Love in Red Dust

Guan Zhaojing was tactful, guarding the gate to prevent anyone from entering, giving them enough space to share their private words.

After such a long separation, their hearts were full of joy, yet they seemed awkward again, as if back in the early days of their love—timid and hesitant.

It had been a long time since he last saw her in men’s clothing, and at first glance, she looked like a young soldier, easily lost in a crowd. He smoothed her hair, pulled her to sit on the couch, drew the charcoal basin closer, and asked if she was cold before draping his cape over her.

"The climate here is harsh. You traveled all this way alone—did you mean to make me suffer? The desert is full of wolves, tigers, and mounted bandits. Thankfully, you arrived safely. If anything had happened, I’d have regretted it for the rest of my life." He held her hands, examining them over and over. "Look at this… you’ve endured so much hardship."

Dingyi touched her cheekbone, a little embarrassed. "Ah, my face is beyond saving. But I didn’t care about anything else—I just wanted to see you. Luckily, Heaven took pity on me, and the journey went smoothly. When crossing the border, I met a group of horse traders who took me to Balang. Later, I ran into the Thirteenth Master. Since he didn’t recognize me, I pretended to be a beggar and sneaked into his camp, then followed them to find you."

She smiled, her snow-white teeth contrasting with her flushed cheeks. He gazed at her, feeling increasingly distressed. "Still proud of yourself? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

But compared to his safety, any peril meant nothing. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I just wanted to see you… and tell you something." She pulled out a brocade pouch from her bosom and placed it in his palm. "You have a son—his name is Xian’er. Everyone says he’s beautiful. You know those plump babies in New Year paintings? My shige says Xian’er looks just like that. People say sons take after their mothers, but he doesn’t—he looks more like you." She gestured with a grin. "There’s a golden ring in his eyes, just like yours."

His expression turned stunned, overwhelmed by her news. "But… wasn’t he gone? How did he…? Then last time… was the miscarriage fake?"

She covered her ears and shut her eyes. "I’m sorry, I lied to you. My uncle came to see me, and I had him bring me a jar of chicken blood—just to fool you."

He smacked her bottom in anger. "That’s for lying! You’re too bold—daring to do anything! Do you even respect me?" But then he softened, realizing how frightened she must have been, going through childbirth without her man by her side. He sighed. "A child fights for life, a mother risks death… Thank Heaven you both made it."

He opened the pouch to find a tuft of fine, delicate hair—so fragile, yet it tugged at his most sensitive nerves. Only now did he understand the bond between father and son. He had a son. Laughing and crying, he cradled the lanugo, murmuring Xian’er’s name. "This is our son! I wasn’t there when he was born, but I’ll make it up to both of you." He solemnly tucked the pouch into his robe, then asked, "Who’s taking care of him now? How could you leave him alone?"

Dingyi hesitated before forcing a smile. "I dragged Hailan back from Red Snail Temple. I owe her so much—she’s been by my side all this time. Before I left, I entrusted Xian’er to her care. She’s attentive and adores him. I feel at ease knowing he’s with her."Only then did he relax, nodding as he said, "It's been hard on her. I've always felt guilty toward her and Rujian. The Thirteenth Master said Hongzan's case has been concluded—the court issued a decree ordering him to commit suicide, which at least provides some justice for those who died unjustly. But the cause of Rujian's death remains unclear. To investigate further would likely require exhuming his body."

Dingyi shook her head. "Things have already reached this point—let's not disturb him further. He suffered his whole life; let him rest in peace after death." She glanced at him cautiously before probing, "Speaking of the Thirteenth Master, how do you brothers get along? Have you ever quarreled?"

Hongce said they hadn't. "The Thirteenth Master is exceptionally intelligent and values family bonds deeply. Perhaps it's because of his mother—after the previous dynasty fell, the Emperor Emeritus's Empress only had one nephew left, so she raised Hongxun with benevolence and filial piety as priorities. Both siblings are like that. When I first returned to the capital from Khalkha, they took great care of me, treating me more warmly than the other brothers." He eyed her suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

She didn't know how to broach the subject, but keeping it hidden wouldn't solve anything. After a long pause, she finally said, "You always ask why I came to find you. It's because I heard news in the capital. The Seventh Lord came to the Wen Family Compound that day and said the army had suffered defeats in battle. Someone at court seized the opportunity to accuse you of colluding with the enemy and plotting rebellion. The Emperor was half-convinced and sent the Thirteenth Master to investigate. If it's confirmed, then..."

His expression darkened. "Then what?"

She forced the words out through gritted teeth. "Then you'll be ordered to commit suicide."

"What a joke!" Furious, he clenched his teeth. "So far, we've fought eight battles. Though we've had setbacks, the entire army is now in high spirits—how could there be any collusion with the enemy? I've served the court since I was twelve, dedicating myself heart and soul all these years without seeking any personal gain. And now, out of nowhere, such a grave accusation is leveled against me—are they determined to destroy me? I, Yuwen Hongce, have always walked the straight path. Even if the Emperor stood before me now, my answer would remain the same: what I've done, I won't deny; what I haven't done, even if you break my spine, I won't admit to it."

She said, "I know you would never do such a thing, but some may use this as an opportunity for personal vengeance. If things truly become desperate, could you escape with me? Let's find a place without war or court intrigues and live an ordinary life, alright?"

A mocking smile curled his lips. "Where could we go? Could four horse hooves outrun tens of thousands of troops? I stand upright and fear no shadows. Let them deal with me as they will—it's just one life; they can take it if they want. But if I flee, it would only give them more grounds to slander me, tarnishing not just my name but that of my descendants as well." He turned to her and pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Is this why you traveled thousands of miles to find me? Silly girl, you should have stayed in the capital and taken good care of Xian'er. A man's affairs are not for you to worry over."

Even now, he was thinking of preserving his descendants' honor. Such a responsible man—no wonder his life was harder than others'. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she smiled. "If you knew I was in danger in the capital, would you drop everything and return to me?" She caressed his face. "You're my man, my son's father. I must stay by your side. No matter how difficult the road ahead, I want to walk it shoulder to shoulder with you—only then can I live with my conscience."So asking him to cling to life in disgrace was impossible. If the court gave him poisoned wine, he would gulp it down without hesitation—not for himself, but for his wife and child. His foolishness was heartbreaking, and it only strengthened her conviction that she had made the right decision in coming here.

"Let's not think about those things. Didn't you say Thirteenth Master is exceptionally clever? With him here, justice will surely be served." She pursed her lips in a shy smile. "It's been so long since you last saw me, yet you haven't kissed me. Is it because my skin isn't as smooth anymore, and you can't bring yourself to do it?"

He chuckled. "What nonsense!" Leaning forward, he kissed her from her forehead down to the tip of her nose. "In my heart, you'll always be the way you were when we first met. Even with white hair and missing teeth, you'll still be the girl who stood in the snow watching me release lanterns."

Even the pain of parting and death couldn't dilute this joy. She had given only a meager amount of love, yet in return, she had earned his enduring longing. Once again, she had struck a profitable bargain.

"I've never achieved much in this life. My greatest accomplishment was making you fall in love with me." She kissed him back. "Actually, winning one lifetime is enough. Since loving me has been so hard on you, I'll set you free in the next life. You deserve a better woman..."

He didn't hear her, his warm lips trailing down into the collar of her robe.

The military camp was crowded, and outside the royal tent, guards stood watch. Her soft murmurs were swallowed by his kisses. Her fingers clutched at the tiger pelt on the bed, its mottled patterns twisting beneath her grasp. Suppressing her cries, they clung to each other desperately, lost in a dizzying haze of passion. No matter how dazzling and enchanting he made the moment, it couldn't dispel the darkness as thick as ink.

She remained in men's attire, no longer needing to return. Filling a vacancy, she became a Guard by his side. Being close to him, she finally understood the weight of responsibility he carried on his shoulders.

Thirteenth Master had visited him several times. Listening outside the tent, she could hear their conversation gradually escalate into an argument. Her heart pounded wildly as their voices rose and fell, like a bowstring stretched to its limit—she didn’t know when it might snap.

Thirteenth Master stormed out, brushing past her in a hurry. As he walked away, he muttered, "The evidence is right in front of him, yet he still refuses to admit it. Some people won’t yield until they see their own coffin!"

Dingyi nearly collapsed. What evidence? It was almost certain someone was determined to frame him. Throughout history, countless military leaders had fallen victim to false accusations—Twelfth Master would be no exception. She knew it all stemmed from his downfall of Prince Zhuang. The Prince Zhuang residence had countless retainers, both overt and covert. How could one guard against them all? Moreover, the old Prince Zhuang was still alive—a brother of the Emperor Emeritus—wouldn’t he harbor deadly hatred for his nephew Hongce?

She watched Thirteenth Master’s retreating figure. He stopped before a patrol of soldiers and gestured behind him, likely ordering them to keep watch over the royal tent.

She had previously asked Hongce about him and learned that Thirteenth Master valued family ties deeply. Over the past few days, she had observed them carefully—though they were only half-brothers, their bond was strong. Perhaps pleading for leniency from him might work.

Dingyi took a deep breath. The time had truly come. Having seen him again, she had no regrets left. If one of them had to be sacrificed, she was insignificant—as long as he and Xian'er were safe, that was enough.

She hurried forward a few steps, but just then, a messenger emerged from Thirteenth Master’s tent, a flag on his back marking him as an urgent courier.This must be about returning to the capital to submit the memorial—the so-called "irrefutable evidence," right? She turned to gaze into the distance, where new sprouts had already emerged on the grassland, a soft green carpet spreading across the plains. Spring had arrived in Khalkha.

She requested an audience and stood outside the tent, waiting to be summoned. Yet the conversation inside was unusually clear. She heard the Thirteenth Master bellowing, "What utter nonsense! Are you new to this game, ignorant of the Imperial Clan's rules? He and I share the same father—what good does it do me to humiliate him? The Emperor has issued a secret decree to handle this privately, preserving the dignity of Great Britain. Are you planning to defy His Majesty’s orders? Get out! Get the hell out of here!"

Moments later, someone scrambled out of the tent, clutching half his face as he fled. Behind him, a guard gruffly gestured and said, "The Prince summons you inside."

She thanked him and entered the tent, cupping her hands in salute to the Thirteenth Master. "Ah!" he exclaimed, quickly inviting her to take a seat. "Sister-in-law Twelfth Master is here? Forgive my lack of courtesy. Things aren’t as formal here as in the capital, making you wait outside." He brewed tea and handed it to her respectfully with both hands. "What brings you here?"

Since the Twelfth Master intended to transfer her to his side, she had no choice but to disclose her identity to him. There was no need for secrecy now. She looked at him, addressed him as "Thirteenth Master," and knelt before him with a deep bow.

Hongxun was startled. "This won’t do—" He moved to help her up but hesitated, flustered. "Please don’t do this. Speak your mind plainly. Twelfth Brother and I are blood brothers, and you’re my sister-in-law… This will shorten my lifespan! Get up, please. You can say whatever you need while seated."

Dingyi shook her head. "I’ll speak on my knees. I can’t bring myself to say it sitting down. You mentioned earlier that the Twelfth Master is your own brother. During my time in your camp, I’ve overheard some details—rumors that the Twelfth Master colluded with the Mongols. I won’t defend our master; explanations are useless. You know his character. Now he faces a great calamity. I beg you, for the sake of brotherhood, to show mercy. I won’t put you in a difficult position—you’re the Imperial Envoy, bearing the Emperor’s mandate. I just want to know… when the gold dust wine will be bestowed, so I can prepare myself."

The Thirteenth Master sighed. "Sister-in-law, rise. I’ll show you something."

Dingyi slowly stood up and took the letter he handed her. When she unfolded it, the script was a tangled mess of squiggles, leaving her utterly bewildered.

"Don’t understand, do you?" He raised an eyebrow. "This is Mongolian. We princes have studied it since childhood. Whether it’s Mongolian or Chinese, the principles are the same—every stroke and dot carries meaning. This letter was written by Hongce and addressed to Zhasake, the leader of the Left Wing of the Khalkha’s Tüsheet Khanate. Zhasake’s scribe stole the letter and delivered it to me. This is the evidence of Hongce’s treason." He clasped his hands behind his back and paced slowly on the thick felt rug, lamenting, "I don’t want this either. I know Twelfth Brother suffered greatly since childhood. Among us brothers, only he was exiled for over a decade. So when whispers arose, I couldn’t bear to investigate. But you know, sister-in-law—if the sovereign demands a subject’s death, the subject has no choice but to die. The Emperor’s will is to follow precedent: announce it as a sudden illness. That way, the crime won’t extend to his descendants, and my nephew can still inherit his father’s legacy."

Tears streamed down her face as she listened. She dabbed at them with a handkerchief, but they wouldn’t stop. Choking back sobs, she nodded. "I understand. May I ask the Thirteenth Master one thing? Death by decree cannot be repeated—is that true?"Hongxun hesitated before responding with a yes, "The rules are the same no matter where you go."

"So, when exactly?"

His tone even carried a hint of uncertainty, "...Tonight."

"Then I must beg Thirteenth Master, let me be the one to deliver the wine! You don’t want outsiders to know, do you? There’s no one more suitable than me." By now, Dingyi had calmed down and could face the situation composedly. To make this work, she still needed his help. She said, "If that cup of gold dust wine must be bestowed upon someone, then let me drink it in his stead. My death is of little consequence—I only ask that his life be spared. Even if he’s confined, as long as he lives, there’s still hope."

Hongxun looked at her in astonishment. The resolve between her brows was truly fearless, yet it made her seem somehow unapproachable.