Qiao Chu

"This is definitely Xie Yanlai bewitching the Emperor," Seventh Master Xie stated firmly.

Xie Yanfang, having returned home from court and changed into casual robes, sat loosely by the window. Hearing this, he smiled.

"Xiao Yu is genuinely worried about Miss Azhao," he said.

Seventh Master Xie naturally knew about the Little Emperor's feelings for Chu Zhao—the girl had saved Xiao Yu, and the orphaned child clung to her like a fledgling bird.

Children were troublesome; they couldn't distinguish who was truly family or understand their own status. Gratitude for saving a life should be repaid with loyal treatment, but the ones they ought to draw close to were the Xie family.

It wasn't that there was no closeness, but it was misplaced—clinging to that illegitimate son. Illegitimate sons were no good; given the chance, they only sought to soar high.

"Even if Xiao Yu wanted him to go, what he should have done was dissuade him," Seventh Master Xie fumed, slapping the table. "If he couldn't persuade him, he should have come to tell you. Instead, all he knows is how to flatter and please, doing whatever a child says! Is it something to boast about, being the most trusted in a child emperor's eyes? Ridiculous!"

Xie Yanfang looked at the table and said, "It might not just be flattery. He wanted to go too."

Seventh Master Xie was taken aback, as if he didn't understand. "Wanted to go where?"

Xie Yanfang raised his head. "Yan Lai's concern for Miss Azhao is no less than Xiao Yu's. After all, compared to Xiao Yu, he met Miss Azhao earlier."

Seventh Master Xie made a sound of understanding, blinked, seeming to grasp it but not entirely, then slapped the table again. "Even worse! He's currying favor with both the Emperor and Chu Ling. Does he really think those two are his backing? Laughable."

The Little Emperor was still young; the road ahead was long and full of changes. Pleasing him now didn't guarantee the same in two or three years.

As for Chu Ling, his life would end this year.

Xie Yanfang smiled. "Three—there's also Miss Azhao."

Chu Zhao, without Chu Ling, was nothing. This Chu Zhao, like Xie Yanlai, and that Deng Yi—all were petty people momentarily riding high. Just as Seventh Master Xie was about to speak, Xie Yanfang waved his hand.

"What's done is done, Uncle Seven. No need to say more," he said. "His Majesty's decision is good. Miss Azhao's safety is of utmost importance, and besides, Yan Lai is the most suitable candidate. If not him, then who?"

He looked at Seventh Master Xie as if joking.

"Me?"

It was indeed amusing. Seventh Master Xie laughed heartily, his anger vanishing. He stood up. "You'd better get busy. I'm just annoyed that these people always act on their own. With the state unstable, we don't need them causing more trouble."

Xie Yanfang said, "No need to be angry. Since the Crown Prince passed away and the late Emperor departed, these years were destined to be turbulent for the state. We'll face each challenge as it comes—it will pass eventually."

Seventh Master Xie nodded and took his leave.

Xie Yanfang, however, did not immediately turn to his desk. Instead, he drifted into thought for a moment, then nodded. "He was worried, so he went to see her. It's really that simple."

After saying this, he smiled again, lowered his head, and looked at the letter spread on his desk, already half-filled with words of concern. The next part should be persuasion—

Xie Yanfang picked up the brush, then set it down, calling for Du Qi.

Du Qi entered from outside.

Xie Yanfang stood up, stretched his arms, and pointed to the desk. "It's finished. Send the letter."

Du Qi walked over to prepare the letter, glanced at the content, and couldn't help asking, "Young Master, have you finished writing?"

This was the content written before he left—he had seen it then. The young master had said he would continue writing upon his return.Xie Yanfang was walking toward the inner chamber when he responded with a quiet "Hmm" upon hearing the remark.

Very well. The young master didn’t need his unsolicited advice. Writing half a letter surely had its purpose. Du Qi carefully sealed the letter and was about to leave when Xie Yanfang turned back.

"Make it fast," he said. "The fastest possible."

……

……

Through couriers, carrier pigeons, official channels, merchant caravans, and private means, the Emperor’s edicts, military dispatches, and court gazettes spread swiftly across Great Xia.

Though still far from the border commandery and untouched by the tumult of war, Chen County was visibly tense, especially within the military camp. In this modest garrison, soldiers and horses raced day and night.

At the break of dawn, Chu Zhao stood outside her tent and spotted an officer passing by. Recognizing him as the one in charge of military communications, she quickly called out, "Any latest updates?"

The officer dismounted and replied respectfully, without withholding information, "The King of Xiliang has deployed an additional ten thousand troops."

This meant the King of Xiliang was not merely posturing but truly preparing for war. Chu Zhao thanked the officer.

Noticing her furrowed brow and gaze toward the border commandery, the officer couldn’t resist adding, "Miss, Yunzhong Commandery is in grave danger. Despite tight defenses, many Western Liang stragglers have infiltrated, burning, killing, and plundering everywhere. Yunzhong Commandery has already adopted a scorched-earth policy. It would be best if you did not proceed there."

After the Chen County garrison had arrived, Chu Zhao had tasked them with cleanup and investigation, intending to press onward immediately. But before they had traveled far, a courier from Chen County caught up with them, reporting the King of Xiliang’s incursions into the border commandery.

So Chu Zhao decided to stay.

She remained to gather the latest intelligence and reassess their route before hastening toward Yunzhong Commandery.

Chu Zhao thanked the officer but did not agree to avoid the area: "If the soldiers and civilians of Yunzhong Commandery do not fear the Xiliang soldiers, neither do we."

The officer glanced behind Chu Zhao, where a group of guards—who hardly seemed like guards—had gathered. They were staring intently at him, but as soon as he looked their way, their eyes scattered nervously as if startled.

Had they not been in a military camp, the officer was certain these individuals would have scattered physically.

He had long discerned their identities—their demeanor alone was telling, and many of their portraits were still posted outside the city’s government offices. Though they had covered their faces with rags, claiming injuries to avoid recognition in the presence of soldiers, the disguises were far from convincing.

Nevertheless, since the young lady claimed they were her guards, he refrained from questioning further.

The officer said to Chu Zhao, "Miss, your guards are still insufficient in number, but we have no troops to spare for your protection. We’ve just received orders from the court: all garrisons must hold their positions."

This command struck them as somewhat unusual. Logically, some forces should have been dispatched to reinforce the border commandery.

Chu Zhao was not surprised. Compared to the crisis at the border, Prince Zhongshan posed a far greater threat. That was why the court had ordered local garrisons not to move—because if Prince Zhongshan struck suddenly, the danger would extend beyond the border commandery to the capital itself.

This was also why she had paused to await updates and adjust their route—not out of fear of the Western Liang conflict, but out of concern for Prince Zhongshan’s potential ambushes and assassinations.

Of course, she could not explain this in detail to the local officers and soldiers, lest it cause panic. Chu Zhao thanked the officer once more: "I understand. I will consider the matter carefully."

The officer said no more and galloped away.

Watching the officer ride off into the distance, Ding Dachui, standing in front of a nearby tent, breathed a sigh of relief, though his posture remained tense."This is quite interesting," someone muttered beside him. "We're actually living in a military camp."

Ding Dachui turned to look and saw it was Ge Laosan, another bandit leader. Their eyes met, and both felt somewhat awkward.

Among the three bandit strongholds on Luoying Mountain, Chang Laizi had brought about his own demise and been killed. Ge Laosan, like himself, had surrendered after being defeated.

Now they were both in the same boat, so despite the awkwardness, Ge Laosan gave him a meaningful look before stepping away first.

When Ding Dachui went looking for him, only Ge Laosan was inside the tent—everyone else had been sent outside to stand guard.

Ge Laosan was staring intently at a map.

"Can you even read that? You don't know a single character," Ding Dachui said.

Ge Laosan flipped the map over and slammed it on the table: "Even illiterate people have ears. Cut the nonsense and tell me what we should do now."

He stared at Ding Dachui.

"Are we really going to be her guards?"

Back then, they had descended the mountain with the girl under the guise of kind-hearted hunters when the soldiers suddenly arrived.

The sight of the soldiers had given them a real scare.

What was even more startling was that the girl didn't introduce them to the soldiers as the kind hunters from the mountains. Instead, she directly declared they were all her guards.

This statement was more alarming because it clearly showed the girl had seen through their false hunter identities.

If they had really been introduced as hunters, the local soldiers would have investigated—

Their wanted posters were still hanging in the city, waiting for rewards.

Since the girl called them guards, the soldiers didn't give them a second glance. Even if they noticed something odd, they tactfully kept their mouths shut.

Over these days, they had gained a clearer understanding: this girl's status was truly unusual. Even the proper officers in the military camp rushed to salute her first when they saw her.

Her family background was indeed a major opportunity, but this was a business they couldn't afford to pursue.

"She's going to Yunzhong County. Western Liang has already attacked there—going there is suicide," Ge Laosan whispered. "Even if her family has great influence in Yunzhong County, the Xiliang soldiers sweep through like locusts, leaving nothing behind."

Ding Dachui had naturally considered this too and fell silent for a moment. "What else can we do?"

"Of course we should leave," Ge Laosan whispered. "Get away from here and find another mountain stronghold. That way, we can forget about being guards or having a new boss—"

Before he could finish, a light cough echoed through the tent.

The cough was gentle, but to the two men, it struck like thunder.

Their breath caught instantly, frozen in place—unable to move or turn around, they remained rigid.

"Has it only been a few days, and you're already missing me?"

A woman's voice asked as she slowly approached, stirring a breeze with her movement.

Why was there no alert from the people outside?

Their most trusted brothers had surrounded the entire tent.

How could there not even be a warning cough—

Ge Laosan and Ding Dachui swayed, as if knocked down by the breeze she brought, and thumped onto their seats. Stiffly, they turned to look at the woman now standing before them.

She wore plain gray robes, her hair tied up and wrapped in a headscarf. No bamboo hat or veil—but her face was covered with a cloth mask.

They finally saw her appearance, though only her eyes were visible.

Her eyes were like autumn waters—Ding Dachui didn't know where this phrase came from, nor did he even know what autumn waters looked like.

"B-Boss," Ge Laosan stammered, his voice faltering but his movements swift as he pulled out the stool from under him. "Please, have a seat."The woman swayed lightly as she sat down, leaning halfway against the table as she gazed at the two men without speaking. Yet her eyes said everything—profound meaning, reproach, warning, vexation, and killing intent.

Vexation? Ding Dachui shuddered at his own delusion, his mind already in disarray.

Before this woman, they had no ability to resist—not just because of her gaze, but also her genuine skill.

"Once we acknowledge a leader, it’s for life," Ding Dachui gritted his teeth and said. "We’ve had disloyal thoughts. Whether you kill us or cut us to pieces, we’ll accept it."

Ge Laosan swallowed, wanting to plead or explain, but faced with such gentle eyes, he found himself unable to utter a single word.

The woman said, "There’s no logic in saying 'once a leader, always a leader.' Whether I can remain your leader is my own affair—it has nothing to do with you. It’s only right that you don’t wish to acknowledge a leader."

Huh? Both Ding Dachui and Ge Laosan were stunned. What did she mean? They stared at her, searching for mockery, threats, or something else, but found none.

Looking into her eyes, they felt what she said was not only right but sincere. They didn’t even think to be wary—their minds simply refused to work.

"Following me is dangerous. In just one night, you’ve lost half your men," the woman continued, lightly tapping the table with her fingers. "What comes next will be even more perilous. I’m using you as blades—there’s truly no path to survival."

So you’re fully aware, Ding Dachui thought to himself.

"However, you were already creatures with no way out," the woman said, spreading her hands as she looked at them.

Was she insulting them? How could an insult sound so—pleasant? Ding Dachui didn’t feel angry at all. Glancing at Ge Laosan beside him, he saw the man nearly nodding in agreement.

"You became bandits, yet couldn’t even defeat other bandits—no way out. You tried being hunters, but the authorities left you no path to survival."

"You need to recognize yourselves. Either you’re at the end of your rope, or you’re lazy gluttons who chose this dead-end road."

"Since it’s death either way, why be picky?"

With each word, the woman reasoned with them so persuasively that Ge Laosan could no longer hold back and nodded along. Ding Dachui also gave a bitter laugh. "You’re right," he said, clasping his fists. "We’re willing to be your blades, ready to die at any time."

The woman nodded, her eyes filled with laughter.

"However, when you truly become fine blades, you won’t die," she said softly. "The one who wields the blade may die, but the blade itself won’t. By then, the blade can find a new master, be reverently held in hand, regarded as a divine weapon—for protection, guarding homes, or passing down through generations. In that case—"

Whether entranced or delirious, Ge Laosan blurted out, "In that case, we won’t have to die?"

The woman looked at him and shook her head. "You’ll still die." She smiled again and said, "We all die. To live is to await death. The only difference is the process of waiting."

Ge Laosan stared blankly once more.

Ding Dachui, now clear-headed, addressed the woman: "Chief, I understand your meaning. You truly are someone who deals in grand ventures, with great vision and ambition. Ding Dachui is willing to follow you and experience this process of waiting for death."

Though he didn’t quite understand, Ge Laosan, sensing the critical moment of seeking life in death, hurriedly nodded along. "Me too."

The woman looked at them, smiled, and nodded, then sighed softly. "What great vision or ambition? To put it plainly, it’s just making a living through business."People with great vision and ambition are always humble, Ding Dachui thought to himself. Chang Laizi had merely occupied one more hill than him and Ge Laosan, yet he became so arrogant that he thought himself invincible—and ended up dead.

"But don’t you worry, you won’t be alone on this journey," the woman added. "Our family may not be the largest, but we have plenty of members."

So it’s "our family" already, Ding Dachui mused. This woman didn’t become the leader just by wielding a lethal whip. Just think of the series of remarks she’s made since coming in—alternating between the stick and the carrot. Who could resist that?

"That young lady—" he began thoughtfully.

No sooner had he spoken than someone outside let out a forceful sneeze—

At the sound of the sneeze, the seated woman sprang to her feet, just as a clear, bright female voice rang out from outside.

The voice carried curiosity and amusement: "Hey, is sneezing some kind of secret signal? That’s a clever idea! A Le, take note—we should use that in the future too."

That young lady!

Ding Dachui cursed inwardly. Sure enough, the old saying was right—never speak of others behind their backs. Today was truly haunted by ghosts; speak of the devil and he shall appear.