waist with his arm. "It's nothing serious."

That phrase had worn my ears out. I could only glare at him again before asking, "Brother Xiao, how do you plan to explain things to Kumoer?"

Seemingly surprised by my question, he glanced at me and smiled without answering immediately.

I knew exactly why he reacted this way. Rolling my eyes, I said, "Are you thinking that just now, in front of me, you deployed troops to Jinzhou and promoted the war-advocating Liu Shi'an, yet instead of questioning whether you're really planning to fight Kumoer, I'm asking how you'll explain it—and that's strange, isn't it?"

He laughed softly but neither confirmed nor denied it, simply remaining silent.I loosened my arms around his waist slightly to get a clearer view of his face and looked at him. "Don't think I'm still as clueless about your thoughts as I was ten years ago!"

Still smiling lightly, his deep double-pupiled eyes shimmering with brilliance, he waited a moment before replying with a chuckle, "So you never understood my thoughts at all ten years ago?"

I hadn’t expected him to casually steer the conversation so far off track—and with such obvious cheekiness. Who would’ve thought Xiao Huan could pull such a move? Unable to hold back, I laughed too and tapped his shoulder with my finger. "I said sometimes! Don’t twist my words!"

He’d only said that to make me laugh, and now he chuckled softly himself, tilting his head slightly.

The atmosphere instantly lightened. As I smiled, my gaze swept over the ink-jade landscape screen in the room—this was the same building Xiao Huan had stayed in during the eighth year of Virtuous Blessing at Shanhai Pass. After his stay that year, the building had likely been sealed off. Now, hastily reopened for his return, the room had been cleaned but left largely unchanged in its furnishings.

I remembered that during the eighth year of Virtuous Blessing, when we returned from beyond the pass, Du Tingxin’s incense still lingered in the inner chamber. After surviving near-death, happiness had come too quickly, and I’d been too dazed to be sure if the Xiao Huan before me was real. I’d barely sat down and embraced him when my brother rushed in and took me back to the capital.

Bringing my focus back to Xiao Huan’s face, I studied him quietly. His features remained just as they had been back then, yet something seemed to have shifted imperceptibly over the years. Almost inch by inch, I traced the lines of his face—the elegant, sweeping brows, the gentle smile that never left his lips. He watched me just as silently.

In those pure black double pupils, today’s lights shimmered brilliantly, even more radiant than before. Yet beneath that brilliance lay a newfound depth of calm, as if the dazzling stars had settled into an endless sea. That light now shone from the ocean’s depths, profound and restrained, merging sky and sea into one boundless expanse.

It struck me suddenly that it had been a long time since I’d examined him so closely. In my younger days, I’d always been in a rush, afraid of not striving hard enough, of life being too dull. In recent years, family and state affairs had kept me tangled in mundanity, so busy charging forward that I’d forgotten what truly mattered.

Taking a deep breath, I leaned in and kissed his eyelids lightly, then stood and tugged his hand playfully toward the inner chamber.

Never one to question my sudden whims, he simply smiled and let me lead him inside.

Rising onto my toes, I brushed my lips against his, then paused by the bed with its softly draped curtains. Looping my arms around his neck, I grinned and teased his earlobe with my tongue. "Brother Xiao, how about we make up for what we didn’t get to do in the eighth year of Virtuous Blessing?"

Understanding my intent, he lowered his head with a quiet laugh but didn’t answer immediately, lost in thought.

Worried he might be unwell, I quickly grasped his hand. "Brother Xiao, are you feeling up to it?"

"Not bad," he replied after a pause, as if finishing some internal deliberation. "Today, I can."

Today, I can? Before I could make sense of his cryptic words, his lips suddenly grazed the side of my neck.

His kiss carried a faint warmth as his voice murmured by my ear, "Cang Cang, the door isn’t closed."The faint scent of grass and wood from him wafted into my nose, and the fire burning inside me was about to turn me to ashes—who cared about some door or not! Without even looking, I lifted my leg and kicked the unfortunate door, hearing only a loud "bang." Not bothering to check if it was closed, I wrapped my arms around Xiao Huan's waist and pulled him toward the bed.

Mindful that he was still unwell, I even managed to ask while undoing his belt, "Will this make you uncomfortable?"

He seemed genuinely helpless, catching my hand and sighing softly by my ear, "Cang Cang, you don’t need to confirm so many times."

Before he could finish, my other hand, the one he hadn’t caught, was already restless. In a few quick motions, I tugged open his collar, fingers lightly tracing the two scars on his chest before my lips followed closely behind.

I kissed every inch of his chest before lifting my head to press my lips against his cool, thin ones again.

His mouth carried a faintly bitter herbal aroma. Prying his teeth apart, I gently bit his lip before pulling back to admire the red mark I’d left.

His cheeks were already tinged with a soft pink. He had always been resigned to my habit of biting him, and now he simply glanced at me with amusement.

I haphazardly stripped off his robes, but when it came to untying my own, I got tangled in a small ribbon. After a few futile tugs, I was completely flustered.

Opposite me, he seemed unable to hold back a quiet laugh. Frustrated, I glared up at him—only for my hand to be enveloped by his fingers.

Those pale, slender fingers moved almost leisurely, slowly loosening the satin ties of my dress before he chuckled softly, his dark eyes glinting with faint light. "Don’t rush…"

Defeat washed over me. I’d wanted to sweep him off his feet in one go, but instead, I’d made a fool of myself right from the start. Undeterred, I threw myself at him again, wrapping my arms around him—but before I could kiss him, a cool, sweet fragrance brushed against my cheek.

He pressed a light kiss to my lips, his cool, thin ones lingering only for a moment before gliding past to rest by my ear. His voice was slightly hoarse, laced with laughter as he murmured, "Cang Cang…"

A drunken numbness spread from my ear down my entire body. My head was probably already spinning—I let out a couple of meaningless giggles before clinging to him and rolling deeper into the bed.

Still, mindful of Xiao Huan’s condition, we held back a little, keeping the process gentle.

Afterward, lying together beneath the canopy, both of us damp with sweat, simply nestling quietly like this felt like floating among the clouds.

Brushing aside the stray hairs on Xiao Huan’s forehead, I turned to look at him, pressing a kiss to his faintly pink lips before whispering, "Brother Xiao, I love you."

Smiling, he let me kiss him, then wrapped an arm around my shoulder and drew me gently into his embrace, still smiling.